Kyiv

Read the text about Kyiv, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and find out:

the date of Kyiv foundation
the names of the founders
three events that influenced the life of Kyiv’s inhabitants
the name of the main street and its length
the names of historical monuments and museums mentioned in the text.

Kyiv is considered one of the largest and most beautiful cities in the world. Its history goes back to the remote past. According to the historiography Kyiv was founded in the latter half of the 5^th or the early 6^th century.

A well-known legend which came to us, says that the founders of the city were three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoriv. So the city got its name after the eldest brother Kyi.

With the foundation of Kyivan Rus Kyiv became its capital.

Centuries passed over it and left their mark here.

The city saw the great Tatar invasion, which swept across the Ukrainian lands, came under Polish and Lithuanian rule, suffered greatly during the Great Patriotic War. But nothing could wipe the city off the face of the earth.

Nowadays Kyiv is not only the capital of Ukraine, it is a cultural, scientific, administrative and industrial centre.

Kyiv stretches on the high hills along the Dnipro rivaling to be one of the oldest and most charming cities of the world. With its abundant greenery and chestnut trees it looks like a huge park.

The main street is Khreshchatyk. The street is only one kilometer long but it is very impressive. Besides government offices and administrative buildings you can see large cinemas, restaurants, shops and cafeterias.

From its past the city inherited a great number of historical monuments. Among them are Saint Volodymyr’s Cathedral, Sophia’s Cathedral, Saint Andrew’s Church, Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra, which remind people that Kyiv has always been the centre of Slavic culture and Orthodox Church.

The city has many museums: the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Historical Treasures, the Ukrainian Art Museum, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art, and the Ukrainian Museum of Folk Architecture and Ethnography. The museums can boast of their wonderful collections. Kyiv is proud of the Shevchenko Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Lesia Ukrainka Drama Theatre, the Theatre of Musical Comedy, the Conservatoire etc.

Kyiv is a busy industrial city with numerous enterprises.

Not only inhabitants of Kyiv but all citizens of Ukraine are proud of their capital.

Vocabulary

remote – давній, далекий

latter half – друга половина

invasion – вторгнення

suffer – страждати

the Great Patriotic War – Велика Вітчизняна війна

wipe off – стерти, ліквідувати

rival – конкурувати

abundant – багатий, рясний

impressive – вражаючий

inherit – успадковувати

remind – нагадувати

Slavic culture – слов’янська культура

Orthodox Church – Православна церква

boast of – хвалитися

Conservatoire – косерваторія

numerous enterprises – численні підприємства

Comprehension Check

Read this summary of the text. There are some mistakes in it. Say if the sentences are true or false.

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
It was founded in the latter half of the 4^th century.
The founders of the city were three brothers: Kyi, Shchek and Khoriv.
Form its past the city inherited a great number of historical monuments.
The main street is Derebasovska.
Kyiv is not only the capital of Ukraine, it is a cultural, scientific, administrative and industrial centre.
Kyiv stretches on the high hills along the Desna River.
With its abundant greenery it looks like a huge park.
All citizens of Ukraine are proud of their capital.

Post-reading

Complete this letter. Use the words from the text.

Dear Sylvia,

I’m writing from Kyiv, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Kyiv is the c____________ of Ukraine. We’re staying in a large hotel on Khreshchatyk Street. This is the m__________ street of the c______________.

Kyiv looks like a h___________ park with it’s a_______________ greenery and c_________________ trees.

Yesterday we met some really friendly people who took us to round Kyiv s________________ t_________. We visited the L___________ Monastery. The c____________ of this monastery are really u_____________.

We saw the official r_______________ of the Ukrainian g__________________. It is located in a very beautiful building of Mariynsky p______________.

We were impressed by great number of c___________________ and ch_______________. They r__________________ that Kyiv is the centre of Orthodox Church.

So we are having a lovely time.

See you when I get back. Miss you.

Love,

Dan