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Ready for C1 p 20 . Past and Perfect Tenses. Speaking. Monologue Sample Answer. Cloze

 

 

A. Interaction

1.Have you ever been abroad? If so, what special difficulties did you experience?

2. What ambitions have you harboured? Have you ever thought they would be too great to fulfil? Have you ever given up any ambitions you had? What were the reasons?

3. Do you usually go out for dinner or lunch? How often do you do it?

4. Did your parents use to read you a story at bedtime? If so, what stories do you remember them telling you? Do you think this is something positive? Do bedtime stories encourage people to read later in life?

5. When you were a little child, did your parents let you watch everything on TV? What kind of programmes or films were you NOT allowed to watch? Do you remember any films in particular?

B. Monologue

Partner A

1. Have you been learning new vocabulary this week? What new words have you learnt so far?

2. Is this the first time you have attended an Advanced English course?

3. Where have you been eating during the summer? What healthy meals have you been cooking at home?

Partner B

1. Would you rather the English grammar was easier than it is? 

2. Would you sooner study online than face-to-face?

3. Would you rather have worked than come to class?

Monologue sample answer:

1. Would society sooner adopt fully remote schooling or maintain a blended, flexible approach to education? 

2. This is probably the first time in history that multiple generations have had to adapt to such rapid technological change simultaneously. What challenges has this created? 

3. By the time young people finish university today, what skills will they have been developing that previous generations had largely ignored?

Introduction

When considering the future of education, it's clear that we're at a real crossroads. The experiences of the past few years have fundamentally challenged our assumptions (1)______________ how learning should take place, and it's necessary to consider not just what's technologically possible, but what's actually beneficial for students and society as a (2)___________.

Question 1

From an educational perspective, most people would prefer to keep some form of face-to-face interaction in schools and universities rather than moving everything online permanently. You see, whilst the pandemic forced us into remote learning almost overnight, it's become increasingly clear that this wasn't the educational revolution some (3)_____________ been predicting. In fact, what became apparent was that students were constantly complaining about feeling isolated and disconnected from their peers. Teachers, too, had been struggling to maintain engagement when they couldn't gauge students' understanding and reactions in the way they (4)_____________ to.

For many educators, this was the first time they (5)____________ ever taught an entire course online, and the learning curve was extremely steep. Some schools had been investing in digital infrastructure for years, but even so, nothing could have fully prepared them for such an abrupt transition. (6)_______________ said that, there's unlikely to be a complete return to pre-pandemic practices. It's now several years (7)____________ distance learning became commonplace, and valuable lessons about flexibility have been learnt. For instance, students who used to spend hours commuting can now attend some sessions from home, (8)____________ has actually improved attendance rates in many institutions.

Question 2

This leads to another important consideration. (9)____________ makes this period in history particularly remarkable is that we're witnessing something quite unprecedented – people of all ages, from schoolchildren to their grandparents, have been forced to embrace new digital tools at the same time. This simultaneous transformation across age groups has certainly created some unique obstacles.

On the one hand, younger people have generally been finding it easier to adapt – after (10)_____________, they've been using tablets and smartphones since they were toddlers. On the other hand, older generations have had to completely rethink the way they'd been doing things for decades. Research suggests that many experienced teachers would have preferred their schools to have provided more comprehensive training before expecting staff to conduct lessons on Zoom. It was a long time since many educators (11)___________ last felt so professionally challenged by technological change. Many had been planning to finish their careers using traditional methods they'd always relied on, and suddenly everything changed. Several training programmes (12)____________ to have taken place in March 2020, but they were cancelled when the first lockdown began, which left many teachers feeling inadequately prepared.

What's (13)_____________, this rapid transformation has exposed a significant digital divide. Not everyone has had access to reliable internet or appropriate devices, which means that some students have been falling behind through no fault of their own. Before the pandemic, these inequalities had been less visible because everyone was physically present in the classroom. Research indicates that many families would (14)_______________ have kept their children in traditional classrooms where at least the playing field was more level.

Question 3

Looking ahead, it's fascinating to consider the capabilities that today's university leavers are acquiring. The competencies they've been gaining throughout their studies are remarkably different from what earlier cohorts concentrated on. (15)________________ previous generations had focused primarily on memorising information and following established procedures, modern students have been learning to think critically, collaborate remotely, and adapt to constant change.

For example, digital literacy has become absolutely fundamental. Students have been using online research tools, managing their digital presence, and communicating across various platforms in ways that (16)_____________ have been unimaginable just twenty years ago. Similarly, soft skills like resilience and flexibility have become increasingly important. The fact of the matter is, these young people have been navigating unprecedented disruption throughout their education, which has actually taught them to cope with uncertainty far better than previous generations (17)_______________ to.

Moreover, they've been developing what's often referred to as 'learning agility' – the ability to teach themselves new skills quickly. This is crucial because, it's clear that many of the jobs they'll be doing in ten years' time probably don't even exist (18)________________. By the time they graduate, they will have been adapting to new technologies and working methods for their entire educational journey, which is something no previous generation experienced to the same extent.

Conclusion

To summarise, evidence suggests we're heading towards a hybrid educational model that combines the best of both traditional and digital approaches. Whilst the rapid technological transformation has undoubtedly created obstacles, particularly for older age groups, it has also equipped young people (19)___________ a unique set of capabilities that will serve them well in an increasingly unpredictable world. The key consideration is ensuring that no one is left (20)_____________ in this transition and that human connection continues to be valued alongside technological innovation.

KEY

1. about

2. whole

3. had

4. used

5. had

6. Having

7. since

8. which

9. What

10. all

11. had

12. were

13. more

14. sooner/rather/

15. Whilst/ While

16. would

17. used

18. yet

19. with

20. behind

Ready for C1 p 20. Past Perfect vs. Past Perfect Continuous. Extra Grammar

1. Past Perfect (had + past participle)

Use it to show that one action was completed before another past action or time.
It focuses on the result of the action.
Form:

had + V3 (past participle)
Examples:

She had finished her homework before dinner.


By the time we arrived, the movie had started. 

Focus: The action is completed. 

Use the Past Perfect to emphasize the result or effect

If you want to highlight the result that existed in the past because of an earlier event, use past perfect.
Examples:

She was tired because she had worked all day.
→ Focus on the result: she was tired.


The ground was wet because it had rained.
→ Focus on the effect: wet ground.  

2. Past Perfect Continuous (had been + -ing)

Use it to show that an action was ongoing before another past action or time.
It focuses on the duration or continuity of the activity. 

When we talk about an ongoing action, we mean an action that was happening for a period of time and did not stop immediately: in progress /ˈprəʊɡres/.
Form:

had been + verb-ing
Examples:

She had been studying for two hours when he called.


They had been waiting for 30 minutes before the train arrived.

Focus: The action was ongoing and may not be completed. 

Use the Past Perfect Continuous to emphasize the cause + duration

If the ongoing nature or length of the activity explains the effect, use past perfect continuous.
Examples:

She was tired because she had been working all day.
→ Focus on the continuous activity that caused the effect.


The ground was wet because it had been raining.
→ Focus on the ongoing action that led to the effect.  

Comparison Example
Situation:

You arrive at a friend’s house and she looks tired.
Past Perfect:

She had cooked dinner before I arrived.
→ The cooking was finished.
Past Perfect Continuous:

She had been cooking dinner before I arrived.
→ She was cooking for some time and is tired; emphasizes the activity/duration. 

Quick Summary

Tense Structure  
Past Perfect had + past participle 

Focus 

result/completion

Example

She had cleaned the house. 

Tense Structure
Past Perfect Continuous had been + V-ing 

Focus  

duration/ongoing activity 

Example 

She had been cleaning the house for an hour. 



Simple Rule

Use 
Past Perfect 

Focus on result/effect 

E.g. She was pale because she had seen a ghost.
 

Past Perfect Continuous 

Focus on the ongoing activity that caused the effect 

E.g. She was exhausted because she had been running. 

EF p 31. Learning to Speak New Language Can Slow Biological Ageing. Word Formation

 

Learning to speak new language can slow biological ageing, TCD (1)___________ (RESEARCH) find
People from countries where multilingualism was common were 2.17 times less likely to experience accelerated ageing

Learning to speak one or more new languages can slow biological ageing and protect the brain against age-related (2)____________ (COGNITION) decline.

So says new research reported in Nature Ageing, by scientists at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), the Basque Center On Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastian and the Latin American Brain Health Institute in Santiago, Chile.

“Our results provide strong evidence that multilingualism functions as a (3)_______________ (PROTECTION) factor for healthy ageing,” said Agustín Ibáñez, professor of global brain health at TCD, who co-led the research.

“The protective effect was cumulative – the more languages people spoke, the (4)______________ (GREAT) their protection against ageing-related decline,” said Prof Ibáñez.

The international team of scientists analysed data from 86,149 adults (5)___________ (AGE) 51 to 90 living in 27 European countries.

Ageing clock

A “bio-behavioural ageing clock” method was used to compare the participants’ (6)__________________ (PREDICTION) biological age, based on health, cognition, education and lifestyle factors, with their actual chronological age.

It was found that people from countries where multilingualism was common were 2.17 times less likely to experience (7)____________ (ACCELERATION) ageing compared with those living where monolingualism held sway.

This evidence indicates that language learning and its use activates and engages the brain networks related to attention, memory, decision-making and social (8)____________ (INTERACTIVE), said Prof Ibáñez.

This study improves on previous research investigating the link between multilingualism and ageing, which were limited by the use of smaller clinical samples, as well as patients that already had signs of cognitive (9)_______________ (IMPAIRED).

The analysis, in this study, of a far larger, healthy population (10)______________ (ABLE) the scientists to show the benefits of multilingualism went further than simply delaying dementia or mild cognitive impairment.

The scientists examined the (11)______________ (BEHAVIOUR) age gap – the difference between predicted biological age and actual age – between thousands of individual study participants.

They found that multilingual individuals (12)______________ (CONSISTENCY) exhibited slower ageing, even after the linguistic, social, physical and sociopolitical factors were taken into account.

“The more languages people speak, the greater their protection against ageing-related decline,” said Dr Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Centre On Cognition, Brain and Language.

“Multilingualism is an accessible, low-cost tool for promoting healthy ageing across populations, complementing other (13)______________ (MODIFY) factors such as creativity and education,” added Dr Hernán Hernández of the Latin American Brain Health Institute in Chile.

The study found no evidence that the protective effect of multilingualism depended on the language learned.

The researchers didn’t look at whether language learning by app, or its (14)______________ (CONVERSATION) use, were more protective against ageing, but they did note that social use of a new language was more likely to provide greater benefits than passive (15)____________________ (EXPOSE) or memory drills.

“Language is not just words, but a dynamic, cognitive and social activity,” said Prof Ibáñez. “Using multiple languages in daily communication requires constant switching, contextual adaptation and emotional (16)__________________ (ENGAGE) – all of which activate distributed brain systems that support attention, memory and emotion regulation.”

In light of this study’s findings, the scientists recommend that language learning be incorporated into public health plans to enhance cognitive (17)_______________ (RESILIENT) and reduce the burden of ageing.

In Ireland, it could lead to (18)______________ (NEW) efforts to promote the Irish language, not just for cultural reasons, but for its health benefits.

Adapted from The Irish Times  

 

 

KEY

 

 

 

1.  researchers

 

 

 

 

2. cognitive 

 

 

 

 

3. protective 

 

 

 

 

 

4. greater 

 

 

 

 

5. aged 

 

 

 

 

6. predicted 

 

 

 

 

7. accelerated 

 

 

 

 

 

8. interaction 

 

 

 

 

 

9. impairment 

 

 

 

 

10. enabled 

 

 

 

 

11. behavioural 

 

 

 

 

 

12. consistently 

 

 

 

 

 

13. modifiable 

 

 

 

 

14. conversational 

 

 

 

 

15. exposure 

 

 

 

 

16. engagement 

 

 

 

 

 

17. resilience 

 

 

 

 

18. renewed 

 

 Further information:

BBC Newshour  minute: 17' 50''