Text b. Oxbridge

Task: scan the text and answer the questions that follow.

Two universities, Oxford and Cambridge, Oxbridge, as they are sometimes jointly called, for seven hundred years dominated British education, and today they dominate more than ever. The students of Oxbridge make up one of the most elite elites in the world. Many great men studied here. Among them Bacon, the philosopher, Milton, the poet, Cromwell, the soldier, and Newton, the scientist. Many prominent Conservative and Labour leaders and ministers, members of the Royal family studied there too.

Today Oxford and Cambridge have less than one-tenth of all British university students (less than 1% of Britain's population). The candidates are chosen mainly on the results of the written examinations. A large per cent of Oxford applicants come from public schools. Only since the 1870s women have been admitted and the women's colleges constitute only 12% of the Oxbridge population.

Both Oxford and Cambridge consist of self-governing colleges where students live. The students have lectures and tutorials. Each student has a tutor who tells him how to write papers on the subjects he is studying, gives a list of books that might be helpful in writing essays. Tutors are responsible for the students' progress. Lectures and seminars are optional. At the end of three or four years students face “Finals” (final examinations). They sit for three hours writing answers to the questions on the subjects they studied.

1. What universities dominate British education?

2. What great men studied at Oxbridge?

3. Who is responsible for the students' progress?

4. What is a specific system of instruction at Oxbridge?

Text c. The Open University

Task: go through the text and summarise its main points under the following headings: a) foundation of the University; b) specific form of instruction at the Open University; c) the award of University degrees.

The Open University was founded in 1964 by the Labour Government for those people who, for some reason, had not had a chance to enter any of the other universities, especially those above normal student age. It takes both men and women at the age of 21 and over. No formal academic qualifications are necessary for entry to these courses, but the standards of its degrees are the same as those of other universities.

The first course began in 1971, and in a decade the number of undergraduates reached 65,000. It's a non-residential¹ university. In teaching the university uses a combination of television and radio broadcasts, correspondence courses and summer schools, together with a network of viewing and listening centres². Lecturers present their courses on one of the BBC's television channels and by radio. They have also produced a whole library of short course-books, which anyone can buy at bookshops. Students write papers based on the courses and discuss them with tutors at meetings or by correspondence once a month.

Degrees are awarded on the basis of credits³ gained by success at each stage of the course. Six credits are necessary for a BA degree⁴ and eight credits for a BA Honours degree. The time of staying on at the Open University is unlimited.

Notes:

1. non-residential – без постоянного помещения

2. viewing and listening centres – видео- и аудиоцентры

3. credit – балл (оценка за сданные экзамены)

4. BA degree – Bachelor of Arts degree