International Students NZ

Today’s picture: Watch your speed on the luge track in Queenstown, NZ

Part 1: Today's word

A correlation between two sets of data means that there is an association between them. For example, there is a strong positive correlation between motivation and academic performance. This means the higher the motivation, the higher the results. On the other hand there is a negative correlation between hours of part time work and academic performance. This means that the more hours a student works in a part-time job, the lower their academic performance tends to be. If the sets of data are weakly correlated, it means that the correlation is still significant (because it’s not simply a matter of chance), but the effect is not very strong. If you are conducting quantitative research, you’ll need to show both the strength and the significance levels of any correlation you investigate.

Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing.

Part 2: Test

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

The researchers found a strong negative correlation between offending and the number of friends a person has.

This comprehensive research project confirmed the strong correlation between diet and life expectancy.

Research into the correlation of the disaster and its long-term effects is continuing.

Previous studies have found only a weak correlation between English language proficiency and performance at university.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you see a clear correlation between the amount of effort you put into your studies and the grades you achieve?

Do you believe that income and satisfaction are strongly correlated?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

put your foot in it/ your mouth
make a blunder
I really put my foot in it when I started making fun of him. I didn’t know your mum was his biggest fan !

bear fruit
show tangible results
I hope that our research will begin to bear fruit before the end of the year.

give up the ghost
stop working
I think that old photocopier is about to give up the ghost.

give it a shot / a whirl
try
I’m not really a singer, but everyone wanted me to sing a traditional English song, so I decided to give it a shot.

give as good as you get
not be easily beaten
She looks pretty timid, but believe me, when the going gets tough, she can give as good as she gets.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How many bolts of lightning hit the north of New Zealand in last night’s storm?

Read more about the storm here

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a short report about a study into the effects of having such a low driving age in New Zealand.

Vocabulary for the listening:

shed light
information overload

Questions for the listening:

1) How many participants are there in this Otago University study?

2) Is it a longitudinal study?

3) What particular correlation are they investigating? d age and crash

4) What takes place when the researchers find out one of the participants has been involved in a crash?

5) Is there anywhere in North America where the driving age is lower than in New Zealand?

6) How much more likely are teenage drivers to be involved in a crash than middle aged drivers? up to 7

7) What two changes are going to be considered by Parliament later this year?

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
Fun Fun Fun by the Beach Boys
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