Public and Private Schools

About 88% of American children receive their elementary and high school education in the nation’s public schools. These schools have the following important characteristics in common:

a) they are supported by taxes and, therefore, do not charge tuition;

b) in general, they are neighbouring schools, open to all students who live within the district;

c) they are co-educational, which means that boys and girls attend the same schools and have nearly all of their classes together;

d) public schools are required to follow some state guidelines regarding, for example, curriculum and teacher qualifications. But, in most matters, schools are locally controlled.

e) public schools are non-sectarian (secular), which means that they are free from the influence of any religion. As a result, children of many different religions feel comfortable attending the public schools and the school system has been able to help a diverse population build a common culture.

Private schools can be divided into two categories: parochial (supported by a particular religious group) and secular (non-religious). Private schools change tuition and are not under direct public control, although many states set educational standards for them. In order to attend a private school, a student must apply and be accepted. Parochial schools make up the largest group of private schools and most of these are operated by the Roman Catholic Church. Private secular schools are mainly high schools and colleges.

III. Find English equivalents:

громадянин, найближчий, навички, населення, справа, закон, різнитися, вимагати, податки, учбовий план

 

IV. Match English words and word combinations in the left column with their Ukrainian equivalents in the right column:

1. astonishing a. різноманітний

2. in common b. вимагати

3. to charge c. найняти

4. to provide d. для того, щоб

5. to require e. вступати

6. to hire f. різнитися

7. in order to g. забезпечувати

8. to enrol h. спільне

9. to vary i. назначати плату

10. diverse j. дивовижний

 

V. Complete the following sentences:

1. …: parochial and secular.

2. About 88% of American children ….

3. In order to develop an educated population ….

4. … are mainly high schools and colleges.

5. Americans believe ….

6. However, most Americans attend school ….

7. To educate this vast number of students ….

 

VI. Put the words into correct order to make a sentence:

1. In common / schools / something / public / have / private / and.

2. Until / most / seventeen-eighteen years / Americans / school / attend.

3. The right / citizen / every / has / to become / American / educated.

4. Law / all / compulsory / American / attendance / states / have.

5. To learn / skill / Americans / also / vocational / have.

 

VII. Characterize American system of education in some sentences. Try to compare it with the British one.

 

VIII. You have already studied three systems of education ( Ukrainian, BritishandAmerican ). Imagine that you have guests from Britain and America ( students from the group ). Tell them about our system of education and ask them questions about British/American systems of education.

IX. Read and translate the text using the dictionary:

Yale University

Yale University was founded in 1701 in Killingworth, Connecticut.

Yale embarked on a steady expansion, establishing the Medical Institution (1810), Divinity School (1822), Law School (1843), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1847), the School of Fine Arts (1869) and School of Music (1894). In 1887 Yale College became Yale University.

Yale University comprises three major academic components: Yale College (the undergraduate program), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and ten professional schools. In addition, Yale encompasses a wide array of research organizations, libraries and museums, administrative and support offices. Approximately 11,250 students attend Yale.

Since 1701 Yale College has offered courses of study, leading to the bachelor’s degree. A course is simply a group of students, examining a particular subject under the direction of someone, who has studied it before. Yale College today offers about 1,400 term courses a year. A student, working for a bachelor’s degree, takes four or five courses each term and normally receives Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, after completing thirty-six term courses or their equivalent in eight terms of enrolment.

Yale recognizes that freshmen enter college with different degrees of preparation and proficiency in various subjects. A substantial number of freshmen have completed advanced or honours work either on their own.

With about 2,000 term courses to choose among, Yale University students can study just about any subject imaginable. There are requirements to deal with, but Yale also encourages each student to design his or her own program of study based on individual needs and interests.