TEXT 2 A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “Kupalle”
As it is known, the sun in its annual cycle passes through two very important points — winter solstice (which is connected with the holiday of Kalyady) and summer solstice (which is connected with another traditional holiday). People used to celebrate the Midsummer Day holiday on June, 25. But nowadays, since most Belarusians belong to the Orthodox Church, the holiday is celebrated on the night of July, 7 in accordance with the Orthodox calendar and is called "Kupalle." We must admit that it is one of the most mysterious holidays in Belarus.
There are a lot of legends and customs connected with this magic holiday. According to one of them there is a constant struggle between good and evil (or symbolically, between dark and light) in our "soul. And on the day when the sun achieves its highest point (as if reaching its heavenly throne to rale the world of light), the dark forces become very active, especially at night. People try to help the forces of light and themselves to defeat the evil witches and wizards. They light bonfires, dance and sing songs around them.
According to another legend God Yarila marries the Earth on this day. That's
why a lot of customs and traditions are associated with love. Girls gather flowers
and weave coronets which they wear at the holiday and then, at dawn, they throw
their coronets into the river and let them float downstream. The boy who fishes the
coronet out of the water will be that girl's intended. It is the best time to gather'
herbs for medicine and love potions. At night, young and old light bonfires not
- far from their village or town and perform traditional dances, sing folk songs and
jump over the fire. Jumping over the fire when it is burning low, as well as bathing
(usually naked) in a river or lake are supposed to be the acts of purification. One of
the culminating moments of the event is the search for a magic fern-flower in the ;
forest. As the old legend says this flower blossoms only once a year, on "Kupalle", and the one who is lucky to find it will master the language of grass, trees, birds
and animals and be happy for the rest of his life. No wonder that a lot of young
boys and girls spend hours in the search for the fern-flower in blossom, which is
also a symbol of love.
Dozens of splendid folk songs were composed to celebrate this jolly
holiday but unfortunately a lot of them have been forgotten by now. The
holiday has been widely featured in the Belarusian literature and works of art.
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It lives in the Belarusian soil as if it were a living reminder of our past and our hope for a better future.
It's great that in the endeavour to reassert their national identity young people are eager to revive the national customs and traditions.
PART IV
DIRECTIONS:
Answer the questions:
I. When do we celebrate "Kupalle"? 2. Are there legends associated with this holiday? 3. How do people entertain themselves during this holiday? 4. Why do people light bonfires on "Kupalle"? 5. When is the time to gather herbs? 6. What do young boys and girls look for on "Kupalle"? 7. Have you ever seen fern in blossom? 8. Why do people jump over the fire? 9. Why do girls throw their coronets into the water? 10. Are young people ashamed to revive the national customs and traditions? 11. Has "Kupalle" been widely featured in the Belarusian literature and works of art? Name some books or pictures.
PART V
DIRECTIONS:
Agree or disagree with the following statements:
1. "Kupalle" is an old English holiday brought to our country by the invaders.
2. It is celebrated in spring. 3. According to the old belief, the dark forces become very active at day time. 4. People light candles in their houses at that period. 5. Boys and girls have their own traditions and customs. 6. Young people look for rare and precious stones in the forest. 7. Young and old make fireworks on the Midsummer Day. 8. One of the culminating moments of the holiday is the search for a magic rose-flower in someone's garden. 9. The fern- flower in blossom is a symbol of love. 10. People jump over the fire at Midsummer Day in order to keep fit. 11. Girls hide their wreaths in their houses. 12. The boys try to find the girls' wreaths.
PART VI
DIRECTIONS:
Choose a word from the box to put into each gap:
1. "Kupalle" is one of the . . . holidays in Belarus. 2. People want . . .the forces of evil. 3. It is the best time to gather... for... and .... 4. Girls ... coronets. 5. On "Kupalle" people ... for a magic ... flower. 6. As the old legend says this flower ... only once a year, on "Kupalle."
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| herbs, legends, search, love potions, to defeat, fern, blossoms, medicine, weave, mysterious |
PART VII
DIRECTIONS:
Put in the right prepositions where necessary:
1. Nowadays, . . . most Belarusians belong ... the Orthodox Church, the holiday is celebrated ... the night. . . July, 7 . . . accordance ... the Orthodox calendar and is called "Kupalle". 2. There is a constant struggle . . . good and evil (or symbolically . . . dark and light) . . . our souls. 3. And ... the day when the sun achieves its highest point... the dark forces become very active . . . night 4. ... night, young and old light bonfires not far ... their village or town an perform ... traditional dances, sing folk songs and jump ... the fire. 5. As the ok legend says this flower blossoms only once ... a year, ... "Kupalle", and the one who is lucky to find it will master the language ... grass, trees, birds and animals and be happy ... the rest... his life. 6. Jumping ... the fire when it is burning low, as well as bathing (usually naked) ... a river or lake are supposed to be the acts ... purification. 7. The boy who fishes the coronet... ... the water will be that girl's intended.
PART VIII
DIRECTIONS:
Complete the sentences using the text:
As it is known_________
According to one of the legends___________
The old legend says__________
We must admit that_______
It's great that___________
PART IX
DIRECTIONS:
Fill in the box:
| Celebration of the Midsummer Day in past | |
| Celebration of the Midsummer Day now | |
| The aim of looking for a fern-flower |
PART X
DIRECTIONS:
Comprehension check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:
1. In accordance with the Orthodox calendar the holiday of "Kupalle"
a) is celebrated on the night of July, 25;
b)is celebrated on the night of July, 7;
c)is celebrated on the night of June, 7.
2. "Kupalle " is a magic holiday,
a)with a lot of ancient legends and customs;-
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b)which has been forgotten by Belarusians;
c)which was introduced by young people.
3. According to an old belief on the day when the sun achieves its highest point
a)the forces of good win the forces of evil;
b)the forces of evil intensify their activity at night;
c)the forces of evil intensify their activity at daytime.
4. People try to help forces of good
a)making fireworks;
b)lightening lamps;
c)lightening bonfires.
5. According to one of legends God Yarila
a)being very angry with the Earth decided to burn it on this day;
b)is marries the Earth on this day;
c)decided to live on the earth on this day.
6. Girls gather flowers and
a)wave coronets which they wear at the holiday;
b)wave coronets which they presented to each other;
c)made very beautiful bunches to present their boys with.
7. At dawn, girls throw their coronets
a)into the well near the house;
b)on the roof of the house and let them be here during the night;
c)into the river and let them float downstream.
8. The boy who fishes the coronet out of the water
a)will be paid a lot of money;
b)will marry that girl at once;
c)will be that girl's intended.
9. People gather round bonfires on "Kupalle "
a)to worship God;
b)to dance and sing;
c)to warm themselves.
10. It's the best time to
a)gather herbs for medicine;
b)gather flowers for wreaths;
c)gather sticks for bonfires.
11. The girls throw their wreaths
a)into the river and let them float downstream;
b)into hot ovens and let them burn to ashes;
c)into wastepaper-baskets and let them dry.
12. Throwing wreaths into the water is a sort of
a)pastime;
b)riddle;
c)fortune-telling.
13. They say the boy who fishes the girl's coronet out of the river
a) will give it to another girl;
b)will forget this girl soon ;
c)will merry her in the future.
14. On "Kupalle" young people
a)go from house to house and sing carols;
b)look for a magic fern-flower in the forest;
c)disguise as Goats, Bears, Gypsies and Storks.
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15. The person who is lucky to find the fern-flower in blossom will
a)be the master of the whole world;
b)master the language of nature and be happy;
c)master the language of nature and turn into an animal.
16. Dozens of beautiful folk, songs were composed to celebrate "Kupalle" but
a)all of them are forgotten nowadays;
b)all of them are forbidden nowadays;
c)a lot of them are forgotten nowadays.
TEXT 3
PART I
DIRECTIONS:
Read these international words and try to guess their meaning:
Fresco, icon, portrait, iconography, symbolic, symbolize, mystic, material, anonymous, gallery, genre, phenomenon, theme, partisan, thematic, fascist, graphic, nuance, style, abstract, sculpture, sculptor, master, poetic, memorial, complex.
PART II
DIRECTIONS:
Read out the following words and memorize their meaning:
| fresco ( n ) | фреска |
| enable ( v ) | давать возможность |
| embroidery (n) | вышивка |
| crown (n) | венец |
| permeate (v) | проникать сквозь |
| mingle (v) | смешаться |
| robe (n) | мантия, мирская одежда |
| assiduously (adv) | усердно, прилежно |
| luminous (adj) | светлый, светящийся |
| water-colour ( n ) | акварель |
| landscape (n) | пейзаж |
| background (n) | фон, задний план |
| noteworthy (adj) | достойный внимания, достопримечательный |
| predominate (v) | преобладать |
| majestic (adj) | величественный |
| expose (v) | разоблачать |
| sinister (adj) | зловещий |
| still-life (n) | натюрморт |
| series (n) | серия, ряд |
| obtain (v) | добиваться |
| anonymous (adj) | неизвестный |
| the Nativity of the Virgin | Рождение Богородицы |
| the Renaissance (n) | эпоха Возрождения |
| Figures on the Heart | "Цифры на сердце" |
| Church of the Saviour-Evfrosinia | церковь святой Евфросинии |
PART III
DIRECTIONS:
Match the English words and their Russian equivalents:
1. assiduously а. задний план, фон
2. noteworthy b. проникать
3. background с. величественный
4. sinister d. акварель
5. permeate е. достойный внимания
6. majestic f. вносить свою лепту
7. portraiture g. усердно
8. landscape h. зловещий
9. fresco i. натюрморт
10. water-colour j. преобладать
11. obtain k. портретная живопись
12. predominate 1. добиваться
13. still-life m. пейзаж
14. to do one's bit n. фреска
PART IV
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the words with the help of the preposition of:
1. the development a. abstract painting
2. fresco painting b. the world
3. a new trend с Slav culture
4. the traditions d. colour
5. the presence e. Saviour-Evfrosinia Monasteiy
6. the Church f. water colours
7. the icon g. the new peculiarities
8. a lot h. that period
9. the focus i. all the fine arts
10. the appearance j. local art school
11. the most popular k. all art
12. the beauty 1. St. Paraskeva
13. all the nuances m. the Byzantic art
PART V
DIRECTIONS:
Read the text and get ready to speak about Belarusian fine arts:
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