The Modern Period

In the 1990s, Russia entered a period of political, economic and social reforms. Like all the nation, TSU faced the problem of underfunding and had difficulties in paying for the heating, electricity and the maintenance of its buildings. However, with the help of the municipal and regional administration, the University was able to cope with those problems and even enlarged its premises. The main building and building 3 were extensively renovated. Buildings 6 and 4 were constructed in 1987 and 2000 accordingly. To meet the demand for specialists new faculties and fields of specialization were opened (among them the Faculty of Foreign Languages in 1995).

In the late 1990s, the transition to a multi-level system of education started. The new system includes 3 levels of courses leading to a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree or a Specialist’s diploma. Students can also take elective courses as well as get an additional /complementary or second higher education/degree in computer science, foreign languages, philology and psychology. For example, the Higher School of Business provides an opportunity to obtain a second higher education in economics, law and international relations. The Institute of Distance Learning allows people to study at home with the help of special Internet sites and TV programs. In cooperation with some German and American institutions the German and American resource centres were opened where thousands of books, magazines and CDs in German and English are available. The University signed a number of agreements with foreign universities on the exchange of students, teachers and specialists, thus allowing students and professors to take part in international conferences and to make study trips abroad.

In 2002, the University enrolled twenty-two thousand students (12,000 of them full-time) at 22 faculties and employed 1,330 members of teaching staff (257 of them Doctors of Science, Professors, and 570-Candidates of Science, Readers/Associate Professors).

Associate Professor Am)

b) Pay attention to the pronunciation of the following words.

Si’berian /ai/, me’chanics/k/, ge’ology, bi’ology/ai/, to ‘re’organize, nation/ei/,’national/э/, ‘national e’conomy, among them/ /\ /, ,aca’demic, a,cade’mician, ,cyber’netics/ai/, to ‘specialize, ,speciali’zation, ‘specialist, ‘period, psy’chology/saik/, technical /k/, applied /aid/, chemistry /k/, co’operate, ‘industry, outstanding /au/, allow /au/, co’mmittee of scientists, de’teriorate.

Exercise 2. Study the vocabulary commentaries.

To conduct – to organize or to do a particular activity:

To conduct an experiment/ an inquiry/ a survey/ negotiations/ research.

To endure – to experience and deal with sth that is painful or unpleasant. Syn: to bear.

e.g. The pain was almost too great to endure. He can’t endure to be defeated.

To experience – to have a particular situation affect you or happen to you. E.g. The country experienced a foreign currency shortage for several months. Everyone experiences these problems at some time in their lives.

Lack of practical experience. Do you have any previous/work experience? We all learn by experience. In my experience, very few people really understand the problem.

A number of = some. A number of problems have arisen.

To arise (arose, arisen) – (formal) – to begin to exist or develop.

e.g. Several new industries arose in the town. A new crisis has arisen. A storm arose during the night.

To face – to deal with a particular situation.

e.g. The company is facing a financial crisis. The problems faced by young families.

To maintain – a) to make sth continue at the same level, standard, etc. Syn: to preserve. E.g. To maintain law and order/ standards/ a balance. The two countries have always maintained close relations.

b) to keep a building, a machine, etc in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly. E.g. The house is large and difficult to maintain. The school pays for heating and the maintenance of the buildings.

To cope with sth – to deal successfully with sth difficult.

e.g. He wasn’t able to cope with the stresses of the job.

To renovate – to repair and paint an old building, a piece of furniture; to restore. e.g. Some wooden houses in Tomsk have been renovated. Buildings in need of renovation. There will be extensive renovations to the hospital.

To meet the demand – to do what is needed or what sb asks for.

e.g. How can we best meet the needs of all the different groups? Until these conditions are met we cannot proceed with the sale. To meet the deadline.

To obtain – to get sth, especially by making an effort.

To obtain advice/ information/ permission. Finally I managed to obtain a copy of the report.

To enrol (l) – to arrange for people to officially join a course, a school, etc. e.g. to enroll on a course. The centre enrolls candidates for the new programme. To enroll new students. A school with an enrolment of 500 students.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions.

1. What transformations took place in the University structure in the 1930s?

2. What research institutes were opened and why?

3. How did the Great Patriotic War affect the University’s activity?

Did University people take part in battles?

4. How did scientists in Tomsk help the country during the war?

5. What problems did the University face after the end of the war?

6. What scientific schools arose after the war? Between the 60s and 80s?

7. How did the University develop between the 1960s and 1980s?

8. Why were the 1990s a difficult time for the University?

9. What changes took place in the system of higher education in the late 1990s?

10. What does the multi-level system of education imply?

11. What new opportunities do undergraduates have in the modern period?

12. The Institute of Distance Learning is a modern tool in getting an education, isn’t it?

13. Is it possible to get a second degree?

14. How did the contacts with foreign universities develop?

15. How many people were enrolled in 2002?

Exercise 4. Correct the wrong statements.

1. In the 1930s the University had the same faculties as in the late 19^th century.

2. Being a classic university implies only academic activity.

3. The University didn’t experience war hardships since it was far from the battle fields.

4. There wasn’t much expansion between the 1960 and 1980s.

5. Two new scientific schools arose in the post-war period.

6. The 1990s were easy for the University.

7. There was no new construction and renovation in the modern period.

8. There are no new elements in the multi-level system.

Exercise 5. Identify the following dates and numbers with the events in the University’s history.

a) 1931; 1928; September 1945; 1955; the 1990s; 2002;

b) 2,000 students; 425 students; 158; 10-20; building 2; building 4; 3 levels; 22,000 students.

Exercise 6. Make up your own sentences with the following words:

To conduct/do research, to endure hardships, to promote the development, shortage/lack of sth, a number of, like sb, unlike sb, to face sth, to be able to cope with sth, to renovate, to meet the demand for sth, as well as, additional/complementary education, to obtain, to be available, to allow sb to do sth, to enroll.

2. Your feelings and impressions when you first came here.

3. Draw a map of the University grounds. Say a few words about each object on your map.

4. Show a group of visitors around the University grounds. Act as a guide.

Exercise 9. An Excursion into the Past.

You are in the museum of University’s history again. Below you see photos illustrating some events that happened in the 20^th century.

a) Act as a guide of an English-speaking group of visitors and explain who the people in the photos are and what events are shown. b) As a visitor to the museum ask the guide a few questions.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1135