Moscow: Its Past and Present

Warm-up

Match the words in the left and right columns.

 

a.  Moscow State University b.  theArbat с    Petrovsky Passage d.  the Tretyakov Gallery e.   the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier f.  the Bolshoi g.  Luzhniki. h. Metropol i.   Praga j.   Pushkinsky

department store theatre stadium cinema educational institution restaurant hotel museum monument street

In pairs perform a dialogue using the following questions

 

Are you a Muscovite? Where do you live?

What places of interest do you know in Moscow?

What do you know about... {Yuri Dolgorukiy, the Kremlin, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts etc)?

 

What Moscow attractions are described?

 

1.It was the World's tallest structure from 1967 to 1975 (surpassed by the Canadian CN Tower in 1976). Its height is 540 m, and it contains 3,544 stairs. It was constructed to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It is named after the district of Moscow in which it is located.

 

2.It was opened in 1939 to present the various achievements of the Soviet national economy. By 1989 the Exhibition had 82 pavilions. Each pavilion was dedicated to a particular industry or a field: space, education, radio-electronics, culture etc

1. Grammar The Past Simple Простое прошедшее время

 

НАРЕЧИЯ И СЛОВОСОЧЕТАНИЯ, ХАРАКТЕРНЫЕ ДЛЯ  THE PAST SIMPLE:

yesterday, on Sunday, last week/month/year, a week/month/year ago,  in 2001

 

ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ THE PAST SIMPLE

?			+		–
Did	I you we they he she it	live go	I You We They He She It	lived went	I You We They He She It	did not (didn’t)	live go

 

КОНСТРУКЦИЯ USED TO + ИНФИНИТИВ

USED TO + THE INFINITIVE STRUCTURE

Конструкция used to + инфинитив используется для описания действий, привычек, состояний, которые происходили регулярно или существовали в прошлом, но более не происходят и не существуют.

There used to be a cinema in the town. — Раньше в этом городе был кинотеатр.

George used to be the best student, but now Lena is the best. — Раньше лучшим студентом был Георгий, а теперь — Лена.

Did you use to drive to work? — Ты раньше ездил на работу на машине?

 

Study the table and explain the rule.

[d]	[t]	[id]
play — played, study — studied, clean — cleaned, peel — peeled	dance — danced, work — worked, stop — stopped,  pass — passed, watch — watched, wash — washed, laugh — laughed,  fix — fixed	want — wanted, need — needed

translate — translated, move — moved, lie — lied

stop — stopped, plan — planned, admit — admitted

occur — occurred, stir — stirred, refer — referred

cry — cried, worry — worried

travel — travelled, cancel — cancelled, counsel — counseled

 

Put the verbs in the correct past form.

1. She (to open) the door and (to come) into the room.
2. We (to travel) a lot last year.
3. Peter (to have) a birthday party last week and we (to enjoy) it very much.
4. Children (to go) to Gorky Park and (to spend) the whole day there.
5. Chekhov (to be) a great master of short stories and (to write) a lot of them.
6. Our football players (to win) this match with a great score.
7. Two years ago my brother (to finish) school and (to enter) Moscow State University.
8. He (to read) the book with pleasure and (to return) it to me yesterday.
9. How Muscovites (to look) like a century ago?
10. In the 15th century Moscow (to become) the most powerful of the Russian city-states.

 

2.Pronunciation TRACK 20.

Read the words after the speaker

Matched, watched, patched, washed, pushed, stirred, occurred, referred, danced, showed, allowed, counselled, bought, thought, said, hung, sang, heard, hurt, ate, drew, grew.

 

3.Reading

Muscovite — москвич         to be governed — управляться         city council — городской совет         mayor — мэр          borough — округ         hub — средоточие         network — сеть         civilian — гражданский        to adjoin — примыкать, граничить        marketplace — рыночная площадь

spot — место         popular assembly — народное собрание         cathedral — собор         liberator — освободитель        Grand Duke — великий князь        to occur — случаться        offensive — наступление        virtually — практически        to host — принимать (гостей)        to launch — запускать, начинать

 

Moscow: Forever Young and Beautiful

 

Alexander is a Muscovite and he knows a lot about the history of Moscow. Moscow is the capital of Russia and of the Moscow region. It is the administrative centre of the Central district. It is situated on the Moscow River. Moscow is Russia's largest city and the leading economic and cultural centre. Moscow is governed by a city council and a mayor and is divided into boroughs. The heart of Moscow is the Kremlin, a walled city

in itself. Its walls represent the city limits as of the late 15th century. The hub of

the Russian railway network, Moscow is also a port and has several civilian and

military airports.

Adjoining the Kremlin in the east there is Red Square. It originally was a marketplace and a meeting spot for popular assemblies. Red Square is still used as a parade ground and for demonstrations. One of the most wonderful examples of Russian architecture is St Basil's Cathedral. In front of the cathedral there stands a monument to the liberators Minin and Pozharskiy.

The village of Moscow was first mentioned in the Russian Chronicles in 1147. And this year it was founded by Yuri Dolgorukiy In the 15th century Moscow became the capital of the Russian national state, and in 1547 Grand Duke Ivan IV became the first Tsar.

Built largely of wood until the 19th century, Moscow suffered from numerous fires. The most well-known of them occurred during Napoleon's occupation in 1812. Rebuilt, Moscow developed as a major textile and metallurgical centre. During the 19th and early 20th centuries it was the principal centre of the labour movement and social democracy.

During World War II, Moscow was the goal of the German offensive. Although the German columns were stopped only about 40 km from the city's centre, Moscow suffered virtually no war damage.

The city hosted the Olympic Games in 1980.

In the 1990s the city began to attract foreign investment and became increasingly westernized. Many reconstruction projects were launched. Nowadays Moscow is even more beautiful with its modern cafes, shops and offices of European standard.

 

Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.   

1. Moscow is governed by a mayor.
2. Moscow has several ports.
3. Minin and Pozharskiy founded Moscow in 1147.
4. The monument to Yuri Dolgorukiy stands in Red Square.
5. St Basil's Cathedral is located within the territory of the Kremlin.
6. The first Russian Tsar was Ivan the Terrible.
7. In the 15th century Moscow became the capital of the Russian Federation.
8. During World War II Moscow was occupied by the German troops.
9. Moscow suffered from numerous fires. The most known of them occurred during World War II.
10. In the 1980s many reconstruction projects were launched.

 

4.Writing

 

Surf the Internet and write about one of the Moscow attractions.

 

5.Practice

Complete the following sentences with the words from the box

reserve, partners, online reservation, accommodation, wishes and means, approach, tourist, luxurious, discounted rates, business

 

If you are to visit Moscow as a……….or on…………….., or you are planning to meet your…………..in Moscow and need…………….., we are glad to offer you a Moscow hotel reservation at…………………... You can…………………..a hotel of any level - from tourist class to 5-star………………..hotels. It is an easy…………………………with individual………………………to every client. If you are undecided about which hotel to stay in, we will recommend you something according to your……………….., trying to make the best possible choice for you.

Put the verbs in the correct form.

1. Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy (to want) to celebrate some successful negotiations and was looking for a place to celebrate a feast. The place (to happen) to be Moscow.
2. In 1237 the Mongols (to burn) the city to ashes.
3. In 1328 Moscow (to earn) the status of capital of the Russian region.
4. In 1571 the Mongols (to attack) the city again and (to burn) it completely.
5. A severe plague (to ruin) the dry in 1654. It (to kill) a lot of inhabitants.
6. In 1712 Moscow (to lose) its capital status to St Petersburg.
7. In 1812 the war with Napoleon (to lead) to big fires in Moscow destroying almost everything.
8. On 12th March, 1918 the City of Moscow (to become) the capital of Soviet Russia.
9. When the USSR (to divide) in the year 1991, the city (to continue) to be the capital of Russia.
10. Moscow (to celebrate) its 850 Anniversary in 1997 and today (to be) one of the more respected cities in the world.