The radzivills

 

3. Read these international words and try to guess their meaning:

New type, characteristic, style, reconstruct, center, images, metal, relics, literature, assemblies, army, archeological, concert, territory, copy, plan, construction, function, character.

 

4. Read the following words and try to memorize them:

temple (n)	[" tempal]	крепость
cathedral (n)	[fka'Gidral]	собор
boundary (n)	[fbaundari]	граница
loop-hole (n)	[ki: p haul]	бойница
siege (n)	[si: dj]	осада
refuge (n)	["refjuicfc]	убежище
treasure (n)	[v tre33]	сокровище, богатство
magnificent (adj)	[,m8eg4nrfiS3nt]	великолепный
manuscript (n)	[maenju: script]	рукопись
annals (n)	[aenlz]	летописи
solemn (adj)	[~ sDlsm]	торжественный
assembly (n)	[s^sembli]	событие
ambassador (n)	[seirT baesada}	[seirT baesada}
seal (n)	[si: 1]	печать
warehouse (n)	[,\veavhaus]	склад
ammunition (n)	[эепф;4 mjan]	боеприпасы
rest (n)	[rest]	остаток
base (n)	[beis]	фундамент
additional (adj)	[a'dijanal]	дополнительный
unique (adj)	[juO ni:k]	уникальный
heritage (n)	[vhentid3]	наследие
enigmatic (adj)	[ГшдтэНк]	загадочный
initial (adj)	[Гшгэ1]	первоначальный

                                                       

5.  Read these phrasal verbs and expressions several times till you remember them:

to strengthen with — укрепить чём-л.;

to appear in — оказаться в;

to locate in — находиться, быть расположенным;

to consider as — считаться;

to immortalize in — увековечить;

to burn down — сгореть;

to blow up — взорваться;

to find out — находить;

to take by — брать чём-л.;

to consist of—состоять из                                                 

 

6. Match-the English words with their Russian equivalents:

1. aesthetic value 2. attention 3. feature 4. moat 5. townspeople 6. massive 7. temple 8. unexpectedly 9. angular 10. event

а. крепость b.ров с. эстетическая ценность d. неожиданно е. угловой f. событие g. внимание h. черта i. горожане j. массивный

 

7. Combine the words with the help of the preposition of:                         

1. relics and treasures 2. the warehouse 3. two-storied building 4. full copy 5. draw attention 6. new type 7. additional zone 8. siege 9. gates made 10. in the east boundary

a. ammunition                                   b. Polotsk                                         c. people                                          d. metal                                           e. the Grand Duchy of Lithuania           f. the town                                        g. Jewish sehool                                 h. defense                                        i. Polotsk Sofia                                  j. church buildings

 

8. Give the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives:          

Ancient, new, big, usual, rich, .magnificent, small, enigmatic.                     

 

9. Give the three forms of the following verbs:                                        

To blow, to draw, to see, to construct, to burn, to exist, to locate, to store, fo; keep, to begin, to give.  

                                                                         

10. Give the plural of:                                                                         

Style, type, century, boundary, key, assembly, library, fire, church, base, army,; warehouse, studying, zone, enemy.      

 

11. Write the derivatives of the following words:                                     

Character, begin, style, construct, shop, expect, bound.

 

12. These words can be used both as verbs and nouns. Make up your own" sentences to show the difference in their usage:

Help, refuge, rich, study, base, copy, defense, storm, plan, value.               

 

13. Read these expressions and find their English equivalents in the text:

Укрепленные с помощью  угловых башен; во время осады; убежище; для богатых горожан; великолепная библиотека; старинные рукописи; увековечить городской печатью; склад боеприпасов; церковь восстановил снова; неожиданно взорвалась; церковнославянский язык; массивное двухэтажное здание; первоначальная функция; уникальный памятник историческое наследие.

 

14. Read the text and get ready to speak about The Sophia Cathedral:

 

THE SOPHIA CATHEDRAL: OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE

At the end of the 15^th — the beginning of the 16th century a new type of church buildings, strengthened with the help of angular towers, appeared in Belarus. It became characteristic for the Belarus gothic style. The first temple of such a type became the Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk which was constructed in the 50s of the 11th century. At 15 ^th —16 ^th centuries the temple had been reconstructed into the church-castle consisting of five towers.

In those days Polotsk was a big shopping centre located in the east boundary of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was considered as "the key" from Livonia and Lithuania.

The five-tower Sophia Cathedral existed in the Top castle fill 1710. According to the images of 1578 and 1707 it was a usual castle with towers, loop-holes and gates made of metal. During the time of siege of Polotsk this church was a refuge for rich townspeople. There were also relics and treasures of the town in it. One of them was a magnificent library. Here ancient manuscripts, annals, letters were stored, there was literature in Greek, Latin, ancient Belarusian, Church Slavonic -and other languages. The most solemn assemblies of townspeople passed in the Sophia Cathedral. Here the ambassadors from all over the world were accepted, too. The name of the temple had been immortalized in the town seal.

In 1607 the Sophia Cathedral burnt down during the fire. Soon it was restored. Angular tewers were reduced by one circle, and the middle tower became higher., After the fire ш 1643 the church was restored once again. The warehouse of ammunition of Peter the First army was in cellars of the temple during the days of the Northern war. In May 1710 it unexpectedly blew up, and the temple had been actually destroyed. In 1738-1780 it was reconstructed in a two-tower baroque church.

The rest of the ancient defensive towers bad not been found out during the archeological studying of the Sophia Cathedral. Probably, the bases were small. Now in the building of Polotsk Sophiathsre is a concert hall.

In the territory of the Bottom castle there was one more five-tower temple of the catholic type. It was almost full base of the Sophia Cathedral. It was well seen on the plan of Polotsk of 1707. Distinct defensive features had also other town church constructions: the'Jesuit complex and the Jesuit church. They closed the way to the bridge across a defensive moat of the Top castle. There were two ways to the castle which led to a massive two-storied building of the Jewish school as well.

Initial function of the given castle had a defensive character. Its stone buil- dings had created an additional zone of defense, which the enemy tried to take - by storm. Now the Sophia Cathedral is the unique monument of ancient architec; ture. There are only three such cathedrals all over the world: in Polotsk, Nizhniy Novgorod and Kiev. They represent aesthetic value and historical heritage. They keep ancient history, enigmatic events which draw attention of people from all over the world.                                                                                      

 

15. Answer the following questions:                                                      

1. When was the Sophia Cothedral constructed? 2. How did the Sophia; Cathedral look like? 3. How many years had the five-tower Polotsk Sophia existed in the Top castle? 4. What was the church during the time of siege? 5. Where were relics and other treasures kept? 6. Where were the ambassadors accepted: 7. Where had the name of the temple been-immortalized? 6. What happened to the Sophia Cathedral in 1607? 8. What were the changes in it construction afterj the fire? 9. What was in the Sophia Cathedral during the days of Northern war? 10. What was the result of the explosion? 11. How was the church reconstructed in   1738-1780?   12. What  was  found  during the  archeological   studying?13. What closed the way to the bridge across a defensive moat of the Top castle? 14. How many roads led to the castle? 15. What kind of function did the castle have? 16. How many cathedrals of that type are all over the world? 17. What is the Sophia Cathedral today?

 

16. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. At the end of the 15th — the beginning of the 16th century a new type: of church buildings, strengthened with the help of angular towers, appearedj in Belarus. 2. The first temple of such a type became the Sophia Cathedral in Kiev.; 3. Polotsk was considered as "the key" from Livonia and Lithuania. 4. During the. time of the siege of Polotsk this church was a refuge for the poor townspeople j 5. There were also relics and treasures of the town in it; one of them was-a magnificent gallery. 6. In 1607 the Sophia Cathedral burnt down during the fire; 7. Now in the building of the Sophia Cathedral there is a church. 8. In May 1780 it unexpectedly blew up, and the temple had been actually destroyed. 9. Initial function of the given castle had a defensive character. 10. There are only three such cathedrals all over the world: in Polotsk, Nizhniy Novgorod and Minsk.

 

17. Put the right prepositions where necessary:

1. They keep ancient history, enigmatic events which draw attention ... people ... all... the world 2. Its stone buildings had created an additional zone .. defense, which the enemy tried to take ... storm. 3. In the territory ... the Bottorrt

castle was one more five-tower temple ... the catholic type. 4. The rest ... the ancient defensive towers had not been found ... during the archeological studying ... the Sophia Cathedral. 5. ... the fire ... 1643 the church was restored once again.

6. ...1607 the Sophra Cathedral burnt.......the fire. 7. It was a usual castle ... towers, loop-holes and gates made ... metal. 8. The name ... a temple had been immortalized ... the town seal. 9. In those days Polotsk was a big shopping centre located ... the east boundary ... the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. 10. ... 15 ^th —16 ^th century the temple had been reconstructed ... the church — castle consisting ... five towers.

 

18. Choose a word from the box to pat into each gap:

1. The first temple of such a type became the Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk which was ... in 50s of the 11th century. 2. At .15^th- 16th centuries the temple was reconstructed into the......consisting of five towers. 3. They keep ancient history, enigmatic events which.....  of people from all over the world. 4 Distinct defensive features had also other town church constructions: the Jesuit complex and......5. The most solemn ... of the townspeople passed in the SuphiaCathedral. 6. It was a usual castle with towers, ... and gates made of metal. 7. After the fire in 1643 the church was ... once again.

 

restored, draw attention, loop-holes, constructed, the Jesuit church,church-castle, assemblies

 

19. Fill in the table:                                                                                .

50s of the 11th
15 th -16 th
1738-1780
1643
May 1710
1607

 

20. Work in groups. Find out from your partners:

— what they know about the Sophia Cathedral;

— what the Sophia Cathedral represented; — what changes did it have.

 

21. Comment on:

— the influence of different circumstances on the church;

— the function of this church today.

 

22. Prove that:

— Belarusian history of castles has a varied and interesting past;

— Belarusian architecture has many brunches.              

 

23. Imagine that:

— You are preparing a report about Belarusian architecture. You do not have enough information and you ask. your teacher to help you. Role-play a dialogue with your partner.

— You are _a historian and you work at one of the schools. Your administration is going to send you to Russia to gather some information about the castle in Nizhniy Novgorod. But they ask you to prepare a short speech about the history of Belarusian cathedrals. What can you say about them?

— You are a student of the historical department. You were at your ethnographical practice in summer. You have found a lot of things referring to the past. How can you prove that these exhibits are ancient?

— Your pen-friend from abroad comes to visit you. He (she) wants to know something about the Sophia Cathedral. Role-play a dialogue with your partner.

 

24. Comprehension check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:

1. At the end of the 15,h — the beginning of the 16lh century a new type of church buildings, strengthened with the help of..., has appeared in Belarus

a) pentagon towers;

b) quadrangular towers;

c) angular towers.

 

2.  The first temple of such a type became

a) the Catholic church in Nizhniy Novgorod; b.) the Sophia cathedral in Polotsk; c) the Christian church in Kiev.

 

3.  During the time of the siege of Polotsk this church was a refuge for the

a) rich townspeople;

b) poor workers;   :

c) all people.

 

4.  There were also relics and treasures of the town in it, one of them was

a) a famous gallery;

b) a huge library;

c) a magnificent museum.

 

5.  Polotsk was considered as "the key" from

a) Poland and Germany;

b) Russia and Ukraine;

c) Livonia and Lithuania.

 

6.  The five-tower Sophia Cathedral

a) had been almost destroyed till 1712;

b) had existed in the Top castle till 1710;

c) had existed in the Bottom castle till 1600.

 

7.  In the x Sophia Cathedral the ..., too.

a) ambassadors from all over the world were accepted;

b) guests from the neighbou countries were accepted;

c) investigators from all over the world were accepted.

 

8.  In 1607 the Sophia Cathedral

a) was rebuilt and restored and received a new name after the war;

b) disappeared forever after the struggle with Peter the First;

c) burnt down during the fire.

 

9. In 1738-1780 it was   

a) rebuilt in a mighty five-storied and two-tower gothic church;

b) replaced and given a new name — the catholic church;

c) reconstructed in the two-tower baroque church.

 

10. Now in the building of Sophia Cathedral is a

a) concert hall;