SUMMER CAMPS IN THE UNITED STATES

Read the text and find out what types of summer camps there are in the USA.

The summer camp tradition in the United States started in 1861 during the Civil War. A man

named Frederick William Gunn,. the founder of a boys' school in Connecticut, led 15 boys that

summer on a two-week hike/camp out to Milford. 40 miles away. Gunn's idea spread quickly, and soon many youth organizations and churches began to sponsor camps for youth. It soon became almost "expected" to send children to camp for part or all of the summer, especially in the Northeastern United States.

There are over 10.000 camps in the U.S. Although quite a few of them are still concentrated in the Northeast, camps are found in all 50 states. There’re camps to suit all tastes: sport camps, camps specializing in art, religious camps, academic camps, self-improvement camps, military camps, special camps for disabled and many, many others. For example, there are camps for overweight children which have special weight loss programs. Each camp has its own traditions, carefully followed for years, its own attractions, its own peculiarities.

Children at summer camps usually range in age from 5-16 and come from all different backgrounds. They usually stay at camp for a one to two week period, although many children enjoy camp so much that they stay for 4-5 weeks!

Why do parents send their children to camp? Many consider it an important part of a child's social education, as the children learn to live and play together for an extended period of time. It's also a chance for city kids to live in the "great outdoors", breathe fresh air and get a lot of exercise. In addition, the children get to learn new crafts, games, sports. and important skills like leadership and sportsmanship. Each day at camp is different, filled with numerous activities, exciting and educational. Last, but not least, the children have a lot of fun. This is more than enough for parents who would like to take a rest from parenthood for some time..

Each camp has its own special character. Some are rustic, with basic "back to nature" facilities, while others seem more like private country clubs for the young. Almost all camps are located in a remote, but beautiful outdoor setting, usually with lots of trees, a lake, river or waterfront, and often with hills or mountains near by. Some camps, however, are located in city parks, school playgrounds and even on islands!

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1. Why do parents send their children to camps?

2. When did the summer camp tradition in the United States start?

3. What was the first camp like?

4. How many camps are there in the U.S.A.?

5. How long do children stay at camp?

1.40. COMPOSITIONS BY BACH’S SECOND SON PERFORMED IN MOSCOW

Have you ever heard that Bach’s sons were musicians ? Read the text and prove that his second son

was a talented composer.

Last Tuesday, the chamber orchestra Musica Viva performed the' Oratory "Resurrection and Ascension of Christ" written in 1778 by Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach, the second surviving son of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Oratory, performed in Russia for the first time, is one of his masterpieces of vocal music. С. Р.Е. Bach was one of the leading composers and keyboard players of the mid-18th century. He was trained in composition and key-board by his father. His works were widely known and helped shape the transition from the baroque style of his father to the classical style of Mozart and Haydn. The oratory, which marked a breakthrough in musical style, language and deep cultural changes in understanding the world, was performed for the first time in Hamburg in 1778. Ten years later, an orcherstra and choir led by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed the Oratory three times in Vienna. The composition's glorious history undoubted­ly deserves a performance of the highest level and prominent musi­cians were recruited for the concert including the Children's Choir Studio led by Maria Struve and the "Choir Academy" led by Ale­xander Serov as well as soloists Yana Ivanilova, Dmitry Pianov and Mikhail Nikiforov.

(The Moscow Tribune. 2000)

Exercise

Agree or disagree:.

1. The Oratory "Resurrection and Ascension of Christ" was written in 1778.
2. The Oratory was performed in Russia many times.
3. The Oratory is one of the masterpieces of vocal music.
4. С. Р.Е. Bach was one of the leading composers and keyboard players of the mid-19th century.
5. Amadeus Mozart performed the Oratory three times in Vienna.

THE RUSSIAN MUSEUM

Read the text and find out what exhibits you can see in the Russian Museum.

On April 13, 1895, Tsar Nicholas II signed a decree ordering the establishment of a new museum in memory of his father, the late Emperor Alexander III. The Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III, the country's first museum dedicated to Russian fine art, was opened 3 years later in Mikhailovsky palace, a splendid Neoclassical residence of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich. It was built in 1819-25 to a design by the famous Carlo Rossi on the Square of Arts in St.Petersburg. The original collection consisted of artwork from the Hermitage Museum, Alexander Palace, and the Imperial Academy of Arts. Private sources included the splendid Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky collection of portraits, acquired from the prince's heirs.

During the first ten years of its existence, the museum's collection almost doubled in size. The Russian Academy of Arts also transferred its collection of Christian antiques - five thousands units - including Novgorod icons, wooden sculpture and medieval church art.

After the 1917 Bolshevik coup, many private collections were nationalized and relocated to the Russian Museum, which added to its importance. These included the first and most valuable version of Kazimir Malevich's Black Square.

The collection of the Russian Museum numbers some 400,000 works and covers the entire history of Russian fine art from the tenth century to the present day. It reflects virtually every form and genre of art in Russia, including a unique collection of old Russian icons, paintings, graphic art and sculpture, decorative and applied art, folk art and numismatics, as well as the world's finest collection of Russian avant-garde.

(From “Moscow News”, № 32, 2005)

Exercise

Find the answers to the questions:

1. When was the Russian Museum opened?

2. Where was the Russian Museum opened?

3. What did the original collection consist of?

4. What happened to the Museum during the first ten years of its existence?

5. What happened to the Museum after the 1917 Bolshevik coup?

6. Describe the collection of the museum nowadays.

RACHMANINOV

Read the text and find out why Rachmaninov was such a great pianist.

The Opening chords of his second piano concerto are well known to music lovers. But anyone who can read a score ( партитура) would be quick to spot that the chords Rachmaninov wrote are completely unplayable to anyone with normal-sized hands.

Why did Rachmaninov write such unplayable music? The answer is that, for Rachmaninov it wasn’t unplay­able.The distinguished pianist Cyril Smith, who knew the composer, descri­bed Rachmaninov’s hands as being the largest he had ever seen,”covering the keyboard like octopus tentacles”. According to Cyril Smith Rachmaninov could play with his right hand. a chord of C with an extra E at the top. This is hard enough for most people, but Rachmaninov could do it using his thumb to play the middle E. He could twist his thumb between his fingers in a way impossible for normal people.

Medical researchers think Rachmaninov may have suffered from a hereditary disease, now called Marian syndrome. It is a rare disease of connective tissue which can affect the skeleton, eyes, heart and blood vessels. The most marked syndrorm is excessive bone growth leading to long limbs and fingers. The composer was known to suffer from back pain and stiff joints, other symptoms of this disease.

Rachmaninov’s appearance was characteristic of a sufferer from Marian’s syndrome. He was tall and slender and had a long thin nose and prominent ears. Recorded in Rachma ninov’s scores (партитура) is the evidence of a man with extraordinary manual dexterity (ловкость). But Rachmaninov’s genius doesn’t seem to lose much, if anything, when interpreted by pia­nists with normal-sized hands.

Exercise

Fill in the gaps to make the sentences complete:

1. Rachmaninov wrote music completely ----- to anyone with normal-sized hands.

2. Cyril Smith, who knew the composer, descri­bed Rachmaninov’s hands as being --- he had ever seen.

3. Medical researchers think Rachmaninov may have suffered from a hereditary ---.

4. Rachmaninov’s appearance was --- of a sufferer from Marian’s syndrome.

5. Rachmaninov was a man with --- manual dexterity (ловкость).

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1397