английский / 2 Школы России

I. Read the text.

Schooling in the Russian Federation

General Information

In the Russian Federation the school education is compulsory. Pupils begin to go to school at the age of six or seven. When they complete senior grades they can continue to study at school for 2 more years, or go to a professional school where they study not only main subjects, but are able to learn some profession. When pupils leave school they can try to continue their education in institutes or universities. Compulsory education refers to a period of educational attendance required of all students. The period of compulsory education is often determined by the student’s age.

Eleven-year secondary education in Russia is compulsory since September 1, 2007. Until 2007, it was limited to nine years with grades 10-11 optional; federal subjects of Russia could enforce higher compulsory standard through local legislation within the eleven-year federal program. Moscow enacted compulsory eleven-year education in 2005, similar legislation existed in Altai Krai, Sakha and Tyumen Oblast.

There are many types of schools in Russia: specialized, polytechnic, musical, art, gymnasiums, lyceums, and others. The public educational system in our country includes pre-school, general school, specialized secondary and higher education.

Pre-school consists of nurseries and kindergartens. Pre-school education isn't compulsory – children can get it at home.

Compulsory education is for children from 6(7) to (16)17 years of age.

The main link in the system of education is the general school which prepares the younger generation for life in modern production. There are various types of schools: general secondary schools, schools specializing in a certain subject, high schools, and lyceums and so on. Tuition in most of them is free of charge, but some new types of schools are fee-paying. The term of study in a general secondary school is 11 years and consists of primary, middle and upper stages. At the middle stage of a secondary school the children learn the basic laws of nature and society at the lessons of History, Algebra, Literature, Physics and many others.

After the 9th and 11th forms pupils have to pass Unified State Examinations. Pupils, who finish the general secondary school, receive a secondary education certificate, giving them the right to enter any higher educational establishment.

compulsory [kəm'p۸lsri] – обязательное

determine [dı'tз:ınd] – определять

legislation [ledзı'sleı∫n] – законодательство

Primary Education

Nowadays children in Russia begin their school career at the age of 6 or 7. Primary Education lasts from the 1st to the 4th forms (4 years of studying). The goal of Primary Education is to give basic knowledge and skills necessary for usual life: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Technology. Besides required subjects at school there are such subjects as Music, Physical Training, Drawing, Dancing, Arts. Nowadays at all schools in Russia pupils begin studying a foreign language at the second form. Until 2005 Foreign Languages were taught at a primary school only at specialized schools.

There is only one primary school teacher in a class who is responsible for pupils and teaches almost all subjects except Physical Training and Music. There is an only classroom where all the subjects are taught except the subjects which need special equipment. There are 3 or 4 classes a day. Since1995 pupils of the first grade study 5 days a week at all schools in our country.

Secondary Education (the Main Course)

Schoolchildren begin secondary education (the main course) from the 5th grade and study till the 9th grade. The main course of secondary school gives students basic knowledge in some major directions of science. Tuition deals with a standard subject-classroom system: each subject is taught by a teacher who is a specialist in one of school disciplines. The teacher has his own classroom so students come to the classroom themselves. Besides, there is a grade teacher (advisor) who is one of school teachers. The grade teacher is responsible for his class and solves administrative and organizing problems deal with pupils’ studying, bringing-up, maturation and out-of-class activities.

There are about 20 subjects at a secondary general school. Among them there are History, Algebra, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Russian, Literature, Geography, Foreign Language, Music, Technology, and Physical Training. There are 5-6 classes a day.

At the end of the 9th grade pupils must pass exams in Algebra, Russian, and two selected subjects. Then students receive “Certificate of General Secondary Education”. After that, students can continue their education in the senior forms (10th and 11th forms). Others can enter colleges, and professional institutions.

discipline ['dısəplın] – дисциплина

maturation [mæt∫u'reı∫n] – достижение полного возраста

certificate [sə'tıfıkәt] – аттестат

Senior Forms

The two last years of studying are the last stage of a secondary education. Senior forms (10th and 11th forms) prepare students for higher educational establishments. Students continue to study the subjects they studied at the middle stage of secondary school and some new subjects.

At the end of the 11th form students take Unified State Examinations. Pupils must pass Mathematics and Russian. Taking USE in other subjects is not required. As a rule, students choose to take the exams in subjects they need to enter the faculty of the university they have chosen.

Until 2009 school graduates could receive golden medals if they had excellent marks in all subjects. They could receive silver medals if they had excellent marks in almost all subjects and one good mark. Such students had privileges when entered higher educational establishments. Since 2009 pupils in Russia have to take Unified State Examinations. The privileges had lost a sense and were abolished. Nowadays graduates are able to receive medals but only to have a moral satisfaction.

After passing USE graduates receive Certificate of Full Secondary Education. There are the marks in all school subjects.

II. Read the 1^st part of the text (“General Information”) again and complete the sentences choosing the right variant (a, b, or c).

1. Pupils begin to go to school…

a …at the age of sixteen or seventeen.

b …at the age of six or seven.

c …at the age of sixty or seventy.

2. When they complete senior grades they can…

a …repeat some years if they need better results.

b …continue their education in institutes or universities.

c …continue to study at school for 2 more years, or go to a professional school.

3. Pre-school education…

a …is compulsory.

b …is voluntary.

c …is useless.

4. Tuition in most of schools…

a …is free of charge.

b …is fee-paying.

c …is expensive.

5. After the 11th form pupils …

a ...may cheat in Unified State Examinations.

b …don’t have to pass Unified State Examinations.

c …mustn’t fail Unified State Examinations to enter any higher educational establishment.

III. Read the 2^nd part of the text (“Primary Education”) again and complete the sentences by rearranging the letters in capitals to form a word, as in the example.

1. Nowadays children in Russia begin their school career at the age of 6 or 7. EARCER

2. Primary ……… lasts from the 1st to the 4th forms (4 years of studying). tucdaiEon

3. The goal of Primary Education is to give basic ……….. and skills necessary for usual life: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Technology. enokedlwg

4. Besides ……… subjects at school there are such subjects as Music, Physical Training, Drawing, Dancing, and Arts. rqreiued

5. Nowadays at all schools in Russia pupils begin studying a foreign ………… at the second form. aelagugn

6. Until 2005 …………... Languages were taught at a primary school only at specialized schools. rFoigen

7. There is only one primary school ……….in a class who is responsible for pupils and teaches almost all subjects except Physical Training and Music. etecahr

8. There is an only classroom where all the ………. are taught except the subjects which need special equipment. cusjsebt

9. There are 3 or 4 classes a day. Since 1995 …….. of the first grade study 5 days a week at all schools in our country. lpuisp

IV. Read the 3^rd part of the text (“Secondary Education (the Main Course)”) and the 4^th part of the text (“Senior Forms”) again.

The following suffixes are used to form different parts of speech.

Nouns -ment; -ness; -sion; -tion; -ty; -al; -ance

Adjectives -ful; -ic; -able; -ous; -y; -ive; -al;

Verbs -ize/ise

The words in the charts below have all appeared in your previous texts.

Use your dictionary to find the other parts of speech, and mark the stress.

Noun	Verb	Noun	Adjective
direction			professional
	select	education
maturation			responsible
attendance		science
establishment			administrative
legislation			vocational

V. Read the whole text again. Find words or phrases in the text with the following meanings.

1. final (part 1)

2. an organization, a large institution (part 1)

3. to do an exam or a test (part 2)

4. to achieve the required standard in an exam, a test (part 2)

5. to get or accept something that is given to you (part 3)

6. extremely good (part 3)

7. a number that is given to show the standard of somebody for answering something correctly (part 4)