DEVELOPING VOCABULARY 

      1. Give words defined by the following:

1. a person with authority to maintain discipline, the head of a department of studies;
2. charge or payment for professional advice or services; cost of examination;
3. a right, opportunity or means of reaching, using and approaching;
4. a list of times for doing things;
5. a list of all the courses of study offered by a university;
6. the principal field of study of a student at a university;
7. to get or gain smth. such as trait or ability;

8) a person who applies, a candidate;

9) required by laws;

10) permission to enter;

11) an instruction;

12) person who has been awarded the first degree from a university. 

     2. Choose the appropriate word from the brackets.

1) My daughter wants to … in a small college in our city. (enroll/ go/ attend)

2) My sister has several opportunities to get a university degree, but she wants to talk this … with our parents. (back/ over/ into)

3) My son is working really hard to…good grades and work part-time, but it is difficult. (analyze/ conserve/ maintain)

4) She received a …to pay for university expenses, so things should be easier for her now. She doesn’t have to worry about paying back any money either. (scholarship/

loan/ major)

   5) So what is your … at university? Someone told me you were studying management or something like that. (major/ teacher/ class) 

     3. Fill in the missing word to complete the sentences below:

1) The Belarusian system of … education includes educational and research institutions that use unified standards in the processes of teaching, management, assessment and research.

     a) higher        b) secondary   c) post-graduate

2) In 2002 a … system of higher education was introduced in Belarus.

     a) three-stage    b) four-stage   c) two-stage

3) Those who have successfully completed their studies may be given a … degree.

     a) Master’s       b) Bachelor’s    c) Doctor’s

4) …. carries out fundamental research in natural sciences, humanities and other sciences.

     a) Academy      b) University    c) Institute

5) All educational establishments are subordinate to the …. of the Republic of Belarus.

     a) President    b) Ministry of Education    c) Government

6) …. forms of learning are available at Belarusian higher educational establishments.

     a) Three       b) Two       c) Four

7) To obtain free education a person has to successfully pass the compulsory centralized testing in … admission disciplines.

     a) two           b) three       c) four

8) … form of learning is for those with secondary education, who cannot leave their workplace.

     a) full-time    b) evening     c) part-time

9) … disciplines constitute a major portion of disciplines in the curriculum structure.

     a) specialization   b) general professional     c) extra-curricular

10) Belarus provides the … percentage of the national income for education among the CIS countries.

     a) lowest    b) highest      c) fixed

11) The …. is authorized to make some restrictions on pretender’s health conditions for certain specialties if these conditions could be dangerous when student runs the program or starts the profession.

     a) Ministry of Education      b) Rector      c) Ministry of Healthcare

12) The Ministry of education adopted the decision of … scale introducing.

     a) 5-grade         b) 10- grade    c) 100-grade 

     4. Use the following words in the sentences given below:

     majoring in   realistic at the end of the tunnel   accomplishment  tuition talk it over   switch 

1) Graduating from university is a real … . You should be proud of yourself.

2) My parents gave me some money to pay for … because I can’t pay for university expenses on my own.

3) I’m thinking about majoring in economics, but I need to … with my parents.

4) She decided to … majors because she realized studying medicine no longer    interested her.

5) You have to be … about your chances of getting into that famous university.

6) Having taken University classes for 5 years, she could finally see the light … .

7) My younger brother is … computer science. 

     5. Give the English equivalents for the following rapidly. If you cannot, review the list of words again:

     а) прилежно, аспирант, мировоззрение, наставник, тьютор, первокурсник, прилежание, невежественный, воспитание, тренированный, перевоспитывать;

     б) вечернее образование; профессиональное обучение; разностороннее образование; применять знания на практике; жажда знаний; заниматься в аспирантуре; иметь поверхностные знания; вести научно-исследовательскую работу; получать степень магистра; изучать экономические науки; кандидат наук; сдать выпускные экзамены; правила приема в вуз.  
 
 

DISCOVERING LANGUAGE  

     1. Divide the following nouns into countable and uncountable:

 

     2. Give the plural of the following nouns:

     medium         job               government     faculty           woman-teacher

     branch           degree         speech              pathway         progress

     basis             dictionary    tutor                 advice            experience

     criterion       possibility    information      homework      knowledge 

     3. Choose the appropriate noun for each sentence:

1) We had a lot of interesting … during our holidays. You need … for this job. (experience/experiences)

2) There are always no … with his studies. (trouble/troubles)

3) Our University was built of … (brick/bricks)

4) The … of our University consists of highly qualified specialists. (faculty/faculties)

5) A manager should have … in solving such problems. (experience/experiences)

6) A pupil had no … to get higher education. (stimulus/stimuli)

7) What are the … for this estimation? (criterion/criteria) 

     4. Read the text below. Use the word given at the end of each line to form a noun that fits in the space in the same line.

     How to learn vocabulary

 
 

     5. Choose a or the in the following passage, in some places neither is possible:

     A/the professor is not a/the teacher in a/the secondary school, but has a/the highest academic position in a/the university. A/the lecturer is a/the university teacher. Lecturers and professors give a/the lectures. Students usually have a/the tutor who gives them a/the advice and teaches students in small groups. You graduate from university with a/the degree. If you do a/the postgraduate work, you will have a/the supervisor to help and advise you. 

     6. Fill in the missing prepositions where it is necessary.

1) Belarusian system … higher education includes educational, research and governing institutions.

2) Educational system supplies the national economy … highly qualified personnel.

3) The main part … full-time students belongs… the age group … the pupils graduated … school … appropriate time.

4) Study … public institutions is free … charge as a rule.

5) The second level … scientific degree named Doctor … Science … the field … a concrete discipline could be awarded … a person who has a candidate degree already.

6) Classical universities are mostly oriented … basic science and humanities.

7) Institutes mainly execute a limited number … programs … narrow field … disciplines.

8. The right … access … higher education is among the major rights … Belarusian citizens.
9. Admission … Belarusian high educational institutions is conducted … competitive examinations.
10. Participation … students … research is considered as a very important component … their training.

 

SPEAKING 

     1. Discuss the following question: 

1) What to teach and how to teach in modern universities?

2) What improvements should be made to our country’s education system?

3) Prepare short presentations about the founding fathers of the educational system in Belarus (F. Skorina, Simon Budny, Vassil Tyapinski ,etc.).

4) What proverbs or sayings can prove that education is very important and necessary thing? 

     2. Comment on the following quotations and discuss them with your partner(s): 

     

1. Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts (H. Adams).
2. Education has for its object the formation of character (H. Spencer).
3. Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught (O. Wilde).
4. Knowledge is the antidote of fear (R. Emerson).
5. Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers (A. Tennyson).

 

     3. Explain the following proverbs: 

     a)  Live and learn. Век живи, век учись.

2. It’s never too late to learn. Учиться никогда не поздно.
3. Knowledge is power. Знание—сила.
4. Knowledge is wealth. Знание—богатство.

     e) Knowledge is light. Знание—свет. 

     4.  Using the USEFUL VOCABULARY  at the beginning of Part A prepare a talk for a foreign audience on the system of education in your country. Present it and answer the questions that may arise. 

FOCUS ON FUNCTION

     Agreement and Disagreement 

     1. Study the expressions useful to get someone’s opinions about the subject being discussed.