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In the state of New York, the Department of Education requires that high school students take year-end examinations in science, math, and language subjects. A regent is a member of a board appointed to govern educational institutions. In New York, the regents make out these required examinations. The regents’ exam does not replace the final examination. It is a secure test, meaning that other than the regents themselves, no one, not even the teachers, is supposed to see the examinations prior to their administration. The exams are mostly multiple choice questions, though students may be required to write a short essay or solve math problems. A score of 65 is required to pass the exam, the top score being 100.
To cheat or not to cheat: that is a question!
Unit 8
Honesty: Is It Going out of Style?
□ language points □ Key to exercises □ Before reading □ Part Division of the Text □ Warm-up questions □ Group discussion □ Summary Writing □ Talking About the Pictures □ Background information □ Useful expressions □ Proverbs and Quotations
1. In your opinion, tests or exams are______. A) helpful B) not very useful C) trying D) trying but necessary 2. Before a major test you usually feel ______. A) at ease B) excited C) worried D) nervous
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We as teachers should help students build up confidence in themselves and their abilities. Teachers and school authorities should not abuse tests. Teachers and students should trust each other. Distrust can be contagious. But so can trust!
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A public opinion poll is a method of learning what people think and how they feel about a wide variety of subjects. The first poll of public opinion was conducted in 1824 in the US. In the early 20th century public opinion polls began using statistical sampling techniques. After the Second World War and particularly in the 1960s the popularity of the opinion polls grew. One of the best-known is the Gallup Poll — a poll of public opinion on a major political or social issue, developed by George H. Gallup, an American statistician. Two methods of sampling are practiced by the polls, random and quota sampling. The former consists in selecting persons to be interviewed at random. Quota sampling involves selecting a sample of people which is representative of the population in terms of age, occupation, sex, region and so on.
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2. State Regents’ examinations
1) New York State 2) High school students 3) Examinations made out by regents 4) Not replace final exam 5) Pass score — 65
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3. — How often do you review your lessons? — I review my lessons ______. A) regularly B) when I feel like reviewing C) seldom D) only when there is a test 4. When you are preparing yourself for a major test, ______. A) you work hard with a view to making a thorough study of the subject concerned B) you prefer to take it easy but make sure to get a pass or better than pass grade C) you rely much on the hints the teacher gives you D) you keep on inquiring about it in every possible way 5. While taking a major test you usually are ______. A) calm and careful B) too excited to think carefully C) casual about your answers D) so nervous as to feel at a loss
1. Expression of percentage: xx%, xx% out of xx, most of us, few of us, none of us 2. Expression of opinions: we all agree / think / believe/ hold thve difficulty answering a question, ______. A) you keep on trying on your own B) you give it up after having a try C) you wish you could get help from your classmates D) you manage to obtain some help anyhow 7. When your classmates ask for help during a test, ______. A) you always give a flat refusal B) you often pretend not to have noticed it C) you are always ready to help any one of them D) you have no idea how to handle the situation because you have not had such experience 8. You think that cheating on exams is ______. A) dishonest B) tolerable C) unavoidable D) objectionable in principle
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An Opinion Poll
Directions: Ask students to do the poll about their attitude towards test and test taking, then analyze the statistics within big groups and the leader of each group gives a report with a conclusion.
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Background Information 1. Polls of public opinion
1) Public opinion poll: a method of learning what people think and how they feel about a wide variety of subjects 2) The first public poll: in 1824, in the US, one of the best-known — the Gallup Poll 3) Two sampling methods: random and quota sampling