B1 Russian Stories
Practice intermediate Russian with stories that stretch vocabulary, sentence structure, and inference skills.
Звонок из телефонной будки, которой больше нет
A woman receives mysterious phone calls from a telephone booth that has long since been removed.
Боксёр, которого не выпустили на ринг
A boxer faces a difficult decision when he is told he cannot participate in the most important fight of his career due to a medical condition.
Трещина на байкальском льду
A local girl guides a tourist across the beautiful but dangerous, shifting ice of Lake Baikal.
Виолончель у Белого дома в августе 1991-го
A famous cellist returns to Moscow during the 1991 coup attempt to support the defenders of democracy with his music.
Этюд, который Скрябин сжёг
A young pianist visits Scriabin, only to witness him burn a musical masterpiece he deems insufficient to change the world.
Пельмени, которые лепили молча
A mother and daughter find a way to reconcile while preparing a meal together after a long silence.
Вагон-ресторан на третий день пути
A young woman named Katya, traveling by train to reconcile with her father, meets a stranger in the dining car who helps her find the courage to reconnect.
Приказ об эвакуации, который не подписали
A story about a worker in Pripyat who experiences the slow and fearful delay in the evacuation decision-making process after the Chernobyl disaster.
Ночной базар в Самарканде
A traveler in Samarkand moves beyond the official tourist sites to discover the authentic hospitality and spirit of the city at a night market.
Домовой, которого не позвали в новый дом
A family inadvertently leaves their house spirit behind when moving to a new apartment, leading to strange occurrences until they realize their mistake.
Шайба, которая не пересекла черту
A young hockey player must decide whether to reveal a truth that could cost his team their championship win.
Последний ход в Рейкьявике
A story about the famous 1972 chess match in Reykjavik where Boris Spassky's act of sportsmanship transcended the politics of the Cold War.
Зеркало, которое привезли и не забрали
A mysterious mirror is mistakenly delivered to Anna's apartment, leading her to discover its sentimental connection to her landlord.
Вода из запретного колодца
A young girl named Nadya must overcome an intense personal temptation to save her sick brother using water from a forbidden well.
Плов на сорок человек в незнакомом дворе
A kind man named Aziz steps in to help his neighbor by cooking a traditional plov for a wedding after the original caterer cancels.
1년 늦은 사과
A story about a girl named Alina who receives a long-awaited apology from a former friend who betrayed her trust a year ago.
Пропуск в закрытый город
A young woman navigates bureaucratic hurdles to visit her ailing grandmother in a restricted, closed city.