9.1; 45.1; 4,000; 4,500,000,000; 74; 120,000; 26,000; 3,000,000

3. Listen to the second part of the interview and complete the table below.

Name: Henry Plant Residence: 1) _____________________________________ Degree: B.A. in fine arts and 2) ___________________________________ Additional schooling: 3)______________________________________________ Occupation: 4) ____________________________________________________

Mr. Carnevale’s recommendations don’t focus on 5) __________________________________ pay some attention to 6) ______________________________ if you major in the humanities or the liberal arts, 7) _________________________ Mr. Carnevale hopes that the report 8) ____________________________________ Mr. Carnevale is afraid that the report 9) ___________________________________

After Listening Activities

Activity I. Discussing the Issues

1. Choosing a major is one of the most difficult things students face in college. What factors should students consider when making this important decision? Read the following stories and say whose opinion you agree with.

1. I have advised many students who emphatically declared as freshmen, “I want to be a doctor,” or lawyer, or banker, but when you question them further, you find out the enthusiastic future M.D. dislikes biology and chemistry, the would-be attorney detests public speaking and memorization, and the prospective financier got D’s in high school math. “Why the heck do you want to study that?” Because their dad is a doctor; because their brother is in law school; because (this was so common until a couple of years ago) “the money is in” banking/finance/fund management. For some students, that influence is real hard to shake off. It’s our job as advisers and higher ed. professionals to get down to what the students really are interested in and take it from there.

2. Not that you shouldn’t pursue your passion, but if it doesn’t pay the bills, why not make it a hobby? I am the parent of a 25-year-old living at home because she tried to follow her passion and found out that she can’t earn a living at it. She got tired of not having any money and is back in school. She can’t figure out what she wants to study, and my advice to her is, at this point PICK SOMETHING that will help provide a marketable skill or knowledge. After you’ve put in a day’s work and can pay the bills, then you can do what’s fun. Idealism can only carry you so far.

3. The idea behind studying a major you truly like in college is not to become a dilettante, or someone who sits around philosophizing all day and not working, or a Japanese literature major who makes coffee for a living. The point is to develop your intellectual abilities by stimulating your mind to learn new things, acquire new skills, learn how to communicate, be critical, and collaborate, seek out information, acquire it, and relate it to various topics, and think in ways you may never have thought before. Those are attributes any employer values, and that are applicable to any job.

4. Students should keep an eye not only on what they want to study, but on what fields they might want to work in, and pursue extracurricular activities and summer employment that will help them explore those careers. I was in school with a woman who is now a CNN correspondent; she majored in English and spent much of her free time working at the campus radio station. Art history majors might minor in business and move into management of non-profit or cultural organizations. Working on the yearbook or school newspaper or literary magazine might give a student a taste of publishing. Volunteer opportunities abound, and could introduce students to careers they didn’t know existed. In short, there are many more ways to prepare for a career than just sitting in a classroom (http://chronicle.com/article/Stop-Asking-Me-My-Major/63453/).

2. How did you make your choice? Did your parents influence your choice?

3. Do you think American students have a definite advantage over Russian students because they don’t have to choose their major before they start studying at college (they can do it during their freshman or even sophomore year), because they can change their major several times, and because they can choose a double (or dual) major?

CULTURE CORNER

Getting an Insight into American Culture:

Living on Campus

Campus Facilities

1. Read the following text about residential facilities at Washburn University, Kansas and fill in the gaps with the words from the box below.

access amenities credit hours double occupancy garbage disposal houses housing option mutual selection residents single-gender sororities study rooms suites vending machines

Living Learning Center (LLC)

This modern facility 1) __________ 400 students. The LLC features 2) __________, four-person suites with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a foyer. The bathroom has a toilet and shower, and the foyer area is equipped with two sinks. The suite door in the foyers opens into a corridor. Each room is furnished for double occupancy and includes two regular twin beds, two desks, two desk chairs, two dressers, window coverings, cable for television.

Each wing of the LLC features a lounge/kitchenette with cable TV, stove, microwave, and tables and chairs. 3) ____________ located at the end of each floor include computers and areas for both personal and group study.

This non-smoking coed facility is part of the Capitol Federal Center for Learning, which also includes a reception desk, a formal reading room and mailboxes for LLC 4) ___________. A classroom, two seminar rooms, laundry facilities, an activity room and vending machines are located here as well.

Kuehne & West Halls

Both of these halls are coed and feature single-gender, eight-person 5) ____________. Each suite consists of four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large living room. Each bathroom includes a shower/tub, single sink and toilet. The suites feature either a patio or balcony, and private outside entrances open onto outside walkways. Each room is furnished for 6) ____________ and includes two regular twin beds, two desks, two desk chairs, two dressers, window coverings, cable for television, wall-to-wall carpeting. A lounge in both Kuehne and West Halls features laundry facilities, cable TV, 7) ________________, mailboxes, a microwave, stove/oven and refrigerator.

Washburn Village

Washburn Village allows up to 192 upper-level students (with at least 24 8) ______________ post-high school) to enjoy all the 9) __________________ of living on campus in an apartment-style environment. Each apartment features a living room, kitchenette and bathroom. Floor-plan configurations range from two-person/two-bedroom units to four person/three bedroom units. Each bedroom includes one regular twin bed, one desk, one chair, one dresser. Each living room includes a couch, chair, coffee table and two end tables. The kitchenette offers an apartment-size refrigerator, two-burner cook top, convection microwave, sink with 10) _________________ and countertop area with stools designed for meals and study sessions. Students living in Washburn Village have access to the Commons area, featuring a formal lounge with fireplace, conference/study room, mailboxes, reception room with pool tables, vending machines, outside patio area and reception desk and Assistant Director’ office. Laundry facilities are also located in the Commons and are open 24 hours a day for students with secure electronic card 11) _______________.

Greek Housing

Fraternities and 12) ______________ offer another 13) ________________ for Washburn students. Six of the ten Greek chapters at Washburn offer living facilities. Three of the houses are on the Washburn Campus; the other three houses are nearby. Membership in the Greek system is by 14) __________________. If you wish to join a sorority or fraternity and reside in a Greek house, you must do so before the official opening of the Washburn residence halls.

2. How is Washburn University campus different from Russian dormitories?

3. What do you think is better – living on campus or living off-campus? Give your reasons.