Welcome to Kruchyonaya Balka village!
статья по английскому языку (10 класс)

Welcome to Kruchyonaya Balka village!

«My Native Land Loved Forever…» how the song goes. Indeed, nothing is worth more than your own country. In addition, the same as for me – our Salsk steppe is the point of my love and pride.

Once our steppes were wild remote part of tsarist Russia, genuine god-forsaken place. It was the land burned by the sun and salts. There were just baby's breath^[1] – huge balls of lost roots persecuted by the wind – and the silver seas of feather grass were waved. At the end of the XVIII century thousands of serves from the central parts of Russia and Ukraine rushed along this solitary place. Driven to despair in their native lands, they sought their fortune and liberty here. Newcomers settled in the banks of the Sal, Manych and Yegorlyk rivers. That way my native village Kruchyonaya Balka appeared.

Kruchyonaya Balka was founded in 1858. The village corresponds to its name. It is located on the right bank of the Srednij Yegorlyk river, 17 km south-west from Salsk (the district centre) and 200 km south-east from Rostov-on-Don. My ancestry worked tirelessly – they ploughed the fields up, sowed rye and wheat, planted trees, melons and gourds. The evolution of the forces of production developed faster here, than in the central Russia. It is explained by the absence of the serfdom^[2].

The village grew up, built and became richer. By the beginning of the XX century, rural men from Kruchyonaya Balka were famous for their prosperity. There were their own creamery and mill, two primary schools worked. Small farmers joined into different associations and bought agricultural implements jointly. But the peaceful labour was ended up the war. My compatriots rose honorably in defence of their national independence. This land gave to the country two Heroes of the Soviet Union – Mandrykin Yefim Ivanovich and Zakharov Vasiliy Yakovlevich. After the war, people restored the broken economy, developed agricultural production. Our fellow countrywoman, tractor driver Praskovya Tikhonovna Trufanova became famous all over the country. She was awarded with the honorary title - Hero of socialist labour.

With every passing year, our village becomes better. There are 3,600 people here today. In 1950s Kruchyonaya Balka overtook the other villages of our district in the main rates of life. Electrical equipment was installed, water-pipe supply appeared on the streets of the village and radio came into houses. There are good roads almost in every street, which are also decorated with houses made of brick and stone. In the village centre, there is wonderful spacious community centre, two-storeyed building of school, where children from three local villages are educated. Also we can see a memorial to the deceased heroes of the Great Patriotic war. In 2005 the village was gasified.

My village is buried in verdure and always full of flowers in spring and summer. It is comfortable, clean and deceased. I love you, my dear native land!

Discussion: What feelings and thoughts are born in your head by the words “native land”, “Motherland”?

Read an essay again and answer the following questions:

1. When was Kruchyonaya Balka founded? Why did the village get such name?
2. What can you tell your friends about life and development of the village in the twentieth century?
3. Who added their names to a glorious history of our country?
4. Life in Kruchyonaya Balka today. How does the modern villager live?

Activity: Write a short story about your native place. What is it famous for? Tell to the classmates.