Listening comprehension (1)

NORTH STAR, Unit 7: What’s the Use of Homework? (3d edition) (pp127-174)

In order to speak on this topic effectively at your exam, read the background text on the history of homework (textbook, p 129) and study the comparative abstract (p 137). You may also benefit from doing ex.1 p 129, ex3a pp 135-136, gap-filling dialogue (pp138-139).

Listening Comprehension 1: EFFECTS OF HOMEWORK ON FAMILY LIFE

Task 1: Do the tasks (MATCHING, MULTIPLE-CHOICE x 2) for Listening 1 from the textbook (pp131-133).

Task 2: While listening to the radio report on the effects of homework find and put down the English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.

1. мучительные вопросы

2. деревянная копия корабля «Мэйфлауэ»

3. проект для научной ярмарки студентов

4. перестараться, переборщить (с)

5. практическая помощь

6. быть чуждым, незнакомым (ч.л., к.л.)

7. вечерний ритуал

8. (сильно устать=) заснуть от изнеможения в кресле

9. интенсивно читать материал серьёзного характера

10. смятенный, расстроенный (из-за ч.л.)

11. выспаться за ночь

12. объём домашнего задания варьируется (колеблется) (Compare! to swing, to oscillate)

13. запрещать домашнее задание как вид детского труда

14. задавать намного больше, чем можно сделать за 10 минут в день

15. сторонники (приверженцы) домашнего задания

16. усовершенствовать учебные навыки

17. молодая особа, юноша, девушка (Compare! oldster, punster, rhymester, gangster, songster, maltster - солодовник, spinster, baxter - пекарь, teamster – погонщик, возница, водитель грузовика, tapster – буфетчик, бармен)

18. задавать домашнее задание

19. стандартизированные тесты на срез знаний

20. ответственные задания, требующие много сил и умений

21. влияние домашнего задания на жизнь семьи

22. вне себя от ярости

23. урезать, сокращать (слова, проводимое вместе время)

24. быть ответственным (за процесс обучения)

25. не рассчитывать на ч.л.

26. не ложиться спать допоздна

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

27. школа с жесткими требованиями

28. загрузить и разгрузить посудомоечную машину

29. выбросить мусор

30. ярый противник домашних заданий

31. составить распорядок дня (также: совещания)

32. обязательно присутствующая, неотъемлемая несправедливость

33. иметь доступ к жидкому азоту

34. публичное представление (товаров, изобретений и т.д.)

35. добросовестный и заинтересованный

36. предмет недовольства = причина досады

37. заменять (одно другим); предотвращать

38. законы об обязательном посещении школы

39. школа в центре города (а именно: в перенаселённом районе с высоким уровнем безработицы и преступности, а также низкими ценами на землю)

40. родительский комитет

Listening Comprehension 2: A DUTY TO FAMILY, HERITAGE, AND COUNTRY, ANOTHER PERSEPECTIVE ON HOMEWORK

Task 3: While listening to the text, fill in the gaps in the following commentary provided by Ying Ying Yu (a 13-year-old Chinese student).

I am a good child, (1)……………….. I grew up in China, a country where education is the centre of every child’s life and a grade less than (2) ………………….. is considered a failure. Grades mean more to us than a mother’s smile, more than the murmur of a wish (3) ……………….. on birthday candles. I had homework during lunch, math and language classes two times a day. There were punishments for not paying attention. I was beaten with a ruler, and I learned to do anything to get a good grade.

I believe in duty, but that belief comes with (4) …………………..The achievements I make come with a cost.

I remember first grade, the red scarf flapping (5) …………………… in the wind, and wanting more than anything to be the first one to wear it, that, the symbol of responsibility, excellence and loyalty. The first thing that (6) …………………..to mind when I put it on was how glad my family would be, how proud the motherland would be of the child it had borne and how my (7)………………… would look on a college application.

All my pride, love, (8) ………………. – they (9) ……………..into duty. There have been times I wanted to throw away everything, but duty and obligation were always there to (10) ……… me and to keep me strong. I would think: “My parents and grandparents brought me up, my country gave me (11) ……………, my teacher spent so much time building my foundations just to have me throw it all away? No, I can’t do that! I must repay all that they have done.” “I must, I should, I have to” – all those little phrases govern my life and the lives of many of my classmates. We struggle on because duty reminds us that the awaiting success is not just for us, It’s for our families, our (12) …………….. and our country.

I used to want to be a gardener. I liked working outdoors and the (13) ……………..feel of dirt was much more (14) …………… than a bunch of (15) …………… words strung together. But I can never grow up to be a gardener. Everything I have done so far points to the direction of becoming a lawyer. That’s a job my family (16) …………………. supports.

There is no other choice for someone who’s been brought up by such a strict system, someone who has ambition. Here in America, there is almost a pressure to follow your dreams. I don’t want any more dreams – dreams are illusions. And it’s too late for me to work toward another future, to let the foundations I have built to (17) ……………………..

I believe in the power of duty to (18) ……………………… Only duty will offer me something true, something worthy of my effort and the support of my family and country. Duty can bring me to an achievement that is greater than I am.

Task 4: Integrate the information on homework from the two listenings by completing the following chart.

EFFECTS OF HOMEWORK ON:	WHY HOMEWORK IS HARMFUL	WHY HOMEWORK IS USEFUL
1. children’s physical health 2. children’s mental health 3. parents 4. the relationship between parents and children 5. other

LISTENING COMPREHENSION (1)

You will hear a radio interview with hosts Claire Nolan and Bill Rodney about the Emotional Intelligence Quotient. The main focus of this discussion is whether EQ can be learned.

Task 1: Listen to the interview and put down the English equivalents for the following Russian word combinations.

справляться (совладать) со своими эмоциями