II. Ask 10 questions about the culture of Muscovy in the 14th–15th centuries and let you group mates answer them.

III. Prepare a classroom report on one of the following topics:

- Russian Renaissance;

- The Trinity Chronicle;

- The Moscow Kremlin architecture;

- Andrey Rublev.

Reporting can be done in different ways: a simple verbal report, a poster, Power Point presentation.

IV. Read the text and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.

The Moscow 0) state in the 16^th century had come 1) ____ its own right and was gaining in strength. The social division in Russia at 2) ____ time was very rigid. There were boyars, that is nobles 3) ____ served the tsar and the government. They were given land and the peasants who 4) ____ working on it; the nobles began to be called 5) ____ the new term “pomeschiki”. The peasants became dependent on 6) ____ landowners. They worked for them and paid a quitrent. The peasants eventually became tied to the land by law. 7) ____ serfdom began in Russia and lasted for three and a half centuries. The peasants could change masters 8) ____ once a year – on “Yuri day”.

Grammar focus

I. Go to App.1 p.87 and read the information about the tenses in the Passive Voice.

a) Look at the texts above and find examples of the present, past and future tenses in the Passive Voice.

b) Translate the following sentences, paying attention to the verb form.

1. Moscow is built on seven hills, one of which is encircled by a red wall.

2. Moscow is first mentioned in the annals of history of the year 1147.

3. The specific history of Russia is connected to a great degree with its geographic and geopolitical location.

4. It was during Kievan Russia’s heyday that Christianity was adopted in 988.

5. New buildings were erected in the Kremlin, and the Kremlin walls were strengthened and furnished with towers and gates.

6. The Moscow state had been formed by the 16^th century.

7. What time can be considered the end of the isolation of Russia from Europe?

8. Under which tsar were the cities granted self-government?

9. A peace treaty was signed in 1503 by which Lithuania recognized Russian control over parts of the Smolensk and the Polotsk areas and much of Chernigov-Seversk.

10. Moscow rise and its gradual transformation into the national center of integration of Russian lands cannot be explained merely by its favorable geographical position.

II. Change the following sentences from Active into Passive.

1. Khan Batiy with the help of his servants made a census of the Russian male population.

2. They will have built the new cathedral by the end of the year.

3. The Russian princes gave land to their services.

4. You have to finish this task tonight

5. Some historians have considered her to be an enlightened despot supporting serfdom.

6. Who will make the speech tomorrow?

7. Everyone must learn the poem by heart.

8. Peter I launched his reforms in a very abrupt manner.