Make up situations using the English equivalents of the words given above. 26. Work in pairs and decide whether these statements are true or false:

26. Work in pairs and decide whether these statements are true or false:

1. Russia is enclosed, except in the West, by landlocked seas, deserts and mountains.

2. The most impressive thing about the country is its tiny size.

3. Russia is smaller than North America which stretches halfway across the globe.

4. The Russian coastline is the longest in the world.

5. Four fifths of Russia lies in the temperate zone but much further north than any other great power.

6. Russia’s climate is very mild and always warm.

7. In Russia, where the climate is very mild and always warm, there is no great variety of vegetation.

8. Russia is one of the most richly endowed nations in the world in mineral wealth.

9. Siberia is still a largely untapped reservoir of potential mineral riches.

10. There are no deposits of iron, copper or other elements indispensable to modern industry in Russia.

27. Find in the text the situations in which the following word combinations are used:

Geographically isolated state; the largest self-contained state in the world; different neighbors of Russia; bountifully supplied with rivers; variety of Russia’s climate; a great variety of vegetation; mineral wealth; richly endowed nation

28. Read the text below to learn about the modern state of Russia’s economy and industry:

Text 3 C

Modern Russia’s Economy and Industries

Russia has a complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts.

Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year of growth, averaging 6.5 per cent annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil prices and a relatively cheap rouble are important drivers of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demand have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital investments have averaged gains greater than 10 per cent over the last five years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases over 12 per cent.

Russia has also improved its international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis, having paid off its foreign debt by 2007. Strong oil export earnings have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from only $12 billion to some $120 billion at yearend 2004.

These achievements, along with a renewed government effort to advance structural reforms, have raised business and investor confidence in Russia’s economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Economic growth slowed down in the second half of 2004 and the Russian government forecast growth of only 4.5 per cent to 6.2 per cent for 2005. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80 per cent of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.

Russia’s manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. Other problems include a weak banking system, a poor business climate that discourages both domestic and foreign investors, corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions.

TEXT AND VOCABULARY EXERCISES

29. Find in the text the words or phrases which mean the same as: