[originaltext]M: I will put McGill on my list. How about the University of Brit

M: I will put McGill on my list. How about the University of British Columbia?
W: Well, or we can call it UBC for short. It is a public Canadian research university based in British Columbia. (6) It was founded in 1908 as the McGill University College of British Columbia, and then became independent and adopted its current name in 1915. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in British Columbia.
M: Such a long history it has! How about its current situation?
W: Today, UBC has become a global center for research and teaching. Since 1915, (7-1) UBC’s West Coast spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. Its entrepreneurial perspective encourages students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning.
M: Yes. (7-2) It is said that at UBC, bold thinking is given priority and it is a place to develop original thinking into things that can change the world.
W: (8) If you are interested in advanced research, UBC will be your dream place. It holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning, offering a wide-range of innovative programs in the arts, sciences, medicine, law, business and other faculties.
M: Sounds like the ideal university to me.
W: (9-1) Oh, I forget to mention that UBC owns the most beautiful campus in Canada!
M: Really? But for what reasons?
W: (9-2) The campus is home to numerous gardens. The UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, for example, holds a collection of over 8,000 different kinds of plants used for research, conservation and education. Another example is The Nitobe Memorial Garden. It was built to honor Japanese scholar Inazo Nitobe.
M: So the architectural style must be oriental.
W: In a sense yes. It is believed the garden’s construction hides a number of impressive features, including references to Japanese philosophy and mythology, shadow bridges visible only at certain times of the year, and positioning of a lantern filled with light at the exact date and time of Nitobe’s death each year. The garden is behind the university’s Asian Centre, which was built using steel girders from Japan’s exhibit at Osaka Expo.
M: Sounds original.
W: By the way, what major are you considering for your postgraduate study?
M: Well, I have a difficult choice between architecture and finance. My parents prefer finance because the job market is prosperous. You know it is never hard to find a job in this business world.
W: I couldn’t agree more. (10) In that case, I recommend the University of Montreal. Although the 2014 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 83rd in the world, and fourth in Canada, it is well known for its business school.
M: Oh? Any specific information?
W: For example, HEC Montreal, an affiliated business school with the university had ranked 12th on the 2011 Forbes ranking of the best international one-year MBA programs, placing higher than any other Canadian business school. The 2011 Financial Times ranking for Master’s in management programs placed HEC Montreal 39th in the world, the first in the country.
M: That ranking sounds high enough. I will put that on my option list too. Thanks a lot for your information.
This is the end of Part Two of the conversation. Questions 6 to 10 are based on what you have just heard.
6. When was UBC founded?
7. What does UBC value most?
8. What is UBC academically famous for?
9. What do we know about the campus of UBC?
10. What is the University of Montreal well known for?