Unit 7

Getting into University

1. Put the following words in the correct column according to the pronunciation of the underlined letter. Listen and check. Mark and comment on all the sound phenomena under study.


  • admission
  • application
  • examination
  • native speaker
  • headmaster
  • assignment
  • practice
  • equivalent
  • entrance
  • graduate
  • academic
  • staff-room
  • applicant
  • vocabulary
  • language
  • extra work
  • private
  • diploma
[ə] [æ] [R] [eI]

2. In each line circle the word with a different sound in the underlined syllable. Listen and check.


opportunity secondary acquire
tutorial scholarship college
education detention absent
degree procedure proficiency
memorise seminar certificate
subject essay register

3. Transcribe the following words. Then listen and check.

deputy head co-educational gymnasium
school-leaver requirements nursery school
compulsory expenses automatically
playground comprehensive pronunciation
university educate vacation

4. Listen to the text and write down the missing words. Comment on the intonation of five statements from the text.


A man is suing an all-women’s in Japan. It because he is male. The man says this is against his gender. He says female-only students is unconstitutional. Japan’s constitution says that all citizens have . He wants to pay him 660,000 yen in damages for his suffering. It is the first time someone has sued over this issue.

The man thinks . He said was his only option to be . He said it would be difficult if he had to go . The man’s said are not needed today. In the past, they helped women “who had ”. A said: “We have a 91-year history... We are determined to continue to prepare women for .”

5. Listen to the text and write down the missing functional words. Transcribe these words.

How Much Would You Pay for a University Education?

University students in England currently pay £9,000 a year tuition fees; this money pays the students’ education doesn’t cover living costs such as rent, food books. these other costs considered, the average English student leaves University £44,000 debt.

The left-wing Labour party just announced if it wins the General Election in May, £9,000 tuition fee will reduced to £6,000 year.

University fees is important subject in British politics. The last General Election in 2010 won by the right-wing Conservative party. One first things they did increase university fees to £9,000 per year. Before 2010, university fees £3,250 per year.

University students in England start repay student debt they find a job after they graduate. If they not find a job pays more £16,910 per year, they do not to repay their loan.

Interestingly, university fees different in different parts of the UK. Scottish students study a Scottish university do not have to pay tuition fees all. In Wales university fees are £3,810 per year in Northern Ireland they £3,805. English students currently pay three times more students in other parts UK.