Unit 15: School Facilities
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
Student 1: This new tutoring system will be great!
Student 2: I'm not so sure about that.
Student 1: Really? What do you mean?
Student 2: First of all, a lot of students don't even know how to type very fast. Some cannot
even type at all. This will make the tutoring sessions really slow.
Student 1: Right, typing skills will be really important.
Student 2: Sure, they will. But when students are tutored face-to-face, they don’t have to worry
about typing. They can just focus all their energy on what they're learning. I think that's more
efficient.
Student 1: You may be right.
Student 2: There's something else too. Students must have a good computer at home in order to
access the computer-based system. Many students will have to upgrade their current computers
or even buy a new one. I know a lot of students who don’t even have a computer at home. It will
be very expensive for them to get access to tutoring now.
Student 1: That's a good point. I think it might be better to stick with the old system.
Sample Response
The notice describes a new university tutoring system.
The woman is against the university’s decision to replace face-to-face tutoring with a computer-
based system. First, she believes that students will require excellent typing skills in order to take
advantage of the new tutoring system. However, she states that many students lack the ability to
type well enough, so the new system will be much slower than face-to-face tutoring. To her, the
inability to type well will hinder the learning process for some students.
Second, she believes many students will have to upgrade their computers or even buy new ones.
According to the woman, this will be very expensive for many students. She believes that the
former face-to-face method of tutoring is better than the new computer-based system.
The woman does not support the new computer-based tutoring system. She gives two reasons for
her opinion.
First, she argues that many students do not know how to type quickly, and some cannot type at
all. This will slow down tutoring sessions because students will struggle to communicate
efficiently. In contrast, face-to-face tutoring allows students to focus entirely on learning without
worrying about their typing skills.
Second, she points out that not all students have access to a good computer at home. Some may
need to upgrade their current computers or even buy a new one, which can be very expensive.
Additionally, some students do not have a computer at all, making it difficult for them to use the
new system.
Because of these issues, she believes that sticking with the old face-to-face tutoring system
would be a better option.
Unit 16: University Construction
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
Student 1: So, the Wall of Art will be down by May?
Student 2: Yeah, I know. I can't believe they’re actually going through with the removal.
Student 1: Really? How come?
Student 2: Well, for one thing, it is one of the oldest original parts of our university.
Student 1: Oh, I didn't know that.
Student 2: Sure it is! It’s very historic. If they knock the wall down, there will be nothing left on
campus that was built during the university’s first construction period. There will just be a bunch
of new buildings.
Student 1: Hmm...
Student 2: And there’s something else. It has always been a kind of showcase for student artists.
It’s a way for them to show their work to the public for free. Now, they aren’t going to have that
opportunity. I think it will really limit the exposure of some of the wonderful work by art majors.
Student 1: Right, I didn’t think about that.
Student 2: Well, all I can say is that if they go through with it, it will hurt the university in more
ways than one.
Sample Response
The male student opposes the university tearing down the Wall of Art on campus.
One reason he gives is that its destruction will further reduce the historic parts of the university.
He claims the wall is one of the original parts of the university, making it historic and important.
Without it, a vital piece of the university’s history will be lost forever.
Another reason he gives is that art students will no longer have a place to display their works to
the public for free. He believes that once the wall is gone, it will be difficult for art majors to
have an opportunity to exhibit their works, thereby limiting their exposure.
For these reasons, the male student believes that the destruction of the Wall of Art will do much
more harm than good to both the university and its students.
The male student is strongly against the removal of the Wall of Art. He gives two main reasons
for his opinion.
First, he emphasizes the historical significance of the wall. He explains that it is one of the oldest
original parts of the university. If the wall is removed, there will be no remaining structures from
the university’s first construction period, leaving only new buildings.
Second, he highlights the wall’s role as a showcase for student artists. The wall provides them
with a free platform to display their artwork to the public. Without it, art students will lose an
important opportunity to gain exposure for their work.
Overall, he believes that removing the wall will negatively impact both the university’s history
and its students, making it a harmful decision in multiple ways.
Unit 17: School Appointments
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
Student 1: So, do you think the university is making a good move by appointing Dr. Reynolds
as the new dean?
Student 2: Yes, I do.
Student 1: Really? But I've heard he's a terrible advisor and seldom helps students in need.
Student 2: I disagree completely. He's my roommate John's advisor, and John can't say enough
good things about Dr. Reynolds. He said that Dr. Reynolds always has time to meet him and has
given him lots of good advice. Those sound like good qualities in a dean.
Student 1: Okay, but what about those rumors?
Student 2: What rumors?
Student 1: The ones that said Dr. Reynolds was going to go elsewhere if he didn't get appointed
dean.
Student 2: I don't believe them. First, Dr. Reynolds has been a teacher here for years. His
family's happy here too.
Student 1: Yeah, but that's no reason to make him the dean.
Student 2: Sure, you're right. But he's one of the best scholars in his field. He'll not only attract
excellent professors, but we'll also get the best students to come here. That'll definitely improve
the quality of our school.
Sample Response
The subject of the announcement is that Dr. Reynolds will become the new dean of the
humanities department.
The man’s opinion is that Dr. Reynolds is a good choice.
The first reason is that his roommate has commented positively about Dr. Reynolds’s ability as
an advisor. To begin with, Dr. Reynolds always has time to meet with the man’s roommate. He
has also given his advisee some good advice.
In addition, the man comments that Dr. Reynolds is an excellent scholar and is actually one of
the top figures in his field. The man notes that this fact will attract both top professors and
students to the university, as they will want to be associated with the school.
In the man’s mind, these two reasons justify Dr. Reynolds’s appointment as the new dean.
The male student supports the university’s decision to appoint Dr. Reynolds as the new dean. He
provides two main reasons for his opinion.
First, he disagrees with the claim that Dr. Reynolds is a terrible advisor. He explains that his
roommate, John, is advised by Dr. Reynolds and has only positive things to say about him.
According to John, Dr. Reynolds is always available for meetings and offers helpful advice,
which the man believes are important qualities for a dean.
Second, he dismisses the rumors that Dr. Reynolds was going to leave if he wasn’t appointed. He
argues that Dr. Reynolds has been a longtime faculty member and that his family is happy at the
university, making it unlikely that he planned to leave. Furthermore, he believes that Dr.
Reynolds’ strong reputation as a scholar will attract top professors and students, ultimately
improving the university’s academic quality.
Overall, the man is confident that appointing Dr. Reynolds as dean is a beneficial decision for the
university.
Unit 18: School Politics
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
Student 1: I can't believe they're going to start this new dorm policy.
Student 2: Really? Do you think it's going to improve students' grades?
Student 1: Grades? It might actually lower them since it will definitely limit the interactions
between students with diverse interests. You can learn a lot from people in other majors, you
know.
Student 2: Well, maybe... I suppose so.
Student 1: Students need to stimulate one another. One of the best ways is when students with
various interests and majors live together—it broadens their minds. With this new policy, the
university is taking away one of the best parts of dorm life.
Student 2: But don’t you think it would be a good thing if every student living on the floor had
the same major? Think of all the great discussions they could have together.
Student 1: Sorry, but I don’t agree with you. Students do better when they interact with others
who have completely different perspectives on things. If everyone living on a dorm floor has the
same major, they'll all have pretty much the same perspective. That won’t make them creative or
help them think differently from others.
Sample Response
According to the announcement, students with the same majors will have to live on the same
floors of the university's dormitories.
The woman thinks this is a terrible idea.
One reason she gives is that the new policy won't improve students' academic performances. On
the contrary, she fears it may actually cause them to decrease. Likewise, students will now have
fewer interactions with those in other majors, which will not enable them to learn more or
broaden their minds.
The woman also points out that having diverse living conditions is more beneficial than having
major-specific floors. She claims that students with the same majors have similar perspectives,
meaning they think alike. She believes that because of the new policy, students will not have
good discussions and will no longer be creative or think differently from others.
The female student is against the university’s new dormitory policy. She provides two main
reasons for her opinion.
First, she believes that the policy will lower students' academic performance rather than improve
it. She argues that interacting with students from different majors helps broaden perspectives and
enhances learning. With the new policy, these interactions will be limited, which could
negatively impact students' intellectual growth.
Second, she emphasizes that diverse interactions stimulate creativity. She disagrees with the idea
that students of the same major living together will be beneficial. Instead, she believes that if
everyone on a dorm floor has the same major, they will all have similar perspectives, which will
not encourage creativity or critical thinking.
Overall, she feels that the new dormitory policy will take away an important part of dorm life
and hinder students’ academic and personal development.
Unit 19: Bus Routes
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
S1: It looks as though the school's going to start those new bus routes pretty soon.
S2: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to them.
S1: I'm not. They're probably going to increase the noise level on campus.
S2: That's true, but this is a big campus, and there aren't many buses on campus now. We really
could use some more buses so that we can get to places on campus a lot quicker. Right now, I've
got to walk about 15 minutes to get to each class. Buses will cut down on that time considerably.
S1: All right, but the bus routes won't be in effect during the evening. What about all of the night
school students who won't get to make use of the program? That's not fair, is it?
S2: Well, it's unfortunate, but the large majority of the students here take classes during the day.
Since the school doesn't have unlimited funds, it should take care of the largest number of
students. That means the day students should come first.
S1: Okay, I guess I see your points.
Compare
Listen to a sample response and compare it with yours.
The topic of the notice is some bus route changes that the school will be making on its campus.
The woman supports these changes for a couple of reasons. According to the woman, there are
not enough buses on campus. She states that she needs 15 minutes to walk to her classes.
However, once she is able to take a bus, she will be able to get to her classes much faster than
she is currently.
While the man points out that the night school students will not benefit from these bus route
changes, the woman counters by saying that the school doesn't have an unlimited amount of
money. In the woman's mind, the school must take care of the day students first because they
make up a majority of the student body.
The woman supports the new bus routes on campus. She provides two main reasons for her
opinion.
First, she argues that the campus is large and currently lacks enough buses. She explains that
students often have to walk long distances—sometimes up to 15 minutes—to reach their classes.
She believes that more buses will significantly reduce travel time and make it easier for students
to move around campus.
Second, she acknowledges that the bus routes will not operate in the evening, but she justifies
this by pointing out that most students take classes during the day. Since the university has
limited funds, she argues that the school should prioritize serving the largest number of students,
which means focusing on daytime transportation.
Although the man expresses concerns about increased noise and fairness for night students, the
woman believes that the benefits of the new bus routes outweigh these drawbacks.
Unit 20: Library Construction
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
S1: It seems they're finally putting a cafe in the library's basement.
S2: Yeah, I heard. I can't understand why they're doing such a thing.
S1: Really? Why do you say that?
S2: Well, I heard it's only going to sell junk food like donuts, chips, and candy bars. You know,
stuff like that.
S1: What? No fruits or healthy alternatives?
S2: Nope, just junk food, which is terrible for people and really unhealthy. The cafe should at
least offer some good food and drinks, but it won’t.
S1: That's not good.
S2: No, it isn't. Also, it's simply too close. Well, it's inside the library. How do you think that will
affect students? Well, it'll give them an easy excuse to procrastinate. They'll go down there and
hang out with their friends instead of focusing on their schoolwork. At least having to go off
campus keeps more students in the library because the shops are far away.
S1: I see your point.
S2: Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think this new cafe in the library isn't such a good
idea.
Compare
Listen to a sample response and compare it with yours.
According to the announcement, a new cafe is opening in the library's basement. The male
student dislikes this idea of including a student cafe inside the library.
First of all, he says that the cafe will only be selling snacks and junk food like donuts, chips, and
candy bars. He claims that junk food is bad for people and is too unhealthy.
The second reason he gives is that, because of its location, many students will start hanging out
at the cafe. He feels this will cause students to procrastinate and stop focusing on their studies. In
his opinion, to get students to study, it's better to have restaurants far away from the library
instead of actually inside of it. This will convince students to stay in the library and study instead
of going out to eat.
The man is against the construction of the new café in the university library’s basement. He
provides two main reasons to support his opinion.
First, he criticizes the café for offering only unhealthy food options like donuts, chips, and candy
bars. He believes that the café should at least provide some healthier alternatives, but since it
won’t, he thinks it is a bad idea.
Second, he argues that having a café inside the library will encourage students to procrastinate.
Instead of focusing on their studies, they may use it as an excuse to socialize with friends. He
points out that currently, students stay in the library to study because they have to go off-campus
for food. With a café inside, more students might get distracted and spend less time studying.
Overall, the man believes the café will negatively impact both students' health and their
academic focus.
Unit 21: Student Affairs
Listening
Listen to a conversation on the same topic and take notes.
S1 (Woman): Hey, this is a spectacular idea! The school is moving elections for student
representatives to September. That'll let freshmen be more involved in the elections.
S2 (Man): Yeah, maybe. But you know what? Lots of students are busy at the beginning of the
year. They've got to fix their schedules and get used to their roommates and stuff.
S1: So?
S2: Well, I'm just saying that many students might not bother to vote if the elections are held too
early in the school year. I probably won't vote if I'm occupied with getting used to starting school
again.
S1: Okay, you have a point. But what about the freshmen? Don't you think it's great that they'll
get involved in the election process?
S2: Hmm, it's fine that they'll get to vote, but they don't really know anything about the
important issues on campus. So how can they make good decisions without knowing all the
facts? And they won't know much about the candidates either. They'll be voting, but they won't
have information to go with.
S1: Well, I guess I see your points.
Compare
Listen to a sample response and compare it with yours.
The man feels negatively toward the student activities office's decision to move the date of the
student representative elections from May to September. He gives two reasons for his negative
feelings.
First, he mentions that in September, students are still getting used to their schedules, their
roommates, and simply being back at school. So many students, including the student himself,
might not vote if they're too busy with back-to-school activities.
Second of all, he acknowledges that while it's nice that freshmen may now vote in the elections,
they will not know enough about either the important campus issues or the candidates
themselves. He states that they won't know all of the necessary facts before they vote. Because of
this lack of knowledge, they won’t be able to make educated decisions on who to vote for.
The man disagrees with the decision to move the student representative elections to September.
He provides two reasons to support his opinion.
First, he argues that many students are too busy at the beginning of the school year to focus on
elections. They have to fix their schedules, adjust to their new roommates, and settle into school
life. Because of this, many students might not take the time to vote. He even admits that he
probably wouldn’t vote if he were preoccupied with starting school again.
Second, he believes that freshmen, while now able to vote, won’t be well-informed enough to
make good decisions. Since they are new to the university, they won’t have much knowledge
about important campus issues or the candidates running for election. As a result, they will be
voting without fully understanding what they are voting for.
Overall, the man thinks that holding elections in September will reduce voter participation and
lead to uninformed voting decisions.
UNIT 2: Reference
Skill & Drill
1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. B
6. B
1) 3. blown away
1. temperature changes 4. dusty, infertile ground
2. South America 5. natural disaster
3. irregularly
4. drought, flooding, and forest fires
5. migatory patterns
2)
1. Biodiversity
2. Living things
3. unsustainable environmental practices
4. rain forests
5. foreign species
3)
1. generating electricity
2. moving water
3. time and money
4. local ecosystem
5. Annapolis Royal
4)
1. largest living lizards
2. the islands of Indonesia
3. infects the prey
4. their own species
5. population
5)
1. Nanotechnology
2. microscopic machines
3. unpredictable
4. human bodies
5. self-replicating nanobots
6)
1. a series…
2. America…
