Читай и говори пособие 1 курс

Learn the English scientific degrees.

Compare them with Russian ones.

First degrees are also called Bachelor’s degrees:

Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) - a first degree in the faculty of Arts. Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) - a first degree in the faculty of Science. Higher (further) advanced degrees:

Master’s Degree (M. A., M. Sc.) - there has been an increasing tendency to make the Master’s Degree an advanced examination degree, awarded after a year’s postgraduate study, rather than a degree by thesis. This degree doesn’t correspond to any Russian degree.

Doctorate - this degree is called in full Doctor of Philosophy, but is usually shortened to Ph. D. The name is the same for all faculties, and one may have a Ph. D. in English, Mathematics, or Geography. A Ph. D. is awarded on acceptance of a thesis which must be an original contribution to knowledge, that is contain new information on scientific problems. Research for this degree usually takes about three years.

Senior Doctorate - these degrees are much higher than the Ph. D. However, they differ from the latter in that they don’t involve the writing of thesis. A person wishing to apply for such a degree submits his published works to a board, or committee, who then decide if these works justify the award of the degree.

Read the newspaper clipping, get ready to render its contents in English.

The oriental way to wisdom

In the West, differences of innate ability are emphasized in order to give the individual the education he needs. In China and Japan, the differences are deemphasized because it’s believed that with hard work they can be eradicated. The slow bird, says the Chinese proverb, needs to start early. The slow bird , says Western educational philosophy, must not be made to start early in case he feels inferior. The Japanese teacher has high expectations of all his pupils because he is convinced that with earnest endeavour all of them can achieve. The British teacher doesn’t have the heart to expect too much of children to whom so little appears to have been given.

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This fundamental difference in the way human potential is treated by the education system has one obvious consequence: schoolchildren in Japan and China work much harder than their contemporaries in Britain and the United States. It’s not just that they spend more days a year in school, concentrate more in class and do more homework; belief that with hard work anyone can achieve gives them a powerful motivation that is in marked contrast to the defeatism in many British schools.

From The Independent

Render the contents of the following text in English.

Сам факт поступления в один из наиболее престижных университетов США означает для выпускника средней школы определенный успех. Из трех миллионов человек, которые ежегодно заканчивают среднюю школу, примерно миллион продолжает учиться, чтобы получить высшее образование. Колледж ведущего университета может получить заявления от двух процентов выпускников средней школы, а удовлетворяет только одну заявку из десяти. Удачливых абитуриентов обычно отбирают по следующим признакам: а)оценки в школьном аттестате; б) рекомендации, данные школьными учителями; в) впечатление, которое абитуриент производит во время вступительных собеседований в университете; г) результат тестов, определяющих пригодность к учебе и научной работе.

Система высшего образования в Соединенных Штатах сложная. Она включает четыре категории учебных заведений:

-университеты, в которые входят: а) несколько колледжей (факультетов) для студентов, желающих получить степень бакалавра (срок обучения - 4 года)

иб) аспирантура для тех, кто собирается продолжать образование после получения степени бакалавра, чтобы затем получить степень магистра или доктора наук;

-четырехгодичные учебные заведения – колледжи, которые по большей части не входят в состав университетов;

-технические учебные заведения, где выпускники средней школы могут прослушать курсы сроком от полугода до четырех лет и приобрести самые разнообразные профессии - от парикмахерского дела до бухгалтерского учета и компьютерного программирования;

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- двухгодичные муниципальные колледжи, после которых учащиеся могут либо начать работать в какой-либо области, либо поступить в четырехгодичный колледж.

Audial Practice

Listen to the text. Be ready to give it’s the short summary.

Think and do

I.Concentrate on Quintilian's recommendations to teachers.

Comment upon them.

Quintilian, the prominent Roman schoolmaster, wrote in his "Institutes Oratory", published about 95 AD the following about a teacher and his work: "Let him be free from vice himself. Let him be strict but not austere, kind but not too familiar: for austerity will make him unpopular, while familiarity breeds contempt. He must control his temper without shutting his eyes to faults requiring correction. His instruction must be free from affection, his industry must be ready to answer questions and to put them unasked to those who are silent. In praising the answers of his pupils he must be neither grudging nor overgenerous. In correcting faults he must avoid sarcasm and above all abuse to discourage industry."

II.Discuss the following questions:

1)Say if you agree with Quintilian's words about the teachers work, try to prove your point.

2)You know that very much depends on one's first teacher. Try to recall what your first teacher was like.

You are a participant of an international conference, which considers dif ferent problems of teaching. You are to make a report on the work of teachers in this country. You should be ready to answer all kinds of questions.

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III. Mr. N is a professor of the Albany University. You have to interview him for our university newspaper. Think over the questions and write them down.

IV. Do you agree with the statement "Little knowledge is a dangerous thing"?

V. Study the following information. What's your opinion on the topic?

An easy way to pass an exam!

An interesting experiment was made by an American psychologist, Dr. Rachel Herz. Students were asked to memorize a text in a number of rooms scented with pine, violet and peppermint. Smell association helped them improve their memory by 21 per cent. "Go to a perfume department," says Dr. Herz, "pick out something you have never smelled before, put it on your desk while you are studying for a test, and then bring it with you a few days later when you are doing the test. It really works."

VI.Take any proverb, saying, statement or quotation on the topic and comment it on.

For example: Soon learnt, soon forgotten (Anonymous).

Whatever is good to know is difficult to learn (Greek proverb). They know enough who know how to learn (Henry Adams).

VII. Summarize what you have learnt about Russian and English systems of higher education. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of both systems?

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Just for fun

Professor: “Name two pronouns.”

Student: “Who, me?”

* * *

Student: “But I don’t think I deserve an absolute zero.’

Professor: “Neither do I, but it’s the lowest mark that I am allowed to give.”

* * *

First Freshman in Math Exam: “How far are you from the correct answer?” Second Freshman in Math Exam: “Two seats.”

* * *

Professor: “If you were in Africa and saw a lion coming. What steps would you take?”

Student: “The longest steps I could!”

* * *

The more we study, the more we know, The more we know, the more we forget. The more we forget, the less we know.

The less we know, the less we forget. The less we forget, the more we know.

Why study?

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Poem to Enjoy

Nowhere Man

Lennon and McCartney

He’s a real nowhere man, Sitting in his nowhere land,

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody. Doesn’t have a point of view,

Knows not where he’s going to Isn’t he a bit like me and you?

Nowhere man, please listen, you don’t know What you are missing,

Nowhere man, the world is at your command. He’s as blind as he can be,

Just see what he wants to see, Nowhere man, can you see me at all?

Nowhere man, don’t worry, Take your time, don’t hurry,

Leave it all till somebody else lends you a hand. Doesn’t have a point of view,

Knows not where he’s going to, Isn’t he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere man, please, you don’t know What you’re missing,

Nowhere man, the world is at your command. He’s a real nowhere man,

Sitting in his nowhere land,

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

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TOPIC 3: THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND

NORTHERN IRELAND

I. Revise the words and expressions:

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II.Give a word or an expression for the following.

1.a region where elections take place;

2.to be named;

3.institution realizing laws and bills;

4.a piece of land washed by sea;

5.to compete;

6.being politically neutral;

7.to add;

8.being put into practice;

9.to consist of;

10.institution adopting laws and bills.

III.Match English and Russian equivalents.

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TEXT 3A. THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

Read the text and do the exercises.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) occupies most of the territory of the British Isles. It consists of four main parts, which are: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is sometimes referred to as Great Britain or Britain (after its major isle), England (after its major historic part) or the British Isles.

The UK is an island state: it’s composed of some 5,500 islands, large and small. The two main islands are Great Britain (in which are England, Wales and Scotland) to the east and Ireland (in which are Northern Ireland and the independent Irish Republic) to the west. They are separated by the Irish Sea.

The UK is one of the world’s smaller countries (it’s twice smaller than France or Spain), with an area of some 244,100 square kilometers. The UK is situated off the west coast of Europe between the Atlantic Ocean on the northwest and the North Sea on the east and is separated from the European continent by the English Channel (or La Manche) and the Strait of Dover (or Pas de Calais).

The population of the United Kingdom is over 57

million people. There are fourteen other countries in the world with more people. English is not the only language which people use in the UK. English is the

official language. But some people speak Gaelic in western Scotland, Welsh - in parts of northern and central Wales.

The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron of Ireland.

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EXERCISES:

I. Fill in the blanks in the sentences using the appropriate words and word combinations from the following list:

to occupy, to be composed of, to separate, to be situated off, a cross, a patron saint, upright, diagonal.

1. Great Britain and Ireland .... by the Irish Sea.

2.The UK .... most of the territory of the British Isles.

3.The flag of the UK is made up of three .... .

4.The UK ... some 5,500 islands, large and small.

5.The UK ... the west coast of Europe between the Atlantic Ocean and the North

Sea.

6.The ... red cross is the cross of St. George, ... of England.

7.The white ... cross is the cross of St. Andrew, ... of Scotland.

8.The red ... cross is the cross of St. Patrick, ... of Ireland.

II. Correct the statements if they are not true.

1.The United Kingdom is the official name of the country which occupies Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

2.Great Britain is sometimes referred to as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

3.Great Britain and Ireland are separated by the North Sea.

4.The UK is one of the world’s smaller countries.

5.The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the English Channel.

6.English is the only language speaking in the UK.

7.The flag of the United Kingdom is made up of three crosses.

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