Make up your own sentences using the following words and word combinations:

health centre; highly-regarded; in this respect; all kinds of facilities; prize-winning places; to be necessitated; to deliver lectures; a remarkable breadth of choice; on the shore of a lake; by the needs of; to study by correspondence; highly-qualified; specialized field.

II. Reading Comprehension

Read and translate the following text. Use a dictionary if necessary.

POLOTSK STATE UNIVERSITY

 

PSU is one of the most dynamically developing higher educational establishments in Belarus. It is a diverse institution offering a wide range of courses and research opportunities. The University aims to equip its students with highly-regarded qualifications, skills and experience which will further their career aspirations and enrich their future lives.

Polotsk State University was founded in 1968 and has passed the following stages in its formation: a branch of Belarusian Polytechnic Institute, Novopolotsk Polytechnic Institute and Polotsk State University.

It trains engineers in many specialized fields. The University enables to offer students a remarkable breadth of choice, not only in academic subjects but also in the level of study available and the different ways of attending.

The study is arranged on three educational levels: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate. All undergraduate studies are in the Russian language and last five years leading to the University Diploma of higher education. The University has ten faculties. They are the following:

· Faculty of Geodesy. It is the only Faculty training land-surveyors specialising in applied geodesy, photogrammetry and cadastre not only for the needs of Belarus, but also many countries of the Middle East and Africa.

· Faculty of Civil Engineering. At present it is the oldest faculty of the university having its traditions and wide experience in training engineers for the country’s construction complex as well as in heat and gas supply, water removal, purification of natural waters and sewage.

· Faculty of Chemical Technology. It is one of the oldest faculties in the University. Its establishment was necessitated by the needs of the newly born petrochemical industry of the Republic of Belarus. The graduates of the Faculty are qualified as chemical or mechanical engineers.

· Faculty of Machine Building. It trains engineers in three specialties and carries out research into the development of new technologies and materials to harden machine parts and elaborates new methods of metal treatment. The students at this faculty are awarded with the Diploma with the qualification of a mechanical engineer.

· Faculty of Finance and Economics. It trains economists (in four specialties). The training is based on up-to-date economic knowledge in the field of market economy and is implemented in close cooperation with regional enterprises. The Faculty offers courses and programmes for full-time and part-time students at undergraduate level, masters and postgraduate levels, as well as for adults on upgrading and retraining programmes.

· Faculty of Law. It trains lawyers who can work in courts and public prosecutor’s offices, as barristers and solicitors and legal advisers in municipalities, state and private enterprises.

· Faculty of History and Philology. This faculty trains researchers and teachers of History, English, German and French. It is located in the renovated building of the Jesuit Collegium in Polotsk. The Faculty is equipped with language and computer laboratories, it also has multimedia classrooms where students can work individually.

· Faculty of Physical Training Education. Teachers of Physical Training, Computer Science and Physics and specialists for tourist business are trained at this faculty. It also provides its students with all kinds of facilities necessary for sport training and exercising. Students and graduates of the faculty take part in different sport events on local and international level. Some of them have achieved excellent results and have become winners of international competitions.

· Radio-Engineering Faculty and Faculty of Information Technologies. Nowadays these two faculties are among the leading faculties in the country in training engineers and scientists in the field of radio electronics and maintenance of telecommunication networks. Their graduates work at well-known companies: Philips (the Netherlands); BASF (Germany). Students can have a chance to have their practical training in a series of German companies. The Faculties successfully cooperate with universities and leading companies in Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and in some other countries.

Apart from ten faculties the University has the Preparatory Courses for those who want to enter it. There is also the Extra-Mural Department for the students who study by correspondence.

Scientifically oriented graduates including foreigners can continue their education at post-graduate courses of the university to get a scientific degree. The University offers 17 Master’s programmes in different fields. Moreover there is a wide choice of postgraduate programmes at the University leading PhD (Candidate of Science) Degree.

Many professors and highly-qualified teachers deliver lectures and hold seminars in different subjects such as physics, maths, chemistry, technical drawing, descriptive geometry, strength of materials, foreign languages, the history of Belarus, philosophy etc.

University students do a lot private study; some of this work will involve reading texts that have been recommended by lecturers, but more of it will require you to find information for yourself – choosing, reading, evaluating and bringing together information for your essays and other assignments. The library is essential to this work.

The library was opened in 1968. It is the largest information and bibliography centre of the region. As well as providing books and other information resources, the library is also important as a place to study. In this respect, the University library service is unsurpassed by any other. The Library has over 9,500 people annually registered through its services. Every day about 1,600 visitors are served at the library. They are students and post-graduates, lecturers, industry and business employees in the region. The library has friendly, specialist staff that will help you to find your way around the complex world of information and enable you to get the best out of it. Application of the latest information technologies and means of telecommunication has allowed changing the library work and services. The modern computer centre and technical supplies give a possibility of access to the internal and external electronic resources such as: electronic catalogues, electronic library of textbooks, study materials and the Internet facilities.

The University’s Students Union tries to ensure that Hall of Residence places go to students who will benefit most from the experience of living in a residential community of students, that’s why almost all hall places are reserved for the students who are originally from the outside of the region. Special priority is given to students with special needs and students who live furthest away from the University. The five Halls of Residence have fitness training and tennis halls, rooms for studies and recreation rooms.

PSU students have a possibility to address social support which is provided at the University. In order to give material incentive for successful students, who actively participate in the University life, the University Board awards nominal and municipal grants on the annual basis. 

Students’ life at the University varies in types of activities that students can take part in.

The University has a leisure centre for outings called “Chernoye” for 50 people altogether. The Centre offers camping facilities, a sauna, and sports-grounds for both students and the University staff. The place lies in a picturesque area on the shore of a lake which is surrounded by low hills.

A great part in the University students’ life, in the realisation of many of its manifestations is played by the students’ press. This is the reason why the University administration supports the publication of the students’ newspaper titled “Nastezh”. The popularity of students’ newspaper in PSU cannot be doubted.

The Students’ club at Polotsk State University is very popular with students and the staff. All events that are organised through the Club are notable for high professionalism and excellent organisation. With the assistance of the creative staff of the Student Club various traditional holiday events are held on a high artistic level.

The students’ theatre ART is associated with the Students’ Club. Though amateur in character the theatre is professional in acting. The Club is also the centre for intellectual games and intellectual performances known in the region and in the country as KVN.

The University has a notable tradition to celebrate Faculties’ Anniversaries. For this the Club organises a special performance where the students and staff from the corresponding faculties participate. A great number of students take part in the celebrations of these events. The purpose of such celebrations is keeping up the faculties’ traditions, their prestige and popularity among the students, as well as increasing confidence in students in their choice of the future profession.

Long sport traditions originated and have been developed at the University. There are excellent sport facilities across the University. There are groups of sport perfection in basketball (men), volleyball (women), aerobics, track and field athletics, weight lifting and skiing. There also exist 32 sport sections according to students’ interests such as volleyball, unarmed self-defence, karate, table tennis, gymnastics, tourism, arm wrestling, aerobics, groups of general physical training, etc. Students can also have a chance to attend sport clubs in the two cities – Polotsk and Novopolotsk. Every year the Sport Club together with the Department of Physical Education and Sport organises University Sport Competitions among the faculties in 15 kinds of sport. These sport events are very popular with the staff and students. University teams in different kinds of sport annually participate in the national students’ competitions where they have become prize-winners and not once in the history of the University. Among graduates and students there are Olympic Games and World champions, World’s Student Games champions. The University has at its disposal sports grounds, several sports gyms for various sports activities, a ski lodge. All these are supplied with modern sports equipment.

The university is known for its achievements in educational activities. Students of the university have been taking prize-winning places at the competitions in different subjects. The University reputation for excellence has attracted scholars and scientists well-known in this country and abroad. A number of lecturers work on scientific probation in famous universities of Great Britain, Germany, and the USA.

The University has got many foreign patents and papers dealing with research carried out at the polytechnic.

In conclusion it’s necessary to underline that the University places great importance on the continual improvement of its facilities for students, both educational and social. Refectories, lecture theatres, sports facilities, exhibition space, hostels, the gala complex have been rethought and updated to offer our students areas to live, work and relax that are well suited to their purpose and of the high standard.

 2. Answer the following questions:

1) Where do you study?

2) When did you enter the University?

3) When will you graduate from the University?

4) When was our University founded?

5) What faculties and departments are there at the University?

6) What faculty do you study at?

7) Can scientifically oriented graduates continue their education?

8) Are you a first-year student?

9) What subjects do you study?

10) Do you attend lectures regularly?

11) Where do you get ready for the seminars?

12) What can you say about the University library?

13) Where do the students who are originally from the outside of the region live?

14) Do foreign students study at our University?

15) What can you say about students’ life at the University?

16) Is the Students’ Club very popular with students and the staff?  

17) Does the University have any traditions?

18) Is the University famous for its achievements in educational activities?

 

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