Riddles

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What is in seasons, seconds, centuries and minutes but not in decades, years or days?

The letter 'n'.

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Where does June come before May? (in the dictionary)

RUSSIA

(Russian Federation)

The Russian Federation, or Russia, is the largest country in the world. The total area of Russia is over 17 million square kilometers.

It occupies a vast territory of Eastern Europe and part of Northern Asia.

The mountain range named the Urals divides Europe and Asia.

Russia is washed by many seas (the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea,

the Caspian Sea among them) and three oceans: the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Arctic. Russia borders on Norway and Finland in the north-west, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine in the west, Georgia and Azerbaidjan in the south-west, Kazakhstan in the south, Mongolia, China and North Korea in the south-east. Russia has also a sea-border with the USA.

There are many forests in the main plains, Great Russian Plain and West Siberian Lowland. The main trees are oak, birch, pine and fir.

There are also a lot of mountains in the south (the North Caucasus and the Altai). Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus is the highest mountain in Europe.

The longest river in Europe is the Volga. The Siberian rivers Ob, Yenisey, Lena and Amur are among the longest rivers in the world.

Lake Baikal in Siberia is the world`s purest and deepest fresh water lake.

There are several types of climate in the country. In the north it’s arctic, in the central part it’s temperate and continental and in the south it’s subtropical.

The population of Russia is about 143 million people (2010 census). Ethnic Russians comprise 81% of the country's population. Tatars make up about 4% of the population and Bashkirs make up 1%.

Russia’s industry is very well developed because the country is rich in such mineral resources as oil, natural gas, coal, iron, gold and other metals. Russia’s agriculture produces grain, potatoes, meat, milk and other products.

The capital of the Russian Federation is Moscow with the population of about 10 million people. Russia has 21 autonomous republics, 9 territories and 46 provinces.

Russia is a federal republic where President is the Head of State.

The Russian Parliament (the Federal Assembly) consists of the Federation Council which is the upper house and the State Duma which is the lower house.

European part of russia

Answer the following questions in writing and orally:

What is the largest country in the world?
What is the total area of Russia?
What is the population of Russia?
What mountain range divides Europe and Asia?
What seas and oceans is Russia washed by?
What is the world`s purest and deepest fresh water lake?
What are the main trees in Russian forests?
What is the longest river in Europe?
What is the highest mountain in Europe?
What is the climate of Russia?
What does Russia’s agriculture produce?
What is the Federation Council?
What is the State Duma?
What mineral resources does Russia have?
On what countries does Russia border in the west?
On what countries does Russia border in the north-west?
On what countries does Russia border in the south-west?
On what countries does Russia border in the south?
On what countries does Russia border in the south-east?
Does Russia border on the USA?

MOSCOW

Moscow is the capital of Russia and its political,

industrial, scientific, financial and cultural centre.

It is the seat of President of Russia and the Russian Federal Government. The city stands on the banks of the Moskva River. Its total area is about 900 square km. The population of the city is over 10 million people.

Moscow was founded in 1147 by Prince Yury Dolgoruky. The heart of Moscow is Red Square where masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture, the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral are situated. The Kremlin was built as a fortress. Its main tower, the Spasskaya Tower, is the symbol of the country.

Now the Kremlin is the seat of President of Russia. But a part of it is open for tourists. On the territory of the Kremlin one can see four cathedrals, four palaces, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Tsar-Cannon and the Tsar-Bell (the biggest cannon and bell in the world).

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square was built in the mid-16^th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. There is a legend, that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik, because he didn’t want them to create another masterpiece. In Red Square one can also see the Lenin Mausoleum and a monument to Minin and Pozharsky who led the army that liberated Moscow from Polish invaders in 1612.

Not far from the Kremlin there is the world`s tallest Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour built in memory of the 1812 victory over Napoleon.

Moscow is the main cultural centre of Russia. It’s the seat of the Academy of Sciences. Moscow is the city of students. There are over 80 higher educational institutions in it. Russia’s biggest University named after Mikhail Lomonosov is also situated in Moscow. Besides, there are numerous research institutions.

There are more than 80 museums in Moscow. The most widely-known are the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow is famous for its theatres. The most famous one is the Bolshoi Opera House.

Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its metro is a real masterpiece of architecture. There are a lot of parks and boulevards in Moscow.