RAKHMANOV HOT SPRINGS
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 466.
PART VI: FLORA AND FAUNA
Pre-reading task:
1. What resorts of our region do you know?
2. What do you know about Rakhmanov Hot Springs?
The Katon-Karagai district of the East Kazakhstan region boasts a variety of beautiful highlands, rich in flora and fauna living in cedar* taiga and mountain meadows. Its stormy rivers swiftly* flow over noisy waterfalls*. This easternmost area of Kazakhstan is noted* for its mineral hot springs and Siberian stag parks.
The famous Rakhmanov Hot Springs Sanatorium is located* on this territory at an altitude of 1700 meters above the sea level in a very picturesque* environment. The Altai-Belukha peak towers 4506 meters high above the famous Katun mountain range. Eternally* snow-covered, its glaciers* feed the region's rivers.
Local residents have known about the hot springs for a long time. A peasant* Rakhmanov “discovered*” them in 1763 According to a legend, he wounded* a Siberian stag*. Having lost his strength, the animal wandered* into one of the springs and emerged from it safe and sound.
The water in springs resembles that of Belokhurikha and Tskhaltubo spa resorts*. In fact, the underground waters of these area contain reputedly* health-giving radon, a product of disintegration* of very rare, radioactive mineral elements in granite. The thermal waters are used to heal spine* and joint diseases*, nerve system and skin. Many people claim the joy of recovery.
The first health resort area, established* in 1884, was called Arasan by local residents. The Rakhmanov Sanatorium has been operating there since 1963. The dark-emerald* green Arasan Lake dozes* mysteriously in a narrow hollow* in the mountains – lifeless, fishless. The Arasanka River carries its dark heavy water in crashing, waterfall cascades into the deep Bereli canyon.
Aromas of taiga and mountain meadows fill the health-giving fresh air. The taiga abound in cedar, larch*, and fir trees*. The shrubbery* includes blackberries*, red bilberries* and the Altai honey-suckle* or barberry* bush. Its oblong*, bluish berries lower blood pressure. The forest is rich in mushrooms.
The varied fauna of this wilderness* includes the sable*, the badger*, the wolverine*, the wolf, the fox, the bear, the leopard, the lynx*, the Siberian stag, the roe*, the squirrel, the hare, the marmot*, and the suslik.
The legend records that when Rakhmanov swam in the springs, his fatigue* evaporated*. Since then, these health-giving springs have had his name.
Vocabulary:
| Cedar – кедр Swiftly – быстро Waterfall - водопад Noted - известный Be located – быть расположенным Picturesque - живописный Environment – окружающая среда Eternally - вечно Glacier - ледник Peasant - крестьянин Discover – обнаруживать Fir tree - ель Shrubbery – заросли кустарника Blackberry - ежевика Bilberry - черника Honey-suckle - жимолость Barberry - барбарис Oblong - продолговатый Wilderness – дикая местность Sable - соболь | Wounded - раненый Siberian stag - марал Wander into – забрести в Resort - курорт Reputedly – по всеобщему мнению Disintegration – разложение, распад Doze - дремать Hollow - впадина Larch – лиственница Joint-disease – болезнь суставов Spine - позвоночник Badger - барсук Wolverine - росомаха Lynx - рысь Roe - косуля Marmot - сурок Fatigue - усталость Evaporate – испаряться Establish – основывать Dark-emerald – темно-изумрудный |
Ø Make up sentences of your own with any 6 new words.
Ø Match each word on the left with its Russian equivalent on the right.
Sable вечно
Eternally испаряться
Picturesque косуля
Fir tree окружающая среда
Lynx соболь
Waterfall кедр
Roe живописный
Environment ель
Cedar рысь
Evaporate водопад
Ø Divide the text into parts and entitle them.
Ø Give the summary of the text.
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