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                                                                                                                             предисловие FOREWORD
                                                                                           This textbook is intended for beginners. It has been written and revised over many years, 
                                                                                           during which time it has been extensively tested on individual and group students at the Russian 
                                                                                           Language Centre in London. The book was originally written with adult learners in mind; however, 
                                                                                           although the language might be said to be broadly adult in content – located in the workplace 
                                                                                           rather than the classroom – the book works equally well with older school and university students. 
                                                                                           This is the first book in a series of two. The time taken to complete Russian made clear Book 1 will 
                                                                                           obviously depend on factors such as student aptitude and attitude, frequency of study, amount 
                                                                                           of self-study and so on. Generally, however, it is expected to take around 150 full (i.e. 60-minute) 
                                                                                           hours of tuition; this means that it will take students comfortably beyond CEFR Level A1 (TRKI 
                                                                                           Elementary Level). 
                                                                                           Book 2 of Russian made clear covers an additional 200+ hours of tuition, and takes students 
                                                                                           beyond CEFR Level A2 (TRKI Basic Level). 
                                                                                           Commentaries and explanations are given in English, and the book contains translation exercises 
                                                                                           from English into Russian. Although a knowledge of English is necessary to make best use of the 
                                                                                           book, it is not aimed specifically at native English speakers; indeed, more than half of the Russian 
                                                                                           Language Centre’s students are not native speakers of English.
                                                                                           structure
                                                                                           The book comprises an introduction to the Russian alphabet, fifteen lessons, a verb appendix, a 
                                                                                           grammar supplement and a full Russian-English and English-Russian vocabulary. Audio recordings 
                                                                                           of all the dialogues and texts from the book are available to download from the Russian Language 
                                                                                           Centre’s website, along with a large number of additional interactive exercises.
                                                                                           Each of the fifteen lessons contains the same basic elements, although the structure within each 
                                                                                           lesson is loose, and there is plenty of variety depending on the language being studied: some 
                                                                                           lessons have more exercises, others more dialogues and so on. The basic elements of each lesson 
                                                                                           and their uses are described below.
                                                                                           dialogues
                                                                                           These are the core illustrative element of each lesson. All new grammar is introduced through 
                                                                                           simple dialogues without explanation or translation; this encourages learners to take an active 
                                                                                           part in analysing and understanding new language, rather than simply being passive recipients 
                                                                                           of information. Learners also meet new elements of the language through the spoken word, 
                                                                                           reflecting one of the principles of the book, that grammar should be treated as a means towards 
                                                                                           accurate and effective communication, not as a theoretical discipline. Finally, the use of dialogues 
                                                                                           ensures that students are presented with easily remembered models before moving on to 
                                                                                           explanation and analysis in the commentaries (see below). 
                                                                                           In addition to introductory dialogues, more complex dialogues are used to illustrate colloquial 
                                                                                           usage, idiom and additional vocabulary, particularly in later lessons. Since many readers will be 
                                                                                           using the book outside the language environment (i.e. not in Russia), these dialogues are an 
                                                                                           important means of exposing learners to some of the less controlled, more colloquial language 
                                                                                           they will meet in Russian-speaking countries.  
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            commentaries                                                                                                 vocabulary
            Shown against a green background, the commentaries follow introductory dialogues, and provide                Each lesson ends with a vocabulary of words introduced in that lesson. Words shown in faint 
            explanations and further examples of new elements of grammar. Commentaries are deliberately                  type are considered to be of secondary importance; words shown in normal type should be 
            kept as concise as possible: rules are generally given in their simplest form, and only the most             memorised.
            common and useful exceptions are discussed. Additional exceptions and variations are given in the 
            grammar supplement at the end of the book.                                                                   summary
                                                                                                                         All of the material in the book is carefully ordered to ensure a smooth and logical transition from 
            exercises                                                                                                    one language element to the next: basic models from one lesson may anticipate more detailed 
            There is a wide range of exercises in the book. Generally the exercises that immediately follow              explanations in a later lesson; simple drills lead to more demanding exercises; vocabulary from 
            dialogues and commentaries provide strictly controlled drilling of the new material. These are               exercises is repeated in texts and vice-versa; idioms from longer dialogues recur in the Peter 
            aimed at consolidation and activisation. Further exercises are more ‘provocative’: their aim is to           and Marina story, and so on. It is therefore strongly recommended that teachers and learners 
            encourage use of the language being studied by provoking discussion, inviting learners to express            follow the order of the book, rather than jumping within or between lessons. Although individual 
            an opinion or respond to visual stimuli.                                                                     exercises, texts and commentaries may work well in isolation, the book as a whole is much more 
            Every lesson concludes with a ‘complete the dialogues’ exercise, where the learner is given a                effective if the order is followed throughout. 
            response and must provide a possible prompt. These exercises continue to drill the core material             acknowledgments
            of the lesson, but also invite a more creative response, since there are any number of possible              This book is the result of many years of collaboration, discussion, amendment and improvement. 
            correct answers. They also help to overcome one of the weaknesses of traditional language                    The authors wish to thank the numerous colleagues who have contributed to the making of this 
            teaching, particularly in individual lessons, where the student can become a passive user of the             book over the last twenty-five years. In particular we would like to mention Konstantin Komaristy 
            language, responding only to prompts from the teacher.                                                       and Irina Nelyubova, who first developed the characters of Peter and Marina. 
            The final exercise in each lesson is a translation exercise from English into Russian. Alongside 
            straightforward translations, which provide an essential means of control over material learnt,              We would also like to thank the many hundreds of students who have served as guinea pigs for 
            these exercises are designed to show learners how much they are able to say at the end of each               the book at its various stages of development, and have made comments and criticisms that have 
            lesson, by challenging them to think about how their relatively basic Russian can be used to                 helped to improve the contents. 
            convey apparently more complex structures in English. 
            mini-texts 
            Most lessons contain short texts, in addition to the dialogues and story at the end of every lesson. 
            These short texts are usually targeted at a particular element of language, but may also serve 
            to introduce more detailed cultural information; they also provide a stimulus for wider cultural 
            discussion.
            running story of peter and marina
            Every lesson concludes with a chapter from a story that runs throughout the book (and 
            subsequent books in the series). In structural terms the story serves two purposes: to provide a 
            light-hearted and stimulating ‘reward’ for completing the lesson; and to encourage further study 
            by providing an exciting storyline that makes the reader want to find out what happens next. In 
            terms of language, the story offers a summary of the material studied in the lesson along with 
            some new vocabulary; it also introduces some elements of the language to be studied in the 
            subsequent lesson. 
            Like the mini-texts, the Peter and Marina story also offers the opportunity for some cross-cultural 
            study, as practical elements of life in Russia are introduced (e.g. the use of the metro); at the 
            same time national stereotypes are parodied to encourage discussion of cultural issues.
            There are a number of ways that the story can be used in class: e.g. simply as reading practice, 
            as stimulus to free discussion, as the basis for written homework (retelling or expanding the story 
            line); teachers may also wish to devise their own exercises to drill the material. 
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