1. Moscow continued to be important enough to be Napoleon’s main aim.
2. Napoleon was permitted to enter Moscow.
3. This church was badly damaged by fire last night.
4. In the 20ieth century the city changed a lot.
5. The first line of the Metro was finished in 1935.
6. In June 1941 the German army crossed the frontier of our country.
7. Moscow was never conquered in the Second World War.
8. Moscow is rightly considered one of the most attractive cities in the world.
9. They lost a lot of people in that fight.
Peter the First (the Great) was impressed in his youth by visits of foreigners to Moscow. He toured Europe in 1697-1698 and came back full of impressions. He disliked Moscow, where as a boy, he had seen his uncle killed in a palace coup. In 1703 a new capital was built which was called St. Petersburg in honour of Peter the Great. Though Moscow was no longer the capital, it still was the country’s economic, cultural and religious centre. Russia’s first university, founded by Mikhail Lomonosov, a great Russian scientist, opened its doors in 1775 in Moscow. Moscow remained important enough to be Napoleon's main goal, when he invaded Russia in 1812. After the Battle of Borodino he was allowed to enter Moscow and install himself in the Kremlin. The Muscovites left the city and destroyed its food stores. The city itself was set on fire, making the French leave it a month after arriving.
In the 19th century Moscow developed into a large industrial centre with the population of over 1 million people. After the Revolution of 1917 the capital moved back to Moscow. In the 20ieth century the city changed considerably. A lot of beautiful buildings were constructed among them Moscow sky-scrapers, wide avenues were laid out and the first line of the Metro was completed in 1935. In June 1941 the German troops crossed the border of our country and in December 1941 they were 40 km from the city centre, but they never crossed the city boundary and Moscow was never captured.
Since the war time the territory of Moscow has been enlarged several times. The most considerable growth has been marked in the last years. Large areas in the south-west have been added to the capital. And the city is still growing and being built. Nowadays Moscow is one of the biggest cities in the world and is justly considered one of the most attractive ones.
Ex.5 Answer the questions to the text.
1. Why did Peter the First dislike Moscow?
2. When was St. Petersburg founded and who was it founded by?
3. What was Moscow like at that time?
4. Who tried to conquer Moscow at the beginning of the 19th century?
5. Why didn’t the French stay long in Moscow?
6. What was the population of Moscow in the 19th century?
7. When did the capital move back to Moscow?
8. How did the city change in the 20ieth century?
9. What was the name of another conqueror who entered our country in 1941?
10. How far from the city boundary were the German troops in December 1941?
11. Was Moscow captured in the 2nd World War?
12. Has Moscow grown much since the war time?
13. What does the city look like nowadays?
Ex.6 Use the verbs given in brackets in the necessary tense form – Active or
Passive.
1. Peter the First.................. (not, to like) Moscow, where as a boy, he............... (to see)
his uncle killed in a palace coup.
2. In 1812 the Muscovites............... (to leave) the city and................ (to destroy) its
food stores. The city itself............ (to set) on fire.
3. In the 20ieth century the city.................(to change) considerably. A lot of beautiful
buildings..................... (to construct), wide avenues................. (to lay) out and the
first line of Metro................... (to complete) in 1935.
4. Since the war time the territory of Moscow........................... (to enlarge) several
times.
5. The most considerable growth...................... (to mark) in the last years.
6. Large areas in the south-west........................ (to add) to the capital.
7. The city............................. (still, to grow) and........................... (to build).
8. Moscow...................... (to consider) one of the most attractive cities in the world.
Ex.7 Act out as a guide answering the tourist’s questions.
I
T. – When and who was Moscow founded by?
G. - Хроники впервые упоминают Князя Юрия Долгорукого как основателя
города. Это было в 1147 году.
T. - What was Moscow like at that time?
G. - В то время Москва была небольшой деревней, окруженной Кремлевской
стеной.
T. - What does the word “Kremlin” mean in Russian?
G. - Слово «Кремль» означает «крепость» на русском языке.
II
T. - When was a Great Moscow Principality founded?
G. – Великое Московское Княжество было основано в 14 веке при Иване I.
T. - Wasn’t Moscow under the Mongol-Tatar yoke at that time?
G. - Конец монголо-татарскому игу был положен в 14-15 веках. Было много сражений, в которых русские войска одерживали победу над врагом. Одна из самых важных – Куликовская битва в 1380 году. Позже, в 16 веке Иван Грозный захватил столицу татарского государства – город Казань.
III
T. - And has Moscow ever been conquered by foreign armies?
G. - Да, несколько раз, но они не оставались здесь долго. Россия всегда умела
одержать победу над врагом.
T. - When was it?
G. - В начале 17 века Москва была оккупирована поляками, но два года спустя
они были изгнаны из города и страны.
T. - How interesting? Who else?
G. - Армия Наполеона находилась в Москве в течение месяца, но им пришлось
покинуть город, так как он был подожжен и все запасы продовольствия
были уничтожены.
T. - And was Moscow conquered in the last war?
G. - Нет, немецкие войска смогли подойти к городу на расстояние в 40 километров,
но они не смогли захватить Москву.
Unit 4. 
Tverskay Street.
Vocabulary File.
