Video vocabulary. Discuss the following questions in groups of four; then share your opinion with the whole class:

England: Russia

PART I

A Bit of History

Before you watch

Discuss the following questions in groups of four; then share your opinion with the whole class:

1. Have you ever travelled abroad?

2. What impressed you most of all: people, climate, traditions, nature or anything else?

3. What are the countries today Russia has the best relations with? Can you explain why?

4. It used to be a well known fact that Russians usually treated people from the West with awe and adoration. Why did it happen? Does it happen nowadays?

Video vocabulary

1. Match the words in italics to the definitions:

1. acquaintance

2. merchant

3. mishap

4. route

5. to occur

6. chancellor

7. barbarian

8. to assign smth to smb

9. to be located

10. mean

A. an uncivilized person who is rough and wild in behaviour

B. a person whom one knows through work or business but who may not be a friend

С a state or law official of various kinds

D. an unfortunate accident

E. to be situated

F. a way followed from one place to another

G. not generous, selfish H. to happen

I. to appoint smb to do smth

J. a person who sells and buys goods

2. Use context clues to get the meaning of the words in italics, match them with the definitions in the column on the right, then make up a sentence of your own using each expression:

1. The countries, located at either A. began a journey

end of Europe, were over the centuries

linked in a number of different ways.

2. In 1553, English merchants loaded B. were connected

up three boats and set sail to look

for a new route to China.

3. He was lodged at Deptford, not far C. is important

from Greenwich, next to the wharves.

4. And it was here that a small mishap D. remember

occurred which has not gone down

in the annals of history.

5. A special governmental commission E. was housed

was set up.

6. Тhе two birds from Astrakhan delight F. happened

English children who have no idea

of their Russian origins.

7. In any case, regulars at the local G. entertain

pub, which bears John Avelyn's name,

still recall Peter.

8. This place is dear to every H. was established

Englishman's heart.

3. Fill in the gaps with the prepositions in the box below. Each preposition should be used only once:

1. From that moment on, close trade and diplomatic relations were established...........................the two countries.

2. He made a favourable impression.................. the English.

3. His visit was surrounded................... mystery.

4. The English were famous......................shipbuilding.

5. The owner of the house made a request....................the gov­ernment for damage compensation.

6. In fact, it only seems that England and Russia are far................. each other.

7. This small mishap occurred there that has gone.................. in the annals of history.

8. The house was................. such an awful state that they decided not to rebuild it.

Video on

First watching and listening

Read the following questions, then watch the video and an­swer them. Share your answers with a partner:

1. In what century were official relations established between Russia and England?

2. What route did English merchants want to find?

3. What route did they discover? What Russian town did they arrive at?

4. Who was the Tsar of Russia at that time?

5. Who was one of the first Russian travelers to England?

6. What interested him most in England?

7. What place names shown in the film remind you about Russia?

8. Where do pelicans who have been living in St James' Park for more than 300 years come from?

Listening and watching for details

1. Watch sequence 1, follow the script as you are watching, correct factual mistakes in the paragraph:

Russia and England are 1. good neighbours........................ The countries, located at either end of Europe, have over the centuries been linked in a number of different ways. It is well known that 2. three Irish princes...........................(the sons of Edmund Ironside) lived at the court of 3. Vladimir Monomach....................in Kiev. The daughter of 4. the first Scotish prince................................, Harold Gytha, fled to Rus where she became the wife of Vladimir Monomach. It is even possible

that she was the mother of Yuri Dolgorukiy. Historians date the start of official relations between the two states to 5. 1755..............................In that year, 6. Scotish sailors..............................loaded up three boats and set sail to look for a new route to China. On that occasion the English did not find China, but they did discover 7. a western river route..............................to far off Muscovy. The journey was a hard one which lasted 8. for a year.............................., but Richard Chancellor, 9. an outstanding traveller.............................., finally brought his ship to the narrow Northern Straits.

Chancellor went to Moscow and 10. was met by...................................Ivan the Terrible. From that moment on, close trade and diplomatic relations were established between the two countries.

2. Watch sequence 3 about Jamie Oliver with the sound off:

A. follow the script as you are watching and fill in the gaps:

It would seem that 1...................................are the main moving forces that determine the relations between two countries. But there was also something else, which is often forgotten both in Russia and in England: 2...................................Russians have always liked going to England. One of the first Russian travelers was 3....................................He made 4...................................on the English. As the leader of a far-off, enormous, barbarian country, travelling incognito and declining the respect which

would have accompanied his position, he was surrounded by 5.................................................................. Nobody expected 6..................................... to be such an interesting and outstanding person. He was lodged at Deptford, not far from 7......................................., next to the wharves. 8..............

......................., for which the English were famous, was what interested him most in England.

B. Before watching the second part of the sequence read the statements below and determine whether they are true or false; if the statements are false, correct them:

1. Peter stayed in a castle which was owned by the English philoso­pher, and the author of a famous book.

2. After the Russians had left, the house was almost destroyed so the owner turned to the government for damage compensation.

3. A special governmental commission was set up in order to inves­tigate the details of that case.

4. Tsar Peter made a favourable impression on the English because nobody expected the barbarian to be such an interesting and outstanding person.

5. Today the place where Peter the Great lived is one of the most fashionable districts of Birmingham.

6. John Evelyn rebuilt the house as soon as he got the compensation.

7. The memories of the Russian Tsar are still alive, some people

recall Peter.

8. In a pond in St James' Park there are the descendants of two pelicans which were given to King Charles II by the Russian Ambassador in the 18^ century.

After you watch

Discussion

1.While characterizing this or that nation what do you base your opinion on: your own experience, Mass Media sources, anybody else's opinions, historical facts? What sources are the most reliable from your point of view?

2. Do stereotypes exist about the nation which help you understand and appreciate the culture of any nation? Give your reasons.

3. Name at least one foreigner who played a very important role in Russian history. What did he/she do?

4. Can you think of any material and spiritual " traces of presence" of the British in our country? Adduce your examples.

Test on part I

Read the statements below and determine whether they are true or false. If the statements are false, correct them:

1.Historians date the start of official diplomatic relations between Russia and England to 1553.

2. The English sailors arrived in Moscow.

3. The head of the expedition, Richard Chancellor, was presented to Vladimir Monomach.

4. Peter the Great was one of the first Russian travellers to England.

5. The main aim of his trip was to pay an official visit to the English court.

6. Peter stayed in Deptford, not far from Greenwich, in a house belonging to John Evelyn, the English writer.

7. The house where Peter lived had been so destroyed by the storm that in some places it was necessary to rebuild it.

8. The traces of Peter's presence can be still seen in England.

Writing activity