A new addition of a textbook that teaches how to speak Russian has made some Russian readers quite upset. The reason for their indignation is not that the book doesn’t teach Russian adequately, but that the stories used to teach the language seem to paint a bad picture of Russian’s in general.
It’s not your typical Dick and Jane type of stories. Rather, the Russian translation has people reading about a crooked cop taking bribes, an unfaithful husband, and a college professor who does drugs.
Russian Citizen’s Feel the Books Are Derogatory
A United Russian lawmaker has spoken out against the books, saying that they kill the soul and create a moronic impression of Russia. The same lawyer has asked for the books to be investigated for what they say about Russia and the Russian people.
The authors of the books though, are not bothered by the investigation, and they have stated that the lawyer has simply misinterpreted the books. For one, the books are intended only for adults, which is clearly shown in the cover, and for two, the passages that talk about drugs, bribes, and cheating husbands are sections in an exercise where readers must pick out the parts that don’t fit or sound wrong.
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