Functions and notions Level 3 - Pearson Test of English

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consequences for the command of discourse strategies needed by the learners. lexicon Learners’ progress after Threshold Level is marked by increasing individualisation and, consequently, divergence. While a common core may be distinguished in the development of their general foreign language ability their freedom to choose themes for higher level treatment to suit their own interests rules out any attempt on our part to predict exactly what specific notions and what exponents may be particularly useful to them, beyond, of course, those already included in the Threshold level specification. What we can say with certainty is that, in order to carry out the tasks described for Vantage Level adequately, the learners will need to have a command of vocabulary that allows them to express themselves precisely and with some subtlety and to understand others doing so while being sensitive to shades of meaning, implications and overtones. This will imply a certain command of synonyms (different exponents for one and the same specific notion) and familiarity with situational (formal, informal, slang, etc.) and attitudinal features of vocabulary items (humorous, derogatory, etc.). All this means that the learners’ command of vocabulary will have to be much greater at Vantage Level than it was at Threshold Level. In fact, vocabulary extension may well constitute the greater part of the learning-load required to pass from the earlier level to the present one. We may give an indication of the scope of the vocabulary extension required by considering, for instance, the list of exponents recommended in Threshold level 1990 for theme 14, ‘weather’. The list for this comparatively simple theme contains the following items only: – climate – fog – storm – weather – foggy – gale – sun – mist – thunderstorm In order to deal with this theme at Vantage Level the following additional items will be by no means superfluous (and, please note that this list may be easily expanded, that it contains no items which are far-fetched, outlandish or in any other way unusual, and that most of them occur regularly in, for instance, the daily weather forecasts of the B.B.C.): – moon – star – planet – temperature – drizzle – to drizzle – to pour (with rain) – shower – dense (fog) – visibility – snowflake – hail – black ice – frosty – thaw – sunny – snow – snowstorm – sunshine – to snow – lightning – to shine – ice – to thaw – breeze – windy – blustery – severe (gale) – hurricane – blizzard – thunder – bright – cloud – cloudy – overcast – dull – unsettled – murky – fine – rain – frost – mild – rainy – to freeze – shade – to rain – wind – muggy – close (adj.) – humid – humidity – chill – chilly – weather forecast – low pressure – high pressure – anticyclone – isobar – global warming – ozone layer – pollen count – air pollution Several further relevant items may be regarded as exponents of general notice such as hot, cold, dry, wet, and, regrettably, terrible, atrocious, and even diabolical. Note that the above list is here given as a quantitative indication. It is not suggested that learners should necessarily draw up such lists, or should be provided with them, for the themes chosen by them. Whether this may be considered useful or not is a matter of pedagogical views and individual learning-habits. 22
Because the target-group for Vantage Level is essentially the same as that for Threshold Level it is likely that many learners may wish to expand their communicative ability particularly with regard to certain themes of general interest that were included in Threshold level. As noted before, it is likely, however, that learners may wish to be able to deal with other themes as well. It is, of course, not feasible to provide specific guidance for every conceivable additional or alternative theme. By way of exemplification we confine ourselves to the further presentation of one possible additional theme, namely that of ‘religion’. In the Threshold Level list this occurs only as a sub-theme of ‘personal identification’. As a separate theme for Vantage Level, however, the requirements will be higher. The ‘task’ may be formulated as: “The learners can refer to major religions and religious practices; they can engage in discussions on these matters and give their own views, accounting for them as may be required.” However, the degree of skill envisaged for a Vantage Level theme will make it necessary to consider also items such as the following: – (to) worship, worshipper – (to) pray, prayer – sermon – mass, church service, ceremony – altar – churchyard – cross – choir – clergyman, imam – monk, monastery – nun, convent – prophet – angel, devil – saint – heaven, hell – holy, sacred – bible, gospel, testament, Koran, Talmud – sect – (to) sin – pilgrim, pilgrimage – crusade, crusader – Christmas, Easter, Whitsuntide – Church of England – Anglican – Presbyterian 23
Page 1: PTE GENERAL Functions and notions L
Page 4 and 5: • manner - manner adverbs - manne
Page 6 and 7: expressing modality • expressing
Page 8 and 9: • enquiring about like and dislik
Page 10 and 11: The learner CAN decide on and manag
Page 12 and 13: The learner CAN socialise • attra
Page 14 and 15: • asking someone’s opinion - Wh
Page 16 and 17: General Notions General notions for
Page 18 and 19: • continuity - present continuous
Page 20 and 21: • discovery, non-discovery - to d
Page 22 and 23: Topic-related tasks and lexicon per

Functions and notions Level 3 - Pearson Test of English

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