A) Read the text and look up the unknown words in the dictionary. Universities
People have always realized the importance of education. The first universities appeared in Europe as early as at the beginning of the eleventh century. Bologna University in Italy was founded in 1088, the University of Paris - in about 1150, and the University of Oxford in 1167. They were followed by the University of Salamanca, Spain (1218), the University of Cambridge (1209), England, the University of Montpellier (1220), the University of Toulouse (1229), and the University of Siena (1240). The first Russian university was founded in Moscow in 1775.
As you see, some of the most famous universities have existed for centuries and higher education has become more and more important. The main reason for going to university is to get an academic qualification which will help you get on in life. However, you will also get the skills that are invaluable throughout life, not just at university. These life skills will prepare you to face challenges and deal with them.
For instance, you'll learn to concentrate, to discipline yourself, to be independent and responsible. You'll learn to balance your academic work and social life. Time management and meeting deadlines are some of the other skills you need to master.
Moscow City Pedagogical University is a good example of a "new" university. Since its foundation in 1995 it has been an exemplary institution of higher education. MCPU attracts the best and brightest students from Moscow who want to become qualified teachers. In return it offers a wide range of full-time, part-time and sandwich courses in various subjects.
The University requires a high standard of young people's academic qualifications. Each year lots of students apply to university's different faculties for admission. Naturally, they have to compete. Only those who pass the entrance exams successfully become first-year students. Most undergraduate students don't pay any fees, for them the course of study is free.
Undergraduate courses usually take four years. They lead to a Bachelor's degree. If you want to continue studying you may stay at university for two more years and get a Master's degree. In the middle and at the end of the academic year students take exams. This is the examination period. It can be a dreadful and stressful time for some students. However, you're no doubt out of danger if you attended the classes during the term, took notes of all lectures, studied hard and took an active part in discussions. On the other hand, those who skipped classes and didn't do well in their subjects can fail their exams, and even worse, be expelled.
Still, there're lots of other things to do except swotting for exams. Students can take full advantage of Moscow's educational and professional resources and on-campus benefits including libraries, computer-centres, dining facilities, sports, entertainment, special events etc.
The Institute of Foreign Languages has been popular with will-be teachers from the very start. Generally speaking, more and more people are beginning to realize that the ability to speak a foreign language can boost their careers and give them a new chance to succeed. On the other hand, many people learn languages just because they love it. They say that language learning is like opening the door to an absolutely new world. Learning a learning can be fun, especially when you have a chance to watch films, read interesting books in the original and talk to native speakers. Teachers of modern languages are in great demand in Moscow, which gives MCPU graduates an opportunity to find a good job.