Level 8 Performance Task 1 2020-20

Points: ___/40
UniNorte grade: ___/5
Listening and speaking: ___/20 (grading based on the holistic speaking rubric).
Watch the video, and answer the following questions orally using https://vocaroo.com/. Record your answers (answers
should be no longer than two minutes each) and paste the link in the space provided. You should use examples of cultural
theory, grammar, and vocabulary from Level 8 in your answers. Note: you will receive a grade based on the content of the
response, fluency, pronunciation and grammatical accuracy using the rubric shown on Blackboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OEONouL5aU
1. What is the purpose of this video? (5 points)
Vocaroo Link:
https://voca.ro/iOhEjtE0fO5
2. Use the Hofstede model, Lewis model or Iceberg model to compare and contrast the situation in India with that here
in Colombia. (5 points)
Vocaroo Link: https://voca.ro/h2hdHTYxj8B
3. How did the video make you feel, keeping in mind your own quarantine experience? You should try to speak for the
whole two minutes for this question. (10 points)
Vocaroo Link: https://voca.ro/iCPUx8j7C7n
Speaking Rubric
Criteria and standards 5 4 3 2 1

Content: Responding to questions on the written exam Answer directly responds to the question with pertinent details
and information. Responds using cultural theory when asked, showing clear understanding. Excellent delivery (no
hesitation, good pronunciation and intonation). In general, accurate use of grammar and vocabulary. Answer
responds to the question with details. Responds using cultural theory when asked. Good delivery (some minimal
hesitation, in general pronunciation and intonation were good).
Grammar and vocabulary were mostly used correctly with some minor errors. Adequate basic response to the
question, more information was needed. Responds using cultural theory, but perhaps does not show clear
understanding. Delivery was acceptable with hesitation and some problems in pronunciation and intonation. Grammar
and vocabulary were used correctly but errors were more frequent. Response to the question was incomplete, OR
information provided was irrelevant/ inaccurate.
Delivery was affected by long pauses and hesitation. Very poor pronunciation.
Frequently inaccurate use of grammar and vocabulary. Minimal responses.
Reading and Writing: ___/20 points (grading based on holistic writing rubric)
Read the text and answer the following questions in full sentences in the space provided. You should write complete
sentences, using a mixture of grammar taught so far in the level. In your answers, you should use examples of cultural
theory, grammar, and vocabulary from IRE 5. Note: you will receive a grade based on the content of the response,
grammatical accuracy and use of vocabulary using the rubric shown on Blackboard.
UK students’ experiences with education in lockdown
It might seem like a holiday for some, but the school closures, cancelled exams and university shutdowns are causing
problems with many students’ lives. Students from different stages in their education tell how their plans for the future
are being shaped by the crisis.
Sukhdip Nagra
A-level student, Leicester High School for Girls
“Everyone was scared on the last few days of college, with lots of people self-isolating. We were told on Wednesday that
we had two days to say goodbye; it felt rushed. We don’t know what’s going to happen next or when we’ll see each
other.
I was going to put everything into my studies around Easter. In January when you’ve got practice exams, your priority
isn’t revision, and then there’s other deadlines to meet – coursework, personal statements, and university applications.
Teacher attainment grades don’t take that into consideration.
Now I’ve lost the motivation to continue revising as I have lost sight of what I will be working towards. The conflicting
information from teachers, who are also uncertain, has left us students confused.
I fear that all schools will not be held to the same regulations, with some recommending students do essays as evidence
of their grade. This system could disadvantage students with a poor relationship with their teacher. I would prefer
exams to be postponed.”

Andrew Gallagher
First-year journalism student, Ulster University
“Because of the staff strikes and now the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve only had four physical classes in my first year. The
rest have been online. It feels like we’re being left with very little support. We’ve had very few contact hours.
However, we have technically still been ‘taught’ throughout the outbreak. The online teaching has been OK. But I
haven’t had video classes, which most of the other courses do – they’ve just put up PowerPoints and lecture notes for us
that we’ve had to read through. Therefore, you have less of the explanation, and it’s a lot more effort if you’re having
issues with something.
You’ve got to email your lecturer and then wait for a response, whereas in an actual lecture you’d have a response
instantly. We were also learning to use Adobe software, but the university won’t pay for all of us to download it.”
Caitlin Cassel
Final-year philosophy student, University of Reading
“I’m a bit fed up. I’ve spent three years working hard to maintain a good grade and now, with the anxiety of everything
going on, it’s hard to get anything done.
I have a chronic disability, which means I have difficulty going to lectures and other things. It’s funny how they’ve now
put lectures online, which they wouldn’t normally do for disabled students like me, but they can suddenly do it now
everyone’s impacted.
My graduation has been postponed until a later date. A lot of people might not be able to attend theirs now. It feels like
we’ve worked so hard for this big moment, and it’s been taken away. Obviously, you can’t predict a global pandemic,
but it’s tough.
The university has offered deadline extensions and exam retakes, but it doesn’t really work for final-year students. A lot
of us will be starting jobs, internships or master’s programmes.
We’ve asked for a ‘no detriment’ policy because we have no access to materials in the library. This would mean any
work we hand in now doesn’t negatively affect our overall grades if it’s below standard. However, the university said
no. I’ve still got 45% of my final-year assessments to submit. It’s very tough.”

Alice O’Driscoll
Final year Ph.D. student, University of Cambridge
“The archives and libraries that I depend on were understandably shut with very little notice so I grabbed what books I
could. I don’t have all the resources I need to keep working so I’m finding it difficult to continue writing my thesis. So
many of the ‘lightbulb’ moments that have occurred over my studies have been instigated by conversations with other
students with completely different research interests. I’m feeling very anxious. These are not conducive circumstances
for work at the moment, with the amount of worry I’m feeling for my family.

Like a lot of postgraduate students I do part-time work to supplement my income. I had a zero-hours contract, the
flexibility of which really suited me, but now that’s dried up I’m £50 per week worse off.”

1. What is the purpose of this article? You must use the passive voice in your answer. (2 points)

The negative experiences of various students with the virtual classes shown by the text, has the purpose of informing
about the difficulties that many students have with the use of this teaching model.

2. Write 1 to 2 sentences summarising each person’s personal Covid-19 story using full sentences and a mixture of past
tenses (8 points)

a. Sukhdip Nagra:
He felt confused, he had lost the motivation to study because he felt that everything he has to do is very complicated, in
addition to that he considers that the teacher does not take into account the difficulties he has.

b. Andrew Gallagher:
He said that before everything was easier, when he had a question he asked his teacher during class, but in virtual class
they only left him many slides, he did not understand, he sent emails to his teacher to solve his doubts and that was more
complicated.

c. Caitlin Cassel:
He had asked that if he had bad grades these would not affect his average but the university did not accept his request,
he also says that he did not have access to library books and that it is very difficult to do homework or maintain a good
average with virtual classes.

d. Alice O’Driscoll:
He was writing his thesis and for him it is very important to talk to people from other careers to have new ideas for his
thesis, but now he cannot do it and this is very difficult for him, on the other hand he lost his job due to this situation.

3. Write a short paragraph of 5-7 sentences, comparing and contrasting information from the text with your
educational experience in lockdown (10 points)
You must:
● Relate your answer to cultural theory in italics (e.g. According to Hofstede’s individualism dimension, …)
● Use vocabulary from the level in bold (e.g. Colombians exhibit high…)
● Show examples of split phrasal verbs and compare/contrast language underlined. (E.g. In contrast to the Alice
O’Driscall, I have…)

Comparing the text with my experience in virtual classes at the university, Andrew Gallagher says that they only send
him slides and it is very difficult when he has any questions because he always has to send emails to his teacher. In
contrast, my teachers do the classes by means of meet to teach us and if I have any questions they answer it during class.
Sukhdip Nagra is confused with the explanations that his teachers give, there is ambiguity in the information and lack of
information on the part of his university. On the contrary, my university is very organized and the professors always
send us clear information. Caitlin Cassel says that at her university she does not have access to the library to carry out
her work and has to work hard to do it.while my university has a virtual library and I can consult the virtual books