PETS4 Unit 09 Higher Education

Unit9 Higher Education Conversation

1. Mary and Tom are talking about the percentage of college graduates getting jobs in Britain. Mary: You’ve worked in a university before, haven’t you? Tom: Yes, in Britain.

Mary: How do students go about getting jobs when they graduate?

Tom: Well, most universities have a Career Advice Service. I used to know the people in

the Career Service in Bristol University and they seem fairly successfulin finding jobs for students. They are able to get jobs for 30% -40% of newgraduates. Mary: That seems a fairly low percentage.

Tom: It is not if you consider the variousoptions which people take up. Forexample,

there are a fair number ofpeople who go into further study formaster’s degrees. Either at the sameuniversity or another university.

Mary: Well. It sounds interesting. Afterthey’ve got master’s degrees, it would be much

easier for them to get jobs.

Tom: Yeah, sure. Then a second group of people, who, instead of taking a career

jobimmediately after university, decide to take time off, maybe see the world.Well, there is a third group, who can’t actually get the job they want immediately,and who maybe take something else in the meanwhile. So when I say30% - 40% find jobs through the careers servicethat doesn’t mean that onlythat number of people find jobs. A lot of other people find jobs through thenewspapers. Mary: So it is quite high, yes.

Tom: Oh, I think so. And quite a lot of other people of course look in newspapersand

the particular journals or magazines which advertise jobs in the fields theyare interested in. Q

1. Where has Tom worked before?

2. Do all the students get jobs after they graduate?

3. Why do a lot of students find jobsthrough the newspapers?

2. Mary and Tom are talking about the percentage of collegegraduates getting jobs in Britain.

Mary: Hi, Tom t would you like to tell me something about the University of Cambridge? Tom: Sure. It is one of the oldest universitiesin the world and one of the largestin the

United Kingdom. Mary: Where is it exactly?

Tom: It is situated at Cambridge. Cambridgeshire剑桥郡, England, on the RiverRam

80km north of London. Mary: Then t what is it famous for?

Tom: Well t it has a worldwide reputationfor outstanding academic achievement and the

high quality of research carried out in a wide range of scienceand art subjects. The university pioneers work in the understanding of disease,the creation of new materials, advances in telecommunications and researchinto the origins of the universe. It trains doctors, vets t architects, engineers andteachers. At all levels about half of the students at Cambridge study arts andhumanities subjects, many

of whom have gone on to become prominentfigures in the arts print and broadcast media. The university’s achievements inthe sciences can be measured by the sixty or more Nobel Prizes awarded to itsmembers over the years. Mary: It’s incredible! But when was it founded?

Tom:It was established in about 1209 when scholars from Oxford migrated to

Cambridgeto escape Oxford’s riots of“town and gown”. Mary: How many colleges does the university comprise?

Tom: 31 colleges at all but 3 admit both men and women, and most admit both

graduateand undergraduate students.

Mary: How many students are there in the university?

Tom: At present t it has more than 15,500 full-timestudents-over 11.000

undergraduatesand 34,500 graduates. Q

1. What’s the location of the University of Cambridge? 2. What is the University ofCambridge famous for? 3. How many students are therecurrently?

Passage Higher Education Higher education refers to the formal, post-secondary education that now

takes place in college or university. Higher education has existed,however, in every major human civilization. Inits earliest formit was the experience of the word conveyed by the learned few, first by word ofmouth and later in writing ,to the succeeding generation.

Higher education is now all but synonymous· with the college oruniversity,

where professors and students come together for teaching,learning and research, and to serve the community, region organization. In the 20th century, the definition of higher education has broadenedto include a great variety of activities at the post-secondary level.Among them are general or liberal arts education, professionaltraining, higher technical and vocational training, teacher training, fundamentaland applied research, public service programs, special institutes,museums and libraries, adult education (sometimes called lifelong education),cultural andsporting events, education by television and external degree programs, correspondence courses andpolitical indoctrination. The United Nation’s Educational Scientific and. Cultural Organization(UNESCO) designates post-secondary, educationas that of the third level, to distinguish it fromfirst (elementary, or primary) level, where, students are instructed in the basic tools of learningand from .the second-level education usually ~onducted.at middle vocational. or high schools,which can be either a final stage of learning ,or preparation for college or university work, Today,third-level work may bein thehumanities and arts, social science, engineering, natural science,medical science, education, law, agriculture, and other specialized fields.

Worldwide, UNESCO estimated that 20 millionstudents were enrolled in

colleges and universities in1966 -67. More than 26 million were enrolled in 1970-71, and almost 10 million of them females, and in1976, more than 41 million were enrolled. The numbersare increasing at a faster rate than the growth in the·world’s population. Proportionately, the emphasis onhigher education has coincided with a

nation’sworldeconomic ranking. Today, complex, technical societiesrequire institutions of equally complex higher learning in order to maintain their economic standing. Simpler economies require systems of less sophisticated higher education.

Higher education, especially that of developed nations, has peaked in four

distinctive periods:the ancient founding period, ancient Greece, medieval Europe and the 20th century. Between theseperiods higher education evidenced either slow growth or little difference from the previous periodof burgeoning (萌芽) activity. Questions

J. What does higher education refer toaccording tothe text? 2. What is the earliest form of higher education?

3. When .did the definition of higher education broaden? 4. Who designates post-secondary education as the third level?

5. How many female students were enrolled in colleges and universities in 1970-71? Words and Expressions

synonymous correspondence emphasis community designate coincide definition distinguish sophisticated variety humanity distinctive vocational specialize medieval fundamental estimate previous external enroll

Exercises

Section I Listening Comprehension Part A

For Questions 1 -5, you will hear a dialogue in which a woman is asking for some information about theUnited World Colleges. While you listen, fill out the table with the information you have heard. Some of the informationhas been given to you in thetable. Write only 1 word in each numbered box. Information about the United World Colleges Her friend lives in (1. )

Main language used for most lessons is (2. ) Fees (per year) are (3. ) They also look at personal (4. ) The last question is about her other (5. ) Part A

M: United World Colleges. Can I help you?

W: Yes,I’d like some information about the colleges please. M: What would you like to know?

W: My name’s Julia Harris and I have a friend inSpain who’s interested in applying for a placeat one of the colleges. There are one or twoquestions that she'd like me to ask you.

M:Go ahead.

W: Thanks. What language is used for most lessons?

M: Well, the main language of instruction in all thecolleges is English. But at Pacific College inCanada some subjects are taught in French. W: Right. Is it expensive to go to one of the colleges?

M: Students' parents don’t have to be rich, if that’s what you mean. There are

scholarshipsfor all colleges, but we do ask the parents topay what they can afford. It’s $2,400 peryear.

W: Good. Now she wants to know something aboutgetting into a college. Does she have toget high marks in her examinations?

M:Ah,yes, well, she will have to do well, but academic ability is not the only thing that’s important.We also look at personal qualities. W: What sort of things do you mean?

M: Maturity, the ability to get along well with peoplefrom different countries, that sort of thing.

W: I understand what you mean. The last questionis about her other interests. Can she takepainting or modern dancing, for example?

M: Yes, probably. It depends on the staff at thecollege she enters. Each college has its ownspecial activities, such as theatre studies or environmentalwork, in which students can takepart.

W: Good. I think that's all. Thank you very muchfor your help. M: You’re welcome. Goodbye. W: Goodbye. Part B

For Question 6-10, you will hear a passage about Harvard. While you listen, complete the sentences andanswer the questions. Use not more than 3 words for each other. The oldest institution of higher learning in US is (6. ) Harvard was established in (7. ) Harvard was named after it' s first benefactor whose name was (8. ) Harvard Extension School has an enrollment of (9. ) The college changed its name into Harvard College in the year of (10. ) PartB

Harvard University is the oldest institution ofhigher learning in the United

States. It is located inCambridge, Massachusetts, on the eastern coastof the United States.

Established in 1636, Harvard was named afterits first benefactor, John

Harvard of Charlestown,Massachusetts. Upon his death in 1638, the youngminister left his library and half his possession tothe new college. In 1639, in recognition of JohnHarvard’s bequest, the Great and General Courtordered that “the college agreed upon formerly to be built at Cambridge called Harvard College.”

Founded 16 years after the arrival of the pilgrimsat Plymouth, the college has

grown from 9students with a single master into a universitywith an enrollment of more than 18,000 degreecandidates, including undergraduates and studentsin 10 graduate and professional schools. An additional13,000 students are enrolled in one or morecourses in the Harvard Extension School. Over14,000 people work at Harvard, including morethan 2,000 faculty(全体教员). There are also 7,000 facultyappointments in affiliated teaching hospitals.