Exercise 4. Complete the missing words in this email from a student to a friend.

 

Diploma dissertation in-sessional MA module      PhD project sign

 

Hi Erika,

How are things going with you? I'm sorry not to have written to you sooner but I've been desperately busy with the linguistics (1)__________

I have to do for the elective (2)__________I'm taking this term. It's really interesting and I think I might decide to do my final (3)__________on a similar topic. At first I was only planning to do the (4)__________ but now I've decided to have a go at an (5)__________ I might even (6)__________up for a (7)__________if they'll have me! PhD students are usually offered some language teaching on the (8)__________ EAP courses they run for foreign students, so it would be useful for my CV for the future.

Shoshana

Exercise 5.Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. I started out doing an MA but then decided to upgrade / defer to a

PhD.

2. Students whose first language is not English usually have to attend

a(n) in-sessional / pre-sessional language course before their main    

classes start.

3. Only six students have enrolled / opted, so the MEd programme will

not run this year.

4. Most students decide to sign / proceed to the MA after completing

their Diploma course.

5. Core modules are obligatory / optional.

6. When I was doing my PhD I had monthly one-to-one seminars /

supervisions.

7. I won't be able to finish the dissertation this year, so I'll have to opt /

defer till next year.

8. Assessment / Assignment consists of a three-hour end-of-module

exam.

 

Study habits and skills

Exercise 1.Read the questionnaire of West Preston University web-based self-assessment on time management and rate your ability to organise your time.

Questionnaire 1 Do you begin working on end-of-semester assignments early in the semester? 2 Do you meet deadlines for submitting work? 3 Do you ever have to request an extension for your work? 4 Do you spend hours cramming just before an exam? 5 Do you make a to-do list each week? 6 Do you include extra-curricular activities when you plan your study time?	often	sometimes	never

 

Exercise 2. Match the following phrases to the underlined words in the text in Exercise 1.

1 make a list of things you should do

2 ask for more time beyond the deadline

3 try to learn a lot very quickly before an exam

4 outside of the subjects one is studying

5 complete your work by the official final day or time

 

Exercise 3.Read some students' comments about study habits and problems associated with studying and find the equivalents to the following words and phrases.

1. think of a lot of ideas very quickly before considering some of them

more carefully

2. I start thinking of things not connected to my studies

3. diagram or drawing showing how different ideas on a topic are

related

4. decide which things are the most important so that you can deal with

them first

5. e.g. a very short poem or a special word used to help you remember

something

6. forming an image in your mind

7. read or study again

8. you cannot remember a particular thing, or you cannot remember

anything

9. text containing all the main ideas but not in a fully developed form

10. in such a way that you can say it from memory

11. not exact or detailed; approximate

12. (often used with a negative association) learning something so you

can repeat it from memory, rather than understand it

'I try to prioritise the most difficult or urgent task first, when I feel more motivated.'

'I'm a slow reader. I need to improve my reading speed. I find revision before exams really difficult. I can only revise for about two hours at a time. My mind starts to wander. '

'I always try to review my lecture notes within 24 hours of the time I took them. I do need to improve my note-taking. '

'I use tricks to memorise things, like mnemonics and visualising. I try to brainstorm the topic and draw mind maps before I write a first draft of an essay.'

'I know rote learning isn't very fashionable nowadays, but I find it useful to learn some things by heart, especially lists of things.'

'I try to make a study plan each semester - but I never manage to keep to it!'

'I always try to get the books I need from the library on long-term loan. Short-term loan is never long enough, even though you can sometimes extend it for 24 hours.'

'In an exam I make rough  notes for each question, otherwise my mind just goes blank. '

 

Exercise 4.Match the first part of the word combination on the left with the second part on the right.

 

meet time request to-do long-term first extra-curricular lecture rote study note- draw

activities deadlines mind maps an extension learning list loan plan taking notes draft management

 

Exercise 5.Complete each sentence with a word combination from Exercise 4.

1. I always try to____________but this time I'm afraid I'm going to have to ___________ If only I could stick to the ___________I make at the beginning of every semester!

2. You should show the___________ of your essay to your tutor before you do any more work on it.

3. Helena missed the class but she borrowed the___________from a friend.

4. Some people find it more helpful to____________when they are studying than to take traditional notes.

5. This is an incredibly useful book. Fortunately, I've been able to take it out of the library on.____________.

6. Students who are working part-time as well as studying have to be particularly good at ____________.

7. Some students get distracted from their studies by all the____________which most universities offer.

8. I always make a_____________when I'm getting ready to go on a trip.

9. _____________is often considered a very old-fashioned way of learning nowadays.

10. _____________is very important during lectures; you can't remember everything.