There are two stages of school education in russia: primary education and secondary education. at the age of 6 or 7 russian children go to school. during the first three or four years they get a primary education: they learn to read, write, count, and draw. they also have lessons of music, physical training and handicrafts. unlike england or the u. s. a., in russia primary schools are not, as a rule, separated from secondary schools: we have large schools which combine a primary education department and a secondary education department under one roof. in fact, a typical russian school is actually a secondary school with a primary education department. only in small country places there may be separate primary schools, on finishing which, the pupils pass on to the nearest larger secondary school. the course of secondary education is, in its turn, subdivided into two stages: the first stage, which might be called intermediate, and the second one. the intermediate stage is compulsory and embraces forms from the 5th up to the 9th. during the intermediate stage the pupils get a basic knowledge in the russian language and literature, a foreign language, mathematics, physics, chemistry, history, geography, biology. they also have lessons of music, art and handicrafts. a computer course is also included in the curriculum. on completing the intermediate course of studies, at the age of 14, the pupils may either go to vocational or technical schools, which give a professional training, or stay on at the secondary school for another two years. the curriculum of the last two years offers a wide range of subjects, so that teenagers can choose a course of studies, according to their individual inclinations and abilities. переведите
