Светлана Дмитриева - Английский язык для студентов сельскохозяйственных вузов

Read the nouns and translate them. Pay attention to the suffixes.

Scientist, doctor, teacher, brother, rector, professor, computer, attachment, depth, measurement, division, production, function, development, mathematics, session.

Task 4. Make up sentences.

Task 5. Make up pairs of synonyms.

Curriculum, teacher, research, chair, plan of studies, lesson, lecturer, take part in, department, be engaged in, appreciate, scientific study, informatics, computer studies, value, double-period.

Task 6. Find the most general word in each chain.

1) mathematics, history, subject, English.

2) research, practical-training, laboratory work, activity.

3) sport, public life, dancing, students concert, reading, music, disco.

Task 7. In pairs, act out and translate the dialogues.

a) – Why, Paul! What a pleasant surprise!

– Hello, Mike. This is a small world! Now I am a first-year student of …

– Let me guess. Are you a student of the faculty of engineering?

– No, I’m not.

– Technological faculty?

– You’re mistaken again.

– Oh, yes. You study at the faculty of economics.

– Right you are.

– My best congratulations!

– Thanks.

b) – Excuse me.

– Yes, What can I do for you?

– Where is the dean’s office?

– Which faculty?

– The faculty of agronomy.

– It is on the first floor to the right.

– Thank you

– Don’t mention it.

c) – How many double periods do you have a day?

– Let me see … On Monday and Friday we have three double periods, on

– Wednesday – five, the rest of the week – four double periods.

– Do you study on Saturday?

– No.

d) – What is your favourite subject?

– It is difficult to say. I like mathematics, informatics, English and some other subjects.

– Are you good at chemistry?

– Not very good, but I find it rather interesting.

– I see.

e) – Hi, Nick! I haven’t seen you at the University for a while. What’s the matter?

– You see, Mike, now I am a student of the extra-mural department.

– Really?

– I work and study. I’ve got married.

– Glad to hear it. Is your wife a student?

– Yes, she is.

Task 8. Find English equivalents for the following phrases in the dialogues:

– Трудно сказать.

– Понятно.

– Рад за тебя (слышать об этом).

– Что случилось?

– Как тесен мир!

– Мои сердечные поздравления!

– Дай подумать.

– Не стоит благодарности.

Task 9. In pairs, talk about your studies at the institute. Find out:

• What made him (her) choose this profesion;

• His (her) interests;

• His (her) favourite subjects;

• Difficult subject(s) for him.

Timiryasev Agricultural Academy was founded in 1865 as Petrovskaya Academy. It is one of the oldest academies in Russia. In the 19 thcentury only 300-400 students studied there. Now the number of students has increased to 3000. Many of them come from villages.

The teaching staff includes high-skilled teachers, assistant professors and professors. Scientists of the academy are well-known not only in Russia but in the whole world of agricultural science. There are five faculties in the academy:

– the faculty of agronomy;

– the faculty of economics;

– the faculty of zoo engineering;

– the faculty of horticulture;

– the faculty of agro-chemistry.

In the academy there is an extra-mural department. Not only teachers but many students are engaged in research. They investigate many interesting fields in agriculture: poultry-farming, horse-raising, protected plant-breeding, medicinal plants, agricultural economics and many others.

There are spacious lecture halls, laboratories, a big library, reading-rooms, a computer center in the academy. The students have a good opportunity to study foreign languages because there are well-equipped laboratories for English, German and French there.

Exercise 1. Scan the text and understand its contents.

Exercise 2. Find English equivalents for the following terms in the text:

садоводство, птицеводство, разведение парниковых культур, лекарственные растения, коневодство.

Exercise 3. Arrange the items of the plan in the correct order.

I Research Activities

II The Foundation

III The Faculties

IV The Teaching Staff

V Lecture Halls and Laboratories

Exercise 4. In pairs, agree or disagree with the statements:

a) Moscow Timiryasev Agricultural Academy is older than my institute.

b) There are four faculties in Timiryasev academy.

c) About 4000 students study at the academy.

d) There is no extra-mural department in the academy.

e) Professors and teachers are engaged in research.

Use the speech patterns:

– You are right. – Вы правы.

– You are mistaken. – Вы ошибаетесь.

– On the contrary. – Напротив.

– You are right to a certain extent. – Отчасти, Вы правы.

Penza State Agricultural Academy was founded in 1951 as an agricultural institute. Since 1995 it has had the status of an academy. Now it is a large-scale institution of higher education and the centre of agricultural science in Penza region.

The academy is headed by the rector. The types of activities are:

1) teaching;

2) research;

3) close cooperation with different farms of Penza region in agricultural production.

There are four faculties in the academy: the faculty of agronomy, the faculty of engineering, the technological faculty and the faculty of economics. About 4000 students study at the full-time and extra-mural departments. More than 200 lecturers work at the academy, among them are doctors of sciences and professors.

The course of studies at the academy lasts five years. The academic year starts in September and ends in June. Classes start at eight o’clock in the morning. Every day the students have three or four double-periods. They take their examinations twice a year. The curriculum includes theoretical studies of special subjects and social sciences and practical training. During the semesters students attend lectures, tutorials, carry out laboratory tests, do practical work.

The students actively participate in the scientific, sport and public life of the academy: they take part in conferences, sport contests, foreign language competitions, concerts. Many students receive grants.

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.

Exercise 2. Make up a plan to the text.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions.

1) When was Penza agricultural academy founded?

2) Who is the head of the academy?

3) What are the types of activities?

4) What faculties are there in the academy?

5) What specialists does the teaching staff include?

6) Is there an extra-mural department in the academy?

7) How long does the course of studies last?

8) How many double-periods do the students have every day?

9) What do the students do during the semesters?

10) How do students participate in the scientific, public and sport life?

Exercise 4. In pairs, act out a conversation between students of the two academies (see Texts 1, 2).

Exercise 5. Make a report about your institute.

Use the following:

1) I study at …

2) My institute ( academy, university) was founded in …

3) It trains specialists in the sphere of …

4) There are … faculties in … They are…

5) It is headed by …

6) … students study at …

7) The course of studies lasts …

8) The academic year starts … and ends …

9) Every day we have …

10) My favorite subject(s) is (are) …

11) The students are to …

12) The students take part in …

Task 1. Match the English words with their Russian equivalents.

Task 2. Make up your timetable.

1. For how many years have you been studying English?

2. Are you a success?

3. What are you good at: reading, listening or speaking?

4. Is English grammar difficult for you?

Task 1. Make up sentences to express your thoughts.

Task 2. Match proverbs and sayings with their Russian equivalents.

Task 3. What is the language situation in your country? Write two paragraphs and make sure you answer the questions:

a) Is there more than one official language?

b) How many different languages do people speak?

c) Are there dialects?

d) Is the language of radio and TV the same as the language in the street?

e) What does English mean to you?

– Excuse me, please.

– Yes.

– What time is it now?

– Let me see … It’s ten to eight.

– Thank you.

Task 1. In pairs, practise using the following:

a) 5.30 – it is half past five

9.45 – it is a quarter to ten

4.15 – it is a quarter past four

10.00 – it is ten o’clock

b) What time is it now?

Task 2. Continue the sentences.