Ф. М. Достоевского education in great britain учебно-методическое пособие



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Life at college 

There are 46 universities in Britain. Good "A" level results in at 

least two subjects are necessary to get a place at one. However, good 

exam passes are not enough. Universities choose their students after 

interviews, and competition for places at university is fierce. 

 

FREE AT LAST! 

Most 18 and 19 year-olds in Britain are fairly independent peo-

ple, and when the time comes to pick a college they usually choose one 



 

49

as far away from home as possible! So, many students in northern and 



Scottish universities come from the South of England and vice versa. It 

is very unusual for university students to live at home. Although par-

ents may be a little sad to see this happen, they usually approve of the 

move, and see it as a necessary part of becoming an adult.  

Anyway, the three university terms are only ten weeks each, and 

during vacation times families are reunited. 

 

FRESHERS! 

When they first arrive at college, first year university students 

are called "freshers". A fresher’s life can be exiting but terrifying for 

the first week.  

Often freshers will live in a Hall of Residence on or near the col-

lege campus, although they may move out into a rented room in their 

second or third year, or share a house with friends. Many freshers will 

feel homesick for the first week or so, but living in hall soon helps 

them to make new friends. 

During the first week, all the clubs and societies hold a ‘fresher’s 

fair’ during which they try to persuade the new students to join their 

society. The freshers are told that it is important for them to come into 

contact with many opinions and activities during their time at univer-

sity, but the choice can be a bit overwhelming! 

On the day that lectures start, groups of freshers are often seen 

walking around huge campuses, maps in hand and a worried look on 

their faces. They are learning how difficult it is to change from a school 

community. They also learn a new way of studying. As well as lec-

tures, there are regular seminars, at which one of a small group of stu-

dents reads a paper he or she has written. The paper is then discussed 

by the tutor and the rest of the group. Once or twice a term, students 

will have a tutorial. This means that they see a tutor alone to discuss 

their work and their progress. In Oxford and Cambridge, and some 

other universities, the study system is based entirely around such tuto-

rials which take place once a week. Attending lectures is optional for 

"Oxbridge" students! 

After three or four years these students will take their finals. 

Most of them will get a first, second or third class degree and be able to 

put BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) after their 

name. It will have been well earned! 

 

50

Talking points: 



– Is it a good thing to leave home at the age of 18? What are the 

advantages and disadvantages? 

– Many British people believe that if you do nothing more than 

study hard at university, you will have wasted a great opportunity. 

What do they mean by saying that? Do you agree? 

– How do British universities differ from universities in your 

country? What do you like and dislike about the British system? 

 

Text C.   Read the text about Oxford and Cambridge. Be ready to talk 



about them in class, emphasizing the details you find most ex-

citing and unusual 

 

Oxbridge 

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and most prestigious uni-

versities in Great Britain. They are often called collectively Oxbridge. 

Both universities are independent. The normal length of degree course 

is three years. Some courses, such as languages or medicine, may be 

one or two years longer. The students may work for other degrees as 

well. The degrees are awarded at public degree ceremonies. Oxford and 

Cambridge cling to their traditions, such as the use of Latin at degree 

ceremonies. Full academic dress is worn at examinations. 

Oxford and Cambridge Universities consist of a number of col-

leges. Each college is different, but in many ways they are alike. Each 

college has its name and its coat of arms. Each college is governed by a 

Master. The larger ones have more than 400 members, the smallest col-

leges have less than 30. Each college offers teaching in a wide range of 

subjects. Within the college one will normally find a chapel, a dining 

hall, a library, rooms for undergraduates, fellows and the Master, and 

also rooms for teaching purposes. 

Oxford is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is the sec-

ond largest in Britain, after London. The town of Oxford is first men-

tioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 911 AD and it was popular 

with the early English kings (Richard Coeur de Lion was probably 

here). The university’s earliest charter is dated back to 1213. 

There are now more than thirty colleges where men and women 

are educated together, many from overseas studying for higher degrees. 



 

51

Among the oldest colleges are University College, All Souls and Christ 



Church.  

The local car industry in East Oxford gives an important addition 

to the city’s outlook. There’s a great deal of bicycle traffic both in Ox-

ford and Cambridge. 

Cambridge University started during the 13

th

 century and has 



grown until today. Now there are more than thirty colleges. 

On the banks of the Cam willow trees drown their branches into 

the water. The colleges line the right bank. There are beautiful college 

gardens with green lawns and lines of tall trees. The oldest college is 

Peterhouse, which was founded in 1284, and the most recent is Robin-

son College, which was opened in 1977. The most famous is probably 

King’s College because of its magnificent chapel, the largest and the 

most beautiful building in Cambridge, its choir of boys and under-

graduates being also well-known. 

The universities have over a hundred societies and clubs, enough 

for every interest one could imagine. Sport is part of students’ life at 

Oxbridge. The most popular sports are rowing and punting.  

Academic life in both universities is full and varied. Although 

students attend lectures given by professors and lecturers, their work is 

largely based on a "tutorial" system; each student meets his tutor to 

have his work scrutinized and discussed.  

Because of their age traditions, historical associations and repu-

tation the prestige of Oxford and Cambridge is very high, conse-

quently, competition for admission is extremely keen. 

 

Notes 



degree ceremony  церемония вручения ученых степеней  

full academic dress  парадная форма одежды 

coat of arms  герб 

fellow  младший научный работник 

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle  "Англосаксонский кроникл" 

Richard Coeur de Lion  Ричард Львиное Сердце 

charter  хартия 

All Souls college  Колледж всех душ 

the Cam  река Кэм 

 

 

52



Using the Internet look for appropriate material to talk about the fol-

lowing topics: 

 



At Oxbridge. 

 



Oxford – the Golden Heart of Britain. 

 



A college in Oxbridge. 

 



Cambridge. Its Past and Present. 

 

Text D.   Read the text and say if the following statements are true or 



false 

 

Wolverhampton University 

1.

 



Wolverhampton University is among the UK ten top universi-

ties. 


2.

 

The University offers an extensive under- and postgraduate 



education. 

3.

 



The University programmes are delivered through full-time 

mode. 


4.

 

Besides training the University offers a great variety of ser-



vices to the community. 

5.

 



Access courses are provided by the University. 

6.

 



The University carries on professional orientation pro-

grammes. 

7.

 

The University is planning to start extensive international ac-



tivities. 

8.

 



The University campuses are located in Birmingham. 

9.

 



There are 12 faculties at Wolverhampton University. 

10.


 

English is among the six most popular courses at Wolver-

hampton. 

 

The University of Wolverhampton is one of the ten largest Uni-



versities in the UK. It has provided higher education in the region for 

over sixty years. 

The University offers an extensive range of specialist degrees 

and diplomas: over 100 first degrees, over 40 taught Masters pro-

grammes and numerous professional qualifications. It provides the 

widest menu of modular degree subjects available from a British Uni-

versity. A unique Modular Masters Scheme creates the possibility of 

multi-subject study at postgraduate level. 



 

53

University programmes at all levels are delivered variously in 



full-time, part-time; distance learning and in-company modes, as well 

as short courses and tailor-made programmes. 

The University is a major provider of training, consultancy, test-

ing, technology transfer and contract research for a wide range of cli-

ents from all aspects of industry and commerce. The University has 

excellent links with industry, commerce and the professions which are 

coordinated by a recently-expanded Corporate Enterprise Centre. The 

Careers and Graduate Employment Service has a professional team of 

advisers. They offer extensive advice and help on career and employ-

ment opportunities for all the students and graduates throughout 

courses providing them with a wide range of professional services to 

help maximize their career potential: 

* extensive information on occupations, regional and national 

employers and further study regular vacancy bulletins with details of 

jobs and postgraduate study 

* careers education workshops on such topics as interview tech-

nique and effective applications 

* psychometric testing of personality and aptitude 

* computer guidance systems 

* individual guidance interviews to assess the careers implica-

tions of choice of options within courses, and clarify career directions.  

The University Student Employment Bureau is designed to help 

students find suitable part-time and vacation work that will not conflict 

with study and provide useful work experience. 

Access Courses are usually one year full-time or two years part-

time and are offered in Further Education colleges throughout the re-

gion. 

Located in picturesque surroundings the University has several 



sites across the West Midlands and Shropshire within easy rich of Bir-

mingham. You can find the University's campuses not only in Wolver-

hampton but also in Dudley, Walsall and Telford. The University has 

about 2 338 rooms in its Halls of Residence, over 900 en-suite student 

rooms being offered in newly built Halls of Residence in Shropshire 

and Wolverhampton. 

The University of Wolverhampton carries on extensive interna-

tional activities which include academic partnerships, in-country train-

 

54

ing and consultancy, overseas work placements, international research, 



joint awards and franchised programmes, distance learning. 

The total number of students in 1994–95 amounted to 21 384 

and that of the staff – to 1 961 including both academic and administra-

tive, professional, technical, clerical, and manual personnel. 

The University Library stocks nearly 400 000 books and over 

3 500 periodicals and has over 1 400 study places. At all the campus 

libraries there are networked computer suites providing access to na-

tional and international facilities, as well as many other resources for 

learning. 

A doctor is available on campus on a weekly basis for any stu-

dent to consult about health-related matters. 

One can take a course in any of 11 Wolverhampton’s Schools 

колледж = such as a School of Applied Sciences; Art and Design; 

Computing & Information Technology; Construction; Engineering & 

Technology; Education; Health Sciences; Humanities & Social Sci-

ences; Legal Studies; Nursing & Midwifery and Business School as 

well as apply for Combined Awards Scheme. 

The most popular subjects / courses are Business, English, Geog-

raphy, Law, Media and Communications, Sociology. 

 

Notes 

Access Courses – подготовительное отделение 

School – зд.: школа = колледж = факультет 

 

Text E.   Read the text and do the tasks 



 

The University of London 

In 1836 the University of London was created to conduct the ex-

aminations and to grant degrees upon the students from any institution 

situated anywhere in the British Empire. 

Up until 1900 the University of London was only an examining 

and degree-awarding body, but in that year an Act of Parliament per-

mitted to provide lecture rooms, museums, laboratories, workshops, 

etc. for both teaching and research. Today the University of London is 

a federation of colleges, each largely independent. There are four facul-


 

55

ties of Theology, thirteen of Arts, thirty-one of Medicine, ten of Sci-



ence, etc. 

The University of London grants degrees to all who satisfy its 

examinations, with the exceptions of engineering and medical degrees 

(for which study at an approved institution is required). The London 

external degree has been of great importance in the development of the 

University system. 

Many of the new independent universities were at first university 

colleges (i.e. university institutions which could not award their own 

degrees) and for them the University of London became the degree-

awarding body. The London external degree is very important to stu-

dents in technical colleges and some teacher-training colleges, as well 

as for private students working on their own, away from educational 

centers. 

The development of new qualifications (e.g. the new Diploma in 

Technology) and increasing enrolments in regular university courses 

have made the external degree less important. Speaking of somebody's 

qualifications and education background people usually say: I am a Civil 

Engineer, with a (BSc / MSc) degree from Edinburgh University, or: She 

has a degree from London University in Politics and Economics. 

 

Notes 



external degree – степень, присваиваемая заочно 

enrolments – наборы студентов 

 

TASKS 



 

1. Find the English equivalents to the following 

a)

 



…  был  только  органом,  принимавшим  экзамены  и  при-

сваивавшим степени. 

b)

 

Лондонский  университет  присваивает  степени  всем,  кто 



выдерживает экзамены, проводимые им. 

 

2. Point out what information is given in the text 

a)

 

The usual minimum course for the new Diploma in Technol-



ogy is three years for full-time students. 

 

56



b)

 

Specialized institutes train specialists for one of the fields of 



culture or national economy. 

c)

 



The development of new qualifications has made the external 

degree of the University of London less important. 



 

Text F.   Read the text and do the tasks that follow 

 

Letters from College 

Dear John, 

I meant to write you at once, but it took me rather long to get 

used to College life. College is a very big place and at first I got lost 

almost every time I left my room. Things are much easier now and I 

hope you’ll look me up some day and let me walk you about. You 

won’t be disappointed, I promise. Oh, I’m good at showing people 

about. I’ll say something like this: 

Our college was founded over two hundred years ago. On 

your right is the Library which was built about the same year the 

college was founded. (So you can easily imagine how it looks and 

smells inside!).The building on your left, which rather reminds me 

of Tudor Romanesque next to it is the new infirmary and so forth. 

The trouble with College is that they expect you to know such 

a lot of things you’ve never learnt. To be quite honest, I never knew 

I was so much behind the others. It’ll take me months of real hard 

work to catch up with the fellows! 

I made an awful mistake the very first day. Somebody men-

tioned Maurice Maeterlinck, and I asked if he was a Freshman. That 

joke has gone all over College.  

Did ever you hear of Michelangelo? 

I didn’t until the last week. He was a famous artist who lived 

in Italy in Middle Ages. Everybody in English knew about him and 

the whole class laughed because I thought he was an archangel. He 

sounds like an archangel, doesn’t he? Now I know better. When 

people start talking about things I never heard of, I just keep quiet 

and look them up in the encyclopedia. 

We’ve been studying hard all through the term. Now that the 

exams have started, it’s got worse. I’ve learned fifty-seven French 


 

57

irregular verbs in the past four days – I’m only hoping they’ll stay 



till after examinations.  

The fellows have been telling me that some of the boys sell 

their textbooks when they’re through with them, but I’m going to 

keep mine. Then, after I’ve graduated, I’ll have my whole education 

in the bookcase. It’ll be so much easier than if I try to keep it in my 

head. 


Now, more news coming, if you are still interested. They’ve 

organized a Freshman basketball team and I hope I’ll be good 

enough to take part in it. It’s great fun and then, the doctor says I 

need more exercise. 

That was all good news. Now for bad news. You know what 

happened? I failed mathematics. It wasn’t really my fault, it was just 

bad luck. I’ll be taking another exam next month. I’ll do my best to 

pass, but be ready for the worst and don’t say I didn’t warn you. As 

for me, I’m taking it easy, because I’ve learned such a lot of things 

not mentioned in the catalogue. 

That’s all now. Hoping to hear from you soon, Dan. 

P.S. Speaking of classics, have you read ‘Hamlet’? If you ha-

ven’t, do so at once. It’s perfectly splendid. I’ve been hearing about 

Shakespeare all my life, but I had no idea he really wrote so well. 

 

TASKS 

 

1. Answer the following questions 

1.

 



Where was Dan studying?  

2.

 



Why didn’t he keep his promise to write to his brother as soon 

as he arrived at College? 

3.

 

Why did it take him rather long to get used to College life?  



4.

 

What was the trouble with the college as Dan saw it?  



5.

 

What mistakes did Dan make?  



6.

 

Why did he describe them as ‘awful’?  



7.

 

What lesson did he learn?  



8.

 

Why did Dan want to keep his textbooks after he graduated 



from college?  

9.

 



What sports team was he going to join, and why?  

10.


 

What was the bad news?  

 

58

11.



 

Why wasn’t he upset over his failure in mathematics? 

12.

 

What made Dan change his mind about Shakespeare? 



 

2. Study the following phrases and 1) recall the sentences in 

which they are used in the text, 2) use them in sentences of your own 

 

to get (be) used to smth /smb; at first; to look smb up; to walk (show) 



smb about a place; to be good at smth; on smb’s left/right; to remind 

smb of smth / smb; next to smb / smth; to be behind (in one’s reading); 

to catch up with smb / smth; all over the place; to hear of smb / smth; 

in the Middle Ages; in the past; to look smth up in a dictionary; all 

through the term; to be through with smth /smb; to keep smth in the 

head; at the end (beginning) of smth; to take part in smth; to fail in a 

subject; as for / to me 

 


 

59

W R I T I N G 

 

1. Write letters similar to Dan’s letter on the following topics 

1.

 



Coming to College. 

2.

 



Inviting a member of a family / friend to pay a visit. 

3.

 



Learning lessons. 

4.

 



Good new. 

5.

 



Bad news. 

6.

 



Postcript.  

 

2. Read the letter below and underline the following 

1.

 

The name of the person who wrote the letter. 



2.

 

The address of the person who wrote the letter. 



3.

 

The language used to start and end the letter. 



4.

 

The expression used to introduce the subject. 



 

3. Write on one of the following 

1.

 



Write a letter to a university / college in England requesting 

information about their courses, qualifications, terms and conditions. 

2.

 

Write a letter to an English Language school in England re-



questing information about their summer and exam courses. 

 

11 West Grove



London NW1 

2 April 


 

The University of Cambridge, 

Local Examinations Syndicate, 

1 Hills Road, 

Cambridge CB1 2EU 

 

Dear Sir /Madam, 



I’m writing to you concerning the First Certificate in English examination which 

you offer to students of English. I know that it is an internationally recognized ex-

amination and if I took the exam and passed, it would help me in my work when I 

return to Italy. I am presently working in London and will remain in England for the 

next year. I would like to register for the examination and sit for it this summer, but 

I do not know how to go about this or how to find a school where I could take the 

exam. I wonder if you could advise me? 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Yours Faithfully, 

Nicola Ferrari

 

 

60



4. Topics for essays 

1.

 



The main groups of British universities. 

2.

 



Types of courses at British universities. 

3.

 



Aims of university education. 

4.

 



Universities as the main centers of teaching and research. 

5.

 



The problem of specialisation. 

6.

 



Academic freedom. Causes for the restrictions of university 

autonomy in Britain. 

  


 

61

T R A N S L A T I O N / I N T E R P R E T I N G 



 

1.

 

With your partners role-play an interview with British officials 

concerning British system of education. Use the parts from a British 

Council brochure "WORLD CLASS EDUCATION" as the basis 

 



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