1. - Have you written your composition, Ben? Its due today.
- Of course. And what about you?
- Not yet. I didnt think it would be so difficult and started it only yesterday.
- Well, it will teach you a lesson. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today, you know.
2. - Would you like to go and see Nell today?
- Well, I was thinking of learning some English.
- Oh, but you can do that tomorrow.
- Yes, and I can see Nell tomorrow, too.
3. - Why doesnt Jim work harder?
- You know that very well because hes lazy.
- Do you think the teacher will put up with that very long?
- Im afraid she wont, and Jim will have to repeat the year.
4. - As sure as eggs is eggs, Bob wont do well in the exam.
- Why do you think so?
- He has missed much and doesnt attend the extra lessons now.
- No fear. Hes quite at home in the subject.
5. - Paul wouldnt like to fail in his exam, would he?
- Of course, he wouldnt. Who would!
- But he hasnt been working very hard. He thinks he is clever enough to pass his exams without much work, doesnt he?
- Yes, he relies too much on his memory. But I doubt it can carry him out when doing Latin.
6. - Margaret is looking very happy this evening.
- She did well in English, you know.
- What mark?
- Excellent. Worked hard at the language. And what about Jane? Did she get through?
- On the contrary. She failed miserably.
- Oh, really!
- No wonder! She cut lectures, did not attend seminars and was late for tutorials, as a rule.
- Then it serves her right.
7. - When will your exams begin?
- Oh, they are not far off. Im to take an exam in Linguistics next week. Here is the time-table of my exams.
- You are nervous, arent you?
- Of course I am. Everybody is.
- Are you revising for your exams now?
- No, not yet. Before the exams we are going to have a test in English. Im revising for the test. Well have this test tomorrow.
8. - Hello, Dick! Are you taking your exams?
- Ive already passed my last exam.
- What did you get for mathematics?
- I got a distinction. You passed your exams too, didnt you?
- No, I didnt. I failed in physics.
- What a pity! Im sorry for you! How did it happen?
- Its difficult to explain. My memory failed me and I forgot the simplest things. I think it was the result of a sleepless night.
9. - Are you still studying English?
- Yes, but I dont get enough time for it. I have so many other things to do.
- Its the same with me. I can read English now without much difficulty, but I still find it rather difficult to speak English. And I dont always understand people when they speak English to me.
- We dont hear enough spoken English, I suppose. Do you listen to the BBC programmes?
- Yes. That helps me to understand spoken English but not to speak English.
- We must speak English all the time.
- Yes, you are right. Its the best way to master a language.
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Read the following passage and say whether your studies are different from those described below.
Our Studies
Normally, weve got one or two English classes a day. We are doing phonetics, grammar and oral work. At our phonetic classes we have a lot of pronunciation practice. We are trained to imitate native speakers. Those who have a good ear for the sounds and intonation learn more quickly than others. Anyway, it is rather a hard job which takes a lot of time and effort but it has to be done, if you want to make progress.
At our grammar classes we practice the use of various grammar patterns, and learn to do some commenting and linguistic analysis. We do a lot of exercises, translation and grammar tests.
Most of our time is taken up by classes in oral and written work where we do all kinds of work. We make up dialogues, talk on various situations, do vocabulary and spelling tests. Regular practice helps us to get a good command of the language.
The teachers give us oral and written homework, so weve got an awful lot of work to do. We have to learn the new vocabulary, intonation and grammar rules and do some exercises both orally and in writing. Quite often we have to go to the language laboratory to do some lab work and listen to the texts which we are to reproduce in class. If your homework is carefully done, you usually answer well in class.
Students sometimes complain that they are given too much work to do but if you plan your day well you can manage (cope with) it without much difficulty.
As far as the other subjects go, the term is divided between theoretical and practical work: we have a few weeks of lectures followed by seminars. This term we are having lectures on linguistics, history and psychology. We are to take notes at the lectures and we can manage it fairly well, unless the lecturer speaks too fast so that you may find it hard to follow him. Those who miss a lecture usually copy up the notes if they wish to be successful in the exam. When we have seminars, we spend a lot of time in the reading-room revising the material.
Twice a year, in January and June, we have our end-of-term exams.
Exercise 1. Provide the correct prepositions or adverbial particles joining two words or phrases:
1) a good ear... music
2) to catch the groupmates
3) to be behind the class... grammar
4) a good knowledge... modern literature
5) a lecture / seminar... psychology
6) to graduate... Oxford University
7) a mark... a subject
8) a mark... an answer
9) to make a study... the rules
10) a good memory / no memory... figures / dates / symbols / rules
11) to hand... a test paper
12) to hand... the texts
13) to borrow a textbook... the library
14) to excuse smb... coming late
15) to sit / revise... an exam
16) to be through... the work / book
17) to praise smb... his progress in studies / good behaviour
