Практическая работа по дисциплине «Иностранный язык» для ТОГУ

THE CITY OF KHABAROVSK Khabarovsk is the biggest economic and cultural centre of the Russian Far East. It is also the administrative centre of the Khabarovsk Territory, which covers about 320 thousand square miles. The city of Khabarovsk covers almost 154 square miles and stretches along the bank of the mighty Amur for 28 miles. The city of Khabarovsk was built according to the Old Russian tradition – on the high right bank of the river facing the sunset. Alluvial silt and sandy bars on the Amur left bank make both excellent beaches and areas for summer cottages. The urban residents garden there. The population of the Khabarovsk Territory is just under 2 million, 600,000 of whom live in Khabarovsk city. In 1858 Russia and China signed the Aigun Treaty, followed by the Beijing Treaty 2 years later. These two treaties legally determined the Russian frontiers in the Far East. Then a number of military outposts were built to guard the border, Khabarovsk, which was founded in 1858, was one of them. At first this city was a small military settlement named after one of the first Russian explorers of the mid 1600s, Yerofei Khabarov. One can find a magnificent statue of this person in the Railway Station Square, which greets all guests who arrive in the city by train. The city was built by the soldiers of the 13th Siberian battalion. Under the command of Captain Dyachenko they laid the first city streets and built the first wooden houses. The city was built on the summits of 3 hills. At first all the streets in Khabarovsk were known by numbers only. They were given names after 1881. The main street was named after the governer-general of Eastern Siberia, Muravyev-Amurski. This is the so called “downtown” of the city. Many shops, restaurants, movie-theatres and theatres are situated on both sides of the street. Komsomolskaya Square and Lenin Square are at opposite ends of the street. Komsomolskaya Square was previously called Sabornaya (Cathedral) after a beautiful Assumption Cathedral which stood there. It was pulled down by the Bolsheviks. But in the year 2000 it was re-erected there. The gilded 60-foot cupola 3 of the cathedral is somewhat like a calling card for the city since it is vividly seen from far away. The obelisk in the centre of the square was unveiled in 1956 and devoted to the participants of the Civil War in the Far East. Lenin Square is one of the favourite haunts of the city. A series of fountains makes this square attractive for the city dwellers and guests, who take their dates there and go strolling and roller-skating. In winter different New Year attractions are arranged in the Square. Khabarovsk has three professional theatres and a number of amateur ones. One of the theatres is the Children’s Theatre, the repertoire of which is of great interest for the young people of the city. There is also the Russian Drama Theatre. A beautiful architectural complex in Karl-Marx Street is the Territorrial Musical Theatre, which is very popular with the city inhabitants. Karl-Marx Street is one of the longest streets in our city. Actually, it links Lenin Square to the Khabarovsk airport. The airport is considered to be the second largest airport in Russia. There are 40 domestic routes and also regular flights to Japan, China, North and South Korea, America and Singapore. Another beautiful site of the city is the Amur boulevard. Many years ago there was a deep ravine where a small dirty river used to run. Now it flows through underground concrete pipes. In the middle of the boulevard they planted trees from the Far East and decorative shrubs which made it look much more attractive. Now it is one of the residents’ favourite haunts. For those who go in for sports, there is the Sports Complex on the bank of the Amur River. It is the largest (70 acres) facility in this area. The embankment running along the Sports Complex links it with the city amusement park. This is near the famous Amur promontory where the first Russian settlers — soldiers of the 13th Siberian battalion — landed. Here one can see the monument to Muravyev-Amurski, who was a striking figure in Russian history and deserves to be remembered. 4 The Amur promontory is an excellent view point. From here one can see a panorama of the city and the islands on the Amur River. Just at the bottom of the promontory there is the city beach, which is always crowded in summer time. The war memorial in Glory Square is another attraction of Khabarovsk. There is a 25-foot semi-circular marble memorial wall. Red granite standards are dipped over the eternal flame. On the granite wall there are about twenty thousand names of Far Easterners who fell in the battles of World War II. Another favorite recreation area of Khabarovsk is the man-made ponds which have recently been reconstructed. They look beautiful in summer. In winter young people go skating there. On the one hand, Khabarovsk is a city with a relatively long and interesting history since it dates back to the mid 1800s. On the other hand, this is a young city with its modern buildings and construction sites. In 2001, the circus was built in Gagarin Park, which has become very popular with the city residents and guests. A new sports complex, which seats 7,000 seats was recently built. The roads are being reconstructed. Khabarovsk is a students’ city. There are quite a number of higher educational institutions here. The most popular are the Khabarovsk State Teachers’ Training University, the Medical School, the Railway Transport Academy, the National Economy Academy, the Law School, the Polytechnic University and the Institute of Physical Training and Sports. This area, so rich, beautiful and scenic, undoubtedly plays an important role in the Russian national economy. The products of the Khabarovsk factories are well known in many parts of this country. Major industries in the city are machine tool making, shipbuilding, ship repairing, power engineering and diesel engine making. Khabarovsk is a growing city. With every passing year it is becoming increasingly beautiful and attractive. 5 Вопросы по тексту 1. What is Khabarovsk? 2. What is Khabarovsk territory? 3. Where is the city situated? 4. What treaties actually determined the Russian frontiers in the far East? 5. Who was the founder of Khabarovsk? 6. Why is Khabarovsk called the city on three hills? 7. Can you name any places of interest in Khabarovsk? 8. Can we say that Khabarovsk is the city of theaters? 9. Khabarovsk is a city of students, isn’t it? 10. What are the major industries in the city?