TEXT E. HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA

There is no national system of higher education in the United States. Higher education is given in colleges and universities. There are over 2100 various higher educational institutions, including colleges, technological institutes and universities. The average col­lege course of study is 4 years. The academic year is usually 9 months or 2 terms (semesters) of four and a half months each. Classes usually begin in September and end in June. The first-year students are called freshmen.

Students choose a major subject (профилирующий предмет, дисциплина) and take many courses in this subject. After four years, they get a traditional Bachelor's degree. Then the students may go on to graduate school (старшие курсы) and with a year or two of further study get a Master's degree.

After another year or two of study and research, they may get a still higher degree as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D-). The student's progress is evaluated by means of tests, term works and final exami­nations in each course. The student's work is given a mark, usually on a five point scale (5-балльная система). Letters indicate the level of achievement. «А» is the highest mark. «F» denotes a failure.

Most American colleges and universities charge for tuition. The methods of instruction in the universities are lectures, discussions, laboratory and course works and seminars.

Most cities have colleges or universities that hold classes at night as well as in daytime. In this way people may work for a de­gree or just take a course in the subject that interests them.

 

Exercise 34. Read the letter and write the answer.

Dear Sergei,

How are you? I have received your letter of 10-th June for which I thank you very much. I am sorry I haven't written to you sooner, but I have had many things to do. You know it was a very hard year for me. I spent my time getting ready for my exams and I was doing well in many subjects. After passing the exams I was enrolled into the University. The whole course of study is four years. My major subject is mathematics. It is my favourite and my hobby. I am good at it and do maths whenever I have a chance. I take many courses in this subject. I like to take part in mathemati­cal competitions organized at our department and at the Univer­sity. I think that mathematics is «the language of science» and plays an important part in many sciences. We are lucky to have a brilliant lecturer in mathematics this term. He has a talent to take a difficult subject and make it simple. You leave the lecture hall with a feeling that mathematics is the most interesting subject under the sun. Next term I'll do research in the field of computer engineering.

And how do you feel about maths? Please, write to me, I am es­pecially interested in your life in students' hostel.

Good-bye for the present,

your friend Mike

GRAMMAR

Возвратно-усилительные местоимения

Лицо	Единственное число	Множественное число
	myself	ourselves
	yourself	yourselves
	himself herself itself	themselves
И еще неопределенно-личная форма - oneself
В роли возвратных местоимений они употребляются в функции дополнения после ряда глаголов и переводятся, как: себя, себе, собой; -сь, -ся: E.g.: I cut myself. – Я порезался. She bought herself a new dress. – Она купила себе новое платье.
В роли усилительных местоимений они употребляются с существительными или личными местоимениями для усиления их смысла. По значению они соответствуют русскому местоимению сам (сама, само, сами). Они могут стоять как в конце предложения, так и после слова, значение которого усиливают: E.g.: I saw it myself. = I myself saw it. – Я сам это видел. He can do it himself. = He himself can do it. – Он может сам это сделать.

 

§ 2. Неопределенные местоимения some, any, every,отрицательное местоимение по и их производные

Употребление some и any, а также их производных определяется типом предложения.

В утвердительном предложении употребляются, как правило, местоимение some и его производные: