Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
Preparation
Transcript
Ali: Hey, you guys, I've been looking for you. I've got an idea – a study group. What do you think? Are you interested?
Dina: Yes! I need a study group, in a big way.
Bea: Me too.
Ali: Do you think we have enough people here for a study group? I mean, there are only four of us …
Bea: Sorry. Three of us. Chris can't do study group. Right, Chris?
Chris: Yeah, there's no way I can do a study group. I have an assignment and then I'm too busy. But I'll stay for this first meeting.
Ali: Should we try and get another group together with us for this?
Bea: No, I don't think so. I think three is fine. Ideal size, really.
Dina: Me too.
Ali: OK, three people then. Four people for the first meeting. What next?
Bea: What about a meeting place? We can't meet here in the library …
Ali: It's not too bad, especially if those other people would go away.
Bea: But we can't exactly ask them to leave, and people might get annoyed with us talking.
Dina: Can I say something here?
Ali: Sure, go ahead.
Dina: There's a study hall next to the cafeteria. It's almost always empty. Could we meet there?
Ali: A study hall?! Who knew? Well, it sounds good to me.
Bea: Yeah. I've never been there but …
Ali: So, we ought to decide how long for and how often.
Dina: I read somewhere that you should make the meeting at the same time each week. Like a seminar. That way we'd take it more seriously.
Bea: We may as well make it for this time since we're all here. Is this time OK?
Dina: Works for me.
Ali: Me too.
Chris: Hang on just a minute. I know I'm not going to be in this group, but aren't we supposed to have a seminar at this time every other week?
Dina: Umm, no.
Bea: Thursday, no?
Ali: No, that's on Thursday.
Chris: Sorry. Forget I said anything.
Ali: Don't worry about it.
Bea: So everyone agrees that this time is fine? Every week?
Ali: How long should we make it?
Bea: An hour?
Dina: Could we find a way of making it two hours?
Ali: Two hours seems a bit like … too much. To start with then?
Bea: Ninety minutes? Compromise?
Ali: Is that OK with you, Dina?
Dina: Fine by me.
Ali: OK, so I guess all we have left to decide is exactly what we'll do when we meet. The final exam is a way off. I guess we could review our notes, or practise learning things by heart.
Dina: I have a list of dos and don'ts actually that I got online. I could be a moderator, and we could use the ideas as a starting point …
Hi Mararaboni,
Thanks for your kind comment! We are glad to hear that you are enjoying your learning here.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hi
i remember that i made a study group in my university entry exam preparation first its better to make a plan before the meeting to get rid off all time consuming things. most of the time we make a group of 3 to 4 people to work effectively.
Hello everybody!
Can you explain this question to me? "The final exam is...". Why is the answer "isn't for some time", not "is for some time"?. I think "a way off" has the same meaning as "is for some time".
Thanks in advance!
Thuy
Hello susu19,
The phrase 'isn't for some time' means 'is not happening soon'. For example:
We don't use 'is for some time' with this meaning. You can use 'for some time' to mean 'for a while'. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
No, I haven't ever created a study group, but I would like to create it in the future. This is a good idea, because we can share our notices from lessons with each other and study together. I think, it would be much funny than when we prepare to lessons or exams alone.
Yes I have.
If you want to get success in your goals of this group you have to be straight and focus on the goals. be clear about your conditions such as; side conversations are not allowed, keep the meeting at the same time weekly. make the decisions by voting. At this way you can avoid arguments between members and achieving goals directly.
Hello Everyone!
Can someone explain me one question? I do not understand where is the answer in the text. The question is the number 4 in the Task 1 "They have another seminar …" And the answer is "every two weeks on a Thursday." Where in the text I can read that they have another seminar? Thanks a lot. Have a nice day.
Hello KudranPaul,
When Chris says 'every other week', this means that the seminar happens on alternate weeks. In other words, one week they have the seminar, then the following week they don't, and then the week after they have it again, and so on.
We use the expression 'every other' with other things that occur in a series, too -- for example, 'day', 'weekend', 'year', 'seat', 'person' (in a line), etc.
Does that make sense?
All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hello Kirk Moore,
Thanks a lot.
I think so but I wanted someone to explain.
Now I understand. Thank you.
Hi sir,
I have a problem with this. The following transcript is really confusing:
Chris: Hang on just a minute. I know I'm not going to be in this group, but aren't we supposed to have a seminar at this time every other week?
Dina: Umm, no.
Bea: Thursday, no?
Ali: No, that's on Thursday.
Bea: So everyone agrees that this time is fine? Every week?
According to the above sentences they agreed to have a seminar every week. Because they did not confirm Chris's offer.
I believe every other week is not accepted form group members in this conversation. So they have seminar every week not every other week. If I'm wrong please correct me.