Text 4. The Study of Law at Nizhny Novgorod Law Academy

1. Read and translate the text. Do the tasks following it.

Nizhny Novgorod Law Academy was founded in 1997. It has both a full-time and a correspondence programmer. The aim of legal education at the Academy is to train future lawyers and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective and productive work, research work including.

The Bachelor’s course of study is 4 years. Upon graduation, the students get the degree of Bachelor of Law (LLB). The Master’s course is completed in 2 years. Those who take the Master’s course in law get the degree of Master of Law (LLM). If the graduates want to go on with their legal education, they can take a post graduate course, hold a thesis and get the degree of Ph. D. (Candidate of Science in Law).

The academic year is divided into 2 terms. During the winter and summer examination periods, the students take credit tests and examinations.

The students study various branches of law, such as civil law, criminal law and criminal procedure, constitutional, administrative, labour law, criminology, and many other subjects. They also study philosophy, history, psychology, logics, foreign languages, rhetoric, economics, informatics and have lessons of physical education.

The Academy’s graduates work as lawyers, judges, prosecutors, notaries, bailiffs and legal advisors. They can also work as University teachers of law and carry on research work. You can see them working in people’s courts and courts of arbitration, law offices, business companies, prosecutor’s offices, notary offices, as well as law faculties in colleges and establishments of higher learning.

The Academy is situated in the centre of the city. It is a five-story building with light and spacious rooms, nicely decorated walls, well-equipped computer laboratories and lecture halls. There is also a library, a reading hall, 2 gyms, an assembly hall, a publishing office, a canteen, a cloak room and a number of teachers’ rooms, academic, administrative, personnel, accounting and other offices.

The students of the Academy are provided with all facilities for studying. Every day they have practical classes, lectures and seminars, do tests and hold mock trials. They also do sports, arrange competitions and quiz games, issue wall-newspapers, give concerts, take part in olympiads, conferences and social events at the municipal, regional and federal level.

II. Find proofs in the text that the following statements are correct.

Найдите в тексте подтверждение правильности следующих высказываний.

1. Students at Nizhny Novgorod Law Academy can study by correspondence.

2. Nizhny Novgorod Law Academy is a relatively young educational establishment.

3. Each term is completed with an examination period.

4. The rooms of the Academy are rather large.

5. The students of the Academy have all the necessary conditions for studying.

6. The Academy’s graduates enjoy a big choice of careers.

7. The Academy has an opportunity to publish the works of the teachers and
students.

8. At the lessons, the students act out court trials.

9. A great number of subjects are included in the curriculum.

10. The students are engaged in extra-curricular activities.

III. Match the following.

1. LLB 2. a post graduate course 3. to graduate from the Academy 4. a full-time programme 5. bailiff 6.to hold mock trials 7. a correspondence programme 8. to do sports 9. skills 10.legal education 11. notary office 12.prosecutor’s office 13.to hold a thesis 14.credit tests 15.examination period

a) юридическое образование b) разыгрывать судебный процесс c) прокуратура d) заочное обучение e) защитить диссертацию f) сессия g) нотариальная контора h) судебный пристав i) заниматься спортом j) зачёты k) бакалавр юридических наук l) навыки m) очное обучение n) окончить Академию o) аспирантура

Text 5. A letter from Alex

I. Read the letter and do the tasks following it.

Hi, Steve,

Thanks for your letter. I love hearing your news and I was really impressed by the views of the countryside with its green fields, groves, streams, gardens and hills covered with bright flowers. It was a pleasure looking at the photos! I can imagine how enjoyable it is to cycle or have a walk there on a nice summer day.

Well, I am going to send you a text of my own making about the place in Russia which is dearest to my heart, and that is Nizhny Novgorod, the city I live in. I hope it won’t be less interesting for you than any information about Nizhny Novgorod that can be found in the Net.

And Steve, could you look through the 2 texts I have enclosed in the letter about the state organisation of the UK and the USA and see if I’ve made any mistakes? If possible, make some additions, but the texts shouldn’t be long and they should not take up too much of your time.

All the best,

Alex.

II. Say if it is true or false.

1. Alex wants Steve to make up 2 texts for him.

2. Alex is going to send Steve some postcard views of his city.

3. Steve is asked to greatly enlarge the texts.

4. Alex was impressed by the sights of London.

5. Alex asks Steve not to hurry and check his texts thoroughly.

III. Find proofs in the text that the following statements are correct.

Найдите в тексте письма подтверждение правильности следующих
высказываний.

1. Alex was pleased with the contents of Steve's letter.

2. He wants to write his own text about the city he lives in.

3. Alex is going to include in his text some information about Nizhny Novgorod that can hardly be found in the Internet.

4. Alex is not quite sure of his grammar.

5. He doesn’t want Steve to spend too much time on his request.

Text 6 Nizhny Novgorod

I. Read the letter and do the tasks following it.

Hi, Steve,

Here is the text about Nizhny Novgorod, my native place.

Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 1221. It is beautifully located on a number of hills, called the Dyatlov Hills in the name of the brigand, nicknamed Dyatel, who dominated the place in those days. The location offers a marvelous view from the river, which was noted in the past by high-ranking Russian and foreign guests, tsars, emperors, and also writers, historians and travellers. Actually, it is situated on 2 rivers – the Volga and the Oka. Its location is unique in that you can’t find anywhere else in Europe or in the world another city so highly placed at the confluence of two large rivers. It’s a pleasure to walk along the ancient Kremlin walls or along the embankments. In fact, these are my favourite walking routes. People with extrasensory abilities say that a walk along the Upper Volga embankment has a healing effect on the mind as well as on the body.

In the past, Nizhny Novgorod was famous for its world-known Fair which attracted Russians from all over the country, as well as foreigners from many parts of the world. It is Russia’s third largest city, formerly called “the pocket” and “the arsenal” of Russia. It played a crucial role in the salvation of the country from Polish invaders in the distant past and contributed greatly to the rout of the fascist Germany in World War II. A lot of tanks, airplanes, submarines and other armaments were manufactured at Gorky’s plants (after the October revolution Nizhny Novgorod was renamed in honour of the great proletarian writer Aleksey Peshkov, whose pen name was Maxim Gorky). It is known that Gorky was among the first Russian cities to be ruined completely by Hitler’s order in case Germany won a victory over Russia.

Nizhny Novgorod is a place of pilgrimage for lots of believers. It is known as the land of the great Russian saint, Serafim of Sarov, who is believed to be protecting the city and the whole of the country from disaster and ruin.

For me, Nizhny Novgorod is not just a great industrial, scientific and cultural centre neighbouring with the capital of the country. By modern standards, it is probably not the best place to live. Yet, I wouldn’t like to change it for any other place in the world.

I would be glad if you read my letter with interest.

I am looking forward to your answer.

With best wishes,

Alex.

II. Say if it is true or false.

1. Alex’s favourite walking route is the central street of the city.

2. At the time it was founded, Nizhny Novgorod was called Gorky.

3. Nizhny Novgorod is one of the largest cities of Russia.

4. Alex likes his city because it is a great scientific centre.

5. Nizhny Novgorod contributed greatly to the victory over fascism.

6. It played a decisive role in the rout of Polish and German invaders.

7. The city was earlier called “the pocket” and “the arsenal” of Russia.

III. Change the sentences using the words from the text.

Измените предложения, используя слова и выражения из текста.

1. After the revolution, Nizhny Novgorod was given the name of a famous Soviet writer.

2. Nizhny Novgorod is located on 2 large rivers.

3. A lot of armaments were produced at Gorky’s plants.

4. The monastery of Serafim of Sarov in Diveevo is often visited by believers.

5. In the past, Nizhny Novgorod was well-known for its popular Fair.

6. Nizhny Novgorod is not far from the capital of the country.

7. Alex wouldn’t like to live in any other city.