Universal access to high quality education has been one of the nation's historic goals.
America's first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own schools. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Preschool education is part of the elementary school. Elementary I and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art I and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institutions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges, and graduate schools offering master's or doctoral degree programmes. The factors determining an institution's prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.
The British system of education has a very long history, but in the past few years there have been many changes in it British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give parents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.
Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Nonselective comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.
Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, mostly organised by parents. Compulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually в tart their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the following subjects: English, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.
At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at fourteen and sixteen) teachers measure children's progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each target there are ten levels of attainment.
The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eighteen. Here they build on the knowledge they have aquired at primary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreign language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.
If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further two years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Supplementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to university education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.
For those leaving school at sexteen there are Further Education colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.
The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine universities, Oxford and Cambridge being the oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and maintenance.
British and American families - Британские и американские семьи
British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children. Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23 but many marriages end in divorce. This means that both countries have a large number of "single parent families", one father or mother looking after their children alone. The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'clock, have breakfast at 8. and are off to work by 8.30 . More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30, and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the family eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents. The typical American family has more money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at school, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
My family - Моя семья (1)
Our family is large (small, not very large). We are the family of seven (two, three, four, five, six): my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my brother and I. My mother's name is … She is … years old. She is a teacher (a doctor, a worker, an engineer). She is a very nice, kind and clever woman. My father's name is ... He is ... years old. He is a worker (a teacher, an engineer, a doctor, a businessman). He is lather tall and strong. He is a man of strong character - and all of us love him very much. My grandmother's name is ... She is ... years old. She does not work now, she is a pensioner, but she has a lot of work to do about the house. All of us try to help her. My grandfather' s name is... He is... years old. He is a pensioner too. My brother and sister are students (pupils). There names are ... They are older (younger) than me. We are a very good family. We love each other very much. In the evenings, when all the members of our family get together after work and study, we like to watch TV, to read books and newspapers, to talk about different things and to discuss all our problems together. When the weather is good we sometimes go for a walk. We have a small house in the country with a garden and a kitchen-garden. There is much work there and on week-ends we go there and work and have rest all together.
My family - Моя семья (2)
We are 4 at our family: my mother, father, my elder brother and I. I think, our family is friendly, united. We spend much time together, go for a walk in the woods, visit theaters, museums, go to the cinema. My mother's name is Luidmila Mikhailovna. She is an engineer, she works in an office. She is a kind, nice woman. She can cook very well. She is fond of reading. My father's name is Konstantin Alexeevich. He is a sailor. He is a strong, clever man. He often tells me interesting stories about different countries. Father can do a lot of things. He teaches me to repair furniture, to drive a car. My brother's name is Alexei. He is 22 years old. He have been studied in Far- Eastern State Marine Academy for 5 years. Now it is a very difficult period for him: he is passing through state exams. I have my duties about the house. I must go shopping, clean the rooms. It's not difficult for me. I like our home to be clean and tidy. I think home is the nicest place. As proverb says, . There is no place more delightful than home and there are no people more dear than your relatives.
My family - Моя семья (3)
I haven't got a family of my own yet, so I shall speak about my parents' family. There are four of us: my father, Sergey Viktorovich, my mother, Irina Pavlovna, my younger brother Anton, and myself Alexandr, Alex for short. First of all some about my parents. My mother is a house-wife. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is thirty-four but she looks much younger. My father is employee of Bank. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is forty. My parents have been married for eighteen years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books, films, sports. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My father is fond of tennis. My mother doesn't go for sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing. My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me, my brother and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clever with her hands. She is very practical. My brother and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat. My brother's name is Anton. He is thirteen years old. He is a schoolboy. I want to become a student. I'd like to learn mathematics. We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.
My family - Моя семья (4)
In my opinion family is one of the most important things in one's life. Almost all our life we live within a family. There are five of us in the family: My father - Iliy Nikolaevich, my mother Vera Pavlovna, my elder brother Michael and the youngest child in our family my ten-year old sister Olga. I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been married for 20 years now. They met each other at the institute where they studied together both of them were in their first year then. Howeevfr it was not until their last year at the institute when they got married. My father is a chief sales-manager in a firm which sells various computer equipment. Many years ago after he had graduated from the institute he became an electronic engineer in one of the Moscow research institutes. His firm has several branches in some other big towns in Russia such as St Petersburg, Voronez, Novosibirsk and others. So he has to travel a lot. My father is an only wager in our family but as he is very good at his job his firm pays him a good salary. However his Saturdays and Sundays are wholly devoted to his family. In youth he went in for sport so we often play either football or volleyball which are his favourite games. My mother is a housewife. A year after she graduated from the institute my elder brother was born and she had to stay at home. Later it was decided that she would run the house and look after the family. My mother is a nice looking woman. She is of medium heigth. Her hair is dark and she usually wears a bun. So most of her time is devoted to housework. Except for the time when soaps are shown on TV. She adores them though my father thinks they are silly. He like most men prefers detective stories and action films. My elder brother is now in his third year at the Moscow State University. He studies at the Geographical faculty. He was keen on Geography when at school and wanted to travel to places yet unknown. I personally think that it was the spirit of adventures that made him go to the Geographical faculty. The youngest member of out family is ten-year old Olga.
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America's first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own schools. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Preschool education is part of the elementary school. Elementary I and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art I and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institutions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges, and graduate schools offering master's or doctoral degree programmes. The factors determining an institution's prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.
The British system of education has a very long history, but in the past few years there have been many changes in it British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give parents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.
Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Nonselective comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.
Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, mostly organised by parents. Compulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually в tart their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the following subjects: English, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.
At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at fourteen and sixteen) teachers measure children's progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each target there are ten levels of attainment.
The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eighteen. Here they build on the knowledge they have aquired at primary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreign language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.
If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further two years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Supplementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to university education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.
For those leaving school at sexteen there are Further Education colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.
The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine universities, Oxford and Cambridge being the oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and maintenance.
British and American families - Британские и американские семьи
British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children. Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23 but many marriages end in divorce. This means that both countries have a large number of "single parent families", one father or mother looking after their children alone. The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'clock, have breakfast at 8. and are off to work by 8.30 . More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30, and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the family eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents. The typical American family has more money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at school, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
My family - Моя семья (1)
Our family is large (small, not very large). We are the family of seven (two, three, four, five, six): my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my brother and I. My mother's name is … She is … years old. She is a teacher (a doctor, a worker, an engineer). She is a very nice, kind and clever woman. My father's name is ... He is ... years old. He is a worker (a teacher, an engineer, a doctor, a businessman). He is lather tall and strong. He is a man of strong character - and all of us love him very much. My grandmother's name is ... She is ... years old. She does not work now, she is a pensioner, but she has a lot of work to do about the house. All of us try to help her. My grandfather' s name is... He is... years old. He is a pensioner too. My brother and sister are students (pupils). There names are ... They are older (younger) than me. We are a very good family. We love each other very much. In the evenings, when all the members of our family get together after work and study, we like to watch TV, to read books and newspapers, to talk about different things and to discuss all our problems together. When the weather is good we sometimes go for a walk. We have a small house in the country with a garden and a kitchen-garden. There is much work there and on week-ends we go there and work and have rest all together.
My family - Моя семья (2)
We are 4 at our family: my mother, father, my elder brother and I. I think, our family is friendly, united. We spend much time together, go for a walk in the woods, visit theaters, museums, go to the cinema. My mother's name is Luidmila Mikhailovna. She is an engineer, she works in an office. She is a kind, nice woman. She can cook very well. She is fond of reading. My father's name is Konstantin Alexeevich. He is a sailor. He is a strong, clever man. He often tells me interesting stories about different countries. Father can do a lot of things. He teaches me to repair furniture, to drive a car. My brother's name is Alexei. He is 22 years old. He have been studied in Far- Eastern State Marine Academy for 5 years. Now it is a very difficult period for him: he is passing through state exams. I have my duties about the house. I must go shopping, clean the rooms. It's not difficult for me. I like our home to be clean and tidy. I think home is the nicest place. As proverb says, . There is no place more delightful than home and there are no people more dear than your relatives.
My family - Моя семья (3)
I haven't got a family of my own yet, so I shall speak about my parents' family. There are four of us: my father, Sergey Viktorovich, my mother, Irina Pavlovna, my younger brother Anton, and myself Alexandr, Alex for short. First of all some about my parents. My mother is a house-wife. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is thirty-four but she looks much younger. My father is employee of Bank. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is forty. My parents have been married for eighteen years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books, films, sports. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My father is fond of tennis. My mother doesn't go for sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing. My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me, my brother and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clever with her hands. She is very practical. My brother and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat. My brother's name is Anton. He is thirteen years old. He is a schoolboy. I want to become a student. I'd like to learn mathematics. We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.
My family - Моя семья (4)
In my opinion family is one of the most important things in one's life. Almost all our life we live within a family. There are five of us in the family: My father - Iliy Nikolaevich, my mother Vera Pavlovna, my elder brother Michael and the youngest child in our family my ten-year old sister Olga. I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been married for 20 years now. They met each other at the institute where they studied together both of them were in their first year then. Howeevfr it was not until their last year at the institute when they got married. My father is a chief sales-manager in a firm which sells various computer equipment. Many years ago after he had graduated from the institute he became an electronic engineer in one of the Moscow research institutes. His firm has several branches in some other big towns in Russia such as St Petersburg, Voronez, Novosibirsk and others. So he has to travel a lot. My father is an only wager in our family but as he is very good at his job his firm pays him a good salary. However his Saturdays and Sundays are wholly devoted to his family. In youth he went in for sport so we often play either football or volleyball which are his favourite games. My mother is a housewife. A year after she graduated from the institute my elder brother was born and she had to stay at home. Later it was decided that she would run the house and look after the family. My mother is a nice looking woman. She is of medium heigth. Her hair is dark and she usually wears a bun. So most of her time is devoted to housework. Except for the time when soaps are shown on TV. She adores them though my father thinks they are silly. He like most men prefers detective stories and action films. My elder brother is now in his third year at the Moscow State University. He studies at the Geographical faculty. He was keen on Geography when at school and wanted to travel to places yet unknown. I personally think that it was the spirit of adventures that made him go to the Geographical faculty. The youngest member of out family is ten-year old Olga.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40