BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Teacher’s Notes Description Students do exercises focusing on cohesive words and phrases, to identify whether they fit the context. They then do two Part 2 tasks, and finish by deciding whether some information and advice about Part 2 are right or wrong. Time required: Materials required:
Aims:
60 minutes
Student’s Worksheet (one Worksheet (one per student) Answer Sheet (one per student) (page 60 of the BEC Handbook; it needs to be enlarged to double the size), or online at http://www.cambridgeesol.org/teach/bec/bec_vantage/reading/data/answe r.pdf
to familiarise to familiarise students with the format of Reading Part 2
to familiarise them with cohesive features of texts
Procedure 1. Write ‘International team’ on the board and elicit the meaning in a business context [a group of people from different countries working together, and possibly living in different countries]. Ask why an international company might set up an international team [e.g. to standardise procedures in its subsidiaries in different countries; to use the knowledge and skills of people from different countries]. 2. Ask what might help an international team, if its members live in different countries [e.g. being able to fly to each other’s countries; the internet and phone allowing them to speak, write and reply to each other easily]. Ask what might make it difficult for an international team to function [e.g. living in different time zones; not meeting face-toface every day]. 3. Explain to the students that they are going to work on Vantage Part 2. If they have done the Reading Overview activity, ask them what they know about Part 2. If not, tell them it involves reading a text with sentences taken out, and matching the correct sentence to the correct space in the text. To do this they need to find words and phrases that refer to the previous sentence in the text, and sometimes to the following sentence. 4. Give each student a Student’s Worksheet and ask them to look at Exercise 1. Explain that the six sections are from the same text, which is about international teams, but each should be considered separately. The words in bold refer back to something in the previous sentence, and may or may not be right. 5. Ask the class to read 1 and ask them if ‘their’ is right or wrong [wrong], what it refers to in the previous sentence [‘team’], and what should be used instead [‘its’]. Ask them to put a line through ‘their’ and write ‘its’. Then ask the class, in pairs, to complete the © UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cam http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.or bridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo g/ts/legalinfo
BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Teacher’s Notes
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rest of the exercise, checking whether the words in bold are right or wrong, and replacing the wrong ones. Check the answers [see Key to Student’s Worksheet].
6. Explain that in Exercise 2 they should look at the four options, and decide which of them can follow the sentence. There is more than one right answer for each one. Elicit the answers to 1, and why each option is right or wrong [see Key to Student’s Worksheet], then ask them to complete Exercise 2 in pairs or groups of three. Check the answers [see Key to Student’s Worksheet]. 7. Explain that Exercise 3 is similar to a Part 2 task, but the text is shorter and there are three questions instead of five. As in Part 2, there is one extra option. Elicit a procedure for completing the task, by asking what they should do first [read the text quickly] and why [to get a rough idea of what it is about], what they should do then [read the options], how they should choose the one that fits [by looking at each option in turn and seeing if it fits – both grammatically and in terms of meaning – with what’s before and after the gap], and what they should do when they’ve filled the gaps [read the whole text, including the gapped sentences, to check that it all makes sense]. 8. Ask students to read the text and the four options, and choose the right option for each gap. Emphasise the importance of considering all four options for each gap. Then ask them to check their answers in pairs. Check the answers, asking what makes the correct option fit [see Key to Student’s Worksheet]. 9. Explain that Exercise 4 is an example of a Part 2 task. They need to choose one option from A-G for each of the five questions. Ask if the answers will all be different or if some can be the same [all different]. Ask if G could be one of their answers [no, as it’s already been used for the example]. Say you’ll give them 12 minutes to do the task, including checking their answers. This is about the maximum time they should spend on it in the test, so if they don’t finish in that time they can judge how much quicker they need to be. Give each student an Answer Sheet and ask them to do Exercise 4 individually, filling in (in pencil) the letter they choose for each answer. Give them 12 minutes to do the exercise, then check the answers, asking what makes the correct answers fit [see Key to Student’s Worksheet]. 10. Explain that Exercise 5 summarises Part 2, and they can work out most of the answers from Exercise 4. Elicit the answers from the class. If a statement is wrong, or the advice is bad, ask what it should be [see Key to Student’s Worksheet]. 11. Ask if links between sentences are only relevant to reading or to other skills too [they’re relevant to all skills – they’ll help students to understand when they’re listening, and help them to speak and write more effectively].
Suggested follow-up activities 1. See the preparation ideas in the BEC handbook, pages 53-54 (online at http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/resources/teacher/bec_hb.pdf), and in Examination Reports on past papers. 2. From time to time, write two linked sentences on the board, with a wrong cohesive word or phrase. Elicit the correct word or phrase. © UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Teacher’s Notes
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Answer Keys Key to Student’s Worksheet Exercise 1 1. Wrong. ‘its’ is right, referring to ‘team’. 2. Right. ‘This’ refers to ‘The dramatic information revolution we are currently experiencing’. 3. Wrong. ‘For example’ or ‘For instance’ is right, showing that what follows is an example of the point made about satellite technology. ‘On the other hand’ introduces a contrast with what is before it. 4. Right. ‘this’ refers to ‘create, exchange and broadcast information as knowledge’. ‘these’ would also be grammatical, but when several activities are closely connected, as here, they are often treated as a singular, e.g. ‘Creating, exchanging and broadcasting information is becoming increasingly common.’ 5. Right. ‘What’s more’ introduces another criticism of some organisations. 6. Wrong. ‘the’ is right, referring back to ‘a leader who travels to the team’s various locations’. ‘a leader’ would refer to a someone not previously mentioned.
Key to Student’s Worksheet Exercise 2 1. Possible: A (‘they’ refers to ‘people’), B (‘this’ refers to ‘team’ or ‘goal’), D (this makes a contrast between two types of team). Impossible: C is wrong because ‘another example’ can only be used when at least one example has already been given.
2. Possible: A (‘this’ refers to ‘revolution’), C (this introduces an effect of that revolution). Impossible: B is wrong because there is no plural for ‘these’ to refer to. D is wrong because it introduces a comparison between the likelihood of two events, but the previous sentence is given as a fact.
3. Possible: B (‘guidelines’ relates to what organisations should do), C (‘they need to’ relates to what organisations should do) Impossible: A (‘however’ introduces a contrast, and there can’t be a contrast with a question), D (there is no singular noun in the sentence for ‘it’ to refer back to)
4. Possible: A (‘The former’ refers to Jackson Machine Tools), B (this introduces a result of the previous statement) Impossible: C (nobody has been mentioned that ‘his’ could refer to), D (it isn’t clear which company ‘it’ refers to)
5. Possible: A (‘this’ refers to the introduction of major changes), C (‘it’ refers to the introduction of major changes), D (this implies the resistance was to the introduction of major changes, and the existing staff are those working for the subsidiary
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Answer Keys
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company). Impossible: B (nobody has been mentioned that ‘he’ could refer to. It would be possible if the sentence before the one given refers to a man).
6. Possible: A (‘another’ means ‘another team member’), B (‘others’ means ‘other team members’), D (‘the others’ means ‘all the other team members’). Impossible: C (‘other’ needs either ‘the’ before it, or a noun after it, e.g. ‘other team members’).
Key to Student’s Worksheet Exercise 3 1. B. ‘this’ refers to the ‘dramatic information revolution’. ‘Thus’ in the following sentence introduces a result – because team members don’t need to be face-to-face to participate in discussions, they can work apart. 2. A. ‘this’ refers to business being done in an information space, with information becoming a product in its own right. In the following sentence, ‘doing this’ refers to creating, exchanging and broadcasting information. 3. D. ‘however’ introduces a contrast with the previous sentence, which says ‘the answer (to the question of whether international teams can deliver improved performance) is positive’. The contrast is between the potential benefit (‘can’ deliver) and the actual lack of improvement mentioned in D. ‘What’s more’ in the following sentence introduces another reason why the potential benefits aren’t always achieved.
Key to Student’s Worksheet Exercise 4 8. F. ‘The women’ refers to the UK businesswomen who took part in the survey. ‘further’ means in addition to the question that revealed that 70% feel they receive an inferior service. ‘this’ refers to receiving an inferior service. The following sentence takes up the point of women travelling alone. 9. B. ‘But’ introduces a contrast (‘improving’) with the ‘inferior service’. The following sentence gives an example of an improvement compared with four years ago. 10. E. ‘one such example’ gives an example of an improved service, and the following sentence gives another (‘a further suggestion’). 11. C. ‘This’ refers to hotel star ratings being influenced by the level of service they offer to female business guests. In the following sentence, ‘to air their views if they are treated badly’ means ‘complain about poor service’, and adds to the point made in C. 12. D. ‘them…their…they’ refer to businesswomen, ‘do this’ refers to ‘make it clear if they have a problem’. In the following sentence, ‘clients’ refers to businesswomen, and the sentence explains D, by saying why it is advisable for businesswomen to complain during their stay, and not after they have checked out.
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Answer Keys
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Key to Student’s Worksheet Exercise 5 1. Right 2. Wrong. There are five questions and an example. 3. Right 4. Wrong. The options can come in any order. 5. Wrong. G is always the answer to the example, so you should never choose that. Therefore there is a choice of six options (A – F) for each question. 6. Right 7. Right 8. Right 9. Good. The whole Reading test lasts 60 minutes, and Part 2 should take not much longer than 10 minutes. 10. Good. Write down the answers you think might be right. When you’ve done that for all five questions, go back and choose the answer to each question. 11. Bad. Don’t spend very long on each question, or you might not have time to finish the test. And you can always go back to a question later. 12. Good. This will give you an idea of the main points of the text, which will make it easier to choose the missing sentences.
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet INTERNATIONAL TEAMS Exercise 1 Decide if the words in bold are right or wrong. (‘Right’ means that they fit grammatically and make sense in the text). If they are right, tick them ( √). If they are wrong, write the correct words.
1
An international team can be defined as a group of people who come from different nationalities and work together towards a common goal. In some cases their members may be spread across several cultures and time zones.
2
The dramatic information revolution we are currently experiencing is one reason for the explosion in the number of international teams. This is also causing a shift in the way in which communication takes place, with many alternatives to the traditional telephone.
3
Satellite technology allows team members to participate in discussions wherever they are. On the other hand, a manager in New Zealand might consult one colleague in the UK and another in Mexico.
4
There are now many knowledge workers, that is, people who create, exchange and broadcast information as knowledge. Doing this through the internet and email is inexpensive and relatively easy.
5
Unfortunately, not all organisations have made the necessary investment to gain the potential benefits that international teams offer. What’s more, many of those companies which have actually introduced international teams have focused only on their performance, without taking into account the context in which they are introduced.
6
Often, an international team has a leader who travels to the team’s various locations. This means that a leader needs certain key strengths, such as the ability to adapt quickly to new surroundings.
Exercise 2 For each sentence, decide which of the options can begin the next sentence. In each case there is more than one correct answer. An international team can be defined as a group of people who come from different 1 nationalities and work together towards a common goal. A
They may be …
B
This may be …
C
Another example is …
D
Unlike most national teams …
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet
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2
3
4
5
6
We are in the middle of a dramatic information revolution. A
One major impact of this …
B
The first major impact of these …
C
For this reason …
D
It is more likely that …
What should organisations do to make sure their international teams are successful? A
However, …
B
Guidelines have been written …
C
Above all, they need to …
D
It should …
Jackson Machine Tools and PTR Electronics were among the first to expand overseas. A
The former …
B
As a result …
C
His experience has been …
D
Although it was very successful, …
The managers from the parent company soon introduced major changes. A
Despite this, …
B
Pleased with his success, …
C
It led to …
D
Although there was some resistance from the existing staff, …
One team member may have language skills that are valuable for talking to customers, suppliers and local staff. A
Another may be …
B
Others may be …
C
Other may be …
D
The others may be …
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet
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Exercise 3 The article below is part of the Reading Part 2 task on which Exercises 1 and 2 are based. •
Read the article below about working in international teams.
•
Choose the best sentence (A-D) to fill each of the gaps. You should consider both the meaning and the type of links in Exercises 1 and 2.
•
Do not use any letter more than once.
International teams An international team can be defined as a group of people who come from different nationalities and work together towards a common goal. Unlike most national teams, international teams often work apart and across cultures and time zones, for extended periods of time. The fact that they are spread out presents a range of opportunities and challenges that teams working in the same place do not experience. One trend in particular which is creating the need for more international teams is that we are in the middle of a dramatic information revolution. (1) ............ . Thus, these teams can now spend as much time working apart as together. They can access and share information as never before. Business will increasingly be done in an ‘information space’, with information becoming a product in its own right. (2) ............ . Doing this through the internet and e-mail is inexpensive and relatively easy, in both technologically developed and developing countries. A question commonly asked by managers is whether these teams actually work. Can they deliver improved performance? After a decade of work experience and research with international teams, I believe the answer is positive. (3) ............ . What’s more, many of those companies which have actually introduced international teams have focused only on the performance of the teams, without taking into account the context in which they are introduced. Context plays a key role in the likelihood of their success.
A The recognition of this has created many more knowledge workers, that is, people who create, exchange and broadcast information as knowledge.
B The first major impact of this is that satellite technology is increasingly allowing team members to participate in discussions wherever they are, at any time they choose.
C Situations like these may lead an organisation to underestimate the level of support needed by its international teams.
D Unfortunately, however, few organisations until now have been prepared to make the necessary investment to gain the potential benefits that international teams offer.
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet
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Exercise 4 Aim to spend 10 to 12 minutes on this exercise. • • • • •
Read the article below about a survey of businesswomen staying in hotels. Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. For each gap 8 – 12, mark one letter (A – G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning, (0).
Hotels failing businesswomen Hoteliers should take note because they are facing serious criticism! Women account for more than half of all business travellers, but hotels are not doing enough for them. (0) ..G .. . These show that the number of complaints made about the way women guests are treated is increasing. The Bartonsfield Hotel in London also conducted a recent survey of UK businesswomen, which reveals that 70% feel they receive an inferior service. (8) …… . The attitude of hotel staff made them feel out of place in public areas; for example, 62% chose to eat in their rooms because they were made to feel uncomfortable by staff when dining alone. (9) …… . Four years ago, for example, a similar survey had revealed that a significant number of women travelling alone and wishing to use the hotel restaurant were actually turned away. Many of the suggestions for improved services put forward by the Business Travel Association are relatively simple. (10) …… . Placing tables in restaurants in a way that allows the head waiter to introduce guests to one another, so they can choose to sit together over a meal, was a further suggestion. Guests in the dining room would then have the opportunity to meet up with others who might, for example, be attending the same conference, or have the same business interests. Wendy Manning, executive manager of the Bartonsfield Hotel, agreed with the Business Travel Association that hotel star ratings should be influenced by the level of service they offer to female business guests. (11) …… . ‘Our survey highlighted the unwillingness of many women to air their views if they are treated badly,’ Wendy Manning pointed out. A group of influential businesswomen recently met to discuss the results of the Business Travel Association questionnaire. They suggested that businesswomen should not hesitate to make it clear if they have a problem. (12) …… . Once clients have gone, it is all too easy for the issue to be ignored by hotel managers, and it will also be forgotten by the overworked business executives themselves.
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet
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A The hotel staff assumed they should be booked into the same room.
E Making sure that facilities in guest bedrooms cater equally for the needs of male and female guests is one such idea.
B But there is clear evidence that things are slowly improving.
C This would enable women to make an informed choice about a hotel, and they would not be placed in the uncomfortable position of having to complain about poor service.
D It is advisable for them to do this during their stay rather than waiting until they check out.
F Most of the women, when questioned further, thought that the reason for this was that they were female and travelling alone.
G This is evident from the results of a questionnaire distributed to hotel guests by the Business Travel Association.
Exercise 5 Exercise 4 is a Part 2 task in a past BEC Vantage exam. Look at Exercise 4 to decide whether each of these statements (1 – 8) is right or wrong.
1
Part 2 consists of one text.
2
There are six questions in Part 2.
3
There is an example before the first question.
4
The options are in the order that they come in the text.
5
There is a choice of seven options for each question.
6
There is always only one right answer to a question.
7
All the answers are different.
8
There are five marks for Part 2.
Decide whether each piece of advice (9 – 12) is good or bad.
9
It is sensible to spend around ten minutes on Part 2.
10
If you think there are two or three possible answers you should write the letters by the gap, and go back later to choose the best one.
11
You should make sure you choose the answer to each question before going on to the next one.
12
You should read the whole text quickly before choosing the best sentence for each gap.
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BEC Vantage Reading Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet
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