Билет №3. Вопрос 1.

EDUCATION IN RUSSIA

It is well known that educated and skilled professionals are needed everywhere. That is why people of every country show great interest in the system of education. Russia is not an exception. The right to educa­tion is guaranteed by our Constitution. And it is obligatory to young people of our country. Every boy and girl must get secondary education. They start going to school at the age of 6 or 7 and stay there till the end of the 9-th form. At school they study academic subjects such as the Russian Language and Literature, Mathematics, History, Biology, Chem­istry, Foreign Languages and many others. When they finish the 9-th form young people can continue their education in the 10-th and 11-th forms. But they can also go to a vocational or technical school and get trained in a certain profession. Some pupils may enter a college that provides general knowledge in academic subjects and professional knowledge in some areas.

After finishing a secondary, vocational, technical school or a college young people can start working or apply to an institute or a university. Most young people try to continue their education at a university. To enter any higher educational institution all applicant must take rather difficult entrance exams. The ones with the best results become students. Most universities offer various ways of getting higher education. One can get a Bachelor's Degree and then apply for a Master's Degree. Or one can spend 5 years to obtain a University Diploma that gives a chance to enter the graduate school and to seek a degree of a Candidate of Science. Doc­toral programs are also available for the most talented and experienced.

The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is now go­ing through a period of reforms. One of the new ideas is to make single sex schools instead of mixed ones with boys and girls. This idea has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, in single sex schools the relations with the opposite sex do not distract boys and girls from learn­ing. It may be easier to maintain discipline in such schools. On the other hand, after leaving such a school it may be difficult for both boys and girls to make friends with each other. There may be a psychological gap between them that can cause many problems.

1. What is the text about?

2. What are the subjects mentioned in the text?

3. What is a single sex school?

4. Do you think it is wise to have single sex school?

5. Which education do you have now?

Билет №3. Вопрос 2.

Choosing the future profession

The problem of choosing the future profession has always been very important. The profession a person chooses in many ways determines his future life. This is a universal problem of our epoch. Every generation in this or that way comes across it. For most people choosing a career is not an easy task. It is one of the most important decisions one makes in life. The properly chosen career makes a person happy and successful for the rest of his life.

There are several factors that influence the decision of young people to make their choice. They concern material and spiritual aspects of the future profession. It is generally believed that professions should be both prestigious and interesting. Everybody wants to benefit from the social privileges provided by the profession. At the same time other factors are important. Much depends on the inclinations and interests of the person. Although it is wonderful when one's hobby becomes one's profession it seldom happens in reality. Another important factor is social environment. The profession of the parents often in this or that way influences the future profession of their children. Today we have dynasties of physicians, historians, lawyers, economists, pilots, and military officers.

It is impossible to forget about the material aspect of the future profession. It indicates the level of the society's values. Today all professions can be classified as prestigious and not prestigious. The problem of prestige is subjective. Nobody can explain the meaning of this notion. «Prestigious» jobs give a chance to an individual to enter the upper circles of the society. When the job is prestigious money is of secondary importance. The future profession should be interesting and meet the demands of the person.