I. Read and translate the dialogue.

Dialogue

(After "Oscar Wants to Know")

By m. Quin

Mr. J. Fungus Finklebottom sank into his favourite armchair and opened his evening paper.

Oscar (his little son): Papa, what does opportunity mean?

Mr. Finklebottom: Go play with your electric train. Don't bother me.

Mrs. Finklebottom: Answer the child. You treat him as if he were an affliction instead of your son and heir.

Oscar: Papa, what is opportunity?

Mr. F: Opportunity is a chance to make money.

Oscar: Papa, how do you make money?

Mr. F.: I make money by going into business?.

Oscar: Can everybody go into business?

Mr. F: Certainly everybody can go into business.

Oscar: If everybody went into business, would they all be businessmen?

Mr. F: Yes, son, if they all went into business they would all be businessmen.

Oscar: Then who would do the work, Papa?

Mr. F: Everybody couldn't go into business. It would be impossible.

Oscar: But you said they could.

Mr. F: I said nothing of the kind.

Mrs. F.: Yes, you did. Answer the child. He wants to know.

Mr. F.: All right, then, they couldn't.

Oscar: Why couldn't they, Papa?

Mr. F.: Because they don't have money.

Oscar: If they had the money, could they?

Mr. F: Certainly.

Oscar: Then if they all had the money and all went into business, would

Mr. F.: Yes, they would all be businessmen.

Oscar: And who would do the work, Papa?

Mr. F.: Amelia, if you don't tell this child to ride his bicycle, I'll drown

Mrs. F.: Answer him, Fungus. He wants to learn.

Oscar: Who would do the work, Papa?

Mr.F.: They couldn't all be businessmen.

Oscar: Not even if they had the money?

Mr. F.: Not even if they had the money, son.

Oscar: How many people could be businessmen, Papa?

Mr. F.: Well, one in a thousand, maybe. One in five hundred. Something Ike that. You see, son, you can't be a businessman if you don't have workers.

Oscar: Then most of the people don't have any opportunity, do they, Papa?

Mr. F.: What are you talking about? In America every man has an equal opportunity.

Oscar: Papa, you said that not all people could be businessmen. Most of them have to be workers.

Mr. F.: That's right. Now run along, son.

Oscar: Then most of the people are workers and will always be workers and couldn't be businessmen even if they wanted to. They won't ever be able to make any money, will they?

Mr. F.: Well, if they got enough wages —if— Amelia, isn't it time this child went to bed?

Oscar: If most of the people are workers and will always be workers the only way they can make any money is by getting higher wages. Isn't that true, Papa?

Mr. F: Amelia, this isn't a child. He's a nightmare. If he is my son, — well.

Mrs. F.: Answer his questions. The child wants to learn. He hungers for knowledge.

Notes on the Dialogue

opportunity - можливість заробити

to make money - багато заробляти, наживатися

to go into business - зайнятися ділом (бізнесом)

nothing of the kind - нічого подібного

something like that - щось подібне до цього (щось схоже на це)

he hungers for knowledge - він прагне до знань.

II. Retell the dialogue in indirect speech.

Unit Seventeen

GREAT EDUCATORS

K.D.Ushinsky

K.D.Ushinsky was in the fullest sense of the word, the founder of the Russian primary school and pedagogical training for teachers. His contribution to Russian education was great. His long practical teaching experience, his works on teaching method and books for school-children, books on which many generations of pupils were brought up give him a worthy place in this brilliant pleiad.

Ushinsky was born in 1824 in Chernigov gubernia in the family of a well-to-do landowner. He learned very early to study independently and, after making a fine record in the gymnasium, Ushinsky enrolled in Moscow University at the age of 16. He graduated from the University with high honors when he was 20 years old. Two years later, despite his youth, Ushinsky was appointed professor of Jurisprudence at the Demidov Lycee in Yaroslavl. His lectures were an immediate success for they were based upon his already considerable erudition. It was then that Ushinsky started criticizing the present educational system in Russia and was forbidden by the Ministry of Education to teach even in elementary school.

In 1855 many teachers who had lost work before could find jobs again. In

1859. Ushinsky was appointed inspector at Smolny Institute in St. Petersburg. In Ushinsky became editor of the Journal of the Ministry of Education and in two years completely changed its character.

Ushinsky was not only concerned with Russian affairs but was a devout patriot. One of the basic principles of his pedagogical system is the inculcation of a feeling of patriotism in the young. In his early articles he expressed this view and never changed his basic concept that "education must be based on patriotism". Ushinsky thought that this could be done best with the help of native language taught at school. One of his most famous works "Rodnoe Slovo" (Native Word) was a series of readers for Russian children designed to give them greater love and respect for their national literature.

In one of his works Ushinsky told children about their own country: "We call Russia our fatherland because from time immemorial our fathers and forefathers have lived here. We call Russia our native land because we were born here, our native language is spoken here and everything here is dear to us, and Russia is our motherland since she had fed us with her bread, has given us her water to drink, has taught us her language, protects us like a mother and defends us from all enemies and, when we fall into eternal sleep, it is she who will cover our bones. ...There is much else in the world besides Russia and many good states and lands, but a man has only one mother - and only one motherland."

Ushinsky believed that education should devote itself primarily to the formation of character. Here a special attention should be paid to the development in the pupil of the habit of work. According to Ushinsky, "life without serious work can neither be worthy nor happy".

Ushinsky underlined the personal influence of the teacher as an educational fires. He put forward the idea of setting up teachers seminars to train teachers, for there important and responsible work.

Ushinsky was interested in foreign educational systems. He made trips to Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Belgium to observe school organization there. Ushinsky analyzed merits and defects of foreign educational systems always comparing them with actual conditions in Russia.

After coming back to Russia from abroad in 1867 Ushinsky devoted his Margies to St. Petersburg Pedagogical Society. He traveled, lectured, held conferences and interviews and continued his research and writing. Such a program was too much for his already weakened health. Ushinsky's death in 1870 was mourned not only by teachers, but by all progressive people in Russia, not only in the capital but in the most distant corners of the country.