TABLE 1. Enrolment statistics at Coral University

subject	2000-2001		2006-2007
	men	women	men	women
arts	495	989	560	1020
medicine & dentistry	154	186	ВО	250
information technology	108	72	145	86
engineering & technology	245	119	264	125
law	300	103	558	196
economics & commerce	461	466	467	406

 

Ex. 2. Look at TABLE 1 in detail. Read the text about changing trends at Coral University. Complete paragraphs В and C with words and phrases from the box.

just over nearly the same just under three-quarters twice as many

 

TEXT 2. Changing trends

 There has been an overall rise in the numbers of students enrolling in higher education in the last twenty years. The subjects chosen by students reflect trends in the job market as well as changes in the students' fields of interest and research.

Figure 4 shows the numbers of students enrolled at Coral University for the years 2000-2001 and 2006-2007, according to subjects studied. For the academic year 2000-2001, the most popular subjects for both men and women were in the arts, with __________ 500 men and approximately __________ women studying these subjects. In economics and commerce the numbers of men and women were almost __________. However, engineering and technology were more popular with male students, with only 119 women, compared with 245 men choosing these subjects. Information technology was also more popular with men, with 108 male and 72 female students, and in law just under __________ of the total number were men.

The academic year 2006-2007 saw a general increase in student numbers, as most faculties registered a rise in enrolments. For example, the number of men studying IT rose from 108 in 2000 to  __________ 140 in 2006, and numbers studying law rose to over 350 men and __________ 200 women. There were some decreases. The number of men studying medicine and dentistry dropped to 130, and the number of women studying economics and commerce also fell by 60, to 406.

It is predicted that this increase in student numbers and changing trends in subject choice will continue over the coming years. Universities will expand to receive these growing numbers, and new faculties will open.

 

Vocabulary.

Language for describing graph, charts, and statistics

 

Ex. 1. Write the words from the box in the table.

go up soar plummet decline increase rocket level out stabilize fluctuate go down grow plunge reach a peak decrease

 

rise	fall	stay the same	change frequently	peak

 

Ex. 2. The graphs (A-F) below show the prices of six different companies over the period of one week. Match each graph to the correct description (1 -6). Use a dictionary if necessary.

 

1. There was a steady increase in the share price for the first four days but then it levelled off at the end of the week.

2. For the first four days, the share price showed only slight fluctuations but there was a sharp fall at the end of the week

3. The share price reached a peak in the middle of the week.

4. The share price dipped slightly in the middle of the week but then showed signs of recovery after that.

5. The share price showed a downward trend throughout the week.

6. For the first four days, the share price showed only slight changes, but then it rose dramatically at the end of the week.

 

GRAMMAR RULE: Trends can be described using a verb plus an adverb like this: e.g. The share price rose dramatically. The same idea can be expressed using an adjective and a noun: e.g. There was a dramatic rise in the share price.

Ex. 3. Form nouns from the following verbs: to rise, to fall, to increase, to decrease, to dip, to fluctuate, to recover.

Ex. 4. Form adverbs from the following adjectives: slight, sharp, gradual, steady, dramatic, noticeable.

Ex. 5. Complete the table with the adjective + noun phrases.

verb + adverb	adjective + noun
rose dramatically fell substantially increased considerably dropped slightly decreased noticeably grew marginally declined steadily

 

Ex. 6. Which adjectives and adverbs in the above exercise describe a large change and which describe a small change?

e.g. substantially/substantial = a large change