Unit 7. University life

1. Read and translate the text

The merry-go-round of university life is something that one never forgets. It’s a fascinating, fantastic, fabulous experience, irrespective of the fact whether one is a full time or a part time student.

Who can forget the first day at the university when one turns from an applicant who has passed entrance exams into a first-year student? I did it! I entered, I got in to the university! A solemn ceremony in front of the university building and serious people making speeches. Hey, lad, do you happen to know who are they? Who? The rector, vice-rector, deans, subdeans… and what about those ladies? Heads of departments and senior lectures? Okay. Some of them must be professors, some associate professors, but, of course, all of them have high academic degrees. And where are our lectures and tutors? Oh, now nice.

The monitors hand out student membership cards, student record books and library cards – one feels like a real person. First celebrations and then days of hard work. So many classes, so many new subjects to put on the timetable! The curriculum seems to be developed especially for geniuses. Lectures, seminars and tutorials. Home preparations; a real avalanche of homework.

If one can’t cope with the work load of University he or she immediately starts lagging behind. It is easier to keep pace with the program than to catch up with it later. Everyone tries hard to be, or at least to look diligent. First tests and examination sessions. The first successes and first failures: «I have passed» or «He hasn’t given me a pass!» Tears and smiles. And long awaited vacation.

The merry-go-round runs faster. Assignments, written reproductions, compositions, synopses, papers. Tasks, laboratory works, control tests checked up and marked. «Professor, I have never played truant, I had a good excuse for missing classes». Works handed in and handed out. Reading up for exams. «No, professor, I have never cheated – no cribs. I just crammed».

Junior students become senior. Still all of them are one family – undergraduates. Students’ parties in the students’ clubs. Meeting people and parting with people. You know, Liza is going to be expelled and Alexandra is going to graduate with honours. Yearly essays, graduation, dissertations, finals.

What? A teacher’s certificate? You mean, I have got a degree in Physics. I am happy! It is over! It is over! Oh, no.

A postgraduate course, a thesis, an oral, and a degree in Physics. The first of September. Where are the students of the Physics’ faculty?

Vocabulary

applicant	абитуриент
assignment	домашнее задание
associate professor	доцент
to be expelled	быть отчисленным
catch up with it later	догнать позднее
cheat	обманывать
check up	проверять
classes	занятия
compositions	сочинение
cope with the work	справляться с работой
cram	зубрить
curriculum	учебный план
dean	декан
degree	степень
diligent	прилежный
failure	провал
finals	госэкзамены
first-year student	студент первого курса
full-time student	студент очной формы
good excuse	уважительная причина
graduate with honor	окончить с отличием
hand in	сдавать
hand out	выдавать
head of department
high academic degree	ученая степень
home preparations	домашняя подготовка
junior student	студент младших курсов
keep pace	успевать/идти в ногу/справляться
lag behind	отставать
lecture	лекция
library card	читательский билет
load of university	университетская нагрузка
make speech	произносить речи
mark	оценка
miss classes	пропускать уроки
oral exam	устный экзамен
papers	работы
part-time student	студент заочной формы
pass entrance exams	сдавать вступительные экзамены
play truant	прогуливать
put on the timetable	поставить в расписание
read up for an exam	начитывать к экзамену
rector	ректор
seminar	семинар
senior lecture	студент старших курсов
student membership card	студенческий билет
student record book	зачетная книжка
subdean	замдекана
subject	предмет
success	успех
synopse
teacher’s certificate	диплом учителя
tutorial
university building	здание университета
vacation	каникулы
vice-rector	проректор
written reproductions	письменные задания
undergraduate students	студенты, не закончившие обучение

2. True of false

1. Being a student is very boring time.

2. Rector and vice-rector hand out student membership card and library card.

3. The solemn ceremony takes place in front of the main building of the university.

4. The curriculum is very difficult.

5. There aren’t a lot if homework.

6. If you can’t cope with the work load of the University you will start lag behind.

7. It isn’t necessary reading up for the exams.

8. There is a postgraduate course after graduation.

3. Put phrases into the correct order

1. The curriculum seems to be developed especially for geniuses.

2. Junior students become senior.

3. Tears and smiles and long awaited vacations.

4. A post-graduate course, a thesis, an oral and a degree in Physics.

5. The merry-go-round of university life is something that one never forgets.

6. Home preparations: a real avalanche of homework.

7. So many classes, so many new subjects put on to the timetable.

8. A solemn ceremony in front of the university building and serious people making speeches.

4. Find information in the text.

University staff
University documents
University assignments
Students life
Exams