The first Universities

Before the 12th century most people were illiterate. Reading and writing skills were not considered important or necessary. Monasteries were centres of education and priests and monks were the most educated people. But with the development of such sciences as medicine and law, organizations of general study, called universities, appeared in Italy and France. A university had four faculties: Theology (the study of religion), Canon Law (church laws), Medicine and Art, which included Latin grammar, rhetoric (the art of making speeches), logics, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.

In the middle of the 12th century a group of professors from France came to Britain and founded schools in the town of Oxford in 1168. It was the beginning of the first English university. The second University was formed in 1209 in Cambridge.

Getting an education in those times was very difficult. Printing had not been invented, and all the books were hand-written. That’s why books were rare and very expensive. Only the richest people could afford buying books. If a man had twenty or thirty books, people said that he had a great library. In almost any monastery you could find one or two more monks spending hours every day copying books.

Printing was invented in the middle of the 15th century in Germany by Johann Gutenberg. To England it was brought by William Caxton, who was an educated man and did translations from French into English. When he was on business in Germany, he learned the art of printing. In 1476, when Caxton returned to England, he set up the first English printing-press in London. During the next fifteen years Caxton printed sixty-five works, both translations and originals.

Notes:

1. Canon law – каноническое право

2. William Caxton–Уильям Кэкстон (английский первопечатник 15 в., издатель и переводчик)

Answer the questions.

3. Were there many educated people in England before the 12th century?

4. Who were the most educated people?

5. When did universities first appear in Europe?

6. Which four faculties did a medieval university have?

7. How was Oxford University founded?

8. When was Cambridge University formed?

9. Why were books rare and very expensive?

10. When was printing invented? Who invented it?

11. When did Caxton set up the first printing-press in London?

12. How many books did Caxton print during the next fifteen years?

Cambridge

Cambridge is one of the best-known towns in the world, and the principal reason for its fame is its University, the second oldest university of Britain, which was founded in the 13th century. Today there are more than twenty colleges in Cambridge University.

The oldest college is Peter house, which was founded in 1284, and the most recent is Robinson College, which was opened in 1977. The most famous is probably King’s College, because of its magnificent chapel. Its choir of boys and undergraduates is also well-known.

The University was only for men until 1871. In 1871 the first women’s college was opened. Another was opened two years later and a third in 1954. In the 1970s, most colleges opened their doors to both men and women. Nowadays almost all colleges are mixed.

Answer the questions.

1. What is Cambridge famous for?

2. How many colleges are there in Cambridge University?

3. Which is the oldest college?

4. When was the most recent college opened?

5. Which is the most famous college? What is it famous for?

Oxford

The first written record of the town of Oxford dates back to the year 912. Oxford University, the oldest and most famous university in Britain, was founded in the middle of the 12th century, and by 1300 there were already 1500 students. At that time Oxford was a wealthy town, but by the middle of the 14th century it got poorer because of a decline in trade and because of the terrible plague, which killed many people in England. The relations between the students and the townspeople were very unfriendly, and there was often fighting in the streets.

Nowadays there are about 12000 students in Oxford and over 1000 teachers. Outstanding scientists work in numerous colleges of the University, teaching and doing research work in physics, chemistry, mathematics, cybernetics, literature, modern and ancient languages, art, music, philosophy, psychology.

Oxford University has a reputation of a privileged school. Many prominent political figures of the past and present times got their education at Oxford.

Answer the questions.

1. Why is the town of Oxford famous all over the world?

2. When was Oxford University founded?

3. What happened to the town of Oxford in the 14th century?

4. How big is the University nowadays?

5. How does Oxford University justify its reputation of a privileged school?

7. Speaking.

   1. Comment on the following statements.

1. British higher education is one of the best in the world.

2. A great number of students from all over the world would like to study at Cambridge or Oxford.

3. Children in British schools can choose a course of studies according to their individual inclinations and abilities.

2. Draw a scheme of the educational system in the UK and compare it with the system of education in the USA and in Russia. Find similarities and differences in these systems.

3. Imagine that you are a reporter of a university newspaper. Interview a student from the UK, who came to our country to study Russian, on the British educational system, the process of study at the university and student life.

   Part VI

   Culture and Traditions

1. Before you start.

   1. Answer the following questions.

1. What do you know about culture of the UK?

2. Do you know any British traditions, customs or holidays?

2. Vocabulary list.

   1. Read and learn the following words and word combinations.

1. to own – обладать, владеть

2. shrub – кустарник

3. troop – группа людей, отряд, взвод

4. Foot guards – гвардейская пехота

5. regiment – полк

6. Royal Horse guards – королевская конная гвардия

7. Cavalry troops – разведывательная рота

8. Life guards – лейб-гвардейский конный полк

9. barrack – казарма

10. lantern – фонарь

11. warder– тюремный надзиратель; тюремщик; хранитель (музея); сторож

12. to accompany – сопровождать

13. Yeomen Warder (Beefeater) – йомен (бифитер) – дворцовая стража лондонского Тауэра

14. sentry – охранник, сторож, часовой

15. weapon – оружие

16. prominent – известный, выдающийся, значительный

17. company of Pikemen and Musketeers– параднаярота копьеносцев и мушкетеров

18. oath – клятва

19. LordChiefJusticeandJudges– лорд главный судья (судья-председатель отделения королевской скамьи Высокого суда правосудия Великобритании)

20. to deliver a speech – делать доклад, выступать с речью

3. Reading

   1. Read and translate the text to learn more about British traditions.