Reading Comprehension

For the students of grades 6 – 7. Read and speak about old Kyiv.

Our capital is a very old town. Many foreign writers wrote about it many years ago. An Armenian writer did it in the 7th century; Arab writers did it in the 9th and 10th centuries. In the 11th century a German bishop wrote in his book that Kyiv was a large town. Really, in those times Kyiv was one of the largest and the most beautiful towns in Europe.

Old Kyiv had two main parts: the Upper Town and the Lower Town (Podil). There were big walls around the Upper Town. They were 6 metres high and 18 metres wide. There were four gates in the walls. Now you can see only the Golden Gate built in 1037.

In the center of Upper Kyiv there was Sophia Cathedral. The people of Kyiv began to build it in 1037.

Rich people lived in the Upper Town. The working people of the town lived in Podil. The working people built nice houses and churches in Old Kyiv. They could make many things. They were good craftsmen.

When enemies came to Kyiv the women, children and old people from Podil went to the Upper Town. The men defended Kyiv from the enemies.

 Say if the sentences are true or false.

  1. Kyiv is not a very old town.
  2. In the 11th century Kyiv was one of the largest towns in Europe.
  3. There were three main parts in Old Kyiv.
  4. There were five gates in the walls of the Upper Town.
  5. Rich people lived in Podil.
  6. The working people of Old Kyiv were good craftsmen.

Please, answer the questions.

  1. Is our capital an old town?
  2. What did the German bishop write about Kyiv?
  3. What parts had Old Kyiv?
  4. What could you see around the Upper Town?
  5. How many gates were there in the walls?
  6. Where did rich people live?
  7. Who lived in Podil?
  8. What buildings of Old Kyiv can we see now?
  9. What did the working people build in Old Kyiv?
  10. Who defended the town from the enemies?