Text 2.Oxford

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Text 1. Cambridge

Cambridge is the second oldest university in Britain, Oxford being the first oldest. Cambridge University was opened in 1284 with the construction of the first college, Peterhouse. At present Cambridge University comprises twenty eight colleges of which one is only for men and two of them are women's colleges (the first women's college was opened in 1869); the remaining twenty five take both men and women.

Lying on the river Cam, the city of Cambridge takes its name from the river. The old University City where mostly teachers and students live is full of ancient buildings, chapels and libraries; college buildings are located there, too.

In the old times students’ life was full of restrictions. Students of Cambridge were not allowed to play games, sing, hunt, fish or even to dance; they had to wear special dark clothes and the «squares», the academic caps they still wear in our days. During the course all students have to live in the college; there are at present over 9 000 students in residence.

Cambridge has won international fame as the university where historical figures and personalities of literature and science received their education, Cromwell, Newton, Byron, Tennyson and Darwin among them. The great Russian scientist I. P. Pavlov came to Cambridge to receive the degree of the Honorary Doctor of Cambridge. Cambridge University has made the city of Cambridge internationally famous as a centre of science where Rutherford, Kapitza and other famous scientists have worked.

References:

Cambridge — Кембридж (главный город и администра­тивный центр графства Кембриджшир, пользующийся популярностью у туристов; то же, что Кембриджский университет)

Tennyson — Альфред Теннисон (1809-1892; английский поэт-сентименталист, автор цикла поэм «Королевские идиллии» на тему средневековых сказаний о короле Артуре и рыцарях Круглого стола)

Vocabulary:

chapel — часовня

restriction — ограничение

to be in residence — проживать

to receive a degree of the Honorary Doctor of Cambridge — получить ученую степень почетного доктора Кембриджа

There are about ninety Universities in Great Britain, the biggest one being London University, and the oldest ones Oxford and Cambridge.

Oxford was founded in the 12^th century as an aristocratic University and retains its aristocratic character to the present day: the cost of studies is rather high. Students have to pay for using libraries and laboratories, as well as for taking examinations.

Oxford’s organization is very complicated. In fact, the University is a collection of 35 Colleges: two for women only, the rest taking both men and women. Each college is a world of its own which gives its students a specialized training in Arts, Law, Medicine and Science. The largest college has over 500 students; the smallest college has 100 students.

The University is an administrative centre which arranges lectures for all students of the colleges holds examinations and gives degrees.

The tutorial system of educations used both in Oxford and Cambridge is one of the ways in which Oxbridge differs from other English Universities. Every student has a tutor in charge of planning his work and discussing its results with the student; the student’s duty is to see his tutor regularly and submit papers and essays. The tutorial system of education brings the student into personal contact with his tutor, the latter trying to influence the social and political life of the student.

The academic year in England has three terms; each term lasts from eight to ten weeks. Terminal examinations take place at the end of autumn, spring and summer terms. Final examinations take place at the end of the course of studies. If student fails in an examination, he may be allowed to take the exam again, only two re-examinations being usually allowed.

References:

Oxford — Оксфорд (центральный город графства Оксфордшир, известный своим университетом и великолепной архитектурой; тоже, что Оксфордский университет)

Oxbridge — Оксбридж (общее название Оксфордского и Кембриджского университетов)

Vocabulary:

to retain one’s aristocratic character — сохранять аристократический характер

cost of studies — стоимость обучения

Arts — гуманитарные науки

to arrange lectures — организовывать лекции

tutorial system of education — система обучения, построенная на контроле студента со стороны тьютора

tutor — тьютор, наставник

to be in charge of — отвечать за

to submit papers and essays — подавать письменные работы и сочинения

to influence — оказывать влияние на

terminal examination — семестровый экзамен

final examination — выпускной экзамен

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