That is why all countries consider the system of education a very important part of national politics.
It Russia, everyone has the right to receiv
e education guaranteed by the Constitution. This right is realized by the broad development of compulsory secondary education, vocational, specialised secondary and higher education and also by the development of a system of scholarships, grants, evening
a
nd correspondence courses. In Russia there is nine-year compulsory education, but to enter a university one has to study two years more. School starts at the age of six for Russian children. But most of them have learned letters in kindergarden which is n
o
w part of primary school. Primary and secondary schools together comprise eleven years of study. Every school has a "core curriculum" of Russian, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education. A variety of elective subjects are taught at lyceums and gymnasiums
.

After finishing secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium one can go on to higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher education institutions train undergraduate and graduate students in one or several specializations. The s
ystem of higher education in Russia, is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: decentralization of the higher education system, development of autonomy in higher education institutions, expansion of academic freedoms f
or faculties and students, development of new financial mechanisms. All Russian schools until recently have been state-subsidized.
Americans also place a high value on education. Universal access to high quality education has been one of the nationТ s historic goals.


America's first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own school
s. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Pres
chool education is part of the elementary school. Elementary I and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes Engli
sh, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art I and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institut
ions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges, and graduate schools offering master's or doctoral degree program
mes. The factors determining an institution's prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.
The British system of education has a very long history, but in the pa
st few years there have been many changes in it British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give par
ents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.
Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Nonselective comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children
receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.
Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, mostly organised by parents. Co
mpulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually в
tart their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the following subjects: Eng
lish, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.
At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at fourteen and sixteen) teachers measure children's progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each tar
get there are ten levels of attainment.

The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eighteen. Here they build on the knowledge they have aquired at primary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreig
n language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.
If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further tw
o years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Supplementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to u
niversity education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.

For those leaving school at sexteen there are Further Education colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.
The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine universities, Oxford and Cambridge being the
oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and maintenance.









British and American families - Британские и американские семьи

British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA
have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children. Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23 but many marriages end in divorce. This means th
a
t both countries have a large number of "single parent families", one father or mother looking after their children alone. The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'
c
lock, have breakfast at 8. and are off to work by 8.30 . More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30, and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the fam
i
ly eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents. The typical American family has more

money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at sc
hool, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
My family
- Моя
семья (1)

Our family is large (small, not very large). We are the family of seven (two, three, four, five, six): my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my brother and I. My mother's name is … She is … years old. She is a teach
er (a doctor, a worker, an engineer). She is a very nice, kind and clever woman. My father's name is ... He is ... years old. He is a worker (a teacher, an engineer, a doctor, a businessman). He is lather tall and strong. He is a man of strong character -

and all of us love him very much. My grandmother's name is ... She is ... years old. She does not work now, she is a pensioner, but she has a lot of work to do about the house. All of us try to help her. My grandfather' s name is... He is... years old. He

is a pensioner too. My brother and sister are students (pupils). There names are ... They are older (younger) than me. We are a very good family. We love each other very much. In the evenings, when all the members of our family get together after work and

study, we like to watch TV, to read books and newspapers, to talk about different things and to discuss all our problems together. When the weather is good we sometimes go for a walk. We have a small house in the country with a garden and a kitchen-garden
. There is much work there and on week-ends we go there and work and have rest all together.

My family - Моя семья (2)

We are 4 at our family: my mother, father, my elder brother and I. I think, our family is friendly, united. We spend much time together, g
o for a walk in the woods, visit theaters, museums, go to the cinema. My mother's name is Luidmila Mikhailovna. She is an engineer, she works in an office. She is a kind, nice woman. She can cook very well. She is fond of reading. My father's name is Kons
t
antin Alexeevich. He is a sailor. He is a strong, clever man. He often tells me interesting stories about different countries. Father can do a lot of things. He teaches me to repair furniture, to drive a car. My brother's name is Alexei. He is 22 years ol
d
.
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