Higher education

At university you can do _____ in many different _____ (e.g. law). Some students prefer to do an _____ course (e.g. languages) and others prefer a _____ course (e.g. engineering). In Britain, it usually takes three or four years to get a university _____. When they finish their course, some people stay at university and _____. The most important teachers at a university are called _____.

b) Fill in the blanks with the words given in brackets.

(take/do, marks (n.), fail, terms, pass)

The school year is divided into three _____. Most children at secondary school have to _____ exams at the end of the summer term. Copying in exams is strictly forbidden. Of course all pupils hope to get good/high _____ and to _____ their exams, not to _____ them!

Conversational practice dialogues

Ex. 1. Read and translate the following polylogue.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Ann: I say, Nick, what are you going to do after finishing school?

Nick: I have been trying to find something suitable for the last few months and I still don’t know. What have you chosen?

Ann: I have decided to study foreign languages. I think I could do much in this field.

Nick: I think, it’s the right decision. You have been always good at foreign languages at school. Teachers have always given you only the highest grades.

John: I remember how excellent you were translating for our French guests. You sounded like a real French. My progress in foreign languages has always been poor and I envied you when I was listening.

Nell: You have always been too lazy to make an extra effort in learning new words and phrases.

John: Yes, learning a foreign language has only been giving me a headache. My memory is not fit for holding new words.

Nell: You should have been spending more time working on the vocabulary.

John: Nonsense! I have simply no natural ability for languages. My power of imitation is poor. I have no ear for foreign intonation, grammar rules different from those in English seem incomprehensible to me. Not everything depends on the time you spend over textbooks.

Nell: I think you are wrong. Everyone can manage anything if he or she makes enough effort. If you don’t spare yourself, you will succeed. People do exaggerate the role of natural abilities in mastering this or that field of studies.

Nick: What do you think one must do to develop his or her poor ability for foreign languages?

Nell: First of all, you must read much. The reading which you must do should be of two kinds. First, you must read in order to grasp the main idea with minimum use of a dictionary. This will develop your ability to use context in order to be able to guess the meanings of words. Secondly, you must read with the extensive use of a dictionary. Be sure to look up every word you don’t know in a dictionary. It will stuff your memory with new words and phrases, as well as grammar patterns. You must listen to foreign speech as much as possible. Listen to audio files and radio programmes, watch undubbed movies. Try and do your best to talk to native speakers whenever you can. Don’t be lazy to practise your grammar doing different kinds of drills and don’t think that traditional exercises on substitution or insertion of forms are useless: they develop the necessary degree of automatism which you need in order to apply grammar patterns without hesitation. Don’t avoid any creative activity. Write letters to your pen-friends abroad. Such tasks create and support your motivation to get a perfect command of a foreign language.

Pete: I say, Nell, you’ve given quite a lecture! But I think that the best way to master a foreign language is to go on a prolonged visit to the country where people speak this language. You would simply have to start speaking. Otherwise you’d feel helpless and forlorn. Thus, learning will be associated with a lot of fun like sightseeing, visiting historic places, making new friends, dating exotic foreign girls…

Nell: Not a bad idea! Still, before going abroad you’d better study the foundations of grammar of the country’s language and a couple hundreds of words just to have something to start with when you arrive.

Sam: Are you going to choose the career of an interpreter, Ann? Or would you like to become a teacher?

Ann: I don’t know yet. Translation appeals to me, but I also find pleasure in teaching kids.

Sam: You can also teach adults. And do research at a university.

Ann: To work at a university I will have to study longer than for working in school, because after a Master’s degree which will do for a school teacher, I will have to study for a Ph.D. Research work will need a lot of brain work, I don’t know whether I’ll be smart enough for this. I seem to be more inclined for creative work.

Nick: Then the career of a translator is more suitable for you.

Natasha: I don’t think that running with tourists about the city and numerous museums is creative enough. You’ll have to repeat the same texts for years. Besides, when you grow older and have a family such job will seem inappropriate for a middle-aged lady. Tourists will treat you as a servant and you will feel humiliated, especially when you are treated like that by youngsters.

Nick: Translators do written translations. You seem to be speaking about guides, not translators. I don’t see why a middle-aged woman working as a guide must feel humiliated. Tourists, including young guys, are well-bred and broad-minded. A guide’s work needn’t be devoid of creativity either. Each time you can say something new about a museum’s collection or the city’s streets and monuments. You’ll have to do much research work to find new interesting facts.

Natasha: Written translation is boring. Fancy a person sitting all day long at a desk translating a long article on fertilizers or parts of a turbine!

Sam: Well, you can translate mystery stories or science fiction. Isn’t this work exciting? Just imagine reading for pleasure and work bringing money combined!

Natasha: Will it bring good money? You need to have an ability in the line of literature to be able to produce a talented version of a literary work in another language.

Nick: One can also work as an interpreter who does oral translation. I already see Ann dressed in something terribly elegant standing by the President’s side at a summit and translating for him.

Natasha: Interpreters will soon become unnecessary. Every educated personality should be able to speak foreign languages without an interpreter. Those who can’t do it shouldn’t be allowed to take official positions.

Ann: Well, it seems hardly possible for a man with ordinary abilities to get command of all the languages of the world. But international meetings and conferences will be certainly held on an increasingly wider basis. So, who but interpreters will be able to help guests from different countries to understand each other?

Natasha: It’ll be sufficient for them to know one language which will be universally accepted as the means of international communication.

Sam: What language? Russian, Natasha?

Natasha: It would be wonderful, but I don’t think it very probable. Russian is too difficult. English seems perfect to me in this role.

John: You, guys, are too enthusiastic about Ann’s future profession. She might marry a nice boy and have a few kids and a happy family. And all the efforts she has made and will make to get an education will be of no use whatsoever.

Natasha: Do you think a mother and a wife doesn’t need any education, silly? It will be she who will teach her kids everything that is useful and worth knowing. Besides, a married woman does not turn into a tool for doing household duties. She preserves her intellectual and emotional preferences. She needs much to feel happy. She needs travelling, making friends, reading and her good command of a foreign language can turn out indispensable in achieving her life goals.

Sam: Are you going to study the languages at a university?

Nick: Have you already decided where you will apply for admission?

Ann: Yes, I have chosen the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

John: I am sure you’ll be admitted. We all wish you good luck!

Ann: Thank you!

Ex. 2. Answer the following questions.

1. What must one do to develop his or her poor ability for foreign languages?

2. What is the best way to master a foreign language?

3. What is the difference between the professions of an interpreter and a guide?

4. What does the work of a translator include?

5. Would you like to be a translator? Why?

6. What are peculiarities of the profession of a teacher?