First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Taras. I'm seventeen years old. I'm at 11-th grade. There are two more kids in the family besides me my elder brother Oleg and my younger sister Marija

Pushkin and Our Time
It would be a platitude to say that A. S. Pushkin is the
greatest Russian poet. But I hope no-one is challenging the
view that he occupies an outstanding place in Russian literature
and culture.
Every summer in June, thousands of people visit the Pskov
land. They come here to the village of Mikhailovskoye to the
wonderful festival of poetry, to see the places where he lived
and worked.
Pushkin is always alive for us, he is the man we all know
and love, the greatest of poets. Generations come and go, but
Pushkin still remains. We are all greatful to Pushkin for
each line of his works. Pushkin is not only a great poet for
us. He is the perfect man combining brilliant talent with civil
courage and moral integrity. His name is associated with our
love for the Motherland, and the best in our life.
Hundreds of new concepts, hundreds of new words have
appeared in the language in the years that have passed since
his death, but not a single word of his poetry has become
obsolete. The old forms of life went into the past, but
everything written by Pushkin continues to live. It has not
become something of the past, it does not need any corrections
and hardly needs commentary. His feelings and his views
still correspond to our own feelings and views.
We admire the great world of Pushkin's poetry as a whole,
each of us finding some special lines for himself, lines showing
Pushkin's great and generous heart, his sympathy and respect
for his people. Whatever Pushkin's work we see portrayal of
Russian life, the Russian intellect, the Russian soul, the life of
the Russian land in all epochs, the Russian people. The reader
cannot imagine his inner world without him.
Questions:
1. What place does Pushkin occupy in Russian literature
and culture?
2. What do thousands of people visit every summer?
3. What for do thousands of people come to the village of
Mikhailovskoye?
4. Why is he always alive for us?
5. What are we grateful to Pushkin for?
6. What is A. 8. Pushkin's name associated with?
7. Has poetry by Pushkin become obsolete?
8. What has appeared in our language in the years that
have passed since the poet's death?
9. Does everything written by Pushkin need commentary?
10. What do the poet's feelings and views correspond to?
11. What do we admire?
12. What do the lines of Pushkin's poets show?