5. Summary

The title of the text is “Higher Education in Russia “.

The text offers an overview of the Russian educational system.

There are different types of higher educational institutions in Russia. They are universities, academies and institutes. Each educational institution has its peculiarities. They can grant the following types of degrees and diplomas. Intermediate Diploma: to get such a diploma at least 2 years of training is needed. Bachelor’s degree requires not less than 4 years of training and you need 5 or 6 years of training to get the Diploma of a Specialist, which is the traditional final qualifying degree in Russia and you can get Master’s degree after 6 years of training.

Vocabulary practice

Exercise 1

Match phrases in column A with their translation in column B and make up sentences with them

A	B
1.образовательная система	а. to enter state university
2. среднее образование	b. vocational education curricular
3. сдавать вступительные экзамены	c. to pass final state examinations
4. проводить научное исследование	d. educational system
5. высшее образование	e. to introduce a multilevel system
6. поступать в государственный университет	f. secondary education
7. программа профессионального образования	g. to successfully complete the course of education
8. ввести многоуровневую систему	i. to pass entrance exams
9. успешно пройти курс обучения	j. to choose the field of training
10. выбрать область обучения	k. to perform scientific research
11. сдавать государственные экзамены	l. graduation paper
12. диплом	m. higher education

Exercise 2

Distribute the words given below into three columns

To grant, secondary, entrance, to cover, Master’s, Bachelor’s, higher, postgraduate, final, further, academic, qualifying, vocational.

Degree	Education	Exam(s)
1. to grant	1.	1.
2.	2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.
6.
7.

Exercise 3

Fill in the correct word from the list: sciences, to grant, secondary, multilevel, to give, paper, entrance, individual, mobility, research.

1. ________ studies

2. ________ the possibility

3. scientific ________

4. ________ exams

5. Natural _________

6. ________ education

7. ________ system

8. graduation ______

9. _________ a degree

10. to provide _______

Exercise 4

Make up a dialogue on the situation

Student A

You are a second-year student of the SUSU. Help the American student to understand the rules and regulations of being accepted to Russian university, being granted a degree. Explain the difference between the types of Russian educational institutions. You may also suggest him some tips for studying, clarify the peculiarities of students’ life in Russia. It’s your first meeting with the person. Don’t forget to introduce yourself.

Student B

You are an American student. You want to get a higher education in Russian. You love Russia very much as your grandmother is Russian. So you’ve come to Russia to find out as much details as possible about the system of Higher education in Russia, about the types of educational institutions and about the hardships (difficulties) of students’ life. You’ve met a Russian second-year student. Introduce yourself and remember you are a very inquisitive person.

Grammar exercises

Exercise 1

Put the verbs in brackets into the right form of Present Perfect and translate them

Example: She ______ already (cook) the breakfast.

She has already cooked the breakfast.

1. He ____ (gain) a lot of weight recently.

2. Tom ____ just (clear out) the garage.

3. They ____ (sell) their house and ____ (go) on a tour of the world.

4. I ___ (be) to New York several times.

5. Martin is not here. He ____ (leave) for Moscow.

6. I ____ (not see) Kate since my weeding.

7. Pam ____ already (finish) his test.

8. She ____ (quarrel) with her mother 5 times this week.

9. This year I ___ twice (be) abroad.

Exercise 2

Choose the right variant: Past Simple или Present Perfect

1. We (not/have) a holiday last year.

   1. didn’t have b) haven’t had

2. My parents (be) to the USA many times.

   1. have been b) were

3. It (stop) raining?

   1. Did it stop b) Has it stopped

4. I (buy) a new dress last week.

a) have bought b) bought

5. Don’t worry about your letter. I (send) it the day before yesterday.

   1. sent b) have sent

6. When Jill (finish) school?

   1. When has Jill finished b) When did Jill finish

7. When I was a child, I (be) always late for school.

   1. have always been b) was always late

8. – Are you tired?

– Yes, a little. I (paint) the ceiling today.

1. have painted b) painted

1. My husband (work) in the bank for three years since 1990 to 1993.

   1. has worked b) worked

2. He (call) you yesterday?

   1. has he called b) did he call

3. One of the passengers (die) in that accident.

   1. died b) has died

4. Mom (lose) her key, so we have to open the door by force.

a) has lost b) lost

Exercise 3

Choose the right variant: Past Perfect or Present Perfect

1. Aunt Polly punished Tom Sawyer because he (be) naughty boy.

1. has been b) had been

2. Why are you so unhappy? – I (lose) my purse.

1. have lost b) had lost

3. Sam was upset because Judy (not/come).

1. hasn’t come b)hadn’t come

4. Mother asked the children if they (buy) some biscuits for tea.

1. has bought b) had bought

5. I (leave) some photos to be developed. Are they ready?

1. have left b) had left

6. Tell Tommy about these wonderful islands. He never (hear) about them.

1. has never heard b) had never heard

7. I’m so happy to see you again. I (not/see) you since I left Berks.

1. hadn’t seen b) haven’t seen

8. She said she (not/see) him since she left Berks.

1. hadn’t seen b) hasn’t seen

9. When she returned home, he (already/cook) dinner.

a) had already cooked b) has already cooked

10. Who (read) this book?

1. has read b) had read

Exercise 4

Open the brackets and put the verbs into the Future Perfect Tense

1. She ___________ (to cook) dinner by the time you come.

2. The tutor _________ (to look through) all our tests by the end of the week.

3. The film already ________ (to start) when we get there.

4. I _________ (to finish) this book by next month.

5. My parents ________ (to go) to bed when we come back from the theatre.

6. The lecture _________ (to be over) by 5 and the last student will have left the hall.

7. It _________(to stop) raining by the time we get there.

8. By the time you get home you __________ (to forget) everything.

9. Ann _______ (to come) back by the moment the play starts.

10. By 2100 computers ________ (to take over) many of the jobs that people do today.

Exercise 5

You are first year students. You spent not much time at the university. What have done yet?

Example 1: I have already twice visited the library.

Example 2: I have already been to the university swimming–pool.

Exercise 6

React to the suggestion using the Present Perfect Tense as in the model.

The following adverbial phrases may be of some help to you:

this week, this month, this year, this morning, this evening.

Example: – Let’s go to the swimming–pool.

– No, thanks. I have already been there in the morning.

1. Let’s go to the library this evening to prepare for our physics classes.

2. Let’s go to the cinema to see ”Nochnoy Dozor”.

3. Why don’t we go to visit our grandmother this week.

4. Let’s dedicate this poem to Svetlana.

5. Let’s go to see Paris this summer.

6. Let’s not miss lectures on History this week.

Exercise 7

You are 18 year old students. You are young but I am sure you have some achievements in your life. Think of them and formulate them using the model

Model: I have finished a secondary school and the Chelyabinsk State Pedagogical University. I have visited many foreign countries: Germany, the USA and Great Britain are among them.

Communication

Reacting

Task 1

Look at sentences 1 to 8. Then choose phrases from the list and in pairs act out short exchanges reacting positively or negatively.

• OK. • Never mind. • Not at all. • Go ahead• Pity • Why not • I’d love to. • Yes, actually,

• You'd better not. • Let's not. • Poor • Quite reasonable. • I’d rather not. • Terribly

1. I won’t be able to make it.

2. Shall we go?

3. Do you mind?

4. How did it go?

5. Are you coming then?

6. What are my chances?

7. Can I try?

8. I tried really hard.

Example: A. I won’t be able to make it.

B. Pity.

8. Task 2

Enlarge the situations given

Example:

• Will you go to the disco this evening?

• I won’t be able to make it. I am sitting with my sister this evening.

• Pity. May be next time?

• With pleasure.

9. Homework

10. Task 1

11. Use the phrases given below to fill in the gaps into the sentences

Secondary education, training, final state examinations, vocational education curricula, to provide mobility, entrance exams, degree of a Specialist, to provide access, competition, distance learning students.

1. To enter the higher institution every applicant should pass ________.

2. _______________ is compulsory in Russia.

3. _______________ is awarded after 5 or 6 years of study.

4. Institute is and independent higher educational institution which applies__________ in specific areas of science, technology and culture.

5. The Intermediate Higher degree is designed _________ between various higher educational institutions.

6. Final state certification includes the presentation of the graduation project and ________.

7. In many modern universities large computer centers are established __________ to Internet resources for the students.

8. ________ to enter state university for the specialties that are in great demand nowadays is 5 applications for one place.

9. To get a Bachelor’s degree a student needs not less than four years of __________.

10. Part-time and __________ constitute one third of the overall number of students in the country.

Task 2

Choose the right variant: Present Perfect or Past Simple

1. She is happy. She (passed/has passed) her exam in Maths.

2. When (did you pass/have you passed) your laboratory work?

3. Ann is upset. She (lost/has lost) 500 rubles.

4. Pete feels uneasy. He (missed/has missed) his classes and (met/has met) his teacher on the street later today.

5. Yesterday I (read/have read) an interesting article about the nature of earthquakes.

Task 3

1. Translate from Russian into English using the active vocabulary of the lesson

1. Система высшего образования в России находится в стадии реформирования.

2. Среднее образование является обязательным для всех граждан России.

3. После четырех лет обучения студент получает диплом Бакалавра.

4. Университет это высшее учебное заведение, чья деятельность направлена на образование, развитие науки и культуры.

5. При поступлении в университет абитуриенты должны сдавать вступительные экзамены.

6. Министерство образования предлагает принимать в университет абитуриентов на основе результатов Единого Государственного Экзамена. (Unified State Exam)

7. Студенты вечернего отделения и студенты, получающие образование дистанционно, составляют третью часть всех студентов.

8. В Российской Федерации существует несколько типов высших учебных заведений: университеты, институты, академии.

Task 4

13. Read the text and match the abstracts with the titles given below

a. Leading role in humanities and in applied sciences

b. Russian Diplomas Competitiveness

c. Great variety of educational institutions

d. High Standard of Education

e. Higher Education in Russian is much cheaper than in other countries