4. Make up word-combinations; mind the prepositions:

to have a profound effect	by	the higher education system
to be reorganized	for	the 19^th century
to be	in	the age of 18
to be followed	at	university degrees
to study	on	the federal university
to be founded	before	universities
to go on to higher education	into	cultural conditions

4. Answer the following questions:

1. How many universities are there in the UK? 2. How many students are in the higher education system nowadays? 3. Does the number of “mature” students decrease? 4. There are 4 main categories of the UK universities, aren’t there? 5. What are the main classes of the UK universities? 6. Why are British universities so highly regarded? 7. What are the most famous British universities? 8. What research institutions are considered to be the best by academicians all over the world?

A – 2

1. Read the following words; mind their pronunciation:

Bachelor [bl], Master [ma:st], Doctorate [dktrt], sandwich [snwd], graduate [grdjut], honour [n].

2. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents stating differences in meaning of the English and Russian words, if any:

subject, start, physics, philosophy, object, dissertation, candidate, focus.

3. Translate the following family words:

graduate – undergraduate – postgraduate, major – majority, to complete – completion, tradition - traditional – traditionally, special – to specialize, to start – start, possible – possibility.

4. Remember the following words:

option – выбор, право выбора

1. There are many options to those who are willing to work hard. 2. They did not leave him much option.

flexibility – гибкость

1. I like the flexibility of my working hours. 2. You can increase your flexibility by exercising.

opportunity – возможность

1. It is a good opportunity to visit Moscow. 2. I’ve been offered an opportunity to work in Great Britain. 3. Universities offer a lot of opportunities to school-leavers.

5. Skim the text and put down the degrees awarded in the UK; be ready to say at what level they are awarded and give examples:

A graduate

UNIVERSITY DEGREES IN GREAT BRITAIN

There are 3 types of university degrees in the UK: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate. The majority of undergraduate programs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last 3 years. Students receive Bachelor’s degree upon its completion. Degrees in these countries are shorter than the traditional four-year degrees in the USA because students specialize in a subject area at the start of their degree.

There are a few options to combine two related courses (such as European history and French or physics and philosophy). One can take a combined honours degree¹ which allows for study of two objects with a focus given to one, or a joint honours degree, which allows for study of two subjects given equal focus.

In Scotland there are options to do a four-year degree. It is connected with sandwich courses² which include a year of work experience. They afford students more flexibility in choosing courses. Most universities in Scotland allow students to study in a range of courses for up to two years before coming to one specialized subject which also takes two years. So students can choose how long to study – three or four years. Upon completion of the 3-4 year undergraduate course students are awarded Bachelor’s degree (BA – Bachelor of Arts, BSC – Bachelor of Science, BENG – Bachelor of Engineering, BL – Bachelor of Law etc.).

Having received Bachelor’s degree students have an opportunity to continue their education at the graduate level. At this level, a taught Master’s degree normally is earned in a single year and a research Master’s degree takes two years. The most popular Master’s degrees are M.Phil. (Master of Philosophy), M.Sc. (Master of Science) and M.Jur. (Magister Juris).

As a rule, students awarded Master’s degree go further and do the postgraduate course. This course allows the students the possibility to be awarded Doctor’s degree. Students do research for 2-3 years, write and defend a dissertation. After that the candidates receive PhD Degree or Doctoral. There are D.Sc. – Doctor of Science, D.C.L. – Doctor of Civil Law, D. Lett. – Doctor of Letters and many other Doctor’s degrees.

Notes:

¹honours degree - почётная степень

²sandwich courses – курс обучения, перемежающийся с практикой

A – 3

1. Read the following proper names; mind their pronunciation:

Christ Church [krast ], Hugh Balsham [hju: blm], Bishop of Ely [bp v i:l], Desiderius Erasmus [dezders rzms], Roger Bacon [rd bekn], Milton [mltn], Oliver Cromwell [lv krmwl], Newton [nju:tn].

2. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents stating differences in meaning of the English and Russian words, if any:

scholar, charter, date, denomination, permanent, private, physicist, poet, soldier, collective, reason, combination, character, religious, to produce, politician, figure, collegiate, philosopher, system, cooperative, separate, academic, culture, idea, to invest, individual, induction, post.

3. Analyse the structure of the following words:

collectively, relatively, heavily, characteristic, accommodation, development, constituent, combination, self-governing.

4. Scan the text and find English equivalents to the Russian word-combinations:

выдающиеся учёные, знаменитые личности, университетская система, входящие в его состав колледжи, обсуждать различные научные теории, поддержка в улучшении условий проживания и оказание материальной помощи, орган управления, занимать университетскую должность, учебные аудитории, первый устав университета, колледжи с системой самоуправления, величественная часовня, лучший пример английской архитектуры XV века.

Oxford. Christ Church College

OXBRIDGE

Oxford and Cambridge, the two ancient universities of Great Britain are collectively known as Oxbridge. The reason for such combination is that the two universities share many characteristics. Both were founded more than 750 years ago, both have produced a large number of Britain’s most prominent scientists, writers and politicians, as well as noted figures in many other fields. Moreover they both share a similar collegiate system, whereby the University is a “cooperative” of its constituent colleges.

Each college is a separate unit having its own name and coat of arms. Each college is governed by a Master. The larger ones have more than 400 members, the smallest colleges have less than 30. Each college offers teaching in a wide range of subjects and enables leading academics and students of different year groups and from different cultures and countries to come together to share ideas. All colleges invest heavily in facilities for extensive library and IT¹ provision, accommodation and welfare support, and sports and social events. The relatively small number of students at each college allows for close and supportive personal attention to be given to the induction, academic development and welfare of individuals.

Each college has its own Governing Body, comprising the Head of House and a number of Fellows², most of whom also hold University posts. There are also 7 Permanent Private Halls, which were founded by various Christian denominations and still retain their religious character. Within the college there is a chapel, a dining hall, a library, rooms for undergraduates, Fellows and the Master³, and also rooms for teaching purposes.

Oxford is the second largest university, after London. The university’s earliest charter is dated to 1213. Now there are 39 independent, self-governing colleges. Among the oldest colleges are University College, All Souls and Christ Church.

Cambridge University started during the 13^th century and grew until today. Now it comprises over 31 colleges, 150 departments and other institutions. The earliest College was St. Peter's or 'Peterhouse', founded in 1284 by Hugh Balsham, Bishop of Ely and the most famous is probably King’s College because of its magnificent chapel, the largest and the most beautiful building in Cambridge and the most perfect example of English fifteenth-century architecture.

Many great men studied at Cambridge, among them were Desiderius Erasmus, the great Dutch scholar, Roger Bacon, the philosopher, Milton, the poet, Oliver Cromwell, the soldier, Newton, the scientist, and Kapitza, the physisist .

Notes:

¹IT – information technology

² Fellow – младший научный сотрудник

³Master– глава колледжа

3. Scan the text once again and single out its main ideas putting them down in the form of a plan.

B – 1

1. Read the following definitions of terms (words in italics) and suggest your variants of translation:

1) a first-year college or university student is a “freshman”;

2) a second-year college or university student is a “sophomore”;

3) a third-year college or university student is a “junior”;

4) a fourth year college or university student is a “senior”.

2. Read and translate the text without a dictionary; try to guess the meaning of word-combinations in bold type:

APPLICATION TO THE US HIGHER SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS

Higher education in the USA as in any other country is a continuing process of acquiring and maintaining necessary professional knowledge and skills. The students who want to continue their education after the secondary school should apply to several colleges and universities. It should be done in the beginning of the twelfth grade of the secondary school. There is no difference between 4-year colleges and universities in the USA. Both institutions offer the first four years of instruction for students intending to complete an undergraduate program.

Since much of a college’s general education program is prescribed for a student, it raises questions of value. Professors debate what should be taught and learned. Some suggest follow Western patterns of education. Others argue for the inclusion of multicultural topics. The subjects like sociology, history, mathematics still remain the basic ones in any undergraduate program. The undergraduate program usually ends in Bachelor’s degree, either a BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BS (Bachelor of Science) which is stated in the student’s diploma.

If the student wants to continue his education he will take exams and be admitted to do a graduate school program. He will be called graduate student and study specialized subjects like law, business or medicine.

The length of the application process for admission to university to do a graduate program can be very long. It depends on the category of the institution. So it is rather time-consuming if the student is applying to such nationally recognized universities as Harvard and Yale. The university admissions committee first considers the student’s high school and college grades and then invites the applicant to pass the higher school admission test. Also the applicant is asked to write essays on different subjects to show his intellectual abilities. The applicant should have letters of recommendation from his teachers as well. It is necessary to have high scores on the SAT¹ examinations. The SAT examination is not a competitive examination for admission to the university. It consists of some questions in English and mathematics aiming to test the student’s aptitude but not the knowledge of the subjects.

In the USA colleges and universities are of two types – private (charge tuition) and public (free). The cost of education in private colleges and universities is rather high. Those students who study at private colleges or institutions may get some financial aid. Student financial aid means money from educational loans, scholarships or earnings from the Federal Work Study Program. The amount of financial aid is determined by a student’s need. The possibility to earn working part-time helps many students put themselves through college. Graduate students may earn some money by having a TA (teaching assistantship) if they teach several hours a week or by providing a RE (research assistantship) if they help the professor in research.

Note:

¹ SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test – формальный тест определения способностей абитуриента

3. Give the Russian for:

admission to college, to test the student’s aptitude, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, public universities, to apply to nationally recognized institutions, admission committee, to consider the student’s high school and college grades, applicant, SAT examination, to get financial aid, to work part time, to help put oneself through college, teaching assistantship.

4. Give the English for:

диплом колледжа, взимать плату, процесс подачи документов при поступлении в университетский колледж, писать эссе на различные темы, продемонстрировать свои интеллектуальные способности, конкурсный экзамен, определить способности (склонности) студента, а не проверить его знания, кредиты (займы), исследовательский проект.

5. Answer the questions:

1. When do the students in the USA apply to universities? 2. What is the difference between colleges and universities? 3. What degree is awarded in colleges? 4. What is an undergraduate student? 5. What is a graduate student? 6. What are the types of higher schools in the USA? 7. What are the top private colleges in the USA? 8. What is the application process for admission to college like? 9. May students take loans to pay for their tuition?

B – 2

1. Read the following words; mind their pronunciation:

science [sans], course [ks], schedule [edju:l], double [dbl].

2. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents stating differences in meaning of the English and Russian words, if any:

basic, natural, social, course, lecture, material, seminar, minimum, to declare, concentration, specialization, interesting, double, exam, situation.

3. Translate the following family words:

fresh –freshman, equal – equally, ill – illness.

4. Remember the following words:

term – семестр

1. This is his first term in the university. 2. The academic year in Russian higher schools consists of two terms.

to miss – пропускать

1. He missed two lectures yesterday.

5. Skim the text and give definitions for the following terms:

basic (introductory) course –

credits –

major –

minor -

double major –

electives –

prerequisite -

extension –

make-up exam -

One of the buildings and sport facilities of University of Wyoming

SEMINARS AND COURSES

The courses of study in American educational institutions differ from those in Russia. The undergraduate college and university programs have an introductory course in the natural sciences, the humanities and the social sciences. Such programs consist of lecture courses covering a considerable amount of material which are mandatory for the students to attend. Each college course is worth a certain number of credits, depending on the number of hours a week the course is taught. The student can also take optional courses called electives just to get some information on the subject of interest but not take exams.

The second-year undergraduate course provides more seminars and less lecture courses. The second-year student will have to declare a major - the principal field of study. It is also possible to choose a second field, in which there would be a smaller number of courses, called the minor. Some intelligent students wish to specialize in two subjects, this is a double major.

If the student wants to enroll in a graduate course he may first have take a preliminary course, called a prerequisite. Sometimes it happens so that a student needs more time to write a term paper for a course. In this case he can ask for an extension – extra time for his research. Sometimes it happens so that a student cannot take a scheduled exam because of illness or some other circumstances. In this case he can ask for a make-up exam – to compensate what had been missed.

The basic conditions of the good higher school’s program at the graduate level is that theory cannot be separated from practice, abstract knowledge cannot be separated from practical skills and the understanding of the professional role cannot be separated from professional experience. For example, a good law school provides carefully designed combinations of seminars, faculty-supervised research, and live-client clinic.

Across all levels of American higher education there goes on development of information technologies. Most campuses are provided with internet. Entire libraries are on-line. Distance education is becoming very popular. Ninety percent of all US institutions now offer courses on-line.

5. Speak about courses and seminars in the USA educational institutions.

B – 3

1. Read the following words; mind their pronunciation:

praise [prez], apply [pla], thesis [i:ss], award [wd], enjoy [nd].

2. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents stating differences in meaning of the English and Russian words, if any:

category, subject, medical, business, professional, intern, residence, to communicate, specific.

3. Translate the following family words:

Intern – internship, Doctor – Doctoral – Doctorate, success - successful, to supervise – supervision, profession – professional, to reside – residence, to educate – education.

4. Scan the text and say, what degrees are awarded to the USA students:

DEGREES IN THE USA

At present high school completion rate and college graduation rates are very high in the USA. One in four adult Americans has at least a Bachelor’s degree (and the number keeps getting higher). A larger percentage of twenty-two-year-olds receive degrees in math, science, engineering, or law. A very good student can receive not a bare Bachelor’s degree, but a Bachelor’s degree “with honours” – summa cum laude (“with highest praise”), magna cum laude (“with high praise”) and cum laude (“with praise”). When the student receives the university diploma he may be called an alumnus (a graduate)¹.

The student who wants to do the graduate course and be awarded Master’s degree should apply to a university department in the field he has chosen. The Master’s degree program lasts one or two years. It may either include courses and an exam or writing and defending a thesis. If the student does not want to continue his graduate studies, he is awarded a terminal MA (either a MA – Master of Arts or a MS (Master of Science).

It is necessary to stress that the person cannot apply to a medical, law or business higher school straight after the finishing of high school. It is obligatory to get an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree first. Graduate medical school takes four years, followed by three years of internship and residence; law school involves a three-year program; and business school takes three years.

To be awarded a Doctoral degree/Doctorate/Ph.D. the candidate should take a required number of courses in his field of specialization, pass a written exam and write a doctoral thesis under the supervision of a thesis adviser. After the successful defence of the thesis the candidate is awarded a Ph.D. degree.

Statistically U.S. institutions of higher learning annually award about 540 000 associate (two-year) degrees², 1.1 million Bachelor’s (four year) degrees, 400 000 Master’s degrees, 76 000 professional degrees (in law, medicine and other fields) and 45 000 doctorates. Among Ph.D.s, the biological and physical sciences, mathematics and engineering predominate. It is interesting to note that at leading universities, as many as fifty percent of candidates for those degrees are from outside the United States.

Note:

¹ to graduate ‘with honours” – оканчивать университет с почетным листом; “with highest praise” – с высшими похвалами; “with high praise” - с высокими похвалами; “with praise” - с похвалами.

² associate degree - младшая учёная степень, присваиваемая выпускнику колледжа (associate in arts — ассоциат искусств)

5. Scan the text once again and say: a) what spheres of higher education demand longer period of study, b) what the expression “terminal degree” means.

.

ORAL SPEECH PRACTICE