In the video, the characters approach Сергей Петрович and complain about the numerous imperfections of their apartments. Help профессор Петровский find a better home! This time, however, you are choosing not just another apartment but a дача, the traditional "summer cottage" many Russians own or rent in the suburbs of big cities. Visit the home page of a company that specializes in dacha construction:

http://www.m-dom.ru

1			At the bottom of the page you’ll see three categories of buildings designed and built by this company. Under which heading will you find photographs and/or designs for cottages or dachas? What is the Russian word for ‘cottage’?
2			Click on the first two links in this category and try to identify the difference between them. What do the words ‘дерево’ and ‘кирпич’ in the names of these links refer to?
3			Now compare the first two categories to the third one. As far as you can tell, what is the difference between a ‘cottage’ and a дачный дом (дачный is, as you probably guessed, an adjective derived from ‘дача’)?
4			Thus far you’ve only been looking at pictures of houses that have already been built. What link, might lead you to a page with designs and blueprints for buildings that have not yet been constructed? Judging from the title of that link, what is the Russian word for [architectural] design or blueprint? Follow that link. Browse through these designs and pick two that you think are better than the designs which have already been built (and the pictures of which you have seen). What do you think makes these better?
5			Of the designs you have thus far seen on the website, what two would you recommend to Professor Petrovsky? Before you make your decision, you might want to check out the link to the most popular designs (“самые популярные”) from the home page. \Remember that the Professor is single and does not need an extravagant building; however, he might need one or two of the constructions listed in the subcategory “бани” (traditional Russian bathhouses; you’ll learn more about these in online activities for Book 2) and “малые формы.” Justify your choices!
6			What дача (whether already built or only planned) would you pick for yourself? Why?
7			А ЧТО ДАЛЬШЕ? For more information about the ins and outs of housing and daily living in Russia visit these sites (which contain information both in Russian and in English): http:// www.domkuhni.ru http:// www.vashdom.ru