Рассказ по английски сколько учатся в америке. Education in the USA - Образование в США (4), устная тема по английскому языку с переводом. Топик. Высшее образование в США
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Higher Education in the USA
Finishing school is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school graduates. Many roads are open before them. But it is not an easy thing to choose a profession out of more than the 2000 existing in the world.
Out of the more than three million students who graduate from high school each year, about one million go on for "higher education”. Simply by being admitted into one of the most respected universities in the United States, a high school graduate achieves a degree of success. A college at a leading university might receive applications from two percent of these high school graduates, and then accept only one out of every ten who apply. Successful applicants at such colleges are usually chosen on the basis of:
- a) high school records;
- b) recommendations from high school teachers;
- c) the impression they make during interviews at the university;
- d) their scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT);
The system of higher education in the United States is complex. It comprises four categories of institution:
- The university, which may contain:
- several colleges for undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s four-year degree;
- one or more graduate schools for those continuing in specialized studies beyond the bachelor’s degree to obtain a master’s or a doctoral degree;
Any of these institutions, in any category, might be either public or private, depending on the source of its funding. There is no clear or inevitable distinction in terms of quality of education offered between the institutions, which are publicly or privately funded. However, this is not to say that all institutions enjoy equal prestige, nor that there are no material differences among them.
Many universities and colleges, both public and private, have gained reputations for offering particularly challenging courses, and for providing their students with a higher quality of education. The great majority are generally regarded as quite satisfactory. A few other institutions, conversely, provide only adequate education, and students attend classes, pass examinations and graduate as merely competent, but not outstanding, scholars and professionals. The factors determining whether an institution is one of the best, or one of lower prestige, are: quality of teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, amount of funding available for libraries, special programs, etc., and the competence and number of applicants for admission, i.e. how selective the institution can be in choosing its students. All of these factors reinforce one another. In the United States it is generally recognized that there are more and less desirable institutions in which to study and from which to graduate. The more desirable institutions are generally – but not always – more costly to attend, and having graduated from one of them may bring distinct advantages as an individual seeks employment opportunities and social mobility within the society. Competition to get into such a college prompts a million secondary school students to take the SATs every year. But recently emphasis on admissions examinations has been widely criticized in the United States because the examinations tend to measure competence in mathematics and English. In defense of using the examinations as criteria for admissions, administrators at many universities say that SATs provide a fair way for deciding whom to admit when they have 10 or 12 applicants for every first-year student seat.
Can America’s colleges and universities rest on their accomplishments? About 12 million students currently attend schools of higher education in America. They are students in a society that believe in the bond between education and democracy.
Still, many Americans are not satisfied with the condition of higher education in their country. Perhaps the most widespread complaint has to do with the college curriculum as a whole and with the wide range of electives in particular. In the middle of 1980s, the Association of American Colleges (AAC) issued a report that called for teaching a body of common knowledge to all college students. The National Institute of Education (NIE) issued a somewhat similar report, "Involvement in Learning”. In its report, the NIE concluded that the college curriculum has become "excessively vocational and work-related”. The report also warned that college education may no longer be developing in students "the shared values and knowledge” that traditionally bind Americans together. A serious charge: Is it true?
For the moment, to some degree, it probably is. Certainly, some students complete their degree work without a course in Western Civilization – not to mention other world cultures. Others leave college without having studied science or government. As one response, many colleges have begun reemphasizing a core curriculum that all students must master.
Such problems are signs that American higher education is changing, as it has throughout its history. And, as in the past, this change may be leading in unexpected directions. The Puritans set up colleges to train ministers. But their students made their mark as the leaders of the world’s first constitutional democracy. The land grant colleges were founded to teach agriculture and engineering to the builders of the American West. Today, many of these colleges are leading schools in the world of scientific research. Americans have always had a stake in "making the system work”. They have especially critical reasons for doing so in the field of education. People in the United States today are faced with momentous questions: "What is America’s proper role as the world’s oldest constitutional democracy; its largest, economy; its first nuclear power?”
Americans cherish their right to express opinions on all such issues. But the people of the United States are also painfully aware of how complex such issues are. To take part in dealing with new problems, most Americans feel they need all the information they can get. Colleges and universities are the most important centers of such learning. And whatever improvements may be demanded, their future is almost guaranteed by the American thirst to advance and be well informed. In fact, the next charge in American education may be a trend for people to continue their education in college – for a lifetime.
Перевод
Высшее образование в США
Окончание школы - начало независимой жизни для миллионов молодых людей, получивших дипломы. Множество дорог открыто перед ними. Но не так легко выбрать профессию из более двух тысяч существующих в мире.
Из более трех миллионов учащихся, оканчивающих ежегодно среднюю школу, приблизительно один миллион продолжает получать высшее образование. Просто, поступая в один из наиболее престижных университетов Соединенных Штатов, выпускники средней школы достигают большего успеха. Колледж как ведущий университет мог бы принимать заявления от двух процентов выпускников средней школы, и затем принимать только одного из каждых десяти поступающих. Для успешного поступления в такие колледжи претенденты обычно выбираются на основании следующих показателей:
- а) высоких оценок в средней школе;
- б) рекомендаций от преподавателей средней школы;
- в) впечатления, которое они производят на собеседовании в университете;
- г) их баллов в интеллектуальных тестах - Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT);
Система высшего образования в Соединенных Штатах сложна. Она включает четыре вида учреждений:
- Университет, который может включать:
- несколько колледжей для поступивших студентов, претендующих на четырехлетнюю степень бакалавра;
- одну или более школ для продолжения специализированного обучения выше степени бакалавра, чтобы стать специалистом или получить докторскую степень;
- Четырехлетнее образовательное учреждение – колледж, большинство из которых не являются частью университета;
- Техническое училище, в котором выпускники средней школы могут проходить курсы продолжительностью от шести месяцев до четырех лет, и изучать различные технические навыки, от парикмахерского дела до бухгалтерского учета и компьютерного программирования;
- Двухлетнее образовательное учреждение, или общественный колледж, после которого студенты могут работать по различным профессиям или продолжить обучение в четырехлетних колледжах или университетах.
Любое из этих учреждений, в любой категории, может быть бесплатным или частным, в зависимости от источника его финансирования. Нет никакого очевидного различия в качестве образования, предлагаемого разными учреждениями, финансируемыми открыто или конфиденциально.
System of Higher Education in the USA
‘Americans regard education as the means by which the inequalities among individuals are to be erased and by which every desirable end is to be achieved.»
George S. Counts
Types of educational institutions. Basic subjects, grades, exams, certificates.
Education in the United States comprises three levels: elementary, secondary and higher education. There are two types of educational institutions — private and state. State institutions are called public schools, they are open to all classes and financed by taxes collected from all citi-zens. Americans view their public school system as an educational ladder, rising from secondary school to university programs. ! Kids start school by going to kindergartens at the age of 6, which is often a part of grade schools (each year of study is called a grade). First six years are elementary school, then come junior high (grades 7 -8) and high school (grades 9-12).
Most pupils follow a course that includes basic subjects — English, science and mathematics, social sciences and physical education — as well as elective subjects for high school students who plan their careers and select subjects that will be useful in their chosen work — foreign languages, fine arts, advanced mathematics and science, and vocational training.
Students usually receive grades from A (excellent) to F (failing) in each course they take on the basis of performance in tests given throughout the year, participation in class discussions and completion of written and oral assignments. End-of-the-year examinations are given in many schools, but it’s not a must.
Sometime during grade school students are given an IQ test (an Intelligence Quotient test). It is not a test of their knowledge, but of their ability to think. The results (scores) from these tests are known only by the teachers, and not by the students or their parents. If you have a high IQ score the teachers expect more of you, and give you more interesting work to do. At the same time, you could have a bad IQ score and be quite bright because the tests aren’t perfect and often fail to bring out your best abilities.
Though there is no separate educational system for the wealthy, there have always been private schools at all levels which are not supported primarily by public funds and charge fees. The organization and curriculum of private schools and colleges are similar to those of public schools but the administration differs. Private schools are usually smaller, some are open to all classes and some are not. The latter are elite private schools which serve mainly upper-class chil-dren. The tuition costs are so high that only wealthiest families can afford. Many private schools are boarding schools where kids often stay at school and don’t go home after classes, so their parents have to pay not only for better training but for their rooms and food as well. Some schools are single-sex, whereas most public schools are coeducational (coed). Private high schools are sometimes called prep schools, that is, preparatory schools, meaning preparation for college.
Most young Americans graduate from school with a high school diploma upon satisfactory completion of a specified number of courses. Each student is given a high school transcript which summarizes the courses taken and the grades obtained. That is the end of mandatory free public education, however, some students drop out of school and never graduate). At that point young people have to decide whether they want to continue their education or whether they want to seek employment. Overlialf of the students enter institutions of higher education, others may get further education at special colleges. It is mainly vocational, and leads to a certificate, or a diploma, not a degree. Courses vary in length — from a few months to two years. There are full-time, part-time and sandwich courses, that is, courses where periods of full-time study alternate with periods of full-time work, usually in industry.
Перевод текста (через Promt):
Система Высшего образования в США
‘Американцы рассматривают образование как средства, которыми должны быть стерты неравенства среди людей и которым каждый желательный конец должен быть достигнут.»
Джордж S. Counts
Типы образовательных учреждений. Основные предметы, сорта, экзамены, свидетельства.
Образование в Соединенных Штатах включает три уровня: элементарное, среднее и высшее образование. Есть два типа образовательных учреждений — частные и государственные. Государственные учреждения называют общественными школами, они открыты для всех классов и финансируются налогами, взимаемыми от всех граждан. Американцы рассматривают свою государственную школьную систему как образовательную лестницу, повышающуюся от средней школы до университетских программ. Дети начинают школу, идя в детские сады в возрасте 6 лет, которые часто является частью начальных школ (каждый год обучения называется классом). Первые шесть лет — начальная школа, затем следует младшие высшие (классы 7-8) и средняя школа (классы 9-12).
Большинство учеников следует за курсом, который включает основные предметы — английский язык, наука и математика, общественные науки и физкультура — так же как выборочные предметы для студентов средней школы, которые планируют карьеру и выбирают предметы, которые будут полезны в их выбранной работе — иностранные языки, искусства, продвинутую математику и науку, и профессиональное обучение.
Студенты обычно получают оценку от A (превосходно) до F (плохо) в каждом курсе, котором они берут на основе успеваемости в тестах в течение года, участия в обсуждениях класса и завершении письменных и устных назначений. Экспертизы конца года даны во многих школах, но это не обязательно.
Иногда во время начальной школы студентам дают IQ тест (тест Коэффициента умственного развития). Это не тест их знания, но их способности думать. Результаты (баллы) этих тестов известны только учителями, а не студентам или их родителям. Если у Вас есть высокий IQ балл, учителя ожидают больше от Вас, и дают Вам более интересную работу. В то же самое время, Вы могли иметь плохой балл IQ и быть весьма умным, потому что тесты не идеальны и часто не в состоянии показать Ваши лучшие способности.
Хотя нет никакой отдельной образовательной системы для богатых, всегда были частные школы на всех уровнях, которые не поддерживаются прежде всего общественными фондами и берут плату. Организация и учебный план частных школ и колледжей подобны таковым из общественных школ, но администрация отличается. Частные школы обычно меньше, некоторые открыты для всех классов, а некоторые нет. Последние — элитные частные школы, которые служат главным образом детям высшего сословия. Затраты за обучение настолько высоки, что только самые богатые семьи могут позволить себе это. Много частных школ — школы — интернаты, где дети часто остаются в школе и не идут домой после классов, таким образом их родители должны заплатить не только за лучшее обучение, но и за их комнаты и пищу также. Некоторые школы являются однополыми, тогда как большинство общественных школ является относящимся к совместному обучению. Частные средние школы иногда называют подготовительными школами, то есть, предварительными школами, подразумевая подготовку к колледжу.
Самые молодые американцы заканчивают школу с дипломом средней школы после удовлетворительного завершения конкретного количества курсов. Каждому студенту дают расшифровку стенограммы средней школы, которая суммирует взятые курсы и полученные оценки. Это конец принудительного бесплатного общественного образования, однако, некоторые студенты заканчивают школу и никогда не получают высшее образование). В том случае молодые люди должны решить, хотят ли они продолжить их образование или хотят ли они искать работу. Более чем половина студентов входят в учреждения высшего образования, другие могут получить дальнейшее образование в специальных колледжах. Это является главным образом профессионально-техническим, и приводит к свидетельству, или диплому, но не степени. Курсы изменяются по длине — от нескольких месяцев до двух лет. Есть полный рабочий день, неполный рабочий день и кусочные курсы, то есть, курсы, где периоды полностью занятого обучения чередуются с периодами полностью занятой работы, обычно в промышленности.
Информация о системе образования в США, тексты и задания к ним.
Text 1. General Pattern of Education in the USA.
Text 2. School Curriculum.
Text 3. Elementary Schools, High Schools and Institutions of Higher Learning.
Text 4. Public Education: Historical Review.
Text 5. Higher Education.
Text 6. World famous.
Text 7. Higher Educational Institutions.
Text 8. Colleges and Universities.
Text 9. Teaching Profession in the USA.
EDUCATION IN THE USA
Text 1. General Pattern of Education in the USA
The general pattern of education in the USA is an eight-year elementary school, followed by a four-year high school. This has been called 8 – 4 plan organization. It is proceeded, in many localities, by nursery schools and kindergartens. It is followed by a four-year college and professional schools. This traditional patterns, however, has been varied in many different ways. The 6 — 3 – 3 plan consists of a six-year elementary school, a three-year junior high school, and a three-year senior high school. Another variation is 6 – 6 plan organization, with a six-year elementary school followed by a six-year secondary school.
American education provides a program for children, beginning at the age of 6 and continuing up to the age of 16 in some of the states, and to 18 in others.
The elementary school in the United States is generally considered to include the first six or eight grades of the common-school system, depending upon the organization that has been accepted for the secondary school. It has been called the “grade school” or the “grammar school”.
There is no single governmental agency to prescribe for the American school system, different types of organization and of curriculum are tried out.
The length of the school year varies among the states. Wide variations exists also in the length of the school day. A common practice is to have school in session from 9:00 to 12:00 in the morning and from 1:00 to 3:30 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. The school day for the lower grades is often from 30 minutes to an hour shorter. Most schools require some homework to be done by elementary pupils.
Questions:
1. What is the general pattern of education in the USA?
2. What are the variations of the traditional 8 – 4 plan?
3. When do children begin to go to school?
4. What is the length of the school year in the USA?
5. Which days of the week is school in session?
Text 2. School Curriculum
From Hawaii to Delaware, from Alaska to Louisiana, each of the 50 states in the USA has its own laws regulating education. From state to state some laws are similar, others are not. For example, all states require young people to attend school (the age limits vary: seven to sixteen, six to eighteen, etc.). Though there is no national curriculum in the united States, certain subjects are taught across the country. Almost every elementary school provides instruction in these subjects: mathematics, language arts(a subject that includes reading, grammar, composition and literature), penmanship, science, social studies (a subject that includes history, geography, citizenship and economics), music, art and physical education. In many elementary schools courses in the use of computers have been introduced. And in some cases, a foreign language is offered in the upper elementary school. Not all schools offer any foreign languages, if they do, if they do, it usually lasts for no longer than half a year. In general, it is not necessary to study a foreign language to get a high school diploma. But if one plans to enter a college or university, one should study a foreign language for no less than two years.
penmanship – каллиграфия, чистописание
citizenship — права и обязанности граждан
Questions:
1. Are the laws regulating education the same across the USA?
2. What are the subjects offered in elementary schools?
3. What courses have been introduced in elementary schools?
4. Is it necessary to study a foreign language to get a high school diploma in the USA?
5. How long should a student study a foreign language at high school before entering a college?
Text 3. Elementary Schools, High Schools and Institutions of Higher Learning
There are eight years of elementary schooling. The elementary school is followed by four years of secondary school, or high school. Often the last two years of elementary and the first years of secondary school are combined into a junior high school.
The school year is nine months in length, beginning early in September and continuing until about the first of June, with a vacation of week or two at Christmas time and sometimes a shorter one in spring. There are slight variations from place to place. Students enter the first grade at the age of six and attendance is compulsory in most states until the age of sixteen or until the student has finished the eighth grade.
The elementary schools tend to be small. The high schools are generally larger and accommodate pupils from four or five elementary schools. A small town generally has several elementary schools and one high school. In some rural communities the one-room country school house still exists. Here may be found from five to twenty-five pupils in grades one through eight, all taught by the same teacher.
Admission to the American high school is automatic on completion of the elementary school. During the four-year high school program the student studies four or five major subjects per year, and classes in each of these subjects meet for an hour a day, five days a week. In addition, the students usually has classes in physical education, music and art several times a week. If he fails a course, he repeats only that course and not the work of the entire year. Students must complete a certain number of courses in order to receive a diploma, or a certificate of graduation.
Institutions of higher learning supported by public funds are not absolutely free. The state colleges and universities charge a fee for tuition or registration. This fee is higher for those who come from outside the state. Working one’s way through college is common-place.
Usually there is no admission examination required by a state university for those who have finished high school within the state. Sometimes a certain pattern of high school studies is necessary, however, and some state universities require a certain scholastic average, or average of high school grades.
Private colleges and universities, especially the larger, well-known ones such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, have rigid scholastic requirements for entrance, including an examination.
It usually takes four years to meet the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. A Master of Art or Master of Science degree may be obtained in one or two additional years. The highest academic degree is the Doctor of Philosophy. It may take any number of years to complete the original research work necessary to obtain this degree.
Task 1. Find sentences that give the information about:
a) the school year;
b) a one-room country school house;
c) the subjects studied at high school;
d) fee for tuition;
e) academic degrees.
Task 2. Find sentences with the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian:
vacation, attendance is compulsory, to accommodate, rural community, a one-room country school house, to be taught by the same teacher, admission to school, major subjects, to receive a diploma, a fee for tuition.
Questions:
1. When does the school year begin?
2. Are elementary schools big or small?
3. Do one-room country school houses still exist?
4. What does the curriculum in high school include?
5. Are there any admission exams required by universities?
6. Is higher education free of charge or fee-paying?
7. What academic degrees exist in the USA?
Text 4. Public Education: Historical Review
The history of education in the United States has certain peculiarities which are closely connected with the specific conditions of life in the New World and the history of the American society.
The early Colonies and different politics of education for the first white settler who came to the North America from Europe in the 17th century brought with them he educational ideas of the time most typical of the countries they represented. In Virginia and South Carolina, for example, education was entirely private. The children of the rich either had tutors or were sent to Europe for schooling. Many of the children of poor parents had no education at all. In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York many of the schools were set up and controlled by the church.
In Massachusetts, which was much more developed at that time, three educational principles were laid down: 1) the right of the State or Colony to require that its citizens be educated; 2) the right of the State to compel the local government decision such as towns and cities, to establish schools; and 3) the right of the local government to support these schools by taxation.
At the very beginning, school buildings were often rough shacks. They were poorly equipped with a few benches, a stove, and rarely enough textbooks. Discipline was harsh, and a corporal punishment was frequent.
The program of studies consisted largely of reading, writing, basic arithmetic, and Bible lessons. Since each community was responsible for solving its own educational problems, there was no attempt to find a common standard of excellence. Even the Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1789, contained no direct mention of education.
The schools of the early 1800s were not very different from those of the pre-revolutionary period. Some historians consider hat they actually deteriorated in the three or four decades following the American Revolution, for the new country turned its attention to the development of its land, cities, and political institutions.
And yet, in attempt to generate interests in education, a number of communities continued founding schools. Some classes were opened to children for secular instruction and a number of schools for poor children which were a forerunner of the public schools in several major cities. Some States tax-supported schools and urged their spread.
The purpose of the public or “common” schools was to teach the pupils the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. No particular religion was to be taught.
By the mid-19th century, the desire for free public education was widespread. But the States couldn’t find enough means for its financial support. It was during those years that communities began to support the schools within their boundaries. The States finally required local school districts to tax themselves for that purpose through the “real property” tax. This tax originated as financial support for public schools, and remain today the major financial resource for the public school system in the United States though it can no longer carry the entire burden.
Towards the second part of the 19th century compulsory attendance laws came into effect, starting with Massachusetts in 1852 Now in most States the minimum age at which a pupil may leave school is sixteen; in five States seventeen; and in four States eighteen.
As has already been mentioned, education remains primarily a function of the States. Each State has a board of education, usually 3 to 9 members, serving mostly without pay. They are either elected by the public or appointed by the Governor. The board has an executive officer, usually called a State school superintendent or commissioner. In some cases he is elected; in others he is appointed by the board.
In theory, responsibility for operating the public educational system is local. Schools are under the jurisdiction of local school board, composed of citizens elected by residents of the school district. In fact, however, much local control has been superseded. State laws determine the length of the school year, the way in which teachers will be certified, and many of the courses which must be taught.
Though the Federal Government has no powers at all in the field of education, from time to time Congress passes different Acts which help to “assist in the expansion and improvement of educational programs to meet critical national needs”. Such Acts provide money for science, mathematics, and language instruction; for the purchase of laboratory equipment.
Make up a list of words which can be joined under the headline “Education”. Give reasons for your choice.
TASK 2. Discussion.
Describe the development of education from the 17th through the 19th centuries.
State the role of the Church.
Comment on the three principles of education laid down in Massachusetts.
Express your attitude towards corporal punishment.
Tell the story of the “real property” tax.
Say how the public education system operates nowadays.
Text 5. Higher Education
There are about 3,000 colleges and universities, both private and public, in the United States. Students have to pay to go both private and State universities. Private universities are generally smaller but very expensive, which means that the tuition fees are extremely high. State colleges and universities are not that expensive, the tuition fees are usually lower, and if the students are State residents, they pay much less.
Every young person who enters a higher educational institution can get financial assistance. If a student is offered a loan, he should repay it (with interest) after he has left the college. Needy students are awarded grants which they do not have to repay. Scholarships are given when a student is doing exceptionally well at school.
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. Some universities are comprised of many campuses. The University of California, for example, has 9 campuses, the biggest being Berkeley (founded in 1868), San Francisco (1873), Los Angeles (1919), Santa Barbara (1944), Santa Cruz (1965).
All the universities are independent, offering their own choice of studies, setting their own admission standards and deciding which students meet their standards. The greater the prestige of the university, the higher the credits and grades required.
The terms “college” and “university” are often used interchangeably, as “college” is used to refer to all undergraduate education; and the our-year undergraduate program, leading to a bachelor’s degree, can be followed at either college or university. Universities tend to be larger than colleges and also have graduate schools where students can receive post-graduate education. Advanced or graduate university degrees include law and medicine.
Most colleges and universities undergraduate courses last for four years. During the first two years students usually follow general courses in the art or sciences and then choose a major – the subject or area of studies in which they concentrate. The other subjects are called minors. Credits (with grades) are awarded for the successful completion of each course. These credits are often transferable, so students ho have not done well in high school can choose a junior college (or community college), which offers a two-year “transfer” program preparing students for degree-granting institutions. Community colleges also offer two-year courses of vocational nature, leading to technical and semi-professional occupations, such as journalism.
There are no final examinations at colleges and universities, and students receive a degree if they have collected enough credits in a particular subject. The traditional degree which crowns the undergraduate course is that of a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.C.) The lower level of graduate school is for obtaining the Master’s Degree (M.A. or M.C.), and the upper level is for the degree of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Vocabulary
tuition fee плата за обучение
loan заем
interest зд. процент (с суммы взятой взаймы)
to repay возмещать, возвращать
needy нуждающийся
grant субсидия, дотация
scholarship стипендия
dormitory (dorm) студенческое общежитие
bachelor’s degree степень бакалавра
Bachelor of Arts бакалавр гуманитарных наук
Bachelor of Science бакалавр естественных наук
graduate school аспирантура
the arts гуманитарные науки
the science(s) естественные науки
major предмет специализации
“transfer” program подготовительный курс
Master’s Degree степень магистра наук
(M.A. or M.S.) (гуманитарных или естественных)
Doctor of Philosophy степень доктора наук
TASK 1. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
1. The system of university education in the US is centralized.
2. There is no difference between private and State universities.
3. A University course usually lasts for four years.
4. One can obtain a bachelor’s degree at any college or University.
5. There are no special advanced University degrees.
6. Any University has only one campus.
7. There are no colleges which offer “transfer” programs.
8. M.A., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are research degrees.
TASK 2. Additional text. Read and translate without using the dictionary.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES
Higher education began in the United States in 1636, when Harvard College was founded in Massachusetts. The aim was to train men for service in church and civil state. Yale College, Princeton University, Columbia University are the oldest and the most famous American higher educational institutions.
Now there are about 3,000 colleges and universities, both private and public, in the United States. Students have to pay to enter universities.
All the universities are independent, offering their own choice of studies, setting their own admission standards. Higher educational institutions usually are governed by a board of trustees.
Most colleges and universities undergraduate courses last for four years. During the first two years students usually follow general courses in the art or sciences and then choose a major – the subject or area of studies in which they concentrate. The other subjects are called minors. Credits (with grades) are awarded for the successful completion of each course.
A college grants a bachelor’s degree at the conclusion of studies.
A college prepares the student for either graduate study leading to master’s or doctor’s degree or a job immediately after graduation.
Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors
All students who have graduated from the senior class and who continue studying at a university are classified as graduate students. Scholarships are given when a student is doing exceptionally well at school.
American universities and colleges are usually built as a separate complex, called “campus”, with teaching blocks, libraries, dormitories, and many other facilities grouped together.
TASK 3. Discuss the following:
1. Different types of colleges and Universities.
2. The structure of American graduate school.
3. American and Russian Universities. (Pay special attention to the entrance standards and admission policies).
Text 6. World famous
The most famous American higher educational institutions that were already in operation during the early period came into being through the religious zeal and philanthropy of their founders.
Higher education began in the United States long time ago, when the Puritan leaders of the settlement called the Massachusetts Bay Colony founded in 1636 Harvard College (Massachusetts). Established by John Harvard, English clergyman, this college was to turn into the most famous of the American Universities.
The College of William and Mary (Virginia, 1693) was the second institution of higher education founded in the Colonies. In 1701 Connecticut Puritans established Yale College (Connecticut).
All these Colonial colleges which were gradually turned into Universities with classical education established a balance between the Humanities and Science. Their aim was to train men for service in church and civil state.
By the 1770s several more colleges had been opened: University of Pennsylvania (1740), Princeton University (1746), Washington and Lee University (1749), Columbia University (1754), Brown University (1764), Rutgers College (1766), Dartmouth College (1769).
Though the colleges in the first half of the 19th century were numerous and widely scattered over the settled area, their enrollments were comparatively small. Since 1870s the colleges have developed enormously. Their resources have multiplied, the number of their students has increased by leaps and bounds, the program of studies has broadened and deepened, the standards have been raised, and the efficiency of the instruction has greatly increased. Rigidly prescribed courses of study have given way to elective courses.
In the course of time, when research centres and experiment stations were attached to the Universities, these institutions turned into the strongholds of science and higher education. They developed a unique, typically American structure unlike ant other existing University system in the world.
TASK 1.
Give a review of University education in its historical development.
Using the text and your background knowledge, describe one of the American Universities.
Text 7. Higher Educational Institutions
It has become common for the college program to be divided into broad fields, such as language and literature, the social science, the science and mathematics, and the fine arts. Many colleges require all freshmen and sophomores to take one or two full-year courses in each of three fields. Certain courses, such as English or history, may be required for all, with some election permitted in the other fields.
Higher educational institutions usually are governed by a board of regents or a board of trustees.
The executive head of a college or a university is usually called the president. The various colleges or schools which take up a university are headed by deans. Within a school or a college there may be departments according to subject matter fields, each of which may be headed by a chairman. Other members of the faculty hold academic ranks, such as instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. Graduate students who give some part-time service may be designated as graduate assistants or fellows.
Professional education in fields such as agriculture, dentistry, law, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, teaching, etc. Is pursued in professional schools which may be part of a university or may be separate institutions which confine their instruction to a single profession. Often two, three, or four years of pre-professional liberal arts education are required before admission to a professional school. Three to five years of specialized training lead to professional degrees such as Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Law, etc.
Freshman студент–первокурсник
Sophomore студент второго курса
graduate student аспирант
to govern управлять
regent член правления университета
a board of regents Совет управителей
a board of trustees Совет попечителей
executive head глава исполнительной власти
President of the University ректор университета
instructor = professor преподаватель
to pursue заниматься, преследовать цель
to confine ограничивать
to designate назначать (на должность)
liberal arts courses гуманитарные науки
university fellow стипендиат
TASK 1. Look through the text and say which of its paragraphs gives information about:
a) professional education;
b) the broad fields into which the college education may be divided into;
c) the administration of a college.
TASK 2. Find answers to the following questions:
1. Which are the fields the college program is commonly divided into?
2. Which courses do many colleges require all freshmen and sophomores to take?
3. Who usually governs higher educational institutions?
4. Who is the executive head of a college or a university?
5. Who governs the department of a college or school?
6. Who are other members of the faculty?
7. How are graduate students who give some part-time service called?
8. What professional education fields can you name?
9. How many years of pre-professional liberal arts education are required?
10. How many years of specialized training are required for getting a degree?
Text 8. Colleges and Universities
American colleges and universities are either public or private, that is, supported by public funds or supported privately by a church group or other groups acting as private citizens although under a state charter.
A public institution is owned and operated by a government, either a state or a municipal government. He government appropriates large sums of money for the institution’s expenses. Yet these sums are normally not sufficient to cover all expenses, and so the institution is partially dependent on student fees and on gifts.
A private institution receives no direct financial aid from any government, municipal, state or federal. The money used to pay the operating expenses has a threefold origin: tuition fees paid by the students, money given in the form of gifts for immediate use, and the income from invested capital in the possession of the institution and originally received by the institution in the form of the gifts to be invested with only the income to be spent.
Of the nation’s nearly 1,900 institutions of higher learning roughly one-third are state or city institutions. About 1,200 are privately controlled. Approximately 700 of these are controlled by religious groups. Less than half of these institutions are liberal art colleges and universities which stress the languages, history, science and philosophy. The rest are professional and technological schools and junior colleges.
A college is usually defined as an institution of higher learning which offers a course of instruction over a four-year period, and which grants a bachelor’s degree at the conclusion of studies. As part of university, a college graduate is distinguished from a graduate of professional school. However, the professional schools in some universities are called colleges.
A college prepares the student for two things: either graduate study leading to master’s or doctor’s degree or a job immediately after graduation. A student who majors in business administration for example, may be fully prepared for a career in business when he has finished college.
On the other hand, a student majoring in psychology often must do a great deal of graduate work before he is competent in this field.
Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. A freshman is a first year student, a sophomore, a second year student, a junior, a third year student, and a senior, a fourth year student. All students who have graduated from the senior class and who continue studying at a university are classified as advanced students or graduate students. Some graduate students receive grants which cover the cost of their education; a person on such a fellowship is called a university fellow.
TASK 1. Skim through the text and say which of its paragraphs gives information about:
a) classification of students;
b) what is a college;
c) what a college prepares the student for;
d) what is a public institution;
e) what is a private institution.
Say what information given in the text specifies the old facts you knew.
Say which facts given in the text were new for you.
TASK 3. Additional text. Read the text (using the dictionary if necessary) and find the information about:
1. social origin of drop-outs;
2. the reasons which keep the people out of college in the USA;
3. courses of study which have a lower pay-off in the job market in the USA.
Colleges Which are as Different as Geese Are Different From Swans
Entering a college does not mean much in itself. What is meaningful is how long students stay and what college they enter. Many people enter a college, take one or two courses, and drop out.
More than half of al students who enter colleges drop out before graduation. The drop-outs are more often from middle class than upper America, and more often from blue-collar than from professional families. It is the college degree that really counts in the world of work and income. Anything less than a degree is not much better than high school graduation. Students enter colleges that are different as geese from swans. In the range are Negro junior college of Natchez, say, and Harvard. Again: in the world of work and income, the difference is huge.
High costs, high admission standards, the need to work – all conspires to keep the sons of middle America out of college. Seldom will they enter a first-rate university, except on an athletic scholarship. At best, they go to a junior college or perhaps even a state college.
Middle Americans are more often part-time students than the affluent (=rich ones). Many must limit their college work to an occasional course in the evening. They usually enter a course of study that has a low pay-off in the job market – such as teaching, social work, nursing, etc.
Nationally, only about one of four boys go to college after the high school classes. According to the National Science Foundation, the main reason the other three do not attend is inadequate financial resources.
Text 9. TEACHING PROFESSION IN THE USA
Requirements for teachers’ certificate vary among 50 states. Usually the state department of education, or a state certificate board, issues certificates which permit teachers to be employed within the state. Forty-four of the 50 states require at least the completion of a four-year course, with the bachelor’s degree, as a minimum for high school teaching: the tendency to require a fifth year beyond the bachelor’s degree is increasing. Graduation from a two-year normal school or at least two years of college education is the minimum requirement for elementary teaching in 36 states; others demand the completion of a four-year course and the bachelor’s degree.
Because of the decentralization of school control in the USA teachers are employed by local districts rather than by the national government. The American teacher does not have the absolute security of tenure which the French or Australian teachers enjoys. A high proportion of the teaching force are women.
The teacher-training institutions have not been able to provide sufficient numbers of fully trained teachers to replace those retiring and dropping out of the profession and at the same time to meet the requirements for new classes each year. The problem of recruiting and supply of teachers remains a serious one. In general the problem of shortage of teachers has not been met by lowering certificate standards.
requirement – требование
certificate board – аттестационная комиссия
normal school – педагогическое училище
security of tenure [′tenju∂] – сохранность рабочего места
shortage – нехватка
to be in force – являться действительным
TASK 1. Answer the questions:
a) Are the requirements for teachers the same or are they different among the 50 states?
b) Who usually issues certificates for teaching?
c) What is the minimum requirement for the teacher of high school?
d) What is the minimum requirement for elementary teaching?
e) How does the decentralization of school control concern employment of teachers?
f) Does the American teachers enjoy the absolute security of tenure?
g) Are the more men or women teachers in the USA?
h) Which are the major problems in the teaching profession in the USA?
i) Are teachers’ certificates in force throughout the country or only within a given state?
j) Why were certification standards lowered?
TASK 1. Check up your knowing of the subject answering the following questions:
1. Is public education in the USA centralized?
2. Is there a unified system of education in the USA?
3. At what age do children begin to attend school in the USA?
4. What is a high school in the USA?
5. What is an elementary school in the USA?
6. If a person studies at a state university or college, does it mean that his education is absolutely free or does he still pay tuition fee?
7. Is tuition fee the same for those who live in the state and for those who come from outside the state?
8. Do private colleges and universities require an admission examination?
9. Do private colleges and universities have rigid scholastic requirements for entrance?
10. What is the duration of a school year in the USA?
11. Which are the best higher educational institutions in the USA, are they private or public?
12. What is the classification of the first-, second-, third- and fourth-year students in the USA?
TASK 2. TALKING POINTS
1. The pattern of education in the USA and in Russia.
2. Teaching profession in the USA and in Russia.
3. Higher educational institutions in the USA, public and private, the quality of education in them.
4. History of establishing some of the colleges in the USA.
5. Elementary and high school in the USA.
6. The system of pre-school, school and higher education in Russia.
7. Types of schools in the USA and differences between them.
The American system of school education differs from the systems in other countries. There are state public schools, private elementary schools and private secondary schools. Public schools are free and private schools are feepaying. Each state has its own system of public schools.
Elementary education begins at the age of six or seven, when a child goes to the first grade (form). At the age of sixteen schoolchildren leave the elementary school and may continue their education at one of the secondary schools or high schools, as they call them.
The programme of studies in the school includes English, Arithmetic, Geography, History of the USA, Natural Sciences and, besides, Physical Training, Singing, Drawing, Wood or Metal Work, etc. Sometimes they learn a foreign language and general history. Beside giving general education some high schools teach subjects useful to those who hope to find jobs in industry and agriculture or who want to enter colleges or universities.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. The students do not take the same courses. During the first two years they follow a basic programme. It means that every student must select at least one course from each of the basic fields of study: English, Natural Sciences, Modern Languages, History or Physical Training. After the first two years every student can select subjects according to his professional interest.
The National Government gives no direct financial aid to the institutions of higher education. Students must pay a tuition fee. This creates a financial hardship for some people. Many students have to work to pay their expenses. The Americans place a high value on education. That’s why Kennedy said, “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”.
Образование в США
Американская система школьного образования отличается от систем других стран. Есть государственные общественные школы, частные начальные школы и частные средние школы. Государственные школы являются бесплатными, а частные школы - платные. Каждый штат имеет свою собственную систему общественных школ.
Начальное образование начинается в возрасте шести или семи лет, когда ребенок идет в первый класс. В возрасте шестнадцати школьники заканчивают начальную школу и могут продолжить свое образование в одной из средних школ или хай-скул, как они их называют.
Программа обучения в школе включает английский язык, арифметику, географию, историю США, естественные науки и, кроме того, физическую культуру, пение, рисование, труды и т. д. Иногда они изучают иностранный язык и общую историю. Кроме предоставления общего образования некоторые средние школы преподают предметы, полезные для тех, кто надеется найти рабочие места в промышленности и сельском хозяйстве или кто хочет пойти в колледжи или университеты.
После окончания средней школы все большее число американцев получает высшее образование. Студенты не изучают одинаковые курсы. В течение первых двух лет они следуют основной программе. Это означает, что каждый студент должен выбрать по крайней мере один курс из общих отраслей науки: английский язык, естественные науки, современные языки, история и физическая культура. После первых двух лет каждый студент может выбрать предметы в соответствии с его профессиональными интересами.
Правительство не дает прямой финансовой помощи учреждениям высшего образования. Студенты должны оплачивать обучение. Это создает финансовые трудности для некоторых людей. Многие студенты должны работать, чтобы оплатить свои расходы. Американцы придают большое значение вопросам образования. Вот почему Кеннеди сказал: "Наш прогресс как нации не может быть быстрее, чем наш прогресс в образовании".
“Americans regard education as the means by which the inequalities among individuals are to be erased and by which every desirable end is to be achieved.”
George S. Counts
TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
BASIC SUBJECTS, GRADES, EXAMS, CERTIFICATES.
Education in the United States comprises three levels: elementary, secondary and higher education. There are two types of educational institutions* - private and state. State institutions are called public schools , they are open to all classes and financed by taxes collected from all citizens. Americans view their public school system as an educational ladder, rising from secondary school to university programs. Kids start school by going to kindergartens at the age of 6, which is often a part of grade schools (each year of study is called a grade* ). First six years are elementary school , then come junior high (grades 7 - 8) and high school (grades 9 - 12).
Most pupils follow a course that includes basic subjects - English, science and mathematics, social sciences and physical education - as well as elective subjects for high school students who plan their careers and select subjects that will be useful in their chosen work - foreign languages, fine arts, advanced mathematics and science, and vocational training .
Students usually receive grades from A (excellent) to F (failing) in each course they take on the basis of performance in tests given throughout the year, participation in class discussions and completion of written and oral assignments . End-of-the-year examinations are given in many schools, but it’s not a must.
Sometime during grade school students are given an IQ test* (an Intelligence Quotient test). It is not a test of their knowledge, but of their ability to think. The results (scores ) from these tests are known only by the teachers, and not by the students or their parents. If you have a high IQ score the teachers expect more of you, and give you more interesting work to do. At the same time, you could have a bad IQ score and be quite bright because the tests aren’t perfect and often fail to bring out your best abilities.
Though there is no separate educational system for the wealthy, there have always been private schools at all levels which are not supported primarily by public funds and charge fees* . The organization and curriculum* of private schools and colleges are similar to those of public schools but the administration differs. Private schools are usually smaller, some are open to all classes and some are not. The latter are elite private schools which serve mainly upper-class children. The tuition costs are so high that only wealthiest families can afford. Many private schools are boarding schools where kids often stay at school and don’t go home after classes, so their parents have to pay not only for better training but for their rooms and food as well. Some schools are single-sex, whereas most public schools are coeducational (coed* ). Private high schools are sometimes called prep schools , that is , preparatory schools, meaning preparation for college.
Most young Americans graduate from school with a high school diploma* upon satisfactory completion of a specified number of courses. Each student is given a high school transcript* which summarizes the courses taken and the grades obtained. That is the end of mandatory free public education, however, some students drop out of school and never graduate.). At that point young people have to decide whether they want to continue with their education or whether they want to seek employment. Over half of the students enter institutions of higher education, others may get further education at special colleges. It is mainly vocational, and leads to a certificate, or a diploma, not a degree. Courses vary in length - from a few months to two years. There are full-time , part-time and sandwich courses, that is, courses where periods of full-time study alternate with periods of full-time work, usually in industry.
Образование в США состоит из трех уровней: начального, среднего и высшего образования. Существует два типа образовательных учреждений; - частные и государственные. Государственные учреждения называются государственные школы, они были открыты для всех классов и финансируются за счет налогов, собранных из всех граждан. Американцы просматривать их системы государственных школ в качестве учебно лестнице, поднимаясь из школы в вузы. Дети идут в школу, перейдя в детских садах в возрасте 6 лет, которые часто является частью класса школ (каждый год обучения называется класс*). Первые шесть лет начальной школы, то приходите школы (классы 7 - 8) и средней школы (9 - 12 классы). Большинство учеников следовать курсом, который включает в себя основные предметы - английский, науки и математики, общественных наук и физической культуры, а также предметы по выбору для старшеклассников, которые планируют свою карьеру и выбрать предметы, которые будут полезны в их выбрали работы - иностранных языков, изобразительного искусства, высшей математики и науки, а также профессиональной подготовки. Студенты, как правило, получают оценки от A (отлично) до F (failing) в каждом они, конечно, взять на основе показателей в тестах, учитывая в течение всего года, участие в классных дискуссиях и завершения устных и письменных заданий. В конце года экзамены проводятся во многих школах, но это не обязательно. Когда-то в начальной школе учащиеся получают тест на IQ* (тест Коэффициента Интеллекта). Это не проверка их знаний, но их способность мыслить. Результаты (баллы) из этих тестов будут известны только учителя, а не ученики или их родители. Если у вас высокий IQ оценка учителя ожидать еще больше вас, и дать вам более интересную работу. В то же время, вы могли бы плохой балл IQ и быть достаточно ярким, поскольку тесты не идеальны и часто не в состоянии вывести ваши лучшие способности. Хотя не существует отдельной системы образования для состоятельных людей, всегда были частные школы на всех уровнях, которые не поддерживаются в основном за счет общественных фондов и взимают плату*. Организации и учебного плана; частных школ и колледжей, похожими на те, в публичных школах, но администрация отличается. Частные школы, как правило, меньше, некоторые открыты для всех классов, а некоторые-нет. Последние элитных частных школ, которые служат, главным образом, высшего среднего класса, дети. В стоимость обучения, так высоко, что только богатые семьи могут себе позволить. Многие частные школы-интернаты, где дети часто остаются в школе и не возвращайтесь домой после занятий, чтобы их родители должны платить не только для лучшего обучения, но и для их номера и продовольствия, а также. Некоторые школы являются только одного пола, в то время как большинство государственных школ являются смешанные (студентка*). Частных вузах, иногда называют подготовительных школ, подготовительных школ, смысл подготовки к поступлению в колледж. Большинство молодых американцев, заканчивают школу с дипломом об окончании школы* после удовлетворительного завершения определенное количество курсов. Каждому студенту дается в средней школе стенограмма*, в котором обобщаются курсов и оценок, полученных. То есть в конце обязательное бесплатное государственное образование, однако, некоторые студенты бросают школу и никогда не выпускник.). В этот момент молодые люди должны решить, хотят ли они продолжать свое образование или хотят ли они, чтобы искать работу. Более половины студентов поступают в высшие учебные заведения, другие могут получить дальнейшее образование в специальных заведений. Это, в основном, профессионально, и приводит к сертификат или диплом, а не степень. Курсы различаются по продолжительности - от нескольких месяцев до двух лет. Есть full-time, part-time и сэндвич-курсы, курсы, где сроки очного обучения чередуются с периодами полного рабочего времени, как правило, в промышленности.
to regard - рассматривать;
means - средство;
inequality - неравенство;
to erase - стереть;
desirable - желаемый;
to achieve - достигать, добиваться;
to comprise - включать;
institution = establishment - учреждение;
Institution of Higher Education - ВУЗ;
public school - государственная школа (субсидируемая государством);
taxes - (мн.ч.) налоги;
to view - рассматривать;
ladder - лестница, лесенка;
kids - амер. разг. : дети;
grade - амер. класс; оценка;
junior - младший;
basic - основной;
elective - факультативный, необязательный, по выбору;
advanced - продвинутый, повышенного типа;
vocational - профессиональный;
training - обучение;
to receive - получать;
failing - провал, т.е. неудовлетворительно;
performance - здесь: участие, успеваемость;
throughout - через, в продолжение (всего времени);
IQ = Intelligence Quotient - коэффициент умственного развития;
completion - выполнение, завершение;
ability - способность;
scores - баллы, результат очках;
bright - здесь: смышленый, сообразительный, умный;
wealthy - состоятельный;
to support – поддерживать
to charge - взимать (плату);
fee - плата за обучение;
curriculum (мн.ч. curricula) - учебный план, программа;
similar - подобный, схожий;
latter - последний (из названных);
elite - элита, элитный
to serve - обслуживать;
tuition - обучение;
tuition fee - плата за обучение; cost - стоимость;
to afford - позволять (в финансовом отношении
boarding school - школа-пансионат (т.е. с проживанием);
co-educational school - школа совместного обучения (юношей и девушек);
preparatory - подготовительный;
high school diploma - диплом о среднем образовании;
specified - определенный;
high school transcript - аттестат зрелости (с указанием отметок);
to obtain - получать;
mandatory - обязательный;
to drop out - бросать (школу);
point - точка, момент;
to seek employment - искать работу;
over - свыше;
to enter - поступать (колледж, университет);
further - дальнейший;
degree - научная степень;
to vary - варьировать, различаться;
full-time courses - дневное обучение;
to alternate - чередовать(ся).
Comprehensive check : a nswer the following questions:
What are the levels of education in the USA?
What age groups do they include?
What are the basic subjects at school?
What does the word "elective" mean?
How are the students graded?
Does a bad IQ test score necessarily mean, that a student is not bright?
Are the IQ test scores known to students and their parents?
Is there a separate educational system for the wealthy?
What are boarding schools like? Who can afford to study there?
What information does a high school transcript include?
What are the possible ways to get further education?
Word Study
Ex.1: Match the pairs of synonyms among the following words :
to select; to comprise; to regard; elective; to be a must; to receive; to
be mandatory; task; to obtain; specified; education; vocational; optional;
assignment; to view; to choose; certain; professional; to include;
Ex.2: Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents:
educational institution a/ студент дневной формы обучения
public school b/ диплом о среднем образовании
elective subjects c/ по окончании
oral assignment d/ определенное число
performance in tests e/ плата за обучение
throughout the year f/ факультативные предметы
vocational training g/ пансионат
boarding school h/ государственная школа
high school diploma i/ участие/успехи в тестах
upon completion j/ профессионально-технич. образование
high school transcript k/ старшеклассник
specified number l/ аттестат зрелости
full-time student m/ в течение всего года
high-school student n/ устное задание
tuition fee o/ образовательное учреждение
Ex.3: Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents:
to comprise 3 levels a/ вести к научной степени
to collect taxes b/ бросать школу
to receive grades c/ искать работу
to be a must d/ заканчивать университет
to be supported by public funds e/ получать отметки
to drop out of school f/ быть обязательным
to seek employment g/ включать три уровня
to graduate from a university h/ варьировать по продолжительности
to lead to a degree i/ собирать налоги
to vary in length j/ содержаться на
деньги общества
Ex.4: Translate the following phrases from the text and use them in the translation below.
educational institution; to collect taxes; to be supported by; to view;
ladder; to choose; wealthy; upon completion; further; vocational school; to charge; co-educational school; public funds;
to comprise 3 levels; boarding school; during vacations; tuition fee; perfect; to seek employment; grades; secondary; throughout the year; IQ test scores; bright; grades obtained; abilities;
to drop out of school; to summarize the courses taken; similar; to lead to; useful; higher school; curricula; high school transcript;
private school.
Образование в США включает 3 уровня - начальное, среднее и высшее образование.
Существуют 2 типа образовательных учреждений - частные и государственные.
Государственные школы финансируются за счет налогов, взимаемых со всех граждан.
Американцы рассматривают свою систему образования как лестницу, ведущую от средней школы к высшей.
Студенты выбирают предметы, которые будут более всего полезны в их будущей карьере.
В течение года они должны посещать лекции и выполнять множество устных и письменных заданий.
Можно иметь плохие очки по тесту IQ, но тем не менее (nevertheless) быть сообразительным, потому что тесты не являются совершенными и не всегда верно отражают (to reflect) ваши способности.
Частные школы взимают плату за обучение детей с их родителей.
Учебные программы частных школ сходны с программами государственных школ.
Многие частные школы являются пансионатами, где дети не только учатся, но и живут, навещая свои семьи только во время каникул.
Большинство государственных школ являются учреждениями совместного обучения.
Большинство американцев по завершении школы получают диплом о среднем образовании.
Аттестат об окончании средней школы суммирует пройденные курсы и полученные за них отметки.
Некоторые учащиеся (students) бросают школу, так и не закончив ее.
В таком случае, они ищут работу.
Большинство выпускников получают дальнейшее образование в различных учебных заведениях, от профессионально-технических школ до колледжей и университетов.