English for

PHOTOCOPIABLE 
19
Lesson 2
Module 1
Listening 
5 
Learners’ own answers.
6 
Learners’ own answers.
7 
Answers
1 d 2 e 3 b 4 a 5 c
Audioscript 
19
Moderator: A very good evening to everybody. My name is 
Jeanne Wilmslow. Welcome to our panel discussion. Our topic 
is ‘Interdisciplinary education: is it worth the effort?’ This is 
how the discussion will flow: first I will ask a few questions and 
we’ll hear what our panellists have to say. After that, I’ll open 
up the discussion to the audience, and you’ll be able to ask 
your questions. If any participant takes up too much time, I’ll 
have to interrupt. The panel of experts today are Derek Brown, 
Ellie Smithers and Mike Sanders. Here is the first question 
from my list: Why do you think this question deserves the 
close attention of the academic community worldwide?
8 
Suggested answer
Words such as problem, issue, argument against, fail to; negative 
words or expressions such as never, unclear, insufficient, there is 
no way, etc.
9 
Answers
1 some problems 
2 aims and objectives
3 unclear
4 might be
5 disciplinary skills 
6 evaluate
7 costs
8 main disciplines
Audioscript 
20
Derek: Let me be the first to answer. We’ve been so enthusiastic 
about interdisciplinary studies recently that sometimes 
we fail to hear the arguments of its numerous opponents. 
That is why, instead of attending to the diverse benefits of 
interdisciplinary education, I’d like to concentrate on 
1
some 
problems. The main argument against, I believe, is that 
supporters of interdisciplinary studies can never clearly 
identify their 
2
aims and objectives. They claim they are 
concerned with exploring interconnections between two or 
more disciplines and examining implications. But what they 
mean by connections between disciplines is 
3
unclear. And 
they don’t talk about what the results 
4
might be. So it’s hard to 
see any value in the whole idea.