Course Description
Development of students' abilities to express themselves accurately in spoken and written Russian and to comprehend normal Russian speech.
Athena Title
Russian Conver and Comp I
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in RUSS 3011
Prerequisite
RUSS 2002 or RUSS 2012
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course is the first course in a two-course sequence designed to develop and consolidate students' competence in the four language skill areas (speaking, reading, writing, and aural comprehension). A particular focus will be on the comprehension of connected prose. With respect to oral proficiency, the goal is to achieve fluency and the ability to converse on a wide range of topics. Special attention will be given to developing a deeper understanding of Russian culture and mentality, mainly through viewing and discussing excerpts from Russian films and reading current articles from the Russian press. Students will be evaluated on the basis of regular homework assignments, essays, in-class oral presentations, quizzes (5-6 per semester), and a final exam.
Topical Outline
1. Marriage Comparative and superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs Negative pronouns Reflexive verbs Collective numerals 2. Family Participles Quantity expressions Word formation 3. Russian cuisine Modal expressions Short-form adjectives Uses of the instrumental case 4. Russian traditions Indefinite pronouns Verbs of motion 5. Etiquette Verbal adverbs Verbal aspect Verbs of putting/placing Use of prepositions with numerals 6. Russian pastimes: the summer cottage and the bathhouse Locative forms in -u Time expressions Verbs of motion Word formation
General Education Core
CORE IV: World Languages and Global CultureSyllabus