A. Circle the word in each line which has a different vowel sound. Listen to the teacher and check your answers.
1) graduate exam grade transition
2) transform award reform government
3) stipulate leading complete decree
4) number numerous approve school
В. Underline the main stress in each word. Practise saying the words.
Education, qualification, regulation, establishment, institute, constitute.
Word Study
A. Find international words in the text and write them out Learn
their correct pronunciation.
B. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combina
tions:
a developed educational system; adult population literacy; working population; 10% of the GDP; seasonal and all-year-round playgrounds; to aim at improving children's health; to undergo reforms; according to the present-day demands; to be awarded numerous medals; to enhance individual approach to pupils and students; to ensure the rights of people with special needs to basic education; to be regarded as incapable of learning; to be transformed into vocational lyceums and colleges; to enter higher educational establishments; to enact a decree; a 2-stage system; 2 successive stages of learning; a complete period of learning; centralized testing.
C. Give English equivalents to the word combinations:
базовое общее образование; профессионально-техническое образование, как свидетельствуют макропоказатели; утвердить увеличение затрат на образование; открывать новые учебные заведения; 10-балльная система оценки; школьные учебники; настенные карты; из серии "Школьная библиотека"; составить около 40% от общего количества профессионально-технических учреждений; студенты дневного обучения; дистанционное обучение; переход к новой структуре высшего образования; круглосуточный лагерь; дневной лагерь.
D. Match the words from A with their opposites from B.
| A | В |
| literacy, capable, centralized, complete, healthy, distant, enter | leave, close, illiteracy, incomplete, unhealthy, decentralized, incapable |
E. Match the words and expressions from A with the synonyms from B.
| A | В |
| basic, modernize, complete, incapable, regard, round-the-clock, enhance, present-day, transform, contest, grade, establishment, set up, kindergarten | nursery, change, institution, found, update, improve, fundamental, consider, competition, finished, twenty-four-hour, modern, mark, unable |
F. Match a word from A with a word from В to make phrases.
| A | В |
| 1) vocational | a) population |
| 2) working | b) system |
| 3) set up | c) education |
| 4) undergo | d) a reform |
| 5) award | e) institutions |
| 6) assessment | f) qualification |
| 7) regard | g) a medal |
| 8) full-time | h) a decree |
| 9) enact | i) testing |
| 10) a centralized | j) an establishment |
| 11) professional | k) as incapable |
| 12) respite | 1) students |
G. Group the words according to the part of speech they belong to. What formal signs helped you to decide on the part of speech?
Successive, centralized, incapable, rehabilitation, assessment, establishment, macroindicator, vocational, largely, stipulate, modernize, seasonal, fiction, opportunity, healthy, previously.
Grammar Focus
A. Complete the sentences by using one of the words on the left and combining it with one of the prepositions on the right. Prepositions can be used more than once. If necessary, change the form of the words on the left.
| regard | according | incapable | aim | into | for |
| order | account | transform | approach | to | of |
| question | pay | as | at |
1. It was a ......... great importance to us. 2. The program is ...
... providing free access to quality education. 3. If everything goes ...
... plan, they should finish by Thursday. 4. In ....... the company to
be profitable, sales would need to rise by at least 60%. 5. We need
a fresh ....... assessment system in education. 6. Much attention is...
... specialised secondary institutions of education. 7. I ... it ... my
duty. 8. 1 knew that she was ........... combining work with studies.
9. Some general education schools have ............. gymnasiums and
lyceums. 10. These mistakes are ....... by his negligence.
B. Find passive sentences in the text. Name the passive forms and translate the sentences.
7. Diving Deeper
A. Give detailed answers to the following questions.
1. Is expenditure on education in our country increasing or decreasing? Prove your answer. 2. What new educational establishments have been founded in Belarus? 3. What has been the main aim of Belarusian educational reforms since 1998? 4. What major innovations have been introduced into the Belarusian system of education recently? 5. What has happened to vocational schools and institutes? 6. How many students are there in Belarus? 7. What decree on higher education was enacted by the Government of Belarus? 8. Are people with special needs taken good care of in Belarus?
B. Finish the sentences.
1. Almost all the population of the Republic of Belarus ... . 2. The country's expenditure on education makes up .... 3. Much attention is paid to pre — school institutions which ... .4. The quality of teaching at Belarusian schools is high, which can be proved by the fact that .... 5. A 10-grade assessment system aims at .... 6. The educational materials published include .... 7. Since 2001 vocational Lyceums and colleges ....
8. 30% of all graduates of secondary vocational institutions continue
their education in .... 9. The system of higher education is going to
consist of ... . 10. For the children with learning difficulties ... .
8. Speaking
A. Prove the statements using the information from the text.
• Belarus has got a developed system of education.
• A lot is being done in our country to improve the system of education.
• The Belarusians understand the importance of getting higher education.
• People with special needs are taken care of in our country.
B. Reread the text. Divide it into logical parts and make up its
outline. Speak on the changes in Belarusian system of education in
the 21st century covering the points of your outline. Say if you can
foresee any other changes.
9. General Comprehension
Read the text and say if the sentences are true or false.
1. The number of vocational and technical institutions of education in the Republic exceeds two hundred. 2. Most vocational and technical institutions of education provide both general education and vocational training. 3. Adults can't study at vocational and technical institutions of education. 4. Much more attention is paid to the training of single-profession workers. 5. There are both public and private specialized secondary institutions of education in Belarus. 6. There is a wide choice of specialties available at Belarusian specialized secondary institutions of education. 7. College students have only one main subject. 8. College graduates have a privilege of getting a higher education within a shorter period of time.