Учебное пособие по английскому языку "The Regional Center and Its Sights"

Разделы: Иностранные языки

Данное пособие было разработано мною (переведено на английский язык и дополнено), когда существовало очень мало информации, содержащей региональный компонент, на английском языке. Оно состоит из текстов информативного характера, упражнений на закрепление лексики и грамматики, а также содержит вопросы для обсуждения.

Цель данного пособия – расширить знания школьников по истории и достопримечательностям Калининграда, совершенствовать языковые умения в чтении, письме и говорении.

Part I

Kaliningrad region is the youngest region in Russia. It occupies one third of the territory of former Eastern Prussia and is the most western region of our country. This land has its unique 750 year– old history and culture. The history of the region is rich in important events and famous personalities who lived or stayed here. <Рисунок 1>

Long ago, in September 1255 the knights of the Teutonic Order founded a castle on the bank of the Pregel River on the territory of the former Prussian settlement “Tvangeste”. It was named after the leader of the knights, king Ottocar II. The Teutons erected the so-called castles-fortresses on the conquered territory. The fortresses were walled-in and ditched around. The ditches were filled with water so that one could enter the town only through the town gates. Most of them were in use until World War II.

A few years later the fortress Koenigsberg was surrounded by several settlements. The first town “Altstadt” was built in 1286. In 14 years one more settlement appeared on the other side of the river to the east of the hill. The new town was called “Lebenikht”. In 1327 the third town “Knaiphof” was built on the island (Kant’s island). The towns had their own town halls and legal procedure. But only in 1724 the towns were consolidated in one city Konigsberg. It was an ancient city of a highly developed culture with a lot of churches and chapels, castles and fortresses, architectural monuments.

The first university called “Albertina” was founded in 1544. For a long time it had only four departments: the theological department, the department of law, medical and philosophical departments. The economic department was opened in 1916. The university had perfectly equipped scientific institutions: an observatory, two clinics, a zoological museum and botanical gardens. There were more than 300,000 books in the university library. The so-called “silver” library had only 20 theological books but all of them were of high artistic value.

The great philosopher Immanuel Kant, astronomer and mathematician K. Bessel, biologist and geographer K. Bar all studied there. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), a prominent scholar of the 18th century, the founder of German classical philosophy, brought fame to the university.

Part II

We can find the grave of Immanuel Kant on the Knaiphof island formed by branches of the Pregolya river, near the walls of an old building of the Cathedral. The heart of the city, the Cathedral in the Gothic style was built in the XIV century. During World War II it was damaged. But today it has been restored. Bells ring once again from the Cathedral’s tower and inside it one can hear organ music as in old days. <Рисунок 2>

One more historical monument Yuditten church was erected in the XIII century. Before the Reformation a lot of Catholics went there for pilgrimage. In 200 years a new tower was built to connect it with the church by a church-porch. Today it has been restored and is called Saint Nicolas Cathedral.

In Koenigsberg there was a museum of the ancient Prussian history, museum of applied arts, picture gallery, 23 cinemas. Three theatres: the Opera house, the Drama theatre and the Theatre of Music and Comedy made Koenigsberg one of the centers of musical culture.

The former trade-financial Commodity Exchange was one of the most beautiful buildings at that time. <Рисунок 3> It was designed by architect Muller in 1875 and was restored after the war. Not everyone knows that there are dry cellars below the Pregolya River’s level there. This fact tells us about the high skill of the architects and masters at that time. It’s the Seamen’s palace of Culture now.

One more restored museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions about the evolvement of the city-fortress is “King’s Gates”. <Рисунок 4> The first stone in the foundation was laid on the 30th of August in 1843 by the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm IV. The gates were used for ceremonial entries.

Museum “Friedland Gates”, located in the 19th century monument of architecture, has a display of pre-war objects of everyday life of former citizens. It offers a unique virtual walk along the streets of the city. In Koenigsberg there were a lot of other Gates built with one purpose only – not to be conquered (“Schtaindamm Gates”, “Rossgarten Gates”, “Brandenburg Gates”, “Friedrichsburg Gates”, “Zakhaim Gates” and others). Most of them were dismantled or destroyed. “Schtaindamm Gates” were the most beautiful but they were dismantled in 1912. The only ones among well preserved, “Brandenburg Gates”, serve for transport going through them nowadays.

One of the most considerable architectural masterpieces was the Royal Castle, which was built seven centuries ago. But unfortunately the air raids of English Air Force turned it into ruins in 1944.

Part III

There are a lot of museums in Kaliningrad now. Amber Museum is located in the former “Dona” tower of a fortress where the banner of victory was hoisted after the heroic assault of the fortress in April 1945. <Рисунок 5>

The Lash’s Bunker museum, CP of the 43rd Army and the memorial complex “The Fifth Fort”, a place of Soviet soldiers mass heroism, a museum in the open air, are two more historical places in Kaliningrad. Permanent expositions in the Kaliningrad Regional Arts and History Museum tell us about the history of our region. Besides, “the collection of the museum includes a significant part of the famous collection of the Royal Castle’s Museum “Prussia”. The memorial museum of Kristionas Donelaitis, a prominent Lithuanian poet of the XVIII century, was opened in 1979 and has an exposition of more than 200 exhibits which tell us about his living there and creative work. The museum of sculptures is situated in Sovetsk (former Tilzit).

The memorial ensemble on the common grave of soldiers of the 11th Guards Army (1200 Heroes Memorial) was erected in Gvardeisky Prospect on September 30, 1945. We can see the Obelisk of Glory and the Eternal Flame here.

Citizens of Koenigsberg took care of the city buildings. A lot of luxurious villas with turrets and pediments, country-houses like castles with ponds were designed by the architects Fredrik Haitmann and Yozef Krachmann. They designed the Queen Louis’s church in 1899. It is the Puppet theatre now.

One more architectural monument of the early 20th century is the Concert Hall of the regional philharmonic society (Philharmonic Organ Hall). Different art festivals are hold here. This building was created according to the project of F.Heitman for the catholic of Holy Family. <Рисунок 6>

Kaliningrad Art Gallery was opened in 1988 and is developing as the museum of modern art. It has 8 exhibition halls with the exposition space of about 3000 km. The constant exposition of the collection of the Art gallery includes glass and ceramics of Russia, modern Russian folk arts, and eternal themes in art. It cooperates with Russian and European museums, organizes exhibitions from abroad as well.

In the very centre of Kaliningrad there is the Regional Drama Theatre where our guests can have a possibility to make acquaintance with the dramatic troupe of the theatre. <Рисунок 7>

Part IV

Kaliningrad is a port city and its activity is connected with the sea and fleet. We are proud of the Russian fleet created by Peter the Great. Three centuries ago it was Peter the Great and the members of the Great Embassy who opened a new page in the Russia– European relations. On May 15, 1697 Peter I under the name of Peter Mikhailov arrived in Pillau (Baltiysk) on board the sailing vessel “St. Georgi”. Then he went to Konigsberg by the Prussian ship and came to the island “Kneiphoff” in the centre of the city. The Embassy was given a solemn meeting and there was a famous audience of the Ambassadors by Kurfuhrst Friedrich III. The meeting was held in the Koenigsberg Castle. As a result, the alliance between Russia and Prussia was concluded in 1697. Peter I lived in Konigsberg for more than a month. He studied artillery arts, mechanism of fireworks, went sightseeing, visited the Konigsberg University and was engaged in diplomatic activity. Later on Peter I visited Konigsberg several times. In honour of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Fleet the Quay has been named after Peter the Great.

In 1988 the Museum of World Ocean was opened in Kalinigrad. It’s the only museum in Russia of its kind. On board a ship “Vityaz” there are expositions devoted to the world ocean’ s scientific researches. Besides, the submarine contributes to the expositions of the museum.

Part V

One more place of interest in Kaliningrad is the Zoo. It was built in 1896. German Class (1846-1914) was its first director. The monument to him was destroyed during World War II. In 1912 the museum of Germany with wooden chapels, windmills, smithies, huts was built on the territory of the Zoo. There was a place for sport entertainment, playing tennis, cycling.

The day of the second birth of the Zoo is June, 27 1947. The collection numbering at that time only 50 kinds, began to increase due to the help of other zoos. In the Zoo visitors can get acquainted with rare exotic animals and fish. Currently the collection of the Zoo totals more than 2000 species of 360 kinds, many of which are entered the Red Book: Amur tigers, Persian leopards, dwarf hippopotamus, white bears and some others. The huge rhinoceroses and elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees and others have found here their home. <Рисунок 8> <Рисунок 9> <Рисунок 10>

Visitors are attracted not only by the animals, but also by the park itself where more than 150 kinds of trees and bushes grow. By the architectural design our Zoo competes with other famous zoos.

Exercises

1. Выпишите из текста и переведите предложения, в которых используется страдательный залог.

2. Найдите в тексте и выпишите английские эквиваленты к этим словам и cловосочетаниям:

Самая западная область, уникальная история, знаменитая личность, рыцарь Тевтонского Ордена, бывшее прусское поселение, завоеванная территория, были заполнены водой, высокоразвитая культура, древний город, факультет, прекрасно оборудованный, великий философ, выдающийся ученый, основатель немецкой классической философии, могила Иммануила Канта, Кафедральный собор, в готическом стиле, разрушать, восстанавливать, музей прикладного искусства, картинная галерея, центр музыкальной культуры, уникальная экспозиция, работа ювелиров, музей Янтаря, располагаться, знамя победы, музей скульптур, музей под открытым небом, мемориальный комплекс, высокое мастерство архитекторов, гордиться, русский флот, на борту судна, прибывать, заключать союз, дипломатическая деятельность, годовщина, научные исследования, подводная лодка, деревянная часовня, мельница, благодаря помощи кого-либо, возрастать, вносить в Красную книгу, привлекать, конкурировать.

3. Перепишите, вставив необходимые предлоги in, at, after, into, by, with, of, for, to.

  1. It occupies one third ... the territory.
  2. The history ... the region is rich... important events.
  3. It was named ... the leader of the knights.
  4. The ditches were filled ... water.
  5. The first town Altstadt was built ... 1286.
  6. ... 14 years one more settlement appeared... the other side ... the river ... the east of the hill.
  7. All of them were ... high artistic value.
  8. A lot of catholics went there ... pilgrimage.
  9. A new tower was connected ... the church ... a church-porch.
  10. Castles were designed ... the architects Fredric Hartmann and Y.Frachmann.
  11. But the air raids of the English Air Force ... 1944 turned it ... ruins.
  12. He arrived ... Pillau ... board the sailing vessel.
  13. Then he went ... Konigsberg.
  14. Peter I lived ... Konigsberg ... a month and a half.
  15. The Right Quay has been named ... Peter the Great.
  16. The visitors are attracted not only ... the animals but also ... the park.
  17. Our zoo competes ... other zoos ...the architectural design.

4. Закончите предложения.

  1. The Kaliningrad region is the youngest...
  2. It occupies one third of the territory...
  3. This land has its unique ...
  4. In September 1255 the knights of the Teutonic Order ...
  5. It was named after the leader of the knights ...
  6. The ditches were filled with water so that ...
  7. The first town Altstadt ...
  8. In 14 years one more settlement ...
  9. In 1327 the third town ...
  10. But only in 1724 the towns were ...
  11. It was an ancient city with ..
  12. The first university called Albertina ...
  13. We can find the grave of Immanuel Kant ...
  14. The Cathedral was built ...
  15. We are proud of the Russian Fleet ...
  16. On May 15 1697 Peter I ...
  17. The Amber museum is located in the former Dona tower ...
  18. The Zoo was built ...

5. Ответьте на вопросы.

  1. How old is the history of the Kaliningrad region?
  2. Who erected the first castle there?
  3. Name the first 3 towns surrounding the fortress?
  4. When were they built?
  5. What was founded in 1544?
  6. How many departments had the first university?
  7. Name the founder of German classical philosophy.
  8. When was the Cathedral built?
  9. There were a lot of museums in Konigsberg, weren’t there?
  10. Who designed the former commodity exchange?
  11. Who visited Kaliningrad in 1697?
  12. What was the result of their visit?
  13. Where can we find expositions devoted to the world ocean’s scientific researches?
  14. Who was the first director of the Zoo?

Используемая литература:

  1. Берковский В.Г., Исупов В.С., Фарутин И.А. История нашего края. – “Калининградское книжное издательство”, 1990.
  2. Коганова Э.М., Строкин В.Н. Страницы памяти. – “Калининградское книжное издательство”, 1985.
  3. Воронов В.И. Кенигсберг-Калининград. Судьба города в фотографиях. – Калининград: ООО “ДК-Издатель”, 2006.
  4. Якшина Д. В. Прогулки по Кенигсбергу. – Калининград: ООО “Живем”, 2010.