TOPIC 2

live & learn

Read the article again. Which reporter:
1 feels more strongly about the topic than the others? How do you know?
2 agrees with Kate that some often-repeated phrases are untrue?
3 is motivated to question their own attitudes by another’s comments?
4 mentions an alternative career option?
5 compares two differing attitudes to failure from real experiences?
6 agrees with Molls that failing at something can in fact open up new opportunities?
Is failure good for you?
Have you messed (1) _________ recently? Not achieved the right grades or had a (a) _______________ (CRINGE) interview? Did
friends (2) _________ you on the back and (b) _______________ (ASSURE) murmur, ‘Let it go, don’t worry about it’, ‘Be resilient’,
‘Failure’s not a bad thing – it’s all part of the learning (3) _________ ’? We are constantly being told failure can actually be a
positive. But are you on (4) _________ with this whole ‘failure is good for you’ thing? Recent research indicates that many of us
are not and that comments like these are overly (c) _______________ (SIMPLE). In light of this, we asked four of our reporters
from different departments how they feel about the topic. There might be a few surprises!
Molls Pickering - HEALTH Ethan Knowles - SPORTS
Well, no one likes to fail, do they? If you (5) _________ your Something struck a (30) _________ with me the other day. I
heart and soul into something, you don’t want to be told it was interviewing a local football manager, an intelligent guy,
isn’t good enough. But I think the whole attitude to failure has on the subject of criticism – and we all know football
changed over the last fifty years, and in a good way. If we managers get their fair (31) _________ of that! He admitted
(6a) _________ our failures as learning opportunities and (7) really resenting it and the sense of failure it brought,
_________ something to be ashamed of, we are going to make however constructive it was intended to be. In fact, he
(8) _________ going forward in every aspect of our lives resented it so much that if it hadn’t been for his love of the
from learning at school, pursuing a career – even in game, he would have thrown in the (32) _________ early
relationships. My memories of the shame I felt when I failed on. He made the point that most humans probably feel the
school tests contrast dramatically with the way teachers used same, although we have been conditioned to accept criticism,
my son’s failings to help him achieve success. Fear of failing and try to respond gratefully when we receive it. I could see
can also (d) _______________ (TRAP) you and prevent you where he was coming from, and I started to analyse my own
from (9) _________ risks. (10) _________ for the reactions to being criticised ((e) _______________
intervention and encouragement of my son’s drama teacher, (REFLECT) being very (33) _________ trend at the
he would never have risked going into acting. So, for me the moment!). They are mixed. If I do my best and then get a
idea is spot (11) _________. It definitely (12) _________ critical reaction, the feeling of failure can be galling. After all,
true. Failing can, and should, be a positive in (13) _________ human beings are inherently (f) _______________
it makes you reassess and perhaps (14) _________ tack, and I (CENTER) creatures: we like to be liked, to be right, to
think this generation of young people are much better at succeed, to be praised. However, I also realised that as long
dealing with it than (15) _________ was. as the person criticising me was someone I admired or
Kate Quinn - ARTS respected, I was OK with it – at least to a certain extent …
I might be (16) _________ in the face of (17) _________ Jay Masters - BUSINESS
opinion and the results of numerous studies, but I simply I, for (34) _________, simply cannot stand all these (g)
cannot go (18) _________ with the fashionable belief that _______________ (VACUUM) comments and sweeping
failing is almost something to be pleased about because it statements we get on social media, like ‘Failing is part of the
allows you to learn and progress from what you’ve done journey.’ I promise you, if I hear the word ‘journey’ once
wrong. OK, to me it makes sense that we shouldn’t dwell more in this context, I’m going to lose it. And as for ‘failure is
(19) _________ failure because that is – in (20) _________ – good for you’, it’s simply a saying that most definitely is not
negative, and if we were to get hung (21) _________ about all always true. I admit there is often an element of (35)
our mistakes, we would probably (22) _________ nowhere _________ in there somewhere, but people (h)
in life. But, the old saying – try, try, try again – assumes that _______________ (USE) these phrases and (6b)
persistence will help you succeed. This is not necessarily true _________ them as if they’re completely valid for all
at all. It might be that however hard you try, however often situations. They trot (36) _________ these trite phrases
you fail, you are not going to succeed because what you’re regularly to explain or excuse (37) _________ they’ve done
trying to achieve lies (23) _________ your ability, or talent. It or not done. For me, it’s not just that they are way too (i)
bugs me when I hear people saying that anyone can do _______________ (SIMPLE), but (38) _________ we to
anything, should they want it hard (24) _________. Rubbish! analyse them, we’d probably find some that are often
It is patently not true. Give it a (25) _________ go, but give actually wrong: complete fallacies. Failure is so often NOT
up if you clearly don’t have what it (26) _________. (27) good for you. It can have (39) _________ consequences:
_________ I not accepted that I wasn’t (28) _________ out to (40) _________ your confidence, lead to disasters, rob you
be a crime writer (seventy-one rejection letters!), I wouldn’t of a job, lose you money. Honestly folks, whatever the
be enjoying the rewards of being a reporter now! We need to trendy psychologists say, success is definitely better. And
get (29) _________ about failure and think about what it is encouragement to prepare better, in order NOT to fail, is
really telling us. surely the best way forward.
TOPIC 2
live & learn
Complete the collocations in bold with the words in the box.
environment standards excellence initiative curriculum mutual path potential
1 Teachers need to maintain a nurturing ____________ at school to ensure the best education
for all children.
2 Without proper guidance and support, some students may not fulfil their ____________ and
that is a shame.
3 We cannot all be geniuses, but if we strive for ____________ , that’s the most we can do.
4 With so many job options it can be difficult to find your own ____________.
5 I learnt early on to take the ____________ and as a result I now run my own company
successfully.
6 Good teachers create a classroom atmosphere where ____________ respect is established.
7. We pride ourselves on the fact that we maintain rigorous ____________ in education in
order to deliver a quality ____________ in all fields.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
1 People with fertile / intuitive imaginations have the potential to become writers and artists.
2 I still believe that the most important thing you need if you want to be a sports success is born /
innate talent.
3 I rarely get ideas completely down from / out of the blue, but need to sit and think a lot.
4 The screenwriter said that the idea for his new film was lit / sparked by watching a very old
western.
5 It must be very hard to keep coming up with latest / novel ideas for new drama series.
6 The writer suddenly had a flare / flash of inspiration and decided how the story would end.
Add the correct suffix to form additional compound adjectives.
1. English grammar is a rule-________ system.
2. Food-________, we are all set for the party tomorrow.
3. The injury-________ footballer might be forced to end his career early.
4. A safety-________ driver always wears a seat belt.
5. We offer advice on age-________ issues, like pensions.
6. This is a fool-________ recipe for perfect rice that never fails.
7. Hearing-________ children are taught to use visual clues to help them.
8. Tom is an open- ________ person who is interested in hearing different points of view.
9. Will a student-________ demonstration really result in lower tuition fees?
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the
same meaning as the first sentence. Use between THREE and SIX words.
1 The timing of the sessions means I can’t go to extra tennis training. IT
If ______________________________ the timing of the sessions, I’d be able to go to extra tennis training.
2 We shouldn’t worry too much about our mistakes, but let them go and move on. HUNG
It’s important ______________________________ our mistakes, but let them go and move forward.
3 The belief of many educators is that looking at students’ work throughout the year is fairer than
final examinations. CONTINUOUS
Many educators ______________________________ fairer than final examinations for students.
4 Some parts of the story ring true, but I still don’t believe the whole thing. ELEMENT
Although there’s ______________________________ in the story, I still don’t believe the whole thing.
5 When she didn’t win the competition, it made her feel a failure and she never entered another.
KNOCKED
Losing the competition ______________________________ and she never entered another.