сократить текст The System of education in Great Britain is rather complicated. By law, children in G.B. go to school at the age of 5. They go to Infant school for two years. At the age of 7 they go to Junior school. So, English children get their Primary education during 6 years. At the age of I1 they take the so-called 11+ examination (Eleven plus exam). It is an examination in English and arithmetic: The I I+ examination includes intelligence testing. Each boy or girl is given a printed test paper, On the test paper we can find 100 questions and 5 answers to each question. The pupil must choose the correct answer to each question. Time is limited. Children who have very good results go to the Grammar school. Some children go to the Secondary Technical schools. Those who have bad results, go to the Secondary Modern school. The education system in the UK The Grammar school prepares pupils for University or college. Those who study at the Secondary Technical school are taught practical subjects, such as commerce, industry and agriculture. The Secondary Modern school gives a very limited education. There pupil get instruction in woodwork, metalwork, sewing, shorthand, typing and cooking. It is difficult to imagine the system of education in Great Britain without Independent Schools. They are boarding schools for children from rich families. The most expensive boarding schools in Britain are exclusive public schools like Eton and Harrow colleges for boys and St. James' school for girls. When the pupils are sixteen they take Ordinary Level ("O" level) examinations in three or four subjects. There is also the Comprehensive School which takes children without any 11+ examinations. At the Comprehensive School children have the opportunity to be taught according to their ability and the level of intelligence. Comprehensive Schools were introduced in 1965. The idea of comprehensive schools was supported by the Labour Party. Some pupils leave the Comprehensive school at 16 without any real qualification. They do not pass GCE (General Certificate of Education) exams and increase the ranks of unemployed people. Those who have passed their "O" level examinations enter the sixth form. In two years they take their Advanced Level examinations ("A" level) in one or two subjects. Those who have passed "A" level examinations can enter colleges or Universities. Universities accept students mainly on the basis of their "A" level results. After graduating from the University a student gets a degree of Bachelor of Arts or Sciences. Students receive grants to pay for books, accommodation and food. The most famous Universities are Oxford and Cambridge. They are called "Oxbridge" The education system in the USA The federal government pays little attention to school education in the USA. There is neither a uniform school system nor a uniform curriculum in the USA. Each state has its own system of schools, but there are some common features in the organization of school education in the country. Schools in the USA can be divided into state (or public) schools and private schools. State schools are free of charge and private schools are fee-paying. One shouldn't confuse American public schools with British ones. In Great Britain private schools are traditionally called public. They are not financed by the Government and education there is not free. In the USA the money for public schools is given by each state, so education in these schools is free. The system of private schools is very popular in the USA. The cost of education in these schools is high and not each family can afford it. Education in the USA is compulsory for children from 6 to 16-18, depending on the state. The system of secondary education has two levels: elementary (primary) and high. Secondary schools in the USA are usually named high school', and the pupils are called students.
Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization known for its writing, art, architecture, mathematical and astronomical systems. The beginning of its formation is attributed to the pre-classical era (2000 BC - 250 AD), most of the Mayan cities reached their peak in the classical period (250-900 AD). By the time the conquistadors arrived, it was in deep decline. The Mayans built stone cities, many of which were abandoned long before the arrival of Europeans, others were inhabited after. The Mayan calendar was also used by other peoples of Central America. The hieroglyphic writing system was used, partially deciphered. Numerous inscriptions on the monuments have been preserved. They created an effective farming system, had deep knowledge in the field of astronomy. The descendants of the ancient Maya are not only the modern Maya peoples who preserved the language of their ancestors, but also part of the Hispanic population of the southern states of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras. Some Mayan cities are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: Palenque, Chichen Itza, Uxmal in Mexico, Tikal and Quirigua in Guatemala, Copan in Honduras, Hoya de Seren in El Salvador.
The cultural history of this people is usually divided into three periods:
The first period (from antiquity to 317) is the time of the emergence of city-states, primitive slash farming, the manufacture of cotton fabrics, etc.
The second period (317-987) - the ancient kingdom, or the classical period - the time of the growth of cities (Palenque, Chichen Itza, Tulum) and at the same time the mysterious exodus of the population from them at the beginning of the 10th century.
The third period (987 - XVI century) - the new kingdom, or the post-classical period - the time of the arrival of the European conquistadors, the adoption of new laws, styles in life and art, the mixing of cultures, fratricidal wars, etc.