Abai Kunanbayev (2)

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 615.

Atyrau

Aktobe

Aktobe, on the main rail line to Moscow, about a hundred kilometers from the Russian border in north-west of Kazakhstan, is a rather dull industrial city where you might need to change trains. The older part of town near the station is marginally more interesting than the modern centre several kilometres north.

If you have time to waste or food to get, there is a lovely market, backed by some very strange-looking factories, about a kilometer east of the train station: take Kokhar koshesi, the main road heading right uphill from the station. Nearby is the local museum, open 9 am to 5 pm.

From Wednesday to Monday, when Rosa, an English speaking curator, may be available to give you a tour of the otherwise unremarkable natural and general history collection. To reach here from the station, take Ayteke Bi, the second street on the left off Kokhar koshesi from the station, then turn right at the hotel Ilek on Altynsarin; the museum in a white building.

The best place to stay is Hotel ‘Aktyubinsk', which has clean rooms with TV and fridge. The local recommend eating at an Armenian restaurant ‘Urartu' (Truda, 39a), a short taxi ride from the hotel ‘Aktyubinsk'. Otherwise there are several small cafes near the station serving the usual menu of dumplings and noodles. Flights from Aktobe are scheduled to Almaty and Moscow daily, Aktau and Astana twice a week.

Ø Ask disjunctive questions:

1. The older part of the town is more interesting than the modern centre …?

2. Hotel ‘Aktyubinsk' has clean rooms with TV sets and fridges ...?

3. The local museum opens at 9 am and closes at 5 pm ...?

4. Flights from Aktobe are scheduled to Almaty and Moscow daily ..?

5. Aktobe isn't a drab industrial city, ...?

6. The locals didn't recommend eating at an Armenian restaurant ...?

Ø Say what statements are wrong and what statements are right:

1. Rosa, a Russian-speaking curator, may be available to give you a tour of the general history collection.

2. If you have time to waste or food to get, there is a lively park, backed by some factories.

3. The best place to stay is hotel ‘Aktyubinsk'.

4. There are a lot of small cafes near the station serving the usual menu of soup and meatballs.

5. Aktobe is situated about a hundred kilometers from the Russian border in the northwest of Kazakhstan.

Atyrau, on the Ural river, 300 km upstream from its mouth on the northern shore of the Caspian Sea, is ‘Oil City of Kazakhstan', acting as a command station for the main Tenghiz oilfield 350 km farther south. The giant USA oil company, Chevron, is one of the major players through its multibillion-dollar joint venture, called ‘Tengizchevroil', with Kazakhstan government. There are many other oil and gas fields in the Atyrau region, and offshore reserves in the Caspian may hold the greatest potential yet.

Not surprisingly, Atyrau sees a steady stream of western oil people, which keeps hotel prices higher than they should be, somewhat compensated for by a better than average range of restaurants. Because it was founded in 1640 by a Russian trader named Guryev, whose name the town bore until 1993, there are also fascinating architectural remnants of bygone ages to be discovered.

Caviar used to be traded here until the oil business took off early in the 20^th century. Some 80 per cent of the town's population is Kazak, one of the highest levels in the country.

Spring floods in recent years have brought the Caspian shoreline closer, and it is feared that much of Atyrau will be under water by the mid-21 century if steps are not taken to protect it.

The mud that engulfs the town after rain in winter is legendary; if you visit during this time, take appropriate footwear.

Atyrau is 2700 km west of Almaty. The nearest sizeable town is Astrakhan in Russia, 350 km to the west.

Ø Choose the correct answer:

1. Atyrau is located on the bank of …

a) the Irtysh river b) the Ural river c) the Ulba river

2. There are…other oil and gas fields in the Atyrau region.

a) many b) much c) a little

3. It was founded by a Russian trader named …

a) Smirnov b) Volkov c) Guryev

4. It was founded in …

a) 1760 b) 1460 c) 1640

5. …used to be traded here.

a) Caviar b) Apples c) Fish

6. Spring … in recent years have brought the Caspian shoreline closer.

a) streams b) floods c) rains

Ø Answer the questions:

1. Whose name did the town bear until 1993?

2. Why is it feared that much of Atyrau will be under water by the mid -21 century?

3. What engulfs the town after rain in winter?

4. What's the town's population?

5. Why are the hotel prices too high?

6. What is the nearest sizable town in Russia?

PART X: FAMOUS PEOPLE

Abai Kunanbayev (!)

(1845-1904)

Abai Kunanbayev is a great Kazakh poet. He was the founder of critical realism in Kazakh literature, the creator of Kazakh culture and art. Abai was born in 1845 in the Shyngiz Mountains of Semirechye. His father was a representative of Kazakh feudals, very influential, cruel and willfull. Two women – his grandmother Zere, very clever, just and hearty, and his mother, kind and witty, - brought up Abai. Then he studied at Russian school, read many Russian books by Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy and others. He began to write poems very early. At the same time he studied Russian culture, visited a public library in Semipalatinsk. His friendship and work with progressive Russian intellectuals had great importance for developing Abai's democratic ideas. Abai wrote wonderful books about the life of Kazakh people and made translations from Russian into Kazakh. Unusual poetic talent, intellect, humanism, justice and love for people made Abai very popular. Abai's poetry reflects people's life, nature, seasons.

His poems became favourite among Kazakh people. The role of Abai Kunanbaev is also great in strengthening the friendship between Russian and Kazakh people. The main thing was to study Russian science he said. 'For this aim we should know Russian language and culture'. That's why Abai made translations of great Russian writers – Krylov, Pushkin, Lermontov.

During his last years of life Abai began to write prose. He created ‘Words of Edification'. There are 45 of them. He wrote much about work, science, knowledge, culture, about Kazakh and Russian language. But in all words we can feel his love for people and concern about their fate.

Abai's creative work raised Kazakh culture and literature to a new historical level. He called people to active development, progress, and enlightenment. Deep knowledge of Kazakh reality, culture of native people, his study of Oriental and Russian classics and through it European one, cherished his creative work and made his heritage very important in Kazakh literature.

Ø Answer the questions:

1. When was Abai born?

2. What can you tell about his parents?

2. Where did he get his education?

3. What made Abai popular among people?

4. What is “Words of Edification” famous for?

5. What kind of literature did he write?

6. What did he call people for?

7. What is Abai's role in Kazakh literature?

10. What Russian poets did he read?

(1845-1904)

Abai is a great poet-enlightener, a bard, a founder of Kazakh literature. Abai was born in the Shyngiz mountains of Semipalatinsk region, in the family of a rich feudal lord. Abai finished a medresse (a religious school). He studied at a Russian school unauthorized. He started writing poetry at school. Abai's father took him back to the village where Abai became a judge.

Abai translated works by Pushkin, Lermontov, Goethe, Tolstoi, Saltykov-Schedrin and by other poets and writers into Kazakh.

Abai's works urge people to labour and struggle for reorganization of life. A lot of his poems are dedicated to new attitude to the family, to parent's duty, to education of young generation. Abai described nature, life and traditions of simple people poetically. The most famous work by Abai is "Words of Edification”.

Ø Answer the following questions:

1. Where and when was Abai born?

2. What kind of school did he finish?

3. Whose work did he translate into Kazakh?

4. What did Abai describe in his poems?

5. What is his most famous work?

Ø Match the columns:

1. enlightener самовольно

1. feudal lord назидание

2. unauthorized просвещение

3. generation просветитель

4. dedicate феодал

5. education поколение

Ø Express the same idea using the words above.

1. He studied at Russian school without his parent's permission.

2. A lot of his poems are devoted to the education of young people.

3. Abai is a great educator.

Abai: “Words of Edification”