3.4. STUDENT LIFE

3.4. STUDENT LIFE

3.4.1

Introduction

Read the conversation and say in your own

words what MissKeane thinks the problem

of each pupil is.

Head teacher: How’s your class getting on, Miss Keane?

Miss Keane:

Well, how can I put it? Samantha’s a very slow learner, Tom’s

permanently disruptive, Jemma’s illiterate, Sarah never pays

attention, Jeffrey has numeracy problems, Sasha goes to the

special needs teacher because she’s too brainy, Dulal’s mind

keeps wandering, Stella is conscientious but seems to have

learning difficulties, Bill’s so absent-minded he forgets his

own name, Mary’s dyslexic, and the Mishram sisters (Penny

and Jasmin) seem to have no concept of discipline at all!

Otherwise the class is fine!

3.4.2

Listening

You’ll hear a conversation between two English

teachers. Barbara is telling Chris about some

of her students who will be joining his class.

As you listen, note down her comments on each student.

Students	Appearance	Good points	But be careful
Paul	Tall,	Helpful,	Makes mistakes,
Susan
Maria
Helen
Peter

How would your teacher describe you to a colleague, in your opinion?

3.4.3

Vocabulary

Learn the adjectives in the box. Find the

synonyms and the opposites. Make up

your own sentences.

Connotation

Arrange the adjectives into the table.

3.4.4

Practice

Answer the questions:

Which adjectives would you choose to describe your position in the class?
How would you characterize other people/individuals in your class?
Is there anybody who stays outside in your class? What is other people’s opinion about him/her?
Is your class united or divided? What can be done to bring classmates closer to each other?

B Can you imagine how a person outside the group

feels? Make up a dialogue about such a person, how

he/she shows his/her difference and what he/she

thinks of others.

3.4.5

Collocation

Which verbs go with which nouns? Tick the boxes.

	test	exam	degree	distinction	school	university
Cram for
Get
Get into
Get a place at
Expel from
Exclude from
Send down from
Take
Pass
Fail
Resit

Activate

Use these expressions to complete the following

exchanges.

a. – How well did you do in the test? – Oh, I’m afraid I ____ it. I’m going to have to do it again.

b. – You look happy! – Yes, I’ve just _____ CambridgeUniversity.

c. – Why were you _____ university? – Because I cheated in the final exams.

d. – Have you got your exam results yet? – Yes, and I did better than I thought. I ______.

Interaction

What questions could you ask to get these answers?

No, they have to finance their own studies.
There isn’t much difference, it’s just that the courses are more practical in a polytechnic instead of being more academic.
Well, they learn one or two things, like recognizing a few numbers, but most of the time they play around.
Because I wanted to be a teacher, no other reason.
Well, I’ve been up all night revising for an exam.
No, I was ill. I didn’t miss it deliberately.

Practice

Make up situations using at least three

expressions from the table.

3.4.6

Word Choice

Choose the word or phrase which best completes

each sentence.

1. There’s not much ______ for progression in this job.

a. prospect b. outlook c. expectation d. scope

2. I’ve got to work late tonight – something has _____ .

a. come out b. turned out c. come up d. turned off

3. She’s got the _______ to do well.

a. potential b. prospect c. outlook d. scope

4. He is very _____ and has never had any trouble passing exams.

a. sensible b. perceptive c. clever d. sharp

5. If you’re so _____, then why did you fail your English exam?

a. practical b. shrewd c. perceptive d. smart

6. It was a(n) ______ conversation. We were both talking about different things without realizing it.

a. thick b. absurd c. unwise d. foolish

7. Don’t be ____! Of course we can’t afford an expensive hotel.

a. daft b. slow c. naïve d. gullible

8. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? – Yes, I ______ what you mean.

a. see b. catch c. take d. follow

9. I couldn’t ______ him because he spoke too quickly.

a. gather b. follow c. see d. catch

3.4.7

Correction

Correct the mis-collocations in these sentences.

I can’t come out. I’m studying. I’m passing an examination tomorrow.
Congratulations! I hear you succeeded your examination!
You can study a lot of different careers at this university.
I got some good notes in my continuous assessment this term.
She’s a professor in a primary school.
He gave an interesting 45-minute conference on Byron.
She got a degree in personnel management from a private college.

3.4.8

Idiom

Each item in box A links with another in box B to

form a common phrase or expression.

Practice

Use the idioms in your own sentences about

student life

3.4.9

Vocabulary

Learn the following words and expressions.

Listening

Examination Stress. Listen to the conversation.

Decide which of the following sentences are right

and which are wrong.

All students are nervous before examinations.
If a student is less nervous, he has a bigger chance of success.
Many people can concentrate better under stress.
If you can’t sleep because of stress, you shouldn’t take sleeping pills.
Some people who are facing exams get easily irritated.
When panic stricken many students forget everything they have learnt.
Anyone can cope with examination stress if he/she is told how to do it.
‘A mock exam’ is a trial exam taken a few weeks before the real exam.
A mock examination will not tell you how you react in a stress situation.
The best advice for a success in examinations is to take things easily.
Students shouldn’t work much before examinations.
You should take breaks every three hours when you are working for examinations.
When revising the material you have already learnt, it is useful to make notes.
You should start revising at least six weeks before the examination.
Mistakes could be avoided if students took time when reading the examination questions.

Practice

Find the missing words in these sentences. The

number of the words that are to be inserted is

given in brackets.

We know that (2)_______ different kinds of stress.
We would like to tell them (4)______ examination stress.
Stress (3)_______ panic and insomnia.
Stress (3)_______ by signs of irritability.
Students (5)________ this problem must be helped.
They have to be taught (3)______ the situation.
All students are advised (4)________ in their timetables.
The most dangerous time is (3)_______ before examinations.
Students should make brief notes and (3)_____ regularly.
Students are advised (4)_____ straight away.

Activate

Answer the following questions.

What does Dr Felton think about examinations?
What can affect the result of an examination?
What can examination stress lead to?
Are sleeping pills helpful in cases of insomnia?
Does blanking out happen very often?
What can be done to help panic stricken students cope with the exam stress?
What should be remembered about the revision period?
Why are over-conscientious students likely to have bigger problems than those who don’t work hard?
What is the best way to learn?
How often should you take breaks?
When should you start revising material for examinations?
What should you do, first of all, when you get the examination paper?

3.4.10

Translation

Translate the following sentences into English.

Как можно справиться со стрессом, связанным с экзаменами?
Может ли стрессовая ситуация вызвать бессонницу?
Является ли отсутствие концентрации признаком стресса?
Случается ли временная потеря памяти у многих студентов?
Можно ли обнаружить заранее, что студент, вероятно, будет иметь серьезные проблемы при сдаче экзаменов?
Напряжение больше перед экзаменом или во время него?
Есть ли смысл долго сидеть ночью, готовясь к экзамену?
Какой способ подготовки к экзамену дает наилучшие результаты?
Достаточно ли начать повторять материал за несколько дней до экзамена?
О чем следует помнить, когда вы получите экзаменационное задание?
Что нужно сделать перед тем, как вы начнете писать ответы на вопросы?

3.4.11

Opinion

Do you share the following opinions?

Exams are the most effective way to test a student’s knowledge and ability.
The best way to study for an exam is to do it with a fellow student.
When preparing for an exam it is better to study a few points in depth than everything superficially.
It is impossible to study efficiently with background music playing.
The time spent preparing for exams would be better spent learning new things.
Dictionaries and calculators should not be allowed to be used in exams.
Exam time is worse for teachers than for students.

3.4.12

Quiz

What kind of student are you? Answer the quiz to

find out! For each question, choose the option which

you feel most describes you. Work out your score and

read the definition of your student type.

1. Your teacher has given you a long assignment as homework. It has to be handed in next week. Do you …

a. get down to it straight away?

b. put it off for a couple of days so you have a chance to think it over?

c. check your diary: you can’t always fit homework into your busy social life?

2. You think one of your classmates is cheating in an exam. Do you …

a. tell on him or her? It’s not fair – you had to work hard.

b. get on with your own exam? You need to concentrate.

c. get back to doodling on your exam paper? Who cares?

3. You’ve been ill and have missed a number of English classes. Do you…

a. ask a classmate or the teacher to go over the important things you have missed with you?

b. worry about it and feel ill again?

c. just carry on – you will pick up anything important as you go along?

4. You’ve been invited away for a week. It will mean missing a number of your English classes. Do you …

a. turn down the invitation? You don’t want to get behind.

b. jump at the chance? You can always make up for it later.

c. think carefully about the pros and cons before deciding one way or another?

5. You have difficulty learning new vocabulary. Do you …

a. decide to take up an easier language?

b. put together a personalized vocabulary book in which you can jot down meanings, example sentences and other useful information?

c. regularly draw up lists of new words translations in your own language?

6. You come across a new word in a text you are reading. Do you …

a. try to work out the meaning from the context and then check in the dictionary if necessary?

b. keep on reading, you’re not taking much in anyway?

c. look it up straight away?

7. You’re thinking of going for a monolingual learner’s dictionary. Do you…

a. think about it but never actually get around to buying one?

b. put it to your teacher and see what he or she recommends?

c. go straight out and buy one – presumably they’re all the same?

8. You’d like to go on an intensive English course. How do you set about finding the most suitable one? Do you …

a. plump for the one your friend did?

b. contact your nearest British Council office and pore over the various options?

c. sort out exactly what you want and can afford and then ask your teacher, family, or friends for advice?

Key:	1 – a-3 b-2 c-1	3 – a-3 b-1 c-2	5 – a-1 b-2 c-3	7 – a-1 b-3 c-2
	2 – a-3 b-2 c-1	4 – a-3 b-1 c-2	6 – a-2 b-1 c-3	8 – a-1 b-3 c-2

Score:

20 – 24 - Be warned – all work and no play isn’t good for you!

You need to relax a bit more, go for a walk, phone a friend,

or have an evening off. Studying when you are tired or

stressed can be unproductive in the long run.

14 – 20 - You seem to have a well-balanced approach to your studies. You work hard without letting your studies take over your life. Keep up the good work!

Under 14 – Studying seems to come rather low on your list of priorities! Try setting aside some regular time for work – you might even find you enjoy it!

Speaking

Speak about yourself as a student. Try to use as

many words and expressions from the unit as

you can.

3.4.13

Discussion

Answer the following questions about teachers.

Do opinions in your group differ?

What do you learn from your parents that you don’t from your teachers? Who do you learn more from?
Do you prefer being taught by a male or female teacher? What difference does it make?
What is the difference between having a young inexperienced teacher and an old experienced one?
Does expert knowledge of a particular subject necessarily imply an ability to teach that subject?
Should teachers express their political views in class? Why / Why not?
Should teachers call you by your first name or family name? How should you address them?
Is the teacher always right? How would you react on your teacher’s mistake?
Which teacher role is more important – teaching facts, methods and ideas or getting students to learn how to learn?
Does professionalism include certain personal qualities of a teacher?
Is it important for teachers to have a sense of humour?
Do you prefer strict teachers or easy-going ones?
What do you think a teacher’s nightmares are? What are students’ nightmares?
What subjects are the easiest and most difficult to teach and to learn? Why?
Are teachers highly respected in our society?
What do you think of this saying: ‘Those who can, do, those who can’t, teach’?
If you were a teacher trainer, what would be the most important things to teach your trainee teachers?

3.4.14

Writing

Write about problems in student life and their

possible solutions.