These reading comprehension exercises, based on authentic Russian texts, are aimed at developing reading strategies in lower-level students of Russian. The exercises are designed for students reading at the Novice and Intermediate levels as determined by the American Counsel on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Educational Testing Services (ETS). They are meant primarily to develop reading strategies, especially that of activating background knowledge on a given topic. Several recommendations are made on using the exercises: (1) students must learn to live with the frustration of not understanding every word; (2) exercises should be done in class; (3) getting the "right" answer is not the main point of the exercises; (4) give students ungraded feedback in English; (5) intercultural understanding should be encouraged; and (6) the topic should be familiar. The activities presented are the result of a research project and have been created to study the impact of proficiency-oriented materials on instruction and curriculum. They were being used in an immersion teaching situation during their design phase. Topics covered by the exercises include: (1) weather, (2) meetings and greetings, (3) international events, (4) American domestic politics, (5) human interest, (6) school and work, (7) sports, (8) cultural events, (9) consumer goods and services, and (10) films and entertainment. An evaluation form for the instructor is also included. (AB)