International Students NZ

Today’s picture: Transparent wave – Christchurch Art Gallery

Part 1: Today's word

Transparent means ‘see-through’. So for example, some elevators have transparent walls so that people don’t feel too claustrophobic inside them and it’s common to wrap food in transparent plastic film so that you can see what is inside. We also use transparent for processes which are completely open and public. So, it’s important that promotion is a transparent process, so that everyone can see that it’s fair. Transparency has become one of the major objectives of democratic systems.

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 new rules, though transparent, were rather vague and difficult to interpret.

The new material is as transparent as glass, but warmer to the touch and with greater strength and flexibility.

The new system provides for efficient and transparent access to the decision-making process.

Her dress was certainly eye-catching, particularly as it became virtually transparent in the light of the sun.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

How transparent is the grading of your university assignments and exams?

Do you believe Government has become more transparent as a result of new technology?

Part 4: Phrasal Verb Review

Is this theme catching ___ ?

Kraft developed a competition where people had to come ___ with a name for their new snack.

The company chose the best four flavours and then had to work ____ how to manufacture them.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which team does New Zealand need to beat in Wellington on November 14th in order to reach the Soccer World Cup finals for the first time in over 25 years?
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Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian radio with Professor Angelina Rousseau from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. She discusses the new phenomenon of crowd-sourcing and its implications for the field of design

Vocabulary for the article:

backlash

Questions for the article:

1) What mistake did Kraft make in the launch of their new product i-snack 2.0?

Failure to use crowd-sourcing to elicit feedback before launching the product
Their use of crowd-sourcing to select the original name
Lack of promotion of the new product

2) How did Kraft deal with the negative feedback after the launch?

They withdrew the product from the market
They used traditional methods to produce the new name
They used crowd-sourcing again to select a new name

3) Smiths use of crowd-sourcing was more ...

short-term
logical
transparent

4) These two examples support which approach to design?

participatory
traditional
post-modern

5) What is new about crowd-sourcing in design?

It includes audience participation
It provides a public forum for the development of new design
It uses media in the creative process

6) Professor Rousseau argues that designers need greater knowledge management skills to respond to a more ...

technologically-advanced customer base
creative solution to technological problems
demand-driven market

7) What is the response of the design community to crowd-sourcing?

suspicious
enthusiastic
mixed

Today’s news story:
Hunger to Learn: Girls going back to school in the Swat Valley, Pakistan

Today’s Video suggestion:
I’m looking through you by The Beatles
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