Vocabulary practice

I. Read and translate the text using a dictionary^ necessary.

II. Find in the text English equivalents of the following:

вера (вероучение), по крайней мере, с течением времени, отделиться от, сравниваться с (противопоставляться чему-либо), возникнуть, падение Римской империи, установить, последова­тель, основатель (основать), пророк, поклониться кому-либо, разнообразие (2), экклесия (верность церкви), вероисповедание (отличное от официальной религии), секта, культ, претендовать (заявлять), взаимно усиливать друг друга, терять власть, не иметь официального признания, отделиться (порвать с), привлекатель­ность, социальная поддержка, несчастье, утешать (успокаивать), бессмысленно, утешение, приводить кого-либо к покорности, тяжелая жизнь, проще говоря, отвлекать чье-либо внимание от земных проблем, обеспечивать стабильность, сохранять неравен­ство, власть предержащие, бесправные, успехи, уменьшаться (сни­жаться), несмотря на, руководство, выжить, терять веру в, веч­ные ценности.

III. Supplythe missing words and word combinations choosing
among those given below.

1) Cultural universals are... found in every culture. 2) Religion is... such a cultural universal, and religious institutions are... in all societies.

3) It is difficult to... with certainty when religions behavior began.

4) Christianity is... on the life and... of Jesus Christ. 5) The Orthodox

Church is... with the Roman Church. 6) Although some particular religious faiths... certain areas and countries of the world, people turn to... of religions for answers to... questions of existence, 7) In a society with an ecclesia, the political and religious institutions often act... and mutually... each other. 8) Most of us find it difficult to accept... events of life. 9) Religion... us to view our personal... as... unimportant. 10) Religion offers... to people by giving them hope of... happiness in.... II) Karl Marx described religion as particularly... to oppressed peoples. 12) From Marx's perspective, religion... stability and helps... social inequality. 13) In... industrial societies, scientific and technological... have... affected all aspects of life. 14) At present, other social institutions maintain... of religious.... 15) People... to be turning to religion as they lose... in other important institutions of social life. 16) At present, religion continues to be an important... on human society.

influence, appear, confidence, independence, guidance, contemporary, advances, increasingly, promotes, to maintain, harmful, consolation, eternal, an afterlife, encourages, misfortunes, relatively, stressful, in harmony, reinforce, dominate, a variety, ultimate, contrasted, based, teachings, determine, clearly, evident, general practices.

IV. Studythe following word combinations and use them in sentences of your own:

to belong to, to offer answers to ultimate questions, in the course of time, to come into being, to be recognized, to decline in power, to break away from, to renew smth, to be at odds with, to offer social support, to offer consolation, to look upon smth, to drug smb into submission, to keep smb from doing smth, to reinforce the interests of those in power, to lessen a possibility to do smth, to maintain independence of, to lose confidence in, to be an important influence on.