Read the text and outline its main points.

Russia

The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. It occupies about one-seventh of the earth’s surface. It covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometers. The vast territory of the Russian Federation stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea in the south. Russia is washed by twelve seas and three oceans. The northern and eastern coasts of Russia are washed by the White Sea, the Barents Sea and the Okhotsk Sea.

The land of Russia varies a lot from heavy forests to barren deserts, from high peaked mountains to deep valleys. Russia is located on two plains. They are: the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Plain. There are several mountain chains on the territory of the country: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.

Due to the large territory, the climate and nature are of various types in Russia. In Siberia, for example, the climate is continental, it is very cold in winter, but summers may be very hot and dry. In the central part of Russia the climate is rather mild: winters are seldom too cold, and summers are more often warm than hot. The climate in the south is tropical, with hot summers and warm winters; the temperature is usually above zero all year round. But despite the climatic diversity the temperature zone with four distinct seasons prevails.

Russia is the land of long rivers and deep lakes. The broad Volga River System is of great historic, economic and cultural importance to Russia.

The Volga River runs into the Caspian Sea, which is in reality, the largest lake in the world. Also the largest lakes are Ladoga and Baikal. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and its water is the purest on earth.

The Russian Federation is rich in natural and mineral resources. It has deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold, nickel and many others.

The current population of Russia is more than 146 million people. The European part of Russia is densely populated. The population density is 8.6 people per square kilometer. About 80 per cent of the populations are Russians. Most people live in cities, towns and their outskirts.

Russia shares borders with 16 sovereign states, including two with maritime boundaries (US, Japan), as well as with the partially recognized states of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In the south-east Russia borders on Mongolia and China, in the north-west Finland and Norway, in the south – Georgia.

 

Post - Text Exercises

 

Give the main points of the text answering the following questions.

1. By what oceans and seas Is Russia washed?

2. What landscape does Russia have?

3. What are the main plains of Russia?

4. What is the longest mountain chain of Russia?

5. What is the climate of Russia?

6. What is the importance of the Volga River System to Russia?

7. What famous lakes of Russia do you know?

8. What is lake Baikal noted for?

9. What mineral resources is Russia rich in?

10. What is the current population of Russia?

11. What countries does the Russian Federation border on?

 

Choose the proper English word given below.

1. The Russian Federation has the... territory.

2. Russia is... by twelve seas and three oceans.

3. Russia is located on two...

4.... the large territory, the climate and nature are of various types in Russia.

5. But despite the climatic... the temperature zone with four distinct seasons prevails.

6. Russia has... of oil, natural gas, iron ore and many other mineral resources.

7. The... population of Russia is more than 146 million people.

8. The most people live in cities, towns and their...

9. Russia... on 16 countries.

Plain, vast, diversity, due to, borders, current, washed, deposit, outskirts.