Ко дню обретения мощей преподобного Серафима, Саровского чудотворца, 1 августа, предлагаем урок на русском и английском языках педагога Нины Аркадьевны Матагаевой из г. Дзержинска Нижегородской области, победителя конкурса «Благое дело».
UNIT I
I. 1. Learn the proper names and the new words:
God – Бог
God-loving – благочестивый
The Queen of Heaven – Царица Небесная
Agaphia – Агафия
to baptize – крестить
birth – рождение
Isidor – Исидор
Kiev – Киев
Kursk – Курск
merchant – купец
2. Write down the words into the Vocabulary notes.

II. 1. Read and translate the story.
ГЛАВА I
CHAPTER I
250 лет тому назад жил в русском городе Курске благочестивый купец по имени Исидор Мошнин со своей женой Агафией. 19 июля 1759 г. Агафия родила сына, прекрасного мальчика с большими голубыми глазами. Родители благодарили Бога и Царицу Небесную. Младенца окрестили и нарекли Прохором.
250 years ago there lived in the Russian city of Kursk a God-loving merchant, Isidor Moshnin by name, with his wife Agaphia. On the 19th of July, 1759, Agaphia gave birth to a son, a nice boy with big blue eyes. The parents thanked God and the Queen of Heaven. The baby was baptized and got the name of Prokhor.
2. Check up your work with the help of the Russian translation.

III. Listen to the story and then read it aloud.
IV. Say which of the following statements are true:
1. Prokhor was born
a) in summer
b) in winter
c) in autumn
2. His father was
a) an officer
b) a merchant
c) a teacher
3. His mother’s name was
a) Mary
b) Elizabeth
c) Agaphia
4. The parents thanked
a) their grandfather
b) their grandmother
c) God and the Queen of Heaven
V. Think of the title to the chapter and explain your idea.

VI. Draw a picture to the episode and describe it.
UNIT II
I. 1. Learn the new words and expressions:
The Virgin our Lady – Богородица Дева
God’s Mother – Матерь Божия, Богородица
cathedral – собор
church – церковь
icon – икона
wonder-working icon – чудотворная икона
bell tower – колокольня
to pray – молиться
prayer – молитва, мольба
to heal – исцелить
on the point of dying – на грани смерти
to come true – сбыться
to bring up – воспитать
to be frightened – испугаться
religious procession – крестный ход
top – вершина
construction-site – стройка, стройплощадка
2. Write down the words and expressions into the Vocabulary notes.

II. 1. Read and translate the story.
ГЛАВА II
CHAPTER II
Исидор Мошнин занимался сооружением нового большого собора в Курске по проекту знаменитого архитектора Растрелли. Но он умер, когда его сыну было три года. Агафия воспитывала сына одна и продолжала строительство собора. Мальчик быстро подрастал и очень любил ходить в церковь молиться. Однажды, когда Прохору было семь лет, мать взяла его посмотреть строительство собора. Они поднялись на самый верх колокольни. И вдруг мальчик упал на землю. Мать испугалась, но мальчик остался невредим. Так с самого детства Бог хранил Своего избранника. Прошло еще три года. В возрасте 10 лет Прохор очень серьезно заболел. Он был на грани смерти. Однажды во сне он увидел Пресвятую Богородицу, и Она обещала ему помочь. На следующий день Агафия посмотрела в окно и увидела крестный ход с чудотворной иконой Богородицы Девы. Мать взяла мальчика на руки и поспешила вынести его к процессии. Икону пронесли над мальчиком, и с того дня Прохор почувствовал себя лучше. Так сбылось обещание Божией Матери исцелить его.
Isidor Moshnin was busy with building a new big cathedral in Kursk on the project of the famous architect Rastrelli. But he died when his son was three years old. Agaphia brought up the son alone and went on constructing the cathedral. The boy grew up quickly and enjoyed going to church to pray. One day, when Prokhor was seven years old, his mother took him to have a look at the construction-site of the cathedral. They got up at the very top of the church bell tower. And suddenly the boy fell down on the ground. His mother was frightened, but the boy was not hurt. So since his childhood God saved His chosen one. Three more years passed. At the age of 10 Prokhor got very seriously ill. He was on the point of dying. Once in a dream he saw God’s Mother and She promised to help him. The next day Agaphia looked out of the window and saw a religious procession with a wonder-working icon of the Virgin our Lady. The mother took the boy in her arms and hurried to take him out to the procession. The icon was carried over the boy, and since that day Prokhor felt better. So the promise of God’s Mother to heal him came true.
2. Check up your work with the help of the Russian translation.
III. Listen to the story and then read it aloud.
IV. Say which of the following statements are true:
1. The parents wanted
a) to build a new house
b) to build a new cathedral
c) to buy a new garden
2. When the boy was three years old
a) his father bought a new house
b) his father died
c) his father went to England
3. Agaphia brought up the boy
a) together with her grandparents
b) together with her sister
c) alone
4. Prokhor enjoyed
a) playing with boys
b) going to church to pray
c) swimming in the river
5. When the boy was seven years old
a) his mother took him to the construction-site
b) his brother took him to the construction-site
c) his sister took him to Moscow
6. The boy fell down from the bell tower and
a) broke his leg
b) he was not hurt
c) he died
7. Prokhor saw God’s Mother when
a) he was at school
b) he was in church
c) he was ill at the age of ten
8. The mother took the boy
a) to Moscow
b) to Kiev
c) to the wonder-working icon of God’s Mother.
V. Think of the title to the picture and retell the story.
VI. Find the sentences in the text to prove that God saved Prokhor since his childhood.
VII. Describe the picture.
UNIT III
I. 1. Learn the new words and expressions:
The Holy Ghost – Дух Святый
The Bible – Библия
abode – обитель
to bless – благословлять
blessing – благословение
cross – крест, распятие
copper – медь
desire – желание
elder monk – старец
heart – сердце
it was hard – было тяжело
at last – наконец
to lead – вести, руководить
to long for – стремиться к
monastery – монастырь (мужской)
monk – монах
to part – расставаться
salvation – спасение
soul – душа
to trade – торговать
to worship – поклоняться
II. 1. Read and translate the story.
ГЛАВА III
Chapter III
Прохор не был похож на других мальчиков, своих сверстников. Он много читал и очень любил чтение Библии. Каждый день он молился в церкви. Его душа стремилась к Богу, Которого он любил всем сердцем, больше всего на свете. Учился он очень хорошо. Время шло. Когда мальчик подрос, ему надо было помогать своему старшему брату, который занимался торговлей. Но Прохор желал всегда быть с Богом. У него было желание уйти в монастырь. Наконец он сказал матери о своем желании. Тяжело было Агафии расставаться с любимым сыном, но она разрешила ему. Она благословила сына и дала ему большое медное распятие, которое было ему очень дорого и которое затем всегда было с ним всю жизнь. В возрасте 17 лет Прохор оставил семью и дом. Теперь у него был вопрос: какой монастырь выбрать? Прохор решил пойти в Киев посоветоваться с монахами. Там он разговаривал со старцем Досифеем, который указал ему путь в Саров, сказав: «Иди в Саровскую обитель. Дух Святый будет вести тебя ко спасению. Там ты закончишь свои дни». Прохор поклонился монаху и поблагодарил его. Затем он отправился в Саров.
Prokhor was not like the other boys of his age. He read much, and enjoyed reading the Bible. Every day he used to pray in church. His soul was longing for God, Whom he loved with all his heart, more than anything else in the world. He learned very well. Time passed. When the boy grew up he had to help his elder brother who was trading. But Prokhor wished to be always with God. He had a desire to go to monastery. At last he told his mother about his desire. It was hard for Agaphia to part with her beloved son, but she let him go. She blessed her son and gave him a big copper cross, that was very dear to him, that he then always had about him all his life. At the age of 17 Prokhor left the family and the house. Now he had a question: what monastery to choose. Prokhor decided to go to Kiev to ask the monks for advice. There he had a talk to the elder monk Dociphei, who showed him the way to Sarov saying, «Go to Sarov abode. There the Holy Ghost will lead you to salvation. There you will end your days». Prokhor worshipped the monk and thanked him. Then he went to Sarov.
2. Check up your work with the help of the Russian translation.
III. Listen to the story and then read it aloud.
IV. Answer the questions:
1. What kind of boy was Prokhor?
a) clever
b) lazy
c) silly
2. What did young Prokhor enjoy doing?
a) playing with boys
b) helping his brother
c) praying and reading the Bible
3. What was his brother doing?
a) teaching
b) trading
c) going in for sports
4. Whom did Prokhor’s soul and heart long for?
a) God
b) his teacher
c) his mother
5. Where did Prokhor want to go to?
a) to the nearest town
b) to the capital of Russia
c) to monastery
6. Did Agaphia agree with her son?
a) yes
b) no
7. What did the mother give Prokhor?
a) much food
b) a big copper cross
c) beautiful clothes
8. How old was Prokhor when he left his house?
a) seventeen
b) eighteen
c) twenty
9. Why did he go to Kiev first?
a) on an excursion
b) to ask the monks for advice
c) to see his friends
10. What advice did the elder monk give him?
a) to go back home
b) to stay in Kiev
c) to go to Sarov
V. Think of the title to the picture and express your opinion.

Составитель Нина Матагаева
Compiled by Nina Matagaeva