Culture Shock

Hi!

The Tu. & Thurs. group couldn't listen to this programme about culture shock. Read the questions on page 47 and make notes to answer them. 
When you are done with the listening, think about a time when you experienced culture shock, and prepare a mini presentation where you describe what happened and the stages you went through. 
Next week, you'll do your presentations to each other or to the class.

Have a nice weekend!

Personality Adjectives

Hi everybody!
In yesterday's class we looked at the structure and characteristics of a personal statement. One of the things you have to do in such a text is "sell yourself". So here's a list of personality adjectives, which is meant to help you choose those you could use to describe yourself. You don't have to learn all of them, of course!

Modifiers and adjectives

A couple of links to practice a bit more with gradable and non-gradable adjectives:
1) exercise
2) explanation

Getting ready for oral exams - Interaction

Dear All,

"Conversation", by Jason Schultz

here's the first part of the strategies you could use to prepare for oral exams. For any topic we deal with in class, or for any topic of the possible ones included in the curriculum for your level, you should try to imagine situations where you have to speak about the topic.

Step 1 - brainstorm vocabulary about the topic (make sure you don't use the same vocab. you could have used two years ago).
Step 2 - brainstorm questions and answers you could make / give in that situation. Make sure that you can orally phrase questions with all their elements and in the correct order. Here's the example I showed you in class.
Step 3 - make sure you know appropriate structures to fulfil different functions (suggesting, comparing, giving opinions, reacting to suggestions, agreeing with people, disagreeing, describing, expressing lack of understanding, asking for clarifications, etc.)
Step 4 - meet a classmate (or find somebody at home or among your friends) you can practise with. Set a time limit between 4-5 minutes to rehearse this interaction task. Record the conversation.
Step 5 - listen to your recording and be your own examiner. Pay attention to the grammar (verb tenses, concord, lack of subjects, etc), vocabulary, functional phrases you used, pronunciation, whether you interrupted your partner, whether you followed up on your partner's questions / statements.

Give this a go and let me know how you feel about it. 

Job or Work?

I keep posting this entry with an exercise to differentiate between "job" and "work"... 
Check it out here

June and September exams

Dear NI2,

I've just received the dates for the written parts of the June and September exams:

2 June 2014, at 15:45

11 Septemeber 2014, at 15:45

We still have to do the complete calendar with the dates for the oral part. I'll keep you informed.

Despite / In spite of / Although / Even though

Dear All,
since this is something many of you seem to have problems with, here's a link to some "despite / in spite of" exercises to help you understand and form correct sentences using these prepositions.
Then you can also check another link to the conjunctions "although / even though / even if"

Happy Valentine's! - All Shook Up

Blogger betrayed me last weekend, because they didn't publish my programmed entries... A bit late to post this now, but anyway...

How do you feel when you're in love? Do any of the things Elvis mentions in the song happen to you? You can leave your comments with more being-in-love signals

Ruth and Idgie

Warning: this video may not be suitable for delicate sensibilities (like my partner's) ;-)

Listen to this video about Idgie and Ruth and decide whether the sentences below are true or false. The answers are in the comments:

1. The cat (Ruth) and the dog (Idgie) were found in a trash can

2. The dog shares everything she gets with the cat

3. The cat protects the dog against other dogs

4. At the centre, they're waiting for somebody to adopt Ruth and Idgie

5. Customers wanted to buy Ruth and Idgie to give them as Christmas gifts

Relax after your exams!

Video Contest

Dear All,

Click to enlarge

here's the poster for the video contest I told you about. Have you started thinking about your individual or group proposals?

Narcissus and Cupid

Hi there!
Here's a short by La Tramoya acting company, the only exception I make to publish in Spanish in this blog ;-)

Congratulations, Almudena, on the great job you do!
You can see these fabulous actors at the Plot Point theatre. Check their programme!

Verb patterns

Hi!

Here's a Michael Jordan quote with interesting verb patterns:

want + object + to infinitive
wish + subject + would + infinitive
make + object + bare infinitive