Module 3 - Key

1 Before you watch. Make predictions. Look at some scenes of the video and answer.

1. Who do you think the characters are? Answers will vary.

2. What situation do you expect to see in the video? Answers will vary.

2 Watch to check your predictions. Watch the video to check your ideas on exercise 1.
Were you right or wrong? Students check their ideas.

3 Watch for details. Watch the video again and choose the correct options. True or false?

1. The students had a month to complete the assignment. T F

2. The professor suggested doing it the night before the due date1. T F
3. The student started working on the assignment right that night. T F
4. He could complete the task without any problem. T F
5. Finally, he thought that it was better to start working on the assignment earlier. T F
6. The moral is that you shouldn’t wait until the last day to do a task. T F
1
due date: deadline.

4 After you watch. Talking time.

-Do you feel identified with the student in the previous video? Why (not)?

-Are you an organized person or a procrastinator?

Students’ own answers.

5 Let’s take a quiz to see… Vocabulary. Read and mark with a tick the expressions
that apply to you. Then, calculate your score and read the results.

Do you agree with the result? Students’ own answers.

6 What would you probably say to a friend in each situation? Read and choose one option.

Your friend says… You say…

a. Organize your time and plan your days in
1. I find it difficult to finish a piece of work advance.
within the expected time.

b. Take a break. Don’t be so hard on yourself

2. I don’t want to do the assignment. I’m tired
and have low motivation. about the timing of a task. Reschedule and
get back on track later.

b. Eliminate distractions. Identify your

3. I usually check my e-mails, watch videos, surf browser bookmarks that take up a lot of
blogs and forums instead of doing my work. your time and put them into a separate
folder that is less accessible.

b. Create a detailed timeline with specific

4. I face my work only when it’s unavoidable. I
always leave things until the latest possible time. daily goals, they help you to keep
motivated.

7 Procrastinating is a bad habit that prevents us from achieving greater goals. Research
indicates that 50% of student population procrastinate in a problematic manner. In pairs,
imagine that you are the authors of a blog which gives tips to university students to avoid
procrastinating. Write down dos and don’ts.

Students use the imperative mood to write pieces of advice.

8 What should these people do? Read the messages posted and give them a short piece
of advice. You can use should / shouldn’t or the imperative form.

Answers will vary.

9 Complete the definitions with one item from the VOCABULARY section.

1. To tend to get distracted: not pay attention to the things you are supposed to be doing.
2. To put off doing something: delay (a job/a task).
3. To waste your time: spend time doing things that aren’t important.
4. To prioritize tasks: arrange tasks in order of their importance.
5. To multitask: do lots of different tasks at the same time.
6. To get things done: complete tasks.
7. To leave things until the last minute: do tasks just before the time they need to be done.
8. To do things ahead of time: do things in advance.
9. To use your time wisely: be careful with your time.
10. To get started: begin a job or a task.
11. To meet a deadline: finish something at the time it is meant to be finished.

10 Put the words in order.

1. Organize your days in advance.

2. Remove distractions to focus on your studies.

3. Make gradual progress towards completion.

4. You should take some time to think about your goals.

5. Students should continue as planned after a problem.

6. Give the subjects all your attention.

7. Don’t waste your time doing unimportant things.

11 Choose the correct piece of advice for New University Students.

 4 - A - Don’t ignore or deny your personal and academic problems
3 - B - Break your large tasks down into manageable subtasks
5 - C- Take responsibility for yourself
1 - D- Try to understand
2 - E- Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today

12 As you are attending English level I, can you give future students pieces of advice about
what to do to pass the first mid-term? Write them down and share your ideas with the
class.

Students’ own ideas.

1 Work in pairs. Which applies to you? Choose yes or no. Discuss them with your partner

and then be ready to talk about you in class. Oral discussion

2 Use the information below to write true sentences about you and a classmate. To know

about him/her ask him/her questions using How often do you…?

Some possible sentences: I never use my mobile phone in class.

I study in the library once a week.

My classmate usually pays attention to the professor in class.

He/She meets his/her classmates in the canteen every morning.

1. Do you consider yourself an effective learner? Why (not)?

2. Do you know different study techniques? Which one(s)? Describe it / them.

3. Do you think the study techniques are great equalizers? Students’ own ideas.

3 Read the different study techniques A-D and complete the blanks 1-4 with the correct
one.
A- THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE - 4 C- THE SQ3R TECHNIQUE - 3
B- THE RETRIEVAL TECHNIQUE - 1 D- THE SPACED TECHNIQUE - 2

4 Complete the summaries with the words given, there is an extra one. Then, join the ideas
with the appropriate study technique.

TIME
 This technique encourages students to engage with • THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
the material in an active way. They use
…questions… to study the information and
remember it later on.

Students take ……breaks…. after short periods of • THE RETRIEVAL TECHNIQUE

study time. This helps them to stay focused on the
……task. and prevents them from getting
distracted.

Students organize their time in ……intervals to • THE SQ3R TECHNIQUE

revise the material. It is a helpful technique to start
planning from the beginning of the term.

Students work with a text following five different • THE SPACED TECHNIQUE
……steps……… to understand and remember it.
This technique shows the students a simple way to
increase their understanding of a text.

5 Answer:
1. Do you use any of the previous techniques? Students’ own ideas.
2. Would you like to try any of them? Why? Why not? Students’ own ideas.
3. Complete this idea:
If I use the Pomodoro technique, it will help me to organize my time / study all the

contents / have good academic results / etc.

GRAMMAR FOCUS
Look for more examples in the previous text!! Write them down here:
If you practice this technique, you will remember the information later on.
If your exams are months away, this will help you hold yourself accountable.
This Technique will be useful if you get distracted while working on a project or want to
understand how long a task takes.
6 Match the sentence halves.
a-3 b-1 c-2 d-5 e-4

7 Complete the following conditional sentences type 1.

Some possible ideas.
1. If a student finds it difficult to get down to study, he/she will fail the exams.
2. If you are short of study time, you won’t be able to study all the contents for the exam.
3. Students will improve their performance if they organize their time.
4. A fresher will know how to prepare for an exam if he/she reads about different study
techniques.

8 Put the words in order. Then, complete with the missing clause.
Some possible ideas.
1. If a student has a study technique, … it will be easy for him/her to pass the exams.
2. I’ll have a good academic performance if … I choose an appropriate study
technique.
3. If I design a study planner, … I will be well prepared for the exam.
4. If I get distracted in class, … I won’t understand the topics.
5. I’ll fall behind my classmates if … I don’t follow the class.
6. If a student doesn’t have a quiet place to get down to study, … He/She will find it
difficult to concentrate while studying.

9 Extract sentences with modal verbs from the text about study techniques and from the
second part of Harrison Bergeron. Let’s look at other modal verbs. Remember those
worked in Module 1 page 21.

Getting something done on time can be extremely satisfying.

It can sometimes be hard to get things done …

In that case, it may be helpful to use a study technique to help you get started …

Create questions you think would be on a test and trade them with other classmates.

10 Let’s have fun with a logic deduction puzzle!

1 Revise part 2 and put the events in the correct order.

With law breakers, society would return to its previous competitive ways.
8

Another noise interrupted George’s thoughts, now he was thinking of his son.
6

4 When a noise interrupted their conversation, they stopped talking.

2 The dancers weren’t very good because they had been handicapped for the
audience.

The couple were watching a dance on TV.

1

As George was reflecting on the dancers, a noise interrupted his thoughts.

3
Hazel suggested George taking weights out of his handicap bag.
7

Hazel would like to be a Handicapper General because she knew what

5
“normality” and “equality” were.

Why did Hazel hate the old competitive

ways of society?

Answers may vary: Because in the past the physical and mental differences among the

citizens were obvious.

3 Vocabulary. Label the picture with the words from the box.
 1 shaved eyebrows

2 huge earphones 3 big glasses

4 black caps

5…a red rubber nose

6 - 300 pounds

of metal

4 Answer.

Answers may vary.

1. Why couldn’t the announcer read the news report? Because of the impediments he

had to counteract his abilities.

 2. What happened when the ballerina started to read? When she started, she forgot to

do it considering the impediments. Then, she changed her voice immediately.

3. What type of handicaps did Harrison have? Why? He had different handicaps. He

was wearing huge earphones and big glasses to reduce his intelligence. He had a red

rubber nose; black caps and his eyebrows were shaved off to reduce his good look

and he was wearing 300 pounds of metal to reduce his strength.

5 Watch the video and circle where the information appears.

1. The ballet is interrupted for important breaking news. text video

2. Hazel wanted to continue watching the National Ballet. text video

3. The announcer had a speech impediment. text video

4. A ballerina read the announcement. text video

5. Hazel goes to the kitchen to do the washing-up. text video

6. The new announcer was wearing handicaps. text video

7. The news report said that Harrison had escaped from prison. text video

8. The announcer mentioned the reasons for Harrison’s arrest. text video

9. There appeared a photo of Harrison on the screen. text video

10. The announcer said that Harrison was extremely dangerous. text video

6 Complete the imaginary dialogue.

Hazel: Why do they interrupt the ballet?
George: Because they want to tell us breaking news!
Hazel: Oh, poor man, he is trying hard to read. Why can’t he do it?
George: Because he has an impediment.
Hazel: What impediment does he have?
George: He has a speech impediment.
Hazel: He should get a better salary!
George: Darling, did you buy beer yesterday?
Hazel: Sorry, I didn’t go to the supermarket.
George: Didn’t you? Where were you yesterday afternoon?
Hazel: I went to the Handicaps Office to ask about Harrison.
1 Let’s remember… circle the correct option.

a. According to Swales (1996), research abstracts are usually written following an inner

pattern which is always / usually / never the same.

b. That inner pattern is organized into what Swales called stages / moments / moves.

c. Every move of the abstract accomplishes a general / specific purpose.

d. The usual order of moves is background - aim - method - conclusion – results /

background – method – aim – results – conclusion / background – aim – method –

results – conclusion.

e. All / Not all the moves appear in abstracts and their order can / can’t vary.

f. There is / isn’t a connection between the moves and the number of sentences in each

one of them.

2 Focus on the title of the abstracts below and anticipate their content.

Students’ ideas.

3 Read and identify the moves that appear in them. Then, highlight the sentences in each

move.

Academic Procrastinators and Their Self-Regulation

Seung Won Park, Rayne A. Sperling
Department of Educational and School Psychology and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University
Park, USA

Previous procrastination research has provided considerable support for procrastination as a failure of self-
regulation. However, procrastination has rarely been examined in relation to models of self-regulated
 learning. The purpose of this study was to understand the motives and reasons for academic procrastination
from a self-regulated learning perspective. The current study employed a mixed-methods design in which
participants completed several survey instruments of academic procrastination, self-regulation, and
academic motivation and participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that academic
procrastination was related to poor self-regulatory skills and defensive behaviors including self-handica-
pping strategies. Only limited support for students’ demonstration of procrastination as an adaptive beha-
vior (or, active procrastination) was also indicated. Limitations and implications for future research are
discussed.

Source: Published Online January 2012 in SciRes (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/psych)

BACKGROUND - AIM – METHOD - RESULTS

Study habits of Nigerian university students

Love M. Nneji
Nigerian Educational Research & Development Council, Abuja, Nigeria. majorleen@yahoo.com

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the study habits of university students in
Nigeria. The sample consists of 441 education students chosen from four federally owned
universities in Nigeria. They responded to a 35 item (3 – point scale) questionnaire which elicited
students’ study habits. Time put into studies, method used in studying and contents of studies were
used as the frame of reference for measuring study habits. Descriptive analysis of data showed that
students put some reasonable length of time into reading; some students used memorization
technique; majority of the students depended on their course handouts or lecture notes as the main
sources of information and read mostly for the purpose of passing examinations or tests. They read
to absorb information as given by their lecturers and not necessarily to search for new or additional
information. It was concluded that although university students in Nigeria read mostly for the
purpose of passing examinations and they do not seem to pursue their studies correctly and
thoroughly, they were found to be diligent. Some recommendations were made as to how to make
university education in Nigeria more beneficial.
Keywords: Undergraduates' study habits.

Source: https://www.herdsa.org.au/system/files/Nneji.pdf

AIM – METHOD - RESULTS - CONCLUSION

4 What are the differences between them? Explain.

Possible answer: Both of them have only four moves but they are not the same.
 SPEAK YOUR MIND

1 Complete the opinions with an appropriate expression according to the point of view

given. You can also use the expression that appeared in Modules 1 and 2.

Some possible answers.

1. Study techniques are great equalizers.

a. I think the same, good study techniques are important but there are other factors
that can make a difference.
b. I take a different view, good study techniques don't help everyone equally. I have
dyslexia, so I struggle with a lot of traditional study techniques.
c. That’s right. I come from a poor background, but as I had good study techniques
in high school, I have been able to succeed and now I'm in college on a
scholarship.

2. Students at university are almost always helpful to disabled students.

a. I’m afraid that is not quite true, a lot of students are indifferent to disabled students
or even act negatively towards them.
b. I couldn’t agree more. When I was at college, I had a friend with a hearing
impairment and the other students and professors were so helpful to her.
c. I don’t think that’s quite right. I’m disabled and this topic really gets me emotional.
It's difficult, and in uni, I often felt isolated and ignored by other students.

3. At university, there is no difference between a procrastinator and an organized

student.
a. I don’t think so, I realized it in my last semester when I had to put all-nighters before
my exam just because I wasted my time earlier, whereas my friend scored better
grades than me because he was focused.
b. I really think so. There is no difference as long as a procrastinator can manage time
before their deadlines. I am a procrastinator myself, and I always submit my
assignments on time.
c. I disagree with this idea. Being a chronic procrastinator has ruined my university
life, and now I'm struggling to get good grades. People who say that organized
students and procrastinators are the same probably have everything planned out
for them every day.