From the history of Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the largest countries of Eastern Europe. Its territory is larger than that of France. It is also one of the member-states who founded the United Nations Organi­zation and signed its Charter at the San Francisco Confe­rence in 1945.

The history of Ukraine dates centuries back. In ancient times the territory of present-day Ukraine was inhabited by Slavs tribes. In the ninth century they established the mighty state of Kyiv Rus. Gradually Ukrainian communi­ty developed into a full-fledged nation with its own lan­guage, traditions, culture and mode of life. The struggle of the Ukrainian people for liberty and independence has been long and hard.

In 1846–1847 a secret political organization, the Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood, was active. Its members were representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia. Among them were M.Kostomarov, P.Kulish, T.Shevchenko, V.Bilozersky, M.Hulak and O.Markovych, An important role in the civic-political movement of Kyiv in 1863—1879 was played by the Hromada' (M.Drahomanov, M.Lysenko, V.Antonovyc M.Starytsky).

At the beginning of the 20th century publishing activities intensified and several Ukrainian political parties were established. Encouraged by the collapse of the Tsarist Empire on 4 March 1917 the Central Rada, headed by M.Hrushevsky S.Yefremov, V.Vynnychenko, and S.Petlyura, was created on 5-7 April 1917 the All-Ukrainian National Congress too" place, during which the goal of Ukrainian autonomy was proclaimed and power officially transferred to the Centra Rada. On 22 January 1918 the independence of the Ukrainian National Republic was proclaimed. During this period highly unstable situation emerged in Ukraine, caused b the Civil War and the actions of several hostile armies, particularly the Bolshevik Army and the White Guards.

After the dissolution of the Central Rada, Hetman P.Skoropadsky, with German support, became the head of the Ukrainian state on 28 April 1918. In December of that year power was seized by the Directory, headed by V.Vynnychenko and S.Petlyura.

Notes

community – спільність, громада

full-fledged – розвинутий

to transfer – переносити

to border – межувати

dissolution – розпад

Assignments

I. Read and translate the text into Ukrainian.

II. II. Render the text in English.

CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS BY SEASONS

Climatic conditions differ substantially in the various nat­ural zones of Ukraine. It is, therefore, impossible to establish a single time of transition from one season to another and durations of the climatic seasons, common for the country as a whole. However, the meteorological processes typical of each season have, in the main, features which are com­mon for the entire territory.

Winter in Ukraine is characterized by frosty weather (with snow and a snow cover). It is only on the south coast of the Crimea that a permanent snow cover fails to form, although snowfall there is a normal annual phenomenon.

Considerable variability of weather conditions is typical of winter. Intense cold spells often alternate with sharp ris­es in temperature, and on the other hand, cloudy and warm weather with precipitation in the form of rain and sleet is frequently followed by fair, frosty weather. The quantita­tive indices of the course of meteorological elements vary with the correlation between these types of weather. Preva­lence of the cyclonic type of weather with cloudiness and precipitation gives rise to abnormally warm winters, when the mean seasonal temperature of the air may exceed by normal figures by 1.5°–2.0°.

Cyclonic activity sharply decreased during those win­ters, and invasion of Arctic air masses predominated. Cold spells in winter are frequently connected with the exten­sion of spurs of the Siberian anticyclone to Ukraine. The temperature of the air is 5°– 7° below normal in some months, while the total precipitation does not exceed 50% of the normal.

The beginning of spring is accompanied in Ukraine by the advent of warm air masses from the south and south­east, which causes intense melting of snow. After all the snow has melted, the temperature of the soil and air rapidly rises. Typical spring months in Ukraine are March and April. May, regarded by some investigators as a spring month, has the typical features of summer in many districts of Ukraine, especially in the last ten days. At this time the mean daily temperature is frequently above +15°, while the maximum temperature is as high as +30°, +32°. Spring night frosts are characteristic for the whole of Ukraine. They some- times occur up to the end of May in the north and up to the middle of May in the south. The fall in the temperature of the air and soil is due to the invasion of Arctic air masses, and sometimes intense snowfalls occur even in May. Thun­derstorms begin in May, and heavy showers are frequent.

Summer is warm in the greater part of Ukraine, and not only in south of the country. The effect of solar radiation is manifested to the greatest extent in summer; the underly­ing terrestrial surface and the air are warmed. The air tem­perature usually reaches the maximum in August. At this time cloudless dry weather prevails. Under such conditions the temperature of the air may exceed +38° in the north and may reach +41°, +42° in the south-east. The soil surface temperature exceeds +60° in such cases. Thunderstorms and heavy showers occur throughout Ukraine in summer. The summers are dry only in the south.

Autumn in Ukraine is characterized by a gradual fall in atmospheric temperature and augmentation of cyclonic ac­tivity, which takes the form of an increase in the number of rainy and foggy days, an increase in the duration of precip­itation and a diminution of their intensity. There are, how­ever, fairly long periods of sunny weather in autumn, when the temperature of the air rises above +20°. Orchards may even bloom a second time. Such periods are called "women's summer" (the "Indian summer" of America). In September and October there may be frost on the surface of the soil. In November the mean daily temperature drops below 0° throughout almost all of Ukraine. A snow cover forms dur­ing the last third of November, although it is not always stable.

Notes

permanent – постійний

phenomenon – явище

surface – поверхня

augmentation– збільшення

diminution – зменшення

intensity – інтенсивність

stable – міцний, стійкість

Assignments

I. Read and translate the text into Ukrainian.

II. Render the text in English.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is one of Ukraine's principal spheres of ma­terial production, supplying the population with foodstuffs and industry with raw materials.

Field-cropping is the main branch of agriculture in Ukraine. The characteristic features of present-day farming are its further specialization and the organization of field-crop growing on a scientific basis, making use of modern technical achievements. Among the important measures for raising the level of agriculture in Ukraine are the mechani­zation of plant-growing operations and large-scale applica­tion of progressive farming methods and devices.

Grain production is the main branch of field-crop culti­vation and determines the development of all other branches of agriculture. The basic grain crops grown in Ukraine are winter wheat, maize, winter rye, barley, buckwheat and millet. Winter wheat is sown all over the country. Rye is cultivated mainly in Polissya where it endures the unfa­vourable winter conditions better than winter wheat.

The main regions of sugar beet cultivation are Vinnytsya, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Ternopil, Kyiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

Fibre-flax is mainly grown in Zhytomyr, Lviv, Chernihiv, Volyn, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv regions.

Tobacco growing is concentrated in the Crimean, Odesa, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions.

Over 40 varieties of vegetables are cultivated in Ukraine. The largest areas are under cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, onions and garlic.

Fodder crops are an important source of feed for farm animals. Among them maize is a valuable crop.

Big homed cattle is one of the main branches of Ukraine's economy. Cattle breeding is the largest and most important branch of productive animal breeding in Ukraine.

The food industry of Ukraine comprises 40 different branches of production, the most important 6f which are the production of sugar, butter, meat, canned fish, oil, wines, bread and salt.

Hog raising and sheep breeding are developed all over Ukraine. Among other branches of agriculture poultry breed­ing is also important.

Certain aspects of the Ukrainian economy are weak: its ecology is in a precarious state. There is extensive loss of soil fertility. Ukrainian plants are outfitted with outmoded industrial equipment. There are many structural defects in the national economic complex. The service industries are underdeveloped, and there is an excessive emphasis on heavy industry and production. These problems may be resolved quickly owing to a highly-trained work-force, well-developed communications, distribution systems, favourable climate and opportunities to develop tourism, transit systems, and investments.

Notes

sphere – сфера

to supply – постачати

foodstuffs – харчові продукти

measure – міра, захід

application – використання, застосування

rye – жито

barley – ячмінь

buckwheat – гречка

millet – просо

to endure – витримувати

onion – цибуля

precarious – небезпечний, ненадійний

fertility – родючість

outmoded – застарілий

owing to – завдяки

Assignments

I. Read and translate the text into Ukrainian.
II. Render the text in English.

III. Imagine that you have been invited to an English/Ameri­can school and you have been asked to tell the students about your country, its agriculture, industry and promi­nent people.

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