Exercise 1
THE NOT-SO-EASY LIVES OF CELEBRITIES
You might think that the rich and famous have easy lives. But many had serious problems before they became successful.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is famous for her unusual clothes and amazing performances. But she says she’s actually very shy and she avoids meeting other artists. She says, ‘I might not be shy with people that I know, but with people that I don’t know I am very shy.’
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps was bullied at school. Other children laughed at his big ears and long arms – the same long arms with which he won 18 Olympic gold medals. But Phelps says the experience helped him to become a champion. ‘I kind of laugh at it now,’ he says. ‘I think it made me stronger going through that.’
Salma Hayek
When Mexican actress Salma Hayek moved to America, she couldn’t speak English. She also has dyslexia, so she found it difficult to read and write. But Salma refused to give up. She learned to speak English quickly and in less than a year she was in her first English-language film. She says, ‘Some people read really fast, but you’ll ask them questions about the script and they’ll forget. I take a long time to read a script, but I read it only once.’
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is one of the most recognised actors in the world. But he doesn’t enjoy being famous. He often wears dark glasses and a hat in public. He says, ‘I’m shy. I hate fame. I’ve done everything I can to avoid it.’
Peter Jackson
When Peter Jackson – the director of Lord of The Rings – was nine years old, he saw the 1933 film King Kong, and from that moment he was always thinking about making films. He loved using the family video camera and at only 16 he left school. ‘I just wanted to get out of school and into a job, any job, so that I could start saving money for the next piece of film equipment.’ Without going to film school he has managed to win six Oscars and he has remade King Kong with a $207 million dollar budget.
Benicio Del Toro
Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro came from a family of lawyers. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, too. He went to university to do a degree in business, but before he finished he decided to leave to study acting. But Del Toro doesn’t regret not finishing university. ‘My dad wanted me to go to law school part-time and work on my acting the rest of the time. But I couldn’t do that. I had made up my mind to become an actor.’
A. Read the article. Can you remember who these sentences are about?
1 He often wears dark glasses and a hat in public.
2 He went to university to do a degree in business.
3 He has managed to win six Oscars.
4 Other children laughed at his big ears and long arms.
5 She learned to speak English quickly.
6 She avoids meeting other artists.
B. Answer the questions.
1 Who does Lady Gaga feel shy around?
2 Does Salma Hayek think it’s better to read a script quickly?
3 How did bullying affect Michael Phelps’s career?
4 Did Johnny Depp want to be famous?
5 Why did Peter Jackson leave school young?
6 What did Benicio Del Toro’s father want him to do?
Answer
A
1 Johnny Depp 2 Benicio Del Toro 3 Peter Jackson
4 Michael Phelps 5 Salma Hayek 6 Lady Gaga
B
1 people she doesn’t know
2 no (because people who read fast forget it)
3 It made him stronger.
4 no (he’s done everything he can to avoid it)
5 so he could get a job and save money for film equipment
6 be(come) a lawyer
Exercise 2
WELCOME VISITOR
Janina Jakubowska
TELL US ABOUT YOU …
Hello, everyone. My name’s Janina and I’m doing a psychology degree here in Birmingham. It’s a great course and I’m really enjoying it, although it’s hard work. I’ve just finished my second year, so I’ve got one left – the hardest one!
I was born in Poland, but I came to live in England when I was about eight years old. I speak English and Polish, but I’m better at writing in English than in Polish.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS COURSE?
I’m really looking forward to learning about online courses. They’re completely new to me I think my IT skills are a bit poor so this course might be a good way to improve them.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT STUDYING?
I have a part-time job in a restaurant. I work there one night in the week and all day on Saturday. This means I don’t have a lot of time for myself, but that’s OK. It’s not forever.
Gonzalo Lopez
TELL US ABOUT YOU …
Hi, everyone. I’m Gonzalo and I come from Mexico. Next year, I really want to do a business degree. I’ve already got one in sports science. I did it here in Mexico City, but it was in English and not in Spanish. I’m sure you’ve already guessed that I can speak Spanish as well as English – it’s my first language after all.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS COURSE?
If I pass this online introduction course and an English test, then I’ll get a place on a business degree programme. I’m excited about being in Mexico, but studying with people in the UK! It’s really cool.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT STUDYING?
I work as the manager of a gym, and that’s why I want to do the Business Administration degree. Some day I’d like to own it, or one that is similar. In my free time, I watch sport. I’ll watch any sport and I’ll try anything, but my favourite sport is football. I also have a girlfriend, Claudia. Luckily, she likes football too, so I can watch matches with her!
A. Janina decided to do the online learning introduction course. Read her profile and the profile of another student, Gonzalo. What do Janina and Gonzalo have in common?
B. Read the profiles again. Make notes and complete the table.
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Janina |
Gonzalo |
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degree subjects
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Languages
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reason for doing the online course |
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work / free time
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Answer
A
They both speak two languages. They are both studying in their second languages.
B
Degree subjects: Janina – psychology; Gonzalo – sports science, business
Languages: J – Polish, English; G – Spanish, English
Reason: J – improve IT skills; G – get a place on a business degree programme, own a gym
Work/free time: J – part-time job in restaurant, doesn’t have a lot of time; G – manager of a gym, watch sport, football
Exercise 3
STUDYING IN THE UK
Over 430,000 foreign students from nearly 200 countries study at universities in the UK, with the largest number, over 78,000, coming from China. Only the USA takes more foreign students.
The most popular courses for foreign students are Business Studies and Engineering. Over 130,000 of those students do a degree in Business and more than 50,000 study Engineering in the UK.
A recent report by the British Council (a UK government organisation interested in British education and culture) suggests that over the next ten years an additional 126,000 international students will come to the UK to study. What makes the UK such an attractive place to study?
Li Jing, 19, Hong Kong
I decided to study in Britain because I love reading English novels and I’ve always dreamed about coming here. I applied to five universities in Britain and got a place at Edinburgh to study Medicine. I’m really happy with the course and I’ve met lots of students from all over the world. Edinburgh is a friendly city and I’ve already told my friend who would like to study abroad next year how good it is.
Mushtaq, 20, Pakistan
I studied at a British school in Pakistan and I’ve been to the UK many times. I have family in Manchester so it seemed to be a good choice for me. I’m doing a degree in Law. I have to write a lot of essays. At the end of the year I need to hand in three long essays and also pass my exams. I hope I manage to do everything. Failing the exams means repeating the year. I don’t want to do that!
Andreas, 23, Germany
I wanted to study abroad and because English is the only foreign language I speak I decided to come here. I’m happy I came to England. It’s close to Germany, and the culture and the food are similar. The countryside is beautiful and English people are quite friendly. I’m revising for my final exams in Psychology at the moment. If I pass, I’ll probably stay here and look for a job.
A. Read the text. Complete the sentences with the subjects in the box.
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Business – Law – Medicine – Psychology |
1 More foreign students study …Business… than any other subject.
2 Li Jing is doing a degree in ………………… .
3 Mushtaq is studying ………………… .
4 Andreas is studying ………………… .
B. Read the text again. Tick (✓) the correct answers.
1 The country with the most foreign students studying at its universities is …
a China.
b the UK.
c the USA. ✓
2 According to the British Council, the number of foreign students studying in the UK in ten years’ time will be …
a more than 126,000.
b 430,000.
c more than half a million.
3 Li Jing wanted to come to Britain …
a a long time ago.
b to study English.
c to find a job.
4 Mushtaq decided to come to Britain because …
a he came to school here.
b he knows the country well.
c he wanted to study Law.
5 How does Andreas feel about being in Britain?
a He would like to be somewhere else.
b He would like to stay here longer.
c He prefers the food in Germany.
C. Read the text again and complete the sentences. Write one word in each space.
1 If Mushtaq doesn’t pass his …exams…, he will have to take the year again.
2 Li Jing imagined coming to ………………. for a long time.
3 Andreas came to Britain because he ………………. English.
4 Li Jing has recommended ………………. in Britain to a friend of hers.
5 Andreas will try and find ………………. here if he does well in his final exams.
D. Write a paragraph about your experiences of studying. Remember to include:
• what you’ve studied
• where you’ve studied
• which exams you’ve taken
• what you like and dislike about studying.
Answer
A
2 Medicine 3 Law 4 Psychology
B
2 c 3 a 4 b 5 b
C
2 Britain 3 speaks 4 studying 5 work