Part 1
1. Was procrastination a problem for you when working on assignments?
2. Were you able to breeze through any subject at school? Did you pass the exams with flying colours? What made the subject easy for you?
3. Is there anything that you learned at school or university that you need to brush up on? Why would it be useful now?
4. Do you consider your field of study/ work as a calling, or do you view it more as a means to an end?
5. Where is/ was your favourite spot on the university campus to study? Why do you find it good for learning?
6. Is it more important to gain knowledge or critical thinking skills when at university?
7. Did you have to submit a dissertation for your course? What other long pieces of coursework did you have to do?
8. Do you know anyone who decided to drop out of university? Do you know why?
Part 2
9. What were the requirements before enrolling on your course? Did you need to have studied any particular subjects beforehand?
10. Who was your favourite faculty member and why?
11. How much time did you spend revising for your finals?
12. In your opinion, is higher education worth the cost? How can it open doors for future opportunities?
13. Is it possible to get scholarships to universities in your country? How difficult is it to get one?
14. Were any topics missing from the syllabus? What would you like to have studied in more depth?
15. What are your thoughts on tuition fees and the accessibility of higher education? Do
you think it's a critical issue?
16. Do you have any special strategies for memorisation? What’s the best way to learn many facts by heart in a short period of time?
VOCABULARY
Topic Vocabulary:
assignment (noun [c]):
Definition: A task or project given by a teacher or employer to complete within a certain time frame.
Example: My English teacher gave us an assignment to write a five-page essay on our favourite book.
breeze through (phrasal verb):
Definition: To complete something easily or effortlessly.
Example: She breezed through the maths exam in record time.
brush up on (phrasal verb):
Definition: To review or refresh one's knowledge or skills in a particular subject.
Example: I need to brush up on my Spanish before our trip to Mexico.
calling (noun [c]):
Definition: A strong feeling of personal conviction or passion towards a particular career or path in life.
Example: After volunteering in a hospital, she realised that helping people was her true calling.
campus (noun [c]):
Definition: The grounds and buildings of a university, college, or school.
Example: The university has a beautiful campus with lots of green spaces.
critical thinking (noun phrase):
Definition: The ability to analyse information and evaluate ideas in a logical and thoughtful way.
Example: In science class, we use critical thinking skills to analyse data and draw conclusions from experiments.
dissertation (noun [c]):
Definition: A long written work, often required for a higher degree.
Example: She spent months researching and writing her dissertation on ancient Roman architecture.
drop out (phrasal verb):
Definition: To leave a course or program of study before completing it.
Example: Unfortunately, he decided to drop out of college after just one semester.
enrol (verb):
Definition: To officially register or join a course or program of study.
Example: I plan to enrol in the photography course next semester.
faculty (noun [c]):
Definition: The teaching staff of a school, college, or university.
Example: The faculty members at the university are highly respected in their fields.
finals (noun [pl]):
Definition: The last set of examinations or assessments at the end of a term or academic year.
Example: The finals are next week, so I need to study.
higher education (noun phrase):
Definition: Education beyond high school, typically provided by universities.
Example: Pursuing higher education can open up many career opportunities.
learn by heart (idiom):
Definition: To memorise something thoroughly.
Example: She learned the poem by heart and recited it flawlessly.
memorisation (noun [u]):
Definition: The process of learning and retaining information in one's memory.
Example: Acting involves the memorisation of lines.
open doors (idiom):
Definition: To create opportunities or provide access to new possibilities.
Example: Pursuing higher education can open doors to new career paths and opportunities for personal growth.
pass with flying colours (idiom):
Definition: To pass a test or examination with a very high score or outstanding performance.
Example: She studied hard and passed the test with flying colours.
scholarship (noun [c]):
Definition: Financial aid or grant awarded to a student for academic achievement or other criteria.
Example: She was awarded a scholarship based on her excellent exam results.
submit (verb):
Definition: To hand in or give something for evaluation or consideration.
Example: Please submit your assignment by the end of the week.
syllabus (noun [c]):
Definition: An outline or summary of the topics and assignments covered in a course.
Example: The teacher gave us a syllabus that lists all the books we need to read, and assignments which we will have this year.
tuition (noun [u]):
Definition: Teaching, especially in one to one classes or at universities.
Example: The quality of the tuition is very high at this university.
Exercise 1: Matching Exercise
Match the words and phrases in A with a word or phrase with a similar meaning in B.
A
i. tuition
ii. breeze through
iii. brush up on
iv. drop out
v. faculty
vi. learn by heart
vii. open doors
viii. scholarship
ix. submit
x. syllabus
xi. enrol
xii. pass with flying colours
B
memorise
sign up for
leave school/ university
curriculum
create opportunities
ace
revise
teaching staff
teaching
pass easily
grant
hand in
Exercise 2: Identify Differences
What, if any, are the differences in meaning between those pairs of words/ expressions?
Exercise 3: Gap-fill Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary word from the list provided.
1. After years of working, she decided to ___________ in a business management course.
2. The professor encouraged the students to develop their ___________ skills for better analysis.
3. To ___________ on your French before the trip, consider using language learning apps.
4. The university offers ___________ for students with exceptional academic performance.
5. His ___________ for mathematics led him to pursue a career in engineering.
6. The ___________ were challenging, but she managed to pass with flying colours.
7. As part of the course requirements, students had to ___________ a research paper.
8. The professor assigned a challenging ___________ that required extensive research.
9. The ___________ is where students attend classes, study, and engage in university activities.
10. The ___________ includes details on course objectives, assignments, and assessment methods.
11. During the exam, she was able to ___________ the questions without difficulty.
12. He decided to ___________ of college and pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
submit
breeze through
scholarships
syllabus
critical thinking
calling
assignment
drop out
brush up on
enrol
campus
finals
Vocabulary Answer Key
Exercise 1: i. teaching, ii. pass easily, iii. revise, iv. leave school/ university, v. teaching staff, vi. Memorise, vii. create opportunities, viii. grant, ix. hand in, x. Curriculum
Exercise 2:
iii. brush up on applies to all skills, whereas revise is used for academic learning
v. faculty is generally used for teaching staff in a university/ college
viii. scholarships are given by educational institutions to students to help them pay for their studies, whereas grants are usually given by governments for a variety education or research reasons
ix. submit is more formal than hand in
x. although usually interchangeable, a syllabus tends to be a more detailed outline of a study programme than the more general curriculum
xi. enrol is normally only used for educational courses, whereas sign up for can be used in a wider variety of contexts involving membership of a group or club.
xii. ace can also be a noun with various meanings
Exercise 3: 1. enrol, 2. critical thinking, 3. brush up on, 4. scholarships, 5. calling, 6. finals, 7. submit, 8. assignment, 9. campus, 10. syllabus, 11. breeze through, 12. drop out
Advanced Discussion Questions
17. Studying
SPEAKING
