HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA

EXAM TOPICS

The United States of America

Geographical position

The United States of America(“Land of opportunity”, “Melting Pot”, “God′s Country”, often called the United States (US) or America, is a country in North America. It is made up of 50 states, a federal district, and five territories. It has great influence over world finance, trade, culture, military, politics, and technology.

The USA is situated in North America between 2 oceans: the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The USA borders on Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. The total area is about 9,363,000 sq. km. which makes it the forth largest state in the world.

The USA consists of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Montana, New York, Washington, etc. Alaska (1,530,700 sq. km.) is America′s largest state. In 1959 Alaska became the 49^th state of the USA. It is called “the land of icebergs and polar bears”.

The population of the USA is 325 million people (2017). The most populated cities are New York (8 million people) and Los Angeles (3,7 million). The USA is often called “a melting pot” //котел, в котором переплавляются нации where economic and social pressures have forced non-speaking immigrants to drop their native tongue and habits. People of different nationalities live and work there: Frenchmen, Italians, Puerto Ricans, Jews, Swedes, Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, etc.

Half the territory of the USA is mountainous with the Appalachian Highland in the east and the Cordilleran Highland (including the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada) in the west. Between them there are vast valleys known as the Great Valley.

America′s largest rivers are the Mississippi (“father of waters”) with its tributary Missouri (6,4000 km), the Rio Grande (a natural boundary between Mexico and the USA), the Ohio, the Columbia and the Colorado (“a river of enormous fury ” – wild, restless and angry).

The USA is famous for its 5 Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and the Michigan. The first four lakes are on the border with Canada and are the largest and deepest in the USA. There are also a lot of small lakes. For example, Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes.

The USA has several climatic regions: from the continental climate in New England to subtropical in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. The weather ranges from the warm, wet conditions of the Appalachian Highland to the desert conditions of the western states.

The USA is rich in mineral resources. It has major deposits of oil and gas in Texas and Alaska, coal in Virginia and Ohio, gold in Alaska and California, silver in Nevada, non-ferrous metals in Arkansas and Colorado.

Political System

The USA is a federal presidential democratic republic. The head of the state is the President. He is elected for a term of four years and can only be reelected for one more term. The term of office of the President begins at noon on January 20. The President must be a natural-born citizen of the USA, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the country for at least 14 years. The President of the state is also the head of the executive power, treaty maker, Commander-in-Chief of the army. He conducts foreign affairs, signs treaties //договора in the name of the USA, appoints diplomats, ambassadors, cabinet members, federal judges. The President can forbid (veto) any bill passed by Congress. The President of the USA is Donald Trump, an American businessman, television personality, and author. Trump was the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election, having won the most state primaries, caucuses, and delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

The Constitution was adopted after the War of Independence by the Constitutional Convention on September17, 1787 in Philadelphia (was a national capital from 1790 to 1800). It consists of the Preamble and 7 articles. 27 amendments //поправки have been added to its original text. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights (1791) the main principles of which are individuals rights and freedoms to all people of the State, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship, freedom of enterprise etc.

The “Father of the Constitution” was a rich plantation owner from Virginia, James Madison who proclaimed that “a private property is the backbone of liberty”.

The legislative branch of the government is the Congress, which has 2 houses: the Senate (that represents the states) and the House of Representatives (that represents the population according to its distribution among states). Powers granted to Congress under the Constitution include the power to levy taxes, borrow money, regulate interstate commerce, declare war, seat members, control the nation′s finances, to hold foreign policy, to change the State Budget, to provide for military forces. The House of Representatives has a special power of its own. Only a member of the House can introduce a bill to raise money, but it must be praised by the Senate before it can become a law.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the head of the judicial branch of the US government. The Supreme Court Building is a beautiful building of white marble in Washington, D.C. The figures over the entrance represent the national ideas of law and liberty – “Equal Justice Under Law”. The US Supreme Court includes a Chief Justice (главный судья) and eight Associate Justices. One of the most important duties of the justices is to decide whether laws passed by the Congress agree with the Constitution. Besides the US Court there are various district courts and courts of appeals (апелляционные суды). These courts handle both civil and criminal cases.

Today the USA has 2 major political parties: the Democratic Party (its emblem is the Democratic donkey) and the Republican Party (its emblem is the Republican elephant). There is very little ideological difference between them. Both parties defend the free-enterprise capitalist system as the basis of American society.

The main religion is Christianity. The official language is English. The monitory unit is dollar ($). Dollars became America′s official currency in 1792. American money comes in bills (paper money) and coins. A slang word for a dollar is “buck”. It’s interesting that whatever the domination is all bills are of the same colour and size. The American dollar is an important currency that is used for trade between countries all over the world; the world price for gold is given in dollars. It is the world’s primary reserve currency. It is the most used currency in the international transactions. With Americans the most common way of making payment is by credit card, the major ones being Visa, American Express, and Master Card. Other ways of completing business transactions or making a purchase is by means of a check book and a banking card. Credit and banking cards are commonly called “plastic money”, or just plastic.

National Symbols

The National Flag of the USA is red, white and blue. The red stripes proclaim courage, the white – liberty, the field of blue stands for loyalty. The 50 stars represent the 50 states. The 13 red and white stripes represent the first 13 colonies. The Flag symbolizes American people, American land, and American way of life. The first American flag was approved by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on June 14, 1777. The US flag is known as “Old Glory”, “The Stars and Stripes”, “Star-Spangled Banner” («Звездное знамя»). Americans enjoy their flag. They sometimes use the stars and stripes as popular designs on shirts, shoes, hats, jeans, but there are laws that prohibit using the flag in appropriate ways. The Stars and Stripes are flown on government offices and public schools, they stand by the president’s desk. The flags hang in every classroom in America, and every day children salute it before the school day begins. On the 4^th of July, Independence Day, the Stars and Stripes can be seen everywhere – on the streets, on the houses and big parades.

The official emblem of the USA is the American eagle. It appears on the Presidential flag and on some coins. The coat of arms of the US represents an eagle with wings outspread, holding a bundle of rods (symbol of administering) in the left claw and an olive twig (the emblem of love and peace) in the right claw. The motto on the coat of arms is “E Pluribus Unum” // Едины в многообразии.

The National Anthem of the USA was written by Francis Scott Key during the war of 1812 between the USA and Great Britain.

The symbol of freedom is the Statue of Liberty. It is a 225-ton steel female figure, 150 ft in height, facing the ocean from Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The right hand holds a torch and the left hand carries a tablet upon which is written: ”July 4, 1776”. The Statue symbolizes the alliance of France and the USA in the American Revolution and their friendship.

Economy and Industry

The USA has one of the strongest economies in the world, with a national market of about 265 million people. It is the world leader in aeronautics, space technology, electronics, computer hardware and software. One-fifth of the world’s cars are produced there (General Motors, Ford, Chrysler all with headquarters in Detroit – automobile city). Many Americans work in the service sector. They also provide services ranging from banking to transportation and tourism. About a quarter of jobs are in construction and manufacturing industries such as chemicals, clothing and textile, and machinery. Less than 4% of working population are in mining, agriculture, fishing, forestry //лесное хозяйство.

The US economy is based on three-enterprise system: private businesses compete against one another with relatively interference from the government.

The USA is rich in natural resources: oil, natural gas, coal. It is a leading producer of copper, gold, silver, aluminum, iron, and lead. The USA grows wheat, corn, and other crops and raises many cows, pigs, and chickens.

International trade is very important for the USA. Major exports include machinery and high technology equipment, chemicals, cars, aircraft, and grains. Major imports include machinery and telecommunications equipment, oil, cars, metals, and chemicals.

Financial markets are big business for the USA. Over 90 million shares are bought and sold on the New York Stock Exchange every day.

The most important cities in the USA are the following: New York is the largest city and seaport in the USA. It’s a city of skyscrapers and business center of the shipbuilding, machine building, aircraft, electronics, chemical, light and food industries. About 5 hundred transatlantic airplanes come to and leave New York every day.

Chicago is a center of industry for the middle of the country. Chicago is a Great Central Market of the USA; it is an important center of heavy industry, the rail-road, meat-packing and grain center of the nation.

Chicago is an industrial center of Illinois. Illinois leads all other states in the manufacture of farm machinery, electronic parts, diesel engines, railroad cars and food products. It’s a leading steel producing state and is the fourth in coal production.

World War made the city a center of aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding. Other important industries today are food processing, chemical products, metal goods, machinery and aerospace production. The Boeing Company is the largest employer in the area. The Boeing heavy bomber airplane became a symbol of Seattle.

Engineering occupies the leading position in the USA economy. Automobile industry with the main center of Detroit, aviation and rocket industries in San Diego, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Baltimore, shipbuilding industry in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles contribute a great deal to the development of industry of means of transport and communication.

The agricultural regions are the prairies and the Midwest part of the USA where wheat, maize and other crops grown. Cotton is grown in the Mississippi valley. Virginia and Maryland are well known for their tobacco plantations. Rice is grown in the south of the Gulf of Mexico. Cattle-farming is developed in the prairies, sheep-farming is developed in the western region of the country.

The Midwest is often called the Corn Belt. Farming is the Midwest leading industry. Corn is the pioneer American crop. The Indians taught the early settlers how to grow it. As the pioneers began to move westward, corn moved with them. In the Midwest these pioneers found an ideal climate for growing corn.

California is now the country’s most important cotton-producing state. Only Texas grows more cotton.

Big Cities of the USA

The United States today is a nation of urban dwellers. About 80% of the population lives in cities. There are many big cities and towns in the USA. New York, San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles are the biggest.

The largest and the most famous city is New York (population 7,868,000). It is the gateway to the USA. It is also a window through which the life of the whole nation may be observed. It is also called the Big Apple or the city that never sleeps, because it is never quite and many people either work or go out to enjoy themselves at night. The first view to the city can never be forgotten. It is represented by Liberty Island with the bronze Statue of Liberty (a symbol of American Independence), presented to the USA by France in 1876. The statue is about 50 meters high and stands on a pedestal of almost the same height. Its torch towers about 200 feet (60 meters) above the harbour and can be seen at night for many miles. New York is a national leader in business, finance, manufacturing, communications, service industries, fashion and arts. “Money-making” is the main law of life in New York. New York is a city of contrasts. The richest people in the USA work and live there, earning millions of dollars. And at the same time the poorest people inhabit a part of New York called Harlem. New York consists of 5 boroughs//районы: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond. Brooklyn is the largest in population (3,000,000). It is even called “bedroom of New York”.

The heart of the city is Manhattan, a rocky island. It is the center of American finance, advertising, art, theater, publishing, fashion – and much more. Perhaps nowhere are New York′s extreme contrasts more obvious than in the Times Square area, around 42^nd Street and Broadway. Many big plays and musicals open there. Beneath the bright neon signs of Times Square, you will find the most elegant theaters some of its sleaziest “adult” shows and shops.

Chicago is the third-largest city in the USA and one of the busiest airport, country′s leading industrial, commercial, financial and transport centers. It has the world’s Chicago-O’Hare International Airport. It is also the most important rail and haulage center and a significant port handling both domestic and international trade. The city is first in the nation in manufacturing of machinery and electronic parts. It is often called the “Great Market of the USA”. Chicago is the railroad and grain center of the nation. It is also called “Cross-Roads of the Continent”. It is served by 19 trunk lines and handles 50,000 freight cars daily. More airlines converge//сходятся on Chicago than any other city of the USA. Lakes freighters and river barges deliver bulk //насыпной или наливной груз commodities such as iron, ore, limestone, coal, chemicals, oil, and grain.

Chicago is a major center of higher education with numerous colleges and universities. It is a leader in nuclear research.

The world’s first skyscraper was constructed in Chicago in 1885. The central part of the city has one of the tallest building – the Sears Tower at 110 storeys high.

Philadelphia (often called “Philly”) is the 4^th largest city in the USA (1,5million people). For 10 years Philadelphia was the 1^st national capital of the USA (1800). That city was the place of the First and Second Continental Congresses, and the Constitution of the USA was also adopted here on June 4, 1776.

Philadelphia is known as an important industrial and financial center, it is also an important international port on the Delaware River. The leading industries are shipbuilding, printing, publishing, textile, machinery. The city is also famous for its ice-cream, pepper-pot soup and a sausage-like product called scrapples //кушанье из свинины с кукурузной крупой.

Washington, D.C. is one of the few capitals in the world that was specially built to house the American national government. The terms Washington and the District of Columbia are practically synonymous. Washington was named after the first US President – George Washington. It is not the largest city in the USA. Its population is about 900 thousand people, but it is the largest “one-industry” city in the world. That industry is government. The city’s main product is law and government decisions. The center of the city is the Capitol Building which dominates all Washington. It is the place where the US Congress meets to discuss the nation’s affairs, place where the inaugurations of the President and Vice-President are held. On the dome of the Capitol there is a bronze Statue of Freedom which symbolizes the main idea of the US Сonstitution that free people may govern themselves. Pennsylvania Avenue joins the Capitol and The White House which is the President′s Residence. It has 107 rooms and 31 bathrooms. All American presidents have lived there except George Washington as the White House was not yet built at that time after damage by fire in 1814.

Washington is a wonderful city. You can hardly find a park, a square or an open area in it without a monument or memorial. The most impressive are the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument looks like a big pencil. Its height is 160 meters and it is hollow inside. A special lift brings visitors to the top in 70 seconds and from it they can enjoy a beautiful view of the whole city. The Lincoln Memorial is built in the style of a Classic Greek Temple. It has 36 columns that show the number of states in the Union in Lincoln′s time. Inside the Memorial there is a large white marble statue of the 16^th President of the USA who was loved by supporters and hated by enemies who killed him in 1865.

Washington is a city of museums, art galleries, theatres. It is an important scientific center. There are 5 universities there, National Academy of Science, the famous Library of Congress, one of the largest in the world. George Washington University, Howard University are the most popular.

There are no skyscrapers in Washington, because they would hide the city′s numerous monuments from view. Besides, no building in the city may be no more than 40 meters tall, i.e., It cannot be higher than the White House.

Los Angeles

The city was founded in 1781 by Spanish colonists who came to the west coast of America from Mexico. The village built by them was called “The Town of Our Lady, The Queen of Angeles”. It is a city of many beaches, with surfers, volleyball players, and people getting tan. It is also the center of the movie industry home to many movie stars. LA has money and glamour; the Beverly Hills neighborhood, for example, is famous for its mansions and high-priced shops. LA is a city of fads//прихоть, фантазия and trends. Clubs, restaurants, shops, and styles have been known to appear and disappear overnight. LA is not only a center for entertainment and tourism, but also for manufacturing, business and finance, aerospace, oil, and trade.

LA faces some serious problems. With so much traffic. LA has the dirtiest air in the USA; too often sunshine is hidden by smog. Crime and violence are also major problems. Police say there are at least 500 gangs in LA. Violence among gang members has grown with the spread of drugs and drug money. Experts emphasize that the problems must be solved if LA is to maintain the Southern California lifestyle for which it’s famous.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a center of gambling in America. For this reason, some say the name Las Vegas comes from a mispronunciation of the phrase “lost wages”. In reality, “Las Vegas” is Spanish for “meadows”. Early settlers were impressed by the fact that Las Vegas was an oasis of green grass in the middle of the desert.

Today Las Vegas is still an oasis – not of grass, but of neon lights. Its hotels and gambling casinos, shows use so much neon that Las Vegas has been nicknamed the City of Lights. In fact, all the entertainments of Las Vegas are open 24 hours a day. Las Vegas is like an “adult Disneyland”, a fantasy oasis in the Nevada desert.

Detroit

Detroit is the world’s car manufacturing center, giving Detroit its nickname the Motor City. It is also one of the nation’s leading industrial centers. Detroit produces steel, metal products, machine tools, chemicals, office machines, and pharmaceuticals. The metropolitan area contains the international headquarters of such major motor-vehicle firms as General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler Corporation. The first motor car factories were founded in Detroit in 1899 and 1903 by Ransom Olds and Henry Ford.

San Francisco

The city is surrounded on three sides by water. It is famous for its bridges, fog, and foghorns. San Francisco has 40 hills. It is famous for its cable cars, which climb these hills, and for its steep and narrow streets. San Francisco is a wonderful city to explore on foot. San Francisco also has a reputation as an intellectual, liberal, and slightly crazy city – a city where new and different ideas can be explored. Don’t leave San Francisco without seeing the symbol of the city – the Golden Gate Bridge – a beautiful orange suspension bridge. The city has the largest Chinese neighborhood – Chinatown, a genuinely ethnic area

Hollywood. An area of the city of Los Angeles famous primarily for its association with the film industry, Hollywood was originally a small independent agricultural community. It merged with Los Angeles in 1910 in order to obtain an adequate water supply. At approximately the same time, the film industry began to locate in the region, seeking to take advantage of natural sunlight that allowed year-round filming and a diverse southern California landscape that provided cheap scenery. In 1914, the director Cecil B. DeMille decided to locate his studio in Hollywood permanently, and other companies followed. By the 1920s, Hollywood had beaten out rivals such as Culver City and Burbank as the place most associated with the film industry, although in fact movie lots were scattered throughout the Los Angeles area. The growing power and romance of film made Hollywood a cultural icon and a major tourist attraction. In the 1950s and 1960s, Hollywood also began to attract television studios and record companies. While still home to many entertainment-related companies and remaining a popular destination for starstruck visitors, the area's actual role in film production began to lag in the 1970s. Soaring production and living costs in Los Angeles led many companies to seek opportunities elsewhere, and Hollywood itself struggled with problems associated with urban blight.

Hollywood is a district in Los Angelis, California, the United States of America. Hollywood is known as a center in the cinema industry. A great number of movie studios are situated here as well as many movie stars have their houses in Hollywood. The Academy Awards are annually held in Hollywood in late February or early March. The main sightseeing of Hollywood is Hollywood Walk of Fame. It consists of more than 2400 five-pointed stars on the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard. The stars are permanent public monuments for achievements in the entertainment industry. The stars have the names of actors, musicians, directors, producers, musical groups and even fictional characters. Hollywood is a very popular tourist destination.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA

The first American college was Harvard, which was founded in 1636 by the graduates of Cambridge University. Later, in 1693, the college of William and Mary was founded in Williamsburg, Virginia, with Yale soon following in 1701. By 1776, there were 9 colleges in the colonies, including Princeton, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Brown, Rutgers. Today these universities are among the most respectful not only in the USA but all over the world. They are very selective and very expensive. The most outstanding of them are called the Ivy League (группа старейших университетов): Brown, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Darmouth College, Princeton and Pennsylvania.

American higher education always presupposes that a student has undertaken 12 previous years of study. About 40% of high school graduates go to college. Students pay tuition to study at state and private universities. Some of them have scholarships to help with the cost of tuition. Even with scholarship, higher education is very expensive; many families take out loans to pay for their children’s college education.

The USA now has about 3,350 accredited colleges and universities. They offer a great variety of requirements for admission and so many different types of programs that foreign visitors usually have some difficulty identifying American colleges and universities with those of their own countries.

College-bound students generally take college admission tests during their last two years of high school.

The terms “college” and “university” are often used interchangeably, although the former often is a part of the latter.

An American college offers a blend of natural and social sciences and humanistic studies. Students, traditionally from 18 to 22 years old, attend classes for about 4 years to receive, if they successfully complete all requirements, a bachelor’s degree in arts or in sciences. A university is usually composed of an undergraduate college of arts and sciences, plus graduate schools and professional schools and facilities.

A student can accumulate credits at one university, transfer them to a second and ultimately receive a degree from there or a third university.

American universities and colleges are usually built as a separate complex, called “campus”, with teaching blocks, libraries, dormitories, and many other facilities grouped together on one site, often on the outskirts of the city.

A student starting high school is called a freshman and becomes a sophomore in the second year. Eleven-grade students are called juniors, and twelfth-grade students are seniors. There are eight classes a day, usually from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The academic year begins in late August or early September and ends in May or June, for most colleges and universities. The semester system divides the academic year into two equal terms of approximately 16 weeks each. Usually there is also a fourth “summer quarter” for students who choose summer school and earn units which may help them to complete their degree work in a shorter length of time than normally is required.

At the end of term students get a grade of A/A- (outstanding/ extremely good work), B+/ B/ B- (very good work/ good work/ a bit better than average), C+/ C/ C- (better than average/ satisfactory/ almost satisfactory), D+/ D (not good/ barely passing), or F (fail) for each subject. As they finish each class, students get a credit. When they have enough of these, they can graduate.

Most colleges and universities in the United States have established “honor codes” «кодекс чести» – statements of certain rules students must follow in their academic year. Ignorance of the rules is not usually accepted as an excuse. You may be expelled from your school. There is a US idiom that applies here: “It is better to be safe than sorry”.

Cheating is a failure of honesty. In the USA cheating means getting unauthorized help on an assignment, quiz or examination. You must not use unauthorized sources for answers during exam. You must not take notes or books to the exam if this is forbidden.

Plagiarism is a failure to do your own original work in written assignments (письменные задания). Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas as though they were own. It is literary “theft”. If you commit any act of dishonesty even for the first time:

▪You will certainly receive an “F” (failing grade) for the assignment;

▪You will probably receive an “F” for the entire course;

▪You may be expelled from the school.

Methods of instruction: Lecture is the most common method of instruction at U.S. colleges and universities. Usually lectures are supplemented by an extra “discussion” class, reading assignments and periodic written assignments. Class discussion is regarded as a healthy sign of interest, attention and independent thinking. Seminars where students prepare presentations based on independent reading and research. Laboratories, esp. for science courses where theory learned in the classroom is applied to practical problems. Term papers are based on researches students have done in the library or the lab. The professor usually assigns a term paper early in the course and near the end of the course. All papers must be typewritten.

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Many students, upon finishing high school, choose to continue their education. The system of higher education includes 4 categories of institutions.

The community college, which is financed by the local community in different professions. Tuition fees are low in these colleges, that's why about 40 per cent of all American students of higher education study at these colleges. On graduation from such colleges American students get "associate degree" and can start to work or may transfer to 4-year colleges or universities (usually to the 3rd year).

The technical training institution, at which high school graduates may take courses ranging from six months to three-four years, and learn different technical skills, which may include design business, computer programming, accounting, etc. The best-known of them are: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Technological Institute in California.

The four-year college, which is not a part of a university. The graduates receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS). There are also small Art Colleges, which grant degrees in specialized fields such as ballet, film-making and even circus performance. There are also Pedagogical Colleges.

The university, which may contain: several colleges for students who want to receive a bachelor's degree after four years of study; one or more graduate schools for those who want to continue their studies after college for about two years to receive a master's degree and then a doctor's degree. There are 156 universities in the USA. Any of these institutions of higher education may be either public or private. The public institutions are financed by state. Most of the students, about 80 per cent, study at public institutions of higher education, because tuition fees here are much lower. Some of the best-known private universities are Harvard, Yale and Princeton. It is not easy to enter a college at a leading university in the United States. Successful applicants at colleges of higher education are usually chosen on the basis of: their high-school records which include their class rank, the list of all the courses taken and all the grades received in high school, test results; recommendation from their high-school teachers; the impression they make during interviews at the university, which is in fact a serious examination;
scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests. The academic year is usually nine months, divided into two terms. Studies usually begin in September and end in July. Each college or university has its own curriculum. During one term a student must study 4 or 5 different courses. There are courses that every student has to take in order to receive a degree. These courses or subjects are called major subjects or "majors".

At the same time there are subjects which the student may choose himself for his future life. These courses are called 'electives". A student has to earn a certain number of "credits" (about 120) in order to receive a degree at the end of four years of college. Credits are earned by attending lectures or laboratory classes and completing assignments and examinations. Students who study at a university or four-year college are known as undergraduates. Those who have received a degree after 4 years of studies are known as graduates. They may take graduate program for another 2 years in order to get a master's degree. Further studies are postgraduate which result in a doctor's degree.

Overview

A central feature of the U.S. economy is the economic freedom afforded to the private sector by allowing the private sector to make the majority of economic decisions in determining the direction and scale of what the U.S. economy produces. This is enhanced by relatively low levels of regulation and government involvement, as well as a court system that generally protects property rights and enforces (приводить в исполнение) contracts. Today, the United States is home to 29.6 million small businesses, 30% of the world's millionaires, 40% of the world's billionaires, as well as 139 of the world's 500 largest companies.

From its emergence as an independent nation, the United States has encouraged science and innovation. As a result, the United States has been the birthplace of Great Inventions, including items such as the airplane, internet, microchip, laser лазер, cellphone сотовый телефон, refrigerator, email, microwave, Personal Computer, LCD (Liquid Cristal Display) and LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology, air conditioning, supermarket, bar code штрих-код на продукции, electric motor, and many more.

The United States is rich in mineral resources and fertile farm soil, and it is fortunate to have a moderate climate. It also has extensive coastlines on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as on the Gulf залив of Mexico. Rivers flow from far within the continent and the Great Lakes – five large, inland lakes along the U.S. border with Canada provide additional shipping access. These extensive waterways have helped shape the country's economic growth over the years and helped bind America's 50 individual states together in a single economic unit.

The number of workers and, more importantly, their productivity help to determine the health of the U.S. economy. Throughout its history, the United States has experienced steady growth in the labor force, a phenomenon that is both cause and effect of almost constant economic expansion. Until shortly after World War I, most workers were immigrants from Europe, their immediate descendants потомки, or African Americans who were mostly slaves taken from Africa, or slave descendants.

Labor mobility has also been important to the capacity of the American economy to adapt to changing conditions. When immigrants flooded labor markets on the East Coast, many workers moved inland, often to farmland waiting to be tilled обрабатывать землю. Similarly, economic opportunities in industrial, northern cities attracted black Americans from southern farms in the first half of the 20th century, in what was known as the Great Migration.

In the United States, the corporation has emerged as an association of owners, known as stockholders, who form a business enterprise governed by a complex set of rules and customs. Brought on by the process of mass production, corporations, such as General Electric, have been instrumental in shaping the United States. Through the stock market, American banks and investors have grown their economy by investing and withdrawing capital from profitable corporations. Today in the era of globalization, American investors and corporations have influence all over the world. The American government is also included among the major investors in the American economy. Government investments have been directed towards public works, military-industrial contracts, and the financial industry.

Employment

There are approximately 154.4 million employed individuals in the US. Government is the largest employment sector with 22 million. Small businesses are the largest employer in the country representing 53% of US workers. The second largest share of employment belongs to large businesses that employ 38% of the US workforce.

The private sector employs 91% of Americans. Government accounts for 8% of all US workers. Over 99% of all employing organizations in the US are small businesses. The 30 million small businesses in the U.S. account for 64% of newly created jobs (those created minus those lost). Jobs in small businesses accounted for 70% of those created in the last decade.

Amongst large businesses, several of the largest companies and employers in the world are American companies. Amongst them are Walmart, the largest company and the largest private sector employer in the world, which employs 2.1 million people world-wide and 1.4 million in the US alone.

International trade

Тhe United States is the world's largest trading nation. There is a high amount of U.S. dollars in circulation all around the planet. The dollar is also used as the standard unit of currency in international markets for commodities such as gold and petroleum.

The United States had a $168 billion surplus on trade in services, and $803 billion deficit on trade in goods in 2010. China has expanded its foreign exchange reserves, which included $1.6 trillion of U.S. securities as of 2009. In 2010, the ten largest trading partners of the U.S. were Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Taiwan, and Brazil.

Currency and central bank

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is the currency most used in international transactions. Several countries use it as their official currency, and in many others it is the de facto на деле, фактически currency.

The federal government attempts to use both monetary policy (control of the money supply through mechanisms such as changes in interest rates) and fiscal policy (taxes and spending) to maintain low inflation, high economic growth, and low unemployment. A private central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, was formed in 1913 to supposedly provide a stable currency and monetary policy. The U.S. dollar has been regarded as one of the more stable currencies in the world and many nations back their own currency with U.S. dollar reserves.

The U.S. dollar has maintained its position as the world's primary reserve currency, although it is gradually being challenged in that role. Almost two-thirds of currency reserves held around the world are held in US dollars, compared to around 25% for the next most popular currency, the Euro. Rising US national debt and quantitative easing has caused some to predict that the US Dollar will lose its status as the world's reserve currency, however these predictions have not come to fruition.

PRACTICE

Religion

Everyone in Britain has the right to religious freedom. Britain is predominantly Christian. British people are members of the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church (the Church of England), which is the church legally recognized as the official church of the State.

Kensington Palace is a place where many relatives of the Queen live: her eldest son Prince Charles with his family, her sister Princess Margaret and some other relatives. Kensington Palace was the birthplace of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) who ruled for 64 years – from 1837 to 1901. At that time Britain was the richest and most powerful country in Europe.

Hyde Park - it is the largest and the most fashionable park with restaurants and bars that once was a royal hunting forest; it includes a boating lake called the Serpentine, whose area of 41 acres is used to swim in and to quietly row on in summer. Another attraction of Hyde Park is the horse-riding lane known as Rotten Row (аллея для верхней езды в Гайд-Парке). The large green expanse (простор) of Kensington Gardens with its many trees and flowers, its gracious Round Pond and the lovely statue of Peter Pan (герой одноименной пьесы Дж.Барри о мальчике, кот. не становился взрослым) also constitutes a most attractive spectacle. Harrods is the famous department store in Knightsbridge, London's luxury shopping area. It is the king of London’s department stores with its 300 departments and staff of about 4,000. Clothes are particularly strong, with the emphasis firmly on very high fashion, with many talented British, European and American names represented.

Doable-Decker buses - buses with two levels; in London they are red and have become a symbol of the city. There are more than 17,000 bus stops all over London. You can board at two types of bus stops: compulsory where buses will automatically stop, unless they are full and request (to stop a bus you must put your hand clearly so that the driver can stop the bus safely). To stop the bus, press the bell located by the door or near the stairs, just once. The driver or conductor will tell you the fare for your destination.

Heathrow Airport

There are 4 airports in London, Heathrow, London City Airport, Biggin Hill, and Northolt. Of these, Heathrow is the city’s principle airport and is also a major international hub. It is currently the busiest international terminal in the world, and a fifth terminal is being built on the site, with a sixth being planned. In 2003 Heathrow was the busiest airport of Europe in terms of total passenger traffic, handling 53.8m passengers.

Scotland Yard is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police (столичная полиция) in London. It is situated on the Thames close to the Houses of Parliament and the familiar clock Big Ben. One of the most interesting places in Scotland Yard is the Map Room. Here is the General Crime Map, the Deaths by Violence Map, The Accidents Map. An interesting branch of Scotland Yard is the branch of Police Dogs, first used as an experiment in 1938. Now these dogs are an important part of the Force (отделение полиции). One dog can search a warehouse in ten minutes, whereas the same search would take 6 men an hour.

London’s Zoo is the world’s first scientific zoo. Today it houses a collection of more than 650 different species of animals. As well as being the first scientific zoo, London Zoo also opened the first Reptile House (1849), first public Aquarium (1853), first insect house (1881) and the first Children’s Zoo (1938). Many films and television programmes have been filmed at London Zoo including the famous reptile house scene from Harry Porter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The London Eye. You can see up to 25 miles in each direction with views over some of the world's most famous sights, including St. Paul's, the Palace of Westminster and Windsor Castle. The ride lasts about 25 minutes

Duchess, Kate Middleton and Prince William

Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh Wax Statues in Madame Tussauds London

Madam Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, New York City and Shanghai. It was set up by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud, who established her first permanent exhibition on Baker Street in London in 1835 before moving to its current location on Marylebone Road in 1884. Madame Tussaud, she of the French Revolution who, in 1802, brought her collection of waxworks over from Paris and the fascination with wax dummies (макеты) has continued ever since.The collection is regularly updated, with new pop stars, politicians and those in the limelight getting the full make over.

HOLIDAYS

New Year's Day is a public holiday in the United Kingdom on January 1 each year. It marks the start of the New Year in the Gregorian calendar. For many people have a quiet day on January 1, which marks the end of the Christmas break before they return to work. However, there are some special customs, particularly in Scotland.

At midnight, as the New Year begins, the chimes of Big Ben are broadcast to mark the start of the New Year.

On New Year's Eve (December 31), just before midnight, many people turn on a television to show pictures of one of the four clocks on the Clock Tower on the Palace of Westminster, or Houses of Parliament, in London counting down the last minutes of the old year. At midnight, as the New Year begins, the chimes of Big Ben, the bell inside the Clock Tower, are broadcast to mark the start of the New Year. Champagne or other sparkling wines are often served at this point.

Many people hold parties at home or go out to pubs or night clubs. These parties often continue into the early hours of the morning. Hence, for many people, New Year's Day is time for recovering from the excesses of the night before. For others, it is the last day of the Christmas holiday before they return to work. Some take the opportunity to carry out home improvements or to go for a walk in the country. In many places around the United Kingdom's coast, groups of people dress up in fancy costumes and run into the cold sea.

Many people make New Year's resolutions. These are promises to themselves that they will lead a better life in some way in the coming year. Common New Year's resolutions include stopping smoking, losing weight, eating more healthily, getting more exercise or spending less money. Some types of resolution that would lead to a healthier lifestyle are supported by government advertising campaigns.

In some areas, there are a number of customs associated with New Year's Day. In Scotland many people sing the song 'Auld Lang Syne' at midnight as New Year's Day begins. In Scotland and northern England, it is customary to go first footing. This is the first person to enter a house on January 1. There are many traditions and superstitions associated with first footing. A male first-footer brings good luck, but a female bad luck. In different areas there are different traditions about whether the first footer should have fair or dark hair, whether the person should bring coal, salt or other things and what food or drink that person should be served after arrival.

New Year's Day is a bank holiday. If January 1 is a Saturday or Sunday, the bank holiday falls on Monday, January 2 or 3. Nearly all schools, large businesses and organizations are closed. In some areas stores may be open, although this varies a lot. Public transport systems do not usually run on their normal timetables. In general, public life shuts down completely on New Year's Day.

The New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations in Scotland are known as Hogmanay and may last into January 2, an annual bank holiday. This holiday is marked with parties, specially prepared foods and the custom of first footing.

January 2 is a public holiday when families spend time together in Scotland.

Hogmanay celebrations generally begin in the afternoon or evening of New Year's Eve and continue into early hours of the New Year's Day morning. Some family gatherings or private celebrations organized by groups of friends may continue through to January 2.

In some areas, the custom of first footing continues on January 2. First footing refers to when someone is the first person to enter a house on January 1. For many people in Scotland, January 2 is a day to recover from the Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations or to spend some quiet time with friends or family members before returning to work on January 3.

January 2 is not a bank or public holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, January 1 and 2 are bank holidays in Scotland. Banks and post offices are closed. There may be limited public transport services or none at all. Some stores and businesses may be closed.

The Hogmanay celebration origins can be traced to pre-Christian observances in mid-winter. These included large fires to tempt the sun back to earth, as well as feasts of the food gathered and harvested in the autumn. Hogmanay was traditionally a more important celebration than Christmas in Scotland but the importance of Christmas recently increased.

Fires are burnt during Hogmanay. This is a tradition from the pre-Christian winter celebrations. In Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, fire balls are made of tar, paper and wire attached to a chain or non-flammable rope. The balls are lit and swung around people's heads in a procession. At the end of the evening, burning balls are thrown into the harbor. In Burghead, Moray, the clavie (a barrel filled with of tar and old casks) is burnt on January 11, the old Hogmanay date.

Popular Hogmanay dishes include: steak pie; lamb or beef stew; shortbread and cheese; Scotch pancakes (small, thick pancakes cooked on a griddle) with butter or smoked salmon; rumbledethumps (boiled potatoes and swedes or turnips mashed with stir fried cabbage and oven-baked); and seven-cup pudding (steamed pudding with dried fruit and spices). Whiskey is a popular drink.

People traditionally ate black bun on Twelfth Night (January 6) but it is now eaten on the last day of Hogmanay. Black bun consists of a pastry case filled with nuts, spices and dried fruit soaked in brandy. It is often made a few weeks ahead to allow the flavors to mature.

Simnel Cakes

Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday, is now a day to honor mothers and other mother figures, such as grandmothers, stepmothers and mother-in-laws.

An important part of Mothering Sunday is giving cards and gifts. Common Mother's Day gifts are cakes, flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and luxurious clothing.

Mothering Sunday is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. Public transport services run to their usual Sunday timetables. Cafes, restaurants and hotels may be fully booked a long time ahead, as many people treat their mother to a special meal on Mothering Sunday. Those wishing to eat in a restaurant on Mother's Day may need to reserve a table in advance.

Traditionally, people observed a fast during Lent. Lent is the period from Ash Wednesday until Good Friday. During the Lent fast, people did not eat from sweet, rich foods or meat. However, the fast was lifted slightly on Mothering Sunday and many people prepared a Simnel cake to eat with their family on this day.

A Simnel cake is a light fruit cake covered with a layer of marzipan and with a layer of marzipan baked into the middle of the cake. Traditionally, Simnel cakes are decorated with 11 or 12 balls of marzipan, representing the 11 disciples and, sometimes, Jesus Christ. One legend says that the cake was named after Lambert Simnel who worked in the kitchens of Henry VII of England sometime around the year 1500.

Halloween in United Kingdom

Halloween is a holiday annually celebrated on October 31. Some people hold Halloween parties on or around this date, where the hosts and guests often dress up as skeletons, ghosts or other scary figures. Common symbols of Halloween include pumpkins, bats and spiders.

Witches' hats and carved pumpkins symbolize Halloween. ©iStockphoto.com/Nikolay Suslov

Halloween celebrations in the United Kingdom include parties where guests are often expected to arrive in a costume to reflect the day's theme. Other people gather together to watch horror films, either at home or at a cinema.

Some children go trick-or-treating. This means that they dress up and go to other peoples' houses, knocking on the door for treat of sweets or a snack. Those who do not give out a treat may be tricked with a joke instead.

Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Many stores and businesses see Halloween as a chance to promote products with a Halloween theme.

Halloween is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. Schools, businesses, stores and other organizations are open as usual. Public transport services run on their normal timetables.

Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals held around the end of October in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. People believed that, at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come 'alive' and walk among the living. They thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits. This may be the origin of the Halloween costumes seen today. In Puritan times, Halloween celebrations were outlawed, but they were revived in later times.

There are various symbols are associated with Halloween. The colors orange and black are very common. Other symbols include pumpkin lanterns, witches, wizards, ghosts, spirits and characters from horror films. Animals associated with the festival include bats, spiders and black cats.

UK education system

School and AS/A Level

It is compulsory for every child in the UK to receive full-time education at school between the ages of 5 and 16. After reaching 16, students can choose to continue their secondary education for a further two years, during which they usually study A-levels. It is common for students to study three or four A-levels that will be relevant to their chosen subject area at university. A-levels are necessary for all British students who want to study in higher education institutions.

British culture

Humour and understatement

Humour is the cornerstone of the British society. It is used in numerous ways: to establish a positive atmosphere, to create a sense of togetherness, to bridge differences, to introduce risky ideas, to criticize, to show appreciation or contempt of a person. British people joke about everything including the queen, politicians, religion, themselves and you! You'd better get used to that. Humour is often combined with understatement (сдержанное высказывание). Depending on the tone "Not bad" can actually mean "very good" and "not bad at all" might be the highest praise you ever get from a Brit.

Indirect communication

In contrast to for instance Americans, Germans and Dutch, British people have a quite indirect communication style. They will not usually "tell you just the way it is to get things in the open." You will have to read between the lines to understand what they really mean. This can be very frustrating if you come from a culture, which has the motto "if you don't like it/me, why don't you just say so". Like the Japanese and the Chinese culture, the British culture is a high context culture. Words are not enough, you have to know the background and context to understand the message and interpret tone, expression and non-verbal behaviour.

Informality

In spite of the fact that Britain is still well known for its class society, relationships in the workplace and in an educational setting are very informal. Most people call their boss and other colleagues by their first names and tutors usually expect students to address them by their first names as well. In general, tutors, are very approachable (доступный) and will often join you for a coffee in the break. Style of dress depends more on personal preference than on position or rank: don't be surprised to find lecturers in jeans or sweaters.

"No complaints" & patient

Unlike the Dutch, who are professional naggers (придиры), British people are not very likely to complain. They will swallow bad service or bad food at a restaurant, because they don't want to make a scene. They might therefore become very nervous if you try to voice your dissatisfaction. Criticism should also preferably be voiced in an indirect way. Otherwise it will only make your British counterpart very hostile (враждебный) and defensive (оборонительный) and your criticism is unlikely to have any effect. The Brits are usually very patient and will queue (становиться в очередь) for everything. It is best to imitate this behaviour. If you try to rush in or hurry someone, you will have to wait even longer.

Friendly

Although the British are generally seen as being reserved, you will find that in the North of England, people are usually quite friendly. They will appreciate it if you make a chat about the weather or take an interest in local affairs. Especially as a man, you might have to get used to the fact that many (older) people address you as "Love". Don't worry, they don't have amorous (любовный) intentions.

Polite & "quiet"

British are very polite. In a restaurant, you will have to say thank you when you get the menu, thank you when you place the order, thank you when get your dishes, thank you when the waiter takes away the plates and even thank you when you pay! You'll have to say "excuse me" if you want to pass someone and "I'm sorry" if you accidentally touch someone. British people even say sorry if you stand on their toes! They are also very "quiet" and keep to themselves. This can be hard if you want to make friends with them. It is a boon (выгода), however, if you are out with your own group or don't like noisy people.

Vladimir Dal


Dal's portrait by Vasily Perov
Born	November 10, 1801 Luhansk, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	Moscow, Russian Empire September 22, 1872(1872-09-22) (aged 70)
Fields	Lexicography
Known for	Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language

Vladimir Ivanovich Dal (alternatively transliterated as Dal; November 10, 1801 – September 22, 1872) was one of the greatest Russian language lexicographers. He was a founding member of the Russian Geographical Society. He knew at least six languages including Turkic and is considered to be one of the early Turkologists. During his lifetime he compiled and documented the oral history of the region that was later published in Russian and became part of modern folklore.

Early life

His father was a Danish physician named Johan Christian von Dal (1764 – October 21, 1821). He was a linguist versed (well-informed) in German, English, French, Russian, Yiddish, Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages. His mother, Maria Freitag, was of German and French descent (происхождение). She spoke at least five languages and came from a family of scholars (ученый).

The future lexicographer was born in the town of Lugansky Zavod, in Novorossiya under the jurisdiction of Yekaterinoslav Governorate, part of Russian Empire, which is now Luhansk, Ukraine.

Dahl's house and museum in Luhansk, Ukraine.

Novorossiya was part of Russian colonization, where Russian was imposed as a common language in cities, but the Ukrainian remained prevalent (распространенный) in smaller towns, villages, and rural areas outside the immediate control of colonization. On the outskirts, the ethnic composition varied and included such nationalities as Ukrainians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Armenians, Tatars, and many others. Dal grew up under the influence of this various ethnic mixture of people and cultures.

Dal served in the Russian Navy (военно-морской флот) from 1814 to 1826, graduating from the St Petersburg Naval Cadet School in 1819. In 1826, he began studying medicine at Dorpat University and took part as a military doctor in the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829) and the campaign against Poland in 1831–1832. Following disagreement with his superiors (начальники), he resigned (подать в отставку) from the Military Hospital in St. Petersburg and took an administrative position with the Ministry of the Interior (внутренние дела) in Orenburg Governorate (губерния), serving in similar positions in St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod before his retirement in 1859.

Dal was interested in language and folklore from his early years. He started traveling by foot through the countryside, collecting sayings and fairy tales in various Slavic languages from the region. He published his first collection of fairy-tales in 1832 in Russian language. Some others, yet unpublished, were put in verse (в стихах) by his friend Alexander Pushkin, and have become some of the most familiar texts in the Russian language. After Pushkin's fatal duel, Dahl was summoned (позвать) to his deathbed and looked after the great poet during the last hours of his life. In 1838, he was elected to the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Lexicographic studies

He continued his lexicographic studies and extensive travels throughout the 1850s and 1860s. Having no time to edit his collection of fairy tales, he asked Alexander Afanasyev to prepare them for publication, which followed in the late 1850s. Joachim T. Baer wrote:

He was interested in the wealth of the Russian language, and he began collecting words while still a student in the Naval Cadet School. Later he collected and recorded fairy tales, folk songs, birch bark woodcuts (гравюры по дереву), and accounts of superstitions, beliefs, and prejudices of the Russian people. His industry in the sphere of collecting was prodigious (удивительный).

His magnum opus (труд всей жизни), Explanatory Dictionary of the Live Great Russian language, was published in four huge volumes in 1863–1866. The Sayings and Bywords (поговорки) of the Russian people, featuring more than 30,000 entries (записи), followed several years later. Both books have been reprinted innumerable number of times.

His dictionary began to have a strong influence on literature at the beginning of the 20th century; in his 1911 article "Poety russkogo sklada" (Poets of the Russian Mold), Maximilian Voloshin wrote:

The discovery of the verbal riches (богатство) of the Russian language was for the reading public like studying a completely new foreign language. Both old and popular Russian words seemed gems (жемчужины, драгоценности) for which there was absolutely no place in the usual ideological practice of the intelligentsia, in that habitual verbal (словесный) comfort in simplified speech, composed of international elements.

While studying at Cambridge, Vladimir Nabokov bought a copy of Dahl's dictionary and read at least ten pages every evening, "jotting down (записывать) such words and expressions as might especially please me"; Alexander Solzhenitsyn took a volume of Dahl with him as his only book when he was sent to the prison camp at Ekibastuz. The encompassing (окружающая) nature of Dahl's dictionary gives it critical linguistic importance even today, especially because a large proportion of the dialectal vocabulary he collected has since passed out of use. The dictionary served as a base for Vasmer's Etymological dictionary of the Russian language, the most comprehensive Slavic etymological lexicon.

For his great dictionary Dahl was honoured by the Lomonosov Medal and honorary fellowship (товарищество) in the Russian Academy of Sciences. He is interred (хоронить) at the Vagankovskoye Cemetery in Moscow. To mark the 200th anniversary of Vladimir Dahl's birthday, UNESCO declared the year 2000 The International Year of Vladimir Dahl.

Legacy

· In 1986 a museum in Moscow, Russia, was opened in honor of Vladimir Dal.

· In Luhansk, the home of Vladimir Dahl, has been converted into a Literary Museum where the employees managed to collect the lifetime editions of Dahl's complete literary works.

· In 2001, a Luhansk University was named after Vladimir Dahl, the East Ukraine Volodymyr Dahl National University.

OUR UNIVERSITY

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

to be successful – быть успешным

an integral part of success – неотъемлемая часть успеха

to influence – влиять

to change ones views – менять взгляды

competitive – конкурентоспособный

a qualified specialist – квалифицированный специалист

a skilful professional – умелый профессионал

explanatory dictionary

higher educational establishment

Great Patriotic War – Великая Отечественная Война

to provide training for foreign students – предоставлять обучение иностранным студентам

department – отделение

to get Bachelor’s degree – получить степень бакалавра

Master’s degree - степень магистра

full-time department – дневное отделение

correspondence department – заочное отделение

teaching staff- преподавательский состав

experienced – опытный

inspiration – вдохновение

to create an atmosphere – создать атмосферу

to feel successful – чувствовать себя успешным

term of instruction – срок обучения

a post-graduate course – аспирантура

to do research work – заниматься исследовательской работой

research activity – исследовательская деятельность

to take an active part in – принимать активное участие

to be awarded – быть награжденным

higher education system – система высшего образования

Grand Prix – гран-при

facilities for studying – средства для обучения

moral qualities – нравственные качества

communicative skills – навыки общения

creativity – творчество

emotional empowerment – эмоциональное раскрепощение

artistic imagination – артистическое воображение

excellent opportunity – превосходная возможность

playacting skills - актерские способности

stage manager skills – режиссерские способности

physical education – физическое воспитание

team – команда

to glorify – прославлять

to improve language skills - улучшать языковые навыки

to obtain a valuable insight into foreign culture – получить ценную информацию об иностранной культуре

intercultural understanding – межкультурное понимание

flexible – гибкий, уступчивый

responsible – ответственный

creative – творческий

confident – уверенный

well-organized – хорошо организованный

reliable – надежный

university degreе – диплом о высшем образовании

computer skills – компьютерные навыки

to be fluent in - свободно владеть

hard-working - трудолюбивый

goal-oriented – целенаправленный

sound knowledge – прочные знания

to be genuinely interested in – искренне интересоваться

a real challenge to your character – настоящий вызов характеру

softball – софтбол, командная игра с мячом б разновидность бейсбола.

wrestling – борьба (вольная борьба и элементы дзюдо)

empowerment – доверенность, полномочие

To begin with we can hardly imagine our life without education. It plays an important role in the life of society. It helps people to be successful in their life: in their families, in their careers. Education is an integral part of success. It is so pleasant to enjoy the taste of it. Education influences the way people look at the world and makes them change their views. The job market is getting more and more competitive. In order to be successful you should be a qualified specialist, a skilful professional in your sphere.

Now I am a first-year student at Lugansk National University named after V. Dal. This university is one of the most prestigious educational institutions of our country. It was founded in 1920, and in 2001 it was named after Vladimir Dal, the greatest Russian language lexicographer, the author of Explanatory Dictionary of the Live Great Russian language. The University was the first higher educational establishment in which specialists in machine-building were trained. During the Great Patriotic War the institute was evacuated to Omsk (Russia). There it became the basis for the foundation of Omsk State Technical University.

Nowadays the University has IV level accreditation with such faculties as Philology and Mass Communication, Electrotechnical Systems, Computer Systems and Information Technology, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Jurisprudence and International Law, the Institute of Economics and Finances, Philosophy and Sociopolitical Sciences, Transport and Logistics, the Institute of Technology and Engineering Mechanics etc.

The University provides training for foreign students. Students of the departments can get Bachelor’s degree, become specialists or receive Master’s and Doctor’s degrees at different departments.

The teaching staff includes doctors and candidates of science, professors and many experienced and highly qualified instructors. They are a great inspiration for students. They are not only authority figures, but also friends to their students. They try to create the atmosphere where students will enjoy learning and feel successful. The rector of the University is … .

The term of instruction is four or five years. Graduates become specialists and get Bachelor or Master Degree according to the chosen course. There is a post-graduate course for the students who do some research work.

The University takes an active part in student exchange programs, various research activities, scientific studies and international conferences. Dal university was awarded an honorary title “The Leader of Modern Education” for innovative pedagogical activities in modernization of education (2010). Our University was awarded a gold medal for the activities in improving the quality of preparing specialists. It was awarded a diploma for the active work in modernization of higher education system. For scientific developments the university was awarded a Grand Prix of the International Salon “Archimed”.

Our students have all the facilities for studying: lecture halls, labs, computer centers, a library and reading halls. Students take part in scientific conferences, do research work, do experiments, and work in the design bureau.

The University provides all necessary equipment for improving physical and sport culture. The students successfully form their professionalism due to physical education. There are 17 kinds of sports activities in students’ sports club. More than 950 students are the members of 7 university national teams, practice in sports sections. Our students glorify their Alma Mater in softball competitions, chess, basketball, baseball, football, swimming, weightlifting, tennis, arm wrestling, powerelifting, aerobics, etc. 26 students won sports awards in 2017.

The effective way to develop moral qualities and communicative skills, to make the atmosphere of creativity, emotional empowerment and artistic imagination is a student theatre at the university. The students have an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their playacting and stage manager skills.

There is a museum at our University. The museum was founded in 1999 to tell about the history of Dal University to students, schoolchildren, university staff and guests of the city.

The scientific library of Dal University is a modern dynamic center. It is the information base for scientific research work. It is the guarantor of preserving a culture heritage and forming the information culture of students.

Our students may take part in the programme "Work and Travel". It’s an excellent opportunity for students to improve their foreign language skills for social purposes, for business and studying, to communicate with people, to obtain a valuable insight into foreign culture and working practices, to learn traditions, customs of foreign country as we feel that intercultural understanding is extremely important nowadays, and, of course, to enrich their inner world.

Well, what qualities are extremely important for our future profession? So, today companies require and appreciate people who are flexible, responsible, creative, confident, well-organized, reliable. You should have university degree, excellent communication and computer skills, be fluent in foreign languages. Companies need highly qualified, energetic, creative, hard-working, goal-oriented and experienced people with business sense. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, business writing skills are an absolute requirement. You should be a real professional with sound knowledge, experience and competence in your field. You must be genuinely interested in what you are doing. It is not easy and a real challenge to your character, abilities and talent.