In your country is the university system the same or different to the one described in this article? Do you agree more with the opinion of Theodore Roosevelt or of Sydney Harris? Why?

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Video ‘Knowledge is Great’

Discuss the following questions:

• Do you know of any other world-famous universities?

• Have you ever been to Oxford?

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Watch the video how Richard goes to one of the world's greatest universities: Oxford. He discovers some of its history and hears about its famous students.

As you watch it answer what of these topics do we hear about? What aspects of Oxford University does the video talk about?

a. Its age;

b. Its famous ex-students;

c. Its fees;

d. Its research projects;

e. Its student accommodation;

f. Its student profile;

g. Its teaching methods;

h. Its composition.

55

Use a word or number to complete the sentences:

1. _____ of the world’s top-10 universities can be found in Britain.

2. The Bodleian University’s famous _____.

3. At the university, an open space surrounded by buildings is called a _____.

4. The university is made up of 38 different _____.

5. There are _____ thousand students studying at the university.

6. Oxford University was founded _____ hundred years ago.

7. Famous students include _____ _____, presidents, writers and even film stars.

8. The American president _____ _____ studied at Oxford.

56

Put the two halves together to make phrases from the video.

The search	of history
Huge	enquiry
A historic	amounts of money
A sense	for knowledge
Famous	establishment
Critical	names
To gain	knowledge

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Use the verb in brackets, and decide on the best verb form for each of these sentences.

1. Every year, huge amounts _____ in science and research in this country. (to invest)

2. Oxford _____ a place of learning for hundreds of years. (to be)

3. Through the years, more world leaders _____ here than any other university. (to educate)

4. Oxford University _____ of 38 different colleges. (to compose)

5. Oxford University _____ on of the world’s leading universities. (to be)

6. The university _____ for nine hundred years. (to exist)

7. Some of the colleges _____ in the XX century. (to establish)

8. There _____ a lot of famous people at Oxford over the years. (to be)

9. Margaret Thatcher _____ a student at Oxford University. (to be)

10. Ever since it was founded, Oxford _____ a rich interest in critical enquiry. (to have)

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Translate into English

Оксфордський університет - один з найстаріших у Європі. Починаючи з XIII століття, на науку своїх дітей сюди відправляли знатні родини королівства Великобританії. Тут здобувало освіту не одне покоління представників британського Парламенту, не кажучи вже про знаних митців та письменників, як от Льюїс Керрол, чи про відомих політичних діячів, взяти хоча б Білла Клінтона до прикладу.

Сам університет - це, по суті, 39 окремих коледжів, розкиданих по місту. Цікаво, що спочатку тут навчалися тільки священнослужителі. Тому не дивно, що університетські корпуси нагадують монастирські будівлі. Сьогодні Оксфорд - без сумніву одна з найпрестижніших вищих шкіл у світі, в якій навчаються більш ніж 20 000 студентів. 

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Read the text nad translate it.