Film Review

A Farewell to Arms is a 1957 American DeLuxe Color CinemaScope drama film directed by Charles Vidor. The screenplay by Ben Hecht, based in part on a 1930 play by Laurence Stallings, was the second feature film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's 1929 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. It was the last film produced by David O. Selznick. An earlier film version, A Farewell to Arms starred Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes.

Frederick Henry is an American serving as an ambulance driver for the Italian Army during World War I. While recovering from a wound in a British base hospital in northern Italy, he meets Catherine Barkley, a Red Cross nurse, and the two engage in an affair. Frederick's friend, the doctor, convinces the army that Frederick's knee is more severely wounded than it actually is and the two continue their romance but never get married. Catherine discovers she is pregnant but after sneaking alcohol into the hospital for Frederick. She informs Frederick's superiors that he has fully recovered from his wounds and is ready for active duty. During their separation, Catherine comes to believe Frederick has abandoned her. Following the Battle of Caporetto, Frederick and his close friend Major Alessandro Rinaldi assist the locals in fleeing the invading German/Austrian armies. When the two ambulance drivers are finally able to report to a local army base, the commandant assumes they are both deserters from the front. Rinaldi is executed by the Italian military; enraged, Frederick knocks out the kerosene lamps and flees, jumping into the river. Wanted by the Italian army, Frederick evades capture and meets up with Catherine. They flee Milan to hide out on a lake on the Italian-Swiss border. Claiming to be tourists trying to evade the war, the two are allowed to remain in neutral Switzerland. Catherine's pregnancy progresses but due to the conditions around them, the pregnancy becomes complicated and Catherine is hospitalized. Their child is stillborn, and Catherine dies shortly afterward. Frederick leaves, shocked, and wanders the empty streets.

I’d like to point the story line which is represented in the film. In comparison with the book, we see different way of how they depict Rinaldi. They make him out to be a backstabber who tries to keep Lt. Henry and Catherine apart. This entirely not the case in book. This is not to mention the inconsistency of this line. 

As for the actors performance, I expecte4d something more from the main actors, although, their performance satisfied me. Excellent photography of the Italian Alps as Selznick wanted to create a momentous canvass of War and its aftermath. The film is not as good as it should have been and not as poor as some have made it out to be. Miss Jones, edgy, intelligent and driven as an Actress is quite good. If you see this movie, pay close attention to Jennifer Jones' excellent portrayal of a reluctant lover who is perhaps suffering from too many demons to actually fall in love completely, the way she wants to.

Speaking about directing, Charles Vidor, who took over the direction in Italy after John Huston walked off the job, has managed to give the film pictorial excitement in a number of beautiful Italian and Swiss locales, even though there is not much significance in the central characters.

All in all, Very long and very melodramatic! Good actors and a realistic story, but it was too melodramatic for my taste. This film, for all its size and color, doesn't do much more by Hemingway's book than was done by the sentimental version of it played by Helen Hayes and Gary Cooper some twenty-five years ago.

Film Review

In Love and War is a 1996 romance drama film based on the book, Hemingway in Love and War by Henry S. Villard and James Nagel, starring Mackenzie Astin, Chris O'Donnell, Sandra Bullock, and Margot Steinberg. This film takes place during World War I, and is based on the World War I experiences of the writer Ernest Hemingway. It was directed by Richard Attenborough. It must be mentioned that this film is largely based on Ernest Hemingway's real experience in World War I as a young soldier in Italy. Furthermore, it’s interesting to point out that the film—apparently in a deliberate attempt to capture what the director called Hemingway's "emotional intensity"—takes liberties with the facts. In real life, unlike the movie, the relationship was probably never consummated, and the couple did not meet again after Hemingway left Italy.
Now, let’s pass on to the plot of the film. This romantic historical drama is based on the diaries of Agnes Von Kurowsky, who while serving as a nurse during World War I had a love affair with a young man who would later become one of the great literary figures of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway. In 1918, 18-year-old Hemingway has volunteered to fight in the great war; while he goes into battle imagining it to be a lark, he soon discovers that the realities of warfare are far more grim, and during a shelling attack in Italy, his leg is severely wounded. Hemingway has taken a great deal of shrapnel, and the doctors at the field hospital decide that amputation would be the quickest and most effective way to deal with the injury. However, the idea of losing a leg horrifies Hemingway, and he pleads with Agnes (Sandra Bullock), the Austrian nurse looking after him, not to let the doctors cut off his limb. Moved by Hemingway's concern, Agnes convinces the doctors to pursue other treatments, and she looks after him during his long and difficult convalescence. Love and passion bloom between the young and naive soldier and the 26-year-old nurse, but while he's eager for her to return home with him as he follows his muse as a writer, she regards him not as the love of her life but as a passing fling and thinks that he's too young to marry
Then, the first thing which I want to point out is the actors’ performance. Hemmingway is played by Chris O'Donnel, which is my only 'beef' with the casting. Although he does a fine job, we all know that Hemmingway was a more gruff person and it never seemed realistic. Sandra Bullock plays the nurse and I liked her very much in this role. O’Donnell and Sandra are both wonderful even though the film moves rather slowly. An excellent glimpse of WWI and insight into Hemingway. If for no other reason than to see Ms Bullock at her best, to appreciate the depth she can reach at her art, and to just enjoy a well written and acted movie I would recommend this for your collection.
Besides, one piece of criticism I have is that there is an implication at the end of the film that Hemingway suicided because of his failed relationship with Agnes.
However, frankly speaking, I think that the film sometimes seems to be too long and even boring from time to time. The love affair comprises only half of the movie's running length. A lengthy prologue is needed to set up the situation in Italy, so the film is nearly a half-hour old before Agnes and Hemingway meet. The final act, a thirty-minute denouement, is poorly-paced and tedious.

Higher Education in Britain and the USA

Higher Education in Britain and the USA

1. The United Kingdom has a centralised system of admissions to higher education at undergraduate level, UCAS. In general, students are not admitted to universities and colleges as a whole, but to particular courses of study.

During the first few months (September to December) of the final year of school or sixth form college (age 17/18) or after having left school, applicants register on the UCAS website and select five courses at higher education institutes (fewer choices are permitted for the more competitive subjects such as medicine and veterinary medicine). If the applicant is still at school, his or her teachers will give him or her predicted grades for their A-level, Highers or IB subjects, which are then used for the application. If the applicant has already left school, he or she applies with results already obtained. The applicant must provide a personal statement describing in their own words why they want to study that particular subject and why they would be a committed student,and their school must provide an academic reference.

In the United States of America, high school students apply to four-year liberal arts colleges and universities, which include both undergraduate or graduate students. Others attendcommunity colleges, who almost always admit all students with high school diplomas, in preparation for transfer to a four year university. Non-traditional students are usually students over the age of 22 who pursue studies in higher education. Students may apply to many institutions using the Common Application. There is no limit to the number of colleges or universities to which a student may apply, though an application must be submitted for each. Fees are generally charged for each admissions application, but can be waived based on financial need.

Students apply to one or more colleges or universities by submitting an application which each college evaluates using its own criteria. The college then decides whether or not to extend an offer of admission (and possibly financial aid) to the student. The majority of colleges admit students to the college as a whole, and not to a particular academic major, although this may not be the case in some specialized programs such as engineering and architecture. The system is decentralized: each college has its own criteria for admission, even when using a common application form

2. Vocational Schools, Technical Schools, and For-Profit Schools

3. At the end of a university course, graduates are awarded a degree - probably a BA (Bachelor of Arts), BSc (Bachelor of Science) or Bed (Bachelor of Education); post-graduates can take a further course or do research and write a diploma in the hope of getting an MA (Master of Arts) or a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy).

4. Traditionally, the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degrees require roughly 124-127 credit hours of coursework, divided among various subject, field and optional requirements. The four-year Bachelor's degree is divided into two years of lower-division studies (background or distribution courses in a wide range of subjects), followed by two years of upper division studies (mainly courses required by one's major subject. Students apply for admission to a major subject at the end of their second year.

Full-time students generally complete the Bachelor's degree in eight semesters (four academic years) of study, and would average a course workload of roughly 16 credit hours per semester, or 5-6 classes simultaneously. A full-time student is usually defined as one who takes (and passes) a minimum of 12 credit hours of courses per semester. The maximumnumber of credit hours students are allowed to attempt per semester is usually 20, unless special permission is granted.

5. The SAT test is an aptitude and reasoning test used by most colleges for admission purposes. This test has math and verbal sections, as well as a writing section that includes an essay. Registration for these tests can be done online, and each test date has strict registration deadlines. Keep in mind that since most colleges are making admissions decisions in the spring of the school year, scores from the December test date are most likely the last scores that can be considered for students desiring to enter college as freshmen the following fall. There is a fee for the SAT. Numerous testing locations are provided and include public and private high schools, as well as community college locations. The ACT is a test that colleges may use in the admissions process. In most cases, colleges will accept either SAT or ACT scores--however some Midwestern colleges prefer the ACT. Again, it would be wise to check with individual colleges to determine if they have a test preference. The ACT test measures knowledge in four subject areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science. There is a cost for the basic test. The basic ACT does not include a writing section, but for an additional $14 you may register to take the ACT Writing test. The ACT website provides a listing of colleges that either recommend or require the writing section of the ACT. (Again, register early, as there are strict registration deadlines.) For those interested in pursuing college, let's talk first about the PSAT/NMSQT: The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. 

The PSAT can be taken by 8^th – 11^th grade students. The PSAT test is the qualifier for National Merit Scholarship consideration, and only 11th graders are considered for these scholarships. You may register your 10th grader to take the PSAT, but realize that taking  the PSAT in the 10th grade year is basically for practice only. No consideration will be given to a 10th grader for qualifying for a National Merit Scholarship no matter how well the student does on the test. The PSAT test has three sections--Math, Verbal/Critical Reasoning, and Writing. e.g., Resolve conflicts, identity development, specific student concerns (cultural adjustment, learning a new language, social class, racism, substance use, grades, peer pressure, etc.) e.g., Teach staff about various student issues (suicide and loss)

6. Financial Assistance Schemes

The Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) administers the following financial assistance schemes for needy primary and secondary students:

The School Textbook Assistance (TA) Scheme is to provide assistance to needy Primary 1 to Senior Secondary 3 / Secondary 6 students in government, aided, per caput grant schools and local private schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme for covering the costs of essential textbooks and miscellaneous school-related expenses.

The Student Travel Subsidy (STS) Scheme is to provide travel subsidy to needy students receiving formal primary, secondary education or attending a full-time day course up to first degree level in an acceptable institution, residing beyond 10 minutes walking distance from school and traveling to school by public transport.

The Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges (SIA) is to provide subsidy to needy families whose children are full-time students receiving education at primary or secondary level, or full-time students pursuing Yi Jin Diploma programmes or equivalent courses of the Vocational Training Council to meet the Internet access charges for e-learning at home for their children. The subsidy is granted on a household basis. Eligible families will receive a flat-rate cash grant, regardless of the number of children in the family.

Other Financial Assistance - Applicants passing the means test for financial assistance for primary and secondary students, apart from eligible for applying for subsidies mentioned above in accordance with the conditions of individual schemes, are also eligible to apply for other kinds of financial assistance through the attending schools or relevant organizations including education-related schemes under the Community Care Fund Programme, subsidy for activities under the Hong Kong Jockey Club Life-wide Learning Fund, the Internet Learning Support Programme and the Examination Fee Remission (EFR) Scheme etc. The EFR Scheme is to provide assistance to needy students attending public examinations conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). Please refer to the General Examination Circular on Applications for Examination Fee Remission issued by the HKEAA later for details of application and eligibility criteria.

7. Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements of varying levels of achievement in a course.

Grades can be assigned in letters (for example A, B, C, D, E or F), as a range (for example 1 to 6), as a percentage of a total number correct, as a number out of a possible total (for example out of 20 or 100), or as descriptors (excellent, great, satisfactory, needs improvement).

In some countries, all grades from all current classes are averaged to create a grade point average (GPA) for the marking period. The GPA is calculated by taking the number of grade points a student earned in a given period of time divided by the total number of credits taken. The GPA can be used by potential employers or educational institutions to assess and compare applicants. ACumulative Grade Point Average is a calculation of the average of all of a student's grades for all courses completed so far.

8. School counselors have many roles. Their primary goal is to encourage, support, and foster positive academic, career, social, and personal development in child and youth in schools.

Below, we have listed specific responsibilities and roles of school counselors.

1.                  Individual counseling and advisement

2.                  Consultation—working with administrators, teachers, and staff to meet student needs

3.                  Student appraisal—coordinating information that goes into confidential student files and interpreting the info to help qualify students for special programs

4.                  Parent help—meet individual and in groups with parents, provide resources and information on child development, specific topics, etc

5.                  Referral—provide referrals to appropriate professionals in the schools and in the outside community

6.                  Program planning—coordinating work of various school personnel, parents, and other interested parties in implementation of the school counseling program. Students in the USF School Counseling Program have developed programs in the following areas:

7.                  Career development—developing and implementing career awareness as part of the school counseling curriculum

8.                  Change agent for the school atmosphere

9.                  Student advocate in meetings with teachers and staff

10.              Classroom observations on behaviors, relationships and providing feedback to teacher, students, parents, staff

11.              Public relations—explain importance of counseling with school staff, parents, teachers, students, community members, explain problems students may have. Relate to cultural stigmas

12.              Local research—student population characteristics (drug use on campus, etc.)

13.              Screen students—interview new students, etc.

14.              Staff development—around particular issues

10.Government, charities, voluntary sector, prizes,

11. Undergraduate study is appropriate for students who have completed a high school program, but who usually have not received a college degree. Graduate/professional study is generally for students who have completed a bachelor's degree and want to do advanced study in a professional or academic field

12. I prefer written exam and I think that it is very objective while oral one depends on many factors which may vary from the sdudent’s nervous tension to the teacher’s mood.

13. After completing the secondary general education, students need to pass the State final attestation

(written), after which they will be awarded a Certificate of Secondary GeneralEducation.

14.I would like to study to be edicated in the UK as it is well known fact that GB is popular for its high quality education. At the same time I would have possibilities to improve my English by living in English speaking society.

15. the possibility to choose the subject I’t like to study.

Laboratory Works - Higher Education

 MP3 AUDIO 5.1 1. You’ll hear five speakers talking about problems they or their relatives face while studying. Fill in the chart with the information given in the recording. Be especially precise with the column “Your solution to the problem”; here, you’re supposed to give your personal advice to avoid or ease the problems mentioned by the speakers.

Speaker	Problem	Signs of the Problem	Your Solution to the Problem
1	examination	Testing only facts	Introduction of the tests which would test students’ learning abilities
2	Preparation to the exams	tired face, sleepless nights etc.	Arrange a plan or schedule when this or that subject should be learnt
3	Getting to university	Sleepless nights	Arrange a plan or schedule when this or that subject should be learnt
4	Score system	Understated self-esteem, diffidence
5	Assessments with the help of technology	Problems with technology (registration on online testing sites, starvation)	Development and improvement of such kind of examination

 2. Have you ever experienced problems while studying?  What were these problems like? How did you cope with them?When opening the book, I start crying,having headache, fear, extreme sadness, blur, cannot concentrate, anxious and hatred. I felt so hopeless, restless, useless, sad, headache, trouble sleeping.  I was moody, angry, very fatigue, no appetite, extreme sadness, loneliness and headache.I try to solve such kind of problems by refocusing on more pleasant and interesting things from time to time. I talk to my mom, go out with friends.3. What are other difficulties that contemporary university students face while studying? When do the problems usually occur? Are there special stresses that cause them? Do you agree that the quality learning is “the travel of hardships”? Give account of about 100 words on the questions mentioned.
The social side of student life can be the most enjoyable and for some students it will be their first taste of independence. You'll make new friends, discover new and exciting opportunities and get involved in things that you have never tried before. However, some people find themselves unprepared and the responsibility that comes with this new-found freedom hard to deal with, such as:·                            dealing with changing friendships
·                            coping with new financial demands
·                            balancing social life with academic life
 These are some of the common transitional issues that students face:§                       Loneliness; lack of connection, social life, or friends
§                       Roommate conflicts or relationship issues
§                       Depression and anxiety
§                       Using unhealthy coping behaviors such as binge drinking
§                       Inappropriate study/academic skills
§                       Uncertainty about major and purpose in college
I completely agree with the statement that the quality learning is “the travel of hardships because it is proved by me own example that the quality of your studying depends on your ability to solve all your problems which rise almost every day.
  MP3 AUDIO 5.2 Listen to a talk given by a university advisor to a group of students and answer the following questions:1.   What is the standard grading system in the USA?
2.   What are the ‘special grades’ that the speaker mentions in the recording?
3. Comment on the standard grading system in your country?4. Do schools and colleges practice non-standard grading systems? What are they?5. Give examples of other grading systems throughout the world? Which of them do you think are efficient for the students’ academic assessment? 

1. it’s the grading system of A, B, C, D, E or F. At the end of each semester, you will be given a grade for the quality and quantity of your work in a given class. A student’s academic standing is determined by the number of credits (classes) completed and his or her GPA.

2. the special grades are called satisfactory and non-satisfactory grades. It includes the grading system of A, B, C, D, E or F.3.This system, with minor changes, has been in use in Russian schools since 1837. Between 1917 and 1935, the Communist government had tried to implement a radically new evaluation system with no grades at all, but it never fully took root.Qualifiers + and – are often used to add some degree of differentiation between the grades, e.g. 4+ is better than 4 but not as good as 5–. Grading varies greatly from school to school, university to university and even teacher to teacher, and tends to be entirely subjective even for courses that lend themselves to objective marking such as mathematics and applied sciences. Even though the grades technically range from "1" to "5", "1" is not very common and is rarely given for academic reasons—in many cases a "1" is given as a result of failure to show up for an exam or to answer any questions. A "2" grade usually means that the student showed little or no knowledge in a subject.
4.In Germany, school grades vary from 1 (very good, sehr gut) to 6 (insufficient, ungenügend). In the final classes of German Gymnasium schools that prepare for university studies, a point system is used with 15 points being the best grade and 0 points the worst. The percentage causes the grade can vary from teacher to teacher. The percentages shown in the table are the ones used in the "Oberstufe" (final classes).
In many high schools (Licei) grades vary within a limited range, between 2 and 8, often with each professor applying his/her own custom, even if the total theoretical interval is always from 1 to 10. When a professor wants to apply a more precise scale, instead of using the full 1–10 scale (which would have made their scale not comparable with that of other professors) they would often insert a plethora of symbols and decimals: the range between 5 and 6 would then be covered, in sequence, by 5+, 5++, 5½, 5/6, 6−−, 6−. Sufficiency starts at 6. As these symbols (except ½) have no clear mathematical value, calculating end-year averages could be somewhat arbitrary; therefore, there has been a push since 2008 with the Gelmini reform to uniform the system to the 0–10 scale.In Belgian Universities a scale from 0 to 20 is used on a per subject basis, a weighted average is then computed on scale from 0 to 20, 10 being the passing grade average per subject and 12 for the total(satisfactory). An average of 14(70%) gets you a distinction grade (cum laude), 16(80%) means high distinction (magna cum laude) and an average of 18(90%) yields the highest distinction (summa/maxima cum laude).

MP3 AUDIO 5.3 Listen to a talk by a student advisor on campus. Answer the following questions.1. What are the rules for dropping a course in the talk provided?2. What warnings does the student advisor give?3. How can you avoid getting a failing grade, according to the recording?4. What are the official drop procedures for the elective courses in your country? 1. You can drop a course within the first three weeks in the semester. Besides, you should get a signature of the professor of the course you want to drop or you just need official drop card.2. However, as a result, a student’s grades can suffer. You can officially drop your course after 3 weeks of the semester. If you stop attending a course without going through official procedures, the course will remain on your schedule and as a result you will receive a failing grade.3. if you go through official procedure of getting drop, you will not have any problems.4. Classes can be officially dropped during the first 20 percent of their scheduled meeting time.  The withdrawal period begins immediately following the drop period and continues through 60 percent of the scheduled meeting time, generally between the third and tenth week of the Fall or Spring terms. MP3 AUDIO 5.4 Listen to a talk given on a college campus.1. What are the places of a college campus that the speaker mentions in the recording?2. Can you find the similar campus places in your college/university? What are other places that are worth mentioning? Characterize them briefly.3. Pick out the places from the previous task and make a similar tour around your college/university to inform the freshmen about the campus. 1. Administration complex, library, students’ centre (a post office, a bank, a theatre, a coffee shop, a travel agency).2. Campus places in our institute:- library and reading room – here you can find many books on difefrents subjects, besides, there are journals and papers which you may take if you have a library card- 2 halls of residence ;
- bank;- coffee shop.

Movie Review 2

Dangerous Minds is a 1995 American drama film directed by John N. Smith, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. It is based on the autobiography My Posse Don't Do Homework by former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, who took up a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, in 1989. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer as Johnson, the film was released to an overwhelmingly negative critical reception, but became a surprise box office success in the summer of 1995, leading to the creation of a short-lived television series.

Now, let’s pass on the plot of the film. In this drama, a school teacher discovers that it takes more than the ABCs to get through to a class of "uneducatable" kids. When Lou Anne Johnson a nine-year veteran of the Marine Corps with a degree in education, begins a new job at an inner-city school in California, the principal warns her that her class will be the "rejects from Hell" -- kids with severe social problems and no interest in education. While at first her African-American and Latino students scoff at Lou Anne, she ultimately gets them to open up to learning and literature, through a combination of bribery (candy bars) and intimidation (her karate training from the Marines comes in handy), and she's able to reach out to the students who need her the most. When LouAnne discovers that his life is in danger because of a personal grudge held by a recently released thug, she tries to protect him, but due to the cold attitude of the principal, he is abandoned at the crucial moment and is subsequently killed. At the end of the year, she announces to the class that she will not be continuing to teach at the school, which prompts an unbridled display of emotion from the students who refuse to let her leave. Overwhelmed, she decides to stay.

Now I’d like to speak on one of the aspect of the film, it’s the most important and memorial scene, in my opinion. I was really impressed by the scene when Lou Anne Johnson  is reading song of the lyrics by Bob Dylan aloud thus trying indirectly change their minds so that they would become more confident. Her monologue which reveals the fact that everybody in this life has choice was very colorful and just to the point so its effect was obvious on all, even the most problem students of the class. I remembered these lines immediately after her several repetition and I think it’s the great motto for such king of children, and also for many of us.

The next point which I worth mentioned is actors performance. I now embrace the movie because Michelle's portrayal brings it over the top. Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is simply wonderful; she captures the passion and warmth of her character perfectly. I was positively impressed with Renoly Santiago's honest and sensitive reading. I think that the actors’ high acting skills have made the novel so popular. All actors succeeded to represent this burning issue which seemed to be never out of date.

To sum it up, I’d like to say that I really liked this movie very much, even if its nothing new. I think every generation should have a movie in this genre - there have been so many, going back to "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", that they must mean something to each new viewer. This is pretty realistic, too, although some of it is a little sugarcoated, it helps to remember that it is a movie.  Besides, the soundtrack is marvelous, but the introduction of the movie in black and white with Coolio's "Gangsta In Paradise" is overwhelming and fits perfectly to this magnificent movie.

Film Review

The Ron Clark Story  is a 2006 television film, starring Matthew Perry. Based on the real educator Ron Clark, it centers on the title character (Perry), a white teacher from a small town, who moves to New York City and tries to make a difference in the lives of his minority students despite nobody, including the students themselves, believing in them. The film received largely positive reviews, with particular praise going to Perry's portrayal. It was nominated for three 2007 Emmy Awards and "Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie" for Perry.
Speaking about the plot of the story, it’s the inspirational drama The Ron Clark Story tells the real-life tale of Clark (Matthew Perry), a teacher from upstate New York who moves to Manhattan and re-instills courage and hope into the lives of many down-and-out students. Via highly innovative teaching strategies and rule sets, and an ongoing, strenuous effort, Clark manages to turn several lives around and raises students' test scores to admirable levels. In the end, even when pneumonia threatens to keep Clark down, he refuses to let it. In the end Mr. Clark's class got the highest average in the state and Clark was regarded by his students as their best teacher.
As for actors performance, first of all, I’d like to begin by mentioning the fact that the director of the film,  Randa Haines , is known in the world of cinema for her great skills of directing such movies which focuses on problem children and their lives. As a consequence, such kind of films is known for the spiritual depth and unique way of raising different themes which may vary from racial conflict to the problem of Ghetto children, Besides, the mixture of such themes makes this film worth watching. Randa Haines  particular style and specific way to tell the story has made the film is worthy of  90 minutes of your time. All in all, this direction is a striking example when both direction and actors’ performance are equally great.
Speaking about actor’s performance, it’s an open secret that Matthew Perry is obviously well known as Chandler Bing on the hit comedy, "Friends," but few know that he can also be a very good dramatic actor as well. As a matter of fact, he doesn't play Ron Clark as being too serious, because the real Ron Clark isn't. He plays the part as well as it can be played. Besides, I’d like to take into consideration two other actors -  Brandon Smith and Hannah Hodson whose brilliant acting skills make us share their feelings – happiness and sorrow, hatred and love, fear and brevity. I may conclude that actors’ performance has made film excellent story for anyone to see, families, teachers, students.
In conclusion, I’d like to say that The Ron Clark Story merits superlatives of the highest order. The film is poignant, gentle and heartwarming. It's truly phenomenal what this teacher can do with these troubled students. It's so inspirational and will have you laughing, crying, and even cheering for the characters throughout the entire movie.

Questions

1. Children's education in England is normally divided into two separate stages. They begin with primary education at the age of five and this usually lasts until they are eleven. Then they move to secondary school, there they stay until they reach sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age.
The main categories of school are:-

• local authority maintained schools (State Schools)
  Free to all children between the ages of 5 - 16 
• independent schools. (Private/Public Schools)
  Parents pay for their children's' education.

2, 3  

Educational Institutions in Order	England	the USA
1	primary school (age 5)	elementary school (age 6)
2	Secondary school\Comprehensive School (afe of11-16)	Junior High School (age 11)
3	GCSE examinations (age 16)	Senior High School (age 14)
4	college or university (age 18	High school (age 18): The First year – freshman The Second year- sophomores The Third Year-Juniors The Fourth Year - Seniors
6		High School graduators: -college (4 year course) -university (4 year course) -junior college (2 year course)

4.Two public examinations are set, on completion of the compulsory cycle of education at the age of sixteen, and on completion of the two voluntary years at the age of eighteen. At sixteen pupils take the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), introduced in 1989. It replaced two previous examinations: the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE), which indicated satisfactory completion of secondary education, and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) which was for higher academic achievers.Pupils sit for the GCSE exams at the end of the 5-year course. They usually take as many subjects as possible. Weak students may only sit for three or four subjects. Better students will take ten subjects.  So pupils in Britain leave school at the age of 16 with examination certificates in the individual subjects they have passed.More ambitious pupils continue with very specialized studies in the sixth form. They remain at school for two more years and take their A-level examinations.

5. A-level exam

6. The National Curriculum was introduced into England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a nationwide curriculum for primary and secondary state schools following the Education Reform Act 1988. Notwithstanding its name, it does not apply to independent schools, which may set their own curricula, but it ensures that state schools of all Local Education Authorities have a common curriculum. Academies, while publicly funded, have a significant degree of autonomy in deviating from the National Curriculum.Whilst only certain subjects were included at first in subsequent years the curriculum grew to fill the entire teaching time of most state schools.

7. Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 17

8. The traditional subjects for elementary school students are called the three Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic. In addition, the students study other subjects, such as history and geography, and are given a chance to do creative activities and sports. It is thought to be important to give children the chance to study as many subjects as possible, so that whatever their natural skills are they will have the chance to develop them. Students at junior high school take different lessons from different teachers who are specialists in their subjects. Students are required to study certain subjects, but they can choose which classes they take. At high school, students may take technical subjects such as computer programming alongside academic subjects. As in elementary school the aim is to help children develop their natural potential.

9. Some schools are now abandoning entrance exams and accept students on the basis of their previous results or an interview, during which they examine the child’s interest in the chosen field.

10. . Students continue to study subjects in the National Curriculum and take SATs at 14, and then work towards GCSEs in as many subjects as they can manage, often eight or ten. Students who hope to go to university stay on at school or go to a sixth-form college to study for A-levels in two, three or four subjects. Some secondary schools now offer more practical courses leading to GNVQs as an introduction to work-related skills.In Scotland students take the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE). The standard grade, which is roughly equivalent to GCSE, is taken at 16 at one of three levels, and the higher grade is taken at 17. Students take five or six subjects as Highers and may then take A levels.

11. Independent schools are uniquely positioned to make a difference in the public domain. Given the societal turf independent schools occupy, the considerable resources they command, and the powerful network of caring and influential people they attract. Pupils at independent schools show greater improvement in the examination results than those at state-maintained schools. In later life, those educated outside the state-maintained system dominate the sources of state power and authority in government, law, the armed forces and finance.

12. Compulsory national curriculum subjects are:

• English
• maths
• science
• history
• geography
• modern foreign languages
• design and technology
• art and design
• music
• physical education
• citizenship
• information and communication technology (ICT)

The compulsory national curriculum subjects are the ‘core’ and ‘foundation’ subjects.

Core subjects are:

• English
• maths
• science

Foundation subjects are:

• information and communication technology (ICT)
• physical education
• citizenship

13. As public schools debated what to do with their new academic freedom, private schools and preschools became centers of innovation, with programs rediscovering prerevolutionary pedagogy and freely borrowing teaching methods from Western Europe and the United States. Serving largely Western-oriented families intent on making progress up the newly reconstructed social ladder, private schools emphasize learning English and other critical skills. 

14.They are pupils whose behavior is anti-social, aggressive, abnormal and whos ability is not equal to the tasks imposed.

15. Teaching is a career that provides challenges, excitement, personal reward and a chance to encourage and support others to achieve their goals.

There are many personal qualities and skills that make someone a good teacher.

These include:

·                 being good at explaining things

·                 being a people person and enjoy working with a wide range of people

·                 enthusiasm

·                 having a strong knowledge in particular subject areas

·                 being a good time manager

·                 ability to work in a team as well as using your own initiative

·                 keeping your cool under pressure

·                 having patience and a good sense of humour

·                 being fair-minded

·                 coping well with change

·                 enjoying a challenge.

16. memorable – the history lessons

Exciting-the last bell

Painful – I don’t habe such experience

17.I feel very very nervous I can’t even to talk in usual way with my parents. Chill usually runs down mu back.

18. Of course, written one because Iin this case I feel more comfortable as I have tima and ability to focus on my thoughts and use all my knowledge.

19. I am always the first in any of my exams because in other case I can’t bother tension.

20.I use it only for writing down my answers

21. I always feel nervuous in this case and as a result I can’t concentrne on my writing because I guesse what a teacher is thinking about what I have written.

22. I never use crib because I don’t see any use of it. I rely always only on my own knowledge.

23.i always panic before the exam but then, from the moment I enter the examination class the panic disappears.

24, Now I don’t because a teacher may easile find it out and as a result you may have big problems. As for me, I m not uset to rely on other students.

25. the most difficult thing is to see that while you are answering the exam question, a teacher is writing down (something unpleasant, I am always sure in it), Besides, it is a problem to answer to some additional question for me because I feel lack of confidence in this situation.

26. Private schools usually have greater access to resources and technology than public schools, according to the University of Michigan. Private schools usually have a smaller student body, and a lower teacher-to-pupil ratio than public schools.The Broad Foundation stated that unlike public schools, private schools have far less bureaucracy. The final say is at the school level, not the district level. Private schools tend to have more parental involvement than public schools. However, there are generally fewer minorities in private school than in public school. Also, the parents of exceptional children; whether the child is gifted or whether she needs special education services, generally find that private schools cannot give their child the services she needs. Finally, there's the cost of private education, which can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

27. yes, I think that it is a good idea because in this case pupils can concentrate on the subject they are really interested.

28.  it is traditionally –7 years in our country. It’s the perfect age both emotionally and physically.

29. I don’t know for sure, it depends on a pupil himself, its aims and purposes in life, as well as his family, its 

status and further plans and priorities.

30. Nowadays more and more people think that pupils should take part in making decisions about their school life . Other people believe that pupils won`t be able to cope with such difficulties . Personallly I think that it is a good idea to allow pupils to participate in the management of the school. There is no doubt that every schoolchild should be aware of his/her significant role in life , and active participation in the school activities will teach them to gain experience and be successful in future. Some schools set up School Soviets which help the school staff solve different school problems. It will also help school pupils make up their mind in different situations.

31. Advantages

• Relatively economical.

• Equality of opportunity.

• We know whose work it is..

• Teaching staff are familiar with exams.

• Exams cause students to get down to learning

Disadvantages

• Students get little or no feedback about the detail of their performance, which is therefore a wasted as far as feedback is concerned.

having the chance to receive confirmation regarding the questions they answered well. Designing

• Badly set exams encourage surface learning, with students consciously clearing their minds of one subject as they prepare for exams in the next subject.

• Technique is too important.

• Exams only represent a snapshot of student performance, rather than a reliable indicator of it.

32. Technology can be used for assessment purposes at various levels ranging from the management of the assessment information to a fully automated assessment system. Using technology for the management of assessment information can enable information to be presented in different ways to meet the needs of different audiences (such as teachers, students, course organisers and external examiners). Not only the quality of presentation of reports but more importantly the range and scope of their content can be improved by utilising technology for this purpose. At the other extreme, in a fully automated assessment system all aspects of the system from the assessment which the student completes to the processing and administration of the marks, including the overall management of assessment information, is technology-based.