15 Текст для чтения. 9-11 классы

It’s interesting to know:

OXFORD – THE UNIVERSITY TOWN

This university town is very beautiful. The first of its colleges was founded in 1249. The university now has thirty-five colleges and about thir- teen thousand students, many of them from other countries. There were no women at Oxford until 1878, when the first women's college Lady Margaret Hall was opened. Now most colleges are open to men and women. It is not easy to enter at Oxford University as well as to study there. Outside the uni- versity there are many smaller private colleges which offer less difficult courses. Most students in these private schools take business, secretarial or English language courses.

Oxford is famous for its first-class education as well as its beautiful buildings. Some of the most intelligent men and women in the country live and work here. Oxford gives them what they need: a quiet atmosphere, friendly colleagues and the library of four hundred years, which has about five million books. Outside the university there are some lovely gardens, where the students can read and relax in the summer months.

CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge is one of the best known towns in the world, which is famous for its university. The University of Cambridge started during the 13th century and grew steadily, until today there are more than twenty colleges. The oldest one is Peterhouse, which was founded in 1284. And the most recent is Robin- son College, which was opened in 1977. But the most famous is King's Col- lege, because of its magnificent chapel. Its choir of boys and undergraduates is well known all over the world.

To the north of Cambridge is the Cambridge Science Park, the modern face of the University. This park has developed in response to the need for universities to increase their contact with high technology industry. It is now home to more than sixty companies and research institutes. The whole area is very attractively designed, with a lot of space between each building. Every year thousands of students come to Cambridge from overseas to study English.

Names:

Cambridge Science Park – научный парк Кэмбриджа

King's College – Королевский колледж

Lady Margaret Hall – Леди-Маргарет-Холл, колледж леди Маргарет Оксфордского университета. Основан как женский колледж в 1878, назван в честь леди Маргарет Бофорт, матери короля Генриха VII.

Peterhouse [`pitə,haus] – коллежд Питерхаус

Robinson College – коллежд Робинзона

Vocabulary:

chapel – часовня, молельня

choir [kwaiə] – хор, хоровой ансамбль

colleague [`koli:g] – коллега

first-class education – образование высшего качества friendly atmosphere [,ætməsfiə] – дружелюбная атмосфера garden – сад

high technology industry – наукоёмкая промышленность

intelligent [in`telid3ənt] – образованный, умный

in response to smth. – в ответ на что-л.

library of four hundred years – четырёхсотлетняя библиотека

magnificent [mæg`nifis(ə)nt] – великолепный, изумительный, величе- ственный

outside the university – за пределами университета

overseas – за рубежом

secretarial [,sekri`teəriəl] – секретарский

to take course – заниматься, обучаться на курсе

to be famous for smth. – быть знаменитым, известным чем-л. undergraduate [,Λndə`grædjuit] – студент, новичок

Questions for self-examination:

1.   When was the Oxford University found?

2.   What is it famous for?

3.   When did The University of Cambridge start?

4.   What are the oldest and the most famous colleges of it?

Language practice

1.  Practise the dialogue. Mind the proper intonation: Jane: Hi, Mark! Haven’t seen you for ages. How are you? Mark: I’m fine, thanks, what about you?

Jane: I’m fine too. Where do you study? Mark: I study at a Higher Military School. Jane: Really? What year?

Mark: I’m the first-year cadet. Jane: Do you like to study there?

Mark: Yes, I like it very much. We study a lot of interesting subjects, such as tactics, engineering drawing (инженерная графика), radio navigation aids (радионавигационное оборудование) and others.

Jane: Are they all special?

Mark: No, we also have lessons of English, mathematics, ecology and physical training.

Jane: What is your favorite subject? Mark: I don’t know yet. English probably.

Jane: Oh, I like it too. I don't know what I want to be for sure, but I'd like to be a teacher of English. You won't be here for long, will you?

Mark: I'm here on leave until the end of August and then I'll go back. Jane: How many times a year are you on leave?

Mark: Twice, after winter and summer examinations.

2.  Make up your own dialogues, discussing the read texts in pairs. Use the following notes:

–   the similarities and differences of British and American systems of edu- cation;

–   the difference between civil and military education;

–   the pros and cons (за и против) of study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.