IN THIS UNIT YOU WILL

LEARN HOW TO
• identify the main ideas of a passage
• find information in a text quickly
• deal with multiple-choice questions.

I LEAD-IN I
� Are these words about work or studies? Put them in the correct column.

academic Divide your vocabulary

blended learning business
notebook into topics. Leave
degree employers retirement
space to add new words as
job qualification primary education you learn them.
office lifelong learning seminars

i . . . . ...
Work Studies

� How many of the words can you

find in the text opposite
in ONE minute?
 MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS] @ In multiple-choice questions,
you have to choose the correct

I I
answer from four options: A, B,
C,D.
FINDING THE ANSWER
In the test, you will not have time
Spend another ONE minute quickly reading the text and answer this question. to read the whole passage in
detail. You need to quickly find
Does the text express a positive or negative view of globalisation in education? the part of the text that contains
the answer.
Quickly find which paragraph (A-F} you need to read to answer these questions. First, skim the text (read it very
2 All of these are advantages of globalised quickly) so you know what it is
1 Blended learning means
about.
A continuing to learn throughout education except:
A Students in developing countries can get Next, look at the main part of the
your life.
questions (NOT the options A, B,
B studying online or via email. better jobs.
C, D) and decide which words
C mixing traditional and modern B Students can get a degree at a cheaper price. will help you find the answer.
methods. C Universities benefit from international These are the 'key' words.

D learning in a classroom. students. Then, read the text again quickly.

D The elite get most of the opportunities. This time you are only looking for
the key words or words which
Do you need to read the whole paragraph to find the answers? mean the same. That is the part
of the text where the answer is.
Choose the correct answers and explain your choices to your partner.

II Globalisation has affected most aspects of our lives. One area which DJ One concern people have about globalisation is that it
has changed is education. More and more people move to different can start to mean 'westernisation'. In other words, local
countries for their studies. At the same time, more people stay at knowledge can be lost and money seen as more
home and study by distance learning. It is now easy to learn without important than culture. Education should treat every
attending a college or university, or attending less often. 'Blended culture with respect; it should not be just learning about
learning' means studying partly in a traditional way in the classroom the West, but should include different ways of teaching
and partly online or via email. These changes also mean that there is and approaches from around the world. The aim is to
now more interest in 'lifelong learning', the idea that we go on enrich and share; the flow of ideas and information
learning throughout our working lives and even into retirement. It is should go from East to West as well as from West to East.
easy to attend 'webinars' or online seminars without being away
II Educational institutions have changed their focus due to
from our offices. Many adults go back to college later in life because
globalisation. There are so many benefits of having
it is so easy to get a qualification without giving up work or disrupting
overseas students that universities are competing for
family life.
them, using strategies from the world of business. For
Bl Different countries have benefitted from the globalisation of example, they visit Education Fairs all over the world and
education in different ways. Many British, Australian and American spend time and money creating publicity material and
universities run their degree programmes in countries throughout advertisements. There is also more emphasis on the
Asia, and many students, parents and employers feel this is a student experience. There is more focus on customer
valuable opportunity. Students can get an internationally recognised care, especially helping international students to settle
degree at a much cheaper price than going abroad and so can in, improve their English and understand the academic
improve their chances of getting a good job. At the same time, those culture of the host country.
in the countries providing world-class degrees also benefit. They
have greater access to ideas and knowledge from all over the world
II There are many advantages to the globalisation of
education and the workplace. More people get benefits
and having international students enriches their universities.
that were only available to those in the developed
(I However, it is not good news for everyone in some developing countries before. There is more understanding between
countries. It is usually the elite - or the richest people in the large different nations as people learn about each other's
cities -who have access to international education. Many people in cultures. However, it is important to make sure the
rural areas have not even had a primary education. Also, those areas benefits reach everyone and don't
usually do not have reliable internet connections and most people leave many citizens of the
do not own a computer. It will take a bit more time for international developing world behind.
opportunities to reach everyone in developing countries.
UNIT 03 I READING •
I LOOKING FOR WORDS WITH SIMILAR MEANINGS I @ • Sometimes the words in the text
are the same as the key words in
� If you see these words (1-7) in a question, what words might you expect the question, for example the
to find in the text? Choose a word or phrase from the box below. technical term 'blended
learning'.
1 abroad 5 make better • Sometimes the words in the text
2 benefits 6 useful are different to the key words,
but they mean something
3 disturbing 7 workplaces
similar.
4 going to • When you are looking for the key
words in the text, it is important
advantages attending distance learning overseas to look for words, or groups of
globalisation enrich lifelong learning offices words, that mean the same. We
disrupting valuable westernisation call these 'paraphrases'.

The words you don't need are examples of the type of words which are likely
to be the same in both the question and the text.

I IDENTIFYING THE MAIN IDEA I

� Which FOUR sentences represent the main ideas of the passage?
Questions often relate to the main
1 There are both advantages and disadvantages to the globalisation ideas of the passage. It is therefore
of education. important that you are able to
identify them.
2 Many people study after retirement.
3 It is important that globalisation should not be westernisation.
4 Universities have had to become more business-focused.
5 University fees rose dramatically in the UK in 2012. Read the first paragraph and the
6 Many poorer people in developing countries do not benefit from first sentence of every other
globalisation. paragraph, as this is where the
7 Most lecturers work part-time. main ideas can usually be found.

Where in the paragraph can the main ideas be found?

46
I MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS: ANOTHER WAY TO DO THEM I @ There is another way to do

l2J.zD Write your own answers to these questions. multiple-choice questions.

• Identify the key words
1 Who benefits from globalised education in developing countries? (the most important words) in
the question.
2 What is the meaning of 'westernisation'?
• Find the part of the passage that
3 How has the focus of educational institutions changed? gives the answer.
• Try to answer the question
Look at the options and find the one closest to your answer.
yourself.
1 Who benefits from globalised education in developing countries? • Look at the options and find the
one that matches your answer.
A almost everyone in those countries
B mainly well-off people in big towns
C only those in developed countries
D only those who own a computer

2 What is the meaning of 'westernisation'?

A learning only about the West
B learning local knowledge
C not learning about culture
D treating culture with respect

3 How has the focus of educational institutions changed?

A They have become poor value for money.
B Staff are not committed to their students.
C They are focused on attracting students.
D They only want foreign students.
Then read the passage again and answer the questions. Was it helpful to try to
answer the question yourself first?

I GRAMMAR FOCUS: THE PRESENT PERFECT :1

� Look at this example of the present perfect from the first sentence of the passage:
Globalisation has affected most aspects of our lives.
Did this happen in the past or present? - It began in the past.
Does it have results in the present? - Yes. We are still affected by globalisation.
1 Look at these present perfect sentences from the passage. Do they relate to both
the past and the present? How?
a Different countries have benefitted from the globalisation of education in
different ways.
b Many people in rural areas have not even had a primary education.
c Educational institutions have changed their focus due to globalisation.

2 Which of these tenses is used most in the passage?

a simple past
b simple present
c present continuous

3 Choose the best reason for this choice of tense.

a The situation affects people now.
b Most of the changes happened in the past.
c It is a constantly changing situation.

UNIT03 'READING
 EXAM SKILLS ] @ • Read (skim) the text very quickly so you understand what it is about.
• Read the main part of the questions and find the key words (the words
that will help you find the answer in the passage).
• Find the key words or words that mean the same in the passage.
� Read the text on work-based learning and
answer the questions that follow. • Try to answer the question without looking at the options A-D.
• Find the option, A, 8, C or D, that matches your answer.
• Check that the other options are incorrect.

A There has been a trend towards creating a closer

connection between education/training and the
workplace. This is because many employers felt that school
leavers were not prepared well enough and didn't have the
skills they would need to do well at work. Having a dose
relationship between training and work is not new:
apprenticeships were a common way of learning in the past.
Young people learnt by working with an expert, but this was
D At the higher levels of education, too, there has been more
emphasis on work-based learning, which links academic
most common in trades such as builders or electricians. The study closely to practical experience. At degree level, companies
trend now is for a closer connection between education and have linked with universities to create specialised qualifications,

B
the workplace at all levels and in many different types of job. such as the BA in Distribution run between Middlesex University
In 1944, the UK government created a new system of and Asda Supermarket. Such partnerships also exist at Masters
education. Education was divided into three parts. and even doctorate level.
Children who passed an exam at 11 went to grammar schools.
Pupils who didn't do well in the exam went to 'secondary
modern' schools or technical schools. At technical schools
E The development of technology has helped work-based
learning to develop. Blended learning means part of the
course can be delivered online, so people don't have to miss
they studied work-based subjects. In practice, however, only work to go to classes. Older or recently retired employees have
0.5% of pupils went to technical schools, and this system been given the opportunity to develop new skills as tutors,
divided students at a very young age into academic and non­ mentors and coaches for the work-based part of these courses.
academic. The system did not produce good results, and This kind of work-based training was common in fields such as
changed to a more equal system in the 1970s. nursing and teaching, but has now spread to careers which were

C In the 1980s the British government introduced NVQs or traditionally not closely linked to education.
National Vocational Qualifications so that young people There are some challenges involved in work-based learning.
F
could get certificates to show their practical skills. It helps Some lecturers might find it difficult to teach students with
employers understand what workers can do. In 1994, the a lot of work experience. It may also be difficult to find teachers
government started a programme which aimed to provide who can teach in different places and at different times.
'quality training on a work-based (educational) route'. These However, it is a positive trend as there are more ways to learn
'modern apprenticeships' are available at three different levels. and people can study at different stages of their lives.

1 Apprenticeships 3 Blended learning

A are a new way of learning. A mainly benefits older or retired people.
B were common in the past. B involves mainly face to face classes.
C only existed in the past. C is mainly for teaching and nursing.
D did not help people do well at work. D is convenient for working people.
2 The education system introduced in 1944 4 The challenges of work-based learning include
A only affected 0.5% of students. A practical issues like when classes are held.
B taught only technical subjects. B students who are not very experienced.
C 'Nas not a great success. C more types of learning are acceptable.
D was for academically gifted students. D older people can't use computers well.

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