Unit IV. Higher education in the united kingdom

Task 1. Read and translate the text:

Education after 16 is voluntary in the United Kingdom. Students who live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must take at the age of 16 an examination for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). In Scotland students receive the Scottish Certificate of Education. After this exam students can choose to stay in school or attend colleges of further education.

British universities are self-governing and are guaranteed academic independence. Funding for education and research is provided by funding councils set up by Parliament. The number of universities jumped in 1992 when polytechnics and some other higher education establishments were given the right to become universities. By the end of 1994, there were some 90 universities, almost half of them former polytechnics, including the Open University.

Many of the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge universities were founded in the 12^th and 13^th centuries. All other universities in Britain were founded in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The Open University, based in Milton Keynes, England, was founded in 1969. It uses extension techniques of correspondence courses, television and radio programmes, and video cassettes, supported by local study centres and residential summer schools, to provide higher education opportunities to a wide variety of people.

During the 1960s there was a significant increase in the number of new universities, reflecting a vast growth in student numbers which was made possible by an expansion in grant facilities. During 1980s, an expansion in higher education places led to another large jump in student numbers. In the 1992-1993 academic year there were more than 1.4 million students in full- or part-time higher education in Great Britain, compared with just under 850,000 a decade earlier. About one quarter of young people are in higher education in England, Wales and Scotland; one third in Northern Ireland.

About 90 per cent of students get state grants to cover tuition fees and living costs. The size of the grant is determined by parents’ income. Since the late 1980s, however, grants have been frozen; students can apply for a student loan (from Коваленко 2002).

Task 2. Write down the translation of the following words:

1) GCSE; 2) to choose; 3) to guarantee; 4) polytechnic; 5) to give the right; 6) to be founded; 7) the Open University; 8) correspondence courses; 9) a wide variety; 10) increase; 11) to lead; 12) grant.

Task 3. Translate the words into English:

1) посещать колледж; 2) дальнейшее обучение; 3) финансирование; 4) бывший; 5) располагаться; 6) поддерживать; 7) летние школы; 8) возможность; 9) отражать; 10) увеличение; 11) сравнивать; 12) доход.

Task 4. Give synonyms:

1) to be based; 2) to be founded; 3) self-governing; 4) to enlarge; 5) significant; 6) to freeze; 7) living costs; 8) decade.

Task 5. Give antonyms:

1) obligatory; 2) to give; 3) beginning; 4) to be closed; 5) slow; 6) impossible.

Task 6. Fill in the sentences with suitable words:

1. Education after … (16, 18, 21) is voluntary in the UK.

2. In Scotland students receive … (the SCE, the GCSE, the diploma of higher education) after finishing school.

3. Usually students have the right to … (live, stay, leave) at school or attend colleges of further education.

4. Funding councils are … (sit, sat, set) up by Parliament.

5. In 1992 many polytechnics … (have become, became, become) universities.

6. Many colleges of Oxford … (was founded, were opened, closed) in the 12^th and 13^th centuries.

7. Open University uses … (extension, extensive, intensive) techniques.

8. In 1980s grants … (have been frozen, were frozen, froze).

Task 7. Say whether these statements are true or false. Correct false statements:

1. In England students can leave school only after 18.

2. British universities depend on governmental offices for their educational policy.

3. There are 90 universities in the UK.

4. All colleges of Cambridge were founded in the 14^th century.

5. To study at the Open University means that one can attend classes and go out when one likes or pleases.

6. About ¼ of young people in England receive higher education.

7. Students usually apply for a student loan to cover tuition fees and living costs.

Task 8. Try to guess words according to their definitions:

1. doing something on your own will, without forcing;

2. a process of checking students’ knowledge often at the end of a term;

3. providing money for some purposes on the governmental level;

4. a special institution in the society whose aim is to introduce bills and make them laws;

5. the oldest and most prestigious higher education establishment in the UK;

6. being real or can be real under some circumstances;

7. increase, becoming larger;

8. a sum of money given to cover some student’s expenses which should not be returned;

9. a sum of money given to the future student by a bank which should be returned after graduation.

Task 9. Rearrange the following dates and events in the proper historical order:

1) foundation of the Open University; 2) polytechnics became universities; 3) there were 90 universities in the UK; 4) foundation of Oxford and Cambridge; 5) grants for education were frozen; 6) there was 1.4 million students; 7) large expansion of places in higher education; 8) increase in number of new universities.

Task 10. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the GCSE?

2. Should English students stay at school or go to further education at the age of 16?

3. Are British universities guaranteed academic independence?

4. The number of universities jumped in 1992 due to polytechnics, didn’t it?

5. Where is the Open University based?

6. What kind of techniques does the Open University use?

7. What does an expansion in grant facilities mean?

8. Why do you think grants were frozen in 1980s?

9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of student’s grants and loans?

Task 11. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary:

1. British students can apply … a student loan.

2. There was a significant increase … the number … new universities.

3.Education is obligatory … 16.

4. Funding councils were set … by Parliament to provide money … education and research.

5. The size of student’s grant was determined … parents’ income.

Task 12. In the text find sentences with modal verbs. Explain their meaning. Check yourself and look through the theory:

Модальный глагол mustобозначает:

1. обязательность, необходимость, обязанность (You must finish this report by evening).

2. приказ, настоятельную просьбу в побудительных предложениях (You must come home at once).

3. Запрет (You mustn’t cross the street here).

Модальный глагол, эквивалент	Настоящее время	Прошедшее время	Будущее время
must	must	had to	will have to
have to	have to/has to
be to	am/is/are to	was/were to

Модальный глаголhave toиспользуется для обозначения обязанности или необходимости под влиянием внешних обстоятельств (должен = приходится, вынужден). Модальный глаголto be to обозначает соглашение или договоренность, действие по плану; приказ или запрет в побудительном предложении.

Модальный глагол mustможет использоваться для выражения вероятности события с большой долей уверенности, но только в утвердительных предложениях. В этом случаеmustпереводится как «должно быть, вероятно». Например,He must be at home now – Должно быть он сейчас дома.

Task 13. Read and translate the sentences:

1. You must come at once.

2. First you must think and only then act.

3. She mustn’t worry. She is expecting a baby.

4. He must do exactly what I told him otherwise he’ll be completely ruined.

5. They must know the answer to the question.

6. It must be snowing. It’s so dark outside.

7. He must be watching something funny on TV because he is laughing.

Task 14. Translate the sentences into English. Use the modal verb “must”:

1. Она должна прийти и помочь мне по дому.

2. Когда он должен приехать? – Завтра в 20.30.

3. Должно быть, они задержались на работе.

4. Должно быть, пойдет дождь. Захвати с собой зонт.

5. Встреча должна была начаться еще в 6 вечера. Сейчас уже 6.30. Должно быть, что-то случилось.

6. Запрещается пользоваться мобильным телефоном во время полета.

7. Немедленно откройте дверь!

8. Нельзя отвлекать водителя во время движения.

9. Ты должен создать свою собственную футбольную команду.

10. Ты должна поторопиться, чтобы застать бухгалтера.

Task 15. In the text find the sentences with the Past Simple Tense. Explain the rules of its formation and usage. Check yourself:

Время Past Simpleв случае правильного глагола образуется путем прибавления окончания-edк инфинитиву без частицыto. В случае неправильного глагола времяPast Simpleсовпадает со второй формой глагола. Для образования отрицательной или вопросительной формы используется вспомогательный глаголdid.

Утвердительная форма	Отрицательная форма	Вопросительная форма
Worked/told	Did not work/tell (didn’t work/tell)	Did I work/tell?

ВремяPast Simpleиспользуется для обозначения:

1. действия в прошлом (He entered a University last year).

2. последовательности действий в прошлом (He shut the window, switched off the light and went away).

3. повторяющего действия в прошлом (He read Pushkin’s poems every day).

Время Past Simple обычно используется со словамиyesterday, last Monday/Tuesday/week/month/year…, the day before yesterday, often, seldom, rarely, every day/month/week.

Task 16. Complete the sentences with the verbs in Past Simple:

1. Yesterday evening he (go) for a walk in the park.

2. My mother (teach) me to swim when I was five.

3. She usually waters flowers in the evening but yesterday evening she (not/water).

4. John (plan) to go to Japan.

5. How long … you (stay) at the hotel last year?

6. I (not/have dinner) yesterday as I (not/have) time.

7. I (not/sleep) last night because of the noise outdoors.

8. … he (live) in England before he came to Russia?

Task 17. Write negative and interrogative sentences:

1. Little Ann wanted to go to the Zoo last Friday.

2. He took his key and opened the door.

3. They played tennis last Saturday.

4. She replied with a smile.

5. John always preferred apple juice but now he likes pine-apple juice.

6. Mrs. Grey worked in the garden on Tuesdays but now she works on Mondays.

Task 18. Translate the sentences into English:

1. Майкл подвернул ногу и упал с лестницы.

2. В прошлый вторник Стив купил посудомоечную машину.

3. Он встретил нас на станции.

4. Что делал вечером? – Вчера вечером я читал журнал.

5. В прошлом году я окончил школу.

6. Прокат фильма начался 6 августа.

7. Когда мне исполнилось 16, я начал учиться водить машину.

8. В прошлом году я стал изучать немецкий язык, а сейчас я уже свободно говорю.

9. Позавчера он ремонтировал свой автомобиль и, поэтому не мог сбить этого пешехода.

10. Они хотели взять свою племянницу с собой на дачу.

11. В школе у меня были хорошие оценки по математике.

Task 19. Speak about Higher Education in the United Kingdom.