Learn five things that will help you make the most out of your travels
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Gabriella:Hey everybody, and welcome back to CzechClass101.com, where you get to learn about the real Czech republic. This is All About, Lesson 6 - Can You Answer these 5 Questions About the Czech republic? I’m Gabriella! |
| Martin:And I’m Martin. In this lesson, we have something special. |
Lesson focus |
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| Gabriella:A quiz! Which may have some of you thinking, "oh no," but don’t worry! This will be a fun one. These questions are all about the Czech republic itself – society, geography, economy etc...so you can see how much you know about the Czech republic. |
| Martin:Yes, because learning Czech is much more than just learning a language. |
| Gabriella:Martin, who will be the one taking the test? |
| Martin:You, of course! |
| Gabriella:Okay, well, I’ll do my best! |
| Martin:Great! Let’s get right into it. The first question is on geography. |
| ------------- |
| Martin:In which part of the Czech republic is Prague located? |
| Martin:1. the South |
| Martin:2. the East |
| Martin:3. the North-West |
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| Gabriella:Oh, I know this one. 3, the North-West. |
| Martin:That's right. Prague is located in the North-west part of the Czech republic, and it is the largest city, as well as the capital city. |
| Gabriella:Yes, the city of Prague has a borderline oceanic climate, with relatively cold winters and warm summers. There are four seasons all year round. On average, Prague is less rainy than Rome or Paris and its driest season is usually winter. In winter snow will fall mainly between mid-November and late March and temperatures often drop down to minus 10-15 degrees. Summers, although relatively sunny with temperature around 25 degrees, can experience heavy rain especially in the form of violent storms and showers. Martin, the winter is quite cold, isn’t it? |
| Martin:Yes, unless you don’t mind snow and the crispy cold air, the best time to visit Prague is in spring, when the weather is warming up and everything is in blossom. |
| Gabriella:That's sounds nice. And as the main economic, political and cultural center of the Czech republic, Prague has many tourist attractions. And also lots of great food! |
| Martin:Speaking of food, that’s what our next question is about! Here is question #2:“Which one is the most well-known Czech dish?” |
| 1. Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) |
| 2. Svíčková (roast fillet of beef in cream sauce) |
| 3. Bramboračka (potato soup seasoned with marjoram, caraway seed and pepper) |
| Gabriella:Hmmm... I’ll go for the one I’m most familiar with:- number 1. |
| Martin:Good job! That’s the correct answer. |
| Gabriella:You know, I’ve heard that this one is listed as the most traditional must-eat Czech dish in all guidebooks and websites about the Czech Republic. Is it true, Martin? |
| Martin:This is the dish that appears most often on restaurant menus in the Czech Republic, and in Czech restaurants overseas. |
| Gabriella:But for more on food in the Czech republic, be sure to join us for the next lesson! Okay, let’s see what question #3 is about! |
| Martin:Well, this one is about the most popular travel destinations. Please choose one answer out of these three: |
| Prague, Český Krumlov, Karlštejn |
| Brno, Český Štenberk, Plzeň |
| České Budějovice, Telč, Liberec |
| Gabriella:Oh, this is an easy one. I’m sure number 1 is correct, because this group contains the capital city. |
| Martin:Right. The three most popular places are Prague, Český Krumlov, and Karlštejn. |
| Gabriella:As the capital city, it’s no surprise that Prague is the most frequently visited place in the whole of the Czech Republic. |
| Martin:The top destinations in Prague are the Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, New and Old Jewish Cemetery, Vyšehrad, Wenceslas Square, National Museum, National Theatre, Franz Kafka Monument and the nearby Spanish Synagogue, The Mucha Museum and the Museum of Decorative Arts. |
| Gabriella:Don’t forget to try the most delicious Czech foods, especially the dishes we mentioned before. The most ideal time to visit Prague is during spring and summer, which is May to August, as the weather is pleasantly warm and there is nothing better than a night stroll along the river Vltava. Prague is a great mix of modern and traditional atmospheres. |
| Martin:That’s right. And it’s pretty different from other cities in the south or east of the country. The pace of life in Prague is faster, and it’s a bit more modern. |
| Gabriella:Whereas other towns are a bit more traditional? |
| Martin:That’s right. More traditional and slower. Český Krumlov could be good example of them. It has also romantic intact old city having the statut of UNESCO World Heritage Site and a big old castle. And the last place, Karlštejn, is all about history, nature and countryside, far from anything urban. It is just a peaceful place. |
| Gabriella:Now that sounds like my kind of holiday. No wonder Karlštejn is a national cultural heritage - it’s uniquely positioned at the centre of the country’s castle region. It’s also a place where the royal treasures, holy relics, and crown jewels of the Roman Empire are stored. It’s just 18 kilometres southwest of the capital, meaning it’s easy to reach on a one-day trip. |
| Martin:That’s right. Now, let’s move on to the economy for questions 4 and 5. Do you know what type of products the Czech republic is the largest exporter of? |
| Gabriella:Let me guess - it must be glass, because Bohemia glass is so famous. |
| Martin:Bohemia glass is very famous indeed, but actually, it’s a different industry that accounts for almost a quarter of Czech manufacturing. Can you guess which one? For question 5, you have to choose which product it produces. Here are the choices... |
| Chemicals and pharmaceuticals |
| Vehicles and components |
| Glass and pottery |
| Gabriella:I think... I’ll go for the first one - chemicals and pharmaceuticals. |
| Martin:Sorry, that’s not it! In chemical and pharmaceutical exports, the Czech republic ranks third. The correct one is number 2 - vehicles and components. |
| Gabriella:Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that! |
| Martin:The Czech republic is currently Europe's largest producer of car components and exporter of cars. Car components made in the Czech Republic are used in all major European car manufacturers. Over 80% of cars produced are exported across the whole of Europe, mainly Germany. |
| Gabriella:Wow, impressive! Anyway, my first guess about glass wasn’t bad. Czech glass products are exported world-wide. |
| Martin:That is true. It makes for a great souvenir, listeners! But now we’ve come to the end of the quiz! |
| Gabriella:Listeners, how did YOU do on the quiz? |
| Martin:Be sure to let us know in the comments!! |
| Gabriella:Okay everyone, that’s all for this lesson. Be sure to tune in next time for more information on the Czech republic! |
Outro |
| Gabriella:Thank you for listening everyone. See you next time! |
| Martin:Ahoj! |
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