Fast facts and trivia

20 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Baikonur spaceport became historical for the whole planet, here the faith of our civilization was decided and the countdown of the new era of living for people started. During the period from June 2 to June 4, 2000 the celebration dedicated to the 45th anniversary of Baikonur (former Leninsk) took place. In the very beginning of the object construction, no one thought that in the future there will be a spaceport in this place from where the cosmic rockets will be launched. There was no such word as “spaceport” in Russian language that time. The most suitable word for the constructing object was “the experimental range”. When one of the builders asked Sergei Korolev about what was going to be there in the end, Korolev said: “A Stadium! The biggest stadium in the world!”. The policy of the 50-ties led to the regime of so called “cold war”.

The USA were counting the number of their nuclear weapons, comparing that number with the number of weapons in the USSR. The history left us the events of the past that we ascertain: On the 12th of August in 1953 the first soviet hydrogen bomb was tested in Semipalatinsk nuclear experimental range. Vyacheslav Malyshev, the Vice chairman of the Cabinet saw the destructive power of the bomb. What he saw was enough to get filled with idea of creation a rocket that could transfer up to 4,5 ton of the nuclear energy. USA was a determined destination. Malyshev invited Sergei Korolev to discuss the matter.

In ten days Korolev got a sketch of the rocket made by a scientist Sergei Krukov. Later on that sketch turned into a real project of the legendary R-7 missile. Viacheslav Malyshev didn’t see that rocket. He died from serious radiation sickness (result of his watching of the hydrogen bomb testing) in 1957, half a year before the R-7 first launch. In 1954 the marshal of the Soviet Union Georgyi Jukov determines a task to find a place to become an experimental range for the rockets testing. The place was found – it became a Tura-Tam double-track section, situated in the endless steppe of Kazakhstan, unknown, hidden from the eyes of the people. In 1955 the first division of military builders got off the train in Tura-Tam. Construction started with the first peg and tents. The first hut was built on May 5, 1955. That time up to 1000 railway cars were arriving to the spot.

In 300 km from Tura-Tam a false experimental range with a model of a wooden rocket to confuse a foreign secret service was built. Finally the experimental range was built. On August, 21 1957 the intercontinental ballistic missile R-7 was successfully launched. On October 4, 1957 that rocket brought the first artificial Earth sputnik to the orbit. After that the experimental range got a name – spaceport. On April 12, 1961 Yuryi Gagarin made the first cosmic flight around the Earth on his spaceship “Vostok”. It lasted for 108 min. After that the spaceport gets a name “Baikonur” and the city gets a name Leninsk. “Baikonur” remembers tragic moments as well. Before the successful start of Yuryi Gagarin, on October 24, 1960 a big explosion of the rocket took place on one of the grounds.

Up to 100 people were found dead. After successful start of the first woman cosmonaut on June 16-19, 1963 another rocker explosion took place on October, 24 1963. 7 people were found dead. Since 1992 the vast activity was stopped at spaceport. The spaceporte and the city became almost deserted. Since 1994 Russia has renewed its cosmic programs at Baikonur. At present Russia has an agreement with Kazakhstan of exploitation of Baikonur for 20 years with the future extension of the agreement. Owing to the Russia cosmic programs the city and the spaceport keep living developing. Nowadays Baikonur is an island of Russia on the huge territory of Kazakhstan. Only research and national economic launches take place in Baikonur now. All the military launches are done from Plesetsk launching site near Moscow.

20.1 On the territory of which country is Baikonur spaceport site?

a) Kazakhstan;

b) Russia;

c) The USA;

d) Germany;

e) England;

20.2 In 2012 Baikonur will celebrate

a) 55 years;

b) 56 years;

c) 57 years;

d) 58 years;

e) 59 years;

20.3 Circle T if the sentence is true. Circle F if the sentence is false.

a) The first soviet hydrogen bomb was tested in Semipalatinsk nuclear experimental range.

b) Between the USA and Russia in the 50-ties turned "hot war".

c) Sergei Korolev was planning to build a spaceport.

d) In our days all the military launches are done from Baikonur.

20.4 The expression "Cold War" means

a) The war in the north;

b) The war between the USA and Russia in the 50-ties;

c) The war without weapons;

d) The war between the Eskimos;

e) There is no such thing;

20.5 The experimental range was necessary to

a) Conduct experiments on animals;

b) Carrying out experiments on human beings;

c) Construction of laboratories;

d) Test missiles;

e) Sports competitions;

20.6 … was the first who saw the destructive power of the bomb

a) Nursultan Nazarbayev;

b) Nikita Khrushchev;

c) Sergei Korolev;

d) Vyacheslav Malyshev;

e) Georgy Zhukov;

20.7 The first cosmic flight around the Earth was carried on this spaceship

a) “Zapad”;

b) “Sever”;

c) “Severo-Zapad”;

d) “Severo-Vostok”;

e) “Vostok”.

21 Famous tombs of Kazakhstan

From the earliest times Kazakhs worshipped outstanding people of their nation, either being alive or after it. Tombs (Kazakh «Mazar») of the famous people were erected in most visible and beautiful places. Cemeteries of those who regarded those honorable people and wanted to go to its resting place emerged.

Many tombs were worshipped as holy sites, many had curing power, and many miracle stories of curing heavily ill people have being connected to them. Long and stormy history of Kazakhs had been imprinted in those tombs.

Visiting tomb in present days is the most affordable kind of informative tourism in Kazakhstan. The thing is that disposition of famous tombs is the easiest thing to find. Almost all of them is regularly being visited by pilgrims, so they are connected by the roads, and you can find the guide if you want to.

There are a lot of tombs in Kazakhstan, but only fifteen to twenty of them are most famous and visiting.

It's worth to start with the most famous tomb in Kazakhstan, the mazahr of Sufi sheik Haja Akhmet Yassavi. He was born in Sayram city, near modern Shymkent, in 1103 AD. His first spiritual mentor and tutor was famous sheik Arslan-Bab. After his death, haja Ahmed moved to Bukhara and passed through difficult course of Sufi religion. For some time he was the head of Sufi community in Bukhara, and then moved to Yassi city (modern Turkestan in the south of Kazakhstan). There he started his preaching activity. He died in 1166—1167 AD and was buried with the great honors in the small tomb built for him. This tomb later on became the place of massive pilgrimage and worship by Muslims. A threefold visit of it is equal to haja in Mecca.

The old tomb of sheik was ruined a long time ago. The one which stands to this day, is connected to the name of another famous man, Timur emir, the great conqueror, more known under the name Tamerlan. In 1389 – 1395 AD Timur smashed the mighty Golden Horde, the state which had been established by the older son of Genghis Khan, Dzhuchi. He destroyed its capital, the Saray-Berke. After those conquests, Timur decided to build a greater tomb above the sheik's grave to honor his victories. He personally gave the order to start construction and participated in the project development by giving his recommendations to architects. In the same time, he collected metal and ordered to cast the enormous taykazan for the tomb, weighting more than two ton.

In spite of the fact that this huge tomb with more than 3 thousands square meters of area was never completely finished, it impresses with its beauty, elegance and greatness. Since the times of Timur it is surrounded with great worship.

In the same place, very close to hoja Ahmed Yassavi situated the tomb of Kazakh Khan Essim. This famous Khan make a lot for strengthen the Kazakh Khanate in his stormy life. He was crowned away by usurper Khan Tursun, but he succeeded to take the throne back. Khan was successfully defending the boarders of his country from Dzungar raids, and created the law code, known as the «old route of Essim Khan». Essim Khan was buried after his death in 1628 AD not far from the southern wall of Yassaui tomb.

18 kilometers far from Taraz city, in the village named after Aisha Bibi of Dzambul region, on the low hills situated a unique tomb. It was built in XII AD, and, according to the legend, it keeps the remains of Aisha Bibi, a maid that died in wait for her beloved. However, it is no certainty about this tomb, but this is not detractive for the beauty and greatness of this half-ruined ancient mazahr, which is well-known for its decorative terracotta plating. Its bricks were covered by 99 variants of tracery. Near it stands another mazahr, ascribed by the legend to Babadzi-Hatun, the servant of Aisha-Bibi and contemporary of Kara Khan, the ruler of Taraz. His tomb, Aulie-Ata Karakhan, is situated in Taraz city.

In Karaganda district, in the middle of the wild steppe, 50 kilometers far to the north-east of Zheskazgan stands the tomb of the very famous man, the older son of Genghis Khan, Dzuchi, who was presented with those lands by his father. It is relatively not great tomb made from baked brick, with its dome covered in plates with turquoise glazing, looks very impressive in the middle of the wide steppe.

A number of notable tombs situated in Bayanaul district of Pavlodar area, 100 kilometers south of Ekibastuz. It is truly a place of power of Kazakhs. More than 400 well-known scientists, poets, writers of Kazakhstan originated from these lands.

Mashkhur Zusup Kopeyev, well-know Kazakh poet, healer and enlightener was born in Bayanaul area, and was famous for developing the first Kazakh alphabet on the base of arabesque script, the «Usuli Zhadit», and personally disseminated it. In Eskeldy urochishche stands his mausoleum, which has the sophisticated story. Zusup Kopeev died in the beginning of terrible famine, in the end of year 1931. His tomb was surrounded with legends, and thousands of pilgrims were sweep towards it to cure their diseases. In year 1952 the tomb was wrecked, but in 1956, after the criticism of Stalin's cult of personality, Nurila Taskizi, Mashkhur Zusup's daughter-in-law, ventured on extraordinary brave decision and built the new tomb from clay bricks. In 1975, almost demolished tomb was taken to pieces, and new mazahr by design of Bek Ibrayev and Sadvakas Aginayev, well-known architects, was built on its place.

Mashkhur Zusup gave instructors to build mazahr and arrange commemoration for him long before his death. He told his amazed relatives that in the year of his death will be a terrible disaster, and nobody would care about burying. So was happened. He died in a year when people of the steppes were perished by awful famine. His mazahr has reputation of place with curing properties. Venerable aksakal Zaskayrat, who was blind since his birth, was cured from ablepsia when he spent the night near mazahr of Mashkhur Zusup. 17 kilometers far from this mazahr, in Zanazhol aul stands the museum of Mashkhur Zusup, where his personal things, the only photo and house wares are kept.

Near Uzunbulak, aul 80 km far from Bayanaul, located the museum of the famous Kazakh poet Bukhar Zirau Kalkamanuly, who was born in 1668 AD and died aged 113 in 1781. He was respectable biy (judge) and advisor of Ablay, Khan of Middle Zhuz (union of Kazakh tribes). Bukhar Zirau took part in making and editing Zheti Zhargy code of laws, which was made under Tauke Khan's reign. He wrote the poetry in Arab, but only 1200 strings left from his poetical legacy.

In 120 km from Almaty, in small place of Shilibastau , close to Uzunagash railway station, situated the tomb of Kurtka Sultanhojiuly, well-known healer and doctor. This man was given a very long life. He was born in 1770, and died in 1906, aged 136. Kurtka was not only competent in secrets of folk healing, but also had medical education, which he attended in Saint-Petersburg University. He cured people until the dawn of his life. Tomb on the place of his grave was built in 2002.

In Western Kazakhstan there are also famous tombs, which are worth to look at. Particularly, it is the tomb of Abat Baytak near Taldysay, a village in Kobdinskiy district of Aktobe area. It's the tombstone of Golden Horde ages. According to the legend, it's the place where Abat batyr, the son of Kazakh philosopher Asan-Kaygi, was buried. Nevertheless, the archeologists that carefully investigated the tomb before its restoration are not agreeing with the legend. So, the real name of buried is unknown. But it was powerful and respected person, once it has a large cemetery around it, and another tomb of Kyz Malasy (Holy Maid) was built in XVIII DC near it.

At last, it is worth to visit the magnificent mazahrs on Mangyshlak peninsula, which are made from stone and decorated with fretwork. Mangyshlak is the cradle of Kazakh history. There are 362 graves of holy people, around 10, 000 monuments of architecture, including 30 gorgeous dome tombs made from boasted work, famous necropolises of Beket-ata, Shopan-ata, Shakpak-ata, Seysem-ata, Masat-ata, Karaman-ata, Koshkar-ata, Sultan-epe, Khanga-baba, Kenty-baba, Ushtam, Akshora, including necropolis and mosque of Shopan-ata, built by haji Akhmed Yassavi's apprentice, Shopan-ata.

21.1 What is the most affordable kind of informative tourism in our country?

a) A trip to Borovoye;

b) The conquest of the mountain;

c) Visiting tomb;

d) Visiting theaters and museums;

e) A trip to Bayanaul;

21.2 Write complete answers to these questions

a) Where is the tomb of Sufi sheik haja Akhmed Yassavi situated?

b) What activities haja Akhmet Yassavi in the last years of his life engaged in?

c) Name the second name of Timur emir.

d) Where is the grave of eldest son of Genghis Khan situated?

e) What is known about Bayanaul?

f) Which of the region is the cradle of Kazakh history?

21.3 Circle T if the sentence is true. Circle F if the sentence is false.

a) Disposition of famous tombs is easy to find.

b) There are thirty or forty most famous and visiting tombs in Kazakhstan.

c) The first spiritual mentor and tutor of Akhmed Yassavi was Tamerlane.

d) The old tomb of sheikh still stands today.

e) Tomb of Kazakh Khan Essim located next to the grave of Yassavi.

f) Bukhar Zirau Kalkamanuly spent more than a hundred years.

21.4 Zheti Zhargy code of laws was founded under … Khan's reign.

a) Essim;

b) Juchi;

c) Tauke;

d) Genghis;

e) Ablai;

21.5 Timur ordered to cast the enormous of Sheikh taykazan for the tomb, weighting …

a) More than a ton;

b) More than two ton;

c) More than three ton;

d) More than four ton;

e) More than five ton;

21.6 Discuss these issues with your classmates

a) Whose grave have you visited in the first place and why?

b) Which of the well-known scientists, poets, writers of Bayanaul area are you know?

c) What are their achievements?

22 Mountain lakes of North Tyan-Shan
Very interesting for tourists of Almaty City is seemed to be various tours along the mountain lakes of North Tyan-Shan. You will be impressed by the unique beauty of Big Almaty lake, Issuk lake, starved Lake Djasyl-Kol, Kolsay lakes and of course legendary Lake Kaindy. Big Almaty Lake is the pearl of Zailiyskiy Alatau Mountains. It is about 2510 meters above the sea level and is the part of Alatau – Iliyskiy National Park.

Because of the location of the lake the temperature of water in it doesn’t raise higher than +8 degrees centigrade in summer. During the spring period in the Big Almaty Gorge there are a lot of mudflows. That why at the bottom of the lake there is the dam which protects the lake? In the North-west of Big Almaty Lake there is the Great Almaty Peak. You can observe it from any part of the city. Also on the way to this lake you may stop and enjoy the rest in the mountains at “Prohodnoye” gorge or at “Ozernoe” gorge, the favorite place of Almaty tourists.

Issyk lake – is one if the beautiful pearl of Tyan-Shan mountains and also one of the favorite place for the rest among the tourists and it is located in Issyk gorge 1760 meters above the sea level and has the width about 55 km. In the result of mountain collapse years and years ago this lake appeared but later great mudflow happened and destroyed the natural dam of the lake. Since that time the lake was partly reconstructed but didn’t lose the original beauty. This wonderful lake is surrounded by the range of jagged rocks of remarkable beauty, and people get used to name them “Kremlin Wall”.

If you want to forget about the civilization and sink into the endless world of nature of course visit the reserve – Kolsay gorge. It is situated in the northern part of Kungey Alatau. If you are going to get their by your own vehicle you should overcome some difficulties. As I told before this is the reserve and because of this fact you are expected to collide with the ecological posts where you must pay 500 tenge for the car and 100 tenge for each person. I would like to add that the car of any make will get there but after first lake there is no road and you will travel on foot enjoying the beauty of scenery.

At Kolsay gorge there is the cascade of 3 lakes at the first and the biggest of them you will find rich fauna and flora, various mushroom s will attract your imagination and the fans of horse rides can order the tour along the lake. The second lake – superior is on the frontier of fir-wood and alpine meadows and charms its harsh high mountain beauty. No doubt that all the tourists will get the opportunity to go fishing.

If you will travel farther from Kolsay lakes another incomparable masterpiece of wild nature will appear in the front of your gaze. It is the Kaindy Lake. This lake is comparably young because it appeared only in the last century as the result of mountain collapse and has the ideal form of saucer. During the short period of time drowned firs haven’t rotten. That’s why tremendous sight you can see- the tops tower above the water. One more strange fact the name of the lake is translated from Kazakh as “birchen”. Why? You may ask. But unfortunately there is no information about it in the history. Moreover the lake is sunk into the greenery of ancient first. Of course to get all these places by your own car or if you don’t have it attend any travel agency of the city and they certainly help you.

22.1 Replace the underlined words in the sentences with the words below

Severities, Infinite, off-road, faced, car, view, located

If you want to forget about the civilization and sink into the endless world of nature of course visit the reserve – Kolsay gorge. It is situated in the northern part of Kungey Alatau. If you are going to get their by your own vehicle you should overcome some difficulties. As I told before this is the reserve and because of this fact you are expected to collide with the ecological posts where you must pay 500 tenge for the car and 100 tenge for each person. I would like to add that the car of any make will get there but after first lake there is no road and you will travel on foot enjoying the beauty of scenery.

22.2 Answer the following questions:

a) What is the favorite place of Almaty tourists?

b) How did Issyk lake appear?

c) What is the “Kremlin Wall”?

d) How many lakes are there in cascade of Kolsay gorge?

22.3 Find the extra word :

a) renovation;

b) rehabilitation;

c) reincarnation ;

d) restoration;

e) rebuilding;

22.4 Select the correct spelling :

a) two thousands five hundreds and ten meters;

b) two thousands five hundred and ten meters;

c) two thousand five hundred ten meter;

d) two thousand five hundred and ten meters;

e) two thousands five hundreds and ten meters;

22.5 Circle T if the sentence is true. Circle F if the sentence is false.

a) The temperature of water in Big Almaty Lake doesn’t rise higher than +8 degrees centigrade in summer.

b) Issyk lake has the length about 55 km.

c) You can drive around Kolsay gorge by car.

d) Kaindy Lake was formed three centuries ago.

22.6 Discuss these issues with your classmates

a) Have you ever been in the north of Tyan-Shan? What do you remember?