National cultures

Key Vocabulary:

Russian Federation – Российская Федерация

It occupies the area of – она занимает площадь

Masterpieces - шедевры

main distinctions – главные отличия

higher education – высшее образование

Have you ever been to Moscow? – Вы были в Москве?

Are Russians and Americans different in many ways? – Русские и американцы сильно отличаются?

try to keep to the old traditions – пытаться сохранить традиции

friendly and hospitable – дружелюбные и гостеприимные

1.- What area does the Russian Federation occupy?
- It occupies the area of some 17,000,000 square kilometers.
- - What is the most important river in Russia?
- The Volga is the longest and the most important river of Russia.

- What kind of state is Russia?
- Russia is now a parliamentary republic.
- What can you say about Russian culture?
- Russian culture is famous for its masterpieces. Nowadays composers, dancers and artists continue the traditions of their ancestors.
- Is Russian school system different from that of the USA and the UK?
- Yes, it differs a lot. The main distinctions are the age of entering the school, the national curriculum, the number of years spent at school and the way of getting higher education.

2. Have you ever been to Moscow?
-Yes, I have been there twice.
-What is your impression of the city?
-It is large and noisy on the one hand, but really beautiful on the other hand. There are many parks, wonderful buildings and churches.
-What monuments in Moscow do you know?
- There are many monuments to famous people.

-What can you say about the Red Square?
-The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. It was formed in the 15th century and named «the Red Square» because of its beauty (at that time «red» meant «beautiful»).

- What can you say about the State Tretyakov Gallery?
- There you can see the best examples of Russian art.

- What is Arbat?
- It is a street in Moscow. Here one can see all architectural styles. In this street you can see many houses famous for the writers, painters and other celebrities

1. -What American (British) holidays do you know?
-There are many holidays in the USA.The British have less holidays.
-What holidays are celebrated both in Russia and the USA/Great Britain?
-The New Year's Day, Christmas, Constitution Day and Independence Day.
-What is your favorite Russian holiday?
-My favorite holiday is the New Year's Day, because we celebrate it with lots of tasty food and many presents.
- How is Christmas celebrated in Great Britain?
- Children gather in groups and go from house to house singing carols, traditional songs for Christmas.
-Are Russians and Americans different in many ways?
-Yes, there are some differences. Americans like new things and new ideas where as Russians are more conservative and try to keep to the old traditions. But both people are friendly and hospitable.

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