Oxbridge

Pre-reading task: Answer the following questions:

1. Where can one get higher education in Great Britain?

2. Would you like to study at any college in Britain? Why?

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and most prestigious universities in Great Britain. “Oxbridge” is the term which is used to refer to them collectively.

Nowadays they continue to attract many of the best brains. Both universities grew gradually, as federations of independent colleges most of which were founded in the 14, 15 and 16 centuries. In both universities new colleges have been established, for example, Green College, Oxford (1979) and Robinson College, Cambridge (1977).

The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge are essentially residential institutions and they mainly use a tutorial method. The students work under direction of a tutor who directs a group of 10-15 students. Each student is to write essays and papers on the subject he/she is studying and submit them to the tutor regularly for correction and discussion.

Sport is a part of student’s life at Oxbridge. English students are especially keen on football and boat races. Social life is highly developed at English colleges. The students edit college newspapers, take part in various amateur theatricals and enjoy discussions in their debating clubs.

The universities have over a hundred societies and clubs, enough for every interest one could imagine.

Ex.18 Answer the questions using the information from the text.

1. What does “Oxbridge” stand for?

2. Are the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge residential institutions?

3. What does a “tutorial method” mean?

4. What can you say about sport and social life at English colleges?

Ex. 19 Visit websites www.4icu.org or www.wikipedia.org to find more information about British universities.

Ex.20 Speaking. Pair work. Work with a partner or in groups of 3-4. Roleplay or discuss the following situations:

1. A Russian and an English student are exchanging information on the variety of higher educational institutions in their countries.

2. Two students of the Academy are discussing their life. One of them is enthusiastic about everything, the other is dissatisfied grumbler and finds fault with every little thing.

3. A student is speaking with a friend of his/hers about the programme and the course of study he/she is taking.

4. The difference between the systems of higher education in Britain and Russia.

5. Exchange information on social life of the students in your higher school, on sport and amateur activity.

Ex. 21 Speaking. Speak on what you think may surprise a Russian student at an English University:

a) curriculum;

b) teaching methods:

c) students’ extra-curricular activities. Use the following expressions:

· In comparison with

· It goes without saying that

· An advantage of

· What attracts me most of all is

· The best thing about +Ving is that

· It is not surprising that

· It’s common knowledge that

· I can’t but mention that