ВАРИАНТ III
I. Прочитайте и письменно переведите I–IV абзацы текста.
From the History of Belarus
Belaya Rus. The term “Belaya Rus” was for the first time used in the 12th century. Up to the 15th century it was also common in north-east Rus. Lands which are the Republic’s territory today were originally called “Belaya Rus” in the 14th century and the name stuck to these lands.
The origin of the name, however, has so far never been precise. Some researchers put it down to the white colour of local peasants’ everyday linen clothes and to their fair hair. Others associate it with the direct meaning of the word “belyi” which stands for “clean, non-occupied, free, and independent”. They presume that old Rus’s lands which had not been captured neither by the Mongols and Tatars nor by Lithuania were called “Belaya Rus” in those early days. Still others maintain that “Belaya Rus” was the land inhabited by Christians unlike “Chernya (black) Rus” where pagans lived. There are also other versions of the name’s origin.
The history of Belarus goes back to antiquity. In the Middle Ages the territory of present day Belarus was populated by Eastern Slavic tribes. The ancestors of the Belarusians were the Krivichi, Radimichi and Dregovichi. They lived in the basins of the Dnieper and the Zapadnaya Dvina rivers where they hunted, fished and farmed.
In the 6th–8th centuries they lived through the disintegration of the tribal society and the emergence of feudalism. The development of arable farming led to the collapse of the kinship communities based on territorial and economic relations. The tribes began to develop external relations. There was a need in a united state, and it appeared at the beginning of the 9th century. It was Kievskaya Rus – the home of three fraternal peoples – the Russians, the Ukrainians and the Belarusians. Feudal wars and foreign invasions plundered these lands.
In the second half of the 13th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania annexed Belarus. In 1569 Rzecz Pospolita was formed with the aim to struggle against the Principality of Moscow. Later, at the end of the 17th century the Belarusian people were placed in bondage to the Polish feudal lords who exploited them cruelly. It was also invaded by the troops of the Swedish King Charles XII. In 1708 the Russian troops under the command of Peter the Great routed the Swedish troops which were crossing Belarus to join Charles’s army.
In 1812 Belarus was invaded by Napoleon. A few months later the French were defeated and driven westwards.
On January 1, 1919 the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants’ Government of Byelorussia proclaimed the formation of the ByelorussianSovietSocialistRepublic. In 1922 it became a member of the former USSR. This act had a decisive impact on the development of its economy and culture.
In 1939 Western Belarus, occupied since 1921 by Poland, joined Byelorussia. By the end of the thirties a great number of large and small plants and factories were built throughout the republic. A lot of collective and state farms were organized, the national arts and literature, science and education developed rapidly.
World War II brought to the country innumerable losses. More than 2 million people or nearly every forth of the entire population of the country died in the war. Belarus proclaimed its sovereignty on July 27, 1991. And since then the Republic of Belarus has taken its place in Eastern Europe as a new independent state.
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to go back (to) – восходить к
to put down to smth – приписывать (что-либо)
to lead to a collapse of the kinship community – приводить к распаду кровнородственных общин
to live through – пережить
to be in bondage to smb, smth – быть в рабстве (зависимости) у кого-то, чего-то
to have an impact on smth – оказывать влияние на кого-либо
II. Пользуясь текстом, найдите и запишите русские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:
The term “Belaya Rus”, local peasants, linen clothes, fair hair, non-occupied, goes back to antiquity, lived through the disintegration of the tribal society, the home of three fraternal peoples, feudal wars, foreign invasions, the horrors of the Tatar-Mongol conquest, were placed in bondage, a decisive impact.
III. Письменно закончите предложения, вставив нужное слово.
1. The history of Belarus ….. to antiquity.
2. Feudal wars and foreign invasions ….. these land.
3. In the 14th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ….. Belarus.
4. In 1812 Belarus ….. by Napoleon.
5. In 1939 Western Belarus, occupied since 1921 by Poland, ….. Byelorussia.
IV. Вставьте нужный предлог, если необходимо. Предложения запишите.
1. Kievskaya Rus appeared ….. the beginning of the 9th century.
2. Not once Belarus was invaded ….. foreign troops.
3. Some researchers put it ….. the white colour ….. the local peasants’ everyday linen clothes and ….. their fair hair.
4. The French army was driven ….. westward.
5. The peaceful life ….. Belarusian people was interrupted ….. a new war.
6. The history ….. Belarus goes ….. antiquity.
7. ….. the end ….. the 17th century the Belarusian people were placed ….. bondage ….. the Polish feudal lords.
V. Пользуясь текстом, ответьте письменно на вопросы.
1. When was the term “Belaya Rus” used for the first time?
2. How did people try to explain the origin of the word “Belarus”?
3. What are the most important events in the history of Belarus?
4. When did Napoleon invade Belarus?
5. When was the ByelorussianSovietSocialistRepublic proclaimed?
6. When did Belarus proclaim its sovereignty?
VI. Выберите правильные времена глагола.
- He ….. a letter for an hour when I came.
a) was writing; b) had been writing; c) had writing.
- I ….. my report when you entered the hall.
a) made; b) have made; c) was making.
- The letters ….. sent at this time yesterday.
a) were; b) were being; c) had been.
- This plant ….. before we came to live in this town.
a) was built; b) has been built; c) had been built.
VII. Переведите предложения на родной язык, обращая внимание на неличные формы глагола.
1. After reading the letter I put it into the drawer.
2. He is known to have been working on this problem for many years.
3. The water was too cold for the children to bathe.
4. I expect him to come here.
5. Knowing the English language well he can translate newspaper article without a dictionary.
6. The stone thrown by the boy reached the opposite bank.
VIII. Определите тип условных предложений. Предложения переведите.
1. If he had gone to the country he would have taken his dog with him.
2. If I knew French, I would help you do the translation.
3. If we had had enough money then, we would have bought that car.
4. If I had time, I should help you.
5. If he had not got to work so late, there would have been places in his usual car park.
IX. Переведите предложения на родной язык. Укажите вид подчинения придаточного предложения.
1. The man who is reading the newspaper is our professor.
2. Mother said to her son that he must help her about the house.
3. I’ll stay here until he comes.
4. Since it was late, we returned home.
5. The Greek cities realized they must unite to defend themselves.
X. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие слова с окончанием -ed. Определите, какой грамматической формой они являются. Образец:
The King’s coronation was postponed on account of the general ill-health.
postponed –причастие II
Test 3
Опровергните следующие утверждения или согласитесь с ними.
Начните свое высказывание следующими выражениями:
You are quite right… You are mistaken… Quite agree with you… On the contrary.
1. The ancestors of the Belarusians were Anglo-Saxes.
2. It was Kievskaya Rus that united three fraternal peoples.
3.
4. In 1569 the Mongols and Tatars annexed Belarus.
5. The Polish feudal lords exploited the Belarusian people cruelly.
6. The troops under the command of Peter the Great helped the Belarusian people in their struggle with Napoleon.
7. In 1812 Belarus was invaded by the fascist Germany.
8. On January 1, 1919 the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants’ Government of Byelorussia proclaimed the formation of the ByelorussianSovietSocialistRepublic.
9. Belarus has experienced the horrors of numerous invasions.