This is What Russian Students Memorize to Learn English

Still. Even after people who know living English came here to live.


Are the birds in the box?
Yes the birds are in the box.
Now take the monkeys and give them to me, please.
Are the crocodiles on the table?


This is a 1996 textbook. I am sure there is a method to their madness. But why - why! - do the children have to memorize this?


The bear's white.
The bird's blue.
The dog's black.
The puppy's, too.

I don't even know what that last sentence means.