The Summer Garden in St. Petersburg was personally designed by Peter the Great in 1704. It is home to marble statues acquired from Europe especially for Russia's new capital. It was a 13 ______ place for courtly life outside the palace, and balls were held here by the nobility. Russian aristocrats also 14 ______ simply walking in the Garden. In 1777 the Summer Garden was severely damaged by flooding: several statues were destroyed and fountains broken. The surviving statues were moved indoors, while modern replicas 15 ______ their place in the park. A major park 16 ______ was the fountains, the oldest in Russia. The park was chosen by Alexander Pushkin as a setting for childhood walks of the fictional 17 ______
Eugene Onegin. The Summer Garden Park remains one of the most 18 ______ places in St Petersburg.

A. Russia consists of several continental zones. For example, in the north winters are long and harsh, in some places there is lots of snow fall and temperatures fall below –40 degrees Celsius. These winters are normal, not only in the northern regions of the country but even in the Far East. Summers in these areas don’t even see three warm months out of the year.

B. Choose the incredible New Year tours to cold Lapland, which are the perfect combination of comfort and adventure. They are ideal for those who may be new to husky sledding or winter holidays. You will enjoy the beauty of Lapland as you drive your own dog sled team through landscapes including huge mountains, mysterious forests, deserted tundra and frozen lakes.

C. You may not know this, but Finland has a very interesting diversity of local dishes. Fish and meat are important ingredients in some areas, and oats, berries, and milk are common in other regions. An iconic Finnish dish visitors should try, especially in the summer, is “grillimakkara”, which are large grilled sausages eaten with mustard. They are delicious.

D. The New Year is one of the most important holidays on the Russian calendar. New Year in Russia is a time for being together with family and friends, for gift giving, decorating the New Year tree, and watching and setting off fireworks. Midnight is, by tradition, marked by listening to the Russian Federation President’s greeting and Kremlin bells chime.

E. The Siberian Husky is a beautiful dog with a thick coat that comes in a multitude of colours and markings. Their blue or multi-coloured eyes add to the appeal of this breed, which originated in Siberia. It is easy to see why many people are enchanted by the Husky, but be aware that this athletic, intelligent dog can be independent and challenging for first-time dog owners.