Review №4

A Farewell to Arms 

A Farewell to Arms is a 1957 American drama film directed by Charles Vidor. It was the second feature film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's 1929 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name starred Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes. The setting of the story is Italy.

Let me pass on to the plot of the film. Frederick Henry was sent to Italy as a soldier. His friend Rinaldi introduced him to Catherine Barkley. They fell in love with each other and decided to get marry. The war is going on and they could not be together but the priest made them a husband and a wife. Cat became pregnant. Henry was wounded and sent to a military hospital. There he was nursed by Cat. Later they came to Switzerland where their child was stillborn, and Catherine died shortly afterward. Frederick leaved, shocked, and wandered the empty streets.   

I would like to mention the screenplay because I think it conveyed the atmosphere worse than the book. The relationship between Henry and Catherine developed quickly enough in the book but the screen writer made them lovers even faster. It seems strange for that period of time. The episodes from the book were cut and I do not see the reasonable reason. All in all, I did not enjoy the film because of the subdued events.

As for the acting I can say that I imagined the characters to be other people. I do not associate the actors with Frederick and Cat about whom I read the book. Their performance was not bad but it was not perfect at the same time. In my opinion, they played roles but were not the heroes of “A Farewell to Arms”. I think that the actors from “In Love and War” are more acceptable for the roles of the main characters.

In conclusion I would like to say that I do not like the film because my expectations were not realized. Of course the film is rather old but it is not an excuse. However, costumes and decoration were a big advantage to create the atmosphere.

Review №3

In Love and War

I would like to speak on “In Love and War” which is a 1996 romance drama film based on the book, Hemingway in Love and War, starring Chris O'Donnell, Sandra Bullock and others. The director is Richard Attenborough and its genre is Biography, drama, romance. The setting of the story is Italy and the USA.

Let me pass on to the plot. The young reporter Ernest Hemingway was sent to Italy as a soldier where he was wounded and sent to a military hospital. There he was nursed by Agnes von Kurowsky. They fell in love with each other and the woman promised to marry him after the war ends.  Ernest returned to the United States while Agnes continued working as a nurse in Italy. She decided that her relation with Hemingway was a mistake and wrote him about it. Agnes was going to get married in Venice but changed her mind and was back to the USA. She visited Ernest and told about her love to him but the man rejected her love because she had hurt him earlier. They will never meet again.

I would like to note the acting. I think that Chris O'Donnell and Sandra Bullock were really good in their roles. I believed in their not love but passion. Their feelings, desires were clearly seen in their faces, voices. The last scene is a nice example of conveying of real feelings.

Besides, my favorite episode is the last one when Agnes came to Ernest. She realized her mistake and was ready to share her life with him but Ernest with his pride could not forgive her. I think that it is the most important moment in the whole film where the characters of the heroes become clear for us. I can say that Ernest did not love her because he did not stop Agnes when she went away. His young age and a lack of experience helped him to make his mistake.  

In conclusion I would like to say that the film impressed me and opened Hemingway from a new side which I had not signed out earlier. Costumes and decorations created the atmosphere of the war and the born of love during the time of death was inspiring.

Questions 2

Higher Education in Britain and the USA

1. Entrance to British universities is via a strict selection process based on an interview. After the interview a potential student is offered a place on the basis of exam results. If the student does not get the grades specified in the offer, a place cannot be taken up. Some universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, have an entrance exam before the interview stage.

American high school students who want to study at a college or university always take a standardized test, e.g. SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACT (American College Test). Non-native speakers of the English language must take the TOEFL. The student also has to send a transcript (= an official list of all the subjects studied and the grades received) and letters of reference

2. Vocational Schools, Technical Schools, and For-Profit Schools

3. The Associate degree is the first academic or professional degree that can be awarded in U.S. postsecondary education. Programmes of study for this degree are usually designed to take 2 years of full-time study, but some take longer to complete. The Bachelor's degree is the second academic degree that can be awarded in U.S. postsecondary education, and is one of two undergraduate (first) degrees that qualify a student to apply to programmes of advanced (graduate) study (the other such degree is the first-professional degree). Programmes of study for this degree are designed to take between 4 and 5 years, depending on the field of study. The Master's degree represents the second stage of higher education and is the first advanced (graduate) degree. U.S. Master's degrees may be taught (without thesis) or research (with thesis) and may be awarded in academic or professional fields. Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as PhD, Ph.D., D.Phil., or DPhil in English-speaking countries and originally as Dr.Philos. (for the Latin philosophiae doctor or doctor philosophiae), is in many countries a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities. The academic level known as a Doctorate of philosophy varies considerably according to the country, institution, and time period, from entry-level research degrees to higher doctorates. A person who attains a doctorate of philosophy is automatically awarded the academic title of doctor.

4. Traditionally, the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degrees require roughly 124-127 credit hours of coursework, divided among various subject, field and optional requirements. The four-year Bachelor's degree is divided into two years of lower-division studies (background or distribution courses in a wide range of subjects), followed by two years of upper division studies (mainly courses required by one's major subject. Students apply for admission to a major subject at the end of their second year.

Full-time students generally complete the Bachelor's degree in eight semesters (four academic years) of study, and would average a course workload of roughly 16 credit hours per semester, or 5-6 classes simultaneously. A full-time student is usually defined as one who takes (and passes) a minimum of 12 credit hours of courses per semester. The maximumnumber of credit hours students are allowed to attempt per semester is usually 20, unless special permission is granted.

5. Released in 1959, the PSAT is a standardized exam that prepares high school underclassmen for the SAT. Like the SAT, it tests math, writing and critical reading aptitude. Unlike the SAT, however, it has no timed essay or experimental section. The College Board states that SAT measures literacy and writing skills that are needed for academic success in college. They state that the SAT assesses how well the test takers analyze and solve problems—skills they learned in school that they will need in college. The SAT is typically taken by high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. The ACT originally an abbreviation of American College Testing) college readiness assessment is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States. The ACT originally consisted of four tests: English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Natural Sciences. In 1989, the Social Studies test was changed into a Reading section

6. A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further his or her education. Scholarships are awarded based upon various criteria, which usually reflect the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award. Scholarship money is not required to be repaid. Grants are often called “gift aid” because they are free money—financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid. Grants are often need-based, while scholarships are usually merit-based.    Grants and scholarships can come from the federal government, your state government, your college or career school, or a private or nonprofit organization. A student loan is designed to help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It may differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in education. It also differs in many countries in the strict laws regulating renegotiating and bankruptcy.

7. Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a measure of how well you are doing in your academic studies.  At TRU, the academic grading scale goes from “A+” to “F”, with corresponding grade points ranging from the highest “4.33” to the lowest “0.00”.  A student’s Grade Point Average, or GPA, is a mathematical calculation that indicates where an average of the grades falls on the scale.

8. A student’s counselor is responsible for:

·         Assisting students to identify their academic values and goals, consistent with their capabilities, interests, and educational backgrounds

·         Clarifying pertinent information and discussing the implications toward students’ academic success

·         Being accessible and available to students to respond to their questions and concerns

·         Clarifying academic policies, college regulations, program requirements, procedures, and other college information

·         Maintaining professional integrity, confidentiality, respect, and sensitivity in advising

·         Helping students define and develop educational plans; assisting in the selection of appropriate course work and opportunities to achieve students’ goals

·         Respecting students’ individual needs and diversity

·         Assisting students to independently monitor their progress toward achieving their educational and career goals

·         Being knowledgeable about, promoting and referring students to appropriate campus and community resources and services

·         Informing students of the roles and responsibilities of the advisor/student relationship

·         Maintaining currency in academic advising trends and techniques through professional development

 10. Government, voluntary sector

 11. An undergraduate student is one who is pursing either an associate's or bachelor's degree. A graduate student (also, grad student or grad in American English, or postgraduate student in British English) is an individual who has completed a bachelor's degree (B.A., B.S./B.Sc., or another flavor) and is pursuing further higher education, with the goal of achieving a master's degree (M.A., M.S./M.Sc., M.Ed., etc.) or doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D., D.A., D.Sc., D.M.A., Th.D., etc.).

12. I like written exams because you can think more, miss one question and them return to it. It is less stressful for me. I like to have a plan and spontaneous questions in oral exams are not for me. I don’t know which exam is more objective but I think that the written one.

13. After completing the secondary general education, students need to pass the State final attestation (written), after which they will be awarded a Certificate of Secondary General Education.

14. Yes, I would like to try to study in Britain and in the USA as well. It’s a good opportunity to improve language and get a qualified education which would be useful all around the world.

15. I would like to add the US system of two years at college where you are thinking about your future specialization and attend courses you like.

Lab. Work

MP3 AUDIO 5.1

1. You’ll hear five speakers talking about problems they or their relatives face while studying. Fill in the chart with the information given in the recording. Be especially precise with the column “Your solution to the problem”; here, you’re supposed to give your personal advice to avoid or ease the problems mentioned by the speakers.

Speaker	Problem	Signs of the Problem	Your Solution to the Problem
1	examination	ability to learn and understand	to ask more precise questions
2	preparation for the exams	tired face, sleepless nights etc.	combine intellectual, physical, entertaining activity and sleep more
3	exams to enter university	Lost weight, rings under eyes, sleepless nights	make a schedule and follow it in order to be more prepared without problems
4		Stunned, confidence	think about success and try to do one’s best
5	assessments tests checking automatically	technological problems	improve the system or not to use it until it becomes good enough

2. Have you ever experienced problems while studying?  What were these problems like? How did you cope with them?

Certainly, I have. For me it is difficult to start any preparation, make the first step because I realize how much I will learn then. But when I start I just learn and wait for an exam. However, sometimes it is possible for me to be angry, irritable. I cope with it with the help of breaks and do or watch something interesting what can abstract me from preparations.

3. What are other difficulties that contemporary university students face while studying? When do the problems usually occur? Are there special stresses that cause them? Do you agree that the quality learning is “the travel of hardships”? Give account of about 100 words on the questions mentioned.

There are a lot of problems every student can face but it depends on every person’s self-esteem, self-control and fears. Some can face loneliness and misunderstanding, lack of friends, others – problems with subjects or lack of free time. These problems can start in any time period and students should have abilities to cope with them. I agree with the statement  “the travel of hardships” because you cannot achieve anything until you work hard.

MP3 AUDIO 5.2

Listen to a talk given by a university advisor to a group of students and answer the following questions:

1.      What is the standard grading system in the USA?

It’s the grading system of A, B, C, D, E or F

2.      What are the ‘special grades’ that the speaker mentions in the recording?

Satisfactory and non-satisfactory grades

3.      Comment on the standard grading system in your country?

There are 5 (excellent), 4 (good), 3 (satisfactory), 2 (bad)

4.      Do schools and colleges practice non-standard grading systems? What are they?

Give examples of other grading systems throughout the world? Which of them do you think are efficient for the students’ academic assessment?

In Germany, school grades vary from 1 (very good, sehr gut) to 6 (insufficient, ungenügend). In the final classes of German Gymnasium schools that prepare for university studies, a point system is used with 15 points being the best grade and 0 points the worst. The percentage causes the grade can vary from teacher to teacher. The percentages shown in the table are the ones used in the "Oberstufe" (final classes).

In Afghanistan, the highest score receivable at schools and universities is 100. Depending on the school and the grade of study, a good mark varies, but in most occasions 75 or higher is considered to be a good one.

Grade	Scale 1	Scale 2	Description
90-100	A	4	Excelent
75-89.99	B	3	Very good
60-74.99	C	2	Good
55-59.99	D	1	Acceptable
0-54.99	F	0	Fail

In Iraq, most of the Primary, middle and high schools in Iraq grade out of 100 percent with a passing grade of 50 percent, So the grade point average is out of 100. Most of the post-secondary institutions (Universities, Colleges, Technical colleges ... etc.) uses the "word" grading system described below:

Grade	Percentage
Excellent	90–100
Very Good	80–89
Good	70–79
Adequate	60–69
Acceptable	50–59
Weak/Failure	0–49

In Japan, most higher education institutions give grades on a scale from 0–100, but a few universities apply letter grades. While for years an "A" grade range was from 80 to 100 points, some schools (for example, at Kurume University) have started to give the 90 to 100 point range a special grade to indicate excellence. A failing grade is generally called an "E", though some institutions use "F".

Scale	Letter Grade
90-100	Excellent (AA, or T)
80-89	A
70-79	B
60-69	C
0-59	Fail (E or F)

MP3 AUDIO 5.3

Listen to a talk by a student advisor on campus. Answer the following questions.

1.      What are the rules for dropping a course in the talk provided?

You can drop a course within the first three weeks in the semester. Besides, you should get a signature of the professor of the course you want to drop or you just need official drop card

2.      What warnings does the student advisor give?

You can officially drop a course after the first three weeks of the semester. If you are having problems in a course and you decide later on that you want to drop the course it’s impossible to do so.

3.      How can you avoid getting a failing grade, according to the recording?

If you go through official procedure of getting drop, you will not have any problems

4.      What are the official drop procedures for the elective courses in your country?

Classes can be officially dropped during the first 20 percent of their scheduled meeting time.

MP3 AUDIO 5.4

Listen to a talk given on a college campus.

1.      What are the places of a college campus that the speaker mentions in the recording?

Administration complex, library, students’ centre (a post office, a bank, a theatre, a coffee shop, a travel agency)

2.      Can you find the similar campus places in your college/university? What are other places that are worth mentioning? Characterize them briefly.

There is a library, 2 dormitories, 2 halls of residence, a stadium, a canteen.

3.      Pick out the places from the previous task and make a similar tour around your college/university to inform the freshmen about the campus.

We have a library with a reading room where students can take books or read them there. There are also 2 dormitories where students can live if their homes are far from out Institute. There is also a stadium for PE or individual activity. We have a canteen where every student can have a tasty dinner.

Review №2

9. Movies. Give a review of the movie “Dangerous Minds”. How did Louanne Johnson change lives of her students?

I am going to speak about the film “Dangerous Minds” and say how Louanne Johnson changed lives of her students. It is a 1995 American film, the director of which is John N. Smith and the main actress is Michelle Pfeiffer. Its genre is biography, crime and drama. The setting of the story is  Belmont, California, the USA.

Let me pass on to the plot of the film. The ex-marine Louanne Johnson is searching for a job and she immediately gets a job of a teacher in one of the schools in Belmont. She is surprised by it but wants to begin. No one tells her which students she is going to work with. Their first meeting was a difficult challenge for a new teacher but in sometimes she can get on with them. Louanne not only teaches them at school but helps them in their lives as well. She tries to cope with their difficulties with them but her only failure is Emilio who is shot. She breaks the school rules because of her students and they begin to respect and love her. When Mrs. Johnson says that she is going to leave the school, her explanation is not convinced her students who are needed in her and ask her to stay. The teacher decides to stay to be with her class.

I would like to mention the acting. I like Michelle Pfeiffer and I think that her performance was really good. The actress could convey the emotions and feelings of Louanne Johns with all her ups and downs. The scene when she came to the principal and then got to know about Emilio’s death impressed me greatly because her emotions seemed to be real but not artificial. Even I was not indifferent when she was talking to the students for the last time. I understood why she wanted to leave it and why she decided to stay.

Besides, I would like to single out the theme which I think is very important and was mentioned in the movie. In my opinion only her love and belief in her students helped Louanne to change their lives. In this film as well as in the previous one, no one did not believe in those teenagers and in their abilities. Except her. Only that teacher can become a good one who does not doubt in children and who is always help and encourage them. It is the main thing except get them knowledge, of course, which a teacher must do.

In conclusion I would like to say that I like this film and the atmosphere of it. There are many problems and difficulties which the main character had to deal with anв for me it was interesting to observe how she could cope with them. I think this film is worthy to watch those people who do not believe in themselves and their abilities in order to see how a person can change not only her life but lives of so many teenagers with already stable life positions.  

Review №1

Movies. Give a review of the movie “The Ron Clark Story”. Comment on its tagline, “No one believed in them. Except him.”

I would like to speak on the movie “The Ron Clark Story” and comment on its tagline. It is a 2006 TV film, the director of which is Randa Haines and the actors are Matthew Perry, Judith Buchan, Griffin Cork. Its genre is biography and drama. The setting of the story is New York, the USA.

Let me pass on to the plot of the film. The school teacher Ron Clark moves to New York where he wants to find a new job. The only place where he can do it is Inner Harlem Elementary School, where he becomes the teacher of unruled, aggressive and wild sixth-grade students. Ron makes great efforts to help them but those children does not need any interference in their lives. They are rude with the new teacher, refuse to obey him, want him to leave their school. However, Mr. Clark does not give up and countinue to fight with them for them. The teacher wins proving everyone that the student about which nobody cares can achieve everything. This class passes the exams better than anyone in the city.

As for the acting I can say that I was impressed how masterfully the children played their roles. I believed them and felt with them. Especially, I like the characters of Shameika and Tayshawn whose stories were more memorable for me. Mattew Perry is known to me as Chandler from the series “Friends” seemed to me now from the other side. Here he gratefully conveyed the feelings of Ron Clark with all his ups and downs.  Besides, I would like to mention the tagline “No one believed in them. Except him.” And it is absolutely true. He chose them despite the principal’s warnings, he put his heart into these children and only he believed that his students were good little kids with huge problems and who were not interested by adults. Even he was going to give up, Mr. Clark’s assurance in his necessity to these children helped him to stay.  

Speaking about directing I can say that it was really good. The movie was made in 1998 and there were not special effects or super quality picture but it was not necessary at the same time. The story was shown as it was without embellishment: we can see the dirty streets, poor apartments. The atmosphere of the worst suburb of New York was conveyed in the best way.

In conclusion I would like to say that I like this film so much because it shows us strength of mind, true grit, and unlimited belief. Ron Clark is a born teacher, he knows how to behave with the most difficult children and I admire him. I think that almost everyone gave up in this situation but he could cope with any kind of difficulties and became the person who his students love and respect. 

Questions

School Education in Britain and the USA

1. What types of schools do they have in the UK? -  State, public, independent ( fee-paying ) , primary, infant, junior, special, preparatory, secondary, comprehensive, grammar, secondary modern school and sixth form

2. When do children start/leave school? – British law requires all children to be under full-time education from the age of 5 to 16

3. What are the stages of schooling according to age? - Depending on where they live, children may go to an infant school from age 5 to 7 and then a junior school until they are 11. Others attend a primary school from age 5 to 11. At 11 children begin their secondary education. They go to a grammar school, comprehensive school or high school. At 16 students who hope to go to university stay on at school or go to a sixth-form college.

4. What exams do pupils have to take?  - They have SAT at 7, 11, 14; GSCE at 16; A-level at 18; GNVQ

5. Do school leavers have to take entrance exams to go to university? – Yes, A-level exam

6. It is well known that there is no written constitution in the UK. Is there such a thing as a national curriculum? - National Curriculum – was introduced in 1988. It sets programmes of study in a range of subjects for all state schools in England and Wales.

7. How long should it take to complete full-time compulsory education? – It should take 12 years

8. What should primary school and secondary school concentrate on? – They should concentrate on the education of high quality, appropriate behavior and preparation for exams

9. In what case can entrance exams be abandoned? – When you are not going to continue your education

10. What should be admission requirements to primary and secondary school? – The subjects which are in National Curriculum, size of classes, a uniform

11. What is the purpose of elite school education? – The purpose is to provide children more comfortable conditions to study and give them more opportunities in their future

12. What subjects should be an integral part of school curriculum? What subjects can be optional for university students? - The National Curriculum consists of 10 subjects which all the children must study at school. The subjects are English, Mathematics, Science, a modern foreign language (for 11-16 year olds), Technology and Design, History, Geography, Music, Art, Physical Education (PE).

13. What is the essence of private schooling in Russia? - Class sizes are generally smaller, facilities much improved and extra-curricular activities more numerous.

14. What is a problem pupil? – A problem pupil is a person with difficulties in behavior and studying.

15. What is your idea of a good teacher? – A good teacher is a person who tries to understand his students, help them to study more interesting and easier.

16. Looking back on your school days, what experiences can you describe as the most 1) memorable, 2) exciting, 3) painful? – 1) our trip to St. Petersburg. 2) our Last Bell 3) I can’t remember anything

17. How do you feel on the morning of an exam? – I feel good

18. In your opinion, which exam is easier to pass: oral or written? – I think oral because you can call to memory during your answer and say additional facts, you can change something in the answer

19. Do you prefer to be the first to answer in an oral exam? – Yes, but when I am sure in my abilities

20. Do you use rough-work sheets in a written exam? Why? – Yes, to make my thoughts more structural

21. Do you feel uncomfortable if a teacher stands next to you during a written exam? – Yes, it makes me nervous

22. Do you think a crib can be of any use? – It can help but not every time because if do not understand what you are talking about any additional question can confuse you

23. Have you ever panicked during an exam? – No, it can only take your time

24. Do you think it is a way out to copy from other students? – No, it is not

25. What is the most difficult thing about exams? – The evening before it

26. What are the advantages and disadvantages of private schools (boarding schools, co-educational vs single-sex schools, school uniforms)? - Nearly 65 per cent of pupils leave fee-paying schools with one or more A levels, compared with only 14 per cent from comprehensives. Pupils at independent schools show greater improvement in the examination results than those at state-maintained schools. In later life, those educated outside the state-maintained system dominate the sources of state power and authority in government, law, the armed forces and finance.

27. Is it a good idea for pupils to specialize in their “best” subjects at school? – Yes, because pupils would learn it with pleasure

28. What’s the best age for children to start primary school? Why? – I cannot say exactly because it is the question for psychologists who are good enough at children’s mind

29. Should children stay at school until they are 18 or 19? – I do not think so; it is the age more for the further education

30. Is it a good idea for pupils to participate in the running of schools? – Yes, it is a good idea because pupils would think that their opinion is important.

31. Are national and international exams necessary? What are the pros and cons of regular performance tests and continuous assessment by teachers and lecturers? – Exams are a necessary part of education; it is a method of checking knowledge and a stimulus to learn.

32. Can computers assess learning? – In modern world computers are an integral part of education which helps pupils in learning