8. Using the above conversational phrases and English-Ukrainian glossary discuss the following topics:

a) The History of your University;

b) Academic Facilities of your University

c) Research Schools and Research Work at the University;

d) Extra-curricular Activities (Sport, Social and cultural Events

9. Begin your questions with phrases like:

• Could you tell me...?

• Do you know … ?

• Is it true that … ?

• Is it really true…?

• I'd like to know if…

• Could you explain … ?

• What is your opinion about…?

• Do you agree … ?

• Do you agree … ?

• I wonder if you take part in…

10. Read and learn the following interview and make up a similar interview of an English student about university education in Ukraine.

Text 4 UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN THE USA

Read, learn and speak in pairs:

(A Ukrainian professor is taking an interview from his American colleague)

• I am glad to have this opportunity to talk with you, Dr. Barton. Do you mind my asking some questions about the Universities in America?

• Certainly not. Education is my business and my hobby. What do you want to know? First, do you have a National University?

• Now we don't. Each state controls and suppers at least one University. The National Government gives no direct financial aid to these state schools.

• Can the students go to the University free of charge?

• No. Everyone must pay a tuition fee. The amount varies from state to state. A student's total expenses throughout the year are about 1.500 dollars. This creates a financial hardship for some people. Though each University offers a number of scholarships any of the students have to work to pay part of their expenses.

• Most of your Universities have a central campus, don't they?

• Yes, they do. For example, you generally find the colleges of Law, Business, medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Music and Journalist on one campus. So a student can attend courses at various colleges.

• Don't all students take the same courses?

• Well, yes and no. During the first two years they follow a somewhat basic program. That is each student must select at least one course from each of these basic fields of study: English, science, modern languages, history and physical education.

• When do they specialise in their particular field of study?

• After the first two years each student majors in one subject and minors in another. My son, for example, majoring in history with a minor in sociality. In addition to these major and minor courses he can select other subjects according to his interest or profession.

• What degrees do American Universities offer?

• After completing 4 years of work the students receive the Bachelor Degree. It might be either a B. S.(Bachelor of Science) or B. A.(Bachelor of Arts). With an additional year of study, he may receive a Master’s Degree and after 2 or 3 more years of graduate work and the writing of a dissertation he receives a Doctorate.

• Do your students take an oral examination over 4 years of work before receiving a Bachelor's Degree?

• No, they don't. They have a final written examination, and write a dissertation only for the advanced degrees.

• That clears up most of my questions, Dr. Barton. It's good to have this information from someone directly connected with University life. I hope to visit several American Universities while I'm here in the United States.

• It has been a pleasure to talk with you.

Supplementary texts for discussion

Read, make up questions and discuss the following texts:

Text A

The system of Education in Great Britain and America

The Education system in England and Wales has developed piecemeal over more than a hundred years. It is a complicated system, full of confusing details, and there are wide variations as between one part of the country to another. Though it is supposed to provide equality of opportunities for all. It is class divided and selective. The first division is between those who pay and those who do not pay; the second, between those selected for an intellectual training and those not so selected. The public schools form the pinnacle of fee-paying education.

The National Education Act of 1944 provided three stages of education: primary, secondary and further education. The years of compulsory schooling are from five to sixteen.

Primary education is up to the age of eleven, covering nursery school or classes (3 to 5), infant school (5 to 7) and junior school (7 to 11).

The transition from primary to secondary school is made up to twelve years. There are three main types of secondary schools. Special tests are set to diagnose each child's abilities and children are allocated to grammar schools, technical schools and modem schools. Some comprehensive schools are open to all children of eleven years of age irrespective of their abilities.

Differences in organisation of education in Britain and America lead to different terms. One crucial word, "school", is used in overlapping but different ways. A place of education for young children is a school in both variants. But a public school in Britain is in fact a "private" school: it is a fee-paying school not controlled by the local educational authority.

The free local authority school in America is a public school. The American grade schools in British English variant is near-equivalent of elementary school. There are different kinds of schools in the USA: public and private, large and small. Public schools, one of the types of high schools, are always big.

Then the American children go to a college, where they study four years. Very few American children — only the children of the rich people — can study at the college, because one must pay a lot of money to study there.

The school year begins in September or October and ends in May or June. In summer and in winter school children and students have their holidays.