Read the following words

Far East

Siberia physics chemistry

academia philology technology

academy philosophy ecology

alumni biology

biochemistry

nanotechnology

medicine specialist

merchant zoologist science

mathematics physicist scientific

museum chemist

Read the following phrases

1. He is a specialist in chemistry, physics and nanotechnology.

2. This merchant was a great zoologist and worked in academia.

3. Many alumni from Siberia visit the Museum of Medicine.

4. This physicist liked mathematics and biochemistry.

5. The man from the Academy knows a lot about chemistry and ecology.

Make up sentences using as many words as possible from Ex. 1

Reading

1. Read through the text about Tomsk University and do the following tasks

· Find the words that you can understand without translation. What do you call such words?

· Pay attention to the endings of the verbs in the text. What is the text going to be about – the past or the present of Tomsk University?

· Choose a paragraph and practice reading aloud.

Vocabulary

merchant купец, торговец

donation денежное пожертвование

to cover expenses покрывать расходы, затраты

to maintain high standards поддерживать высокие стандарты

Founded in 1878, Tomsk University was the first educational institute

in Siberia and the Far East. It took seven years to complete the construction of the main building and the halls of residence for students. Most of the expenses were covered by local merchants who made donations.

The Faculty of Medicine, the only faculty at this time, opened its doors to 75 students in 1888. Three more faculties were opened much later. Those were the Faculty of Law (1898), Physics and Mathematics, and History, Philosophy and Philology (1917).

A lot was done by Professor Florinsky, who supervised the construction work and the first years of university activities. It was he who bought the first collections for the university museums. The first professors who started teaching here arrived from St. Petersburg, Kazan and Moscow. They were the physicist Gezehus, the chemist Zaleski, and the zoologist Zaitsev. Professor Gezehus was the first rector.

Professor Gezehus Professor Florinsky

The university has always kept its traditions and maintained high standards. Its reputation has developed over many years. In the late 19^th century, schools of thought created by the university professors in medicine, zoology and botany became well known and recognized throughout the world. In the period of the 1930s – 1950s, Tomsk University became famous for the works of its specialists in physics, geology, mathematics as well as chemistry, history and others. In the 21st century, the university became a leader in such fields of study as ecology, nanotechnology and biochemistry. In 2010, TSU showed its high scientific potential and received the status ‘ national research university’. Not every Russian university can boast of such success.

So far Tomsk State University has trained more than 70 thousand specialists. A hundred members of the Russian Academy of Sciences are among its graduates.

Successful alumni of the University are found in business, academia and administration.

1. Match the words from the text with their meaning

- hall of residence - expenses - donation - train - supervise - graduate - merchant

to give teaching and practice in a profession to watch and direct the work of other people a person who buys and sells products in large amounts a person who completed his/her studies at university money given as a gift, especially for a good purpose the money used or needed for a purpose a university building where students live

1. Read and tell if the following statements are True or False

1. Tomsk University was the first in Russia.

2. The university was constructed with the money of the Russian government.

3. The first students studied at four faculties.

4. Professor Gezehus was a specialist in physics.

5. Professor Florinsky was the first rector of the university.

6. The first university professors were from Siberia.

7. Today Tomsk State University is a leader in many fields.

1. Finish the phrases according to the information from the text

· Tomsk University was ……

· The construction of university buildings was …..

· The first graduates were ….

· Professor Gezehus was a famous physicist. It was he who …..

· Professor Florinsky did a lot for the university: he …..

· The professors of Tomsk University created schools of thought in …

· Tomsk State University can boast of many successes: for example,

· Many graduates from Tomsk University are successful people because …..

·

1. What do the following dates mean in the history of Tomsk State University?

1878, 1888, 1898, 1930s, 2010

1. Give a title to each paragraph of the text

1. Find the key words in each paragraph of the text

1. Answer the following questions

a. Why was Tomsk University so important for the history of Russia?

b. Why did the university open its first faculty ten years after its foundation?

c. Who did much for Tomsk State University in its first years?

d. Why is Tomsk University often called ‘a leader in research and science’?

e. Why do many people believe that to study at Tomsk University is a guarantee for future success?

Text Vocabulary

construction hall of residence (AmE dormitory) expenses local merchant to cover donations Faculty of Law to supervise physicist to keep traditions to maintain high standards school of thought field of study national research university to boast of … graduate alumni (ед. ч. alumnus) academia administration

Grammar

Questions in Present and Past Simple Tenses

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