– purpose;
– aid;
– poor;
– percents;
– consisting of many different parts;
– to be funded by;
– one of the best and the most important;
– money paid for education;
– strict;
– the length of time;
– to get;
– to be presided by;
– to choose somebody for a particular job or purpose;
– to study very good at school;
– initially.
7. Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
| exceptionally; public; Harvard; annual; developed; campus; complex; are governed by; go on |
1. Higher education began in the United States in 1636, when _____ College was founded in Massachusetts.
2. In the United States, out of the more than three million students who graduate from high school each year, about one million _____ for 'higher education'.
3. Scholarships are given when a student is doing _____ well at school.
4. American universities and colleges are usually built as a separate complex, called '_____'.
5. The system of higher education in the United States is _____, comprising four categories of institutions.
6. _____ undergraduate tuition varies widely from state to state. A typical year's tuition at a _____ university (for residents of the state) is about $5,000.
7. Higher educational institutions usually _____ a board of regents or a board of trustees.
8. In 1870s the colleges of the USA _____ enormously: they became bigger in size, the number of faculties and specialities increased.
8. Match the beginning and the end of the sentences.
| 1. Higher education began in the United States | a) from the state government. |
| 2. Yale College, Princeton University, Columbia University are | b) is about $5,000. |
| 3. Simply by being admitted into one of the most respected universities of the United States, | c) it is necessary to name the oldest one that is Harvard College. |
| 4. Scholarships are given | d) in 1636. |
| 5. A distinctive feature of American University is its 2 levels – | e) a high school graduate achieves a degree of success. |
| 6. In other words the system of higher education in the United States is complex, | f) deans. |
| 7. A publicly funded university (state university) gets some money | g) the oldest and the most famous American higher educational institutions. |
| 8. A typical year's tuition at a public university (for residents of the state) | h) when a student is doing exceptionally well at school. |
| 9. Speaking about the most famous American higher educational institutions | i) comprising four categories of institutions. |
| 10. The various colleges or schools which take up a university are headed by | j) the separation of undergraduate from graduate school education. |
9. Correct the statements.
1. Higher education began in the United States in 1600, when Yale College was founded.
2. Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and the most famous American higher educational institutions.
3. Nowadays there are about 100 colleges and universities in the US.
4. If a student is offered a loan, he shouldn't repay it after he has left the college.
5. The University of California has 5 campuses.
6. In the USA the lecture method is combined with laboratory works.
7. There are 2 ways to get higher education in the USA: universities and colleges.
8. A distinctive feature of American University is its 3 levels – undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate school education.
9. Depending upon the type of school and program, annual graduate program tuition can vary from $1,000 to as high as $4,000.
10. Applicants are chosen only on the basis of their personal qualities.
11. There are 7 final examinations at each college and university.
10. The purpose of studying at the university is to get some degree. As it is known a distinctive feature of American University is its 2 levels – the separation of undergraduate from graduate education. Each level has its own system of degrees. Complete the chart with information about the degrees on each level.
| Degree | ||
| Abbreviation | The full name | |
| Undergraduate education | ||
| Graduate education | ||
1. Comment on the entrance standard and admission policies at the universities.
2. Speak about the average annual graduate program tuition and 'activities fees'.
3. Dwell on a financial assistance that is given to the students. Should they repay it? What is awarded to needy students? What is a scholarship?
4. Explain the functions of the university administration: the president, deans, the chairman, graduate assistants.
5. Speak about such a distinctive feature of American University as its 2 levels.
6. Prove that the system of higher education in the United States is complex.
7. Name the most famous American higher educational institutions.
1. Before reading the text translate the following words and word combinations into Russian using a dictionary:
along with smb.; prominent; to feature a journal/ magazine/ newspaper; intramural sport; vibrant; to be coed; rivals; notably.
2. Yale University is one of the oldest and best-known universities of the USA. Read the text and find the information about:
– the date of foundation;
– famous people who studied at Yale;
– the number of faculty members working at Yale;
– the number of undergraduate and graduate students studying at Yale;
– students' organizations;
– sports life at Yale;
– Yale mascot.
Yale University is a private university in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School this university is considered as the third-largest university of the USA (after The Harvard University and The College of William and Mary).
All U.S. presidents since 1989 have been Yale graduates, namely George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton (who attended the University's Law School along with his wife, New York Senator Hillary Clinton). Many of the 2004 presidential candidates attended Yale: Dick Cheney (although he did not graduate), John Kerry, Howard Dean, and Joe Lieberman. Many other famous politicians, artists, sportsmen studied at Yale. The Yale School of Drama is notable for producing many prominent Hollywood and Broadway actors.
Yale has 3,200 faculty members, who teach 5,200 undergraduate students and 6,000 graduate students. A large number of students' organizations are associated with the university. The Yale Political Union is the oldest students' political organization in the United States.
The university features a variety of student journals, magazines, and newspapers. The latter category includes the Yale Daily News, which was first published in 1878 and is the oldest daily college newspaper in the United States.
The Yale College Council runs several agencies that oversee campus wide activities and student services. The campus also includes several fraternities and sororities, the most famous of which is The Whiffenpoofs. A number of prominent secret societies, including Skull and Bones, are composed of Yale College students.
Yale intramural sports are a vibrant aspect of student life. Students compete for their respective residential colleges, which fosters a friendly rivalry. The year is divided into Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons, each of which includes about ten different sports. About half the sports are coed. At the end of the year, the residential college with the most points wins the Tyng Cup.
Yale supports 35 varsity athletic teams that compete in the Ivy League. Yale has numerous athletic facilities, including the Yale Bowl (the nation's first natural 'bowl' stadium, and prototype for such stadiums as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Bowl), and the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, the second-largest indoor athletic complex in the world. The Yale Corinthian Yacht Club, founded in 1881, is the oldest collegiate sailing club in the world. The yacht club produced several Olympic sailors. Yale and Harvard have for most of their history been rivals in almost everything, notably academics, rowing and football.
The school mascot is 'Handsome Dan', the famous Yale bulldog, and the Yale fight song contains the refrain, "Bulldog, bulldog, bow wow wow." The school color is Yale Blue (dark blue).
Yale president Richard C. Levin summarized the university's institutional priorities for its fourth century: "First, among the nation's finest research universities, Yale is distinctively committed to excellence in undergraduate education. Second, in our graduate and professional schools, as well as in Yale College, we are committed to the education of leaders."
3. Comment on the quotation of Richard C. Levin naming the main institutional priorities of The Yale University.
4. Write the summary of the text.
5. Would you like to get higher education in one of the American universities? If yes, read this information for International Applicants and fill in the application form. Good luck! (see Appendix)
International Applicants!
We appreciate your interest in Harvard College! Since 1636, Harvard has attracted curious, energetic and passionate students to live and to learn in Cambridge. Our undergraduates come from all over the United States as well as 80 countries and have a rich mix of interests, backgrounds, and talents.
If you are applying from a school outside the United States or Canada, you should follow the same procedures and timetables as candidates applying from schools in the United States. There is, however, some special information for students applying from abroad, which you can find on our website: www.harvard.edu.
What role does higher education play in the life of our society? Is it important to have a Diploma to make a successful career? Or is it possible to succeed without higher education?
Read this passage, then choose one of the suggested roles and express your opinion.
Durability of higher education
Occasionally, it is argued that higher education is no longer necessary as it becomes obsolete soon after graduation. This observation is raised of a couple of reasons:
* Industry changes are so fast these days that a particular know-how is only relevant for a short time before it becomes obsolete by the next fad.
* The Internet has made information so pervasive that one can understand and undertake most jobs that previously required training after a short on line search.
* Globalization has led to a decreased emphasis on research as both governments and industries have pursued cost cutting policy. Employers therefore value employees who can provide narrow immediate skills more than those who have broad knowledge. This is ironic that most government leaders are trying to move their governments to information economy.
* Higher education no longer guarantees employment as it used to do in the past.
* As governments have cut back on education spending, some higher education institutions have based their teaching material to a specific vendor in an attempt to secure funding. This however reduces the durability of awarded diploma as its validity is rigidly tied to a particular vendor.
Despite these observations, higher education especially in universities is still important. Higher education, when well delivered, is supposed to educate the candidate how to acquire a necessary skill and why a specific way of dealing with a problem is superior to an alternative. This is possible as higher education allows one to face a problem from a holistic point of view. Higher education also helps to fill the information gap, which is very pervasive in skilled but uneducated employees.
Some relevant facts:
– Britian, Canada and the USA have cut their education budget substantially in the last 15 years.
– China, on the other hand, has increased its education spending to a ridiculous level. BBC claimed that China has over 700,000 government sponsored students in western universities. That's on top of those who are trained locally.
| A host | Announce the theme of discussion and introduce the participants. You must follow the ideas of each participant, ask questions if necessary and carry on the role play. |
| A first-year student | You've just entered the university and want to become a well-qualified specialist to apply for a well-paid job in future. |
| A graduate | You are not satisfied with the received education. You work is not connected with the received speciality. |
| A student who wants to enter the post-graduate course | You are sure that even basic higher education is not enough to reach success in modern world. You want to continue education after the graduation from the university. |
| A part-time student | It's difficult for you to combine work and study, but you are sure that Diploma will help to make a career and earn good money. |
| A businessman | You don't have higher education but you've made a fortune. You think that personal qualities and business connections are more important than a Diploma. |
| Parents | You worry about your 16 y.o. son. You don't want him to join the army but you are scared that he won't be able to get free higher education and you can't afford to cover his tuition fees. |
| A housewife | You have graduated from the university but you haven't worked a day – you are too busy running the house and bringing up children. You believe that family is more important than career. |
| A professor | You have been teaching students for 20 years and think that 'present day' students are greatly different from the 'old' ones. |
| A girl | You want to marry money because you think that it's impossible for a girl to make a career in a 'men's world'. |
| An unemployed | You have two diplomas but don't have a job. You think that higher education is important but we must also take into account personal qualities and business connections. |
Write an essay and express your thoughts about the role of higher education in modern world.