Unit V. Higher education in the usa Task 1. Read and translate the text: us Education

Americans place a high value on education. Universal access to quality education has been one of the nation’s historic goals.

America’s first college, Harvard was founded in 1636. In 1865 education was becoming available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of national administration. Each of the fifty states controls and directs its own schools. Most states require that children attend school from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.

There is no uniform school organisation or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Pre-school education is part of the elementary schools. Elementary and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.

After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go to higher education. American institutions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year Bachelor degree programmes, and universities which contain one or more colleges and graduate schools offering Master’s or Doctoral degree programmes. The factors determining an institution’s prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission (from Миньяр-Белоручева 1999).

Task 2. Translate the words from English into Russian. Use the text “US Education”:

1) value; 2) access; 3) to be founded; 4) peculiar feature; 5) to control; 6) to attend; 7) curriculum; 8) pre-school education; 9) to include; 10) community college; 11) quality.

Task 3. Translate the words into English:

1) образование; 2) цель; 3) доступный; 4) отсутствие; 5) требовать; 6) однородный; 7) общая черта; 8) средняя школа; 9) базовые навыки работы на компьютере; 10) преподавательский состав; 11) абитуриенты.

Task 4. In the text “US Education” find the synonyms to the following words:

1) admission; 2) schoolboy, schoolgirl; 3) candidate nauk; 4) aim; 5) specific; 6) similar, the same; 7) include.

Task 5. Answer the questions:

1. What is one of the most important American historic goals?

2. When was Harvard founded?

3. Is there any national administration in education?

4. What is the school age in America?

5. Does elementary school include pre-school education?

6. What does an elementary school curriculum consist of?

7. What do American children do after graduating a secondary school?

8. What do American institutions of higher education include?

9. What determines an institution’s prestige?

Task 6. Say whether the statements are true or false. Correct the false statements:

1. Americans don’t like to receive a higher education.

2. Historically Americans fought for equal education for everyone.

3. American first college of higher education was Oxford.

4. Each state in the USA has its own schools to control.

5. Elementary school consists of five years of studying.

6. School year lasts for eleven months.

7. At a secondary school American children study for 6 days a week.

8. Every elementary school curriculum includes the Russian and Spanish Languages.

9. Each University offers Master’s and Doctor’s Degrees.

10. University’s prestige is determined by applicants’ income.