Research and Extracurricular Activities

Speaking: ASU Research Work, Extracurricular Activities

Reading: Text 6, Text 7

Listening: Sport at the University

Writing: Topic “My University”

Vocabulary: Research

Grammar: Articles

1. Read the new words after the teacher remember their pronunciation and learn them by heart:

Vocabulary

to conduct проводить

integrated fields смежные области

assessment оценка

preservation сохранение

associate professor доцент

to involve вовлекать

abroad за границей

to take into account принимать во внимание

to cooperate сотрудничать

joint общий, смежный

2. Match and make up the word combinations:

1) continuous a. in the projects

2) to conduct b. with other scientists

3) spheres of c. natural resources

4) to be well-known d. assessment

5) to cooperate e. research

6) preservation of f. into account

7) to take the present economical situation g. investigation

8) to involve students h. abroad

3. Make up your own sentences with these word combinations.

Grammar Focus

Articles

В английском языке артикли это служебные слова, которые ставятся только перед существительными. Они вносят ясность в разговор, позволяют собеседнику понимать вас, указывают на принадлежность и значимость слов. Артикли бывают двух видов – определенный (the) и неопределенный (a/an). Иногда также выделяют нулевой артикль, т.е. отсутствие артикля.

Неопределенный артикль (a/an) происходит от числительного ‘one’, поэтому он может употребляться только с исчисляемыми существительными в единственном числе. Вариантом данного артикля в русском языке можно назвать слова “некий”, “какой-то”. Неопределенный артикль употребляется в следующих случаях:

а) Если о предмете (или лице) упоминается впервые и он не известен собеседнику: A boy is sitting in the library.

b) Если предмет (или лицо) рассматривается как один из многих таких же, на что чаще всего указывает определение: My elder brother studies in a big city.

c) Если о предмете (или лице) говорится как о представителе всего класса: A cadet is a student of a military school.

d) Если существительное называет профессию или род занятий: I am a student.

e) После слов rather, quite, such, what (в восклицательных предложениях) и после оборотаthere + is, стоящих перед исчисляемыми существительными: She is such a good student! There is a canteen in our academic building.

f) В некоторых словосочетаниях: once a day (week, month, year), at a time, in a minute, not a word, a great deal (of), a number (of), a great many, a little, a few, to be at a loss, to be in a hurry, as a rule, it's a shame, it's a pity, to have a walk, to give a smile и др.: I'll be back in a minute. It's a pity I was not present at your lecture.

Определенный артикль the произошел от указательного местоимения this этот и может определять исчисляемые и неисчисляемые существительные как в единственном, так и во множественном числе.

Определенный артикль обычно употребляется в следующих случаях:

a) Если о существительном уже упоминалось или из контекста ясно, о каком предмете (или лице) идет речь: I have some exams this semester. The exams are quite difficult to pass.

b) Если существительное является единственным в своем роде или в данной ситуации: The Sun is bigger than the Moon.

c) Если существительное определяется порядковым числительным или прилагательным в превосходной степени: The first semester is the hardest one.

d) Если существительное имеет определение ограничивающего характера, отвечающее на вопросы какой?, чей?, который?(of-phrase): The research of this phenomenon has lasted for 30 years.

e) Перед названиями театров, кинотеатров, музеев, картинных галерей, гостиниц, кораблей, газет, журналов и т.п.: The British Museum was founded in 1753.

f) Перед названиями рек, морей, океанов, горных цепей, пустынь: The Urals divide the territory of Russia into European and Asian parts.

g) Перед следующими названиями стран, местностей и городов: the Ukraine, the Crimea, the Netherlands, the Hague, the USA, the UK, the Argentine.

Артикль не употребляется, в основном, в следующих случаях:

a) Перед существительными неисчисляемыми, обозначающими абстрактные понятия, вещества: Не likes music. We don’t have chalk in the classroom.
b) Перед существительными во множественном числе, если в подобном случае в единственном числе перед ними употребляется неопределенный артикль: There is a book on the table. There are books on the table.
c) Перед названиями стран, континентов, городов, улиц, гор, островов, озер и т.д., а также перед именами и фамилиями: I study in Barnaul.
d) Перед названиями времен года, месяцев, дней недели: Usually students have no classes in summer.

4. Explain the use of the articles:

1) The University of Harvard is the most popular higher educational institution in the USA.

2) In winter we’ll have the first credits and exams.

3) The laboratory needs a great deal of equipment.

4) I am a student at the Faculty of Biology.

5) As a rule we have lectures in the beginning of the first year.

5. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate article:

1) Today we have __ lecture and __ seminar class.

2) A: What did you do on __ seminar class I missed?

B: We discussed __ investigations of __ Isaac Newton.

3) Soon __ system of higher education in __ Russia will resemble that of __ USA.

4) I have __ homework to do tonight.

5) __ week ago I read __ interesting article. __ article was about __ collapse of Large Hadron Collider in __ Switzerland.

6) We celebrate International Students’ Day on __ 17^th of __ November.

7) In __ summer many students from __ Faculty of __Geography go to __ Altai Mountains to have their working practice.

8) I believe that __ knowledge I’ve got here will be useful in __ future.

9) Will you open __ window, please? It’s so hot in __ classroom.

10) Sergey Valentinovich Zemlukov is __ name of __ rector of __ Altai State University.

6. Look the text through and choose the best variant for its contents; explain your choice in English:

· Study at Altai State University

· Research in Altai State University

· Training of young specialists in Altai State University

Text 6

Today Altai State University is well-known for fundamental science, long-lasting traditions and friendly atmosphere. Now it includes the Scientific Library, several Research Institutes, Internet Centre, Internet Education Federation Centre, Linguistic Centre, 5 faculties of advanced training, Lake Krasilovo as a field practice and recreation centre, Sports Club, Students’ Club, 6 colleges and lyceums. Students’ body includes (as of 01.01.2011) about 8960 full-time students, almost 6990 correspondence (distant-learning) students, about 1082 part-time students.

At present this big scientific and educational complex consists of several scientific and research institutions: Humanitarian Studies, Environmental Monitoring, Wood Thermoplastics, Altai Regional Centre for Higher School Informatization, Altai School of Political Studies, Nanotechnology Centre “Nano and Bio-Engineering”, Psychology Centre “PSY-Contact” and others. Scientific and research work is conducted in 20 integrated scientific fields – humanitarian, technical and that of natural sciences. Among the most developed spheres of investigation are ecological assessment of the environment and preservation of the South Siberia’s biodiversity, development of biotechnical methods for economically important plants and their use in genetic selection programs, physical and chemical processes in material science and laser physics.

Training of young specialists is paid special attention to. More than 600 professors and associate professors are involved in this work. The University has a well-developed system of full-time and part-time courses. Research and educational works of the University’s staff are well-known both in Russia and abroad.

The process of the University involvement in innovation activity began in 1992 when it took part in the program “Innovation Activity of Higher School” proposed by the RF Ministry of Education. Annually the University participates in different innovation programs. Taking into account the recent tendencies, the University cooperates with other regions of Russia participating in joint innovation programs.

7. Read the text and make up the plan of it. Translate the names of ASU scientific and research institutions.

8. Explain the use of the articles in the last paragraph of the text.

9. Answer the questions using the information given in the text:

1) What is ASU well-known for?

2) What research institutes does ASU include?

3) How many students study at ASU?

4) What are the most developed investigation fields?

5) What investigation fields and research institutes correlate with your speciality?

6) Why is training of young specialists paid special attention to?

7) Is the University’s research work well-known abroad?

8) When did the University’s involvement in innovation activity begin?

9) Why is it important for ASU to participate in innovation activities?

10) Why is it useful to cooperate with other regions of Russia?

10. Think and tell why the research work of Altai State University might be important for the development of both Altai Krai and Russia.

11 a) Before reading translate and learn how to pronounce the following words: to abound, extracurricular activities, to appreciate, remarkable, ample, to be responsible for.

b) Read the text and find the sentences in which these words are used.

Text 7

Student life in Altai State University abounds in various kinds of extracurricular activities. One can easily join different dancing or vocal groups, music bands, sport clubs, KVN Cups, discussion forums, etc. In other words every student of ASU is able to find an activity that meets his/her interests and requirements. Besides these occupations there are also all-university celebrations awaited and appreciated by the students of all faculties. They include the Initiation into ASU Students, the University Day (May 29th), St. Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day. The celebrations can turn into quite a show giving both visitors and participants a chance to take part in some truly remarkable event. Every faculty also offers its students a wide range of entertainment activities that help them adjust to campus, meet new people, learn and share the faculty traditions, allow them to simply have fun. One can’t but mention here the Faculty Day and Miss and Mister of the Faculty Contest where students have a chance to show their talents. Some faculties also carry out English Song Contest and other contests and festivals.

One of the most important organizations that helps bringing all these events into life is ASU League of Students. It is a public youth organization existing since 1996. During the years of its work it has become one of the most ample students’ institutions in Altai Krai and numbers more than 6,500 students. The League organizes its work in several directions: social protection of students, sport, science, recreation and health, culture and entertainment, etc. There are representatives of the league who are responsible for the work in each direction.

12. Read the text once again and fill in the gaps:

1) Every ASU student can join … .

2) All-university celebrations include… .

3) The celebrations can … quite a show.

4) Every faculty also offers its students … of entertainment activities that help them … , … , learn and share the faculty traditions.

5) ASU League of Students is a … existing since 1996.

13 a) Listen to Michael and say what is the most popular extracurricular activity in his university.

b) Listen to Michael once again and mark the statements True or False. Correct the False statements.

1) Michael grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2) The University of Michigan is a very big institution.

3) The stadium of the university can hold 120,000 people.

4) Sunday games generate a lot of excitement and money.