I. Listen and read the text and then answer the questions:
MOSCOW
Moscow is the capital of Russia, its
political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. It was founded 8 centuries
ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Historians have accepted the year of 1147 as the
start of Moscow’s history. Gradually the city became more and more powerful. In
the 13th century Moscow was the center of the struggle of Russian lands for the
liberation from the tartar yoke. In the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible
Moscow became the capital of the new united state. Though Peter the Great moved
the capital to St Petersburg in 1712, Moscow remained the heart of Russia. That
is why it became the main target of Napoleon’s attack. Three-quarters of the
city was destroyed by fire during Napoleon’s occupation, but by the mid-19th
century Moscow had been completely restored. After the October revolution
Moscow became the capital again.
Now Moscow is one of the largest
cities in Europe. Its total area is about nine hundred square kilometers
(ancient Moscow occupied the territory of the present-day Kremlin). The
population of the city is over 8 million.
Moscow is one of the most beautiful
cities in the world. The heart of Moscow is Red square. It has more historic
associations than any other place in Moscow. The Kremlin and St Basil’s
Cathedral (Vasily Blazheny) are masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture.
The main Kremlin tower, the Spasskaya Tower, has become the symbol of the
country. On the territory of the Kremlin you can see old cathedrals, the Bell
Tower of Ivan the Great, the Palace of Congresses, the Tzar-Cannon and the
Tzar-Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. St Basil’s Cathedral was
built in the mid-16th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. There is a
legend that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik, because
he didn’t want them to create another masterpiece.
There are a lot of beautiful
palaces, old mansions, cathedrals, churches and monuments in Moscow. Now Moscow
is being reconstructed and we all hope that in a few years the city will become
even more beautiful.
There are more than 80 museums in
Moscow. The largest museums are the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State
Tretyakov Gallery. Other unique museums in Moscow include the All-Russia Museum
of Folk Arts, the Andrei Rublev Museum of Early Russian Art, Alexei Bakhrushin
Theatre Museum, Mikhail Glinka Museum of Musical Culture and many others.
Moscow is famous for its theatres.
The best-known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House. Drama theatres and studios
are very popular.
Moscow is a city of students. There
are over 80 higher educational institutions in it, including several
universities.
Moscow is the seat of the Russian
Parliament (the Duma) and the center of political life of the country.
1. When was Moscow founded?
2. Is there a monument to Yuri
Dolgoruky in Moscow? Where is it?
3. When did Moscow become the capital?
4. In 1712 the capital was moved to St
Petersburg, wasn’t it? When did Moscow become the capital again?
5. Was ancient Moscow a big city?
What’s the total area of modern Moscow?
6. What’s the population of Moscow?
7. What places of interest in the
centre of Moscow do you know?
8. What do you know about St Basil’s
Cathedral?
9. What can you see on the territory of
the Kremlin?
10. What are the most famous Moscow
museums? (art galleries?)
11. What theatres in Moscow do you know?
12. What is your favorite place in
Moscow?