Russian 3306See This Semester's Schedule for meeting times and places. See Course Description for the list of reading materials and other details.
The syllabus will be fine-tuned as we go. Always consult this Web page for assignments because they may change. All assignments will be posted here; no printouts will be handed out in class.
Note: One of the course requirements is reading texts and taking tests on this site. Your Web browser will display and print the Russian text on this page and on linked pages if the browser's font is based on the Academic version of the Microsoft Windows Cyrillic 1251 character set. Click Russian Fonts, to get our fonts for Microsoft Windows. Standard Microsoft fonts do not include accented vowels while ours do. Follow the directions in Russian Fonts to install one of our fonts with accented vowels and configure your browser to use it. As an alternative, please use the Windows computers in the language lab; log in as a Russian student (the lab attendant will provide the password). Font problems on your own computer cannot be used as an excuse for not doing your homework! We apologize for not accommodating Macintosh users.
Early in the semester, you should learn basic Russian grammatical terms.
Throughout the semester use these Quick Links for review.
Each table row shows the work you should do in preparation for that class.
| Grammar Class 1 | no assignment, no meeting |
| Reading Class | no assignment, no meeting |
| Grammar Class 2 | no assignment, no meeting |
| Grammar Class 1 | Print this eleven-page handout in Acrobat (PDF) format: Page 4; Page 5; Page 6; Page 7; Page 8; Page 9. Page 12; Page 13; Page 14; Page 17; Page 18. This handout describes the Russian alphabet and shows samples of cursive writing. Learn the alphabet and copy the writing on these pages. In class: letters and sounds. | |
| Reading Class | Reading. Assignment to be posted/handed out. | |
| Grammar Class 2 | Consult Letters and Sounds. Part 1. Write 30 Russian words that illustrate various points of this section. Indicate what your words/letters are examples of. You may pick those words from a book, newspaper, or Web site, or just look around and write what you see. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Очень ли трудно русское правописание? from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Find and copy (in longhand) 30 words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 1. | |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте первые 8 дневниковых записей рассказа Андрея Геласимова "Нежный возраст" (с «14 марта» по «24 марта») на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking (handed out in class): Chapter 4. Stories. Story 4-1. Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Расказ написан в виде коротких дневниковых записей. |
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| Grammar Class 2 | Read Один за трех; Три за одного from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Find and copy (in longhand) 30 words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 2. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Самая удивительная буква русской азбуки from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Find and copy (in longhand) 30 words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 2. | |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте следующие 7 записей из рассказа Андрея Геласимова "Нежный возраст" (с «25 марта» по «2 апреля») на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking (handed out in class), Chapter 4 Stories. Story 4-1. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Индивидуальное задание:
Рассказ написан в виде коротких дневниковых записей. |
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| Grammar Class 2 | Read Еще одна "редкостная" буква from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Find and copy (in longhand) 30 words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 3. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Сорок сороков... from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Find and copy (in longhand) 30 words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 3. | |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте рассказ Михаила Мишина «История» на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking (handed out in class), Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-1 (A or B). Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - 1,2 (Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-1 (A or B). Pages 1-8) |
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| Grammar Class 2 | Consult Letters and Sounds. Part 4. Write 10 short Russian sentences with words that illustrate various points of this section. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Било и крыло; За что бьют рынду? from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Write 10 short Russian sentences with words from this story that illustrate some of the points made in Letters and Sounds. Part 4. | |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте следующие части из «Сергей Довлатов о времени и о себе» на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 3. Stories. Story 3-1 (A or B). Pages 1-20. Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 -1,2,3,4,5,6,7 (Chapter 3. Stories. Story 3-1 (A or B). Pages 1-9) |
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| Grammar Class 2 | Consult Letters and Sounds. Part 5. Write 10 short Russian sentences with words that illustrate various points of this section. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read section Suffixes in Letters and Sounds. Part 5, then take as much of this online Self-Test 1 as you have time for. If your computer doesn't play the sound correctly, use any PC in the language lab. Compare your results to the provided answers and analyse your errors, if any (click the links in the answer page). Take the test again if you feel you can do better the second time. Bring your first version to class. We will use this dictation to review everything that has been covered this semester so far. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте два рассказа Сергея Довлатова «Предисловие» (aka «Холодильник») и «Остров» на интерактивном диске, Chapter 3. Stories. Story 3-2 (A, B or C), Story 3-3 (A or B). Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 и Student #3 - «Предисловие» (aka «Холодильник») |
| Grammar Class 2 | Take the rest of the online Self-Test 1. Compare your results to the provided answers and analyse your errors, if any. Use the answer page and Quick Links to review everything that has been covered this semester so far. In class, you will write a dictation that is similar to Self-Test 1. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Анатомия слова from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. Bring 5000 Russian Words to class. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте рассказ Михаила Мишина «Счастливый» на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 1. Stories. Story 1-1 (A or B). Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - 1,2,3 (Chapter 1. Stories. Story 1-1 (A or B). Pages 1-7) |
| Grammar Class 2 | Read Глокая куздра from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. As you read, note the case forms of nouns. Bring 5000 Russian Words to class. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Каникулы |
| Grammar Class 1 | Каникулы |
| Grammar Class 2 | Каникулы |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Два слова о суффиксах from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. In each sentence, mark the case, number, and declension class of every noun. Use the terms in grammatical terms and on pp. 310, 311, 312, and 317 of 5000 Russian Words. You should read the above pages carefully and also consult the Web pages below. Note that for reading the Web pages you must follow the directions regarding Russian fonts at the top and bottom of this page (or use the Windows computers in the language lab). Consult these Web pages: The four declension classes of nouns, Gender classes, Case of nouns: form and function. The chart from p. 317 of the dictionary is also shown at this Web page, where you may find the format easier to use. Don't miss the variants for the Genitive plural endings, the special spelling of -ия and -ие nouns in the Dative and Prepositional cases, and the animacy rule. Bring 5000 Russian Words to every class. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте первую половину рассказа Михаила Веллера «Тест» на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-2 (A or B). Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - до слов... «Доктор, я моряк?..» (Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-2 (A or B). Pages 1-12) |
| Grammar Class 2 | Read Слова и словари from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. Note that for reading the Web pages below you must follow the directions in Russian Fonts at the top and bottom of this page (or use the Windows computers in the language lab). In all sentences, mark the case, number, and gender of all pronouns and adjectives. For reference, use pp. 313, 314, and 315 in the dictionary. If you want an introduction to these classes of words, read these Web pages: Adjective-noun agreement, Ordinary and Special adjectives. If you need a reminder of the effect of spelling rules (p. 309 in the dictionary) on endings, read The effect of spelling rules and The effect of stress in Nom. Sg.: adjectives in -ой, -ий, and -ый. Read also about comparisons so you know that a comparative form never ends in -и even though many sound as if they do. Bring 5000 Russian Words to every class. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Словaрь Пушкина from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. In all sentences, mark the tense and conjugation type of all verbs. For reference, use pp. 318 in the dictionary. You'll also find these Web pages useful: The two verb stems (including the links to irregular verbs and consonant alternation), Past tense endings, Non-past tense endings and The two conjugations. If you need a reminder of the effect of spelling rules (p. 309 in the dictionary) on verb endings, read Spelling rules for verbs. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте вторую половину рассказа Михаила Веллера «Тест» на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-2 (A or B). Подготовьте 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - со слов... «Месяц прошел ужасно.....» до слов... «Через неделю Генка понял...» (Chapter 2. Stories. Story 2-2 (A or B). Pages 26-31) |
| Grammar Class 2 | Read Лазея в прошлое from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Summarize it in 10 short Russian sentences. In all sentences, mark the aspect, tense and conjugation type of all verbs. For reference on aspect, use these Web pages: Aspect: Perfective and Imperfective verbs (including the links to взять/брать and пойти/ходить), How to express past, present, and future, Prefixed and unprexifed verbs, and Aspect partners with different roots. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read One-Way and Non-One-Way verbs of motion on the Web and write 10 short Russian sentences using various verbs of motion in various situations that illustrate the difference in their meaning: Round trip vs. one direction and other similar distinctions. You will find these Web pages useful for reference: Six sample verbs of motion, Expressing "go", Пойти vs. ходить, Prefixes, More prefixes, and More examples. Use the dictionary to verify spelling and conjugation. In class, we'll also talk about deverbal and imperative forms. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте первую треть рассказа Людмилы Улицкой "Явление природы" на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C), Pages 1-30. Подготовьте письменно 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - 1,2,3 (Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C). Pages 1-11) |
| Grammar Class 2 | By now, you should be able to spell all forms for pronouns, nouns, adjectives, and verbs without consulting any tables. (This does not include deverbal or imperative forms.) Take as much of this online Self-Test 2 as you have time for. If your computer doesn't play the sound correctly, use any PC in the language lab. Compare your results to the provided answers and analyse your errors, if any. Take the test again if you feel you can do better the second time. Bring your first version to class. We will use this dictation to review everything you have learned about pronouns, nouns, adjectives, and verbs in the recent weeks as well as the earlier material. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Use your corrected homework and answers to Self-Test 2 again to review. In class, you'll write a dictation similar to the one in Self-Test 2. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте вторую треть рассказа Людмилы Улицкой "Явление природы" на интерактивном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C), Pages 31-53. Подготовьте письменно 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - 9,10,11 (Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C). Pages 31-38) |
| Grammar Class 2 | Read about Prepositions, Particles, and Conjunctions. Write a short letter to a friend or family member using as many of these rules as you can. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Read Место вашего рождения from «Слово о словах» Льва Успенского. Write a short essay about your family: where did you come from, what language(s) did you, your parents, and your grandparents speak before coming to the US, how did you all learn English, how English and your earlier languages co-exist in your family, and anything else that might occur to you in this respect. |
| Reading Class |
Задание для всей группы: Прочитайте до конца рассказ Людмилы Улицкой "Явление природы" на интерактовном диске Advanced Russian: From Reading to Speaking, Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C); Pages 54-77. Подготовьте письменно 4 вопроса, которые вы будете задавать другим студентам на занятии. Напечатайте прочитанный текст и принесите на занятие. Индивидуальное задание:
Student #1 - 19,20 (Chapter 6. Stories. Story 6-1 (A, B or C). Pages 54-62) |
| Grammar Class 2 | Use this Review Guide in Acrobat (PDF) format as you review the material of the entire semester. In class, you will write a practice exam that is similar to the final exam. |
| Grammar Class 1 | Analyse the practice exam you wrote in the preceding class. Come to class with any questions you may still have regarding any of the material covered this semester. |
| Reading Class | To be announced |
| Grammar Class 2 | Look through all materials you've read this semester. Write your own example sentences that illustrate any points that you feel you're still not sure about (or have repeatedly made mistakes on). |
Russian 3306
The Russian Language Program
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Russian Language Program Department of Russian 226 Morrill Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-4701, USA tel. 607/255-8350, fax 607/255-2044 email russlang@cornell.edu |
This Web site uses custom RUSSIAN FONTS based on the Windows 1251 encoding standard.
Web site by Slava Paperno |