Глава из пособия по чтению "Англичане в России" "Английский двор"(упражнения прилагаются)

English Court.

English court is a white-stone building situated in the center of Moscow near Red Square in Zaryadye. It appeared in  the XV  century and  belonged to a boyar called Ivan Bobrochev. In 1553 sir Richard Chansellor discovered the Northern Sea Route connecting England and Russia. In 1556 the monarch Ivan the Terrible wanted to initiate commercial relations with Europe. He gave them the right of free and duty-free trade in all Russian cities, high customs privileges, and also some other trade privileges. This event became a basis for creation of the trade Moscow company in London in 1555. England supplied weapon, gunpowder, saltpeter, lead, tin ware, cloth to Russia. In exchange they took out wood, hemp, ropes, wax, skin, furs. The building which was situated in Zaryadye was given as an office to English merchants.

The activity of the company had a great influence Russian image in Europe. In 1598 Richard Haklyuyt published multivolume work in which the stories about numerous English expeditions in Russia took place. At the beginning of the XVII  century in libraries of both countries there are first English-Russian dictionaries. In 1612 after liberation of Moscow from Poles the company was widened. In 1636 the company got one more court in Moscow — the New English yard in the White city near Ilyinsky gate. Since then this construction is called the Old English court.

The trade relations between England and Russia were broken off in 1649. Russian monarch Alexey Mikhaylovich ordered to banish the British ambassadors from the country, and the property of the Moscow company was confiscated.

After Englishmen the boyar I. A. Miloslavsky owned the chamber during 20 years. He paid 500 rubles for it. After Miloslavsky's death the chamber became the property of Russian government. At the beginning of the XVIII century the tsar Pyotr I organized one of the first Arithmetic schools in Russia here. In the middle of the XVIII century the chamber turned into private possession, and during the XVIII—XX centuries representatives of various merchant surnames owned the building. The chambers of old English court lost their previous appearance because different owners rebuilt them variously. From 1949 to 1966 the Library of foreign literature located here.

In 1960 Stalin ordered to demolish this monument of history and culture for building a new house on its place. However, the great restorer Pyotr Baranovsky insisted on keeping the monument. In the end of the XX century information about the building was completed by Russian architects and the reconstruction of the monument  began. On the18th  of October, 1994 it was officially announced as the museum of English court. The building became a branch of the Museum of History of Moscow. Her Majesty  Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II and her husband prince Philip took personal part in museum opening.

Exercises.

I. True or false.

1) Sir Richard Chansellor discovered   the Northern Sea Route.                              2) English court is made of clay.                                                                               3) The appearance of English court was connected  with Ivan  the Terrible.           4) There were first English-Russian dictionaries in the libraries of Russia at the      beginning of the XVII century.                                                                                5) The trade relations between England and Russia were broken off in the middle of  the XVII century.

II. Fill in the gaps.

1) In 1960 … ordered to demolish this monument.                                                  2) After Englishmen the boyar … owned the chamber.                                                  3) Peter I organized …in Russia here.                                                                      4) Her Majesty … took personal part in museum opening.                                        5) … it was officially announced as the museum of English court.

III. Fill in the prepositions.

1) English court is a white-stone building which appeared … XV century and   belonged … a boyar called Ivan Bobrochev.                                                            2) This event became a basis … creation the trade Moscow company … London in 1555.                                                                                                                          3) The trade relations between England and Russia were broken … in 1649.         4) Peter Baranovsky insisted … keeping the monument.                                          5) He gave them the right … free and duty-free trade in all Russian cities.

IV. Write 10 questions to the text.