Note: Evaluate these talks according to their information content: amount and quality of information

XI. Supply prepositions where necessary:

Our motherland is immense. It's... far the largest and richest country both... Asia and Europe. Its frontier line is the longest... the world.

Natural conditions... Russia vary greatly. If you cross Russia... the extreme North... the South you will get a good idea... the climate contrasts, to say nothing... the difference... scenery and vegetation, characteristic... various geographical zones. Siberia unlike... the Urals, the face... Ta-tary differs... that... the Caucasus. One region is rich... one thing, another is rich... another.

Perhaps no country's geographic location has played such ah important part... its history as Russia's. Half... Eu­rope and half... Asia, its history has revolved... this basic fact.

XII. 1. Describe the scenery, climate and industries of your home town, region or republic. 2. Choose four slides or postcards and give a commen­tary on them. With the first picture, concentrate on describing what there is in the picture. With the second one try to give the position of things accurately. You can use the third one for talking about how and when the picture was taken. And the last one can be the starting point for a story or joke. (See "Classroom English" Section V.)

XIII. Finish up the sentences according to the model. (Consult a diction­ary.):

Englishmen live in England, they speak English.

... in Scotland,....... in Ireland,....... in Sweden,....

... in Norway,....... in Denmark,....... in Holland,...

... in Spain,...... in the USA,....... in Switzerland,....

XIV. Make up dialogues between an English and a Russian student on the topics:

1. Moscow and London — cultural and industrial centres.

2. The main industrial centres (towns, ports, etc.) of Rus­sia and England.

3. Rural areas of both countries.

XV. Translate the following, putting it into your own words:

a) express your opinion;

B) say how far factors like climate, the geography of a country, its history, religion(s), system of government, etc affect national character. Give examples.

с) write some brief notes about your own national character as yon think foreigners see yon. Then, in small groups, describe to each other this "foreign" view of your nation and say why you agree or disagree with it.