Russia. General information

In the north of Russia live the walrus, the seal, the white bear, the polar fox and the reindeer. In the forest zone live the bear, the wolf, the fox, the lynx, the sable, the ermine, the elk, the roe, the wild boar and in the Far East the tiger and the leopard.

Among the trees growing in the European part of Russia there is the birch, the pine and the oak, in Siberia – the cedar, the larch and the fir-trees, and in the Far East – the iron and the cork trees, the lotus, the ginseng and the lianas.

There are 150 volcanoes in Kamchatka peninsular, 30 of which are active. Three quarters of the country’s minerals and fuels, including oil, natural gas, coal, diamonds and gold are concentrating in Siberia and the Far East. There also ferrous ores near Kursk and in the Urals where half of the world’s variety of minerals can be found.

There are many villages in Russia famous for their specific crafts: painted boxes in Palekh, wooden tableware in Khokhloma, and toys in Dymkovo. Log houses, usually decorated with wood carving are typical for Russian villages.

Not long ago people in Russia villages performed traditional khorovods (a kind of round dance) and chastushki (folk chanted rhymes) and rode in troikas (carriages drawn by teams of three horses abreast). Village residents still prefer to drink tea from samovars.

Traditional Russian cooking includes porridges, pancakes, various aspics, cabbage, chicken and fish soup, pirozhki (turnovers), and kvass (a beverage made from fermented rye bread). Siberian cuisine has such dishes as stroganina (frozen fish) and pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings).

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences.

1. In the north of Russia live …
2. In the forest zone live…
3. In the Far East live…
4. In European part grow…
5. In Siberia grow…
6. In the Far East grow…
7. In Kamchatka there are …
8. Mineral resources of Russia are …

Exercise 3.Make up pairs. Use your knowledge if necessary.

Palekh toys

Khokhloma painted iron trays

Zhostovo a brand of Russia ceramics painted white and blue

Ivanovo painted boxes

Dymkovo wooden tableware

Tula laces

Gzhel fabrics

Kizhi shawls

Pavlov Posad wooden architecture

Vologda samovars

Exercise 4.Pick out things connected with Russia. Use your knowledge if necessary.

Riding in troikas, dancing gopak, performing khorovods, eating pancakes, eating pudding, riding in dogs’ team, bathing on Epiphany, eating sushi, letting paper lanterns with candles to flow along the river.

Text 3

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.

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