English Conversation Questions

University

Questions

1. What are the good and bad things about universities?
2. Should university education be free?
3. What would you like to study at university?
4. Is it important to go to university?
5. How are the universities in your country different from each other?
6. Is university life more about studying or having fun?
7. Will all universities change over to distance learning one day?
8. What university would you really like to study at and why?

Videos

Vox
These schools are much better than Harvard, Yale, or Princeton at making poor kids rich.
Wealthy, prestigious universities such as Harvard Yale, Stanford and Columbia garner billions in donations

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with the message of financial aid. They show off case after case of talented students from humble backgrounds reaching the top 1% after attending elite schools. The story goes that these universities aren’t just world leaders in cutting-edge research, they’re engines of upward social mobility.

But the latest research by the Equality of Opportunity project suggests this is a myth. A study 10.8 million people on the effect colleges have at moving kids born into the bottom 20 percent of the income distribution up to the top 20 percent showed that though elite universities are very good at moving students up the income ladder, they let in very few low-income students. The problem isn’t one of financial aid, but outreach; thousands of high-achieving poor kids just aren’t applying to elite schools.

The true heroes are less selective schools that let in a large number of students from the bottom 20%. They include Cal State Los Angeles and PACE University. These schools take in the most low-income students who move to the top fifth of income in the US after graduation.

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Category:  Education & Language
Keywords: Education | Poverty | University
Almost 80% of the textbook industry is dominated by 5 publishing companies. They use restrictive codes and re-publish new versions of textbooks every 2 to 3 years. Due to these tactics, textbook costs overall have

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risen 67% from 2008 to 2018.

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Keywords: Books | Prices | University

Vocabulary:
cove
secluded
float
shore
anchor
lighthouse
greenhouse
handsaw
hammer
power tool
nail
board (noun)
ton
land sick
biomass
canoe
paddle
real estate
prosper
fulfilled

Expressions:
subsistence living
hon

Vocabulary:
word
word
word
word
word
word
word
word
word

Expressions:
expression
expression
expression
expression

Vocabulary:
prestigious
involuntary
swindler
fraudulence
unwarranted
concern
unfounded
impostor
syndrome
faculty
pervasive
prevalent
disproportionately
underrepresented
downplay
abnormality
self-esteem
spiral
accolade
threshold
susceptible
voice (verb)
peer
dismiss
excel
ease
mentor
competence
banish
frank

Expressions:
nagging doubt
shake a feeling
put something to rest
surefire way

Vocabulary:
filmmaker
principle
handcuff
clown
distill
underdog
aspect
familiar
unfamiliar
chopsticks
keyboard
organic
grounded
clarity
stuntman
steady
gag
perfectionist
rhythm
distinct
continuity
elbow
bunch
flail around
unlike
invincible
impressive
humanize
asset
payoff
relentlessness
finale

Expressions:
kick ass
going above and beyond
get smacked in the face
sell a joke

Vocabulary:
explosion
smoke (noun)
engine
unique
pilot
route
unemotional
terror
instant
reach out (to someone)
postpone
urgency
purpose
regret
humanity
ego
reflect
eliminate
frame (verb)
artistic
talent
bawl
miracle

Expressions:
bucket list
brace for impact
mend fences
make sense
connecting dots