Module 2. Higher education

Exercise 1. Read and guess the meanings of the new words. If you have some difficulties use the dictionary at the end of this book.

1) mechanical engineering. Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering has a long history.

2) vocational school. It was a small vocational school.

3) to turn into. Later that small vocational school turned into one of the leading secondary school in Russia.

4) to influence. The activities of that school influenced the establishment and improvement of vocational education in Russia.

5) educational institution. Schools, colleges and universities are educational institutions.

6) research centres. The university is training students for machine-building plants, research centres, etc.

7) full-time, part-time, extra-mural departments. The university has full-time, part-time, extra-mural departments.

8) teaching staff. The teaching staff of the university consists of highly-qualified specialists.

9) educational aids. The teachers have created a lot of educational aids.

10) abroad. The educational aids which have been created by the university teachers are used in higher schools not only in Russia but abroad too.

11) to take part. The university takes part in the activities of some governmental and international professional public organizations.

12) scientific. A lot of scientific conferences are organized on the base of the university.

Exercise 2. Read the international words and mind the stress.

University, history, activity, institute, student, machine, centre, specialist, academician, academy, professor, candidate, doctor, organization, conference, base.

Exercise 3. Read the sentences, point out the Simple, Continuous, and Perfect Tenses. Give the Russian equivalents. If you have some difficulties use the grammar reference at the end of the book.

1. The university has a long history. 2. He is sitting at the lesson now. 3. The teaching staff of the university consists of highly-educated specialists. 4. Tomorrow he will take an exam. 5. He is watching TV at the moment. 6. The students are being taught different skills. 7. They have already received the instructions.8. The devices have been tested by the students. 9. He was visiting the museum from 4 till 6 o’clock yesterday. 10. The students will be attending classes all the term.

Exercise 4. Make up your own sentences according to the models.

Model A: She often writes e-mails.

E-mails are often written by her.

1. He always learns different skills. 2. This student usually answers questions very well. 3. She always attends English classes. 4. He usually receives the instructions from his chief. 5. As a rule, the teacher solves the problems together with the students.

Model B: He was visiting the exhibition the whole morning yesterday.

The exhibition was being visited by him the whole morning yesterday.

1. The family was watching TV from 9 till 11 o’clock yesterday. 2. The whole morning yesterday she was translating the article. 3. Last month he was buying the newspapers at that newsstand. 4. The student was reading a book all evening yesterday. 5. She was writing an article during 3 hours yesterday.

Exercise 5. Read the text and choose the most suitable heading given below for each paragraph.

1) The Teaching Staff and Students

2) The University Activities

3) From the History of the University

MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering has a long history. In 1865 it was a small vocational school. Later it turned into one of the leading secondary schools in Russia. The activities of that school influenced the establishment and improvement of vocational education in Russia. And in 1939 it was founded as Moscow Auto-Mechanical Institute (MAMI). 

Today this educational institution is one of the largest technical higher schools in Russia. It is training students for machine-building plants, research centres, etc. It has full-time, part-time, and extra-mural departments. The teaching staff of the university consists of highly-qualified specialists including academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professors, associate professors, Candidates of Sciences and Doctors of Sciences.

The university professors and teachers have created a lot of educational aids that are used not only in the university but also in other higher schools in Russia and abroad. The university takes part in the activities of some governmental and international professional public organizations. A lot of scientific conferences are organized on the base of the university.

Exercise 6. Share your vision about Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering using the following phrases: in my opinion, if I am not mistaken, as far as I remember, etc.

1. What facts from the history of Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering can you name?

2. What does the university train students for?

3. What departments are there in the university?

4. Whom does the teaching staff of the university consist of?

5. Where are the university educational aids used?

6. In what activities does the university take part?

Exercise 7. Complete logically the following sentences.

1. In 1865 Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering was … .

2. It turned into … .

3. The activities of that school influenced … .

4. In 1939 it was founded as … .

5. Today this educational institution is … .

6. It is training … .

7. The teaching staff of the university consists of … .

8. The university professors and teachers have created … .

9. The educational aids are used … .

10. The university takes part in … .

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English. You will have a story on the topic as a pattern.

1. Московский государственный машиностроительный университет имеет длинную историю. 2. Сначала это была маленькая профессиональная школа, которая позже превратилась в ведущую среднюю школу России. 3. Московский Автомеханический институт (МАМИ) был основан в 1939 году. 4. В настоящее время университет готовит студентов для машиностроительных заводов и исследовательских центров. 5. В университете есть дневное, вечернее и заочное отделения. 6. Профессорско-преподавательский состав университета состоит из высококвалифицированных специалистов: академиков, членов-корреспондентов Российской академии наук, профессоров, доцентов. 7. В университете создано много дидактических средств, которые используются не только в высших учебных заведениях России, но и за рубежом. 8.  На базе университета проводятся многочисленные научно-технические конференции.

Exercise 9. Read and give a summary of the text.

BRITISH UNIVERSITIES

There are about 50 universities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The education at the universities is not free but the competition among those who want to be a student is serious.

British universities differ greatly from each other in history, traditions, and methods of instructions. The most famous universities are Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Each of them is a federation of colleges. Each college is governed by their own teaching staff. It is responsible for teaching students through the tutorial system: a college tutor advises students which lectures to attend, and lecture attendance at the universities is not compulsory.

Cambridge University is a great centre of research. Cavendish scientific laboratory is known all over the world. Some Nobel Prize scientists worked there. Thomson, Rutherford, P.Kapitza were among them.

Exercise 10. Compile information about some universities in the UK and USA and participate in a project. You may use the following web site: www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings

TEST 1

1. Choose the proper words and fill in the blanks.

1. We were discussing educational systems in different … .

A universities B activities C students D plants

2. The university has full-time, part-time, and … departments.

A mural B extra-mural C vocational D secondary

3. It … into a leading secondary school.

A influenced B consisted C turned D created

4. It … the development of education in this country.

A influenced B consisted C turned D created

5. They … different educational aids.

A influenced B consisted C turned D created

6. It … of some departments then.

A influenced B consisted C turned D created

7. This university is one of the largest … higher schools in Russia.

A highly-qualified B training C technical D educational

8. The university prepares students for … .

A schools B research centres C deparments D activities

9. The university … part in the activities of international organizations.

A takes B turns C creates D consists

10. They are used not only in Russia but … .

A then B also C a lot of D abroad

2. Fill in the blanks with the proper grammatical forms.

1. He … this museum the whole morning yesterday.

A were visiting B was being visited C was visiting D being visited

2. They … an e-mail two days ago.

A are being written B is writing C was writing D wrote

3. He usually … the texts very well.

A were translating B is translated C translate D translates

4. This material … in the article.

A is being used B use C uses D were being used

5. At present she … here.

A were studying B study C is studying D is being studied

6. The students … these lectures next week.

A will attend B will attending C attends D will be

7. The boys … this newspaper yesterday.

A read B are reading C was reading D were being read

8. The questions … by the relatives now.

A were being asked B being asked C was asked D are being asked

9. You … these questions.

A was answered B is answered C will answer D was answering

10. The text about education … by the students tomorrow.

A were being read B read C will be read D will read