Analysis: Russia's Neighbours

I have listened interview with James Rodgers, one of the BBC analysts, who discusses about the quastion: What kind of relationship Russia wants with its neighbours? "neighbours" doesn't mean all of them, James refers on three - Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. He raised this issue, because this time last year long-running tensions between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia erupted into war. Hostilities lasted a matter of days but they resulted in a comprehensive military defeat for Georgia and Russian recognition of the two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

I had an aim to self-assess what skills do I have to listening tasks, especially how I can understand the authentic speech. I have to admit that I still find difficulties in listening tasks. I needed to listen to podcast not once, but I had listened for three times and sometimes, where the vocabulary was hard to recognize, for more for the complete understanding. But I think that it is because of unknown specific words, and when later I recognize them, it becomes easy to understand the clear meaning.

These podcasts not only helped me to realize how well I am ready to pass my English exam, also it fulfilled its main task - gave me a food for thought.