Years of Change: Reading the Russian Press

YEARS OF CHANGE: READING THE RUSSIAN PRESSis an attempt to provide a large group of Americans - scholars and practitioners studying Russian society, problems of nationalism, history, economy, domestic and international politics - with such information. This book contains interviews, articles and essays by leading Russian journalists and statesmen, the men and women who are in the forefront of changes. These articles are devoted to different aspects of Russian reality which will help a foreigner to understand what brought the country to change, as well as the dimensions of the revolutionary transformations currently under way. They demonstrate what impact this change has had on the society as a whole and how it is affecting the country's domestic and foreign policy.

Although the book does not reflect recent events, its contents are not outdated because it captures the points of Russian reality which are deeply rooted in its traditions and, hence, are a key to a proper understanding of the country's present and future developments.

YEARS OF CHANGE: READING THE RUSSIAN PRESSis a Russian language textbook. The ability to function successfully in a foreign culture obviously depends on using language structures properly. Another requirement for successful communication is background information: the country's history and culture, as well as its cultural code as reflected in the language. These elements are the product of everyday existence multiplied by centuries of history and are easily recognized by anyone who grew up in the country, went to school there, stood in lines for groceries and argued with friends about politics or religion. These words are not to be found in dictionaries or reference books. They represent the entire life-span of the country.

Another important skill, indispensable for quality communication, is the ability to transfer knowledge that one already possesses. It is the ability to use native language skills and background knowledge in the context of a foreign language.

This textbook is aimed at the development of two basic skills - reading and speaking - with special emphasis placed on culturally specific words and concepts relevant to a particular topic and by activating the mechanisms of prediction inhibited by the lack of self-confidence in a foreign context.

The structure of YEARS OF CHANGE: READING THE RUSSIAN PRESSis based on the goal of functional proficiency in reading and speaking in the areas of history, sociology, demography, education and religion as well as in domestic and international politics. The author assumes that students using this book have acquired a level of Russian, specified by Political Russian1) (Speaking - Intermediate High, Reading - Superior for politics, national security and socio-economics). Students who have attained Intermediate Midin Speaking, but show talent, can also profit from this book. It is also assumed that students have fundamental control over grammatical and vocabulary distribution. Each chapter is structured around a particular topic: for example, social hypnosis, market economy, the multi-party system and the new political system.

Reading materials include feature-length articles. Students are taught first to anticipate and then to identify supported opinion and then, through the use of such language means as synonyms, opposites, and metaphors, to acquire an in-depth understanding of the text.

Speaking exercises are designed to a) activate some of the vocabulary of the lesson and b) improve the students ability to structure paragraphs to support their opinions through conversation management strategies.

This book does not contain grammar exercises.

Complete coverage of YEARS OF CHANGE: READING THE RUSSIAN PRESSrequires 3 to 4 hours of classroom instruction per week plus homework - two academic semesters. A student who has successfully mastered the textbook and who began with Intermediate

High in Speaking, can attain speaking proficiency of Advanced Plus. All students should attain Superiorin Reading.

PART I - pre-reading tasks which are to be completed before reading the text include:

1. exercises aimed at activating anticipation strategies. Students learn to comprehend more of an unfamiliar text by anticipating the possibilities. This information will facilitate the comprehension of the text.
   
   
2. culturally specific words/terms: words and concepts which are not in a dictionary but are a key to the proper understanding of the text.
   
   
3. a vocabulary list which includes other essential expressions or idioms.

PART II - reading tasks. Because efficient reading of original texts is the most important source of obtaining information, reading exercises are divided into four categories:

1. reading strategies aimed at fast information retrieval: skimming and scanning for specific facts or opinions.
   
   
2. linguo-stylistics: students learn to read for nuances and subtleties of opinion.
   
   
3. macrostructure: students isolate main points that the author wants to make.
   
   
4. microstructure: students learn to single out components of the article, such as the introduction, beginning of an argument, illustration, support or criticism, conclusion and the like.

PART III - post-reading tasks prepare students to discuss the main theme of the lesson at length and in detail. These exercises include:

1. a vocabulary exercise which focus the students' attention on specific words and expressions.
   
   
2. communicative exercises which help students to realize their communicative intentions. These exercises will enhance the ability to speak and argue in logical paragraphed speech a) supporting the author's opinion and b) formulating and supporting their own opinion connected with the theme of the lesson.