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er, an Indian summer or Babiye Lyeto, making the memory of the summer come alive again for just a while. The weather in October is cold and miserable before the first unwelcome snow starts to fall. Some years it can even snow in September, but more often than not, this happens in October or November. From this time, the sun hardly ever shines. Possibly, just at the end of November, its last shining rays may flicker over the horizon, but the neat day no one will see the rising or the setting of the sun. It is the Polar Night.

On the territories around the Gulf of Kola the average temperature in winter is a mere –10°C, although that figure can drop to –30°C. Winds make the frost unbearable. In the continental part of the peninsula winter temperatures are lower but they are easier to endure, as the air as damp as on the coast.

One of the bonuses of the long hard winter is the celebration that takes place to mark its end. When the Polar Night is almost over, and the sun for a brief moment comes, into sight over the horizon for the very first time, a holiday called “Hello, Sunshine!” is declared. The whole town turns into one huge outdoor party. Street traders come out, music is everywhere, theatrical performances can be seen, and of course there is no lack of refreshment: Eat, Drink and be Merry!

A few weeks later, either at the end of February or at the beginning of March, usually at the weekend, a similar outdoor holiday takes place, called “Goodbye, Winter!”

(Текст составлен по материалам Википедии: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

и других сайтов: http://tour.murman.ru/en/interesting-places)

POPULATION

III. Before reading the text be sure that you can pronounce the following words correctly:

Task 3. Read and translate the text. Be ready to do the tasks after the text:

The population of the Murmansk region is 795,409 people, 299,148 of whom live in the city of Murmansk itself. Men outnumber women by 13,400. Children under the age of 15 make up 23.4% of the total population, 30–40 year olds – 20.4% and those over 70 – 1.9%. In the past few years, there has been a general decrease in the overall population.

As of the 2010 Census, 92.2% of the oblast’s population live in urban areas. The most populous city is the Oblast’s administrative center, Murmansk. Other large cities and towns include Severomorsk, Apatity, Kandalaksha, Monchegorsk, and Kirovsk.

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The Murmansk Region, the city of Murmansk in particular, is multina-

tional.

According to the 2014 Census, the ethnic composition of the oblast was as follows:

Russians: 89% Ukrainians: 4.8% Belarusians: 1.7% Tatars: 0.8% Azeris: 0.5% Mordvins: 0.2% Karelians: 0.2% Komi: 0.2% Sami: 0.2% others: 2.4%

Sami, or Lapps/Laplanders, are the indigenous people of the Kola Peninsula. In Russian, this northern race is sometimes called Lopary. Centuries ago they also settled in the northern territories of Finland, Norway and Sweden, where about 50,000 Lapps still live today. Throughout the whole of the Murmansk area there are about 1,700 Laplanders, 200 of whom live in Murmansk itself. Nine centuries of assimilation of the Kola Lapps with the Slavonic population has taken its toll. Their number has dramatically decreased, their original way of life has been lost, their national traditions and culture erased and their native language barely preserved.

The 1980s saw the beginning of a period of positive restoration of the national spiritual values of the Sami. In 1982 a new elementary schoolbook for teaching Lapp children to read was published and an attempt made to create a way of writing the Lapp language, based on the Cyrillic alphabet. In the village of Lovozero, a national school for Lapp children was opened, a national press appeared and broadcasting began in the Lapp language. In 1989 the Association of Kola Lapps was created and a national flag was designed. In 1992 this association joined the Union of Laplanders of the three northern states of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

(Текст составлен по материалам Википедии: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

Task 4. Study the following information and speak about changes of the demographics in the Murmansk Oblast and Murmansk:

1. Population decline in the Murmansk Oblast: 795,409 (2010 Census); 892,534 (2002 Census); 1,146,757 (1989 Census).

2. Population decline in Murmansk – 299,148 (2014 est.); 307,257 (2010 Census); 336,137 (2002 Census); 468,039 (1989 Census).

Think of the reasons why the population is declining.

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Task 5. Give the Russian for:

Visitors are surprised at; icy winds; Arctic vie; Gulf Stream current; climate is rather mild; a rapid thaw; the sun never drops below the horizon; to find itself in the darkness; oppressive heat; thick foliage; singing birds; timid seagulls; severe climate; to remain ice-free all year round; the average temperature; deserted streets; a slight exaggeration; to owe its existence to smth.; to be originated; Indian summer; to get a sun-tan; for the sake of feeling the fantastic charm; outdoor holiday; men outnumber women; the indigenous people; number has decreased: spiritual values.

Task 6. Give the English for:

Веками; суровый климат; ничего не растет; это заняло 80 лет, чтобы развиться; быть расположенным за Полярным Кругом; незамерзающий порт; огромный атомный флот; привлекает людей с разных стран; средняя годовая температура; благодаря теплому течению; сладкий запах сирени; цветение рябин; загорать и купаться; полярные медведи бродят по улицам; суетливые улицы; ветра делают мороз невыносимым; ураганы и штормы; последние лучи солнца; мелькать над горизонтом; легче переносить; также сыро как и на побережье; ты не можешь обойтись без тёплого пальто; многонациональное население; духовные ценности; трансляция; создавать.

Task 7. Comment on the basic points of the text:

1.Why is the climate of the Kola Peninsula very specific?

2.Why Murmansk is the city which owes its existence to the sea?

3.Is Murmansk considered to be a big industrial and cultural centre?

Useful language:

I’d like to comment on …

I’d like to note/point out/emphasize … Without giving details …

It is rather surprising … I’m puzzled by …

It seems unlikely/very likely …

Another reason for it may be …

Task 8. Say what you think about the following; justify your idea:

1.Do you think that winters in Murmansk are very long and severe?

2.Do you think that Murmansk is a good place for having a rest in summer?

3.Do you think that Murmansk is worth visiting?

Useful language:

As far as I know …

Without giving details, I’d like to …

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I’d like you to pay special attention to …

I’d like to specify …

I doubt that …

I’m doubtful about …

I’m puzzled by …

It seems unlikely that …

I’m certain that …

Task 9. Are the following statements true or false? Explain your choice:

1.Murmansk is the capital of the Russian North.

2.We live in a severe climate and in Murmansk hardly anything grows.

3.It took a long time for Murmansk to be developed.

4.It’s the largest ice-free port in the Russian South.

5.We have an ordinary hot summer with dark nights.

6.People in Murmansk sometimes go swimming and sunbathing.

7.The Polar night finishes in mid-April.

8.Quite a lot of people live in Murmansk, in fact about 300,000 from different nationalities.

9.Lapps, or Laplanders, are the indigenous people of the Kola Peninsula.

10.The 2000s saw the beginning of a period of positive restoration of the national spiritual values of the Sami.

Task 10. Give the talk on:

1.The geographical position of Murmansk and the Kola Peninsula.

2.Climate features and weather conditions of Murmansk and the Murmansk Oblast.

3.The Polar day and Polar night in Murmansk.

4.Population of Murmansk.

5.The indigenous people of the Kola Peninsula.

Task 11. Compare the climate of Murmansk with the climate and weather conditions of Great Britain, the USA, Australia, etc.

HISTORY OF MURMANSK

IV. Before reading the text, be sure that you can pronounce the following words correctly:

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Task 12. Read and translate the text. Be ready to do the tasks after the text:

Murmansk has an interesting history. It was the last city founded in the Russian Empire. It was founded in the reign of the Romanov Tsar, Nicholas II, on October, 4th 1916 and was originally called Romanov-on-Murman, after the royal Russian dynasty of Romanovs. After the February Revolution of 1917, on April 16, 1917, the town was given its present name.

In reality the first builders appeared here in summer 1915. World War I needs led to the construction of the railroad from Petrozavodsk to an ice-free location on the Murman Coast in the Russian Arctic. On the eastern shore of the Kola Bay, 12 km from the oldest settlement railroad had been finished by 1916. The majority of the builders lived on board the ships but as more people were brought here by sea from Petersburg round the Scandinavian Peninsula or via Archangelsk the necessity arose to have permanent settlements on the shore.

Before the revolution the Kola Peninsula was a backward district of tsarist Russia in economy and culture. At the beginning of the World War I Russia was cut off from its allies and had no free access to the seas. That was why the decision was taken to build a port here. In the winter of 1917 the British North Russia Squadron under Rear Admiral Thomas Kemp was established at Murmansk.

The city began to develop with the establishment of the Soviet Power in 1917. It was established here peacefully as the majority of the population stood for it. The government of the Soviet Union sent food and specialists to help the development of the region. The first Soviet research expedition was ready to sail off in order to define the perspectives of fishing in the Arctic seas. The population of Murmansk was 15 thousand at that time.

But all these projects were cut short by the foreign intervention. Murmansk was the first place on the territory of our country where the foreign troops landed. In March 1918 men-of-war flying the flags of the USA, France and Great Britain brought thousands of foreign soldiers to Murmansk. By capturing Murmansk the interventionists planned to create the base for further movement to the South, inside Russia. From 1918 to 1920, during the Russian Civil War, the town was occupied by the Western powers, who had been allied in World War I, and by the White Army forces.

Only in February 1920 foreign troops were forced to leave by the successful revolt of the population. It was really a tragic page history of our region. Intervention and civil war ruined the economy of Murmansk. The port and railroad stopped working. But little by little the city got over the devastation.

In 1920 the first fishing fleet was organized. It was growing constantly giving the country more and more fish. Geological expeditions found huge deposits of apatite (raw material for superphosphate fertilizers), iron, copper and nickel. This contribution to the development of Murmansk cannot be overestimated.

The years of the Great Patriotic War were difficult years for Murmansk. For 40 long months, day and night, enemy threatened the city. The fascist head-

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quarters planned to take it for 3 days, but Murmansk was never captured. The enemy troops were stopped 50 km from the city by the Soviet army. Fierce battles took place in the valley of the river Litza. It was called the Valley of Death then, now we call it the Valley of Glory. Murmansk stood its ground. When it became evident that it was impossible to make Murmansk surrender, the fascists decided to wipe the city off the ground. Murmansk was heavily bombed. 207 thousand bombs fell on it. 30 kilos of explosive per every citizen. In the Soviet Union only Stalingrad suffered more bombing than Murmansk. 90% of buildings were destroyed but the port and railroad never stopped operating handing millions of tons of front-bound cargo.

During World War II, Murmansk was a link to the Western world for Russia, with large quantities of goods important to the respective military efforts traded with the Allies: primarily manufactured goods and raw materials into the Soviet Union. The supplies were brought to the city in the Arctic convoys.

PQ 17 was the code name for an Allied World War II convoy in the Arctic Ocean. In July 1942, the Arctic convoys suffered a significant defeat when Convoy PQ 17 lost 24 of its 35 merchant ships during a series of heavy enemy daylight attacks which lasted a week. On 27 June, the ships sailed eastbound from Hvalfjord, Iceland for the port of Arkhangelsk, Soviet Union. The convoy was located by German forces on 1 July, after which it was shadowed continuously and attacked. The convoy’s progress was being observed by the British Admiralty. First Sea Lord Admiral Dudley Pound, acting on information that German surface units, including the German battleship Tirpitz, were moving to intercept, ordered the covering force away from the convoy and told the convoy to scatter. However, due to vacillation by the German high command, the Tirpitz raid never materialized. The convoy was the first joint Anglo-American naval operation under British command in the war.

As the close escort and the covering cruiser forces withdrew westward to intercept the presumed German raiders, the individual merchant ships were left without their escorting destroyers. In their ensuing attempts to reach the appointed Russian ports, the merchant ships were repeatedly attacked by Luftwaffe airplanes and submarines. Of the initial 35 ships, only 11 reached their destination, delivering 70,000 short tons (64,000 t) of cargo. The disastrous outcome of the convoy demonstrated the difficulty of passing adequate supplies through the Arctic, especially during the summer period of perpetual daylight.

Thanks to the heroism of the Army and Navy, of the whole population the defense of Murmansk was successful and on the 7th of October 1944 the Soviet Army started its counterattack throwing the enemy back to the frontier. According to the international agreements the Soviet Army crossed the SovietNorwegian frontier and attacked the enemy who was occupying Kirkenes. The Soviet Army cleared the North of Norway from fascists. 16 thousand soldiers and officers sacrificed their lives during the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation for the freedom of the people of Norway. 136 military-men were awarded the highest

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orders and the title of the hero of the Soviet Union. In 1985 Murmansk was awarded the Lenin Order and the Title of the Hero City.

Monuments commemorating the heroes can be seen everywhere: in the city, along the road, among the hills. In 1974 the memorial to the Defenders of the Soviet Transpolar region was erected on the highest point of Murmansk. Its author is Brodskiy. Monument is 38.5 m high. That’s the place where peace meetings take place on Victory-day. On the 9th of May thousands of people participate in the peace march which begins from the monument to V.I. Lenin and finishes at the Eternal Fire of the Monument. People come here to pay the tribute to those who defended our country. 20 mln lives of the Soviet people were lost during the war and we’ll never forget it. Neither shall we forget the alliance of the Soviet Union, Great Britain and the USA. 41 arctic convoys (792 vessels with the total of 4mln tons cargo) came to Murmansk from the 11th of January 1942 to 1944. Joint struggle against fascism contributed greatly to our common victory. It was a brilliant example of goodwill and friendship between the countries.

By the war there were 2,800 houses in the city. 1,100 buildings were completely wiped off the ground, 1,000 were destroyed so that it was impossible to live in them. After the war Murmansk was included in the list of 15 cities that suffered most and were to be restored after the war, thousands of people became homeless. The task of housing construction was most urgent. Thousands of new buildings have appeared in the city.

During the Cold War Murmansk was a center of Soviet submarine and icebreaker activity. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the nearby city and naval base of Severomorsk remains the headquarters of the Russian Northern Fleet.

On January 1, 2015, the territory of Murmansk was expanded, when the urban-type settlement of Roslyakovo, previously in jurisdiction of the closed administrative-territorial formation of Severomorsk, was abolished and its territory merged into Murmansk.

(Текст составлен по материалам Википедии: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

и других сайтов: http://gviap.narod.ru/anniversary/war.html)

Task 13. Answer the following questions:

1.When was Murmansk founded?

2.Why was it necessary for Russia to have a port here?

3.How was the Soviet Power established in Murmansk?

4.How long did the foreign intervention last? What countries participated in it?

5.What were the results of the foreign intervention?

6.How did Murmansk develop in the 20s and 30s?

7.Was Murmansk occupied during the Great Patriotic War?

8.What losses did the city suffer during the War?

9.How many arctic convoys came to the port of Murmansk in 1942–1944?

10.Where do peace meetings take place on Victory day?

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Task 14. Arrange the points of plan in logical order and give a talk on

them:

1.Revolution and Civil War.

2.The years of the Great Patriotic War.

3.Foundation of Murmansk.

4.Intervention in Murmansk.

5.The heroism of the Red Army and Navy.

6.Reconstruction of the city.

Task 15. Fill in the gaps with a suitable word from the box:

1.Murmansk was … in 1916.

2.It was … called Romanov-on-Murman.

3.In reality the first builders … here in 1915.

4.Russia had no free … to the seas in the beginning of the WWI.

5.The … of Murmansk was 15,000 before the intervention.

6.Intervention and Civil War … the economy of Murmansk.

7.During the Great Patriotic War enemy … the city.

8.Fortunately Murmansk … its ground.

9.90% of buildings were … .

10.People come to the monuments to pay the tribute to those who … our country.

Task 16. a) Explain in English the meanings of the following words and word combinations, using the text:

Settlement, backward district, intervention, devastation, frontier, commemoration, V-day, convoys, fierce battles, to stay smb’s ground, to wipe the city of thе ground, to overestimate.

b) Make sentences with these words.

Task 17. Render the following information in English:

1. Герб города Мурманска

Герб города Мурманска – опознавательный и пред- ставительно-правовой знак, составленный по правилам геральдики, являющийся общественно-историческим символом города Мурманска, удостоенного звания «Городгерой», и отражающий специфику его географического положения и особой роли в экономической жизни Российской Федерации.

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Принятые цвета на поле щита обозначают: лазоревый и золотистый – полярную ночь и день, золотистый цвет нижней части – богатство морей, в которых промышляют Мурманские рыбаки. Силуэт рыбы символизирует основную отрасль промышленности города – рыбную. Силуэт корабля отражает Мурманск как крупный морской порт. Полярное сияние подчеркивает географическое положение города за Полярным кругом.

Конкурс на лучший проект герба был объявлен в 1966 г. Наиболее подходящим был сочтён эскиз мурманского архитектора Николая Петровича Быстрякова. 20 сентября 1968 г. герб и положение о нём были утверждены городским Советом депутатов трудящихся. Впервые официально изображение герба было опубликовано 3 сентября 1968 г. в газете «Полярная звезда».

(Текст составлен по материалам Википедии: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki)

2. Флаг Мурманской области

Флаг Мурманской области был принят 25 июня 2004 г. и утверждён законом Мурманской области от 1 июля 2004 г. Описание флага гласило: «Флаг Мурманской области представляет собой прямоугольное полотнище с отношением ширины к длине 2:3, состоящее из двух неравных горизонтальных полос: верхней (4 части) – лазоревого и нижней (1 часть) – червлёного цвета.

Лазоревая полоса несёт золотое изображение северного сияния, расположенное по центру полосы, длиной, равной ширине полотнища флага, общей шириной – 2/5 ширины полотнища флага».

30 сентября 2004 г., законом Мурманской области, в описание флага были внесены изменения, касающиеся цветов флага:

Флаг Мурманской области представляет собой прямоугольное полотнище, состоящее из двух неравных горизонтальных полос: верхней – синего и нижней – красного цвета. Соотношение ширины полос 4:1 соответственно. Синяя полоса несёт жёлтое изображение северного сияния, расположенное по центру полосы, длиной, равной ширине полотнища флага, общей шириной – 2/5 ширины полотнища флага. Отношение ширины флага к его длине 2:3.

21 декабря 2004 г., законом Мурманской области, в описание флага были вновь внесены изменения, касающиеся длины изображения северного сияния и его описания:

Флаг Мурманской области представляет собой прямоугольное полотнище, состоящее из двух неравных горизонтальных полос: верхней – синего и нижней – красного цвета. Соотношение ширины полос 4:1 соответственно. Синяя полоса несёт жёлтое изображение северного сияния в виде

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золотых лучей, расходящихся вверх от тройной дуги, расположенное по центру полосы, длиной, равной ширине синей полосы, общей шириной – 1/2 ширины синей полосы. Отношение ширины флага к его длине 2:3.

(Текст составлен по материалам Википедии: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

3. Гимн Мурманской области – один из государственных символов Мурманской области, наряду с флагом и гербом.

По состоянию на начало 2015 г. гимн законодательно не принят, существует только несколько проектов гимна Мурманской области.

В 2004 г. был объявлен конкурс на лучший проект гимна области. Жюри, возглавляемое вице-губернатором области Людмилой Чистовой, рассмотрело 36 представленных работ и провело несколько отборочных туров. После чего было принято решение считать конкурс несостоявшимся. В связи с этим решением губернатор Юрий Евдокимов внес на рассмотрение областной Думы «Песню о Мурманской области», написанную полковником в отставке Александром Патрикеевым, которая не участвовала в конкурсе.

Песня о Мурманской области

Бесконечные просторы, синева озер и рек, Сопок снежные узоры не забудутся вовек. Волны Баренцева моря – флоту дом и рыбакам. Реки, с облаками споря, гимн возносят горнякам. Славься, Мурманская область!

Славься, заполярный край! Честь храни свою и доблесть, Живи в веках и процветай.

А когда война закрыла свет у Кольских берегов, Сила духа нас сплотила пред личиною врагов. Было трудно, все бывало – даже плавился гранит. Заполярье устояло – ненавистный враг разбит. Славься, Мурманская область!

Славься, заполярный край! Честь храни свою и доблесть, Живи в веках и процветай.

Под российским гордым флагом люди Севера живут, В них и подвиг, и отвага, и любовь, и ратный труд. Нет такой земли на свете, где сердцами плавят лед! Заполярье сквозь столетья свою славу пронесет! Славься, Мурманская область!

Славься, заполярный край! Честь храни свою и доблесть, Живи в веках и процветай.

Слова и музыка Александра Патрикеева

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