1. Find English equivalents in the text:

Дальнейшее развитие, значительный прогресс, неустанный труд, лучшие орудия труда, воспользоваться, борьба против дворян, большие крестьянские восстания, поддерживать крестьян, героическая борьба, освобождение от крепостного права, оставаться в руках дворян, феодальное угнетение, рост городов, развитие торговли, образование централизованных государств, королевская власть, междоусобные войны, грабёж на большой дороге, продолжительные набеги.

2. Suggest Russian equivalents to the following:

Considerable progress, tireless labour, better implements, to produce now grain, to take advantage of smth, to increase peasants' taxes, to pay quit-rent, huge peasants pricings, to bring liberation from serfdom, feudal oppression, to pave the way, to protect the feudal lords, to suppress peasants' uprisings, internecine ware, highway robbery, continuous invasions.

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

4. Give definitions to the following:

Progress, the nobles, peasants' tax, quit-rent, townspeople, serfdom.

5. Read the text and find all the adjectives in a comparative degree. Write them out and form a superlative degree.

Interpretation of the text

1. Answer the questions:

1. How long did the second period of the Middle Ages last?

2. What caused the appearance of cities in Western Europe?

3. What economic changes resulted from the growth of cities?

4. What most important peasant uprisings and wars of the 14^th and 15th centuries can you mention?

5. What caused the formation of centralized states?

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

3. Write a short summary of the text.

Topical conversation

1. Explain what caused the appearance of cities in Western Europe.

2. Discuss the formation of centralized states in this period.

3. Comment on the class struggle in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Text 3

William the Conqueror

In the second half of the 11th century England was conquered by a Norman Duke, William by name, one of the most powerful feudal lords of France. Under the pretext of having rightful claims to the English throne, William landed on the southern shores of England in September 1066. The well-armed Norman knights met the Anglo-Saxon troops gathered by Harold, their king, at Hastings on the Normans won the battle. Some time later, London was forced to open its gates to the conquerors.

William became King of England and was called William the Conqueror. He named himself the "lawful" heir" of the English king and promised to grant the old rights and customs to the Anglo-Saxon nobility. But this was, in fact, only a pretext to pacify the local population which fell under the foreign yoke. The peal intentions of William the Conqueror became clear when he began confiscating the lands of the English barons and replacing the Saxon nobility by Norman nobles and knights who became the ruling group. The confiscation of lands and their distribution among the Norman nobility completed the establishment of the feudal system in England.

Land grants in reward for military service was a characteristic feature of feudalism. In France and Germany these land grants led to the weakening of royal authority, since the great landowners could use their military forces against the king. In England this danger else existed, but in a smaller degree. William granted large estates to Ma followers, but he was careful to scatter thom in manors over the country in a way which made it difficult for the great landowners to concentrate their knights for rebellion against him.

The Norman kings ruled with the help of a governing body called Curia Regie (the King's Court). It made laws, imposed and levied taxes, and tried disputes, but the king was always present and his word was decisive. In just the same way each baron ruled his vassals, each knightly holder of a manor - his villeins.

Generally speaking, the native population was treated very cruelly by the conquerors. Even the Anglo-Saxon nobles felt oppressed. It is not sup rising, therefore, that many, both of the upper and the lower classes of Anglo-Saxon society, fled and often hid themselves in the forest or else where to escape the oppression of the Normans. Sometimes they started a fight against the foreign oppressors, but were often caught and put to death (executed).

Key words and expressions

Kingdome королевство

royal authority королевская власть

yoke иго, рабство, ярмо

landlowner землевладелец

landlord помещик

to claim претендовать

villein виллан, крепостной

heir наследник

estate поместье, сословие

rebellion восстание

manor феодальное поместье

tax налог

to put to death казнить

to levy taxes взимать налоги

to be forsed быть вынужденным

Words for active use

Under the pretext of; to grand rights; Saxon nobility; distribution; royal; authority; rebellion; governing body; to make laws; treat cruelly; upper (lower) classes of society.

Assignments