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BASHKIR STATE UNIVERSITY
The University currently employs about 700 instructors, including 90 Doctors and 373 Candidates of Sciences. 28 Doctors have been elected Full Members and Corresponding Members of various academies. More than 5,000 full-time students are trained in 32 trades, with 3,500 students studying part-time. The University incorporates 12 departments in Ufa and the two branches located in Sibai and Sterlitamak. Instruction is effected by 73 chairs. The University provides post-graduate training in 38 specialties and doctorate training in 6, there being 11 boards for theses defence. Science is represented by the R&D centre, three problem and multi-branch laboratories, the R&D Institute for Sociology, the Bashkir Patent Centre, the "Zaryad" experiment and design bureau focusing on building computer systems,
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measuring instruments and machine-tools for the engineering industry. The University instructors annually issue 30 titles of monographs, textbooks and teaching aids. The Bashkir University participates in international integration activities, cooperating on a contractual basis with universities in the U.S.A., Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Egypt, Hungary and Japan in the sphere of science and higher education. The Bashkir University is a vibrantly growing institution. The transition is currently accomplished to a multi-level system of higher professional training. The high standard of theoretical and methodological background of the professor and instructor staff supported by academic traditions facilitates training highly-qualified specialists. The University is justly proud of its graduates. More than 53,000 specialists have been trained here since 1957 thus contributing significantly to Bashkortostan's intellectual potential. Over a thousand University graduates have been awarded honorary titles of the Russian Federation and those of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and 67 of them are members of the Writers' Union of Russia.
Discussion 1. When was the University founded? 2. How many faculties or departments are there at the University? 3. Name some of the faculties or departments. 4. How many Universities are there in Ufa? 5. What can you say about the R&D (research and development) potential of the University? 6. Who is the University Rector? 7. What is the organizational structure of the University? 8. What can you say about the University's international co-operation and exchanges of students and instructors? 9. What countries does the University maintain co-operation with? 10. What is the procedure for entering the University? 11. Which applicants for entry are given special preference or privileges? 12. Do all students get their scholarships? 13. What
^ do students do after graduating from the University? 14. Is it easier to find a job with a University degree? 15. Are you moreiriclined towards R&D or practical activities? 16. Do you take part in any research activities? 17. What do students do in their fifth year at the University? 18. How many years do students of the correspondence/extra-mural department study? 19. Which students of your group take part in amateur arts contests and concerts? DEPARTMENT OF LAW The Department of Law has been in existence since January 19Ë2 and is the legal successor of the Ufa Branch of the All-Union Correspondence Institute of Law, which was transformed into the Ufa Faculty of the Sverdlovsk Institute of Law in 1964. The full-time and part-time (evening and correspondence) divisions of the Department comprise 60 instructors with 6 Professors and 25 Assistant Professors and train more than 1,500 students. At the chairs of Theory and History of State and Law, Civil Law and Procedure, Business and Financial Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Criminology and Forensic Expertise the students of the Department can specialize in various legal fields - state, business, financial, agrarian law, investigation, prosecution, foreign-economic'activities. Two scientific schools are successfully functioning, one focusing on agrarian law, the other dedicated to combatting juvenile delinquency. The instruction process is provided with excellent training facilities -criminology laboratories, a photography darkroom, a video-room, a computer class, a foreign languages laboratory. Post-graduate courses are provided by the Chairs "Civil Law and Procedure", "Criminal Law and Procedure", "Criminology and Forensic Expertise". A specialized board has been set up for defending candidates' theses dedicated to
Agrarian Law, Land, Water, Forest and Mining Law, Ecological Law. A multi-level system of specialist training was introduced in 1994. Discussion 1. When did the Department of Law become a faculty of the University? 2. What other educational establishments in Ufa train lawyers? 3. Where do graduates of the Department work? 4. Can you name some famous people who graduated from this Department? 5. How many chairs does the Department of Law comprise? 6. Who is the Dean of the Department? (Deputy Dean?) 7. Why do classes have to be conducted in two shifts? 8. Do you prefer to study in the morning or the afternoon shift? 9. What teaching aids and training facilities are there at the Department? 10. Do you like the place where the building of the Department is located? 11. How many students are there in your group? 12. What is your favourite subject? 13. Who is the monitor (leader) of your group? 14. Which of you takes part in amateur arts contests/concerts? 15. Which of you participates in scientific/research circles or societies? OXFORD Oxford University, comprising nearly 50 affiliated but autonomous colleges and halls, is a great centre of learning since its foundation in the 12th century. Oxford is like London: it is international, it is old and it has great charm. It is also a town that grew up near the River Thames. Oxford is international because people from many parts of the world come to study at its university. They join the university "family" that has more than 9,000 members. In universities there are chancellors, principals, masters, wardens, deans, bursars, professors, readers, fellows and others in a variety of pecking orders. The city of Oxford is old and historical. It has existed since 912. The oldest men's college is University (1249), and the oldest women's college is Lady Margaret Hall (1879). Some of the other old colleges are Merton College, Magdalen College, and New College. The major university library is the famous Bodleian. You can see the charm of Oxford in the green fields and parks which surround the city and you can see it in the lawns and gardens which surround the colleges. You can see the charm of Oxford in the River Thames and its streams which pass near the city. Punting is a favourite sport among the students at Oxford. It is a very peaceful sport and helps you to do a lot of thinking - especially if you are studying for an examination! There are several sights not to be missed by a visitor to Oxford - the Martyrs' Memorial and the cobblestone cross in the middle of the Broad Street. On this spot in 1555 two bishops, Larimer and Ridley, were burned alive on the orders of Catholic Queen Mary. As the flames took hold, Bishop Latimer called across to his fellow martyr: ."Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England as I trust shall never be put out." He meant the candle of the Protestant faith. A year later, on the same spot in 1556, Archbishop Cranner followed them to death. The flames from the pyre had scorched the door of Balliol College a few yards away. The scorch marks are plainly visible today. Visitors one day should also stay up till midnight and listen to Great Tom, the bass bell at Christ Church, which tolls 101 times each night. CAMBRIDGE The story of the University begins in 1209 when several hundred students and scholars arrived in the little town of Cambridge after they have walked 60 miles from Oxford, where it was a hard life for students. One day a student accidentally
killed a man of the town. The Mayor arrested three other students who were innocent and they were put to death. In protest, all the students moved elsewhere, some coming to Cambridge; and so the new University began. Its first college, Peterhouse, was established in 1284. Today the University is coeducational, and has about 9,000 students. It has a total of 29 colleges and approved societies, and is a self-governing body, with authority vested in its senior members. The Colleges join one another along the curve of the river Cam. They are built on a plan common to all. There is a chapel, a library and a large dining-hall. The student gets a clear idea of much of the English architectural styles of the past 600 years.
GREAT BRITAIN
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom, or UK) has existed as we know it today for a comparatively short time. England and Wales have functioned as a single political entity for centuries, but union with Scotland took place only in 1707, with the creation of a single parliament for Great Britain. Ireland did not join the union until 1801. However, in 1922, after a century of turbulence, the southern counties of Ireland (now the Republic of Ireland) became an independent state, leaving the six northern counties as part of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy of NW Europe occupying the whole of the British Isles except the Republic of Ireland. The UK thus comprises the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland. It does not include the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, which are Crown dependencies and are generally independent from the United Kingdom except in matters of defence and international relations.
Britain enjoys a mainly mild climate with changeable weather. Although notoriously variable, the weather is subject to few extremes of temperature and will only rarely rise above 32°C or fall below -10°C. The area of the country is 94,251 square miles (244,110 square kilometers). With an estimated population of about 56.5 million, the UK is one of the world's most densely populated countries. More than five-sixths of the people live in England. Most British are urban-dwelling. About a fifth of the population of mainland Britain lives in eight major conurbations, which account for less than 2% of the total land area. As a result of immigration the UK now is a multiracial society. Immigrants from India, Pakistan, the West Indies (Afro-Caribbeans) and other Commonwealth countries number at least 1,500,000. There are concentrations of ethnic minorities in most cities. The total population has remained relatively constant in recent years, but shows a slight upward trend. Current projections are that the population will reach 57.7 million by 2001. English is the main language throughout the UK. In Wales, however, both English and Welsh are used in some areas, and Welsh is as valid as English for many official purposes. In the north-west of Scotland a small minority still speaks Gaelic. The United Kingdom is regarded as a Christian country. However, there is a complete religious freedom: anyone may practice any religion without state interference. Religious observance has been declining in recent years, but the majority of the population are Protestant, in name at least. JScene of the world's first industrial revolution in the 18th century, the UK based its economic development on its coal and iron deposits. Recently North Sea oil and natural gas have been exploited. Industrial raw materials and food, however, often have to be imported. To pay for imports the UK exports manufactured goods
• and provides services like banking, insurance and shipping. Major industries include iron and steel, engineering, textiles, electronics, chemicals and shipbuilding. Most industries are privately owned, but some of the most important are wholly or partly owned by the state. After WWII the UK failed to keep pace in economic growth with other West European countries due to the decline of its relative economic strength and the inflexibility of its management and labour practices. Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973. The United Kingdom has a largely free-market economy, but there is regulation of the financial services, banking, insurance and broadcasting sectors, as well as legislation concerned with competition and the protection of consumers and employees. The United Kingdom is a major trading nation that maintains significant manufacturing and service sectors. Manufacturing industry has undergone substantial restructuring since 1979. Many traditional industries, such as heavy engineering, have experienced a decline, whereas high-technology industries - in particular, electrical engineering - have enjoyed healthy expansion. The services sector has grown much faster than the manufacturing sector over recent decades and now accounts for roughly 60% of gross domestic product and 65% of employees. The fastest-growing areas have been financial services, professional and scientific services, leisure and tourism. There has also lately been a boom in retail distribution. The City of London is particularly significant as a centre for world banking and foreign exchange trading and has become the major market for Eurobond dealing. The United Kingdom at present has a substantial energy-production sector, accounting for 8% of gross domestic product (GDP). The bulk of the sector is involved with oil and natural gas, although coal remains significant. Oil production from the North Sea fields is now past its peak, but it is estimated that coal reserves
can last for at least two more centuries. Three-quarters of the UK's land area is dedicated to agriculture. Whilst the agricultural sector satisfies two-thirds of the country's needs, it accounts for only 4% of gross domestic product./ From the seventeenth century to the nineteenth, Britain colonized a large part of the globe. Most of these colonies have now become independent states, and 48 of them, together with the UK, are members of the voluntary association of states known as the Commonwealth. The Queen is head of the Commonwealth. Communications to and within the United Kingdom are now of a high standard. All major cities have airport facilities and rail links, while me motorway network has been considerably enhanced by the completion of the London Orbital motorway (motorways are generally without tolls). The United Kingdom enjoys all the usual modern telecommunications facilities. The Post Office is a government-owned body which has a monopoly on letter post, but which is subject to competition from private couriers and British Rail in respect of parcels. The letter post is divided into two classes: the slightly more expensive first class mail service will generally ensure delivery one day after posting. There are normally no Sunday deliveries or collections. School education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 16. Local authorities are obliged to provide schooling free of charge. Most schools admit boys and girls together. Some local authority schools ("voluntary schools") are specifically Anglican or Roman Catholic, but the majority are not associated with any particular religion or denomination (though the element of religious education is required). Although education is compulsory until the age of 16, it is not uncommon for pupils, particularly those intending to go on to university, to stay at school until the age of 18.
Alongside the local authority schools, there is an independent sector, covering all ages. These schools are paid. Some offer boarding facilities, some are religious foundations, and many are single sex. Fees can be anything up to £2,000 a term for a boarding secondary school. Most residents of the UK make use of the National Health Service (NHS) for both general practitioner and hospital care. The NHS provides a comprehensive health service which is generally free of charge (but fees are common if drugs or spectacles are prescribed or if one is visiting a dentist). In addition to the NHS, there is private sector, funded by medical insurance. The major advantages of the private sector are the absence of waiting lists and the greater comfort of hospital accommodation. After WWII Britain established a welfare state that involved the nationalization of key industries and the vast expansion of social services. One effect was to diminish the country's competitiveness in the world market; problems such as inflation, trade deficits and unemployment were chronic. When Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979 she resolved to dismantle the welfare state, check the power of labour unions, and instill an entrepreneurial spirit in the country. The change was wrenching, marked by persistent high unemployment, especially in the northern industrial cities. But by the late 1980s the economy was growing, unemployment was declining and taxes were being cut. The prime minister was criticized in many quarters for subordinating traditional British values to the drive for commercial success, but her re-election to a third term in 1987 ensured that her policy would be continued. In 1990 Thatcher's resistance to full British participation in European economic union and her unpopular tax policy finally brought her down. She was succeeded by Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major. On May 1, 1997, young and charismatic Anthony Blair led the Labour to the parliamentary election triumph.
The capital of Great Britain is London covering over 650 square miles along both banks of the River Thames. The national centre of government, trade, commerce, shipping, finance and industry, it is also one of the cultural centres of the world. The Port of London handles over 33% of UK trade. Many of the most important financial and business institutions such as the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and Lloyd's of London, as well as many banking and shipping concerns, are concentrated in the single square mile known as the City. London is also a historic city with many beautiful buildings: the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace are major tourist attractions. Home of universities, colleges, and some of the world's greatest museums and libraries, it also has a flourishing night life. London's art galleries, concert halls, theatres and opera houses are world-famous. Distant areas of London are linked by the complex and highly efficient subway system known as the Underground. The population of the city is nearly 7 million. Discussion 1. What is Great Britain separated from the Continent by? 2. What is the British measure of weight for sausage, chicken, etc.? 3. What happens when Fleet Street workers go on strike? 4. Whose residence is Buckingham Palace? 5. What was the name of Prince Charles's ex-wife? 6. What is the longest river in the UK? 7. Which character was created by Conan Doyle? 8. Who are the main characters of Dame Agatha Christie's novels and stories? 9. Where does the British Prime Minister live? 10. What is Scotland Yard? 11. What is the capital of Scotland? 12. Where did George Gordon Byron die? 13. What are the two Chambers of the British Parliament? 14. Who was Sir Winston Churchill? 15. Who is the current British Monarch? 16. Explain the term "Victorian style". 17. Who lived in Baker Street? 18. What is a London double-decker? 19. What is the oldest building in London? 20. Who is a Beefeater? 21. Oxford and ... 22. What is the current opposition party in
the UK? 23. Who was the British Prime Minister during WWII? 24. Who is the current British Prime Minister? 25. When will the next Parliamentary election take place in the UK? 26. What is the current ruling political party in Great Britain? 27. When was England conquered by William I? 28. What are the most famous places in London? 29. Name some famous Scots. 30. What is the capital city of Wales? 31. What is the British currency unit? 32. What is Loch Ness famous for? 33. Who will the next British monarch be? 34. What is longer - a mile, a foot, or an inch? 35. What did Mr. George Stephenson invent? 36. Name several English-speaking countries. 37. What is Stonehenge?- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The USA is the fourth-largest country in the world after Russia, Canada and China. The 50 states span North America from coast to coast. The largest state is Alaska, the smallest is Rhode Island. The state with the largest population is California, whereas the least populated state is Wyoming. The federal capital is Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia). The area is 3,536,855 square miles, the population is 248,710,000 people. The US is the world's third-largest nation by population after China and India. Until 1840 immigrants came mostly from England and Scotland, but thereafter increasingly from other, mainly European lands, including Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, Italy and the Slavic countries. From 1965 large number of Latin Americans and Asians have been admitted. The first blacks came as slaves (from 1619). Today there are some 30 million black Americans, of whom the majority still live in the South and in large cities like Washington, D.C, New York and Chicago. Indians, the original inhabitants, are found in all states, with major concentrations in the Great Plains and the West. Other significant national groups include Spanish-Americans (Mexicans and Puerto
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Ricans), Chinese and Japanese. About 75% of Americans are urban dwelling and about 16% of the total population lives in the highly urbanized Boston to Washington, D.C. stretch of the Atlantic coastal belt which contains the most densely populated states, New Jersey and Rhode Island. During the 1960s California overtook New York to become the most populous state in the Union. The US has many religious groups, the strongest being the Protestants (73,700,000) and Roman Catholics (52,000,000). The economy of the US is predominantly free-enterprise. The rich mineral resources include coal, iron ore, petroleum and natural gas and other valuable minerals. But reserves of some minerals are declining and the US has increasingly become an importer of ores and oil. Major products include steel (Pittsburgh, Chicago and elsewhere), automobiles (Detroit), aircraft and aerospace products, electric and electronic equipment, textiles and most kinds of consumer goods. The supreme law of the nation is the United States Constitution. Written in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, the Constitution was approved by 55 delegates representing the 13 original states and went into effect on March 4, 1789, after ratification by the required nine states. A Bill of Rights to guarantee personal freedoms was also added as the first ten amendments to the Constitution. The US capital - Washington, D.C. - is located on the East bank of the Potomac River. The focal point is the domed Capitol, home of the Congress of the United States. To the North-West lies the White House. Other important buildings are the headquarters of numerous government departments and agencies, the Supreme Court, Pentagon, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Library of Congress. Also a cultural and educational centre, Washington is the site of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art and the John F. Kennedy Centre of Performing Arts. There are many parks and famous memorials: the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. There is little
industry but many large corporations and other organizations have their offices there. The largest city is New York, consisting of five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Richmond. The long narrow island of Manhattan is the city's economic and cultural heart. New York is the nation's richest port, and a world leader in trade and finance. It is also a manufacturing (notably garments), communications (broadcasting, advertising and publishing) and performing arts center. New York occupies a central position in the nation's and the world's cultural and business affairs. New York has over 100 parks. The city's cultural and entertainment facilities offer an enormous range of interest and opportunity. New York's population is 7,323,000 (city) and 8,547,000 (metro). Discussion I. Where does the US President live and work? 2. What is the native population of II. What are the most popular outdoor and indoor sports in the US? 12. Which is - 4
Lakes in the north of the U.S.A. 26. Name a few famous American writers. 27. Name a few famous American musicians. 28. Who discovered America and when? 29. How many stars were there on the US flag when the US Constitution was written? 30. Who was the U.S.President during WWII? 31. Which US cities are famous for gambling business - casinos, roulette, etc.? 32. What is Grand Canyon? Which river is it made by? In which state is it? 33. What was the venue of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games? 34. When was Alaska bought from Russia and for how much? 35. Name several US Presidents who were assassinated? (Lincoln, Kennedy, etc.) 36. What is "Mayflower"? Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1211
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The Bashkir State University was founded in 1957 on the basis of the Bashkir State Pedagogical Institute named after K.A.Timiryazev. The University is actually the legal successor of the Ufa Teachers' Training Institute (est. 1918) - the first higher education institution in the Republic of Bashkortostan, which in 1920 was transformed into the Institute of Public EkJucation and later into the Pedagogical Institute. Today this major scientific, educational and cultural centre of the Republic ranks among the top ten classical universities of the Russian Federation.
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