Ex.2 Translate the words in bold type, then read the article, be ready to answer the questions below the text.

 

The merry-go-round of college life is something that one never forgets. It's a fascinating, fantastic, fabulous experience, ir­respective of the fact whether one is a full-time or a part-time stu­dent.

Who can forget the first day at the university when one turns from an applicant who has passed entrance exams into a first-year student? I did it! I entered, I got in to the university! A solemn cere­mony in front of the university building and serious people making speeches. Hey, lad, do you happen to know who they are? Who? The rector, vice-rectors, deans, subdeans... and what about those la­dies? Heads of departments and senior lecturers? Okay. Some of them must be professors, some — associate or assistant professors, but, of course, all of them have high academic degrees. And where are our lecturers and tutors? Oh, how nice...

The monitors hand out student membership cards, student record books and library cards — one feels like a real person. First celebra­tions and then days of hard work. So many classes, so many new subjects to put on the timetable! The curriculum seems to be devel­oped especially for geniuses. Lectures, seminars and tutorials. Home preparations; a real avalanche of homeworks.

If one can not cope with the work load of college he or she im­mediately starts lagging behind. It is easier to keep pace with the programme than to catch up with it later. Everyone tries hard to be, or at least to look, diligent. First tests and examination sessions. The first successes and first failures: "I have passed!" or "He has not given me a pass!" Tears and smiles. And a long-awaited vacation.

The merry-go-round runs faster. Assignments, written reproduc­tions, compositions, synopses, papers. Translations checked up and marked. "Professor, I have never played truant, I had a good excuse for missing classes ". Works handed in and handed out. Reading up for exams. "No, professor, I have never cheated — no cribs. I just crammed ".

Junior students become senior. Still all of them are one family — undergraduates. Students' parties in the students' club. Meeting people and parting with people. You know, Nora is going to be ex­pelled and Dora is going to graduate with honours. Yearly essays, graduation dissertations, finals...

What? A teacher's certificate? You mean, I've got a degree in English? I am happy! It is over! It is over... Is it over? Oh, no...

A postgraduate course, a thesis, an oral, and a degree in Phi­lology. The first of September. Where are the students of the fa­culty of foreign languages? Is it the English department? Oh, how nice...

 

1. Say a few words about your college: say what it is called, speak about its faculties and their specializations.

2. Would you compare college life with a merry-go-round or with some­thing else?

3. What do you think of the first months at college?

4. They say that it is a poor soldier who does not want to become a gen­eral. Name the steps of the social ladder which a student must pass to climb up to the position of the director.

Discuss college life in this country. Use these questions as a guide for your discussion.

1. What do students wear to college?

2. How do students get to college?

3. How do students know which class to go to?

4. How do students greet the teacher?

5. How does the teacher greet the students?

6. How do students address the teacher?

7. When does the term begin?

8. How long does it last?

9. How long is the college day?

10. Who decides what a student will study?

11. Who decides which students will attend college?

Translate into English.

1. Она поступила в университет прошлым летом и закон­чит его только через четыре года. 2. Лучше не пропускать занятия, а то можно быстро отстать от группы. Хорошо известно, что нагонять всегда сложнее. 3. Все студенты в группе получили зачёт по языкозна­нию. Это было серьёзное испытание. 4. Мой любимый предмет, конечно же, английский. А ещё мне нравятся страноведение Великобритании и США. 5. Я не очень люблю писать диктанты и изложения, но понимаю, что это необходимо для приобретения на­выков письменной речи. 6. Расписание составляется таким образом, чтобы лек­ции чередовались с практическими занятиями. 7. Староста нашей группы получила стипендию от Бри­танского Совета. Она будет учиться в Лондонском университете и одновременно писать дипломную ра­боту. 8. Не думаю, что, готовясь к экзаменам, имеет смысл всю ночь не ложиться спать. Эффект от такой подготовки может быть обратный. 9. Больше всего я боюсь провалить экзамен по психо­логии, поэтому стараюсь всё выучить почти наизусть. 10. В штате преподавателей у нас три профессора, четыре доцента, пять старших преподавателей и семь ассис­тентов. 11. Проверяя контрольные работы, преподаватель отме­чает ошибки на полях. 12. В эту сессию будет один письменный и два устных зачёта, а также четыре экзамена. 13. В начале года в деканате всем первокурсникам выдали студенческие билеты и зачётные книжки. 14. Когда я начинаю делать домашнее задание, то долго не могу сконцентрироваться на работе — меня постоян­но что-то отвлекает. 15. В обучении ему не нужно прикладывать никаких уси­лий — он всё хватает на лету.

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