Strong: This must refer to… / This has to be… “Description... must refer to ...
Negative strong: This can’t/cannot be… “Given the dates, this cannot be ...
Medium: This could/may/might be… “The ... .... might be ...
B. Modals of deduction (past references)
It must have been… / It may/might have been… / It can’t have been… “The ... must have been Ivan III’s centralization.”
Evidential / inferential frames
C. Reason–evidence starters
Given that… / In light of… / Considering… / Judging by… “Given that it mentions baronial pressure in 1215, it must be.../i>
On the evidence of… / On the strength of… / From the detail that… “On the evidence of tribute collection, it points to ...
D. Result/logic verbs and phrases
It follows that… / This suggests/indicates/implies that… / It stands to reason that… “The shift to bicameralism suggests that this is ...
Clefts & pseudo-clefts (emphatic guessing)
>E. Clefts
What we’re likely seeing here is…
It’s … that we’re dealing with. “What we’re likely seeing here is the Wars of the Roses consolidating ...
F. Pseudo-clefts
What points me to X is (the fact that)… “What points me to Kulikovo is the reference to ...
Inversion for emphasis [k1]
G. Negative/limiting adverbials
Only then did… / Not until… did… / Rarely/Seldom/Never has… “Not until 1480 did Moscow throw off Horde suzerainty—so this must be ... [k1]
H. Conditional inversion
Were it not for… / Had it not been for… / Should this be the case,… “Had it not been for ..., we wouldn’t have Magna Carta—hence the match.” [k1]
Hedging & stance (academic tone)
I. Hedges
Arguably / Presumably / Conceivably / Plausibly / To all appearances “Arguably, the mention of lay taxation points to Parliament.”
J. Tentative stance phrases
I am inclined to think… / I take this to be… / I would tentatively assign this to… “I am inclined to think this is the rise of Moscow.”
Passive, nominalization & compact academic style
K. Passive inference
It is to be associated with… / It is best read as… / It is likely to refer to… “The removal of the veche bell is best read as Muscovite centralization.”
L. Nominalizations
This description invokes/denotes/evokes/entails… / The reference to X indicates…
III. Britain vs Rus (Late Middle Ages) — Matching DnD
Baronial pressure compelled King John to accept that royal power was limited by law, laying down early constitutional principles.
2
Assemblies with knights and burgesses evolved into a Parliament with growing roles in taxation and legislation, constraining the crown.
3
Prolonged conflict with France fostered English identity and drove fiscal-military reforms (taxation, provisioning, administration).
4
Dynastic strife ended with the Tudors; Henry VII curtailed magnate retinues and tightened royal control, consolidating monarchy.
5
Common law courts, routinized taxation, and a professional bureaucracy provided durable institutional foundations.
Rus (Late Middle Ages)
6
After the invasions, Rus’ principalities paid tribute; census and levy practices later shaped Muscovite administrative centralization.
7
Moscow leveraged grand-princely patents, tribute collection, marriages, purchases, and the metropolitan’s move (1325) to ascend.
8
Dmitry Donskoy’s victory over Mamai became a symbol of unity and resistance, despite subsequent Horde pressure.
9
Ivan III’s refusal to pay tribute culminated in a standoff that ended Horde suzerainty, marking a watershed of independence.
10
Annexations (Novgorod 1478; Tver 1485), Byzantine symbolism via Sophia Palaiologina, and the title “Sovereign of all Rus’” anchored autocracy.
Total Questions: 0
Incorrect Answers: 0
IV. [ВОШ, Высшая Проба Ломоносов, Евразийская, ДВИ МГУ] Write a paragraph on the governmental styles of Britain vs those of Rus’ (Late Middle Ages)
A paragraph summary is a short piece of writing, usually one paragraph long, that gives the main idea and the most important details of a longer text. It leaves out extra examples, keeping only the essentials.
How to build it? I recommend the following template with examples based on the famous Little Red Riding Hood tale.
📌Sentence 1 – Topic Sentence (main idea) The fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood tells the story of a young girl who is sent to visit her grandmother.
📌Sentence 2 – Supporting Points (2–3 sentences) On her way, she meets a wolf who tricks her into revealing the grandmother’s address. The wolf eats the grandmother and disguises himself to deceive the girl. In the end, a huntsman saves them both.
📌Sentence 3 – Concluding Sentence (overall significance) Overall, the tale warns children about the dangers of trusting strangers.
Task. Using the matched headings and descriptions, describe the principal difference between the British and the Rus’/Muscovite governmental styles/structures by c. 1500. Explain how each polity’s path to statehood shaped:
(i) the locus of authority (e.g., parliamentary checks vs. princely autocracy),
(ii) control over taxation and the army, and
(iii) the role of law and religion in political legitimacy.
Support both sides with at least two pieces of evidence from the set. Your paragraph should consist of approx 100 words.
Provide explanation, background, or clarification.
Expand the main idea with reasoning or analysis. Example: “It devastated urban populations, reducing entire neighbourhoods to silence and emptiness.”
3. Evidence / Illustration
Use facts, examples, quotations, or literary references. Example: “Boccaccio, in The Decameron, portrays young Florentines fleeing the plague-ridden city, seeking refuge in the countryside.”
4. Commentary / Interpretation
Show why the evidence matters.
Link it to the argument or theme. Example: “Such accounts highlight how the plague not only caused physical suffering but also reshaped social interactions and moral perspectives.”
5. Concluding / Transition Sentence
Round off the paragraph.
Link to the next idea or paragraph. Example: “Thus, the Black Death was more than a health crisis; it was a catalyst for cultural transformation.”
Modals of deduction: must/can’t/could/might (have) + V
Evidential frames: Given that…, Judging by…, It follows that…
Contrastives: By contrast, Unlike, Whereas
Emphasis (cleft/inversion): What chiefly explains… is… / Not until… did…
Model stems: “Given that Parliament controlled taxation, this must point to a constrained monarchy; by contrast, tribute collection and annexations imply autocratic consolidation.”
Your response
Write: 30:00
III. [ВОШ регион] Using the information from Exercise I, write a formal proposal for events at your school dedicated to the liberation of Rus’ from the Mongol–Tatar yoke.”
Time: 60 minutes
Task
As a member of the student leadership club, you have been asked to submit a formal proposal to the school administration for a school-wide commemoration highlighting the liberation of Rus’ from Mongol–Tatar rule and the fostering of friendship and mutual understanding between the descendant communities.
Your proposal must include:
an introduction;
descriptions of three activities (purpose, audience, resources, timing);
an explanation of how these activities connect historical developments to present-day civic learning;
an explanation of their benefits for students and staff (e.g., educational value, engagement, inclusivity, feasibility);
a conclusion.
Write 200–250 words. Provide a title and subheadings. Do not copy wording from this task; express the ideas in your own words.
Elements: Tiles with Russian words of Turkic origin and common Tatar loanwords; QR codes to student-recorded audio (pronunciation + brief etymology); “add your word” station.
Logistics: Printed tiles, QR links to mp3s, two student curators (RU/Tatar).
Elements: Small portions of echpochmak, chak-chak, blini, etc.; story cards (“This dish in my family…”); halal/veg labels; a 10-minute joint cooking demo.
Logistics: Food safety sign-off; bilingual labels; 2 hosts from each community.
“Veche × Kurultai” — dialogue circle
Aim: model respectful deliberation traditions together.
Format: Facilitated roundtable.
Elements: Brief intro to veche and kurultai norms; mixed small groups solve a shared school issue; reflection notes posted to a “consensus tree.”
Elements: Two “banks” (panels) labeled “Past” and “Future”; students write messages of respect/collaboration on slats/ribbons and physically “span” them to form a bridge.
Elements: Large map with threads for trade/migration/learning routes; QR micro-docs (1–2 min) on moments of cooperation; student guides.
Logistics: Printed map vinyl, string/pins, short videos hosted on school site.
“Grandparents’ Bench” — oral-history booth
Aim: humanize history via lived memory.
Format: Recording nook.
Elements: Invite elders from both communities; students record 3–4 minute stories (“What cooperation looked like in my youth”); compile a 10-minute school podcast episode.
Elements: Panels combining Tatar ornamental patterns and Russian folk motifs; students paint paired segments that interlock; short labels explaining symbols.
Logistics: Primed boards, safe paints, art teacher oversight.
Quick add-ons (lightweight, high impact)
Peace pledge wall (bilingual).
Joint music mini-set (Tatar & Russian folk pieces) followed by a mixed ensemble number.
“Words of goodwill” postcard exchange between classes.
Safeguards & inclusivity
Co-design with local Tatar/Russian cultural groups; bilingual signage; halal/veg options; brief facilitator script to avoid stereotyping; opt-in photos with consent.
Measuring impact (simple)
Entry/exit 3-question attitude slip (anonymized).
Tally of cross-group interactions (sign-ups/pairings).
Reflection wall: “One thing I learned / one bridge I can build.”