In the Epilogue to Book Two, Илья Ильич sets off to Архангельск. Илья Ильич and his students will travel the 1,240 kilometers (770 miles) to the northern port city by train. (You'll find Архангельск on the map of Russia at the back of your textbook. Keep the map handy for this exercise.) If that seems like a long rail journey, just imagine crossing the eight times zones from Моcква to Владивосток on the Транссибирская Железнодорожная Магистраль, or Trans-Siberian Railroad! To learn more about the "Транссиб," point your browser to:

http://www.transsib.ru

1			The first thing we need to know is just how long the Транссиб really is. You'll find the answer by clicking on the link labeled "Рекорды Транссиба" in the horizontal bar near the top of the home page. Scroll down slightly until you find the first numbered item: “Самая протяженная железная дорога на планете.” Scan this item for answers to the following questions, consulting your dictionary only when absolutely necessary: • How long is the Транссиб? In kilometers? In miles? • What is considered its starting point? • Where is the terminus? To see a map of the entire Транссиб route, click on the final word — ‘здесь’ — under point number one. On the following page, a small map is visible at the top of the page. Click on the map to enlarge it. Now click the "back" button twice to return to the “Рекорды Транссиба” page.
2			Scroll down until you find the item devoted to cities ‘вдоль магистрали,’ or ‘on the main line.’ Scan the text under this point and answer the following questions: • How many towns and cities are located along the line? • What are the biggest cities? Find them on the map in the back of your textbook. • How many of the towns have websites?
3			Now click on the link at the end of point number four labeled “Подробнее о городах Трaнссиба.” Scroll about half-way down the next page to find the complete list of villages, towns and cities on the Трaнссиб. All of the names in the list are active links. Click on the link for the city of Иркутск. To the right of the city seal (герб) you learn that Иркутск was founded (основан) in 1661. Its population (население) in 1999 was just over 592,000. It is five hours ahead of Moscow. (As you recall from Chapter 7, Exercise 1, the Russian word for ‘time zone’ is ‘часовой пояс.’ The term ‘поясное время’ contains the same word ‘пояс’ — literally, a belt or band.) The city is located at the 5,185 kilometer mark on the Трaнссиб. Click on the "back" button to return to the complete list. Choose a place you'd like to learn more about and click on the appropriate link. Find answers to the following questions: • When was the city (town, village) founded? • How many hours is it ahead of Moscow? • What is its population? • How far along the Трaнссиб is it located? • Provide one interesting fact from its history. Hint: If you've chosen a settlement that's too small, the link might not provide all of the necessary information. In that case, try again! Links in bold type indicate major cities.
4			Click the “back” button twice to return to the “Рекорды Транссиба” page. Riding the Трaнссиб is probably the best way to appreciate Russia's amazing natural diversity. And one of the natural highlights of the trip is undoubtedly a lake —‘озеро’ — called Байкал. Find the numbered item on the “Рекорды Транссиба” page devoted to this lake. • Байкал is unique (уникальное) for two reasons. What are they? Hint: You'll probably need your dictionary to answer this question, but both answers are contained in a single sentence.
5			To see more of озеро Байкал, scroll to the very top of the page and click on the "Фотогалерея" link. On the next page, click on "Памятники и виды" (Monuments and Views). Finally, click on the link for "Природные виды" (Views of Nature). The photos stored here are listed by kilometers along the Трaнссиб. Good pictures of озеро Байкал start at the 5,294 kilometer mark (not far from Иркутск). • Take a look at the various photos of озеро Байкал and provide a short description of this natural attraction.

А ЧТО ДАЛЬШЕ?

6			For news and information about Russia's entire rail network, visit the website of the Министерство путей сообщения Российской Федерации, or the federal Railways Ministry: http://www.mps.ru Complete information on the Russian rail system can be found on the Российские железные дороги site: http://www.rzd.ru