Higher education plays an important part in the life of any country as it provides the country with highly-qualified specialists for its further development and progress. Today the role of universities in the system of higher education becomes determining as they give training in fundamental humanities and natural sciences. Young people will be the specialists of tomorrow in the society with new technology. Their qualification will determine the scientific and technological progress of the country.
Unified State Exam is an exam in this country. It is in fact a series of exams every student must pass after graduation from school to enter a university or a professional college. Since 2009 USE is the only form of graduation examinations in schools and the main form of preliminary examinations in universities. A student can take USE in Russian language, mathematics, foreign languages (English, German, French, Spanish), physics, chemistry, biology, geography, literature, history, basics of social sciences and computing science. USE in Russian language and mathematics are obligatory; that means that every student needs to get the necessary results in these subjects to enter any Russian university or get a high school diploma.
Specialized secondary and higher education is available for everyone according to his abilities. Every citizen can get free education in state institutions if he passes the entrance examinations successfully. One of the necessary qualifications for higher school is complete secondary education. Entrance examinations differ depending on the choice of a higher school. People can get a higher education through the full-time, evening and correspondent courses. Those who study well receive scholarships.
Along with state higher schools many non-state higher institutions have been opened in different cities. Thousands of young people who for some reason couldn’t enter any of the state educational establishments have an opportunity to continue their studies and to get higher education. Tuition in non-state institutes is not free of charge, it is rather expensive.
The academic year in this country’s higher schools usually lasts 9 months and is divided into two terms. The first- and second-year students study fundamental sciences. At the third year students begin to study specialized subjects. The students attend lectures and practical classes and have every opportunity to develop their talents and gifts.
A good feature of our education is that theory is accompanied by practical training. Students begin to work at the university’s well-equipped laboratories and in senior years at various plants, design offices and research institutes of this country.
Students get a bachelor’s degree after four years of study. Then they may go on with their studies and in a year or two of further study and research may get a master’s degree. Some higher educational institutions offer a post-graduate course. If a person finishes a post-graduate course and writes a thesis, he receives the candidate degree, and later may get the doctoral degree.
Only highly qualified specialists can solve the most complex problems facing our society. Knowledge, science and culture open the prospects for the future.
Vocabulary
higher education высшее образование
to provide with обеспечивать
highly-qualified высококвалифицированный
further дальнейший
development развитие
determining определяющий
as поскольку
humanities гуманитарные науки
science наука
society общество
to determine определять, решать
scientific and technological progress научно-технический прогресс
Unified State Exam Единый государственный экзамен
specialized secondary education среднее специальное образование
available доступный
according to в соответствии с
ability способность
citizen гражданин
to get получать
free (of charge) бесплатный
state государственный
institution учреждение
if если
entrance examinations вступительные экзамены
successfully успешно
necessary необходимый
complete полный
depending on в зависимости от
choice выбор
full-time courses дневное обучение
correspondent courses заочное обучение
to study изучать
to receive scholarships получать стипендии
along with наряду с
non-state негосударственный
for some reason по какой-либо причине
to enter поступать
any любой (в утвердит. пред.)
opportunity возможность
to continue продолжать
tuition обучение
expensive дорогой
to last длиться
to divide into делить(ся) на
term семестр
the first- year student первокурсник
to attend посещать
classes занятия
feature черта, особенность
to accompany сопровождать
practical training практика
well-equipped хорошо оборудованный
senior years старшие курсы
various различный
plant предприятие
design office конструкторское бюро
research institute научно-исследовательский
институт
higher educational institution высшее учебное заведение
to offer предлагать
as well as так же как и
post-graduate course аспирантура
thesis диссертация
to receive получать
candidate degree степень кандидата наук
bachelor’s degree степень бакалавра
to go on продолжать
in a year or two через год или два
further study дальнейшее обучение
research исследование
to solve решать
complex сложный
facing our society стоящие перед нашим обществом
knowledge знания
prospect перспективы
2. Найдите в правой колонке русские эквиваленты английских слов:
further дорогостоящий
determining наряду с
society исследование
abilities степень магистра
knowledge предприятие
depending on в зависимости от
choice знания
to receive scholarships получить высшее образование
along with определяющий
to get higher education получать стипендии
free of charge дальнейший
to last продолжать
a post-graduate course общество
expensive бесплатный
senior years наука
plant выбор
to go on длиться
research аспирантура
a master’s degree способности
science старшие курсы