_ПРАВКА_лексика разг.речи_. _ПРАВКА_лексика разг. Министерство образования и науки
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TEXT 15. Read and translate the text. Be ready to speak on the topic. My Family And Me In my opinion family is one of the most important things in our life. There are four of us in the family: my dad, my mom, my younger sister and me. I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been married for twenty years already. My father Alexander Victorovich is forty-six. He is a businessman. He is tall, handsome, dark-haired, green-eyed and broad-shouldered. He has got many experiences in different spheres of life and it’s very interesting to talk to him. Besides, he has good sense of humour. My father is intelligent, polite and ready to come to help, friendly, very energetic and, what is more important, he is a loving farther. He is always interested in my problems, gives me advice which I try to follow. He is fond of car racing. We spend a lot of time together watching sport competitions and matches on TV. I love my mother not less. Her name is Irina Petrovna. She is forty-five. She is a good-looking, fair-haired and slim woman. She is a lawyer. My mom is a woman of character and taste, well-educated, tactful and honest. She is strict but just. People say that she is always energetic, optimistic and full of common sense. My mother is good at cooking. At free time she visits cooking sites in the internet and spends hours googling new recipes. It’s a kind of relax for her. By the way, she has got a huge collection of recipes. Every weekend she cooks something delicious for us. My sister’s name is Katya. She is a pretty girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Katya is four years younger than me, so she is 13. My sister is a pupil. She does well at school and gets good marks. I think my sister is purposeful, motivated and sociable, but to tell you the truth, she is a bit selfish. Katya is keen on dancing and we all think that she is good at it. When she has free time she listens to music, looks through magazines and communicates with her friends. My mom and my sister have much in common, for example they are both crazy about shopping. And now some words about myself. My name is Kostya. I am 17. I’m in the first year of studies at university now and I enjoy every moment of my student life. I was born on the 29th of March in 1993 in Smolensk under the zodiac sign of Aries. But frankly speaking, I don’t believe that stars influence our character much. As to my appearance, it’s quite ordinary: I am of middle height, slender, my hair is dark, my eyes are grey, so nothing special, I think. Speaking about my character I can say that I’m even-tempered and reserved. But sometimes I can lose my temper and become angry. My mom says I’m stubborn but I disagree with her. Actually, I’m persistent and it’s different, in my opinion. In fact, I’m cheerful and friendly. There are many things that I like and dislike. I like when everything is OK and things are going my way. I like to study because knowledge is useful sometimes. I’m fond of computer. I have got lots of computer games but use computer not only for playing, I surf the net to find useful information, chat with friends and make reports. I dislike talking over the phone. And I hate getting up early. But I’m happy I have more things I like than dislike. UNIT 3. EDUCATION AS IT IS Learn the following words and word combinations Vocabulary List
TEXT 1. Read and translate the text. Make a scheme and speak on the contents. The School System in Great Britain Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children from the age of 5 till 16. Most of them are educated in state schools. But England also has a tradition of independent schooling (private schools). Primary school is the first stage of compulsory education. Schoolchildren attend it for 6 years (from the age of 5 till 11) and study general subjects. Often primary school in the UK is divided into infant school (the first two years) and junior school (the following 4 years). SATS (Standard Assessment Tests) are given at the age of 6, 9 and 13. They are used to show a pupil's progress. SATS results, together with the teacher's assessment are used to stream a child at secondary school. Secondary school lasts for 5 years (from the age of 11 till 16). English secondary schools are mostly comprehensive. They admit pupils of all abilities. The main subjects for all pupils are English, Mathematics and Science. History, Citizenship, Geography, Information and Communication Technology, Art and Design, Design and Technology, Modern Foreign Languages, Music and Physical Education are considered to be foundation subjects. Pupils normally take GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams by the age of 16, but may also choose to work towards the attainment of alternative qualifications, such as the GNVQ (General National Vocational Qualification). At the age of 16 pupils may leave schools and get jobs or continue studying. The term Sixth Form is used to describe the last two years of the schooling system in the UK (from the age of 16 till 18). The most ambitious pupils study three or four main subjects which are necessary to pass A-Levels (Advanced Level Exams) at the age of 18 and prepare themselves for universities. State schools are almost all day schools, holding classes between Mondays and Fridays. The school year normally begins in early September and continues into the following July. The year is divided into three terms of about 13 weeks each. Every state school has its own governing body (a board of governors), consisting of teachers, parents, local politicians, businessmen and members of the local community. Boards of governors are responsible for their school’s main policies, including the recruitment of the staff. A great role is played by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Practically all parents are automatically members of the PTA and are invited to take part in its many activities. Three partners are responsible for the education service: central government – the Department of Education and Science (DES), local education authorities (LEAs), and schools themselves. TEXT 2. Read and translate. Be ready to discuss. Private Education in Great Britain Seven per cent of British schoolchildren go to private schools. They are not run by the government and parents pay for their children to attend them. Most private schools are boarding schools; the children live there during the school year. The most famous private schools have a long history and tradition. It is often necessary to put a child’s name on a waiting list at birth to be sure he or she gets a place. Children of aristocratic and wealthy families often go to the same private school as their parents and grandparents. Eton is the largest and most prestigious public school in Britain. It was founded by King Henry VI in 1440. Lots of famous British people were educated in Eton. Eton is a boarding school where boys live and study away from home. With its combination of excellent teachers and small classes, Eton gives its students a very good education. A personal tutor looks after the progress of every boy. When students leave Eton, they usually go to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Although the college looks old-fashioned, it is very well-equipped and has state-of-the-art laboratories. Every boy has a lap-top computer, and a network connects all classrooms and all boys’ bedrooms to the Internet. The academic year starts at the end of September and has three terms. The year finishes with the exams in early June. Languages are very important at Eton. Every boy takes at least two modern languages chosen from French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Students also study Latin for a year and many choose to study Greek as well. There are about 50 societies and clubs at Eton. Whatever your interest – music, photography, design, astronomy, computing, electronics, stamp collecting, cinema – there will be a club for you. The college has a fantastic art school, a music school with many bands, orchestras and choirs and even its own recording studio. Eton is famous for its theatre. Every third year there is School Play Festival for the performance of new plays written by boys and teachers. As well as acting, writing, and directing, boys build the sets and make lighting and sound effects for the shows. Senior students may take part in military training. Both Prince William and Prince Harry were members of Eton cadet forces. The college is very strong in the area of sports. Students can do 30 different sports including rugby, football, cricket, rowing, hockey, basketball, swimming and many others. The discipline at Eton is very strict and the author Evelyn Waugh once said, ‘anyone who has been to an English public school will feel comparatively at home in prison’. TEXT 3. Read and translate. Be ready to discuss. Higher Education in Great Britain In early centuries Oxford and Cambridge were the only universities in the UK. They were founded in the Medieval period and dominated the British education. By the middle of the 19th century two more universities were formed: the University of London and the University of Durham. After that Redbrick universities were founded in the major industrial cities of England (Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol and Manchester). They were initially established as civic science or engineering colleges and gave mostly technological training for the poorer boys. So the division between Oxbridge and Redbrick universities was a class one. In the middle of the 20th century the so-called Plate Glass Universities were built and universities founded after 1992 are called the New Universities. Higher education in the UK is represented by colleges, institutes and universities. All British universities are private institutions. Institutions vary in size, mission and the range of subjects taught as well as the different concentration on teaching or research. Universities' governing bodies are responsible for the effective management, future strategy, planning and monitoring of the institution. Although they receive financial support from the state, the Department of Education and Science has no control over their regulations, curriculum, examinations, appointment of staff. Students have to pay fees and living costs, but every student may obtain a personal grant from local authorities. It depends on the income of the student’s parents. If the parents do not earn much money, their children will receive a full grant which will cover all the expenses. Students studying for first degrees are known as undergraduates. After three or four years the students will take their finals. Those who pass examinations successfully are given the Bachelors degree: Bachelor of Arts or History or Bachelor of Science. The first postgraduate degree is Master of Arts, Master of Science. Doctor of Philosophy is the highest degree. It is given for some original research work which is an important contribution to knowledge. Open Days are a chance for applicants to see the university, meet students and ask questions. All this will help you decide whether you have made the right choice. TEXT 4. Read and translate the text in order to answer the questions:
Oxbridge Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and the most prestigious universities in Britain. They are known together as ‘Oxbridge’. Lots of prominent British people studied there. Oxford is the oldest of the two. Nobody knows for sure when it was founded but teaching existed in some form in 1096. Cambridge was formed in 1209 by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk. Until the late 19th century only men were allowed to be students at the two universities. Oxbridge today is made up of about 70 independent colleges. Each of them has its name, its coat of arms and its own buildings, including a chapel, a library, a dining hall and rooms for students to live in. Each Oxbridge college has its own staff, known as ‘Fellows’. The Fellows teach the college students either one-to-one or in very small groups (known as ‘tutorials’ in Oxford and ‘supervision’ in Cambridge). This system of teaching is one of the ways in which Oxford and Cambridge differ from other universities. Students also go to lectures that are arranged by the University and are open to all students. There are lots of societies at Oxbridge: debating clubs, drama societies, language, political and cinema clubs. Sport is also a very important part of Oxbridge life. The most famous competition between Oxford and Cambridge is the Boat Race, a rowing race which takes place every year on the River Thames. It’s a popular national event and is shown on TV. TEXT 5. Read the text. Render its contents into Russian. The Open University The Open University offers degrees for people who do not have a formal education and qualifications, or who are older. The OU provides university education to those wishing to get higher education on a part-time and/or distance learning basis, including people with health disabilities (nearly 13,000 OU students have health disabilities). The University has Faculties of Arts; Education & Language Studies; Health and Social Care; Law; Mathematics, Computing and Technology; Science; Social Science; and Business and Law. The OU Business School is the largest provider of MBAs in the UK, producing more graduates than all the rest of the business schools in the UK put together. The OU uses a variety of methods for distance learning, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software and television programmes on DVD. Course-based television broadcasts by the BBC, which started on 3 January 1971, ceased on 15 December 2006. For most modules, students are supported by tutors who provide feedback on their work and are generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by telephone or on the Internet. The OU now produces mainstream television and radio programming aimed at bringing learning to a wider audience. Most of this programming, including series such as Rough Science and "Battle of the Geeks", are broadcast at peak times, while older programming is carried in the BBC Learning Zone. The OU now plans to focus on mainstream programmes. Teaching at the OU has been rated as "excellent" by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The English national survey of student satisfaction has twice put the Open University in first place. The OU offers a large number of undergraduate qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, and Bachelors degrees, based on both level and quantity of study. An OU undergraduate degree requires 300 (or 360 for honours) CATS credits. Students generally do not undertake more than 60 credits per year, meaning that an undergraduate degree will take typically six years to complete. TEXT 6. Read and translate the text. Make a scheme and speak on the contents. Education in the USA Schooling is compulsory for all children in the United States, but the age range from state to state. Compulsory education is provided by public schools, state-certified private schools, and an approved home school program. In most public and private schools, education is divided into three levels: elementary school, middle school (sometimes called junior high school), and high school (sometimes referred to as senior high school). Most children enter the public education system around ages five or six. The American school year traditionally begins at the end of August or the day after Labor Day in September, after the traditional summer recess. Children are assigned into year groups known as grades, beginning with preschool, followed by kindergarten and finishing in twelfth grade. The US uses ordinal numbers (e.g., first grade) for naming grades (In the UK students would use cardinal numbers, e. g. year ten.) The school year ends up usually in late May or early June. After pre-school and kindergarten, there are five years in elementary school. After completing five grades, the student will enter junior high or middle school and then high school to get the high school diploma. Students completing high school may choose to attend a college or university (post-secondary education). Undergraduate and graduate degrees may be associate's degrees (AA, AS) after two year program or bachelor's degrees (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.S.W., B.Eng., B.Phil.) normally after four years of study. Curriculum varies widely depending on the institution. Typically, an undergraduate will be able to select an academic major or concentration, which comprises the main or special subjects, and students may change their major one or more times. Postraduate degrees may be either master's degrees (M.S., M.B.A., M.S.W.) or doctorates (Ph.D., J.D., M.D.). Private institutions are privately funded and there is wide variety in size, focus, and operation. Some private institutions are large research universities, while others are small liberal arts colleges. (AA, AS) – Associate of Arts, Associate of Science (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.S.W., B.Eng., B.Phil.) – Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Philosophy (M.S., M.B.A., M.S.W.) – Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Social Work (Ph.D., J.D., M.D.) – Doctor of Philosophy, Juris Doctor, Doctor of Medicine TEXT 7. Read and translate the text. What university would you choose? American Private Universities Harvard University is an American private Ivy League research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was established in 1636. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the US. It comprises eleven separate academic units – ten faculties and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Some US presidents have been graduates, and more than 70 Nobel Laureates have been student, faculty, or staff members. Harvard is also the alma mater of most American billionaires. The Harvard University Library is the largest academic library in the United States, and one of the largest in the world. Yale University is an American private Ivy League research university located in New Haven, Connecticut. It was founded in 1701. About 50 Nobel Laureates, some US Presidents, several foreign heads of state graduated from this university. Yale Law School is particularly well-regarded and is among the most selective law schools in the US. The official color of the university and its athletic teams is Yale Blue. Yale has an intense athletic rivalry with Harvard traditionally culminating in The Game, although the Harvard–Yale Regatta predates the football game. This rivalry, though, is put aside every two years when the Harvard and Yale Track and Field teams come together to compete against a combined Oxford University and Cambridge University team, a competition that is the oldest continuous international amateur competition in the world. Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. Princeton does not have schools of medicine, law or business, but it does offer professional degrees through the School of Public and International Affairs, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the School of Architecture. Stanford University is an American private research university located in Stanford, California. The university is organized into seven schools including academic schools of Humanities and Sciences and Earth Sciences as well as professional schools of Business, Education, Engineering, Law, and Medicine. Stanford alumni have founded many prominent technology companies including Cisco Systems, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics and Yahoo! Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also known as MIT, is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research. California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private research university located in Pasadena, California. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering. Numerous faculty members are associated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as NASA. Although Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks. TEXT 8. Read and translate the dialogue. Answer the questions below. Going to College in the USA Clerk: Why do you want to enter our college? Have you studied our course catalogue? Foreign Student: Yes, I have. You are a four-year college, and you are state supported. The tuition fee is reasonable. Everything suits me. Then you have a large foreign community. Clerk: Oh, yes, we have foreign students. Have you passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL as it is often called? Foreign Student: Yes, my TOEFL score meets your requirements. Here is my “Score Record”. Do I have to take any entrance examinations? Clerk: Yes, I’m afraid, you do. One of our admission requirements for foreign students is to sit SAT, Scholastic Aptitude Test. Foreign Student: When is it held? Clerk: You should contact our foreign student adviser about it. Foreign Student: Do I qualify for financial assistance? Clerk: Oh, we must study all your papers very carefully first, before we say. By the way, what would you like to major in? Foreign Student: If I enter your college, I would like to major in public finance. Clerk: Generally we offer majors in economics, though there is a course on State and Local Public Services and Finance. But you should read the description of the course, information about departments in our college and curriculum opportunities very carefully to be sure that it is what you need. Foreign Student: Sure, I’ll do it. Clerk: Then, we are very strict about students’ attendance, taking exams, credit tests, writing course papers on time. Foreign Student: If I get accepted it won’t be a problem, I think. What facilities for sport, recreation and entertainment do you offer? Clerk: Not every university can boast of similar facilities. We have a gym, a swimming pool, different students’ clubs. If you pass your SAT and if you become our student, you won’t regret it. Foreign Student: It’s nice to hear it. After I get in touch with the adviser and study the curriculum I’ll contact you again, if you don’t mind. Clerk: Welcome. Foreign Student: Before I leave, may I look around the college? Clerk: Certainly, I’ll show you round. Questions
TEXT9. Read the interview. Answer the questions below. An American View on Russian Education The following is an interview with Professor James J. Hearn who comes from the USA. Mr. Hearn has worked around the world (the USA, South America, Belarus and other places) and he is currently a visiting professor at the Economic Academy and the Moscow International School of Business. - What are the main differences in the systems of education between Russia and the USA? - There is one important difference. In America I feel that students have more opportunity to develop themselves. In Russia many students are intelligent, but they are passive. Russian students are trained not to take initiative. They are good listeners, but most of them are reserved. Last year I had a student, who always took initiative and gave responses to my presentations. And I really appreciated that. Students must be more than just listeners. Education for me is when I present something and then students discuss the topic and share their ideas. - How can you characterize Russian students? - Many Russian students write and think well. For me, an average Russian student writes in English as well as American students do. For example, this year I asked my students to write a paper on the film «A Civic Action». And lots of them wrote some really sophisticated and interesting ones. Russian students are educated really well, but they miss the feeling of openness, as they are taught to study in strict discipline. - Is a foreign professor in Russia restricted in what and how he teaches? - I feel no pressure here, I feel very free. Nobody has ever criticized me or told me how I should teach. However, I know that I’m in another country, so I try to be tactful in presenting issues. When I speak about my or your country, I try to be fair. I give articles to the students that express the reality from different points of views. Every country has its own understanding of some problems, so I try to be intercultural in discussing the issues with my students. - Mr. Hearn, in your opinion, have students changed since your days as a student? - Two things have changed: students today are more worldly – they use the Internet and they know a lot, and the second thing that changed, is that students today have lots of ambitions. Students have many opportunities that, for example, I didn’t have, when I was a student. IT systems are available now and the Internet is very helpful. Students are more global, they have more understanding of cultural differences. - Speaking about yourself, did your university unite students? Did you make a lot of friends then? - In America we make friends wherever we are. Classmates are not as close as they are in Russia. We study subjects by individual choice, so the groups always change. It’s not like in Russia, where students study together in the same group for a few years. So I made relations with different people according to where I was: in Law School, in Oxford (where I studied), in California, in Washington, where I’ve lived for 45 years, and on different foreign internships. - Mr. Hearn, what reforms would you recommend for the Russian system of education? - I’ve been teaching Russian students for 4-5 years and I noticed that the students who have been overseas come back with a different attitude to life. They become more open, ambitious and talkative. So the first thing I would recommend is to develop more democratic process in classes. Russian students need to develop such skills that would help them to compete in their future life, they have to open their creativity up. One Russian professor told me that Russian students don’t know what is happening in the world as they are not getting the updated information. So the second thing I would recommend is to be more global, to give students more information about the world. Questions
TEXT 10. Read and translate the text. Make up 10 questions on its contents. Education in Russia Russia’s higher education system started with the foundation of the universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the middle of the 18th century. The system was constructed similar to that of Germany. The pursuit of higher education was and still is considered to be very prestigious. Russians have always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It’s ensured by compulsory secondary schools, vocational schools and higher education establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarships and grants. Education in Russia is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive. If a pupil of secondary school wishes to go on with education, he or she must stay at school for two more years. Primary and secondary schools together comprise 11 years of study. Every school has a «core curriculum» of academic subjects. After finishing the 9th form one can go on to a vocational school which offers programmes of academic subjects and a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession. After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium, one can go into higher education. All applicants must take competitive exams. Higher education institutions, that is institutes or universities, offer a programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields. Due to great demands of the international educational organizations, the system of education in Russia began to change. Universities began transitioning to a system similar to that of Britain and the USA: 4 years for the Bachelor’s degree and 2 years for a Master’s Degree. The Bachelor’s degree is awarded after defending a diploma project prepared under the guidance of a supervisor and passing the final exams. Holders of the Bachelor’s degree are admitted to enter the Master’s degree programme. Access to this programme is competitive. The Master’s degree is awarded after successful completion of two years’ full-time study. Students must carry out a one-year research including practice and defend a thesis which constitutes an original contribution and sit for final examinations. The programmes are elaborated in accordance with the State Educational Standards which regulate almost 80% of their content. The other 20% are elaborated by the university itself. TEXT 11. Read and translate the text. Be ready to discuss. Speak on the problems of the Russian educational system. Types of Higher Education Institutions in Russia The majority of state institutes of higher education are regulated by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Some of them are regulated by other state Ministries, such as the Ministry of Health Care, the Ministry of Railway Transportation, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of International Affairs and others. Non-state educational institutes can be established institutionally and legally in the forms stipulated by the Russian Federation Laws for non-profit organizations. The majority of them teach humanities, economics, and law – the disciplines that do not require expensive high-tech equipped facilities and big investments. Students at non-state schools need to pay for their education during the whole period of study. There are three main types of higher education institutions in Russia: universities, academies and institutes. All of them realize programmes of undergraduate and graduate professional education.
Universities also conduct fundamental and applied research in a wide spectrum of sciences, while the academies and institutes run their scientific activities in one field of Science or Art. To hold a status of a university or an academy is obligatory to be a leading scientific and methodological centre in the field of your specialization. Institutes mainly offer the professional training. Institutes can also be established as a department of a university or an academy with the aim to conduct autonomic educational or scientific activities. Besides the division into universities, academies and institutes, state licensing and accreditation are the most important characteristics of any institute of higher education. State license gives the permission to offer educational services. That means that an institution has enough well-equipped space, which will allow teaching an appropriate number of students; that it has well-educated and trained staff. The document is issued by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Every branch of the institute of higher education needs to get state license separately from the head institution. TEXT 12. Read and translate. Give a summary of the text. Moscow State University Lomonosov Moscow State University is the oldest and the most prestigious university of Russia. Moscow University was founded in 1755 on Saint Tatiana’s Day at the decree of the Empress Elizaveta and on the initiative of the great Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. The day of Moscow University’s foundation is celebrated as the Students’ Day in Russia. Started with three faculties in 1755, Moscow State University nowadays offers education in numerous faculties and research training in a number of institutes. Many of its graduates and professors had become Nobel Prize winners and are considered world famous scientists. According to all private and governmental surveys, Lomonosov Moscow State University is the leading national educational establishment. It is internationally recognized and ranked among the top ten in the world. The University has been providing a means for the people from all over the world to learn about the latest advances in sciences, humanities and medicine for about 250 years. The total number of university students including post-graduates exceeds 30 000. Currently it hosts about 3 000 students from about 100 countries. The university teachers and professors are highly qualified and world recognized for their achievements in modern sciences. Many educational programmes are carried out in close-cooperation with research institutes of the university and the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main building of the university is world famous for its exceptional architecture and size. The university campus located in one of the most beautiful parts of Moscow supplies the students with all necessary facilities: lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, dining halls, dormitories, movie theatre, conference hall, post office, clinics, pharmacy and various shops. It includes 12 training halls, 2 swimming pools, baseball and football stadiums, tennis courts and other sport facilities. The university closely cooperates with the leading international organizations including UNESCO and The World Bank. The University is a member of various international associations and has concluded more than 350 exchange, research and cooperation agreements with universities on all continents. Many outstanding scholars, public and state leaders of the world have been elected Honorary Professors and Doctors of the University. Among them are J. Goethe, German thinker and novelist, the first prime-minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton. Moscow State University provides a wide range of educational services and educational programmes. It has established modern programmes in all basic areas of research and education. The educational system of the University is designed to give a student deep understanding of fundamental disciplines combined with specialization in the applied and concrete scientific problems. Almost all programmes at the University are delivered in the Russian language. However, some graduate and training programmes are conducted in foreign languages. TEXT 13. Read and translate the text. Make up its plan. Be ready to speak on it. History of Technical Education in Russia Russia has contributed significantly to engineering education internationally. Engineering education in Russia started with the foundation of the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences in Moscow in accordance with Tsar Peter the Great's Decree dated 27 January 1701 (new style). The total number of students at the School was defined as 500, but at times went up to 700 persons. The School taught mathematics, geodesy, sea sailing, cartography, astronomy and a number of other engineering and technical subjects. It was soon placed in the building of Sukharev Tower, which incorporated special laboratories equipped for practical studies and an observatory. By the time of establishment, the School was the first and the biggest educational institution in Europe of its type. Soon after the Navigational School, the Artillery-Engineering School was organized (1701). In 1703, the Moscow Engineering School was formed, then the St Petersburg Engineering School in 1713. The Mining College was founded in St. Petersburg in 1733, which was equal in status to academies. Since the beginning of the 19th Century, the process of establishing higher technical schools in Russia continued, although the process went on at an extremely slow pace. In 1828, The St Petersburg Practical Technological Institute was founded, which was followed in 1830 by the Moscow Handicraft Education Institution for preparation of skilled workmen with theoretical knowledge. The preparation of highly qualified technical specialists was carried out at professional higher educational institutions. The first to start such preparation of engineers were: the Mining Technological Institute; the Practical Technological Institute; and the Kharkov Technological Institute. One characteristic of most of the higher technical educational institutions was their multi-profile nature. They mostly had four departments: mechanical, chemical, engineering-construction and economics. The end of the 19th Century and the beginning of 20th Century were characterized by establishing a number of higher technical educational institutions: the Moscow Engineering College, the Kiev and Warsaw Polytechnic Institutes, the Yekaterinoslavl Higher Mining College, the Tomsk Institute of Technology, and the Electro-technical Institute in St Petersburg, the Petersburg Polytechnic Institute. After the 1917 revolution, and during the industrialization of the country, especially after the war, higher engineering education in Russia developed at a very fast rate. At the beginning of the 1960s, some of the best higher technical engineering schools of the world were established in Russia. The quality of higher engineering education in Russia was, and still is, acknowledged all over the world. Recent advances have led to the formation of a technical university in Russia, which is a centre of science, education and culture that realizes mostly fundamental research and professional training, generally for scientific and technical activities in a wide spectrum of directions and specialties. TEXT 14. Read and translate the text. Learn new words. Speak on the topic. The Smolensk Branch of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute (National Research University) The Smolensk Branch of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute (National Research University) was founded in 1961. It is the main university in the Smolensk region in the field of power engineering, electrical and thermal engineering, electronics and nanoelectronics, optical techniques, technological machines and equipment, computer science, economics and management. To enter the institute you have to undergo entrance examination or you can be admitted according to the results of the state examinations on the school-leaving certificate. The university offers a Bachelor’s degree programme (the first and basic level of higher education) which lasts for at least 4 years of full-time study, and a Master’s degree programme (the second level of higher education) which lasts for 2 more years of education. The programmes include professional and special courses in Science, Humanities and Social economic disciplines, professional training, completion of a research paper/project and passing of State final exams. The teaching staff of National Research University consists of professors, highly qualified lecturers and assistants. The academic year is divided into two terms. During the studying process the students attend lectures and classes and do laboratory work. After each term students examinations and if they pass them successfully they get a grant. During the first two years there is a common curriculum for most majors. Specialization usually begins in the third year of studies. The institute today is a unity of educational and scientific laboratories supplied with modern equipment, control and measuring systems, technical means of education. In addition, it has a large scientific and technological library. Scientific conferences held at the university broaden students’ outlook and enrich knowledge in modern trends and recent developments. There are also facilities for sport, recreation and entertainment. Students have a chance to compete in athletics and football, participate in voluntary groups and different students’ clubs. Nobody doubts that these days the progress in the world depends on the progress in education, higher education in particular. Students of the Smolensk Branch of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute acquire good knowledge, obtain prestigious diplomas to get higher wages and advancement in future. TEXT 15. Read and translate the opinions. Share your view on the problem. How to Cope with Exams For many students, the run-up to important exams is a stressful time. Students explain how they cope. Student A Revising for exams can be really tiring, so I try to stay alert by drinking cups of coffee while I’m studying. But the most important thing for me is to make sure I sleep well the night before an exam. I need at least eight hours a night to feel really awake the next day. Before I go to sleep, I put on a CD or read a book. Student B For me the best way to stay on top of things during exams is not to worry too much and to take time off from revision. Some people give up everything to spend their time studying, but I don’t actually think this helps you to do any better. I still meet up with my friends while exams are on. As well as that, I do a lot of exercise and I make sure I have a good work-out the night before an exam. Student C I tend to panic in exams, so I have learnt that the best way to cope is to watch the time carefully throughout the exam. I plan how much time I will need for each question, and keep an eye on the clock to see how I am doing. I never tackle a question until I have thought about it, and made some rough notes on the answer. I ignore people who are writing fast. When I see them I start to panic. Student D I get very stressed about exams a long time before they happen, and I have always wished I had more time to study. In the past, I have found that I got lower marks than I could have got because I spent time worrying, not studying. So now, I talk things over with my parents and teachers. They often give very good advice, as they have been through it all before, and it helps to get all my anxieties into the open. I’d rather do this than waste a lot of valuable revision time worrying about everything. Student E During exams, I avoid all those negative people who are completely stressed out and wish they had done more work. The night before an exam, I go out with my friends – I don’t believe in last-minute revision. We usually go for a walk, or go round to someone’s house, order a pizza and watch a good video, preferably a comedy. It’s important to laugh a lot, and see the funny side of things when there is so much hard work to do the next day. When I go to bed, I simply glance through my notes one more time, and this helps me to feel ready for anything the next day! Student F I know that I can only concentrate for a limited time, so I stop every hour or so for 10 minutes during my revision sessions. Even if I were the world’s greatest genius, I would start getting tired after an hour or so. I may go for a walk or just think about something else to take my mind off exams. After that, it’s much easier to go back to my books. I think it’s also important to avoid drinking lots of strong coffee, because it tends to increase my anxiety, so I drink lots of fruit juice or mineral water. |