b) What articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation do you know?

Have your read the Russian Constitution? Is the constitution important for a

country? Why? What do you know about the constitutions of other countries?

4.23. A) What political parties in Russia do you know? What role do they play

In society? Are you a member of any political party? Why? Why not?

b) Read the text and be ready to discuss the development of parties in

Russia?

Since the late 1980s Russia has changed from a single-party, totalitarian state led by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to a multiparty democracy. The CPSU has been replaced by a number of political groups, factions, movements, and parties that span a wide political spectrum, from monarchists to communists. The parties range in size from a few members to more than half a million members. Some of the smaller political groups have lasted only a brief time. Alliances between groups are generally unstable, and coalitions shift frequently. Individual personalities influence political formations to a large degree, and the political agendas of many parties are vague and poorly documented.

Russia’s political parties can be divided into four general categories: communist parties; Russian nationalist parties; reformist, or pro-market democratic parties; and centrist and special interest parties. In early 1996 the major groups were the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, led by Gennady Zyuganov, which emerged from the legislative elections of December 1995 with the largest representation in parliament; the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky; and the Agrarian Party, which is dominated by supporters of the collective farms system inherited from the Soviet era.

Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 7, 2003. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma (Gosudarstvennaya Duma), the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia.

As expected, the United Russia pro-Vladimir Putin party won the largest number of votes (38%) and seats, reducing most other parties to minor status. Even the formal figure of 221 seats for United Russia is an underestimate, because most of the minor party and "independent" members are in fact clients or supporters of President Putin. The elections have thus given Putin complete control of the legislature.

Of the other parties, the Communist Party (12.8%) is still the largest, though much reduced in strength. Liberal Democratic Party (11.7 %) came in third and improved its position by a few delegates. The liberal Yabloko (4.4 %) party and the liberal-conservative Union of Right Forces (SPS) (4 %) lost most of its seats. The only other significant party is socialist Homeland Union (Rodina)(9.2 %).

L

4.24. A) Scan the text and pick up the names of the Russian holidays described

In it along with their main features.

b) Ask 5-7 questions about the text.

ike any other nation the Russians are famous for their own peculiar customs and traditions kept through the centuries.

Peter the Great, an outstanding Russian monarch, introduced many changes to the life of Russia and the Russian calendar. For instance, he brought in European chronology in Russia, which started with the birth of Christ.

The New Year is first on the calendar and in popularity. Many celebrate it twice, on January 1 and 14, which corresponds to January 1 in the Julian calendar used in Russia before 1918.

Church holidays have been recently reborn. Christmas, one of the main

Christian holidays in Russia, is celebrated on the 7th of January

in compliance with the Russian Orthodox calendar. The festive and merry days of Christmas are called Christmas-tide in Russia. There is no any other holiday celebrated in compliance with so many traditions, ceremonies, etc.

One of the ceremonies is called "Kolyadki". The ceremony

includes wishing of wealth and happiness to everybody. During

the ceremony a snow-lady is made with a carrot nose, eyes of prunes and teeth of green beans.

Lady Kolyada comes to the holiday to congratulate people and enjoy merry games and fun. Lady Kolyada is accompanied by some people bearing stars. They sing and dance in a ring on the snow with fired torches and push the festive wheel.

At the end of winter Shrovetide (a pancake week) comes. In Russia Pancake week is called "Maslyanitsa". Shrovetide is an ancient festival dating from pagan times. The Christian historians say that those were really "mad" days in the past. People wore funny masks and costumes, sometimes, men wore women's clothing and vice versa. Such masquerade anticipated a merry festival, when delicious food and a lot of wine were consumed. At first it was a festival that celebrated the arrival of spring and the start of work on the land. It included many rituals (burning a man of straw symbolizing winter, lighting fires, leaving festival food on the ancestors' graves) and feasts, the main food at which were ‘bliny’ (pancakes and crepes). The feast fighting was one more great fun that helped to get warm on cold winter days. Later, the Orthodox Church included Shrovetide among its festivals. Shrovetide has lost its ritual significance and has become a symbolic festival of saying good-bye to winter and welcoming spring. At present special performances are held during Pancake week. Throughout the whole week people cook pancakes. Each day of this week has its name: Monday – ‘The Greeting’, Tuesday – ‘Zaigryshi’ (entertainment day), Wednesday – ‘The Sweet Tooth’s Day’, Thursday – ‘The Lavish Day’, Friday – ‘Good Mother’s Evenings’, Saturday – ‘Good Daughter’s Parties’. Sunday is the last day of the Pancake week, and it is a culmination of the holiday. In ancient times the Scarecrow (Maslenitsa Dummy) was burned in fire and its ashes would be swept across the fields ‘for a heavy crop’. Sunday is known as ‘Sunday of Forgiveness’.

Easter (in Russian "Paskha") is celebrated in all Christian countries and in Russia as well. In Russia it follows a 7-week Lent. Special round-shaped sweet breads (Easter cakes) are baked. Moreover, eggs are painted in different bright colours. The coloured egg, most often red, is the main symbol of Russian Easter. It symbolizes eternal life, birth and perpetual renewal.

The next Sunday, which comes right after Easter, is called the Red Hill holiday. This day is considered the best for wedding ceremonies.

The folk holiday called Troitsa (Green Yule-tide, or Whitsunday) is also celebrated in Russia. In old times houses were decorated with green branches. Young birch-trees were covered with girlish clothes. People sang songs and danced round the birch-trees. The garlands made of birch branches and flowers were put into water for fortune telling.

Traditionally, Russians love to celebrate. No wonder Russia has a huge variety of different holidays, some of which are very publicly and widely celebrated.

Many people are surprised to know how many holidays Russians have to celebrate! Don’t worry - it is an individual choice whether to celebrate all or only some of them. If you don’t want – you don’t celebrate. Just do not stay with those who are celebrating — it’s catching! Russian culture combines different religious traditions, including Roman Catholic, Orthodox and pagan, which are reflected in the amazing sequence of the holidays. Visit Russia and see this perfect combination yourself!

1. _

   c) Read the text again and say whether the following statements are true (T) or

   false (F).

   __ There are no special customs and traditions in Russia.

2. ___ It was Peter the Great who introduced a lot of changes to the life of Russia and the Russian calendar.

3. ___ "Kolyadki" is one of the ceremonies which includes making a snow-lady with an ugly face without a nose, with green eyes and black teeth.

4. ___ Shrovetide is an ancient festival dating from pagan times.

5. ___ Shrovetide has lost its ritual significance and has become a symbolic festival of saying good-bye to winter and welcoming spring.

6. ___ Easter is not celebrated in Christian countries. It is celebrated only in Russia.

7. ___ A pan-cake symbolizes eternal life, birth, and perpetual renewal.

8. ___ The next Sunday, which comes right after Easter is called the Green Hill holiday.

9. ___ On the folk holiday called Troitsa houses were decorated with green branches and young birch-trees were covered with girlish clothes.

10. ___ Russian culture combines different religious traditions, including Roman Catholic, Orthodox and pagan.