Dialogue 1

• Look, Bill! Here is the main building of our University. This is where the Polytechnic Institute started.

• When was that?

• In 1918. Prior to that the building housed the Oriental School, a higher education institution where several oriental languages were taught. Those lions were presented to the school by the Emperior of China.

• When did the Polytechnic Institute become the FESTU?

• It was officially renamed to the Far-Eastern State Technical University in 1993.

• Are there any other buildings beside this one?

• Yes, there are 9 more plus student dormitories.

• Where are they?

• Well, the buildings were acquired one by one and are a little bit scattered across the city. There are two buildings over there. Then there are some in other parts of the city. However, nowadays the development takes place mostly on the top of that hill – around the “B” building. That’s where the new campus is situated.

Dialogue 2

• Katya, can you tell me more about the way the University program works? How many years do you study?

• Unlike the U.S. colleges, most Russian higher education institutions have five-year courses of study. The FESTU is no exception.

• Does the academic year begin in fall or spring?

• It starts in September and ends in June. The academic year is divided into two semesters; after each one the students have exams.

• Do the students have any kind of research projects?

• Yes, they do. Besides they write a thesis during their fifth year.

Exercise 9. Reports and projects.

1. What do you think is the most important problem facing the education system in Russia at the present time? Prepare a report.

2. Find out about the latest innovations in the system of education in Russia. Discuss in the group.

3. How do you explain the fact that university education is more important today than at any other stage in our history? Write a composition.

4. Visit your University museum to find out about:

1. the history of University;

2. the organizational structure of your University;

3. students’ social life.

Report to the group.

5. Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of being a student, then write a short composition stating your reasons.

6. Compare and contrast University and school education (University and school life).

Unit three

Topic: Technical Education

Grammar: Indefinite Tenses

Part I Preliminary Exercises

Exercise 1. Look at these words and try to give their corresponding Russian equivalents:

engineer, machine, system, energy, design, basis, technique, practice, national, professional, program, laboratory, international, temperature, center, journal, million, computer, resource, mathematics, statistics, electrical, electronic, interface, component, printer, graphics, course, consultation, progress, structure, analysis.

Exercise 2. Transcribe and pronounce:

engineering, science, genius, machine, technique, mixture, compound, temperature, prestigious, quality, recent, survey, generous, syllabus, equipment.

Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the underlined words (consult Приложение IV on page 148):

1. Engineering is at once an art, a science and a practical profession.

2. In addition the department owns a large minicomputer system.

3. In addition to lectures there is a regular assignment of problems.

4. The degree in Computer Systems is taught in conjunction with the Department of Electrical Engineering.

5. The syllabus covers both the hardware and software aspects of Computer Science.

6. Apart from lectures, students undertake project in order to carry out independent design of computing system components.

Exercise 4. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the meaning of the words given below:

to provide – обеспечивать, снабжать

provided – при условии, если; обеспеченный

1. The University’s intensive computer resources provided access to supercomputers worldwide.

2. For many years the School provided systematic teaching in this subject.

3. The flexibility provided by this scheme enables students to choose those courses which they wish to follow.

4. An engineer needs the ability to think, to design and to create something provided it fits the purpose.

5. The libraries at the University provide generous resources for research.

6. The students translate difficult articles provided they have dictionaries.

Exercise 5. Translate the sentences paying attention to the Indefinite Tenses:

1. Their machines and systems transformed energy and conveyed information.

2. An engineer will need a basis of knowledge and technique.

3. They mixed scientific and technical studies with creative project work.

4. The University offers a full range of programs to 33,000 students.

5. Its laboratory received international attention.

6. This discovery resulted in the establishment of the Texas Center for Superconductivity.

7. They will use the research for other scientific discoveries.

8. A computerized catalog system links all four University libraries.