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Тест "Past and present Crimea: myths and reality" 9 класс

Серия тестов для подготовки к ОГЭ 9 класс
“Past and present Crimea: myths and reality”
King Mithradates VI of Pontus Myths
Vocabulary Test
Choose the most suitable word to complete each sentence:
Myths and legends from all across the world tell stories of incredible gods and goddesses who
possessed remarkable abilities and divine weapons. Who were these beings and in what way were
they important to our ancestors?
There are also accounts of mythological creatures and mysterious ancient places. Historians,
archaeologists and scientists have been able to confirm 1) the fact, validity, actuality of some of
these myths, but many mythological personalities, creatures and places are still
2)hidden, shrouded, wrapped up in mystery. There is no doubt many mythological beings and
places are still of great cultural and historical significance to people.
King Mithridates VI of Pontus used poison to avoid death by poison. Mithradates VI of Pontus
often referred to as the Poison King was a brilliant toxicologist. He was 3) hunted, haunted,
obsessed with poison and took small doses of a specially prepared poison to help him develop a
resistance if some should try to poison him.
He impressed by eating poison, murdered his own mother to become king and he was Rome’s
worst enemy. King Mithridates hated the Roman Empire and he sent their army west to crush the
“Romans, the enemy of all humanity.”
Living in times when 4) slipping, sipping, spreading poison into food or drink was a reality that
had been one of the choice methods of killing for thousands of years, King Mithradates VI began
5) a hard, tough, rigid program 6) to bring up, to educate, to enlighten himself on every form
of poison and that knowledge would later become his 7) greatest, superlative, extreme enemy.
King Mithradates VI of Pontus was 8) a generation, descent, breed from Alexander the Great
and Darius of Persia. He was a powerful king who 9) challenged, disputed, contested the late
Republican Rome, creating an empire that 10) stretched, extended, spread from the northern
reaches of the Black Sea to Syria and Armenia.
Keys: 1) validity; 2) shrouded; 3) obsessed; 4) slipping; 5) rigid; 6) to educate;
7) greatest; 8) descent; 9) challenged; 10) stretched.
Grammar test
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:
In time, Mithridates would take the title, “the Great” or Megas and would also 1) (to know) as
Eupator Dionysius. The title, “Eupator” means, “born of a noble father” and his connection to the
god of wine and revelry, Dionysius (Bacchus-Roman), is evident.
King Mithradates VI had a good reason to become 2) (to obsess) with poison. The previous ruler
and king, Mithridates V, 3) (to assassinate) by poison at a banquet in 120 B.C. in the city of
Sinope, the same place where Mithridates VI 4) (to be born.)
Now, of course, King Mithradates VI who 5) (to have) plenty of enemies feared he might one day
succumb to a similar fate.
In order to learn the secrets of poisons, King Mithradates VI 6) (to start) to mix different herbs
together. He developed lethal poisons and then took small, self-administered, non-lethal doses to
ensure that his immune system would be able to survive. He studied everything he 7) (can) get his
hands on, and consulted some of his most trusted advisers. Such was his desire to avoid death by
poison, that it became a serious fear of his in an attempt to make sure he was immune to every
type of poison.
In our present day, this practice 8) (to become) known as, Mithridatism which is a system that is
9) (to practice) in parts of the world and in unique fields, such as snake handlers or people who
10 (to work) with poisons of a special nature.
Keys: 1) be known; 2) obsessed; 3) had been assassinated ;4) was ; 5) had ;6) started; 7)
could; 8) has become; 9) practiced; 10) work.
Matching
Match the words with their definitions:
1
withdraw
a
to try or attempt
2
sought
b
feeling or showing profound hopelessness,
discouragement,or gloom:
3
suicide
c
to remove oneself from some activity,
competition
4
despondent
d
a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign
army
5
a mercenary
e
the intentional taking of one's own life.
When King Mithradates VI saw everything he had fought for was lost, he would withdraw in
shame to the citadel in Panticapaeum where he was surrounded by his enemies who sought to
overthrow him. With no way out, and the great king and enemy of Rome sensing his end, he
decided on his terms to take the noble way out…suicide. However, his years of strengthening his
immune system against the use of poison would prove to be his greatest enemy in his final
moments as the despondent and furious king attempted to take his life by poison but found it was
to no avail. Thus, ordering a mercenary to run him through with his sword, Mithridates committed
suicide and brought to an end the great Pontic Kingdom and its ruler who hated Rome.
Today, not many people are familiar with the history of Mithradates VI of Pontus who
challenged Roman imperialism more than 2,000 years ago.
However, in antiquity and the Middle Ages, and even into the 20th century CE,
Mithradates was as famous as Hannibal, Spartacus, Cleopatra VII of Egypt, and other illustrious
enemies of the Roman Republic. His life inspired Machiavelli and Racine, and one of Mozart’s
first operas: Mitridate, re di Ponto.
Keys: 1 c; 2a; 3 e; 4 b; 5 d.
Listening comprehension
Text: Kerch Museums and Sights
Kerch is rich in world-class archaeological findings from the days when the area was named
Panticapaeum and was the capital of the Bosporan Kingdom. Many of the rarest finds are in the
Hermitage (St Petersburg, Russia) but the local collections are rich and worth seeing. The lapidarian
is particularly noteworthy. The preserve includes numerous historic, architectural and archeological
monuments and houses about 166,000 objects in its collection.
The preserve is also an important scientific institution with seven research and technical departments.
Tsar's Burial Mound
This burial mound, often called the royal mound, and thought to belong to King Levkon I, one of the
great kings of the Bosporan Kingdom, was discovered in Kerch during the end of the 19th Century.
There exist only two such well-preserved burial mounds of this structure and architecture in the
world; one is located in Greece and the other in Kerch. There is a remarkable visual effect at the
mound's entrance, an optical illusion that makes the distance seem longer when you exit.
There are 1500 burial mounds in the Kerch area among them are the Tsar's Mound, Gold Melek-
Chesme and the necropolis of Yus-Oba.
Kerch History and Archeology Museum
The museum, originally called the Kerch Museum of Antiquities opened on June 2, 1826. It is one of
the oldest museums in the country. The exhibits included an amazing collection of items found in
excavating Panticapaeum and other cities of the Bosporan Kingdom. The original museum edifice
was constructed on Mitridate Mount near the site of the initial excavation and was built to resemble
Theseus Temple in Athens, Greece. Unfortunately, the museum was destroyed during the Crimean
War and many of the items on display are now in the British Museum in London. Others items are
found in the Hermitage in St Petersburg, though the remaining collection is noteworthy.
At present, the museum houses an impressive collection of archaeological effects. There are over
160,000 items, including ceramics, artworks, glass, jewelry and much more. A clay theater ticket is
among recent findings. The museum possesses an extensive world-class collection (about 2,000
items) of lapidary monuments including burial slabs and sculptures dating from 4 BC - 14 AD. This
collection is second only to one in Athens.
An exhibit called the "Gold Chamber" displays the riches of the Scythians and Greeks. It is a special
room where the visitors can see the objects found in the Kerch kurgans store places. This exposition
includes golden figures, ear-rings, bracelets, dress decorations stored in the museum's storage places.
In former days these things could not be disposed as it was difficult to guarantee their safeness. This
Kerch disposition of the golden things is the third in the Crimea peninsula.
Panticapaeum
Located on the hillside of Mitridate Mount in city center, Panticapaeum was the name of the first
settlement founded by the Greeks. Once, it was a city of more than 370 acres in the territory of
modern Kerch and was the permanent residence of the Bosporan Kings. Today, you will find the
remains of the central part of the ancient town – the acropolis – near the top of Mitridate Mount in
the center of Kerch.
There were temples of Greek Gods and Goddesses, public buildings and statues. Panticapaeum
had a good harbor and shipyard. Around the area of Mitridate Mount was a necropolis (a Greek
cemetery). Inside the mount itself, many crypts were discovered, a number of which still bear the
traces of ancient paintings.
During the 5th Century B.C., all large Bosporan towns had walls with bastions and towers, gates,
barrages, and ramparts. Panticapaeum had several lines of defense and remains of its magnificent
fortresses can be found in Nymphaeum, Tiritaka, Myrmekion and Porphmiy. The walls were 70
kilometers long and fortified with 3,600 towers. They were visible until the beginning of the 19th
Century. In the 4th Century AD, the Huns destroyed most of the city and the area.
Crypts of Ancient Kerch
Crypts of noblemen and noblewoman were discovered in the area of Kerch formerly known as
Panticapaeum. There were frescoes within the walls of these crypts and some of the world's
leading scholars and archeologists have recognized them as truly unique examples of ancient art.
Discovered in the 19th Century, Demetra's Crypt (1st Century, AD) contained almost perfectly
preserved frescoes. Sadly, flooding and environmental hazards created significant damage to the
fresco and so the original crypt is currently closed to the public. A technological model of the
Demetra Crypt was created and may be open for public viewing downtown (at the bottom of
Mitridate Stairs). Melek-Chesmen Crypt (the "Child's Crypt") is in the center of the city's main
bus station.
After listening tasks
Answer the questions:
1. Was Panticapaeum an ancient Kerch?
2. How many burial mounds are there in the Kerch area?
3. How many lapidary monuments are there in the Kerch extensive world-class collection?
4. By whom was Panticapaeum founded?
5. What did Demetra’s Crypt (1st Century, AD) contain?
6. Is there a remarkable visual effect at the mound's entrance?
7. What displays an exhibit called the "Gold Chamber»?
8. Was a technological model of the Demetra Crypt created and open for public viewing
downtown?
9. Is Melek-Chesmen Crypt (the "Child's Crypt") in the center of the city's main bus station?
10. What kind of preserve is Kerch Museum?
Complete the sentences:
1. Mitridate Mount in city center, Panticapaeum was the name of the first settlement
founded by ...
2. Discovered in the 19th Century, Demetra's Crypt (1st Century, AD) contained almost
perfectly preserved …
3. An exhibit called the "Gold Chamber" displays the riches of…
4. There were Panticapaeum temples of … Gods and Goddesses, public buildings and
statues.
5. The Heroes of Adzhimushkai Picture Gallery is a permanent exhibition gallery of
…paintings and works by N.Y. Boot.
6. During …. the Adzhimushkai quarries became an underground fortress
7. Soviet troops disembarked on ….
True or false statements:
1. Tsar's Burial Mound, thought to belong to King Levkon I, one of the great kings of the
Bosporan Kingdom was discovered in Kerch during the end of the 18th Century.
2. The remarkable visual effect at the mound's entrance makes it famous.
3. This burial mound in not well-preserved.
4. The original museum edifice was constructed on Mitridate Mount near the site of the initial
excavation and was built to resemble Theseus Temple in Athens, Greece.
5. the museum was destroyed during the Crimean War and many of the items on display are
now in the Hermitage (St Petersburg)
6. The world-class collection of lapidary monuments including burial slabs and sculptures
dating from 4 BC - 14 AD is second only to one in Athens.
7. An exhibit called the "Gold Chamber" displays the riches of the Scythians.
8. There was a necropolis (a Greek cemetery) around the area of Mitridate Mount.
9. In the 4th Century AD, most of the city and the area were destroyed by the Huns.
10. The real Demetra Crypt may be open for public viewing downtown.
Keys: 1/f; 2/t; 3/f; 4/ t; 5/f; 6/ t; 7/ f; 8/t; 9/ t; 10/ f.
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