Topic 1: Does increasing travels between countries enable people to learn different cultures or to

Topic 82: Some people think that children should learn to compete, but others think 
that they should be taught to cooperate with others. What's your opinion?
(cooperative learning )
( face-to-face interaction), (engage at close range and are influenced by each other's verbal 
communication ) (social skills), (become aware of the importance of cooperation in group),
(individual accountability); (result in the interpersonal conflict), (linked to high anxiety levels, self-
doubt and selfishness), (promote cheating) ;
(benefit from a diversity of perspectives and experiences) 
(competitive learning ) 
(achieve personal distinctions), (personal achievement); (concerted effort), ( lose learning 
enjoyment), (lack motivation), (achieve little progress) (outcomes are not successful)
(No Text) 
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Topic 83: Some people believe that educating children altogether will benefit them. 
Others think intelligent children should be taught separately and given special courses. 
Discuss those two views. 
( ability grouping )
(adjust materials and methods of instruction) (adjust curriculum to a student's aptitude),
(teach at a faster or slower pace);
(reduce arrogance)
( ability grouping )
(foster lower self-esteem), (lower aspirations), (develop negative attitudes toward school), (resistant 
to schooling);
( widen the gap between the low and high achievers);
(result in fierce rivalry among students),
Not surprisingly, students feel privileged when working with someone with exceptional 
abilities even from very early years. With the aim to produce elite students, schools now 
endeavor to gather children of special talents and offer them special courses. There are both 
advantages and disadvantages to this educational philosophy.
Treating gifted children the same as others might seriously hamper their personal 
development. Imagine that a math prodigy works out solutions to a thorny and tricky problem 
briskly; it makes no sense to force him or her to follow an ordinary curriculum. Some might 
argue that it will foster depression or frustration amongst low-achieving students if talented 
students are arranged with a special class and given specialized instruction. Many students 
think otherwise. Studying with high achievers cause slow students to feel frustrated and cast 
doubt on their effort. Feelings of worthlessness will drive them further toward low 
performance. 
Another advantage of grouping students is enabling them to advance a strong friendship or 
partnership within different groups. Some opponents of this strategy argue that special 
students suffer socially, in a misguided belief that students would seldom talk to each other in 
an air of professional jealousy; this stereotype has blinded people to the fact that students with 
the same background knowledge are more likely to share a common topic of conversation. By 
exchanging experience and knowledge, they can make quicker progress toward their 
academic success.
Despite the significant position of special courses in education, it is not to say that 
ordinary students should be denied the same opportunity. Treating students differently can 
twist a child's perception of his or her abilities and potential. A student experiencing great 
difficulty in studying should be provided with extra support rather than being treated as the 
loser. The sense of exclusion does not inspire their performance or commitment but merely 
triggers their further decline in school record.
In view of the arguments outlined above, ability grouping is of great value. It fosters a 
nutritious environment in which talented students can facilitate their learning process and 
easily find their pals of the same gift. However, special courses should be open to any willing 
learner; otherwise, students will feel discriminated.
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1. Privileged=honored=advantaged
2. Exceptional=extraordinary=outstanding=incorporable
3. Elite=best=most talented
4. Prodigy=genius=phenomenon
5. Briskly=rapidly=quickly
6. Jealousy=envy=resentment
7. Exclusion=isolation=segregation=elimination
8. Outline=summarize=delineate
9. Pal=peer
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