The Mechanical-Machine-Building Institute was opened in Chelyabinsk in December 1943. It was formed on the basis of Chelyabinsk and Leningrad Tractor Plants. At that time there were only two faculties there: the Mechanical-Technological Faculty and the Automobile-and-Tractor Faculty. Only 425 students studied at the Institute in 1943. The Institute was housed in the present-day building of "Detsky Mir", and later on it moved into the building of School №11 in Timiryazev Street. There were only two hostels in 1943, now the students live in 9 modem hostels. In 1951 the ChMMI was named the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute. In 1990 it was reorganized into the Technical University, and in 1997 - into South Urals State University.
At present it is one of the largest higher schools in the country. About 50,000 students and post-graduates study at its full-time, part-time and distance learning faculties. The teaching staff numbers about 5000 instructors. Several Corresponding Members of the Academy of Sciences, about 350 Professors and a great number of Assistant Professors work there. The University has 34 departments and 140 chairs which train engineers in 50 specialities.
The University provides a good engineering education. It should be noted, however, that the University trains not only engineers, but specialists in economics, finance, law, ecology, linguistics, architecture and construction, psychology. The university has 11 branch establishments around Chelyabinsk region and it is among the ten best Russian universities according to the Russian Education Department. The university has a rich library with more than 700 thousand volumes, electronic bases, theses catalogue. The library regularly holds different exhibitions and seminars. There is also the museum of South Urals State University in the main building, where all the history of the university is represented.
South Urals State University is a large research center. At present there function about 20 research laboratories here. The scientists and post-graduates solve a great number of theoretical and practical problems in various fields of industry, science and technology, such as: metallurgy, construction, electronics, transport, etc.
Since 2011 our university has come to the two-level system of higher education: baccalaureate and magistracy.
I have chosen this University because of its prestige, high status among Russian universities and high quality of training. Our University has facilities to study and do sports. The university graduates are always in great demand among employers.
Vocabulary
plant – завод be housed – быть расположенным/располагаться
hostel – общежитие undergraduate – студент младших курсов graduate – студент старших курсов postgraduate – аспирант full-time faculty – очное отделение part-time faculty – заочное отделение Corresponding Members of the Academy of Sciences – Члены-корреспонденты Академии Наук department – факультет chair – кафедра branch establishment – филиал to provide – обеспечивать thesis – диссертация (мн.ч. theses) volume – том/книга exhibition – выставка research center – исследовательский центр scientist – ученый baccalaureate – бакалавриат magistracy – магистратура facilities – условия
TOPIC5. MY WORKING DAY.
The success in education, in career and in family life depends on the correct time managing according to psychologists, sociologists and other scientists. My working day begins at 6 a.m. when my alarm clock rings and I get up. I don’t do morning exercises. Instead I take my dog out for a walk and it is a good exercise for me. When we return home, my dog has his morning meal and I take a shower. Sometimes I have breakfast at home if I have enough time. But usually I have breakfast at the University after the second lecture. I’m a first year student of the architectural faculty at the South Urals State University. I’m glad to have entered this University and this faculty. My future speciality is an interior designer. I like being engaged in flats and offices space planning and their decoration. I hope I’m good at these things. I usually leave my house at 20 minutes past 7 a.m., the way to the University takes me 30 minutes by the route taxi. I have 10 minutes to communicate with my group-mates. The university lectures start at 8 a.m. Each lecture lasts one hour and a half. There are short breaks between the lectures. Like I said before there is a 30-minutes break after the second lecture for the students and the lecturers to go to the canteen. My lectures are usually over at 2 or 3 p.m. But I don’t hurry home at once. I do boxing in the university sport club three times a week (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). On Tuesdays and Thursdays I play the bass-guitar in the university rock-group. Our group participates in all official and amateur events of the University. If I need to prepare any report or be ready for any test, I have to miss the sport training or music rehearsal and go to the university library. I return home at 7 p.m., have dinner and take my dog for an evening walk. After walk I take a shower, watch TV a little before sleeping. Unfortunately, I am very busy and my week-day is overloaded to walk and mix with my friends in the evening. I only can do it at the week-ends. And at the end of my working day I usually feel tired and like a squeezed lemon. But I think, I do a lot of important things for me, my personal time-table suits me perfectly. How do you organize your working day? Are you pleased with your personal time-table? Share your ideas with us.
Vocabulary
time-managing – организация времени/распорядка дня time-table – расписание psychologist – психолог sociologist – социолог scientist – ученый lecturer – преподаватель вуза/лектор be good at smth. – делать успехи в чем-то I’m a first year student – я – студент первого курса to last – длиться/продолжаться be engaged in smth./doing smth. – заниматься чем-то it takes me 30 minutes – мне требуется/у меня занимает 30 минут group-mates – товарищи по группе/сокурсники to do boxing – заниматься боксом canteen – столовая sport-training – спортивная тренировка music rehearsal – музыкальная репетиция to miss – пропускать to take a shower – принимать душ to mix – общаться overloaded – перегруженный to feel tired – чувствовать себя усталым to feel like a squeezed lemon – чувствовать себя как выжитый лимон to suit perfectly – подходить идеально to share smth. with smb. – делиться с кем-то чем-то