LANGL1373 – Anglais 3 pour ingénieurs civils

LANGL1383 – Anglais 3 pour informaticiens

2024-2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Table of contents ……………………………………………………………………………. 1

 Course introduction …………………………………………………………………………. 2

 My notes ……………………………………………………………………………………… 5

1. Asking Questions ……………………………………………………………………..…….. 7

2. Sustainable Development Goals ………………………………………………………….. 8

3. Warm-up discussions ………………………………………………………………………. 9

4. Presentations ………………………………………………………………………………. 11

5. Emailing .……………………………………………………………………………………. 19

6. Debates …………………………………………………………………………………….. 20

7. Charts …………….………………………………………………………………………… 29

8. Job applications ……………………………………………………………………………. 36

9. Meetings ……………………………………………………………………………………. 57

10. Pair work ……………………. …………………………………………………………….. 69

 Evaluation grids ……………………………………………………………………………. 77

STUDENT: ………………………………….

1
COURSE INTRODUCTION

A. COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course students will be able to use general and field-related English in
interactive communication situations such as those they will encounter in their future academic
and professional lives as engineers or computer scientists.

Speaking: level B2 (intermediate to upper intermediate)

Listening: level B2+ (upper intermediate), building on BAC1+2 courses

Reading: level C1 (upper intermediate), building on BAC1+2 courses

Writing: level B1-B2 (lower intermediate to intermediate)

Research suggests that it takes approximately 200 guided learning hours for a language learner to
progress from one level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) to the next, for
example from level B1 to level B2, or B2 to C1.

A number of factors that can affect how long it might take you to achieve your desired level of English:

 your language learning background

 the intensity of your study
 your age
 the amount of exposure outside of lesson times

https://support.cambridgeenglish.org/hc/en-gb/articles/202838506-Guided-learning-hours

B. COURSE PROGRAM AND ASSESSMENT

a) Presentation 20%
b) Meeting (group exam) 25%
c) Job interview (individual exam) 25%
d) CV 10%
e) Cover letter 10%
f) Attendance and Participation 10%

a) Presentations

 Group presentations on a topic related to a field of engineering

 Based on articles written in English (references to be included in slides)
 5 minutes maximum speaking time per student
 Questions and answers at the end of every presentation
 Students submit their choice of topic to the teacher 3 weeks ahead of time
 Visual aids are required (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.)
 One graph at least needs to be included

2
b) Meetings (group oral exam)

 Groups of 3-4 students (groups to be determined in advance)

 15 min exam time per group
 Meeting to be prepared in advance, topic related to engineering/computer
engineering
 Roles: chairperson + 2 or 3 invitees, one of them at least against the subject of
the meeting, one at least in favour
 Description of a graph to be included
 Resolution of controversy or conflict areas (negotiating)
 A successful exam = a rich and natural discussion including a large range of
vocabulary, especially from the chapter meetings and negotiations, as well
as topic-specific vocabulary

c) Job interviews (individual oral exam)

 Students will bring their CV and application letter

 10 minutes per student
 Students will be ready to answer questions about their education, job and life
experience, personality, plans and aspirations, etc. in a precise and structured
manner, using the topic-specific vocabulary
 Students only get access to the exam if they have handed in their CV and
application letter within the deadline given by their teacher

d) CV

 Students will write their CV based on the guidelines and examples

provided in the course
 The teacher gives students individual written feedback with indications of
what to improve, as well as group feedback based on the class’s common
mistakes
 Based on this feedback students write a second and final draft of their CV,
which will be graded

e) Cover letter

 Students will select a master’s program / internship program / exchange

program
 Students will write a draft cover letter for the selected program, based on the
guidelines and examples provided in the course, which will be partially
graded
 The teacher gives students individual written feedback with indications of
what to improve, as well as group feedback
 Based on this feedback students write a second and final draft of their cover
letter, which will be graded

f) Attendance and Participation

 Attendance is compulsory. Only official certificates are accepted to cover

absences. For every unexcused absence students will lose points on their
Attendance + Participation grade.

3
  Students’ preparations will be checked each week. Students will lose a point
on their Attendance + Participation grade every time a preparation has not
been completed.
 The final grade for the course is modulated by a multiplication
coefficient which takes into account attendance and preparation, the
coefficient being 0 if either attendance or preparation has been less than 80%
during the term, and otherwise 1. The coefficient is applied in January and
in August/September. This means that a student who attends less than 80%
of classes automatically fails the course that year.

The evaluation grids for all graded assignments and activities are supplied at the end of the course
notes.

Exemption:

Exemption from attending classes is only granted to native English speakers, after an interview with
the course coordinator in Week 1. Students who are not native speakers but who have bilingual
proficiency need to attend class at the beginning of the term and may request exemption directly with
their teacher. They need to notify their teacher of their request as of the first class, and will receive the
teacher’s answer after having attended 2 classes.

Exempted students’ grades will be based on the presentation, the CV and cover letter, the individual
exam (job interview) and the group exam (meeting). Exempted students must join one of the groups
for the presentation and the meeting.

Assessment in September:

 The assessment in September is exactly the same as in January.

 The final version of CV and letter need to be handed in on the day of the exam at the latest.
There will be no prior feedback.
 Students retain their Attendance + Participation grade.
 The final grade for the course is modulated by a multiplication coefficient which takes into
account attendance and preparation, the coefficient being 0 if either attendance or preparation
were less than 80% during the term, and otherwise 1. This means that a student who has
attended less than 80% of classes that year automatically fails the course.

C. RESOURCES

 Course notes to be purchased from FacCopy or downloaded from Moodle

 Course platform on MoodleUCL

D. TEACHERS email: [email protected]

Ahmed Adrioueche (coordinator) Charlotte Peters (coordinator)

Stéphanie Brabant Yannick Paquin
Nicholas Gibbs Philippe Neyt
Ariane Halleux Nevin Serbest
Sandrine Meirlaen Florence Simon

4
My notes on PRONUNCIATION

My notes on VOCABULARY / EXPRESSIONS

5
My notes on GRAMMAR

6
1. ASKING QUESTIONS

The basic rule for asking questions in English is straightforward:

→ Invert the order of the subject and the first auxiliary verb.

- It is snowing. = Is it snowing?
- He can speak German. = Can he speak German?
- They have lived here a long time. = Have they lived here a long time?
- She will arrive at ten o'clock. = Will she arrive at ten o'clock?
- He was driving fast. = Was he driving fast?

→ If there is no auxiliary, use the verb 'to do'. ( → ‘do’ = conjugated ; main verb ≠ conjugated)

- You speak fluent French. = Do you speak fluent French?

- She lives in Brussels. = Does she live in Brussels? (NOT *Does she lives*)
- They lived in Manchester. = Did they live in Manchester? (NOT *Did they lived*)

Most questions with question words are made in the same way:

- How often does she use it?

- Why don't you come?
- Where do you work?
- How many did you buy?
- When have you started doing this?
- Whose car were you driving?

Note: who, what and which can be the subject. Compare:

- Who comes late every Monday morning? (who = subject → no auxiliary used)
- Who do you want to invite? (who = object ; you = subject → use of ‘do’)
- What happened? (what = subject → no auxiliary used)
- What did you do? (what = object ; you = subject → use of ‘did’)

Note the position of the prepositions in these questions:

- Who did you speak to?

- What are you looking at?
- Where does he come from?

Exercise: Write down a few questions you would like to ask your neighbour about
him/her/them, then discuss them with him/her/them.

- _____________________________________________________________________

- _____________________________________________________________________

- _____________________________________________________________________

7
2. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

a) Talk to your neighbor: What does sustainable development mean to you?

b) Write down 5 – 10 keywords:

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

c) You’ll see a short video produced by the United Nations. Put a check mark next to all of your
keywords above that are mentioned.

d) If you hear more relevant keywords, write them down:

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

e) We’ll do a vocabulary check together to make understanding of the video easier. For each
word on the screen give a definition or translation to your neighbor if you can.

f) Now we’re watching the video a second time. You can take a few more notes if you wish to.
Afterwards you’ll discuss the following questions:

- Which are the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations?
- Do you feel that the SDGs are a useful concept?
- Do you feel that you have any particular responsibility to any of these goals?
- How do you feel about the deadline of 2030?

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

8
2. WARM-UP DISCUSSIONS

• Every week 3-4 students post a video on the group’s discussion forum 3 days before class
• On a topic they enjoy exploring in English, not necessarily related to engineering. Please
make sure that the language is appropriate and that all topics are politically correct.
• Videos will be approximately 5 minutes in duration, or students will indicate the time stamp
of where the main message lies so that the class can watch the 5 min. that are most relevant.
• Students will write a short post to accompany the video (see the teacher’s example post on
Moodle)
• Students will watch all posted videos ahead of class and make notes on two interesting
ideas from the video. These notes need to be brought to class ( → participation grade).
• At the beginning of class students split in 3-4 groups, one group per video. Students may not
necessarily choose which discussion they will take part in.
• The students who posted the video are in charge of the discussion in their group. They will
give a short intro to why they’ve chosen their video and will manage the discussion. They
will make sure that everyone participates, maybe asking a few questions related to the
subject, pointing out key elements or sharing their personal opinion to keep the discussion
lively. The students in charge will wrap up the discussion at the end.
• The discussion will last 10 minutes at least.
• Students in charge will prepare using the worksheet on the next page and some of the
language functions below ( → participation grade).

LANGUAGE FOR LEADING A DISCUSSION

Introducing the subject

Good morning folks, I hope you enjoyed my video.

I have chosen this topic because…
What I found particularly interesting about this …

Opening the floor for discussion

So of course I’d like to know what you thought of this.

Why don’t we go around the table and everyone tells us what they thought?
Alexia, would you like to start?
Did you know anything about this topic before?

Creating a safe discussion space for all participants

Yes, that’s a good point.

I see what you mean.
Oliver, do you agree with this opinion?
Did everyone feel this way?
Karen, would you like to add anything?

Concluding

I think we can stop here, thank you all for your interest.
We have to wrap it up unfortunately but this was a great discussion, thank you all!
That’s it already, thank you for your time everyone.

9
WORKSHEET: WARM-UP DISCUSSION

My introduction (key words):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Questions / ideas I’d like the group to discuss (or I could add in case the discussion slows down):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

What I might say to wrap up the discussion (key words):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

10
4. PRESENTATIONS
• Presentations on an engineering or computer science topic:
o Explaining a specific issue or development in industry or science
o From an original angle or one that is new to the audience
o with a reference to at least one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Based on articles written in English

• Teams of 2 to 4 students

• 4-5 minutes speaking time per student

• Questions and answers in small sub-groups after every presentation, one or two
presenters per sub-group

• Teacher must approve topic of presentation ahead of time. Students submit their choice
of topic to the teacher by e-mail (see weekly planner).

• Slides are required (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.):

o include the reference of the articles used in the research
o include a reference to the relevant SDG(s)

• One graph at least needs to be included

• Rehearsal required:
EITHER
o students rehearse their complete presentation in front of another team of students
outside of class time (one student listening for one student presenting)
o students who listen will give presenting students feedback and will fill in the evaluation
grid with their comments (no grades) (one student listening for one student
presenting)
OR
o students film their rehearsal
o each student fills in the evaluation grid for themselves based on the video (no grades)
AND
o the evaluation grid will be submitted to the teacher for proof

• Students should check the relevant evaluation grid when preparing

11
 How to choose a presentation topic

→ Take a look at below presentation topics:

• Do they sound interesting and manageable to you? → v OR x

• For those that don’t: what would improve them so as to be more interesting or more
manageable?

• Are there any SDGs that are relevant for these topics? THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable
Development (un.org)

• Pick 2 topics that you’re interested in: Take a look at the detailed targets for the SDGs you
identified by clicking on a goal, then on the tab “Targets and Indicators”

Topic v/x Improvement suggestions SDGs

How to increase access to ICT in Africa v Narrow down to a region? 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 17

Nuclear power plants

Green coding

The cost of excluding minorities from

management

The world’s first smog-free tower

Cargo ships go green

How to increase the life span of electronic devices

Formula 1

The energy consumption of data centers

Graphene

Crypto currency

RoboBees

12
Presentations do’s and dont’s
→ With a partner think of presentations or lectures you have attended and discuss what made them
good or bad. Fill in the table below with do’s and dont’s for presentations.

→ When you’re done check if your advice tallies with the tips given on the next pages.

DO DON’T

TIPS AND LANGUAGE FOR PRESENTATIONS

1. The Golden Rules of Presentations

• The Rule of Three

1) Tell them what you are going to say
2) Say it
3) Tell them what you said

• Do NOT read
Your speech will be too fast and monotone if you do. Moreover, spoken English is simpler than
the longer and complicated sentences of written English.

• K.I.S.S.
Keep It Short and Simple. Especially as far as language is concerned.

• Signal
…new ideas, important points, where you are. There are many ways to do that!

• Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Check your equipment, rehearse, check the timing, arrive on time, anticipate questions…
Remember Murphy's law!

13
 • Captivate your audience from the start…
The first 15 seconds are crucial. Audiences decide very early if they like you. Engage them early
and show that you like them.

• …and keep them captivated until the end by

 giving them a rest (tell an anecdote, illustration, demo…)

 including variation – in speech (intonation), visuals, movement…
 using pauses (to let the information sink in)

2. Planning

• Create a clear structure (introduction - outline - main parts - summary - conclusion - questions)
• For best impact prepare a strong introduction and conclusion
• State your objectives and stick to them (to inform, persuade, train, entertain, etc.)
• Make clear and explicit connections between parts or ideas
• Present information that is interesting and relevant to your audience
• Control the timing

3. Delivery and style

• Tempo
Avoid speaking too fast or too slow. Pause from time to time—a few seconds of silence are
sometimes just as effective as words.

• Volume
Project your voice. There's no need to shout. Vary the volume.

• Expressiveness
Vary the pitch. One way of doing this is to introduce (rhetorical) questions.

• Articulation
Don't rush. Practise difficult words beforehand. Make sure the stress is on the right syllable,
especially for important words that will come up frequently.

• Register
Make your English sound natural; it should be spoken English, not written. It should be professional
and formal, but not too formal.

4. Body Language

• Maintain good eye contact with different people in the audience, not just one.
• Keep a relaxed, confident posture, don’t look down or up at the ceiling.
• Use your hands to emphasize what you say. Keep them out of pockets. Use a pen or pointer—
but don't play with it, no distracting gestures.
• Use facial expressions (e.g. smiles) to emphasize your feelings.

14
5. Visual aids

• Design:

 Use visuals to support or summarize what you say

 Don't overcrowd visuals with too much information
 Only use key words, not lines of text
 Use pictures and graphs where appropriate
 Use colour, but not too much

• Use:

 Don't read from the visuals

 Make sure the audience understands the visual
 Use a pointer and/or masking techniques where appropriate
 Face the audience as much as possible
 Don't block the audience's view

6. Introducing yourself and your talk

Include:
• your name and role (and that of your colleagues if you present in a team)
• the title/subject of your presentation
• the purpose of your presentation
• the length of time you will take
• the main parts or points you will cover (and who will cover them if done by a team)
• when the audience may ask questions

What to say:

Greeting, name, position

Good morning. My name's Esther and I’m taking the English class with Ms. Peters. It's a pleasure to
be here with you today.
Let me introduce my colleagues. These are …

Title / Subject
Today we'd like to talk (to you) about ...
I'm going to present ... / inform you about ... / describe ... / brief you on ...
The subject/topic/focus of my talk/presentation/speech/paper is/will be ...

Purpose / Objective
We are here today to learn about ... / discuss .../ review ...
The purpose of this talk is to make you familiar with ... / update you on ...

Length
I shall only take ... minutes of your time
I plan to be brief
This should only last ... minutes

15
 Outline / Main parts
I've divided my presentation into four parts / sections:
We can break this subject down into the following areas:
Firstly/first of all ...
Secondly/then/next ...
Thirdly/and then we come to ...
Finally/lastly/last of all ...

Questions
I'll be glad to answer any questions at the end of my talk.
If you have any questions, please feel free to interrupt.
There'll be time for discussion at the end.

Reference to the audience

As I'm sure you know ...
We have all experienced ...
You may remember ...
As I'm sure we'd all agree ...

7. Linking the parts

• Organize your information and ideas

• Remember the Rule of Three!
• Regularly refer to your road map / the structure of your presentation

What to say:

Ordering / Sequencing Generalizing Digressing

firstly ... secondly ... thirdly ... usually by the way
then ... next ... finally/lastly ... generally in passing
let's start with ... as a rule
let's move/go on to / turn to ... Summarizing
to sum up
now we come to ... Comparing
in brief
that brings us to ... Similarly
in short
that covers ... In the same way
let's get back to ...
Concluding
Contradicting in conclusion
Giving reasons / causes
in fact to conclude
that's why ...
actually
therefore ...
as a result ...
so ... Highlighting
in particular
especially

16
8. Handing over to a partner

What to say:

I will now give the floor to …

That’s it for my part and I will now hand over to X who will tell you about…
Let’s now listen to my colleague X who will develop the question of …

9. Concluding

Include:
• a clear signal that you are about to end
• a brief, clear summary of what you have said
• a conclusion or recommendation (if appropriate)
• an invitation for questions, to make comments, or start a discussion

What to say:

Signalling the end

That brings me to the end of my presentation
That completes my presentation
Before I stop/finish, let me just say ...
That covers all I wanted to say today

Summarizing
Let me just run over the key points again
I'll briefly summarize the main issues
To sum up ...
Briefly ...

Concluding
As you can see, there are some very good reasons ...
In conclusion ...
I'd like to leave you with the following thought/idea

Closing
Thank you for your attention
Thank you for listening
I hope you will have gained an insight into ...

Inviting questions
We'll be glad to try and answer any questions you might have
So, let's throw it open to questions
Do you have any questions?

17
10. Question time

• Welcome the question

• Listen carefully to the question - don't interrupt
• Take time to think before you answer
• Check you have understood the question - rephrase if necessary
• Reply positively - be brief and clear
• Accept criticism positively
• Check that the questioner is satisfied with your answer

What to say:

Welcoming a question
That's a good question
That's interesting

Clarifying a question
If I understand you correctly, you are saying/asking ...
I’m sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat your question please?
I'm not sure I can follow. Would you mind elaborating a bit on your question?

Avoiding giving an answer

I'm afraid that's not my field
I'm sure Ms. X could answer that question
I’m not able to give you that answer but I can give you references to articles that will help you
further

Checking that the questioner is satisfied

Does that answer your question?
Is that clear?
May we go on?

Adapted from:
How To Give a Seminar http://www.drlou.ca/docs/How%20To%20Give%20A%20Seminar.ppt
Jeremy COMFORT, Effective Presentations (Oxford University Press, 1995)

18
 5. EMAILING
Formal Informal/Neutral

Greeting Dear Mr / Ms Smith, Hi/Hello Mary,

Dear Mary, Mary, (or no name at all)

Reply Thank you for your email of … Thanks for your/the email.
Further to your last email… Re your email, …
I apologise for not answering sooner. Sorry I haven’t written sooner, but …

Reasons for I am writing in connection with … I’m writing about …

Writing
I am writing with regard to … This is just to let you know that …
In reply to your email, here are … Here’s the … you wanted.

Giving I am writing to let you know that … Just a note to say …

information
We are able to confirm that … We/I can confirm that …
I am delighted to tell you that … Good news!
We regret to inform you that … Unfortunately, …

Attachments Please find attached my report. I’ve attached …

I am sending you … as a pdf file. Here is the … you wanted.
Please find the copy below.

Asking for Could you give me some information about … Can you tell me a little more about …
information
I would like to know … I’d like to know …
I am interested in receiving/ finding out …

Requests I would be grateful if you could … Please send me …

I wonder if you could … Could you…?
Do you think I could have …? Can I have …?
Thank you for your help/assistance in this matter. I’d appreciate your help on this.

Promising I will … I’ll …

action
I will investigate the matter immediately. I’ll look into it.
I will contact you again shortly. I’ll get back to you on it soon.

Final Thank you for your help / time and consideration. Thanks again for …
comments
Please do not hesitate to contact me/us again Let me know if you need anything
should you require any further information. else.

Closing I am looking forward to …(+v-ing) Looking forward to … (+v-ing)

Best regards, Speak to/ See you soon.
Regards, Best, / All the best,

Adapted from: Email English; P. Emmerson

19
6. DEBATES
We will hold 2 debates in class, chosen from topics A-E below. Students need to prepare each
debate beforehand.

Every topic will be covered from 4 different aspects:

o scientific/technical
o economic
o social
o environmental

 In preparation for the debate students will be divided into 4 teams, every team covering one of
the 4 aspects, in a rotation so that every team gets to cover a different aspect at every debate
and gets to chair one debate. (see sign-up sheet)

 Students research their aspect of the topic (individually or as a team) with the aim to brief
other students on this information and to argument their side of the issue.

 Students need to upload their research file on Moodle 3 days ahead of class. The file will
contain at least 2 articles of minimum 2 pages each, not older than 3 years. A total of 15
vocabulary items must be highlighted in the file. It’s ok to send in one file per team, as long
as all students on the team are well prepared for the debate and bring their personal notes
(→ participation grade).

 On the day of the debate students will split into small discussion groups, one student per
aspect/team in every group. Every group will have a chairperson in charge of managing the
debate, designated through the signup sheet. The debate in class will last approximately 20
minutes.

 It is important that all students contribute actively and use the appropriate language for
debating from the course notes, as well as the topic-specific vocabulary that comes with
the subject (→ participation grade).

 After groups have concluded their discussions they will share their answer to the debate
question and 2 key issues from their debate with the class.

 Students chairing the debate will prepare using the worksheet on the next page (→
participation grade).

These are the topics to choose from (see following pages for more details):

A. Are smartphones good for us?

B. Is transhumanism the solution to our problems?

C. Should we all be feminists?

D. Is the internet of things a good thing?

E. Is Green Growth possible?

20
WORKSHEET FOR DEBATE CHAIRPERSON

My introduction (key words):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Questions / ideas I’d like the group to discuss (or I could add in case the debate slows down):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

What I might say to conclude:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

The group’s answer to the debate question and 2 key issues from our debate (use only 1
sentence per idea, so share 3 sentences total with the class):

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

21
LANGUAGE FOR DEBATING

Stating the object of the discussion

The purpose of this discussion is to …

We’d like to ask you to consider the following questions…

Asking for opinions

I'd like to hear your view / your ideas on this.

Could we go around the table and hear everyone’s contribution?
How do you see this?
What's your opinion about that?

Sharing information / opinions

What I have found in the literature is that …

Research shows that…
I think / believe / feel (that) …
It seems to me (that) …
In my opinion / view, …

Being more precise Linking expressions

By this I (do not) mean … However / On the other hand / Then again, …
In fact, … For example / For instance, …
In other words, … In my experience, …
That is to say, … Naturally / Understandably, …
Indeed / In fact, …

Introducing a sequence of points Adding an idea

First(ly), second(ly), third(ly), ... In addition

To begin with / To start with What’s more
Then / Next Similarly
Finally / Lastly / In the end Another question is whether …

Focusing on specific points Generalising

In terms of As a rule
As far as … is concerned In general, generally
With regard to / As regards / Regarding For the most part

22
In particular On the whole
Citing

Scientists / The latest research show(s)/ state(s)/ assert(s)/ argue(s)/ claim(s) that …
Their argument/ claim/ point is that...
What they have found is that …
According to the latest research …

Disagreeing Agreeing

(I’m afraid) I don't agree / I disagree. I agree.

That's not how I see it. (I think) you're right.
I wouldn't say that. I couldn't agree more.
As you said …
That may be true, but …
I take / see your point, but …
I agree up to a point, but …
But don't you think …?

My disagreement with you is that …

I believe that you are incorrect when you argue that …
I would argue that…
I am just concerned that…

Dealing with interruptions and irrelevancies

I see what you mean, but I think you're losing sight of the main point.
That's not really the point. We're here to discuss …
I take your point but can we please stick to the main subject?

Summarizing the main points and concluding

I think we've covered most of …

We agreed that…
We’ve come to the conclusion that …
To summarize, we found that …
In short …

I think that we can leave it at that for today.

Let’s agree to disagree.
Thank you very much to all of you for a stimulating debate.
It has been a very interesting discussion. Thank you all.

23
 Debate A: Are smartphones good for us?

→ Consider the following questions in your research and discussions:

SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL ASPECTS SOCIAL/POLITICAL ASPECTS

 What are the most useful applications of  Where do the raw materials for a smartphone
smartphone technology? come from? What does the mining of these
 What are the most cutting-edge recent materials involve?
developments in smartphone technology?  What are the working conditions of workers
 What materials are used to make smartphones? (safety, minimum wage, working hours, etc.)?
 What are the major weaknesses of  Are smartphones user-friendly enough even for
smartphones (screen, battery, etc.)? senior citizens?
 How often do you have to recharge the battery?  What are possible health hazards associated
 Can smartphones be easily repaired and/or with cellphone use?
reused?  What positive/negative effects do smartphones
 How long are smartphones designed/built to have on our personal lives?
last (life span / planned obsolescence)?  What is the best advice to give a young person
when they buy their first smartphone?
 Are smartphones a threat to our privacy?

ECONOMIC ASPECTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

 What is the total number of smartphone users  How long are smartphones designed/built to last
worldwide? (life span / planned obsolescence)?
 How many smartphones are sold worldwide  What materials are used to make smartphones?
every year? What does this represent for the  What does the mining and transport of these
global economy? materials involve?
 How long are smartphones designed/built to  How much energy was needed in all these
last (life span / planned obsolescence)? processes, including manufacturing?
 Are smartphones reasonably priced?  How many smartphones are disposed of/recycled
 What’s the actual production cost of a worldwide every year?
smartphone?  How and where are smartphones disposed of,
 Who benefits along the production line? Who collected and recycled?
doesn’t?  What brands/ models are accepted through the
 What other impacts do smartphones have on various recycling programs?
the global economy?  Which components are readily recoverable and
 Do smartphones perform any vital functions in recyclable?
the economy?  Which materials are hazardous and difficult to
dispose of?

→ Bring your notes to the debate so you can use the vocabulary in bold above, and the vocabulary
and phrases from your articles and the Excel file on Moodle. (→ participation grade)

→ At the end of your debate decide on an answer to the debate question and on 2 key elements
from your debate that you want to share with the class. Use only 1 sentence per idea, so share 3
sentences total with the class.

24
 Debate B: Is transhumanism the solution to our problems?

→ Consider the following questions in your research and discussions:

SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL ASPECTS SOCIAL/POLITICAL ASPECTS

 Which are the different technologies that  Is the prospect of transhumanism exciting or
can/could be used for human enhancement? frightening? Why?
 Which of these technologies are already being  What are the risks involved?
used on a regular basis?  Is being immortal realistic?
 In which fields are these technologies most  When it comes to ‘designer baby technology’
beneficial? Medicine? Defense? Space and other technologies, who should decide what
exploration? Others? constitutes an ‘improvement’ and what
 Which technical systems / machines can be should be allowed?
used to replace complex functions within the  Some people argue that transhumanism will
human body? Where is the limit? cause people to lose their sense of morality. Do
 What cybernetic organisms could be made you agree?
possible thanks to advances in  Will extended life worsen overpopulation
biomedicine/micro-nanotechnology? problems?
 What are the risks?  The political scientist and political economist
Francis Fukuyama once identified
transhumanism as “the world’s most dangerous
idea”. What do you think?

ECONOMIC ASPECTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

 Will transhumanism increase or decrease  Can our planet cope with the environmental
inequalities between people? repercussions (e.g. overpopulation, food
 Some argue that transhumanism will improve shortages, increased global warming etc.) of the
the standard of living for everyone. Will the human race being immortal?
costs involved in advanced technology really  Should we be ‘messing around’ with nature?
allow this?  Can transhumanism help third world countries?
 Will new technologies only benefit the rich and Can it solve hunger or water shortages?
powerful?  Can transhumanism help the human race
 Do you think that governments should spend survive climate change?
more money on transhumanism in scientific and  Isn’t death part of the natural order of things?
medical research or in military and defense?  Are transhumanist technologies
 Shouldn’t we concentrate on current problems environmentally sound?
such as improving the situation of the poor,  Will extended life worsen overpopulation
rather than putting our efforts into planning for problems?
the “far” future?

→ Bring your notes to the debate so you can use the vocabulary in bold above, and the vocabulary
and phrases from your articles and the Excel file on Moodle. (→ participation grade)

→ At the end of your debate decide on an answer to the debate question and on 2 key elements
from your debate that you want to share with the class. Use only 1 sentence per idea, so share 3
sentences total with the class.

25
 Debate C: Should we all be feminists?

→ Consider the following questions in your research and discussions, and don’t hesitate to discuss
them with your family if you have a chance:

STATE OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS SOCIAL/POLITICAL ASPECTS

 What are some fundamental rights that  What’s the definition of “feminism”?
women have earned in Belgium and around the  What is gender inequality?
world in the last 75 years (your grandmothers’  Why does gender inequality exist?
and mothers’ lifetimes)?  What is the definition of sexual harassment?
 What are the remaining gender inequalities in  What is “mental load”? Why do men usually carry
Belgium and around the world? less mental load than women?
 Have you ever experienced/witnessed/heard  What influences men’s and women’s choice of
of discrimination against women in career?
Belgium/Louvain-la-Neuve?  What could be done to have more equality?
 What are the statistics on violence against  Which countries have the best track record?
women in Belgium/Louvain-la-Neuve? Why?
 Are girls and women safe in Belgium/Louvain-
la-Neuve? Do they FEEL safe and free at all
times?

ECONOMIC ASPECTS WOMEN IN STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING,

AND MATHEMATICS)

 What is the gender pay gap?  Are STEM studies and careers still dominated
 What influences men’s and women’s choice of by men? What are the statistics in Belgium?
career?  What does this mean for women studying STEM
 What impact would gender equality in today?
leadership positions and pay have on the  What influences men’s and women’s choice of
economy? studies and career?
 What can be done to reduce/delete the gender  Who are famous women working/who worked in
pay gap? STEM?
 Is it important to set gender quotas to make  What do women working in STEM say about their
sure that gender diversity is achieved? Why? experience regarding gender equality?
 In which parts of the world is discrimination at  Is gender diversity in STEM jobs the same in
work more/less important? Why? every country? What are the statistics?

→ Bring your notes to the debate so you can use the vocabulary in bold above, and the vocabulary
and phrases from your articles and the Excel file on Moodle. (→ participation grade)

→ At the end of your debate decide on an answer to the debate question and on 2 key elements
from your debate that you want to share with the class. Use only 1 sentence per idea, so share 3
sentences total with the class.

26
 Debate D: Is the internet of things a good thing?

→ Consider the following questions in your research and discussions:

SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL ASPECTS SOCIAL/POLITICAL ASPECTS

 What is the Internet of Things (and why does it  What are the privacy implications of the IoT?
matter)?  Is the IoT safe?
 How does the IoT work?  What does the IoT mean for healthcare?
 Why do connected devices need to share  What do you regard as the most interesting use of
data? the IoT?
 What kind of information do IoT objects  What policy changes would accelerate the
communicate? benefits of the Internet of Things?
 Where does the IoT go next?  How will the IoT transform the way people and
 What issues might affect the development and things interact with each other?
implementation of the IoT?  Could the development and implementation of the
 What technical adaptations will be necessary IoT lead to a bigger digital divide?
for the implementation of the IoT?  What should be the role of government in
cyberspace?

ECONOMIC ASPECTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

 How will the Internet of Things affect business  What environmental impacts will the IoT have
and work? on agriculture, energy, manufacturing,
 Which economic sectors will it affect most? transportation, infrastructure, cities, etc.?
 Will it affect employment?  How sustainable is the IoT in terms of data
 What impacts will the IoT have on economic storage and data processing?
growth?  Are the costs worth the benefits?
 What is the best advice for a business leader  Can you think of ways in which the IoT could be
interested in the Internet of Things? made more energy-efficient?

→ Bring your notes to the debate so you can use the vocabulary in bold above, and the vocabulary
and phrases from your articles and the Excel file on Moodle. (→ participation grade)

→ At the end of your debate decide on an answer to the debate question and on 2 key elements
from your debate that you want to share with the class. Use only 1 sentence per idea, so share 3
sentences total with the class.

27
 Debate E: Is Green Growth possible?

→ Consider the following questions in your research and discussions:

SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL ASPECTS SOCIAL/POLITICAL ASPECTS

 Is economic growth compatible with ecological  How will Green Growth improve the health and
sustainability? quality of life of the world’s citizens?
 What values, principles and indicators does the  Could Green Growth improve or worsen the
Green Economy rest on? poverty gap, immigration and racism?
 What is “the decoupling of economic growth”  Should rich nations compensate for the
from environmental pressure? increased ecological footprint of poorer
 Can technological innovation allow for infinite nations?
growth given the planet's finite resources?  How does a Green Economy support
 Is the green growth model compatible with the employment?
IPCC standards of greenhouse gas emissions  What wars were/will be fought over natural
reduction of 5% per year? resources or natural disasters?
 Which energy sources will fuel the Green  Do we have to accept (extreme) poverty so that
Economy? we do not have to change our way of living?
 Can we continue living as we do and ensure the  To which extent is the technological innovation
continuation of human life on Earth? and development killing any motivation for social
 Is Green Growth possible/real? transformation?

ECONOMIC ASPECTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

 Is it possible to move away from the  Can environmental pressures decline without a
continuous pursuit of economic growth in high- corresponding drop in economic activities?
consumption countries?  Will the Green Economy halt biodiversity loss
 Can Green Growth help deliver sustainable and enhance biodiversity conservation?
development?  Will Green Growth significantly reduce
 Are the rising costs of raw materials an environmental risks and ecological scarcities?
indication of their depletion?  Is resource use increasing or decreasing with
 How can consumers benefit from Green respect to GDP at the global level? Are we
Growth and shape it? advancing towards decoupling?
 Is Green Growth possible without passing a  Will it be possible to stay under the 1.5°C global
critical threshold or tipping point? warming target?
 Does the market reward / penalize  Is renewable energy free of environmental
sustainable production practices? pressures?
 Can we lift tens of millions of people out of  Will technological innovation solve the current
poverty without damaging the environment? environmental emergency, or will it lead to new
 Is a product-service system a solution for a environmental threats?
sustainable economy?

→ Bring your notes to the debate so you can use the vocabulary in bold above, and the vocabulary
and phrases from your articles and the Excel file on Moodle. (→ participation grade)

→ At the end of your debate decide on an answer to the debate question and on 2 key elements
from your debate that you want to share with the class. Use only 1 sentence per idea, so share 3
sentences total with the class.

28
 7. CHARTS

1. Choosing the right chart

→ Match the names to the charts:

diagram - bar chart - table - line chart/graph - flow chart - pie chart

A ……………………………… is a A ……………………………… A ……………………………… is

convenient way to show large displays the size of each part as a used to compare independent
amount of data in a small space percentage of a whole items

A …………………………… depicts A ……………………………… is a A ……………………………… is a

changes over a period of time, plan or drawing that provides a way diagram showing the steps of a
showing data and trends to understand a complex system process or a hierarchical
or process at a glance structure

2. INTRODUCING a chart

Introduction Topic

Let’s take a look at this graph: it shows ... rates of economic growth between 2003 and 2023.

Let me show you this diagram: it outlines … the major steps of the project.

This table provides information about … internet use on campus.

This pie chart represents … the different types of students enrolled in this program.

This bar chart gives us ... the yearly sales volumes at our different locations.

29
3. Describing a TABLE – only point to the most relevant data

Referring to data that is The results in rows 4 through 9 are what you would expect.
representative or average: Countries X, Y and Z are in the world average.
You can see that users A, B, and C display very regular
numbers.

Pointing out data that stands out: User D on the other hand …
However, the results in rows 1 and 2 are very different.
The only category that …

The highest use of …

The biggest volume of …
The most frequent occurrence of …

The lowest sales of …

The smallest number is …
The least used …

→ Describe the following table with your neighbor:

30
 4. Describing a PIE CHART – audience should be able to roughly draw it from your description

Referring to the size of categories / slices: The majority of …

Only a small minority …

Nearly a third of …
Over half of …

Only 4% of …
Roughly 50% …

Comparing categories: Compared to …

As opposed to …
X and Y are very similar.

→ Describe the following pie charts with your neighbor:

31
5. Describing a BAR CHART – compare the length / height of the bars

Point out the largest and smallest categories: You can see the highest numbers for …
The best results are achieved by …
X shows the lowest yields.
The smallest number of …

Comparing categories: → See language for pie chart

→ Describe the following bar charts with your neighbor:

32
6. Describing a GRAPH / LINE CHART – describe the development or trend

Indicating upward movement : to increase

to rise (rose, risen)
to go up
to grow
to soar
to skyrocket
to reach a peak
to reach an all-time high
Indicating downward movement : to decrease
to fall (fell, fallen)
to plunge
to drop
to collapse
to bottom out
Indicating no movement : to remain stable
to stay constant
to stabilize
Indicating a change of direction to flatten out
to level off
to dip
to recover

→ Describe the following graphs with your neighbor:

33
Adverbs and adjectives: Indicating the speed or degree of change

→ Underline all words that describe a change:

The x axis of this graph shows the twelve

months of the past year while our sales in
millions of dollars appear on the y axis. It
may be seen clearly that sales rose steadily
in the first half of the year (from January to
May) and reached their peak in June. Then
they dropped off in July and levelled out in
August. After rising sharply during
September, they suffered a dramatic fall in
October but then made a significant
recovery in November. However, the year
ended with a slight downturn.

34
→ Match each sentence below with one of the following graphs:

e 1. The investment level rose suddenly.

2. The sales of our products fell slightly in the final quarter.

3. The Research and Development budget has stabilized over the past few years.

4. At the end of the first year, sales stood at 50 per cent of the present level.

5. The price reached a peak before falling a little and then maintaining the same level.

6. There has been a steady increase in costs over several years.

7. The sudden collapse in share prices has surprised everyone.

8. The value of the shares has shown a steady decline.

→ Go back to the previous two graphs on education and research and describe them again: This time
introduce the graph first, then describe it using more adjectives or adverbs to describe the degree
or speed of the changes observe.

35
8. JOB APPLICATIONS
Analyzing CVs

→ With a partner take a look at the 4 student CVs on the next pages.

→ Discuss which features of these CVs make a good impression and which do not.

→ Based on this discussion fill in the table below with advice on CV writing:
 What needs to feature in your CV?
 How does it need to be presented?
 How should it not be presented?

WHAT? HOW? / HOW NOT?

36
Curriculum Vitae
Yvan Lejeune

39, rue de la Fève

5580, Han-sur-Lesse
0474/35 34 21
03/08/1993
[email protected]

Educations and Courses

2016-2022 : High School, Institut Notre Dame des Grâces (Belgium) – Major in math and
sciences

2022 – ... : Bachelor In Civil Engineering – Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium).

Work Experience

2014-2022:
 Coaching course in sport (Fencing)
 Organisation of sport competition

2021-2023 : Barman at TC Les Tilleuls
2022-2023 : Member of student association, Société Royale Luxembourgeoise

Computer skills
Languages : C, Java

Softwares : Office, Matlab, OpenOffice, Latex

Languages
French : Native
English : good
Dutch : medium

Hobbies and Leisure

Main sport: Fencing
other sports : cycling, musculation, running
Others : Gradening, nature walk

37
Haddou Henraert
23, Rue Gatti de Gammond
1180 Bruxelles
Belgium
+32 488 81 23 45
[email protected]

PROBLEM SOLVING AND LEADERSHIP ORIENTED

EDUCATION

2022 – present B.Sc. Engineering – Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium

Major in Mechanics – Minor in Electronics
1st and 2nd year Cum laude
Expected graduation June 2025

2016 – 2022 High School, Athénée Royal Uccle 1, Belgium

Major in math and sciences – Magna cum laude

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND EXTRACURRICULARS

Academic year Student instructor, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium

2024-25 Teach first-year students for ELEC1101 Projet d’électricité 1

Summer 2024 Internship, Comptoir Industriel d’Electronique, Casablanca, Morocco

(4 weeks)  Supported customer services in Arabic, French and English
 Updated databases
 Supported inventory management

Summer 2022 Youth counselor and basketball trainer, CFS summer camps, Brussels, Belgium
(3 weeks)  Trained groups of children aged 9 to 14, beginners at basketball
 Managed their day including meals, leisure time, field trips, etc.
 Communicated with parents and daycare

2021-2022 Basketball trainer and coach, Uccle Europe Basketball, Brussels, Belgium
(twice a week)  Trained a team of U9 boys once a week
 Coached the team at games every week-end
 Taught them technical skills, game strategy, team spirit

Summer 2021 Cashier, Carrefour supermarket Gatti, Brussels, Belgium

(4 weeks)  Checked out customers
 Did end-of-day cashier balancing

SKILLS AND INTERESTS

Languages French native

Arabic native (6 years Arabic classes at Centre Islamique et Culturel de Belgique)
English advanced user (C1)
Dutch independent user (B2)

Computer skills Microsoft: Office suite

Programming: Java, Matlab, Latex, C, Oz

Sports: Basketball, parkour, cycling

38
 rue Blanche 2
1400 Nivelles
Belgium

Marie-Laure Rasson +32 (0) 488 34 45 36

[email protected]

------------ Education
2019–2024 M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering specialised in Energy, Université Catholique de Louvain
(EPL)
o 2022–2024: Master’s Degree including one year abroad - Magna Cum Laude
o 2022–2023: Harbin Technical University, Shenzhen, China - Magna Cum Laude
o 2019–2022: B.Sc. Engineering specialised in Mechanics - Cum Laude
2014–2019 High school, College Paters Jozefieten Melle boarding school, Flanders

------------ Work Experience

August 2023 Summer Intern, Kanigen, Brussels
Electroless surface treatment of technical products
o Contributed to several client meetings
o Staffed on both the sales and engineering teams
2021-2022 Tutor, La grande école des devoirs, Kraainem
August 2021 Head Waitress, Dolce, La Hulpe
August 2019 Waitress, La Meunerie, Nivelles

------------ Languages
French Mother tongue - C2
Dutch Bilingual proficiency - C2 15 years of full linguistic immersion
English Full professional proficiency - C1+ IELTS: 7,5 (2022)
German Intermediate proficiency - B1 Passive understanding and basic vocabulary
Chinese Elementary proficiency - A2 Reading, writing and common expressions

------------ Computer skills

Software Microsoft Office, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Matlab, Comsol, Solidworks
Languages Java, C, R, Oz

------------ Extracurricular Achievements

Innovating Finalist of the Creative Business Cup 2024, Brussels
Pitching Winner of the Morpheus Startup competition in 2023 with Bluepoint Startup
Volunteering Expedition to Lourdes in 2018, took care of a mentally handicapped person
Leadership Captain of the women’s volleyball team of College Melle 2018-2019
Debating Took part in the World Youth Alliance summer camp in Athens, Greece in 2017

------------ Interests
Exploring Avid Backpacker throughout South America and Asia
Commitment Scouts (12 years), diving (PADI AOWD), volleyball

39
THOMAS Populierenlaan 14, 3090 Overijse
+(32) 489 540 652
[email protected]

FRANÇOIS linkedin.com/in/thomas.m.francois
github.com/thunder3090

EDUCATION
B.Sc. Computer Science | UCLouvain, Belgium
2022 – PRESENT

Highschool diploma (CESS) | Collège du Christ-Roi, Ottignies, Belgium

2017 – 2022
Major in math and sciences

EXPERIENCE
Student tutor| UCLouvain – LINFO1101 Introduction to Programming
SEPTEMBER 2024 – PRESENT
 Teach a group of 1st year students twice a week
 Correct homework weekly

Youth instructor | Jeunesses Scientifiques de Belgique

SUMMERS 2020-2021-2022
 Holiday center instructor licence (Brevet d’animateur de centre de vacances)
 Designed science and technology-oriented learning activities for children
 Ran holiday camps for children and teenagers

SKILLS
Operating systems: Windows, Linux, Bash scripting
Programming: Python, Java, C, Oz
Software systems: Microsoft Office suite, LaTeX

LANGUAGES
French: mother tongue
English: proficient user – B2
Dutch: intermediate user – B1

PROJECTS
NodeJs website www.github.com/thunder3090/appsinf_groupeZ_final
- Dynamic website with registration system and encrypted RSA8192 asynchronous chat
- NodeJs, MongoDB, CSS, Ejs
Android offline app www.github.com/thunder3090/LSINF1225-2021-GroupeL45-WishList
- App with registration system which allows you to share wishlists on an offline device
- SQL relational database, Java, XML, Singleton

40
HOW TO WRITE A CV

→ Look at Silvia Carnali’s CV on the next page. It has certain grammatical and structural features that
you will be working on.

→ Complete the gaps 1-10 in Silvia’s CV with the past simple of the verbs below:

Achieve Complete Co-ordinate Develop Hold

Organize Persuade Represent Research Work

→ Look at how Silvia has ‘extrapolated’ skills from each job, giving concrete examples.
Employers typically look for the following soft skills:

 Analytical skills – identify a mistake, analyse data, conduct a survey

 Creativity – invent a machine, suggest an alternative, solve a problem
 Communication skills – write a report, explain an idea, give a presentation
 Interpersonal skills - resolve a dispute, listen to someone’s point of view, work with difficult
people
 Negotiation skills – change someone’s mind, negotiate with someone, convince someone
to do something
 Leadership skills – chair a meeting, motivate a team, delegate tasks
 Organisational skills - meet deadlines, decide on priorities, implement the plan
 Team working skills - discuss an issue, contribute to a meeting, support a colleague

Self-confidence self-awareness intelligence

Resourcefulness flexibility intercultural awareness
Independence determination self-motivation

→ Can you find evidence of any of these in Silvia’s CV? Highlight them.

→ List and give examples for three of these skills of your own, from team work /project work
experience during your studies or other activities. Discuss them with a partner.

41
 Silvia Carnali

42 Hampstead Rd. Nationality: Italian

London NW3 [email protected]
44 (0) 207 862 4567

Education
2023-present The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
 MSc (Hons) Development Studies (2.1 expected)
 7000-word dissertation on reforestation in Kenya

2020-2022 University College London (UCL)

 BA (Hons) Geography (2.1)

Professional Experience
2024 Project volunteer Sustainable Solutions NGO Kenya (6 months)
 1. Worked as part of an international team to increase awareness of sustainability in Kenya
 2._____________ communication strategies to ensure that our message was delivered effectively
 Established managed and maintained relationships with key stakeholders
 3______________ local community leaders to increase the level of reforestation in Kenya
2022-2023 Communications Officer University College London (1 year)
 Organised and managed catering for more than 10 separate UCL events for up to 300 students
 Liaised with student council board members catering suppliers venues and promoters
 4.________________ University College London at a series of events
 5.________________ two-week event management training course
2021 Activity Leader Concord College Summer School, Shropshire UK (2 months)
 Led sports and drama activities for 200 international students
 6. weekend adventure trip in Wales including leading walking expedition for 20
students
 7. daily meetings with other members of the activity team. Provided training
and support to less experienced members of the team

Activities and interests

2023 September Mountain trekking in South America (1 month)
 8.____________ and planned mountain expedition in the Andes in Argentina
 As the sole Spanish speaker I acted as spokesperson for the group. Reacting to unforeseen
events required frequent revision of plans, responding to group members, tour operators and
airlines
 9. ___________ aims of crossing the remote central part of the southern Patagonian ice cap in
Los Glaciares National Park, improved Spanish skills, stayed within budget.
2019- present Greenpeace Active Member (5 Years)
 10._______________ a campaign against nuclear power. Persuaded 1000 people to write to their
local MP demanding that the government reconsider renewable energy sources as a viable
alternative to nuclear power.

Languages Italian (mother tongue), English (advanced), Spanish (lower intermediate)

Computer Skills Full command of Microsoft Office Suite
Driving Full current driving licence
References References available upon request

42
VOCABULARY FOR CVs (more on Moodle and all over the internet)

Personal statement / profile box

Hardworking / reliable / dynamic young graduate in … with

considerable experience in managing teams / working under pressure / …
/proven ability to meet deadlines / make presentations / …
now seeking a position as a … / in the field of …

Education Formation, Études

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / B.Sc. Computer Science

Master’s degree from UCLouvain / M.Sc. Biomedical/Civil/Computer Engineering, UCLouvain

Major in … / minor in …
Final-year dissertation / Master’s thesis le mémoire
to conduct / carry out / do research faire de la recherche

(passed with) honours/cum laude réussi avec distinction

(passed with) great honours/magna cum laude réussi avec grande distinction
(passed with) highest honours/summa cum laude réussi avec la plus grande distinction

Language levels ( https://www.eui.eu/Documents/ServicesAdmin/LanguageCentre/CEF.pdf )

C2 / native native or bilingual proficiency
C1 advanced / full professional working proficiency
B2 upper intermediate / professional working proficiency
B1 intermediate / limited working proficiency
A1-A2 beginner - elementary proficiency

Interests

extra-curricular activities des activités annexes (hors école/université)

a youth group leader/activity leader/camp counselor un animateur / animateur de plaine de jeux
a boy scout / girl scout / cub scout leader un-e chef scout/guide/louveteau
a camp cook / logistics manager / quartermaster un-e intendant-e
the first aid certificate le brevet de secouriste
to play the guitar, the piano … jouer de la guitare, du piano …

Professional Experience

a training period (UK) / an internship (US) un stage

a summer / student job un job d’étudiant
volunteer work / community work le bénévolat
a graduate training program formation d’un jeune diplômé par l’entreprise
a reference une référence
a referee un référent
a tutor un professeur privé
a university / student tutor un étudiant moniteur

43
HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER

→ Here are some good tips for writing a cover letter in English. Find examples of them in Jane
Nuttall’s letter below. Put the letters next to these items in the text.

a. Give your contact information and date. How are the addresses arranged?
b. Give a clear context – who you are and why you are writing?
c. Your sign-off should be friendly, polite and to the point.
d. Point out your aptitude for the sorts of skills they are looking for.
e. Name any employee/student/teacher you have met and say why they impressed you.
f. Your use of leisure time can show you are a well-rounded person.
g. Support your claims with evidence, focussing on results and achievements.
h. Include the name, title and full address of recipient. What titles do we use in English?
i. Mention how you found the job advert / program.
j. Explain your motivation for applying. Talk first about the company/institution, then about you.
k. Show you are acquiring additional useful skills.
l. Maximum one page and do not justify the text in English.

71 Lambert Road
Brixton
London SW2 5XL

1 September 2022
Ms. Diana Allsopp
McClure and Company
Russell Square
London WC1C 9SE

Dear Ms. Allsopp,

I am a final-year student at King’s College London reading Economics, and would like to apply for an Associate
Consultant position with McClure and Company, as advertised on www.monster.com.

Management consultancy appeals to me because it combines analytical research across a wide range of
business situations with frequent client contact. I recently attended a McClure and Company workshop run by
Charlotte Penton Smith, and she gave a very positive impression of the company. I was particularly impressed
by the excellent in-house training programme which she described, and I would welcome the opportunity to
work in such a close-knit team of supportive colleagues.

During my time at King’s College I have employed a variety of different research methods, and am familiar with
analytical applications of spreadsheets. For example, from my recent dissertation I used Excel to compare the
effects of tax increases on alcohol and tobacco consumption. In addition, when I was working at the Williton
branch of Costcutter over the summer, I presented suggestions for improving the layout of the store to the
regional management team. They decided to put these ideas into effect and sales rose by 7% over the autumn
quarter.

During my free time I sing in and manage a jazz band, arranging concerts and managing the band’s accounts. I
very much enjoy collaborating with a team of people with similar interests and working towards shared goals.

I enclose a copy of my CV and hope very much to be invited for an interview.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Nuttall
Source: Cambridge English for Job Hunting, Colm Downes, Cambridge University Press 2008

44
→ Here’s Haddou’s application letter for a Master’s program. Has he followed tips a - l from the
previous page? Write letters a - l next to the text where you find that each tip has been applied.

23, Rue Gatti de Gammond

1180 Brussels
Belgium

November 13, 2022

Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace
10, avenue Édouard-Belin
BP 54032 - 31055 Toulouse CEDEX 4

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a third-year student on track to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronic Engineering from
Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. I would like to apply for the program Master of Sciences
Aerospace Engineering at your institute.

The technical excellence for which your school is known, as well as its advanced infrastructures and rich
international exposure make it an ideal learning environment. At ISAE-SUPAERO students are able to gain
hands-on experience and benefit from first-rate research facilities. Studying at your institute would be a unique
opportunity for me to develop the skills and create the network I need in order to build my career.

At Université Catholique de Louvain I have developed a strong background in electricity, mechanics, fluid
mechanics, mathematics and computer science. Through problem-based learning and practical projects I have
honed my analytical and problem-solving skills, creative thinking, manual dexterity and ability for teamwork.
One of the projects I completed last year was a fully functional frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar
for which my team and I were given excellent marks and high praise from our teachers.

I have also been hired and trained as a student instructor to tutor first-year students of the course ELEC1101
Projet d’électricité 1. This experience has deepened my understanding of both the subject matter of this course
and the process of learning itself.

I addition to my studies I have been able to develop my communication and leadership skills through my work
as a basketball trainer and coach at Uccle Europe Basketball, and through working as a camp counselor and
trainer at summer camps. Keeping a group of children motivated and focused, helping them to build self-
esteem, and teaching them cooperation, respect and team spirit has been an important challenge for me.
Through this experience I have also learned patience and management skills, which have made me an efficient
team player in other situations as well.

Moreover, I have excellent intercultural skills and I speak four languages, three of them with high proficiency. I
grew up in a bilingual household with a French-speaking father and an Arabic-speaking Moroccan mother and
I’m used to switching from one language to the other, and one culture to another. I am confident that this
would be an important asset in an international study environment such as at ISAE-SUPAERO. It was very useful
in my internship at Comptoir Industriel d’Electronique in Casablanca last summer, where I worked in customer
support using French, English and Arabic.

Please find enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae which gives further details about my education and
experience to date. I believe that my academic background and soft skills make me a strong candidate for this
program and that I would be able to excel at ISAE-SUPAERO.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Haddou Henraert

45
→ Here’s Yvan’s application letter for an exchange program. Has he followed the same tips as Jane
and Haddou? Write letters a - l next to the text where you find that each tip has been applied.

Subject: Application for Erasmus Exchange Program

Dear Selection Committee,

I am writing to express my ardent interest in the Erasmus program, fueled by a fervent desire to broaden my
academic horizons and immerse myself in diverse cultural landscapes. As an engineering student, I am eager to
contribute my unique perspectives and absorb the richness of international experiences.

Erasmus, to me, is not just a study abroad opportunity but a transformative journey where academic
excellence meets cross-cultural understanding. My goals and passions align seamlessly with the global
perspectives offered by Erasmus. I am confident that this program will not only enhance my academic prowess
but also nurture a well-rounded individual prepared for the challenges of an interconnected world.

During my academic journey, I have always sought opportunities to engage with diverse cultures. The Erasmus
program presents an unparalleled chance to immerse myself in the vibrant Spanish way of life. From the
bustling streets of Barcelona to the serene landscapes of Andalusia, I am eager to explore Spain’s rich history,
art, and gastronomy. By participating in local events, connecting with fellow students, and embracing the
language, I aim to foster meaningful cross-cultural exchanges that extend beyond the classroom.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to and learn from the
vibrant academic community in Spain.

Sincerely,

Yvan Lejeune

→ Out of the three letters you just read, one has been generated by ChatGPT.

Which one is it? _____________________

Which features of the letter gave it away? ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

46
→ Here’s a letter by Hanna Ahlgren who is applying for a job at the Australian Embassy in Sweden.
Complete the letter with the following phrases:

a. I feel I have significantly strengthened my knowledge and understanding of

b. This experience has enabled me to
c. My employment experience leads me to the conclusion that
d. My employment experience has enabled me to build on
e. I think that I could bring
f. My responsibilities included
g. Within my position at work I am responsible for
h. As you can see from my CV I have

Dear Ms. Tisdall,

I am writing in response to your advertisement for the position of Public Relations officer and enclose my
curriculum vitae for your consideration.

I am currently working as a press officer for the Swedish Ministry of Industry. 1. This experience has enabled
me to gain a broad understanding of the media and public relations. 2. __________________ monitoring the
Swedish and foreign media, and establishing and maintaining key media contacts. I also write press releases
and organize media events. Through the successful undertaking of these responsibilites 3.
______________________ the Swedish political system. 4. ___________________________ theoretical
knowledge attained as part of my university degree in Political Science, and put this knowledge into practical
application.

Previous experience at the Swedish Embassy in Warsaw gave me an opportunity to work with the diplomatic
services. During my time there I learnt to promote the strengths of Sweden through public relations events, as
part of a team. Poland’s entry to the European Union was the main focus of the Embassy at the time, which
significantly influenced my work there. 5. _______________________ writing reports, organizing official visits
to Poland, and developing various internal and external projects.

6________________________ considerable experience in the area of public relations from my years at

university and subsequent jobs. I am confident that the combination of my political science background and
relevant skills makes me an ideal candidate for the position available. 7._____________________ ideas and
enthusiasm to the job.

8.___________________________ I am very suited to Embassy work and feel this move would be a logical
career step. The role of Public Relations Officer would allow me to develop my existing skills in an environment
in which my political, linguistic and diplomatic skills could be utilised to their greatest potential.

I would be available for interview at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Hanna Ahlgren
Source: Cambridge English for Job Hunting, Colm Downes, Cambridge University Press 2008

47
→ Here is the advertisement Hannah responded to. With a partner identify the main skills and
experience they are looking for.

Australian Embassy Public Relations Officer in Sweden

Duty statement
a. Monitor the Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian media (including printed and
electronic) each day; prepare summary of key international and domestic news items.
b. Monitor and prepare reports on international and domestic issues in Sweden, Finland,
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
c. Organise programmes for visitors to Australia, and provide support to Australia-based staff in
relation to high-level visits.
d. Assist in the management and implementation of the Embassy’s public affairs function and
cultural affairs programme.

Selection criteria and skills required

e. Bilingual Swedish/English language and translation skills – both written and spoken
f. High-level understanding of Swedish government, economy, business and EU processes
g. Ability to prioritise, manage time effectively, and work both independently and as part of a
team.
h. Personal Contacts in the media world (desirable)
i. Experience in a public relations and/or media-related field (desirable)

Please note that to be considered, applicants must address the selection criteria when mailing their
applications and all applications must be in English.
Source: Cambridge English for Job Hunting, Colm Downes, Cambridge University Press 2008

→ Hannah has written her covering letter, corresponding exactly to the skills requested. Match the
requirements listed in the advert (a-i) to the sentences from Hanna’s letter (1-6)

1. This experience has enabled me to gain a broad understanding of the media and public
relations. i

2. Within my position at work I am responsible for monitoring the Swedish and foreign media,
and establishing and maintaining key media contacts. ____ / ______/ _____

3. Through the successful undertaking of these responsibilities I feel I have significantly

strengthened my knowledge and understanding of the Swedish political system. ___

4. Previous experience at the Swedish Embassy in Warsaw gave me an opportunity to work with
the diplomatic services. During my time there I learnt to promote the strengths of Sweden
through public relations events, as part of a team. ____/ _____

5. My responsibilities included writing reports, organizing official visits to Poland, and developing
various internal and external projects. _____/ _____

6. The role of Public Relations Officer would allow me to develop my existing skills in an
environment in which my political, linguistic and diplomatic skills could be utilised to their
greatest potential. _____/ ______/ _____

48
LANGUAGE FOR COVER LETTERS

Opening and closing addresses

Dear Mr. Gibbs,

Dear Ms. Harris, → Yours sincerely

Dear Sir or Madam, (if no contact name) → Yours faithfully

Dear Sir/Madam,

Opening paragraph

I would like to apply for the position of X advertised on your website. I enclose my CV for your
consideration.
Please accept this letter as application for the marketing manager position currently advertised on
your website…
I am writing to enquire about the possible employment opportunities with… I am a final year student
who is about to graduate from X University with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
I have recently spoken with X and she recommended that I send you a copy of my CV in case you
had a vacancy. Given my experience in Y she felt that I would be an ideal fit for your company.

Main Body

As you can see from my CV I have…

As part of my degree course in… at…, I have developed …
I feel I have significantly strengthened my knowledge and understanding of…
I believe that I can apply the skills obtained from my studies to this position.

At present I’m responsible for/in charge of…

My responsibilities include…
My experience of… has brought me a greater understanding of… as well as…
Working in… helped me to learn the importance of…
This experience has enabled me to…

I am currently working as…

Since I work with…, I have developed…
During my employment at…, I gained …
I think that I could bring…
I am confident that the combination of my… and… makes me an ideal candidate for the position.

49
Final Paragraph

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet you to discuss my skills and professional experience in
greater detail. Should you require any further information regarding my application please do not
hesitate to contact me.
I would like to thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Please find enclosed a copy of
my curriculum vitae which gives further details of my education and experience to date.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

More vocabulary to describe yourself

to be … to have…

a sense of humor
an avid sailor
sound practical experience
a dedicated rock guitarist
integrity
a committed mountain climber
a talent for
an expert reader
drive
a former blogger
a flair for
a proficient ski instructor
an aptitude for
a successful ballroom dancer
an active stamp collector
a qualified volunteer
an experienced jewellery maker

→ YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
Write an application letter for a master’s program / exchange program / internship that is
currently available and that you qualify for or will qualify for in a year. Research the content and
requirements of this program and gear your letter to your personal profile and how it aligns with this
specific program. Ideally choose a program that you would really like to apply for.

Step 1: Write your letter with the help of the tips, example letters and vocabulary from this chapter.
You may copy and paste phrases from the examples or from other examples you can find online, you
may use online dictionaries, or any other tools that are not AI. Save this first draft. It will not be
graded.

Step 2: Use AI to improve your letter. Here are some of the AI tools we recommend, but you may
use others: ChatGPT, Copilot, DeepL Write https://www.deepl.com/fr/write

Save the improved version of your letter, as well as the prompt(s) you used to generate it.

→ Hand in the two versions of your letter as well as your prompts and the reference of the AI you
used. Completing this task accounts for 2 points out of 10 for the final grade for your letter. (see
evaluation grid)

Step 3: Analyze your teacher’s feedback on your letter and use it to improve it. You may use all the
tools you like. → Hand in the final version of your letter. It will be graded for 8 points out of 10. (see
evaluation grid)

50
HOW TO PREPARE A JOB INTERVIEW
→ From the tips below select your top 3 and discuss them with a partner.

Before you go:

 Know yourself and why you want this job
 Know the job
 Know the organization
 Know the details (time, date, location)

On the day:
 First impressions matter
 Always arrive before the time
 Dress appropriately
 Watch your body language (firm handshake, smile, eye contact, be attentive, don’t fidget)
 Take a copy of your CV and application letter with you

Their questions:
Employers are really only interested in 3 things:
 Can you do the job? (Do you have qualifications and experience?)
 Will you do the job? (Are you motivated and enthusiastic?)
 Will you fit in? (Would their existing team enjoy working with you?)

Your answers:
 Speak closely and clearly
 Don’t give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. Volunteer information. Expand on answers and give concrete
examples
 Watch the body language of your interviewer(s) – this will tell you to expand on your topic or
stop talking.
 Be truthful but positive. Even if you have to present negative information, e.g. a failure or a
weakness, say how you overcame/ are overcoming it.
 Ask for clarification if you don’t understand the question. You may also ask for a little time to
think (but not too often).

JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

→ Select 6 questions you would ask candidates applying to join a project that you manage (below and
on the next page).

Basic Interview Questions:

 Tell me a little bit about yourself.

 What are your strengths?
 What are your weaknesses?
 Why do you want this job?
 Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
 What attracted you to this company/institution/organization?
 Why should we hire you?
 What did you like least about your last job?
 When are you most satisfied in your work?

51
  What do you know about this industry/project/program?
 Do you have any questions for me?

Behavioral Interview Questions:

 What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
 Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at
work.
 Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
 Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did
you handle it?
 What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
 What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
 If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would
you do?
 Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
 Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict in the work environment.
 What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
 What's the most difficult decision you've made in the past and how did you come to that
decision?
 Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the
end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.

Career Development Questions:

 What are you looking for in terms of career development?

 How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
 What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
 If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would
he/she suggest?

More About You:

 How would you describe your work style?

 What would be your ideal working environment?
 Give examples of original ideas you've had or have implemented.
 What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
 If you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-
oriented person?
 Tell me about your proudest achievement.
 Was there a person in your career / studies who really made a difference?
 What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
 What is your personal mission statement?
 What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
 What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
 What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
 What is a positive character trait you don't have?
 If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?

52
  What is your biggest regret and why?
 What's the most important thing you learned in school?
 Why did you choose your major?
 What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
 What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
 How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
 How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
 Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn't want me to know.
 There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where
would you be?
 What's the last book you read?
 What magazines do you subscribe to?
 What's the best movie you've seen in the last year?
 Who are your heroes / rolemodels?
 What do you like to do for fun?
 What do you do in your spare time?
 What is your favorite memory from childhood?

→ Think about your strengths and weaknesses and name two of each.
→ Give an example for each of them.
→ For your weaknesses say how you’re working on them
(see some vocab below and on the next page + list of adjectives on Moodle)

+ _______________________ : e.g. ____________________________________________________

+ _______________________ : e.g. ____________________________________________________

- _______________________ : e.g. ____________________________________________________

But: _____________________________________________________________________________

- _______________________ : e.g. ____________________________________________________

But: _____________________________________________________________________________

Useful phrases

Talking about qualities and skills

I get on well with people. Je m’entends bien avec les gens.

I like teamwork. J'aime le travail d'équipe.
I can communicate clearly and effectively. Je communique clairement et de façon efficace.
I’m used to working on my own initiative. J’ai l’habitude de prendre des initiatives.
I like taking risks. J’aime prendre des risques.
I can make rapid decisions. Je sais prendre des décisions rapidement.
I’m able to deal with the feelings and Je suis capable de gérer les émotions et
emotions of others. sentiments des autres personnes.
I’m able to cope under pressure. Je suis capable de travailler sous pression.

53
I’m a good problem solver. Je sais résoudre des problèmes.
I’m able to prioritize my workload. Je sais identifier des priorités dans ma charge de
travail.
I can take responsibility without supervision. Je sais prendre des responsabilités sans
surveillance.
I can meet deadlines. Je suis capable de respecter des échéances.

Talking about weaknesses

I'm afraid I'm a bit shy. Je suis malheureusement un peu timide.

I’m a bit of a perfectionist / dreamer. Je suis du genre perfectionniste, rêveur.
I’m rather introverted / cautious / reserved. Je suis plutôt introverti, prudent, réservé.
I tend to be a bit directive / obstinate. J’ai tendance à être un peu directif / obstiné.

→ Take a look at the 6 questions you selected from the list above and think about how you would
answer them yourself. (More vocabulary and expressions below)

→ Now interview a partner with these questions.

→ Give each other feedback after EVERY answer and do every question a SECOND time, so that you
can improve your answers based on the feedback you give each other.

More useful phrases

to take/attend a course suivre un cours

to take an exam passer un examen
to pass an exam réussir un examen
to fail an exam rater un examen
to graduate / to obtain a degree obtenir un diplôme

I speak English fluently. / I am fluent in English. Je parle anglais couramment.

I have a basic knowledge of German. J'ai quelques notions d'allemand.
I went to St. Martin secondary school. J'ai fréquenté / je suis allé à l'école St Martin.
I completed my secondary education at … J'ai terminé mes études secondaires à …
I spent one year in the United States as J'ai suivi une année d'études aux USA dans le
an exchange student. cadre d'un programme d'échange.
I got good marks / grades. J'ai eu de bons points.
I like travelling. J'aime voyager.
I do a lot of sports. Je fais beaucoup de sport.
I have been a scout leader for … years. Je suis chef / cheftaine scout depuis … ans.

False friends

Circle the correct alternative(s):

1. This company offers all their new hires 5 weeks of formation / training.
2. During summer camp children often develop strong bonds with their monitors / group
leaders / animators.

54
 3. During my internship, I was responsible for / in charge of customer relations.
4. Her cousin was responsible for / in charge of the accident.
5. They had to call the responsible of / the person in charge of the sales department.
6. I’m hoping to go on an Erasmus exchange / Erasmus / an Erasmus during the Master’s.
7. I would be grateful for the occasion / opportunity to be interviewed for this position

JOB APPLICATIONS – Vocabulary and grammar exercises

→ Complete the following extract with the correct forms of the words and expressions from the
box.

advertising – advertisement – a flair for – application – apply for – at – candidates – career prospects –
commercial – commission – company car – computer-literate – CV – covering letter – degree – football
player – fringe benefits – from – good – graduate – grant – in – interests – meet the requirements –
mother tongue – on – out – proactive – qualification – require – right – salary – secondary school – short
list – since – team-player – unsure – vacancy – wages – with

Harry is a sales representative. He was born (1) ………… 3 August 1993. He graduated (2)
………….……… Oxford University (3) ………….…… a degree (4) .…………… economics. He’d been
working for the same company for ten years but he wanted a change. He looked at jobs with different
companies on a jobs website on the Internet and found one (5) ………….…………… for a (6)
………….…………… in an international company.

Here is the text he read in on the website:

You’ll be researching developments on the Internet, so you have to be (7) ………….……………. You
must be (8) ………….……………, able to work on your own initiative. But as part of a team of
researchers, you’ll need to be a good (9) ………….…………… too.

You will get paid every month, so you will get a (10) ………….……………. We also offer (11)
………….…………… such as a company car.

Harry (12) ………….…………… the job, sending in his CV and a (13) ………….…………… explaining
why he wanted the job and why he was the (14) ………….…………… person for it.

Harry didn’t hear anything for six weeks, so he phoned the company. They told him that they had
received a lot of (15) ……………………………………… (= requests for the job). After looking at the
CVs of the (16) ………………………………………… (= people asking for the job) and looking at their
(17) ……………………………………. (= official records showing that you have a degree or the
necessary skills), the company had made a (18) ……………………………………. (= selection) of six
people to interview. Only one of them (19) …………………………………………………. (= had the
skills they expected) and that person was given the job.

55
→ Put the verb between brackets in the correct tense.
1. I ……………………………….. (to appreciate) an opportunity of being invited to your office for an
interview and to further discuss my credentials.
2. After two years with his company, I ……………………………….. (to promote) and
……………………………….. (to give) a pay rise because I ……………………………….. (to work)
hard the previous year.
3. During my studies I ……………………………….. (to participate) in multiple group projects.
4. Following our telephone conversation, I ………………….……………….. (to write) this letter to
apply for the internship in HR.
5. For the past two years I ……………………………….. (to work) as a journalist.
6. I ……………………………….. (to be) 26 years old. I ………………………… (to be) born in the UK
and ……………………….. (to educate) at St John secondary school and UCL University.
7. I ……………………………….. (to be) available to start work immediately and I
…………………………….. (to look) forward to …………………………………… (hear) from you in
the near future.
8. I ……………………………….. (to be) used to ……………………………… (to work) on my own
initiative.
9. I can assure you that if I …………………………………….. (to recruit), your agency will benefit
from my work experience and knowledge in this field.
10. I ……………………………….. (not – to mind) working overtime.
11. In a few months I ……………………………………………… (to graduate) from the UCL.
12. I …………………………………….………………….. (to appreciate) greatly the opportunity to meet
you to further discuss my qualifications.
13. If his work had been satisfactory, he ………………………………………….. (not - to sack)!
14. My critical interest in Anthropology ……………………………….. (to increase) markedly during my
studies and ……………………… (to continue) to grow since then.
15. My enthusiasm, stamina, determination and perseverance ……………………………….. (to make)
me just the right candidate for this position.
16. My work experience ……………………………….. (to allow) me to successfully forge trustworthy
relationships giving me access to a vast list of contacts.
17. I ……………………………………….. (to learn) a lot with my current boss since I
…………………………….. (to hire).
18. Ten years ago, I ……………………………….. (to become) sales manager for southern Europe.
Selling our products ……………………………….. (to suit) me perfectly and our progression
…………………………… (to reach) 70 per cent in three years! However, my company
…………………………………….. (not - to foresee) the growth of micro-computing. We
……………………………….. (to be) behind technically. The technological gap
……………………………….. (to increase) daily… Sales ……………………………….. (to reach) a
standstill, then ……………………………….. (to plummet). After 2 months I
……………………………….. (to fire).

56
9. MEETINGS

→ In groups of 4, read the meeting transcript below. There are words missing from the text. Find
appropriate expressions on the next pages and insert them into into the gaps.

Opening the Meeting:

Lupita: Okay, thanks for coming everybody. Erm…has anyone seen Lance by the way? He was
supposed to be here.

Tania: Oh yeah, he phoned to say his train was delayed. He said to go ahead and start without him.

Lupita: Oh, I wanted his input on this. Okay, never mind, ___________________________________
_______? (→ Open the meeting) So, ____________________________, (→ Summarise the background
problem) the purpose of this meeting is to begin to design an event for the EPL faculty. Jack
___________________________________________________________________________. Jack?
(→ Hand over to another speaker)

Jack: Yeah, thanks Lupita. Well now, the university as you know has outlined three priority areas that
they want to promote in the coming years. They are: Sustainability and the Ecological Transition,
Gender equality, and Internationalization.The faculty has a budget of €10,000 to award to an event
that supports one of these areas. The idea is that students will put together proposals and the best
will win.

Arjun: Er, _______________________________________________ (→ Interrupt politely) is this

going to take long Jack? Only I have an appointment at 11 and we have all read the briefing already.

Lupita: Arjun, ________ Jack _______________________________________________? (→ Deal

with interruptions) €10,000 is a serious amount of money and we need to put some serious thought
into this. _______________________ Jack (→ Hand over to another speaker).

Jack: So, as I was saying there’s a strict criteria that we have to work with. But, you know what I think
is really important is creating something outside of Louvain-la-Neuve. I mean, just because it’s for the
university, doesn’t mean we actually have to…

Lupita: __________________________________________________________________________
________________________ (→ Deal with irrelevancies and returning to the point). This is all very
interesting, but can we get back to talking about the criteria that we’re going to be using?

Jack: Oh, okay. Sure.

Arjun: __________________________________________________________? (→ Interrupt politely)

57
Lupita: Hold on a minute Arjun – you’ll get your chance in a moment….
Arjun: It’s just that I thought we’d agreed that the event had to be in Louvain-la-Neuve?
Tania: No Arjun that’s what you wanted but no one actually agreed….
Lupita: Okay, okay! Let’s all just calm down shall we? We are here to discuss ideas…

Discussion:

Lupita: Hmm, that sounds interesting. Tania ____________________________________________?

(→ Ask for opinions)

Tania: Well, _____________________________ (→ Agree) Jack that the best thing would be to stage
the event here in Louvain-la-Neuve. This is where the university is, after all. Like you, I’m a little bit
concerned that it won’t achieve its aims otherwise….

Arjun: Okay, but we’ve got to have a clear idea about WHERE in the city. There aren’t a lot of places
which would take the number of people we’re looking at here…

Lupita: Okay, _____________________________________________________________________

___________________________, grab a coffee and ______________________________________
_______________________? (→ Suggest a break)

Wrapping up the meeting:

Lupita: Okay, _____________________________________________________________________

____________________________ (→ Summarize the main points). The idea that we’ve come up with
we feel satisfies the criteria given to us by the faculty, BUT it still needs to be costed more thoroughly.
Jack ________________________________________________? (→ Assign follow-up task)

Jack: No problem Lupita.

Lupita: Also, we are also a little bit concerned about the environmental impact of our event and this
needs to be investigated further. Tania _________________________________________________
______________________? (→ Assign follow-up task)

Tania: No problem Lupita.

Lupita: Great. ____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ (→ Bring the
meeting to an end). Thanks everybody.

58
LANGUAGE FOR MEETINGS
1. Opening the meeting 2. Summarising the background problem

OK we'd better get started / get down to As some of you probably know,
business. As you know,

Right then, I think it's about time we got started / As I said in my email,
going. The situation now is …

Let’s get started then, shall we?

Let's go down to business, shall we?

3. Stating the objectives of the meeting 4. Handing over to another speaker

The purpose of this meeting is, first, to … and, OK, Eva is going to fill us in on the background.
secondly, to … Eva? (NOT I’ m going to give the floor to or You
have the floor or the floor is yours = too formal)
We are here today to consider, firstly, … and,
secondly, … I’m going to hand over to Eva to explain the
problem. (NOT I’ m going to give the floor to =
The main objective of our meeting is … too formal)

I've called this meeting first to …, secondly to… Go ahead, Eva. (NOT You have the floor or the
floor is yours = too formal)
The big question we’ve got to tackle concerns...

The major problem I’d like to consider is ... Eva, can you give us an update on the progress
so far?
I think we ought to talk about ...

5. Asking for opinions / suggestions

What do you suggest / recommend? (Not
Oliver, what do you think about that? propose = too formal)

Oliver, what’s your take on this? Any suggestions?

What are your views on that / feelings about Do any of you have any suggestions?
that?
How do you think we should do this?
Any reaction to that?
How do you see this?
Has anybody any comments to make?
I'd like to hear your ideas on this.
I'd like to hear your view on this.

6. Giving opinions / making suggestions Neutral suggestions

We should / ought to …
I think / believe / feel (that) …
I think we should … (NOT I propose = too
It seems to me (that) …
formal)
In my opinion / view, …
I would suggest that we …
I agree with Meryem.
I recommend that we should …
As I see it, …
If I were you I would ...
As far as I'm concerned, …

59
Tentative suggestions Strong suggestions

We could always … The only solution is to …

It might be a good idea to … I see no other alternative but to …
Have you thought of …-ing …? There is no alternative but to …
One solution would be to … We must …
What about …-ing …?

7. Agreeing
Neutral agreement Strong agreement
Yes / Yeah. Absolutely.
I agree. Exactly.
I know. Precisely.
Right / True. Yes, definitely.
That's right / true. I quite agree.
You're right / I think you're right. I couldn't agree more.

8. Disagreeing
Neutral disagreement Strong disagreement
I’m afraid I don't agree / I disagree. I’m sorry but I disagree completely.
That's not how I see it. I’m afraid that's out of the question.
I wouldn't say that. No, of course not.
I’m sorry but I think you're wrong. I’m afraid I can't accept that.

Partial disagreement (expressing 9. Suggesting a break

reservations)
Maybe we should take a short break at this
Yes, but … point, and meet back here in 15 minutes?
Maybe, but …
Shall we take a break there?
I know, but …
That's true, but … Let’s take a break to collect our thoughts. Meet
back here in 10 minutes?
I take / see your point, but …
I suppose you're right, but …
I agree up to a point, but …
But don't you think …?
10. Giving advantages / disadvantages 11. Balancing advantages and disadv.

The advantage / disadvantage of X is that … Although it may succeed eventually, it's too
much of a gamble.
Another advantage / disadvantage is that …
The project would be very profitable. On the
If we do X, it'll have the advantage /
other hand, it would be bad for our image.
disadvantage of …
The project is very interesting from a scientific
By doing X, we'll be able to / won't be able to …
point of view. However, …

60
12. Pointing out consequences

Taking the project will / could / may create /

cause / lead to …

If you choose the project, it will create …

Not only will the project create …, but it will also

…

It's going to involve … and in addition / apart

from that / besides, it will …

13. Interrupting 14. Dealing with interruptions and

Sorry to interrupt but… irrelevancies and Returning to the point

Can I just come in here?.. Sorry Kevin, but we seem to be getting a little
Can I just say something here? side-tracked here.
Sorry to butt in but…
I take your point but can we please stick to the
Hang on a second… main point?

I see what you mean, but I think you're losing

sight of the main point.

Could Kevin just finish what he was saying?

15. Summarizing the main points 16. Coming to a conclusion and Assigning
follow-up tasks
So, to sum up, there seem to be X main
problems … So, if there are no more objections I suggest
that …
So, just to sum up what we’ve said so far….
If everyone is in favour I suggest we …
So, we've discussed the problem of … Can we
now try to reach a decision? Meryem, can I leave that with you?

I think we've covered the X main ways of …-ing. Meryem, can you get back to me on that?
We've now got to decide on the best one.

17. Bringing the meeting to an end

Is there anything else we need to look at now? /

Does anyone have anything else to add?

Right, then let’s end the meeting at this point /

stop here.

I think that’s about as far as we can go at this

stage.

Ok, well thanks for coming everyone.

61
MEETING ACTIVITY 1 – Organizing an Event at EPL

Background information

UCLouvain has outlined 3 priority areas that they want to promote in the coming years:

• Sustainability and the Ecological Transition

• Gender Equality
• Internationalization

The EPL faculty has a budget of 10,000 EUR to finance an event that promotes one of these main
themes. Students have been asked to submit event proposals. The proposal that will be chosen must
be an event that has the most impact possible, in terms of:

1. Reaching the maximum amount of people both inside and outside the university;
2. Leaving a lasting impression on the participants – an event they’ll remember;
3. Supporting the chosen theme in the most effective and relevant way possible;
4. Respecting the university’s two other priority areas;
5. Providing clear value for money.

Hold a meeting to design an event that satisfies the above criteria. Be ready to justify your choices to
another group.

Roles

Play yourselves
Choose a chairperson

→ Before you start the meeting choose at least 3 expressions from Language for Meetings that you will
use during the exercise:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

62
MEETING ACTIVITY 2 – Polluting the river
Background information

Your company, Coldpoint, makes refrigerators at a factory in Bismarck, the capital city of North
Dakota, USA. It is the subsidiary of a Canadian firm.The Canadian parent firm is the market leader in
North America, and your company is the number one on the US market, selling up-market
refrigerators and freezers. All your products sell under the brand name ‘Coldpoint’, which is very well-
known and has an excellent image.

The Bismarck factory was built some 33 years ago and employs 600 of the 48,000 people living in the
town. This makes it the second largest employer in the town, and a major contributor to the local
economy, not least because North Dakota is sparsely populated and Bismarck is over 150 kilometers
away from any other large town. Coldpoint is regarded as a reasonable employer; pay, working
conditions and job security there are good.

It is common knowledge in the factory that chemical waste from the manufacturing process drains into
the stream which flows through the factory site and on into the Missouri River. This has been
happening for as long as the factory has been there. The pollution it causes is low-level, but the
damaging effects on the stream and its animal and plant life seem to have got worse as production
has increased. No complaints have been made about this, but a journalist from a local paper has now
asked to visit the factory as part of a report that they are preparing on pollution in the area.

The Canadian parent company doesn’t know about this problem at all, and the US managers have
been careful to keep the information from it. Fortunately for the subsidiary, Canadian policy is not to
interfere with US affairs, provided business is good, but the company is very sensitive about problems
of pollution.

You are meeting today at the Bismarck factory to decide how serious the pollution problem is and
what action should be taken.

Roles

Role 1: Factory director

Role 2: Financial manager
Role 3: Public relations officer
Role 4: Bio-engineer
Role 5: Labor union representative (optional)

→ Before you start the meeting choose at least 3 expressions from Language for Meetings that you will
use during the exercise:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

→ Be ready to give a statement to the press at the end of your meeting:

_________________________________________________________________________________

63
MEETING ACTIVITY 3 - The Killer Robot

Background information

Randy S., formerly employed as a programmer at Silicon Techtronics Inc., faces charges of
manslaughter following the death of Bart M., father of 3 young children, who was killed last May by
an assembly line robot, the Robbie CX30, produced by Silicon Techtronics. Bart M., who worked
as a robot operator at an assembly line was decapitated when the robot he was operating
malfunctioned and started to wave its arm violently. Randy S. wrote the particular piece of computer
program which was responsible for the robot malfunction.

A meeting has been organised at Silicon Techtronics to clarify the situation, to explain the causes of
the accident and try to establish responsibilities.

Roles

Role 1: Barbara Johnson - Robotics Division chief - Chair

Role 2: Tim Reynolds - Industrial Robot project manager
Role 3: Max Sadighi – programmer
Role 4: Margaret Kwan - professor of Physics
Role 5: Harry Yoder - professor of Computer Technology and Ethics (optional)

→ Read your role on the next pages

→ Before you start the meeting choose at least 3 expressions from Language for Meetings that you will
use during the exercise:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Role 1: Barbara Johnson - chair

You are Barbara Johnson, Robotics Division Chief at Silicon Techtronics, and the most senior employee
present at the meeting. You are chairing the meeting.

Your views:

1/ Enormous stress

The robot project had fallen six months behind schedule and top level management had warned you that all
your staff at the Robotics Division might lose their jobs if the Robbie CX30 industrial robot was not
commercialised by January 1st.

64
2/ Friction between management

You can't understand why developing Robbie CX30 took so long. You hired 20 new programmers to help
speed up programming. You criticize Tim Reynolds, the Robbie project manager, for not using these people
more efficiently.

3/ Perfection

To be commercially viable, production must respect a time limit and you criticize Tim Reynolds for striving
after perfection. In your views: `Perfection is the enemy of good', `Perfect software is an oxymoron' (a
contradiction). It is surely more important to produce an adequate if less than perfect robot rather than have
everyone lose their jobs and produce nothing at all. After all, even if the robot software has some
imperfections, the robot operator should be safe because he or she would be able to abort any robot motion
at any time.

4/ Randy S.

You criticize Randy because he is task-oriented and finds it very difficult to accept criticism. He likes to get
things done but does not derive a lot of satisfaction from working with other people. At one meeting you
attended with Randy and other co-workers, someone told Randy that the algorithm he had used was
inefficient and suggested another one. Randy got very angry and left the room. Later he did use the better
algorithm.

Role 2: Tim Reynolds

You are Tim Reynolds, the Robbie CX30 industrial robot project manager at Silicon Techtronics. You do not
get on well with your superior, Barbara Johnson, Robotics Division Chief.

Your views:

1/ Work pressure

The robot project had fallen six months behind schedule and Barbara Johnson had warned you that you and
all the staff at the Robotics Division might lose their jobs if the Robbie CX30 industrial robot was not
commercialised by January 1st. Barbara Johnson hired 20 new programmers to help speed up Robbie
development. Explain at the meeting that you think that the new hires were a disaster; they knew nothing
about robots and spent their time reading manuals. You couldn’t afford to waste your time teaching them.
Explain to Barbara Johnson that she doesn’t understand Robbie CX30 isn’t like the previous robots and that
you can’t speed up a software project by adding more people. It’s not like an assembly line.

2/ Randy S.

Randy worked on a team consisting of about 12 analysts, programmers and software testers. Almost all
were involved in the entire software process from beginning to end. Randy graduated with honours in
software engineering and is definitely very bright. He loved the problem-solving aspect and the programming
itself. He would sometimes find the time to help others solve their programming difficulties. You were
confident that Randy was the best man for the job of programming the Robbie CX30 and there was no need
to have any user interaction with the system until very late in the process. In fact, Bart M. was the first
operator to actually use the robot in an industrial setting. You feel that Barbara Johnson and the directors of
Silicon Techtronics are to blame for the accident because they put too much pressure on Randy S. and his
colleagues to finish the robot. If they had had more time they would have noticed the programming error.

65
Role 3: Max Sadighi

You are Max Sadighi, a colleague of Randy's, and have set up a `Justice for Randy' committee. You are
determined that Randy should not be held responsible for the accident.

Your views:

1/ Incompetent manager

You don't think Tim Reynolds should have been made project manager. Reynolds saw himself as a manager
and technical expert and was not aware of his own technical limitations. He was reluctant (peu enclin) to
manage a project which would not use the waterfall model which he knew and which had served him so well
in data processing.

2/ Wrong interface

You have lots of experience with user interfaces and in your opinion, developing the operator robot interface
is vital for the success of the Robbie CX30 project. Ask Margaret Kwan to explain the difference between
the two interfaces: ‘waterfall model’ and `prototype model'. By refusing to even consider the ‘prototype
model’, you hold Tim Reynolds indirectly responsible for the fatal accident.

3/ No adequate training

Furthermore, you accuse Silicon Techtronics of not organizing adequate training sessions for robot operators.
Instead of the 40 hours’ training stipulated in the official requirements document, only 8 were effectively
given, and no instructions were provided concerning the safety procedures to be followed in the case of
exceptional conditions which potentially contain the risk of bodily injury.

The requirements document states: “The vendor (Silicon Techtronics) shall provide and administer
appropriate test instruments which shall be used to certify sufficient operator understanding of robot console
operations and safety procedures. Only employees of customers who have passed this test shall be allowed
to operate the Robbie CX30 robot in an actual industrial setting.”

Role 4: Margaret Kwan

You are Margaret Kwan, professor of Physics at Silicon Valley University. You know that Randy S.
misinterpreted the robot dynamics equation.

Your views:

1/ Programming error

The program code was written in the C programming language and from the hand-written formula used by
Randy, it would seem that he misinterpreted the y-dots in the formulas as y-bars and he made the same
mistake for the x's and z's. He was supposed to use the derivatives, but he took the averages instead.

2/ Wrong interface

You think the Robbie project was doomed (condamné) long before Randy misinterpreted those formulas:
you lay the blame on Tim Reynolds, the project manager of Robbie CX30. Although Tim has 30 years’

66
experience in the data processing of business transactions using the `waterfall model' he failed to
understand the complexity of the Robbie project. At the meeting explain the difference between the `waterfall
model' and `prototyping model' both used for organizing a software project.

In the `waterfall model' the software project goes through definite stages of development but there are limited
opportunities for going back and changing earlier decisions. Potential users do not get a chance to interact
with the system until very late in the system's life cycle. In the `prototyping model' a working model is
produced early during the life cycle of a system and before the final system is designed and coded. As the
Robbie CX30 project involves a high degree of interaction between robot components and between the robot
and the operator, designing the right interface is very important.

Role 5: Harry Yoder

You are Harry Yoder, Professor of Computer Technology and Ethics.

Your views:

1/ Responsibility

In your opinion, it is a joint responsibility. You agree with the Talmud, an ancient tradition of Jewish law: if
innocent blood is shed (versé) in a town, then the leaders of that town must go to the edge of the town and
perform an act of penance. This was in addition to any justice that would be meted out (distributed) to the
person(s) who committed the murder. In a corporation such as Silicon Techtronics, the part is related to the
whole and the whole to the part. The leaders should have assumed responsibility for this incident right from
the start. A lot of what has emerged in the media indicates that Silicon Techtronics was a sick organization.
That sickness created the accident. Management created that sickness. Randy S. had just graduated with
no experience in group work and certainly no course on ethics.

2/ User interface

There are no standard practices for the development and the testing of software. If the waterfall model was
preferred to the prototyping model it was not because of its merits but because of the background of the
project manager.

3/ Lack of knowledge

Randy had a knowledge of computers and programming but not a very strong background in physics,
especially classical mechanics. His lack of knowledge in the application domain was a direct cause of the
horrible accident. If Randy misinterpreted the physics formula, it was because he didn't understand its
meaning and importance in the robot application. But if he had told the management about his limitations,
they would probably not have listened. If Randy had difficulty with group work and peer criticism, it is possible
that he was trying to hide his lack of expertise in the application domain. You don't think he can be accused
of manslaughter, because that implies a kind of reckless and irresponsible act, causing death of another. It
is rather his lack of knowledge in the application domain that was responsible for the accident.

67
 !

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68
10. PAIR WORK

A. The future of energy (Careful about the pronunciation of the word ENergy)
→ Discuss the following questions:

• What are the issues related to energy in the world at the moment?
• What are the issues related to energy in Belgium at the moment?
• What problems are we facing in the long term?
• What are the alternatives that exist now? In your opinion, are they (in)adequate,
(in)efficient, (un)economical, (un)reliable, (un)sustainable?
• Do you know of other alternatives being researched and that could be exploited in
the future?

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above.

You might also use this:

- As you probably know,…

- One solution might be to…
- There is no other alternative but to…
- By using this type of renewable energy, we’ll be able to…
- Perhaps a good idea would be to…
- That might work out, but I’m not sure we’ll manage to…
- One way to deal with/tackle this problem is to…
- We have to take its costs into account/consideration.
- Let’s weigh the options here. On the one hand,…/On the other hand,…
- It is expected to work in the long term/run.
- This kind of energy is clearly underestimated/overestimated…
- In the end, the best way to solve this is…

B. Technical issues: Suggesting ideas and solutions

→ Discuss the following questions:

• What do you understand by creative thinking?

• What are the best ways of coming up with ideas and solving technical problems?
• What do you think of brainstorming when it comes to suggesting ideas and
solutions?
• Do you think it’s better to solve problems individually or in groups? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of each method?

→ Discuss a situation where you had to use creative thinking to solve a technical problem.

• What was the technical problem?

• How did you tackle the issue - on your own or with a team?

69
 • Were you happy with the way you came up with ideas, evaluated ideas, suggested
solutions etc.?
• Did you succeed in finding a solution to the technical problem?

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above.

You can also use the following:

- As far as I’m concerned, …

- I suppose …
- Concerning the most effective ways of …
- With regards to brainstorming …
- On the one hand …, on the other hand …
- There are pros and cons.
- The only way to determine …
- It’s important to assess all the possibilities.
- Alternatively, …
- It is/was dead easy.
- Obviously, the technical side isn’t/wasn’t the only consideration. There’s also/was also
the question of …
- It is/was feasible but challenging.

C. Predictions and theories: Airdrops

→ What kind of cargo is sometimes dropped from aircraft, and why?

→ What are the advantages and disadvantages of air-drops?

→ Discuss an ideal design for airdrop containers. Consider how the container should be built to
cushion the type of impact it will be subjected to. Think about its shape and the protective structure
around it. Keep in mind that there are many variables in airdrops, such as:

• drop altitude
• aircraft speed and direction
• wind speed and direction
• vertical speed of container

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above.

You might also use this:

- In theory, the horizontal speed will keep decreasing.

- In terms of damage to the container …
- A very low-altitude drop will likely cause the container to …

70
 - If we assume that …
- I presume that … is the most critical factor.
- Compared with a higher-altitude drop…
- I’m convinced that …
- I suppose there will always be …

D. Design: Theory and practice

→ Think about something you’ve designed. What was it? Tell your partner about it for 1 minute.

→ Now tell your partner how you designed it and take them through the various stages of the
process. Use the phrases in bold and from the box:

• Where did the idea come from? Who were you working with?
• How did you design it? On paper or using software? Did you make any sketches before
moving on to a working drawing?
• Did you carry out any virtual tests using computer simulations? Did you build a scale model
or a full-size mock-up/prototype?
• Did you do any trial runs? Were the results different in the field compared to what you’d
anticipated? Did you run into any problems?
• Did you have to make any changes to the design? Were they just minor adjustments or were
they major changes? Did you have to go back to the drawing board and start over?
• What would you do differently if you had to start the process again from scratch?

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above.

You might also use this:

- Initially, I expected that it would….

- I didn’t anticipate just how … it would be.
- It didn’t exactly go according to plan.
- I’d underestimated/ overestimated…
- As it turned out, it was more or less what I’d anticipated.
- I had to rely on trial and error.
- I learnt the hard way.
- I was in unfamiliar territory.
- It was a steep learning curve.

71
 E. Conflict resolution
→ Discuss the following questions:

• Have you ever had to deal with a person that was very difficult to work with? How did
you overcome the issue?
• Facing an argument with a colleague or friend, what do you usually do: walk on
eggshells or dive in head first?

→ Picture yourself at your workplace, how do you think you would react in the following situations:

• Your boss asks you to work with someone you know you are going to have
problems with.
• Your supervisor made a mistake and did not take responsibility for it.
• Your colleague and friend spends a lot of time on social media and struggles to meet
deadlines.
• Somebody constantly steals your lunch from the fridge.
• One of your colleagues comments on your work all the time but he/she is not your
supervisor.

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above.

You can also use the following:

- I tried to avoid confrontation.

- I didn’t want to escalate the situation.
- I always try to focus on a positive outcome.
- That entirely resolved the issue.
- Clarifying everyone’s point of view made a huge difference.
- A third party came in to mediate.
- This was confidential information.

72
 F. Safety precautions
→ Discuss what is meant by safety regulations and safety precautions.

→ With your partner, complete the table below with the safety equipment from the box:

safety boots/shoes ear plugs ear defenders overalls

dust mask safety harness goggles welding mask

1. ear plugs - inserted in the ears to protect the hearing

2. __________________________ - protect the hearing by covering the ears – can

also be attached to the sides of a hardhat

3. __________________________ - have steel toe caps and reinforced soles

4. __________________________ - has dark glass to protect the eyes from bright

flashes of light

5. __________________________ - filters solid particles from the air

6. __________________________ - prevents the wearer from falling

7. __________________________ - another general term for safety glasses

8. __________________________ - for covering the body, arms and legs

→ What are the basic precautions needed when working:

• with hazardous chemicals or other dangerous substances

• in nuclear power plants
• in construction (sky scrapers, bridges … )

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Use the vocabulary in bold above. You can also use the following:

- A fire extinguisher
- The main danger / hazard is …
- Another danger / hazard is …
- There is a risk of … -ing
- To be safe / to be on the safe side …
- It is essential / crucial / vital to ensure the safety of …
- Under no circumstances should you / the building …
- To undertake maintenance work
- If you want to reduce wear and tear, you …
- It’s essential that … should be kept … at all times/ all the time
- It is prohibited to … / …-ing is prohibited
- It’s vital that…
- It’s a good idea to...
- It’s recommended that…

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→ Discuss the 2018 Genoa bridge collapse:

A large section of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, Italy, collapsed amid heavy rainfall on 14 August
2018. Dozens of vehicles plunged 45m amid heavy traffic. Forty-three people were killed. The Morandi
bridge carries a major road, the A10 toll motorway, which serves the Italian Riviera and links northern
Italy to France.

Part of the 1.2km (0.8 mile) long bridge spans the Polcevera waterway, with other portions reaching
over railway lines and buildings. It was designed by Riccardo Morandi and completed in 1967, but
restructuring work was done in 2016. Some major repairs were also done to the bridge in the 1990s.

→ What are your comments on the following questions:

• To the best of your knowledge, what were / could have been the causes of the
collapse?
• Who is responsible for / who is to blame for this tragedy? (the EU, the Italian
government, the team of engineers etc.?)
• What precautions should have been taken/were taken to ensure the sustainability
of the bridge?

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 G. IELTS Speaking topics
(International English Language Testing System)

Read your topic, then take 1 minute to prepare your talk (use a timer). Give your talk to your partner
for 1-2 minutes. Most topics are stories about yourself or something that happened in your life. Don’t
choose the same topic as your partner.

Art

Describe a piece of art you like.

You should say:

- What the work of art is

- When you first saw it
- What you know about it
- And explain why you like it.

Book

Describe a book you have recently read.

You should say:

- What kind of book it is

- What it is about
- What sort of people would enjoy it
- And explain why you liked it.

Communication

Describe a piece of advice you recently received.

You should say:

- when this happened

- who gave you the advice
- what the advice was
- and explain how you felt about the advice.

Daily Routine

Describe a time of the day you like.

You should say:

- what time of day it is

- what you do at that time
- who you are usually with
- and explain why you like it.

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Family

Describe a member of your family you get on well with.

You should say:

- who it is
- what relationship you have to that person
- what that person is like
- what you do together
- and explain why you get on so well.

Gift

Describe a gift you recently gave to someone.

You should say:

- who you gave it to

- what kind of person he/she is
- what the gift was
- what occasion the gift was for
- and explain why you chose that gift.

Hobby

Describe an interesting hobby.

You should say:

- what it is
- what kind of people do it
- how it is done
- and explain why you think it is interesting.

Journey

Describe a journey that didn’t go as planned.

You should say:

- where you were going

- how you were travelling
- who you were with
- what went wrong
- and explain what you would do differently.

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Evaluation grid for ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Excellent Good Needs work Insufficient No

Attendance Student has

attended every
class

Preparation Student has

completed all
required
preparation
work

Participation Student has

actively
contributed to
every exercise
and made an
effort to learn

77
Evaluation grid for PRESENTATIONS Student: __________________________________

Title: _______________________________ Date: ___________________

PREPARATION /1 OBSERVATIONS
 Complete presentation rehearsal
(with other team or filmed)
 Evaluation grid completed

CONTENT /3
 Presentation is well-structured
 Content is relevant and interesting, and
presented with a specific angle
 Clear reference to SDGs included
 At least one graph is included
 Balanced division of labor between teammates
 Effective visual aids
 Last slide includes bibliography

PRESENTATION SKILLS /4 OBSERVATIONS

 Speed and volume are appropriate
 No reading or repeating by heart
 Keeps audience oriented within visual aids
 Shows confidence through body language +
eye contact
 Sounds professional
 Effective transitions between teammates
 Ability to answer questions

VOCABULARY /6 OBSERVATIONS
 Good range of vocabulary:
general, academic, and topic-specific
 Use of communication strategies:
o signaling of new ideas
o linking ideas
o rhetorical questions, etc.
(See language functions in course notes)

GRAMMAR /3 OBSERVATIONS
 Correct grammatical forms:
o 3rd p.sg.
o plural
o tenses, etc.
 Correct sentence structures

PRONUNCIATION /3 OBSERVATIONS
 Sounds pronounced correctly
 Correct word stress
 Can be clearly understood
(by non-French speakers)

TOTAL /20

78
Evaluation grid for CV

CONTENT /2.5
 Lists all relevant information
 Presents information accurately and specifically
 Includes specific skills and qualifications
 Seems substantial and professional

FORM /2.5
 Uses correct subsections
 Uses a clear and attractive layout
 Lists information in reverse chronological order
 Presents information concisely (note form/bullet points)

VOCABULARY /2.5
 Uses standard phrases
 Uses official terminology
 Uses appropriate and precise vocabulary

ACCURACY /2.5
 Uses correct spelling
 Uses correct punctuation and spacing
 Uses standard grammatical forms/structures

TOTAL /10

79
Evaluation grid for COVER LETTER

DRAFT 1 /2

1. Submitted original version written without the use of AI (copying phrases from
example letters allowed, dictionary and other digital tools allowed)

2. Submitted AI-enhanced version(s)

3. Submitted reference of AI and prompt(s) used

DRAFT 2 /8

CONTENT /4
 References the specific program of application
 Describes his/her knowledge, skills, and experience and supports them with
examples
 Content is specific to the candidate and is discussed in some depth
 One paragraph = one topic
 No repetition of ideas
 Every sentence carries a message (no nonsense)

FORM /1
Uses the correct form for:
 addresses
 date
 opening and closing salutations
 paragraph structure
 signature

VOCABULARY /2
 Uses standard phrases
 Uses appropriate connectors/link words
 Uses a good range of general and industry-specific vocabulary
 Uses the appropriate tone (professional, not pompous)
 No repetition

ACCURACY /1
 Uses correct spelling
 Uses correct punctuation
 Uses correct grammatical forms: 3rd p.sg., plural, tenses, etc.
 Uses correct sentence structures

TOTAL /10

80
Evaluation grid for JOB INTERVIEWS
Student: _________________________________________________ Date: __________________

CONTENT AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS /5

 Handles questions appropriately/ strategically/ in a coherent way /1

 Volunteers information /1

 Has prepared strong answers to the most likely questions /1

(e.g. Tell me about yourself, strengths/weaknesses, etc.)

 Overall impression /2

OBSERVATIONS

LANGUAGE SKILLS /15

FLUENCY /3
 Can speak at a constant flow
 Sounds natural / uses spoken English
 Sounds professional

VOCABULARY
 Uses a good range of vocabulary: general and topic-specific /6
 Uses expressions from course notes

GRAMMAR /3
 Uses correct grammatical forms: 3rd p.sg., plural, tenses, etc.
 Uses correct sentence structures

PRONUNCIATION /3
 Pronounces sounds correctly
 Uses correct word stress
 Can be clearly understood (by non-French speakers)

TOTAL /20

81
Evaluation grid for MEETINGS Student: ___________________________________

Meeting: _________________________________________________ Date: __________________

CONTENT AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS /5

Contributes valuable information to the meeting /1

Listens and responds to what other people are saying /1

Fulfills his/her role /1

Overall impression /2

OBSERVATIONS

LANGUAGE SKILLS /15

FLUENCY /3
Can speak at a constant flow
Sounds natural / uses spoken English
Sounds professional

VOCABULARY
Uses a good range of vocabulary: general and topic-specific /6
Uses expressions from course notes

GRAMMAR /3
Uses correct grammatical forms: 3rd p.sg., plural, tenses, etc.
Uses correct sentence structures

PRONUNCIATION /3
Pronounces sounds correctly
Uses correct word stress
Can be clearly understood (by non-French speakers)

TOTAL /20

82