Zadanie 1.

1.

The material consists of:

• a newspaper title implying that Oxford and Cambridge only take in students from the upper class, or those who are very well-off

• a photograph of a piggybank with some coins scattered around it

• a photograph of a person holding a stack of books against his or her stomach with a metal tap coming out of the books and some coins on the open palm - it could be a poster on financing education or even more likely, on financial gains from education

• a photograph of some old buildings and young people on the grass outside the buildings, it could be one of the old universities in England, Oxford or Cambridge

2.

• only a small proportion of students attend fee-paying schools

• these students achieve better results in A-level exams

• they take up almost all the places at the best universities
3.

• the table implies that in Britain sending a child to a fee-paying school is indeed an excellent investment

• in Poland it does not necessarily have to be the case, i.e. a fee-paying school will not necessarily offer better acade­mic standards than a state school (though it might)

• so in our country it might be better to spend money on extra-curricular activities, like language courses

• but certainly investing in education is a very good idea, not only because good education enhances the person's, chances for a good job, but also because it opens up many life choices

4.

Each option has some advantages and disadvantages:

• relying on parents is very convenient and leaves you with a lot of time to study, but not all parents can afford to sup­port their grown-up children

• a part-time job is a more responsible solution, but working and studying may be hard to reconcile; you need time not only to attend lectures but also to read at home

• a bank loan solves both previous problems, but places a financial burden on the student, it may be hard to start a new life with a debt

Zadanie 2.

1.

Introduction:

Taking a gap year sounds like a very attractive idea because:

• it is hard to make up your mind about what you want to do in life at the age of 18, so many people choose university programmes at random, follow their parents' advice or follow the fashion

• work and travel can be very instructive, it not only teaches you many things about the world, but also about yourself, so it might be easier to make a sensible choice after a year off

• additionally, if you could save some money for tuition fees, it would take an enormous burden off your back

However, it would still be very hard for a Polish person to take a year off and travel around the world because:

• unlike our western peers we cannot work legally in most places around the world

• the cost of travel is still very high if compared to Polish salaries

• polish universities admit students on the basis of compe­titive exams based on course work, so those candidates who come straight from school have higher chances of getting in

Conclusion:

• although a gap year would certainly not be a waste of time, it
might not be as beneficial and relaxing for a Polish teenager
as it seems to be for a young American

2. Introduction:

• each system has some advantages and disadvantages
In Britain:

• £1,000 is not a very large amount of money for an average British person

• there is no illusion of free education

• universities need money to cover their costs

• it seems fair for everyone to pay the same But on the other hand:

• some courses cost more to run (cf. Latin vs Medicine)

• some 'expensive' courses offer lucrative job prospects

• not all the universities offer equally high standards and
good conditions

In Poland:

• the few free places still offer a unique chance for those less well-off

• the difference in tuition fees for the students of Medicine and Latin seems fairer

But on the other hand:

• Polish fee-paying students may assume that they pay for the diploma so they needn't work as hard as those studying for free

• the question arises: 'Why should some people study for free and others pay?'

Conclusion:

• there is no easy answer to this question

Zestaw III Szkoła

1. Could you describe the material?

2. Look at the table. What conclusions can you draw about the academic results of British secondary-school students?

3. To what extent do you agree with the statement that sending a child to a fee-paying school is an investment in his or her future? Justify your opinion.

4. Which would be the best way for a student to pay for university education: rely on the parents, find a part-time job, take a loan from a bank? Give reasons for your opinion.

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