| A | B |
|---|
| fossil fuel | oil, natural gas, and coal, which are an important part of the world's energy supply |
| infrastructure | system of roads and railroads that allow the transport of materials |
| permafrost | permanently frozen lower layers of soil found in the tundra and subarctic climate zones |
| pollutant | chemicals and smoke particles that cause pollution |
| smog | thick haze of smoke and chemicals |
| softwood | wood of evergreen trees, often used in buildings or making furniture |
| taiga | large coniferous forests |
| autonomy | having independence from another country |
| Cold War | period from 1947-1991, when the US and Soviet Union engaged in a power struggle for world influence but did not fight each other |
| collectivization | small farms combined into huge state-run enterprises |
| communist state | country whose government has strong control over the economy and society as a whole |
| coup | action in which a group of individuals seize control of a government |
| czar | title given to the emperors of Russia's past |
| glasnost | openness |
| missionary | person who moves to another area to spread his or her religion |
| nationalism | feelings of affection and loyalty towards one's country |
| oral tradition | folk tales and other stories that are preserved by being remembered and spoken |
| perestroika | restructuring |
| serf | farm laborer who could be bought and sold along with the land |
| decree | order issued by the president of Russia that has the force of law |
| deposit insurance | government plan that promises to repay people who deposit their money in a bank if the bank should go out of business |
| heavy industry | manufacture of goods such as machinery, mining equipment, and steel |
| light industry | manufacture of consumer goods such as clothing, shoes, furniture, and household products |
| middle class | part of society that is neither very rich nor very poor but has enough money to buy cars, new clothing, electronics, and luxury items |
| oligarch | member of a small ruling group that holds great power |
| pensioner | person who receives regular payments from the government because they are too old or sick to work |
| privatization | transfer of ownership of businesses from the government to individuals |
| separatist movement | campaign by members of an ethnic group to break away from the national government and form an independent state |
| underemployment | situation that arises when a worker must take a job that requires lesser skills than he or she was trained for |
