2. Write a short summary of the text using the following plan:

1. Material evidence of our times and of the distant past.

2. The recent point of view concerning the appearance of first calendar.

3. In the light of new evidence.

Topical conversation

1. Discuss a unique position of future historians when they come to record the history of our times.

2. Speak on the primitive calendar and the time it appeared.

Text 3

Rome in the time of Julius Caessar

Rome ruled the world. Her armies brought peace and order everywhere. Whether you lived in Palestine or Egypt or Britain, it was true that "all roads led to Rome".For Rome was a centre of a great empire,

where people of every race and country gathered together.

But in spite of all this, all was not well in Rome, no one was satisfied with the government and everyone wanted more power. Many of the consuls did not like being consuls only for one year, but wanted to run the country all the time. Successful generals did not like handing over their armies after a few years to another general. There were two particular rivals in Rome - Pompey and Julius Caesar. Pompey had been a great general who had cleared the Mediterranean of pirates and had made many conquests in the east. Julius Caesar, who came from a very old Roman family, had won great victories,Juries in Gaul and Britain. Each wanted to be sole ruler of Rome and each feared the other. The other Romans began to take sides, and soon terrible civil out, in which Pompey was killed. Julius Caesar then planned to make himself king of Rome, but a band of Romans, who were envious of him or did not want a king in Rome, murdered him.

Then two more rivals arose - Mark Antony and Julius Caesar's adopted son, Octavian. At last those two fought a great battle in 31 B.C. and Octavian defeated Antony.

Learn to pronounce the words:

Rome ['roum]

an empire ['empai ]

Julius Caesar [ ]

Egypt ['pompi]

Pompey ['pompi]

Mediterranean[ ]

Gaul [go:l ]

Octavian [ ]

Key words and expressions

to rule the world управлять миром

to run the country зд.управлять страной

a sole ruler единственный правитель

a war broke out вспыхнула война

a rival соперник

to be envious of smb. завидовать кому-либо

to fight a battle провести сражение

to take sides становиться на чью-либо сторону

to clear the sea of pirates освободить море от пиратов

to make a conquest осуществить завоевание

Words for active use

To run the country, to bring peace and order, the government, to make a conquest, to come from an old family, to win a victory, a sole ruler, a civil war, to defeat.

Assignments

1. Find English equivalents in the text:

Управлять миром, установить порядок, все дороги ведут в Рим, великая империя, хотеть больше власти, осуществить завоевание, одержать победу, единственный правитель, вспыхнула гражданская война, приёмный сын.

2. Suggest Russian equivalents to the following:

In spite of all this; to rule the world; to take sides; to clear the sea of pirates; to win a victory; to come from; a civil war broke out; to want more power; to make a conquest; great empire.

3. Give definitions to the following:

1."All roads led to Rome"

2. to bring peace and order everywhere;

3. a sole ruler;

4. to run the country;

5. to take sides.

4. Read the text and pick out sentences with Perfect Tenses. Explain their usage

Interpretation of the text

1. Divide the text into logically complete parts and find a sentence or two which cover the general idea of each passage.

2. Answer the questions and comment on the following:

1. What city ruled the world?

2. Where did "all roads lead to"?

3. Who were the rivals in Rome?

4. What did they want?

3. Write a compressed version of the text.

4. Mark off the passages of the text that seem important to you.

5. State the main problems discussed in the text.

6. Define which details of the text are of little importance for the understanding.

7. State what places of the text strengthen your former views.

Topical conversation

1. Discuss the question why all roads led to Rome.

2. Discuss the struggle for power between two rivals - Pompey and Julius Caesar.

Text 4

Relics of the Roman Occupation

Britain was a Roman province from the first century A.D. until the beginning of the fifth century A.D. The area occupied covered south, east and midland Britain and stretched north to the lowlands of Scotland, went over the whole of Wales, but did not include Devon and Cornwall. Most of the evidence for reconstructing the life of Roman Britain consists of objects in museums, and of buildings and monuments still to bo seen. But as Britain was part of the Roman Empire we can draw for the first time in Britain History on written history as well.

The account of Julius Caesar (102 - 44 B.C.) of his campaigns in Caul (France) included that of his attempted invasions of Britain, and in this book we can read the earliest descriptions of the people of the country. Tacitus (A.D. 55 - 117) in the biography of hie father-in-law, Agricols, tells us of the campaigns to extend the Roman frontiers in Wales and Scotland.

From all this material, both archaeological and literary, it is not difficult to build up a picture of Roman Britain.

The conquest was achieved by force of arms and till the end the Romans had to keep armies on the frontiers especially in the north. We shall find that in the north of Britain and in Wales the relics are mostly military. It was mainly south and east of a line drawn from the Humber to the Severn estuary that a peaceful Roman-British civilization was built up in the towns and in the villas or country estates.

Learn to pronounce the words:

Devon [ ]

Cornwall [ ]

Wales [ ]

Tacitus [ ]

archaelogical [ ]

Severn [ ]

Key words and expressions

A.D. – Anno Domini н.э.

relics следы, остатки,

midland Britain центральная часть Британии

evidence доказательство

to reconstruct the life воссоздать жизнь

monuments still to be seen сохранившиеся памятники

an account зд. сообщение

an estuary устье реки

a description описание

to draw on written history извлекать информацию из письменных исторических источников

Words for active use

A Roman province, the first century A.D, the evidence, to reconstruct the life of, objects in museums, to draw on written history, the account, a campaing in, an attempted invasion of, the earliest descriptions, to extend the frontiers, the conquest, military relics, a civilization.

Assignments

1. Find English equivalents in the text:

Занимать территорию, простираться до низменности, доказательство, воссоздать жизнь, памятники, часть Римской империи, письменные исторические источники, самые первые описания, расширять границы, силой оружия.

2. Suggest Russian equivalents to the following:

To include; most of the evidence; the account of smb; his attempted invasions; a description; to stretch north to …; monuments to be seen; to extend the frontiers.

3. Find historical terms in the text and pick them out.

Interpretation of the text

1. Divide the text into logically complete parts writing out some topical sentences.

2. Look through the text for dates which are important for the understanding of the text.

3. Ask questions to which the following statements might be answers:

1. Britain was a Roman province from the first century A.D. until the beginning of the fifth century A.D.

2. Most of the evidence of the Roman invasion consists of objects in museums and monuments still to be seen.

3. In Julius Caesar's account of his campaign in Britain we can read the descriptions of the peoples of the country.

4. From all material, both archaeological and literary, it is not difficult to build up a picture of Roman Britain.

5. In the north of Britain and Wales the relics are mostly military.