Kazan university
Kazan State University is one of the oldest and largest institutions of higher learning in our country. It was founded in November 1804. February11, 1826 was the birthday of new, non-Euclidian geometry. On that day N.I. Lobachevsky made a report in which he announced his great discovery. Lobachevsky was to play a major role in the development of Kazan University. For many years (1827/1846) he was its Rector.
Kazan University takes pride in its graduates: V.I. Lenin’s father Ulyanov, a notable democrat and educator, the great Russian writers Leo Tolstoy, Aksakov, composer Balakirev, scientists Butlerov, Zinin, Chebotarev.
The University has expanded particularly in recent decades. At present there are sixteen faculties: Physics, Mechanics and Mathematics, Computing Mathematics and Cybernetics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Geography, History, Philology, Law, Ecology, Tatar History and Journalism and others.
The most up-to-date equipment, laboratories and a computing centre help the future specialist to acquire knowledge that is not necessary today but will introduce him into the science of tomorrow.
Over 1.400 scientific workers are on the staff of the 73 University departments. These include over 200 doctors and some 600 candidates of science. Over 600 students are taking post graduate courses.
The N.I. Lobachevsky library is one the largest and oldest in the country. Its collection of books and periodicals numbers over four million volumes and includes thousands of manuscripts and rare books.
During the academic year students attend lectures, seminars and practical classes. At the and of each term students take examinations. There is a number of scientific societies at the University in which students can advance their knowledge. Optional courses are offered to those interested in literature, arts, languages.
Recreation also plays an important part in student’s life. In spare time they go to concerts, dances, film shows and go in for sports. Many students take part in amateur art activities. It is a great honour to be a student of Kazan State University.
Answer the questions:
1. When was Kazan University founded?
2. What can you say about Lobachevsky?
3. What famous people studied and worked at this University?
4. How many faculties are there at the University?
5. How many scientific workers are on the staff of University departments?
6. What do you know about the Lobachevsky library?
7. How can University students advance their knowledge?
8. What do the students usually do in their spare time?
F U T U R E A G R I C U L T U R A L I S T S
I WANT TO BE A FARM ECONOMIST
I am a second-year student of the Institute of Economics. In order to be an expert I study hard at the Institute. The purpose of my studies is farming economics. A lot of problems connected with labour organization show that no farm can do without economics. I am interested in my future profession. I know that the functions of a farm economist are the following:
1. He has to take part in solving problems pertaining the introduction of labour rate-setting.
2. to elaborate an efficient system relevent to a further considerable rise in labour productivity.
3. to take part in the improvement of production processes.
4. to be engaged in improving and in effecting methodical advice on the introduction of the most progressive ways of labour organization and remuneration.
An economist has:
to work out economic, production financial plans for farms. In the long term an economist outlines the main trends of production taking into account the latest measures, recommended by science. He elaborates the system of scientific labour organization, of crop rotation, the system of tilling the soil, the use of fertilizers, seed-growing, livestock raising, mechanization etc. The farm management plan must strive to get proportion and economic balance between seed, fertilizer, water, labour and other resources;
to draw up annual plans for the expansion of production in which he determines the disposition of the area under crops, the size of the sown area and yields, head and productivity of livestock;
to seek ways and means for intensifying farming, reducing the price of farm produce and making labour more efficient.
I want to become an expert in farming economics. I think that practical work after studies will help me to gain experience.
I WILL BE AN ENGINEER IN FARMING
I am a second-year student of the Institute of Mechanization and Technical Service. Our Institute trains experts in farming whom the country needs today and will need tomorrow. I want to become an expert in the field of farm mechanization. Great changes are taking place in the countryside now. Most of labour consuming field operations are mechanized. Each farm has at its disposal various agricultural machines: tractors, combines, cultivators, ploughs, harrows, drills and others.
I know that the proper and efficient use of machinery and engineering materials requires considerable knowledge of their mechanical properties. An engineer must possess a thorough knowledge of the machine construction and maintenance of the machine. Therefore we study the subjects which we will need in our future work: the Theory of Machine Mechanisms, Theoretical Mechanics, Tractors and Automobiles, the Theory of Internal Combustion Engines, the Exploitation of Machine and Tractor Fleet, the Repair of Machinery, the Theory of Tractors, Electrical Engineering and others. The knowledge acquired at the Institute will help me in my future work.
I AM A FUTURE AGRONOMIST
I am a second-year student of the agronomy faculty. I like my future profession very much. During the practical work in my native farm I was interested much in the work of our farm. I saw large fields of barley, oats, rye and wheat. The farmers keep the rye and oats for fodder for the animals. A large part of the potatoes, cabbages and beet also goes on fodder. The next place I saw was a large vegetable garden where the farmers grow carrots, onions, beans, peas and lettuce. In spring they grow radishes and other spring vegetables.
I watched the dairy-maids feeding the cows and milking them.
I also watched the farmers harvesting with tractors and other agricultural machines. As I was interested in everything, I saw that calves and cows live in the cowshed, the pigs in their pigsty, the poultry in the poultry yard. They breed cows mostly for milk, pigs for bacon, sheep for meat and wool.
In the orchard of our farm the farmers grow apples, plums and cherries.
To become an expert I study hard at the University. We should know how to cultivate the soil in order to make it good for the growth of plants, how to plough the ground properly. We should manage to drive tractors, lorries and cars. Every student must learn how to sort the seeds, plant the potatoes and other vegetables, how to control the weeds and do other various jobs. We will apply the knowledge gained at the University to our future work.