THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. It occupies about one seventh part of dry land. It is situated in Europe and Asia. Its total area is over 17 million square kilometres.

The country is washed by seas and oceans. In the north it is washed by the Arctic Ocean and its seas: the Barents, Chukchee, East Siberian, Kara, Laptev and White seas; in the South by the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas; in the East by the Bering Sea, the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk Sea, in the West by the Baltic Sea.

Russiaencompasses within its territory immense differences in climate, economic conditions and cultural traditions. It is one of the largest administration areas in the world.

The immensity of the Russian Federation is hard to imagine. A flight from Moscow to Magadan takes eight hours.

Russia borders on fourteen countries including the former republics of the USSR, which are now independent states. Russia is a land of long rivers and large lakes. The North Dvina, the three mighty Siberian rivers: the Ob, the Lena and the Yenisei, and the Amur rank with the Nile and the Amazon among the world’s longest rivers. The largest of all Russia’s rivers is the Volga. This river is a major transport route from the north to the south and a source of hydroelectric energy. It rises north of Moscow in the Valdai Hills.

The three largest lakes in Russia are Baikal in South-Eastern Siberia and Ladoga and Onega in the north of Russia. Baikal is the world’s most ancient lake and the deepest one. It contains one-fifth of the world’s fresh water.

The relief of Russia is mostly flat. Russia is located in two plains: the Great Russian Plain and the Western Siberian Plain.

Some parts of our country are covered with mountains and hills. There are three main mountain chains in Russia. The Caucasus is a range of mountains, which extends from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. The highest mountain in the Caucasus, in the Russian Federation and in the whole Europe is Mount Elbrus. The Urals extend from the Arctic Ocean to the steppes. The mountain chain divides the European and Asiatic parts of Russia. The Urals are famous for their valuable minerals and gemstones.

The Russian Federation is rich in mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, coal, iron, gold and others.

Corresponding to climate there are several vegetation zones stretching across the country. From the north to the south they are: the tundra, the taiga (or pine forest), mixed forest steppe, semi-desert and desert. Each vegetation belt has its own flora, fauna and natural resources.

The population of Russia is about 150 million people, 83 per cent of the population are Russians. 70 per cent of the population live in cities.

The Russian Federation is set up by the Constitution of 1993 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to the Constitution Russia is a Presidential Republic. The President is elected for four years and is the head of the state. The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief; he makes treaties, enforces laws and appoints ministers. The Federal Government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. All of them are checked by the President. The legislative power is represented by the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation; the Lower Chamber is the State Duma. To become a law a bill must be approved by both chambers and signed by the President. The President may veto the bill.

The executive power belongs to the Government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister forms his Cabinet.

The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts.

The State symbol of Russia is a three-colored banner with three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one – the sky and the red one symbolizes liberty. The hymn of Russia is the Patriotic Song by Michail Glinka.

A new National Emblem is a two-headed eagle, which is the most ancient symbol of Russia. All these symbols have been approved by the Federal Assembly.

Russian is the State language of Russia. It is spoken throughout the whole territory of the Russian Federation.

Moscow is the capital of our country. It was founded in 1147. It is a nice city full of sights.

 

Active Vocabulary

sights – достопримечательности per cent – процент area – пространство, площадь mountain - гора steppe - степь tundra - тундра two-headed eagle – двуглавый орел collapse - крах within – внутри, в пределах treeless - безлесый Supreme Commander-in-Chief – Верховный главнокомандующий Upper Chamber –верхняя палата Lower Chamber – нижняя палата bill – законопроект constitutional Court – конституционный суд stripe – полоса meanwhile – между теми immensity – необъятность route – путь source - источник mountain chain – горная цепь

to border - граничить to populate - населять to stretch - вытягивать to elect - выбирать to make treaty – заключать договор to enforce law –проводить в жизнь закон to appoint - назначать to veto- наложить вето legislative - законодательный executive - исполнительный judicial – судебный   to encompass – содержать, заключать в себе former - бывший deposits - залежи mighty - могучий to rank – стоять в ряду to extend - простираться valuable – ценный, полезный relief – рельеф, характер местности gemstone – драгоценный камень `

Exercises

1. Translate some words and phrases into Russian:

 

Immense (immensity), the former republics, to rank, to be located, mountain chain, to stretch, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, to appoint, executive power, to represent, three colored banner, independent states, valuable minerals and gemstones, hydroelectric energy.

2. Find the English equivalents in the text:

 

Омываться, окружать, необъятность, культурные традиции, могучий, бывший, быть расположенным, населять, законодательная власть, заключать договор, назначать, наложить вето, символ, двуглавый орел.

 

3. Find in the text the words with the following suffixes: -al; -tion; -ist; -ment; -ly and state the Part of Speech

4. Read the text and find

 

a) the beginning of the sentences:

 

Russia borders on fourteen countries …

Russia is located in two …

Some parts of our country are covered …

The mountain chain divides …

The population of Russia is …

The Federal Government consists of …

 

b) the end of the sentence:

… administrative areas in the world.

… takes eight hours.

… long rivers and large lakes.

… valuable minerals and gemstones.

… stretching across the country.

… enforces laws and appoints ministers.

… by both chambers and signed by the President.

… which is the most ancient symbol of Russia.

 

5. Make up sentences from the words and phrases:

a) by, is, the country, seas and oceans and washed;

b) the, areas, is, of, largest, the, one, world, in, the, it;

c) long, Russia, and, is, lakes, large, rivers, a, of, land;

d) with, parts, hills, and, our, of, some, country, covered, mountains, are;

e) chain, divides, Russia, of, the mountain, the European, parts, Asiatic, and;

f) the, set up, by, Russian, is, Constitution, collapse, Soviet Union, the, Federation, the, by, of, 1993, after, the.

 

6. Put questions to the underlined words:

a) The total area of Russia is over 17 million square kilometers.

b) A flight from Moscow to Magadan takes eight hours.

c) Corresponding to climate there are several vegetation zones stretching across the country.

d) The Federal Government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial.

e) The President may veto the law.

f) The state symbol of Russia is a three-colored banner with three horizontal stripes.

 

7. Fill in the missed words and word-phrases:

1) The country … by seas and oceans.

2) There are three main … in Russia.

3) The Urals are famous for their valuable …

4) Each vegetation belt has its own flora, fauna and …

5) The President … for four years and is the head of the State.

6) The executive power … to the Government.

7) The judicial branch is represented by the …

 

8. Read the text once again and find the verbs in the Passive Voice. Give their infinitives.

9. Use the verbs in brackets in the necessary form:

a) A flight from Moscow to Magadan (to take) eight hours.

b) Russia (to locate) in two plains.

c) The Russian Federation (to be rich) in mineral resources.

d) The population of Russia (to be) about 150 million people.

e) The President (to take) treaties, (to enforce) laws and (to appoint) ministers.

 

10. Form Participle 1 and Participle 2 from the following verbs.

To occupy, to rise, to extend, to stretch, to make, to consist, to check, to become, to belong, to represent, to approve.

 

11. Differentiate Participle 1 and Participle 2 and state their function in the sentences:

1. Corresponding to the climate there are several vegetative zones stretching across the country.

2. Some parts of our country are covered with mountains and hills.

3. The country is washed by seas and oceans.

4. All these symbols have been approved by the Federal Assembly.

5. Russia borders on fourteen countries including the former republics of the USSR.

 

12. React to the statements using the expressions.

 

You are right! You are not right!

Of course! You are mistaken!

Just it! Nothing of the kind!

Naturally! Nonsense!

a) Russia is one of the smallest administrative areas in the world.

b) Russia borders on fourteen countries.

c) The Russian Federation is rich in mineral resources.

d) The Federal Government consists of five branches.

e) The President can’t veto the bill.

f) The legislative power is represented by the Federal Assembly.

 

13. Answer the questions:

 

1) Is the Russian Federation one of the largest countries in the word?

2) Where is the Russian Federation situated?

3) What kind of climate is there in the country?

4) What are the most important rivers in Russia?

5) Is Russia a very rich country?

6) What mineral resources does Russia have?

7) What kind of lakes is there in our country?

8) Russia stretches across both Europe and Asia, does not it?

9) What is the population of Russia?

10) What area does Russia cover?

11) What seas is Russia washed by?

12) How many countries does Russia border on?

13) How long does a flight from Moscow to Magadan take?

14) What are the Urals famous for?

15) What is the capital of Russian Federation?

 

14. Retell the text.

15. Read the conversations about our country. Summarize the main information.

The state system

 

- What is the name of our country?

- Our country’s name is the Russian Federation, Russia.

- When was the new Constitution of the Russian Federation adopted?

- The Russian Federation is set up by the Constitution of 1993 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

- What is the Russian Federation state system according to the Constitution?

- According to the Constitution Russia is a Presidential Republic.

- For how long is the President elected?

- The President is elected for four years and is the head of the State.

- What is the structure of the Federal Government?

- The Federal Government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. All of them are checked by the President.

- Is the legislative power represented by the Federal Assembly?

- Yes, it is. The legislative power is represented by the Federal Assembly.

- What chambers does the Federal Assembly consist of?

- It consists of two chambers: the Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation, the Lower Chamber is the State Duma.

- Whom does the executive power belong to?

- The executive power belongs to the Government.

- Who is the head of the Government?

- The Prime Minister is (the head of the Government)

- What is the judicial branch of power represented by?

- The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts.

- Can you depict the State Symbol of Russia?

- The State symbol of Russia is a three-coloured banner with three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one – the sky, and the red one symbolizes liberty.

- What is the hymn of Russia?

- The hymn of Russia is The Patriotic Song by Mikhail Glinka.

- What is the National Emblem of Russia?

- A new National Emblem is a two-headed eagle, which is the most ancient symbol of Russia.

- What is the state language of Russia?

- Russian is the state language of Russia. It is spoken throughout the whole territory of the Russian Federation.

- Is Russian the only language spoken in the Russian Federation?

- No, it is not. Each republic within Russia has own national language.

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