[originaltext]M: Patricia, You are now a third year college student at the end

M: Patricia, You are now a third year college student at the end of your second term. What are you doing recently?
W: I’m doing comparative literature. At the moment, I’m comparing English, French and Russian novels. We write papers on our work. And then about 10 of us meet with our professor and read them and discuss them.
M: is this what you call the seminar system in the universities?
W: Yes. And it works, because we get on well with the professors and lecturers. Some of them are much older than us. And they don’t mind at all if we disagree with them.
M: You are lucky. When I was a college student, we had classes. But we hardly ever ask questions or discussed anything. It was partly our fault. We were a dull lot, but so were the professors. They didn’t seem to be able to do anything but lecture. Besides, the course itself was so out of date. So were the textbooks. I think students ought to have a say in planning and changing their programs of study.
W: Things have changed a lot since then. Many universities nowadays are experimenting with new ideas and new subjects.
M: I can remember worrying about examinations all day long, especially during this time of the year. At that time, everything depended on how well a student does in his finals at the end of his academic year. The uncertainties were surely a great strain on us.
W: Well. We don’t find so great a strain now. We have final exams though. But we also get marks for the work we do during our three years at university. These marks will count with degree. Then we will play an important part in deciding whether we get first, second or third class honors.
M: I said you are lucky. You surely are.