1. (We, us) all went with (their, them) to the dean’s office. 2. My friend came to see (I, me) last night. 3. Victor gave Peter and (I, me) a book and we went to the reading-room with (he, him) and his friend. 4. He told Mary and (me, I) to go with (he, him) and his sister. 5. They know all about my friend and (I, me). 6. I came to the Institute with Michael and (her, she). 7. An old man asked (we, us) to go and see (him, his). 8. Go with David and (her, she) to visit (they, them).

Exercise 9. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions in, at, on, to, into, under:

1. We live … Moscow. 2. I get up … seven o’clock and leave … eight. 3. I usually walk … the institute. 4. There are three rooms … our flat. 5. There is a picture … the wall and a small table … the picture. 6. He comes … the room and sits down … the chair … the table. 7. … the evening we watch TV or read books. 8. We don’t study … Sunday. 9. There are several newspapers … the table.

Exercise 10. Read and translate the text without a dictionary:

As you know higher education in this country is accessible and free of charge. The students making good progress get state grants. The course of study at the universities lasts about five years. The students take two or three years of general engineering and fundamental courses, then one or two years of specialized training in some fields of science and technology. In the first and second years a good foundation for professional knowledge is provided. At present there are many modern laboratories at institutes of higher learning. All higher schools have their own computer centers. This means that the state must spend a lot of money to improve higher education.

Exercise 11. Read and learn the dialogue:

Mr. R.: Good morning. Have a seat.

Bob: Good morning. Thank you.

Mr. R.: I have your application here. Your name is Robert Smith, right?

B: That’s right, sir.

Mr. R.: And you hope to enter our university this year?

B: Yes sir, if I can make it.

Mr. R.: Fine, Bob. You finished school a year ago. Why didn’t you enter college that year?

B: Well, I have a sister in college now. And there is another one who’ll be going next year. So I need money to pay for my education.

Mr. R.: All right. How were your grades at school?

B: Well, pretty good. Until my last year I got a little too interested in sports. But I know I’ll work hard in college.

Mr. R.: It’s hard to keep up both sports and studies.

B: Yes sir, I know.

Mr. R.: Fine. Well, we’ll let you know in about two weeks, good luck.

B.: Thank you, sir. Goodbye.

 Exercise 12. Read and translate the text about Cambridge. Tell about special features of learning at Cambridge:

Cambridge is one of the two main universities of England located at the Cam River. It was founded at the beginning of the 12-th century. The University consists of 24 different colleges including 4 colleges for women. Each college is self-governing.

The head of the University is the chancellor who is elected for life. The teachers are commonly called “dons” and “tutors”. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures organized by the University. Besides lectures teaching is carried out by tutorial system for which the Cambridge University is famous all over the world. This is a system of individual tuition organized by the colleges.

Each student has a tutor who practically guides him through the whole course of studies. The tutor plans the student’s work and once a week the student goes to his tutor to discuss his work with him. The training course lasts 4 years. The academic year is divided into 3 terms. The students study natural and technical sciences, law, history, languages, geography and many other subjects.

After three years of study a student may proceed to a Bachelor’s degree and later to the degrees of Master and Doctor. Students are required to wear gowns at lectures, in the University library, in the street in the evening, for dinners in the colleges and for official visits. All the students must pay for their education, examinations, books, laboratories, university hostel, the use of libraries, etc. Very few students get grants. Not many children from the working class families are able to get higher education, as the cost is high. The cost of education depends on the college and speciality.

A number of great men, well-known scientists and writers studied at Cambridge. Among them are: Bacon, the philosopher, Milton and Byron, the poets, Cromwell, the soldier, Newton and Darwin, the scientists.

Lesson 3. The Russian Federation / Российская Федерация

Exercise 1: Read and translate the text, learn the active vocabulary:

The Russian Federation is my Homeland. It is the largest country in the world. It occupies about 1/7 (one-seventh) of the Earth surface. The country is situated in Eastern Europe, Northern and Central Asia. Its total area is over 17 million square kilometres.

Our land is washed by 12 seas, most of which are the seas of three oceans: the Arctic, the Atlantic and the Pacific. In the south and in the west the country borders on fourteen countries. It also has a sea-border with the USA.

There are no countries in the world where such a great variety of flora and fauna can be found as in our land. Our country has numerous forests, plains and steppes, taiga and tundra, highlands and deserts. There are two great plains in Russia: the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. The highest mountains in our land are the Altai, the Urals and the Caucasus. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.

There are over two thousand rivers in the Russian Federation. The longest of them are the Volga, the Ob', the Yenisei, the Lena and the Amur. Our land is also rich in lakes with the deepest lake in the world, the Baikal, included. It is much smaller than the Baltic Sea, but there is much more water in it than in the Baltic Sea. The water in the lake is so clear that if you look down you can count the stones on the bottom.

On the Russian territory there are 11 time zones. The climate conditions are rather different: from arctic and moderate to continental and subtropical. Our country is one of the richest in natural resources countries in the world: oil, natural gas, coal, different ores, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and other minerals.

The Russian Federation is a multinational state. It comprises many national districts, several autonomous republics and regions. The population of the country is about 140 million people.

Moscow is the capital of our Homeland. It is the largest political, scientific, cultural and industrial center of the country and one of the most beautiful cities on the globe. Russian is the official language of the state. The national symbols of the Russian Federation are a white-blue-red banner and a double-headed eagle.

At present, the political and economic situation in the country is rather complicated. There are a lot of problems in the national economy of the Russian Federation. The in­dustrial production is decreasing. The prices are constantly rising, the rate of inflation is very high. People are losing their jobs because many factories and plants are going bank­rupt.

The Russian Federation is a constitutional republic headed by the President. The country government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The President controls only the executive branch of power -the government, but not the Supreme Court and Federal Assembly.

The legislative power belongs to the Federal Assembly comprising two chambers: the Council of Federation (upper Chamber) and the State Duma (lower Chamber). Each chamber is headed by the Speaker. The executive power belongs to the government (the Cabinet of Ministers) headed by the Prime Minister. The judicial power belongs to the system of Courts comprising the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and federal | courts. Our country has a multiparty system.

The foreign policy of the Russian Federation is that of international cooperation, peace and friendship with all nations irrespective of their political and social systems.

Vocabulary

to border on – граничить с

highlands – горные возвышенности

desert – пустыня

the Urals – Уральские горы

the Caucasus – Кавказ

moderate – умеренный

ore – руда

ferrous and non-ferrous metals – чёрные и цветные металлы

banner – знамя, флаг

legislative – законодательный

executive – исполнительный

judicial – судебный

Federal Assembly – Федеральное Собрание

the Council of Federation – Совет Федерации

Supreme Court – Верховный суд

foreign policy – международная политика

irrespective of – независимо от

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions:

1. Is Russia the largest country in the world?

2. What oceans wash the borders of the Russian Federa­tion?

3. How many countries have borders with Russia?

4. Are Russian flora and fauna various?

5. What are the highest mountains in Russia?

6. What is Baikal famous for?

7. What is the climate in Russia like?

8. What is the national symbol of Russia?

9. What can you say about the Russian economy?

10. What does the Federal Assembly consist of?

11.Who is the head of each Chamber of the Federal Assembly?

Exercise 3. Insert the prepositions:

1. The country is washed … 12 seas.

2. … the south Russia borders … China and Mongolia.

3. It also has a sea – border … the USA.

4. The Urals separates Europe … Asia.

5. The Volga flows … the Caspian sea.

6. The Yenisei and the Lena flow … the south … the north.

7. Russia is rich … beautiful lakes.

8. If you look down you can count the stones … the bottom.

9. There are various types … climate: … arctic … subtropical.

10. The Russian Federation is headed … the President.

11. The country government consists … three branches.

12. The legislative power belongs … the Federal Assembly.