Module 1. Universities in Great Britain

Task 1. Study the information below and complete the sentences with the appropriate forms.

To educate /’edju:keit/

-tion – education /’edju’kei∫n/

-alist – educationalist

-or – educator

-al – educational

-ive – educative

-ly – educationally

A. Nowadays many ___________ institutions are opened everywhere in Russia.

B. The secondary _________ is compulsory for everybody.

C. Modern ___________ system does not require ________, because the students must be able to implement their knowledge in everyday practice.

D. Some lectures are of ___________ character.

E. Some teaching methods are __________ wrong.

Task 2. Study the information below and choose the appropriate verb (change the form of the verb if necessary). Sometimes more than one option is possible.

To educate – тренировать ум, обучать в школе или университете.

To teach – показывать кому-либо последовательность действий для последующего самостоятельного их выполнения; обеспечивать информацией об определенном предмете; преподавать в качестве заработка.

To train – инструктировать и показывать на практике с целью освоения навыка или квалификации.

To instruct – обучать навыку.

1. She was _______ in France.
2. She ______ Scottish dancing.
3. The staff need more ________ in how to use computers.
4. She _________ the trainee nurse in giving injections.
5. The function of our universities is not just _______.
6. She _______ at our local school.
7. The dogs are _________ to guard the house from the intruders.
8. He _________ advanced students English.

Task 3. Read the new words, learn them and their equivalents by heart.

to date back	/deit bæk/	to be founded	основываться, датироваться
to admit	/əd’mit/	to accept	принимать, зачислять
to be equal	/’ikwəl/	to be on the same level	равный
to elect	/i’lekt/	to choose	избирать
distinguished scholars	/dis’tiηgwi∫t ‘skoləz/	outstanding scientists	выдающиеся ученые
a graduate	/’grædjuit/	a student who finishes the University	выпускник
to graduate	/’grædjueit/	to finish the University	заканчивать университет
attendance	/ə’tendəns/	visit	посещаемость
compulsory	/kəm’palsəri/	necessary	необходимый, обязательный
an undergraduate	/’andə’grædjuit/	a student of the 1st, 2nd year	студент младших курсов
a postgraduate	/’post’grædjuit/	an aspirant	аспирант
a tutorial	/tju:’to:riəl/	a consultation	консультация преподавателя
a tutor	/’tju:tə/	a teacher – consultant	преподаватель-консультант
society	/sə’saiəti/	a club, meeting	общество

Task 4. Translate the words from Russian into English without looking at the table.

Преподаватель-консультант

Выдающиеся ученые

Принимать

Основываться

Выпускник

Консультация

Посещаемость

Необходимый

Студент младших курсов

Общество

Аспирант

Избирать

Равный

Task 5. Complete the sentences with the words from the previous task.

1. The attendance at the University is _________for each student.
2. A lot of students _________from the University each year.
3. Each student has got _______.
4. The chance to get into the University is ______ for everybody.
5. Many ____________ work at the Universities of Great Britain.
6. The students can’t _______the dean of the faculty.
7. As a rule ________has got 5-6 students to work with.
8. There are a lot of _________ at the University: drama club, students’ club and others.
9. Only the bright students can become__________.
10. The _________ get acquainted with the student life.
11. After ________ the University a student is given a diploma.
12. Many years ago women were not ________ at the Universities.
13. Oxford and Cambridge are very old: they _________ to the 12^th century.

Task 6. Match the words/phrases.

1. To graduate 2. An undergraduate 3. Distinguished scholars 4. Society   5. A tutor 6. A graduate 7. To admit 8. A postgraduate 9. Compulsory 10. To elect

A. Outstanding scientists B. A club, meeting C. A teacher-consultant D. A student who finishes the University E. An aspirant F. To choose G. To finish the University H. Necessary I. To accept J. A student of the 1st, 2nd year

Task 7. Replace the underlined words and phrases with their equivalents.

1. Many outstanding scientists give lectures and consultations to the students of the 1^st and 2^nd year.

2. Not all students who finish the University want to continue their education and become aspirants.

1. Both men and women are accepted at Perm State University.

4. The visit of students’ clubs isn’t necessary, but it makes students’ life more interesting.

5. Every teacher provides consultations before the exams.

Task 8. Read the text and underline the examples of the Passive Voice.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

Oxford and Cambridge are the two oldest Universities in England. They date back to the 13^th century. Until the 19^th century Oxford and Cambridge were the only universities in England, and there was no place for girls. Now they admit men and women.

Oxford University is a federation of independent colleges: Oxford has 23 ordinary colleges for men, 5 for women. All these are equal institutions. In order to become a member of the University a student must first be accepted as a member of a college. Most colleges were founded before 1600, and the oldest three – before 1300. The colleges elect their teachers and heads.

The University has laboratories, libraries and museums, which the students use in their studies. The interested student, during the three year course, can be sure of an opportunity of hearing every political leader in Britain and several of the world’s most distinguished scholars, if he can find the time. Oxford University is famous for the following fact: every Prime Minister from 1945 to 1974 was an Oxford graduate.

Attendance at University lectures is not compulsory, and no records of attendance are kept. A course is selected by an undergraduate independently. The choice depends on the undergraduate’s interest. Undergraduates are provided with tutorials. A tutorial is a weekly meeting of a student with his tutor. A tutor is a teacher of a college. He is an expert in a certain subject. The student’s work is planned and checked by the tutor. Each student goes to his tutor’s room for an hour every week to read out an essay which he and his tutor then discuss. Nowadays, with the increased number of students, it is quite usual for two or more students to attend a tutorial together.

At Oxford there are dozens of students’ societies: dramatic societies, language clubs, musical societies, boxing clubs and so on. In Oxford there are many annual inter-college competitions in many sports and some traditional competitions with Cambridge. The focal point of the season for the University clubs is the fixture against Cambridge in which men and women undergraduates take part. The rivalry between the two Universities at sport is a part of national life, and in particular the Boat Race, which is held near London at the end of March each year, is one of the great British events of the year.

Task 9. Decide whether the sentences are true or false.

1. Oxford University is an old university. True/False
2. Oxford University has 23 colleges for men and women. True/False
3. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory. True/False
4. A tutorial is a meeting with the tutor. True/False
5. At Oxford there are not many societies. True/False

Task 10. Match the English sentences with their Russian equivalents.

1. A student has been told to go to his tutorials three times a week.
2. A tutor has told a student to visit the tutorials three times a week.
3. The attendance is compulsory.
4. The graduates may not attend the lectures.
5. Students’ societies are organized in every Institution.
6. There are a lot of students’ clubs in Great Britain.
7. Oxford and Cambridge were founded in the 13^th century.
8. Many distinguished scholars graduated from Oxford and Cambridge.
9. It is a tradition that teachers and heads are elected by the college.
10. It is not a bad idea that the students elect their teachers and heads.

1. Студенческие общества организуются в каждом учебном заведении.
2. Посещение обязательно.
3. Многие выдающиеся ученые закончили Оксфорд и Кембридж.
4. Студенты старших курсов могут не посещать лекций.
5. В Великобритании существует много студенческих клубов.
6. Студенту сказали посещать консультации три раза в неделю.
7. Преподаватель сказал студенту посещать консультации три раза в неделю.
8. Оксфорд и Кембридж были основаны в 13 веке.
9. Не так уж это и плохо, что студенты выбирают преподавателей и заведующих.
10. Существует традиция, что преподавателей и заведующих избирает колледж.

Task 11. Make sure you know the pronunciation of these words.

Bachelor of Arts /’bæt ∫ələrəv ‘a:ts/

St.Andrews /snt’ændru:z/

Aberdeen /’ æbə’di:n/

Sheffield /’ ∫efi:ld/

Sussex /’sasiks/

York /jo:k/

East Anglia /i:st ’ængliə/

Task 12. Find the answers to the questions below from the suggested text.

ü What institutions of higher education in Britain do you know?

ü What degrees can a student get after studying at the University?

ü What are “concrete and glass” universities?

ü Who is the Open University for?

Life at College and University

The academic year in British universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education is divided into three terms, which usually run from the beginning of October to the middle of December, from the middle of January to the end of March, and from the middle of April to the end of June or the beginning of July.

There are 46 universities in Britain. The oldest and the best known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham.

English universities greatly differ from each other. They differ in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods of instruction, way of student life.

After three years of study a university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc. Later he may continue to take a Master’s Degree and then a Doctor’s Degree. Research is an important feature of university work.

The two intellectual eyes of Britain – Oxford and Cambridge - date from the 12^th and 13^th centuries.

The Scottish universities of St.Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh date from the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

In the 19^th and the early part of the 20^th century the so-called Redbrick universities were founded. These include London, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Birmingham. During the late sixties and early seventies some 20 ‘new’ universities were set up. Sometimes they are called ‘concrete and glass’ universities. Among them there are the universities of Sussex, York, East Anglia and some others.

During these years the Government set up thirty Polytechnics. The Polytechnics, like the universities, offer first and higher degrees. Some of them offer full-time and sandwich courses. Colleges of England provide two-year courses in teacher education or sometimes three years if the graduate specializes in some particular subject.

There is an interesting form of studies which is called the Open University. It is intended for people who study in their own free time and who ‘attend’ lectures by watching television and listening to the radio. They keep in touch by phone and letter with their tutors and attend summer schools. The Open University students have no formal qualifications and would be unable to enter ordinary universities.

Task13. Translate the underlined sentences into Russian.

Task14. Complete the sentences with the right ending.

1. The academic year in British institutions of higher education is divided into …
1. two terms.
2. three terms.
3. four terms.
2. English universities are …

a. very much alike.

b. partly different.

c. completely different.

1. The oldest universities are situated …

a. in England.

b. in Scotland.

c. in Wales.

1. The newly built universities are called …

a. Redbrick universities.

b. “concrete and glass” universities.

c. “sand and ocean” universities

1. The Polytechnics differ from the Universities because …

a. the Polytechnics provide full-time courses.

b. the Polytechnics provide sandwich courses.

c. the Polytechnics provide higher degrees.

1. After finishing the Open University one wouldn’t be able …

a. to have qualifications.

b. to get a highly-paid job.

c. to enter ordinary university.

Task 15. Here you are provided with the way to retell the text. Study it very carefully, because you will need it later. The explanation is written in Russian for you to understand it.