Text 1b

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND WATER

Water has always been an element integrated in human societies and human life. The first civilizations grew up on riverbanks, on floodplains, in deltas and on seacoasts. The seasonal fertilization of the areas allowed a sustained crop production and development of agriculture. The Indus River, the Mekong River, the two-river country at the River Euphrates and the Tigris and the Nile are the examples of river areas that have fostered civilizations, some of them as long as 10, 000 years ago. The Minoans, Mycenaeans, Phoenicians, Scandinavians and later British people represent sea civilizations, vitally dependent on their ships.

The most spectacular wetland areas in the Baltic region (which our country is related to), the deltas where the large rivers entered the Baltic Sea, and the confluences of the large rivers, also became the sites of the earliest cities. Where the Wisła River enters the Gulf of Gdansk, the city of Gdansk grew up 1, 000 years ago. Where the Daugava River, called the Dvina in Belarus and Russia, enters the Gulf of Riga, Riga was built 800 years ago. Where the Neva enters the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg is now situated.

Although the best-known waterfront cities may be Venice, Amsterdam and Hong Kong, the Baltic region is also very rich in picturesque waterfronts. Stockholm is richly blessed with beaches, streams, lakes and seafronts; tsar Peter the Great designed St. Petersburg, situated on some 70 smaller and larger islands, with Amsterdam as a model; Gdansk, with its canals and streams, boasts beautiful waterside promenades. There are only few of those, which are worth mentioning. The list can be continued. Inland cities with beautiful water views are found at the large lakes in the North. A number of large and smaller cities situated at rivers have their old castles, palaces and recreational zones at the riverbank. But construction there took place not only for pleasure and beauty. There was also the need to build ports, warehouses and industries at the waterfronts.

There are several reasons for this concentration of cities by water. The large rivers were important waterways for transportation, trade and travel and the deltas, being the gates to the inland, became politically important to control. But long before the political arguments became decisive, humans settled close to water. Here they found food from fishing and hunting – in the Baltic Sea seal hunting was always important – as well as other necessities.

This preponderance of settlements close to water continues today. On a global scale, it can be observed with satellites. At night the coasts of the continents are outlined by a band of illuminated cities. Throughout its history the population has been continuously concentrated along waters. Economy also adds to the picture. Properties close to water have always been much more expensive than those inland, if the water is clean, of course.

Ex.10. Answer the questions:

1. Why did the first civilizations grow up near the water? 2. What examples of river areas that have fostered great civilizations can you give? 3. What became the sites of the earliest cities in the Baltic region? 4. What are the reasons for the concentration of cities near the water? 5. Prove that this preponderance continues today. 6. What are the economic reasons for this? 7. Can you formulate why good environment is so important for the settlements close to water?

Ex. 11. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Give grounds to your answer:

1. The location close to water allowed the development of agriculture. 2. Ancient sea civilizations were vitally dependent on a sustained crop production. 3. There are no such cities as Venice and Amsterdam in the Baltic region. 4. The waterfront construction took place only for pleasure and beauty. 5. The reasons for the concentration of cities by water are not only political. 6. Waterfront cities can be seen from the Earth orbit. 7. Economy means for nothing for this concentration along the water.

Ex. 12. Translate into English:

1. Вода неразрывно связана с развитием цивилизации. 2. Крупные города всегда строились на берегах, в поймах и дельтах рек. 3. Близкое расположение к воде обеспечивает непрерывные урожаи и развитие сельского хозяйства. 4. Слияния рек также часто становились площадкой для строительства городов. 5. Санкт-Петербург, спроектированный Петром Первым, располагается на приблизительно 70 малых и больших островах. 6. Список городов, которые стоило здесь упомянуть, можно продолжить. 7. В прибрежном городе необходимо строительство порта, пакгаузов, верфей и других промышленных предприятий. 8. Задолго до того, как контролировать реки стало политически важно, люди селились около воды. 9. В масштабах планеты, вопросы экологии всегда представляли большую важность.

Ex. 13. Define the main topic and idea of the text, split it into the logical parts, make up the plan of the text.

Ex. 14. Retell the text in brief.

Ex. 15. Read and try to understand the text: