Books in never-ending motion

№ 4

1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

CAN CHEATING BE STOPPED?

More and more students at school and university are using the internet to cheat * in their coursework. In Britain, about 25 % of students copy material from the internet when they write their homework. In the USA there is a similar problem. One report showed that about 54 % of students copy from the internet when they prepare for the lessons.

Of course, students rightly use the internet to help them research a topic when they are doing coursework or writing an essay. But some of them also copy and include material from the internet into their own essays without indicating that they are using someone else’s work. For example, a student who has to write an essay on Shakespeare can find lots of different essays on particular plays and themes in Shakespeare and copy one of them. So they no longer have to read books in libraries, take notes and plan their own essay.

The internet has certainly helped students to avoid the hard work of writing an original essay, but it is not the only reason why cheating is increasing. In recent years, students’ attitudes to school and university have changed. In the past, students had a more idealistic attitude towards a university education. University broadened their minds. Nowadays, a lot of students are more practical in their attitude. They are only interested in passing the exams. They want a degree only to help them get a good job.

Teachers and examiners want to stop cheating in school and university, but they do not agree about how to solve the problem. Some teachers think a student’s final grade shouldn’t depend on his/her coursework. They think that it is better to have traditional (time-limited) written exams that are held in an examination room. Another way to stop cheating is to have an oral exam at the end of the course. If students cannot answer questions about their coursework, this could indicate that they have cheated. At the same time, the oral exam would give the examiner a better idea of students’ real knowledge of the subject.

2. Is cheating becoming a problem in the USA and Britain? Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. How do students cheat using the internet?

4. Why do students cheat?

to cheat [tʃ iː t] – обманывать, списывать

№ 1

1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

BOOKS IN NEVER-ENDING MOTION

Librarians are saddened by the fact that young people tend only to borrow reference books rather than reading fiction for pleasure. Perhaps it’s unfashionable to read these days. However, a new trend is developing, with literary lovers leaving their books in public places, to be picked up and ‘borrowed’ by others.

The Belarusian National Technical University was the first to support the idea in our country. Several years ago, the Director of its scientific library, Alexey Skalaban, passed an internship * in Sweden. At the airport, he saw a huge glass case of books, which he learnt were available for anyone to read. It was a great idea. The question was only where such books might be kept in Minsk.

“Initially, we created a shelf in the reading hall of the University’s scientific library. Later, we installed a case in the main building. It’s available to everyone, ” explains Mr Skalaban. “We want to encourage young people to read. Book-crossing is an easy way to do this.” Alexey is looking at a website devoted to book-crossing. “Look, we’ve set free almost 700 books, ” he admits with pride. On the day I visited, I saw only two books in the case. The inside cover has a plate stating that it is part of the book-crossing programme, alongside a registration number showing who donated the book and when.

Library staff, students and even residents of neighbouring houses bring books. Additionally, publishing houses have donated some editions. Every year, more such ‘safe’ places are found. Not long ago, a Minsk night club installed a shelf of books. While some people dance, others gather by the shelves of books, magazines and discs. “We’ve subscribed to several magazines, while books are brought in by our guests, staff and musicians. This is how our collection grows, ” says Yan Busel, who co-owns the club.

Book-crossing is gaining popularity, with safe shelves found in many libraries, as well as cafes and educational establishments. No doubt, it’s a great way to attract visitors.

2. The author says what makes librarians unhappy. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. Who was the first to introduce book-crossing in our country?

4. Why is book-crossing becoming more and more popular in Belarus?

an internship [ˈ ɪ ntɜ ː nʃ ɪ p] – интернатура, стажировка

№ 5

1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.