ЗАДАНИЕ 1. ЧТЕНИЕ

There are several national holidays in Russia, when people all over the country do not work and take part in special celebrations.
New Year’s Day is the first holiday of the year. It is very popular. There is a New Year tree glittering with coloured lights and decorations in every house and in the streets. Father Frost and Snow Maiden present children and adults with gifts.

People see the New Year in at midnight on the 31st of December. They greet the New Year with champagne; listen to the Kremlin chimes beating 12 o’clock and say “Happy New Year”. It’s a time for eating, drinking and lots of fun. People consider New Year’s Day to be a family holiday. They usually dance, sing songs, have fireworks and relax. They also play snowballs, make snowmen and pull crackers.

Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January. The holiday is connected with the wonderful birth of Christ. A lot of people go to church services on that day.

Day of the Defender of Motherland is celebrated on the 23rd of February. This is the day when we thank our grandfathers, fathers and young men and give them presents and cards.

Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of March. Men congratulate all girls, mothers and grandmothers on this day. They try to do everything about the house, cook all the meals and give women flowers and gifts.

Victory Day is the greatest national holiday in our country. On the 9th of May 1945 the Soviet Army and its allies completely defeated the German army and the Great Patriotic War ended for our peoples. We lost 30 million people during this war. Many veterans meet on this day. They also participate in the military parade in Red Square and in every city, town and village people celebrate this holiday giving flowers to the veterans and thanking them for their bravery.

Independence Day is a new holiday in our country. On the 12th of June, 1992, the first President of Russia was elected.

ЗАДАНИЕ 2. ГРАММАТИКА

ЗАДАНИЕ 3. ЛЕКСИКА

Children’s Defense Day comes on the _____ (15) day of the summer. It opens the longest holidays in the year - summer holidays. This holiday was very ____ (16) in the Soviet Union. Schoolchildren went away to the beaches or to the river and lake shores, thus “defended” themselves from the teachers.
The 1st of the June is one the oldest international holidays. Deciding of the celebrating of this holiday was adopted by International Democratic Women Federation on the special _____ (17) in 1949 year.
The first international children’s defense day was celebrated in 1950. UNO published a bill about defending of the rights, life and the health of the children and women.
There are different events in towns and cities of Russia today. _____ (18) with young artists with all well-known singers of the town are organized. Children’s drawings are on display everywhere. Also, all children during this day could use all marry-go-rounds and other attractions in the _____ (19) And you could see happy smiles of children, who are the _____ (20) of our country.

ЗАДАНИЕ 4. СТРАНОВЕДЕНИЕ