Phonetic exercises

Exercise I. Pronounce the following words correctly paying attention to the ways of pronunciation of the stressed vowels.

[æ] grammar, bachelor, handicapped, national, preparatory, standard, sandwich, annually,

[a:] grant, master, task, regarded, pass, part-time, arts

[i] syllabus, admission, committee, infant, certificate, submit, curriculum

[:] boarding, course, brain-storming

[] public, overcome, encourage, number, compulsory

[e] level, academic, comprehensive, entrance, independent, secondary, attendance, assessment

[ai] pride, primary, provide, finals

[ei] examination, education, vocational, graduation, training, make, grade, enable, maintained

Exercise 2. Pronounce the following terms.

Bachelor of Arts [̀̀bæələrəv a:ts]

Bachelor of Science [bæələrəv saiәns]

General Certificate of Secondary Education [denәrəl sətifikət əv sekəndəri edju:kein]

General National Vocational Qualification[denәrәl næәnәl vәkei∫ənəl kwlifikei∫n]

Local Education Authority [loukәl edju:keiə∫n :θriti]

National Curriculum [næ∫әnәl kәrikjәlәm]

University Grants Committee [ju:nivә:siti gra:nts kәmiti]

Infant school [infәnt sku:l]

Junior school [du:njә sku:l]

Exercise 3. Pronounce the words and mind the difference in sounding.

/ə:/ /:/ or //

term – course

refer – order

university – accordance

person – although

service – honours

first – almost

research – awarded

work – want

determine - brainstorming

/i:/ - /i/

freeze - committee

degree - different

school leavers - admission

field - decision

teaching - discipline

people - supervision

receive - equipment

evening - single

/a:/ - //

charge - result

staff - study

master - discussion

Glasgow - Durham

department - production

grants - self-governing

/æ/ - /e/

Bachelor - lecture

a graduate - necessary

exam - better

annually - assess

substantial - letters

Lexical exercises

Exercise 1. Look through the vocabulary and find

1. the terms for stages of education in Great Britain, types of schools, degrees, certificates, teachers.

2. the infinitives in the Active Voice and in the Passive Voice.

Exercise 2. Identify the part of speech and translate the words into Russian:

Academy - academic, science - scientific, education - educational, to enter - entrance, independence -independent, school - schooling, to assess - assessment, tutor - tutorial, use - useful, to introduce - introduction, to grade - grade, to admit - admission, far - further.

Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences into Russian:

1. State schools in Great Britain are divided into several types.

2. Children who want to learn academic subjects go to grammar schools.

3. Comprehensive schools usually combine all types of secondary education.

4. Private schools are mostly boarding schools at which pupils live during the term time.

5. After leaving school many young people go to colleges of further education.

6. There are about 90 universities in Britain.

7. Full courses of study offer the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Science.

8. Students may receive grants from their Local Education Authority to pay for books, accommodation, transport and food.

Exercise 4. Ask questions to the following sentences:

1. All British children must stay at school from the age of 5 until they are 16.

2. Comprehensive schools have physics, chemistry, biology laboratories, machine workshops for metal and woodwork and also geography, history and art departments, commercial and domestic courses.

3. Private schools charge fees for educating children.

4. The lectures at colleges of further education, each an hour long, start at 9.15 in the morning and end at 4.45 in the afternoon.

5. Universities in Great Britain are divided into three types: the Ancient universities (Oxford (before 1167), Cambridge (1209), St. Andrews (1413), Glasgow (1451), Aberdeen (1495) and Edinburgh (1583) Universities), the Red Brick universities (the 19^{th –} early 20^th centuries) such as London and Manchester Universities, and the New universities.

6. The grant, students receive from the Local Education Authority, depends on the income of their parents.

7. The social life of the students includes a lot of clubs, parties, concerts, bars.

Exercise 5. Fill in the blanks with the proper words:

1. Those who want to go on to college or university usually take … in 2 or 3 subjects.

2. The Open University accepts students without …

3. Undergraduate courses mostly lead to the degree of a … or a… .

4. Further study or research is required for the degree of a … and that of a … .

5. Some students may be given a … from the local education authority.

6. Oxford and Cambridge are famous for their academic excellence and … .

Key: tutorial system, formal qualifications, Doctor, A-level examinations, Bachelor of Arts, grant, Master, Bachelor of Science.

Text 1

Exercise 1. Read the text and get ready to do the tasks.