Text B. Dialogue

A n n: Hullo, Steve. Have you got a minute?

S t e v e: Sure, yes. What can I do for you?

A.: I've read a number of books on the British system of higher education but I can't make head or tail of it.

S.: Mm... no wonder. What's the problem?

A.: Quite a lot of problems. What I want to discuss is the difference between a university and a college.

S.: It's like this, you see... The programme is different. At a university it is much wider. Great attention is paid to scientific subjects.

A: It sounds as though most people prefer a university.

S.: Well... that rather depends.

A.: Speaking about universities I'm not quite clear about tutorials there. What is a tutorial exactly?

S.: Oh, it's when students discuss topics with a tutor in very small groups — usually there are not more than three or four students and sometimes only one.

A.: I see... And coming back to colleges... I'm still not terribly sure what a residential college is.

S.: Erm... It's a college with a hall of residence[49] on the same grounds as the principal building. In fact all the students live in hall.

A: Really? and what about the teaching staff?

S.: Actually the majority of the teaching staff live there too. But there are also quite a lot of non-residential colleges.

A: And you studied at university?

S.: Yes...

A.: I'd like to find myself in that university. What was it like?

S.: Well... a big grey building surrounded by trees.

A: Beautiful?

S.: Nothing very remarkable. Of course there were lecture halls, classrooms and a number of laboratories.

A: Any facilities for sport and P.E.[50]

S.: Let me see... Yes... A gymnasium with changing rooms and showers, a tennis court... What else... A playing field for netball and football...

A.: I believe students spend a lot of time together, don't they?

S.: Definitely. We had students' societies and clubs.

A.: Am I right to believe that they are for those interested in drama and music?

S.: Quite... and also politics, modern languages, literature, science and athletics.

A: Ah... that's worth knowing.

S.: And what I'd like to add is that students themselves organize all those clubs and societies. There is usually a Students' Council or Union.

A.: Well Steve. Thanks very much. You've been most helpful.