Memorize and reproduce Dialogue 1.

Make up dialogues of your own using Dialogue 1.

Situations: You meet your friend and talk about:

a) his/her first year of study at one of the faculties of the University;

b) his/her future course degree he/she is going to acquire after graduating from the University.

DIALOGUE 2

Talking of studying at the UNIVERSITY

Ivan: Pete, I want to ask you about your University.

Pete: What are you interested in, Ivan? I am ready to answer all your questions. Do you want to enter the Belgorod State Technological University?

Ivan: Yes, I do. I want to know more about your University and then I will choose which higher educational institution to enter. How long does the course of training last?

Pete: It lasts for five years.

Ivan: What experts are trained at your University?

Pete: You may choose any of the following professions: a civil engineer, a chemical engineer, a mechanical engineer, an architect, an economist and many others.

Ivan: What subjects are most important for a mechanical engineer specializing in machine tools?

Pete: First of all you must be good at drawing and mathematics as you’ll have to know technology of production, metal control and so on. And certainly you’ll have to know different types of machine tools very well.

Ivan: Oh, it is really very interesting. Have you studied programmable controlled lathes yet?

Pete: No, I haven’t yet, I’m going to do it next term.

Ivan: What are such lathes used for?

Pete: You know, in recent years space exploration requires precise instruments.

Ivan: Thank you very much, Pete.

Pete: Not at all. I’ll be very glad to see you among the students of the University.

Memorize and reproduce Dialogue 2.

Fill in the missing remarks of the dialogue.

Victor: What are you doing at the University?

Igor: … .

Victor: What faculty do you want to enter?

Igor: … .

Victor: You should be very good at Chemistry.

Igor: … .

Victor: The course lasts for five years.

Igor: … .

Victor: Why did you decide to become a chemical engineer?

Igor: … .

Victor: Did your father take you to his cement plant?

Igor: … .

Victor: I see. That’s very nice.

Igor: … .

Victor: I hope to see you among the students of the University.

DIALOGUE 3

A seminar on electrical engineering studies

Prof. Smirnov: Well, my young friends, let’s begin our seminar. If you were attentive enough last time, you might have noticed that something went wrong with our experiment on semiconductors. Which of you is eager to express your opinion?

Student Ivanov: I’m of the opinion that we chose the wrong material. If we had taken silicon instead of germanium, the experiment would have been a success.

Student Klimova: You may be right, Ivanov, but the thing is that the voltage we used on that occasion was rather low. If we wish to gain better results, we’ll have to apply a higher voltage.

Prof. Smirnov: Splendid, Klimova! You’ve hit on the right spot!

Student Sokolov: As far as I understand Electronics is a branch of physics that deals with electrons, protons, neutrons and other particles. Why should we bother ourselves with semiconductors at all?

Prof. Smirnov: On the one hand, you are right, Sokolov, semiconductors are materials for radio-electronics that deals with their atomic activity. On the other hand, how can you become an electrical engineer in our days without having an idea about semiconductors and the like?

Student Klimova: I hear the bell ringing. Shall we have a break?

Prof. Smirnov: Do, please! After the break, we’ll continue our discussion.

Memorize and reproduce Dialogue 3.

Make up and act dialogues considering the following assignments.

1. You are at the mathematics lesson. Your teacher asks you some questions about mathematics.

2. The teacher conducts the English lesson and asks you some questions about the use of the Present Simple Tense (or some other grammar aspects).

LISTENING

Listen to the Text “Foreign Students at the Belgorod State Technological University”.

a) Answer the questions that follow.

1. What degree courses do foreign students choose?

2. Why does a course of study for foreign students last six years?

3. Why do foreign students have to take a preparatory course?

4. How long does a preparatory course last?

5. What are the entrance requirements for foreign students?

6. What privileges of the Russian system of education do foreign students enjoy?

b) Read Tapescript 2A of the Text. Look up the words you do not know in your dictionary.

c) Retell the Text about foreign students studying at the Belgorod State Technological University.

d) If you know personally a foreign student studying at the Academy, tell your groupmates about his/her student’s life.

24. Listen to the Text “Moscow University.”

a) You will hear some numbers in the Text. Write them down and say what these numbers refer to.

b) Check your answers with your groupmates and Tapescript 2B of the Text.

c) Retell the Text.

UNIT 3

The Russian Federation

READING AND DISCUSSION

TEXT 3A

Russia

1. The vast territory of the Russian Federation lies in the eastern part of Europe and in the Northern part of Asia. It is one of the largest countries in the world. Its total area is over 17 million square kilometers.

2. Russia is washed by twelve seas and three oceans. The oceans are: the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Pacific. The northern and eastern coasts of Russia are washed by the White Sea, the Barents Sea and the Okhotsk Sea.

3. There are various types of climate on the territory of Russia. It is very cold in the North even in summer. The central part of the country has mild climate. In the South the temperature is usually above zero all year round even in winter, the climate is very favourable.

4. The land of Russia varies a lot from thick forests to barren deserts, from high peaked mountains to deep valleys. Russia is located on two plains: the Great Russian plain and the West Siberian plain. The Urals, the longest mountain chain, separates Europe from Asia.

5. Russia is a land of long rivers and deep lakes. The broad Volga river system is of great historic, economic and cultural importance to Russia. Numerous canals join all the rivers in the European part of Russia, making it the 1argest inland water transportation route in Europe. The Volga River runs into the Caspian Sea, which is in reality, the largest lake in the world. The Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.

6. Russia is rich in natural resources. It has deposits of coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, nickel, etc.

7. Russia borders on fourteen countries, including the former republics of the USSR, which are now independent states.

8. Russia has all modern branches of industry. It is a foremost producer of cement, metal-cutting machines, timber, woollen cloth, sugar and butter. It takes one of the leading places in Europe in industrial output and electric energy production.

9. The population of Russia is about 150 million people. 83 per cent of the population is Russians. 70 per cent of the population lives in cities.

10. Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation. It was founded in 1147. It is a nice city. There are a lot of places of interest in Moscow. You can see a lot of museums, art galleries, theatres and monuments in our capital. There are also other big beautiful cities in Russia, such as St. Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and others.

11. The history of Russia dates back to the year 862. Now Russia is a Presidential Republic. The Russian Federative Republic is set up by the Constitution of 1993. The Federal Government consists of three branches: the legislative, executive and judicial. Each of them is checked and balanced by the President.

12. The legislative power is vested in the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation. The Lower Chamber is the State Duma. Each chamber is headed by the Speaker. Legislature may be initiated in either of the two chambers. However, to become a law a bill must be approved by both chambers and signed by the President. The President may veto the bill.

13. The President is Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he makes treaties, enforces laws, and appoints ministers to be approved by the Federal Assembly.

14. The executive power belongs to the Government, which is headed by the Prime Minister. The first action by the Prime Minister on appointment is to form the Cabinet. The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts. The members of the Federal Assembly are elected by the popular vote for a four-year period.

15. Today the state symbol of Russia is a three-coloured banner. It has three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolises the earth, the blue one stands for the sky, and the red one symbolises liberty. A new national emblem is a two-headed eagle. It is the most ancient symbol of Russia. It originates from the heraldic emblem of the Ruricovitchies.

16. Russia has always played an important role in the word. It is one of its leading powers.

Active vocabulary to remember

Exercises

Pronounce correctly.