I. Read and translate the text.

A Teacher of Music

«It is the supreme art of the Teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge».

Albert Einstein.

Before I finished school I had dreamed of becoming a singer. Many pupils want to become singers when they are in their junior forms at school. It's a very interesting and attractive profession. But when I grew older, I understood that choosing a profession or a career for your future life was a very serious problem. So, when I left school, I faced that problem.

Since I had always been interested in music I decided to become a teacher of Music.

So I made up my mind to enter Volgograd State Pedagogical University (the Department of Musicial Education). I know that the Profession of a teacher is very difficult. But I also know that Teachers are special people. Whether they make Shakespeare come alive, algebra seem like child's play, or French feel like our native language, teachers open new doors for us. I love music and believe that music can be an inspiring force only if it is itself inspired. Music influences all of us in different ways because we all are unique.

Music makes our inner world richer because the range of expression is limitless.

We admire many talented musicians. Among them is S. Prokofyev.

Sergey Prokofyev was 5 when his mother gave him his first piano lesson. At the age of 6 he was already composing and actually writing small pieces for the piano.

Shostakovich was 13 when in 1919 he entered the Petrograd Conservatoire. His teachers were the splendid Russian musicians Maximilian Steinberg (composition) and Leonid Nicolayev (piano).

I would like to be a true teacher and I'll do my best to fulfill this task. Learning and studying is the key to success.

There are a lot of music schools and children's choirs in our city where children learn to play different musical instruments, to sing and appreciate music. So, besides guitar, piano is a very popular musical instrument. I'm sure I'll be a very good teacher of Music. At our University we have very experienced teachers and professors. They are teaching me to master my future profession.

I want to be a good and successful teacher of Music. To my mind a successful teacher needs: the education of college president, the executive ability of financier, the humility of a deacon, the adaptability of a chameleon, the hope of an optimist, the courage of a hero, the wisdom of a serpent, the gentleness of a dove and the grace of God. And, you know, there's a Chinese proverb: «Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime».

II. Suggest English equivalents for:

пробуждать радость; знание; взрослеть; столкнуться с проблемой; поступать; вдохновлять;

дать урок по классу фортепиано; сочинять музыку; маленькие фортепианные произведения;

ключ к успеху; детские хоры; ценить; опытные преподаватели; овладевать профессией.

III. Suggest Russian equivalents for:

humility; adaptability; deacon; courage; wisdom; gentleness; dove; grace; God; proverb; feed.

IV. Read the beginning of the sentence and find its end in the text:

1. It is the supreme art of the teacher...

2. But when I grew older...

3. Whether they make Shakespeare...

4. Sergei Prokofyev was 5...

5. I would like to be a true teacher...

6. To my mind a successful teacher needs...

7. And you know, there's a Chinese proverb...

V. Ask questions about the text and let your fellow-students answer them.

VI. Make up a brief summary of the text.

Biology Teacher

When I finish my studies, I’ll begin teaching the subject of biology in a secondary school. I think I’ll enjoy the work greatly. Teaching is a noble profession and I hope I’ve chosen the right profession of a teacher of biology.

You may ask: “Why is the teacher of biology?” Well, I have been always interested in this science of life and admired great biologists who have made great contribution to science. Biologists have increased our food supply, they have developed new and better varieties of plants and animals. Scientific methods of farming have given us much more food. Biologists control many diseases. They have saved millions of lives by discovering the causes of these diseases and methods of prevention and cure. Vaccines, penicillin and sulfa are products of the biological laboratory. Also, biologists have solved many mysteries of the body. They have discovered how blood circulates, how food is digested and many other secrets of life.

I should say, that a biologist’s laboratory is a fascinating place. In it you may find a variety of plants and animals, some of which are invisible to the naked eye. There are powerful microscopes and other instruments. One of the most important tools of a scientist is his laboratory notebook. He always keeps very complete and accurate records of his observations and experiments.

If talking about teachers, they don’t only teach their subjects. They develop their pupil’s intellect, form their views and characters, their attitudes to life and to other people. For example, biology tells us about our body: how it is constructed and how it functions. It gives us important information about other living things and how their lives affect mankind. A knowledge of biology will help my pupils to keep healthy. It will be their guide in solving many of everyday living and scientific problems.

Teaching is a great responsibility and the teacher must be a model of competence himself. It’s not as easy as it may seem at first. But I think that love for children combined with the knowledge I’ll get at the university would be quite enough to succeed in my work.

1. Give the Russian equivalents.

Knowledge, increase, food supply, develop, specific job, mankind, to combine, invisible, graduation, the naked eye, a model of competence, responsibility, to succeed, to take easily, an experienced teacher, well-educated, well-informed, to respect, to form views and characters, methods of prevention and cure, the attitude to life.

2. Finish up the sentences.

- Teachers develop their pupil’s …

- Love for children combined with …

- Teaching is…

- Professional teacher must be …

- Biologists have increased …

- It is known that teaching is ...

- The teacher is the person who …

- A knowledge of biology ...

3. Match the words.

Attitude ……………….уважение

Respect ………………..благородный

Greatly ………………..успех

Noble …………………тело

Body..............................отношение

Experienced ……………значительно, очень сильно

Enough …………….опытный

Success……………….достаточно

Well-educated …………..переваривать

Graduation…………… человечество

Mankind ..................................... лекарства

Blood circulation............................получение диплома

To digest ..................................хорошо-образованный

Vaccines...............................кровообращение

Healthy................................ предотвращение

Prevention ............................ здоровый

• Answer the questions.

- When do people understand that the time to choose their future profession has already come?

- Where do people enter if they want to get a professional training?

- What does the teacher’s work require?

- Why is teaching a noble profession?

- What would be enough to succeed in your work?