G AN ESS4Y EDUCATION Look at the photos and answer the questions. f 1 Isittrue that school days are the beside doerves? : {mest new frends; tree of responsibltis; carers, i 2 Why is a good education 0 important? { IMuture depencs on it; increases job opportuniies} 3 What do you like / dislike about school? Qwanine sans) 11 Read this paragraph about the vale of learning languages and choose the best answer (A,B, Cor D) for etch apace. y 1A purchase B) acnuiston _ Elston in schoo oni 7 the (of |" Game ® oe | knowledge in many different (2] and each | ius is ove vale IF we dda Team forugn | 28H pie | languages, for example, there would be little | B) between nations. More significantly | $@) communication 8 commty nowadays, we would be less well-equipped co | © conduct Pp couaer 4) the workforce as one or more foreign | 4 A go B become languages ate eoeutal in many flds today, Bren | © most Oener f the learning of so-called [5] _ languages, such | §@) dead B old as Latin and ancient Greek, is not without value as | ifeless D stale } both form an [6] part of modern European a slinguags. Few sod atge, honever that tee | © 8 Mies @ rier j dould 7 m1 Poty over ee Loh See + in the school curriculum, It is important, ad { thar schoolchildren have the aeeaai to learn O©siven D.rogarled $ whichever languages they feel will be of the most 8 A although B still | [9] to chem in che fueuce, Some learners mighe © though D yet | {10} for a rather difficule language such as | 9@use B purpose | Russian over French or German. Indeed, many © worth D, signicance 7 | people believe that knowing a slightly unusual =| 40@) opt B favour J hngrage will make finding a good in m much easier. © ake D preter 2 Fill in the correct form of the appropriate verb, 1. In my opinion, exams should be... abolished aay eeterae waste of time. 2 Education nourishes __the intellect. 3 School must __equip provide _ students with the skils needed to cope with life today. 4 The primary aim of education should be to dovelon social awareness, 5 Agood education should provide equip __us with the sound foundation we need to get on in ite, 6 Students should be required to_partcipate_more in the classroom, 7 New strategies tor____ assessing _stuclents’ ability are called for. 8 Education isa means of __ satisfying __our natural thirst for knowledge. 9. A good teacher. aims to do more than merely provide facts and figures. 10 The ideal educational system would sone the needs of society.3 Look at these words and phrases related to exams, Now discuss the following statements, [means of assesament, make progress, everything depends on |. Exams should be abolished. ‘ur performance on the day, proof of ability, qualifications are | JerrapotTosucces, sets | ase, rve fer reson get | _° Tre shouldbe moro educaon than ’ high / ow mark in an exam, be under pressure to do well certticates. Altemative means of assessment do exist, A Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings. 8 Now fill in the correct form of the appropriate phrasal verb. 4 entorinto —-_€_ & forceinto§ _B_ 2 drop owt & 7 doaway with € 1 dohn just managed to scrape though_his biology 3 scmpe trough TA” @ add up i ‘exam, i's never been his best subject. ee H 8 bearout 2 Youwon'tbe taken on _by hat aifine unless 5 take on F 10 buildup = _D you can speak two foreign languages. at i == 9 This report about the unemployment rate amongst young people will bear out __what | said ' Aust pass | 4 subject sic a iniormatonteehnclogy B make someone do something i rip now employe oppor join ) aaa ‘ eo i 5 No child should be __ forced into__ doing a subject D develop i —forsad into aa act | at school which he realy dislikes, F omploy {6 Somany young people__etepeut__ of school & teave cnet, unversty, a course, etc) | today ae they feet the education ayatom has nothing before the appropriate time to ofer them. H make possible | 7 Inmy opinion, we should simply _ do away wth 1 find the total ofa group of numbers | Caner ones oe | Students should be assessed on their willingness ‘into discussions in the classroom. — to__e 9 Schoo! should be about _t and nothing else. i 10 Having a wide range of subjects on the curriculum I js no good if school leavers can hardly write their names or __add up QO ing up _ knowledge 5 Complete these sentences with the correct form of the word in capitals. educators | 1 Teachers, as educator 2 In oral exams, i's the responsibilty of the . should consider all aspects of a child's learning. eoucare raminer to make the candidate feel at 3. The head teacher decided all students should be assessed on their written assignments. 1350 Important as acquiring knowledge, 5 In most schools, subjects like maths and English are compulsory, but others are _2ptional oi 6 Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, there is stil high rate of adult Mitoracy —_.vsrzasr 4 Gaining __practical__ experience is just as *Choose the correct word. 4 At what age do most students i from school in your country? 2. Students sit/ give exams twice a year at this school My school timetable / programme doesn't leave me with much spare time for other pursuits. 4 You need to have passed certain exams in order to go / gat into university. 5 When revising / reading for an exam, take plenty of short breaks. 6 A The knowledge of German is useful for anyone hoping to work in Europe. 7 Sciences are becoining more and more important, specially / especially disciplines such as computer technology and nuclear physics. D6 Most puis el nevus when they are waling to be given their school report / card to see how weil they've done / gone. warns tex) When weiting essays, you can make your language ‘more formal by using negative Inversion. Rewrite these sentences, as in the example, Educationalsts should not ignore students’ opinions Under any circumstances, Under no circumstances _should educalion: ser Pupils must not be left unsupervised in the laboratory on any account. (On no account_must pupils be left unsupenisad! inthe laboratory. = Exams are an unfair means of assessment and they also cause stress. CCangidates will only be allowed to leave the exam ‘oom under exceptional circumstances. Only under exceptional citcumstances wil candidates ‘be allowed to leave the exam room, ‘The schoo! board will consider changing is policy only if students, parents and teachers agree. Only i students, parents and teachers agree wll the shoe! board consider changing its pole The validity of the exam was never in doubt Atno time ___was the validity ofthe exam in doubt 1 Part 1 of the CPE Writing Paper is a compulsory task. You will be asked to summarise and evaluate the key points from two short passages, and include your own ideas on the subject. Look at this example. Read the following two texts. Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts. ©)_Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own Ideas in your answer, Im order to prepare young people for life today, the school curriculum needs to be changed. There must be less emphasis on traditional academic subjects and more on those which teach the skills needed to compete in the twenty-first century. After all, aren’t computer skills, for example, more valuable than a deep knowledge of history when we go out into the world in search of employment? Considering the fact that youth unemployment is at a record high all over Europe, perhaps it is time we viewed the arts as more of a hobby, and education as something we need purely in order to get a job. I I | iWhenever I hee: [oes Point of view of ‘jobs, Schoo! should make you fallin love with learning so that you vont to sped the re Ieshould also open up “your eyes tothe fi ' which you may never get the chance te experience otherwise. After all, most jobs need skills that ca be learned in she two years between sisteen and eighteen, The time lending up to that ean be used for other things of your life doing ich as ic and literature, | = be 2 Look at the task again and answer these questions. 1 What is your essay going to be about? Winethor tho schecl cunieulum teaches the right subjects 2. Do the texts contain complementary or opposing opinions on the subject? 2 What's your opinion on the subject? 4. Which of these two plans below would be best for an essay lke this? Tr bas. much more logical oder, and covers both sides of the argument Plan One Introduction: general comment about the topic; say the topic needs to be discussed Paragraph 2: discuss the reasons for having a more practical, work-based curriculum, Paragraph 3: discuss the reasons for studying more abstract subjects like music Conclusion: state your opinion on which argument is the best, or whether a balance is needed Plan Two : Introduction: say why education shoul be about the work you inton to do | Paragraph 8: éscuss the reasons for stuthing more abstract subjects ike music Conclusion: state the consequences of taking the steps you have suggested | 10Read this essay, which a student wrote in response to the task. No one would deny the importance of a good education, but definitions of exactly what this consists of are prone to change. Perhaps the cemancs of life and work in the twenty-first century justify a reassessment of tocay's ‘education system, There was once a time when only the most acaclemic subjects were valued. However, the world has changed significantly ancl many top employment opportunities today are to be Found in the fleld of computer technology. Even if they are not, | would argue that there are very few jobs where the ability to use a computer is not necessary. Yet Computer Studies is not a compulsory subject, but English is. Youth unemployment is at epidemic levels all over Europe, but we are still forcing students to react Shakespeare instead of how to create a websste. for te suojects that cultivate their minds and spirits. Where else, they say, would ‘many young people encounter the works of ‘Shakespeare, one of the greatest writers of ali time? Education is meant to open the Mind, not just set each child on a pre otdained path for them to head towards the job that has been chosen for them. It is my firm belief that the arts are often more Interesting, and the happy student is more likely to view knowledge and education positively throughout their life “am of the opinion that an education should Feady you for the world of wark, but what is not recognised is that many people make a = Wet 900d ving from the arts, wnetner they 784 musician, an artist or, lke Shakespeare, a writer. What Is really needed is a ‘modernisation of subjects to make them ‘more relevant to life in the twenty-first century, 4 Look at the essay again and underline the three places where the writer clearly Aas these ways of giving an opinion to the box below. es his / her opinion. Giving an Opinion Personally, | believe that ft seems to me that am convinced that | am in favour of against To my mind, My opinion is that In my opinion, Livould araue that. [para 2 [tis my rm bole that. [para 3) Lam the opinion that. [para 4 "1 - Lock at the task below. Read the two texts below. Write an sssey summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts, Use your own words throughout es far as possible, and Include your own ideas in your answers. aj Exeminations ore not fair Making judgments about the ability of students based on examfoations that take place just once or perhaps twice a year ig simply not fair, So many students fall to show their true ability due to anxiety, stress and a number of other factors. Many students who do well in exams do so simply by cramming facts into their heads the week before the exam, to be forgotten by the following ‘weekend, Surely assessment of the work done ini class and at home throughout the school year would be a fairer system? Classroom Assessom It's all very well to talk about teachers judging their students work, in the classroom, and students working alone at home on their projects, but everyone knows that continuous assessment doesn’t ‘work like that, Teachers are only human, and tend to be softer on their students than an examiner would be (or, in a worse scenario, harder on a student they don’t like). Parents or older siblings help students with the projects they have to do at home, even if it’s just, ‘coming up with ideas for them. Exams may not be fun, but al least ‘we get to see what eact lent is capable of. dividual st Planning your essay. ‘A Answer these questions orally: 1 Is itfair to use examinations to test people? 2 What kind of people do well in exams? What kind don't? 3 What are the benefits of testing students through assessment throughout the year? 4. What kind of assignments could be part of such an assessment scherne? SAMPLE ANSWERS . 1 Fair in that everyone gets the « ‘same chance. 2 Confident people do wel peopio who are ‘nervous may not reach their {al potentie, 2 Get a more general view of abit. 4 Projects, essays, ‘preseniations done in class,B Think about the content of your essay. 1 Look at the texts again and make notes below. Points against exams / in favour of Points against continuous continuous assessment: assessment / in favour of exams: ‘Students ge! too nervous | anveus to dp well Tesctes can judav objectives Stuclents don't learn anvthing = jet eram hard Parenis and other family members help etucente before the ex win projects ntloueus assessmont shows consletent abil Exams show tr ability 2 Are there any ideas of your own that you could add? Are you going to agree with the first or the second text, or suggest a balance in the conclusion? 3. How to organise your CPE wrlting task. The plan below will help you write your essay, Introduction: general comment about the topic, indicate there are two sides to the debate Paragraph 2: discuss the key points from the first text; add your own ideas © 1 Paragraph 3: ciscuss the key points rom the second text add your own ideas Conelusion: state whict aryumert is the best one, or whether a balance 1s needed | REMEMBER: * Don’t worry if you write too many words ~ you will Not be penalised. © Justify your views. i ' = Now write your essay (page 207).