The land of blooming lotus

No one plant in the world was connected so closely with the life of the primitive man and the culture of the first civilization as lotus. We can observe the motion of the people following the places of historical locations of lotus around the world. Many ancient myths and legends about the structure of the universe are connected with the lotus. The delta of the Great Russian River Volga is the most northern place of location of lotus in the world.

Nobody can enplane where lotus appeared from. Maybe some of birds of passage brought lotus seeds in their stomachs from India. Maybe lotus had been growing up here from time immemorial. Lotus nuts can lie at the bottom of reservoir during thousands years.

Lotus always attracted people's attention. Some of them admired the beauty of lotus flowers making legends about them. Others decorated their dwellings and altars with lotus. Other people used it like a medicine.

It is impossible to describe all the beauty of the fields of blooming lotus. Enormous, about one meter in diameter, round leather-like dark—green with wax thin coating leaves cover the surface of the water. Over them hundreds of wonderful flowers rise on their high and strong stems. Delicate fragrance of flowers resembles the smell of almond.

Lotus is the relic plant. You can see its pictures on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples.

It is a very unusual and mysterious flower. Lotus blooms only three days changing its color from bright pink to absolutely white.

Not long ago the fields of lotus were investigated by an extrasense and he came to the conclusion that leaves of lotus absorb an enormous quantity of cosmic energy. The plant accumulates this energy and returns it to the environment. Lotus fields are the places with the strong positive energy. Just because of this fact it is very healthy to visit lotus fields.

Тексты для самостоятельной работы студентов:

1. Агабекян И.П., Коваленко П.И. «Английский для технических вузов», Ростов-на-Дону, 2003, стр. 77-79 – The Russian Federation., стр. 81-83 – Moscow.

2. Спехова Л.Н., Методическое пособие по английскому языку по теме «My country- Russia» для студентов 1 курса всех специальностей, Астрахань 2006, стр. 3-56.

3. Тажетдинова Н.С. Методическая разработка по разговорной теме «The Astrakhan Region» для студентов всех специальностей, Астрахань 1999, стр. 2-4 – The Astrakhan region, стр. 7-27 – Additional material for reading.

Part 5. Страны изучаемого языка (Великобритания, США, Австралия, Новая Зеландия):географические, политические и культурные аспекты.

Canada

To extend- простираться

To inhabit- населять

To cede- передавать

Democracy- демократия

Monarchy- монархия

Bilinqual- двуязычный

To trigger- привести в действие

Viceroy-вице-король

Contiguous- соседний

Extensive- обширный

Glacial- ледниковый

Earthquake- землетрясение

Notably- особенно

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south. The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal people.

By total area (including its waters), Canada is the second-largest country in the world—after Russia.

Canada has an extensive coastline on its north, east, and west, and since the last glacial period it has consisted of eight distinct forest regions, including extensive boreal forest on the Canadian Shield. Canada has more lakes than any other country, containing much of the world's fresh water.

A federation consisting of ten provinces and three territories, Canada is governed as a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. It is a bilingual nation with both English and French as official languages at the federal level.

Canada is also geologically active, having many earthquakes and potentially active volcanoes.

Atlantic Canada has vast offshore deposits of natural gas, and Alberta has large oil and gas resources.

Canada is one of the world's largest suppliers of agricultural products; the Canadian Prairies are one of the most important producers of wheat, canola, and other grains. Canada is the largest producer of zinc and uranium, and is a global source of many other natural resources, such as gold, nickel, aluminium, and lead.

Canada has a parliamentary government. Parliament is composed of The Crown, an elected House of Commons, and an appointed Senate. Each Member of Parliament in the House of Commons is elected by simple plurality in an electoral district or riding.

Canada is also a constitutional monarchy, with The Crown acting as a symbolic or ceremonial executive. The Crown consists of Queen Elizabeth II (legal head of state) and her appointed viceroys, the governor general (acting head of state), and provincial lieutenant-governors. The political executive consists of the prime minister (head of government) and the Cabinet. The Cabinet is made up of ministers usually selected from the House of Commons and headed by the prime minister.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is one of the most powerful institutions in government, initiating most legislation for parliamentary approval and selecting. The Crown formally approves parliamentary legislation and the prime minister's appointments.

Canada's judiciary plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1.Where is Canada situated?

2.What is the territory of the country?

3.How many languages are spoken in Canada?

4.What can you say about the nature of it?

5.What natural and mineral resources is Canada rich in?

6.Has Canada a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarchy?

7.What do you know about the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the country?

8.Who is the head of the Crown?

Exercise 2. Insert the missing words:

1. Canada's the worlds … largest country by total area.

2. A … federation consisting of ten provinces and three territories.

3. Canada has a parliamentary …

4. Canada is the second largest country in the world after …

5. Canada is also geologically active, having many … potentially active …

6. One of the important producers of …, …, and other …

Exercise 3. Give Russian equivalents to these words and word combinations:

Total, millenia, both, northern portion, stretching, distinct, geologically active, volcanic complex, resources, producer of, confidence, symbolic, court,judges, ministeґs appointment.

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