Exercises

1. Give the Russian equivalents of the following words and word combination:

the course of studies; primary school; secondary school; previously; crèche; lyceum; gymnasium; free of charge; curriculum; demand; to adapt; to extend; to conduct; transition; vocational school; higher school, competitive; ability; to be involved in; postgraduate courses

2. Use the words and phrases of exercise 1 in the sentences of your own.

3. Give the English equivalents of the following:

детский сад; большой выбор; государственная школа; большинство школ; дополнительные предметы; первая четверть; школьные правила; включать; изучаемые предметы; выпускники; академия; выпускные экзамены

4. Use the words and word combinations of exercise 3 in the sentences your own.

5. Find in the text and read the information about

• the course of studies in Russian schools;

• pre-primary educational establishments;

• types of schools existing in Russia;

• lessons in primary school;

• secondary education;

• school-leaving examinations;

• the admission to higher school;

• higher educational establishments.

6. Translate the words in brackets into English.

1. (Курс обучения) is eleven years.

2. Children (младше шести лет) are taken to creches and nursery schools.

3. (Большинство школ) are free of charge.

4. At the age of six children start (ходить в начальную школу).

5. After (базовой средней школы) young people can enter (технические училища).

7. Make up ten questions on the text.

8. Make up the outline of the text.

9. Retell the text using the outline.

10. Choose one point of the outline to make an extended report.

11. Translate into English.

В России в настоящее время существует несколько типов школ, как государственных, так и частных. Родители могут по своему усмотрению отдать детей в гимназию, лицей или частную школу. Иногда при поступлении в такие учебные заведения дети проходят тестирование или сдают экзамен. Стандарт образования - общий для всех школ, однако школы могут сами выбирать методы работы и учебники. Как правило, до школы дети ходят в ясли и детские сады, где приобретают навыки работы в коллективе, что делает учебу в школе легче.

Reform in the system of secondary education in russia

School is one of the most important institutions of the society; school reflects the condition of the society and shows tendencies of further development. Being one of the most important social institutions it influences the life of the country as a whole. Therefore, much attention should be paid to education of children to ensure stability and progress in the country. At the same time, the changes in the social and economic life present new demands in the respect of new vision in upbringing and development of the new generation. It is generally started that the system of education in Russia has the urgent need in deep alterations nowadays.

In the beginning of the twenty-first century the system of education faces several problems. On the one hand, changes taking place in information technologies and industry highlight the main objectives in education. Modern industry needs qualified, highly professional specialists in many spheres. On the other hand, the overflow of information may come even dangerous for children: the statistics says that only 10 per cent of school-leavers can be considered absolutely healthy today, the other 90 per cent having various health problems. Therefore, it has been decided to extend the period of obligatory secondary education to nine years instead of eight. General secondary education is thus extended to eleven years.

The curriculum will undergo considerable changes, too. More attention will be paid to new subjects in the curriculum, which are essential for the integration of the young people into society. These include economics, information technology, ecology, law, culture, arts, geography, biology and fundamentals of security. The principles of teaching Russian language, Russian literature, and mathematics will be changed aiming at deeper knowledge of the students. Teaching a foreign language at Russian schools will be improved so as to match the international standards. It is absolutely necessary to bring up harmoniously developed people, thus more attention will be paid to the lessons of physical education.

The education in Russia will undergo one more serious alteration in the nearest future, concerning the entrance exams to higher educational establishments. The nationwide system of assessment tests is going to be developed. Admission to the universities will be held on the results of these tests.