Ukraine: Geographical Position and Nature

1. Read the words phonetically correctly:

Europe ['juərəp], the Sea of Azov ['ɑːzɔv], the Schatski Lakes, Lake Switiaz,
Polissia, the Carpathians [kɑː'peɪθɪənz], the Carpathian Mountains, the Crimean
[kraɪ'miːən] Mountains, Mount [maunt] Hoverla; north[nɔ͟ ːθ],south[sauθ], east[iːst],
west[west], heart [hɑːt], marsh [mɑːʃ], marshes, lowland [ˈləʊlənd], wash, washed,
washed by, picture, picturesque [ˌpɪkʧə'resk], the most picturesque, divide [dɪ'vaɪd],
divides, forest ['fɔrɪst], forests, forests and steppes, scene [siːn], scenery['siːnərɪ], a
beautiful scenery, pine [paɪn], pine tree, pineapple, oak[əuk], birch [bɜːʧ], weather,
feather ['feðə], feather grass, tulip ['tjuːlɪp], steppe tulip, deer [dɪə], one deer – two
deer, hare [heə], a hare and a wolf, boar [bɔː], wild boar [ˌwaɪld'bɔː], marvel
['mɑːvəl], marvellous ['mɑːv(ə)ləs], marvellous mountains, tea, sea, peak [piːk], the
highest peak, resource [rɪ'zɔːs], mineral resources, rich in mineral resources, goat,
coat, coal[kəul], iron ['aɪən], Iron Age, Iron Man, granite ['grænɪt], marble ['mɑːbl],
Marble Arch.

2. Match the words to their explanations:

1. picturesque a) low-lying country (with no mountains)

2. marsh b) friendly and welcoming

 3. scenery c) very beautiful

4. marvellous d) the land, water, or plants that you can see around
you

5. hospitable e) wonderful, amazing

6. lowland f) a wet, muddy area of land

3. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations: in

the heart of; beautiful scenery; the highest peak; rich in coal, iron, marble and granite,
hospitable people.

5. Sort the odd-one out:

Lakes, rivers, forests, marshes, Pine, granite, birch, oak;

seas;
Feather grass, hare, steppe tulips;
Mountain, peak, lowland, oak;
Wolf, wild boar, marsh, hare;
Coal, marble, birch, iron;

4. Match the two columns, make sentences with the word combinations:

beautiful mountains The longest river

picturesque scenery The highest peak

marvellous lakes mineral people

 hospitable resources

6. Read the text.

Ukraine is a large country in the heart of Europe. It is a place of mountains and

lowlands, forests and steppes, seas, rivers, lakes and marshes. Its territory is 603, 700
sq km.

The country is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It has more than
3,000 lakes. The Schatski Lakes, including beautiful Lake Switiaz, are the most
picturesque. Ukraine’s longest river is the Dnipro.

Our country is famous for its forests and steppes with beautiful scenery. They
are home to many plants, such as the pine, the oak, the birch, the feather grass, steppe
tulips as well as animals including the deer, the wolf, the hare, the wild boar and
many others. Most forests are in Polissia and the Carpathians, while the steppes are in
the south-east.

There are two mountain ranges in Ukraine – the marvellous Carpathian and
Crimean Mountains. Mount Hoverla (2,061) is the highest peak in the country. Our
country has 5% of the world’s mineral resources. It is rich in coal, iron, granite and
marble.

All in all, Ukraine is a wonderful place of picturesque nature and rich mineral
resources. It is also a place of hospitable, friendly and hard-working people.

7. What do the following figures mean?a) 3,000; b) 603, 700; c) 5; d) 2,061

8. Make questions to the text, write them into your exercise-books.

9. Complete the table using the text:

geographical
position

nature diversity

(a place of…)

territory

washed by

lakes

the longest river

forest + steppe
plants (home to)

forest + steppe
animals

mineral resources

(rich in)

people