Билет № 5

1. Let`s talk about education. What can you tell me about the system of education in Belarus? We can say that Belarus has a developed system of education. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to secondary education and creates basis for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are:

- the priority of human values,

-national culture as the basis of education,

-humanism,

-sense of ecological purpose,

- scientific basis,

- support of gifted children and others.Children in Belarus start school at the age of 6 or 7. They study 4 years at primary school and then they move to secondary school. Bright pupils take exams and go to gymnasium. After the 9^th form schoolchildren take exams and can stay at the same school for two more years to complete the secondary education or they go to colleges or lytheums.

After the eleventh form schoolchildren take school-leaving exams. They have to sit centralized testing to study at university. Most schools in Belarus are comprehensive, non-selective and free.

A school year lasts from the first of September to the end of May. It is divided into four terms and vacations. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes.

2.Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why?

Yes, I do. I agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge. First of all our teachers are highly qualified specialists, they not only teach us but also help us analyze and understand different things. Besides, secondary develops our abilities and talents. I am absolutely sure that school plays an important role in every pupil's life.

3.Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil?

Did you like school when you were a pupil?

What was your favourite subject?

Were you good (bad) at Languages?

Did you take part in school concerts? sport competitions?

Did you behave well at school?

Did you always get good marks?

Did you often cheat at school?

4.Which school club would you advise your classmate to join?

There are not many clubs in our school but I think they are interesting and useful. All depends on your interests. If you are interested in music you should join our singing club and take part in different concerts. If you are good at dancing, our school dancing club is for you. You can also join tourist club or numerous sport clubs such as volleyball or football clubs. It`s up to you to decide.

5.Today some young people think that having a good education is not very important. Do you agree with them?

"Knowledge is power" as the famous proverb says. It is transferred from generation to generation and comprises different facts, skills and information. Through learning people get knowledge and experience accumulated by their ancestors.

Of course, higher education is not compulsory, but I strongly feel that going to university is very important to everybody. In my opinion, higher education gives great opportunities and opens all doors. Only an educated person can get a good job and be promoted. Nowadays employers demand perfect knowledge. Education helps cultivate skills and provides mental, moral and aes­thetic development. Personally, I prefer communicating with an intelligent person who knows a lot of interesting facts and who can share his or her ideas with me.

However, some of my friends say that they do not want to go to university and they would better get a well-paid job soon after leaving school. It will give them an opportunity to get work expe­rience and some useful skills. But I doubt that they will be offered a really good job and that they will be able to succeed without higher education.

In general, owing to education highly industrialized cities are built, new information technolo­gies are developed, important discoveries are made. Without education society would become primitive as it used to be long time ago. To my mind, everybody must realize the importance of education as it is the guarantee of the development and well-being of our society.

Билет № 6

1. Let`s talk about studying at school. What is your school like?

My school years are over and I should say that in general I have sweet memories of the 11 years I have spent at one and the same school. When I'm talking now about my school I mean a whole complex of things, which made up my life there, influenced my views and outlook, formed my character to some degree and gave me pleasant feelings and emotions. I am absolutely sure that school plays an important role in every pupil's life. School provides us not only with a certain amount of knowledge in science and humanities but gives assistance in facing the outside world. It's also a place where we make friends, learn to value moral qualities in people and develop our talents and skills.

It's common knowledge that success of school education depends mainly on the teachers, their professional skill, their attitude to the subjects they teach and the kind of relationship they can establish with the pupils.

Here I'd like to say that my teachers were highly educated people. And what is no less important, their attitude to the pupils was always friendly and tolerant

The school building itself is of a typical design with the same layout and the distribution of classrooms, administrative offices, canteens, gyms and libraries as you can see in most other schools.

One part of the building is given to junior children. During the breaks they ran along the corridors making a lot of noise to which everyone got used.

On the first, second and third floors there are different classrooms and special studies with the required equipment. For instance, we've got 4 computer classrooms and 4 language classrooms.

We were proud of our assembly hall, where all kinds of performances, concerts and meetings are held.

Now when I have finished school, my heart is full of gratitude to most teachers for the knowledge they gave me and to many of my friends who made my school life enjoyable.

At present like all school-leavers I am looking forward to a new stage in my life and to having more independence and freedom.