OXFORD (1, 900)

At a distance of some 70 miles from London there are two world-known educational centres – Oxford and Cambridge. The towns are almost identical. They both trace their long history back to the same period – 12th century.

Oxford, situated on the bank of the river Thames, is the seat of the most ancient university. Besides the University colleges, the town has the University Museum and the majestic building of the Sheldonian Theatre. According to the ancient tradition the degree-giving ceremony is conducted in the Sheldonian Theatre built by the famous Christopher Wren. About 125 thousand people live in this town.

Oxford University is a sort of federation of 23 colleges for men and 5 for women. All these colleges, including twelve thousand students, are parallel and equal institutions, and none of them is connected with any particular field of study. No matter what subject a man wants to study, he may study at any of the men’s colleges. Each college has a dining-room, chapel, and residential rooms (enough to accommodate about half the student membership, the rest living in lodgings in the town). The college is governed by its dons, of whom there are usually about twenty or thirty. They elect the Head of the college; they are also responsible for teaching the students of the college through the tutorial system.

The University prescribes syllabuses, ranges lectures, conducts examinations and awards degrees, but there is no single building which can be called “the University”. The colleges and university buildings are scattered about the town, mostly in the central area, though the scientific laboratories and the women’s colleges are quite a long way out.

The university teachers are mostly dons of colleges, who may at the same time hold university appointments as lecturers or professors. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures organized by the university, and any student may attend any university lecture. At the beginning of each of the three terms in the Oxford academic year a list is published showing all the lectures being given during the term within each faculty. Every student can choose which lecture he will attend, though his own college tutor will advise him which lectures seem likely to be more useful. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, and no records of attendance are kept.

Notes

1) don [dOn] – преподаватель, член совета колледжа;

2) no matter what subject – неважно какой предмет;

3) tutorial system – университетская система прикрепления студентов к преподавателям-наставникам;

4) seem likely – вероятно;

5) keep records of attendance – отмечать посещаемость.

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WESTMINSTER ABBEY (1, 800)	\|	National Emblems of the UK (2, 200)

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