Boy aged 9 to study maths at university

A nine-year-old ____________________ Hong Kong has been accepted to study mathematics ____________________. Child prodigy March Boedihardjo will attend the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and become the youngest college student in the city. The ____________________ designed five-year course which will see him gain a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Authorities ____________________ about whether or not to admit March. HKBU president Professor Franklin Luk announced at a press conference: "The decision ____________________-month discussion among various departments of the university and March's parents." March also met the press and ____________________ when he entered the media room. He seemed very confident ____________________ flash light from photographers.

There has been concern from educationalists that March ____________________ social skills by attending university so young. His new classmates will all ____________________ than he is. March said this would not be a problem as ____________________ of studying with older students. He has already spent two years in England, where he sat and ________________________ with A grades. "When I was in Oxford, all my schoolmates were over 18 and we often discussed mathematics problems. I think I won't have problems in communicating ____________________ me," said the nine-year-old. Professor Luk is ____________________: "With a view to developing his…personal growth…we will tailor a learning roadmap that best benefits March…and also give his ____________________," he said.

www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

2. Listen to the text and repeat it sentence by sentence, trying to copy the rhythm and intonation. Make pause after each sentence if necessary.

3. Listen to the questions and answer them. Make sure that you use the vocabulary of the text.

1 . Listen and fill in the gaps.

The “friendliest” countries in the world

A new _____________________ the friendliest countries in the world. The HSBC bank conducted the Expat Explorer Survey _____________________ countries offered _____________________ lifestyles. Researchers questioned people in one hundred different countries between May and July 2011. They asked 3,385 respondents to _____________________ they would be to make different countries their second home. The questions were based on how _____________________ friends with the local people; learning the local language; _____________________ new culture; and integrating into the local community. The top-ranked country was New Zealand, followed by Australia, South Africa, Canada and the United States.

Head of marketing for HSBC, Lisa Wood, said: “As the largest global survey of expats, Expat Explorer _____________________ invaluable insights into expat life _____________________ from country to country, continent to continent and from an expats’ _____________________.” The lowest ranked country was the United Arab Emirates, which is surprising as around 80 per cent of the whole _____________________ of expatriates. Many of these are poorly paid labourers who are unlikely _____________________ HSBC’s survey. India finished second bottom. Danish expat Pia Mollback- Verbic said India “is _____________________ of relentless mental, emotional and practical daily challenges for most non-Indians.”

www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

2. Listen to the text and repeat it sentence by sentence, trying to copy the rhythm and intonation. Make pause after each sentence if necessary.

3. Listen to the questions and answer them. Make sure that you use the vocabulary of the text.

SOURCES

1. http://breakingnewsenglish.com

2. http://www.esl-lab.com

3. http://busyteacher.org

4. http://www.newsforbeginners.com

5. http://www.correctenglish.ru/podcasts/

6. http://www.ted.com/

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