European part of Russia

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Answer the following questions in writing and orally:

1. What is the largest country in the world?

2. What is the total area of Russia?

3. What is the population of Russia?

4. What mountain range divides Europe and Asia?

5. What seas and oceans is Russia washed by?

6. What is the world`s purest and deepest fresh water lake?

7. What are the main trees in Russian forests?

8. What is the longest river in Europe?

9. What is the highest mountain in Europe?

10. What is the climate of Russia?

11. What does Russia’s agriculture produce?

12. What is the Federation Council?

13. What is the State Duma?

14. What mineral resources does Russia have?

15. On what countries does Russia border in the west?

16. On what countries does Russia border in the north-west?

17. On what countries does Russia border in the south-west?

18. On what countries does Russia border in the south?

19. On what countries does Russia border in the south-east?

20. Does Russia border on the USA?

MOSCOW

Moscow is the capital of Russia and its political,

industrial, scientific, financial and cultural centre.

It is the seat of President of Russia and the Russian Federal Government. The city stands on the banks of the Moskva River. Its total area is about 900 square km. The population of the city is over 10 million people.

Moscow was founded in 1147 by Prince Yury Dolgoruky. The heart of Moscow is Red Square where masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture, the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral are situated. The Kremlin was built as a fortress. Its main tower, the Spasskaya Tower, is the symbol of the country.

Now the Kremlin is the seat of President of Russia. But a part of it is open for tourists. On the territory of the Kremlin one can see four cathedrals, four palaces, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Tsar-Cannon and the Tsar-Bell (the biggest cannon and bell in the world).

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square was built in the mid-16^th 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. In Red Square one can also see the Lenin Mausoleum and a monument to Minin and Pozharsky who led the army that liberated Moscow from Polish invaders in 1612.

Not far from the Kremlin there is the world`s tallest Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour built in memory of the 1812 victory over Napoleon.

Moscow is the main cultural centre of Russia. It’s the seat of the Academy of Sciences. Moscow is the city of students. There are over 80 higher educational institutions in it. Russia’s biggest University named after Mikhail Lomonosov is also situated in Moscow. Besides, there are numerous research institutions.

There are more than 80 museums in Moscow. The most widely-known are the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow is famous for its theatres. The most famous one is the Bolshoi Opera House.

Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its metro is a real masterpiece of architecture. There are a lot of parks and boulevards in Moscow.