Exercise 7. Explain the reasons for the articles

1. Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and North Asia.

2. The country shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait.

3. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, twelve independent republics emerged from the USSR: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Baltic states regained independence.

4. Mountain ranges are found along the southern borders, such as the Caucasus (containing Mount Elbrus, which at 5,642 m is the highest point in Europe) and the Altai (containing Mount Belukha, which at the 4,506 m is the highest point of Siberia outside of the Russian Far East).

5. The Ural Mountains, rich in mineral resources, form a north-south range that divides Europe and Asia.

6. Russia has an extensive coastline of over 37,000 km along the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, as well as along the Baltic Sea, Sea of Azov, Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

7. Lake Baikal is the world's deepest, purest, oldest and most capacious freshwater lake.

8. The Siberian rivers Ob, Yenisey, Lena and Amur are among the longest rivers in the world.

9. The most renowned railway in Russia is the Trans-Siberian Railway that spans a record of seven time zones.

10. Moscow Metro and Saint Petersburg Metro are the oldest in Russia, opened in 1935 and 1955 respectively.

EXERCISE 8. Fill in the articles and explain your choice.

1. ___Novosibirsk is an immense metropolitan area in ___ Siberia, ___Russia. It is divided into two parts by ___ Ob River. 

2. The city culture was greatly shaped by immigrant flows – independent settlers of ____Russian Empire, young professionals of ___ USSR, evacuated factory workers and intelligentsia from ___Saint Petersburg (formerly ___ Leningrad) as well as repressed ethnic communities of the war period.

3. ___Novosibirsk is the administrative center of _____Novosibirsk Oblast in ____Russian Federation.

4. The city hosts dozens of large corporations as well as ____Novosibirsk Zoo. It is served by ___Tolmachevo Airport, the busiest airport in ____ Siberia.

5. _____ Siberian Division of the Academy of Sciences has its headquarters in ____Akademgorodok, and the town hosts more than 35 research institutes and universities, including ____Novosibirsk State University.

6. The city is home for ___Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, ____Novosibirsk Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, ____Russian Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments, and dozens of other notable musical groups.

7. ___ Monument to the Heroes of the Revolution is hidden behind the building of ____ Philharmonic Society.

8. The city is located in the hearts of ____ West Siberian Plain. ____ Kluch-Kamyshenskoe plateau is the highest point in the city district.

9. ___ Monument to the First Traffic Light on ___ Serebrennikovskaya Street portrays a stumpy little man staring up at a bendy traffic light.

10. The architecture of ___ Lenin Square is dominated by ____ Novosibirsk State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, but the buildings surrounding the square are much more interesting. ___ Pervomaysky park is the favourite place of local artists and musicians.