IV. Take part in the discussion.

Евдокимова О.В.

EVERYDAY TOPICS

FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

Учебно-методическое пособие

По развитию навыков говорения и чтения

На английском языке

Для студентов 1-го курса экономических специальностей

Минск: БГЭУ, 2013

Рецензент:Новик Н.А. заведующий кафедрой профессионально ориентированной английской речи Учреждения образования «Белорусский государственный экономический университет», кандидат филологических наук, доцент.

Рекомендовано кафедрой профессионально ориентированной английской речи УО «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

Евдокимова, O.B. “Everyday topics for first year students”.Учебно-методическое пособие по развитию навыков говорения и чтения на английском языке для студентов 1-го курса экономических специальностей./ O.B. Евдокимова. Минск: БГЭУ, 2013. – 179 с.

Пособие предназначено для студентов 1-го курса экономических специальностей БГЭУ. Пособие может быть использовано в качестве основного или дополнительного материала.

Пособие состоит из 9 разделов и включает оригинальные тематические тексты и упражнения к ним.

Contents

	Unit 1. Education Part 1. Education in Belarus Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus Belarus State Economic University Student’s Day Part 2. Education in Great Britain Higher Education in Great Britain University Life at Oxford Today Cambridge University Part 3. Education in the USA The System of Education in the USA Higher education in the United States
	Unit 2.Youth Problems Part 1. Family Relations Generation Gap “Married vs. Single” Problem
	Unit 3.Character and Personality Part 1. talking about People: Descriptions and Portraits Appearance and Character Part 2. It takes all sorts (to make a world) Appearances are deceptive A true story
	Unit 4.Friendship and Love Problems Part 1. Friends for life Part 2. Talking about Friendship and Love Problems.
	Unit 5.Healthy Way of Life Health Care Good Days, Bad Days
	Unit 6. Belarus and English-Speaking Countries Part 1. Belarus and Its People Transformation of the Countryside National Peculiarities of the New Year Holiday Attention! Ded Moroz Wanted! "Kalyady" Has Come!
	Unit 7. Great Britain and Its People Population and Nationalities London. Getting about London. Visiting London. Public Holidays and Celebrations in Britain Social Customs in Britain British Traditions and Customs
	Unit 8. The USA and Its People American Values and Beliefs Southern Women – Still Ladies? Public Transport in New York Social Customs in the USA Sports in America Part 4. Cultural Differences About Belarusian people British Character American Character and Belief System
	Unit 9. The World around Us Part 1. Everything Depends on Weather The Weather and Climate Weather and Our Daily Life Part 2. Global Warming Top 10 Worst Effects of Global Warming Part 3. Environment Part 4. Ecological Culture The Right to Favourable Environment Part 5. Animals and Wild Life Wild Life Protection The Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
	Literature

UNIT 1

EDUCATION

PART 1.

Education in Belarus

I. Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text.

public education – народное образование

irrespective of – независимо от …

social or property status – социальный или имущественный статус

compulsory education – обязательное образование

genuinely democratic system – истинно демократическая система

school-leaving certificate – аттестат зрелости

general secondary education – общее среднее образование

vocational technical training – профессионально-техническое обучение

secondary special training – средне-специальное обучение

creches or kindergartens – ясли или детские сады

cooperation – сотрудничество

to foster – способствовать развитию

regardless of their intelligence – независимо от их интеллекта

civil engineering – гражданское строительство

curriculum – программа

vocational school – профтехучилище

correspondence department – заочное отделение

keyboard skills – навыки работы с клавиатурой

II.Read and understand the text. Write out and learn the new words.

The System of Education in Belarus

One of the main principles of public education in Belarus is the equality of all its citizens in getting an education, irrespective of race or nationality, sex, attitude to religion, social or property status. The compulsory education is free – no payment is required for tuition or books. In Belarus a genuinely democratic system of public education is in action. It provides a real opportunity of obtaining a school-leaving certificate for every young man or woman.

A good education helps young people develop their personalities and make their own way in society.

The system of public education includes:

● pre-school education,

● general secondary education,

● out-of-class schooling,

● vocational technical training,

● secondary special training,

● higher education.

The first stage of the education system consists of pre-school establishments: crèches or kindergartens. These institutions are staffed with specially trained teachers, nurses and doctors. Here the children are not only looked after but also given special treatment. Special methods are used to stimulate their physical and intellectual development. Children's pre-school centres are in close cooperation with the family. They protect and build up children's health, foster in them elementary practical habits.

School starts at the age of 6 or 7. Ordinary general education is divided into 3 stages: primary school, incomplete secondary school and complete secondary school.

Primary education provides the needs of children about 6-10. Primary children do all their work with the same teacher except for English, PT, and music which are taught by other teachers. The next level is incomplete secondary school – the 5^th - 9^th forms. Pupils go to secondary school automatically, regardless of their intelligence. Secondary schools help pupils to develop lively ingenious minds, to acquire knowledge, skills and interests. They offer a wide choice of subjects. There are exams following the 9^th and 1l^th forms. Upon finishing nine classes a pupil can go either to a vocational school or having passed the necessary exams to a lyceum or a college.

The vocational schools train highly skilled workers in various branches of national economy, industry, agriculture, civil engineering, transport, trade etc.

Nowadays middle-grade specialists are trained at pedagogical, medical, economic, polytechnic, architectural and other training colleges.

After leaving incomplete secondary school gifted pupils go to senior forms and get a complete secondary education by the age of 16 or 17. The senior form curriculum offers considerable opportunities for studies and is aimed at university entry. On the completion of their studies at secondary school the young people get a school-leaving certificate. It serves as an entry qualification for the young people who seek further education in higher educational establishments.

It's necessary to add that any kind of educational establishment has its curriculum. It is not merely what goes on in the classroom. It ought to be more than a programme of study: it should be concerned with a child's development and with all the ways of learning that a school can provide to encourage that development.

Further educational establishments include Universities and Academies. The applicants for a higher school take entrance examinations in July and August before the new academic year begins. Apart from university departments for daytime study, there are evening and correspondence departments. They are for the people combining work and study.

There is no doubt that every system of education has its advantages and disadvantages. Modern school has a lot of problems nowadays. There is no public debate about how schools are run, how they are financed, what they should teach, what they should achieve and to whom they should be accountable. There are also several definitions of effective schooling. Certainly goals may be different. The school mission is to teach the whole child. The whole child is defined in terms of academic growth, moral strength, and physical development. Unfortunately nowadays the young do not have strong values. Believe that an effective school presents codes of morality young people can admire. There is an English saying, "Values are caught, not taught" – that is they originate from real life examples. That is why the world of parents and teachers is so important.

School doesn't offer an opportunity for the pupil to learn more about himself, about art, about the world around us. Very often the personality of a pupil is not taken into account, school doesn't lead you into a job and it doesn't bring practical experience (for young people) and how they can work with people. All subjects are compulsory, you have no choice and talented pupils don't have any privileges. If pupils were given a chance to chose, they would include in the curriculum the subjects worth learning: art (painting or sculpture), economics, history and culture of Belarus, keyboard skills, management, politics, home economics, medicine, marketing and ecology.

Modern school of the future is a school where pupils and teachers are good partners and companions. It's a school with a wide choice of subjects. It's a school with the greatest possible educational opportunities.

III. Answer the following questions for discussion.

1. What is one of the main principles of public education in Belarus?

2. How can you prove it?

3. Do the citizens of Belarus pay for the compulsory education?

4. What does the system of public education include?

5. What kind of specialists are crèches or kindergartens staffed with?

6. What are the stages of the ordinary general education?

7. Are primary children taught by different teachers?

8. What do secondary schools help pupils to develop?

9. Where can a pupil continue his education after finishing nine classes?

10. What kind of workers do the vocational schools train?

11. Where are middle-grade specialists trained nowadays?

12. What is the senior form curriculum aimed at?

13. Where can school-leavers continue their education?

14. When do they generally take their entrance examinations?

15. When does the academic year begin?

16. There are three university departments. Can you name them?

17. What are the main problems of modern school?

18. If you were given a chance to chose, what subjects would you include in the

school curriculum?

19. How do you visualize an ideal school of the future?

IV. Read and understand the text. Consult the dictionary where necessary. Write out the new words and learn them. Prepare to answer the questions after the text.

Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus

In Belarus, education has the goal of preparing free, creative, intellectually and physically mature individuals. There is a strong recognition within the Belarusian society of the importance of education and the role of educated people. The main strategic objective for education development is to improve quality and to contribute to creating a competitive economy based on high and advanced technologies.

Education policy is guided by a number of principles:

• Continuity and equal access;

• Compulsory basic education;

• Importance of scientific knowledge and the national and cultural tradition;

• Integrating education with moral upbringing and physical development;

• Partnership of the state and society in the management of education.

Belarusian education is ranked among the best ones, and the Belarusian specialists are much in demand in the world. Therefore both our citizens and foreign students wish to study in the higher educational establishments (Universities) of the Republic.

There are 340 students per 10,000 residents of Belarus. This ratio is among the highest in Europe. In the system of higher education of Belarus a broad network of educational establishments was shaped. Four major types can be distinguished:

● Classical University;

● Profile University or academy;

● Institute;

● Higher College.

Altogether there are 57 higher educational establishments, 43 are state owned, 13 are private and 2 are run by religious organizations. Every establishment occupies its particular niche in training of highly qualified staff for various branches of national economy.

Classical and profile universities as well as institutes are classified as higher educational establishments of university type and provide a two level system of higher education with academic degrees of Bachelor and Master.

Graduates both from state and private universities are granted state diplomas of higher education. But it is not that easy to become a student. High demand on higher education led to high entrance competition regardless of form of study or specialty. Therefore only the very best can study at budget cost. The entrants who passed their entrance exams successfully but did not win the competition (did not get the necessary entrance score) have the opportunity to study for their own account.

Three forms of learning are available at Belarusian higher educational establishments: full-time, evening and by correspondence. Full-time learning is the most widespread and in the greatest demand with 2/3 of the students. Less than 1% of students use evening form of learning and over 35% of students learn by correspondence.

Full-time students with positive grades receive a monthly allowance. Its size depends on a student’s academic success. Some groups of students are granted social allowances; the gifted students are awarded with nominal scholarships. Correspondence and evening forms of learning are a good opportunity for persons with financial, age, physical and other limitations.

External studies represent another form of receiving higher education. It is based on the independent study of subjects from the regular curriculum. Credits and examinations are taken without obligatory attendance of classes. This form of learning is available to persons with secondary education, who cannot study full-time or leave their workplace. Diplomas are granted to external students on a regular basis.

The efficiency of any form of learning is ensured by eminently qualified teaching staff including a large number of candidates and doctors of science, associate professors and professors.

But higher education in Belarus does not only mean lectures, seminars and exams. In addition Belarusian students participate in international scientific conferences and competitions, student exchange programs. Belarusian teams take first places at competitions in mathematics, economy and programming. However organization of the educational process is not the only concern of the Higher School. Much attention is paid to students’ living conditions, providing non-residents with a hostel accommodation. University administration renders assistance in conducting leisure activities of students. Let’s take for example Belarus State Economic University (BSEU), one of the largest higher educational establishments in the Republic. The BSEU Students’ Tutorial Board is the initiator of students’ festivals, sports and athletics meetings, tourist programs and the Bard’s club sessions, which became regular events in the life of the BSEU students. Such bodies function at many educational establishments of Belarus.

This is how the student years at Belarusian higher educational establishments are spent. After graduation the budget students are provided with their first workplaces. Finding a good job on specialty both in the republic and abroad is not a problem for paying students either. Belarus has bilateral agreements on mutual recognition of education certificates with dozens of the world countries.

Low cost of learning and scientific literature, accommodation, transport, high quality of academic education, good conditions of Belarusian diploma recognition abroad, stable political situation and low crime rate are just some of the reasons that attract foreign students. About 3,000 students from over 70 world countries (China, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Poland, Jordan, and India) study in the republic annually. Foreign students are offered a year’s preparatory Russian language course. There is a possibility of getting an inexpensive hostel accommodation. Universities place sports facilities and library funds at students’ free use, encourage their creative activities.

After university graduation young specialists have the possibility to get a postgraduate education. Here training of the scientific personnel with highest qualifications is conducted with granting scientific degrees of Candidate of Science (equivalent of PhD) and Doctor of Science. Establishments providing postgraduate education include higher educational establishments (regardless of pattern of ownership), scientific and other organizations entitled to engage in postgraduate education in accordance with established procedure.

Regardless of pattern of ownership and departmental affiliation all higher educational establishments are subordinate to the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.

V. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the significance of higher education in Belarus?

2.Can education act as one of the conditions of bringing the country out of the economic crisis?

3.What opportunities for further education do the school-leavers have in Belarus?

4.Is higher education still free of charge in Belarus?

5.What higher educational establishments in Belarus can you name?

6.Which of higher educational establishments are the most popular with the school-leavers?

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

I. Read and understand the text. Consult the dictionary where necessary. Write out the new words and learn them. Prepare to answer the questions after the text.

Belarus State Economic University

The Belarus State Economic University (BSEU) was founded in 1933. This is one ofthe largest Universities in the country. It trains specialists in the field of economics, management and law. The graduates of the University work in all the sectors of the national economy both in thecountry and abroad. The University has a developed infrastructure, which provides training and research within eight schools: School of Management; School of Accounting and Economics; School ofFinance and Banking; School of International Economic Relations; School of Commerce Economicsand Management; School ofMarketing; School of Law; School of Language Studies. In addition, BSEU incorporates Higher School of Tourism, Higher School of Business and Management, Consulting Center for Commerce, a specialized school ofpre-university training, and a specialized school ofpsychological and teaching updating. The University has a Research Center, an International Relations Division, and a Publishing Center.

There are two branches of the University beyond Minsk - in Bobruisk and Pinsk. The University has 57 departments (including 13 that are found in its branches), research laboratories, a student campus, and a retail trade center.)

The training of students is done on a multi-level basis. The degrees pursued are those of bachelors, specialists and masters. The graduates can also continue their education in a post-graduate school (full-time or part-time), where they pursue a Ph.D. degree, and in a post-doctorate school to pursue a post-doctorate degree (doctor habile).

The Belarus State Economic University's student body accounts for 25,000 students, with 1,200faculty members teaching them, 47 percent of whom have advanced degrees and titles.

The priorities in the organization ofteaching are thorough training, a creative approach to mastering knowledge, as well as making conditions for the realization of individual abilities. The focusis made on providing for systemic level of studies, making connections among the subjects taught, establishing interdisciplinary courses, developing independent work skills, implementing active formsof the teaching process, and effective methods of testing.

The university is proud ofits technical equipment. It has about 40 computer classrooms, training bookkeeping centres, as well as automated PC-based trainingoffices for specialists in management, finance, banking, and commerce. Lecture halls have slide projectors, “Power points”, and other required technical equipment. Classes are fully equipped for language study. Satellite TV, Internet and local computing network are widely used in the teaching process.

The Belarus State Economic University deserves the name – "grandfather of thecountry's economists". It was formed on May the 20^th, 1933. Located in Minsk, this University was originally called the Belarusian State National Economy Institution. The government issued a decree to name theUniversity after the distinguished economist V.V. Kuybyshev. The University carried this name from 1935 till 1992.

During the Great Patriotic War the University was practically destroyed. Many pre-war graduates did not survive the war.

After World War II the University was restored. Regular classes started in the premises of Secondary School №12 in March, 1945.

When the University restarted its activity, only 12 faculty members gave classes for 54 students. The followingyear, however, there were already 38 staff members and 252 students. First post-war graduates received their diplomas on March 2, 1946. From 1946 till 1950, 455 students graduated from the University. The main University's building (Sverdlova St.,7), started functioning on January 3, 1950. Those days one section of this building served as a dormitory for girl-students.

On the 20^th of January, 1992, the Belarusian State National Economic Institute was renamed Belarus State Economic University (BSEU). In 1997 it was officially awarded the status of Leading Higher Educational Establishment in economists' training.

Annually about 3000 students graduate from the University with specialization in Economics, every third student graduates with distinction. The University continues to upgrade the quality of education and aims at high standards of contemporary university,able to meet the challenges of domestic and global economic development. New faculties and departments are created as the need arises.

BSEU is a full member of the Universities Association and takes part in many international and European programs.

It is interesting to know that:

■ The library of the University has functioned since 1993. It contains more than 1,000,000 volumes of

books, text-books, monographs, and fiction literature.

■ The University campus includes six hostels, providing residence for 3500 students.

■ Near Vilya water reserve there is a resort base for the faculty and the students of BSEU.

■ Our University has several branches in Bobruisk and Pinsk.

Discussion:

1. Explain the reasons of your choice of the educational establishment and the faculty?

2. What information did you possess while entering the University?

3. Who encouraged you in your desire to enter our University?

3. Speak about the perspective of your future job.

II. Learn more about yourself from the “Student’s Day”.

Student’s Day

“Money spent on the brain is never spent in vain.”

Focus Vocabulary:

to be an early riser to be a late riser to stay up late to keep late hours to have an early night to be pressed for time to be short of time to have some time to spare

to allocate time to spend time to waste time to idle away time to be in the habit of doing … to slip out of the habit to get rid of the habit to break the habit

How's Your Timing?

Time is too slow for those who wait, Too swift for those who fare, Too long for those who grieve, Too short for those who rejoice, But for those who love, time is eternity.

II.Answer the questions to see how efficiently you use your time.

Circle a), b), с) or d).

1. How would you describe the pace of your life in general?

a) Natural. I just let things happen.

b) Quite fast, but I do stop to smell the flowers.

c) Sometimes frantic, sometimes relaxed.

d) Demanding, sometimes non-stop, but I like it that way.

2. How do you deal with what you have to do every day?

a) I do first what attracts me most.

b) I do the most important things and put off the rest.

c) There always seems to be too much or too little. I do what's really urgent.

d) I deal with things in order of importance.

3. Which of the following is nearest to your philosophy of life?

a) Go where life takes you.

b) Life is not a dress rehearsal.

c) To everything there is a season.

d) Do it now.

4. What do you feel about punctuality?

a) I don't waste energy worrying about being on time.

b) Being on time is polite and efficient, and I try to be that way.

c) I'd love to arrive on time in theory, but I don't often manage it.

d) I'm always on time, and I get furious with people who are late.

5. How many things have you begun and not finished in the last few years?

a) Lots of things. I have sudden enthusiasms and then drop them.

b) One or two minor things, but not too many.

c) Quite a few. I always seem to get distracted.

d) There are no uncompleted projects in my life – I have always finished things.

6. How do you like to spend your leisure time?

a) I don't know what to do with my time off – it just slips away.

b) I relax and recharge my batteries, and maybe follow a sport or interest.

c) I do one or two little jobs, but nothing very energetic. This is my most enjoyable occupation.

d) I don't have any leisure time. All my time is put to good use.

III. Compare your answers and decide which description fits you best.

mostly a) answers

You're a daydreamer. Did you really manage to finish the quiz? You have little control over your life. Chaos is your natural habit. Perhaps you tell yourself that this is creative, but the truth is you hate discipline and you're frightened of it. Your abilities remain untested and your dreams unfulfilled.

mostly b) answers

You represent balance. Your ability to manage time is impressive, but you respect yourself enough to know when to relax, and you are clever enough to know that the best decisions are never made in an atmosphere of pressure. Deadlines don't worry you, and your work seldom puts unbearable demands on you. You look ahead and make sure crises don't happen.

mostly c) answers

You're like Cinderella waiting for a fairy godmother who's going to make everything alright for you. "I'll go round to it", you tell yourself. What you don't tell yourself is that you alone can provide the time you need to start those dreams happening. You are an expert at putting things off for the best reasons. Your excuses are endless. Forget them. The right time is now!

mostly d) answers

You're an achiever. Superman / superwoman is your middle name. You certainly know how to get a job done, and you are proud of your management of time. You're compulsive about using every second of the day to good effect, and get irritable with people who take life at a slower pace. Relax a little. Stress is a killer, remember?

IV. Take part in the discussion.

1. Do you start off every day with the best intentions?

2. What were your intentions for today?

3. What is your prime time?

4. What are your personal huge time wasters? Productivity destroyers?

5. Does your working day now when you are a student differ a lot from that, when

you went to school? In what way?

6. Do you manage to use your time efficiently?

7. What kind of work requires most of your time during the day?

8. Are you in the habit of putting off work till the last minute?

9. Can you say that you are a punctual person?

10. How many times have you been late for classes this week?

11. What's your attitude towards people who are late?

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