Tài liệu ôn tập B2

Thai Nguyen University
School of Foreign Languages
English Department
2015
Compiled by
Nguyễn Dương Hà, M.A
Lê Thị Hằng, M.A
Đỗ Thị Trang Nhung, M.A
B2 Express
Coursebook
For internal use only
Contents
LESSON 1 - GETTING TO KNOW
STARTING OFF
Task 1: Discuss these questions with another student.
a How do you generally feel when you meet people for the first time? 
b What are the things you want to know about people when you first meet them? 
c In your country, what types of questions are OK to ask on first meeting someone? What types of questions are not OK?
In Canada, it’s not OK to ask someone’s age because some people don’t like to say how old they are.
In Mexico, it’s OK to ask about someone’s religion because some people think it’s too personal.
In Korea, it’s OK to ask someone’s age, so you know whether to use formal language.
Task 2: Work in pairs. Take turns to ask and answer questions about each other's background. Talk about the following.
- where you were born	
- where you live now
- where you went to school
- how many brothers and sisters you have
- what you like doing in your free time
- how long you've been learning English
- if you need English for your work
How many similarities and differences are there in your backgrounds?
Try to use some of the phrases below in your responses.
Answering personal questions
Well, actually...
That's a difficult question but
I've never given it much thought, but...
As a matter of fact, / In fact,
Generally speaking, I
Task 3: Make a list of any other questions you could ask your partner about his or her background. Think about your own answers to your questions as well.
Asking for personal information
So, tell me what ... is.
Could you tell me about ... ?
I’d like to know what is/would be.
What would you say is/would be?
Could you describe ?
SKILLS FOCUS: PROVIDING INFORMATION
Task 4: Below are some possible answers to the questions. For each question, decide which you think is the best. Give reasons why the other answers are less satisfactory.
1 Do you work or are you a student? 
a I work.
b I'm currently studying history at Moscow State University. I'm in my second year.
c I work as a dentist in Budapest. It's a very rewarding job and I earn good money. We get vast numbers of foreigners coming to get dental treatment in Hungary because it's far cheaper here than in many other countries. As well as being cheap, we offer high quality dental care and our patients are always happy with our work. I had to study for many years to be a dentist but it was worth it. People generally respect you for being a dentist as it's considered to be a good job, although perhaps it isn't as prestigious as being a doctor. I could have chosen to be a doctor and in fact, this is what my father wanted me to do. However, I have some friends who are doctors and they say they work very long hours and can't spend enough time with their families. I think I made the right career choice.
2 Why did you choose that course or job? 
a I didn't choose it.
b I chose it because French was always my best subject at school and I enjoy meeting new people. I thought interpreting would suit me, therefore, as you have to be a good communicator and of course skilled in foreign languages.
3 What is the most difficult thing about your studies or job?
a I'm not sure. Er ... I would say the most difficult thing is that we have tight deadlines, so I'll be given a project and then told it's to be completed in one week, which is nowhere near enough time. That's difficult but it doesn't stop me enjoying my work.
b I don't enjoy attending meetings. It's often very boring and the meetings last too long.
Task 5: Listen to two students, Nagwa and Carlos. Which question does each of them answer?
1. What do you most enjoy doing with your friends?
2. Have you ever had the opportunity to really help a friend? How?
3. Would you prefer to spend your holidays with your family or your friends?
4. What’s your happiest childhood memory?
Nagwa 	Carlos
Now listen to them again and say if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1 They both give very brief answers.
2 They give a few details to support their answers.
3 They use a variety of tenses appropriately.
4 They speak in a relaxed, natural way
Task 6: Match the questions to the responses in the box below.
1. Do you live with your family or with friends?
2. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
3. Are you a student or do you have a job? 
4. Are you interested in football?
5. How do you prefer to travel?
6. Where do you come from?
7. Have you learned any languages other than English?
8. Are birthdays an important event in your country?
9. How do you normally get to college in the morning?
10. What color do you like? 
a. No - not at all.
b. I like the train
c. I'm from a small village in the mountains -
d. I'm a student,
e. Yes, I have.
f. Yes, they are,
g. No, I'm the only child.
h. Well, my favourite color is red,
i. Actually, I'm staying in a university hall of residence
j. I take the train to Central Station
Task 7: Develop the sentences a – j in Task 5 by adding a phrase or sentence 1 – 10 below. 
1. In fact, I'm not very interested in any kind of sport, to be honest with you.
2. because you can see out of the window or read a book ... but sometimes you have to fly because of the distances involved.
3. a long way from the capital city of my country.
4. and I study literature. I’m in my second year, and I love my college very much because my friends and teachers are really cool. It makes learning there lots of fun.
5. I studied Spanish at school although I don't remember very much now.
6. and it's customary to share a cake or give a card or present.
7. I have ten cousins that I grew up with, so I didn't ever feel lonely.
8. so I usually buy my clothes in this color as I think it looks fashionable on me.
9. as I'm an overseas student studying here for a year.
10. and then I catch the express bus - it takes about an hour altogether.
Task 8: Work alone. Think about how you could answer each of the questions in Task 5. Then work in pairs and take turns to ask and answer the questions.
Task 9: Write at least two simple questions about each of the topics below. 
Example: What type of music do you like listening to?
Task 10: With a partner, ask and answer the questions you wrote in Task 8. Give extra information to elaborate your answers. Use the phrases in the list below to help you. 
I used to., but now I  
What I like about it is  because
The great thing about  is 
I suppose most people
Homework
Read the questions below and think about how you could answer each of the following questions.
1. Are you good at recognizing people you have only met once or twice before?
2. What is the best way for people visiting your country to make friends?
3. Who do you think has had the most influence on your life so far? Why?
4. Tell me about a friend of yours and how you got to know him or her. 
5. Who is the best teacher you've ever had?
LESSON 2 - EDUCATION
STARTING OFF
1. Work in pairs. Find eight reasons for studying abroad by matching the beginning of each sentence (1-8) with its endings (a-h).
You live in and learn about
with other ways of thinking.
You get to know
new people.
You benefit
new friends.
You learn 
more independent.
You become
after yourself.
You learn to look
from other approaches to studying.
You come in contact
to speak another language.
You make
another culture.
2. Which, for you, are the three best reasons for studying abroad?
3. Can you think of other reasons for studying abroad?
4. Have you studied abroad? If so, why? If not, would you like to? Why (not)?
VOCABULARY
Task 1 Complete the sentences below about courses with nouns from the list.
requirements analysis criteria dissertation essay evaluation module paper portfolio programme
a In order to study photography, you have to fulfill the course ...., which include a foundation qualification in art. 
b Many people fail at medicine due to the difficulty of meeting the assessment.... .
c Most mature students enrol on a part-time.... .
d At the start of each academic year, students choose which core.... they will take. 
e As part of their jobs, many lecturers are expected to submit at least one academic .... per year.
f Students on the fine art programme are required to present a.... of their work.
g After collecting your data, you will need to carry out an in-depth of .... it. 
h To get a good mark, students should show they are capable of making a critical ....	of the literature.
i At the end of the course, each student must submit a 4,000-word long .... .
j. After you have submitted your MA ...., you will have to wait about four months for your final grade.
Task 2 Look at the sentences in Task 1 again. Which verb introduces the noun in each case?
Task 3	The statements a-j below were made by students about courses they are
taking. Complete each sentence with a feature from the list.
research project deadlines easy-going tutors
end-of-year examination background reading list extensions
weekly seminars individual tuition ongoing assessment
practical work vocational content
a	The tutors provide you with a	before the course.
b	As part of our assessment, we have to plan and carry out a	
c	It's a very flexible programme: we have very	
d	It can get very stressful: we are assessed by	
e	Coursework has really fixed	You can't get	
f	Everyone gets	if they are experiencing difficulties.
g	The course is marked by	of written work.
h	I spend a lot of time doing	in a laboratory.
i	It's mostly	: it will all be useful for my career.
j	There are regular	in which people take turns to make presentations.
SKILLS FOCUS 1: EXTENTION
Task 4	 Listen to how Nikolai and Magda answer questions.
1. What is Nikolai’s favourite subject and what reasons does he give?
2. How will Magda use English in the future?
Now listen again and answer the questions below. True or false?
T
F
1. They answer the questions very briefly.
2. They give reasons for their answers.
3. They sound positive and enthusiastic when they are speaking.
Tips: 
Listen carefully to the question and make sure your answers are relevant.
Answer the question and where possible:
- give reasons for your answer, or
- add a little extra information.
Task 5	Work in pairs. Take turns to ask your partner the question in the box.
Student A
Can you describe the school you go to / went to?
What would you like to study in the future if you had the chance? Why?
How much homework do students in your country generally do?
Can you tell me what you most enjoy about learning English?
Tell me about the best teacher you’ve ever had?
Student B
Do you prefer studying alone or with other people? Why?
Can you remember your first day at school? Tell me about it.
Would you like to study in a different country? Why (not)?
How important are exams in your country?
How important is learning English to you?
SKILLS FOCUS 2: PHOTO COMPARISION AND CONTRAST
Task 6
A. Look at the photos. What are they talking about?
B. Choose two that you would like to compare and answer these questions.
1. What do the photos have in common?
They both show
2. What is different about them?
In this one whereas in the other one
C. Listen to Bethia, a university student talking about two of the photos and answer the questions.
1. Which two photos is she talking about?
2. What ideas did she express? (Take notes)
3. Which of the adverbs in the box did she use? 
actually almost certainly clearly obviously perhaps possibly probably really
4. Did she mention the same similarities and differences as you?
D. Listen again and tick (√) the expressions she uses from the table below. 
Referring to the photos
In the first photo,
In the second photo,
There’s one picture of 
And another picture
Similarities 
Both ofare
They both seem to be
Neither of them
In this one. and in this one
Differences 
One thing which is different in this one
The main difference between  and  is 
This one is  whereas / while  is 
Speculating 
This person looks as if she’s/he’s
He seems to be
Perhaps/Maybe they’re
They’re probably
He could be / might be
E. Take turns to speak for a minute about the two photos you have chosen. Use your answers in B and expressions from the table.
Task 7	 Work in pairs. Look at the pictures below, choose two that you would like to compare and take turns to speak for a minute.
SKILLS FOCUS 3: A SHORT TALK
Task 8 A. Answer the questions below about the teachers you had at school.
a How well do you remember your teachers? 
b Was there a teacher you especially liked? Why?
c How in general can teachers make lessons more interesting and fun? Is it important to do this? Is it always possible to do this?
B. The list below gives some qualities that teachers might possess. Decide if each quality is Important (I), Useful (U), or Not important (N).
Qualities of good teachers
They speak many foreign languages.	
They have a lot of hobbies.	
They set high standards.	
They are able to explain difficult things.	
They tell lots of jokes.	
They maintain discipline.	
They avoid negative criticism.	
They speak loudly.	
They give a lot of praise.	
They are very athletic.	
They mark and return students' work quickly.	
They are good-looking.	
They know the subject well.	
They are polite to the students.	
C. Which other qualities would you add to the list?
Task 9
A. Look at the task card below. Listen to a person answering the question. Make a brief note on the card of the answers they give to each prompt.
Describe a teacher you can remember from your schooldays. 
You should say
- what this teacher looked like
- what subjects they taught
 - what kind of person they were and explain how this person has influenced you.
B	Match each phrase in the list to one of the functions a-d.
a	Introducing your choice.
b	Explaining the reason for your choice.
c	Describing physical features.
d	Describing character.
Physically, he/she was ...
The ... I've chosen is ...
What... taught me was that...
In terms of personality, ...
I can remember ... really well.
He/she looked ...
Character-wise, he/she was ...
I'll never forget him/her because ...
C. Listen again. Which phrases from B does the speaker use?
D. Take one minute to think and make notes about your own talk on this topic, using your own experience. Then practise speaking for two minutes using your notes and the phrases in B.
MAKING NOTES
Task 10	 Another student made the notes below for the task in A. Add the words in the list below to the appropriate part of the diagram.
short
fat
amusing
relaxed
rolled tie up and down 
looked out of the window while speaking
made boring subjects interesting
made difficult subjects easy
cheerful personality
 Task 11	 The notes in A and B below describe the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of making notes. Answer the questions below.
a Which list relates to the technique in Task 3?
b What kind of note-taking does the other list describe?
c Which method of making notes would work best for you?
List A	List B
encourages creative thinking	encourages logical thinking
many ways through the ideas	one way through the ideas
takes little time to write	can take a long time to write
uses very few words	uses more words
can be messy	very tidy
Task 12	 Using a note-taking technique you prefer, make notes on the taskcard below, using your own experience. Then practise speaking for two minutes using your notes.
Describe a person you know who has helped you in some way. 
You should say
how you know this person
what abilities this person has
how this person helped you and explain how this help has influenced your life.
HOMEWORK
I. Look at the pictures below and read the examiner’s instructions.
II. Describe your first day at college. 
You should say
• Name of college and course
• What difficulties you encountered
• How you felt in the end
LESSON 3 - CUSTOMS, CELEBRATIONS AND HOLIDAYS
STARTING OFF
Pair work: How do you celebrate in your country? Check (√) the statements that are true for you. Then compare with your partner.
We give thanks for a good harvest.
We celebrate education and learning.
We visit our ancestors’ graves.
There is a special day to celebrate work.
We celebrate a religious figure.
We honor the leader of our country.
We celebrate the birthday of my country. 
We do thing to protect our world. 
VOCABULARY
Task 1
Task 2 
SKILLS FOCUS 1: PHOTO COMPARISION AND CONTRAST
A. Look at the three photographs and discuss these questions in pairs.
1 Do you know people who regularly spend some of their free time doing these activities? Maybe you do them yourself.
2 What abilities do people need to do these activities successfully?
3 Why do people enjoy doing these things?
B. You are going to hear two people talking about the photographs.
1. First, read the examiner's instructions.
Here are your pictures. They show different indoor leisure activities. I'd like you to compare two of the pictures and say what skills and abilities each activity requires and what participants enjoy about each activity.
2. Now listen to two people talking separately about two of these photos.
a Which two photos are they comparing?
b Which speaker gives a better response to the instructions? How? 
c What is the problem with the other speaker's response?
C. Listen carefully to the second speaker again. Complete some of the things she says.
What does the speaker say?
Finish her answers
to start her answer?
I’m going to
.
to introduce what she says about chess?
To play chess
.
to change the subject from chess to cookery?
As far as
 I think 
D. Work in pairs. Think of some appropriate replacements for the adjectives in italics in these phrases from the second speaker's talk.
1 To play chess you need a very logical mind, ...
2 ... you need endless patience.
3 Being a successful cook is probably more to do with creative instinct than just practical, skills.
4 Chess players like solving complex problems.
E. Choose two photos above and take turns to speak for a minute about them.
SKILLS FOCUS 2: PHOTO DISCUSSION
Task 3	 It is a good idea to have a selection of phrases ready for starting the tasks in the Speaking test. Look at these phrases and decide which would be appropriate and which would be inappropriate.
1 A Would you like to start or shall I?
 B You start.
2 A I don't know what to say.
 B OK, so we have to talk about each of these goals and say which is closest to our opinion. Well, this...
3 A Shall we go through all the goals first and then decide which is closest to our opinion?
 B OK, a quick look through and then decide; simple!
Task 4	Here are some words and phrases students often use in photo discussions. What are they used for? Write them in the correct boxes. 
What do you think?
Let’s move on to the next picture.
Now we have to decide 
I (completely) agree.
 You’ve got a point (there), but (the way I see it)
I think What about you?
So, is that agreed?
I (totally) disagree.
So, how about this picture?
OK, let’s make our decision.
I don’t really agree. I think
Do you agree (with me)? I’d say
(Yes,) that’s a good idea.
Shall we go on to the second question?
I can’t agree (with you there)
Do we agree on that?
I’m not sure I think
Do you have any thought s on this?
You’re right.
Bringing our partner in to the conversation
Keeping the discussion moving
Agreeing
Disagreeing
Reaching a decision
Task 5
{Work in pairs. The pictures show important moments in people's lives.
- Discuss together what would be the best way of celebrating each of these occasions. 
- Decide which two of these occasions you would be happiest to celebrate.
How to g