Active Vocabulary

V. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

to be stated – быть утвержденным; to provide – обеспечивать, предоставлять; to last – длиться; compulsory education – обязательное образование; stage – ступень, уровень; inclusive – включительно; to receive a Certificate of Secondary (Complete) General Education – получить аттестат о среднем (полном) общем образовании; Unified State Exams – ЕГЭ; Master's degree – степень магистра; to elaborate – тщательно разрабатывать; to defend a thesis – защищать дипломную работу (диссертацию); one can – можно; competitive exams – конкурсные экзамены; applicant – абитуриент; entrance exams – вступительные экзамены; to sit for an examination – готовиться к экзамену; due to – из-за; vocational school – профессиональное училище; a great concern for – большой интерес к.

Обратите внимание на образование количественных и порядковых числительных. Количественные числительные: 1 – zero, 2 – two, 3 – three, 4 – four, 5 – five, 6 – six, 7 – seven, 8 – eight, 9 – nine, 10 – ten, 11 – eleven, 12 – twelve. Числительные от 13 до 19 образуются путем прибавления суффикса –teen, например: 13 – thirteen, 15 – fifteen, 18 – eighteen.

Числительные от 20 до 100 образуются прибавлением суффикса –ty: 20 – twenty, 30 – thirty, 50 – fifty. сложные количественные числительные пишутся через дефис: 45 – fouty-five, 92 – ninety-two и т.д. 100 – a (one) hundred.

Порядковые числительные образуются прибавлением суффикса –th и всегда употребляются с определенным артиклем the: the seventh, the fifty-sixth и т.д. Исключение: 1 – the first, 2 – the second, 3 – the third.

VI. Read and translate the following text. Name the main stages of education in Russia. Education in Russia

Russia has a long-standing tradition in high-quality education for all citizens. Russians have always shown a great concern for education. The literacy rate in Russia is approximately 98 %. The right to education is stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Education in Russia is provided predominantly by the state and is regulated by the federal Ministry of Education and Science.

Before children go to school, many of them attend kindergartens until they are six or seven. Compulsory education in Russia begins at the age of 7, when children go to primary school. The children learn to read, to write and to count. This is the first stage of education and lasts four years. Secondary stage begins from the 5^th form where pupils have a lot of new subjects, such as Literature, History, Natural Science, Algebra and Geometry and others. Education is compulsory up to the 9^th form inclusive. If a pupil of a secondary school wants to go on with education, he or she stays at school for two more years. Pupils may also leave school after the 9^th form and continue their education at vocational or technical secondary schools or colleges which offer programmes of academic subjects and a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession.

Primary and secondary schools together comprise 11 years of study. Every school has a “core curriculum” of academic subjects. State Exams are passed at the end of 9^th and 11^th form. After passing their exams, young people receive a Certificate of Secondary Complete General Education. After finishing the 11^th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or gymnasium one can go into higher education. All applicants must take competitive exams. But Unified State Exams which were adopted recently allow students of 11^th form not to pass both their final exams and entrance exams at a university. The total score of several subjects is the basis of accepting a student at a university.

Due to great demands of the international educational organizations, the system of education in Russia began to change over the past years; it is similar to that of Britain and the USA: basic higher education (at least 4 years of full-time university-level study) leading to the Bachelor degree, the first university level degree, and 2 years of full-time study for a Master's degree (postgraduate higher education).The Bachelor’s degree is awarded after defending a diploma project and passing the final exams. Holders of the Bachelor’s degree may enter the Specialist Diploma and Master's degree programmes. Access to these programmes is competitive. The Master’s degree is awarded after successful completion of study. Student must carry out a research and defend a thesis which constitutes an original contribution and sit for final examinations.

The programs are elaborated in accordance with the State Educational Standards (80% of their content), the other20% are elaborated by the university itself. The programs include professional and special courses in Sciences, the Humanities and Social-economic disciplines, professional training, completion of a research paper / project and passing of State final exams.

Some of the universities offer the new system of education while others still work according to the prior 5-year system. Higher as well as secondary education in our country is free. Although there are some schools and universities which charge fees.