1. Storytelling and Cultures
Russia
July 11, 2009

4. Russian Flag Meaning:
It is said by some people that the design of the Russian flag is based on the flag of the Netherlands. The
Russian flag has also inspired the flags of many Slavic nations of Europe, and the colors are often referred to
as the pan-Slavic colors. They have come to represent Slavic independence and unity. There is no official
meaning of to the Russian flag but some Russians believe the following: In Russia the white symbolizes
generosity and frankness; blue stands for loyalty, honesty and wisdom; red means courage, magnanimity and
love. Many people also believe red represents Russian people, blue represents the Ukrainians, and white
represents the Belo Russians.

5. to know more go to - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Russia
http://flagspot.net/flags/ru).html
Coat of arms

6. The White House, the seat of the
Russian Government

7. Entrance to the Kremlin - Senate, part of the Moscow
Kremlin and the working residence of the Russian president

8. Russia is officially know both as Russian and the russian Federation. It is a country in northern Eurasia (Europe and Asia together). It
is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. Russia shares land borders with the following countries (from
northwest to southeast): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine,
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It also has maritime borders with
Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.

9. Russia is by far the largest cocuntry in the world covering more then an 8th of the Earth's land area with 142 million people, it is the 9th
argest by population. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe spanning 11 time zones, and incorporating a wide
range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources, and is considered an
energy superpower. It has the wrold's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately
one-quarter of the world's unfrozen fresh water. The country contain 23 World Heritage sites ansd 40 UNESCO Biosphere reserves.

11. Russian pine and fur tree forests can be seen everywhere
throughout the vast territories.

12. same forest in the winter

13. There are different types of landscapes on the Russian vast territory

14. This sort of a landscape can be found in some areas as well

15. Russia is washed by lots of seas and some oceans.

16. there are some warm places at the seaside too

17. Russia is well-known for birches.
Birch is considered to be the symbol of
Russia. There are lots of lyrical songs
about birches, Russia, peoples’ feelings.

18. A young girl is also often associated with a
birch tree, a tree is often compared with a girl
too.
We have different pet names for birches used
in songs, poems, etc.

19. Languages

20. Religion
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and
Judaism are Russia's traditional
religions
Cathedral
of Christ the Saviour,
reconstructed from
1990-2000

21. Education
Moscow State University
Russia has a free education system guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution У 551 and has a literacy rate
of 99.4%. Entry to higher education is highly competitive. The Russian Constitution grants a universal right to higher education free of
charge through competitive entry. The Government allocates funding to pay the tuition fees within an established quota, or number of
students for each state institution. This is considered crucial because it provides access to higher education to all skilled students. In
addition, students are paid a small stipend and provided with free housing.

22. Health care
State Minister of
Health is visiting a
local hospital
She is donating
blood to sick
people

23. sport
science
next time

24. Music Piotr
Tchaikovsky
Mstislav
Rastropovic
Yury
Bashmet
Lubov Kazarnovskaya
Dmitry
Khvorostovsky

26. my younger son
at his
graduation
party

27. favourite past time, playing the
guitar, entertaining friends /
family

28. at 'Grushinsky' Festival near the city of
Samara on the Volga river - amateur singers,
poets, musicians

29. a 'teenage musician' - my elder
son playing for friends, family

30. Russian ballet
the Kirov Ballet company (now known as the Mariinsky Ballet) and the
Bolshoy company are two world-renowned Russian ballet companies that
tour the world.

31. Matilde Kshesinskaya

32. Anna Pavlova

33. 'The Dying Swan' her masterpiece

34. Sergey Diagilev, the founder of
'Ballets Russes'
Vaclav Nizhinsky
the scene from 'The Firebird'

35. Rudolf Nuriev
Mikhail
Baryshnikov

36. George Balanchin

37. Uliana
Lopatkina
Diana Maya Plisetzkaya
Vishneva
the Financial Times: "She was, and still is, a star, ballet's monstre sacre, the final statement about theatrical
glamour, a flaring, flaming beacon in a world of dimly twinkling talents, a beauty in the world of prettiness."

38. Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasilyev, the starry duet
the Bolshoy Theatre soloists

39. My school -
two waltzes at the
graduation party
concert

40. Literature
Leo Tolstoy
Fedor
Dostoevsky
Anton Chekhov Aleksander Pushkin

41. Fine Art

46. Cinema
SergeyEizenshtein

48. Theatre

50. theatre festival at my
school this year

51. Moscow

52. places of interest

53. Moscow subway

54. Moscow parks

55. Obninsk
my home town
'the City of Science"

56. Obninsk
bird's
view
an old corner

57. winter slalom
'Wulruses' club
members

58. once upon a time
the city fountain
'street racing'
the Protva river

59. Obninsk Blue Grass band

60. the younger
generation

61. my students