1. You are going to read a text about A. A. Leonov. Before you start
reading say what
you know about him.
Mankind always dreamed of overcoming gravitation and reaching other
planets but only in
the 20th century the dream became reality.
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin on board Vostok made the first flight
in outer space.
It lasted 108 minutes. This flight proved that a man can survive in
conditions of
weightlessness. The day of the first flight became a great holiday for
people. Since that
time the 12th of April has been celebrated as the
International Day of
Cosmonauts.
Significant contribution to cosmos exploration was made by famous
pilot and cosmonaut
Aleksey Arkhipovich Leonov.
Aleksey Leonov was born on May 30, 1934 in the small village of
Listvyanka 600
kilometers north of Kemerovo. The ninth child in the family, Aleksey
showed a great
interest in aviation at an early age. He spent his childhood in
Kemerovo. In 1948 the
Leonovs moved to Kaliningrad. In 1953 Aleksey finished a secondary
school. By that time he
had achieved good results in his studies. In addition, he had made
achievements in sports
and knew much about aircraft. Thanks to his elder brother, who was an
aviation technician,
Aleksey Leonov learnt about aero-engines, aircraft construction and even
flight theories.
That was enough to enter the Kremenchug Air Force school, the school
Leonov had dreamt of
since childhood. In 1955-1957 Aleksey studied at the higher specialized
school for fighter
pilots in the Ukraine. Then he joined the Air Force of the Soviet Army.
In 1960 Aleksey
Leonov with the first group of Soviet cosmonauts began to train for
space flights.
On March 18, 1965 Leonov made a space flight in Voskhod-2 spacecraft.
On that flight he
became the first man to walk in space. He was outside the spacecraft for
twenty minutes,
connected to the craft by a five-foot tether. Leonov's spacesuit was
inflated so much
that he was unable to reenter the spaceship. The cosmonaut had to
release some air. After
overcoming a few other problems, the spaceship made a landing in the
Urals Mountains. They
waited for a rescue team surrounded by wolves. Aleksey Leonov made the
shortest and the
most optimistic report in the history of cosmonautics: "It is possible
to survive and
work in space." These words opened a new chapter in the history of space
exploration.
In July 1975 Aleksey Leonov took his second trip to outer space.
Before the flight he
had trained in Houston, learning English and impressing everyone with
his quick wit, humor
and charm. It was the first joint mission between the USSR and the US.
Leonov was the
commander of the Soviet spaceship "Soyuz-19." The so-called
"Apollo-Soyuz space
project" was both a scientific and a symbolic mission. It was successful
and lasted for
5 days.
For his work in space Leonov was awarded the title of Hero of the
Soviet Union twice as
well as the Order of Lenin. He is a true hero in the history of space
flight.
Leonov is a many-sided man. He has written some books. He is one of
the best known
space artists in the world. He is also keen in filming, hunting, water
skiing.
Aleksey Leonov is an honorary citizen of many towns. Several streets
and schools in
Russia are named in his honour. The monuments to the cosmonaut have been
erected in Moscow
and in Kemerovo.
2. Match the words from the text on the left with their translation
on the right.
| 1) flight |
a) посадка |
| 2) weightlessness |
b) исследование |
| 3) exploration |
c) невесомость |
| 4) aircraft |
d) полет |
| 5) aero-engine |
e) космический костюм |
| 6) fighter pilot |
f) авиационный |
| 7) spacecraft |
g) наполнять воздухом |
| 8) tether |
h) привязь |
| 9) spacesuit |
i) космический корабль |
| 10) to inflate |
j) летчик-истребитель |
| 11) landing |
k) спасательный |
| 12) rescue |
l) стыковка |
| 13) joint |
m) авиационный двигатель |
Key: 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-f, 5-m, 6-j, 7-I,8-h, 9-e,
10-g, 11-a,
12-k, 13-l.
3. The word in brackets can be used to form a word that fits suitably
in the blank
space.
1). Significant (contribute):: to cosmos (explore) :: was made by
famous
cosmonaut A. A. Leonov.
2). He (show) :: a great interest in aviation at an early age.
3). He spent his (child) :: in Kemerovo.
4). Leonov's (one) :: space flight was on March 18, 1965.
5). On that (fly) :: Leonov became the first man to walk in space.
6). In 1975 he took his (two) :: trip to (out) ::space.
7). He was the (command) :: of the Soviet spaceship "Soyuz-19".
8). The cosmonaut is the author of several (book)::.on cosmos.
9). He is one of the (good) :: known space (art) ::in the world.
10). The monuments to A. A. Leonov have been (erect) :: in Moscow and
in Kemerovo.
Key: 1- contribution, exploration; 2 - showed; 3 - childhood; 4 -
first; 5 -
flight; 6 - second, outer; 7 - commander; 8 - books; 9 - best, artists;
10-
erected.
4. Speak about the most important facts of A. A. Leonov's biography.
- 1934 - he was born.
- 1948 - :: .
- 1953 - :: .
- 1957 - :: .
- 1960 - :: .
- 1965 - :: .
- 1975 - :: .
5. Fill in the table.
| Имя. |
|
| Два прилагательных, описывающих
личность. |
|
| Описание действий (3 глагола). |
|
| Фраза из четырех слов, которые выражают
сущность. |
|
| Синоним первого слова, который
раскрывает суть этого понятия. |
|
6. Answer the questions.
1). Do you think A. Leonov is an outstanding person? Why?
2). Is there anything in the text that surprised you? What?
3). Did you learn anything from the text? What? | 
