Cambridge English - Prepare for Success Cambridge English: First - Use of English

1. Prepare for success at Cambridge English: First Use of English EMC/8369/2Y04 2. Handout: Overview quiz A. Look at the following descriptions and decide if they are referring to Part 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the Cambridge English: First Use of English paper: a. Candidates have to complete the gaps in a text by forming an appropriate word from a stem word. b. Candidates are given a text with gaps and a choice of four words or phrases for each. They have to choose which one fits the gap correctly. c. Candidates are given a sentence, a key word and a second incomplete sentence. Using the key word, they have to complete the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the first. d. Candidates are given a text with gaps that they have to fill but no options are given. Part Description Tips 1 2 3 4 B. Now look at the tips below and decide if they are referring to Part 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the Cambridge English: First Use of English paper: e. Don’t use more than five words in your answer. f. Look carefully at all the options given before deciding on your answer. g. Make sure you base your answer on the word at the end of the line. h. Remember that the missing word will often be grammatical but could be lexical. 2 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 3. Handout: Analysing errors Look at this list of dos and don’ts for candidates sitting Part 4 of the Cambridge English: First Use of English paper: A. Don’t use more than five words. B. Remember to use, and write, the word given. C. Don’t change the word given in any way. D. Don’t repeat words from the first sentence unnecessarily. E. Only give one answer. F. Don’t change more than you need to. G. Make more than one change, if necessary. H. Make sure your sentence is as close in meaning to the first one. Now look at the questions below and the candidates’ answers. For each one, decide which rule or rules they have broken. 1. Scientists say the climate didn’t use to be so warm. THAN Scientists say that the climate is warmer than it should be. 2. John missed the meeting because the train was late. RESULT As a result of the train was late, John missed the meeting. 3. The school play was so successful that they decided to do another one the following year. SUCH The school play became ... a success that they decided to do another one the following year. 4. I can’t afford to go on holiday this year. HIGH My income this year isn’t going to be high enough to go on holiday this year. 5. I am sorry that I didn’t come to your party last week. WISH I wished I had gone/I had been to your party last week. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 3 4. Handout: Finding the ‘over-transformation’ Look at the sentence transformations below. The candidates have either included an extra element, or made an unnecessary change. Highlight the mistake and correct it. Task A 1. What time is he likely to leave tonight? IDEA He asked me if I had any idea which time he was likely to leave. 2. They have decided to delay the football match because of the weather. PUT The football match has unfortunately been put off because of the weather. 3. It’s useless trying to call him today. POINT There’s no point in that you try to call him today. 4. The party was so successful that no-one wanted to leave. SUCH The party was a such a great success that no-one wanted to leave. 5. Pete can’t run as fast as his brother can. THAN His brother able to run faster than Pete can. 6. I can’t reach the top shelf so I’ll ask Carl to get the books down for me. WOULDN’T If I could reach the top shelf I wouldn’t request to Carl to get the books down for me. Task B Now match the sentences above with the type of transformations they represent. A. Adjective to noun B. Active to passive C. Adjective to set phrase D. Direct to indirect question E. Cause/result to conditional F. Comparisons: negative to positive 4 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 5. Handout: What’s going wrong? Task A Look at the extract the sample questions were taken from and complete the task yourself. Were your guesses correct? What other mistakes might learners make in this particular task? The Warrumbungle National Park is steadily increasing in 1. ..... with visitors to Australia. Walking, camping and rock POPULAR climbing are the favourite leisure-time 2. ..... in this area, OCCUPY but the landscape and wildlife, which are 3. ..... varied, also SURPRISE attract 4. ..... and naturalists throughout the different PHOTOGRAPH seasons of the year. The wonderful 5. ..... in the park SCENE is the result of 6. ..... volcanic activity over a massive area. POWER Task B Now look at the extract again, with the answers a student has given. What has caused each of the mistakes? Match them with the teacher’s comments below. The Warrumbungle National Park is steadily increasing in 1. popular with visitors to Australia. Walking, camping and rock POPULAR climbing are the favourite leisure-time 2. occupation in this area, OCCUPY but the landscape and wildlife, which are 3. surprising varied, also SURPRISE attract 4. photography and naturalists throughout the different PHOTOGRAPH seasons of the year. The wonderful 5. sceneries in the park SCENE is the result of 6. powerfull volcanic activity over a massive area. POWER Teacher’s comments: A. This comes before an adjective and so you need to use the adverb. B. Make sure you look at the verb form to check whether this word should be in the singular or plural form here. C. Think about spelling of the suffix here. D. Look at what comes before, as well as after the gap and remember you will always need to change the word given. E. You’ve realised you need a noun – but you’ve chosen the wrong one! Don’t put down the first noun you think of. F This noun is uncountable so this form is not possible. Handout: Choosing the correct option (A) Pair A PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 5 6. Look at the stem words below and think of as many related words as you can. 1. SELECT 2. ACT 3. PLEASE 4. ATTRACT verb noun/s adjective/s adverb/s Check against the handout: Choosing the correct option (key) and add any extra words. Then give this paper to Pair B. Pair B Look at the gapped text below and decide which type of word is missing – noun, adjective, adverb or verb? The International Adventure Company offers a wide 1. ………………….......... of group holidays. There are 2. ………………….......... for everyone to enjoy on these holidays, regardless of age or level of fitness, and the 3. ………………….......... of doing them in 4. ………………….......... surroundings. Then look at the list of words that Pair A has prepared and choose the correct one from the appropriate list (1–4) for each gap. 6 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 7. Handout: Choosing the correct option (B) Look at the stem words below and think of as many related words as you can. 1. IMPRESS 2. KNOW 3. COMPETE 4. ATTEND verb noun/s adjective/s adverb/s Check against the handout: Choosing the correct option (key) and add any extra words. Then give this paper to Pair A. Pair A Look at the gapped text below and decide which type of word is missing – noun, adjective, adverb or verb? During lessons, John always gives the 1. ………………….......... that he is very 2. .………………….......... about absolutely everything. He is always really 3. ………………….......... in class and always tries to answer the teacher’s questions first. He seems to get all the teacher’s 4. .………………….......... Then look at the list of words that Pair B has prepared and choose the correct one from the appropriate list (1–4) for each gap. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 7 8. Handout: Choosing the correct option (key) Pair A 1. SELECT 2. ACT 3. PLEASE 4. ATTRACT verb select act please attract noun/s selection action/activity pleasure attraction adjective/s selective (in)active (dis)pleased/ pleasing (un)attractive adverb/s selectively actively pleasingly attractively 1. IMPRESS 2. KNOW 3. COMPETE 4. ATTEND verb impress know compete attend noun/s impression knowledge competition/ competitor attention/ attentiveness adjective/s (un)impressive/ (un)impressed knowledgeable competitive (in)attentive adverb/s impressively knowledgeably competitively attentively Pair B Pair A During lessons, John always gives the 1. impression that he is very 2. knowledgeable about absolutely everything. He is always really 3. competitive in class and always tries to answer the teacher’s questions first. He seems to get all the teacher’s attention. Pair B The International Adventure Company offers a wide 1. selection of group holidays. There are 2. activities for everyone to enjoy on these holidays, regardless of age or level of fitness, and the 3. pleasure of doing them in 4. attractive surroundings. 8 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 9. Classroom activities Classroom activity: Don’t overdo it! Timing 20 minutes Materials a key word transformation task from a coursebook or practice materials Rationale This activity focuses learners on the problem of ‘over-transforming’ sentences in Part 4 of the Cambridge English: First Use of English test. It raises awareness of what this can include and what to look out for in order to avoid falling into this difficulty. Procedure 1. Take a key word transformation task from a Cambridge English: First coursebook or practice materials. 2. Write in the key and then ‘over-transform’ in different ways, e.g.: • add extra elements such as adjectives or adverbs • make unnecessary changes to verb patterns, resulting in mistakes • add modals which alter the meaning • change the tense of the verb • provide two alternative answers. 3. Ask the students to look at the answers, in pairs, spot the errors and try to correct them. 4. Feed back answers together, drawing learners’ attention to the fact that ‘over-transforming’ sentences has been identified as a significant problem in previous exams. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 9 10. Classroom activity: Know your grammar! Timing 10 minutes Materials any key word transformation activity Rationale By raising learners’ awareness of the types of transformations they may need to do in Part 4 of the Cambridge English: First Use of English test, you will help them to think through the possibilities, as well as recognise the areas they have more difficulty with and need further practice in. This quick activity can be used after any Part 4 practice, from a coursebook or practice materials, to encourage learner independence and goal setting. Procedure 1. Before giving learners a Cambridge English: First Use of English Part 4 task to do, identify the transformations that are involved and make a list. 2. Once learners have completed the task successfully, ask them to match the transformation types you have identified with the questions. 3. Ask learners to identify any areas they had difficulty with, and help them to find self-study activities to improve their skills in this area. 10 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 11. Classroom activity: Choosing the correct option Timing 20 minutes Materials handouts: Choosing the correct option (A); Choosing the correct option (B); Choosing the correct option (key) Procedure 1. Organise learners into pairs, A and B. Give out the handout: Choosing the correct option (A) to the As, and handout: Choosing the correct option (B) to the Bs. Explain that they are going to think of as many words as they can from the stem words that are given. If necessary, do one as an example, e.g. sense: sensitive, insensitive, to sensitise, sensitivity, etc. Encourage students to brainstorm what they know first and then use dictionaries to add to their ideas. 2. Allow 4 minutes, then give out the handout: Choosing the correct option (key) so they can check their answers. Ensure the pairs only look at the key for their section. 3. Each A pair now swaps their handout with a B pair. Using the words the other pair have listed, each pair decides which words they need to use to complete the text. 4. Swap answers back again, for checking, then check against the key. 5. Feed back with the whole class. How did learners decide which word was needed in each gap? How much did the text help them to choose the best answers? Follow-up Put these words on to posters to pin up around the classroom as a reminder. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 11 12. Classroom activity: Affix pairs Timing 15–45 minutes (with follow-on) Materials vocabulary cards (stem words, prefixes and suffixes) from word formation activities located in coursebooks or practice materials Procedure 1. Look through Cambridge English: First word formation tasks and words you have touched upon in class. Write some of these stem words on cards so that each group of four has about 20 stem words. 2. Divide learners into groups of four and give each learner two prefixes and two suffixes. Place the stem words in the middle of each group, face down. 3. The first player turns over the first stem word card and each student has to see if they can make a correct word using their prefix or suffix. For example, if the stem word is ‘ordinary’ and the student has the prefix ‘extra’, they could make the word ‘extraordinary’. If the group agrees that it is right, the student writes down the word and gets a point. Spelling must be correct. The teacher monitors and corrects, if necessary. 4. At the end of the game, the student in each group with the most points is the winner. 5. Take feedback and look at any words that caused difficulty. Follow-on: • In their groups, students try to create a short story using the words that they have made (and written down). This will encourage them to think of context, word class and agreement. • The groups could then swap stories and try to guess which of the words came from the other group’s lists, and what the stem words were. 12 PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 13. ACT ATTEND ATTRACT COMPLETE IMPRESS KNOW PLEASE SELECT PREPARE FOR SUCCESS AT CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST USE OF ENGLISH EMC/8369/2Y03 13