How to Improve Your Listening and Note-Taking Skills with Contemporary Topics 2
- Provide an overview of the main features and components of the book and the audiovisual materials.- State the main purpose and objectives of the article. H2: Unit 1: What's in a Name? H3: Lecture Topic and Objectives - Summarize the main idea and key points of the lecture on personal names and their meanings.- List the learning objectives and skills practiced in this unit. H3: Pre-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students activate their prior knowledge and prepare for listening.- Explain how these activities develop students' vocabulary, pronunciation, and critical thinking skills. H3: Listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students comprehend and analyze the lecture.- Explain how these activities develop students' listening, note-taking, and summarizing skills. H3: Post-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students consolidate and apply their learning.- Explain how these activities develop students' speaking, writing, and research skills. H2: Unit 2: English: A Global Language? H3: Lecture Topic and Objectives - Summarize the main idea and key points of the lecture on the spread and diversity of English around the world.- List the learning objectives and skills practiced in this unit. H3: Pre-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students activate their prior knowledge and prepare for listening.- Explain how these activities develop students' vocabulary, pronunciation, and critical thinking skills. H3: Listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students comprehend and analyze the lecture.- Explain how these activities develop students' listening, note-taking, and summarizing skills. H3: Post-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students consolidate and apply their learning.- Explain how these activities develop students' speaking, writing, and research skills. H2: Unit 3: The Silk Road H3: Lecture Topic and Objectives - Summarize the main idea and key points of the lecture on the history and significance of the Silk Road.- List the learning objectives and skills practiced in this unit. H3: Pre-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students activate their prior knowledge and prepare for listening.- Explain how these activities develop students' vocabulary, pronunciation, and critical thinking skills. H3: Listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students comprehend and analyze the lecture.- Explain how these activities develop students' listening, note-taking, and summarizing skills. H3: Post-listening Activities - Describe the activities that help students consolidate and apply their learning.- Explain how these activities develop students' speaking, writing, and research skills. H2: Conclusion - Recapitulate the main points and benefits of Contemporary Topics 2.- Provide some suggestions for further study and practice.- Invite feedback from readers. Table 2: Article with HTML formatting Introduction
If you are a student of English as a second language who wants to improve your listening, speaking, and note-taking skills in academic settings, you might be interested in Contemporary Topics 2. This is a book that accompanies a series of lectures on relevant contemporary topics drawn from a range of academic disciplines. The lectures are available on CD and DVD, and they were filmed in realistic academic settings before live student audiences.
Contemporary Topics 2 Script
Contemporary Topics 2 is designed to help you prepare for the challenge of college lectures by practicing a wide range of skills and strategies. Each unit consists of four main sections: pre-listening, listening, post-listening, and expansion. In each section, you will find various activities that will help you activate your prior knowledge, comprehend and analyze the lecture, consolidate and apply your learning, and expand your knowledge and skills. You will also find useful tips, feedback, and self-assessment tools throughout the book.
The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of the content and features of Contemporary Topics 2, and to show you how it can help you achieve your learning goals. We will focus on three units from the book: Unit 1: What's in a Name?, Unit 2: English: A Global Language?, and Unit 3: The Silk Road. For each unit, we will summarize the lecture topic and objectives, and describe the main activities and skills practiced in each section. We hope that this article will inspire you to explore Contemporary Topics 2 further and to use it as a valuable resource for your studies.
Unit 1: What's in a Name?
Lecture Topic and Objectives
The lecture for this unit is about personal names and their meanings. The lecturer, Professor David Crystal, is a linguist who specializes in the study of language and communication. He explains how names are chosen, how they change over time, and how they reflect different aspects of culture and identity. He also gives some examples of interesting and unusual names from different countries and periods of history.
The learning objectives for this unit are:
To identify the main idea and supporting details of the lecture.
To recognize the organization and transitions of the lecture.
To take notes using symbols, abbreviations, and outlines.
To use your notes to answer questions and summarize the lecture.
Pre-listening Activities
The pre-listening activities for this unit are designed to help you activate your prior knowledge and prepare for listening. They include:
A warm-up activity that asks you to brainstorm some common names in your country and their meanings.
A vocabulary preview that introduces you to some key words and phrases from the lecture.
A pronunciation practice that helps you improve your stress and intonation patterns.
A critical thinking activity that encourages you to express your opinions and preferences about names.
These activities will help you develop your vocabulary, pronunciation, and critical thinking skills, which are essential for effective listening and communication.
Listening Activities
The listening activities for this unit are designed to help you comprehend and analyze the lecture. They include:
A pre-listening prediction that asks you to guess what the lecturer will talk about based on the title and some pictures.
A first-time listening that asks you to listen for the main idea and the main points of the lecture.
A second-time listening that asks you to listen for more details and examples, and to take notes using symbols, abbreviations, and outlines.
A post-listening comprehension check that asks you to use your notes to answer some questions about the lecture.
A post-listening summary that asks you to use your notes to write a brief summary of the lecture.
These activities will help you develop your listening, note-taking, and summarizing skills, which are vital for academic success.
Post-listening Activities
The post-listening activities for this unit are designed to help you consolidate and apply your learning. They include:
A speaking activity that asks you to work in pairs or groups to discuss some questions related to the lecture topic.
A writing activity that asks you to write a paragraph about your own name or a name that interests you.
A research activity that asks you to find out more information about names from different sources.
These activities will help you develop your speaking, writing, and research skills, which are important for expressing yourself clearly and persuasively.
Unit 2: English: A Global Language?
Lecture Topic and Objectives
The lecture for this unit is about the spread and diversity of English around the world. The lecturer, Professor David Crystal, is a linguist who specializes in the study of language and communication. He explains how English became a global language, how it varies in different regions and contexts, and how it influences and is influenced by other languages. He also discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of having a global language, and some of the challenges and opportunities for learners of English as a second language.
The learning objectives for this unit are:
To identify the main idea and supporting details of the lecture.
To recognize the organization and transitions of the lecture.
To take notes using symbols, abbreviations, and outlines.
Unit 3: The Silk Road
Lecture Topic and Objectives
The lecture for this unit is about the history and significance of the Silk Road. The lecturer, Professor Valerie Hansen, is a historian who specializes in the study of China and Central Asia. She explains how the Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected different regions and civilizations from ancient times to the modern era. She also describes some of the goods, people, ideas, and diseases that traveled along the Silk Road, and how they influenced the cultures and societies of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
The learning objectives for this unit are:
To identify the main idea and supporting details of the lecture.
To recognize the organization and transitions of the lecture.
To take notes using symbols, abbreviations, and outlines.
To use your notes to answer questions and summarize the lecture.
Pre-listening Activities
The pre-listening activities for this unit are designed to help you activate your prior knowledge and prepare for listening. They include:
A warm-up activity that asks you to brainstorm some items that you would like to buy or sell on the Silk Road.
A vocabulary preview that introduces you to some key words and phrases from the lecture.
A pronunciation practice that helps you improve your stress and intonation patterns.
A critical thinking activity that encourages you to compare and contrast different modes of transportation on the Silk Road.
These activities will help you develop your vocabulary, pronunciation, and critical thinking skills, which are essential for effective listening and communication.
Listening Activities
The listening activities for this unit are designed to help you comprehend and analyze the lecture. They include:
A pre-listening prediction that asks you to guess what the lecturer will talk about based on the title and some pictures.
A first-time listening that asks you to listen for the main idea and the main points of the lecture.
A second-time listening that asks you to listen for more details and examples, and to take notes using symbols, abbreviations, and outlines.
A post-listening comprehension check that asks you to use your notes to answer some questions about the lecture.
A post-listening summary that asks you to use your notes to write a brief summary of the lecture.
These activities will help you develop your listening, note-taking, and summarizing skills, which are vital for academic success.
Post-listening Activities
The post-listening activities for this unit are designed to help you consolidate and apply your learning. They include:
A speaking activity that asks you to work in pairs or groups to discuss some questions related to the lecture topic.
A writing activity that asks you to write a paragraph about one of the goods, people, ideas, or diseases that traveled on the Silk Road.
A research activity that asks you to find out more information about one of the regions or civilizations connected by the Silk Road.
These activities will help you develop your speaking, writing, and research skills, which are important for expressing yourself clearly and persuasively.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Contemporary Topics 2 is a book that can help you improve your listening, speaking, and note-taking skills in academic settings. It provides you with authentic lectures on relevant contemporary topics drawn from a range of academic disciplines. It also provides you with various activities that help you activate your prior knowledge, comprehend and analyze the lectures, consolidate and apply your learning, and expand your knowledge and skills. By using Contemporary Topics 2, you will be able to prepare yourself for the challenge of college lectures and achieve your learning goals.
If you are interested in learning more about Contemporary Topics 2, you can visit its website at , where you can find more information about the book and its components, as well as additional resources and materials. You can also contact us at if you have any questions or feedback about Contemporary Topics 2. We would love to hear from you!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Contemporary Topics 2:
Q: How can I access the lectures on CD and DVD?A: You can buy the CD and DVD separately, or you can buy the book with the CD and DVD included. You can also access the lectures online at by using the access code that comes with the book.
Q: How long are the lectures?A: The lectures are about 15 to 20 minutes long, depending on the topic and the level of difficulty.
Q: How many units are there in Contemporary Topics 2?A: There are 12 units in Contemporary Topics 2, each covering a different topic and discipline.
Q: What are the other levels of Contemporary Topics?A: There are three levels of Contemporary Topics: Level 1 is for low-intermediate students, Level 2 is for high-intermediate students, and Level 3 is for advanced students.
Q: Who are the lecturers in Contemporary Topics 2?A: The lecturers in Contemporary Topics 2 are professors and experts from various universities and institutions in the United States and around the world. They are all experienced and qualified in their fields of study.
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