Module 1. Higher Education in Great Britain

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

 Учебное пособие Higher Education in Russia and abroad предназначено для студентов первого курса, обучающихся по направлениям подготовки 13.03.01 – «Теплоэнергетика и теплотехника», 13.03.02 – «Электроэнергетика и электротехника», 15.03.04 – «Автоматизация технологических процессов и производств». 19.03.04 «Технология продукции и организация общественного питания: профиль: Технология и организация ресторанного сервиса», 38.03.02 «Менеджмент: профиль: Менеджмент в индустрии питания». Цель пособия – формирование иноязычной коммуникативной компетенции на основе заданного ситуативного контекста.

Пособие состоит из трёх модулей: Module I. Higher Education in Great Britain, Module II. Higher Education in the USA, Module III. Higher Education in Russia.

Содержание модулей разработано на основе аутентичных текстов, представленных на английских и американских сайтах и в учебниках. Тексты подобраны по тематическому принципу и предназначены для развития различных видов чтения (изучающего, просмотрового, поискового). Тематика текстов охватывает разнообразный спектр вопросов, связанных с проблемами высшего образования, позволяет повысить мотивацию овладения английским языком. Каждый раздел включает основой тематический текст, снабженный словарем, и блоком языковых, речевых, коммуникативных заданий творческого дискуссионного характера. Языковые задания построены на основе лексики по теме высшее образование, общеупотребительных слов и словосочетаний, овладение которыми позволяет обучающимся вести беседу на общеразговорные и социокультурные темы. Коммуникативные задания каждого раздела модуля направлены на развитие познавательной и творческой активности, навыков критического мышления обучающихся.

Большая часть заданий предполагает интерактивный режим выполнения. Материалы учебного пособия были апробированы и успешно использованы в работе со студентами 1-ых курсов НГТУ данных направлений подготовки. Пособие можно использовать как в аудиторной так и самостоятельной работе студентов.

 

 

 

Содержание

Предисловие

Module 1. Higher Education in Great Britain

Text A. Universities

Text B. The growth of higher education

Text C. The Open University

Text D. Types of Universities

Text E. What’s a University Education Worth?

Text F. Cambridge University may end handwritten exams

Module 2. Higher Education in the USA

Text A. More than 2,2 Million Students Took SAT, Most Ever

Text B. The Higher education system of the United States an informal configuration of varied institutions

Text C. College Ratings: How Helpful Are They?

Text D. US Higher Education. Flexibility and choice in degree studies

Text E. US colleges Seek to Change the Shape of Higher Education

Text F. College Success: Helping Others to Help Yourself

Text G. Dorm Life Can Be the Biggest Classroom

Module 3. Higher Education in Russia

Text A. Levels of Higher Education in Russia

Text B. Higher Education: new architecture

Text C. Top 10 Universities in Russia 2019

Text D. The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)

Text E. Leasure activities

 

Module1

 

Higher Education in

Great Britain.

Text A.

Universities

Before reading:

  I.TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-7 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. Students who are older than 25 can’t study at the university. T/F

2. The training grounds for medicine, law or engineering in Britain tend to be the ancient universities. T/F

3. After leaving school student can’t take the gap year. T/F

4. Higher Education in the UK is free for everybody. T/F

5. Universities traditionally offer cheap and clean accommodation in halls of residence. T/F

6. Prospective university students expect a rich and varied social life. T/F

7. In Britain, university students are expected to present a subject perhaps once a term and comment on it in tutorials. T/F

 

 

Read the text:

Universities

 Cairo, Bologna, and Paris have been offering them the longest. What am I talking about? A university education, of course. So who goes to university and what do they get out of their experience?

Admission

Most universities don't let just anyone in. Grades in the subjects you take in the final years of secondary education are what usually count and in many countries people also have to do an entry test. While most participants in higher education are in the 18-25 age group, some people choose to take a break from work later on in life and opt for the role of mature student, bringing experience of work and the real world to their studies.

Which one to go to

In many countries there is a pecking order to the universities, with a few high status institutions at the top turning out an intellectual elite and attracting the best minds in teaching and research. Take a quick name check of the leading writers, politicians or scientists in the UK or the USA and you should find the majority chose to spend their student years sitting in the dining halls and libraries of Oxford and Cambridge or Harvard, Princeton and Yale. The training grounds for medicine, law or engineering in Britain tend to be the metropolitan „redbrick‟ universities slightly lower down the list.

Money

When entrance was restricted to a lucky few in Britain, the state actually paid the sons and daughters of the middle classes not only their tuition fees but also a yearly grant towards living expenses as well. These days most European and North American students are given a loan which they have to pay back to the government once they are in full-time employment, or they finance themselves by working their way through college with part-time jobs in the evenings or at weekends.

Where to live

For the majority of students, attending a university in a town or city near to where they live is the only financially viable option, but in Britain for many years going to university meant leaving home, with all the freedom and independence that implied. Universities traditionally offer cheap and clean accommodation in halls of residence or student houses. After a year or so, many students opt to share private rented accommodation outside the university, which often pushes their culinary and hygiene skills to the limit.

  Year out

These days if you haven’t taken time off between finishing school and embarking on higher education, you haven’t really lived. The gap year can be devoted to working for charities in different parts of the world, or simply to travelling, but it can at least concentrate the mind and perhaps give you a few more ideas about what you should do with the rest of your life. If you want to study abroad, you can often get a year out as part of a language course, or enter a scholarship programme such as Erasmus to support you while studying at a foreign university. Business or management students often devote time away from university in the form of a work placement, to help them gain practical experience in a professional environment.

 Teaching & learning

A common feature of any university is attending lectures, which involves taking notes while a lecturer, a university teacher, is speaking to a large group of students. In Britain, you are also expected to present a subject perhaps once a term and comment on it in tutorials. These are small group discussions led by a lecturer at which closer analysis of a particular area is undertaken. Science-oriented courses also involve practical lessons and field trips which enable students to get to grips with their chosen course of study in the laboratory or beyond the university walls.

  How you are doing

 As at school, progress is measured by examinations, either divided into Parts I & II, or taken at the end of the course, and known as Finals. Alternatively, it can be based on continuous assessment and coursework. An important component of most systems is the extended dissertation, a piece of writing measured by the number of words a student has to produce, say 10,000. This must be based on some original research from primary as well as secondary sources and on some sort of gathering and interpretation of data.

  Social life

There is an old saying that „all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy‟, and prospective students expect a rich and varied social life. Friendships forged in the student union bar or in the many and varied clubs & societies that exist at most universities may last a lifetime. In the USA fraternities & sororities encourage a similar bond.

  Life after university

Well before the graduation ceremony, when students queue up to receive their degrees from the Chancellor of the university at a special ceremony, the careers office has been busy assessing future graduates for the kind of employment paths they should take by giving them an aptitude test, arranging interviews, company presentations and recruitment fairs. For those attracted by the academic life, there are further opportunities for study on Masters and Doctorate (PhD) programmes and on into further research and teaching.

 And what does university education all add up to?

This was the opinion of Theodore Roosevelt, a former US American President - A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education he may steal the whole railroad. Or is it as an American journalist, Sydney Harris, said? - The primary purpose of a liberal education is to make one's mind a pleasant place in which to spend one's time.

 After reading:

 

II. Answer the following questions:

1) How to enter a university?

2) Which one to go to?

3) Where to get money for university entrance?

4) Where can the students live while studding at the university?

5) What is a gap year?

6) What is the procedure of university study?

7) What does the life after university look like?

8) How is the progress of university study measured?

9) What can you say about social life at university?

10) What does university education all add up to?

III. For each section, match the words taken from the text (in the box at the top) with the definitions below

aptitude test	clubs and societies	continuous assessment
degree	dissertation	Doctorate
entry test	field trip	finals
Fraternities &sororities	gap year	grades
grant	halls of residence	intellectual elite
lecture	Masters	pecking order
Private rented accommodation	recruitment fairs	redbrick universities
scholarship programme	student houses	student union bar
subjects	tuition fees	tutorial
work placement	working your way through college

 

Admission

  1. an examination to see if you are good enough to go to university 

2. areas of knowledge you study at school 

3. a number or letter to symbolize how well you have done in an exam  

Which one to go to

4. learning institutions built later than Oxford or Cambridge

 5. hierarchy 

6. the best minds in the country  

Money

7. money given by the state to help for e.g. education

 8. money you pay for a university course 

9. paying for your education by being employed while you are studying  

Where to live

10. houses bought by the university and rented to their students

11. houses rented to anyone 

12. communal accommodation built by university  

Year out

13. a year between school and university when you don’t study

 14. a temporary position with a company to gain employment experience

 15. money from a private organisation to help with the cost of study  

Teaching & learning

16. study away from the classroom often to collect data or samples

 17. small group lesson based on discussing an area or problem 

18. lesson in the form of a formal speech using notes and visual aids  

How you are doing

 19. a long, structured piece of writing exploring a subject in detail

 20. examinations at the end of a course 

21. evaluating pieces of work during the course 

Social life

22. organisations run by and for students to develop different interests

23. a place for students to have a drink

24. student membership organisations in the USA

Life after university

25. exam to see what kind of jobs would suit you

26. university qualification gained after a degree taking one or two years

27. highest university qualification after a Masters taking four or more years of research

28. the first university qualification you receive after 3 or more years of study

29. large ‘market place’ where employers try to interest students in working for them

IV. Find the right translation for the phrases and try to memorize them:

word	translation
1) pecking order	a) „ умей дело делать – умей и позабавиться; делу время, а потехе час
2) training groun	b) мужское студенческое братство (у девушек – женское студенческое братство)
3) living expenses	c) ректор университета
4) full-time employment	d) проверка [тест] на профпригодность
5) hall of residence	e) железнодорожный товарный вагон
6) push to the limit	f) ярмарка вакансий
7) take time off	g) гуманитарное образование
8) year out	h) неофициальная иерархия
9) field trips	i) расходы на проживание
10) get to grips with	j) постоянная работа
11) extended dissertation	k) общежитие
12) “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy‟	l) дойти до предела своих возможностей
13) chancellor of the university	m) сделать перерыв в работе
14) aptitude test	n) академический отпуск
15) freight car	o) «выездные уроки», экскурсии учащихся
16) recruitment fair	p) начать делать что-то или иметь дело с чем-то
17) liberal education	q) расширенная дипломная работа
18) fraternities & sororities	r) тренировочная площадка

 

V. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the box

order

status

elite

minds

check

libraries

grounds

engineering

Which one to go to

In many countries there is a pecking1)_________ to the universities, with a few high2)___________ institutions at the top turning out an intellectual3)___________ and attracting the best4)____________ in teaching and research. Take a quick name5)______________ of the leading writers, politicians or scientists in the UK or the USA and you should find the majority chose to spend their student years sitting in the dining halls and6)__________ of Oxford and Cambridge or Harvard, Princeton and Yale. The training7)________________for medicine, law or8)_______________ in Britain tend to be the metropolitan „redbrick‟ universities slightly lower down the list.      

VI. Match the parts to form the phrases from the article

Part I	Part II
1) to spend their student years	a) to receive their degrees
2) finance themselves by	b) led by a lecturer
3) queue up	c) private rented accommodation
4) small group discussions	d) makes Jack a dull boy
5) help them gain practical experience	e) working their way through college with part-time jobs
6) many students opt to share	f) medicine, law or engineering
7) the training grounds for	g) in a professional environment.
8) all work and no play	h) sitting in the dining halls and libraries of Oxford and Cambridge

 

 

London School of Economics

There are universities in most big towns and cities in Britain. This is the LSE, the London School of Economics, part of the University of London.

Many students come from abroad to study in the UK. They have to find tuition fees, food and somewhere to live. It can be expensive. 

Some students live in Rosebury Hall, the university halls of residence about 2 kilometers from the main campus.

VII. Can you reorder Stephen's questions to the students?

  VIII. Find the appropriate answers for them (given below)

1. do / Why / you / live / in / Hall / a /Residence? / of_____________________
2. . live / to / What’s / like / it / here? _____________________________ _____________________________
3.    next / you / live / Will / year? / here _____________________________           __________________________
4. on / goes / What / here / LSE / at / the / Students’ / Union?_____________________________________
5. that does What to be officer an mean Students’ International?_____________________________

 

A. Well, as you can see, students will come here between their classes and lectures and will meet up with their friends before going home or going to another class.

B. I will. In the first year everyone gets the accommodation, but they move out to share a flat next year, but I’m definitely staying here.

C. It’s great. There’s so many things I can do over here. There’s a canteen, a bar, a TV room and then there’s even a laundry.

D. About 70 percent of our students come from overseas, so I work with some of them in helping them in visa issues and generally settling down in a new home in London.

E. It’s really nice. It’s a short walk to the campus, it’s cheap and I get to meet a lot more people.

 

IX. Transform the direct speech of a dialogue into the reported speech.

Nick: How important are the extracurricular activities like the sporting clubs and societies?

Student: I think it’s really important. I think especially in Oxford where it’s a really strong academic environment it’s really easy for people to just get really caught up and just live in the library. It’s definitely good for people to get out and do something different..

Nick: Is it difficult to get the balance right between your university work and your sport?

Student: Well, I tend to be busy all of the time. So I’m studying during the daytime and then in the evenings I come down here and train. You have to work really hard but at the same sense you can also, kind of, play really hard. You can train hard and do really well at sports and other activities.

X. Complete the text about Cambridge using the words in the box.

men	graduation	study	best	sports	colleges	writer
career	river	style	famous	gowns

 

Cambridge University is one of the oldest and most (1) ________universities in the UK. There are 31 (2) ____________________________________ within the university,

many of them dating back to the 13th and 14th Century. One of the oldest colleges is Corpus Christi, which has been maintained in the original (3  ______________. Christopher Marlowe, who was a (4) _______________ at the same time as Shakespeare, studied here. Corpus Christi used to be for (5) __________________      only. In 1660, however, they decided to allow women to (6) _______________       here too.

Living in Cambridge is like stepping backwards in time. The students at Cambridge University, who wear (7)  _____________    for special occasions, like (8)_____________     day, talk about why they chose Cambridge. Many believe it to be one of the (9) ____________ universities in the country, so it offers good (10)__________    prospects. Also, it has an active social scene and there are lots of things to do in Cambridge, like go to clubs or bars, join in the (11) ___________ activities, or hire a punt * and relax on the (12) ____________.

 

* a boat which you move by pushing with a long stick

 

XI. Spelling: Unjumble the words in bold

 

tuaemr student→

kepcign order→

tnitelelcalu elite→

training urgodns→

halls of dersciene→

extended isnsdertatio→

tpaiuted test→

tnuecrrimte fairs→

XII. Read and think of other activities of the students. Share your ideas with the class.

Many students get involved in activities outside their studies. The Oxford University Fencing Club is over a hundred years old. It is still popular today.

  XIII. М ake the power point presentation about different aspects of the university life in the UK.

XIV. Write а summary of the Text. Follow the tips given in the Appendix 2, section II.

 

Text B.

TEXT C.

Before reading:

I. Brainstorm. Answer the following questions:

What is the Open University?

What facts do you know about it?

 

Read the text:

The Open University

The Open University (The OU) is a distance learning university. It was established in 1969. There are no previous qualifications required to study. You have to be aged 16 or over when your course starts but there is no upper age limit. The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas.

With more than 180,000 students enrolled, it is the largest academic institution in the UK by student number. The OU provides university education to those wishing to continue higher education on a part-time and/or distance learning basis. The University is also popular with those who cannot physically attend a traditional university because they are disabled, abroad, in prison, serving in the armed forces, or looking after family members.

The Open University's style of teaching is called 'supported open learning', also known as 'distance learning'. Open learning means that you will be learning in your own time by reading course material, working on course activities, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software and television programs on DVD. Supported means support from a tutor who provides feedback on students’ work and are generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by telephone, and/or on the Internet. The OU offers a large number of undergraduate qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, and Bachelor’s degrees, based on both level and quantity of study.

 After reading:

  II. Answer the following questions:

1) When was the university established?

2) Why is it called open?

3) How large is it?

4) How old should you be to enter it?

5) Who is it for?

6) Who is it popular with?

7) How is its style of teaching called and why?

8) What does the university provide its students with?

9) What qualifications does the OU offer?

10) How can the students from the OU communicate with their tutors?

 III. Fill in the appropriate words from the box into the gaps:

a) undergraduate

b) quantity

c) time

d) distance

e) feedback

f)  tutor

g)  software

h) material

The Open University's style of teaching is called 'supported open learning', also known as '1)__________ learning'. Open learning means that you will be learning in your own2)_____________ by reading course3)___________, working on course activities, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based 4)________________ and television programs on DVD. Supported means support from a5)___________ who provides6)_____________ on students’ work and are generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by telephone, and/or on the Internet. The OU offers a large number of 7)_______________qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, and Bachelor’s degrees, based on both level and8)______________ of study.

 IV.Find the words in the article that mean the following (the first letters of the words are given)

1. a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are conducted by correspondence, without the student needing to attend a school or college(d ___ l _____)

2. a series of lectures or lessons in a particular subject, leading to an examination or qualification (c _____)

3. information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task, etc., used as a basis for improvement(f____________)

4. (of two people) close together and facing each other(f___t__f ____)

5. a period of instruction given by a university or college teacher to an individual or very small group(t ______)

6. education at universities or similar educational establishments, especially to degree level(h__________e __________)

7. (of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits their movements, senses, or activities(d ___________)

8. a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass (l ___________)

V. Spelling: Unjumble the words in bold

1) age tilmi

2) disc-based ftsoarew

3) nuqyaitt of study

4) family rmebesm

5) armed corfes

6) niscdtae learning

7) style of eagtcinh

VI. Put the words in the right order to form sentences:

1) no There are qualifications previous to study required

2) was 1969 It in established.

3) Open distance The University is a university learning

4) undergraduate number The large offers a of qualifications OU

5) teaching University called The 's of is Open 'supported open learning' style

VII. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

a) age

b) student

c) Open

d) undergraduate

e) Bachelor’s

f) audio

g) disc-based

h) higher

 

1) education

2) software

3) materials

4) number

5) University

6) qualifications

7) degree

8) limit

 

VIII. Innumerate all the pluses of studying at the OU and tell that to your partner:

 

IX. Translate from Russian into English:

 

Открытый университет (ОУ) —университет открытого образования, основан указом её величества королевы Великобритании в 1969 году. Цель его создания — предоставить возможность получить образование людям, желающим учиться в удобном для них месте и в удобное время. ОУ — крупнейший университет Великобритании, в котором обучается около 200000 студентов (2003 г.). С момента основания более трёх миллионов студентов прошли обучение по программам ОУ. Административная часть университета расположена в Walton Hall, Милтон-Кинс в графстве Бэкингемшир, кроме этого ОУ располагает региональными офисами в тринадцати регионах Великобритании. В остальном мире (за пределами Евросоюза) ОУ работает через сеть образовательных партнеров, обеспечивающих учебный процесс по программам ОУ еще в более чем 50 странах.

 

 

X. Work in pairs. You are a journalist reporting on the OU. Your partner is the OU tutor. Prepare questions and act out your interview.

XI. Write а summary of the Text. Follow the tips given in Appendix 2, section II.

Text D.

Before reading:

I.Brainstorm. Answer the following questions:

1. What types of the universities in Great Britain do you know?

2. Name some of them.

3. What are their peculiarities?

Read the text:

Types of universities

There are no important official or legal distinctions between the various types of university in the country. But it is possible to discern a few broad categories.

Oxbridge

This name denotes the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, both founded in the medieval period. They are federations of semi-independent colleges, each college having its own staff, known as 'Fellows'. Most colleges have their own dining hall, library and chapel and contain enough accommodation for at least half of their students. The Fellows teach the college students, either one-to-one or in very small groups (known as 'tutorials" in Oxford and 'supervisions' in Cambridge). Oxbridge has the lowest student/staff ratio in Britain. Lectures and laboratory work are organized at university level. As well as the college libraries, there are the two university libraries, both of which are legally entitled to a free copy of every book published in Britain. Before 1970 all Oxbridge colleges were single-sex (mostly for men). Now, the majority admit both sexes.

The campus universities

These are purpose-built institutions located in the countryside but close to towns. Examples are East Anglia, Lancaster, Sussex and Warwick. They have accommodation for most of their students on site and from their beginning, mostly in the early 1960s, attracted students from all over the country. (Many were known as centres of student protest in the late 1960s and early 1970s.) They tend to emphasize relatively 'new' academic disciplines such as social sciences and to make greater use than other universities of teaching in small groups, often known as “seminars”.

Oxbridge

This name denotes the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, both founded in the medieval period. They are 1) ___________of semi-independent colleges, each college having its own staff, known as 'Fellows'. Most colleges have their own dining hall, 2) ___________ and chapel and contain enough accommodation for at least half of their3) ______________. The Fellows teach the college students, either one-to-one or in very small groups (known as 4) ________________ in Oxford and 'supervisions' in Cambridge). Oxbridge has the lowest student/staff 5) ____________ in Britain. Lectures and laboratory work are organized at university level. As well as the college libraries, there are the two university libraries, both of which are legally entitled to a free6) _________ of every book published in Britain. Before 1970 all Oxbridge colleges were7) ____________ (mostly for men). Now, the majority admit both sexes.

VI. Spelling: Unjumble the words in bold

the continental irtaitond

technical gocleesl

purpose-built sinituttiosn

'sandwich' uorsec

eedmivla period

academic nisdciliep

central novgeremtn

notable eafuter

VII. Put the words in the right order to form sentences

1. was 1832 Durham University founded in.

2. central are now by all They financed government.

3. people local only catered They for.

4. is broad it to discern possible a few But categories.

5. universities Scotland 1600 By four boasted.

6. were 1970 single-sex Before all colleges Oxbridge.

  VIII. Derive verbs from the given nouns. Make up your own sentences with these verbs:

accommodation→…

organization→…

education→…

arrangement→…

government→…

establishment→…

 IX. What prepositions go in the gaps?

Oxford University

with / about / at / of / from / over / at / of /from / at / of / from / in / up of

Oxford should be 1)_______ an hour's drive2)_______ London. It’s very popular

3) _______ tourists and students. And Oxford University is one4) _______ the top ten universities5) _______ the world. I’m 6) ________ the top 7)_______ the Carfax Tower. It has amazing views 8) _______ the city and 9) ________ here you can see that the university is really 10) _____ the heart11) ______ the city. Oxford University is made12) _________ thirty-eight different colleges. There are twenty thousand students studying 13) _______ Oxford 14) _______ nearly a hundred and fifty countries.

  X. М ake the power point presentation about any college or university of the UK.

  XI. Write а summary of the Text. Follow the tips given in the (Appendix 2, section II)

 

Text E.

Before reading

Text F.

Paragraph 1

1) glaihoisnb handwritten exams

2) The move follows mntplsacoi from examination markers

3) finding test papers increasingly elgbillei

4) students iyrrlpiam use laptops

5) The ssecuml in their hand

6) for nloopegrd periods

Paragraph 2

1) students rueotniyl wrote by hand

2) they write uilayrlvt nothing by hand

3) the icnldgein handwriting problem

4) There has ytidefenil been a downward trend

5) read these exam ctrsisp

6) read their answers out loud to eeimxrsna

XI. Put the words in the right order to form sentences:

1) handwritten Abolishing years 800 after exams.

2) type may their ask exam students answers to Officials.

3) markers move complaints examination The follows from.

4) hand ability Students to are write losing by the.

5) The their not writing in are to muscles hand used.

6) "a said was lost handwriting art". A lecturer becoming.

7) routinely hours wrote a by day hand Students several.

8) the about years for Concerned problem handwriting declining.

9) lecturer is says too some illegible students' The handwriting.

10) answers to had their loud They read out examiners to.

 

 XII. Discussion - Cambridge University may end handwritten exams

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS

1. What did you think when you read the headline?

2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'exam'?

3. What do you think of Cambridge University?

4. Should all students use pens to write exams?

5. How important is good handwriting?

6. Do people need to write anymore?

7. Should students who can't write legibly get a zero?

8. How good is your handwriting?

9. Do you need muscles to write for a long time?

10. How do you feel about writing for a long period of time?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS

1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'handwriting'?

3. What do you think about what you read?

4. To what extent do you think handwriting is an art?

5. How often do you need to use a pen?

6. Is it better to use your smartphone or a pen to write lists?

7. Why is people's handwriting getting worse?

8. Would you like to write more beautifully?

9. Can you tell someone's character from their handwriting?

10. What questions would you like to ask the exam markers?

 

XIII. Search the Internet and find out more about handwriting. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

XIV. Write a letter to an expert on handwriting. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on the importance of handwriting. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions. (For the letter writing see Appendix 2, Section I).

 

 

 

Module2

 

Higher Education in the USA

Text A.

More Than 2.2 Million Students Took SAT, Most Ever

October 05, 2019

 

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/more-than-2-2-million-students-took-sat-most-ever/5105780.html

Before reading:

I.  Brainstorm. Answer the following questions:

1. Have you ever heard of SAT?

2. What might it mean?

3. What does SAT provide American children with?

Read the text

More Than 2.2 Million Students Took SAT, Most Ever

October 05, 2019

  Preface

Those who believe that American schools are more play than work overlook an important fact: a high school diploma is not a ticket that allows someone to automatically enter a university.

There are two widely used and nationally administered standardized tests for high school students who wish to attend a college or university. One is the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), which attempts to measure aptitudes in verbal and mathematical fields necessary for college work. The other is the ACT (American College Testing Program), which attempts to measure skills in English, mathematics, and social and natural studies.

 

The College Board said that more than 2.2 million students in the class of 2019 took the college entrance test SAT. That is the largest group ever and an increase of four percent from the previous year. The average score, however, dropped a little, from 1068 to 1059.

 

The College Board said that more than 2.2 million students in the class of 2019 took the college entrance test SAT. That is the largest group ever and an increase of four percent from the previous year. The average score, however, dropped a little, from 1068 to 1059.

The SAT is a test many American colleges require as part of the admissions process. It is a multiple-choice test, which means students must decide which answer is the best from several provided for each question.

Higher scores can make the difference between being admitted into the top colleges and universities, and how much financial aid a student may receive.

Research shows that students who have greater access to college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT are more likely to apply to college. This is particularly true for low-income students.

School Day testing

The College Board also said nearly a million students of the 2019 class took the SAT on a school day. The SAT School Day program makes it easier for low-income, minority students and students from families with no history of college attendance to take the SAT.

Traditionally, students have to register and pay for the tests, then travel to testing centers on a weekend to take them. For people without the resources of a computer, credit card or car, it can be difficult.

Some states now give college entrance exams like the ACT and SAT for free, on a school day during school hours.

Cyndie Schmeiser is a Senior Advisor to the College Board. She said, "SAT School Day gives students nationwide increased access to higher education.” The program, she added, helps “students who would not or could not take (the) test on a weekend.”

The College Board also encouraged students to take the test earlier. Schmeiser said, “by promoting early testing, practice on Khan Academy^®, and SAT retakes at no charge for lower-income students, we hope to help more students achieve their educational and career goals."

M inority groups falling behind

In 2019, more African American and Latino students failed to meet the SAT test results for college readiness than the year before.

Fair Test, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, studied the new SAT results. It says the SAT score gaps, or differences, between different groups grew larger for the high school class of 2019.

Robert Schaeffer is Fair Test’s Public Education Director. He criticized the SAT test.

“Whether broken down by test-takers' race, parental education or household income,” he wrote, “average SAT scores of students from historically disenfranchised groups fell further behind their classmates from moreprivileged families.”

Schaeffer said, “The SAT remains a more accurate measure of a test-taker's family background” than a student’s ability to do college level work.

He said it is “no wonder nearly 40% of all four-year colleges and universities in the country are now test-optional.” He said “they recognize that these exam requirements undermine diversity without improving educational quality."

FILE - Students leave after a SAT exam at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, Nov. 2, 2013.

Foreign students

Most four-year universities and colleges require foreign students to take an admission test such as the SAT or ACT. Each university lists the admission requirements on their website. This will include required tests.

Through the College Board website, foreign students can get information about test dates and fees. The cost of taking the test is about $50.

There are free study materials on the College Board website, including practice tests. Khan Academy provides an official SAT practice on their website.

 After reading:

 Study the vocabulary:

minority – adj. – adj. describes a number or amount that is less than half of the total (also describes a group of people who are different from the larger group in a country, area, etc., in some way)

disenfranchised – adj. not having a position of power in society or right to vote

privileged – adj. to give an advantage that others do not have to someone or something

optional – adj. available as a choice but not required

undermine – v. to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way

diversity – n. (social) quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, cultural backgrounds or lifestyles

 

II. Comprehension questions:

1. What is the SAT?

2. What is the ACT?

3. Why do the high school students have to take the tests?

4. What skills are measured at the SAT and the ACT?

5. What can higher scores give to students?

6. What do the students have to do to take the tests?

7. Why do some experts say, that the SAT remains a more accurate measure of a test-taker's family background?

8. Are the SAT or ACT required for foreign students?

III. TRUE / FALSE. Tell if a-f below are true (T) or false (F):

a) There are two widely used and nationally administered standardized tests in America.

b) The ACT (American College Testing Program) attempts to measure aptitudes in verbal and mathematical fields necessary for college work.

c) The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) attempts to measure skills in English, mathematics, and social and natural studies.

d) Less than 2.2 million students in the class of 2019 took the college entrance test SAT.

e) The SAT is a test many American colleges require as part of the admissions process.

f) Students who have greater access to college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT are more likely to apply to college.

g) Some states now give college entrance exams like the ACT and SAT for free, on a school day during school hours.

h) In 2019, more African American and Latino students failed to meet the SAT test results for college readiness than the year before.

IV. Multiple choice quiz:

1. What is the SAT?

· One test that U.S. colleges require for admission

· Any computerized test with multiple-choice questions

· An application for financial aid at universities

· One method for deciding on the level of a college

Gather information about similar way of university life in Russia or other countries and use it to answer the questions in the plan. Use your answers to write your article. (150 words) (See Appendix 2, section III)

Text B.

The higher education system of the United States an informal configuration of varied institutions.

March 12, 2020

 

https://www.studyexperience.fr/en/study-abroad/study-in-th e-usa/the-american-higher-education-system/

https://www.justlanded.com/english/United-States/USA-Guide/Education/Higher-Education

 

Before reading:

I.  Brainstorm. Answer the following questions:

1. Do you think the system of higher education in America is similar to that in your country?

2. What most prestigious universities of the USA do you know?

3. What is the difference between a college and a university in America?

 

II.  Associative practices.

Look at the given words and tick those which might be connected with the information presented in the text you are going to read:

selective	rural	major	categories	private
state	level	marks	symptoms	government

 

Read the text

The higher education system of the United States an informal configuration of varied institutions.

March 12, 2020

 Preface

The higher education system of the United States is not so much a formal system as it is an informal configuration of varied institutions. The development of the American system has been unique when compared with other national postsecondary educational systems around the world. Unlike most other countries, where higher education systems have largely developed outward from a central, government-supported university, the United States has never had such an institution. Instead, the evolution of the U.S. system has been shaped by many different influences, including state and local needs, demographics, religion, and changing social contexts.

The higher education system of the United States an informal configuration of varied institutions.

In the United States, there are approximately 5,300 colleges and universities. These colleges and universities range from beauty schools and two-year ‘junior’ colleges to technical institutes and private Ivy League research universities like Harvard University. They may be small or large, rural or urban, highly selective or open to all. Combined, all of the colleges and universities are often referred to as “the American higher-education system.”

Structurally, this system is very diverse. This diversity focuses on the ways in which institutions are organized and controlled. In terms of type of institutional control there are public or private.

Public institutions

While there is no national system of higher education, all states have developed some type of public postsecondary educational system. Publicly controlled institutions are funded primarily by the government (usually by state governments) and are typically part of a larger state system. Out of the 5,300 institutions in the USA 1,626 are public. Public institutions fall into one of three major categories: universities, state colleges, and community colleges.

Public universities and state colleges tend to have a strong research emphasis, they offer a blend of natural and social sciences, technical, and humanistic studies  and typically have large student enrollments.

 

The best known public universities and state colleges in the U.S. are University of California, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, University of Florida.

Community colleges or ‘junior’ colleges are colleges to which students may be admitted at the end of their high school career, providing only the first two years of university work. Two-year community colleges are mostly locally controlled and publicly funded. These colleges offer studies leading to technical and semi-professional occupations, and studies which prepare students for entrance to a four-year degree institution.

The name community college originates from the fact the colleges primarily attract students from the local community and they are often supported by local taxes.

The four-year liberal arts college may be one of the constituent parts of a university complex or an independent establishment. It provides pre-professional training of four years or less for students who proceed to advanced professional schools, such as law or medicine, and offers a liberal education for students who don’t enter professional or graduate school.

Private institutions

Private institutions are primarily funded by nongovernment sources of income, which are fees and endowments, and tend to be independent with their own private governing boards. There are many more private institutions in the United States than there are public colleges and universities. Out of the 5,300 institutions in the USA, 1,687 are private nonprofit schools, and 985 are private for-profit schools and there are great differences in quality and reputation among them.

The most famous universities include the Ivy League universities (called as such because they’re old enough for ivy to hav