TOPICS

Устные разговорные темы по английскому языку

для студентов II курса

Topic I

Tatarstan

Tatarstan is one of the most industrialized republics in terms of population and economic potential. As the Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic it was established in May, 1920 on the territory of the former Kazan Province Seventy years later, on August 30, 1990 it bе came the sovereign Republic of Tatarstan.

Tatarstan has an overall area of 67, 8 sq.km; the total population of the Republic is more than 3.5 million. It is situated in the Middle Volga region between Central Russia and the Urals. Its size is about equal to Switzerland and Belgium combined. There are 19 cities and towns and more than 3000 settlements in the Republic. Its territory is divided into several economic regions.

Old industrial Northwest region with the Kazan - Zelenodolsk agglomeration as its centre. Major industries of the region are machine-building, instrument-making, chemical and light industries.

New industrial Northeast region with the Naberezhniye Chelny - Nizhnekamsk agglomeration as its centre. Major industries of the region are automobile and chemical industries and power engineering. Famous heavy-duty trucks (large capacity lorries) are manufactured here.

The construction of Kama Automobile Works that started in 1971 gave birth to motor car construction as one of the main industries in Tatarstan. The city of Naberezniye Chelny where KamAZ is located is the Republic's second biggest city with population of over 500.000 people.

Nizhnekamsk is the main chemical centre of Tatarstan. Situated on the Kama, this city did not exist at all some 50 years ago. The local petrochemical plant, which developed into a production association, is among the largest of such enterprises both in our Republic and abroad.

The Southeast oil-extracting region. Our Republic is very rich in oil, which made it well-known in the world as a major oil-producing republic. It is oil that made Tatarstan an important centre of chemical and petrochemical industries. The main oil-producing towns are Leninogorsk, Almetyevsk and Bugulma.

The North, Central, South and Southwest parts of the Republic are rural agricultural regions. More than 15% of economically active population are engaged in the agricultural sector. Main grain crops are wheat, rye, barley, and oat. The Republic is also well-known for its cattle-breeding.

The main part of the foreign trade turnover of Tatarstan belongs to European and Asian countries Tatarstan exports oil and some 30 types of petrochemical products, compressors, optical devices, KamAZ trucks.

Vocabulary

Sovereign – суверенный

Overall – общий

Region – регион

Major – главный, важный, основной

Branches of industry = industries – отрасли промышленности

in terms of – с точки зрения

manufacturing (industry) – обрабатывающая промышленность

engineering / mechanical engineering – машиностроение

power engineering – энергетическое машиностроение

electric generation – энергетика

automobile / motor car industry – автомобилестроение

lorry = track – грузовик

capacity – мощность, емкость, нагрузка

to manufacture = to produce – производить

instrument-making – приборостроение

machine-tool industry – станкостроение

aircraft industry – авиационная промышленность

petrochemical industry – нефтехимическая промышленность

rural – сельский

grain crops – зерновые культуры

barley – ячмень

oat – овёс

wheat – пшеница

rye – рожь

cattle-breeding – животноводство

trade – торговать, торговля

turnover – оборот

Speak about the Republic of Tatarstan using the following questions as a plan:

1. When and where was the Tatar Republic established?

2. What can you say about the territory, location and population of the Republic?

3. What can be said about its economy?

4. What industries are most developed here?

5. Where are the main industrial centers located?

6. What is the Republic well-known for?

7. Can the Republic provide itself with agricultural products?

8. What countries does Tatarstan trade with? What does it export?

Topic II Text 1 Traveling

Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays traveling. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms.

Those who live in the country like to go to a big city and spend their time visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City dwellers usually like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and bathe and laze in the sun.

Most travelers and holiday-makers take a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interested them – the sights of a city, old churches and castles, views of mountains, lakes, valleys, plains, waterfalls, forests; different kinds of trees, flowers and plants; animals and birds.

Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy time they have had.

People travel by train, by plane, by boat and by car. All means of travel have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations.

If we are fond of traveling, we see and learn a lot of things that we can never see or learn at home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers, and see pictures of them on TV. The best way to study geography is to travel. And the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own homes.