Some industries of the Belgorod region

The Belgorod region is an industrial and agrarian area. Industry is represented by a big iron are mining and metallurgical complex producing about one third of Russian’s iron ore, a lot of steel, rolled products, as well as by some enterprises of machine- and instrument engineering, metal processing, chemical, medical, textile and food industries, sectors of construction and building materials. They export their products to more than 30 countries.

The region has a reliable mineral raw material base at its disposal. It possesses more than 40% of all iron ore reserves explored in Russia. Some deposits of bauxites, chalk, sand, clay and granite have been discovered and developed in the Belgorod region.

The iron ore mining and metallurgical complex of the region is represented by the Stoilensky and Lebedinsky plants using an open-pit mining method, the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly iron-ore mining basin using and underground mining method and the Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant.

The total production capacity of existing iron ore mining companies amounts to 27.3 million tons of ore concentrate and sintered ore. Currently construction work at the underground mine in Yakovlevo with production capacity of 4.5 million tons of iron ore is in a full swing.

Mechanical engineering and metal working are represented basically by two production groups: the first one provides its services for the iron ore mining and metallurgical complex of the Belgorod region (mining mechanical engineering and repair of the equipment) and the second one which was developed considerably during the previous years (chemical production, manufacture of boilers and various equipment, etc.).

TAPESCRIPT 5B

Newcastle, my home town

I was born in Newcastle, a city in the north-east of England. Newcastle is on the bank of the River Tyne. It is quite big, with a population of about 200,000 people. There is a cathedral and a university. There are five bridges over the River Tyne, which link Newcastle to the next town, Gateshead, where there is one of the biggest shopping centers in the world, the Metro Center.

A few years ago, the main industries were shipbuilding and coalmining, but now the chemical and soap industries are more important.

I moved from Newcastle ten years ago but I often return. I miss the people, who are so warm and friendly, and I miss the wild, beautiful countryside near the city, where there are so many hills and streams.

People who are born near the River Tyne have a special name. They are called “Geordies”. I am very pleased to be a “Geordie”!

UNIT 6

TAPESCRIPT 6A

St Petersburg University

St. Petersburg University is one of the most important educational and scientific centers in the country. Its history goes back to 1819. This educational institution gave the world such outstanding public men, writers and scientists as I.P. Pavlov, I.I. Mechnikov, D.I. Mendeleyev, and others.

The University occupies many buildings not only in St. Petersburg, but also in Petrodvoretz, one of its suburbs. The main building of the University was originally Peter I’s “Twelve Colleges”. Next door to it is a two-storey building which houses the faculties of Philology and Oriental Studies. The teaching staff of the University consists of professors, assistant professors and lecturers, many of them are well-known not only in this country, but also abroad.

In October 1994 Elizabeth II, Queen of Britain, visited St. Petersburg University during her State Visit. She met professors and students in the University main hall and visited some of the laboratories. In her speech addressed to the professors, undergraduates and graduates she said:

“We know that it was not faint-hearted who first created the splendours of St. Petersburg from flat and barren wasteland; and I am confident that the young people who will emerge from the lecture halls of this University to be a new generation of builders will be able to draw on those same qualities of vision and courage”.

TAPESCRIPT 6B

Some facts of the history of education in Russia

Between the 10th and 13th centuries Russia developed a high civilization, which formed the foundation of the Russian culture in the following centuries. During this period numerous cultural treasures were accumulated. The written works of the time show that the level of knowledge on most natural phenomena was as high as that of Ancient Greece.

Monasteries were cultural and educational centers. They had large libraries and well-equipped book-making shops, in which not only church manuscripts were copied and translated but original books were written. Today we can confidently say that Ancient Rus was a state of high culture and knowledge.

In pre-revolutionary Russia there was a network of primary schools for common people. Nevertheless illiteracy among common people was very high. Well-off people taught their children in grammar schools, commercial schools or secondary schools teaching no classics.

The history of higher education begins from 1755 when the first University was founded in Moscow on the initiative of M.V. Lomonosov.

UNIT 7

TAPESCRIPT 7A

Wales

Wales has been united with England for hundreds of years, and for centuries England and Wales have formed one single political and administrative unit. The son and heir of the monarch are given the title “Prince of Wales”, but his title has no political significance.

If you look at the bottom of the map you’ll see Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Financially and industrially, Cardiff is the most important city in Wales. Most of the inhabitants of Wales live and work in this city and the adjoining area. Apart from the docks Cardiff is a beautiful city.

If you go to Wales, and can’t understand what people are saying, don’t worry! They are not speaking English, they are speaking Welsh. Quite a lot of people speak Welsh, and children learn it at school. The Welsh language is a Celtic language and is very different from English. In general, this is the only distinctive national feature left in Wales.

The Welsh are famous for their singing. A lot of Welsh people play musical instruments, too. The Welsh national costume is still worn by some girls for folk dancing and music festivals. Wales has a very strong folk culture and many people still learn Welsh as their first language.

TAPESCRIPT 7B