Краеведение на уроках английского языка: The Capital of the South Urals

THE CAPITAL OF THE SOUTH URALS

Chelyabinsk is the capital of one of Russia’s largest and most developed regions. It is 1,600 kilometers east of the Russian capital, on the border of European Russia, Siberia and Kazakhstan. It stands on the river Miass.

At the beginning of the last century the city was among Russia’s largest grain, tea and meat trading centres. It had en exchange, customs, over a dozen banks, firms and trade houses, both Russian and foreign. The camel in the city coat of arms symbolizes commerce. “The ship of the steppe and desert” personified trade with Asia.

Chelyabinsk has completely changed since then, now it is an important industrial centre. Chelyabinsk is the eighth largest Russian city with the population of more than one million people. It is a megapolis boasting the world-class metallurgical, engineering and defense industries. Chelyabinsk exports its products to 60 countries around the world. It is a major transport junction.

Chelyabinsk is also a great cultural and educational centre of the South Urals. Chelyabinsk has a lot of places of interests: Kirovka, Chelyabinsk Regional Museum, the Alexander Nevsky temple, Sphere of Love, the most romantic and unusual sculpture in Chelyabinsk, the Holy Trinity Church, the Traktor Arena and many others.

The Central Park of Culture and Rest is named after the world’s first astronaut Yuri Gagarin. It is one of the most popular family attractions in Chelyabinsk and also one of the best parks in Russia.  It is famous for its fresh air, relict pines, comfort and cleanliness.  The park is located in the city center and is open every day all year round.

There are a lot of concert companies and theatres in Chelyabinsk. Amongst these there are well-recognized in Russia and abroad Chelyabinsk State Academic Drama Theatre, Chelyabinsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Drama Chamber Theatre and the Chamber Music and Organ Hall.

The system of public education in the city is represented by universities, academies, institutes, colleges training specialists for different fields of industry, agriculture, business, science and culture.

1. Find equivalents for the following words and word combinations in the text:

border, a trading centre, the city coat of arms, boasting, defense industry, a transport junction, relict pines, cleanliness, well-recognized.

1. Join the parts of the sentences.

1. Make a list of 5 questions you think a foreigner would ask your classmate about Chelyabinsk.

1. Retell the story according to the plan:

   1. position

   2. historic facts

   3. places of interests