Topic Abai Kunanbaev

Biography

The great Kazakh poet was born in 1845 in the Chinghis Mountains in Semipalatinsk Region. His father, Kunanbai, a stern and wilful steppe ruler, was an elder of the Tobykty clan. Abai`s mother, Ulzhan, was a wonderful woman, and with her innate reserve, tolerance. She loved Abai best of all her children, and affectionately called him Abai (which means thoughtful, circumspect) instead of Ibraghim – the name given the boy by his father.

Abai became a symbol of friendship and brotherhood between the Russian and Kazakh cultures. He loved Pushkin, Lermontov, Krylov, Saltykov – Shedrin and Tolstoi, Pushkin and Lermontov into Kazakh, acquainting countrymen for the first time with these great writers.

Having an excellent knowledge and understanding of Kazakh folk music, Abai composed several melodies. He also wrote music for his translations from Eugene Onegin. By this time the name of Abai himself – a poet, thinker and composer – had earned countrywide popularity and esteem.

He composed about twenty melodies.

In his amazing Book of Words the poet expressed his reflection of the period of years, his searching, his discoveries. The poet reminds that humans have the greatest value in the world and they should be harmoniously perfect. Their souls should also be beautiful as their mind and body and feelings.

The greatest poet Abai Kunanbaev died in 1904. We always remember he glory of Abai, the real founder of modern Kazakh culture and the greatest Kazakh classical poet.

1. stern -строгий

2. wilful -своенравный

3. ruler -правитель

4. innate –врожденный, природный

5. reserve -резерв

6. tolerance-терпимость

7. affectionately -нежно

8. thoughtful-задумчивый

9. circumspect-осторожный

10. instead of-вместо

11. twenty melodies-20 мелодий

12. thinker-мыслитель

13. esteem -уважение

14. expressed-выразил

15. amazing- удивительный

16. reflection -отражение

17. searching-поиск

18. value -ценность

19. perfect-отличный

20. mind -ум

1. When was Abai Kunanbaev born?

2. Where?

3. What was his mother’s name?

4. Does she love Abai best of all her children?

5. What kind of woman was Abai Kunanbaev’s mother?

6. What was Abai Kunanbaev’s real name?

7. How many melodies does he compose?

8. What did he write in his book “ Book of Words”?

9. When did he die?

True or false

1. The great Kazakh poet was born in 1846 in the Chinghis Mountains in Semipalatinsk Region.

2. His father, Kunanbai, a stern and willful steppe ruler, was an elder of the Tobykty clan.

3. Abai`s mother, Ulzhan, was a wonderful woman, and with her innate reserve, toleranc

4. She didn’t love Abai best of all her children

5. …. and affectionately called him Abai (which means thoughtful, circumspect) instead of Ibraghim – the name given the boy by his mother.

6. Abai became a symbol of friendship and brotherhood between the Russian and Kazakh cultures.

7. He loved Pushkin, Lermontov, Krylov, Saltykov – Shedrin and Tolstoi, Pushkin and Lermontov into Kazakh, acquainting countrymen for the first time with these great writers.

8. Having an excellent knowledge and understanding of Kazakh folk music, Abai composed several melodies.

9. He also wrote music for his translations from Evgeney Onegin.

10. He composed about ten melodies.

11. In his amazing Book of Words the poet wrote about his family.

12. The greatest poet Abai Kunanbaev died in 1904.

13. We always remember the glory of Abai, the real founder of modern Kazakh culture and the greatest Kazakh classical poet.