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MID-COURSE ASSESSMENT 2 MCA2 Listen to Andy interviewing Trudi Walters,

a life coach and happiness guru, and choose the
(UNITS 1–6) correct option (a, b or c).
1 Trudi says that
SECTION A: LISTENING a it’s upsetting that people don’t like their work.
1 MCA1 Listen to four people talking about b people think too much about being miserable.
conservation and write the correct letter for each c Andy should try to enjoy his work more.
speaker (A, B, C or D). 2 Trudi says that people can improve
Which speaker: their workplace by
1 believes that projects focusing on humans a avoiding negative people altogether.
should take precedence? b challenging colleagues to smile more.
2 is critical of a fashionable eco-friendly c always being positive themselves.
business? 3 What does Trudi say about money?
3 is alarmed by some statistics? a It’s the main motivator for most people.
4 knows that their opinion may be rather b Moaning about salaries is a symptom of wider
unpopular? dissatisfaction.
5 believes that the future of man depends c It’s the money that makes a job tolerable.
on maintaining many different plant and 4 According to Trudi, bad management is
animal species? a the biggest cause of misery at work.
6 is preparing other people for a future role b usually due to a lack of training.
in conservation? c the reason for company failures.
7 is unconvinced about the value 5 Trudi says that goals should not be
of preserving wildlife? a set without consulting staff.
8 says that some conservation has b unrealistic.
forced local people into crime? c completed late.
9 mentions a belief of a specific group
of people? 6 According to Trudi, what makes people happy
at work is
/9 a doing better than their colleagues.
b a chance to be creative.
c getting on with workmates.
/6

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SECTION B: READING
3 Read the article and complete the summary with words from the text. Write one word in each gap.

The value employer is prepared to take them

on), something they could easily have
employment afterwards. Medicine
and law graduates have the highest

of a
done without a degree. level of employment, but it must be
Furthermore, the costs of taking a noted that these are notoriously
diicult courses to get into and that
degree
degree course leaves students with a
huge debt hanging over their heads, there is a rigorous sorting process
a burden which is beginning to make before students are chosen. In

in today’s students think more than twice about

going to university. Government
addition, the level of the degree and
the university it comes from both

society research and statistics proudly report

that a graduate is likely to earn
£200,000 more over their lifetime than
play an important role in the way in
which the degree may be perceived
by potential employers.
non-graduates, but that is providing One way of avoiding the disheartening
they can get a job in the first place. job search is to delay it by taking a
Recently in the UK many people However, evidence also proves that master’s degree, but this should not
have been debating the value of there is a much higher unemployment be seen as the soft option. A
a rate amongst non-graduates, but is that master’s is quite different from a first
university degree in these days of enough of a case to encourage students degree and consists of intense study
high unemployment. Does having a to take a university course? over
degree still have the cachet it once Despite these arguments which the a shorter period of time and thus
had? And more importantly, does it anti-degree brigade trundle out, I requires commitment, application
offer the graduate the job do and the ability to think
opportunities they might have not believe that we should denigrate independently. Once again, the cost
expected in the past? the value of further education. No of a master’s can be prohibitive and
The government has invested a learning is ever wasted and having a there is uncertainty whether the
lot of money over the past degree benefits not only the graduate, investment will pay off. However,
decade in increasing the number but also society as a whole, so we what it does give a person is
of university should regard them as national assets transferable skills and shows a
places available, but experts question rather than expensive pariahs in our degree of self-discipline which may be
whether it is money well spent, as a fair society. The university experiences appealing to employers, although work
percentage of graduates are struggling allow a young person to become experience is still high on their list.
to find employment despite excellent independent, to have time and space So is it worth doing that degree?
qualifications. There are many stories of to think, develop and explore new Well, no education is wasted, but
graduates applying for hundreds of ideas while at the same time honing if you measure it against the
jobs, only to receive rejections either critical thinking – all valuable skills for ability to get a job, there may well
because they are not experienced the welfare of a society. be
enough or because they are over- Having said that, the choice of a disappointment on the horizon for
qualified. Many have had to settle for degree course is vital if the main aim the graduate and more ammunition
employment in coffee or clothes shops is to find for the critics questioning the cost to
(providing an the taxpayer.

Summary
The debate about the value of a university degree continues as experts question whether the amount
1
in it is worth it to the taxpayer. Students are also concerned about the benefit of going to
university because, although they may have really good 2 , many are finding it hard to get a job.
Furthermore, many struggle to pay off a 3 which may remain with them for many years.
Government statistics indicate that graduates are still likely to earn much more during their working life than
non-graduates and that 4 is still more prevalent amongst non-graduates. Society should look at
graduates as being 5 rather then an expensive luxury. However, choosing the right degree course
is essential for those who go to university with the sole intention of finding a job, but it still does not guarantee
employment and it can be very 6 to get accepted onto some specialised courses. Doing a
master’s degree is a way of delaying the 7 for work. However, the skills developed through
doing a master’s can attract 8 .
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4 Read the forum posts and write the correct letter (A, B, C or D) for each post.

A CONSUMERISM: EVIL OR NECESSITY? C

Consumerism is the bane of our society. It keeps the I totally agree with what’s been said, but we now have
economy moving, but it also set us on a path to to find a way out of the hole into which we’ve dug
economic disaster as natural resources run out and ourselves. As natural resources are shrinking very fast,
landfill sites get bigger and bigger. The age of buying, prices are shooting up and will continue to do so. It’s up
using, discarding and then buying more has become to every individual consumer to change their buying
unsustainable. The term ‘consumerism’ was coined in the habits and re-use, recycle, repair or make things they
early 20th century when, as a result of cheap and want instead of buying them. Thanks to modern
abundant energy, manufacturing was wholly mechanised technology, people-power is able to attack large
and suddenly there was a glut of products available which corporations and make a real difference. If we all stop
needed to be sold. At that time people had always used buying unsustainable products, products that do not last
cash to buy goods, but they could not afford to purchase a long time or goods that are made by children and
all this new equipment which was being produced, so the poor people in other countries, then the companies will
idea of credit caught on in order to enable consumers to have to stop making these products or change the way
have the car, washing machine, food processor and they source their goods. Even if governments regulate
vacuum cleaner of their dreams. Advertising was born as what companies can and cannot produce, if the
manufacturers had to persuade people that these new- customer still wants the old-fashioned, non-eco-friendly
fangled devices were an absolute necessity. And we all products, then companies say they have to make them.
know what happened in the early noughties to those Each one of us holds the future of the way we live in
developed economies which had been built mainly upon our hands.
credit.

B D
I am not sure that people have as much power as you I blame consumerism for many evils in the world today:
think or that people’s minds could be changed so easily. child slavery and poverty, obesity, mental health
Governments are in the pockets of multinational problems. If we did not have so much stuff in our lives,
corporations who promote the idea of consumerism, so we would not stress out about being able to pay for it all
they are reluctant to change the system. Furthermore, or get upset when it breaks or fails to function properly.
even if they realise that the long-term future is bleak, We live in a world of excess which has caused serious
they are reluctant to do anything which might cause problems for civilisation. I think that manufacturers should
redundancies, factory closures and so on because it will take responsibility for producing goods which are both
impact negatively on their popularity. Short-termism is durable and energy-efficient and that they should be
prevalent in our society and future generations will pay obliged to repair them to keep them working for much
the price for this. Easy credit is what has allowed longer than the five years or so goods generally have
consumerism to thrive and it has nurtured a society that thanks to built-in obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is
believes it is entitled to have anything it wants. I’m not another spin-off of the world of consumerism and was
sure that everyone is capable of behaving in a developed in the sixties, when manufacturers tried to
responsible way. People like to buy things cheaply and work out how to keep people buying new versions of
rarely consider how they were produced. Thanks to years their products. Consumerism is totally unsustainable and
of brainwashing, their incessant craving to have the we all need to act now to change the economic
newest device, car or whatever has become a kind of mentality of everyone.
addiction.

Which post mentions:

1 a demand for unsustainable products?
2 a proposal for changing production policies?
3 an inability to stop buying?
4 a reason for slow government action?
5 the advent of widespread borrowing?
6 individual responsibility?
7 a past manufacturing policy?

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SECTION C: LANGUAGE 7 Choose the correct option (a, b, c or d)

to complete the text.
5 Complete the text with the correct form of the
verbs in brackets.
The old man trudged along the pavement 1 by
the craziness of Christmas shopping. Shoppers laden
So I decided to apply for a master’s in
down with huge carrier bags full of things, which
International Relations. Having had some
were probably not wanted and would never be used,
experience of working in conflict areas as a
jostled each other and became quite aggressive if they
volunteer around the world,
thought he had got in their way. He had no intention
I was keen to get a qualification which
of getting 2 off by greedy retailers. He shuffled
1
(open) doors for me into a
past the 3 monument which marked the centre
role where I could have some impact on conditions
of the town square, where hundreds of young people
in conflict regions. While I 2
were sitting around chatting and laughing. To them,
(live) in Sudan, I 3 (give) the
he was all but invisible: an old, unkempt man who
chance to meet several diplomats and international
was probably homeless, someone who’d definitely
relations experts who 4
had his day and wasn’t worth bothering about.
(work) there for some time. It was then that I
Not one person smiled at him as they did their
realised this was what I wanted to do.
last-4 shopping, buying far more food and
I seem 5 (study) for ages, but drink than was required. Nobody would recognise
it’s only six months and I 6 him as the extremely successful writer that he was,
(already/manage) to get a position with an aid agency. a5 man with a great 6 for learning.
When I finish my course in three months’ time, He blamed the 7 down of the educational
I7 (get) on a plane straight system for the behaviour he was witnessing. Young
to Mali. people were not trained in observational and listening
skills or taught to be respectful of others. They were
/7 totally self-absorbed. Walking into the bookshop, he
smiled to himself as he saw several people queuing at
the cash desk with his latest book in their hands. Of
6 Complete the text. Write one word in each gap. course, he looked nothing like the photo in his books,
which had been taken many years ago. He 8
Bioengineering, 1 rapidly growing clear of publicity of any kind. Being invisible was the
science, combines engineering skills with medical best way to discover the characters for his next
requirements in order to solve problems in biology offering.
and medicine. As a(n) 2 of this highly
specialised combination, more and more body parts
are 3 engineered. For example, blood 1 a disillusioned c disordered
vessels can 4 bio-engineered from b disoriented d disorganised
donated human cells and transplanted in a live
2 a broken c damaged
patient. The advantage of these blood vessels over
b torn d ripped
those made from synthetic materials 5
that they aren’t likely to clot or lead to post-operative 3 a ancient c old-fashioned
infection. Even 6 scientists have b antique d outdated
learned how to turn embryonic stem cells into all 4 a time c minute
kinds of different cells, it is difficult to get these cells b hour d second
to work together with tissues and organs which can be 5 a cultural c cultured
transplanted into patients. Nevertheless, it is not b cultivated d crude
impossible and already several body parts have been
6 a appeal c aspiration
transplanted. Every single cell in our bodies has the
b urge d passion
genetic information to replicate itself and
7
is so exciting is that eventually, 7 a running c dumbing
something which only a few decades ago might b playing d taking
8
seemed like science fiction will 8 a drove c moved
soon be possible: the creation by scientists of a whole b steered d turned
human being.
/8
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8 Complete the text with the words in the box.

You do not need all the words.

boutique budget charismatic charmed come

delighted denied meticulous obsessive
pragmatic speculation superseded take

As a successful businesswoman in the fashion

industry, it was essential that she was always
1
in her appearance. Genna
Winslop left the 2 hotel
where she was staying and climbed into the
chauffer-driven limousine waiting for her. Only
the best for Ms Winslop. She travelled from one
capital city to another without having a chance
to
3 in any of the sights or soak
up the atmosphere. It was business all the way.
When she arrived for her afternoon meeting, she was
4 to see that there was no sign
of the press outside the building. Although there had
been 5 about a takeover, she
had 6 that there was any truth in
the rumours, but here she was now, about to put her
final offer on the table, which she was sure would be
accepted by her main rival. His business was failing
and he was 7 enough to
realise it.

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SECTION D: WRITING
9 Look at the table and write a report about the information in it, saying what it shows, describing
the main point/trends and suggesting reasons for some of these. You should include the following:
• introduction • approximators where appropriate
• main trend over period • suggested reasons for some figures
• key figures where
necessary

DESTINATION EMPLOYMENT FOR BRITISH GRADUATES AND POSTGRADUATES

OF BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Job 2005 2010 2014
Nature Conservation Officer 12% 22% 30%
Eco-tourism 10% 15% 8%
Research 15% 5% 6%
Environmental Consultant 3% 2% 5%
Ecologist 20% 5% 18%
Voluntary work 13% 6% 20%
Environmental Health Officer 10% 3% 2%
Non-linked jobs 12% 35% 9%
Unemployed 5% 7% 2%

Write at least 250 words.

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SECTION E: SPEAKING
10 Prepare to talk to your teacher. You have two minutes to prepare. Make some notes so that you can:
• briefly describe your education and the system in your country.
• explain how you think education has changed due to technological advances.
• say if you believe national stereotypes exist and give reasons for your answer.
• explain what you think the advantages and disadvantages of working in a multinational team are.
• describe what changes you would have made in your country if you had been the leader for the past five years.
When you have prepared, talk to your teacher. Your teacher will ask you questions.

Your notes

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MID-COURSE ASSESSMENT SECTION E: SPEAKING

SCORE CARD
NAME:

You
CLASS: briefly described your education and
the system in your country.
Content: 1 2
Effective communication: 1 2
SECTION A: LISTENING explained how you think education has
changed due to technological advances.
/15
Content: 1 2
SECTION B: READING
Effective communication: 1 2
/15 said if you believe national stereotypes exist
and gave reasons for your answer.
SECTION C: LANGUAGE
Content: 1 2
/30 Effective communication: 1 2
SECTION D: WRITING explained what you think the advantages
and disadvantages of working in a
Content points /5 multinational team are.
Production and coherence /5 Content: 1 2
Range /5
/20 Effective communication: 1 2
Accuracy /5
described what changes you would have
made in your country if you had been the
leader for the past five years.
Content: 1 2
/20
Effective communication: 1 2
Total: /100

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