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The newer civic universities
These were originally technical colleges set up by local authorities in the first sixty years of the twentieth century. Their upgrading to university status took place in two waves. The first wave occurred in the mid 1960s, when ten of them (e.g. Aston in Birmingham, Salford near Manchester and Strathclyde in Glasgow) were promoted in this way. Then, in the early 1970s, another thirty became ‘polytechnics’, which meant that as well as continuing with their former courses, they were allowed to teach degree courses (the degrees being awarded by a national body). In the early 1990s most of these (and also some other colleges) became universities. Their most notable feature is flexibility with regard to studying arrangements, including ‘sandwich’ courses (i.e. studies interrupted by periods of time outside education). They are now all financed by central government.
The Open University
This is one development in education in which Britain can claim to have led the world. It was started in 1969. It allows people who do not have the opportunity to be ordinary ‘students’ to study for a degree. Its courses are taught through television, radio and specially written coursebooks. Its students work with tutors, to whom they send their written work and with whom they then discuss it, either at meetings or through correspondence. In summer, they have to attend short residential courses of about a week.
XI. Say which of them you would like to study at. Prove your choice.
XII. Insert the articles where necessary.
Oxford
So this is Oxford. As soon as we emerge into __ clean, broad streets, there are __ signs enough that this is ___ ancient seat of English learning. ___ gowns and ___ mortar boards. __ young undergraduates in __ loose black thigh-length gowns. __ graduate’s gown is generally of knee-length and for ceremonial occasions at least, has___ hood lined in silk of __ colour prescribed by ___ weather faculty.
Oxford’s main railway station is some half __ mile to __ west of the area in which are clustered most of __ colleges: Queen’s College and University College, Magdalene College and quite __ number of others.
All these together make up __ University of Oxford.
__ central University, in general, arranges lectures for __ whole body of __ students in __ particular subject and holds examinations and grants degrees; __ individual college provides for __ residence and tutorials. Great emphasis is laid at Oxford and Cambridge on what are called ‘__ tutorials’, in which __ Don gives personal instruction in his study at least once __ week to __ students numbering not more than four at __ sitting.
For __ lover of __ old architecture, Oxford has much to offer. Many of __ colleges present __ lovely picture of __ ancient pearl-gray walls, noble towers, __ picturesque gothic archways. All have __ grass lawns of velvet smoothness which must be seen to be believed, and many have, in __ summer, most magnificent displays of flowers.
(After “The British Science” by George Bidwell)