Vocabulary

advantageous a	[ædva:nteid s]	выгодный, благоприятный
ancestor n	[ænsist]	предок
attract v		привлекать, притягивать
background n	[bækgrand]	истоки, происхождение
backward a	[bækwd]	отсталый
barley n	[ba:li]	ячмень
be anxious	[æks]	беспокоиться
cattle n	[kætl]	крупный рогатый скот
conquer v	[kk]	завоевывать, побеждать
consumption n	[knsmpn]	потребление
devastate v	[devsteit]	опустошать, разорять
disease n	[dizi:z]	болезнь
distinctive a	[distiktiv]	отличительный
feature n	[fi:t]	особенность, черта
fertilizer n		удобрение
financier n	[fainænsi]	финансист
flax n		лен
foodstuff n	[fu:dstf]	продукты питания
herring-salter n	[heris:lt]	солильщик сельди
hospitality n	[¸hspitæliti]	гостеприимство, радушие
invasion n	[invein]	вторжение
large-capacity dump truck		большегрузный самосвал
linen n	[linin]	полотно
livestock farming n	[laivstk]	животноводство
local principality	[lkl¸prinsipæliti]	местное княжество
millennium n	[milenim]	тысячелетие
multi ply v	[mltiplai]	увеличивать(ся)
oats n	[ts]	овес
palaeolithic a	[¸pæli()liik]	палеолитический
preserve v	[priz:v]	сохранять
respectively adv		соответственно
revive v	[rivaiv]	возрождать
rye n	[rai]	рожь
sailcloth n	[seilkl ]	парусина
silkman n		торговец шелком
spicer n	[spais]	торговец специями
suffer v		страдать
suzerainty n	[su:zreinti]	власть
tanner n	[tæn]	дубильщик
tar n		деготь
tolerance n	[t lrns]	терпимость
trade n	[treid]	торговля
trapper n	[træp]	охотник, ставящий капкан
tribe n		племя
tributary n	[tribjtri]	приток
unique a	[ju:ni:k]	уникальный, единственный в своем роде
via prep	[vai]	через
wine merchant n	[wainm :tnt]	виноторговец

Ex. 1. Find in the text sentences corresponding to the following Russian equivalents.

1. Они поселились в районе реки Полота (приток Западной Двины) и позже были названы полотчане. 2. Торговля развивалась благодаря тому, что Днепр был частью водного пути из Константинополя через Киев и Новгород к Балтийскому морю. 3. Географическое положение страны, развитие торговли привлекали сюда датских рыбаков, московских охотников, еврейских финансистов, венгерских виноторговцев, турецких торговцев специями, татарских дубильщиков кож и китайских торговцев шелком, которые в обмен на свои товары покупали меха, сушеную рыбу, соль, полотно, парусину, веревки, лес, деготь и продукты питания. 4. Беларусь была ареной многих войн, вторжений и агрессий. 5. Хотя белорусы принадлежат к восточнославянской этнической группе, в их происхождении, языке и культуре смешались балтийские и скандинавские элементы. 6. Долгая история научила белорусов преодолевать трудности. 7. Но они обеспокоены будущим своих детей после чернобыльской аварии 1986 года.

Ex. 2. Insert the missing words.

1. Its history is a … page in the world history. 2. But it was only in the middle of the first … that Slavs … here. 3. Trading settlements … and many towns of present-day Belarus … by the end of the 12^th century. 4. These international contacts influenced the most … … of the Belarusian national character - … and … . 5. It was a … province where 80% of the population were … . 6. In December 1991 it was one of the three … republics of the former USSR to form CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States) with the … in Minsk. 7. And today they are optimistic because their historical experience makes them sure they will do their best to … their unique culture, language and … industry and agriculture.

Ex. 3. Complete the sentences using the given variants.

1. Man came to these lands in

1. the middle Palaeolithic times; b) the Middle Ages; c) the middle of the first millennium.

2. They took up

1. paper making; b) honey collecting, hunting and agriculture; c) heavy-duty trucks and tractors producing.

3. Belarus is a country of the well developed

1. industry and agriculture; b) science, culture and education; c) travelling business.

4. Grain is the main field crop, which

1. gives two harvests a year; b) is used for animal feed; c) is the main foodstuff.

Ex. 6. Answer the questions.

1. What tribes were the Belarusian people’s ancestors? 2. When did Belarusian towns first appear in historical documents? 3. Who conquered Belarus during its history? 4. When was the BSSR proclaimed? 5. When did it join the USSR? 6. When did Belarus become a sovereign state? 7. What does the Belarusian industry produce nowadays? 8. What are the main agricultural products? 9. Can you prove that Belarus is a country of well-developed science, culture and education?

Ex. 7. Divide the text into three of more parts. Give the type titles to them.

Ex. 8. Make up the plan of the text using the following points.

1. Belarus nowadays: political status, economical development and social life. 2. The Belarusian people’s ancestors: the first settlers, their occupations, the development of trade and nation. 3. Belarus as the arena of wars and aggressions. 4. Belarusian racial, linguistic and cultural background.

Ex. 9. Render the text, using the facts from it.

1. The life of the East-Slav tribes on the territory of Belarus. 2. The advantages and disadvantages of the geographical position of Belarus. 3. Belarus nowadays.

Minsk

Minsk is the capital of Belarus, an ancient and beautiful city with a long and exciting history.

It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1067 in connection with the battle of the Nemiga River during which it was completely destroyed. It was destroyed, burned, ruined by the conquerors many times during its 930 year history: by the Crimean Tatars in 1505, French troops in 1812, German occupants in 1919-1920, fascists during World War II. But each time it rose from the ruins and ashes as the mythical bird Phoenix. Many conquerors have passed through Minsk because it is situated on the cross-roads of the busiest trade-routes connecting the Baltic and the Black seas.