My Country, Russia

1. Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. The territory of Russia lies in the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia.. It occupies about 17,000 square kilometres. Russia is washed by seas and oceans. The oceans are the Arctic, the Atlantic, and the Pacific. The seas are: the White Sea, the Barentz Sea, the Okhotsk Sea, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and others.

2. Russia borders on many countries, such as Mongolia and China in the southeast, Finland and Norway in the northwest, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the south, the Baltic States, Belorussia and the Ukraine in the west. Russia has a sea-border on the USA. Kaliningrad region borders on Poland. The territory of Russia is so large that it is situated in 11 time zones. so on.

3. Some parts of our country are covered with mountains and hills. The main mountain chains are the Urals, the Caucasus and the Altai. There are a lot of great rivers and deep lakes on its territory. The longest rivers are the Volga in Europe, and the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena in Asia. The largest lakes are Ladoga and Baikal. Besides, Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.

4. The climate of Russia differs from one part to another: arctic and subtropical, moderate and continental. It is very cold in the North even in summer. The central part of the country has a moderate climate. The southern part of the country has a favourable hot climate.

5. The Russian Federation is rich in natural and mineral resources, especially in oil, gas, coal, iron, gold, diamonds and many others. Russia is one of a few countries that have almost all mineral resources in its depths.

6. The current population of Russia is more than 150 million people. The European part of the country is densely inhabited, and most population lives in cities and towns and their outskirts.

7. Russia is a constitutional, or parliamentary republic. The head of the state is the President, he controls all the tree branches of power. The Federal Assembly, consisting of the Council of Federation and the State Duma exercisesise s the legislative power. The Federal Assembly is also called the Parliament (but it is not its official name). Both chambers (the Council of Federation and the State Duma) are headed by chairmen (speakers). Every law to be adapted must be approved by the State Duma, the Council of Federation and signed by the President.

8. The executive power is headed by the President, who controls the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, or the Government. The candidate to the post of Prime-Minister is put forward by the head of the state, and is approved by the Duma.

9. The judicial power is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional lower courts.

10. The Russian Federation is a free union of a number of regions, territories and autonomous republics, for example, Karelia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Mordovia and others.

11. The capital of Russian Federation is Moscow, with the population of about 10 million people. It is the most important political, industrial, scientific and cultural centre of the country.

12. Within an historically short period our country has achieved a great success in all spheres of industry, technology, science, democracy and cultural life. The rights of man are guaranteed by the Constitution. The country’s economy is being transformed into a free market model.

13. Nowadays Russia remains a powerful state enjoying a high reputation among other nations of the world. It plays an important part in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It is a peace-loving country and a member of the United Nations Security Council.

ACTIVE VOCABULARY:

1. to lie 2. to border on 3. to be covered with 4. mountain chains 5. to be washed by 3 oceans 6. to be rich in 7. in its depths 8. to be densely inhabited 9. outskirts 10. the Federal Assembly 11. the Council of Federation 12. the Cabinet of Ministers 13. branches of power 14. the Constitutional Court 15. executive power 16. to exercise 17. judicial power 18. legislative power 19. lower court 20. the State Duma 21. the Supreme Court 22. scientific and cultural centre 23. to be guaranteed by 24. to achieve 25. to approve 25.26. free market model 26.27. the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) 28. the United Nations Security Council.

- располагаться, находиться - граничить - покрывать - горные цепи - омываться тремя океанами - быть богатым (чем- либо) - в недрах - быть плотно заселенным - пригороды - опытФедеральное Собрание - выполнятьСовет Федерации - назначатькабинет министров - топогеодезияветви власти -эксплуатация - применениеКонституционный Суд - исполнительная власть - штабисполнять - НИИсудебная власть - законодательная власть - сСуд низшей инстанции - Государственная Дума - Верховный Суд - научный и культурный центр - гарантировать - достигать - одобрять - модель свободных рыночных отношений - Содружество Независимых государств - Совет Национальной Безопасности

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY

1. to occupy 2. to state border on 3. land sea - border 4. to flow (flew, flownto) cover 5. non-ferrous metalsсapital 6. to be situatednational symbols 7. the state anthemchairman 8. coat of armsclimate 9. gas and coal extracting food industry 11.10. to supplynatural gas 12.11. ancestorsto differ 12. moderate 13. mountain chain 14. population 15. time zone 16. peace-loving

-близко - связыватьзанимать - согласнограничить - бочарморская граница - глава, возглавлятьпокрывать - выдающийсяcтолица - быть расположеннымздание - располагатьсяпредседатель - во времяклимат - становитьсягаздобывающая - перемещатьсяприродный газ - приказ, орденотличаться - последнее времяумеренный - обучениегорная цепь -искусство -доцент -преподаватель - главный, основнойнаселение -временной поясзавод -ракетчик -артиллерист -пушка, орудие - оружие -миролюбиваячасть, соединение - кафедра, отделение

Ex.1 Practice reading the words and word combinationsphrazes:

the largest country in the world, to occupy the large area, to be situated in 11 time zones, to differ from one part to another, sea and land borders, the territory of Russia, the most northern and the most southern points, constitutional republic, the three branches of power, its official name, to be approved by the State Duma, to be appointed by the President, the legislative power, the executive power, the judicial power, peace-loving country.

Ex.2 Read and translate the international words:

Ex.3 2 Find the Russian equivalents:

total area, to have both sea and land borders, the territory of Russia, the longest river, the world's greatest fresh water lake, several mountain chains, some parts of our country are covered with mountains, have almost all mineral resources in its depths, the head of the state is the President, every law to be adapted, a free union of a number of regions, territories and autonomous republics, within a historically short period, our country has achieved a great success in all spheres of life, the country’s economy is being transformed into a free market model.

Ex.3 Complete the sentences:

1. Russia occupies the total area of ….

2. The territory of Russia lies in ….

3. The country is washed by….

4. Russia has both ….

5. Some parts of our country are covered with ….

6. There are a lot of great rivers and ….

7. The climate of Russia ….

8. The Russian Federation is rich in natural ….

9. Russia is one of a few countries ….

10. The current population ….

11. … controls all the tree branches of power.

12. … … exercises the legislative power.

13. The executive power is headed by….

14. … is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and lower courts.

15. The Russian Federation is a free union of ….

16. Within a historically short period our country has achieved a great success ….

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Ex.4 Answer the questions to the textDiscuss the questions in a group of four:

1. What is the name of the state you are a citizen of?

2. How large is the territory of the Russian Federation? Is it larger or smaller than that of the USA (Canada, China or Brazil)?

3. How old is Russia as a state?

4. When was Moscow founded?

5. What does Moscow mean to a Russian?

6. How many republics are united in the Russian Federation? Name some of them.

7. What kind of economic reforms are under way in our country?

8. Do you know what the term «joint venture» means?

9. Why do people often prefer to work for such companies?

10. Would you like to start your own business?

11. What can you say about democracy and openness in our country today?

12. Did you hear anything about ethnic conflicts, military actions and refugees on the territory of the former USSR?

13. What are the supreme legislative and executive bodies of the Russia Federation?

14. Are you optimistic about the future of Russia? Why yes or why not?

Ex.5 Imagine that you are invited to the USA on an exchange program. Your first and foremost duty is to speak about Russia..

Begin your story with: I am proud of my Motherland. My country is one of the largest countries in the world.

Ex.6 Translate into English Dramatize the following short dialogues:

Dialogue 1.

Foreign guest: We've been touring Russia for about two weeks and I must say it's a very, very large country.

Russian: In fact it's the largest country in the world though for you, Canadians, the vastness of a country shouldn't be something very unusual, I think.

F: Yes, Canada is the second largest country in the world.

R: That's right, but its population is considerably smaller than that of Russia.

Dialogue 2.

F: I've read that Russia is extremely rich in natural resources and mineral deposits.

R: That's right. We have rich deposits of coal, iron ore, gas, copper, gold, in other words, all the elements of the Mendeleyev Periodical Table.

F: Yes, but the climate of the country is severe.

R: That isn't correct. The climate differs in various parts of Russia. On the same autumn day, for example, there may be 25 degrees C (Centigrade) below zero in Taimyr (the Arctic region of the country) and 25 degrees above zero in Sochi (its subtropical region).

Dialogue 3

F. When was the Russian Federation founded?

R. It was founded in 1991.The Constitution was adopted in 1993.

F. I wonder what the political structure of the country is?

R. Russia is a Presidential Republic. It is headed by the President. The President is commander- in -chief of the armed forces, he makes treaties, enforces laws, appoints the Prime Minister.There are three branches of power - the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial.

F. What are the national symbols of Russia?

R. The flag has three equal stripes - white, blue and red. The state anthem is "The Anthem of Russia" by Mikhalkov. The state coat of arms represents the two-headed eagle.

Unit 4

SAINT - PETERSBURG

Read and translate the text: