Unit 18: Learner differences (1): age

Question 1

What does indistinguishable mean?

Answer 1

Indistinguishable means things that’re so alike that it’s difficult to tell the difference between them.

Question 2

What does the critical period hypothesis (CPH) suggest?

Answer 2

The critical period hypothesis (CPH) suggests that there’s a specific window of time during which it’s crucial to learn certain skills, and if missed, it becomes more difficult to acquire them later in life.

Question 3

What does it mean to be in an immersion situation?

Answer 3

To be in an immersion situation means to completely surround yourself with and engage in an environment to gain a thorough and firsthand experience.

Question 4

What’s a firsthand experience?

Answer 4

A firsthand experience is when you directly encounter something yourself, rather than hearing about it from others.

Question 5

What’s an immersion course?

Answer 5

An immersion course is a learning experience where participants completely surround themselves with a new language or skill, engaging in it intensively to enhance their proficiency.

Question 6

What’s cognition?

Answer 6

Cognition is the mental process of acquiring knowledge through thoughts, experiences and perceptions.

Question 7

What’s implicit learning?

Answer 7

Implicit learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills without conscious awareness, often through exposure and experience.

Question 8

What’s self-restraint?

Answer 8

Self-restraint is the ability to control one’s own impulses, emotions or actions, especially in challenging situations.

Question 9

What does intrinsic interest value refer to?

Answer 9

Intrinsic interest value refers to the inherent appeal that something has to an individual, without relying on external motivations.

Question 10

What’s Creative Commons?

Answer 10

Creative Commons is a licensing system that allows creators to easily share their work with others, specifying the permissions for use, while retaining certain rights.

Question 11

What does it mean to be inartistic?

Answer 11

To be inartistic means to lack creativity or artistic skills.

Question 12

How’s to get on one’s feet typically used?

Answer 12

To get on one’s feet is typically used figuratively to describe overcoming challenges and becoming self-sufficient.

Question 13

What’s a folk tale?

Answer 13

A folk tale is a traditional story passed down through generations, often involving characters and events that teach moral lessons or explain cultural beliefs.

Question 14

What does to narrate mean?

Answer 14

To narrate means to tell a story or describe events in a clear way.

Question 15

What’s a top-down lecture?

Answer 15

A top-down lecture is when information is delivered in a hierarchical and one-way manner.

Question 16

What’s a doodle?

Answer 16

A doodle is a spontaneous and simple drawing made absentmindedly, often with abstract or random shapes.

Question 17

What does it mean to be absentminded?

Answer 17

To be absentminded means to do things without paying full attention or forgetting what you’re doing because your mind is elsewhere.

Question 18

What’s an onomatopoeic noise?

Answer 18

An onomatopoeic noise is a word that imitates the sound it represents. For example, “meow” is an onomatopoeic noise because it sounds like the actual sound a cat makes.

Question 19

What’s an acrostic poem?

Answer 19

An acrostic poem is a type of poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or message when read vertically.

Question 20

What’s a crescendo?

Answer 20

A crescendo is a gradual increase in loudness or intensity, like when the volume of music gets louder over time.

Question 21

What’s a diminuendo?

Answer 21

A diminuendo is a gradual decrease in loudness or intensity, like when the volume of music becomes quieter.

Question 22

What’s a tongue twister?

Answer 22

A tongue twister is a phrase with tricky, repeating sounds that can be hard to say quickly, like “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Question 23

What does choral work involve?

Answer 23

Choral work involves students learning and singing together as a choir, fostering teamwork and musical skills under the guidance of a music teacher.

Question 24

What does it mean to buffer?

Answer 24

To buffer means to temporarily store or hold data, like a video or music, to ensure smooth playback without interruptions or delays.

Question 25

What’s a screening?

Answer 25

A screening is a process of showing or evaluating something, such as a movie, to a specific audience for assessment purposes.

Question 26

What does it mean to be reluctant?

Answer 26

To be reluctant means to feel hesitant about doing something, showing a lack of eagerness.

Question 27

What does it mean to be eager?

Answer 27

To be eager means to feel excited and enthusiastic about doing something.

Question 28

What does unanimous mean?

Answer 28

Unanimous means everyone in a group agrees on the same thing without any disagreement.

Question 29

How’s on the whole used?

Answer 29

On the whole is used to summarise something, encompassing the entirety of a situation.

Question 30

What does it mean to encompass?

Answer 30

To encompass means to include everything within a particular range.

Question 31

What does it mean to be smartly dressed?

Answer 31

To be smartly dressed means to wear stylish clothing that gives a polished and well-groomed appearance.

Question 32

What does it mean to be indifferent?

Answer 32

To be indifferent means to show no particular interest or concern, indicating a lack of strong feelings.

Question 33

What’s cynicism?

Answer 33

Cynicism is a way of thinking where someone often doubts the sincerity of people and tends to believe that their actions are motivated by self-interest or dishonesty.

Question 34

What does general English cover?

Answer 34

General English covers the fundamental skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing for everyday communication and comprehension.

Question 35

What does it mean to be in-house?

Answer 35

To be in-house means to work directly for a company, like being an employee rather than a contractor or freelancer. For example, “Sarah is the in-house graphic designer for the marketing department, which means she works exclusively for the company rather than taking on external design projects.”

Question 36

What’s information technology (IT)?

Answer 36

Information technology (IT) is the use of computers and technology to store, process, transmit and manage information.

Question 37

What does it mean to transmit?

Answer 37

To transmit means to sent or communicate information from one place or person to another.

Question 38

What does vocational refer to?

Answer 38

Vacational refers to training that focuses on developing practical skills and knowledge directly related to a specific job.