1. Opportunity, equality, etc.
_ All education systems may ultimately (adv- rút cục) be judged in terms of equality of opportunity (1). This is not the same as the debates (n-v- suy nghĩ, cân nhắc) over selective (2) versus comprehensive (3) schooling (4).
_ It is rather a matter of whether everyone has the same (equality of) opportunities for educational achievement or whether elitism (5) of one sort or another is inherent in (6) the system.
_ League tables (7) for schools and colleges may actually help unintentionally (adv- ko chủ tâm, ko có ý) to perpetuate (v- làm nhớ mãi) (8) inequalities (n- ko đồng đều), while claiming to promote the raising of standards.
_ Inevitably, league table divide the world into good andbad, success and failure, resulting in a two-tier system (9), even if that is only how the public perceives (10) it. (v- nhận thức)
_ The ability of the better-off (adj- giàu có, khá giả) (11) parents and well-endowed (12) schools to push children towards the institutions at the top of the league may in the long term, have the effect of depressing (13) opportunity for the less well-off (14) or for children from home environments that do not provide the push and motivation to excel (15).

(1) when everyone has the same chances
(2) pupils take exams for entry
(3) everyone enters without exams
(4) education received at school
(5) when you favour (v- ủng hộ, thiên vị) a small, privileged group
(6) existing as a basic part of S.T
(7) lists of schools or colleges from the best down to the worst.
(8) make S.T continue forever
(9) a system with two separate levels, one of which is better than the other.
(10) sees, considers
(11) richer
(12) receiving a lot of money in grants, gifts from rich people, etc.
(13) reducing
(14) poorer
(15) achieve an execellent standard.

2. Other debates and issues

_ Inequality is inherent (adj- vốn có, cố hữu) in the education system. (is built into)
_ Elitism is bad for the country in the long term. (giving access only to privileged groups)
_ Comprehensive education is a basic political ideal in many countries. (education where everyone gets into the same type of school without exams)
_ A system where there are two levels of schools reduces the opportunities for children from poorer families and favours those from richer families.
_ All parents want their children to excel at school. (achieve the best possible results at school)
_ Emphasis on the three Rs is perceived (considered) by parents to be the key to success.

Answer these questions for your own country:
1. Under what circumstances do school closures occur?
_ When class sizes become very small, for example in villages in the countryside where people have moved away to towns.
2. What are typical discipline problems in your country? What do teachers do?
_ Typically, children cannot concentrate, they talk during lessons, they bully one another. Teacher are not allowed to hit children, but they may put them into detention (giam cầm) or inform their parents.
3. What special needs provision is there in typical schools?
_ There may be a teacher who can teach slow learners, or special teachers may come in to help pupils with learning difficulties, but children often have to go to special centres to get help.
4. What provisions are there for lifelong education?
_ People of all ages, more and more, are going to universities in Britain, and special courses (called Access Courses) help them to do so. There are also evening classes, usually organised by local councils, which are not very expensive.

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1. Study and exams
_ Before an exam you can revise (v- ôn lại, xem lại) or cram (v- luyện thi) for it. If the exam happens every year, you can look at past papers (2). Some things can be memorised or learn off by heart.
_ But rote-learning (3) is not sufficient for most subjects. It is also possible to use mnemoics (adj- trí nhớ) (4). But tricks (n- mánh lới, thủ thuật) alone are not enough, and the best idea is to bury (v- chôn, chôn vùi, quên đi) yourself on your books (5) until you know the subject inside out (6).

(1) study intensively for a short time
(2) exam papers from previous years
(3) learning purely (adv- hoàn toàn) by repetition (n- nhắc lại)
(4) tricks (n- mánh lới, thủ thuật) that help you remember S.T
(5) spend the maximum time studying
(6) know it completely.

2. Written work for courses, etc

_ His PhD thesis was 90,000 words long and was on the history of US place names.
_ Little Martha did her first composition in school today. It was called "My family".
_ We have to hand in a portfolio at the end of the course. It can consist of up to five different pieces of work.
_ At the end of this course you have to do a 5,000 word assigment which will be assessed, and the grade (điểm số; loại, cấp)will contribute to your final degree.
_ I've chosen to do the project instead of the two exams, because I like to do one single piece of work where I can research something that interests me personally.

3. The writing process and evaluation:
_ It's a good idea to start with a mind-map (1) when preparing an essay. Always write a first draft (2) before writing up the final version.
_ Your essay should be all your own work; plagiarism (3) is a very serious offence in most colleges and universities.
_ There is usually a deadline (4). After the essay is submitted (5), it will be assessed (6) (v- đánh giá, ước lượng) and usually you can get feedback (7).

(1) diagram that lays out (v- bố trí, sắp đặt) ideas for the topic and how they are connected to one another.
(2) first, rough version
(3) plagiarism using other people's work as if it was yours.
(4) date by which you must hand in the work.
(5) handed in (formal) (v- nộp, đệ trình)
(6) evaluated and  given a grade.
(7) comments from the teacher/tutor (n- người giám hộ)

_ When I'm preparing intensively (cramming) for an exam, I don't see any point in looking up exam papers for previous years (past papers), nor (cũng ko) is there any point in just learning things by memory (off by heart).
_ I know some people develop very clever memory tricks (mnemonics) to help them remember the meterial, but there's no real substitute for re-reading and going over (revising) the term's work.
_ It's a good idea to have some sort of diagram to organise your ideas (mind-map), and memory-learning (rote-learning) is useful, but in a limited way.
_ At the end of the day, you just have to read a huge amount (bury (v- chôn) yourself in your books until you feel you know the subject 100 per cent (inside out).

4. Aspect of higher academic study:
_ University academics carry out (less formal 'do') research and are expected to read academic journals, which publish papers/articles on specialised subjects (adj- chuyên dụng).
_ If a library does not have a book or journal (báo, tập san), you can usually get it through inter-library loan.
_ Academic study can be very demanding (adj- đòi hỏi khắt khe) and intensive, and some students drop out (leave the course before the end because they cannot cope (v- đương đầu)), but the majority (n- phần lớn) survive till finals (the last exams before receiving a degree).

_ It's very easy to fall behing with your studies if you miss even just a few classes. (find yourself far behind other students)
_ She seemed to just breeze through the exams. Everyone else was in such a panic (n- hoảng loạn) and almost had nervous breakdowns. (do them calmly and efficiently)
_ I just can't seem to get the hang of English prepositions. Just when I think I've learnt them I make new mistakes. (understand)
_ When I sat down and looked at the exam paper my mind just went blank. Everyone else seemed to be writing away quite happily. (became empty/ not became very focused)

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1. Subjects:
You can normally do/study these subjects at university but not always at school:
medicine (n) y học
law (n) luật
philosophy (n) triết học
engineering (n) khoa học kỹ thuật
psychology (n) tâm lý học
sociology (n) xã hội học
architecture (n) kiến trúc, xây dựng
politics (n)
business studies (n)
agriculture (n) nông nghiệp
history of art

history (n) lịch sử
litrature (n) văn học
maths (n) toán
religious educaton (n) tôn giáo, tín ngưỡng học
english (n)
geography (n) (n) địa lý
science (n)
visual art (n)
physiology (n) sinh học
physical education (n) vật chất, thể chất
information technology (n)

school timetable (n)
As you can see, the pupils have five lessons every day, and altogether (adv-nhin chung) they do (= study) eleven subjects a week plus physical education. Every morning they have a twenty minute break. There are three terms (= periods of continuous work) in a school year, and the timetable changes every year.

some go to nursery school (age of 3)
everyone starts primary school. (age of 5)
pupils go to a secondary school (high school) (age of 11). This may be a comprehensive.
they leave school and get a job, or go to a college for training. (age of 16)
they leave school and get a job or go to university/college for further education. (age of 18)

2. Studying at university
If you want to go university, you must first pass examinations that most students take at the age of eighteen (called 'A' levels).
Most students take three 'A' levels (three examinations in three different subjects) and they must do well in order to get/obtain a place at university because the places are limited.
At the moment, approximately 30% of young adults go to university in Britain.
If you get a place at university, the tuition (n- học phí) is free, and some students also get (= receive) a grant as well. (=money to pay for living expenses: food, accomomodation).
Students at university are called undergraduates while they are studying for their first degree.

Most university courses last (= go on for/ continue for) three years, some courses last four years, and one or two courses, e.g. medicine, may be even longer.
During this period students can say that they are doing/studying history, or doing/studying for a degree in history, for example. When they finish the course and pass their examinations, they receive a degree (the qualification when you complete a university course successfully). This can be a BA (Bachelor of arts) or a BSc (Bachelor of science).

3. Postgraduate courses
When you complete your first degree, you graduated in S.T (in history/ in chemistry). Some students then go on to do a second course or degree (postgradute course/ postgraduate degree). There are usually three possible degrees:
MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science) - ususally one year.
MPhil (Master of Philosophy) - usually two years
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) - at least three years

Note: School vs. university
At school, you have teachers and lessons.
At university, you have lecturers and lectures. When a lecturer gives a lecture, the students listen and take notes, but do not usually say much, except to ask occasional questions.

Who is giving the lecture today?
Did she receive a grant for her course?
Is it more difficult to obtain a place at university?
You have to pass the exams before you can enter university.
He's studying physics, I think.
I think they're carrying out (v- tien hanh, thuc hien) some research into the cause of asthma (bệnh hen).
I didn't take any notes in the lecture yesterday.
The course goes on for three years.
Is the tuition free if you go to university?
Do most degree courses last three years?
What is your equivalent of the British BA or BSc?
Do you have similar postgraduate degrees in your country?

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