Homework for Christmas

Dear All, 

although I've already told you in class, let me remind you here of what I expect you to do during the holidays:

- The listening exercise I posted below. (Attention to and study of vocabulary included, of course).

- The cloze text I gave you in a handout. (It's a text about shopping malls).

- The composition I asked you to write (letter of complaint), for which you have a model text in a handout and in your Student's Book (pp. 122-123). Remember to use the structure of the model text, appropriate opening and closing formulas, the right level of formality and politeness, and correct grammatical structures combining active and passive sentences.

- The Review for Units 1-4 (starting on p. 32). This will allow you to revise the vocabulary, grammar, and functional language we have studied so far.

- Speaking: you can practise alone (preparing a 3-minute presentation) or with somebody who speaks English at home (role-playing a conversation). Here are some possible topics:

1. For a presentation:
- Work (current situation - what people have to do - possible solutions to unemployment)
- Learning languages (why - how to do it best - personal experience)
- Gadgets / Technology (advantages and disadvantages of using them - personal experience)
- Social networks (people's use of themn noawadays - pros and cons of using them - personal experience)
- Health (things or situations that affect people's health - what you do to keep healthy - how important health is)
- Travel (how and how much people travel nowadays - positive things about travelling - personal experience)
- Saving energy (alternative energy sources - how much energy we use at home - ways we can save energy)

2. For conversation, talk about:

- Looking for an English course abroad
- a friend who's just been left by their partner
- a friend who's just been made redundant and needs to find another job
- how consumerism affects people's lives
- a friend who's decided to volunteer abroad
- how fashion and beauty standards affect women's (and men's) lives

- Reading the novel we set as reading material at the beginning of the course: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which we will comment on at the end of January.

I know it's quite a good amount of homework ;-) But this is Intermediate 2, and you'll have a Certificate exam by the end of the year...

Well, for now... Merry Christmas to you all!