UNIVERSITY,

PRESENTATIONS

Students
Workbook
 Institute of Lifelong Learning– UNIVERSITY, PRESENTATIONS

1 UNIVERSITY
Learning objectives
In this chapter, you will:
 learn about the University of Žilina and studying there
 discuss the importance of higher education
 find out and consider why to study foreign languages and studying abroad

Key words: dean, rector, vice-dean, vice-rector, dormitory, full-time student, part-time student,
graduate, undergraduate, thesis, academic degree, field of study, department

TASK 1 Discuss the following questions.

1. To what extent is studying at university important for you and your future career?

2. Why did you decide to enrol at the University of Žilina? Was it your first choice?

3. Which faculty do you study at and what is your field of study?

4. What were the admission requirements of the faculty you had applied for?

5. How have you prepared yourself to study at the University of Žilina?

6. What are the main differences between secondary and higher education?

7. Why did you choose studying at university?

8. What are your academic goals? What do you want to achieve?

9. What would you like to learn?

READING

Education at the University of Žilina

The history of the University of Žilina began on 1 September 1953 when the University of Railway
Transport was founded by separating from the Czech Technical University in Prague. In 1959 the
institution changed its name to the University of Transport and in 1960 moved to Žilina where it
underwent many transformations. As a result of the increasing role of communications within the
curriculum and research orientation it was renamed again to the University of Transport and
Communications in 1980. Later in 1996, after broadening its fields of interest and other organisational
changes, it was renamed the University of Žilina.
The University as a public university provides education at all three levels of higher education
(Bachelor’s degree, Engineer/Master’s degree and Doctoral degree) in both full-time and part- time
forms. The students complete their studies after passing the final state examination and presenting a
project (diploma thesis). After passing these examinations the undergraduate is awarded a degree at
the special graduation ceremony and becomes a graduate.
Bachelor’s degree study programme lasts from 3 to 4 years and the students are awarded the academic
degree of ‘Bachelor’(Bc.). They gain theoretical and practical knowledge and are prepared for a job in
industry, various institutions, trade and services.
Engineer’s/Master’s degree study programme usually takes two years in full-time form and three years
in part-time form. The students are awarded the academic degree of ‘Engineer’ (Ing.) or ‘Master’
(Mgr.). According to the specialisation, the graduates can find jobs on domestic or international labour

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markets in various branches of private or public sectors and work efficiently either as an individual or
a member of a team.
Doctoral degree study programme lasts from 3 to 4 years in full-time form and from 4 to 5 in part-time
form. The students are awarded the academic degree of ‘Doctor’ (PhD.) and they are able to solve
difficult tasks of applied science, to conduct projects and to assume full responsibility for complex
solutions.
In order to improve the quality of higher education, the University of Žilina re-evaluates the
curriculum of study programmes in harmony with the needs of the practice, labour market, society and
the latest trends of education in the EU as well as in the world. The University has seven faculties and
several institutes focusing on various scientific fields (transport, telecommunication, information
systems and technical fields as well as management, marketing or humanities). The academic year
consists of two 13-week terms (winter term and summer term) and after each term it is an exam period
that takes 6 weeks.

FACULTIES RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES

Faculty of Operation and Economics of
Transport and Communications
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Security Engineering
Faculty of Management Science and
Informatics
Institute of Lifelong Learning
Research Institute of High Mountain Biology
Institute of Physical Education
Aviation Training and Educational Centre
University Science Park
CETRA – Centre of Transport Research
Institute of Forensic Research and Education

The head of the University is the Rector who coordinates the work of the faculties and represents the
University in public. She/he is assisted by five vice-rectors. All major decisions concerning the basic
problems are made by the Academic Senate whose members are elected from the academic
community of all faculties. The faculties are headed by the deans who are assisted by the vice-deans
and the Scientific Council.
The study at the University is fully supported by the University Library equipped with books, journals
closely oriented to particular fields of study, the University Intranet a0nd Slovak Academic Data
Network with access to the Internet.
In the field of science and research, the University of Žilina participates in various national and
international scientific projects and organises several scientific and professional events annually. The
cooperation with foreign universities and institutions is also crucial for the University. The University
has signed bilateral cooperation agreement with more than 150 foreign partners and belongs to the
most active Slovak universities within the Erasmus Programme. Both academic staff and students have
been involved in international educational and research projects. These include e.g. the ERASMUS +,
ERASMUS MUNDUS, TEMPUS, CEEPUS, National Scholarship Programme etc.
Besides the research and education activities, the University of Žilina offers also a wide variety of
student organisations where the students can share their common interests, develop their talent in a
particular field and represent the University of Žilina at various competitions and events, e.g. ESN
UNIZA (International Exchange Erasmus Student Network), the student dormitory TV called í-
TÉČKO, Railway Fun Club, Rapeš Radio, Radio X, a student periodical ŽUŽO, the mixed choir
OMNIA, the folklore ensemble STAVBÁR or GAMA CLUB that organises film projections and
supports special events, conferences and seminars.
(Adapted from Žilinská univerzita v Žiline, 2016)

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TASK 2 Answer the following reading comprehension questions.

1. How many faculties are there at the University of Žilina?

2. How are the University studies organised?

3. In your own words, describe the organisational structure of the University of Žilina.

4. What kind of facilities and leisure activities are available for students at the University campus?

TASK 3 Fill in the table with true information about your education at the University of Žilina.
The information provided on the website ‘www.uniza.sk’ can help you.

Rector of the university

Faculty
Dean
Departments of faculty
Field of study

VOCABULARY

TASK 4 Explain the difference between each of the following pairs of words.

1. curriculum and syllabus

2. exams and continuous assessment
3. compulsory lessons and optional lessons
4. a lecture and a seminar
5. a full-time student and a part-time student

TASK 5 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in the box.

pass, certificate, undergraduate, fail, course, degree, lesson, graduate, take, subject

1. I ................my entrance exam because I didn’t study enough.

2. At the end of the French course, we all got a ................ of attendance.
3. The exam was so hard that only ten percent of all applicants ............... .
4. Mary did a three-year ................ in academic writing.
5. The first ................ on the timetable for Wednesday morning is maths.
6. students have got their first degree and are studying for a more advanced degree in their
field.
7. His sister is studying for a ................. in law at Oxford University.
8. Whenever John ................. exams, he gets really nervous beforehand.
9. My father’s favourite ................ at university were history and marketing.
10. students are still attending university for their first degree.

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TASK 6 Fill in the verb “make” or “do” to complete the phrases. Then fill in the sentences below
with the verb in the correct form.

............... a plan .................................................................. an assignment

............... a lot of noise ....................................................... a deal
............... a comment .......................................................... a degree
............... your best ............................................................. a mistake
............... a complaint ......................................................... someone a favour
............... research ............................................................... an excuse
............... an effort .............................................................. progress
............... a decision ............................................................ a choice
............... a speech .............................................................. a presentation

1. Have you ever learnt from the mistakes you ................ ? If yes, what was it?
2. Are you good at ............... decisions? What was your last decision you ................ ?
3. How would you ................ an excuse in English to the teacher about being late to class?
4. When was the last time you ................ your classmate a favour? What was it?
5. What kind of research did you have to ................ at secondary school?

TASK 7 Read the following sentences and match each phrasal verb in italics to a meaning below.

1. Please speak up! We can’t hear you at the back.

2. If you don’t know what it means, look it up in a dictionary.
3. Why do you always pick on me? It’s just not fair!
4. Paul is having problems keeping up with the other children in his class.
5. You need to try and get across your ideas better.
6. He catches on very quickly. You never have to explain anything twice.
7. I’ll let you off this time, but I don’t want to catch you two fighting again.
8. I can’t work out how to do this maths problem.
9. He picked up a lot of Italian by just chatting to people in cafés.

learn / not punish / understand / treat badly / calculate / talk more loudly / find information in a
reference book / communicate / maintain the same level

TASK 8 Work in a group with other students and discuss whether you agree or disagree with
the following statements. Give reasons.

1. Courses at the university are more theoretical than practical.

2. Exams are not an accurate measure of a person’s ability.
3. A mixture of exams and coursework is a good idea.
4. You should repeat an academic year if you fail your exams.
5. Exams should involve an oral and a written part.
6. Competitive exams are a good idea.

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TASK 9 What comes to your mind when you hear the question “Why should we learn a foreign
language?” Complete the diagram below. Then consider the quotes given below the diagram.

“Knowledge of languages is the main door to wisdom.” Roger Bacon

“The more languages you know, the more human you are.” Tomas G. Masaryk
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his
language, it goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela

TASK 10 Complete the following sentences with the correct preposition.

1. My friend gets a bachelor’s degree.................history Oxford.

2. Jane has just graduated ................ Yale University.
3. John and Mary are not going out with us, because they are revising ................ the test tomorrow.
4. She travelled around the USA, lecturing ................ women’s rights.
5. They finally got a credit ................English language.
6. George decided to specialise ................ macroeconomics.
7. She elaborated ................ the main ideas in her diploma thesis.
8. He did his project.................international peace and security.
9. We will focus................. improving our language skills.

TASK 11 What is a “gap year” and what possibilities do students have when taken a gap year?
What might you learn and what problems you may encounter in following situations? Which
option would provide you the most worthwhile experience? How might your parents feel about
the gap year?

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TASK 12 Which of the following offers for a gap year would you choose? Give reasons and talk
about its positives and negatives.

A/ In-company Experience
Challenging posts in industry for gap year students. Use your academic and interpersonal skills to
improve a product or services provided by a top name company and get paid for it!

B/ Camp World
Work in camps for young people in one or more of the five continents. You help organize sport
activities and other outdoor pursuits and you could end up with a qualification as an instructor.

C/ Academic Study Year

Spend a whole year studying at a foreign university in Europe, Asia or USA without the pressure of
exams. Accommodation with local families and grants are available.

D/ Community Care
Volunteer work at home and abroad with the physically and mentally handicapped, the homeless, the
elderly and orphans is here for you. You will need to be committed, patient and sensitive to others.

WRITING

The student periodical ŽUŽO is asking for article with the following title:
Why should we learn a foreign language at the university?
Write your article in 120-180 words. The phrases in the box below can help you.
Steps to succeed in writing an article
- give your article a title/heading which makes the subject clear and catches the reader’s attention
- organize your article in paragraphs
- begin with an interesting introduction (an example or a question)
- give reasons and suggestions related to the subject
- give your point of view

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GLOSSARY
a curriculum
a dormitory (informal dorm)
a full-time student
a graduate
a graduation ceremony
a lecture hall
a lecture on
a part-time student
a self-study room
a syllabus
an academic degree
an undergraduate
mindset
to acquire
to attend a course/lecture
to consist of
to do a diploma project on
to fail an exam
to figure out
to focus on
to get a credit for
to get a degree in
to graduate from
to obtain
to pass an exam
to rely on
to revise for
to specialise in
to take a course in
to take an exam
to undergo

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2 PRESENTATIONS

Learning objectives
In this chapter, you will:
 learn how to make a good presentations
 be able to present and answer questions of audience
 find out and consider good and bad action when presenting

Key words: presentation, flip chart, props, artefacts, handheld remote, audience, courteous, gracious,
rapport, topic, summary, digress, maintain eye contact

TASK 1 Think of successful talks/presentations you have been to in the past. Write down 10
reasons what made them so successful.

TASK 2 Write down the words connected to presentation that you know. Compare it with the
glossary on the last page and check new words.

READING
Top ten delivery tips by Garr Reynolds

1. .....................................................................................................................................
If I had only one tip to give, it would be to be passionate about your topic and let that enthusiasm
come out. Yes, you need great content. Yes, you need professional, well designed visuals. But it is all
for naught if you do not have a deep, heartfelt belief in your topic. The biggest item that separates
mediocre presenters from world class ones is the ability to connect with an audience in an honest and
exciting way. Don’t hold back. Be confident. And let your passion for your topic come out for all to
see.

2. .....................................................................................................................................
You’ve heard it before: First impressions are powerful. Believe it. The first 2-3 minutes of the
presentation are the most important. The audience wants to like you and they will give you a few
minutes at the beginning to engage them — don’t miss the opportunity. Most presenters fail here
because they ramble on too long about superfluous background information or their
personal/professional history, etc.

3. .....................................................................................................................................
Humans have short attention spans when it comes to passively sitting and listening to a speaker.
Audience attention is greatest at the opening and then again when you say something like “In
conclusion….” This is just the human condition, especially so for the busy (often tired) knowledge
worker of today. So, if you have 30 minutes for your talk, finish in 25 minutes. It is better to have the
audience wanting more (of you) than to feel that they have had more than enough. Professional
entertainers know this very well.

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4. .....................................................................................................................................
Get closer to your audience by moving away from or in front of the podium. The podium is a barrier
between you and the audience, but the goal of our presentation is to connect with the audience.
Removing physical barriers between you and the audience will help you build rapport and make a
connection.

5. .....................................................................................................................................
To advance your slides and builds, use a small, handheld remote. A handheld remote will allow you to
move away from the podium. This is an absolute must.

6. .....................................................................................................................................
If you press the “B” key while your PowerPoint or Keynote slide is showing, the screen will go blank.
This is useful if you need to digress or move off the topic presented on the slide. By having the slide
blank, all the attention can now be placed back on you. When you are ready to move on, just press the
“B” key again and the image reappears.

7. .....................................................................................................................................
Try looking at individuals rather than scanning the group. Since you are using a computer, you never
need to look at the screen behind you — just glance down at the computer screen briefly. One sure
way to lose an audience is to turn your back on them. And while you’re maintaining great eye contact,
don’t forget to smile as well. Unless your topic is very grim, a smile can be a very powerful thing.

8. .....................................................................................................................................
If you are speaking in a meeting room or a classroom, the temptation is to turn the lights off so that the
slides look better. But go for a compromise between a bright screen image and ambient room lighting.
Turning the lights off — besides inducing sleep — puts all the focus on the screen. The audience
should be looking at you more than the screen. Today’s projectors are bright enough to allow you to
keep many of the lights on.

9. .....................................................................................................................................
If you are presenting to a small group, then you can connect your computer to a large TV (via the s-
video line-in). With a TV screen, you can keep all or most of the lights on. Make sure your text and
graphics are large enough to be seen on the small the screen. You will probably have to increase the
type size significantly.

10. .....................................................................................................................................
When audience members ask questions or give comments, you should be gracious and thank them for
their input. Even if someone is being difficult, you must keep to the high ground and at all times be a
gentleman or lady and courteously deal with such individuals. The true professional can always
remain cool and in control. Remember, it is your reputation, so always remain gracious even with the
most challenging of audiences.

TASK 3 Read the article. Match headings A – J to paragraphs 1 – 10.

A/ Start strong
B/ Use a remote-control device
C/ Use a TV for small groups
D/ Remember the “B” key
E/ At all times: courteous, gracious and professional
F/ Make good eye contact
G/ Show your passion
H/ Keep it short
I/ Keep it lights on
J/ Move away from the podium

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READING 2
Speech organisation
An effective speech is logically organized into three basic components: an opening, a body and
conclusion.
OPENING
Giving a presentation is like taking your audience from start to finish on a journey. At the start, your
audience require some basic information. Once they have this information they are on your side,
attentive and ready to listen.
BODY
The body is the part of the presentation between your opening and your conclusion. It's the longest part
of the presentation, and its purpose is to get your key points across. When you're preparing the body of
your presentation, you have two main tasks: First you determine the key points you want to make, and
then you organize the sequence of these points.
CONCLUSION
Have you ever thought “What was the point?” after listening to a presentation? To make your final
message clear you need to:
- Pause briefly and signal clearly that you are ready to finish the presentation.
- Make your summary, giving a brief overview of what has already been said. A conclusion without
summary can sound incomplete as your audience may not have listened to every point of your
presentation.
- Give your conclusion. There are different kinds of conclusions: you can make call for action, make a
recommendation or assure your audience that they are better informed.
- Finally, make your closing remarks by thanking your audience, asking for questions or passing
round handouts.

TASK 5 Write Sig (Signal), Sum (Summary), Conc (Conclusion) or CR (Closing Remarks) next
to the phrases below.

1. So, that brings me to the end of my presentation.

2. Let me summarize what we´ve looked at.
3. Thank you for your attention.
4. I´ll briefly summarize the main issues.
5. I´ll now hand out.
6. I´d like to conclude by strongly recommending.
7. So, that completes our presentation.
8. Let me go over the key points again.
9. Thank you for listening.
10. In conclusion, I´d like to leave you with the following idea.

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VOCABULARY
TASK 6 Read the following phrases and try to use them in your own short presentation.

1. Morning everyone. Thanks for coming. My name is ……. and I am responsible for …
2. The reason we are here today is to ……..
3. I´ve divided my presentation into three main points. I would like to begin with …….
4. So, I´ll be addressing three main points and the first one is going to be .......... The second point will
be ……. And finally the last point is …….
5. Please feel free to interrupt me at any time if you have a question …….
6. I would like to start with ……. and then ……. Lastly…….
7. For those who don´t know me, my name is……. and I am a student of …….
8. If you have any questions, I´d be grateful if you could leave them until the end. ……
9. The presentation should last about twenty minutes …….
10. I´m going to outline 3 proposals. Firstly, I´ll ……. Then, I´d like to .......... and finally

TASK 7 The following expressions can help you to give a clear structure to a presentation.
Complete them using the correct preposition. Then match them with their usage below.

to, on, of, off, for, back, about, up

1. To start............ , then, …
2. To move ............ to my next point, …
3. To go.............to what I was saying, …
4. To turn now ............ a different matter, …
5. To say a bit more ........... that, ...
6. To give you an example ............ what I mean, …
7. To digress ............ a moment, …
8. To sum ............ , then …

a) return to an important point

b) repeat the main points
c) talk about something unconnected
d) begin the presentation
e) expand a point
f) change the subject

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TASK 8 Do the following quiz.

1. At the beginning of your presentation you can say, ''I'm going to about...''
a) do b) talk c) tell

2. You can also say, ''I'm going to give you some and figures.''
a) facts b) information c) numbers

3. When you go to the next part in your presentation, you can say: ''I'd now like to on to...
a) move b) speak c) talk

4. When you talk about a graph (or other figure / diagram) you can say, ''This graph you...''
a) demonstrates b) indicates c) shows

5. If you want to show that one thing is directly linked to the next thing, you can say, ''This
me to my next point''.
a) guides b) leads c) links

6. When you want to show that you have finished your presentation, you can say, ''That me
to the end of my presentation.''
a) brings b) concludes c) summarises

7. You can then say, ''Thank you for ''

a) attending b) listening c) taking part

8. If you want to invite people to ask you questions, you can say ''Please feel to ask
questions.''
a) fine b) free c) happy

9. After you reply to a question, you can say ''Does this your question?''
a) answer b) reply c) satisfy

10. If you want to repeat, clarify or say something in a different way (perhaps because someone
didn't understand you when you gave an answer) you can say, '' another way...''
a) In b) Put c) Spoken

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READING 3
Visual aids

FLIP CHART
A flip chart is a large pad of paper on a stand. It is a very useful and flexible way of recording
information during your presentation — you can even use pre-prepared sheets for key points. Record
information as you go along, keeping one main idea to each sheet. Flip back through the pad to help
you recap your main points. Use the turning of a page to show progression from point to point.
Remember to make your writing clear and readable and your diagrams as simple as possible.

ARTEFACTS OR PROPS
Sometimes it can be very useful to use artefacts or props when making a presentation (think of the
safety routine on an aeroplane when the steward shows you how to use the safety equipment). If you
bring an artefact with you, make sure that the object can be seen and be prepared to pass it round a
small group or move to different areas of a large room to help your audience view it in detail.
Remember that this will take time and that when an audience is immersed in looking at an object, they
will find it hard to listen to your talk. Conceal large props until you need them; they might distract
your audience’s attention.

POWERPOINT (OR EQUIVALENT)

PowerPoint presentations consist of a number of individual pages or "slides". Slides may contain text,
graphics, sound, movies, and other objects, which may be arranged freely. The presentation can be
printed, displayed live on a computer, or navigated through at the command of the presenter.
PowerPoint provides numerous features that offer flexibility and the ability to create a professional
presentation. The user may customize slide shows to show the slides in a different order than
originally designed and to have slides appear multiple times. Microsoft also offers the ability to
broadcast the presentation to specific users via a link and Windows Live.

TASK 9 Give 3 examples of advantages and disadvantages to each type of visual aid.

Discussion
Which of these statements about Power Point slides do you agree with? Justify your answer.

1. You shouldn´t use too many colours.

2. It´s OK, if there are some spelling mistakes on a slide as no one expects me to be perfect.
3. I see and I remember.
4. A good presenter uses visual material to support the message and not to give the message.
5. The slides are the first thing I prepare as they are the most important part of my presentation.
6. If the slides are detailed enough, I can just read them aloud if I forget what I was going to say.
7. There should never be more than seven words on a slide.
8. A picture is worth a thousand words.
9. Less is more.
10. I need to include all details and data on my slides – that´s my business and that´s what my audience expect!

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GLOSSARY
ambient room lighting
an artefact or prop
attention spans
audience
build rapport
a closing remark
a conclusion
courteous
digress or move off the topic
flip chart
glance down
go blank
gracious
grim topic
handheld remote
hold back
image reappears
it is all for naught
keep to the high ground
maintain eye contact
mediocre presenters
passionate
ramble
a slide
a summary
temptation
to advance your slides and builds
to encounter a problem
to induce sleep

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