Module 2 «educational and cognitive communication»

Unit 4. studying at the University

The roots of education are bitter,

but the fruit is sweet.

(Aristotle)

Рис. 10

BEFORE YOU READ

Discuss with your partner how you make choices about the higher school where are you going to enter:

Think about:

← - specialities

← - place

← - ranking

← - tuition fee

 

VOCABULARY

 

1. Find the appropriate equivalent:

 

1.educational (training) and tutorial station	1. общетехнические предметы
2. progressive science	2. проходить, состояться, иметь место
3. professors and tutorial staff	3. специализированный предмет
4. further study	4. студент младшего курса
5. to take place	5. прогрессивная наука
6. academic year	6. острый интерес
7. general engineering subjects	7. учебно-консультационный пункт
8. juior	8. саморазвитие
9. bachelor	9. защищать диссертацию
10. major	10. профессорско-преподавательский состав
11. subdivision	11. зачет
12. self-development	12. дальнейшее обучение
13.keen interest	13. учебный год
14.credit test	14. подразделение
15. to be strictly oriented on modern market demands	15. достигать
16. to train	16. быть строго ориентированным на потребности современного рынка
17. to defend a thesis	17. бакалавр
18. fascinating world	18.незабываемый, запоминающийся
19. to achieve	19. обучать, тренировать
20. memorable	20. увлекательный мир

 

2. Complete the gaps with the words and phrases below:

1. trains; 2. further study; 3. general engineering subjects; 4.modern market demands; 5. professors and tutorial staff; 6. keen interest; 7. am majoring; 8. academic year; 9. self-development; 10. bachelor.

 

1. The … is qualified and experienced at this university.

2. The students are strictly oriented on the ….

3. My friend is going to continue his … abroad.

4. Our University … students on three levels of the higher education.

5. The first level of the education is ….

6. The … at Russian higher schools has two semesters.

7. Some students have … in scientific work.

8. Usually the juniors study … at our university.

9. Students have many opportunities to … at any higher school.

10. I’m a junior, and … in power engineering with a minor in IT.

3. Match the words with their definitions:

1.bachelor	1. field of study chosen as an academic specialty
2. scholarship	2. each of the periods in the year, alternating with vacation, during which lessons are given in a school, college, or university
3. term	3. a monthly payment to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement
4. to comprise	4. the process by which a person’s character or abilities are gradually developed
5. major	5. a person who holds a first degree from a university or other academic institution
6. graduate	6. a person who holds a second or further degree from a university or other academic institution
7. fascinating	7. worth remembering or easily remembered, especially because of being special or unusual
8. self-development	8. to consist of; be made up of
9. master	9. a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training
10. memorable	10. extremely interesting

 

Reading

 

We study at the State Technical University. Our University was founded in 1954 as an educational (training) and tutorial station. Now it is one of the largest higher schools in our city. It is a unique and dynamically developing university which integrates qualitative education and progressive science. At present the university comprises branches in various regions of the Russian Federation, educational institutions, faculties, a lot of departments and various scientific, research, educational, innovative, consulting and other subdivisions.

The University has several buildings for training and laboratory works, a computer center, a scientific and technical library, a canteen, several hostels, a camp for physical recreation and sports and a health center.

Our University trains students on three levels of the higher education: Bachelors, Specialists and Masters. The students are trained by experienced professors and tutorial staff.

The academic year begins as a rule at the beginning of September and ends in June. The academic year has two terms: the autumn term and the spring term. Each term ends with credit tests and examinations, which take place in January and June. If the results of the exams are good, students get scholarship.

The students go to the University every day except Sunday. Usually they have three or four lessons a day. The students attend lectures, seminars and practical classes. The lessons at our University begin at a half past eight in the morning and are over at ten minutes past three p.m.

The juniors study general engineering subjects such as Technology of Materials, Computer Graphics, Descriptive Geometry, Strength of Materials, Machine Elements, Theoretical Mechanics, some other special subjects as well as Higher Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. They also study Philosophy, Russian History, a foreign language – English, German or French. In the third year students begin to study specialized («major») subjects.

The students study at our University four or six years. At the end of the training course all graduates prepare their diploma projects or defend a thesis. Those graduates who have keen interest in research are recommended for further study at the post-graduate courses.

The important advantage of getting education in our University is the use of IT-technologies: multimedia, interactive educational courses, electronic workshops, business games.

High level of the education in our University is achieving through the special knowledge and orientation of educational process to practice. The graduates are strictly oriented on the modern market demands and have a wide range of demanding professional competences.

The students’ life in the University is a fascinating world of activities that make education more interesting and memorable. Students have many opportunities to self-development from participation in festivals, contents to all-Russian and international competitions, conferences for students, post-graduate students and young scientists.

It is interesting but difficult to study at our University, especially for the first-year students as they don’t know yet how to organize their work and time.

Comprehension checking

1. Answer the questions:

 

1. When was the University founded?

2. Is it a unique and dynamically developing university?

3. What are the levels of the higher education at the University?

4. The academic year begins at the beginning of September, doesn’t it?

5. Do the lessons begin at 9 a. m?

6. What subjects do the first and second year students study?

7. What is «major»?

8. How long do the students study at the University?

9. Who is recommended for further study at the post-graduate courses?

10. What kind of opportunities do students have for self-studying?

11. Would you recommend to your friends study at this University? If not, why?

12. What do you like and don’t like at your university?

2. Decide whether these statements are true or false:

 

1. We study at the State Technical University.

2. Our University was founded in 1955 as an educational (training) and tutorial station.

3. Our University trains students on three levels of the higher education: Bachelors, Specialists and Masters.

4. The academic year begins as a rule at the beginning of October and ends in July.

5. Classes at our University begin at a quarter to eight in the morning and are over at ten minutes past two p.m.

6. The students also study Philosophy, the Russian History, a foreign language – English, German or French.

7. The students study at our University four years.

8. Those graduates who have keen interest in research are recommended for further study abroad.

9. Students have many opportunities to self-development.

10. Whatever are the results of exams, the students of the University get scholarship.

Grammar in Focus

1. Make up sentences paying attention to Simple and Continuous Tenses. Translate the sentences:

 

I	learn (s)	new words	yesterday
You	am (is)writing	an annotation	2 days ago
These students	are learning	a report	last week
My friend	prepared	the diploma- project	every lesson
We	was preparing	a project	now
He	discuss	this question	when I rang up
She	will discuss	interesting questions	next seminar
My friends	will be discussing	an article	each Monday
Kate and Ann	was (were) writing	a test	the whole lesson
Max	is writing	a term paper	from 10 till 11 a.m. tomorrow
Helen	will be writing	a letter	from 5 till 6 yesterday
My brother	wrote	a book	while he was watching TV

 

2. Complete the sentences with Simple or Continuous Active:

 

1. She usually … new texts very quickly.

 

a) is translating b) translates c) was translating

 

2. She … a new text now.

 

a) is translating b) translates c) was translating

 

3. She … the new text yesterday.

 

a) was translating b) is translating c) translated

4. She … the new text all the evening yesterday.

 

a) was translating b) is translating c) translated

5. She … the new text tomorrow.

 

a) will translate b) will be translating c) is translating

 

6.She … the new text from 5 to 7 o’clock tomorrow.

 

a) will translate b) will be translating c) is translating

 

7. We …a test while other students …a new text.

a) were doing, were reading b) are doing, are reading c) do, read

 

8. Tomorrow at this time we … across the English Channel.

 

a) will sailb) are sailing c)will be sailing

 

9. We … our things when he ….

a) were packing, came b) packed, came c) pack, comes

 

10. They … our proposal when we ….

 

a) will discuss, will come b) are discussing, will come c) will be discussing, come

 

3. Сhange the Simple Tenses to the Continuous ones adding necessary adverbs or time attributives:

 

1. I prepare for examinations in the library.

2. The plant will install the new safety system.

3. My sister works at her thesis.

4. The students study new words at the lesson.

5. They will show a new TV program next week.

6. The engineer will test the new equipment on Monday.

7. The workers built a new metro line last year.

8. We discussed a very important problem last week.

9. The scientist spoke about the discovery.

10. They will listen to the lecture tomorrow.

4. Make up the general and special questions to these sentences. Give the negative forms:

 

1. They are still discussing the first report.

2. The secretary is looking through the morning mail.

3. He is carrying out an experiment.

4. We are leaving the town tonight.

5. The laboratory assistant will be taking readings of the apparatus
from 5 to 7 pm.

6. The secretary was typing the report all the morning.

7. People were hurrying to the station.

8. I will be writing a report at 5 o’clock tomorrow.

9. He was waiting for us at 5 o’clock.

10. I was having visitors at this time yesterday.

11. We will be playing chess for half an hour.

12. You are having a rest now.

5. Put the verb in the brackets into the necessary tense form:

 

1. What you (to do) from seven till nine yesterday? I (to read) a new article in the scientific journal.

2. What she (to learn) now? She (to learn) new words in German. She (to learn) new words every day.

3. Max (to draw) a complex scheme for his term paper when I saw him. He (to work) on it from 3 till 5 p.m.

4. What students (to stand) at the window now? I (not, know) them.
I guess they (to be) freshmen from the Institute of Transport.

5. The students of this group (to get) books from the library two
days ago.

6. What they (to discuss) at the moment? They (to discuss) a program for the students’ party.

7. It (to rain) when I left my house in the morning.

8. This group (to have) a workshop now? – No, it (to participate) in the conference.

9. Our group (to work) in the reading room on the new project the whole morning tomorrow.

10. Whom they (to speak) about when I (to enter) the room? They
(to speak) about our new monitor.

11. My friend (to look) for his Handy at the moment.

12. My parents (to buy) me a new iPad next month.

13. Helen (to chat) with her she-friend while I (to translate) this article.

14. My friend (not, attend) classes at the university every day. He (not, to be) hardworking.

15. Classes at our university (to start) at 8.15. Sometimes I (to be) late because there (to be) traffic jam at this time.

6. Put the verb to take part into the correct tense-form. Pay attention to the words given in the brackets:

 

Our students take part in various all-Russian and international competitions (every year, last year, next year, nowadays, from March till April next semester, the whole month last semester).

7. Make up the degrees of comparison:

Short, long, tall, weak, warm, cold, rich, poor, high, low, new, narrow, large, sad, thin, funny, heavy, busy, good, bad, many, little, interesting, old, far, difficult, expensive, careful.

8. Match the columns:

 

1.the richest	1. хуже
2.higher	2. старше
3. more effective	3. более эффективный
4. the most powerful	4. меньше всего
5. lazier	5. интереснее
6. more interesting	6. дальше
7.further	7 ленивее
8.elder	8. выше
9.the least	9. самый мощный
10.worse	10. самый богатый

 

 

V. Speaking Workshop

1. Complete the short dialogues:

- Where do you study?

- I study at ….

- Are you a second-year student?

- No, I ….

- How many lessons do you have every day?

- I have ….

- When do the classes start?

- The classes ….

- When are they over?

- They ….

- What subjects do you learn?

- There are a lot of them: Physics, ….

- What foreign language do you learn at the University?

- I learn ….

- Do you attend all lectures and practical classes?

- As for me ….

 

- What are your favourite subjects?

- They are....

- What subjects are difficult for you?

- As for me I am not well at ….

- Is your group big?

- It …

- How many students are there in your group?

- There are ….

- Is it friendly?

- I think it ….

- What about the students’ life at the university?

- The students have many opportunities to ….

2. Read and dramatize the dialogue:

Alex:- Hello, Max! Haven’t seen you for ages. How are you getting on?

Max:- Hi, Alex, nice to see you again. I am fine.

Alex:- Where are you going with this bag? Are you leaving for anywhere?

Max:- Oh, nothing of the kind. I am going to the university’s fitness center.

Alex:- Great. Where do you study after leaving the school?

Max:- At the State Technical University. And what about you?

Alex: - As for me I am a student of the Law Institute.

Max:- It is a surprise! If I am not mistaken, you were going to enter the Moscow State University.

Alex: - That’s right. But I haven’t got enough scores at the Unified National Exam to enter this University. But it is just as well. I am glad to stay in my native town. To tell the truth, my parents, especially mum, weren’t happy about my studying in Moscow.

Max:- I see. What is done can’t be undone.

Alex: - Certainly. And what specialty have you chosen to study?

Max:- Construction. I am a student of the Institute of Architecture and Construction. I’d like to be a civil engineer.

Alex: - I like your choice. It is a profession in demand. But to my mind it is very difficult to learn so-called technical subjects.

Max:- You are right. But they don’t trouble me at all, besides I try to attend classes regularly and to work hard at the seminars. So I’ll be able to get high scores before exams. But it’s a pity I am an outsider in the humanitarian subjects like Philosophy, Russian History and English.

Alex: - I see. You are a typical grease-monkey (технарь). As for me I am a scholar (гуманитарий) and have no troubles with these subjects. I am afraid to have problems with IT.

Max:- To each their own (каждому свое). I can help you with IT. Are you well at English?

Alex: - I am. If you need a help, call me.

Max:- Ok. Let’s change our telephone numbers.

Alex: - Well, I was really glad to see you again. And now I must leave, my friends are waiting for me. Bye.

Max:- See you later. Bye.

3. Make up your own dialogues using the models from the
tasks 4.1 and 4.2.