the following people have offered to write references for me:
Natalia B. Ivanova, teacher of English, school №
38, tel. no. 333-12-14;
Sergey T. Govorov, principal, secretarial-courses, tel. no. 211-18-23;
Nikolai V. Mishin, manager, ABC company, tel. no. 143-84-06. .
2.
Россия - мой дом
My
Country (Моя страна)
I want to tell you about my country. Russia is the largest country in the
world. It covers eastern part of Europe and northern part of Asia. Total area of Russia is about seventeen million square kilometres with the population of about 145 million people.
The official name of Russia is the Russian Federation. The colours of
the national flag are white, blue and red. Russia's state emblem is a double headed eagle. The country is a parliamentary republic, which means that the President is the Head of the state. The main law of the country is the Constitution. It guarantees the
rights of the citizens.
The country is washed by twelve seas and three oceans: the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Russia borders on many countries: China, Georgia, Finland, Norway, Byeloruss
ia, Ukraine and others. The landscape of Russia is varied. There are highlands in the east, steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, the tundra and the taiga in the north.
There are several mountain chains in my country, too: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest chain is the Urals which separates Russia's European part from its Asian part.
Russia is rich in rivers and lakes. The Volga which flows into the Caspian Sea is the longest river in Russia. Lake Baikal is
the deepest lake in the world.
There are different types of climate on the territory of Russia it is very cold in the north, even in summer. In the central part of the country winters are usually cold, summers are very warm. The climate of Siberia is c
ontinental: summers are hot and dry, winters are very cold and snowy. In the south of Russia the temperature is usually above zero all year round, even in winter.
Russia is an industrial country. It has a lot of mineral resources: coal, natural gas and
iron. There are a lot of large factories and plants all over the country. Russia is also an agricultural country. Russians plant corn, fruit and vegetables.
Russia has a very rich history. It is an ancient country with a lot of historic places of intere
st, big cultural centres and small towns. There are a lot of museums, theatres, cinemas, libraries, restaurants and clubs in big Russian cities. Such cities are usually noisy with heavy traffic in the streets and are full of smoke.
The capital of Russi
a is Moscow. Moscow is one of the biggest cities in Europe with the population more than ten million people. The second largest city in Russia is St. Petersburg. This is a city of numerous monuments, museums and art galleries. The city is on the Neva Rive
r.
Russia is a great country with a great culture, I love my country.
Moscow (1) Москва
I would like to tell you about Moscow.
Moscow is the capital of Russia. The city was founded in 1147 on the Moskva River by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki. In the 16-th century Tsar Ivan the Terrible made Moscow the capital of the country.
Today Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a big political, economic and cultural centre of Russia. The total area of Moscow is about nine hundred square kilometre
s and the population is about eleven million people.
The centre of Moscow is Red Square, which is the most popular sight for tourists. It is a place for parades, demonstrations and meetings. In Red Square there is St. Basil's Cathedral, a masterpiece of
Russian architecture, erected in memory of Russia's victory over the Kazan Kingdom in the 16-th century. Tourists can see the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in front of the Cathedral. It is the oldest monument in Moscow built in memory of the victory ov
er the Polish invaders. The State History Museum is situated opposite St. Basil's Cathedral. It is one of the biggest museums in Moscow.
On the territory of the Kremlin, which is the heart of Moscow, there are old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the G
reat, the Palace of Congress, the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. The tallest tower, the Spasskaya lower, is the symbol of the Kremlin. Alexandrovsky Garden with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a memorial to the
soldiers died in World War II.
Moscow is a big cultural centre of Russia. There are a lot of cinemas, clubs, concert halls, numerous drama and musical theatres, including world famous ones like the Bolshoi Theatre and the Maly Theatre.
The city is
proud of its museums and art galleries, too. The biggest museum is the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which has one of the world's largest collections of ancient, oriental and classical art. The Tretyakov Gallery is famous all over the world. It has a great
collection of works by Russian artists. The Gallery is 150 years old.
Moscow is a large educational centre with a lot of schools, institutes, colleges and universities. The biggest university is Moscow State University named after Lomonosov which is on
the Vorobyovy Hills. Students from all over the world come to Moscow to study at this University.
Muscovites are fond of going in for sport, that is why there are a lot of stadiums, swimming pools and sport grounds in the city.
Moscow has large green parks where people walk and spend weekends. The biggest among them are: Gorky Park, Izmailovski Park and Sokolniki Park.
Moscow changes every day. This is a city of contrasts and one should definitely come and visit Moscow.
=====================================
Moscow(2)
Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. It was founded 8 centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Historians have accepted the year of 1147 as the start of Moscow's history. Gradual
ly the city became more and more powerful. In the 13th century Moscow was the centre of the struggle by Russian lands for the liberation from the Tartar Yoke. In the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible Moscow became the capital of the new united state. T
h
ough Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1712, Moscow remained the heart of Russia. That is why it became the main target of Napoleon's attack. Three quarters of the city was destroyed by fire during Napoleon's occupation, but by the mi
d 19th century Moscow had been completely restored. After the October revolution Moscow became the Capital again.
Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe. Its total area is about nine hundred square kilometres (ancient Moscow occupied the terri
tory of the present-day Kremlin). The population of the city is about 9 million.
The heart of Moscow is Red Square, the central and the most beautiful square in Moscow. Here one can see the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, or St. Basil's cathedral, e
rected by architects Postnik and Barma to commemorate Russia's conquest of the Kingdom of Kazan in 1552. It is a masterpiece of Russian architecture. Tourists can see the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. In was designed by Ivan Martos in 1818 in memory of
the Russian victory over the Polish invaders in 1612. The History Museum in Red Square is a magnificent building. Besides, it is one of the major scientific and educational institutions where we can follow the life of the Russian people since ancient time
s.
But first of all everybody knows Red Square because the Kremlin is situated there. The Kremlin is the oldest historical and architectural centre of Moscow. Its three magnificent cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the palaces and Spassky Tow
er with the clock attract the tourists' attention The Czar-cannon and the Czar-bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world, are also in the Kremlin.
There are other beautiful palaces, old mansions, cathedrals, churches and monuments in Moscow.
Moscow is also famous for its museums. At the Tretyakov Gallery paintings by Great Russian artists are collected, and at the Museum of Fine Arts there are masterpieces by European painters.
There are a lot of theatres in Moscow. The best-known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House, but drama theatres and studios are popular too.
Moscow was the host to the XXII Summer Olympic Games in 1980. It has a number of sportsgrounds and stadiums built or reconstructed for that event.
Moscow has the oldest Russian university, founded in 1755 by Lomonosov. Its new building was opened in 1953. It is 32 storeys high.
The Metro, opened in 1935, is being constantly extended. Now it has 200 stations and is almost 340 kilometres long. It is one of the tourist attractions of the Russian capital.
The number of new streets increases every month. The longest of them is Leningradsky Prospect. It runs for 15 kilometres.
Moscow is the seat of the Russian Parliament (the Duma) and the centre of the political life of the country.
Yaroslavl ( Ярославль
)
Yaroslavl is an ancient city to the north of Moscow. It was founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. There is an old beautiful legend about the foundation of Yaroslavl. Once Prince Yaroslav with his warriors came to the place where the Ko
torosl River flowed into the Volga. The Prince liked the place, but the pagans who lived there didn't like this invasion and let their sacred bear kill the Prince, but Yaroslav fought against the sacred animal and killed it with his pole axe. Then he foun
ded the fortress and it was called Yaroslavl and the coat of arms of the town was a bear with a pole axe on its shoulder.
Yaroslavl has the rich historic past. It saw the Tatar invasion, the Polish intervention, was damaged during the Revolution and suff
ered a lot. But in spite of all these difficult periods of history it has remained magnificently beautiful and it is one of the greatest attractions for tourists. Yaroslavl is one of the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. Every day a lot of tourists com
e to visit this ancient Russian city and admire its wonderful cathedrals, monasteries, churches and the famous embankment.
The first Russian theatre was built in Yaroslavl by Feodor Volkov. Yaroslavl is a big industrial city. Big plants and factories pro
duce engines, paints, oil, tires, and other important things. The first in the world plant producing synthetic rubber was built in Yaroslavl, too.
When we speak about this city we can't help mentioning Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman cosmonaut, who was born there.
In 2005 Yaroslavl became a member of UNESCO because of its wonderful architecture and rich history.
Russian Holidays and Traditions ( Праздники
и традиции
России )
Every country has customs and traditions. I want to tell you about some holidays and traditions of my country.
Russians really love holidays. We usually celebrate them with a lot of food, presents and in big companies of relatives and friends.
There are three types of holidays in Russia. They are family holidays, state holidays and religious holidays.
Let me tell you about family holidays first. They include birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and others. Each family
has its own traditions of celebrating this or that holiday. For example, my family celebrates my birthday for two days. On the first day I celebrate it with my parents, grandparents, my uncle and aunt. The second day of celebration is only for my close fr
iends. They usually come in a big group with a lot of presents. I like my birthday very much.
State or public holidays in Russia include Constitution Day, New Year's Day, the International Women's Day, May Day, Victory Day and Russia Day. During these ho
lidays, people do not work. They spend time with their families and friends or go to the centre of big cities to celebrate there. Banks, companies and some shops do not work on these days either.
New Year's Day is the major holiday in Russia. We put up
a New Year tree and decorate it with colourful toys and glass balls. The main fir-tree of the country is put up in the State Kremlin Palace. Small fir trees are put up in shop windows, in streets and squares, even on roofs of buildings. A lot of people li
k
e buying natural fir trees, others prefer plastic ones. Children like the holiday a lot. They can stay up late and then get their presents. At ten minutes to midnight on the 31-st of December families gather in front of the TV-set and watch the president
m
aking his traditional speech. After the clock on the main tower of the Kremlin strikes midnight, everybody says Happy New Year and drinks champagne. After that the time for presents comes. Russian children believe that Father Frost brings presents. After
all the presents are given out, Russians have fun, drink, eat, and play games all night long.
Victory Day is a very important holiday for Russian history. On this day we remember those who protected our country from the German invaders during World War I
I. A great parade is held on this day in Red Square. Numerous war and patriotic films are shown on television. On this day people congratulate veterans and give them flowers.
The so-called religious holidays include Christmas, Easter and others. There is also a pagan holiday Ч
Shrovetide or Pancake Day. These holidays are not state, so people usually work and study on these days. At Shrovetide, people see spring in, eat pancakes and burn a scarecrow, which symbolizes winter.
Russian Christmas is celebrated on the 7-th of January, but there is no exact date for Easter, it is different every year.
Nowadays foreign celebrations are becoming more and more popular in Russia. They are Halloween and St. Valentine's Day. On Halloween Day some clubs organiz
e parties and masquerades. St. "Valentine's Day is mostly popular with young people. They usually buy presents for their girlfriends and boyfriends such as chocolate and sweets and make greeting cards in the shape of a heart.
I like Russian holidays and look forward to celebrating each of them!
Education in Russia (1) ( О
бразование в Ро
ссии )
Every Russian citizen has the right to free education. Before going to school children may go to nursery schools or kindergartens. At the age of six children st
art going to school. First they go to primary school where they learn to read, write and count. Primary school finishes in the 3-rd form. Then pupils go to secondary school. After the 9-th form pupils take school exams and get a school certificate. After
it they can choose either to stay at school or go to a college to get a profession. Most pupils stay at school and finish it with a school diploma which allows them to enter an institution of higher education.
After finishing school pupils can go on to h
igher education. There are a lot of institutes and universities in Russia. They offer various departments which an entrant can choose according to his or her abilities. It is difficult to enter an institute. Entrants should attend university courses and t
h
en pass entrance exams. Nowadays a new examination system is being introduced. The so-called General State Exam allows pupils to enter any Russian university if they get good and excellent marks for it. This system hasn't been settled yet, but in some reg
ions of Russia it works already. Pupils take this examination after the 11-th form.
Students in Russian universities usually have five years of studies. At the end of every semester students have an examination session and take exams. If students pass th
e exams well they get a scholarship paid by the government. In most universities and institutes graduates have to pass State exams and defend their final project. After graduating from an institution of higher education they can continue studies and enter
a post-graduate school. After defending a dissertation they get a Master's Degree. In medical universities students usually study for 6 years.
=================================
Education in Russian Federation (2)
In Russian Federation children begin goi
ng to school at the age of seven. First they study at the elementary school. It lasts three or four years. At the elementary school children get the elementary education, they learn to read, write and count. From the fifth form the secondary education beg
i
ns. Children begin to learn different subjects, such as literature, chemistry, physics, biology, computing, foreign languages and so on. The nine-year secondary education is compulsory in our country, but after completing the nine-year schooling pupils fa
c
e the first serious decision in their lives. They have to decide either to continue their studies in the tenth and eleventh forms at a general secondary school, or to transfer to specialized colleges, that is to say, choose a particular career. Colleges g
i
ve young people a secondary education plus trade training. This means that after finishing a college they are educated and financially independent, able to go straight to a job. Except general secondary schools there are a lot of specialized schools, wher
e more attention is paid to a particular subject, mostly to a foreign language. Besides, there are many private schools now, where the education is not free of charge»
After finishing school or college young people may enter institute or university to get the higher education. After finishing the fourth course they get the bachelor's degree and after graduating from the postgraduate course Ч
the master's degree. To study is not an easy thing, of course, but nowadays it is quite necessary to be highly skilled and educated specialist.
Russian Sports
There are many popular kinds of sport in Russia. They are: hockey, skating, figure skating, skiing, football, swimming, running, judo and others. There are many stadiums, sport clubs, gyms and swimming-pools now
. Many national and international matches and championships take place in Russia. The most important sports events are broadcast live from the stadiums. Numerous people come to watch the games, others prefer to do this at home watching special sports chan
nels.
Water kinds of sport are popular in our country. These include swimming, diving, water skiing and boating. Fishing is very popular in all parts of Russia, too.
Football is one of the most popular sports in the country. There are several football clubs and football fans not only come to watch matches, but play football themselves.
Hockey is very popular, too.
Russia is famous for its chess players, tennis players and figure-skaters. At the 2006 Turin Olympic Games our country won several gold
medals in figure skating.
Physical education is one of the main subjects in Russian schools now. During the lessons pupils play different sports games, take part in school, district and city sports competitions.
Such sports activities as bowling and billiards have become very popular with the Russians, especially young ones. Such indoor games are played in sports centres and clubs.
Even though many Russian people do not have time for going in for sport, they still find some hours to do sports activities.
Russia
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. It occupies about one seventh of the earth's surface. Russia covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometer
s. The country is washed by 12 seas of 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia,
and the Ukraine. It also has a sea border with the USA.
The population of Russia is 145.5 million people. 83 per cent are Russians. There are 1030 towns and cities in Russia. Moscow is the capital and the biggest city with a population of about 9 milli
on people.
There is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. We have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the central region, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east.
Russia is located on two plains. They are the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. There are several moun¬
tain chains on the territory of the country: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.
Russia is a land of long rivers and deep lakes. There are over two million rivers in our country. The broad Volga River system is of great historic, economic and cultural importance to the country. It became the cradle of such anci
ent towns as Vladimir, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod. Volga is Europe's biggest river. It runs into the Caspian Sea which is in fact the largest lake in the world. The main Siberian rivers Ч the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena Ч
flow from south to north. The Amur in the Par East flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Russia is rich in beautiful lakes. The world's deepest lake (1600 metres) is Lake Baikal. It is much smaller than the Baltic I Sea, but there is much more water in it than in the Baltic Se
a. The water in the lake is so clear that if you look down you can count the stones on the bottom.
Russia has one sixth of the world's forests. They are concen¬trated in the European north of the country, in Siberia and m the Far East.
Over the vast
territory of the country there are various types of climate, from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. But the temperate zone with four seasons prevails. Winters are cold and windy with a lot of snow. Summers are rather hot and dry. In Siberia
the temperature in winter falls to 50 degrees below zero. The coldest registered temperature was 70 degrees.
The animal world in the north includes the walrus, the seal, the polar bear and the polar fox. In the central zone there are a lot of wolves and
foxes, hares and squirrels. The famous Russian furs come from the sable, mink and ermine. The brown bear of the Russian forests is a kind of symbol of Russia.
Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral res
ources. Three quarters of the country's minerals, oil and natural gas, coal, gold and diamonds come from Siberia.
The Russian Federation is a Presidential Republic. The federal government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial.
The legislative powers are exercised by the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers: the Council of Federation and the State Duma. The executive power belongs to the government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The judicial branch is represente
d by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts. All three branches are controlled by the President.
Today the flag of Russia is a three-coloured banner. The hymn of Russia is written by A. Alexandrov and S. Mikhalkov. A new national
emblem is the two-headed eagle, the most ancient symbol of Russia.
Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral resources. Three quarters of the country's minerals, oil and natural gas, coal, gold and diamon
ds come from Siberia.
There are a lot of opportunities for our country to become one of the leading countries in the world. IТ
m sure that we, the younger generation, can do a lot to make Russia as strong and powerful as she used to be.
Russia Ч a Market-oriented Economy ( Рос
сия - страна
с рыночной
экономикой )
The assertion that Russia is a market-oriented economy has evoked doubt in the minds of many. The European Commission, Economics Ministers in various countries, and indeed numerous Russian econo
mists themselves, have resisted Russia being accorded that status. They have taken the view that Russia is possibly on the way to being a market-oriented economy Ч
but that it is too early to talk of our country joining a system with that kind of immunity-based" relationships. The fact is, however, that as of 1st April 2002 Russia has been formally accorded the status of "market-oriented economy".
The trend towards a market-oriented economy commenced with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. For 70 ye
ars the country had been run according to the dictates of totalitarian economics. The Soviet Union's economy was directed primarily towards strengthening the country's military might. The whole of industry was controlled and financed by the State: private
l
y-run concerns were out of the question. Private initiative was either eradicated or allowed to exist only in the tight grip of the State's ideology. Any other form of economic activity, apart from that of a "state enterprise" or (to a certain extent) "co
operatives'', was prosecuted. For the most part industrial products did not meet the demands of the consumer either in quality or in quantity. The isolation of the Soviet economy from that of the rest of the world also harmed it greatly.
This all resulted in the need to reform the economy by introducing the principles of "market economics" Ч
on the basis of "khozraschot" (plant-based financing) and "samookupayemosf" (product-based financing) within industry itself. During the 1980s a number of political c
hanges were carried out, but these proved ineffective because of opposition from conservative elements. However, the 1991 "putsch" forced Russia to break with its past. With the collapse of the USSR a great number of problems emerged in the economy of Rus
sia. The fact was that the economies of Russia and the constituent republics of the former USSR, together with those of the "socialist" countries of Eastern Europe, represented a unified system, fim»
its disintegration greatly multiplied those economic problems.
Major changes have taken place over the past; 10-16 years. Various economic projects have been put forward, and numer¬
ous economic reforms carried out. Some of these proved successful, others less so. The first symptoms of a market-oriented econom
y developing in Russia were the emergence of privately, run enterprises and the gradual spread of individual businesses. People with initiative and energy now had the chance not just to work, but to make money. Whereas the large industrial plants that had
been wholly State-maintained went into decline, small enterprises began to develop. Limited-liability companies and stock companies came into existence. "Shares” and "securities” were instituted Ч
which in itself was a further step in the direction of "a market economy”.
A securities market was created in Russia. Issuing of these securities was jointly facilitated by both State- and privately-owned industrial enterprises. "Securities”
included bonds, bills of exchange, cheques, stocks and shares, "futures", and a whole range of similar items. Organisations and concerns issuing securities are referred to as "emitters”. A person owning a "security”
is entitled to receive part of the stock company's profits in the form of dividends, and to have a say in the
running of the company, as well as having a right to part of any assets remaining after the company goes into liquidation. Trading in securities is conducted in stock-exchanges and by broking organisations.
One further principle forms the basis of "a market-oriented economy” Ч
namely, competition. The market mechanisms of supply and demand communicate the wishes of the consumer to the industrial producer, and through him to the supplier of production resources materials. Competition obliges companies to
go over to the most efficient production methods available. In a competitive market any companies unable to apply the most economical production methods are ousted by their competitors, using production methods of maximum efficiency.
Competition promote
s efficient distribution of resources. The competitive element in the market-oriented system channels resources into producing the commodities and services which society most needs. It dictates the use of the most effective methods of combining resources
for production purposes; it also facilitates the development and implementation of novel, more efficient production methods.
In the meantime, inadequate attention to the development of the market-oriented aspects of the economy and to the principle of free enterprise, as well as excessive preoccupation with financial
“
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Natalia B. Ivanova, teacher of English, school №
38, tel. no. 333-12-14;
Sergey T. Govorov, principal, secretarial-courses, tel. no. 211-18-23;
Nikolai V. Mishin, manager, ABC company, tel. no. 143-84-06. .
2.
Россия - мой дом
My
Country (Моя страна)
I want to tell you about my country. Russia is the largest country in the
world. It covers eastern part of Europe and northern part of Asia. Total area of Russia is about seventeen million square kilometres with the population of about 145 million people.
The official name of Russia is the Russian Federation. The colours of
the national flag are white, blue and red. Russia's state emblem is a double headed eagle. The country is a parliamentary republic, which means that the President is the Head of the state. The main law of the country is the Constitution. It guarantees the
rights of the citizens.
The country is washed by twelve seas and three oceans: the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Russia borders on many countries: China, Georgia, Finland, Norway, Byeloruss
ia, Ukraine and others. The landscape of Russia is varied. There are highlands in the east, steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, the tundra and the taiga in the north.
There are several mountain chains in my country, too: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest chain is the Urals which separates Russia's European part from its Asian part.
Russia is rich in rivers and lakes. The Volga which flows into the Caspian Sea is the longest river in Russia. Lake Baikal is
the deepest lake in the world.
There are different types of climate on the territory of Russia it is very cold in the north, even in summer. In the central part of the country winters are usually cold, summers are very warm. The climate of Siberia is c
ontinental: summers are hot and dry, winters are very cold and snowy. In the south of Russia the temperature is usually above zero all year round, even in winter.
Russia is an industrial country. It has a lot of mineral resources: coal, natural gas and
iron. There are a lot of large factories and plants all over the country. Russia is also an agricultural country. Russians plant corn, fruit and vegetables.
Russia has a very rich history. It is an ancient country with a lot of historic places of intere
st, big cultural centres and small towns. There are a lot of museums, theatres, cinemas, libraries, restaurants and clubs in big Russian cities. Such cities are usually noisy with heavy traffic in the streets and are full of smoke.
The capital of Russi
a is Moscow. Moscow is one of the biggest cities in Europe with the population more than ten million people. The second largest city in Russia is St. Petersburg. This is a city of numerous monuments, museums and art galleries. The city is on the Neva Rive
r.
Russia is a great country with a great culture, I love my country.
Moscow (1) Москва
I would like to tell you about Moscow.
Moscow is the capital of Russia. The city was founded in 1147 on the Moskva River by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki. In the 16-th century Tsar Ivan the Terrible made Moscow the capital of the country.
Today Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a big political, economic and cultural centre of Russia. The total area of Moscow is about nine hundred square kilometre
s and the population is about eleven million people.
The centre of Moscow is Red Square, which is the most popular sight for tourists. It is a place for parades, demonstrations and meetings. In Red Square there is St. Basil's Cathedral, a masterpiece of
Russian architecture, erected in memory of Russia's victory over the Kazan Kingdom in the 16-th century. Tourists can see the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in front of the Cathedral. It is the oldest monument in Moscow built in memory of the victory ov
er the Polish invaders. The State History Museum is situated opposite St. Basil's Cathedral. It is one of the biggest museums in Moscow.
On the territory of the Kremlin, which is the heart of Moscow, there are old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the G
reat, the Palace of Congress, the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. The tallest tower, the Spasskaya lower, is the symbol of the Kremlin. Alexandrovsky Garden with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a memorial to the
soldiers died in World War II.
Moscow is a big cultural centre of Russia. There are a lot of cinemas, clubs, concert halls, numerous drama and musical theatres, including world famous ones like the Bolshoi Theatre and the Maly Theatre.
The city is
proud of its museums and art galleries, too. The biggest museum is the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which has one of the world's largest collections of ancient, oriental and classical art. The Tretyakov Gallery is famous all over the world. It has a great
collection of works by Russian artists. The Gallery is 150 years old.
Moscow is a large educational centre with a lot of schools, institutes, colleges and universities. The biggest university is Moscow State University named after Lomonosov which is on
the Vorobyovy Hills. Students from all over the world come to Moscow to study at this University.
Muscovites are fond of going in for sport, that is why there are a lot of stadiums, swimming pools and sport grounds in the city.
Moscow has large green parks where people walk and spend weekends. The biggest among them are: Gorky Park, Izmailovski Park and Sokolniki Park.
Moscow changes every day. This is a city of contrasts and one should definitely come and visit Moscow.
=====================================
Moscow(2)
Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. It was founded 8 centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Historians have accepted the year of 1147 as the start of Moscow's history. Gradual
ly the city became more and more powerful. In the 13th century Moscow was the centre of the struggle by Russian lands for the liberation from the Tartar Yoke. In the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible Moscow became the capital of the new united state. T
h
ough Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1712, Moscow remained the heart of Russia. That is why it became the main target of Napoleon's attack. Three quarters of the city was destroyed by fire during Napoleon's occupation, but by the mi
d 19th century Moscow had been completely restored. After the October revolution Moscow became the Capital again.
Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe. Its total area is about nine hundred square kilometres (ancient Moscow occupied the terri
tory of the present-day Kremlin). The population of the city is about 9 million.
The heart of Moscow is Red Square, the central and the most beautiful square in Moscow. Here one can see the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, or St. Basil's cathedral, e
rected by architects Postnik and Barma to commemorate Russia's conquest of the Kingdom of Kazan in 1552. It is a masterpiece of Russian architecture. Tourists can see the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. In was designed by Ivan Martos in 1818 in memory of
the Russian victory over the Polish invaders in 1612. The History Museum in Red Square is a magnificent building. Besides, it is one of the major scientific and educational institutions where we can follow the life of the Russian people since ancient time
s.
But first of all everybody knows Red Square because the Kremlin is situated there. The Kremlin is the oldest historical and architectural centre of Moscow. Its three magnificent cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the palaces and Spassky Tow
er with the clock attract the tourists' attention The Czar-cannon and the Czar-bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world, are also in the Kremlin.
There are other beautiful palaces, old mansions, cathedrals, churches and monuments in Moscow.
Moscow is also famous for its museums. At the Tretyakov Gallery paintings by Great Russian artists are collected, and at the Museum of Fine Arts there are masterpieces by European painters.
There are a lot of theatres in Moscow. The best-known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House, but drama theatres and studios are popular too.
Moscow was the host to the XXII Summer Olympic Games in 1980. It has a number of sportsgrounds and stadiums built or reconstructed for that event.
Moscow has the oldest Russian university, founded in 1755 by Lomonosov. Its new building was opened in 1953. It is 32 storeys high.
The Metro, opened in 1935, is being constantly extended. Now it has 200 stations and is almost 340 kilometres long. It is one of the tourist attractions of the Russian capital.
The number of new streets increases every month. The longest of them is Leningradsky Prospect. It runs for 15 kilometres.
Moscow is the seat of the Russian Parliament (the Duma) and the centre of the political life of the country.
Yaroslavl ( Ярославль
)
Yaroslavl is an ancient city to the north of Moscow. It was founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. There is an old beautiful legend about the foundation of Yaroslavl. Once Prince Yaroslav with his warriors came to the place where the Ko
torosl River flowed into the Volga. The Prince liked the place, but the pagans who lived there didn't like this invasion and let their sacred bear kill the Prince, but Yaroslav fought against the sacred animal and killed it with his pole axe. Then he foun
ded the fortress and it was called Yaroslavl and the coat of arms of the town was a bear with a pole axe on its shoulder.
Yaroslavl has the rich historic past. It saw the Tatar invasion, the Polish intervention, was damaged during the Revolution and suff
ered a lot. But in spite of all these difficult periods of history it has remained magnificently beautiful and it is one of the greatest attractions for tourists. Yaroslavl is one of the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. Every day a lot of tourists com
e to visit this ancient Russian city and admire its wonderful cathedrals, monasteries, churches and the famous embankment.
The first Russian theatre was built in Yaroslavl by Feodor Volkov. Yaroslavl is a big industrial city. Big plants and factories pro
duce engines, paints, oil, tires, and other important things. The first in the world plant producing synthetic rubber was built in Yaroslavl, too.
When we speak about this city we can't help mentioning Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman cosmonaut, who was born there.
In 2005 Yaroslavl became a member of UNESCO because of its wonderful architecture and rich history.
Russian Holidays and Traditions ( Праздники
и традиции
России )
Every country has customs and traditions. I want to tell you about some holidays and traditions of my country.
Russians really love holidays. We usually celebrate them with a lot of food, presents and in big companies of relatives and friends.
There are three types of holidays in Russia. They are family holidays, state holidays and religious holidays.
Let me tell you about family holidays first. They include birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and others. Each family
has its own traditions of celebrating this or that holiday. For example, my family celebrates my birthday for two days. On the first day I celebrate it with my parents, grandparents, my uncle and aunt. The second day of celebration is only for my close fr
iends. They usually come in a big group with a lot of presents. I like my birthday very much.
State or public holidays in Russia include Constitution Day, New Year's Day, the International Women's Day, May Day, Victory Day and Russia Day. During these ho
lidays, people do not work. They spend time with their families and friends or go to the centre of big cities to celebrate there. Banks, companies and some shops do not work on these days either.
New Year's Day is the major holiday in Russia. We put up
a New Year tree and decorate it with colourful toys and glass balls. The main fir-tree of the country is put up in the State Kremlin Palace. Small fir trees are put up in shop windows, in streets and squares, even on roofs of buildings. A lot of people li
k
e buying natural fir trees, others prefer plastic ones. Children like the holiday a lot. They can stay up late and then get their presents. At ten minutes to midnight on the 31-st of December families gather in front of the TV-set and watch the president
m
aking his traditional speech. After the clock on the main tower of the Kremlin strikes midnight, everybody says Happy New Year and drinks champagne. After that the time for presents comes. Russian children believe that Father Frost brings presents. After
all the presents are given out, Russians have fun, drink, eat, and play games all night long.
Victory Day is a very important holiday for Russian history. On this day we remember those who protected our country from the German invaders during World War I
I. A great parade is held on this day in Red Square. Numerous war and patriotic films are shown on television. On this day people congratulate veterans and give them flowers.
The so-called religious holidays include Christmas, Easter and others. There is also a pagan holiday Ч
Shrovetide or Pancake Day. These holidays are not state, so people usually work and study on these days. At Shrovetide, people see spring in, eat pancakes and burn a scarecrow, which symbolizes winter.
Russian Christmas is celebrated on the 7-th of January, but there is no exact date for Easter, it is different every year.
Nowadays foreign celebrations are becoming more and more popular in Russia. They are Halloween and St. Valentine's Day. On Halloween Day some clubs organiz
e parties and masquerades. St. "Valentine's Day is mostly popular with young people. They usually buy presents for their girlfriends and boyfriends such as chocolate and sweets and make greeting cards in the shape of a heart.
I like Russian holidays and look forward to celebrating each of them!
Education in Russia (1) ( О
бразование в Ро
ссии )
Every Russian citizen has the right to free education. Before going to school children may go to nursery schools or kindergartens. At the age of six children st
art going to school. First they go to primary school where they learn to read, write and count. Primary school finishes in the 3-rd form. Then pupils go to secondary school. After the 9-th form pupils take school exams and get a school certificate. After
it they can choose either to stay at school or go to a college to get a profession. Most pupils stay at school and finish it with a school diploma which allows them to enter an institution of higher education.
After finishing school pupils can go on to h
igher education. There are a lot of institutes and universities in Russia. They offer various departments which an entrant can choose according to his or her abilities. It is difficult to enter an institute. Entrants should attend university courses and t
h
en pass entrance exams. Nowadays a new examination system is being introduced. The so-called General State Exam allows pupils to enter any Russian university if they get good and excellent marks for it. This system hasn't been settled yet, but in some reg
ions of Russia it works already. Pupils take this examination after the 11-th form.
Students in Russian universities usually have five years of studies. At the end of every semester students have an examination session and take exams. If students pass th
e exams well they get a scholarship paid by the government. In most universities and institutes graduates have to pass State exams and defend their final project. After graduating from an institution of higher education they can continue studies and enter
a post-graduate school. After defending a dissertation they get a Master's Degree. In medical universities students usually study for 6 years.
=================================
Education in Russian Federation (2)
In Russian Federation children begin goi
ng to school at the age of seven. First they study at the elementary school. It lasts three or four years. At the elementary school children get the elementary education, they learn to read, write and count. From the fifth form the secondary education beg
i
ns. Children begin to learn different subjects, such as literature, chemistry, physics, biology, computing, foreign languages and so on. The nine-year secondary education is compulsory in our country, but after completing the nine-year schooling pupils fa
c
e the first serious decision in their lives. They have to decide either to continue their studies in the tenth and eleventh forms at a general secondary school, or to transfer to specialized colleges, that is to say, choose a particular career. Colleges g
i
ve young people a secondary education plus trade training. This means that after finishing a college they are educated and financially independent, able to go straight to a job. Except general secondary schools there are a lot of specialized schools, wher
e more attention is paid to a particular subject, mostly to a foreign language. Besides, there are many private schools now, where the education is not free of charge»
After finishing school or college young people may enter institute or university to get the higher education. After finishing the fourth course they get the bachelor's degree and after graduating from the postgraduate course Ч
the master's degree. To study is not an easy thing, of course, but nowadays it is quite necessary to be highly skilled and educated specialist.
Russian Sports
There are many popular kinds of sport in Russia. They are: hockey, skating, figure skating, skiing, football, swimming, running, judo and others. There are many stadiums, sport clubs, gyms and swimming-pools now
. Many national and international matches and championships take place in Russia. The most important sports events are broadcast live from the stadiums. Numerous people come to watch the games, others prefer to do this at home watching special sports chan
nels.
Water kinds of sport are popular in our country. These include swimming, diving, water skiing and boating. Fishing is very popular in all parts of Russia, too.
Football is one of the most popular sports in the country. There are several football clubs and football fans not only come to watch matches, but play football themselves.
Hockey is very popular, too.
Russia is famous for its chess players, tennis players and figure-skaters. At the 2006 Turin Olympic Games our country won several gold
medals in figure skating.
Physical education is one of the main subjects in Russian schools now. During the lessons pupils play different sports games, take part in school, district and city sports competitions.
Such sports activities as bowling and billiards have become very popular with the Russians, especially young ones. Such indoor games are played in sports centres and clubs.
Even though many Russian people do not have time for going in for sport, they still find some hours to do sports activities.
Russia
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. It occupies about one seventh of the earth's surface. Russia covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometer
s. The country is washed by 12 seas of 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia,
and the Ukraine. It also has a sea border with the USA.
The population of Russia is 145.5 million people. 83 per cent are Russians. There are 1030 towns and cities in Russia. Moscow is the capital and the biggest city with a population of about 9 milli
on people.
There is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. We have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the central region, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east.
Russia is located on two plains. They are the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. There are several moun¬
tain chains on the territory of the country: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.
Russia is a land of long rivers and deep lakes. There are over two million rivers in our country. The broad Volga River system is of great historic, economic and cultural importance to the country. It became the cradle of such anci
ent towns as Vladimir, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod. Volga is Europe's biggest river. It runs into the Caspian Sea which is in fact the largest lake in the world. The main Siberian rivers Ч the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena Ч
flow from south to north. The Amur in the Par East flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Russia is rich in beautiful lakes. The world's deepest lake (1600 metres) is Lake Baikal. It is much smaller than the Baltic I Sea, but there is much more water in it than in the Baltic Se
a. The water in the lake is so clear that if you look down you can count the stones on the bottom.
Russia has one sixth of the world's forests. They are concen¬trated in the European north of the country, in Siberia and m the Far East.
Over the vast
territory of the country there are various types of climate, from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. But the temperate zone with four seasons prevails. Winters are cold and windy with a lot of snow. Summers are rather hot and dry. In Siberia
the temperature in winter falls to 50 degrees below zero. The coldest registered temperature was 70 degrees.
The animal world in the north includes the walrus, the seal, the polar bear and the polar fox. In the central zone there are a lot of wolves and
foxes, hares and squirrels. The famous Russian furs come from the sable, mink and ermine. The brown bear of the Russian forests is a kind of symbol of Russia.
Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral res
ources. Three quarters of the country's minerals, oil and natural gas, coal, gold and diamonds come from Siberia.
The Russian Federation is a Presidential Republic. The federal government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial.
The legislative powers are exercised by the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers: the Council of Federation and the State Duma. The executive power belongs to the government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The judicial branch is represente
d by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts. All three branches are controlled by the President.
Today the flag of Russia is a three-coloured banner. The hymn of Russia is written by A. Alexandrov and S. Mikhalkov. A new national
emblem is the two-headed eagle, the most ancient symbol of Russia.
Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral resources. Three quarters of the country's minerals, oil and natural gas, coal, gold and diamon
ds come from Siberia.
There are a lot of opportunities for our country to become one of the leading countries in the world. IТ
m sure that we, the younger generation, can do a lot to make Russia as strong and powerful as she used to be.
Russia Ч a Market-oriented Economy ( Рос
сия - страна
с рыночной
экономикой )
The assertion that Russia is a market-oriented economy has evoked doubt in the minds of many. The European Commission, Economics Ministers in various countries, and indeed numerous Russian econo
mists themselves, have resisted Russia being accorded that status. They have taken the view that Russia is possibly on the way to being a market-oriented economy Ч
but that it is too early to talk of our country joining a system with that kind of immunity-based" relationships. The fact is, however, that as of 1st April 2002 Russia has been formally accorded the status of "market-oriented economy".
The trend towards a market-oriented economy commenced with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. For 70 ye
ars the country had been run according to the dictates of totalitarian economics. The Soviet Union's economy was directed primarily towards strengthening the country's military might. The whole of industry was controlled and financed by the State: private
l
y-run concerns were out of the question. Private initiative was either eradicated or allowed to exist only in the tight grip of the State's ideology. Any other form of economic activity, apart from that of a "state enterprise" or (to a certain extent) "co
operatives'', was prosecuted. For the most part industrial products did not meet the demands of the consumer either in quality or in quantity. The isolation of the Soviet economy from that of the rest of the world also harmed it greatly.
This all resulted in the need to reform the economy by introducing the principles of "market economics" Ч
on the basis of "khozraschot" (plant-based financing) and "samookupayemosf" (product-based financing) within industry itself. During the 1980s a number of political c
hanges were carried out, but these proved ineffective because of opposition from conservative elements. However, the 1991 "putsch" forced Russia to break with its past. With the collapse of the USSR a great number of problems emerged in the economy of Rus
sia. The fact was that the economies of Russia and the constituent republics of the former USSR, together with those of the "socialist" countries of Eastern Europe, represented a unified system, fim»
its disintegration greatly multiplied those economic problems.
Major changes have taken place over the past; 10-16 years. Various economic projects have been put forward, and numer¬
ous economic reforms carried out. Some of these proved successful, others less so. The first symptoms of a market-oriented econom
y developing in Russia were the emergence of privately, run enterprises and the gradual spread of individual businesses. People with initiative and energy now had the chance not just to work, but to make money. Whereas the large industrial plants that had
been wholly State-maintained went into decline, small enterprises began to develop. Limited-liability companies and stock companies came into existence. "Shares” and "securities” were instituted Ч
which in itself was a further step in the direction of "a market economy”.
A securities market was created in Russia. Issuing of these securities was jointly facilitated by both State- and privately-owned industrial enterprises. "Securities”
included bonds, bills of exchange, cheques, stocks and shares, "futures", and a whole range of similar items. Organisations and concerns issuing securities are referred to as "emitters”. A person owning a "security”
is entitled to receive part of the stock company's profits in the form of dividends, and to have a say in the
running of the company, as well as having a right to part of any assets remaining after the company goes into liquidation. Trading in securities is conducted in stock-exchanges and by broking organisations.
One further principle forms the basis of "a market-oriented economy” Ч
namely, competition. The market mechanisms of supply and demand communicate the wishes of the consumer to the industrial producer, and through him to the supplier of production resources materials. Competition obliges companies to
go over to the most efficient production methods available. In a competitive market any companies unable to apply the most economical production methods are ousted by their competitors, using production methods of maximum efficiency.
Competition promote
s efficient distribution of resources. The competitive element in the market-oriented system channels resources into producing the commodities and services which society most needs. It dictates the use of the most effective methods of combining resources
for production purposes; it also facilitates the development and implementation of novel, more efficient production methods.
In the meantime, inadequate attention to the development of the market-oriented aspects of the economy and to the principle of free enterprise, as well as excessive preoccupation with financial
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