Conversational practice
43. Speak about the education in Russia using Active Vocabulary and the expressions below:
| § I think we should … | § It would be better to … |
| § I (don’t) agree | § I like …/ I quite like …/ I really like … |
| § I (don’t) think it’s a good idea to … | § It is important to … |
| § A good way to … is to … /The best way to … is to … | § I don’t mind … |
WRITING PRACTICE
44. Read the following text carefully in order to discover the main line of thought and make a plan for writing a summary:
Higher educational establishments are headed by rectors. Prorectors are in charge of academic and scieёntific work. An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a certain field of study. Faculties have specialized councils which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.
The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period now. The main objectives of the reform are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedoms to faculties and students. All secondary schools, institutes, universities and academies until recently have been funded by the state. Now there is quite a number of private – fee-paying primary and secondary schools, nearly all universities have fee-paying departments.
UNIT 2
| Pre-Text Exercises: Word Building Active Vocabulary Text 2 A. Higher Education in Great Britain Text 2 B. Entrance Procedures Text 2 C. Higher Education in the USA Text 2 D. Post-Secondary Education in the United States Text And Vocabulary Exercises Conversational Practice Writing Practice |
PRE-TEXT EXERCISES
1. Look at the following international words, guess their meaning and check the pronunciation:
College, music, autonomous, act, Parliament, result, separate, polytechnics, status, academic, faculty, department, qualification, historical, style, business, administration, combination, modern
2. Fill in the gaps with these prepositions: at, for, of, to:
1. Sheryl is brilliant ___ history but she’s hopeless ___ geography.
2. Bill is tired ___ people complaining all the time.
3. Olivia is allergic ___ milk and shellfish.
4. Derek is partly responsible ___ the collapse of the company.
5. Most people are aware ___ the risks of smoking.
6. Victoria is married ___ a hugely successful football player.
7. Barcelona is famous, among other things, ___ its outstanding architecture.
8. Polly is terrified ___ mice.
9. Ashley is extremely proud ___ her students’ rapid progress.
10. Steve’s not very good ___ remembering people’s names.
11. Some newspapers are highly critical ___ the country’s new prime minister.
12. The locals are opposed ___ the building of a new terminal at the airport.
3. Here are some expressions with the preposition at. Translate and learn them:
| § at the age of | § at all | § at the beginning |
| § at the end | § at all costs | § at work |
| § at first | § at home | § at last |
| § at least | § at a loss | § to shout at |
| § to be good at | § to knock at | § to laugh at |
| § to throw at | § to work at | § to be surprised at |
| § at night | § at once | § at will |
| § at war | § at first sight |
4. Fill in the gaps with the preposition at or the expressions given above in the appropriate form:
1. Howard started ___ and reached the mountains late ….
2. They had the same books ___ that is why they refused to buy them.
3. The boy ___ a stone ___ the crow and it flew away.
4. They have been ___ this problem for a year.
5. She understood it ___ and frowned.
6. Larry never ___ his children and they respect him very much.
7. I did not recognize you ___
8. We need ___ three more days to finish this work.
9. My uncle said they had to do it ___
10. They always ___ his jokes.
11. Mankind is ___ the size of Egyptian pyramids.
12. Liz is ___ geography and ___ physics.
13. Pakistan was ___ with India some decades ago.
14. My mother always gets up ___ and does a lot of house work.
15. Hilbert was driving his Mercedes ___ 160 kilometers and we were scared.
16. Thomas was ___ in Russia for three years.
17. Sonia is a very naughty girl but ___ she is very kind-hearted.
18. At this time of the day dad is ___ .
5. Fill in the gaps with the correct word to complete the sentences:
1. American technical education ___ well known for its wide relevance to employment.
| § is | § are | § were | § had been |
2. It was a good idea of ___ to go swimming this afternoon.
| § you | § yours | § your | § yourself |
3. This building was built ___ people who lived a long time ago.
| § of | § after | § by | § with |
4. Begin with a minute ___ two of small talk.
| § and | § or | § if | § but |
6. Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases in English:
Autonomous institutions; postgraduate qualifications; entry requirements; government support of education; professional work experience