Thursday, March 11, 2010

Tools for Writers: Linking Words/Соединяющие слова

Words for Summarizing - слова для подведения итогов
(compiled by youth from Azbuka Academy)

In short-короче
In brief-кратко
In summary-в резюме
In a nutshell-в резюме
To conclude-в двух словах
In conclusion-в заключение

Sequencing Ideas - поочереди идея

The former-бывший
Firstly, secondly finally-во первых,во втарых,на конец
The first point is-первый пункт

Giving Examples - слова для давания примерoв
For exemple-на пример
For instance-на пример
Namely-а именно

Words Used to Add Information - слова используя для добавления информации

And-и
In addition-кроме того
As well as-а также
Also-также
Too-тоже
Furthermore-далее
More over-кроме того
Apart from-помимо
In addition to-в дополнение к
Besides-кроме того

Giving result — Давать результат

Therefore - Поетому
So - Итак
Consequently - Следовательно
This means that - Это означает что
As a result - Как резултат


Contrasting ideas – Сопоставление идей

But – Но
However - Однако
Although / even though - Хотя
Despite / despite the fact that - несмотря на тот факт, что
In spite of / in spite of the fact that - несмотря на тот факт, что
Nevertheless - тем не менее
Nonetheless - тем не менее
While - Пока
Whereas - Принимая во внимание
Unlike - В отличие от
In theory… - Теоретически
In practice… - На практике

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Maslenitsa (Carnival)

written by Aleks Bakhmatov, age 15


Maslenitsa is a Russian holiday to say goodbye to winter and say hello to spring. It happens on the cold winter days when everybody is outside playing with snow and riding a sled down the hills with adults. For seven days, all of Moscow jingles with the sound of bells, sings with garmoshkas (accordions) and shines with the colors of bright dresses. The essential element, of course, are pancakes, or more accurately, crepes (bliny). Crepes are a symbol of the sun. They are as round, gold and warm as the sun. Russian pancakes are served hot with either butter or sour cream, jam, or caviar, or mushrooms, or sturgeon. A recipe for "bliny" can be found here.

On these days, people ride horse sleighs and sleds down the hill. Where else can you take a horse-drawn sleigh ride that will take your breath away? Or take a wild sled ride down an enormous ice slope? The Great Maslenitsa will reel you around. You'll find yourself dancing in a circle and your feet won't be able to keep still with the jolly chastooshkas (funny songs) sung and played.

Clowns and skomorokhs (harlequins) will make you laugh to tears. The show goes on and on in theatres. And those who don't want to simply be spectators can take part in the masquerade, dressing up in costumes, wrapping themselves in long fur coats or drinking shots of vodka with a tamed bear.

On the last day of the Great Maslenitsa, the feasting and drinking culminates with the burning down of a scarecrow symbolizing winter and saying goodbye to winter till the next year. The last day of Maslenitsa is called the Forgiveness Day. Everybody asks one another for forgiveness in order to redeem themselves from their sins before the Great Lent. They bow to one another and say, "God will forgive you." Maslenitsa is over, and so is winter, giving way to the spring.

Блины ("Bliny"): Russian Pancakes/Crepes

submitted by Aleksandr Bakhmatov, age 15
Maslenitsa (Carnival) is a Russian holiday to say goodbye a to winter and say hello to spring. Thin pancakes, or crepes, ("bliny" in Russian) are eaten during this holiday. Russian pancakes are a symbol of the sun. They are as round, gold and warm as the sun. Bliny are served hot with either butter or sour cream, jam, or caviar, or mushrooms, or sturgeon.

Flour - 2,5 cups
Eggs - 4 to 5
Sugar - 100 g (about 1/2 cup)
Butter - 200 g (about 14 tablespoons or 1.75 sticks)
Milk - 3 to 4 cups

For the simple thin pancakes, or crepes, the dough is prepared of flour, milk, eggs and salt. First thing you should do is separate the yolks from whites. Then stir the yolks with sugar slowly adding milk while stirring. Then add the salt and the melted hot butter. Then start adding the dough (very slowly), stirring the mixture and smoothing the dough nubbles. As the last step, add the stirred whites. Now everything is ready for frying crepes on the hot frying pans.

[photo credit here]