Comments:

1. higher educational institutions-высшие учебные заведения

2. free of charge- бесплатный

3. the Open University-"открытый" университет

4. apart from-кроме

5. financial support- финансовая помощь

6. the Department of Education and Science-Министерство образования и науки

7. Public funds (money)-государственные фонды.

8. tuition fees-плата за обучение

9. prior to the Education Reform Act- до закона о реформе образования

10. by examination performance-на экзаменах

11. by international standards-no международным стандартам

12. in addition-кроме того

13. living expenses-трата на жильё

14. Bachelor of Arts (BA) -бакалавр гуманитарных наук

15. Bachelor of Science (BSc) -бакалавр точных наук

16. Master of Arts(MA)-Marмстр гуманитарных наук

17. Master of Science (MSc) -магистр точных наук

18. Doctor of Philosophy- доктор философии

19. to be engaged in- заниматься

20. full-time higher education-образование с отрывом от работы

21. to take place-иметь место

Open university

(l)The Open University is the most recently established university in Great Britain. It was set up in 1969 for those people, who missed the chance¹ of going to an ordinary university. The university differs from other universities in that its students in full-time jobs² and can study only in their free time by means of distance teaching materials³, through correspondence and broadcasting⁴. Students need to about ten hours a week and they are to do a lot of watching and listening to the у lectures on television and radio.

(2) As the university is really "open" neither formal entrance examination⁵, nor qualification are required at undergraduate level⁶. Students are admitted⁷ on a "first come, first served" basis⁸. Each student gets the help of his own tutor who he meets regularly.

3. Students may be of all ages and come from all walks of life. Some of them want improve their qualification, others come to the university to do something they always wanted but had no time or good chance to do it before. This is one of the attractive aspects of the university.

4. The university has faculties and three programmes of study- undergraduate, ate and postgraduate. The Bachelor of Arts degree is built up on a credit system¹⁰. Student's final mark is based on the exam in October and the written assignments done during the year. If you pass and most people do, you have got one credit towards the six that you need for the BA degree. At the usual speed of a year it will take you six (or eight) years to get your degree.

5. Returning to "school"¹² may be difficult for most students as they have forgotten or never knew how to study and prepare for the exams¹³. As an Open University student you get to university life at the summer schools which you must attend in the first year. You spend a week at a college or university taking lectures and seminars¹⁴, having discussions and working hard in an exciting atmosphere¹⁵. It is here that most students understand that they have begun to master the discipline of university study.

1. …who missed the chance -... кто потерял возможность.

2. full-time jobs - полный рабочий день

3. means of distance teaching materials - способом дистанционного обучения

4. through correspondence and broadcasting - через письма, радиовещание и телевидение

5. entrance examinations - вступительные экзамены

6. undergraduate level - учебный курс на степень бакалавра;

7. are admitted -... поступают

8. "first come, first served" basis - по принципу "кто первый пришел, того первого и обслужили”

9. from all walks of life - из всех слоев общества

10. a credit system - система зачетов

11. one credit towards the six - один зачет из шести

12. returning to "school" - возвращение к экзаменам

13. to prepare for the exams - готовится к экзаменам

14. taking lectures and seminars - посещая лекции и семинары

15. in an exciting atmosphere - в волнующей атмосфере

ТЕХТ З.