My school

As we become older we realize that there are some essential things and places we always long to come back to. They are certainly our birthplace, our home and the school we went to. We will always be indebted to our teachers for the rest of our lives.

I went to one and the same school for eleven years. I started schooling at the age of 6 and left it when I was 17. My school was a three-storied building in one of the residential districts of our city. All the children from our neighborhood went there because it was a walking distance from their homes. It usually took me ten minutes to get there. As all pupils of our school I went there five times a week. Our classes started at 8:30 a.m. and lasted till 3 p.m. So we usually had six lessons a day.
     
The school was built 20 years ago, it was quite a modern building. There was a sports ground behind the school-building and a green lawn with flower beds in front of it. So I’ll take you round the school.

     The ground floor as in most schools is for junior pupils. Its classrooms are light and spacious. There are three large windows in each classroom with flower pots on the windows sills. There are a lot of portraits, pictures and maps on the walls. All the windows face the school yard. There are always so much noise during the breaks on the ground floor. Besides, there is a gymnasium here where we have physical training lessons and all sorts of competitions, and the pupils are always welcomed here. On the first and second floors there are many classrooms, laboratories, specialized rooms, workshops. They are equipped with modern teaching materials, necessary devices and facilities. The senior pupils study various subjects there: mathematics, physics, chemistry, programming, biology, geography, computer science, English and other educational subjects, Besides, there is a library and a reading room full of books and magazines. Opposite the library there is a school canteen where pupils can have a bite during the breaks. If you further go to the third floor you can see an assembly hall, where parties and meetings are held. The pupils decorate it for special occasions to make it look more attractive. Besides, there are two rows of ordinary classrooms, where we have lessons in language, literature, history and other humanities.
    
My favorite subject at school was certainly English. I did well in this subject without any effort. Mathematics and physics were most difficult for me, but I tried to do my best to cope with doing my home assignments in these subjects. By the way, our English lessons were always interesting and instructive, and I think my favorite subject is really worth studying.
    
So hard as it was school was a very good and unforgettable time in my life.

Список слов к топику My school

essential – главный, основной
to long to do – страстно желать
birthplace – место рождения
to be indebted to smb. – быть в долгу перед кем-либо
for the rest of one’s life – до конца жизни
from the neighborhood – из окрестностей
residential district – жилой район
to be a walking distance from – можно дойти пешком
sports ground – спортивная площадка
flower bed – клумба
junior pupils – учащиеся младших классов
spacious – просторный
window sill – подоконник
to face – выходить на
gymnasium – спортивный зал
laboratory – лаборатория
specialized room – учебный кабинет
workshop – мастерская
device – прибор
facility – оборудование
senior – старший
mathematics – математика
physics – физика
chemistry – химия
programming – программирование
biology – биология
geography – география
computer science – информатика
canteen – столовая
to have a bite – перекусить
assembly hall – актовый зал
to decorate – украшать
occasion – случай, возможность
ordinary – обычный, привычный, простой
literature – литература
history – история
humanities – гуманитарные науки
to do well – хорошо учиться
to cope with – справиться
home assignments – домашнее задание
instructive – поучительный, инструктивный
unforgettable – незабываемый

Supplementary Word List and Word Combinations

School. Школа.
secondary school – средняя школа
nursery (infant) school – младшая школа (с 5 до 7 лет)
primary school – начальная школа (с 7 до 10 лет)
school specializing in English – школа с углубленным изучением английского языка
boarding school – школа-интернат
vocational school – профессионально-техническое училище
specialized technical school – техникум
to go to school – учиться в школе
to be at school – учиться вместе в школе
to leave school – заканчивать школу
school leaver – выпускник
school-leaving certificate – аттестат зрелости
graduation – выпуск
school leaver, school graduate – выпускник школы
subject – школьный предмет
key (main) subject – основной предмет
general subject – общий предмет
compulsory subject – обязательный предмет
subsidiary subject – необязательный предмет (факультатив)
term – четверть, семестр
time-table – расписание уроков
school uniform – школьная форма
an academic year – учебный год
to enroll in school, to admit to school – принимать в школу
enrollment in school – прием в школу
to attend school – посещать школу
attendance – посещаемость
staff (eng.), faculty (am.) – педагогический коллектив
headmaster – директор школы
staff head – завуч
staff meeting – педагогический совет
regional teachers’ conference – районное совещание учителей
parent-teachers’ association – родительский комитет
teaching service; teaching experience – педагогический стаж
repeater – второгодник
to repeat the year – остаться на второй год
transfer from one school to another – переход из одной школы в другую
network of schools – сеть школ
school activities – работа в школе
classroom activities – работа в классе
social activities – общественная деятельность
practical and aesthetic activity (studies) – трудовое и эстетическое воспитание
extra-curricular activities – внеклассная работа
out-of-school activities – внеклассная деятельность
curriculum – учебная программа
instruction – обучение
to give instruction in smth. – обучать чему-либо
holidays – каникулы

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Further (Higher) Education. Высшее образование.

University – университет
Medical University – медицинский университет
Pedagogical University – педагогический университет
the humanities – гуманитарные науки
the natural sciences – естественные науки
the technical sciences – технические науки
faculty – факультет
department – кафедра, отделение
year – курс (год обучения)
first-year student (freshman – am.) – студент 1-го курса
second-year student (sophomore – am.) – студент 2-го курса
third-year student (junior – am.) – студент 3-го курса
forth-year student (senior – am.) – студент 4-го курса
full time department – дневное отделение
part-time department – вечернее отделение
correspondence department – заочное отделение
philology – филология
philosophy – философия
ecology – экология
economics – экономика
research – исследование
scientific super-visor (advisor) – научный руководитель
higher degree – учетная степень
scientist – ученый
doctor – доктор наук
candidate of sciences – кандидат наук
thesis – дессертация
term, semester – семестр
session examinations (sessions) – экзаменационная сессия
essay project – курсовая работа
test-credit – зачет
graduation project – дипломная работа
to enter the University – поступать в университет
rector – ректор
vice-rector – проректор
dean – декан
head of department – заведующий кафедрой
professor – профессор
reader (principal lecturer) – доцент
junior lecturer (assistant lecturer) – ассистент
senior lecturer – старший преподаватель
tutor – преподаватель, наставник
student – студент
course member – слушатель курсов
University graduate – выпускник университета
to graduate from the University – закончить университет
tuition – обучение
tuition fee – плата за обучение
scholarship, grants – стипендия
vacation – студенческие каникулы
on vacation – на каникулах

Examinations. Экзамены.

entrance examination (exam) – вступительный экзамен
final examination – выпускной экзамен
to sit for an exam (to take an exam) – сдавать экзамен
to give (set) an exam – принимать экзамен
re-examination – пересдача экзамена
to fail in exam – не сдать экзамен, «провалиться»
to pass an examination with distinction – сдать экзамен с отличием
to go through one’s exam (to do well at an exam) – успешно сдать экзамен
to pass an exam – сдать экзамен
end-of-exam – экзамен в конце семестра
ordinary leave examinations – выпускные экзамены на обычном уровне
selective examinations – отборочные экзамены

Education. Образование.

universal secondary compulsory education – всеобщее обязательное среднее образование
full-time education – образование с отрывом от производства
part-time education – образование без отрыва от производства
primary (elementary) education – начальное образование
vocational education – профессионально-техническое образование
all-round education – всестороннее образование
system of public education – система народного образования
free education – бесплатное образование
nursery education – дошкольное образование
educational opportunities – возможность получить образование

Additional Expressions.

Are you a pupil (student)? – Вы ученик (студент)?

What school (college, University) do you study at? – В какой школе (колледже, университете) Вы учитесь?

Where is it situated? – Где она находится?

It is in the centre of the town (in one of the residential districts). – Она находится в центре города (в одном из жилых кварталов).

What form are you in? – В каком Вы классе?

I am in the tenth form. – Я в десятом классе.

What year are you in? – На каком Вы курсе?

I am in the First (second, etc.) year – Я на первом (втором и т.д.) курсе.

I major in English – Мой профилирующий предмет – английский язык

Education in Russia

Citizens of Russia have the right for education which is guaranteed by the Constitution. The public educational system in our country incorporates pre-school, general school, specialized secondary and higher education.

Pre-school consists of kindergartens and creches. Children there learn reading, writing and arithmetic. But pre-school education isn't compulsory - children can get it at home.

Compulsory education is for children from 6(7) to 17 years of age.

The main link in the system of education is the general school which prepares the younger generation for life and work in modern production. There are various types of schools: general secondary schools, schools specializing in a certain subject, high schools, lyceums and so on. Tuition in most of them is free of charge, but some new types of schools are fee-paying. The term of study in a general secondary school is 11 years and consists of primary, middle and upper stages. At the middle stage of a secondary school the children learn the basic laws of nature and society at the lessons of history, algebra, literature, physics and many others.

After the 9th form pupils have to sit for examinations. Also they have a choice between entering the 10th grade of a general secondary school and enrolling in a specialized secondary or vocational school.

Persons who finish the general secondary school, receive a secondary education certificate, giving them the right to enter any higher educational establishment. Entrance examinations are held in July and August. Institutions are headed by rectors; the faculties are headed by the deans. One has to study in the institute for 5 years. Higher educational institutions train students in one or several specializations.

Education in Our Life

Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people. Self-education is very important for the development of human’s talents. Only through self-education a person can become a harmonically developed personality. A person becomes a highly qualified specialist after getting some special education. And professionalism can be reached only through it. Even highly qualified specialists from time to time attend refresher courses to refresh their knowledge. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. The civilized state differs from others in the fact that it pays much attention to the educational policy. John Kennedy said: "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”. But it doesn’t concern only one particular nation. We know that science and art belong to the whole world. Before them the barriers of nationality disappear. So education brings people closer to each other, helps them to understand each other better.