XIII. Speak on the history of Cambridge.

XIV. Work in pairs. Imagine that one of you is a historian, another – a newspaper reporter, which is going to take an interview concerning the life of Cambridge students in early days.

Unit 14

Topic: Education in the USA

I. Read and remember the following words and word-combinations:

obligation – обов’язок

affair – справа

vocational skill – професійне уміння

in order to – для того, щоб

compulsory school attendance laws – закони штатів щодо термінів обов’язкового

навчання у школі

high school graduate – той, хто закінчив середню школу (у США)

educational establishment – освітній заклад

student – учень

by far – безумовно

public school – безкоштовна середня школа (у США)

tax – (державний) податок

to charge tuition – назначати плату за навчання

guidelines – рекомендації

secular – світський

parochial school – парафіяльна школа

II. Read and translate the following text:

Americans believe that every citizen has both the right and the obligation to become educated. The citizens of a democracy need to be educated, so that they can take part in affairs of governments, both local and national. They must also learn vocational skills.

In order to develop an educated population, all states have compulsory school attendance laws. These laws vary somewhat from one state to another, but generally they require that formal schooling being by age six and continue until at least age sixteen. However, most Americans attend school at least until high school graduation, when they are seventeen or eighteen years old. About 75% of all Americans adults are high school graduates.

The size of the nation’s basic educational establishment is astonishing. From kindergarten through high school, about 46 million students are enroled in school. To educate this vast number of students, Americans employ about 2.7 million teachers. By far, the largest professional group in the country.

Public and Private Schools

About 88% of American children receive their elementary and high school education in the nation’s public schools. These schools have the following important characteristics in common:

a) they are supported by taxes and, therefore, do not charge tuition;

b) in general, they are neighbouring schools, open to all students who live within the district;

c) they are co-educational, which means that boys and girls attend the same schools and have nearly all of their classes together;

d) public schools are required to follow some state guidelines regarding, for example, curriculum and teacher qualifications. But, in most matters, schools are locally controlled.

e) public schools are non-sectarian (secular), which means that they are free from the influence of any religion. As a result, children of many different religions feel comfortable attending the public schools and the school system has been able to help a diverse population build a common culture.

Private schools can be divided into two categories: parochial (supported by a particular religious group) and secular (non-religious). Private schools change tuition and are not under direct public control, although many states set educational standards for them. In order to attend a private school, a student must apply and be accepted. Parochial schools make up the largest group of private schools and most of these are operated by the Roman Catholic Church. Private secular schools are mainly high schools and colleges.

III. Find English equivalents:

громадянин, найближчий, навички, населення, справа, закон, різнитися, вимагати, податки, учбовий план

IV. Match English words and word combinations in the left column with their Ukrainian equivalents in the right column:

1. astonishing a. різноманітний

2. in common b. вимагати

3. to charge c. найняти

4. to provide d. для того, щоб

5. to require e. вступати

6. to hire f. різнитися

7. in order to g. забезпечувати

8. to enrol h. спільне

9. to vary i. назначати плату

10. diverse j. дивовижний

V. Complete the following sentences:

1. … : parochial and secular.

2. About 88% of American children … .

3. In order to develop an educated population … .

4. … are mainly high schools and colleges.

5. Americans believe … .

6. However, most Americans attend school … .

7. To educate this vast number of students … .

VI. Put the words into correct order to make a sentence:

1. In common / schools / something / public / have / private / and.

2. Until / most / seventeen-eighteen years / Americans / school / attend.

3. The right / citizen / every / has / to become / American / educated.

4. Law / all / compulsory / American / attendance / states / have.

5. To learn / skill / Americans / also / vocational / have.

VII. Characterize American system of education in some sentences. Try to compare it with the British one.

VIII. You have already studied three systems of education (Ukrainian, British and American). Imagine that you have guests from Britain and America (students from the group). Tell them about our system of education and ask them questions about British/American systems of education.

IX. Read and translate the text using the dictionary: