Answer the questions

1. Is Great Britain a constitutional monarchy or a presidential republic?

2. What are the four main political parties of Great Britain?

3. What is the political party which has the minority of voices at the elections called?

4. What are the largest industries of the country within the manufacturing sector?

5. What mineral resources is Great Britain abundantly rich in?

6. What sphere of life was Great Britain a pioneer in?

7. What is the country’s economy based on?

8. What is the amount of working population of the UK?

9. How many people are eligible to town in the UK?

Higher Education in Great Britain Basic vocabulary

further/post-school education	подальша освіта
higher education	вища освіта
overseas students	іноземні студенти
grant	грант (грошова допомога на освіту)
«A» Level result	оцінка найвищого рівня за шкільний курс з якогось предмета
to get a place	отримати місце
to pass one’s examination	скласти іспит
competition	конкуренція
first-degree course	навчальний курс на рівень бакалавра
to last	тривати
Local Education Authority	місцеві органи освіти
to award	присуджувати, нагороджувати
Bachelor’s degree	ступінь бакалавра
Master’s degree	ступінь магістра
Doctor’s of Philosophy degree (PhD)	ступінь доктора наук
sandwich course	курс, що поєднує навчання з роботою на виробництві
term	триместр (семестр)
lecture	лекція
tutorial system	університетська система закріплення студентів за окремими викладачами
Student Union (or Council)	студентське об’єднання

Education at all levels in Great Britain is available to those who have left school. There are about 50 universities, 30 polytechnics in England and Wales, 14 Scottish central institutions and some 800 other colleges maintained or assisted from public funds. There are specialist colleges such as Agricultural Colleges, Colleges of Art and Music and also a large number of local colleges of further education, technical colleges of commerce, all of which offer a wide choice of subjects.

Approximately 1.8 million students are currently enrolled in the UK higher education system. Tens of thousands of overseas students study at British universities or further education colleges, learning nursing, law, banking and accountancy, science, social science, and more. The cost of education depends on the college or university and the speciality which one chooses. Many students receive grants from public or private funds.

Good «A» Level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews, and competition for places at university is fierce.

University first-degree courses usually last three or four years. The first degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine is awarded for satisfactory results at the end of the course. Further study or research is required (except at Oxford and Cambridge) for the degree of Master; it is required at all universities for the highest degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which takes 2 or 3 years more. Research is an important feature of university work.

The technological universities concentrate on science and technology; some of their courses, known as sandwich courses, combine academic study with training in industry. They also provide courses in other subjects as social studies and modern languages.

The usual method of university instruction is a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars. Individual tuition is given at tutorials, while seminars are a form of group teaching. The academic year in Great Britain’s universities is divided into three terms, which usually run from the beginning of October to the middle of December, from the middle of January to the end of March, and from the middle of April to the end of June or the beginning of July.

University social life is characterized by the large number of societies and clubs which students organize for themselves. These cover a wide range from sport to such interests as drama, music, literature, science, religion and politics. At least half the universities have their own theatres. All universities have a Student Union or Council which oversees social activities and which may also provide meals, common rooms, libraries, games and halls where dances, debates, concerts and lectures may be held.