Russian 4414: Course Description

This is a TBA course. TBA means "time to be arranged" (to accommodate as many students as we can). We hold an organizational meeting for all TBA courses at the beginning of each semester. The time and place of the meeting are posted under "Current Announcements" at our home page, russian.cornell.edu (click Welcome in the navigation bar on the left).

Курс состоит из двух частей. Обе части преподает Виктория Цимберова.

Материалы:

Watching the films:
At the moment, both Папа and Водитель для Веры can be watched online (not in Edge, though) and, in HD also here. If you cannot access them at the above links, or simply want better video quality, go to the Language Resource Center in G25 Stimson Hall and ask for the DVD at the counter: Daddy DVD RV96 and Driver for Vera DVD RV85.

Working with Alexander Galich's play
Read the assigned portion of the text and be prepared to tell the story from the point of view of one of the characters (your choice). Prepare four questions for your classmates on the text.

Watching the blog
Use the syllabus links to watch the YouTube videos. If you run into a difficult passage or an unfamiliar expression, consult the linked PDF transcript and online dictionaries. When the syllabus includes suggestions for discussion, think what you would say in class about the issues, or simply prepare to present your point of view or your knowledge of related situations. Expect a free-format conversation in class: you do not have to prepare a presentation. You may also pick up interesting ideas by reading visitors' comments on the blog.

Сочинение
К последней неделе вы должны будете написать письменную работу (1 - 1.5 печатных страниц) на одну из тем, указанных в расписании.

Зачеты и оценки
Ваша оценка будет зависеть от вашей работы в течение всего семестра (75%) и от того, как вы подготовитесь к зачетным занятиям на последней неделе: два сочинения и устные сообщения на те же темы (25%).

Attendance
Attendance is very important for your learning and your grade. If you have to miss a class, be sure to write to your teacher, preferably ahead of time.