Learn the topical vocabulary.
Educational establishments – учебные заведения
primary (elementary) school – начальная школа
secondary (high, comprehensive) school – средняя школа
stay (study) at school - учиться в школе
private school – частная школа
lyceum – лицей
gymnasium – гимназия
vocational school – училище
dean’s office – деканат
chair – кафедра
canteen – столовая
lecture-hall – лекторий
assembly hall – актовый зал
hostel – общежитие
tutorial – консультация
head of the (English, German) Department – заведующий кафедрой
senior teacher – старший преподаватель
teacher (professor) – преподаватель, учитель
junior member of teaching – ассистент преподавателя
applicant – абитуриент
a student’s record card – зачетка
term (semester) – семестр
graduate from – окончить ч-л.
course of study – курс обучения
receive a grant (scholarship) – получать стипендию
leave school – окончить школу
enter a college (institute etc) – поступить в вуз
higher education – высшее образование
curriculum – учебный план
compulsory education – обязательное образование
thesis – диссертация
part-time students – заочники
full-time students – очники
take (have) an exam in … - сдавать экзамен по …
pass an exam in … (fail at an exam) – сдать экзамен
fail an exam in … (fail at an exam) – провалиться на экзамене
to do one’s best – прилагать все усилия
time-table – расписание
attend classes – посещать занятия
miss classes – пропускать занятия
do well in subject – успевать по предмету
option – предмет по выбору
extramural department – заочное отделение
Read the text and get ready to discuss it.
EDUCATION
Education is a continuous and creative process. Its aim is to develop the capacities latent in human nature and to coordinate their expression for the enrichment and progress of society.
Russians have always shown a great concern for education. Every citizen of our country has the right to get education. This right is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is not only a right but a duty, too. Education is ensured by compulsory secondary schools, vocational schools and higher educational establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarships and grants.
Education in Russia is compulsory to the 9lh form inclusive. The stages of compulsory schooling in Russia are: primary education, secondary education. Primary and secondary school together comprise 11 years of study. Every school has a “core curriculum” of academic subjects, such as Russian, Literature, Mathematics, History, Biology, Chemistry, Science, Informatics, a foreign language and others. Lyceums and gymnasia offer programmes giving a profound knowledge in some field of study.
After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go in higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher educational institutions, that is, institutes or universities, offer a 5 or 4-year programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course. 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 doctorate.
All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state. Now there is quite a number of private fee-paying primary and secondary schools; some universities have fee-paying departments.
Language activity
I. Answer the following questions on the text.
1. What is the aim of education?
2. Have Russians always shown a great concern for education?
3. What is the right to get education guaranteed by?
4. What is education ensured by?
5. What are the stages of compulsory schooling in Russia?
6. Do lyceums and gymnasia offer programmes giving a profound knowledge in any field of study?
7. Can anyone go on in higher education after finishing the 11th form of a secondary school?
8. How does anyone receive the candidate degree or doctorate?
9. All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state, haven’t they?
II. Give English equivalents for the following words and expressions.
скрытые возможности (способности) абитуриент
учебные заведения конкурсные экзамены
лицей учебный предмет
гимназия студент последнего курса
стипендия диссертация
обязательный ученый
высшее образование факультет
декан преподаватель
III. Give synonyms or synonymous expressions for:
progress of society extramural department
a great concern for education scholarship
to have the right to get education to take competitive
examinations
educational establishments to give a profound
knowledge
to be ensured by to finish the Institute