Phonetic Exercises

EDUCATION

Text

Ex. 1 Read and translate the texts.

/Education in Russia

I

In our country all children receive compulsory education for the first eight years at school, which gives them a broad base for further study in whatever direction they may choose. In the schools the choosing of careers is made easier in a variety of ways. Visits are arranged to factories and enterprises, people of different professions come and talk to the school leavers, form teachers discuss the problem with them.

Most schools nowadays have, in the two top classes, a bias, which leads to a specialty, such as mathematics, computer programming, physics, or foreign languages. So after the eighth form, at the age of 14-15, young people may transfer to another school according to their special interests. It is up to the children and their parents to decide or choose their future career.

There exist technical colleges, which give a general education as well as preparation for a profession. Those who wish to get some training leading directly to a job may join a specialized college where they receive a general education and the school certificate of education, in addition to a certificate in the specialty they have chosen.

II

Every year thousands of young men and women enter Universities and Institutes of Higher Education. Moscow and St. Petersburg Universities may be the aim of many applicants although there are many more institutions all over Russia where students get their higher education in various subjects. Besides day departments there are evening and extra-mural (or correspondence) departments for part-time students who work during the day.

The Applicants go in for entrance examinations in July and August before the new academic year begins. A written examination in the Russian language is compulsory as well as oral examination in the subjects the students are going to major courses.

If the applicants want to have a good command of the subject in which they will take examinations, they attend preliminary courses.

Most students receive grants. The amount depends on the results of the previous set of examinations.

The first two years of study are generally the most difficult. The students may have up to 30 hours a week of seminars, lectures and classes.

Apart from the major subject and its allied subjects, University students follow courses in Socio-Political Economy.

Sport is also compulsory during the first years of study.

Students' life is a very full one, both academically and culturally.

Students have holidays twice a year, at the end of each set of examinations.

In winter when examinations are over students may spend their vacation in the country where they skate and ski, or they may go to warmer places where it is possible to sunbathe and swim even at this time of the year. Unfortunately there are some students who fail exams. They stay in town and cram for their failed exams.

Now more and more young people understand that education provides the younger generation not only with formal learning, but with social, moral and political ideas.

Ex. 2 Ask questions about the texts and let your fellow-students answer them.

Ex. 3 Retell the text.

Dialogue

Ex. 1 Read and translate the dialogue.

Once a year every faculty gives an interview for candidates seeking admission. The dean and some on the lecturers welcome them and answer all their questions thoroughly.

A: Is there any difference in the curriculum for fulltime and part-time students?

Dean: Yes, there is. The evening department holds classes only four times a week, and therefore their course runs for six years.

B: We have heard that there is a well-equipped language laboratory at the Philological faculty. Shall we be able to listen to recordings and work with tape - recorders there ourselves?

Dean: Of course, you will. You will even have to do it, otherwise your English property. Besides it will help you to improve your pronunciation and speech habits. I'm sure that you will do your best, and there will be no need for your teachers to worry.

C: Shall we be able to borrow books from the University library being only part-time students?

Dean: Yes, you will have to join our library. It is well-stocked with books from the reading-list of recommended works for students. Times of opening are convenient for those who work as well as study. On Monday s and Thursday s our library is open till 9 o'clock in the evening.

E: Are there any student societies at the faculty?

Dean: There certainly are. We have students' clubs, which are extremely popular with the students of our faculty, especially first-year students. Everybody knows that "Much work and no play never makes people gay". So we hope that you will take part in the activities of our discussion and theatrical groups or the choir. Our University Choir is famous all over the country. Of course there are many sports societies among which you can find something to your liking. In senior years if you are interested in research work you will be able to join linguistic societies.

S: I've heard that there are two museums in the main buildings of the University. What kind of museums are they?

Dean: You are right, there are two museums in the main building. Mendeleyev museum which is in fact the flat where Mendeleyev lived with his family when he was Rector of the University. The other museum is the University History Museum. Among its exhibitions there are old documents, photos and instruments.

K: When can we hand in our applications?

Dean: The Entrance Requirements Department will take them from June 20^th till July 31^st.

L: What entrance exams shall we have to take?

Dean: You must write an essay and go in for Russian, English and History.

Ex. 2 Reproduce the dialogue.

Phonetic Exercises

Ex. 1 Transcribe and learn the pronunciation of the following words.

Base, bias, programming, faculty, department, applicant, command, preliminary, candidate, educational scientific, institution, philology, college, curriculum, philological, pronunciation, to recommend, convenient, theatrical, choir, research, application, essay, requirement, laboratory, to grant, seminar, allied, certificate.

Ex. 2 Mark the stress in the following words.

Extra-mural, part-time, full-time, well-known, well-equipped, well-stocked, reading-list, correspondence, qualification, preparation, mathematics.

Ex. 3 Read and transcribe the dialogue; pay attention to the weak forms.

Pete: Are you still studying English?

Mike: Yes, but I don't get enough time for it. I have so many other things to do.

Pete: It's the same with me. I can read English now with out much difficulty, but I still find it rather difficult to speak English. And I don't always under stand people when they speak English to me.

Mike: We don't hear English spoken enough I suppose. Do you listen to the wireless programmes "English by Radio"?

Pete: Yes. That helps me to understand spoken English, but not to speak English.

Mike: We must speak English all the time.

Pete: Yes. You are right. It's the best way to master a language.

Vocabulary

A Learn the following words and word combinations

I. Education - образование

I. Education - образование, обучение, подготовка, просвещение.

to give/provide education - давать образование

elementary (primary) ed. - начальное образование

secondary ed. - среднее образование

post-school (further) ed. - послешкольное образование

higher - ed. - высшее образование

university ed. - университетское образование

adult ed.- образование для взрослых

compulsory ed. - обязательное образование

free ed.- бесплатное образование

vocational ed. - профессионально-техническое образование

special (trade) ed. - специальное образование

in-service ed. - повышение квалификации

liberal ed. - гуманитарное образование

physical ed. -физическое образование

health ed. - санитарное просвещение

broad ed. - разностороннее образование

ed. by correspondence - заочное образование

computer-assisted ed. - обучение с помощью компьютера

full-time ed. - обучение на дневном отделение

part-time ed. - обучение на заочном (вечернем) отделении

education act - закон об образовании

education grant - пособие на образование

education service - система образования

education facilities - обучающие пособия

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