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Kazakhstan
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a sovereign independent state in the center of the Eurasian continent. The official language is Kazakh. The Russian language is official used on equal grounds along with the Kazakh.
The territory of the country stretches 1600km. from north to south and 2800km. from west to east: a total area is 2,7mln. square km. Kazakhstan borders Russia to the north, China to the east, Kyrgysia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to the south, and the Caspian Sea to west. The landscape of Kazakhstan is diverse. The northern- steppe becomes steppe, semi-desert and desert in the south. The climate of Kazakhstan varies widely throughout the country.
Kazakhstan’s relatively developed economic structure is based on its vast deposits of natural resources such as ore, oil, and natural gas. In addition Kazakhstan Is a major producer and exporter of agricultural products – primarily grain, wool and meat. The main branches of industry are metallurgy, production of heavy machinery, industrial equipment, chemicals, textiles and processed foods. National currency of Kazakhstan is tenge.
Kazakhstan can be divided into five main zones according to climatic and economic conditions. They are: Eastern, Northern, Central, Southern, and Western Kazakhstan.
The main cities of Eastern Kazakhstan are Semey, Oskemen. The region is rich in polymetal ores, containing lead, zink, copper, gold, silver. Northern Kazakhstan is the granary of the country, about three-quarters of agricultural land is used for grain production. The main cities are Kokshetau, Pavlodar. Central Kazakhstan covers the territory of 3980 square km. The main cities are Karaganda, Temirtau. The region is famous for hard coal deposits. Southern Kazakhstan is the least developed region. The population density is the highest in the Republic. The main cities are Kyzylorda, Aralsk, and Taraz. The region is the main center of irrigated viticulture, cotton, sugar beet and rice growing.
Western Kazakhstan is famous for its mineral resources such as oil, gas, copper. The main cities are Atyrau, Aktau.The region attracts foreign investments to stimulate the development of the industry in the region.
Great Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (or the UK) is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK covers the British Isles, which is the geographical name of all the islands, situated off the northwest coast of the European Continent. They consist of Great Britain, Ireland and of about five thousand small islands. The North Sea, the Strait of Dover and the English Channel separate Great Britain from the continent. It is washed on the West Coast by the Atlantic Ocean and by the Irish Sea.
The mountains in Great Britain are not very high; the highest mountain is Ben Nevis in Scotland. The main rivers in Britain are the Thames, the Mersey, the Severn and others, but none of them are very long.
The climate of Great Britain is mild. The Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the weather on the British Isles. The summers are cool and rainy; the winters are not very cold.
Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. One of the leading industries in Great Britain is the textile industry. Shipbuilding and motor industry are highly developed too.
There are many big industrial cities in Britain, such as Birmingham and Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, Cardiff and others.
The total population of Great Britain today is about 59 million people. The official language of the country is English; though in Wales people speak Welsh which is different from English, while the Scottish dialect differs little from English. There are many other languages spoken in Britain as it has become now a multinational state.
The United States of America
The United States of America are situated in the central part of the North American continent .Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast – by the Atlantic Ocean.
The total area of the USA is over nine million square kilometers.
The population of the USA is over 250 million people; most of the population lives in towns and cities.
The USA is a very large country, so it has several different climatic regions. The coldest regions are in the north and north-east. The south has a subtropical climate.
The USA is a land of rivers and lakes. The northern state of Minnesota is a land of 10 000 lakes. The longest rivers in the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Rio Grande. The main lakes in the USA are the Great Lakes in the north. There are five of them. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada.
The United States is rich in natural and mineral resources. It produces copper, oil, iron ore and coal. It is a highly-developed industrial and agricultural country.
There are many big cities in the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others. The national capital is Washington, D.C. Its population is about 3.4 million people. Washington was built in the late eighteenth century as the centre of government. It was named after George Washington.
The USA became the world leading country at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Astana
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan and the center of Akmolinsk region-the Motherland of Saken Seifullin and Magjan Joumbayev. The history of Akmolinsk starts from the year of 1830 when the Russian Empire established the fortress with this name in the area of Karautkel. By the end of the XIX century it had become a district with the population of 6.428, which could boast of three churches, 5 schools and colleges and three factories. Such was the first stage in the development of the city. The second stage with the paramount impact for the destiny of the city was the development of the virgin land. In December 1960 the city numbering about 100.000 people turned into the center of the Tselinny territory, which embraced all northern regions of Kazakhstan. Shortly after in 1961 Akmolinsk changed its name for Tselinograd and grew into a modern and beautiful city with the population of 250.000 citizens.
In 1992 the city was returned its former name Akmola. But 1998 with the transfer of the capital from Almaty to Akmola, the city got a new name –Astana. This decision was prompted by economic, ecological and geographical expediency.
Textile, light and printing industries are highly developed in Astana. There are many universities, institutes and colleges here. Astana is the center of political life of Kazakhstan. Residence of President, the Parliament and the Government are located here. Astana is the city of great construction projects. For a short time the governmental buildings and the “Continental” hotel have been built and the central residential section has been reconstructed. In XXI century Astana will be one of the most beautiful and flourishing capitals of the world.
London
London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural centre. It is one of the world` s most important ports and one of the largest cities in the world. London with its suburbs has a population of about 11million people. London has been a capital for nearly a thousand years. Many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of them are the Tower of London, where the crown jewels are kept, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral. Most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen's home with its Changing of the Guards) and the many magnificent museums.
Once London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames. Slowly it grew into one of the world’s major cities. Different areas of London seem like different cities .The West End is a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres. The City of London is the district where most offices and banks are concentrated. The East End is the district where mostly working people live. The old port area is now called “Docklands”. There are now new office buildings in Docklands, and thousands of new flats and houses.
By the day the whole of London is busy. At night, offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas. In nearby Soho the pubs, restaurants and nightclubs are busy half the night.
Like all big cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. In the middle of Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens you will think that you are in the country, miles away.
Many people live outside the centre of London in the suburbs, and they travel to work in shops and offices by train, bus or underground ("The Tube").
Washington D.C.
The United States is a federal union which is made up of fifty states and one independent district – the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia is the territory of the national capital of the USA, Washington, with its own laws and regulations. Washington, D.C. is situated on both banks of the Potomac river, between the two states, Maryland and Virginia.
This place was chosen by the first American President George Washington. The plot of land of a hundred square miles was bought from owners by the state. In 1790 George Washington laid the corner-stone of the Capitol where the Congress sits.
Washington is sometimes called the heart of America. It is the place where the federal government works and where each President of the United States lives. Washington is smaller in size than the largest cities of the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Detroit or Los Angeles. The population of Washington is about 11 million people. The buildings in Washington are not very tall because no building must be taller than the Capitol. But in political sense Washington is the centre of the country and the most important city of the United States.
The capital has world- known art galleries, museums and monuments. One of the most interesting museums in Washington is the National Art and Space Museum. The museum has aircraft and spacecraft that were important in aviation history. There are even rocks that the astronauts brought to the Earth after their Moon landing.
Political System of Kazakhstan
Having gained the political independence Kazakhstan became a democratic republic with presidential form of government. The President is elected. The Power in the Republic consists of two branches- legislative power represented by the Parliament and executive power represented by the President and the government. The Parliament consists of two chambers-the Upper Chamber-Senate and the Lower Chamber - Majilis. The Senate is formed by 47 deputies .Majilis consists of 107 deputies, elected according to Parties lists and members and members of Kazakhstan’s Peoples Assembly. The period between parliamentary elections is four years. The Government implements the executive power in the country. It is headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President with the approval of the Parliament. The Government is responsible for its work to the President and is accountable to the Parliament. The Supreme Court and the local courts of the state execute the judicial system of the republic. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body on civil and criminal cases. Control of Constitutional laws is implemented by the Constitutional Council, which consists of 7 members and is elected for a period of 6 years.
Political System of Great Britain
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen) as its Head of State .The present British monarch is Queen Elizabeth 2, who succeeded to the throne in 1952. The monarch has very little power and can only reign with support of Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country. In reality, the House of Commons is the only one that has true power, it introduces new bills. Then they go to the House of Lords for approval and finally the monarch signs them. Only then they can become laws. The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected members, known as Members of Parliament, each of whom represents an area of the UK. The political parties choose candidates in elections. The party, which wins majority of seats in the House of Commons, forms the Government and its leader usually, becomes Prime Minister. The largest minority party becomes the Opposition. The Prime Minister chooses about twenty MPs from his or her party and forms his or her Cabinet Ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of government.
The House of Lords consists of more than 1,000 hereditary lords and peers. It has very little power. The two main political parties in Great Britain are the Conservative and the Labour party. Now the Conservative Party is in power. Among other political parties there is the Liberal party and the Social-Democratic party.
Political System of the USA
The US is a federal Union of 50 states; each of them has its own government According to the US Constitution, the government is divided into three branches: the executive branch headed by the President, the legislative, branch exercised by the Congress created by Article I of the Constitution, adopted in 1787, and the judicial branch. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican (symbolized by a donkey) and the Democratic (symbolized by an elephant).
The Senate is made up of 100 members (2 from each state), elected for a term of 6 years. One third of the Senate is elected every 2 years. To be elected a Senator, a person must be at least 30 years old and have been the citizen of the USA at least 9 years.
The House of Representatives comprises representatives from each state, elected for a two-year term. The number of representatives from each state depends on its population, but every state is represented. To be elected a representative, a person must be at least 25 years of age and have been a citizen of the USA for at least 7 years.
The presiding officer of the Senate is the Vice-President of the USA. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the Speaker, is elected by the house. The work of preparing and considering laws is done by the committees of both Houses. There are 15 standing committees in the Senate and 19 in the House of Representatives. The Congress assembles at least once a year.
The executive branch of the government consists of the President, the Vice-President and the Cabinet. The President’s term of office is four years, together with the Vice-President, chosen for the same term. The President is the head of the executive branch of the government; he appoints the members of the Cabinet. The Cabinet advises the President on many matters and is composed of the heads of ten executive departments: Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Defense and others.
The judicial branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court which settles disputes between the states. The Supreme Court may veto any law passed by the Congress if it contradicts the Constitution of the USA.
The US national flag – Stars and Stripes – is red, white and blue. Thirteen stripes represent the original 13 states of the US; the stars represent the current number of states.
Education in Kazakhstan
The education in Kazakhstan is conducted in two languages -Kazakh and Russian. The constitution prohibits any discrimination on the basis of language and guarantees equal rights in education regardless of nationality. Secondary education is compulsory in Kazakhstan. Children start school at the age of 7 and finish at 17 as a rule a child attends the school, located in the neighborhood. However, in big cities there are so -called special schools, offering deeper studies of the major European languages(French, English, German) or the advanced courses in physics and mathematics and children, attending one of these may have to commute from home.
The first stage of education in Kazakhstan is elementary school for grades one through four. The second is secondary school for middle grades from five through nine. Upon graduation from secondary school students are given the choice of either continuing to attend the same school or entering a vocational or technical school. Both of these schools are meant to provide one, along with certificate of secondary education with a number of useful skills (e.g. those of an electrician, technical or computer operators). Having completed one’s secondary education, one can either become a part of work force or go on college (institution of higher learning-Institute).
To be admitted to the institute one has to pass a series of oral or written tests. Marks in the certificate of secondary education are also taken into account. Entry to higher institution is quite competitive. Some college departments (law, journalism, foreign language -especially English) have dozens of applicants for one prospective student's position. The system of higher education prepares highly -skilled experts on economy, transport, agriculture, medicine, languages and others.
Education in Kazakhstan has until recently been free on all levels. College students with good marks are rewarded with stipend. The government subsidized all institutions of higher learning. Now that the country is changing to a market place economy, the system of education is also bound to undergo profound changes. In 1990 the first private school appeared in Almaty. Today there are more than 200 private secondary and high schools in the country. For the last two years the number of non-government higher education institutions has increased twice. The work of private institutions is evaluated by a special accreditation commission, which gives out a special license. Today the young people of the Kazakhstan have the opportunity to choose and acquire various types of education and build their lives according to their ambitions.
University education in Kazakhstan
Secondary education is compulsory in our country. Citizens of Kazakhstan have the right to education, which is guaranteed by the Constitution. Nowadays thousands of young men and women enter Universities and Institutes. After finishing secondary school some people can continue their studies to get higher education. All applicants take competitive examinations. Rectors head higher educational establishments. Vice -rectors are in charge of the academic and scientific process. Deans head the faculties. There are chairs (departments) within faculties.
Almost all the students get stipends and have hostels accommodations. At the 1 of each term they have vacations.
Most of higher educational establishments in the RK have two-staged system. Students study four years to get a Bachelor’s Degree and two years to a Master’s Degree. Postgraduates write and defend a dissertation to receive a Doctorate Degree.
Education in Britain
In Great Britain education is compulsory for children from 5 to 16 years of age. Before 5 some children attend Nursery schools, while most children start their basic education in an Infant School which is the first stage of Primary Education. From 7 to 11 they attend Junior Schools, the second stage of Primary education. At the age of eleven children transfer to Comprehensive Schools. These schools give general education and a wide range of academic courses leading to the public examinations taken 16. They also provide some vocational courses before the 1960 there were two main kinds of state schools in Britain: '' grammar'', ''modern ''.The grammar schools were for most intelligent children and the secondary modern schools were for the less intelligent children.
Along with the state schools, they’re about 500 private schools in Britain that comprise about 6% of the school population. Most of these Independent or Public Schools charge fees and there are boarding schools, where the children actually live in the school. Any child may leave school at 16 when all children take the school-leaving examinations and get a certificate of secondary education. Those who want to continue their education at a University have to stay on at school for two more years and take another exam. Advanced level examination the Universities and Polytechnics choose their students, as there are no entrance examinations.
The leading universities in England are Oxford, Cambridge, and London. Each university consists of a number of faculties: medicine, arts, law, music, natural science, commerce and education. Besides universities, there are other types of higher educational institutions: Polytechnics and Colleges of different kinds.
Education in the USA
Americans have shown a great concern for education since early colonial times. Today there are many public schools at the elementary and secondary levels and private schools throughout the country.
The USA does not have a national system of education. The function of the Federal Department of Education is merely to gather information, to advise and help finance some educational programs. All educational matters are left to individual states.
There are two major types of schools in the USA – public and private, or free-paying. Four out of five private schools are run by churches, synagogues and other religious groups.
Most schools start at nursery level at the age of 3. Elementary education starts at the age of 6 and continues till 10-11 years. Secondary education is provided from age of 11-12 years. Intermediate school includes grades 6 through 9 for ages 11(12) up to 14(15) years. Schools of this stage are called intermediate schools or junior high schools. A comprehensive school is open to all youths of a community area and offers a broad program of academic, prevocational and vocational education.
A general school is also open, but it offers a more limited program. Extensive program of prevocational or vocational courses and advanced courses in academic studies are usually excluded.
A vocational school is for students of the community who are interested in its specialized area of training and a program of general education.
A specialized school is for pupils with special capabilities who are qualified to concentrate in a particular area of study. It is for the academically, musically, artistically gifted.
The American secondary school provides the course program of school subjects and a program of extracurricular activities, including organized sports. Most schools publish their own student newspapers; have orchestras, bands, choir, theatre and drama groups, etc.
What makes American education at the secondary level so different from most other countries is that all such programs, whether academic, technical, or practical, are generally taught under one roof.
Kazakh Traditions and Holidays
Nowadays we live in the independent state of Kazakhstan that is why our holidays are different from those that we had in the soviet period of our history. We don’t have any longer most of Soviet holidays dealing with communist ideology like the First of May and the Seventh of November .On the contrary now we have many new holidays that returned from the past.
The most popular holiday in Kazakhstan is Nauruz, the ancient holiday of spring, the oriental New Year. Nauruz, the modern Kazakh word for NEW YEAR, comes from Persian '”nau-new, ruz-year”'. Before that New Year was called ”Ulys kuni”' meaning tribe or clan day. The beginning of the year is announced by the appearance of greenery. The patient resistance to the winter hardships has come to an end, and now, with the coming of spring it is time to participate in the life -giving festival. The main ritual dish is nauryz-kozheh. Nauruz -kozheh always includes seven ingredients, signifying the seven life beginnings- water, meat, salt, fat, flour, cereal and milk. They symbolize joy, luck, wisdom, health, wealth, speed growth and Heavenly protection.
“Koktem tudy” say Kazakhs today and meet Nauruz in the streets, squares, parks and stadiums. Thousands of people witness sharp verbal competitions of akyns, contests in national sports-kazakhsha-kyres, toguz kumalak, horse competitions like Kyz-Kuu, Baiga. Various dramatized shows and theatrical marches presenting national customs and rituals attract people and teach them to respect national culture and native land, promote rapprochement and mutual understanding of different nations.
Customs and traditions in England
When foreigners come to England, they are struck at once by great number of customs and traditions in English life. They may seem strange to visitors but the English still keep up these old customs and traditions, which mix with everyday life in the streets of busy London. Traditional uniforms are still preserved in Great Britain. You can see a group of cavalrymen riding on black horses through the central streets of London. They wear red uniforms, shining helmets, long black boots and long white gloves. They carry swords. These men are Life Guards and special duty is to guard the king or queen. In the Tower of London you can see the warders with their funny flat hats.
On each second Saturday in November, the newly elected Lord Mayor of London rides in procession through the streets of the city in his medieval carriage. This Lord Mayor’s show is a great traditional event for Londoners. There are a number of other formal ceremonies, such as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Trooping the Colour which is performed on House Guards Parade every year on the Queen’s official birthday.
Among other traditions that most Englishmen observe is 5 o’clock tea which people can have at any time between 4 and 6 p .m. It is a very light meal and the time when “everything stops for tea” in England and this became a kind of ritual.
The English people are great pet lovers .Practically every family has a dog or a cat, or both. They have special dog shops selling food, clothes and other things for dogs. There are dog hairdressing saloons and dog cemeteries
Holidays and public days in the USA
The population of the USA is made up of people of different nationalities. Centuries ago they brought with them their native celebrations. Some holidays which are marked in the United States originated in America. The number of holidays is different in different states – from 8 in the District of Columbia to 20 in Oklahoma. But the most important holidays are celebrated throughout the USA. They are: New Year’s Day (January 1), Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12), Washington’s Birthday (February 22), Memorial Day (last Monday in May, Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day ( the first Monday in May), Veteran’s Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November), Christmas (December 25). Here are a few words about some of them.
One of the greatest holidays is Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. It proclaimed independence of the thirteen British colonies from Great Britain. July 4 has become the greatest holiday since. In the past this day was marked with big parades and fireworks, but now it is celebrated more quietly. Cities and towns are decorated with flags on that day, there are parades in some places, but most people just go on picnics to the countryside.
Thanksgiving Day is marked on the fourth Thursday of November. On this day the Americans honour the memory of the first settlers. It also marks the end of the harvest season. It is a long-standing tradition to make a festive meal with a fried turkey on this day.
Christmas is a religious holiday which symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ. By this day people decorate fir trees with toys and candies. Children wait for Santa Claus who comes to every house and brings them presents. Before going to bed, children leave their shoes to find in them what they want most of all the next morning. Some people, especially young people, like to celebrate it in restaurants and cafes and pubs, but most people prefer to stay at home with their family on this holiday.
Mukhtar Auezov
Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961) a distinguished Kazakh writer, playwright and statesman was born in Semey region of Kazakhstan. His grandfather was a friend of the outstanding Kazakh poet and educator Abai Kunanbaev. He taught the future writer read from Abai’s manuscript verses. Mukhtar Auezov graduated from Semipalatinsk Teacher’s Seminary and in1926, from Leningrad University. His writing career began with the play “Enlik-Kebek”, based on the folk legend of tragic love. In the course of his life he wrote over 20 plays and many short stories and novels. His best work rightly considered being the epic novel ''Abai'', which gives a mastery panorama of Kazakh life in the second half of the 19-th century. The novel has had an enormous influence on Kazakh literature and has been translated into many languages. A famous story “Kokserek” was published in 1929. It reminds the readers of Jack London’s story “The Call of the Wild” and “White Fang”. In his story he portrays a wolf as the wild beast which although raised between remains true to his own nature and opposed to the world of humans.
The name of Mukhtar Auesov is the brightest among the most remarkable names of his contemporaries. He is a prominent translator. His translations of Tolstoi, Checkov, Shakespeare, London, are masterpieces that greatly enriched Kazakh literature. Mukhtar Auezov will always be associated with Kazakh literature.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in Stratford -upon -Avon in the family of rich citizen whose business was making and selling leather gloves. While still a teenager of nineteen, William married Anne Hathaway, a farmer’s daughter some years older than himself, and they had three daughters. In 1587 Shakespeare went to work in London, leaving Ann and the children at home .He soon began to act and to write plays.
By1603, Shakespeare wrote at least thirty-seven plays, although few published in his lifetime. Among them there were comedies, tragedies, chronicles. Among Shakespeare’s most famous works are "Hamlet, "King Lear", "Richard 3’’ and many others which are staged in all major theatres throughout the world. The first collection was published in 1623, seven years after his death. Besides plays, Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, which are real masterpieces of poetry. There are many expressions in modem English which have come from Shakespeare` s plays, some of them have been changed a little. Here is some example. “All`s well that ends well,” “Brevity is the sole of wit,” “the entire world’s a stage,” “Love’s blind” etc.