[00:06.24]In this section you will hear three people discussion university life.
[00:13.35]Listen to the discussion about reading assignments, essays and lectures.
[00:20.74]Complete the table by writing in the difficulties they have with reading
[00:26.33]writing essays and listening to lectures against questions 20 to 24.
[00:33.83]Write no more than three words for each answer.
[00:39.71]First look at questions 20 to 24.
[00:46.11]Now as you listen to the first part of the discussion,
[00:51.28]answer questions 20 to 24.
[00:56.27]Lisa:Oh hello Olaf.I haven't seen you for ages.
[01:01.57]How are things going? Olaf:Hello Lisa.Hi Sasha.
[01:06.38]Well it's great studying here,
[01:10.16]but some things take quite a bit of getting used to
[01:14.87]It's not like studying in my country.
[01:18.97]Sasha:Oh I know.In my country we used to go to lectures
[01:24.87]and get the lecturer's notes and then we'd use those to write our essays.
[01:31.98]Here we have to read so much,
[01:35.48]I just can't keep up with it all.
[01:39.27]How do you find the reading Lisa?
[01:42.77]Lisa:Yes,I agree there is a lot to read,but I don't mind that.
[01:48.98]In fact,I like the reading.
[01:52.98]My problem is that it's all so interesting .
[01:58.07]I want to read more and there just isn't the time.
[02:03.48]And that creates a problem with the essays for me.
[02:08.18]I feel like I can't cover the topics in the number of words assigned.
[02:14.09]Look at this assignment for example.
[02:17.87]I'm supposed to discuss rational
[02:21.87]choice models for my economics essay in 3000 words
[02:27.88]I could write a book on that topic;
[02:31.67]in fact,several people have.
[02:35.45]How am I supposed to cover it in 3000 words?
[02:40.44]Why do they have to impose a word limit anyhow?
[02:45.33]Olaf:Well Lisa,remember it's just an undergraduate essay.
[02:51.23]You're only supposed to demonstrate that you understand the concept,
[02:57.03]not apply it or anything.
[03:00.32]But I know what Sasha means about having too much to read.
[03:05.13]I think the most difficult thing with the reading for me though
[03:09.83]isn't the quantity but all the new words.
[03:14.74]Words like "hegemony" and "teleology",
[03:19.73]that you need to understand thoroughly.
[03:23.73]I'm always being told by my tutors
[03:27.73]that I'm using them wrongly in my essays.
[03:31.51]And when I try to use them the same way as in the reading,
[03:36.32]the tutors say it's plagiarism.
[03:40.00]Sasha:I have a problem like that too.
[03:43.92]You know,you listen to the lectures and-read the books and articles
[03:49.72]and then you're supposed to come up with your own ideas for the essays.
[03:55.52]You're so full of everyone else's ideas,
[03:59.73]where are you going to get your own from?
[04:03.62]And there's so much to say it's difficult to organize.
[04:08.71]I spend hours planning an essay
[04:13.13]and by the time I get to actually writing it all down the deadline is up.
[04:18.93]I'm always having to ask for an extension.
[04:24.41]What about you Lisa You usually get good marks for your essays.
[04:30.03]Lisa:Yes,that's true.
[04:33.11]But I'm always doing the final draft in a hurry
[04:37.89]and then the tutors complain that they can't read my handwriting.
[04:43.19]I think I'll have to learn to type,but when?
[04:48.18]And that's another thing I never seem to manage enough time for--lectures.
[04:54.37]Why are there so many,and they're always so early in the morning!
[05:00.46]I can't ever get out of bed in time for a nine o'clock lecture.
[05:06.76]Olaf:Well isn't that because you go to so many parties Lisa?
[05:12.35]If you don't get home till one or two in the morning,
[05:16.66]how can you ever expect to be awake for a lecture?
[05:21.54]Sasha:If you ask me,that wouldn't make any difference.
[05:27.16]Most of the lecturers are so boring they'd put you to sleep anyhow.
[05:32.96]Why can't they make the lectures more interesting?
[05:37.35]After all,a lot of the subjects are fascinating,
[05:42.36]but the lecturers make them sound boring
[05:47.14]STOP YOUR TAPE
[05:50.43]Now listen as they discuss seminars
[05:54.93]and complete the rest of the table by writing in
[06:00.02]what they say about seminars against questions 25 to 27.
[06:06.32]Write no more than three words for each answer.
[06:11.41]Also answer questions 28 and 29.
[06:17.00]Look at questions 25 to 29.
[06:30.50]Now as you listen answer questions 25 to 29.
[06:37.90]Lisa:At least you can't say that about seminars.
[06:42.89]They're really interesting and I think I get most benefit from them.
[06:48.48]You always find other students have read different books and articles
[06:53.68]and so you get lots of new information in a seminar.
[06:59.19]Olaf:Yes that's true Lisa.
[07:02.90]But I still don't enjoy them because people disagree with each other all the time,
[07:09.19]and I don't like that.
[07:12.38]I don't like to hear people arguing.It really bothers me.
[07:18.28]Sasha:Oh Olaf,you're supposed to argue in a seminar.
[07:23.59]And I really appreciate the chance to do that.
[07:28.29]Where I come from, women aren't supposed to argue or answer back.
[07:34.30]I do have to admit, however,
[07:38.50]that I get very nervous about having to give presentations.
[07:43.78]You know,when you have to read a paper. That's really scary!
[07:49.58]Lisa:Oh Sasha,I can't believe that!
[07:53.68]That last paper you gave was so professional.
[07:58.96]In fact I think you could do a better job than the lecturers...
[08:04.65]That is the end of Section 3.
[08:09.53]You will now have half a minute to check your answers to section 3.
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