Прочитайте и запомните слова и словосочетания к теме.

total area	- общая площадь
vast territory	- обширная, огромная территория
the Arctic Ocean	- Северный Ледовитый Океан
the Pacific Ocean	- Тихий океан
to border on	- граничить с…
equal	- одинаковый, равный
natural resources	- природные ресурсы
to be rich in	- быть богатым в чем-либо
to vary	- меняться
desert	- пустыня
deep valley	- глубокая долина
mountain chain	- горная цепь
pure	- чистый
heavy machinery	- машинное оборудование
shipbuilding	- судостроение
arms	- стрелковое оружие
Head of State	- глава государства
government	- правительство
to consists of	- состоять из
branch	- власть (как часть правительства)
legislative power	- законодательная власть
to be exercised by	- осуществляться (кем-л., чем-л.)
the Federal Assembly	- Федеральное собрание
chamber	- палата
the Council of Federation	- Совет Федерации
the State Duma	- Государственная дума
executive power	- исполнительная власть
to belong to	- принадлежать кому-либо
the Prime Minister	- премьер-министр
judicial power	- судебная власть
the Supreme Court	- Верховный суд
Commonwealth of Independent States	- Содружество Независимых Государств
the United Nations Organization	- Организация Объединенных Наций (ООН)

Answer the following questions:

1. What is our Motherland called?

2. Russia is a large country, isn't it?

3. What oceans and seas wash Russia?

4. What is the population of the Russian Federation?

5. What types of climate can be found here?

6. What kind of landscape can you find in Russia?

7. What lakes, rivers, and mountains do you know in Russia?

8. What natural resources is Russia rich in?

9. What is the official language in Russia?

10. What symbols does Russia have?

EXERCISES

Ex. 1. Give the English equivalents:

особенно, орел, демократическое государство, богатый, морская граница, важность, восточная часть, международный, был основан, изменяться, ведущий, великий, чистейший, законодательная власть, верховный суд, принадлежать, федеральное собрание.

Ex. 2. Find in the text words and expressions close in meaning to next words:

strong, have the name, is situated, to differ, the biggest, was established, famous, clean, safety, organizations.

Ex. 3. Complete the following sentences using the appropriate words from the box below:

stripes, powerful, rich, head, federal, water, land, legislative power, climate, carrying, the Prime Minister, borders, belongs to.

1. The … is exercised by the Federal Assembly.

2. Our Motherland is a ... republic.

3. The tropical ... can be found there.

4. It is the most ... country in the world.

5. The government is headed by … .

6. This country is ... in mineral resources.

7. The executive power … the Government.

8. One ... of it looks to the west.

9. They are of great importance for ... goods.

10. The Russian Federation ... on many countries.

11. The ... of it varies a lot.

12. It has three ... on it.

Ex. 4. Say if the sentences are true or false:

1. The government consists of legislative power.

2. The official song of Russia is called "The Star Spangled Banner".

3. Three oceans and twelve seas wash Russia.

4. Russia was founded not so long ago and its culture is young.

5. The government is headed by the President.

6. Russia has several official languages.

7. Russia has the deepest lake in the world.

8. The tropical type of climate can be found in Russia.

9. The flag of the Russian Federation is called "Stars and Stripes".

10. The President is the head of the state in Russia.

Ex. 5. Complete the sentences and put them in the correct order:

1. Thousands of tourists ...

2. The main mountain chains ...

3. The executive power ...

4. The flag of Russia ...

5. Russia borders on ...

6. It is rich in ...

7. Russia was founded in ...

8. The government consists of three branches: ...

9. The vast territory of ...

10. The rivers are ...

Ex. 6. Translate into English:

1. Россия является членом Содружества Независимых Государств.

2. Национальный символ Российской Федерации – двуглавый орел.

3. Там можно увидеть леса, высокие горы, пустыни и долины.

4. Премьер-министр возглавляет правительство.

5. Во главе нашего государства находится президент.

6. Судостроение, металлургия и другие виды промышленности нашей страны широко известны во всем мире.

7. На территории Российской Федерации вы найдете все виды климата, кроме тропического.

8. Россия имеет самые большие в мире запасы нефти и природного газа.

9. Судебная власть принадлежит системе судов.

10. Президент контролирует все ветви власти.

Ex. 7. Retell this text or compose your own topic about our Motherland.

TEXT B: THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE RF

Read and translate the text:

Russians have always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is stated in the constitution of the Russia Federation. It's ensured by compulsory secondary schools, vocational schools and higher education establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarship and grants.

Education in Russia is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive. The stages of compulsory schooling in Russia are: primary education for ages 6-7 to 9-10 inclusive; and junior school for ages 10-11 to 12-13 inclusive, and senior school for ages 13-14 to 14-15 inclusive. If a pupil of secondary school wishes to go on in higher education, he or she must stay at school for two more years. Primary and secondary school together comprise 11 years of study. Every school has a "core curriculum" of academic subjects.

After finishing the 9th form one can go on to a vocational school which offers programs of academic subjects and a program of training in a technical field, or a profession.

After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go into higher education. All applicants must take competitive exam. Higher education institution that is institutes or universities, offers a 4-years program of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course and writes a thesis, he or she receives a candidate’s degree or a doctoral degree.

Higher educational establishments are headed by Rectors. Protectors are in charge of academic and scientific work. An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing councils which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.

The system of higher and secondary education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reforms are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedom to faculties and students. All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state. Now there is quite a number of private fee-paying primary and secondary schools, some universities have fee-paying departments.

Conclusion

Education influences all kinds of activity of the person. Having left school, one enters the institute, others go to technical school, and the third do not act anywhere. It shows the certain filter in a choice of the further trade of the person. Marking a special role of education in history of humanity, foreign and Russian scientists speak about discrepancy of a modern education system to objective requirements of a present stage of social development. This stage, which came in second half of XX century, is characterized by serious, dynamical changes in various social and economic spheres. Because of the interest to the person as to the factor of economic progress the question about humanistic educations became more important. Progress in science, techniques, cultural and information revolutions transform education into the necessary attribute of a daily life.

Today it is possible to allocate three basic tendencies in sphere of education in Russia: crisis of classical model, creation of the experimental schools, alternative forms of training, integration into world culture: democratization of school, an establishment of communication with the basic subjects of culture, creation of system of continuous formation, humanization and computerization of education. The third tendency is the restoration and development of traditions of Russian school.

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