UNIT 1

Studying Abroad
I. Pre Activity
A. Reading Preparation
You are going to read a passage entitled Preparation for Studying Abroad. Think
about the topic for a minute. OK, now answer the following questions:
1. Do you have a dream to study or to enroll a short course in English speaking
countries? Circle A or B for your answer choices.
A. Yes

B. No

2. If yes, in what countries would you like to study? Just give a circle to the options
below or write down your own answer in the provided space.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

USA
England
Canada
Australia
..
..

B. Vocabulary preview
The following vocabularies are taken from the text. Learn the words attentively; they
may be useful for you in comprehending the text.
1. depart (verb)
2. embark (verb)
3. commence (verb)
4. rate (verb)
5. assess(verb)
6. access (verb)

: [no object] leave, especially in order to start a journey

: [no object] go on board a ship or aircraft
: [with object] begin
: [with object] assign a standard or value to (something)
according to a particular scale
: [with object] evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality
of
: [with object] obtain or retrieve (computer data or a
file)

II. Main Activity

A. Preliminary Reading
Task 1
Read the text quickly and to try to determine the general idea in the passage. It is
necessary for you to understand each detail in every paragraph.
Preparation for Studying Abroad
Going abroad to study at a university in an English speaking country is now a popular
option for Indonesians. Every week students from around Indonesia are departing to
countries such as Australia, the UK, the U.S. and Canada to embark on completing a
degree in English. Gaining a qualification like this from one of these countries
provides a big future advantage to finding well-paid work opportunities within the
competitive
job
market
in
Indonesia.
Before people can commence their studies overseas, a lot of hard work and
preparation needs to take place. The usual route required for obtaining a student visa
and a university placement abroad is to obtain a score in the International English
Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. This test is used by all English speaking
universities to rate the level of English for overseas students. It is a vital step in the
university entrance process, because without this score universities cannot accept
students who come from non-English speaking backgrounds. Most students are
aiming to achieve an Overall Band Score of between 5.5 and 7.5 out of a total of 9.0,
depending upon the course and university they wish to attend.
The IELTS exam tests candidates on their ability in using the four skills of Listening,
Reading, Writing and Speaking in English. Each skill is assessed in individual tests
which are taken on the same day. The Listening, Reading and Writing components
are completed on paper, and Speaking in English. Each skill is assessed in individual
tests which are taken on the same day. The Listening, Reading and Writing
components are completed on paper, and the Speaking comprises a face-to-face
interview with a trained examiner. Test-takers will receive a score for each skill, and
these are averaged to give the Overall Band Score.
The test is very challenging, so usually candidates will decide to take a preparation
course in IELTS before they sit the exam. These courses are useful, as they teach
students about what to expect in taking the IELTS test. Preparation courses also
teach students tips, tricks and test-taking techniques that enable them to get a higher
score.
In choosing a school for an IELTS preparation course, students should do thorough
research to ensure the school has a good reputation, and access to a good range of
resources and facilities. It is also highly beneficial to be taught by a native speaker
teacher who really knows the test and English. Being well-prepared helps candidates
to get the score they need first time, which saves money and time and gets them one
step closer to achieving their dreams to study abroad.
Adapted from www.jakartapost.com

B. Reading and Note Taking

Task 2
Now you have to read the above text again more carefully and more attentively. Take
notes on 2 information items that you think important from each paragraph. Then,
share and discuss your notes in pairs.
1. Paragraph 1
a. ________________
b. ________________
2. Paragraph 2
a. ________________
b. ________________
Paragraph 3
1. ________________
2. ________________
Paragraph 4
1. ________________
2. ________________
C. Reading for Understanding
Task 3
All right, Now, work in a group of three or four. Use your notes or read the text again in
more details to answer the questions below.
1. Why do some Indonesians prefer to study in English Speaking countries?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2. What do people need to prepare to study in a foreign country?
___________________________________________________________________

3. What skills of English language does IELTS evaluate?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Why do people need to take a preparation course before sitting in the IELTS
exam?
___________________________________________________________________
5. What factors are important for students in selecting a school for IELTS training
programs?

Task 4
Vocabulary is one of the essential components in understanding the text. So, develop your
vocabulary mastery by identifying the following synonym of words or phrases from the text.
The paragraph numbers are provided to assist you.
1. Prerequisite

____________ (paragraph 1)

2. Benefit

____________ (paragraph 1)

3. Path

____________ (paragraph 2)

4. Entry permit

____________ (paragraph 2)

5. Dialogue

____________ (paragraph 3)

6. Assessor

____________ (paragraph 3)

7. Training

____________ (paragraph 4)

8. Class

____________ (paragraph 4)

9. Contender

____________ (paragraph 4)

10. Repute

____________ (paragraph 5)

III.
Post Activity
A. Making summary and developing idea
Since you have done several activities to comprehend the text, do the following
actions:
Task 5
1. Use your notes to sum up the information that you learned from the text entitled
Preparing for Studying Abroad. Present the information to the class with one of
your group-mates.
2. Develop your idea from the text. Discuss with your group-mates why you agree
or disagree with the statements below:
One of your classmate want to apply for an international scholarship, short course
program from Australian government and one of the requirements is to enclose
IELTS certificate with minimum overall band score 6. He does not have enough time
to take the IELTS training since he is very busy with his study and extracurricular
activities, so he decides to study about IELTS preparation test independently via
online. Do you have the same idea with him? Why (not)?

B. Reading Extensively

The following motions require you to read extensively from other resources and
some of them may be not familiar with you.
Task 6
1. Go to www.iief.com and access its scholarship and fellowship information.
Present the result to the class.
2. Go to australiannetwork.com and seek for the information about learning English.