UKRAINE
A new state, Ukraine, appeared on the world political
map in 1991. Ukraine is situated in north-eastern part of Central Europe being
the largest wholly European country. Ukraine occupies an area of 603,700 square
kilometers. The territory of Ukraine extends
900 kilometers from north to south and 1,316 kilometers from east to west. In
the north Ukraine borders on
Belarus; in the east and north-east, on Russia; in the south-west, on Hungary,
Romania and Moldova; in the west, on Poland and Slovakia. In the south Ukraine
is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The total length of the frontiers is 6, 500 kilometers,
including 1,050 kilometers of the sea frontiers. In the north of Ukraine there
are forests, in the west – the Carpathian Mountains, in the eastern and central
Ukraine – black-soil steppe lands.
Ukraine consists of 24 oblasts (provinces) which are further subdivided into geographical regions (rayons). The capital of the
country – Kyiv – has special legal status. The biggest cities of Ukraine are
Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, Odessa, and others.
Ukraine consists almost entirely of plains.
Mountainous areas such as the Ukrainian Carpathians rising to 6,762 feet (2,061
metres) at Mount Hoverla, the highest point in the country, occur only on
the country’s borders and account for barely 5 percent of its area. The
Carpathians are covered with mixed forests of pine, fir, beech and oak trees
and meadows here which are called “polonyna”.
The climate of Ukraine is determined by its geographical location. Ukraine’s territory
lies in the temperate belt. In general,
the country’s climate is temperately
continental, being subtropical only
on the southern coast of the Crimea. The difference in climate is caused by
many factors: the latitude, relief,
altitude and proximity to seas and oceans. A feature of Ukraine’s climate
is the considerable changes in the
weather conditions from year to year. Alongside
very wet years there can be droughts,
whose effect increases to the south and east.
The territory of Ukraine is crossed by such rivers as
the Dnieper (the main river of the country and the third longest river in Europe),
the Dniester, the Danube, the Southern Buh and the Seversky Donets that flow
into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. As for lakes, Ukraine has a few natural
ones, all of them small, the largest of which being Svityaz and Yalpug.
Ukraine is a developed industrial and agricultural
country. It’s rich in iron ore, coal, natural gas, oil, salt and other mineral
resources. Ukraine has such branches of industry as metallurgy,
machine-building, power industry, chemical industry and agriculture.
On the 24th of August, 1991 Ukraine became an
independent state. The national symbols of Ukraine are the National Flag (blue
and yellow banner made from two equal horizontal stripes), the National Emblem
(Tryzub (the Trident), symbolizing
the united historical development of the Ukrainian people) and the National Anthem (“Shche ne
umerlaUkraina”,(“Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished”) with the music of M.
Verbytsky). The Constitution of Ukraine (adopted
on June 28, 1996) consists of 15 chapters, 161 articles.
Nowadays Ukraine is a democratic state, ruled by the
law and created as an implementation
of the people’s sovereign right to self-determination.
The form of governing is presidential republic. President
is the Head of the state. He is also the head of the executive branch of power. President is elected by the people of
the country at a general election for a period of 5 years. He can’t be elected
for more than 3 terms. According to the laws of Ukraine a president can’t be
younger than 35 years old, he must live in the country no less than 10 years,
be a citizen of Ukraine and master the national language.
The legislative
power is carried out by the Parliament (or Supreme
Council) which consists of 450 members. The laws of the country are made by
them.
Executive power is carried out by the government of
the Cabinet of Ministers, which is
responsible for the realization of laws adopted by the Supreme Council.
Judicial power is performed by the system of courts, the
highest of them is the Supreme Court.
The population of Ukraine numbers nearly 48 million:
three-fourths of them are Ukrainians. The rest is made up of Russians, Jews,
Poles, Belorussians, Moldavians, Hungarians and dozens of other nationalities.
Over 55% of the population are urban dwellers.
Ukrainian scientists have enriched the world science
with important discoveries and inventions. They do significant research work in
biology, medicine, nuclear physics, chemistry, etc.
Useful words and
expressions:
to extend – простягатися
to border(on) – межувати з
frontier – кордон, межа
black-soil steppe lands – чорноземні
степи
to be subdivided into – ділитись
на
meadow – луга, луг
to determine – визначати
temperate belt – помірний пояс
temperately continental – помірно- континентальний
latitude – широта
relief – рельєф
altitude – висота
proximity – близкість
considerable – знатний
alongside – поруч, наряду
drought – засуха
implementation – впровадження
self -determination – самовизначення
the Supreme Council – Верховна Рада
executive – виконавчий
legislative – законодавчий
to be responsible for – бути
відповідальним за
to adopt – приймати
Judicial – судовий
The Supreme Court – Верховний Суд
The Trident – Тризуб
Anthem – гімн
I. Put the appropriate words
into sentences:
1. In the south Ukraine is washed by the … and
the….
2. The …
length of the frontiers is 6, 500 kilometers, including 1,050 kilometers of the
sea frontiers.
3. The
highest point of the Ukrainian Carphatians is …– 2,061metres above the sea
level.
4. The … of
Ukraine is determined by its geographical location.
5. On the
…of … … Ukraine became an independent state.
6. President
is elected by the people of the country at a general election for a period of
… years.
II. Put a verb in the right tense form
1. Ukraine (to
occupy) an area of 603,700 square kilometers.
2. The
Carpathians (to be situated) in Europe and stretch through Hungary, Poland,
Romania, including Ukraine.
3. In 1991 Ukraine (to become) an independent state.
4. He can’t (to
be elected) for more than 3 terms.
5. Judicial
power (to be performed) by the system of courts, the highest of them (to be)
the Supreme Court.
6. The
Constitution of Ukraine (to consist) of 15 chapters, 161 articles.
III. Compose a phrase
|
temperate
|
Mountains
|
|
square
|
Emblem
|
|
Carpathian
|
industry
|
|
Black
|
belt
|
|
south-
|
Court
|
|
Supreme
|
conditions
|
|
chemical
|
kilometers
|
|
weather
|
Sea
|
|
National
|
west
|
IV. State whether a statement is true (T) or false (F)
1.
In
the south-west Ukraine borders on Hungary, Romania and Belarus.
2.
The
biggest cities of Ukraine are Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava.
3.
Mountainous
areas account for barely 5 percent of its area.
4.
Ukraine’s
territory lies in the temperate belt.
5.
Ukraine
is rich in iron ore, coal, natural gas, oil, salt and other mineral resources.
6.
Ukraine
became an independent state on the 24th of August, 1992.
7.
President
is the head of the legislative branch of power.
8.
The
Parliament (or Supreme Council) which consists of 450 members.
9.
One-fourths
of the population of Ukraine are Ukrainians.
10.Ukraine scientists do significant research work in
biology, medicine, nuclear physics, chemistry, etc.
V. Fill in the gaps with the correct preposition
1. In the north
Ukraine borders ___ Belarus; in the east and north-east, ___ Russia; in the
south-west, ___ Hungary, Romania and Moldova; in the west, ___ Poland and
Slovakia.
2. Ukraine
consists of 24 oblasts (provinces) which are further subdivided ___
geographical regions (rayons).
3. Ukraine consists
almost entirely ___ plains.
4. The
Carpathians are covered ___ mixed forests of pine, fir, beech and oak trees.
5.Ukraine is
rich ___ iron ore, coal, natural gas, oil, salt and other mineral resources.
6. The National
Flag of Ukraine is a blue and yellow banner made ___ two equal horizontal
stripes.
7.According ___
the laws of Ukraine a president can’t be younger than 35 years old.
8. The
legislative power is carried ___ by the Parliament (or Supreme Council).
9. The Cabinet
of Ministers is responsible ___ the realization of laws adopted by the Supreme
Council.
10. The rest is
made ___ ___ Russians, Jews, Poles, Belorussians, Moldavians, Hungarians and
dozens of other nationalities.
11. Ukrainian
scientists have enriched the world science ___ important discoveries and
inventions.
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