Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 43 to 50.

What does it take to graduate from university with a First?

Mark McArdle, first-class degree holder from the University of Lancaster, tells how he did it.

Don’t spend too much time at the student lounge, do turn up for most lectures and tutorials and do submit all coursework - eventually. That, I was told by a PhD student during freshers’ week, was all I needed to do to get a 2:2. For a 2:1, I’d require a better attendance record and have to work harder, but not at the expense of being cut off from civilization. And for a First I would have to become some sort of social outcast, go to even lecture and tutorial (scribbling notes madly), spend every waking moment immersed in academic books, and be among the last to be thrown out of the university library at 10 pm closing time.

Well, I did not give up my life for study. I didn't attend every lecture and tutorial. I didn’t write down every word spoken in lectures. I didn’t get 80% or more in every essay, project, test or exam. I was usually behind with my reading and occasionally mystified by the syllabus. Sometimes I couldn't be bothered to go to university and stayed at home instead. But I always knew where I was what I had to do and what not to bother with. And I always worked hard on the things that counted: assignments and exams.

Getting a degree is about learning, but it isn’t just about learning biology, history, English or whatever. It’s about understanding what you need to succeed - what, in fact, the university

wants from you and what you will get in return. You have to have a feel for the education market and really sell your inspirations, what does the lecturer want? what is the essay marker searching for? Some students try to offer something not wanted. Others want to give very little - they steal the thoughts of others and submit them as their own. But they all want to be rewarded. Exchange, but don’t steal, and you’ll get a degree.

I could guarantee every book on my reading list was out on long loan from the university library within five seconds of the list being issued. This was worrying at first, but I quickly learned that it was impossible to read all of the books on an average reading list anyway. I sought shortcuts. Collections of selected readings or journal articles were excellent sources that often saved me the bother of reading the original texts. References in books dragged me all over the place but with all the courses I had to do, there wasn't enough time to be dragged too far. I would flick through the book, read the introduction, note any summaries, look at diagrams, skim the index, and read any conclusions. I plucked out what was needed and made my escape.

I revised by discarding subject areas I could not face revising, reading, compiling notes, and then condensing them onto one or two sheets of A4 for each subject area. Leading up to the exam, I would concentrate on just the condensed notes and rely on my memory to drag out the detail behind them when the time came. I didn’t practice writing exam questions, although it was recommended. I prefer to be spontaneous and open-minded. I don't want pre-formed conclusions filling my mind.

And nor should you; there is no secret to getting a First - this is just an account of how I got my First. Be a happy student by striking the right balance between working and enjoying yourself. Take what you do seriously and do your best. And, no matter what you do don’t forget to appreciate every day of your university studies: it is one of the greatest periods of your life.

Glossary:

University degree classifications in the UK:

- First class

- Upper second (2:1)

- Lower second (2:2)

- Third class (3)

The PhD students who spoke to the writer____________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.

“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”

If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.

“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”

If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.

“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”

If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.

“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”

If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.

“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”

If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.

His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.

Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.

The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.

His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.

Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.

The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.

His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.

Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.

The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.

His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.

Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.

The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.

His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.

Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.

The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.