Wednesday 17th December - we meet at Pub la Cantonada (c/ Fortuny) to have fun and learn with the Pub Quiz!
5th Level groups are The Brunettes Team, Els Tonyines, Animal Instinct, Yammy Yam.
Good luck to all of you!!
Tuesday, December 16
7.2. Going to extremes
- Listening & Class discussion: David Hewson's story in Danakil Depression (p.93)
- Vocabulary: Descriptive language (p. 94)
Remember the following expression for your descriptions! - spectacular landscape, permanent settlement, tourist site, below sea level, active volcano, ghost town, inhospitable land.
- Verbs followed by the infinitive or -ing form: some verbs can be followed by the infinitive or -ing form & sometimes the meaning changes (p.95)
. Going to the Danakil Depression means walking into hell on Earth = involves
. David meant to write a book after his trips = intends
. He remembers experiencing a feeling of emptiness when he arrived = a memory of the past
. They tell you ... to remember to drink even when you're not thirsty = responsibility
. I regret to inform you that your application for a visa has been turned down = formal apology
. I didn't regret going to the Danakil Depression = feeling of sadness in the past
- Vocabulary: Descriptive language (p. 94)
Remember the following expression for your descriptions! - spectacular landscape, permanent settlement, tourist site, below sea level, active volcano, ghost town, inhospitable land.
- Verbs followed by the infinitive or -ing form: some verbs can be followed by the infinitive or -ing form & sometimes the meaning changes (p.95)
. Going to the Danakil Depression means walking into hell on Earth = involves
. David meant to write a book after his trips = intends
. He remembers experiencing a feeling of emptiness when he arrived = a memory of the past
. They tell you ... to remember to drink even when you're not thirsty = responsibility
. I regret to inform you that your application for a visa has been turned down = formal apology
. I didn't regret going to the Danakil Depression = feeling of sadness in the past
Thursday, December 11
7.2. Going to extremes
- Revising vocabulary related to animals (extra material)
Did you know that... the blue whale has a heart which is as large as a car? / mice which are kept in laboratories will run up to 3.5 km a night on their wheels? / Hummingbirds are the only birds which can fly backwards?
- Speaking: pair and class discussion (p. 93)
What's the hottest place your have been to? What problems could you have visiting a very hot place?
Imagine you are taking a trip in the desert for a month? What would you take with you?
Wednesday, December 3
Homework - Reading
Read the about Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers.Summarise it in your own words & Express your opinion about the subject.
Deadline: 15th December
7.1. Animal Instinct
- Reading "How watching animals will save us" (p. 90)
Class discussion: do you believe in a 'sixth sense' or 'animal instinct'?
- Grammar point: Defining & non-defining relative clauses. (p. 91)
What's the difference between...
a) Monkeys whose DNA is similar to humans are often used in research into the brain.
b) Monkeys, whose DNA is similar to humans, are often used in research into the brain.
- Listening: 'explaining procedures' (p. 92)
- Pronunciation: weak prepositions (p. 92)
- Video Listening (in the language lab): Flu Vaccine & Obama, yes we can! (not in the book)
Class discussion: do you believe in a 'sixth sense' or 'animal instinct'?
- Grammar point: Defining & non-defining relative clauses. (p. 91)
What's the difference between...
a) Monkeys whose DNA is similar to humans are often used in research into the brain.
b) Monkeys, whose DNA is similar to humans, are often used in research into the brain.
- Listening: 'explaining procedures' (p. 92)
- Pronunciation: weak prepositions (p. 92)
- Video Listening (in the language lab): Flu Vaccine & Obama, yes we can! (not in the book)
Tuesday, December 2
Homework - Writing
Write a 'for and against' composition. (Deadline: 12th DECEMBER)
Choose from one of the following topics in unit 7 (p. 91):
- should hunting which is done only for sport and not for food be allowed?
- should zoos, which take animals from their natural habitat, be banned?
- should the Amazon Rainforest, which is being destroyed, be protected against industry?
- should the use of fur for clothing, about which there has been much debate in the fashion industry, be banned?
Proposed planning:
Paragraph 1 - Introduction (general view of the topic)
Paragraph 2 - Advantages (points for the situation)
Paragraph 3 - Disadvantages (points against the situation)
Paragraph 4 - Conclusion (general view and opinion)
Choose from one of the following topics in unit 7 (p. 91):
- should hunting which is done only for sport and not for food be allowed?
- should zoos, which take animals from their natural habitat, be banned?
- should the Amazon Rainforest, which is being destroyed, be protected against industry?
- should the use of fur for clothing, about which there has been much debate in the fashion industry, be banned?
Proposed planning:
Paragraph 1 - Introduction (general view of the topic)
Paragraph 2 - Advantages (points for the situation)
Paragraph 3 - Disadvantages (points against the situation)
Paragraph 4 - Conclusion (general view and opinion)
Monday, December 1
Unit 7. Nature
- Vocabulary and useful expressions related to animals (p. 89): fur trade, endangered, anmial testing, over-hunting.- Reading: "Catalan donkey makes a comeback" from Catalonia Today (Thursday, Nov. 20; p. 2)
- 7.1. Animal Instinct: Reading (p. 90) - Homework!!
Wednesday, November 26
Revising Unit 3
- Progress worksheet & Review and practice (p. 46)
- Telling a story in groups: "The new Goldilocks"
- Reminding stories (in groups)
- Getting ready for Unit 7!
- "Ironic" by Alanis Morrissette. Check the ironic situations A. Morrissette talks about at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccAs0hgLgYU
An old man ______ ninety-eight
He won the ______ and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a _____ row, pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you thinkIt's like rain on your _____ day
It's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it ______Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his ____ goodbye
He waited his _____ damn life to take that flight
And as the plane _____ down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."And isn't it ironic... don't you think
It's like rain on your _____ dayIt's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it ______
Well life has a funny way of ______ up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of ______ you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything _____ up In your face
A traffic _____ when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand ______ when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreamsAnd then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you thinkA little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...
It's like rain on your _____ dayIt's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't takeWho would've thought... it ______
Life has a funny way of _______ up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
- Telling a story in groups: "The new Goldilocks"
- Reminding stories (in groups)
- Getting ready for Unit 7!
- "Ironic" by Alanis Morrissette. Check the ironic situations A. Morrissette talks about at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccAs0hgLgYU
An old man ______ ninety-eight
He won the ______ and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a _____ row, pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you thinkIt's like rain on your _____ day
It's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it ______Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his ____ goodbye
He waited his _____ damn life to take that flight
And as the plane _____ down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."And isn't it ironic... don't you think
It's like rain on your _____ dayIt's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it ______
Well life has a funny way of ______ up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of ______ you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything _____ up In your face
A traffic _____ when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand ______ when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreamsAnd then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you thinkA little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...
It's like rain on your _____ dayIt's a free _____ when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't takeWho would've thought... it ______
Life has a funny way of _______ up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
Friday, November 21
3.3. Jokers
- Reading: “King of the Jokers: Groucho Marx” (p. 40)
Interesting vocabulary: stroke, painted-on moustache, a poll, run away.
- Grammar: Present and past participle clauses (p. 41)
. present participle: after conjunctions and prepositions; as the subject of a sentence
After suffering a stroke, Sarah died.
. past participle: adds extra information
Returned to national prominence, Groucho embarked on his solo film career.
. having + past participle: shows the cause of a second action
Having been left behind, Groucho had to work his way back home.
- Vocabulary: Humour
Revise expressions in p. 42: race, puns, cartoons, black humour, surreal, irony, exaggeration, satire.
- “Telling jokes”: listening and speaking (p.42)
- Vocabulary: Metaphors
Revise expressions in p. 43: following someone’s steps, dead-end situation, take off, reach a crosswords, feeling under the weather, having one’s sights set on something.
- Jokes and Idioms / Adjectives and Idioms (not in the book)
. “I once knew an acrobat who fell head over heals in love”
. “My mother-in-law keeps fit by jumping to conclusions”
. “If your wife insists on learning to drive, don’t stand in her way”
. “When Jenny saw the tombstone with the inscription: ‘Here lies the body of a politician and a honest man’ she wondered how they managed to get two people into the same grave”.
- Video listening (not in the book): "Beyond a joke"
Did you know that rats are also ticklish?
Interesting vocabulary: stroke, painted-on moustache, a poll, run away.
- Grammar: Present and past participle clauses (p. 41)
. present participle: after conjunctions and prepositions; as the subject of a sentence
After suffering a stroke, Sarah died.
. past participle: adds extra information
Returned to national prominence, Groucho embarked on his solo film career.
. having + past participle: shows the cause of a second action
Having been left behind, Groucho had to work his way back home.
- Vocabulary: Humour
Revise expressions in p. 42: race, puns, cartoons, black humour, surreal, irony, exaggeration, satire.
- “Telling jokes”: listening and speaking (p.42)
- Vocabulary: Metaphors
Revise expressions in p. 43: following someone’s steps, dead-end situation, take off, reach a crosswords, feeling under the weather, having one’s sights set on something.
- Jokes and Idioms / Adjectives and Idioms (not in the book)
. “I once knew an acrobat who fell head over heals in love”
. “My mother-in-law keeps fit by jumping to conclusions”
. “If your wife insists on learning to drive, don’t stand in her way”
. “When Jenny saw the tombstone with the inscription: ‘Here lies the body of a politician and a honest man’ she wondered how they managed to get two people into the same grave”.
- Video listening (not in the book): "Beyond a joke"
Did you know that rats are also ticklish?
Friday, November 14
Homework
- Describe a person you know or admire. (Deadline 19th November)
Proposed planning
. introduction: who is he/she - how you met
. main body: physical appearance and main personality traits.
. conclusion: how do you feel about that person/ why you admire him/her
Proposed planning
. introduction: who is he/she - how you met
. main body: physical appearance and main personality traits.
. conclusion: how do you feel about that person/ why you admire him/her
3.2. A good read
- Class discussion about books and reading: (p.37)
What sort of books do you like reading? What three books would you take to a desert island?
- Vocabulary & Listening (p. 37)
What book would you define as a best-seller / quite moving / a page- turner?
Would you consider yourself an avid reader or a real bookworm?
Have you ever been hooked by a novel?
- Reading (p. 38)
We introduced some interesting compound adjectives such as hell-raiser, hollow-cheeked, self-concious, hot-headed.
- Compound adjctives (p.39)
Useful compound adjectives to describe personality: single-minded, self-sufficient, thick-skinned, stand-offish, level-headed, absent-minded.
- Video watching: Heroes (Chapter 1, Season 2)
What sort of books do you like reading? What three books would you take to a desert island?- Vocabulary & Listening (p. 37)
What book would you define as a best-seller / quite moving / a page- turner?
Would you consider yourself an avid reader or a real bookworm?
Have you ever been hooked by a novel?
- Reading (p. 38)
We introduced some interesting compound adjectives such as hell-raiser, hollow-cheeked, self-concious, hot-headed.
- Compound adjctives (p.39)
Useful compound adjectives to describe personality: single-minded, self-sufficient, thick-skinned, stand-offish, level-headed, absent-minded.
- Video watching: Heroes (Chapter 1, Season 2)
Thursday, November 6
Unit 3. Tales
- Revising Unit 1 (p. 18)- Unit 3. Tales
. How much do you know about fairy tales? Do the following names ring a bell? Cinderella, Pussy with Boots, Little Red Riding Hood…
. What’s the difference between…a plot and a biographical sketch / a fake and a myth / a tall store and a fairy tale?
. Useful vocabulary: tell a white lie, a bit of a gossip, spreading rumours, an elaborate hoax.
- Working with a fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood
- Video Listening: “Small Talk”
Useful expressions related to the topic: networking, pregnant pause.
- “Hoaxes that fooled the World” (Reading p. 34)
- Grammar: review of narrative tenses (p. 35)
Past simple: to describe a sequence of events in chronological order.
Past Continuous: for actions in progress when something else happened.
Past Perfect Simple: for actions completed before other events in the past.
Past Perfect Continuous: for progressive actions that started before other events in the past.
- Speaking: tell a story about something that has happened in your life. (p. 35)
- Homework: synonyms (p. 36; ex. 8 & 9)
Friday, October 31
Warming up for Unit 3
- Revision Unit 1: verbs/adjectives with prepositions, passives, perfect aspect (photocopy)
- Introduction UNIT 3: ‘Tales’- analysing your partner’s personality with “A walk in the woods”.
Useful vocabulary: woods, to wave, bunch of keys, pick up, old wooden chest.
- Listening & Speaking: What do you know about Agatha Christie?
- Introduction UNIT 3: ‘Tales’- analysing your partner’s personality with “A walk in the woods”.
Useful vocabulary: woods, to wave, bunch of keys, pick up, old wooden chest.
- Listening & Speaking: What do you know about Agatha Christie?
Saturday, October 25
Friday, October 24
1.3. Burning ambitions
- Listening, Speaking & Writing: working on radio news bulletin and practising passive structures! (p. 11 .... still from 1.2. Famous Firsts)
- Reading (p.12) & Listening (p.14). We considered questions such as:
- Reading (p.12) & Listening (p.14). We considered questions such as:
- Who generally does it better: women, men or both? (It= cooking, gardening, tolerating pain, listening to other people, ballet, expressing emotions, looking after children)
- Do you think women have limited opportunities in the world of sport?
- Do you think sport or dance could help reduce levels of delinquency in teenagers and young people?
- Grammar: perfect aspect (p.14)
Future perfect: 'I'll have been here for three months'
Present perfect: 'I've studied English for three years'
Past perfect: 'I had never done anything like that'
Thursday, October 16
Homework (17-10-08)
Composition: 'It looked like a quiet night but...'
Grammar worksheet: 'Passives'
Workbook: pp. 4-7
More grammar practice: Advanced Language Learning - 6 & 7
Grammar worksheet: 'Passives'
Workbook: pp. 4-7
More grammar practice: Advanced Language Learning - 6 & 7
Wednesday, October 15
1.2. Famous firsts
- Expressions to say how much you know / don't know about something:
(-) I haven't a clue, I've never heard of him, I know next to nothing, I haven't the faintest idea
(+) I know it inside out, I know it like the back of my hand
- Listening & Speaking: "Who did it first?" - how much do you know about inventors? (p. 10)
- Grammar: Passive constructions (p.10) used when we want to distance ourselves from specific information or when we are not sure about the information source.
(-) I haven't a clue, I've never heard of him, I know next to nothing, I haven't the faintest idea
(+) I know it inside out, I know it like the back of my hand
- Listening & Speaking: "Who did it first?" - how much do you know about inventors? (p. 10)
- Grammar: Passive constructions (p.10) used when we want to distance ourselves from specific information or when we are not sure about the information source.
- If + passive + that clause (It is said that... / It is believed that...)
- Subject + passive + to (infinitive - present reference) / to (have + past participle - past reference)
Friday, October 3
1.1. Learning languages
Activity 1 # Reading and comment on learning languages (p.6)
Activity 2 # Useful vocabulary and Listening (p.7)
Activity 3 # Advertising the best language course in class!!
Activity 4 # Verbs/Adjectives with prepositions (p.8)
Activity 2 # Useful vocabulary and Listening (p.7)
Activity 3 # Advertising the best language course in class!!
Activity 4 # Verbs/Adjectives with prepositions (p.8)
Unit 1. Challenges.
Is mountain climbing a challenge for you? If it is so, would it be an achievable goal or just a daunting challenge?
Activity 1 # Phrases and Expressions to talk about challenges (p.5)
Activity 2 # Listening and Speaking "Everest" (video shown in class) - Useful vocabulary: ice axe, crampons, ropes, harnesses, climbing helmet, base camp and camp, expedition, sickness symptoms, summit, blizzard.
Activity 1 # Phrases and Expressions to talk about challenges (p.5)
Activity 2 # Listening and Speaking "Everest" (video shown in class) - Useful vocabulary: ice axe, crampons, ropes, harnesses, climbing helmet, base camp and camp, expedition, sickness symptoms, summit, blizzard.
Course Introduction
Activity 1 # "Letter to the class": an informal letter to introduce each other.
Activity 2 # "Find out about me" helped us know a bit more about each other.
Activity 3 # Cloze "Elizabeth I: An Overview" ... to start getting into grammar intricacies.
Activity 2 # "Find out about me" helped us know a bit more about each other.
Activity 3 # Cloze "Elizabeth I: An Overview" ... to start getting into grammar intricacies.
Tuesday, September 23
Your virtual class
Welcome back! I hope you are starting your last course at EOI Tarragona with enthusiasm and lots of energy. This blog will help you keep up to date with the class contents and activities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)