Unit 1 Studying abroad

KEY READING SKILL IDENTIFYING TEXT ORGANIZATION KEY VOCABULARY SKILL GUESSING MEANING FROM CONTEXT

Focus
1 Describe these pictures with a partner. Then read the information.

Every year, thousands of Americans

choose to travel to another country
for their education.

I’m on a language course in Italy!

I’m in China for the summer

on an exchange program. I’m doing my degree in the U.K.

2 Would you like to study in another country? Where would you choose to go?

Think about it
1 Why would you study abroad? Check (✓) your answers.
a to see the world and have new experiences
b to learn about a different culture
c to teach other people about my culture
d to meet different people
e to make my résumé more attractive to employers
f I do not want to study abroad.

2 Compare answers with a partner.

8 Unit 1: Studying abroad

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 8 16/2/09 09:37:33

 Vocabulary skills: Guessing meaning from context KEY VOCABULARY SKILLS
STUDY SHEET 1, PAGE 157

Read these sentences. Choose the correct meaning of each word in italics.

Tips for studying abroad

1 It won’t always be easy. Be patient. Don’t get annoyed when things go wrong.
a tired b hungry c angry
2 Not everyone thinks the same way. You will meet people with different values.
a beliefs b manners c experiences
3 Before you go, investigate the country and find out about the people. The information
will be useful when you are there.
a visit b study c search
4 Don’t believe everything you read in guidebooks. They can be misleading.
a incorrect b informative c inefficient
5 See a doctor before you go. Get everything you need to prevent yourself from becoming
sick when you are there.
a stop b check c avoid
6 Decide how much money you will need. Find out the price of food, books, and other
things. Have a budget so you don’t spend too much.
a credit card b bank account c financial plan
7 Find a convenient and economical way to call home before you leave. You don’t want to
spend all your money on phone calls!
a safe b easy c cheap
8 Try to socialize with local people. It’s the best way to learn the language and culture.
a get organized b spend time c spend money

Predicting
You’re going to read an Internet message posted by Gavin Lawson, an American student who
went abroad to study Spanish. Before you read, discuss these questions with a partner.
a What are the advantages of being able to speak Spanish?
b Why do you think Gavin chose to study abroad?
c Which countries do you think he studied in?

Reading fluently
Read the text quickly. Time yourself, and record your time in the chart on page 6.

Unit 1: Studying abroad 9

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 9 16/2/09 09:37:33

 >> Students, post your story here!

The experience of a lifetime!

I studied marketing at Michigan State University. When I graduated, I decided
to learn a foreign language. I chose Spanish because I heard many people
around the world speak Spanish, so I thought it would be useful.

A friend who was a student at Temple University in Philadelphia recommended

that I study Spanish there. An important part of the course involved studying
abroad. Well, at first I didn’t really know which country to go to, but one day
I saw a TV show about Panama. It looked like a great place to visit, so that’s
where I went!

When I got to Panama, I was nervous because it was my first time abroad on
my own. However, everyone at the college was really friendly and welcoming.
On weekends, they took me and the other new students to visit a lot of fun
places. They also organized activities so we could meet the local people. Our
Spanish teacher was really good, too. I was only there three months, but I
learned a lot.

Afterward, I went back to Philadelphia and immediately started investigating

other study abroad options. This time I decided to go to Mexico! After one
month in Mexico City, I moved to Guadalajara. I really enjoyed my time in
both places, and felt my Spanish improved a lot. In Mexico City, I stayed with
a host family as it was more economical. I worked part-time in a restaurant and
saved some money, so when I moved to Guadalajara, my budget was bigger
and I rented an apartment. My four months there were the best of all. We
spoke Spanish all the time in class! I found it very hard at first and sometimes
got annoyed because I couldn’t understand everything. However, it was a very
effective way to learn and actually, by the time I left, I was fluent.

That’s why, when I graduated a year later from Temple University with a
degree in Spanish, I found a job in Spain. I started working for an advertising
company in Madrid. Nowadays, I can’t believe how lucky I am. Madrid is such
an interesting and historic city to live in, and I really enjoy my job. What’s
more, shortly after settling here, I met a Spanish girl named Adela. Six months
ago we got married!

For me, studying abroad was an amazing opportunity to socialize and become
friends with people from all over the world. It gave me some fantastic insights
into different cultures. But it also gave me a great job, a wife … in fact, a whole
new life. I’d recommend the experience to everyone. Go on, give it a try!

Gavin J. Lawson
fluent adj ★
able to speak a foreign language
very well
fantastic adj ★★
extremely good or pleasant
insight noun ★★
a chance to understand something
or learn more about it

10 Unit 1: Studying abroad

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 10 16/2/09 09:37:37

 Understanding the text
1 Read these questions and write your answers.
a How many months did Gavin spend studying abroad? _______________________
b Why did he study Spanish at Temple University? _______________________
c In which city did he rent an apartment? _______________________
d When did he marry Adela? _______________________
e What job does he have now? _______________________

2 Write T (true), F (false), or N (not in the text) for each statement.

a Gavin has two degrees. ______
b He studied Spanish in four different countries. ______
c He worked as a waiter while studying in Mexico City. ______
d He recently married a Mexican woman. ______
e He still keeps in contact with friends in Mexico. ______

3 Correct the mistake in each sentence.

a Gavin started to learn Spanish at Michigan State University.
______________________________________________________________________________________
b He didn’t learn a lot of Spanish in Panama.
______________________________________________________________________________________
c He spoke Spanish all the time in class in Mexico City.
______________________________________________________________________________________
d In Mexico City, he lived in an apartment.
______________________________________________________________________________________
e He spent six months studying Spanish in Mexico.
______________________________________________________________________________________

4 Work with a partner. Find …

a two universities Gavin has attended. __________________________________________
b why he chose to study Spanish. __________________________________________
c the reason why he chose to study in Panama. __________________________________________
d two cities in Mexico where he also studied. __________________________________________
e how studying abroad changed his life. __________________________________________

5 Who or what do these adjectives describe?

a amazing ___________________________________________________________
b economical ___________________________________________________________
c historic ___________________________________________________________
d lucky ___________________________________________________________

Unit 1: Studying abroad 11

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 11 16/2/09 09:37:37

 Reading skills: Identifying text organization KEY READING SKILLS
STUDY SHEET 6, PAGE 152

1 Look again at Gavin’s Internet message. Number these events in his life in the correct
order (1–10).
a He found a job in Madrid. ______
b He returned to the U.S. three months later. ______
c He graduated with a marketing degree. ______
d He met Adela. ______
e He went to Mexico City. ______
f He went to study Spanish in Panama. ______
g He moved to Guadalajara. ______
h He married Adela. ______
i He graduated with a Spanish degree. ______
j He enrolled in a Spanish course at Temple University. ______

2 Read this text. Then number the sentences in each section in the correct order (1–4).

Returning home – the problem of “reverse culture shock”

Problems
a First, they may feel isolated and lonely. ______

b Students who study abroad for a long time can have problems when they
return home. ______

c Finally, they might find it difficult to make new friends. ______

d They will also miss their friends in the country they left. ______

Solutions
e They can also share their experience, and encourage other students to go
abroad. ______

f Lastly, returnees should set goals and make plans for the future. ______

g Secondly, they should find other returnees, so they can support each other. ______

h The first thing returning students should do is to accept that their experience
abroad has changed them. ______

12 Unit 1: Studying abroad

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 12 16/2/09 09:37:37

 Spotlight on grammar: Defining relative clauses
Study the examples, and then choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

Gavin chose a course that involves studying abroad a lot.

The place (where) he had most fun was Mexico.
The woman (who) he married is Adela.

1 The language ____ Gavin chose to 5 I know many people ____ would like
study was Spanish. to study abroad.
a who a who
b that b where
c where c which
d what d what

2 Guadalajara was the place ____ he 6 The U.K. is ____ most American
spoke Spanish all the time in class. students go to study abroad.
a that a that
b what b where
c who c which
d where d who

3 The teacher ____ he had in Guadalajara 7 Students ____ study languages often
was very good. have to go abroad.
a where a what
b when b whose
c who c who
d what d where

4 The job ____ he found was with an 8 Studying abroad is an experience

advertising company. ____ most people really enjoy.
a where a who
b that b where
c whose c that
d who d what

Talk about it
What is your opinion of studying abroad? Check (✓) the statements you agree with. Then make
a group and compare your opinions.
a Studying abroad is not really “serious.” It’s just a vacation.
b I would like to study abroad, but I’m too shy.
c I don’t want to study abroad because I would lose my friends.
d I want to study abroad. It’s a great opportunity to see the world!

Unit 1: Studying abroad 13

9780230724815_Theme 1.indd 13 16/2/09 09:37:38