Cuadernillo Cursillos Ingles

Curso Introductorio 2018
English sessions
Traductorado Literario y
Técnico Científico en Inglés
IES “Olga Cossettini”
Traductorado Literario y Técnico-Científico en Inglés
What are the popular assumptions about the work of translators behind this funny
post? Why are they wrong?
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1- You are going to read a magazine article about a volcano in New Zealand, now a
nature reserve, and the experience of the native people in the past when it erupted.
Six sentences have been removed from the article. From the sentences A - G, choose
the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need
to use.
Rangitoto
By Alastair Jamieson
Off-track the ground is menacing. Lava, like angry waves frozen in mid-chop only moments
ago, claws at the soles of my boots and threatens to shred my knees if I place a foot wrong.
The surface is so uneven that progress is extraordinarily difficult. Occasional smooth stone
channels course like petrified streams through the rougher ground, their solid surfaces a
welcome pathway amid teetering plates of broken lava and treacherous bouldery rubble. Out
of the shade of the dense thickets of bush, it's as hot as a furnace. All that black rock
absorbs and radiates enough heat to melt Antarctica. It's as hostile a spot as you could find
anywhere in New Zealand, yet when I turn around, there is downtown Auckland in plain view
just a few kilometers away.
1 _________________ Its
symmetrical cone is a relaxed
cousin of those higher and
steeper volcanoes Taranaki
and Ngauruhoe but Rangitoto
is a truly astonishing
wilderness right on the
doorstep of the city. Landing
on the island, the graceful
sweeping curves seen from a
distance quickly give way to a
magnificent mosaic of the
tortuous lava I've been
scrambling through and
scrubby, impenetrable
Pohutukawa tree and Rangitoto island. By russellstreet
pohutukawa forest.
Of course, it was not always like this. 2 _________________ However, the emergence of
the youngest and largest of the fifty-odd volcanoes in Auckland's volcanic field, was
witnessed by Maori living on adjacent Motutapu Island.
The persistent yelping of dogs might first have awoken them. Soon afterwards there would
have been a thundering roar. The vibration of the sandy ground beneath them would surely
have jolted them from their homes. 3 _________________ A wind shift and the familiar
smells of the camp—wood smoke, the sea, and even the penetrating stench of shark flesh
drying on frames—were soon overpowered by the pungent, suffocating odour of sulphur
dioxide.
Running across the beach and dragging boats into the sea, shoals of dead fish bumped
against their legs as they waded into the cold shallows. 4 _________________ Looking
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behind them, the cataclysm was becoming clearer in the first light of day. Black clouds were
blasting out from the base of a roiling column of steam, flying boulders were arcing white
streamers through the sky and splashing into the sea.
5 _________________ The footprints of a small group of adults and children were found
sandwiched between layers of Rangitoto ash. Markings show where the ground was prodded
with sticks and that one of the dogs with the group paused to drink from a puddle. 6
_________________ Whether these people were foolhardy or brave, lured by curiosity, or a
desire to retrieve their treasured possessions, we'll never know.
A. The familiar form of Rangitoto did not exist for generations of Maori who first inhabited the
surrounding lands.
B. The low black cliffs of Rangitoto are just 1500 m away, the centre of the eruption only 3 km
further.
C. The impressions were so well preserved that the next blanket of ash must have spewed
from Rangitoto soon after they were made.
D. Paddling hard towards safety, the first wet ash began to fall, sticky and abrasive.
E. Outside, the familiar stars above and the scatter of bright campfires along the shore to the
west was hidden by a pall of steam, strobed by lightning and lit by a ferocious fiery glow from
beneath.
F. No landform is more familiar to Aucklanders than Rangitoto Island and yet how many of
them ever go there?
G. Proof exists that in the weeks or months following the onset of the eruption, people came
back to their campsite on Motutapu Island.
2- For questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of
some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.
Not all creatures on the (1) __________ species list are doomed DANGER
to extinction, as the story of the giant panda has shown. Their
whole (2) __________ had been considered to be in jeopardy EXIST
some years ago but now, after becoming the most (3)
__________ symbol of nature conservation, things are looking INFLUENCE
up. Their plight highlights how (4) __________ can impact POPULATE
natural (5) __________ and should serve as a reminder that the DIVERSE
unique habitats of these incredible creatures are simply (6)
__________ . The good news is that whilst there may be an (7) REPLACE
__________ to halt development and growth for the sake of WILLING
nature alone, many people are beginning to understand that
sustainability can aid (8) __________ by bringing economic DEVELOP
benefits, through ecotourism for example, to communities that
are home to pandas. Such an (9) __________ would not only ARRANGE
serve to protect the pandas, but also (10) __________ the lives RICH
of the inhabitants in the local communities.
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3- Discussion
a- Do you think there should be laws to make people do things to help the natural world?
Why/Why not?
b- What is the best way to get young children interested in the environment?
c- Which view is closer to your own?
Today's society is ever more irresponsible and selfish, so the world as we know it is
unlikely to survive.
We are better informed than ever about the harm we do to the planet, so there is real
hope for humanity.
Some useful phrases to express opinions

Let me start by saying… From my point of view,...
The first thing I should say is… I’m of the opinion that …
What’s more, ... To my mind, …
Another argument in favour of / against ........ is ... As I see it, ...
The vast majority of people tend to think that… I’m strongly opposed to ....
It’s also worth bearing in mind that… I think it’s important not to forget that…
I’ve never really thought about that before, but I One benefit/ drawback is that ...
would say…
On the one hand, …., but on the other …. As I was saying …
That’s one way of looking at it. On the other hand … I am inclined to believe that …
I’m (not) absolutely / totally / fully convinced that ... I’d also like to point out that…
I don’t know for certain, but I think ... I forgot to mention …
4- Complete the passage by putting one word in each space.

This exercise relies on your knowledge of several grammar points. Match these to the
corresponding blanks. The same blank may be used for more than one grammar point
Grammar point Blank number
Determiners (articles and pronouns)
Collocations
Conditionals
-ing and to infinitive forms
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Grammar point Blank number
Linking words and phrases
Modals
Passive voice
Prepositions
Tenses
A central feature of
1)________ 12th and 13th
centuries in Europe was the
concern of the great
aristocratic families to
ensure that their landed
estates 2) ________
handed down intact to
future generations. In 3)
______ to prevent their
inheritance from
4)_________divided, it 5)
_____ traditional to insist
that their younger sons 6)_________ remain unmarried. It was usual for the eldest son
7)________ have his bride chosen for him, probably from another related noble family, and if
the wife 8 )________ not 9 )_________in producing the male heir needed to carry on the
line, she 10)___________ be discarded, and another bride would be chosen. 11)________
potentially anarchic situation subsequently arose, 12)________ loveless marriages on 13)
________ side, and rebellious bachelor knights on the other. 14)________ social problem
was brilliantly 15)_________ by the invention of courtly love, in which an unmarried knight
16) ________ swear eternal love, respect and obedience to a married lady. The energies of
younger sons 17)________ thus cleverly channelled into adventurous exploits and chivalrous
deeds, all 18)________ the sake of their noble lady. 19)_________in all, courtly love went a
long way 20)________ palliating the internal contradictions of medieval aristocratic society.
5- For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in
meaning to the original sentence but using the word given. This word must not be
altered in any way.
1. Reading as widely as possible will improve their skills. BE
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. They didn’t have the chance to go abroad last year; they are very sorry. WISH
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………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Thanks to all the money we received we were able to build a new library. IF
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. We had difficulty paying the rent last week. IT
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. I am really sorry I didn’t tell him what I was planning to do. REGRET
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. ‘Don’t go and see that film — it’s awful,’ he said. WARNED
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. ‘It’s your fault that the accident happened’. BLAMED
……………………………………………………………………………………
8. I think we should introduce a little bit of honesty into the debate about tourism. TIME
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. No other person in the world has lived as long as this man. THAN
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. They won’t allow you to go on the activity holiday if you don’t have a doctor’s note to
say you’ve passed the medical. UNLESS
……………………………………………………………………………………
6- Writing. Match the opening and closing paragraphs below. What features do you
notice in each? Can you predict the content of the rest of the paragraphs in each
essay?
First paragraphs
1 When students are having discipline problems at school, I strongly believe that
the parents are to blame. Children who are not well-disciplined at home do not
behave properly at school.
2 As the economic situation of many countries improves, more and more
businesses are expanding, creating new jobs for many people. This has led to an increase in
the number of executive positions in many businesses and thus a surge in the number of
executives. But is an executive career always all that it is made out to be?
3 The sight of a building on fire being left to burn or a robber stealing and getting away with
his crime is enough to scare any honest citizen. Such events would occur frequently if we
were not provided with protection by firemen and policemen, whom we all too often take for
granted.
4 If there is one thing that virtually all the world’s various cultures have in common, it is
marriage. Beliefs, diets and languages vary greatly, but the desire people have to share their
lives with another seems universal. Why then, is marriage so popular?
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Last paragraphs
a- These people provide the community with essential services. In my view, they should be
well paid, even if that means an increase in taxes. Things would be very different if we could
not rely on the protection of the fire and police departments on a daily basis.
b- All in all, marriage continues to be extremely popular in
many societies. Most of us have a need for love and support
and want to have children at some point in our lives. Fully
understanding the reasons why people marry, though, may be
as difficult as understanding the human mind itself.
c- All things considered, despite the fact that executive jobs do offer a lot of advantages in
terms of career and privileges, it is often at the expense of things that can be considered
more important such as family, friends and health. It is up to each individual to decide if the
sacrifice is worthwhile.
d- In conclusion, the best solution to the problem is to inform parents about the situation and
offer them suggestions on disciplining their children at home. Thus, the child's behaviour will
eventually improve at school as well.
7- Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.
Use up to five words including the word you are given. Do not change this word.
1) `Do we have to get up early? ´ I asked the landlord. EXPECTED
I asked the landlord ………………..…………………………. get up early.
2) Susan warned John of the big stone on the road. IF
John would have tripped over the stone………………..……………………him
3) The woman moved closer to the window to read the document. THAT
The woman moved closer to the window ………………..…………………………. the
document.
4) Driving on the left will always feel strange to me. USED
I don’t think I will ever ………………..…………………………. on the left.
5) Although it looks easy, that dance is actually quite difficult. NOT
That dance is ………………..…………………………. looks.
6) Take my phone number as you may have further questions. CASE
Take my phone number ………………..…………………………. further questions.
7) Critics and the general public have subjected the Mona Lisa to all kinds of interpretations.
BEEN
The Mona Lisa............................all kinds of interpretations by critics and the general public.
8) They asked me if I preferred to see a thriller. RATHER
I was asked to say ………………..…………………………. a thriller.
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9) My car will need a service before I travel. HAVE

I..............................................................................before I travel.
10) Why don’t you take the dog on his daily walks?, Eric said. SUGGESTED
Eric suggested .............................................................................. the dog on his daily walks
8.1- Read the following passage

............................................
Gender selection – the choosing of a baby’s gender prior to birth – occurs in many parts of
the world. In China and India, for example, a baby’s gender is considered to be of vital
importance to the family, and male babies are often preferred over females for cultural
reasons. In western countries as well, there are many reasons why a family might want to
choose a baby’s sex. Often parents wish to have a mix of both boys and girls in the family.
There are also health reasons for gender selection: many diseases affect children of only
one sex and a family that is susceptible to these diseases may wish to choose a baby’s
gender to avoid having an affected child.
This demand for gender choice for parents has led scientists worldwide to investigate gender
selection prior to conception. Conventional wisdom states that the father’s sperm is the main
determinant of the child’s gender, but recent research has begun to reveal a number of other
possible factors.
Elissa Cameron’s 2007 research at the African University of Pretoria investigated the effects
of diet on sex rations at birth. In one experiment, she changed the blood sugar level of
female mice prior to conception by putting a chemical in the animals’ water. Mice that
received the additive saw their blood sugar levels fall from 6.47 to 5.24 millimols/litre. A
separate control group of mice received pure water, without the additive. After a few days,
the two groups of mice were allowed to mate. In the control group, 41% of the mice were
born female, as compared to 47% in the group that received the additive – a disparity that Dr
Cameron ascribed to the differences in the mothers’ blood sugar levels.
Interestingly, the idea that blood sugar levels affect a baby’s sex follows traditional wisdom. It
has long been believed that mothers should eat more red meat and salty foods – which raise
blood sugar for a long period – if they want to have a boy; they are advised to eat chocolates
and sweets – which raise blood sugar levels for a short time only – if they want a girl.
Another researcher in this field, Fiona Matthews of the University of Exeter, England, has
come up with further evidence in support of the effect of diet on the sex of the unborn child.
Her study followed 740 pregnant women who kept detailed records of their diets before
conception. Her study found that mothers who consumed high-energy foods prior to
conception were slightly more likely to have boys. The food with the greatest effect seemed
to be breakfast cereals, which tend to be high in energy and often high in sodium content as
well. Among women eating cereals on a daily basis, 59% had boys, compared with 43% of
women who ate less than one bowl of breakfast cereal per week. These results are said to
echo those seen in other animals, for example horses and cows, which statistically bear
more males when well-fed.
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The eating habits of women in rich western countries could explain the slight fall in male
births that has been reported over the past several years. In the UK, male births are falling by
1 per 1,000 births per year. This could be ascribed to the decline in the number of adults and
adolescent girls eating breakfast on a regular basis. In addition, the popularity of low-calorie
diets for females of child-bearing age could also be a factor contributing to the reduction in
male births.
The recent decline in male births in western countries appears to make sense if one looks at
it from an evolutionary standpoint. Historically, more boys tend to be born in times of food
plenty, while females tend to be born in times of scarcity. One explanation is that when food
is scarce, it is better for the survival of the species for female children to be born – as one
male can father offspring by many females. Lower-calorie diets among western women could
be biologically echoing the effects of scarcity – hence, the decline in male births.
So what can we conclude from this complicated picture? If you would like to have a son, it
might be a good idea to eat breakfast that includes cereal. On the other hand, if you would
prefer to give birth to a daughter, then cut out breakfast and continue a weight reduction diet
at least until after conception.
8.2- Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1 Mothers in India eat cereals for breakfast so that they will have male babies
2 New drugs have been developed that allow parents to choose the sex of their child.
3 People used to think that the father was responsible for the sex of the baby.
4 Elissa Cameron used both humans and mice in her research.
5 The majority of research on gender selection is happening in Europe.
6 People in the United Kingdom often do not eat breakfast.
7 Some people think that drinking tea has an effect on the sex of a baby.
8 High-calorie diets have been shown to increase the likelihood of female births.
8.3- Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-K, below.
9 Elissa Cameron
10 In western countries, gender selection
11 Fiona Matthews
12 Evolution seems to support
13 Eating breakfast cereal on a daily basis.
A artificially decreased the blood sugar levels of mice.

B is often based on cultural preferences.
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C asked patients to write down everything that they ate and when they ate it.
D the influence of food scarcity upon sex rations at birth.
E that adding sodium to food affects the sex of a baby.
F is an American scientist.
G sometimes occurs for health scientist.
H an equal balance between male and female children.
I conducted research on horses and cows.
J is more common in the UK than in other western countries.
K seems to increase the likelihood of male births.
8.4- Which of the following is most suitable title for the passage? Choose the correct
letter, A, B, C, D or E.
A Eating cereal is Good for Pregnant Women
B Research Says Mice Make Better Mothers
C Diet May Influence the Sex of Your Baby
D Asian Research Influences Western Medicine
E Gender Selection Research Sparks Scientific Debate
9- Read the essay below, in which some sentences have been removed. Identify topic
sentences and organizational devices. Choose from the sentences a-i below the best
options to complete the blanks: consider coherence and cohesion.
Should mothers go out to work?
Women's position in society has changed dramatically in recent years.
(1)…………….. However, should those women who do have a family
give up their career in order to stay at home and look after their
children, or not?
(2)…………….. Some people believe that this can only come from the
mother and that outside help is detrimental to the children.
(3)…………….. (4)…………….. Women who have worked hard to build
themselves a career are understandably reluctant to give it up.
(5)…………….. The cost of living is high and people now expect a
comfortable home with all mod cons, foreign holidays each year,
fashionable clothes and so on, all of which cost money. Very often, one salary is insufficient
to meet the needs of a family's members. (6)……………..
In conclusion, I believe that the decision about whether a woman stays at home to raise her
children or goes out to work is one that should be made by each family individually.
Everyone's situation is different and such a wide variety of factors must be considered that it
is impossible to come up with one rule for all.
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a. More importantly, it is not every woman's dream to stay at home with her
children.
b. Nowadays women are able to go to university, pursue a career and delay
marriage and motherhood indefinitely if they choose.
c. Other areas such as medicine and communications have witnessed
remarkable improvements as well.
d. As a result, the woman is obliged to work in order to contribute financially to
the family.
e. Yet there is good quality childcare available, although it is often expensive.
f. Moreover, there is good quality childcare available, and it is often expensive.
g. Factors other than what a woman wants also play a role in deciding whether
or not a woman goes out to work.
h. It is often heard that happy mothers make happy children.
i. One argument put forward as to why women should stay at home and care
for their children is that children need stability in their lives.
10- Discussion
Individually, take a couple of minutes to complete these statements
"Being female means …………...….…"
"Being male means………………….…"
E.g. "Being female means never being taken seriously when discussing sports."
In groups of four compare your answers. Do you think the statements are true or are
they stereotypes? Can you think of examples in the media related to them?
11.1- Read the following definitions from the Longman Online Dictionary of
Contemporary English
ca - reer [noun countable]
a job or profession that you have been trained for, and which you do for a long period of
your life
He realized that his acting career was over.
a physiotherapist who wanted to make a dramatic career change by becoming an
author
career in the period of time in your life that you spend doing a particular activity:
a career in journalism
She had not had a very impressive school career up till then.
Beating the defending champion has to be the highlight of my career.
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de - gree 5 [ noun countable] a course of study at a university or college, or the

qualification that is given to you when you have successfully completed the course
degree in a degree in Economics
Applicants must have a degree in Engineering.
Check the differences between these words: job, work, post, position, occupation,
profession, career at https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/job#job__19
Check the collocations for degree at https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/degree
11.2- Read the following text:
STARTING OUT ON YOUR CAREER

Are you a graduate trying to plan out the best career path for yourself? We’ve asked five
career consultants to give some tips on how to go about it.
Consultant A
A university degree is no guarantee of a job, and job hunting in itself requires a whole set
of skills. If you find you are not getting past the first interview, ask yourself what is happening.
Is it a failure to communicate or are there some skills you lack? Once you see patterns
emerging it will help you decide whether the gaps you have identified can be filled relatively
easily. If you cannot work out what the mismatch is, get back to the selection panel with more
probing questions, and find out what you need to do to bring yourself up to the level of
qualification that would make you more attractive to them: but be careful to make this sound
like a genuine request rather than a challenge or complaint.
Consultant B
Do not be too dispirited if you are turned down for a job, but think about the reasons the
employers give. They often say it is because others are ‘better qualified’, but they use the
term loosely. Those who made the second interview might have been studying the same
subject as you and be of similar ability level, but they had something which made them a
closer match to the selector’s ideal. That could be experience gained through projects or
vacation work, or it might be that they were better at communicating what they could offer.
Do not take the comments at face value: think back to the interviews that generated them
and make a list of where you think the shortfall in your performance lies. With this sort of
analytical approach you will eventually get your foot in the door.
Consultant C
Deciding how long you should stay in your first job is a tough call. Stay too long and future
employers may question your drive and ambition. Of course, it depends where you are
aiming. There can be advantages in moving sideways rather than up, if you want to gain real
depth of knowledge. If you are a graduate, spending five or six years in the same job is not
too long provided that you take full advantage of the experience. However, do not use this as
an excuse for apathy. Graduates sometimes fail to take ownership of their careers and take
the initiative. It is up to you to make the most of what’s available within a company, and to
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monitor your progress in case you need to move on. This applies particularly if you are still
not sure where your career path lies.
Consultant D
It is helpful to think through what kind of experience you need to get your dream job and it
is not a problem to move around to a certain extent. But in the early stages of your career
you need a definite strategy for reaching your goal, so think about that carefully before
deciding to move on from your first job. You must cultivate patience to master any role. There
is no guarantee that you will get adequate training, and research has shown that if you do not
receive proper help in a new role, it can take 18 months to master it.
Consultant E
A prospective employer does not want to see that you have changed jobs every six
months with no thread running between them. You need to be able to demonstrate the
quality of your experience to a future employer, and too many moves too quickly can be a
bad thing. In any company it takes three to six months for a new employee to get up to speed
with the structure and the culture of the company. From the company’s perspective, they will
not receive any return on the investment in your salary until you have been there for 18
months. This is when they begin to get most value from you – you are still fired up and
enthusiastic. If you leave after six months it has not been a good investment – and may
make other employers wary.
11.3- Multiple Matching
Which consultant makes the following statements? Choose the correct option A, B,
C, D or E.
1) Keep your final objective in mind when you are planning to change
jobs.
2) It takes time to become familiar with the characteristics of a company

you have joined.
3) You should demonstrate determination to improve your job prospects.
4) Make sure your approach for information is positive in tone.
5) It is not certain that you will be given very much support in your job
initially.
6) Stay optimistic in spite of setbacks.
7) Promotion isn’t the only way to increase your expertise.
8) Ask for information about your shortcomings.
9) Some information you are given may not give a complete picture.
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Which consultant makes the following statements? Choose the correct option A, B,
C, D or E.
10) It will be some time before you start giving your employers their
money’s worth.
11.4- Watch these videos: Choosing a degree

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lZfWk8ISTs and Advice for Choosing a Career
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPwFj3jecR0 . How relevant is the advice given to our
own education system ? What are the obvious differences?
12.1- Read the following text:
FINDING THE REAL YOU

Psychometric testing for recruitment – assessing personality traits as an indicator of
performance in a certain role – has mushroomed as studies show their results to be three
times more accurate in predicting your performance than all your previous work experience
combined. These tests are now included in virtually all graduate recruitment and in the
selection of more than 50 per cent of managers. Similar tests may be used in future as part
of university applications, dating agencies swear by them, and they have been used to match
pets to owners. Meanwhile online personality tests make the Top 3 on Internet hits. We’re
living in the age of the personality test. So does your personality meet the grade? Would you
rather have a strong will or strong emotions? And if you had to choose between being
shipwrecked or lost in a jungle, which would you prefer?
For the purposes of research, I decided to try out one of these tests. At one particular site I
was informed of my career personality and the number one job that matches it statically. This
is a key part of the appeal of online tests: the premise that there is a perfect job, a perfect
mate, and a perfect you, and all you have to do is unlock your subconscious inner self and
they will materialise. These tests are also the perfect self–discovery vehicle for our alienated
hi–tech age: intimate but anonymous. It is incredibly compulsive; when you get hooked on a
test, you’re there for hours. And there is no aspect of life too mundane of too frivolous to test
for. After 40 minutes of diligently recording my reaction to a series of ink blots (Is the mood of
the picture sad, nostalgic, happy, violent or neutral? Can you find the chicken in this picture?
Can you find your wife’s / husband’s mother?) I discovered I am mainly motivated by peace. I
might have been more convinced about this if I hadn’t just had a blazing row with my partner
(my fault entirely).
If the tests were only amusing it wouldn’t account for their massive popularity. In fact, a large
number are decidedly unfunny, and seduce with promises of genuine insight. This is true of
the most popular personality test in the world: The Myers– Briggs Type Indicator, which
spans the gulf between the cult of personality testing and its science. Widely used in
corporations around the world, it is based on the theory that we are born with a
predisposition to one personality type which stays more or less fixed throughout life. You
answer 88 questions and are then given your “type”: Introvert or Extrovert, Thinking or
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Feeling, Sensing or Intuitive, and Judging or Perceiving. If you’re Introverted, Intuitive,

Feeling and Perceptive, you’ll probably find it harder to do work where you’re required to
entertain, or persuade lots of people, such as a job in sales or public relations.
Critics of testing mutter darkly about the “social engineering” aspect of personality tests,
which often seem to be looking for the same kind of person. Dr. Colin Gill, a psychologist
specialising in personality testing, agrees that ‘too many organisations always want people
with the same traits: extrovert, agreeable, conscientious and open to new experiences’. But,
he warns, these ‘popular’ personality traits have their downside. ‘An extreme extrovert tends
to be a selfish ‘get on’ type, who may walk over others. Overtly conscientious people are
prone to burn out and people who are extremely open to new experience can be butterflies,
going from one big idea to the next without mastering any of them. All the same, the
psychometric test is here to stay – which may be why a whole sub–industry on cheating
personality tests has sprung up. ‘It’s possible to cheat’, admits expert David Bartram, ‘but
what’s the point? Why try to pretend you’re an ambitious extrovert if you’re more thoughtful
introvert? Having to fake the person you are at work will be exhausting and miserable and
probably short–lived’.
Our obsession with personality now invades every aspect of our lives. If you ask an expert
for advice on your wardrobe or the sort of diet you should go on, you’ll probably be quizzed
out about your personality. But it isn’t all self–centred navel gazing. If personality tests have
any value to us (rather than to employers) perhaps it is this: to disabuse us of the illusion that
all of us are full of potential, and remind us of what we are. If that happens to be an
averagely ambitious introvert with controlling tendencies (as my test result showed), then so
be it. As they say in one test when they ask for your age: pick the one you are, not the one
you wish you were.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MyersBriggsTypes.png
15
12.2- Choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) to questions 1 – 5, and say why the
other options are wrong.
1- What reason is given in the first paragraph for the increased use of personality
testing?
a- It is used by 50 % of managers.
b- It has been accepted by educational body.
c- Research has justified its use.
d- The tests are now available on the Internet.
2- What does the writer imply about the test she tries out herself?
a- It didn’t come up with the right result.
b- It was psychologically challenging.
c- It was a tedious way to spend her time.
d- It was too personal for her liking.
3- The Myers – Briggs Type Indicator is based on the belief that
a- Character traits are largely inherited.
b- Certain personality traits are universal.
c- Character is largely decided from birth.
d- Some personality types are better than others.
4- What is the problem with personality tests, according to Dr Gill?
a- They can have negative effect on takers.
b- People can easily lie about their true abilities.
c- The results could be counter – productive for employers.
d- Employers often find their results to be unreliable.
5- What final conclusion does the writer reach about the value of personality tests?
a- They are not really worth doing.
b- They may encounter realism.
c- They are of doubtful value to employers.
d- They can strengthen our self- image.
12.3- Match a – f with meanings 1 – 6, using the text to help you.

a- indicator 1- argument
b- spring up 2- disadvantage
c- row 3- sign
d- insight 4- suddenly appear or start to exist
e- downside 5- grow and develop very quickly
f- mushroom 6- understanding
16
12.4- Underline all the personality adjectives in the text. Which ones would you use to
describe yourself?
13.1- Match these qualities with the professions listed below. Some qualities can be
used more than once. Then make sentences as in the example.
patient, alert, skilful, open-minded, dedicated, organised, approachable, understanding,
calm, imaginative, logical, creative, knowledgeable, kind, confident, able to cope in a crisis,
good communication skills, able to work under pressure, sense of humour, polite,
conscientious, tolerant, ambitious, generous, mature, polite, cheerful, reliable, honest,
professional, determined, tactful, good-natured, thick-skinned, easy-going, hard-working,
teacher doctor waitress

chef reporter computer programmer
e.g. A teacher has to be patient because children need time to learn certain things.
What about a translator?
13.2- For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end
of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.
My ideal work environment
I believe a work culture that matches employees' (0) personalities PERSON
is vital for workers' job (1) _________ as well as for a company's SATISFY
business success. My ideal work environment is creative, fun and
relaxed. At work, I always feel (2) _________ and there is a APPRECIATE
spirit of teamwork and positive energy. I respect my boss for his or her
qualities of (3) _________ integrity and friendly positive nature. LEADER
I know I can make a real (4)_________ by using my unique talents CONTRIBUTE
and skills in order to make a difference in a company which is focused
on achieving clearly defined (5) _________ . My team and the OBJECT
17
company work together to introduce (6) _________ innovations. TECHNOLOGY

Within the company, each member of the (7) _________ is given WORK
the chance to learn and develop new skills to help the company
achieve its goals. I look forward to coming to work every day because
I am an (8) _________ part of an organisation whose work I believe ESSENCE
in. I face new opportunities and challenges every day.
13.3- Read the following reference letter and choose the correct options. Underline the
qualities and skills mentioned.
Mark Simmonds was an asset to this company and I must say I was sorry to see him go.
(Although/ However) he was with us for only two years, he rose to the position of
supervising manager.
He was a dedicated (also/ as well as) enthusiastic employee, full of creative ideas. (But/ In
spite of the fact that) he tended to be overbearing at times, he was well respected by his
colleagues for his genuine leadership abilities. (In addition/Too), he made a number of
invaluable suggestions which have greatly benefited the company. He did not hesitate to
use his own initiative and displayed excellent judgement.
(Therefore/ On the whole), Mr Simmonds is a hard-working, conscientious employee whom
I consider reliable and trustworthy. Therefore, I have no hesitation in recommending him as
a candidate for any position he might apply for.
Yours sincerely,
Howard Milton
13.4- Writing: Using the ideas and vocabulary in the exercises above write 4 sentences
from the reference letter you would like to receive after leaving your first job.
18
14.1- Writing: Look at the following topics for writing. Which of the ideas mentioned
below would you include in each essay? Can you suggest one more idea for each
topic?
Topics
A. Which is more important to young people – being admired or having lots of time to
do things that they like doing?
B. Some people say being worried what other people think about you mainly has a
bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree?
C. Is it better to teach students to follow their own hearts or to try to live up to their
parents’ expectations?
D. Some people say that having something to really concentrate on is the best way to
achieve happiness. Do you agree?
E. Should governments aim for people’s happiness rather than for economic
growth?
Ideas
1. behaviour 6. the role of schools in students’
2. happiness lives
3. leisure 7. their future lives
4. measuring happiness 8. their stage of life
5. modern society 9. what makes people happy
10. work
14.2- Consider the opening and closing paragraphs of this composition. What ideas
would you include in the development? How would you organise them?
Some people believe that money is the most important thing in life. Do you agree?
Many years ago, if you wanted something from someone, you usually had to have something
to give that person in exchange. For example, if you needed a horse, you might exchange it
for a cow. If you had nothing to exchange, you would have found it difficult to survive.
....................................................................................................................................................
In conclusion, it is true that money plays a major role in our lives, but we must look beyond it
for the really important things.
14.3- Order these ideas and organise them into two paragraphs to make up the body of
the composition above. What elements helped you to choose?
a. However, I would argue that friends and family are more important .
b. However, not much else has changed.
c. lt would seem, therefore, that money is the most important thing in our lives.
d. Nowadays, we offer money instead.
e. These people give us the things that money cannot buy: love, companionship,
friendship and support.
f. We become cut off from society, and our lives become terribly hard.
19
g. We cannot eat, we cannot pay for somewhere to live and we cannot afford
clothes.
h. With friends and family you know that you will never starve or end up homeless.
i. Without money, we cannot survive.
15- Discussion: In pairs, discuss these questions for about 5 minutes. Make sure you
give plenty of arguments for your views.
What challenges do young people face today that previous generations did
not have to confront? Which do you think is the most frequent source of
conflict with parents?
Free time - Career choices - Relationships – Fashion - Communication
16- Read the following text. Don’t worry about the blanks for the time being.
16.1- For paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 match these expressions from the text with their
definitions.
1 have a wealth of a find it impossible to make progress

2 perform a balancing act b deal with different demands at the same time
3 be at loggerheads c provide a connection
4 bridge a gap d be unable to agree
5 be up against a brick wall e have a lot of
16.2- For paragraphs 4 and 5, say which of these verbs share similar meanings.
appease appreciate doubt erode
impart inform instil question
recognise soothe teach weaken
Eg: appease – soothe
The role of grandparents in children's upbringing

The word grandparents is descriptive 1) ______ the unique dual parenting role 2) ______
this generation assume. It emphasises 3) ______ vital part they play in family life. With a
wealth of old world experience behind 4) ______, and with the unique ability to
metamorphose 5) ______ advisers or mediators into listeners or friends, they 6) ______ offer
support and stability in an ever-changing world.
The underlying sense of responsibility that goes 7) ______ this is tremendous. Grandparents
perform a balancing act 8) ______ the needs of their adult children and 9) ______ of their
20
grandchildren. This role is varied. It is imperial 10) ______ times, muted at others. It goes
underground 11) ______ required, but it is solid and absolutely dependable.
Grandparents often bridge the gap between parents
and 12) ______ children. Rebellious, independent
children who 13) ______ trying to find their feet are
almost always at loggerheads with their parents. The
role of grandparents 14) ______ be very important 15)
______ they act as impartial judges and are 16) ______
to convey this feeling to both parties. Grandchildren
prefer to listen to their grandparents rather 17) ______
their parents, 18) ______ often find themselves up
against a brick wall.
One important thing, 19) ______ seems to be missing in the lives of children today, 20)
______ a sense of family, values, beliefs and principles. This is 21) ______ the grandparents
step in. However, instilling beliefs and values is not 22) ______ easy as it was fifty or sixty
years ago. Then, no questions 23) ______ asked and 24) ______ was an implicit sense of
trust. With changing times and changing outlooks, children have started 25) ______
question the validity of everything around them. Globalisation 26) ______ eroded their
sense of belonging and weakened identification 27) ______ their roots.
Science and technology force them to doubt 28) ______ traditional belief. Parents, 29)
______ have so many demands 30) ______ their time, are perhaps not in the best position
to instil traditional values in their offspring. Children are very demanding and grandparents,
without appearing to 31) ______ pushy, have 32) ______ the time and the experience to
deal with tantrums. They can appease, soothe and impart values 33) ______ tremendous
ease. Our culture is rich and varied, but how many children recognise this? Grandparents
can teach children to appreciate cultural traditions and inform 34) ______ moral
development.
16.3- Now fill in the blanks using only one word. You may need to use the same word
more than once.
16.4- Consider these classifications. What views do they imply? Can you think of other
options?
Types of family
traditional family, unconventional family, nuclear family,
extended family, blended family, single parent family, international family,
single sex family, close knit family
Roles in the family:

homemaker, housewife, the heart of the family, househusband, breadwinner, stay at
home mum/ dad, provider, leader, wears the trousers, rules the roost,
father figure, role model, the black sheep, the apple of sb’s eye
21
16.5- Which of these proverbs best represents your beliefs about families?
a. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
b. Blood is thicker than water.
c. You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family
16.6- To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Explain why. Try to
use vocabulary and ideas from the text and exercises above.
a. Parents should lead by example.
b. There’s a black sheep in every family.
c. Your family is your social safety net.
d. The disintegration of the traditional family has led to many social problems.
e. Bad behaviour in schools is being fuelled by 'overindulgent' parents who don't
know how to say no to their children.
17- Read the text below and think of the word which best fits in each space. Write only
one word.
Through the centuries, people have continued to develop faster
and 0) ...more... efficient ways of communicating. These various
methods have developed to the 1) .............. that we can
communicate with people anywhere in the world at the 2) ..............
of a button.
In the past, fires or beacons lit on hilltops 3) .............. used to
warn or signal to others. Pigeons, which can 4) ..............
depended on to return to their place of origin, were trained to carry
messages, and human messengers, 5) .............. on foot or on
horseback, allowed people to 6) .............. in touch with loved ones - or enemies - 7) ..............
were far away. Surprisingly, one of the most reliable 8) .............. of communication is also
one of the oldest. The postal system, which has existed 9) .............. the 7th century B.C.,
was originally a Chinese creation based 10) .............. a system of messengers and
couriers. As travel and commerce expanded, so 11) .............. the postal system, and
advances in transport and technology, 12) .............. as the telegraph and aeroplanes, were
utilised.
In the 20th century, the rate of development increased dramatically, especially with the
introduction of the telephone. This not 13) .............. enabled us to speak to each 14)
.............. in our houses or offices, but also led to the development of a new generation of
communication technology which allows us to communicate instantly, 15) .............. we may
be.
22
18.1- These are some of the most known arguments against the misuse or abuse of
digital devices, Internet or social networking sites nowadays. Read them and give your
own arguments in order to stand up for their advantages. Can you think of other
counterarguments?
NB: filled with bruises
18.2- Watch the video Half of All Teenagers Are Addicted to Their Smartphones,
Survey Finds, available from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/half-all-
teenagers-are-addicted-their-smartphones-survey-finds-n566811. How would you answer
the survey?
18.3- Read the start of an article about technology and general knowledge:
One day last year a middle-aged man asked a taxi to take him to see Chelsea
play Arsenal at football. He told the driver “Stamford Bridge”, the name of
Chelsea’s stadium, but he delivered him instead to the village of Stamford Bridge
in Yorkshire, nearly 150 miles in the opposite direction. Of course, he missed the
match.
a- Why do you think the mistake happened?

b- Whose fault do you think it was?
c What point is the writer making? What do you think he will go on to say? Read the
next part to check.
What had happened? The man in this story had handed over responsibility for
knowing geography to a machine. With the Sat-Nav system in place, he felt that he
did not need to know where he was going. That was the machine’s job. He
confidently outsourced the job of knowing this information, or of finding it out, to that
little computer on the dashboard ... Is that what the future holds for us? Using an
Internet search engine (once you have keyed the words in) takes a broadband user
less than a second, and the process will only get quicker. And soon with our
smartphones at hand, almost all of us will be online almost all of the time.
23
The same could be true of university education. Today, the average student seems
not to value general knowledge. If asked a factual question, they will usually click on
a search engine without a second thought. Actually knowing the fact and committing
it to memory does not seem to be an issue, it’s the ease with which we can look it
up.
However, general knowledge has never been something that you acquire formally.
Instead, we pick it up from all sorts of sources as we go along, often absorbing facts
without realising. The question remains, then: is the Internet threatening general
knowledge? When I put that to Moira Jones, expert in designing IQ tests, she
referred me to the story of the Egyptian god Thoth. I looked it up. It was told by Plato
2,400 years ago. It goes like this: Thoth invents writing and proudly offers it as a gift
to the king of Egypt, declaring it an ‘elixir of memory and wisdom’ . But the king is
horrified, and tells him: “This invention will induce forgetfulness in the souls of those
who have learned it, because they will not need to exercise their memories, being
able to rely on what is written. Writing is not a remedy for memory, but for reminding
them of what they have discovered.”
Who wants to be a millionaire finalist David Swift, responding to the same question,
recognises that there was a problem of young people saying: “ I don’t need to know
that”, but he is far more excited about the educational potential of the Internet.
“There is so much more info out there, giving people far more opportunities to boost
their general knowledge.”
d- What does the writer emphasise about obtaining information using new
technology?
e- What do you understand 'general knowledge' to mean here?
f- What are the parallels between technology and writing in the story of Thoth?
g- What is the difference between Jones's opinions and Swift's?
h- How do you think the writer will conclude the article? Do you think he will agree that
general knowledge is now dead?
18.4- Read the final paragraph. Are you surprised by the ending? Why?
Fools will always be here. And their foolishness will always make the news
headlines. But on the other hand, there will always be teachers and parents who
see the real value in possessing and sharing knowledge. The Internet, however,
changes everything. We can’t help but use it to check what's happening (or has
happened) in the world.
Schools are probably right to encourage young people to use the Internet to find
out about the world. It may be right that such a tool will just help us to forget more
and more. But at the same time, the continuing popularity of quizzes and game-
shows shows us that general knowledge – shared knowledge among a mass of
people all part of the same culture and time – is strong enough to remain.
24
18.5- Which is the best title for the text? Why?

A- The unreliability of the Sat Nav
B- The end of general knowledge?
C- The relevance of Egyptian myths
Sat Nav (satellite navigation)
18.6- In pairs, discuss these questions for about 5 minutes. Make sure you give plenty
of arguments for your views.
How have these aspects of our lives been affected by recent developments
in technology? Which has benefited most from these developments?
education - communication - transport - food and drink - entertainment
19- Read the text below and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only one
word in each gap.
My work ethic
Working to support myself at university, on reflection, improved my chances for life (1)
__________ graduation. I’ve never been one to avoid work and have already crammed as
(2) __________ into each day as I could. I guess I’ve always been someone (3) __________
takes things in their stride and snapped up any opportunity that has come my way. Looking
back, I feel a great (4) __________ of self-respect for getting myself through my studies
without incurring any debts but I’ll admit it wasn’t always plain sailing. The reality that I
needed to improve my time management only really occurred (5) __________ me, for
example, after I scraped through my first year exams. Ultimately, though, I think personality
has (6) __________ a huge role in my success. I’ve always been the kind of person to take
pleasure (7) __________ whatever I do, whether it’s for work or play. Sometimes people
have been surprised (8) __________ my ability to manage my time so effectively and have
also asked (9) __________ I get my energy from. I think most of it I (10) __________ have
inherited from my parents. Their work ethic and attitude towards life have, I feel, had a great
impact (11) __________ me and steered me down the path I’ve since taken. When they first
emigrated here, they had nothing but now they’re the proud owners of a successful
restaurant downtown. They’ve always taken great (12) __________ in what they do and
have taught me always to (13) __________ the best of things. They also taught me never to
take no (14) __________ an answer – which is something, I think, that has opened far more
doors than I will ever fully appreciate.
25
20.1- Compare the two advertisements below. What are the similarities and
differences? How effective are they?
http://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/the-best-40-beer-print-advertisements/attachment/Mariachi-shot-the-party/
https://www.adsoftheworld.com/media/print/madd_last_round
26
20.2- Read the following text and do the exercises that follow.
How Advertising Manipulates Your Choices and Spending Habits

Advertisements aren't inherently bad, but many use manipulative tactics that influence
in ways we don't even realize. Despite how much you think you ignore them, and how
little you may believe they affect you, that is not necessarily the case.
You see ads every day, whether it's on a web page, before a movie, or in the middle
of a TV show, and it's easy to say "they're just ads" because, at worst, they feel like a
nuisance or interruption. A lot of people have difficulty accepting the idea that ads are
manipulative because we want to believe we're in complete control of our choices.
While the concept of advertising isn't inherently problematic, we've moved on from the
"Eat at Joe's" sign to far more complex and sometimes even moving, cinematic
messages that are designed to create significant memories of a product. These
memories are created because an ad succeeds at making us feel something –
whether it's good or bad – and that emotional response can have a profound effect on
how we think and the choices we make. Advertising exists because there's a product
a company wants to sell and they want people to know about it so they can buy it.
This much is obvious. Sometimes that product is a cleaning spray or a microwave
oven, but often it's yet another article of clothing, a gadget, another meal out, or
something else you don't necessarily need. These advertisements aren't for the
average person with a small amount of spending cash, but rather they're for the rich.
Rich people don't make up a large portion of any population, but they're the ones with
money to spend. They can see an ad, decide they want a product, go buy it, and it
has very little effect on their wallet. The problem is that we all see the same
advertising but can't necessarily afford the purchases. We all want the lifestyle of the
rich, as we see it depicted in television, film, and commercials.
We're not so blind that we believe our studio apartments are servant-filled mansions,
but we see people in similar situations on television who live in a way we couldn't
afford. Take the show Friends, for example. Rachel and Monica shared a gigantic
apartment in Manhattan despite Rachel working, for some time, as a waitress and
Monica as a chef. Collectively they enjoyed a lifestyle they couldn't afford. This is one
example of many in which you'll find TV characters living outside their means with no
consequences. Entertainment shows us average people living a better lifestyle than
they can afford without many monetary concerns. And then we're shown
advertisements, compelling us to buy the lifestyle depicted in our favorite shows.
According to David M. Carter, a financial analyst and graduate of the master of
applied positive psychology program, this is called referencing:
We reference, either intentionally or otherwise, to lifestyles represented to us (in the
media or in real life) that we find attractive. We create a vision of ourselves living this
idealized lifestyle, and then behave in ways that help us to realize the vision. The
problem with this process is that the lifestyles most often portrayed, and ultimately
referenced, are well beyond the means of all but a very small percentage of Americans.
We've borrowed a lot. According to American Consumer Credit Counseling, we carry
over $680 billion dollars in revolving credit and over 1.7 trillion dollars in total debt.
That comes out to about an $10,700 per household with only about half of individual
27
credit card holders paying their balance in full each month. This is bad by itself, but
factoring in high interest rates and the inability to afford more than the monthly
payment – while the desire to spend doesn't decrease at all, this turns out to be a
huge problem. It's particularly hard to get rid of debt when the desire to spend doesn't
go away. It's always there because we are constantly receiving messages to want
more and more things that we can't afford. There are all kinds of ads, but in general
they all aim to keep you from thinking and, instead, make your buying choices based
on an emotional response.
Advertising exists to tell you about a product, which can be as simple as "Brand X
soap cleans your dishes" or "Restaurant Y serves food." Of course, when there's
competition in the market the ads you see need to be a little more descriptive in order
to set products apart. For example, a restaurant may serve a reasonably tasty,
unhealthy hamburger in under a minute, but why would you choose theirs over
another? Because they said so. Basically, if you're not prepared to think – and you
often are not when you're watching television or reading a magazine – you'll pretty
much accept any suggestion if it is offered to you. Since you're being so passive, you
may not even realize it's happening.
What can you do? Think. When your parents used to tell you "because I said so" you
probably weren't ready to accept that answer. Don't do it subconsciously when
watching an ad. Think about what the ad is saying. Keep your brain active when
you're looking at ads and you'll be better off.
Adapted from https://lifehacker.com/5824328/how-advertising-manipulates-your-choices-and-
spending-habits-and-what-to-do-about-it
20.2.1- Match the words/ expressions in bold with their corresponding meaning. Two
of the meanings do not apply.
Advertisements aren't inherently bad, but many use manipulative tactics that influence in
ways we don't even realize.
This is bad by itself, but factoring in high interest rates and the inability to afford more than
the monthly payment - while the desire to spend doesn't decrease at all this turns out to be
a huge problem.
a) tricks c) intrinsically e) shows up
b) include d) becomes f) reduce
20.2.2- The text says Americans carry over $680 billion dollars in revolving credit (an
arrangement with a bank for borrowing up to an agreed limit; if the limit is reached and the
loan is then partly repaid, the borrower can later borrow up to the limit again). How much is
that?
a- 680,000,000,000,000
b- 680,000,000,000
c- 680,000,000
28
How does our society compare in terms of credit card debt in your opinion? Is this
positive or negative?
20.2.3- Find evidence in the text to support these views. How far do you agree with
them?
a) Although we believe we aren't affected by publicity, that isn't the reality.
b) Sometimes we don't recognise the power of advertising to hide our lack of self-control.
c) Successful ads are those that provoke feelings in people.
d) The function of advertising is to inform people about new products for sale.
e) People try to imitate their stars' lifestyles.
f) We shouldn't be passive viewers of commercials.
20.3- Watch this video https://dissolve.com/showreels/this-is-a-generic-brand-video?yt

What point is it trying to make?
The following are some specific strategies that advertisers use. Can you think of
examples that make use of them? How effective would you say they are?
Avante Garde: The suggestion that using this product puts the user ahead of the times.
A toy manufacturer encourages kids to be the first on their block to have a new toy.
Weasel Words: “Weasel words” are used to suggest a positive meaning without actually
really making any guarantee. A scientist says that a diet product might help you to lose
weight the way it helped him to lose weight. A dish soap leaves dishes virtually spotless.
Magic Ingredients: The suggestion that some almost miraculous discovery makes the
product exceptionally effective. A pharmaceutical manufacturer describes a special
coating that makes their pain reliever less irritating to the stomach than a competitor’s.
Snob Appeal: The suggestion that the use of the product makes the customer part of an
elite group with a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle. A coffee manufacturer shows people
dressed in formal gowns and tuxedos drinking their brand at an art gallery.
Bribery: Bribery offers you something “extra.” Buy a burger; get free fries.
Bandwagon: The suggestion that you should join the crowd or be on the winning side
by using a product — you don’t want to be the only person without it!
20.4- In pairs, write the plan for an essay on the topic

“Should advertisements be banned?
You can find some further useful ideas and language at http://debatewise.org/debates/2938-
advertisements-do-more-harm-than-good /
29
21.1 Read the text below and complete this chart comparing the processes of
translation and interpretation as described in the text
Translation Interpretation
input
output
duration
subject matter
Mother tongue: how crucial is it for translation?

Ravishankar Govindraj
India. English to Gujarati translator
We often encounter translators claiming proficiency or efficacy in translating into a particular
language, mainly on the basis of it being their mother tongue. Similarly very often agencies
look for native speakers of the target language for translation. The general belief appears to
be that native speakers are good translators into their native language. Let us examine how
far this is true, and whether it is true for all categories of translation.
Translation vs. Interpretation
To start with we should distinguish between the processes of translation and interpretation,
as they are generally understood. We can view translation as the process of creation of text,
in a target language, which conveys the same meaning as a given piece of text in the source
language. Interpretation on the other hand is the process of creation of speech, in a target
language, which means the same as a piece of verbal communication in the source
language. These two processes differ mainly in their input/outputs, duration and the subject
matter. In other words while interpretation involves instantaneous verbal transformation of
communication on general subjects translation involves a delayed transformation of written
communication on subjects including highly specialized ones.
As we know specialized written communication is far removed from idiomatic expressions,
has its own terminology and can be reviewed and referred to many times before the final
transformed output is delivered. This provides a level playing field for non-native translators
in comparison with native translators. The native proficiency in the target language is
outweighed by the acquired proficiency in the source language and the technical knowledge.
In the intellectual processes of review and references both have to compete equally and the
management of available time gap between input and output is more dependent on their
intellectual and other resources than on their native language.
Native vs. Non-native
However, in interpretation, native speakers outdo the non-native speakers on all counts.
Since they speak naturally in the target language, they are instantaneous and convey the
30
meanings accurately in the native idiom, without having to look up references for words and
usage. Their pronunciation, stress and accent, which are an extra burden for the non-native
speaker, would be perfect and well accepted and understood. Their task is made further
easy by the usually non-specialized nature of the subject matter to be interpreted. The only
common area of competition is proficiency in the source language, where again native
speakers are at an advantage if the source and target languages are nearly related like
Kurdish and Persian or Spanish and Portuguese.
These advantages do not count much when the source text becomes specialized and non-
idiomatic as in business, legal and technical communication. The native vocabulary in most
dialects of many world languages can be narrowed to about 3000 words. Beyond that even
the native speakers have to acquire them like non-native speakers. The situation in
translation of literature and poetry differs much more, since the proficiency in the source
language is equally important as that in the target language. So we may have to choose
between the native speakers of one or the other language. This leads to the obvious search
for bilingual or multilingual individuals. In the reality of human learning abilities, a bilingual
native could be easily outdone by a non-native scholar of both the languages, as far as
translation of specialized discourses are concerned, but to interpret our speech to a native
audience we have to replace the scholar with a bilingual native.
So the mother tongue is important, though not crucial for translation.
Text retrieved from http://www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/473/1/Mother-Tongue----
How-crucial-is-it-for-translation%3F
21.2- List 4 areas in which native speakers can outdo non-natives according to the text
a-.....................................................
b-.....................................................
c-.....................................................
d-.....................................................
21.3- List 3 areas in which non-native speakers can outdo natives according to the text
a-.....................................................
b- ....................................................
c- ....................................................
21.4 Taking your information from the reading passage above, fill in the blanks in this
essay with words or short phrases.
A growing number of people hold the view that native speakers of the target language make
the best translators. However, in my view this is not so __________(1)________________.
On the one hand, when we consider _________(2)_________________ in general subjects,
which requires __________(3)________________, native speakers clearly enjoy a number
of advantages. Firstly, _________(4)_________________ means they do not need to waste
time ___________(5)_______________. Furthermore, when it comes to
31
___________(6)_______________, they are certain to be clearly understood. But in any

case their __________(7)________________ affects their performance.
Yet translation of ___________(8)_______________ poses different challenges.
_______(9)___________________ texts have their own
________(10)__________________, which has to be studied by native and non-native
speakers alike. Added to this, the __________(11)________________ of the translators and
their _______(12)___________________ have a significant impact on the quality of the
translation.
In conclusion, it can be seen that the translator’s _________(13)_________________ is not
always crucial. What really matters in all cases is their knowledge of both source and target
languages.
22- Read the text below and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only one
word in each gap.
Perhaps surprisingly, very (1) __________ has
been written about the everyday psychology of
translating, (2) __________ interpreting has
received a considerable (3) __________ of
attention in this area. Indeed, there is increasing
interest (4) __________ the emotional
entanglements (5) __________ interpreters can
find themselves in, perhaps (6) __________
interpreting is more ‘in your face’ (7) __________
translation. For example, Australian researcher
Karen Bontempo has shown that emotional skills
(8) __________ an important part in interpreting
Free From Emotional Baggage
https://flic.kr/p/Xm4WEr success. Research (9) __________ also shown
that interpreters sometimes have emotional
baggage which (10) __________ influence their use of terminology, expressions, and other
dimensions of their work. But (11) __________ its potential relevance for professional
happiness and success, the emotional competence of translators has not – (12) __________
my knowledge – (13) __________ given much attention in training or in other professional
development contexts. This is a shame, because the (14) __________ that emotions in
translation are less visible to the outside world does not (15) __________ that translators do
not have to manage their feelings (16) __________ times.
Extract from “Once more with feeling” by Séverine Hubscher-Davidson. ITI bulletin - The Journal of the
Institute of Translation and Interpreting. September-October 2017.
32
23- In each pair of words below, the first word is the false friend and the second is the
word it is often confused with. Put each word in its correct place in the sentences
which follow each pair.
1. Actual (real) vs Present (current, existing now)
a) Carter and Bush are former American presidents. Who is the …………….one?
b) I’ve known many rich men, but he is the only…………………millionaire I’ve met.
c) She used to work in advertising, but her……………job is journalism.
2. Ignore (deliberately take no notice of, pay no attention to) vs Not know
a) His speech was interrupted by loud shouts but he wisely decided to ………..them and
carry on.
b) How can you………………your teacher’s name? You see her every day!
c) Well, if you ……………….my warnings, I cannot be responsible for what happens to
you.
3. Morale (spirits, state of mind) vs Moral (right, proper, virtuous)

a) Regular mail and good food are important to maintain the ………….of soldiers.
b) It was a good move financially, but from the …………..point of view I have my doubts.
c) As we became aware of the difficulties that lay ahead, our……………..dropped.
d) He’s a very ……………….person who is guided by the highest principles.
4. Argument (disagreement; supporting reason) vs Subject (something talked or written

about or studied)
a) My favourite ……………….at school was geography.
b) He and his wife had a heated…………….about which car to buy.
c) The best………………against smoking is its effect on health.
d) The………………….of the essay we had to write was “World Peace”.
5. Eventually (finally, after a long time) vs Possibly (perhaps, maybe)

a) The Socialist Party will win,……………………with a majority of over fifty.
b) After travelling all day, they…………………..reached home at midnight.
c) He’s arriving on Tuesday, or ………………….Wednesday.
d) At the moment he has only one shop, but he hopes to have a nationwide
chain....……….
6. Assist (help) vs Attend (be present at)

a) We hope a large number of people will…………………..the conference next week.
b) The police called for members of the public to ………………..in the investigation.
33
c) Due to a previous engagement, the Foreign Minister will be unable to………………the

meeting. A deputy will go instead.
d) Lifeboats were sent out to…………………the ship in difficulties.
7. Pass (be successful in test, exam) vs Take (attempt test, exam)

a) If I …………………the exam, I’ll celebrate by giving a party.
b) I hope you’re successful in the exam. When do you ………………..it?
c) I……………………….my driving test tomorrow. I hope I ………………..it.
8. Sympathetic (showing sympathy or understanding, willing to listen to others’ problems)

vs Nice (pleasant)
a) She was a very………………………little girl. Everyone liked her.
b) He’s usually rather impatient and unfriendly, but I must say he was very
………………… when I told him about my family problems.
c) It was a ………………….party. I enjoyed it.
d) The police were very …………………….to my complaint about the noise but said
they could do nothing about it.
9. Voyage (journey by sea) vs Journey (travelling from one place to another)

a) The liner Titanic struck an iceberg and sank on her very first………………………..
b) My……………………..to work every morning takes about 40 minutes.
c) He went on a long ………………….across Asia.
d) Before the opening of the Suez Canal, the ………………..from Europe to India round
Africa took several weeks.
10. On the contrary (introduces contradiction, opposite) vs On the other hand

(introduces counter-argument)
a) Good Lord, I’m not rich!…………………….., I’m constantly in debt.
b) She’s very intelligent, but …………………..she’s apt to be impatient.
c) Yes, it’s a very cosmopolitan city. ………………………., it’s very expensive.
d) I don’t think he’ll pass the exam. ………………………., I think he’ll almost certainly
fail.
24- What are your views on the following questions? Write an essay plan for some of
them.
1. Do violent video games make people more violent in real life?
2. Should students be able to grade their teachers?
34
3. Is it ethical to eat meat?

4. How much does your neighbourhood define who you are?
5. Is your generation more self-centred than earlier generations?
6. What is a hero?
7. Is modern culture ruining childhood?
8. How much pressure do young people face to have the perfect body?
9. Should scientists try to help people beat old age so we can live longer lives?
10. How necessary is a university education?
25- Do you think there is any truth in this funny drawing?
35
Bibliography
Bell, J., & Gower, R. (2014). First Expert: Coursebook. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Betsis, A., & Mamas, L. (2014). Successful 10 FCE practice tests: 10 complete practice tests
for the Cambridge English First. Brighton: Global ELT.
Burguess, S. and Newbrook, J. (2012). Gold First Exam Maximiser. Harlow: Longman.
Dachis, A. (2011, July 25). How Advertising Manipulates Your Choices and Spending Habits
(and What to Do About It) [Web log post]. Retrieved November 21, 2017, from
https://lifehacker.com/5824328/how-advertising-manipulates-your-choices-and-
spending-habits-and-what-to-do-about-it
Edwards, L., & Newbrook, J. (2015). Gold advanced: exam maximiser. Harlow, Essex:
Pearson Education.
Evans, V. (2008). FCE Use of English 2: students’ book. Newbury: Express Publishing.
Evans, V. (2011). Successful writing: upper-intermediate. Newbury: Express Publishing.
Joseph, F., & Travis, P. (n.d.). Flo-Jo Free interactive resources. Retrieved December 10,
2017, from https://www.flo-joe.co.uk/teachers/resources/index.htm
Govindraj, R. (2005, July 17). Mother Tongue: How crucial is it for translation? ProZ.com
Translation Article Knowledgebase. Retrieved January 28, 2016, from
http://www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/473/1/Mother-Tongue----How-crucial-
is-it-for-translation?
Haines, S. F., Stewart, B., Quintana, J., & Haines, S. F. (2008). First Certificate Masterclass.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hewings, M., & Haines, S. (2015). Grammar and vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Hubscher-Davidson, S. (2017). Once more with feeling. The Journal of the Institute of
Translation and Interpreting. Retrieved Sept. & Oct., 2017, from https://www.iti.org.uk
IELTS. (2009). New York: Kaplan Publishing.
Rice, M. (2004, March 28). What are you like? The Guardian. Retrieved November 21, 2017,
from https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2004/mar/28/features.magazine27
Vince, M. (2003). Advanced language practice. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
Vince, M. (2008). Macmillan English grammar in context. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
West, C. (2010). Recycling advanced English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Curso Introductorio 2018

Some useful phrases to express opinions

I don’t know for certain, but I think ... I forgot to mention …

4- Complete the passage by putting one word in each space.

Grammar point Blank number

Determiners (articles and pronouns)

-ing and to infinitive forms

Grammar point Blank number

Linking words and phrases

9) My car will need a service before I travel. HAVE

8.1- Read the following passage

A artificially decreased the blood sugar levels of mice.

de - gree 5 [ noun countable] a course of study at a university or college, or the

11.2- Read the following text:

STARTING OUT ON YOUR CAREER

11.3- Multiple Matching

2) It takes time to become familiar with the characteristics of a company

3) You should demonstrate determination to improve your job prospects.

4) Make sure your approach for information is positive in tone.

6) Stay optimistic in spite of setbacks.

7) Promotion isn’t the only way to increase your expertise.

8) Ask for information about your shortcomings.

11.4- Watch these videos: Choosing a degree

12.1- Read the following text:

FINDING THE REAL YOU

Feeling, Sensing or Intuitive, and Judging or Perceiving. If you’re Introverted, Intuitive,

12.3- Match a – f with meanings 1 – 6, using the text to help you.

teacher doctor waitress

company work together to introduce (6) _________ innovations. TECHNOLOGY

1 have a wealth of a find it impossible to make progress

The role of grandparents in children's upbringing

Roles in the family:

NB: filled with bruises

a- Why do you think the mistake happened?

18.5- Which is the best title for the text? Why?

How Advertising Manipulates Your Choices and Spending Habits

20.3- Watch this video https://dissolve.com/showreels/this-is-a-generic-brand-video?yt

20.4- In pairs, write the plan for an essay on the topic

Mother tongue: how crucial is it for translation?

___________(6)_______________, they are certain to be clearly understood. But in any

3. Morale (spirits, state of mind) vs Moral (right, proper, virtuous)

4. Argument (disagreement; supporting reason) vs Subject (something talked or written

5. Eventually (finally, after a long time) vs Possibly (perhaps, maybe)

6. Assist (help) vs Attend (be present at)

c) Due to a previous engagement, the Foreign Minister will be unable to………………the

7. Pass (be successful in test, exam) vs Take (attempt test, exam)

8. Sympathetic (showing sympathy or understanding, willing to listen to others’ problems)

9. Voyage (journey by sea) vs Journey (travelling from one place to another)

10. On the contrary (introduces contradiction, opposite) vs On the other hand

3. Is it ethical to eat meat?

25- Do you think there is any truth in this funny drawing?

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_(6)_____, they are certain to be clearly understood. But in any