Get Ready for Your English Exam! -Level B2

Мирослава Юркович

ПідГотуйся до іспиту з англійської ! Посібник для старшокласників, випускників шкіл та студентів

2017

CONTENTS Tips for Doing Exam-type Tasks... 4 Unit 1 Education .......................... 16 Reading Reading Reading Reading

Part 1...........................................16 Part 2...........................................17 Part 3...........................................20 Part 4...........................................22

Use of English ...................................... 24 WRITING ..................................................... 27 SPEAKING ..................................................... 29 Listening Listening Listening Listening Listening

Part 1...........................................31 Part 2...........................................32 Part 3...........................................32 Part 4...........................................33 Tapescript ................................ 34

Unit 2 Environment ....................... 39 Reading Reading Reading Reading

Part 1...........................................39 Part 2...........................................40 Part 3...........................................43 Part 4...........................................45

Use of English ...................................... 47 WRITING ..................................................... 51 SPEAKING ..................................................... 53 Listening Listening Listening Listening Listening

Part 1...........................................54 Part 2...........................................55 Part 3...........................................55 Part 4...........................................56 Tapescript ................................ 57

Unit 3 Health & Medicine ............. 62 Reading Reading Reading Reading

Part 1...........................................62 Part 2...........................................63 Part 3...........................................66 Part 4...........................................67

Use Of English ..................................... 70 WRITING ..................................................... 74 SPEAKING ..................................................... 75 Listening Listening Listening Listening Listening

Part 1...........................................77 Part 2...........................................78 Part 3...........................................78 Part 4...........................................79 Tapescript ................................ 80

Unit 4 Business ............................. 85 Reading Reading Reading Reading

Part 1...........................................85 Part 2...........................................87 Part 3...........................................89 Part 4...........................................91

Use Of English ..................................... 93 WRITING

.................................................... 97

SPEAKING ..................................................... 99 Listening Listening Listening Listening Listening

Part 1........................................ 100 Part 2........................................ 101 Part 3........................................ 102 Part 4........................................ 102 Tapescript ..............................103

Answer Key .................................... 108

Tips for doing Exam-Type Task

READING First of all, it should be said that it is not really necessary to try to read and understand every single word in a reading test. In fact, if you do, you might not have enough time to finish the test. The skills that you need when reading in a foreign language are exactly the same as those that you use when you read in your own language. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of reading that you need

1 Skimming Before we read a text in detail, we nearly always know what we are going to read about. The way we do this is by skimming the text. This means that we quickly go through the text to find out what it is generally about. One way of doing this is by reading any titles or headlines in the text. This is the kind of skill that we use when we read a newspaper. Another way of finding out what a text is generally about is by quickly reading the topic sentence of each paragraph. The topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph and its function is to tell the reader what the topic of the paragraph is. If we know what the topic of each paragraph is, we will have a good idea of what the text is about. You should try to skim a text quickly so as not to waste time.

2 Scanning This is when we quickly go through a text to locate a piece of information.

This is the kind of skill we use when we look at a TV guide to find out what time a 4

particular programme starts. In a reading test, we scan in order to find out which part of the text contains the answer we need. We do this by looking for the ideas that are mentioned in the questions.

3 Close reading Skimming and scanning do not involve reading every word. Close reading, on the other hand, does. When we have scanned the text to locate where the answer is, we now need to read this part closely, i.e. carefully, to find out what the answer is. Close reading might involve reading something more than once, e.g. to make sure that we have the right answer.

This book contains four kinds of reading task.

1 Matching Headings Suggested procedure:  skim the whole text  read the paragraph  if necessary, try and work out any unknown words from the context  try and summarise in your mind what the paragraph is about  choose a suitable heading which matches your idea  underline key words in the heading (see example below)  see if you can find similar ideas in the paragraph (see example below) and underline them  quickly check that the other headings do not match the paragraph

Tips for doing Exam-Type Task Example (from Environment)

Example (from Environment)

In the example below on the text 'The Changing Weather', the idea of 'who ... to blame' in the title matches the underlined phrases in the paragraph.

It was filthy, too, with all the car exhaust fumes and the smoke from the factories. The park he had to walk through on his way to work was no better, littered with broken bottles, empty cigarette packets and the mess left behind by dogs whose owners never gave a second thought to any one else who might want to use the park. He'd even seen a syringe a couple of days before. The mayor had been on TV the night before boasting about how visitors always said how pleasant the city was. How embarrassing the man could be.

1 WHO IS TO BLAME? 0

The planet's climate has constantly changed throughout history. Previously this was due to natural processes.

However, many scientists believe the changes we have seen over the last century are mainly due to man's activities.

The earth is kept warm by greenhouse gases. Without these the world would be extremely cold. The problem is that man's activities have produced extra greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide which have increased temperatures further.

2 Four-way Multiple Choice Questions Suggested procedure:  skim the whole text  read the questions before you start reading in detail  underline key words in the questions  quickly find the part of the text that mentions these things (this is called scanning)  read this part of the text closely  try and work out any unknown words from the context  underline the parts of the text that you think answer the question  match the answer in the text to the best of the four options  check that the other 3 options don't fit

9 Which word best describes the park the author walks through?

A B C D

crowded dangerous dirty pleasant

The underlined phrases show that C is the best answer. The author says the city is 'filthy' and the park is 'no better', i.e. it is also dirty.

He then gives some examples, including dog's mess. The other options are distractors, i.e. they seem like they might be right but they are not the best answer. For example, you could argue that broken bottles and a syringe make the park dangerous, but there is less evidence for this option than for C. The list of things might make it seem that A could be the answer, but we don't use 'crowded' for things. Finally, the word 'pleasant' appears in the paragraph but not in relation to the park.

3 Gapped text This task is a test of close reading and understanding of structure. In particular, it tests your understanding of referencing, i.e.

5

Tips for doing Exam-Type Task

SPEAKING Speaking activities give you the opportunity to practise not only the fluency and accuracy of lexical and grammatical structures, but also to express your opinion and develop your critical thinking skills, such as asking questions, analysing, problem solving, etc.

There are 5 types of speaking activities in this book.

1 Presentation Useful tips:  plan your presentation, but DO NOT read it  make sure that your presentation has a proper structure (introduction, body, conclusion, ending)  speak clearly and DO NOT rush – be natural  use formal language  use relevant transitional words/ phrases  use visual aids to improve the interest of your presentation (computer, video, real objects, etc) Presentation structure a. introduction  state the topic  list the points you will cover  define the time for asking questions b. body  develop the topic of your presentation c. conclusion  restate your main points 12

d. ending  finish your presentation  thank your audience

2 Short talk Useful tips:  plan your talk, but DO NOT read it  include all important information  present your points in a simple, clear and direct way  use informal language  use relevant transitional words/ phrases

3 Role play In a role play you are supposed to talk with your partner about the given topic.

Initiate the conversation, ask questions, listen to your partner and respond to their views by agreeing or disagreeing and always try to justify your arguments.

4 Discussion Here are some suggestions on how to take part in a discussion:  try to avoid "closed" questions, and ask "open questions because they generate discussion  if you have no opinion about the subject, think what other people might say about it and express it  if you don't know what to say about one thing in the list, try to compare it with another one in the list  if you don't know the exact word for something, try to explain what you mean and give examples

Tips for doing Exam-Type Task  listen carefully to your partner and try to respond to what he/she has said  use linking phrases and phrases to express opinions, to give examples, to summarise, etc

5 Class debate Suggested procedure:  form three groups The first two groups should prepare arguments for either accepting or rejecting the motion. Present your arguments and be ready to answer questions from the other group.

The third group should listen to both groups and decide whether to accept or reject the motion providing arguments for their decision. Before making their decision, the third group can put questions to both groups.  allow time for groups to prepare their arguments  group presentations  asking & answering questions  presenting the decision PRESENTING AN ARGUMENT

a. prepare some arguments and examples to support your view b. think about possible counter arguments and prepare your response(s) c. use linking phrases and phrases to express agreement/ disagreement, to give examples, to express opinions, to summarise, etc.

LISTENING 1 Short Recordings – ThreeWay Multiple Choice This task tests your general understanding.

Suggested procedure:  before listening, read the questions to find out about the situation and speakers. You will find it easier to follow the recording if you know what it is going to be about.  while listening, beware of distractors.

You will probably hear all the options mentioned, but only one will be the answer to the question  don't worry if you don't get the answer the first time, as you will hear the recording again  if you think you have got the answer the first time, use the second listening to confirm your answer

Example (from Environment) 1. You overhear a woman talking to a friend about vegetarianism. What is the woman talking about?

A why she became a vegetarian B why she gave up being a vegetarian C why she would like to become a vegetarian

13

Unit 1 READING

EDUCATION

Part 1

You are going to read an interview with a teacher about her work. Choose the best heading from A to I below for each paragraph of the interview (1-7) There is an extra heading that you do not need. The first one (0) has been done as an example.

A LIFELONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

E THE BASIS OF TEACHING

B SEEING IT FROM THE PUPILS' POINT OF VIEW

G THE GREATEST SATISFACTION

C SELF DOUBT D SPEED OF CHANGE

F THE DARK SIDE H THE LIFE-WORK BALANCE I

THE RIGHT DECISION

JENNY BROWN - MY LIFE AS A TEACHER 0

1

I always wanted to go into teaching.

Both my parents were teachers, and two of my grandparents, too. It's also something I've always believed in. Some of my friends at university went into things like business and law, which undoubtedly pay a lot more than teaching, though I don't think they necessarily make you any happier. I certainly have no regrets about the path that I have chosen for myself in life.

1 I have to confess, though, that at first it wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. The teacher-training course was rather demanding, and my teaching practice in a school in the capital left me wondering if I had what it takes to be a teacher, and I certainly never dreamt that I would spend the rest of my professional life in the classroom. However, I soon overcame these initial diďŹƒculties. I think that all teachers question their own ability at some point.

Personally, I think this makes you stronger 16

as a teacher, as there can be no learning without reflection.

2 Essentially, it's all a question of motivating pupils to learn. I actually believe that at the end of the day teachers can't really teach pupils, because it's up to the pupils themselves to do the learning. But what teachers can do is motivate students.

Every great teacher is really a good motivator and someone who can get the best out of their pupils. In this respect, a teacher is like a football manager.

3 The best thing for me is when you can see that you have really made a dierence.

Many students who get top marks would probably get top marks anyway, but as a teacher it's a tremendous feeling when you help someone to succeed when many other people thought they were going to fail.

That's really what teaching is all about.

Education.

4

Reading

Unit 1

6

It's not all roses, though. Discipline can be a real problem in some schools, especially in large cities. Many of the children come from less well-o families, and they might have problems at home. They are used to being seen as failures, and so have no motivation to learn. As a result, in such circumstances, behaviour can be quite bad. I know that some teachers get quite desperate at times.

5 When I first started teaching, learning was all from textbooks and the blackboard.

The teacher would stand at the front of the classroom and talk, while the students would make notes or copy from the board. Of course, now we've got far more possibilities with computers, DVDs and so on. It's really great to see and I'm sure we'll be seeing some amazing things in the classroom in the near future. The problem, though is that all this costs money, and it's the job of the government to make sure that every school has access to the best resources.

READING

It's important to realise that you never stop learning in teaching. The teacher who says that they've been teaching for twenty years and know everything there is to know about the job, in reality has probably learnt very little. We can always find out more about our subject, teaching techniques, how people learn, and most importantly, about our pupils as people.

We need to know what we're doing, but also why we're doing it.

7 However, you need to stand back sometimes. I have to tell myself that I'm not just a teacher. I'm also a mother, a wife, a daughter and a friend, and I have my own interests, too. There's no doubt that sometimes you have to shut the job out completely so that you can come back refreshed and ready to do your best in the classroom. If you're stressed out and exhausted the whole time, you're not helping your students at all. Knowing how to relax is an important part of a teacher's professional development.

Part 2

You are going to read a magazine article.

Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for questions 8-14

The French Connection David Curtis writes about his experience of learning French at school.

French had never come that easily to me.

I had rather enjoyed our initial lessons, which involved the drawing of classroom articles and labelling them with their French names.

I had even done well in the end-of-first-year exam. But that was about as good as it got, and little did I know what the next couple of years had in store for me. Had I known, I probably would have quit there and then.

17

Unit 1

Education. Reading

It soon became clear that the first year had merely been a gentle introduction to the more serious task of getting to grips with the French tense system. The problem was that I didn't know anything about the English tense system, since no one had bothered to line 18 tell us about this at school. The result was I was completely mystified when the teacher started talking about how to form the pluperfect and other such delights.

Not understanding what it was that we were supposed to be learning, and bored out of my mind by a succession of mechanical exercises given to me by my teacher that I could answer without actually understanding, I soon became demotivated.

The consequence of all this was very predictable indeed. My grades began to deteriorate and I was able to follow less and less of what was going on in class, not that my teacher cared.

Everything culminated in the end-ofthird-year test in which I came last in the class with a mere thirty percent. By this time, I had decided that learning foreign languages in general, and French in particular, was nothing but a complete waste of time. This wasn't helped by the fact that my French teacher had found it necessary to start sarcastically referring to me as 'the French scholar', which always raised a laugh or two in class.

18

And so things went on like this for another year until something happened that changed how I saw learning languages. I was a keen rugby player and the school team was to go on tour in France. To minimise costs, we stayed with the families of some of the boys we were going to play against. I was to stay with twins, neither of whom knew a word of English, but who both enjoyed going out and having a good time.

The result of this intercultural exchange was that between the training sessions and matches I had to rely on my own knowledge of French. Forced to communicate, which was something that we had never used the language for in class, I found that I could actually understand and make myself understood. Naturally, I felt more at ease not having someone who was going to deduct a mark every time I made a mistake and then tell me what it should be. More importantly, I could see the sense in learning a foreign language, especially when it came to trying to talk to the girls in the cafes at night.

On my return to school, I found that my belief in myself had soared. It didn't matter if I was the worst in the class. I had been able to communicate with real French people in France. A few months later, we took our state exams. The speaking test for French was a piece of cake and I did well enough in the other parts to obtain a comfortable pass. My teacher was shocked, but nevertheless took all the credit for himself for the fact that 'the French scholar' had passed with a 'B'.

Education.

Reading

Unit 1

8 What does David say about his first year of learning French?

A He found it quite pleasant.

B He was motivated to do well in the end-of-year test.

C It was far too easy for him.

D It was so diďŹƒcult that he wanted to give up.

9 What does 'this' in line 18 refer to?

A English grammar B French grammar C problems in learning foreign languages D the serious tasks the students had to do 10 What does the writer say about his bad marks?

A His teachers tried to help by giving him more exercises to do.

B His teachers were very concerned about them.

C It was no surprise that he did so badly.

D Nobody could understand why he was doing so badly.

11 In his third year of learning French, David felt that it had become A amusing.

B impossible.

C pointless.

D unnecessary.

12 David stayed with a French family A because it would have been too expensive to stay in a hotel.

B so he could see how ordinary French people lived.

C to improve his own knowledge of the language.

D to help the twins with their English.

13 David tells us that he felt relaxed speaking French because A he had no choice but to communicate in the language.

B he was in a stress-free environment.

C nobody was correcting him all the time.

D people wanted to help him.

14 David puts his success in the state exam down to A his own hard work B increased self-confidence.

C the desire to prove his teacher wrong.

D the fact the test was easier than expected.

19

Unit 1

Education. Reading

READING

Part 3

You are gong to read a magazine article on independent language learners. Seven paragraphs have been taken out of the interview. Choose the paragraph from A-H which bests suits each gap (15-20). An example (0) has been done for you at the beginning. There is an extra paragraph that you do not need.

Independent Language Learning Research shows that language learners who make the most progress are those who are prepared to take responsibility for their own learning. This is known as independent or autonomous learning. But what does this actually involve?

0

B

Independent learners also keep organised vocabulary notebooks. They don't just write down new words on scraps of paper. For instance, they organise new vocabulary by topic.

This means that they can easily find words they have decided to make a note of, which makes accessing and learning them easier.

15 But independent language learning isn't just about using dictionaries and keeping organised notebooks. Independent language learners are also more likely to actually use the language outside the classroom.

16 Besides cinema and television, independent learners also enjoy listening to songs in the target language. But it's not just the music that they are interested in. They listen to the words, too, and try and work out their meaning.

17 Independent learning is not confined to reading and listening. This kind of learner also likes to produce language. This does not only mean inside the classroom, but outside it, too.

18 They will be perfectly at home with writing, as well. They will probably be using the language on the internet in chat rooms and writing e-mails to friends in other countries.

20

Education.

Reading

Unit 1

19 There are several answers to these questions. First of all, students learning a language in a country where that language is not spoken might only have a couple of lessons a week. This means that those who use it outside the lessons are getting more exposure and practice.

20 At the end of the day, we don't actually know precisely how people learn languages, but it seems clear that if we want to improve our chances of learning one well, we should try and use it both inside and outside the classroom.

A B C D E F G H

An additional reason is that their learning is more personalised because they are doing things in the language that they are actually interested in, such as listening to their favourite bands singing in the language.

First of all, language learners should know how to use resources like dictionaries. This is important, because it allows the learner to work on their own without a teacher.

For example, if you know how to use a dictionary, you can look up words and check spellings on your own.

For example, they like to watch films in the language they are learning. However, they don't just read the subtitles. They try to listen to how things are said, and might even try and follow what they are watching without looking at the subtitles at all.

However, independent learners not only write down new words and their meanings.

They also make a note of other important information connected with the word, such as its pronunciation and other words that usually go with it. They also write down examples of the word in context. All this information makes it easier for them to actually use the words they have recorded.

Reading in the target language is another favoured strategy. Such learners will be browsing the internet or flicking through magazines dealing with subjects that they are interested in.

So why is it that independent learners seem to learn more? What is it about using the language outside the classroom that makes it more memorable?

There have been some spectacular results. A recent survey in Sweden concluded that children who had access to one at home scored significantly higher in English tests than those who didn't.

They don't worry about using the language in shops when they go abroad or if a foreign tourist stops them to ask for directions. In fact, they will eagerly grab the opportunity to practise their foreign language skills.

21

Unit 1

Education. Reading

READING

Part 4

You are going to read about six people's memories of their schools. For questions 21-35, choose the appropriate parts of the text (A-F). You may use any section more than once. If you need to write more than one answer, you can put them in any order. An example has been given at the beginning (0).

Which person changed their opinion about their school afterwards? felt sorry for the sta? had no choice over what they wore? studied ancient languages? went to a religious school? did not have much continuity in their education? never saw their teacher? believes their school helped them to become a better person? had parents whose jobs aected their education?

0 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

D

29

Which school(s) 30 31 33 34 35

did not have a high success rate? emphasised students should assist others? was dependent on technology was physically in a poor state? had good science facilities?

32

School days We asked six people to tell us about their schools and what they think about them now they have left.

A

22

When I look back on it all, I suppose I would have to say that it was very traditional. For example, we all had to wear a uniform, and it was also a single- sex school, which used to really bother me back then. The curriculum was very conservative,

too. I think we were the only school in the area that did Latin and Greek, and the whole system was very exam- oriented. We were well equipped, though, with a gym, sports fields, computers and modern labs.

Education.

B

C

D

I hated it. The place was really run down and there was loads of graďŹƒti everywhere. The poor teachers couldn't concentrate on teaching, because they were too busy trying to keep control. All the equipment was broken, too, and we couldn't do anything like experiments. Needless to say, hardly anyone passed the school-leaving exam. It was like a factory for failure.

When I think back to my school days, the first thing I would say is that my school was very progressive.

There were no classical languages or anything like that, and we could wear what we wanted. We also had mixed ability groups, which meant that the stronger students could help the weaker ones. The whole atmosphere was very laid back and relaxed and we called the teachers by their first names. I must say that I think that it made me more caring and helped me develop as an individual. I wouldn't hesitate to send my kids to the same kind of place.

I went to a faith school because my parents were devout Christians. We had to go to church once a week and so on. At the time, I couldn't stand it, but looking back, I see that in fact the teachers tried to teach us a lot about morality and responsibility towards others. For instance, we had to do community work, such as helping the elderly. It was ok, really.

E

F

Reading

Unit 1

We lived in the outback. We had emigrated out there and Dad had bought an enormous farm, and we were miles from the nearest settlement. Every morning at nine o'clock, we used to tune in the radio and have our lessons over the airwaves. There was no choice really. It was either that or going to a boarding school, which would have meant being separated from my parents. Admittedly, we didn't have laboratories or sports facilities, but in some ways, it was better than a normal school, because we got more individual attention, as there were only a few of us.

Mum was a diplomat, so we moved around a lot. I think I attended something like six dierent schools in all. They were all international schools and the curriculum was either in English or French, so at least the language wasn't a problem for me. I suppose the best thing was that I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

However, it was always hard when it came to moving on and having to adjust to a new place and people.

For instance, it could be diďŹƒcult to build up relationships with the teachers. I came through all right in the end, though.

23

Unit 1

Education. Use of English

USE OF ENGLISH I

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

1

He tried hard, but he couldn't pass the First Certificate Exam, as Hard , he couldn't pass the First Certificate Exam.

2

If you don't study hard, you won't pass your Math test, unless You won't pass your Math test

3

I am sure she is having serious problems at school, be She serious problems at school.

4

Peter finds Latin easier than Greek, not Greek

Latin for Peter.

5

Our English teacher will be angry if we don't start working immediately, down Our English teacher will be very angry if we don't work immediately.

6

My brother went to the Police Academy when he finished university, until My brother didn't go to the Police Academy

university.

7

Someone stole my laptop while I was on holiday, had I while I was on holiday.

8

Learning about survival skills sounds incredibly interesting, learn It about survival skills.

9

You should stop interrupting me while I am giving this presentation, time It's while I am giving this presentation.

10 'Give me back my notes' said the student angrily, be The student 24

hard.

his notes.

Education.

Use of English

Unit 1

USE OF ENGLISH II

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space.

TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE Total Physical Response is a language teaching method (1) teach language through physical activity.

attempts to

Already in the late 1800s, a French teacher (2) the name of Francois Gouin was trying to devise a method of language teaching based on the way young children learn their first language. His approach became (3) as the Series Method. His method included the use of easy and simple sentences, so the language (4) used could be directly related to whatever the speaker was doing at the time. His ideas were definitely well ahead (5) his time.

Some 80 years later, in the 1960s, James Asher began experimenting (6) a method he called Total Physical Response. It was (7) become particularly popular in the 70s. The theory owed a (8) to certain basic principles of language acquisition by young learners, in (9) to the 'trace theory' that memory is stimulated and increased (10) it is closely associated with some kind of motor activity. Asher also claimed that learning should be as fun as possible.

Nowadays, TPR is a standard requirement (11) learners. Therefore, it would make (12) eectively used at advanced levels.

III

the teaching of young to determine whether it can be

Read the sentences below and fill in the gaps using the appropriate word from A, B, C, or D. 1

Congratulations to all of you on A sitting B taking

2

Foreign qualifications are not always by our government.

A recognised B admitted C acknowledged D agreed

3

My older brother graduated A at B on

4

After working on it for ten years, Jack finally finished the A last B final C concluding

5

When I A end

6

I a fascinating lecture by Professor Hill.

A watched B visited C attended

your English grammar test.

C passing D failing

Cambridge University.

C in

D from draft of his new novel.

D eventual

my course in English literature, I'll enrol on a new one.

B complete C terminate D fulfil D observed 25

Unit 1

Education. Use of English

7

School breaks next Tuesday.

A up B down

8

When I was a student, I was never a teacher's A favourite B jewel C darling

9

My sister is A learning

C o

D out .

herself to speak Chinese.

B teaching C studying

10 Students have to hand A in B over

D pet D mastering

their essays by the end of this week.

C on D out

11 When he finished university, he got a in Linguistics.

A diploma B certificate C degree

D license

12 It is really becoming necessary to and alcohol.

A learn B bring up

D educate

young people about the dangers of drugs C train

IV Match the words (1-10) to one of the explanations (A-L).

There are two explanations you do not need.

1 FEE 2 SEMINAR 3 SUBJECT 4 DIPLOMA 5

TERM

6 CAMPUS 7 DISSERTATION 8 UNDERGRADUATE 9 GRANT 10 PROSPECTUS

26

A a class at the university for a small group of students and a teacher to study or discuss a particular subject B one of the periods of time that the school or university is divided into C a student at college or university who is working for their first degree D a long talk on a particular subject that someone gives to a group of people, especially to students in a university E a small book that advertises a school, college or new business F an amount of money you pay to a professional person for their work G the land and buildings of a college or university, including buildings where students live H an amount of money given to someone, especially by the government for a particular purpose I a document showing that someone has successfully completed a course of study and passed an examination J a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree K an area of knowledge that you are studying L someone who has completed a university degree, especially a first degree

Education.

WRITING

Writing

Unit 1

WRITING AN INFORMAL LETTER

You are in Scotland on a three-week English summer course.

At the end of the first week, you decide to write a letter to your best friend about your experiences.

Write an informal letter and tell him/her about the:  school (accommodation, course, teachers)  social programme (excursions, activities)  students Write about 200 words.  follow the instructions and include all the required information  structure your letter (greeting, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, ending, signature)  use paragraphs (each new content point requires a new paragraph)  use informal language (idioms, everyday language, short forms, etc.)  use transitional words/phrases (likes/dislikes, giving information, expressing opinions, etc.)

Checklist a b c d

check if the task is completed check if the layout/organisation is appropriate for the task re-read your letter and check for mistakes (grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation) check the number of words

WRITING AN ESSAY (PRESENTING AN ARGUMENT) The Private Schools Association has recently submitted a written request to the Ministry of Education.

They have asked the Ministry to provide financial support for their work.

This request has raised a lot of heated discussion among the general public.

Write an argumentative essay in 200-250 words on the following statement: Since their work is entirely supervised by the Ministry of Education, private schools are entitled to ask for their financial support.  read the instructions carefully and make sure you understand them fully  present both sides (for & against) of the argument in a fairly balanced way  structure your essay (introduction, body paragraphs (arguments for & against), conclusion) 27

Unit 1    

Education. Writing

use new paragraphs for each new point express your opinion in the concluding paragraph after summarising the arguments use formal language use transitional words/phrases (to list arguments for & against, to introduce examples, to conclude, to give opinions, etc.)

Checklist a check if the task is completed b check if the layout/organisation is appropriate for the task c re-read your essay and check for mistakes (grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation) d check the number of words

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Education.

SPEAKING

Speaking

Unit 1

HOLDING A DEBATE

A proposal for education reform is being discussed by students, teachers, parents, experts, etc. It still hasn't been decided how students will be assessed at the end of their secondary school education - continuous assessment or one final examination?

Before making the final decision, the Ministry of Education is interested in what students have to say about this rather controversial issue. Hold the class debate.

CLASS DEBATE  form three groups The first two groups should prepare arguments for either accepting or rejecting the motion. Present your arguments and be ready to answer questions from the other group.

The third group should listen to both groups and decide whether to accept or reject the motion providing arguments for their decision. Before making their decision, the third group can put questions to both groups.    

allow time for groups to prepare their arguments group presentations asking & answering questions presenting the decision

PRESENTING AN ARGUMENT a prepare some arguments and examples to support your view b think about possible counter arguments and prepare your response(s) c use transitional words/phrases (agreeing/disagreeing, ordering arguments, giving examples, summarising, asking for/expressing opinion)

GIVING A SHORT TALK Some classmates of yours keep complaining about their grades. They claim that they spend hours preparing for the exams, but results are disastrous. Your results, on the other hand, are impressive. You have decided to help your classmates.

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Unit 1

Education. Speaking

Prepare a five-minute talk on how to do well in school exams.

SHORT TALK     

30

plan your talk, but DO NOT read it include all important information present your points in a simple, clear and direct way use informal language use relevant transitional words/phrases

Education.

LISTENING

Listening

Unit 1

Part 1

You will hear people speaking in eight dierent situations.

Choose the most suitable answer (A, B or C) for questions 1-8.

1 You hear a student talking to a friend about the university she has chosen. Why did the student choose this particular university?

A It has the best course.

B It is modern and well equipped.

C One of her friends is going to the same place.

2 You hear a man on the radio talking about learning Spanish. How did the man decide to learn the language?

A by taking classes B over the internet C studying by himself 3 You hear a woman talking to students on their first day at college. What's the main point of her talk?

A to give information about books B to tell students what to do in an emergency C to welcome students 4 You hear a woman on the radio talking about her memories of a teacher. What does she remember most about his lessons?

A how boring they were B how funny they were C how much the students learnt 5 You overhear a girl talking to her friend about learning to drive. What reason does she give for failing her driving test the first time?

A lack of knowledge B nerves C overconfidence 6 You hear a girl on the radio talking about learning to use a computer. Why did she decide to learn to use a computer?

A because everyone else could already use one B because she felt embarrassed at not knowing how to use one C because she was required to use one for a particular piece of work 7 You overhear a man talking about why he stopped doing karate. Why did the man decide to give up?

A because he was afraid of getting injured B because of family diďŹƒculties C because of work 31

Unit 1

Education. Listening

8 You overhear a college lecturer complaining about her students. What part of the day is she talking about?

A morning B afternoon C night

LISTENING

Part 2

You will hear somebody showing new students around a college.

Complete the sentences for questions 9-18 with no more than two words.

You will hear the words that you need.

9 should be able to help you with any enquiries.

The people on duty at the

10 and pay for exams.

At the examinations oďŹƒce, you can

11 and prices.

You can also get leaflets with information on

12.

In order to get a library card, you must show your You can use the IT centre if you need to use a computer for your access the internet.

14 and a password to access the

All students are issued with a college college intranet.

You should go to the student kind.

13 or to

15 oďŹƒce if you have any problems of any

The canteen works from seven-thirty a.m. until

16 p.m.

The bar serves drinks from eleven a.m. until one p.m., and from seven-thirty p.m. unt il 17 at night.

All classrooms have

LISTENING

18, audio-visual equipment and boards.

Part 3

You will hear five people talking about language courses that they attended.

For questions 19-23, match the opinions (A-G) with the speakers.

There are two extra letters that you do not need. Choose each letter once only.

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Education.

Listening

A It was all very original.

19 Speaker 1

B It was far too expensive.

20 Speaker 2

C It was good value for money.

21 Speaker 3

D It was not what I thought it would be like.

22 Speaker 4

E I was bored most of the time.

23 Speaker 5

Unit 1

F I would definitely go again.

G It was a long way to travel.

LISTENING

Part 4

You will hear a conversation between two friends about studying for exams.

For questions 24-30, you must decide if the opinions are expressed by Sara, Tony or both of them. Write: S for Sara, T for Tony or B for both.

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Tests are not a good way of measuring someone's knowledge.

It can be hard to tell if students' work outside exams is their own.

You should turn your phone o when you study.

Make sure you have enough sleep before you sit an exam.

Eating fish can help you perform better in tests.

Doing previous exam papers can help you do better in examinations.

You should have a break every hour when studying.

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Unit 1

LISTENING TAPESCRIPT

Part 1

4

What do I remember most? Well, he could make the subject come alive in a humorous way. I mean, history is rather boring at the best of times, what with all those dates and dry facts that you have to commit to memory. But there was never a dull moment in his classes. He also really knew his stuff and we learnt a lot from him, but it's the laughter I remember most, and then the knowledge we gained.

5

I was really keen to learn and thought that it'd be really easy. So I had some lessons and took my test, but I was too sure of myself and made some simple errors. I failed my first attempt. I had expected to pass, and I wasn't nervous or anything like that. I didn't have butterflies at all. I knew all the basics, so it wasn't a question of knowledge, either.

6

I learnt to use one when I was at university. They were just starting to catch on and everyone on my course was using them. Anyway, I resisted until it was time to submit some project work and I found out that we had to submit both a hard and an electronic copy. I felt really selfconscious at first because I was so slow, but after a while I got quite good. It seems strange looking back now.

7

I mean, I loved the classes and that, and I really wanted to learn karate. It wasn't like I got scared of being hurt or anything like that. It's just that I got promoted and had to start doing loads of overtime.

There were some problems at home, too, but basically it was the office. I'll take it up again when things calm down a bit.

I reckon I could be quite good. What do you think?

You will hear people speaking in eight different situations.

Choose the most suitable answer (A, B or C) for questions 1-8.

1

2

3

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I really liked the place. It's great. You know, the buildings are really modern, and there are loads of facilities and all that. But what really decided it for me was the programme itself. It looks really interesting and just what I wanted. It's much better than other places I was thinking of applying to. One of my friends is also going, so at least I'll know someone there. I guess I'll make loads of new friends anyway. I'm really looking forward to it.

Basically, we had a lot of business in Latin America and the boss thought it'd be a good idea for us to learn Spanish. He gave us time off work and everything so we could attend lessons. He said we could have private lessons at work, but I fancied getting out of the office. So I surfed the internet, found what I was looking for, and started a course straightaway It's much better than doing it on your own.

OK. First of, all I'd like to welcome you all to the college. I'd like to start by giving you some important information. In the event of the fire alarms going off, please make sure you evacuate the building in an orderly fashion. Fire exits are located at either end of the corridor. You can find out more in the booklet you've been given.

Please read it. Now I'll hand you over to Mrs Thompson, who'll tell you which books you need to have.

LISTENING TAPESCRIPT 8

They're all yawning or barely half awake.

If you ask me, they're in no fit state to learn. They've probably been up all night, and I'm sure it's not because they've been studying, either. Sometimes I wonder if they'll be able to survive until lunchtime, let alone afternoon lectures. I really don't know how they do it. I know that I couldn't when I was their age.

Part 2 You will hear somebody showing new students around a college.

Complete the sentences for questions 9-18 with no more than two words. You will hear the words that you need.

First of all, I'd like to welcome you all to the college. We'll start off by giving you a quick tour round the site so that you know, more or less, where you are. So, let's start off here in the main building. Right in front of you, you can see the reception desk. The people on duty should be able to help you with any enquiries about where you need to go. So, if you get lost in the first few days, though I'm sure you won't, make your way here and I'm sure someone will help you out.

Here on the left you can see the examinations office. This is where you need to go to register and pay for any exams that you might wish to take. It might be a bit early to start thinking of tests and things, but at the same time it probably won't hurt just to pop along and pick up some leaflets which will give you information on deadlines and prices.

If we go further along, here we see the library. One of the first things that you will need to do in order to use it is get yourself

Unit 1

a library card. Just bring along your student card, which you should already have been issued with, and the library staff will do the rest.

On the other side of the corridor, you can see the IT centre. If you need to use a computer for your work or to access the internet, this is where you come. Access can be gained by showing staff your student card.

All students are also given a college e-mail account and password to access the college intranet.

Now, if we turn down here, right in front of you, you can see the student welfare office.

This is where you should come if you have any problems of any kind. The staff here should be able to sort you out and make sure that you get the right kind of help or advice. You should probably pop in there some time, anyway, just to see the services that they offer and to pick up some leaflets.

If we go down the stairs now, we'll find ourselves in the canteen. The canteen's open from seven-thirty in the morning until seventhirty in the evening, and sells a selection of hot and cold meals throughout the day. You can also purchase hot and cold drinks and a variety of snacks.

On the other side, you'll find the bar, where alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can be bought and consumed. The bar is open at lunchtime from eleven until one, and in the evening from seven-thirty until eleven.

And if we go back up again we can see the classrooms. That is why you're here after all.

As you can see, each room is clearly marked, so having already been issued with your timetables, you should all know where you

35

Unit 1

LISTENING TAPESCRIPT

need to be first thing on Monday. If we take a quick look inside, we can see that the rooms are equipped with projectors, audio-visual equipment and boards.

Well, I think that's just about it, unless there are any questions.

Part 3 You will hear five people talking about language courses that they attended. For questions 19-23, match the opinions (A-G) with the speakers. There are two extra letters that you do not need. Choose each letter once only.

Speaker one It wasn't the most original of courses, but the teachers seemed to know what they were doing, there was a good range of activities, and the facilities were very up-to-date. We had access to computers, and there was a lot of work with DVD. I really feel I improved my language skills a lot. I wouldn't hesitate for one second in recommending the school. I feel a lot more confident about using the language in real situations. The teachers were really supportive and created a relaxed atmosphere, which made learning a lot easier.

Speaker two I don't know really. I guess I was expecting more language work. We just seemed to go on trips, have parties and play games like football and so on. It was good fun and the price seemed reasonable, don't get me wrong, but at the end of the course what had we actually learnt? It's not exactly what I was expecting.

I was hoping we'd do more talking and stuff

36

in the language. And another thing was that students from the same country all stuck together.

Speaker three We just did exercises from books all day. I mean, I could do that at home. The teacher was this dull old man who spoke in a monotonous voice. Everything we did went through the teacher. There was lots of dictation, spelling tests and reading comprehension. I was always scared that I was going to nod off in the middle of an activity. I could hardly wait for classes to end. I'm not really sure if I learnt anything.

But then again, I suppose that if you want something different, you have to pay for it.

Speaker four The teachers were very creative. The activities were all based on traditional ideas, but they had different twists. For instance, we did dictations, which I used to find very dead boring at school. But here it was the students who gave them, not the teacher. The thing was that the text we had to dictate from was in the corridor, so we had to run outside and then back in again to dictate to the others in our group. We were divided into groups and the first team to finish the dictation was the winner.

It was all like that, very amusing and useful.

Speaker five I mean, some of these course are ridiculously overpriced. You know all sorts of hidden charges, with poor quality facilities and materials. You know how some of these places try and cut corners on everything to keep costs down. This wasn't one of those. On the contrary, all the excursions and trips were

LISTENING TAPESCRIPT included in the price, as were the books and other materials. We also got ten percent off for booking early.

Part 4 You will hear a conversation between two friends about studying for exams.

For questions 24-30, you must decide if the opinions are expressed by Sara, Tony or both of them. Write: S for Sara, T for Tony or B for both Sara:Hi Tony. How's it going?

Tony: Not too bad, Sara. What about yourself?

Sara: All right, but I've got another test tomorrow, so I'm feeling a bit nervous.

Tony: You'll be ok. I'm sure you know your stuff.

Sara: It's just that I hate exams. I don't think that they're a good indicator of what you know. I mean you just revise like mad for a few days before the exam, repeat it all on paper or to the interviewer and then just go home and forget about it.

Tony: Yeah, perhaps they can be a bit like memory tests at times, but there aren't really any better alternatives. At least none that I can think of.

Sara: What do you mean no alternatives?

What about continuous assessment?

Tony: What do you mean by continuous assessment?

Sara: You know, where you get marks throughout the year for the work that you do, and then you get a final mark at the end which is like an average of all the marks that you've got. I reckon that

Unit 1

paints a more accurate picture, 'cos when you do an exam it often depends on how you feel that day.

Tony: Yeah, but it's easy to cheat, isn't it. I mean, you could get someone else to do work for you or copy it from the internet.

Sara: Sure, but I think teachers know when someone' s been cheating. You know, they can tell that's in a different style and so on.

Tony: I'm not sure. Anyway, it's not going help you tomorrow. How's your revision been going?

Sara: Oh all right, I suppose, it's just that I sometimes find it hard to actually get down to studying. You know how it is.

Maybe there's something on TV or a friend calls.

Tony: You need to steer clear of distractions.

Go to your room or a library and turn your mobile phone off.

Sara: No way, I can't do without my mobile.

What if someone wants to call me?

Tony: You can see who's called and you can call them back later.

Sara: I don't know.

Tony: You need to get plenty of sleep as well.

You don't want to wake up exhausted so that you can't concentrate when you sit the test.

Sara: Absolutely. Also, my mum always makes sure that I eat properly. 'Brain food' she calls it, like fish.

Tony: Fish? No, I reckon that's just superstition. You're telling me that a bit of tuna before your test is going boost your mark?

37

Unit 1

LISTENING TAPESCRIPT

Sara: Seriously, it can give you energy and increase your concentration levels. I was reading about it for my biology paper.

Tony: That's a good idea. Remember to give yourself a rest every hour or so. Give yourself a goal like 'I'll do one hour and then I'll go and get myself a sandwich and juice'. You can't work continuously.

Tony: It's a question of hard work. You need to sit down and do the work. You should Sara: Yeah, sure, I do that anyway, otherwise also get hold of some past exam papers I can't concentrate. Anyway, cheers Tony and practise doing them. You should also for all the advice, I've really got to be time yourself when you take them so that going. I'll see you around, ok? you can pace yourself in the exam itself.

Sara: Timed practice tests? I'm not sure.

What if you can't get any past papers?

Tony: It's just an idea.

Sara: Anyway, I'd better head off. I'm going to try and get some work done.

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Tony: No problem, Sara. Good luck.