II. Make up a vocabulary of new words. Elementary School and High School

PART I

Elementary School and High School

I. Read the text and determine the subtitles of it.

IV. Discuss the content of the text in the form of a dialogue.

III. Put questions to the text and give short answers.

II. Look through the text again, find unknown words and write down them into your vocabulary.

V. Make up word-combinations:

1. to get a) science

2. academic b) education

3. natural c) fee

4. liberal d) scholarship

5. tuition e) programs

TEXT 11

In most areas, free public education begins with kindergarten classes for five-year-olds. These are usually half-day classes two or three hours long, although some communities run all-day kindergarten programmes. The primary purpose of kindergarten is socialization but the young students also gain information and skills. For example, they learn to identify colours, count to ten, print their names, work with art supplies, listen to stories and enjoy books. After kindergarten American children begin their academic studies. Their schooling is divided into 12 academic levels called grades. One school year (from late August or early September to mid-June) is required to complete each grade. Academic work – learning to read, write and do arithmetic – begins when children enter the 1st grade, at about age of six.

The first academic institution that a student attends is called ‘el­ementary school’ or ‘grammar school’. In some school systems, ele­mentary school includes kindergarten through 8th grade and the next years (taught in different school buildings) are called ‘high school’ in other school systems, there is a third division called ‘junior high school’ (or ‘middle school’) which usually includes grades 6 through 8, but in some communities it includes grades 4 or 5 through 8 and in others – grades 7 through 9.

The typical school day is about seven hours long and ends at 3 p.m. Classes are in session Monday through Friday. Traditional va­cation periods include a two-week winter vacation (including Christmas and New Year's holidays), a one-week spring vacation (often coinciding with Easter) and a two-month summer vacation. In addition, there are several one-day holidays giving students a day off to celebrate.

Children going to public elementary schools usually attend school in their neighbourhood. In big cities, many children live close enough to walk to school and come home for lunch. However, most elementary schools provide a place where students can eat if it's inconvenient for them to go home at lunchtime. American high schools are larger than elementary schools and serve a larger community. As a result, most high school students take public transportation or a school bus to and from school and eat lunch in the school cafeteria.

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