Educational system and universities

Education in Canada is provided, funded and overseen by federal, provincial, and local governments. Education is within provinicial jurisdiction and the curriculum is overseen by the province, without a ministry of education at the federal or national level. Education in Canada is generally divided by Elementary (Primary School, Public School), followed by Secondary (High School) and Post Secondary (University, College). Within the provinces under the department of education, there are district school boards administering the educational programs. Education is compulsory up to an age of 16. Canada generally has 190 school days in the year, officially starting from September to the end of June (usually the last Friday of the month).

As for University education, even of Canada’s 89 universities appear in the THES – QS World University Rankings Top 200 Universities, demonstrating the good level of quality and reputation in the country’s higher education system.

Additionally, Canada boasts a range of other post-secondary school education institutions, known as colleges, university colleges, institutes of technology and advanced learning, community colleges and colleges of applied arts and technology - many of which are able to grant degree-level qualifications.

Canada’s top institutes are more commonly referred to as the The Group of Thirteen:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Laval
• McGill
• McMaster
• Montréal
• Queen’s
• Toronto
• Waterloo
• Western Ontario
• University of Calgary
• Dalhousie University
• University of Ottawa

As one of the largest systems of higher education in the world, Canada has an extremely robust quality assurance and accreditation process ensuring that degree-level studies are recognised internationally. Scholarships are available to offset some of the costs of studying in Canada.

Vocabulary notes

compulsory – обязательный, принудительный

curriculum – курс обучения, учебный план (школы, университета и т.п.)

to offset – возмещать, компенсировать

to oversee – надзирать, наблюдать

robust - крепкий, сильный

scholarship – стипендия

Famous People

The list of well-known Canadians includes the actors Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey. The country is also home to a lot of world-famous musicians like Nelly Furtado (singer & songwriter), Shania Twain (singer & songwriter), Brian Adams (singer & songwriter), Avril Lavigne (singer & songwriter) and Celine Dion (singer). Well-known Canadian sportsmen include Lennox Lewis (World Heavyweight Boxing Champion) and numerous ice skaters: Kurt Browning (four-time world champion), Elvis Stojko (three-time world champion) and Shae-Lynn Bourne (world ice dancing champion, together with Victor Kraatz). Models Pamela Anderson and Linda Evangelista were also born in Canada.

 

Canadian cuisine

Defining what Canadian food is depends on what part of Canada you're from! The traditional cuisine varies from British Columbia (Salmon & Wild Rice, and Nanaimo Bars) to Newfoundland (Cod Cakes and fish cheeks), to Native dishes (maple sugar pie) to French Canadian Foods (Tortiere, Yellow Pea Soup).
For instance, it is almost uniquely Canadian to have gravy on your fries? This is a typical dish all over the country that is called poutine. In England, that's how they can tell Americans apart from Canadians - Canadians ask for gravy on their fries.
From the East Coast - Irish Stew, Fish Chowders, Bangbellies (a pork/rice bun), Toutons (Pork Bread), and Duffs (like a dumpling), Molasses Tarts and Partridge Berry Coffee Cake, chocolate bread pudding, oat bread, Cape Breton scones, Creamed Potato Balls, Baked Stuffed Lobster,
Native - Posole Stew (uses hominy), corn casserole, Frypan Fork Bread, Cornmeal pudding, Maple Fudge, Wojape (a berry pudding).

Quebec - Crème Caramel, French Onion Soup, Split Yellow Pea Soup, Garlic Pork Pot Roast, Cipate (Chicken, meat and vegetable casserole with biscuit topping), 3 crust blueberry pie
Ontario - Pine Nut Stuffed Quail, pickled yellow beans, apple butter, headcheese, smoked ham, creamed potatoes, vanilla pie, ice wine, BBQ's, hot sauces, doughnuts.
Maple syrup originates in northeastern North America, and is commonly associated with Quebec and New England, especially Vermont, and Maine. However, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever maple trees grow. Usually, the maple species used are the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and the black maple (Acer nigrum), because of the high sugar content in the sap. A maple syrup production farm is called a sugarbush or the sugarwoods. Sap is boiled in a "sugar house" (also known as a "sugar shack" or cabane à sucre), a building which is louvered at the top to vent the steam from the boiling maple sap.

Canada produces more than 80 percent of the world's maple syrup, producing about 7 million gallons in 2005. The vast majority of this comes from Quebec: the province is by far the world's largest producer, with about 75 percent of the world production (6.5 million gallons in 2005). The provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick produce smaller amounts. Vermont is the biggest U.S. producer, with 410,000 gallons in 2005, followed by Maine, New York, and then a half-dozen other states with smaller industries.

Traditionally, maple syrup was harvested by tapping a maple tree through the bark and into the wood xylem, then letting the sap run into a bucket; more advanced methods have since superseded this.

Production is concentrated in February, March and April, depending on local weather conditions. Freezing nights and warm days are needed in order to induce sap flows. The change in temperature from above to below freezing causes water uptake from the soil, and temperatures above freezing cause a stem pressure to develop, which, along with gravity, causes sap to flow out of tapholes or other wounds in the stem or branches. To collect the sap, holes are bored into the maple trees and hollow tubes (taps, spouts, spiles) are inserted. Sap flows through the spouts into buckets or into plastic tubing. Modern use of plastic tubing with a partial vacuum has enabled increased production. A hole must be drilled in a new location each year, as the old hole will produce sap for only one season due to the natural healing process of the tree, called walling-off.

 

During processing, the sap is fed automatically from the storage tank through a valve to a flat pan to boil it down until it forms a sweet syrup. The process is slow, because most of the water has to boil out of the sap before it is the right density. It takes approximately 40 litres of sap to make one litre of maple syrup, and a mature sugar maple produces about 40 litres (10 gallons) of sap during the 4-6 week sugaring season. Trees are not tapped until they have a diameter of 25 centimetres (10 inches) at chest-height and the tree is at least 40 years old. Most contemporary producers use a 5/16" or 19/64" outside diameter drill bit to drill with. A tap hole depth of 1" to 1 1/2" is a common recommended depth.

Starting in the 1970s, some maple syrup producers started using reverse osmosis to remove water from sap before being further boiled down to syrup. The use of reverse osmosis allows approximately 75 to 80% of the water to be removed from the sap prior to boiling, reducing energy consumption and exposure of the syrup to high temperatures. Microbial contamination and degradation of the membranes has to be monitored.

Maple syrup is sometimes boiled down further to make maple sugar, a hard candy usually sold in pressed blocks, and maple toffee. Intermediate levels of boiling can also be used to create various intermediate products, including maple cream (less hard and granular than maple sugar) and maple butter (creamy, with a consistency slightly less thick than peanut butter).

Timbits is the brand name of bite-sized doughnut balls sold at the Canadian Tim Hortons restaurant chain. A Timbit is often thought to be made from the part of a full doughnut that is cut out to make the doughnut's hole, but in fact they are made from separate balls of dough. The treat was introduced in April 1976, shortly after Tim Horton's death in 1974, and is now available in a selection of varieties that differs from store to store. Some of the most popular flavours are chocolate, jelly-filled, honey dip, and apple fritter. These are Adam Parker's favourite food.

Other doughnut chains in Canada and the United States sell virtually identical products, often called "doughnut holes". However, due to Tim Hortons' place in Canadian culture, Timbits is often used as the generic term for these in Canada, even when they are purchased from another chain.

In the U.S., these baked items are commonly called "Munchkins," which is the brand Dunkin' Donuts uses for the donut balls.

Timbits also refers to participants in the Timbits Minor Sports Program, a community program sponsored by Tim Hortons for local sports teams involving children aged four to eight years.

Poutine is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds and covered with hot gravy (usually brown gravy) and sometimes other additional ingredients. The curds' freshness is important as it makes them soft in the warm fries, without completely melting. It is a quintessential French-Canadian comfort food.

Poutine is a fast food staple in Canada; it is sold by many fast food chains (such as New York Fries and Harvey's) in the provinces, in small diners and pubs, as well as by roadside "poutine trucks" and "fries stands". International chains like McDonalds, A&W, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King now sell mass-produced poutine across Canada. Popular Québec restaurants that serve poutine include Chez Ashton, Lafleur Restaurants, La Belle Province, and St-Hubert.

Thick pea soup, made from yellow or green split peas, is also an important French-Canadian contribution to food culture, and is a popular "comfort food" across the country.

Pickerel fish (what Americans call "walleye"), smoked Winnipeg goldeye, whitefish, and of course wild salmon all have a special place in the hearts of many Canadians.

Perogies (potato dumplings) were introduced into Western Canada by Ukrainian immigrants, and they are now quite popular; there's even a giant perogy statue in Alberta.Today, frozen perogies are available in grocery stores with mashed potato fillings in flavours ranging from cheese and onion, to pizza!

Sugar pie and butter tarts are kissin' cousins to the pecan pie of the American South. Sugar pie is a traditional Quebec dish, best made with maple sugar or maple syrup, and sometimes with a top crust. Butter tarts are similar, but smaller; some Canadians like raisins in their butter tarts, while others consider that a proper butter tart is raisin-free.

Saskatoons (aka saskatoon berries) are a small purplish-blue berry native to Western Canada; in some places, they are called serviceberries or juneberries. It is a popular filling for pies, and is also made into syrup and jam; it has a sort of almond-cherry flavour, despite its blueberry-like appearance. The city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is named after this fruit.

Nanaimo bar 's origins are shrouded in mystery, but this small, sweet square is a very popular dessert. The traditional Nanaimo bar has three layers: a chocolate-flavoured crumb base; a butter-cream icing centre; and a thick layer of chocolate on top. In the last few years, different Nanaimo bar flavours have been created by changing the flavouring of the centre, base, or top to create Irish Cream Nainaimo bar, mint Nanaimo bar, etc.

Tourtiere is a meat pie made with ground pork, ground veal, and/or ground beef and spices. It is part of French-Canadian food culture across the country and throughout the year, but is especially popular at Christmas and New Year's. Ideally, it is home made, but it can also be bought premade in grocery stores across the country.

 

Vocabulary notes

dough - тесто

gravy - соус, подливка

layer - слой

pickerel -

quintessential – являющийся неотъемлемой частью, неотъемлемый

sap – сок (растений)

sprout – отросток, росток, побег

TESTS

 

 

1. Which of these cities is NOT Canadian?

 

1) Oakland

2) Ontario

3) Quebec

4) Calgary

 

2. The document according to which France handed Canada over to Britain in 1763 was called…...

 

1) the Declaration of Independence

2) the Bill of Rights

3) the Quebec Act

4) the Treaty of Paris

 

3. The national animal of the country is …….

 

1) the beaver

2) the squirrel

3) the opossum

4) the black bear

 

4. Which of these is the largest Canadian city?

 

1) Ottawa

2) Toronto

3) Montreal

4) Edmonton

 

5. Which of these is the only French-speaking province in Canada?

 

1) Quebec

2) Alberta

3) Nova Scotia

4) Ontario

 

6. Canadian-born Shae-Lynn Bourse is a famous ………..

 

1) politician

2) feminist writer

3) ice dancer

4) tennis player

 

7. Canada is ……...

 

1) a presidential republic

2) a monarchy

3) a constitutional monarchy

4) a parliamentary republic

 

8. What did the original name of the name of the country (“Kanata”) mean in the Huron and Iroquois language?

 

1) northern country

2) home of snows

3) the home of the northern people

4) a cluster of dwellings

 

9. How many provinces and territories will there be in Canada as of April 1, 1999?

 

1) 11 provinces, and 1 territory

2) 10 provinces, and 3 territories

3) 9 provinces and 2 territories

4) 8 provinces, and 4 territories

 

10. Canadian caribou is a variety of which animal?

 

1) a bear

2) a deer

3) a hare

4) a wolf

 

11. Find one Canadian Celebrity on this list (all the others are NOT Canadian):

 

1) Kylie Minogue

2) Lleyton Hewitt

3) Keanu Reeves

4) Winona Ryder

 

12. The Canadian Parliament consists of ………..

 

1) the Senate and the House of Representatives

2) the House of Lords and the House of Commons

3) the House of Commons and the House of Representatives

4) the Senate and the House of Commons

 

13. What is poutine?

 

1) a cherry cake

2) pasta and cheese

3) French fries topped with hot gravy

4) a bite-sized doughnut ball

 

14. Which was the only province not to sign Canadian Constitution in 1982?

 

1) Manitoba

2) New Brunswick

3) Nova Scotia

4) Quebec

 

SPEECH HABITS

Бытовая сфера

Getting Acquainted

(dialogues)

 

1. - Can you do me a favor, Jim? Would you mind introducing me to Miss Jones?

- Oh, yes, with pleasure, though it’s rather strange you don’t know each other yet.

- I just didn’t have a chance to get acquainted with her. Is she a nice girl?

- Yes, of course, and she has a very nice dog.

 

2. - Harry, have you met Mr. Grey?

- No, we haven’t met.

- Come along then, I’ll introduce you to him, if you like.

- With pleasure.

- Mr. Grey, I should like to introduce Mr. Smith, a friend of mine.

- How do you do, Mr. Smith? Pleased to meet you.

- How do you do, Mr. Grey? I’m very glad to know you.

 

3. - I’m sorry. Are you acquainted? No? Harry, this is James Richardson. Mr. Richardson, Harry Smith.

- How do you do? I’m so glad to meet you.

- How do you do? I’m so pleased to have made your acquaintance, Mr. Smith.

 

4. - Miss Jane! Allow me to introduce Mr. Fox to you!

- How do you do, Mr. Fox? Happy to meet you.

 

Note: When meeting someone new, Americans and Englishmen usually have certain manners. They: 1. look them in the eye; 2. smile; 3. say “Hello. My name is / I’m … It’s nice to meet you, …” (Say their names.); 4. stand up when a grown-up enters the room; 5. say “How do you do?” if it is a stranger.

Men and boys do not offer their hand to shake unless the girl or lady offers theirs. When they talk to grown-ups, use their titles: “Yes, Mrs. Brown”, “No, Doctor White”. The only formally correct way to address people in Great Britain is “Madam” and “Sir”. Schoolboys and schoolgirls call their teacher “Sir”, if it is a man. And if the teacher is a woman, they say “Miss”.

Some topics of conversation or things they might talk to a new friend about may include: What do you do? What are your hobbies, favourite things to do? Do you play any sports? What are your favourite movies, books, songs, musical groups, etc.?

Never interrupt your new friends, while they are talking. Wait for a pause in the conversation. Don’t talk too loud or get too close to your new friend – generally stay about one arm’s length away.

 

5. An English family arrives at your house.

Katya: My name’s Katya.

Mr. Smith: I’m Peter Smith. How do you do, Katya? Pleased to meet you.

Katya: How do you do, Mr. Smith? It’s nice to meet you too.

Mr. Smith: This is my son Paul.

Paul: Hello, Katya.

Katya: Hello, Paul.

Katya: Please come in.

Mr. Smith: Thank you.

Katya: Please sit down. Would you like a drink?

Mr. Smith: Yes, we would. Mineral water for me. What do you want, Paul?

Paul: The same for me, please.

Katya: Here you are.

Katya: What do you do, Mr. Smith?

Mr. Smith: I’m a teacher.

Katya: And what does your wife do?

Mr. Smith: She is an artist.

Katya: What do you do, Paul?

Paul: I go to school.

Katya: What’s your hobby, Paul?

Paul: I collect books on art. I also play tennis and I like swimming very much.

Mr. Smith: It’s nine o’clock. We must go. Thank you very much. It was pleasure to

meet you, Katya. Goodbye.

Katya: Goodbye. See you tomorrow.

 

Vocabulary notes

 

1. to get acquainted [ə`kweintid] with smb – познакомиться с кем-либо

(to make smb acquaintance)

2. to introduce [intrə`dju:s] smb to smb – представить кого-либо

3. How do you do? – Здравствуйте.

4. Allow me to introduce … to you – Разрешите познакомить Вас с …

5. What do you do? Чем вы занимаетесь? (Как

зарабатываете на жизнь?)

 

Family Relationships

(dialogues)

 

1. Nadya answers the door and shows in her friend, Ann.

N: Ann, meet the aunts and uncles, grannies and grandpas, the nephews and nieces,

and all the rest.

A: Pleased to meet you all, I’m sure. My, what a big family you are!

N: This is only the immediate family. You’re the only outsider here now. You will

sit next to the oldest member of family present – my great-grandfather.

Grandpa, dear, I’m going to put my friend in this seat near you.

GR.-GRANDF: The pleasure is all mine. Please sit down, my dear. Make yourself

at home. So, Nadya must give me away at once and tell my age.

A: You don’t look your age at all. So don’t mind her.

GR.-GRANDF: A person is as old as he feels, they say. Still…

A: Nadya is your great-grand-daughter, isn’t she? She’s the exact image of you

(there’s a strong family resemblance between you) – of course, taking the

difference in age into consideration.

GR.-GRANDF: Does she really look like me so much? I’m flattered. She’s a

good-looking girl, isn’t she?

A: How wonderful it must be for you to look round the table and see four

generations of your descendants!

GR.-GRANDF: We are a long lived family. Only your dear granny died young.

N: (to A) She was 50 when she died.

A: Your family, it seems to me, are very much attached to each other.

N: Well, more or less, I suppose.

 

2. Brigitte Bardor. An Impromptu (экспромт) Marriage

A: I looked through an English newspaper and came across a short article titled

“Bardor admits impromptu marriage”.

B: Is it about the famous French actress who starred in so many films in the

60’s and 70’s?

A: Yes, she is not in films any more. She is on the bad side of her fifties and she

leads a secluded life rarely appearing in public.

B: How did she meet her present husband, then?

A: They met at a party, they say.

B: Does it say there that they decided to marry? Love at first sight?

A: Not quite so. The urge to get married came upon them when they took their trip

to Norway, where Brigitte’s son lives.

B: They both had to get divorced from their previous marriages, I suppose.

A: No, Brigitte had been divorced for 23 years. It was her fourth marriage,

by the way.

B: Which marriage is her son by?

A: Brigitte’s son Nicolas was born during her second marriage. His father was

an actor, too.

B: What does her present husband do?

A: He is a businessman, 7 years her junior.

B: Was it a marvelous wedding ceremony in a church?

A: Nothing of the kind. This is how Brigitte describes it, “We came upon a chapel

I lost in the romantic countryside. It was raining hard. We went through the

doors of the chapel. And there, suddenly, we decided to get married”.

B: But the pastor could give them his blessing only in the presence of witnesses.

A: The taxi driver and the church caretaker served as witnesses.

 

Vocabulary notes

 

1. Make yourself at home. – Будьте как дома.

2. resemblance [ri`zembləns] – сходство

3. I’m flattered. [aim `flætəd] – Я польщён.

4. descendant [di`sendənt] – потомок

5. impromptu [im`promptju:] – экспромт

6. secluded [si`klu:dəd] – замкнутый

7. Nothing of the kind. – Ничего подобного.

 

An Invitation to a Housewarming Party

 

Martin: Have you already moved into your new flat?

Sharon: Oh, yes, we have, and we expect you to come to our housewarming

party next Sunday.

Martin: Thank you, I’ll be very glad to come. Is it a two-room flat?

Sharon: Yes, a very nice one, with all modern conveniences.

Martin: Is it in a multi-storied house?

Sharon: It’s a four-storied dwelling house built by the City Municipals. It’s a

five minute walk from an underground station.

Martin: Weren’t you sorry to leave your old home?

Sharon: More than I can tell. The neighbours were old fellow-workers and I miss

them awfully. But you can’t compare the new flat with the old one.

You’ll see it yourself. Take your children along with you.

Martin: Yes, sure. Thank you.

 

Vocabulary notes

 

1. housewarming party – новоселье

2. dwelling house – жилой дом

3. to leave smth. – уезжать откуда-либо