My Study

I have been admitted to the faculty of Russian Language and Literature of Vologda State University this year. The course of study for Bachelor degree students lasts four years. I’m a first-year student. In our first year we have many new subjects. My chief subjects are …. We also have a number of supplementary subjects. They are …

I think I’m good at … . … comes easy to me. But I’m weak in …. That’s why I try not to miss classes and work hard. Students who work by fits and starts may fail the exams. In winter we will take … exams: in … . I hope to pass them with good and excellent marks. You must revise for the exams thoroughly to pass them successfully.

We have our English on …. At our English lesson we practice our pronunciation, do grammar exercises, write dictations, ask and answer the questions, check our homework and learn dialogues and topics by heart.

Our group leader is ….. She marks those absent and present at the lectures and does other tasks. I have already made friends with my fellow students. They are very …… The majority of them are from …… My best friend is ….

There is a student’s scientific society at our faculty. I don’t take part in it yet. But in the nearest future I plan to participate in the students’ scientific conferences and write articles.

My former classmate is a student too. She / he is …..

Additional Reading Material to Units 2 and 3 students’ life

Ex. 1. In pairs think about the answers to the following questions.

1. Has your daily routine changed since you entered the University?

1. What are the peculiarities of the University curriculum?

2. What are the differences between your timetable at school and the University?

Ex. 2. Read an essay of an American college student about her life at the college. What are the main differences between college and high school life according to the author?

A Day in the Life of a College Student

by Katie McKoon

The college schedule is very different than the traditional high school schedule. Typically, there is a lot more flexibility with your college classes. In high school, you were probably told that you had to take U.S. History, which was offered every day at 10:00 a.m. In college, you’ll probably need to take a history class, but you could have 10 choices, which would be offered on different days, at different times, and for different durations.

The other cool thing about the college schedule is that you usually have more opportunities to explore your interests and passions. For example, you will be picking a major that will determine the types of classes you will specialize in. In high school, you have a set curriculum of classes you have to take across all subject areas. In college, think about your schedule as a pyramid. Your freshman and sophomore year, you’ll take more general education classes (a mixture of everything so you walk away well-rounded) and a few classes in your major. But during your junior and senior year, you’ll take fewer general education classes and more classes in your major.

Another big difference you should be aware of is the time structure. Right now, you’re probably in school from about 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In college you can usually take four or five classes at different times throughout the week. You might have a Science class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:10–11:00 a.m. Perhaps you’ll have a Spanish class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15–3:00 p.m. Then, you might have your Introduction to Education class on Wednesday evenings from 6:30–9:00 p.m. Maybe on Mondays you’ll have three classes, and on Tuesdays you’ll have two classes. There will always be some courses that are only offered on certain days at certain times, but for the most part, there are a lot of options to think about! If you’re a morning person, you might want to schedule your classes to be done by noon. If you’re more of a night owl, having that first class start at 1:15 in the afternoon might be the best thing to ever happen to you. And you definitely won’t be in class for seven hours straight!

However, college is like high school in that you will have the opportunity to get involved by joining different clubs, organizations, and maybe even by getting a part-time job. Most schools have hundreds of extracurricular activities, and it is pretty easy to start one as well! So, as you can imagine, your schedule can get crazy with meetings, band practice, sport practice, play rehearsal, work hours, etc.!

Notes:

class schedule – амер. расписание

flexibility – подвижность, гибкость

major – амер. профилирующая дисциплина, дисциплина, выбранная в качестве специализации

high school – амер. средняя школа

freshman – амер. студент первого курса

sophomore – студент-второкурсник, «спорщик» (от арх. sophumer)

junior - амер.; студ. предпоследний (класс, курс - при четырехлетнем обучении), первый, второй (при трехлетнем обучении); первый (при двухлетнем обучении)

senior - амер. ученик выпускного класса; студент последнего курса

general education classes – занятия по общеобразовательным предметам

extracurricular activities - общественные мероприятия (спортивные соревнования, художественная самодеятельность и т. п.)

pretty easy – довольно легко

Ex. 3. Match the words and word combinations connected with education on the right with their British equivalents on the left. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

American English	British
high school senior major sophomore freshman schedule junior general education subjects program semester president faculty graduate student professor	lecturer first-year student term supplementary subjects timetable chief subject syllabus, curriculum vice-chancellor third-year student secondary school second-year student postgraduate student staff fourth-year student

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14

Ex. 4. Read the text again and mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

1. The college schedule is more flexible.

2. In the US college, you have a set curriculum of classes.

3. In their first and second years American students take more general education classes and fewer classes in their major.

4. Students don’t take any general education classes during their third and fourth years.

5. The college schedule offers very few options in comparison with the high school schedule.

6. Both college and high school in the USA have a lot of extracurricular activities.

Ex. 5. Read the text about extracurricular activities. What activities are the students engaged in? Which of them can you also find at Russian universities?

Extracurricular Activities in the USA

Extracurricular activities or extra academic activities are activities outside the regular curriculum in a school or college. These activities include art, sports, music / band, acting (drama), various clubs. Sometimes volunteer activities are also included here. They are usually free and allow students to follow their own interests while using the facilities of their place of study.

Extracurricular activities exist at all levels of education, from junior high (or middle school) / high school, college and university education. It is believed that extracurricular involvement is very important for personal development. Extracurricular activities are very important especially in the USA and are taken into consideration by colleges and universities and later by prospective employers.

The range of extracurricular activities may vary depending upon the interests of the students, country and type of college and university. The most common types are:

Student Government. One of the most widespread types of extracurricular experience is student government, such as student government and residence hall government. It is typically elected by their peers to function as the "official voice" of students to university administration. These government participants represent the ideas and concerns of their fellow students.

Athletics. Student athletes may participate in sports teams such as volleyball, basketball, or lacrosse. Being a varsity athlete requires a lot of time and energy for practicing and competing. Players at all skill levels are invited to participate, and often these activities may be quite competitive. In the USA many schools have student spirit organizations that allow students to attend sporting events, sit in a special student cheering section, and applaud the home team.

Academic and Professional Organizations. At their meetings students discuss the problems related to their field of interest and learn job related skills. Such professional organizations typically focus on one career area of interest. Examples of professional organizations include different societies, such as the Mathematics Society, the English Club, the Poetic Club and so on.

Volunteer and Service-Related Activities. Volunteer and service-related activities exist to help improve the local and worldwide community, an important goal of extracurricular activities. Students engage in community service projects, such as rebuilding homes, planting trees, helping elderly people, orphans. They may act as volunteers in private boarding homes for dogs and cats.

The Arts. Students interested in fine arts have a lot of extracurricular opportunities in which they can actively participate. Activities including plays, musicals, and dance concerts offer a chance for students to demonstrate their dramatic abilities. Marching band, jazz band, orchestra, and singing groups allow students to pursue their musical interests at the college level. Pottery, sculpture, and mosaic classes and workshops are also offered for students to learn and enjoy.

Other Activities. In addition to the specific extracurricular activities previously mentioned, other activities exist on many college campuses. Most of them are not typical for Russia sometimes due to lack of facilities. Religious organizations offer students an opportunity to gather with students of similar religious backgrounds. Media organizations on campus consist of print, television, and radio venues. These activities may include writing or taking pictures for the school newspaper, or working as a disc jockey for the campus radio station. Individuals interested in politics may join the College Republicans or College Democrats (in the USA).

Notes:

facilities [fəˈsɪlətɪz] - аппаратура, оборудование, здания, средства

involvement – вовлеченность, участие

prospective employer – потенциальный работодатель