Answer the following questions.

a) When and how is Minsk mentioned in chronicles?

b) What historical names are connected with the battles for Minsk?

c) What is a probable origin of the name “Minsk”?

d) What are the most important events in the history of Minsk?

e) What happened to Minsk during World War II?

f) Why can we call Minsk the “capital” of Belarusian art?

g) What is the industrial potential of Minsk?

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My Native Town

Brest is a very ancient town. It was first mentioned in Old Chronicles in 1019. The original settlement was called Berestye. The town's name was changed several times. It was given its present name in 1939 after the reunification of Belarus.

Brest is located in the southwestern part of Belarus about 3 kilometers away from the border with Poland on both sides of a small river Mukhovets that flows into the river Boug not far from the town. It's a rather large town today. It ranks the 7th in population among the cities of Belarus.

The town has an efficient public transport system of bus and trolleybus services. It is well linked with the world by the system of road-, rail-, water- and airlines. Brest stands on two main international roads connecting the countries of Western Europe with Russia. These roads are very important for the Republic's economy. There is also a large airport near Brest.

Cultural life of the town is rich enough for a regional centre. There are two theatres, seven museums, two big libraries, a dozen of cinemas and clubs in the town. Two institutes – State University and Technical University – are located in Brest. There are also many general and vocational secondary schools, two specialized technical schools and a music college, which makes Brest the largest educational center of the region.

The main attraction for most of the visitors has always been the legendary Brest Fortress with its Memorial Complex erected to commemorate the courage showed by the defenders of the fortress at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

People will always keep the memory of the heroic feat, which was the defence of the Brest fortress. «I am dying but will not surrender. Farewell, my country. 20.VII.41». Today this nameless laconic inscription on the wall in the Citadel is known to every person, it testifies the courage, fortitude and heroism of the defenders of Brest.

The Hero Fortress on the river Boug is a historical monument. In September 1971 the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial was inaugurated here. Its principal monument “The Soldier”, the sculptural composition «The Thirst», the Bayonet Obelisk, the memorial slabs (плита) together with the fortress structures and the scenery here are impressive with their sublimity and grandeur.

Visitors to Brest find its tree-lined streets green in summer and taken good care of all the year round. Masherov Street is the busiest road of the town leading to Minsk and Moscow.

The most popular place for recreation is the Central City Park with its attractions, cafes and discos for young people. The Mukhovets and the Lesnaya rivers attract attention of both children and adults.

Today Brest is an important industrial and commercial centre of Belarus. Its industrial enterprises produce computers, robots, gas-stoves, carpets, tape-recorders, electrical appliances, electric bulbs, furniture, knitted goods, textiles, chemicals, building materials and food products. Almost all these products are well known not only in our republic, but also far abroad.

Answer the following questions.

a) When and where was Brest first mentioned?

b) Where is Brest situated?

c) Why can you call Brest a cultural centre?

d) Why is the Brest Fortress famous all over the world?

e) What are the most popular places in Brest?

f) What goods are produced in Brest?

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Education in Belarus

The educational system in Belarus is the main source intellectual, cultural, scientific and trained potential and includes more than 6,000 preschool institutions and nearly as many secondary schools, lycees, gymnasias and colleges, 33 University type institutions and 149 community college type institutions. The educational system also includes 20 commercial graduate institutions. The Republic of Belarus has 180 college and university students per each 10 thousand citizens. For each 1,000 people employed in the national economy there are 351 specialists with higher and middle specialized education.

The first level of the education system is pre-school education which sets out to provide favorable conditions for child development and help to families prepare children for formal schooling. At present, of the one million children of pre-school age half attend pre-school establishments. Education at this level includes nurseries for children up to the age of three years and kindergartens for children up to the age of six. For many years insufficient attention was paid to the individual approach in respect of child development. During the last years new pre-school establishments have appeared where children can develop their gifts in arts, music, foreign languages, etc. There are also new pre-schools of the sanatorium type for children in poor health and for those with mental or physical handicaps. Various other types of school offering a flexible work programme and alternative education have been opened, as well as “kindergarten schools” where children cover the elementary stage of the compulsory school.

Pre-school education establishments are under the supervision of various authorities. Some are financed directly by educational bodies, the rest by branch ministries and departments. Pre-school establishments are staffed by over 60 000 employees. Five higher and ten secondary special education establishments train teachers and educators for the pre-school sector. In accordance with law preschool establishments conduct classes in Belarusian and Russian.

Particular attention is given to pre-school establishments for orphaned children. According to the law "On children's rights", orphans are placed not in orphanages but adopted by families or family-type orphanages.

The general education stage is the most important one in the education system. Schooling starts at the age of six or seven years, account being taken of medical factor and the parents' consent. The education programme of the first form can be provided in the kindergarten.

General education comprises three stages:

-primary school (four years) ensuring the initial education of the child;

-the second (basic) stage which provides a grounding in secondary education necessary for the continuation of studies;

-the third stage which rounds off a pupil's secondary education taking particular account of the interests of the individual.

The primary and basic stages are compulsory. On completion of the basic stage a pupil can transfer to a vocational school.

The general school leaving examination opens up the possibility to enter higher education establishments. A network of gymnasiums and lyceums provides a higher level of education than that of the general school. These establishments have close links with higher education sector and provide a mechanism for selecting gifted and talented children. There are special schools for children with mental or physical handicaps. General education is combined with vocational training, and at the third stage there is pro-professional training and workshops to facilitate insertion into the labour market.

After the ninth grade of the general school young people can enter vocational schools where they receive both vocational training and general secondary education. The staff is trained in industrial pedagogical schools and in a number of higher pedagogical establishments. Vocational schools are well equipped both for vocational training and for manufacture. Medium level specialists are catered for technical schools and colleges.

Higher education is dispensed in universities, academies and institutes, access being on the basis of entrance examination. In recent years, certain institutes have been turned into universities. Full-time students whose academic progress meets requirements receive state grants. Higher education establishments carry out a wide range of work in the fields of fundamental and applied research. Post-graduate education caters annually for over 100,000 persons. In recent years there have appeared some commercial organizations offering in-service training lasting from one to six months, with some retraining course lasting more than a year. The teaching staff is highly qualified specialists from higher or specialized secondary establishments, scientists and people with specialized industrial experience. Trainees receive their average salary for the duration of the course. There is provision for the in-service training of staff with medium-level responsibilities, and there are also retraining possibilities for the unemployed.