Why education is the key to success

Every one of us is a bundle of unique gifts and talents. Our relative success in life (1) _________ on how much we believe in ourselves, trust our own private genius and let it grow freely. Education provides us with the opportunity to realize our inborn talents.

Real education is the one which enables you to think for yourself and apply what you have learned. Purely knowing facts and being able to effectively remember and recall them isn’t (2) _________ educated. To be educated is being able to make your own decisions and form your own opinions about things. What good education requires is a one-to-one interaction (3) _________ a good teacher and student.

There are two factors of education which must mold two different aspects of the human psyche — one is analytical intelligence and the (4) _________ is emotional intelligence. The former deals with the ability to solve technical problems while the latter deals with the ability to empathize, communicate, connect with our fellow human beings. A wholesome education system must educate to mold a character with all the abilities required to live a happy and successful life.

A human is what his thoughts make him. Education provides direction (5) _________ these thoughts. Success is more than just accumulation of material wealth. Success is not a destination but a never ending journey in self exploration. Education plays a large role (6) _________ determining our potential for achieving this success.

The real key to success is self-belief, which can unlock your inner potential. Education which puts you on the path of self-discovery, leading to self-belief, adds meaning to your life and provides you (7) _________ the means to achieve lasting success in life. As rightly put by W. B. Yeats, education lights the inner fire and provides us with the ability to think independently, making success only a matter of time.

22. LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Task 1. Vocabulary Revision. Fill in the table with the italicized words.

Cheat/copy/use a crib sheet, hard-working, take an exam/sit an exam/do an exam, straight A (always gets top marks), pass with flying colours/pass with high marks, mediocre (not bad, average), learn by heart/memorise, scrape a pass (only just pass), test yourself, pass an exam (get a good enough mark to succeed), fail an exam (not pass), revise (go over everything you’ve studied), abysmal (terrible), get a good/high mark, swot up (revise), cram (try and force as much information into your head as possible), do well in the exam, get a bad/low mark, do badly in the exam, stellar (a star performer), plodder (works consistently, but isn’t particularly brilliant).

Exams
Before Exams
During the Exam
Types of Students

Task 2. a) For questions (1–10) choose the answer (A, B or C) to define your type of learning.

1 When I study, I like to________.

A use a highlighter to emphasize points

B use a chanting rhythm to memorize

C explain the information to someone else

2 I like to study________.

A alone in a quiet place

B in a group so I can listen to others

C with one other person using role playing games

3 I remember things best if I________.

A write things down and read them back

B record the information and listen

C make lists and write them over and over

4 I like to learn using________.

A photographs and diagrams

B rhymes and chants that I make up

C labs and demonstrations

5 Sometimes when nobody is around I will________.

A draw a picture showing a process I need to understand

B create songs with my homework information

C act out information

6 I remember things most when I________.

A read them

B hear them

C say them

7 I have trouble remembering information if I________.

A can’t take notes

B can’t discuss it in class

C read it and don’t talk about it in class

8 I remember________.

A faces

B names

C names and faces if I can shake hands

9 When I study for a test I like to________.

A make an outline

B read out loud

C trace pictures, diagrams, and charts with my finger

10 In class you prefer to sit________.

A closer to the teacher and the board to see everything well

B so that you could hear everything well

C so that the teacher could not see you and you could move freely

Answers: Mostly As — you are a visual learner; mostly Bs — you are an auditory learner; mostly Cs — you are a kinaesthetic learner.

b) Read about learning styles and tell if it is true about you.