A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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Skills Test 1: Critical Thinking

NAME: __________________________________ STUDENT NUMBER: _________________

This test covers the following learning areas:

Vocabulary in use

TASK 1 (20 marks)

/20

Language structure and grammar

TASK 2a (20 marks)

TASK 2b (10 marks)

/30

Reading and general comprehension

TASK 3a (10 marks)

TASK 3b (10 marks)

/20

Writing and correcting errors

TASK 4 (5 marks)

TASK 5 (5 marks)

TASK 6 (20 marks)

/30

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 1: Vocabulary in use (20 marks) Choose and circle the correct word in the following sentences:

1. It is a rational/fact/strategy that there are thousands of international students studying in Australia.

2. Using expert opinion/reason/ethics is a good way to support your ideas in your essay.

3. Student essays must contain a thesis/judging/concept statement.

4. An email you send to your friend would be formal/unformal/informal.

5. Many international students live on campus/halls/apartments.

6. The person who teaches you at university is usually your colleague/director/lecturer.

7. The deadline/live line/finish line for assignment is Friday, 10th April 2015 at 5pm.

8. When I was downloading/receiving/typing documents from the website, my

computer crashed.

9. Many students can't understand the basic conceptions/conception/concepts of mathematics.

10. An anecdote/assumption/evidence is a story.

11. My classmates believed/evaluated/persuaded me to continue studying the Critical

Thinking module.

12. Our participation in tutorials is justified/expected/logical.

13. Sidra commented that her educational experience/experienced/occurrence at Meldon University was difficult but fun.

14. Assignments, essays and presentations are examples of

assessments/exercises/activities students submit to pass their subjects.

15. When I went to the first tutorial, the tutor was surprised to see me and remarked that I wasn’t enrolled/activated/entered in the subject.

16. Another word to describe a mistake is error/ethic/evidence.

17. If you are using information shown in numbers, you are using

opinion/statistics/spelling.

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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18. Reading is an essential subject/skill/course required for any academic studies.

19. The university requires your visa informations/information/statistics to process your application.

20. Olaf has a paper/diplomat/Bachelor of Accounting.

/20

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 2: Language structure and grammar (30 marks in total) TASK 2a (20 marks) Fill in the blank spaces with the right parts of speech. Blank boxes without a number do not require a word; these can remain blank. Table 1.1

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE ADVERB

1. Factual Factually

Expert 2. 3.

4. Judgment 5.

6. Persuasion, persuasiveness

7. 8.

Lecture 9. 10.

Define 11. 12.

13. Evaluation 14.

15. Critique 16. Critically

17. 18. Revised

Study 19. Studious 20.

/20 TASK 2b (10 marks) Select the correct form of each word from Table 1.1 in Task 2 above to complete each sentence below. Write the correct form of the word in the space provided. Hint: A version of the relevant word is provided next to each sentence. 1. A ______________ is a statement that is true. (Fact) 2. The document was _________________ correct. (Fact) 3. Remzi’s argument was very ______________. Everybody believed him. (Persuade) 4. My sister is a postgraduate ______________ at Meldon University. (Student) 5. This is a _______________ edition of the current textbook. (Revise) 6. Thinking____________ is essential when reading for academic purposes. (Critical) 7. Today’s______________ is focusing on academic research skills. (Lecture) 8. The tutor asked me to give a ______________ for the word ‘evaluate’. (Define)

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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9. The lecturer is an ______________ in psychology. (Expert) 10. She was asked to _____________the essay competition. (Judge) /10

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 3: Reading and general comprehension (20 marks in total) TASK 3a (10 marks) Read though the text below, and then answer the numbered questions that follow.

What is a university?

Why am I here on campus, studying? What is it all about? What’s it all for? Perhaps these are some of the questions you have been asking yourself as you make your way to your weekly lectures. After all, universities can be daunting. They are geographically large and populated by a multitude of students and staff—it can be easy to lose your way! Many students consider university a stepping stone to a career with an enjoyable job, which will pay a high salary, provide a comfortable and secure lifestyle and perhaps improve their socio-economic status. Doing a law degree is a prerequisite to becoming a lawyer. An accounting degree is essential if you want to become an accountant. Studying medicine will enable you to qualify as a doctor. You need the education to achieve these kinds of roles. In short, a university is a place for gaining knowledge for professional development. Another view is that university is not just a place where a transfer of knowledge about particular subjects occurs, but that university is also a place to challenge yourself. A university course entails learning to question beliefs and to think productively. Your studies will require you to research and investigate arguments, evaluate ideas and comment appropriately in discussion and in writing tasks. The university environment will encourage you to think freely and independently, and to take responsibility for your own learning process. Hopefully, your experience inspires lifelong learning. The importance of the social aspect of university life should not be underestimated. University is unique in that your peers could be from any cultural and social background, and even from a different generation to you. Everyone is starting from the same place, learning at the same level, together. Making friends with fellow students from different countries and demographics develops social and cultural awareness. Joining clubs and activities on campus provides opportunities for self-development and social networking. Social interaction encourages a democratic and inclusive ethos. Beginning a university degree is both exciting and challenging. Understanding why you are studying, and exploring the many opportunities student life has to offer, will enable you to gain subject knowledge, think critically and make friends with some amazing and inspiring people. Refer to the text above to answer the following questions in full sentences. Please answer in your own words.

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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1. What is the topic of the reading? 2. Who is the text written for? 3. How can students lose their way at university? Give examples. 4. Why do students want to go to university? 5. Is university just a place to learn about different subjects? /10 TASK 3b (10 marks) Decide if these statements about the text What is a university? are true or false, or state if the information was not given. Write the words True, False or Not Given on the line at the end of each sentence in Table 1.2 below. Table 1.2

1. Many students question why they are attending university.

2. University lecturers are paid high salaries.

3. University students and staff come from many different countries.

4. Professional Development is a subject taught at university.

5. At university you only learn about different subject areas.

6. Accounting, Medicine and Law can be studied at university.

7. Mature age students study at university.

8. University will help you find a job after you have graduated.

9. University is a good place to become more socially and culturally aware.

10. You need a university degree to do most jobs nowadays.

/10

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 4: Writing formal sentences (1 mark per sentence, 5 marks in total) Table 1.3 displays informal sentence fragments and greetings that are commonly used in emails. Change the informal to formal. Use the name ‘Ms. Bridget Lonbourne’ where needed. Table 1.3

Informal Formal

Hi Bridget. 1.

I want a copy of the course assessment guide.

2.

Hear from you soon. 3.

Cheers. 4.

Sorry for taking so long to reply. 5.

/5

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 5: Error correction (1 mark per sentence, 5 marks in total) Identify the error and correct the mistakes in the sentences below. There is one error in each sentence. Example: (Incorrect): I choice to study at Meldon University. choice = incorrect part of speech (Correct): I chose to study at Meldon University. 1. I am Jessica Tran come from Vietnam. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. My lecturer she is very interesting. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. She teach us academic reading skills. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. How long it take you to get to class every day? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. The tutor didnt come to the tutorial today. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

/5

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 6: Writing (20 marks in total) Choose one of the topics below to complete. Topic 1 You are studying four subjects at university. This is too much work for you. Write a formal letter to the university’s relevant faculty office and ask to drop one subject.

1. Introduce yourself. 2. State the purpose of your letter. 3. Make your request. 4. Finish your letter formally.

Topic 2 Your friend has sent you an email. She is coming to Australia next week to study with you and is very worried about studying the Critical Thinking module. Write an email to your friend. In the email, explain what critical thinking is and reassure her.

/20

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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ANSWERS TASK 1 (20 marks) Choose and circle the correct word in the following sentences:

1. Fact 2. Opinion 3. Thesis 4. Informal 5. Campus 6. Lecturer 7. Deadline 8. Downloading 9. Concepts 10. Anecdote 11. Persuaded 12. Expected 13. Experience 14. Assessments 15. Enrolled 16. Error 17. Statistics 18. Skill 19. Information 20. Bachelor

TASK 2a (20 marks) Fill in the blank spaces with the right parts of speech. Blank boxes without a number do not require a word; these can remain blank.

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE ADVERB

1. Fact Factual factually

Expert 2. Expert 3. Expertly

4. Judge Judgment, judge 5. Judgmental

6. Persuade Persuasion, persuasiveness

7. Persuasive 8. Persuasively

Lecture 9. Lecture 10. Lecturer

Define 11. Definition 12. Definable

13. Evaluate Evaluation 14. Evaluative

15. Criticise Critique 16. Critical Critically

17. Revise 18. Revision Revised

Study 19. Student Studious 20. Studiously

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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TASK 2b (10 marks) 1. A fact is a statement that is true. (Fact) 2.The document was factually correct. (Fact) 3. Remzi’s argument was very persuasive. Everybody believed him. (Persuade) 4. My sister is a postgraduate student at Meldon University. (Student) 5. This is a revised edition of the current textbook. (Revise) 6. Thinking critically is essential when reading for academic purposes. (Critical) 7. Today’s lecture is focusing on academic research skills. (Lecture) 8. The tutor asked me to give a definition for the word ‘evaluate’. (Define) 9. The lecturer is an expert in psychology. (Expert) 10. She was asked to judge the essay competition. (Judge) /10 TASK 3a (10 marks) Read the text and answer the questions that follow. (Suggested answers below.) 1. The text is about university and university life. 2. This text would be written for local and international students thinking about going to university. 3. Students can lose their way at university because a university is very big. They could get lost trying to find their lecture rooms for example. They could also feel lost in their studies. 4. Students want to go to university to get a qualification and good job in the future. 5. No, a university isn’t just a place to learn about different subjects. The text states that university is also a place to discuss ideas with others. TASK 3b (10 marks) Decide if these statements about the text What is a university? are true or false, or state if the information was not given. 1. Many students question why they are attending university. True 2. University lecturers are paid high salaries. Not Given 3. University students and staff come from many different countries. True 4. Professional Development is a subject taught at university. False

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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5. At university you only learn about different subject areas. False 6. Accounting, Medicine and Law can be studied at university. True 7. Mature age students study at university. True 8. University will help you find a job after you have graduated. Not Given 9. University is a good place to become more socially and culturally aware. True 10. You need a university degree to do most jobs nowadays. Not Given TASK 4 (5 marks in total) Table 1.3 displays informal sentence fragments and greetings that are commonly used in emails. Change the informal to formal. Use the name ‘Ms. Bridget Lonbourne’ where needed. Suggested answers below.

Informal Formal

Hi Bridget. Dear Bridget/Dear Ms Lonbourne

I want a copy of the course assessment guide.

I am writing to request a copy of the course assessment guide.

Hear from you soon. I look forward to your reply.

Cheers. Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, Regards

Sorry for taking so long to reply. I apologize for not contacting you sooner. My apologies for the late reply.

TASK 5 (5 marks in total) Identify the error and correct the mistakes in the sentences below. There is one error in each sentence. 1. I am Jessica Tran come from Vietnam. Error = extra word: come. Correction = I am Jessica Tran from Vietnam. 2. My lecturer she is very interesting. Error = extra subject: she. Correction = My lecturer is very interesting. 3. She teach us academic reading skills. Error = grammatical error: She teach. Correction = She teaches us academic reading skills. 4. How long it take you to get to class every day? Error = missing word: does. Correction = How long does it take you to get to class every day?

A Complete English for Academic Purposes Program. SKILLS TEST 1: Critical Thinking Learning resources created by Peter Mooney-Smith and Clare Goss © Oxford University Press 2014

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5. The tutor didnt come to the tutorial today. Error = punctuation: didnt. Correction = The tutor didn’t come to the tutorial. TASK 6 (20 marks) Answers will vary. Ensure the students have included the points listed in the questions.