4. Read and translate the text: Me and my University life

I am currently a student at Odessa State University, completing a degree in International Relations. As a member of the Student Union Executive Committee, I am actively involved in the day-to-day running of student life. The Committee takes responsibility for improvements to student facilities, coordinating student events such as concerts and sport days, as well as fund-raising activities. I play a large part in organizing these events, my role specifically being to oversee publicity and manage the budgets. These responsibilities test my leadership as well as my organizational and negotiating skills.

For many years I have been keenly interested in diplomacy. While I was at school, I participated in Kiev UNO Model, and in my first year at university I led the so-called parliamentary debates on the issue of Georgian invasion to South Ossetia. Organizing and leading a debate requires the ability to observe burning issues from different viewpoints, deal with arguments and work under pressure. The success of the parliamentary debates, which have been included into the university curriculum, shows that I managed to develop these abilities to a high standard.

In my free time I enjoy watching films. I am a member of a local community film club and helped to organize a short film festival last year. My involvement with this local community project has given me experience of organizing off-campus events as well as working with young people in the community.

This is how my University and active student life help me to improve and develop my natural skills.

5. Read and translate the text: Study and plans for the future

This school year is very important for us, because we must decide what to do after leaving school. There are different ways for us to choose. Those who like technique can become engineers and work in the field of industry. Those who like nature can become agronomists and work in agriculture, school-leavers who want to work directly with people may become doctors and teachers.

Many young people follow the examples of their parents and choose their professions. I think it is not bad, as they know these professions better. There are school-leavers who choose only modern professions such as economists and lawyers. I don’t think that it is bad, but nowadays there are a lot of economists and lawyers and it is not easy for them to find work.

So the main thing for us is to choose our future profession correctly to satisfy our own fasts and needs and to work with the best results.

As for me, I want to be an expert in foreign relations (diplomat), but it is very difficult to enter the university, there I can study foreign relations. That’s why, most likely, I will have to become an economist, it is not bad profession and I try to get at once two specialties: marketing and finances and credit.

Questions:

1. What would you like to do after school? Was it your own decision?

2. Who helped you to make your decision?

3. Have you tried a part-time or summer job to find out what interests you most of all?

4. What professions are in demand now?

5. What are advantages and disadvantages of your future profession/job?

6. Which of your personal characteristics will help you to succeed in your career?

7. Which qualities of your character would you like to develop? Why?

8. Those who chose their career correctly are really happy, aren’t they?