Freshers

When they first arrive at college, first year university students are called 'freshers'. A fresher's life can be exciting but terrifying for the first week.

Often freshers will live in a Hall of Residence on or near the college campus, although they may move out into a rented room in their second or third year, or share a house with friends. Many freshers will feel very homesick for the first week or so, but living in hall soon helps them to make new friends.

During the first week, all the clubs and societies hold a 'freshers' fair' during which they try to persuade the new students to join their society. The freshers are told that it is important for them to come into contact with many opinions and activities during their time at university, but the choice can be a bit overwhelming!

On the day that lectures start, groups of freshers can be seen walking around huge campuses, with maps in hand and a worried look on their faces. They are learning how difficult it is to change from a school community to one of many thousands. They also learn a new way of studying. As well as lectures, there are regular seminars, at which one of a small group of students (probably not more than ten) reads a paper he or she has written. The paper is then discussed by the tutor and the rest of the group. Once or twice a term, students will have a tutorial. This means that they see a tutor alone to discuss their work and their progress. In Oxford and Cambridge, and some other universities, the study system is based entirely around such tutorials which take place once a week. Attending lectures is optional for 'Oxbridge' students!

After three or four years (depending on the type of course and the university) these students will take their finals. Most of them (over 90 per cent) will get a first, second or third class degree and be able to put BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) after their name. It will have been well earned!

/Spotlight on Britain /

to take/ pass exams [ɪ g'zæ mz], [eg-] - сдавать/сдать экзамены

fierce [fɪ ə s] - жестокий, агрессивный

tuition fee [tju'ɪ ʃ (ə)nfiː ] - плата за обучение

to depend on [dɪ 'pend] - зависеть от

expenses [ɪ k'spen(t)s ], [ek-] - расходы, затраты

to pick [pɪ k] - выбирать

to approve [ə 'pruː v] – одобрять, утверждать, санкционировать

a tech [tek] - от technical college - технический колледж; от technical school - техническое училище; от technician - техник; специалист; от technology - техника; технология

to be exciting [ɪ k'saɪ tɪ ŋ ], [ek-] - возбуждающий, волнующий, захватывающий, увлекательный, интересный, возбуждающий ток

to rent [rent] - арендовать, снимать квартиру, сдавать в аренду

to persuade[pə 'sweɪ d] - убеждать (в чём-л.); урезонивать, уговорить

tutor ['tjuː tə ] - преподаватель, руководитель группы (в университете)

vice versa [ˌ vaɪ sɪ 'vɜ ː sə ] - (лат.) наоборот; обратно, противоположно

C. Answer these questions:

1. What results are necessary to get a place at a British university?

2. In what cases can students receive a full grant from their local Education authority?

3. Why do British students choose to study far away from home?

4. What are first year university students called in Britain?

5. Where do “freshers” live?

6. Why is it important for “freshers” to come into contact with many activities during their time at university?

7. What is their process of studying like?