Our group and our studies

There are twenty-five students in our group. Most of us entered the university just after leaving school. We have both boys and girls in the group. Our group is friendly and we like spending time together.

Many of us live in the hostel. Our hostel is not far from the University. It takes us about ten minutes to get to the University on foot (by bus, by tram, by metro). There is a library and a reading room in our hostel.

At the University we have lectures, seminars, classes and laboratory works. In the first year we have higher mathematics, physics, chemistry, the history of Russia, science of materials, foreign languages English, German or French and some other subjects. By the way, I am good at history but maths doesn’t come easy to me.

Most of my groupmates get basic grants and three of us get increased grants. All of us take part in social activities. We all go in for sports. I go in for rowing.

The academic year is divided into two terms: the autumn term and the spring term. At the end of each term students take examinations and if they work hard enough, they pass them successfully.

2.29 Answer the following questions.

1.How many students are there in your group? 2.Did you enter the University just after leaving school? 3.Did you work anywhere after leaving school? 4.Do you live in the hostel? 5.How do you get to the University? 6.How long does it take you to get to the University? 7.What subjects do you have in the first year? 8.What foreign language do you learn? 9.Do you take part in social activities? 10.What sports do you go in for?

2.30 Read and pay attention to prepositions of position: in, on, at.

a) 1.There’s nobody in the room. 2.They are walking in the park. 3.I met Tom in the street. 4.Who is the woman in that photograph? 5.There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. 6.Robert lives in a small village in the mountains. 7.Look at the girl swimming in the sea / in the river!

b) 1.Write your name at the top / at the bottom of the page.2.Jack’s house is the white one at the end of the street. 3.Who is that man standing at the bus-stop / at the door/at the window? 4.I couldn’t see very well because I was standing at the back. 5.She studies medicine at university. 6.I’ll be at work until 5.30 but I’ll be at home all evening.

Note: We say arrive ina country or town:

When did he arrive in Britain / in London?

We say arrive at with other places (buildings etc.) or events:

What time did he arrive at school / at work / at the hotel / at the party?

We say arrive home (without a preposition):

When did he arrive home?

c) 1.Don’t sit on the floor / on the ground. 2.The book is on the table. 3.There’s a report of the football match on page 7 of the newspaper. 4.In Britain they drive on the left. 5.Our flat is on the second floor of the building. 6.London is on the river Thames. 7.We stopped at a pretty village on the way to London.

2.31 Put in the correct prepositions in, at, on. Translate the sentences.

1.My friend lives … Moscow. 2.My flat is … the third floor. 3.I can’t find Tom … this photograph. Is he … it? 4.Paris is … the river Seine. 5.I read about the accident … the front page of the newspaper. 6.Last year we had a lovely skiing holiday … the Swiss Alps. 7.She spends all day sitting … the window. 8.Don’t phone tomorrow evening. I won’t be … home. I’ll be … Ann’s. 9.It’s always too hot … Ann’s house. 10.What time do you expect to arrive … London? 11.What time do you expect to arrive … the hotel? 12.I arrived … home feeling very tired.

2.32 Read the text and discuss what academic mobility is. Would you like to study abroad?

ACADEMIC MOBILITY

Many students enrich their lives with studies abroad. Those who do this say that they will never be afraid to do anything else in their lives. They spend a term (Am. semester) or more studying in England, Scotland, France, Germany, Finland, and other countries. These students say the months spent abroad help them to love their own country more.

Many of the students who go abroad or even overseas are studying foreign languages, and they say there is no better way to improve language skills and to understand another culture than to immerse yourself into that culture.

Note: immerse v – погружать

2.33 Act out the dialogues. Learn it by heart.

At the Airport

A: Can I have your ticket, please?

B: Yes, of course. Here you are.

A: Do you have just one suitcase?

B: Yes. This bag is hand luggage.

A: That’s fine. Smoking or non-smoking?

B: Non-smoking, please. Oh … and can I have a seat next to the window?

A: Yes, that’s OK. Here’s your boarding pass. Have a nice flight!

2.34 To enter the UWC you must complete the application form with information about yourself.

Name: _____________

Date of Birth: ________

Sex: _______________

Nationality: _________

Address: ____________

Choice of College: ____

List of subjects you are studying at university this year

___________________

Do you regularly take part in sports? Give details.

___________________

Do you have musical or artistic interests?

___________________

TEST 1

Complete the dialogue with the words given.

a) Come on! b)I couldn’t hear.c)That’s our flight.

A Ah! …… BA 476 to Madrid. …… (1).

B Was it gate 4 or 14?

A …… (2). I think it was 4.

B Ssssh! There it is again. It is gate 4.

A OK. …… (3).

2.35 Fill in the following forms in your notebooks.

CROSSROADS HOTEL

Registration form

Surname ________________ First name(s) _____________ Nationality ______________ Date and place of issue _____ Passport number __________ _________________________ Address _________________ Date of departure __________ Date of arrival ____________ Signature ________________

The Oak Tree School of English

Enrolment form – PLEASE WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS Mr/Mrs/Ms^* ______________ ___ Family name _________________ First name ___________________ Date of birth _________________ Nationality __________________ Language(s) __________________ Address in your country _____ Occupation _______________ Reason for learning English: Business/pleasure/exams/other ^* (if other, please specify) ____________ How many hours a day do you want to study? ___________________ How long are you going to stay at the school? ___________________ What date do you want to start? ______________________________ ^*Delete where not applicable

2.36 Grammar revision. Active / Passive Voice. Complete the information from the leaflet about the United World Colleges (UWC) with correct form of the verbs.

The Colleges (be) ___ international communities where young people of all races (give) ___ the opportunity of living and studying together.

The students (learn) ___ about each other’s country and societies.

Two of the Colleges – Singapore and Swaziland – (provide) ___ secondary education for students aged 11 to 19.

The Colleges of Canada, Italy, the UK and the USA (offer) ___ two-year upper-secondary courses to students aged 16-19.

Waterford Kamhlaba College (found) ___ in 1963. It was the first school in South Africa (open) ___ to all races and religions.

TEST 2

Complete the dialogue with the words given.

a)Thank you very much. b) I’m sorry.c)Excuse me.

A ………. (1). I think that’s my suitcase.

B ………. (2). My suitcase is red, too.

A Is this yours?

B Yes, it is. ………. (3).