5. Describe the structure of the academic year, the vacations and the exams in Ukraine. Talk about:

1) When does academic year start and when is it over?

2) How many parts is the academic year broken into? How are they called? How long do they last?

3) When do the students take their exams? How many examinations may the students take within one semester?

4) How many vacations are there in an academic year? How long do they last?

5) Do you think vacations should be longer or shorter? Why?

6. Read and translate. Dramatize the following conversations adding your own experience:

1

• What do you know about further and higher education in Ukraine?

• Further and higher education is provided by institutions which are of the 1^st and 2^nd Level of Accreditation, for example, technical schools and colleges training junior specialists, and by institutions of higher learning which are of the 3^rd and 4^th Level of Accreditation.

• What do you mean speaking about the institutions of higher learning?

• They are higher educational establishments including universities, academies, institutes and conservatories.

• Are all pupils admitted to higher schools after successful finishing secondary schools?

• Institutions of higher learning select the best applicants on the competitive basis to be their students.

• How many students are there in Ukraine?

• Ukraine numbers a total of 1.5 million college-and-university students.

• What do you know about the system of training?

• A multilevel system of training based on the Junior Specialist – Bachelor – Specialist – Master scheme has been introduced.

2

• What forms of education are there in Ukraine?

• We can acquire a higher education through the full-time teaching, evening or correspondence courses.

• How long do young people study at universities?

• The normative period of training lasts from 4 to 6 years.

• Full-time students making good progress are entitled to grants (stipends), aren’t they?

• Yes, you are right. Students with excellent marks get grants that are higher then for others. Particularly gifted students are awarded special scholarships.

• Are students engaged in research?

• Yes, they are. Student research work has become an inseparable part of the educational process.

• In what way are students engaged in research?

• About one half of the national scientists work at higher educational establishments, and students conduct research under their guidance in student scientific societies and design bureaus.

7. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Аби одержати ступінь бакалавра, випускники українських шкіл мають успішно здати вступні конкурсні іспити до університету.

2. По одержанні ступеня бакалавра, випускники можуть почати працювати або продовжити навчання для одержання ступенів спеціаліста або магістра.

3. В українських університетах навчальний рік складається з двох семестрів.

4. Наприкінці кожного семестру студенти складають семестрові іспити та заліки.

5. Загальна тривалість студентських канікул в Україні складає 70 днів.