Vocabulary

IDIOMS

Ex. 1. Read the definition of the idiom and translate the sentences into Russian:

word of mouth News or rumors that spread from people to people as they socialize51

1. It won’t take word of mouth very long for news of your divorce to get out.

2. If you want your brand to benefit from word of mouth, you’d better give your consumers something worth talking about.

3. No problem, word of mouth is every business best friend.

4. Did you see our advertisement or did you hear about our business from word of mouth?

Do you know other idioms with the same words? Match the idioms to their definitions. Fill in the gaps in the sentences below.

1	t o have a word	a	tasty food; food that induces hunger on sight
2	a man of his word	b	a lasting bad feeling about something or someone
3	a big mouth	c	to be able to express one’s opinion
4	mouth watering	d	to reveal a secret (usually with negation)
5	to get a word in	e	a man who always does what he says
6	to breathe a word	f	someone who talks much or reveals other’s private matters
7	to put money where your mouth is	g	to back up the words with actions
8	bad taste in someone’s mouth	h	to have a conversation

1. My father always keeps his promises. He is …………. (человек слова).

2. Don’t tell him any of his secrets. He has ………… (трепач, болтун).

3. You’ve been talking about it for months. ………. (докажи свои слова на деле) and do it already!

4. Don’t worry! I won’t……………... (проболтаюсь) of it to anyone.

5. They wouldn’t stop talking. I was unable to …………….. (вставить слово).

6. My mom makes …………………… (слюнки текут) cakes.

7. May I …………. (переговорить) with you about your son’s behavior?

8. The whole business about the missing money left ……….. (неприятный ocaдок у него).

READING

The Conference Circuit⁵²

Ideally, academic conferences are vehicles for disseminating your research, facilitating intellectual exchange, and forging valuable professional and social networks with peers and established scholars. The relationship between writing thesis chapters and giving conference papers should be a symbiotic one.

Formal sessions usually consist of two or three paper presenters, a chair, and a commentator, who is expected to draw a few links between the papers and offer brief but constructive feedback to each presenter. Usually, paper presenters are asked to submit their written papers to their designated commentator a month or so in advance. At the conference, they are given anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to present a summary of their paper. Conferences also sponsor panels or roundtables where participants speak briefly to the issue at hand rather than deliver a formal paper. Whatever the format, make sure you follow instructions and stick to time limits.

If you are to read a conference paper, allow ample time to write the best one you can and practise ahead of time. Normally, you will be told exactly how long your presentation should be, so plan accordingly. You can count on reading a page of approximately 250 words in about two minutes, so keep your paper short enough to stay within the time assigned. The person who chairs the session has the duty to cut off presentations after the allotted time has expired. You do not want to be asked to sit down just before you have reached that eloquent climax. Nor do you want to rush madly through a paper that you know is too long: you will lose your audience.

There may be a difference between your written paper and oral presentation. The former should be written in formal, scholarly style with footnotes and full citations and tends to be approximately 25-35 pages, the length of most journal articles. If your panel includes a chair and commentator, submit a copy of your written paper to them in advance. Commentators do vary in style, flexibility, and degree of preparation. Some want the time to compose a polished critique, others are more casual or flexible about deadlines, though that does not mean that the commentary will be casually prepared or presented. You want constructive feedback and intellectual exchange, so do your best to get it. On the other hand, do not get upset if your commentator turns out to be overly harsh. Most commentators offer well-balanced critiques of papers, and those who are overly harsh or unfair actually hurt their own reputations. If that happens, do not get upset or act defensive, but by all means respond forcefully in defense of your research. The same applies to fielding questions from the audience. Accept criticism of your work while also emphasizing your positive contributions.

The oral presentation should be written with a listening audience in mind. Remember: you have little time in which to convince your audience that you are doing interesting and important work, so hit the highlights. Take the time to craft a polished paper that effectively summarizes some main arguments and offers interesting illustrations. Use simpler prose than you would do for a written paper you intend to publish; your argument will be easier to follow if your sentences are relatively short and use few subordinate clauses. Avoid the temptation to say too much: do not include too many details, statistics, or disclaimers. This is especially important if you use PowerPoint because it takes more time. Do not let the technology dominate your talk. Too many pictures and too much slide text can be distracting, as can a malfunctioning computer or projector. Be sure to show up early to your session in case any technical problems need to be cleared up. It is perfectly acceptable to assert that the paper covers issues in more detail, or to whet the audience's appetite by focusing on the paper's most dramatic parts or provocative arguments. Of course, you will feel that you have reduced your work to less than a bare bones summary. All of us grow attached to our research (not to mention our phrases and narrative devices!), but you must be brief, clear, and succinct.

Although few people say it, the conference presentation (like the lecture) is also a performance. The quality of your work is the most important thing, but the audience will also evaluate your delivery. Those who are impressed with your performance will want to meet you and possibly invite you to give a talk in their department. Do not underestimate word of mouth. People remember bad performances, whether delivered by a senior historian or a novice. But do not make yourself sick over your first presentation; take precautions to help you get through the hurdles. And remember what one history professor was told following his first conference performance: it is over, you will never again have to deliver your first conference paper, and you will be amazed by how much easier the second and third performances will be.

You should practise your conference presentation in advance – and, if possible, before a fairly large audience. This is especially critical for graduate students. Let colleagues help you improve the presentation; listen to their advice and be prepared to revise. Try to remember that the best criticism often comes from colleagues whose fields and perspectives differ from your own. Also, rehearsals will make the actual performance far less stressful. Practise your presentation, but do not overpractise.

When giving your paper, remember to perform! Learn to project so that your voice could speak in an animated and engaging manner. Look up from your paper, and make eye contact with your audience. Plan to wear an outfit that makes you look and feel both professional and confident. There is no “right” ensemble – some scholars wear suits (conservative or funky) to conference presentations, while others prefer more casual attire.

People present conference papers for various reasons, including building up their CVs, and accumulating credentials. But surely the most important goal is to share your ideas and receive responses to them from an audience of well-informed scholars. Go into your session prepared for this intellectual give-and-take. But also be prepared for no give-and-take. You may find that your session is not well-attended or that you get few (or even no) questions or comments. Do not take it personally. Even if you have a limited audience, deliver your presentation with gusto. Engage with your fellow panellists during the discussion period. You will still get the practise, and the experience will still end up on your CV. Moreover, smaller sessions can actually offer more of the intellectual exchange we desire and facilitate networking.

For a scholar, there is nothing quite so gratifying as to have your work spark animated discussion and exchange. When it happens, enjoy it!

Ex. 1. Answer the questions.

1. What is the purpose of academic conferences?

2. What is the typical conference format?

3. What should a speaker do not to exceed the allotted time?

4. What are the differences between a written paper and an oral talk?

5. What are the basic tips for giving a paper?

LANGUAGE TRAINING

Ex. 1. Match the words from the list to make word partnerships. Then choose any two collocations and make up sentences.

Receive, disseminate, underestimate, take, well-attended, accept, accumulate, facilitate, forge, field, bare bones, polished.

……………………………. session ………………………….credentials …………………………precautions …………………………… criticism …………………………….research ……………………………..critique

……………………………..responses ………………………...word of mouth ………………………………summary ………………………………questions …………………. intellectual exchange …………………professional networks

Ex. 2. Match the expressions from the text to their synonyms. Then choose any you like and make a sentence.

to stick to time limits constructive feedback fellow panelists to hit (be in) the highlights intellectual exchange with gusto

well-balanced critiques panel attendees with enthusiasm the act of sharing ideas to call attention to yourself to stay within the time assigned

Ex. 3. Cross out the odd words from the lists of synonyms⁵³. Translate the sentences below. Pay attention to the ways we use the two words.

highlight, n

best part, climax, feature, focal point, disappointment, focus, memorable part, peak

highlight, v

accentuate, emphasize, feature, focus attention on, overlook, spotlight, stress, underline

1. Committee members plan to highlight problems they see with conference fundraising.

2. The president highlighted health issues in his inauguration speech.

3. Dr. Petrov’s speech was the highlight of yesterday’s plenary session.

4. The highlights from the conference are published on our website.

5. Could you give me the highlights of his report?

6. “Let’s recap briefly on some of the highlights of our today’s discussion”, said the chairman.

7. Conference proceedings provide the highlights from presentations and discussions delivered at conferences.

 

Ex. 4. Do you remember how we form compound adjectives in English? Read the Grammar Tip and substitute the words in bold with a correct form of a compound adjective. Learn about different types of conference papers⁵⁴.

COMPOUND ADJECTIVES IN ENGLISH

GRAMMAR TIP Compound adjectives are adjectives formed by joining two or more words. A compound adjective can be [numeral + noun] or [noun + participle], or some other combinations. When these words act as a single modifier preceding a noun, they are hyphenated. NB: the noun in a compound adjective is in the singular form! E.g. snow-white dress, eight-story (NOT eight-stories!) building

1. Paper with Respondent. In this type of presentation, a speaker gives a e.g. thirty-minute paper (which is thirty minutes long). A respondent then gives a ……………response (which is fifteen minutes long) to the paper. The speaker subsequently gives a ……….. reply (which is fifteen minutes long) to the response. 

2. Panel Presentation. Panel sessions include 3-4 speakers, each of whom gives a ………. talk (which is 15 or 20 minutes long). Panels may also have a discussant who comments on the papers/presentations individually and as a group. 

3. Roundtable. A roundtable features five or more speakers, each of whom gives a ……… talk (which is 5 or 10 minutes long) followed by a discussion. Roundtables do not have traditional audio-visual aids available.

4. Workshop can vary in length from a ……………… session (which is 90 minutes long) to a …………….. session (which is all day long). Workshop presenters give short statements before involving the audience in some type of activity. 

5. Poster Talk/ Poster Presentation/ Poster Discussion. All of these involve a visual presentation of ideas. Some presenters choose to display a ……….. paper (which is 3 to 8 pages long) that explains their project; others may post their hypothesis and an outline of their findings. The most …………… posters (that cach other people’s eyes) exhibit charts, graphs, photographs, or artwork.  Posters can be displayed for the length of the conference or for a single day. 

6. Poster presentations feature 4-6 posters on a single theme displayed at a specific time. Each …………… participant (who has created a poster) gives a short talk on his or her project. 

Ex. 5. Translate into English using the basic vocabulary (see p. 141).

1. Участники конференции задали вопросы и обменялись мнениями по поводу услышанного доклада.

2. Культурная программа для участников конференции включала посещение Эрмитажа и встречу с ректором университета.

3. За докладами последовало обсуждение.

4. Я проиллюстрировал свое выступление таблицами и графиками.

5. Конференция продолжалась два дня и закончилась обсуждением за круглым столом.

6. Самые интересные доклады были представлены на пленарном заседании.

7. На заседании нашей секции дискуссию вел проф. Петров.

Ex. 6. Match the sentences halves⁵⁵.

T he conference offers the opportunity for sharing	were a good feature of the master programme at the Royal College of Music in Manchester.
When I had to choose between a more historical or systematic focus of study,	research interests, various forms of support and beginning new friendships.
Frequent personal tutorials with the professor	so many researchers working on the boundaries of these disciplines were attracted by the call for papers.
The conference was a great opportunity to be in close touch with musicians and	opens the view for different concepts and new developments.
The general theme of the conference was Music Psychology and Music Education,	I got the impression that the methods of German scientific school correspond more with my own questions
The very fact that the conferences take place in various institutions	to start new projects, also in collaboration with the two Manchester universities.

Ex. 7. Match the exchanges and play out the dialogues⁵⁶.

Dialogue I

	A	B
1	May I have you for a few minutes?	That would be fine.
2	What about going to a cafeteria? There are still some forty minutes left before the beginning of the session.	Why, sure. What can I do for you?
3	I've just heard your paper. I'm very interested in your research as we seem to work on the same problem.	Well, that sounds very interesting, doesn't it? Shall we sit somewhere?

Dialogue II

	A	B
1	My congratulations! Your paper was a real success.	So, let’s find a seat somewhere.
2	Could we discuss some points which are not very clear to me?	Thank you. I'm very glad it was received so well
3	I understand you had too little time at your disposal.	Oh, yes. Unfortunately, I had to omit many details.

Dialogue III

	A	B
1	I’m sure it will. May I ask you a few questions before they start?	Thank you. I hope it will be useful to you.
2	I’m looking forward to your paper very much.	Sure. Perhaps, we’ll find an empty room. There are still some twenty minutes left.

Ex. 8. What would you say in the following situations?

• You are at a conference. Introduce two of your colleagues to each other.

• You have listened to an interesting paper of a foreign participant. Start up a conversation with him.

• At a conference you meet the person you met at another conference before.

• One of the conference participants asks you for your visiting card.

Ex. 9. Talk to your partner about the conferences you have attended. The abstracts from the conference reports⁵⁷ will help you to arrange a dialogue. Discuss:

• theme

• venue

• program

• number of attendees

• atmosphere

A 22nd IATEFL-Hungary Conference The theme of the conference was INSPIRED – The Pleasure of Learning and Teaching, and the goal was to discuss how teachers can inspire themselves and learners in the world where everything has to be entertaining, including ourselves. The two plenary speakers, Michael Carrier and Bonnie Tsai, gave not only inspiring plenary talks, but both of them stayed for the whole weekend, participating in workshops, and were ready to answer questions from the audience at the closing event as well. Two features of this year conference were: a strong focus on teaching English to learners with special needs and the online coverage of the event. Our aim was to let non-participants get a flavour of the warm and lively atmosphere of IATEFL-Hungary conferences, so we shared studio interviews, roving reports, photographs, presentation materials, and reflections by participants. With 6 plenary speakers, 48 presenters, 18 exhibitors, and over 300 participants from 19 countries, it was an event to remember.

B 37th Annual Conference of Argentina Teachers of English Last September some six hundred delegates all over Argentina made their way to San Martin de los Andes for the annual conference. The theme of the conference was Research on Motivation and Autonomy in English Language Teaching. Two of the plenary speakers, Davis Little and Ema Ushioda, gave plenary sessions during the three-day conference. Two other plenary sessions and four semi-plenaries were given. There were also a number of panels, workshops and shorter papers, with a hundred and twenty-five speakers in all. A star of the conference was the venue itself. San Martin de los Andes is an almost European Alpine village in appearance, popular for skiing, fishing, hunting, and adventure sports. The delegates enjoyed wonderful weather, and the academic events unfolded against a backdrop of glorious sunshine reflected off Lake Lacar, mirroring the crystal clear skies and snow-capped Andean foothills. The conference this year was indeed a huge success.

SKILLS CASE STUDY ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION

STEP 1. WRITING

You are preparing for a conference participating. Choose one of the topics and prepare a five-seven-minute presentation.

• Benefits/ problems of conference attendance for MA students

• Benefits/ problems of joining a professional association for MA students

Be prepared to give your talk in class using the following expressions. Use them as a plan for your presentation.

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for inviting me to speak on …

I’m going to divide/ I’ve divided my talk into … parts.

First, I’ll give you some background information/ I would like to start by …

Second/ Then, I’ll tell you …

After that I’m going to talk about…

Lastly/ Finally, I’ll outline…

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me

If you look at the graph/chart …

Let me now move on to …

To sum up/ In conclusion, I can say that…

Thank you all for listerning so attentively/ Before I sit down, I would like to thank you for…

STEP 2. Divide into two groups according to the topic you have chosen. You are participants of two round-tables and you are holding your meetings. Decide who will chair the discussion at each round-table. Read the Tips for participating in a group discussion⁵⁸. Use the expressions from Useful language section while debating. Be diplomatic! The chair opens and runs a panel. If you are not making a presentation, be ready to address a question to the speakers.

TIPS FOR PARTICIPATING IN A GROUP DISCUSSION listen to each other and don’t interrupt respond with a polite, intelligent comment be prepared to support what you say, and try to avoid making 'empty' points stay calm and be polite, even if you feel strong about the topic under discussion have a pen and paper handy to jot down any useful ideas

GUIDELINES FOR THE CHAIR Introduce speakers Moderate discussions and time keeping Sum up the session YOUR USEFUL LANGUAGE The discussion will focus on the problem of … Let me introduce Mr. X. He is a specialist in… I’d like to give the floor to…/The floor goes to… Next speaker is… Please, keep within the allotted time/ the time limit. Dr. Y, is there anything you would like to say? Does anyone have any further comments? With respect, I don’t think that is entirely relevant. We seem to be losing the sight of the discussing issue. Could we stick to the subject, please? Perhaps we could come back to that later. Are there any further points anyone wishes to make? To sum up, let me say …

USEFUL LANGUAGE Agreeing: You're absolutely right about that. I think so too. I agree. Expressing your opinion: I believe that ... From what I understand ... As I understand it ... This is due to ... What I mean by this is ... Interrupting: Sorry, do you mind if I say something here? Excuse me, but could I just say …. Dealing with interruptions: Could I just finish what I'm saying? Hold on. Can I finish the point? I’d like to finish if I may. Let X finish, please.

Disagreeing: I'm sorry, I don't see it that way at all. I can see your point - however ... I see what you're getting at/ where you're coming from, but ... I see what you mean - however... That's not necessarily true because ... This idea isn't supported by statistics/ evidence ... Asking for an explanation: Would you mind telling us what exactly you mean by that? What exactly are you saying? Sorry, I don’t follow you. Can you explain in more detail? Would you mind saying a little bit more about that? Clarifying: Another point I'd like to make is... No, I was thinking of… What I mean is… To be more specific…

UNIT 11

Master’s Thesis: Requirements and Structure

STARTING UP

Ex. 1. Look at these sayings. What do they mean? Which of the ideas do you agree with?

• Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.

Zora Neale Hurston (1891 – 1960), American Dramatist

• Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.

Wernher von Braun (1912 – 1977), German scientist

• If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research.

Wilson Mizner (1876 – 1933), American Dramatist

Ex. 2. Discuss the questions.

1. What is the difference between theoretical and applied knowledge?

2. How applicable should be the MA thesis?

3. What is the difference between plagiarism and compilation?

4. When you incorporate into your dissertation long passages of text without references, this is plagiarism. And when you do the same with a sentence or a short passage, is it still plagiarism?

5. Should plagiarism be penalized?