The russian character

"Russia is still a huge ethnic and social melting pot."

"Russians are fond of small things, of intimacy and coziness, but they may suddenly get bored and throw them aside like a toy."

"They can be surprisingly frank and also very secretive."

"They yearn for open spaces, yet they like things that are hidden and mysterious."

"There is much to be said of Russia as a land of contrasts."

"Despite the flare-ups you may sometimes see, Russians are not easily excited or enraged. But when finally aroused, in love or angry, the effect is lasting."

"When you get to know a Russian well, you will often find that he thinks of himself as having not just one rodina (native land) but two — Russia as a whole and some little place of it where he was born. And he has a special word for a man from that particular place — zemlyak."

	A	D	T
1. Russia is known to be a huge ethnic and social melting pot.
2. Russians are not fond of small things, of intimacy and coziness.
3. The citizens of Russia don’t usually get bored and throw small things aside like a toy
4. They can be surprisingly frank and not very secretive
5. The Russian people yearn (стремятся) for open spaces, yet they like things that are hidden and mysterious
6. Russians are easily excited or enraged.
7. You will often find that a Russian person thinks of himself as having not just one rodina (native land) but two and even more
8. And he has a special word for a man from that particular place — zemlyak

Exercise 2. Describe the Russian character using the table.

Russians. What are they like?

1. Russian people are…

• romantic

• highly passionate

• generous

• kind

• sensitive

• frank

• not easily excited

• passive

• emotional

• tolerant

• patient

• mysterious

• superstitious

2. It is typical of Russians …

• to shake hands at meeting

• to avoid talks about sex

• to use oaths in speech

• to blame fighting in public

• to take bribes

• to keep their traditions

3. In their free time they prefer …

• to watch soap operas

• to go fishing

• to pay visits (posidelki)

• to go to the bath-house

• to rest in the summer cottage (dacha)

4. Russian people value …

• money

• religion

• stylish clothes

• family

• friendship

• sense of humour

5. It is impossible to imagine Russians without …

• flare-ups

• posidelki

• spirits

• Russian winter

• traditions

6. To my mind Russians deserve only …

• admiration

• respect

• sympathy

• compassion

Exercise 3. Here is foreigner’s view on Russia. Read it and add some more peculiar traits of the Russian character. Which of them were already mentioned in the table above?

My mind was filled with contradictory thoughts and images when I recollected Russia. But a small incident cleared up everything.

One morning I was listening to some familiar chamber music with my husband, who had travelled with me. I understood that I was touched by it more deeply than in the past. I had the impression that I was hearing the music through my heart.

I found the explanation in the fact being in Russia and living among my Russian friends changed my perceptions of life and my attitude to the world around me. After my trip to Russia I had the impression that life in the US was reversed. While travelling I was often struck by the beauty of people’s souls and the kindness in their hearts. In spite of hard life in Russia the people were able to find forgiveness and joy in their hearts. Knowing the darker side of Russian life I was still dazzled by the people’s extraordinary generosity and self-sacrifice. I can give you a small example to illustrate it. My husband and I had reserved hotel rooms for our stays in Moscow not to be a burden for our friends during these tough economic times. But our friends insisted on our staying with them and leaving the hotel rooms. They moved out of their own rooms to give us the most comfortable place to be. There was never a hint that we were an inconvenience. What’s more, they made us feel that our presence was a cause for celebration.

To many Western people the more rational option would be to leave the guests in the hotel rooms if they could afford it. But to many Russian people it’s a question of being together, not of convenience. Even now, when “the time is money”, friends, “good people” are still cherished by Russians. It was the influence of many examples of kindness and generosity, of friendship and love, which caused my husband and me to hear the music differently when we returned home from Russia.

In New York there is no sense of connectedness, the competitive spirit, financial needs and ambitions come into the foreground. Some people say that isolation seems to be the disease of our time in the US. And human connectedness is part of its treatment.

Exercise 4. Make sure you know how to pronounce the given words. Read out and translate sentences with them.

contradictory cause

explanation rational

reserved connectedness

extraordinary isolation

inconvenience perception

Exercise 5. Look through the article and fill in the table with the appropriate equivalents.

chamber music
reversed
extraordinary generosity
not to be a hint
the more rational option
the question of being together
sense of connectedness
financial needs
	противоречивые мысли
	самопожертвование
	быть обузой
	повод для торжества
	позволить себе
	дух соперничества

Exercise 6. Find the prepositions for the given words, read out and translate the sentences with them.

to be filled ... sth to clear ... sth to be touched ... sth

to be struck ... sth ... spite ... sth to be dazzled ... sth

to insist ... sth to move ... ... sth to be cherished ... sb

Exercise 7. Russia is often described as a land of contrasts. How do you understand it and how, in your opinion, can it influence the Russian character? Prepare a monologue “Russia is a land of contrasts”.