Degrees of comparison

Как и в русском языке, в английском языке различают три степени сравнения прилагательных: положительную (positive), сравнительную (comparative) и превосходную (superlative).

Положительная указывает на качество предмета и соответствует словарной форме, т.е. прилагательные в положительной степени не имеют никаких окончаний: difficult, successful. Часто, когда говорят о равной степени качества разных предметов, употребляют союз "as ... as - такой же... , как" или его отрицательный вариант "not so ... as - не такой ... , как".

This task is not so difficult as the previous one.

Если нужно указать, что один предмет обладает более выраженным признаком по сравнению с другим предметом, то употребляют прилагательное в сравнительной степени, которое образуется путём прибавления суффикса "-er" к основе прилагательного, состоящего из одного или двух слогов (заканчивающиеся на -y, -ow, -er, -le, -e), например:
short - shorter

clever - cleverer

Обратите внимание, что на письме конечный согласный в односложных словах удваивается, чтобы сохранить закрытый слог:

big - bigger

Если основа прилагательного оканчивается на букву "-y" с предшествующим согласным, то при прибавлении суффикса "-er" буква "-y" переходит в "-i":
easy - easier

При сравнении разной степени качества употребляется союз "than" - чем.
The first text is shorter than the second one.

Cравнительная степень прилагательных, состоящих из более, чем двух слогов, образуется при помощи слова "more - более":

interesting - more interesting

Превосходнаястепень указывает на высшую степень качества предмета и образуется при помощи суффикса "-est", от односложных и двусложных прилагательных или слова "most - самый" от некоторый двусложных и более длинных прилагательных. Причём при прибавлении суффикса "-est" сохраняются те же правила, что и для суффикса "-er". Поскольку данный предмет выделяется из всех прочих подобных ему предметов по своему качеству, то перед прилагательными в превосходной степени обычно употребляют определённый артикль "the":

large - the largest

useful - the most useful

It's the most difficult rule of all.

 

Некоторые прилагательные образуют свои формы не по правилу или имеют несколько вариантов сравнительной или превосходной степени, различающихся по значению.

 

 

good bad many/much little	better worse more less	the best the worst the most the least
old старый	older старше (о возрасте) elder старше в семье (о старшинстве)	the oldest старейший the eldest самый старший в семье
near близкий	nearer более близкий	the nearest ближайший (по расстоянию) the next следующий ( по порядку )
late поздний	later более поздний (о времени) latter последний из двух (по порядку) упомянутых	the latest самый поздний   the last самый последний (по порядку)
far далекий, дальний	farther более дальний (о расстоянии) further более дальний, дальнейший (по порядку)	the farthest самый дальний   the furthest самый дальний, далекий

 

4. Complete the sentences:

e.g.:

The first semester / short / the second one.

The first semester is shorter than the second one.

 

1) Oxford / old / Harvard.

2) Moscow State University / big / educational centre in Russia.

3) To my mind, to study in the first shift / good / to study in the second.

4) Ann finds seminars in Biology / interesting.

5) I spend much/ time in the University / at school.

6) Next term we’ll have many/ examinations / this term.

7) This credit / easy / the last one.

8) Pete’s mark in Chemistry / high / Nick’s one.

9) I get up / late / my neighbor.

10) The last week of study / long.

 

5. Read the text and choose the best variant for its title:

· Education in Barnaul

· The Oldest University in Barnaul

· Altai State University

 

Text 4

Barnaul is not only the capital of Altai Krai – it is also its cultural and educational centre. Many people from all over the Krai and adjacent territories come here to study. There are six state higher educational institutions in the city. They are: Altai State University, Altai State Technical University, Altai State Pedagogical Academy, Altai State Medicine University, Altai Academy of Culture and Arts, Altai State Agrarian University. There are also many affiliations of Moscow and St. Petersburg institutions in Barnaul. These educational institutions train specialists in different spheres of investigation – Social and Natural Sciences, Humanities, and many others.

The oldest higher educational institution is Altai State Pedagogical Academy. It was the pioneer of higher education in Altai Krai. The youngest one is Altai State University. Altai State Technical University is the largest educational centre in the Krai. It trains professionals predominantly in engineering and mechanics.

One of the most successful private higher educational institutions in Barnaul is Altai Academy of Economics and Law that has recently entered the top 100 institutions of Russia.

 

6. Read the text once again and choose the sentence which expresses best its main idea:

1. The oldest higher educational institution in Barnaul is Altai State Pedagogical Academy.

2. Barnaul is not only the capital of Altai Krai, it is also its cultural and educational centre.

3. The universities of Barnaul provide the best higher education in Russia.

4. There are many private higher educational institutions in Barnaul.

 

7. Look through the text and write down the names of Barnaul higher educational institutions with their Russian equivalents. Try and name the specialists these institutions train. Say what institutions your friends study at.

 

8. Fill in the gaps:

1) Barnaul is the cultural and … centre of Altai krai.

2) There are several higher educational institutions in Barnaul. They are …

3) The oldest one is … .

4) There are a lot of … of Moscow and St. Petersburg universities in Barnaul.

5) Altai State University trains… .

 

9. Look through the text and answer the following questions:

1) How many Universities are there in Barnaul? What are they?

2) Is the quality of education in state and private educational institutions different? In what way? What makes you think so?

3) What higher educational institutions do you think train specialists in the same fields as ASU does?

4) What affiliations of Moscow and St. Petersburg universities do you know?

 

10. Compare the universities of Barnaul in as many parameters as you can using the degrees of comparison: e.g. Altai State Pedagogical Academy is older than Altai State Technical University.

 

11. Read the text and answer the questions below:

 

Text 5

Altai State University

Altai State University was founded in 1973. Originally it had five faculties: the Faculty of History and Philology, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. In the course of years the field of study has largely expanded and today Altai State University trains students in 111 licenced degree programs (compared to 9 in 1973). Now it occupies the leading position among the scientific institutions of the city.

The University is housed in 5 academic buildings situated in the central part of Barnaul; its main building is situated in Lenin Prospect. It’s a modern multi-storied building. It is the seat of the university’s administration. There are libraries, reading halls and canteens in each building. The university facilities include a scientific library with the stock of over 1 million volumes, the Herbarium, the Botanical Garden, the Publishing office, the Criminalistics Museum, the Picture Gallery, the Sports Complex, the Internet Centre and others.

Altai State University is developing and uses new informative technologies of education. It has stable links with educational centres of Europe, Asia and America. The University participates in different Russian and international programs including International Soros Educational Program “The Universities of Russia”. In November 1993 Altai State University was approved a member of the Asian association of universities. From then on the University has been hosting various international scientific forums and conferences.

 

Questions:

1) When was Altai State University founded?

2) Where is Altai State University situated?

3) What do the university’s facilities include?

4) How many books are there in the scientific library?

5) Where is the seat of the university’s administration?

6) What links does Altai State University have with other educational centres?

7) What programs does Altai State University participate in?

8) When was Altai State University approved a member of the Asian association of universities?

 

12 a) Listen to Miki talking about her university – Berkley and say where this university is situated.

b) Listen to Miki once again and choose the best variant:

1) What was her university a center for?

a) Multi-culturalism

b) Feminist studies

c) Both of these

2) What is across the bay from her university?

a) The city

b) The mountains

c) Her home

3) What kind of research took place there during WWII?

a) in Chemistry

b) in Biology

c) in Physics

4) What is a co-op?

a) a house owned by students

b) an elective course

c) a house where you can live on the fourth year of study

5) Where did Miki get money for school?

a) She worked

b) She took it from her parents

c) Scholarship

13. Imagine that your friend from another city comes to Barnaul to study. Tell him/her about the universities of Barnaul and Altai State University as one of them. Try to convince him/her to enter Altai State University.

 

14. Supplementary – Reading for Fun

ENGLISH IS TOUGH STUFFDearest creature in creation,Study English pronunciation.I will teach you in my verseSounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.I will keep you, Suzy, busy,Make your head with heat grow dizzy.Tear in eye, your dress will tear.So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.Just compare heart, beard, and heard,Dies and diet, lord and word,Sword and sward, retain and Britain.(Mind the latter, how it's written.)Now I surely will not plague youWith such words as plaque and ague.But be careful how you speak:Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;Cloven, oven, how and low,Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.Finally, which rhymes with enough --Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?Hiccough has the sound of cup.My advice is to give up!!! -- B. Shaw

Unit 5