Do you agree with the following advice given to foreign tourists coming to Russia? What kind of advice would you give? Prepare a short presentation on this topic.

1. When you are invited to a party, bring something with you.

2. Beware of (остерегаться) the babushkas (old women). They are active and very proud of themselves, so if you do something not the way they like, better disappear.

3. Women and old women are much respected here. It’s considered polite, if you see a woman in public transportation and there’s no free seats, you should offer your seat.

 

Text 2

Moscow

Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic and cultural center. It was founded 8 centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Historians have accepted the year of 1147 as the start of Moscow's history. Gradually the city became more and more powerful. In the 13th century Moscow was the center of the struggle of Russian lands for the liberation from the tartar yoke. In the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible Moscow became the capital of the new united states. Though Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1712, Moscow remained the heart of Russia.

Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe. Its total area is about 900 square km. The population of the city is over 8 million people.

Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The heart of Moscow is Red Square. The Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral are masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture. The main Kremlin tower, the Spasskaya Tower, has become the symbol of the country. On the territory of Kremlin you can see old cathedrals, the Bell Tower, the Palace of Congress, the Tzar-Cannon and the Tzar-Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the mid-16th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. There is a legend, that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik, because he didn't want them to create another masterpiece.

Moscow is famous for its theatres. The best known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House. Drama theatres and studios are also very popular.

Moscow is a city of students. There are over 80 higher educational institutions in it, including several universities.

Moscow is the seat of the Russian Parliament and the center of political life of the country.

 

Text 3

Volgograd

Volgograd is one of the well-known and great cities in Russia. It’s a city in the south-west of the European part of Russia, administrative center of Volgograd region. Volgograd is situated on both sides of the Volga.

It was founded in 1589 as Tsaritsyn, a fortress on the southeastern frontier of Russia (on the “hunger” island). It was taken by cossack rebels twice: in 1670 by Stenka Razin and in 1774 by Yemelyan Pugachov. With the expansion of the Russian Empire in the 19th century, Tsaritsyn became an important port for products shipped down the Volga River. Early in the Russian Revolution, in 1917, the city was taken by the Bolsheviks. During the civil war that followed it was occupied by White Russian troops for three months in 1919.

Our city was renamed twice: as the city Stalingrad in 1925 and as Volgograd in 1961.

The city became famous for its resistance, as well as the extensive physical damage and death toll it suffered during the Battle of Stalingrad against the German Army in World War II. The Battle of Stalingrad had perhaps the greatest casualty figures of any single battle in the history of warfare

A memorial complex commemorating the battle of Stalingrad, dominated by an immense allegorical sculpture of Mother Russia, was erected on the Mamayev Hill, the hill that saw some of the most intense fighting during the battle.

The Panorama Museum of Great Stalingrad Battle sited on the Volga contains artifacts from World War II. They include a panoramic painting of the battlefield from the location of the monument on Mamayev Hill. The Panorama was founded in Volgograd to the year of the 45^th anniversary of the Battle (in 1988).

Among the main industries in Volgograd are petroleum refining, shipbuilding, and the manufacture of aluminum, chemicals, processed food, farm machinery, iron and steel, and forest products. The town is a strategic traffic center, through which pass important railway systems, federal thoroughfares, a transnational air corridor, water systems for river and sea shipping using the Volga-Don navigation canal.

Now Volgograd is one of the largest centers of international tourism. Thousands of tourists arrive to Volgograd every day by planes, trains, ships and buses. Besides historical places known to the whole world, the visitors of our town go to Volga-Akhtuba flood-meadows, make boat rides on the Volga-Don navigation canal, and get familiar with the history and everyday life of the town.

In the town there are hundreds of modern stores, canteens and cafes, markets and restaurants, ateliers and repair shops. There are a number of comfortable hotels, stadiums and parks. The cultural-rehabilitation complex includes medical institutions, children's pre-schools institutions, secondary schools, and independent state institutions of higher education, libraries, cinemas, museums, theatres, an art gallery and a circus.

 

Ex. 1*. Prepare a report with presentation on themes:

1. My favourite Russian city

2. My native city

3. The Russian soul today

4. Problems of higher education in the RF

5. Educational reforms in the RF

 

Ex. 2*. Role-playing: make up a conversation between people who are for private schools (fee-paying higher education) and those who are against them.

Use the following phrases:

As far as I know …

According to …

Let me see …

I heard that …

I wonder what you can say about …

I’m afraid you are not quite right …

I’m afraid that’s wrong.

 

Ex. 3*. The Round Table on the subject: «Advantages and disadvantages of the Russian educational system»

 

1. Do you remember your study at school with pleasure or not? Why?

2. Would you like to return to school again?

3. What school did you go to?

4. What were your favourite subjects at school?

5. Did you like your school teachers?

6. How do you think you got good (necessary, important) knowledge at school?

7. What advantages of Russian school system can you name (in your opinion)?

8. What did you dislike in your school?

9. What higher educational establishment do you study at?

10. What is the system of higher educational establishment in Russia?

11. Do you like to study here?

12. What do you like or dislike in the Academy?

13. In your opinion, what must educational system be in Russia (if you would be a Minister of Education)?

UNIT 4:

THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY.

THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE UK

TEXT A: GREAT BRITAIN

Read and translate the text:

The full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain includes the mainland of England, Scotland and Wales. Ireland is divided into Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. These two and around 1098 small islands form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The total land area of the United Kingdom is 250,000 sq. km.

Great Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The average population density is one of the highest in the world (284 per sq. km). The population of Great Britain is about 60 million. The main nationalities are English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from former British Asian and African colonies. The primary language spoken in the UK is English.

The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Осеan and the Irish Sea. The eastern coast is washed by the waters of the North Sea. The English Channel which is 32 km wide at its narrowest point separates the south-east of Great Britain from France.

Despite its comparatively small area Great Britain has a rather varied landscape. The island of Great Britain is distinctly divided in two parts: highlands (north and west) and lowland (south and east).

There are many rivers in Great Britain but they are not large. Most of them flow info the North Sea. The Thames is the deepest of the British rivers. The direction of the rivers is determined by the position of the mountains.

They say that the British love of compromise is the result of the country’s physical geography. This may or may not be true, but it certainly is true that the land and climate in Great Britain are characterized by a notable lack of extremes. The mountains in the country are not very high. It does not usually get very cold in winter or very hot in summer.

The insular geographical position of Great Britain promoted the development of shipbuilding, different trading contacts with other countries.

The capital of the UK is London. Other big cities are Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.

Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy with the Queen as a Head of state. The Queen is officially head of all the branches of government. The constitution has three branches: legislative (Parliament which makes laws), executive (the government which ‘executes’ laws) and judicial (the courts which interpret laws). Parliament has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of 650 constituencies. The Prime Minister, leader of the Government, is usually the leader of the political party. Departments and ministries are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials. Even if the Government changes after an election, the same civil servants are employed. Members of the House of Lords are not elected. About 70 per cent of them are “ hereditary peers ” because their fathers were peers before them. 30 per cent are officially appointed by the Queen, on the advice of Government, for various services for people. In the UK there are some political parties: the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Labor Party.

 

ACTIVE VOCABULARY