The Ultimate Guide to Effective Learning Techniques
Better Ways to Learn
Myth Busters
Myth 1: More Study Time Equals Better Results
a) FALSE: “Indeed, these surveys show that over 70% of students probably don’t need to study more – just more effectively.”
Myth 2: Location Doesn’t Affect Studying
b) FALSE: “For instance, rather than sitting at the same desk studying for hours, changing the scenery will create new associations in your brain and make it easier to recall information later.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the word that best fits the context:
3. a) notion b) potential c) associations d) enhances
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. a) studying, since b) Unless, stressful c) much, trying d) The teacher wanted to know if his/her students had written a summary of the lesson for their last exam.
How Would We Live in a World Without Oil?
The Impact of Oil Depletion
Impact 1: Transportation Disruption
a) FALSE: “With the overwhelming majority of the oil we produce devoted to powering our vehicles, [the impact on getting around would be most dramatic].”
Impact 2: Societal Collapse
b) FALSE: “A complete extinction of oil would lead to a rapid breakdown of society, desperation, lawlessness, wars and untold suffering.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the word that best fits the context:
3. a) right away b) utensils c) breakdown d) lawlessness
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. a) growing, than b) found, significantly c) without, not only d) What, ran
Cup of Tea?
Tea Facts and Fiction
Fact or Fiction 1: Coffee is More Popular Than Tea
a) False: “And despite the increase in coffee houses, tea remains their preferred beverage.”
Fact or Fiction 2: Tea Originated in England
b) False: “Although it dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it wasn’t until the mid-17th century that the beverage made its appearance in England.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the word that best fits the context:
3. a) wealthy b) mild c) increased d) consoles
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. a) when should b) has become // for c) making // so d) having some tea
Do Aliens Really Exist?
Evidence and Theories
Evidence 1: Alien Sightings
a) TRUE: “This theory is supported by many reported alien sightings.”
Evidence 2: Humanoid Encounters
b) FALSE: “[And two brothers in Chile said that they saw a humanoid creature about 80 cm tall, shiny and red], who resembled a child wearing a driver’s suit.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the word that best fits the context:
3. a) depicted b) nowadays c) vanished d) just
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. a) had not believed // to b) whose // by c) much // was given d) of // thought
Genetic Fingerprinting: A Revolutionary Discovery
The Accidental Breakthrough
a) FALSE: …he suddenly realized that he had, completely by accident, discovered a revolutionary new method of biological identification. He called it “Genetic Fingerprinting”.
Immediate Impact and Recognition
b) TRUE: The importance of the discovery was recognized immediately by both the UK police and immigration authorities.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. immediately, storing, worried, available
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. was arrested, committing // had had, would have been // although, to // better, must
Go on Two Wheels: Embrace the Freedom of Cycling
Challenge the Car Culture
a) False: “It is absurd to give dog-like obedience to a red light when your eyes and ears tell you it is safe to go.”
Rediscover Freedom and Enjoyment
b) False: “The car is no longer a symbol of freedom, so if you want to feel free, go on two wheels.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. just, timetables, founded, throw off
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. biking, where // was founded, than // must, to do // going for a walk the following day if the weather was fine.
Soap Operas: The Enduring Appeal of Drama
Multiple Storylines and Long-Running Arcs
a) FALSE: “Each show will have several different storylines happening at once that continue over several shows.”
Global Reach and Cultural Impact
b) FALSE: “And we should not forget Emmerdale, which is set on a farm in Yorkshire, in the north of England.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. depict, at once, continue, happen
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. often, every // who, without // watching, what // leaving, had watched
Use or Abuse of Technology: Finding a Healthy Balance
The Downside of Digital Dependence
a) False: “He warned that we are becoming more and more anti-social and we are moving away from face-to-face conversations because of technology.”
Impact on Mental and Physical Well-being
b) False: “Dr. Cassidy linked the increasing cases of Internet and social media addiction among youngsters with problems in mental and physical development.”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. almost, finding, because of, linked
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. which, in // could not communicate, did not exist // getting, had been using // should not have been sent off for printing yet
Air Conditioned Clothes in Japan: Beating the Heat in Style
Innovative Solution for Hot Summers
a) TRUE: …Japanese company “Kuchofuku”, meaning air-conditioned clothing in Japanese, (has invented a must for hot summers: the “Kuchofuku” jacket.)
Functionality Over Fashion
b) FALSE: The shirts and jackets are far from fashionable, (but demand for them is soaring because they are not just economical.)
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. reduce, entire, goal, expanded
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. by, wore // in, to, greatly // whose // thought, buying
Cell Phone Jammer: Taking a Stand Against Distractions
Justification for Using a Jammer
a) TRUE: “I guess I’m taking the law into my own hands and, quite frankly, I’m proud of it”, he added (lines 13-14)
Widespread Use and Concerns
b) FALSE: “Police reported that other people in the New Jersey and New York area are using them as well.” (lines 19-21)
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. fine, fed up with, bother, such as
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. using, be considered // what, were bothered // better, up // had used cell phones ever since she started
Coursed Online: The Rise of Digital Education
The Evolution of Online Learning
a) FALSE: “Significantly, the platform has developed an examination process, which means that online learners can graduate from an EdX course with a certificate and a grade”
The Role of Traditional Institutions
b) FALSE: “It is well-known that many leading institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge, are absent from a list of 17 universities that have signed up to give away their course content online”.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. struggle, however, supersede, required
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. had offered, would have taken // in, to // are admitted, unless // what he would like to do when he finished high school
Fish and Chips: A British Culinary Tradition
The Origins of a Classic Dish
a) FALSE: “and while American English calls them french fries, the combination is still called “fish and chips” ” (paragraph 2)
Regional Variations and Historical Context
b) TRUE: “This fried fish became popular in London and the south‐east in the middle of the 19th century, while in the North of England an industry of deep‐fried “chipped” potatoes developed”(paragraph 3)
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
2. is, was only produced // could eat, did not ration
3. to some, by, in
Mozart Bananas: A Sweet Symphony of Flavor
The Allure of a Unique Banana Variety
a) False: Arriving as ordinary unripe bananas from the Philippines, (“Mozart bananas” are in for a surprise.)
Price and Popularity
b) True: “Mozart bananas”, which made their debut last July, are more expensive than ordinary bananas, but sales are sky-rocketing.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. back, sky-rocketing, beverages, regular
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. thought, heard, listening // it, on // than // since, best
The Decline of ‘Once Upon a Time’: Are Bedtime Stories Fading Away?
The Importance of Shared Reading
a) TRUE: “According to a poll of mums and dads with under-sevens, 36 per cent of parents never pick up a book with their little ones”.
Nostalgia for a Bygone Era
b) TRUE: “…the vast majority of parents were told bedtime stories regularly when they were little”.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. nearly, teamed up, create, key
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. told, going // is considered, between, the better // than // they appreciated how important it was for the parents and kids to spend quality time together
The Key to Choosing a Fulfilling Career Path
Navigating the Career Maze
a) TRUE: “Choosing a career path is usually a confusing and stressing experience”.
Aligning Skills, Values, and Aspirations
b) TRUE: “You can begin by choosing a career that fits well with your skills and values”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. confusing, fits, reach, new venture
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. are motivated // best, have ever read // for about // where // to choose a job she loved
January Sales: Scoring Incredible Deals After the Holidays
The Thrill of the Hunt
a) True: Consumers who go to the shops are rewarded with discounts of up to 80%, as department stores join the sales frenzy
Online Shopping: A Less Stressful Alternative
b) True: For a less exciting but less stressful shopping experience, online retailers also participate in the January sales of their own.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. pick up, continue, keenest, rewarded
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. better, are reduced // were, how // going, since // what she had bought for Peter
Earthquake Hits Britain: Assessing the Impact
The Reach of the Tremors
a) FALSE: It was felt in a large area across the country too, from as far north as Edinburgh in Scotland to as far south as Plymouth on the south coast of England
Damage Assessment and Surprising Resilience
b) FALSE: The earthquake was felt by a lot of people, but it surprisingly caused very little structural damage to property.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. unusual, collapsed, surprised, learn
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. the most important, one // are measured, which // destroying, what she had seen after the earthquake
Pedal Your Way to a Free Meal: A Hotel’s Innovative Initiative
Promoting Sustainability and Healthy Habits
a) FALSE: The plan will be launched for the first time on 19 April and run for a year, (the hotel says).
Expansion Plans and Potential Impact
b) FALSE: If successful, the electric bicycle meal program will be extended to all Crowne Plaza hotels in the UK, (affirmed the hotel spokeswoman.)
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. reduce, roughly, just, since
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. are invited, produce, are given // began // driving, easier, by // wasting
Women and Sustainability: Driving Positive Change
The Power of Community Engagement
a) TRUE: (What is more important,) women have strong partnerships with local communities.
Representation and Leadership in Sustainability
b) TRUE: “From all my 20 years in business, I have met more women working in this area than in others,” she says.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. empower, drawn, appear, goods
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. often // buying, in, greater // was invited, which // had not obtained, would not have got
Young da Vinci: The Early Life of a Genius
A Stern Upbringing
a) TRUE: “His father was stern and distant with him”
Recognizing Leonardo’s Talent
b) FALSE: “Piero da Vinci didn’t know what to do about his son, Leonardo”
Vocabulary Check
Choose the words that best fit the context:
3. ran, talent, famous, stunned
Sentence Completion
Choose the option that best completes the sentence:
4. what, had had // from, left // as, older // not to stop practicing until he learnt how to paint