Sample exams

Hi there!
My colleague Mª José has published this wonderful compilation of NI2 sample exams (from other regions in Spain). So check it out and do the practice! 

Health and Medicine

Dear All,

In the next weeks, we'll do a unit on health and medicine. So here's a vocabulary sheet that will complement the vocabulary in your book. Let me ask you to do it as homework ;-)

Vocabulary related to work

Dear All,

here's a vocabulary sheet you have to complete for Wednesday and Thursday as homework.

Click to enlarge

Getting ready for oral exams - Monologues

Dear All, 

Once we have studied the structure of a monologue and the strategies you can use to develop it correctly, I suggest you prepare these two monologues.

Step 1 - are you ready to speak about the topics with sufficient and appropriate vocabulary?
Step 2 - set a time limit of two minutes and organise your ideas in your head
Step 3 - Make sure you start with an introductory sentence that will make clear what you're going to talk about
Step 4 - develop your ideas conscienciously, that is, don't rush from one idea to the next. Develop each idea fully and with examples.
Step 5 - Make sure you make transitions from one part to the next (remember the chain or sewing image). Those transitions should be marked by appropriate connectors. You shouldn't read the points on the card you're given as if they were independent parts.
Step 6 -  Try to finish with a good concluding sentence. Do not add new ideas in the conclusion. The conclusion should summarise the ideas you have developed, preferably with different words.

Remember to record yourself (minimum time: 3 mins; maximum: 4 mins). 

Listening Comprehension

Spring is coming in my terrace

Dear All,
I may have said it only in one of my groups, but this homework was intended for both groups. So here's the task: 
- Page 52 of your book: Do the vocabulary exercises A and B
- Page 53, Exercise A (7.2 Listening): Read the statements and match them to the texts you hear. There is one you will not need. (Exam-like)

Text 1 
Text 2
Text 3
Text 4
Text 5

And have a nice sunny weekend! 

Word missing

I'm sorry but there is a word missing in the cloze text I gave you as homework for next week...

Here's the sentence and the word missing (underlined):

"It ___[4]___ seem improbable, but he says we can build up our muscles simply ___[5]____ thinking about exercise."

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!

Listening to the news

Dear All, 

this is listening comprehension homework for Christmas. Go to page 28 of your Student's Book and read the social issues listed in Exercise A. Then, click on this link and listen to the news twice. You have to match the pieces of news with one of the headings (social issues). There are five social issues you will not hear about. 

You can also do Exercises B and D on that page, and check the transcript of the news on page 167.

Dear Mo. & Wed. Class,

I'm sorry I forgot to assign some homework for next Monday. I meant to ask you to read the text on page 30 and do exercises A and C on that page.

Have a nice weekend!

City vocabulary

Dear NI2,

here's a handout with vocabulary exercises that I'm setting as homework for next week. We'll correct the exercises and use the vocab in class!

Writing assignment

Hi!
Here's the writing assignment for next week (Wed. 6th & Thurs. 7th Nov.):

Write an email to a friend/relative telling them about a book/film you've recently read/seen and that you would recommend (or not).
Write between 125-150 words. 

Remember to use appropriate opening and closing formulas and to use the 4-paragraph structure we saw in class. Here's a handout elaborated by another teacher that can help you learn useful vocabulary and expressions. (Thanks to Saro Rosales!)

Ashes

Remember that you have to invent a (spoken, not written) story for the painting we saw in class, by Edvard Munch. It's called "Ashes". It was assigned as homework for Wednesday and Thursday. 

For the Tuesday and Thursday group, this homework is postponed for Tuesday 29th October, since there's a state-wide call for strike to defend public education for Thursday 24th October. 

Grammar Review and Key to exercises

Hi!
This is the grammar review worksheet we've done in class. The key is also included. The homework for this weekend is checking the grammar points you had problems with. If you don't have a grammar book, you can always surf the Internet to find online exercises and explanations on those points. (I think it's better to always have a grammar book at hand ;-)

NI2 - Arguments

Dear NI2,
here's the audio file for exercise 4 on page 58. As I told you, listen once and tick the tips the psychologist mentioned. The second time you listen, complete the gaps in sentences 1-8. The key will be in the comment section tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend!

NI2 - Listening practice

Hi there!
Here's the audio file for the homework I asked you to do yesterday. Once you've read the text titled "Japan's children play safe", listen to the interview and fill in the gaps (p. 47 of your book).
You can check the answers in the comment section below.

Speaking Practice

Dear NI2, 
here's the link to four cards on some of the topics we've studied in class so far. Choose one and get ready for a mini presentation (3-4 minutes) you'll have to do next Wednesday. Work on the vocabulary (of course, pronunciation included), the grammatical constructions, the structure of your text, the linkers you will use to connect the different parts of your presentation.

And have a wonderful long weekend!

NI2 - Reading

Dear NI2,

here's a suggestion of something you can do while there's no substitute teacher (and continue doing when s/he replaces me): you can read an original novel, which can be challenging but quite rewarding once you've done it! 
The title of the novel I'm proposing is A Love for Life, by Penny Hancock (Cambridge English Readers, Level 6). The book comes with three CDs. I'm sure you can find it in the big stores, but also in the small ones in the neighbourhood if you order it for the whole class. 
We'll do some activities and discuss the book towards the middle of December, hopefully ;-)

Revision - Question formation

Dear NI2!
Here's some homework for the weekend!