Vocabulary and Speech Exercises. I. Fill the gaps with prepositions; read and translate the sentences

I. Fill the gaps with prepositions; read and translate the sentences.

1. Britain’s educational institutions are famous … their independence.

2. Universities themselves decide whom to accept … their courses.

3. British universities differ … reputation. The oldest universities have the best public image.

4. British universities were known … the low ratio students … staff, but … recent years the student staff ratio has been getting higher.

5. … 1600 there were only four universities … the whole … Scotland.

6. Universities normally selected students … the basis … their school achievements.

7. One … the reasons … the low drop-out rate ... British universities are that British students are not allowed to take any job … term time.

8. British government tries to reduce the amount … the student grant, as a result many students cannot afford to live … campus, away … home.

9. British universities are very popular overseas students.

10. Due to high degree … personal supervision nearly all university students complete their studies … a very short time.

II. Complete the following sentences.

Though British universities are officially equal in status, they differ in …

In modern Britain there are over a hundred institutions which have …

There are several reasons for the low drop-out rate in British universities. First, they take only …, second, there is a relatively high degree of …, third, the students are not supposed to …

In Britain the term of university studies may vary from … to …

many British students receive a state grant of money which is intended to …

Many British students live “on campus” and are surrounded by …

III. Read the text and say whether the statements below are true or false; render the text in Russian.

Ninety percent of higher education in British universities is state-funded, although the universities themselves are completely independent. They appoint their own staffs, and decide what and how their students should be taught.

Oxford and Cambridge have residential colleges in which students live during term time, but not all British universities are residential. Most are in large towns, and many of their students come from the local area and live at home. In recent years, however, universities have provided more halls of residence.

A first degree (undergraduate course) at a British university usually takes three years of full-time study, although some specialist courses, such as medicine, take longer.

Unlike American universities and colleges, where standards may vary dramatically from one institution to another, the standard throughout Britain is fairly uniform. This uniformity in standards is partly achieved by the practice of having external examiners from other universities marking all examination papers.

The word “college” in Britain refers to a variety of educational training institutes, most of which are not of the same academic standing as a university. There are, for example, technical colleges, colleges of agriculture, art and music, commerce, building and teacher training.

British universities are financially independent for the government.

They are also independent to decide on the curriculum and who to accept on their courses.

All British universities have residential colleges, where students live during term time.

As a rule, it takes a British student three years of full-time study to get the first degree.

In Britain, like in the USA, the universities have uniform standards for their degrees.

British universities practice having examiners from other universities to mark the students’ examination papers.

In Britain universities and colleges have the same academic standing.

IV. Fill the gaps with the words from the box, read and translate the text.

Undergraduates, lecture, get, pass, tuition, courses (3), degree, lectures, enter, subjects, grant, note, graduate, postgraduate, lecturers, postgraduates.

If you want to … university, you must first … examinations that most students take at the age of eighteen (called A-level). Most students take three A-levels (three examinations in three different …) and they must do well in order to … a place at university because the places are limited. At the moment, about 30 % of young adults go to university in Britain.

If you get a place at university, the … is free, and some students also receive a …as well. Most university … last three years, some … last four years, and one or two … e.g. medicine, may be even longer. During this period students can say they are doing/studying law, or doing/studying for a … in law, for example.

At schools you have teachers and lessons at university you have … and …. When a lecturer gives a …, the students listen and take …, but do not usually say much, except to ask occasional questions.

Students at university are called … while they are studying for their first degree. When you complete your first degree, you are a …. Some students then go on to do a second degree - … course. They are ….