Comprehension. Ex. 1. Complete these sentences with the correct subjects.

Ex. 1. Complete these sentences with the correct subjects.

1. …lived in small communities located in forests or near rivers.

2. …was its head, and was its heart.

3. …were tall, strong and hardy.

4. …contain lots of things from their creators’ everyday life: earthenware, weapons, jewelry, clothes.

5. …became the first states on the territory of modern Belarus.

6. …came to Belarus much earlier from Scandinavia.

7. …struggled against the Kiev prince for influence in the Turau and Smolensk principalities, but lost the war and died in the battle.

8. …led the war against the Kiev princes for the control of Pskov and Novgorod.

9. …was at the crossroads from the Baltics to the lands to the south and was a convenient marketplace.

10. …was very popular among the people due to his intelligence, courage and strong character.

11. …founded a nunnery in Polatsk and led extensive educational work among the nuns and the neighboring people.

Ex. 2. Are the following statements about the text true or false? Say why.

1. The territories between the rivers Dnieper, Pripyat, Dvina and Bug were inhabited from time immemorial.

2. The family as a social unit was not important.

3. All tribes (the Kryvichy, the Drehavichy, the Radzimichy, the Dreulane, the Yatviags) had much in common.

4. The principalities of Orsha and Slutsk became the first states on the territory of modern Belarus.

5. The power in early Belarusian states belonged to the vecha.

6. Rahvalod struggled against the Kiev prince and won the war.

7. Useslau was not popular among the people.

8. The first capital of Lithuania was Vilnya.

9. The diamond-decorated cross of Euphrasinnia is in Polatsk museum.

Ex. 3. Arrange the part in the chronological order

1. Useslau was imprisoned in Kiev.

2. One of the battles of this war occurred near the river Niamiga and this is the first mention of the town in a chronicle.

3. The principalities of Polatsk and Turau became the first states on the territory of modern Belarus.

4. Belarusian states adopted Christianity.

5. Kievans elected Useslau as the Kiev prince.

6. The principality of Polatsk was divided into several smaller principalities.

7. Rahvalod lost the war and died in the battle.

Ex. 4. Answer the following questions.

1. Why can the history of the Belarusian people and land hardly have a definite origin?

2. How did the land of Belarus look like in primordial times?

3. What was the belief of the Slavic tribes living in the first century AD?

4. In what parts of today’s Belarus did the largest tribe the Kryvichi live?

5. What principalities were first mentioned in the chronicles of the 9^th century?

6. When did the Belarusian principalities adopt Christianity?

7. Who did the power in early Belarusian states belong to?

8. Who was one of the first known Polatsk princes?

9. When did Useslau “The Magician” live?

10. Why was Mensk a convenient marketplace?

11. Why did the Kievans elect Useslau as the Kiev prince?

12. Useslau was very popular among the people, wasn’t he?

13. What state does the name Rus refer to?

14. What does the name Belarus mean?

15. What do you know about Euphrasinnia?

16. What can you tell about the diamond – decorated cross of Euphrasinnia?

17. How did Mindaug and his successors expand their power over Polatsk, Vitebsk, Smolensk and Turau?

18. How was the new state called?