TEXT 2. DIALOGUE: A FOREIGN VISIT

 

Task 1. Read the dialogue:

 

Prorector: Dear Ladies and Gentlemen! On behalf of the Rector of the Altai State Academy of Culture and Arts, I welcome you here. Unfortunately, Mr. Rector cannot greet you personally, for he is on a foreign trip now. Next several days you’ll have an opportunity to take part in the Academy’s annual international conference. Besides, you’ll be able to get general information about the Academy.

Professor Dr. John Browne: Mr. Prorector! On behalf of all the members of our delegation, I’d like to thank you for the invitation to the conference. We know that this Academy is one of the best Academies of Culture and Arts. We consider it an honour to participate in the conference held at this Academy. It would also be interesting for us to learn something new about the Academy itself.

Associate Professor David Woods: Mr. Prorector, I’d like to ask you a question. How many students are there at the Academy?

Prorector: Nearly 3000 students are enrolled in the Academy in the departments of full-time and distant learning.

Assoc. Prof. David Woods: There is also a Preparatory Department at the Academy, isn’t there?

Prorector: Yes, there is. Over four hundred school-children have a training provided by the Academy. Preparatory study is organized in specially oriented classes of 23 schools of the city. The Academy takes pride in its well-managed system of raising professionals of prime qualification.

Assoc. Prof. Ann Watson: And what is the basic way of instruction at the Academy?

Prorector: The basic way of instruction is lectures, seminars, discussions, reports, laboratory and course work. Student research is a natural component of training at the Academy. We think that working with research bodies gives the students an opportunity to require knowledge in their narrow field and the technique of making a research. At the same time it is a serious educational and psychological factor, as the specific character of research bodies develops a critical perception of the studied material, self-dependent thinking and creative activity.

Prof. Browne: Can you say a few words about the course of studies at the Academy?

Prorector: The course of studies lasts for 5 years. Part-time students study for

years. The classes begin in September, they are over in June. During the 1^st and the 2^nd year students study general subjects. In the 3d year they begin to study special subjects. In the final year students write Diploma papers and take state exams. On graduation they receive Diplomas of Specialists.

Prof. Browne: Mr. Prorector, I have one more question. I know that the Academy is a participant in the program of the Regional Council “Cultural Heritage of Siberia”. Can you expound me the points of this program?

Prorector: It’s a complicated question. Well, tomorrow at the conference we’ll discuss some points included in this program. Besides, you’ll be able to talk to our specialists.

Prof. Browne: All right! Thank you.

Prorector: You are welcome. See you tomorrow at the conference.

 

Task 2. Name the main topic of the conversation.

 

Task 3. Answer the questions to the dialogue:

1. What is the title of the dialogue?

2. Who has come to the Academy and what is the reason of their coming?

3. What information are the guests interested in?

4. What is the basic way of instruction at the Academy?

5.What is the last topic of the conversation?

 

Task 4. Act out the dialogue.

 

Task 5. Make up a similar dialogue. The following words and phrases will help you to do it:

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen! On behalf of …

Welcome to …

Unfortunately, …

Besides, …

I’d like to thank you for …

We consider it an honour to …

It would also be interesting for us to …

I’d like to ask you … We think that …

Can you say a few words about …?

I have one more question.

Can you expound … ?

It’s a complicated question.

You’ll be able to talk to our specialists.

All right! Thank you.

You are welcome.

See you tomorrow.

 

 

TEXT 3. FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN

 

Task 1. Read the text and answer the following questions:

 

1. What can you say about further education in Great Britain?

2. How many universities are there in Great Britain?

3. What specialist higher educational institutions can you name?

 

Further education has traditionally been characterized by part-time vocational courses for those who leave school at the age of 16 but need to acquire a skill, be that in the manual, technical or clerical field. Vocational training is conducted at the country’s 550 colleges is bound to be an important component.

As for higher education there are today 90 universities. They fall into 5 broad categories: the medieval English foundations, the medieval Scottish ones, the 19^th-century “redbrick” ones, the 20^th-century “plate-glass” ones, and finally polytechnics. They are all private institutions, receiving direct grants from central government.

Oxford and Cambridge, founded in the 13^th and 14^th centuries respectively, are easily the most famous of Britain’s universities. Today “Oxbridge”, as the two together are known, educate less then one-twentieth of Britain’s total university student population. But they continue to attract many of the best brains on account of their prestige as well as on account of the seductive beauty of many of their buildings and surroundings.

Scotland boasts four ancient universities: Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen, all founded in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. These universities were created with strong links with the ancient universities of continental Europe, and followed their longer and broader course of studies. Even today, Scottish universities provide four-year undergraduate courses, compared with the usual three-year courses in England and Wales.

In the 19^th century more universities were established to respond to the demand for educated people as a result of the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of Britain’s empire.

With the expansion of higher education in the 1960s “plate-glass” universities were established. They were named after counties or regions, for example Sussex, Kent and East Anglia. Over 50 polytechnics and similar higher education institutes acquired university status in 1992. There is also a highly successful Open University, which provides every person in Britain with the opportunity to study for a degree, without leaving their home. It is designed for adults who missed the opportunity for higher education earlier in life. It conducts learning through correspondence, radio and TV, and also through local study centers.

In addition there are a large number of specialist higher education institutions in the realm of the performing and visual arts. For example, there are four leading conservatories: the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, Trinity College of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. There are a large number of art colleges, of which the most famous is the Royal College of Art, where both Henry Moor and David Hockney once studied. Other colleges cater for dance, filmmaking and other specialist areas of study.

 

Task 2. Fill in the blanks:

 

further … , vocational … , to acquire … , the medieval … , … “redbrick” ones, … institutions, from … government, university … population, the best …, on account of …, … Europe, the demand for …, as a result of …, named after …, … university status, a highly successful a highly successful …, the opportunity to study for …, local study …, in the realm of …, Trinity College of …, the Royal College of …, cater for … .

 

Task 3. Give the English equivalents to the following phrases:

 

профессиональные курсы, средневековые строения, частное заведение, стипендия, привлекать лучшие умы, тесные связи, с расширением высшего образования, получить статус университета, упустить возможность, обучение по переписке, местные центры обучения.

 

Task 4. Choose the word, which you think is the closest in meaning to the words in the text.

1. traditionally a) historically b) usually

2. foundation a) institution b) basis

3. private a) secret b) independent

4. grant a) award b) gift

5. seductive a) tempting b) winni8ng

6. opportunity a) time b) chance

7. adult a) kid b) grown-up

8. famous a) well-known b) familiar

9. to create a) to make b) to provide

10.field a) sphere b) piece of earth

 

Task 5. Answer the questions to the text:

 

1. What can you say about vocational training in Great Britain?

2. How many categories do the universities in Great Britain fall into? What are they?

3. Are they all private institutions?

4. What are the most ancient universities in Great Britain?

5. In what century were they founded?

6. Explain the phrase “the best brains” used in paragraph 3.

7. Why are the universities of Oxford and Cambridge so attractive?

8. What are the most popular universities in Scotland? Will you characterize them?

9. In what century more universities appeared in Great Britain? Why?

10. What is a “plate-glass” university?

11. When did polytechnics acquired the university status in Great Britain?

12. What is Open University? Who was it designed for? How does it conduct learning?

13. Explain the phrase “to study for a degree”, used in paragraph 6.

14. Will you name the leading conservatories of Great Britain?

15. What are the most famous art colleges? Who studied there? What do the other colleges cater for?