What do the words have in common? Translate them.

a) citizen, school, education, bill, process, plant, objective, lecture, report;

b) different, wide, disabled, industrial, secondary, various, scientific, young;

c) choose, complain, go, involve, keep, consider, develop, use, get, receive.

1.5 State the difference:

Pay – to pay, play – to play, use – to use, work – to work, train – to train, function - to function, report – to report.

1.6 Match the equivalents:

1. higher education	1. обеспечивать
2. to go on in higher education	2. высшее образование
3.citizen	3. продолжать обучение в вузе
4.to provide	4. получить среднее образование
5. to train highly-qualified specialists	5. гражданин
6.to get secondary education	6.учиться без отрыва от производства (работы)
7.to take Unified National (State) Examination	7.готовить высококвалифицированных специалистов
8.to study without leaving their job	8.сдавать ЕГЭ
9.to be conducted by independent examining boards	9.получать высокие баллы
10.to get high scores	10.очная форма обучения
11.part-time or evening study	11.проводиться независимой комиссией
12. distance education system	12.вечерняя форма обучения
13.full-time study	13.система дистанционного обучения
14.various number of courses or subjects within a field of specialization	15.поступать в аспирантуру
15.wide range of higher schools	15.широкий спектр вузов
16.disabled people	16.принять законопроект
17.within the Bologna Process	17.переход на двухуровневую систему образования
18.to approve the bill	18.в рамках Болонского процесса
19.transition to two-level higher education system	19.защищать диссертацию
20.to go for the doctoral programs	20.люди с ограниченными возможностями
21.to carry out independent research	21.несколько курсов или предметов в области специализации
22.to defend a dissertation	22.получить диплом
23.to keep training of specialists	23.выпускники медицинских, военных и технических вузов
24.graduates of medical, military and technical higher schools	24.проводить самостоятельное исследование
25.to receive the diploma	26.продолжать обучение специалистов
26.to involve employers in forecasting of requirements for education	26. недостаточно образованные люди («недоучки»)
27.to raise efficiency of use of cash means	27. вовлекать работодателей в прогнозирование требований к образованию
28.half-educated persons	28. увеличивать их участие в финансировании профессионального образования
29.to expand their participation in professional training financing	29. получать стипендию
30.get scholarship	30. углубленные знания
31.to obtain knowledge in the fundamental sciences	31. получать знания по базовым предметам
32.advanced knowledge	32. переходный период
33.transitional period	33. главные цели реформы
34.the main objectives of the reform	34.децентрализовать систему высшего образования
35. to decentralize the higher education system	35. считаются одними из лучших
36.are considered to be one of the best	36. широко обсуждаются в российском обществе
37.there are many problems we are facing in our higher education	37.жаловаться
38.to complain	38.плата за обучение
39.tuition fees	39.увеличить эффективность использования наличных средств
40. are widely discussed in Russian society.	40. мы сталкиваемся со множеством проблем в системе высшего образования

 

Comment on the grammar. Make up negative and question forms if it is possible.

1. The new educational programs are developed by the experts every year. – New educational programs are being developed by the experts nowadays.

2. The new educational law was approved last year. The experts were discussing the new educational law from March till May. The new educational law was being discussed by the experts from March till May.

3. The Unified National Exam will be taken by the students next week. The students will be taking the Unified National Exams from the end of May till the mid of June.

4. The tests were checked by the independent examining boards two hours ago. The examining board was checkingthe teststhe whole morning. The tests were being checked by the examining board from 9 till 11 a.m.

5. What is being done to improve the educational system? New educational standards are being developed at present.

6. The tuition fees are grown every year. The tuition fees are growing at the universities but the modern equipment isn’t being used at the labs. The new laboratory equipment will be installed next year.

7. What issues are discussed at the meeting? What issues were discussed last week? What issues were being discussed when we came?

II. Reading

Higher education plays an important role in the life of any country as it provides the country with highly-qualified specialists for future development and progress. It trains people to become engineers, doctors, architects, teachers and so on.

Every citizen of Russia has the right to education which is guaranteed by the Constitution. Every boy or girl must get secondary education. After finishing the 11th form of secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium young people can go on in higher education. They take the Unified National (State) Examination. Each exam is conducted by the independent examining boards. If a student gets high scores, such a result is considered to be good and he/she has an opportunity to enter some higher school. They can choose from a wide range of higher schools according to their will. The typical academic program for university students is composed of various number of courses or subjects within a field of specialization. Courses are a combination of lectures, seminars and laboratory work. Many courses are available for disabled people.

In 2007 within the Bologna Processthe government of the Russian Federation has approved the bill of transition to two-level higher education system. The bill provides introduction in Russia such levels of higher education, as a bachelor’s degree (the first level) and a master’s degree (the second level). These degrees are equivalent to B. Sc and M. Sc degree provided in the US or Western Europe.

The first level prepares the student for performing functions in industrial, social, economic sphere (administrators, managers, experts in sales, etc.). Preparation at the first level passes in base directions, and profound specialization occurs at the second level. The persons with master's degree focuses on analytical, design, research activity. Training at the first level lasts 4 years, and at the second level - 2 years. After completing the Master’s students can go for the doctoral programs. For this they carry out independent research, prepare and defend a thesis. The Ph. D (candidate's degree) is a degree received as a result of completion of dissertation.

Some higher educational institutions keep training of specialists. Graduates of medical, military and technical higher schools will receive the diploma with qualification "specialist" in 5-6 years. This is because the Russian system of a professional training for these specialties cannot keep within in 4 years.

The two-level system will allow to raise efficiency of using state funded places, to involve employers in forecasting of requirements for education and to expand their participation in professional training financing. Now Russian students can continue study without problems in any higher school of Europe and easier get a job abroad.

But some people is not ready to joining Russia to Bologna Process. The opinion exists that bachelors are half-educated persons. Many students still wish to study 5 years and to end the higher school with the diploma of the specialist. But the bachelor has full higher education. Transition to two-level system will make Russian education system more dynamical and modern.

Higher educational institutions, that is, universities, institutes, and academies have full-time, part-time (or evening) and distance education system. The evening and distance education departments give their students an opportunity to study without leaving their jobs. Some students of full-time departments get scholarship. Most of the students have to pay for their education.

The academic year in Russian higher schools starts in September and ends in June. The academic year is divided into two semesters: the autumn semester and the spring one. At the end of each semester students take their exams. Twice a year students have holidays.

The first- and second-year students obtain knowledge in the fundamental sciences. Specialization usually begins in the third year. Students get more advanced knowledge and begin to concentrate on their special interests so to say, their «major» subjects.

The profound study of theory is accompanied by practical training, first in specially equipped laboratories and workshops, then in various plants. Besides their studies students carry on research in different fields of science and technology and take part in students’ scientific and technical conferences where they make reports on their investigations.

The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedoms to faculties and students. Although the standards of higher education in Russia are considered to be one of the best, there are many problems we are facing in our higher education. For instance, universities complain that the equipment which is used at universities is not modern enough, tuition fees are growing and many talented young people cannot receive higher education. All these problems are widely discussed in Russian society.

 

Ш. After you have read:

3.1 Make up the sentence of two parts:

1. Every citizen of Russia has the right to education	1. young people can go on in higher education.
2. After finishing the 11th form of secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium	2. provided in the US or Western Europe.
3. If a student gets high scores, such a result is considered to be good	3. which is guaranteed by the Constitution.
4. In 2007 within the Bologna Process the government of the Russian Federation has approved	4. and he/she has an opportunity to enter higher school.
5. These degrees are equivalent to B.Sc and M.Sc degree	5. training of specialists.
6. Some higher educational institutions keep	6. the bill of transition to two-level higher education system.
7. The opinion exists	7. first in specially equipped laboratories and workshops, then in various plants.
8. Transition to two-level system will make Russian education system	8. through a transitional period.
9. The profound study of theory is accompanied by practical training,	9. more dynamical and modern.
10.The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going	10. that bachelors are half-educated persons.

 

3.2 Make up all possible questions to these sentences.Give the negative form:

1. At the end of each semester students take their exams.

2. The students are taking Unified National Exams in the classroom Nr. 27 now.

3. The new laboratory equipment will be installed in the building 2 next year.

3.3 Write the Passive Progressive of these sentences. Use words now, from … till, the whole month/morning etc:

1. All these problems are widely discussed in Russian society.

2. The new educational standards were developed by the experts last month.

3. Each exam is conducted by the independent examining boards.

4. A group of experts discussed a very serious matter yesterday.

5. We use these programs in our work.

6. The experts were discussing the transition to two- level system the whole academic year.

7. The teacher is correcting mistakes in our tests now.

8. This experiment was carried out by our professor last semester.

9. The dean is looking through the list of the applicant now.

10. Our group was examined in the room Nr. 224 yesterday.

 

IV. Brush up your talk:

4.1 Study the advantages and disadvantages of the higher education of the transitional period in Russia. Do you agree or disagree with them? Begin your answer with phrases: I agree/disagree with this statement, To my mind it is true, As for me I am for it, I'm not sure, in fact, I'm afraid I entirely disagree with, I don't think that's right, I'm exactly of the same opinion, That's one way of looking at it, but… I think it goes further than that.

Advantages of higher education system of the transitional period	Disadvantages of higher education system of the transitional period
Efficiency of using the state funded places	Bachelors are half-educated persons
More academic freedoms to faculties and students	Master’s program is not clear enough
Involving of employers in forecasting of requirements for education	Talented young people cannot receive higher education
Expanding their participation in professional training financing	The equipment which is used at universities is not modern enough
Opportunity for students to continue study without problems in any higher school of Europe	Lack of educational materials in the university library
Easier to get a job abroad	Reducing of the state funded places at the higher schools
Development of a new financial mechanism	Not adequate teachers' salaries at the higher school
	Scholarship is low
	Bribery
	Tuition fees are growing
	Getting job on the specialty after graduating from the higher school