The Russian Federation
The Russian federative republic is set up by the Constitution of 1993.
Under the Constitution Russia is a Presidential Republic. The federal government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Each of them is checked and balanced by the President.
The legislative power is vested in the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation. The Lower Chamber is the State Duma (a Constituent Assembly). Legislature may be initiated in either of the two Chambers. But to become a law a bill must be approved by both chambers and signed by the President. The President may veto the bill.
The President serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he makes treates, enforces federal laws, appoints members of the executive departments to be approved by the Federal Assembly.
The executive power belongs to the Government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The first action of the Prime Minister on appointment is to choose the Ministers who are responsible for framing Government policy.
The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court.
The members of the Federal Assembly are elected by popular vote for a four-year period.
Today the state symbol of Russia is a three coloured banner. It has three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one stands for the sky, and the red one symbolizes liberty. A new national emblem is a two-headed eagle. It is the most ancient symbol of Russia. It originates from the heraldic emblem of the Ryricovitchies. All these symbols are official. They have been approved by the Federal Assembly.
System of education in russia
Vocabulary:
concern – заботы, беспокойство
insure – обеспечивать
vocational school – профессиональное училище
extramural courses – заочные или вечерние курсы
correspondence courses – заочные курсы
provision – обеспечение
compulsory – обязательный
secondary – среднее (образование)
timetable – расписание
core subjects – основные предметы
applicant – претендент, кандидат
competitive – конкурирующий
thesis – диссертация, сочинение
council – совет
transitional – переходный, промежуточный
objective – цель
maintain – поддерживать
ration – зд. количество
rank (амер.) – занимать первое место
prospect – перспектива
advance – продвижение (по службе), успех
in the terms of – с точки зрения
Ex. 1. Mind the pronunciation:
insure [ ] lyceum [ ]
extramural [ ] privilege [ ]
knowledge [ ] mechanism [ ]
Ex. 2. Read and translate the text System of Education in Russia
Citizens of Russia have always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is insured by the broad development of compulsory secondary education, vocational specialized secondary and higher education, by the development of extramural, correspondence and evening courses, by the provisions of state scholarships, grants and privileges for students.
In Russia children get preschool education at the age of 3-4. Most of children attend kindergartens where they learn to read, write, count, draw, design simple things, sing, dance in the form of games.
In our country there is a nine-year compulsory education, but if you want to enter any higher educational establishment you have to study two years more.
School starts at the age of 6, which are called a primary school. This stage of learning lasts for 4 years. Children have many subjects on the time table: Russian, Maths, Nature Study, physical training (PT), Drawing, Music, Foreign Languages (in specialized schools). The main purpose of this stage is to teach children basic intellectual and social skills.
Secondary stage begins from 5th form where the children have a lot of new subjects like: Literature, History, Natural Science, Algebra and Geometry. Primary and secondary schools together comprise eleven years of study. Every school has a "core curriculum" of academic study.
Lyceums and gymnasiums offer programmers giving a profound knowledge in some field of study. Examinations are taken at the end of the 9th form and the 11th year. After passing their school-leaving exams at the age 16 or 17, young people receive a Certificate of Secondary Education.
Some children after finishing the 9th form can go to a vocational or technical secondary schools or colleges, where they can be offered programmes of academic subjects and a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession. After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or gymnasium one can go on in higher education. Among higher educational institutions there are universities, institutions, academies and schools of higher education, where the course of studies is normally 5 years. All applicants must take competitive exams. Entrance examinations are held in July and August. Besides a 5-year programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in variety of fields a graduate course is also can be taken. If one finishes a graduate course and writes a thesis, he or she receives the candidate degree, corresponding to the master's degree, or the doctoral degree.
Higher as well as secondary education in our country is free although there are some universities, which charge fees.
Rectors head higher educational establishments. Prorectors are in charge of academic and scientific work. An institute or university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a field of study.
Faculties have specialized councils, which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.
The systems of secondary and higher education in Russia has gone through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: decentralization of the higher education system, development of new financial mechanism, expansion of academic freedoms of faculties and students. All Russian schools until now have been state-maintained. In the terms of the ration of students to the total population Russia ranks among the top tens countries in the world. The Russian educational policy is a combination of economic and social subjects. An educated person contributes more to the society and education on the other hand gives a person the prospect for professional advance.