Student Life

My friends are first-year students at Petersburg State Transport University. They study at the faculty of Railway Operation and Logistics. The University is a huge and complex institution. The teaching staff consists of lecturers, professors, tutors, supervisors, etc. The students’ body is numerous: freshers, undergraduates, bachelors, masters, postgraduates. The academic year is divided into two terms. After each term there is an examination period. During the examination period students get credits and take exams. If you pass exams successfully you will get a grant on a monthly basis. First-year students study general and special subjects, such as Mathematics, Physics, Descriptive Geometry, Chemistry, Computer studies, Russian, History, Foreign languages (English, German, French), Philosophy, Physical Training, Economics, Management and others.

Every student has a student’s card, a reader’s card and a credit book. There are three or four subjects every day, where professors deliver lectures and students make notes. It is important to attend lectures and seminars, to make reports and do presentations.

The University offers such facilities as specialized laboratories, computer classes, libraries, reading halls, lecture halls and canteens. Students can attend a gym and a swimming pool to keep fit.

Ex. 11 Answer the following questions.

1. What faculty do you study at?

2. Where’s your dean’s office situated? What is your dean’s name?

3. What subjects are you good/bad at?

4. How many of your groupmates live in a hostel?

5. What should you do not to be expelled from the University?

6. What exams are you going to pass during your examination period?

7. What documents do you have as a student?

8. What extra activities do you do at the University?

Ex. 12 Fill in the chart with the adjectives in positive, comparative, superlative forms. Make your own sentences with the adjectives.

Model: young – younger – the youngest. Economics and Management faculty is the youngest at our University.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Old, hard, young
	More difficult, more interesting, more important
		The best, the worst
Much/ many
	less
		The farthest / the furthest

Ex. 13 Translate the sentences into English.

1. Наш университет – одна из старейших высших школ России. 2. Я учусь на лучшем факультете нашего университета. 3. Предметы в университете более интересные, чем в школе. 4. У моих школьных друзей больше свободного времени, чем у меня. 5. Мой самый любимый предмет – информатика. 6. Специальные предметы более сложные, чем общеобразовательные. 7. Он учится более усердно, чем обычно, чтобы сдать экзамен. 8. Кто лучший студент в нашей группе? 9. Она тратит меньше времени на английский, чем на историю. 10. Какой предмет самый важный в этом семестре?

Ex. 14 Victor is a first-year student at the University. He has written a letter about his life at the University. Write a similar letter to a friend about your student life.

Dear Anna,

I’m so happy to tell you that I have started University this year! I am a first-year student at Petersburg State Transport University! I was lucky to pass my examinations and now my wish has come true: I am a future railway engineer.

I really like my student life, though it is not always easy for me to study at the University. You know, I was not very good at Mathematics at school, so I have to work hard now. Descriptive Geometry and Physics take a lot of time, too, and I realise how important it is for me now to attend all the lectures and classes regularly.

By the way, do you remember my friend Maxim? We went to school together and now we are in the same group! He studies hard and always does all the drawings and lab works on time. He is a true friend and he is always happy to help me with my homework in Physics and Math. We do sports together. We play football in the same team. I have to go now to get ready for my laboratory work.

Hope to hear from you soon about your University life.

Yours,

Victor.

Ex. 15 Make sentences, using the words and word combinations from the chart.

I We Students Maxim My sister My friend

always never often sometimes usually seldom

have/has do(es) make(s) read(s) write(es) take(s) attend(s)

lectures seminars training test-papers notes exams presentations

in English at the lectures in computer classes on Math in laboratories on Management at conferences

Ex. 16 Complete the sentences, using the words of the letter.

1. I am a … - year student, and my friend Alex is a … - year student.

2. My friend Maxim … at this University, too.

3. We study at the … Faculty.

4. Maxim is very … at mathematics.

5. I am not … at Math, so I have to … hard now.

6. My friend always does … on time, and he is always happy to help

me … my homework.

7.We all have to … all the lectures regularly.

Ex. 17 Complete the following conversation.:

1. A: Are you a first-year student? B: … A: What faculty do you study at? B: … A: Does your friend study at the same faculty? B: … A: Do you have many general subjects? B: …

2. A: Do you have any special subjects during the first year? B: … A: What subjects are you good at? B: … A: Is your friend really good at English? B: … A: And are you good at English? B: …

Ex. 18 Work in pairs:

A. Ask a partner: B. Answer your partner’s questions:

а) where he/she is from;

b) if he/she has many friends at University;

c) if he/she is interested in Math/Physics/Philosophy, etc.

d) what his/her favourite subject is;

e) how many lectures a day they have;

f) how many languages he/she speaks;

g) if he/she works in computer classes/laboratories/reading halls, etc.;

h) if he/she borrows books from the University library;

i) what he/she usually does in his/her free time;

j) if he/she is happy with his/her student life.

Now, prepare to talk about your student life at our University.