B]. Decide if these statements are TRUE or FALSE. Give reasons if you think the statement is FALSE
1. Adrian would not have protested about not being able to wear red socks if it had not been for Pandora’s interest in the matter.
2. Adrian is strongly attracted to Pandora.
3. Adrian’s parents get on well together.
4. Pandora’s parents are of Russian origin.
5. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is about stamp-collecting.
6. Adrian is scared of the headmaster, Mr Scruton.
7. Pandora cried because she was confused and embarrassed after the events in the headmaster’s office.
8. Adrian regretted getting involved in the protest.
9. Adrian and his friends lost their struggle to be nonconformists.
C]. One of the most difficult things to understand in another language is humour. The text you have read would make most native speakers of English smile. Can you explain what is funny about these things?
– the names Adrian uses for some of the characters;
– Adrian’s use of language;
– his description of Pandora’s parents, their home and lifestyle;
– the book Pandora’s father lent Adrian;
– the shift in Adrian’s attitude to the protest;
– the conversation his father had with the headmaster;
– the outcome of the incident.
Task 13. Roleplay.
MODERN EXAMINATIONS
Most teachers and students would probably agree that examinations - spoken or written - are unsatisfactory. Students dislike taking them, teachers dislike giving them and scoring students' answers. During examinations teachers and students are expected to act like machines, there is nothing very human about the examination process.
Success or failure in spoken examinations greatly depends upon the examiner's feelings at the time of the examination. If he is feeling tired or bored, the student may receive a lower mark than he should. Very often attendance is taken into account, too.
From this standpoint written examinations give the student a fairer chance.
Two types of tests are commonly used nowadays. The first type is sometimes called an "objective" test (or multiple choice questions). To make it up the teacher writes a series of questions, each of which has only one correct answer. Along with each question the teacher writes the correct answer and also three statements that look like answers to the students who have not learned the material properly. The student must recognize the correct answer and circle it (or copy the letter/number on his examination paper).
For testing some kind of learning, however, such a test is not satisfactory: a lucky student may guess the correct answer without really knowing the material.
To get a dear picture of what the student knows, most teachers use "essay" tests, which require students to write long answers to broad general questions.
One advantage of the essay test is that it reduces the element of luck. Another advantage is that it shows the examiner more about the student's ability to put facts together into a meaningful whole. Sometimes, though, essay tests have disadvantages. Some students are able to write rather good answers without really knowing much about the subject, while other students who actually know the material have trouble expressing their ideas in essay form.
As you see, written examinations also have their pros and cons. So what alterations and improvements can you suggest?
Group Work Rroleplay. Guidelines on roleplay:
1. Act out a 20-minute students' radio-debate devoted to the problem of examinations at schools and colleges. (The text above will help you to discuss the problem.)
2. Do you consider modem examinations to be fair and objective? What alterations and improvements can you suggest?
Should schoolchildren be given regular tests to assess their progress?
Can you think of other ways to check progress? (These are the questions which need to be answered as a result of the discussion.)
3. Split into three groups:
group 1 is in favour of written examinations (multiple choice questions and essay tests)
group 2 is convinced mat the spoken examination gives the student a fairer chance
group 3 is still in two minds (or has a different opinion altogether).
4. Remember that this is a formal meeting, you may not know the other participants very well. So the language will be formal and you will be very polite even if you disagree.
5. The meeting is chaired by a radio-reporter. He has to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak and avoid the discussion being dominated by one or two strong characters. He will try to sum up at the end.
6. The programme receives questions or comments telephoned in by listeners (2-3 members of the group can participate in this way).
Task 14.You are going to read an article about how important certain teachers were in the lives of four people who have become very successful. Read the text paying attention to the bold typed phrases and do multiple matching.
INSPIRATION
Have you ever had a teacher who inspired you? We asked four successful people to tell us about a teacher who had a great influence on them.
A Benedict Allen
Explorer
I was so quiet at school. I was a dreamer and I had the romantic idea that I wanted to be an explorer. The trouble was that I thought all the exploring had been done.
Sam Hunt taught me French at school and he inspired me by accepting me. He was also my class teacher and he allowed me to be myself. I think he realized that my dreams weren’t complete nonsense. He gave me space to develop in my own way. By my final year I was much more confident. I was even given an award for my collection of plants.
Sam was noble and free-thinking. He was also quiet and reserved. He was, I think, concerned about how quiet I was – I remember him mentioning it on school reports – and worried that my dreams wouldn’t come to anything. However, he always made me feel that making a dream come true is special. I discovered he was right, when I became the first person to walk the whole Skeleton Coast in Africa.
B Siobhan Redmond