7. Read Text 2b and answer the following questions.

1. Why is the Belgorod State Technological University considered to be one of the leading higher educational institutions of Russia?

2. What subjects do the students take during the period of study at the University?

3. How often do the students take end-of-term tests and examinations?

4. Why are the fourth-year students sent to research institutes, factories, plants or other enterprises?

5. When and how are diploma papers done?

6. When is a student conferred on a diploma?

7. Does the national economy need the graduates of the University?

8. Reproduce the parts of the Text in which these words and phrases are used. Use these phrases in short stories of your own.

A higher educational institution, a highly skilled expert, to become an undergraduate, to last, to be on the way to do something, to choose, an end-of-term test, to send, in order to, to work at something, vocational (professional) practice, a tutor, a vague item, to give a job.

9. Discuss the Text in pairs. Use the pattern below as a model and guidelines.

A.: It has been stated that if the student passes his/her end-of-term tests and examination, he/she is granted a monthly scholarship.

B.: I think it’s debatable. As a matter of fact only those students who pass them successfully, that is with excellent and good marks are granted monthly scholarships.

A.: As far as I know from the text …, etc.

10. Find and reproduce the key sentence in each paragraph expressing the main idea.

11. Retell the Text according to the plan made up.

TEXT 2C

My university

1. There are a lot of students at the Belgorod State Technological University. Unlike school most of the work at the University is not done in class but must be done in the library or in laboratories.

2. Among the students there are young men and girls from different villages, towns and cities of Russia. Every morning the students enter the classrooms of the University.

3. Now we are in one of the classrooms. It is a large sunny room. There is a door to the right and four windows to the left. There are some tables and a lot of chairs. In front of the blackboard, there is a table and a chair for the teacher.

4. Some of the students are at their tables. All the students have textbooks on their tables as they will have an English class. At 8.15, the door opens and the teacher comes in. The class begins. Nobody is late. All the students attend classes regularly.

5. As the students have to do a lot of drawing they do it in special drawing-rooms equipped with drawing boards.

6. In the language laboratory the students work with equipment. They put on ear-phones, listen to tape-recorders and try to imitate the correct pronunciation of English words. They also try to imitate correct intonation.

7. Besides studying in class students have much homework, which they must prepare at home. Some students prefer preparing homework in the reading-room of the University. They can get all the necessary textbooks there. If they need any consultation, their teachers answer their questions.

8. After their working day is over the students train in many different sports clubs.

9. At the end of each term students must pass end-of-term tests before they can take exams. Those students, who study regularly, pass their exams very well, but those who spend little time on their studies often fail at the exams.