HOMEWORK (Christmas)

- Composition 4. Letter to a friend

Write an informal letter to a friend who is living abroad following the instructions below:

·         apologise for not writing earlier and the reasons for it

·         thank him/her for a present he/she sent you for your birthday

·         explain him/her that you have just got a new job/post: tell him/her what is this new job about and what are your responsibilities in it

·         tell him/her why you like it better than your previous job (better atmosphere, better colleagues, etc.)

You can have a look at the example in p. 49 in your book.

Extension: 150-180 words

Deadline: 20^th January

- Crossword: word formation

- Summary and other from The History of the English Language

- Writing from cultural activity (Shakespeare in Love)

Interview with Gwyneth Paltrow - related cultural activity Shakespeare in Love

1. Choose True or False. Correct the false sentences.

1. Gwyneth wasn’t really happy with the fact of growing up surrounded by creative people.

2. Gwyneth was not worried about her father and grandfather’s reaction when they would see the nude scenes in the film.

3. His grandfather compared women’s breasts to two eggs.

4. When Gwyneth was dressed as a boy, the behaviour of the other actors towards her didn’t really change.

5. Some actors liked to tell her dirty jokes when she played the role of the woman.

6. Gwyneth does not think men walk differently to women.

2. Now, answer the following questions related to the last part of the interview.

a)      How old was Gwyneth Paltrow when she won the Oscar for Shakespeare in Love?

b)      In what ways did the Oscar change her relationship with her audience?

c)      Why does she consider the time she won the Oscar a “very emotional” time?

d)      What did she decide she wouldn’t do again after her father died?

13th to 17th December (Summary & Homework)

- SO - NEITHER / NOR
agree in positive sentences: I like chocolate. So do I / Me too  -- so + auxiliary (main verbal form) + pronoun
agree in negative sentences: I don't liek chocolate. Neither do I / Nor do I -- neither/nor + auxiliary (main verbal
                                                                                                                    form)+pronoun
disagree in positive sentences: I like chocolate. Well, I don't. -- pronoun + auxiliary in negative form
disagree in negative sentences: I don't like chocolate. Well, I do -- pronoun + auxiliary in positive form

- Oral Practice: finding differences in picture and discussion (women and work)

- Video Listening: Childhood (at last!)

-  Preparation for the cultural activity: Shakespeare in Love
. Some background information
. Useful vocabulary
. Interview with Gwyneth Paltrow

- 3B. Describing appearances
. Vocabulary on appearances (p.149) + copy
. Oral activity in pairs: finding who is who

9th December (Summary & Homework)

- check homework: revision past simple and present perfect worksheet; worksheet modal verbs of obligation, prohibition and advice; Reading "Words, words")

- Oral practice in groups of 4: writing rules and advice to improve your planet

- Listening practice: Four people who have been in London talk about politeness (p. 39)

- HOMEWORK:
Reading p. 38 "Culture shock" (activities c and d)

Solutions for Revise & check Unit 2 (pp.34-35)

Grammar:
a) 1-already / 2-long / 3-Since / 4-Have / 5-yet
b) 1-been working / 2-just made / 3-more expensive / 4-carefully as / 5-the most

Vocabulary:
a) 1- bank / 2- mortgage / 3-hungry /4-awful /5-travel /6-helmet / 7-railway station
b) 1- filthy / 2-tax / 3-rush hour /4-lend / 5-platform/ 6-inherit / 7-boarding pass / 8-tiny
c) 1-off / 2-out / 3-for / 4-back /5-by

Can you understand this text:
a- 1a, 2b, 3c, 4a, 5b
b- fortunate = lucky
charity = an organization which collects money to help people who are poor, sick, etc.
volunteer = somebody who offers or agrees to do something
orphanage = an institution where children without parents live and are looked after
deposit = a percentatge of the price of something you are buying which you pay in advance
annoyed = made angry
adopted = taken by a family and looked after as if they were their own children
useful = having a practical use
definitely = certainly, without doubt

Homework

- worksheet on past tenses (more practice)
- worksheet on Modals of obligation, prohibition, advice
- Reading: Words, Words (the uses of make)

OPTIONAL:
- Video Listening on eating habits: "Weightwatchers" (with solutions)
http://www.xtec.es/~ncasas12/tercer/weightwatchers.htm
-  Technology at home: household appliances quiz (with answers)
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vc-household-lb.html

27th to 1st December (Summary)

- check homework: more on comparatives and prepositions

- Practical English (p.32) - Permission, Requests and Suggestions
Some examples -
. Would you mind helping me?
. Could you help me?
. Can you help me?
. Do you think you could help me?
. Please, help me

 - Oral practice in pairs: making requests and answering to them

- Extra grammar point: so and such (copy)
. they are used to show emphasis; we would translate them as 'tant / tanto'
so + adjective/adverb: It's so beautiful!
such + (a/an) + adjective + noun: It's such a beautiful view!
(be careful; with uncountable nouns we never use the singular article)

UNIT 3. Modern Manners 

- Vocabulary and speaking: new technologies and mobile phone questionnaire. 
Useful vocabulary: dial, text, hung up, call back, ring tone, voice mail.

- Listening practice: bad and good manners when using a mobile in a public place (p. 37)
- Grammar point: Modals of obligation, lack of obligation, prohibition and advice (p. 134) 
. to express obligation: have to + infinitive; must + infinitive
. to express lack of obligation: don't have to + infinitive
. to express prohibition: mustn't + infinitive
. to express advice: should/shouldn't + infinitive / ought to + infinitive

Some important points to remember:

-  "must" can never be used in the past

- "don't have to" and "mustn't" are completely different - don't have to implies that "you don't need to do it, but if you want you can" and "mustn't" implies prohibition (it is not allowed)

- Practice: activities in 3A a and b

- Oral practice in fours: Are they true? - obligation, lack of obligation, prohibition and advice around the world

Homework and Composition 3

- Worksheets: more practice on comparatives & superlatives; more on preopisitons; finish listening practice

- Online Quizzes - to practice vocabulary on "transport and travel" (optional - if you want to do more practice)
. Phrasal verbs (travel): http://a4esl.org/q/h/lb/pvtravel.html
. Transportation words: http://a4esl.org/q/h/vc-transnouns-lb.html

- Composition 3. Telling a story

Write a story about a nightmare journey you’ve had (or invent one). You can have a look at the story in p. 33 as an example (but be original and explain your own one!). Remember to use linking words and time expressions that will help the reader to follow the chronological order of the story.
Planning:
Paragraph 1 – When was the journey? Where were you doing? Who were you with? 

Paragraph 2 – What went wrong? What happened?

Paragraph 3 – How did you feel? What solutions did you think about?
Paragraph 4 -  Ending and conclusion

Extension: 120-150 words
DEADLINE: 15th December
Remember to check grammar and spelling before you hand in your composition.

22nd to 26th November (Summary)

- Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives (p.30, p.132)
Comparing adjectives:
. when we want to say "more": -er / more than
. when we want to say "equal": as (adjective) as
. when we want to say "less": less (adjective) than

Emphasizing comparions (when we say more):
molt més: much / a lot more comfortable  - much / a lot more happier
una mica més: a bit more comfortable - a bit happier

Comparing adverbs:
. when expressing comparatives with adverbs, the structure is more + adverb: more quietly / more comfotably / etc.
. remember there are six adverbs we always use with -er: soon (sooner), late (later), hard (harder), near (nearer), fast (faster)

Remember there are some irregular adjectives/adverbs:
good/well - better -best
bad/badly - worse - worst
far - further/farther - furthest
little - less / least
a lot / much - more

- Practise: 2C (p.133) and copies

- Oral practice in pairs and in groups: using adjectives / adverbs as comparatives and superlative

- Video Listening: Bus Fares (News from BBC).

 

Watch the video and answer the question or choose the best option:

First Piece of News - Public Transport Rise Price:
 

1.      What is the famous bus station in London mentioned by the reporter?

2.      According to the reporter, passengers

a)     are paying a 12% more for their tickets

b)     are paying a 17.2% more for their tickets

c)     are paying a 12.7% more for their tickets

3.      Who is the people who will pay more with this increase in bus tickets:

a)     those who use an annual season ticket

b)     those who have to travel with young children and teenagers

c)     those who use the single ticket option

4.      According to the government, why is this price rise necessary

a)     to keep the service up to standards

b)     to provide the service to a wider population

c)     to make sure passengers are not cold in winter

Second Piece of News: A Woman Builder:

            a) A lady from South London has been ranked as one of the best builders in the country.

b) According to Sarah, working as a job is similar to be training at the gym.

c) She used to have a lot of work in the past, but she is waiting for some new clients at the moment.

d) Women usually see this job as a heavy dirty job in which you have to spend a lot of hours outdoors.

e) Sarah hopes that not many women get into the job.

Third Piece of News: Weather forecast:

a)      There could be some clouds over the night.

b)      Sunday morning won’t be bright and shinny.

c)       Slight snow is forecast for Sunday morning.

d)      The lowest temperature over the weekend will be minus 5 Celsius.


- Vocabulary: Transport and Travel (p.30 & p.148)

- Listening  & Speaking (p.31)
"Which of these things is the most dangerous when you're driving a car?"
. making a call on your mobile
. listening to your favourite music
. listening to music you don't know
. opening a packet of crisps or a can of drink
. picking up a specific CD from the passenger seat
. talking to other passengers

- Oral practice in groups: revision
. present perfect continuous: guessing a sentence with mime
. going to the restaurant: useful expressions to use in a restaurant

- Video Listening: Desperate Housewives (season 1, chapter 1)

15th to 19th November (Summary & Homework)

- check homework: present perfect continuous worksheet

- Reading p. 26: "It was just a holiday, but it changed my life" - comment on text

- Vocabulary: Strong adjectives - "tiny, delicious, furious, terrified, exhausted, boiling, starving, enormous, freezing, filthy, great, awful" (p.27)

- Communication: pair work - are you hungry? Yes, I'm starving (p.116, 119)

- Reviewing adverbs with present perfect and present perfect continuous (copy)

. already, yet, just

already: "sooner than expected" - used in positive sentences before the main verb
yet: when you are expecting something to happen - used in negative sentences and questions, at the very end of the sentence
just: "a short time ago" - used in positive sentences, before the main verb

. for, since

for: to express how long the period is - Sarah has lived in Tarragona for 3 years.
since: to express when the period started - Sarah has lived in Tarragona since 2007.

. for, during, while

The difference between for and during is the following:
for: followed by a period - My grandfather lived in Segovia for three years, from 1936 to 1939.
during: it mean when - My grandfather lived in Segovia during the Civil War.

The difference between during and while is the following:
during: it's a preposition and it's followed by a noun - During the journey, the little boy felt sick.
while: it's a conjunction and it`s followed by a sentence - While they were driving to Tarragona, the little boy felt sick.

 - More activities on numbers: listening to number details and dates (copy)

- 2C. Race to the Sun (p. 28-29)
Three jounalists decide to go from London to Avignon by car, by bus and by train in order to compare prices, time, comfotability and convenience of each means of transport. (Reading, listening and oral activity)

- Song: "Big Girls don't Cry"
Check the right and wrong words in this link:

And, have a good weekend!

8th to 12th November (Summary & Homework)

- Check homework: present perfect

- More practice on present perfect: Oral activity in pairs - "Haven't we met before?" (link)

- Reading (p.22): "My life without money"
Interesting vocabulary - phrasal verbs: throw away, give away, throw away, set up, look after, turn up

Oral comment with the class: Which of these sentences describes your attitude to money?
. All I want is enough money to enjoy life?
. Money is very important to me. I'd like to earn as much as possible
. I would be happy to live with less money and fewer possessions

- Vocabulary and pronunciation: saying numbers (p.23 - activities a and b)

- Listening: News bulletin (p.23)

- 2B. Changing your life
. Oral practice: if you could choose to spend a year abroad, where would you choose to go?
. Listening (p.24): Listen to Karen, a primary school teacher who is spending one year off in Beirut

- Grammar point: present perfect continuous (p. 132) - theory and activities
. We use it to emphasise "how long..." a recent action or an action that hasn't finished yet.
. Thus, we usually find it with the expression "how long...?" and the time adverbs for/since.
. Present perfect continuous can't be used with non-action verbs

- Song: "Hot and cold" by Katy Perry (link to song)

- Video Listening: "Taxi" from Headway Intermediate (cabs in London)

- Review worksheet: present perfect simple and continuous

- Oral activity with the class: present perfect continuous

- Written and oral activity in pairs: more on present pefect...: writing a story

- Reading and oral activity: psychological test (revision on adjectives)


HOMEWORK:
- Worksheet on present perfect continuous
- Reading p. 26: "It was just a holiday, but it changed my life" (activity e)
- Reading from Speak up: "Globalisation: United fruit goes bananas"

2nd to 5th November (Summary & Homework)

- Check homework: "both, neither, either" / future worksheet / prepositions

 UNIT 2. Money, Money   
 - Listening: Shania Twain's "Ka-ching" (p. 20) - What's the meaning of the song?
Useful vocabulary: broke, mortgage, loan, mall, greedy, blow

-  Speaking "the money questionnaire": consider these questions
. have you ever wasted money on something you've never used?
. have you ever been robbed?
. have you ever lent money to someone who didn't pay you back?
. have you recently taken money out of a cash machine?

- Grammar: present perfect and past simple (p. 132) (theory + activities)
Time adverbs usually found with
. present perfect: yet, alreay, for, since, just
. past simple: last..., ago, yesterday

- Oral activity with class: present perfect or continuous? (slidesheet)

- Oral activity in groups of 4: role play - explain your bad economic situation to your partners and provide useful advice
Useful collocations:  get a loan, poorly paid, highly paid, to have a steady income, to have an overdraft


HOMEWORK:
- Complete worksheet on present perfect simple and past simple

More practice on sports: Rafa Nadal in Wimbledon (2008)

Watch the video and complete the activities:

Choose the correct answer:

1.What is Nadal’s opinion about the match he has just played?
a) he is happy about it all
b) his second game was the best; the others weren’t so good
c) he is never really happy about his game at Wimbledon

2.What was his goal in this game?
a) to keep a special relationship with Andy
b) to do the best he could on court
c) to be nervous but confident

3. What did Nadal try to do to beat his opponents?
a) he hit the ball gently
b) he played in a higher rhythm
c) he ran faster than his opponent

4. What is Rafa’s opinion about his performance at Wimbledon?
a) he thinks he is doing very well
b) he is doing well but he is too imposing
c) he gets too nervous


Say whether these sentences are true or false:
1. This game was very special because it was part of a semifinal.
2. Rafa tries to hit the ball close to the line only in special occasions.
3. For Rafa, it was a motivation to play against Andy.
4. Rafa agrees with the presenter that a good tennis player has to be aggressive.




KEY: 1-b, 2-b, 3-b, 5-c / 1- T, 2- F (always), 3- T, 4-F

Homework (29th October)

- COMPOSITION 2: Describing a person you admire.
Choose someone you really admire and write a composition about him/her
Planning:
Paragraph 1 - age, family, work/study
Paragraph 2 - personality (good side)
Paragraph 3 - hobbies and interests
Paragraph 4 - why do you admire him or her

Extension: 120-150 words
DEADLINE: 17th November

- Complete copy on prepositions revision
- Complete copy on "futures" revision
- Complete copy on "both, either, neither"

- REVISE AND CHECK (Unit 1, p. 18)
Grammar:
1. did you get / 2. bought / 3. Do you like / 4.hit / 5. was driving / 6. had changed / 7. 'm meeting / 8. finish / 9. 'll pick you up / 10. 'll love

Vocabulary:
1. seafood (not an adjective)
2. fried (not a kind of meat)
3. roast (a way of cooking)
4. pitch (not a person)
5. beat (a verb)
6. affectionate (positive meaning)
7. moody (negative meaning)
8. family (not an individual member)

b) 1.spicy / 2.starter / 3.draw / 4.injured / 5.stepfather / 6.selfish / 7.mean
c) 1. for, out / 2. for / 3. up / 4.on

Can you understand this text:
a) 1-F / 2-DS / 3-T / 4-T / 5-F / 6-F / 7-DS / 8-T / 9-DS /10-T
b) nutritionsit: expert on diet
rejects: doesn't want
solid: the opposite of liquid
craves: wants very much
choking: not being able to breathe because there's something in your throat
in advance: before you do something

25th to 29th October (Summary)

- Check homework: copy on futures

- Composition 1: most usual mistakes

- Revision on adjectives of persoanlity: pair crossword

- How words work... (p.15) and explanatory worksheet
Reflexive pronouns: myself-yourself-himself-herself-ourselves-yourselves-themselves
Reciprocal pronouns: each other

- Extra grammar points: both...and / neither...nor / either...or (copy)
positive meaning and positive verb: Both Mary and Susan like chocolate.
Both girls like chocolate.
Both of them like chocolate.
negative meaning and positive verb: Neither Rose nor Stela likes chocolate.
(singular verb) Neither girl likes chocolate.
Neither of them likes chocolate.
or one or the other (can choose): Either Rose or Stela can help you with English.
Either girl can help you with English.

- Practical English: Introductions (p. 16)
Useful expressions: Welcome to... / It's good to see you again / Let me introduce you to... / How do you do? / Great to meet you.

- Is Halloween harmful? - oral activity with groups of 3 and the whole class.

18th to 22nd October (Homework below)

- Check homework: Reading p. 11 "When you hear the final whistle"

- Oral activity in groups: Do you like sport? (p. 10)

- Copy on sports and past tenses (further vocabulary and practice)

- Grammar: Future tenses

. Listening: Listen to three dialogues and choose the best option (p. 13)
. Oral activity with the whole group: Find someone who... (p. 13)
. Grammar bank (p.130)
. Oral activity: In your lifetime, it will... (predictions)
. Working further on the future: going to and will (theory and practice - copy)

- Reading and Vocabulary "We are family" (p.14)

- Vocabulary: personality adjectives (p.146)

- Oral activity: Analysing your partner's handwriting.

- Pronunciation: stress in personality adjectives (p.15)

- Listening: What's your position in the family? (p.15)
Depending on the fact that you are the oldest, middle or youngest child or if you are an only child, you have some personality traits or others. Do you agree?

- Video listening activity: defining characters in Four Weddings and a Funeral

- Song: We are family

HOMEWORK:
- complete worksheet on future tenses

11th to 15th October

- Check homework

- Oral activity in groups of 4: explaining past stories and choosing the best one

Think and tell an anecdote about ... a time you cheated in an exam / a really exciting sports event you saw / a time you had an accident or sports injury / a time you saw a celebrity. 

- Vocabulary (p.145) and Sports Quiz (p.19). Do you know...

How long does a football match last?
How many referees are there in a basketball match?
How long is a marathon?
How many holes are there on a golf course?
How long is one lap of an athletics track?

- Listening: Interview with Fernando Alonso

- Pronunciation (p.19): vocalic sounds

HOMEWORK:

- Reading p. 20: activities c and d

Homework

- 1B grammar section (p. 131)

- Grammar worksheet on Past tenses

- COMPOSITION 1.
Taking the story of Jonah Lonu as an example (click here), write a similar text about you. Try to be original!
DEADLINE: 21st Ocbober
EXTENSION: between 120 and 150 words

4th to 8th October

- check homework: present tenses revision and vocabulary on food (p.144)
- Food quiz (power point presentation and oral activity)
Interesting vocabulary related to eating, cooking and food: to chop, to grate, to dice, to slice, to fry, to boil, to roast, to bake, to steam, to barbecue, to swallow, to chew, to gobble, to sip, to gulp, to slurp
. a receipt or a recipe (different!)
. to eat a balanced diet or to go on a diet (different!)
. to cut down on something or to give something up (different!)

Expressions with prepositions:
. to go off (fer-se malbé)
. Let's eat out (sortir a menjar fora)
. to be fond of (= like)
. to invite someone out for dinner
. to have something for lunch / dinner

- Listening p. 7: "Kevin Poulter and his English restaurant in Santiago de Chile"

- Oral activity in groups: Discussion p. 7

- Reading and vocabulary activity p. 8: "Famous cheating moments in sport"

- Grammar: Past tenses (pp. 8 and130)
. Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect are used to tell a story in the past.
. Past Simple: it is always the main verb in a story in the past; time adverbs: yesterday, last, ...ago
. Past Continous: it helps you build the story; it refers to a longer action in the past; time adverbs: usually introduced by while or when. (Example: While I was having a shower, the phone rang).
. Past Perfect:
     Form: had + past participle (-ed or 3rd column)
     It also helps you build the story in the past; it refers to a finished action that took place before the main action in the past.
     It can be introduced by before (Example: When Peter got home, we had had dinner)

- Grammar practice: activity in pairs (more cheating moments in the history of sport)

- Writing a story in the past: "A crazy, romantic story" and this is the result!
class story

Homework

- Present simple and present continuous worksheet

- Vocabulary sheet pg. 144

27 September - 1st October

- Knowing each other: questions

UNIT 1. FOOD: FUEL OR PLEASURE                

- Discussion: is food fuel or a pleasure for you? (p. 4)
. What do you normally eat in a typical day?
. Do you ever cook?
. Do you ever eat unhealthy food?
. Are you trying to cut down on anything at the moment?
cut down on = reduce

- Reading: Two interviews with Alice from San Francisco and Jacqueline from the USA (p. 4-5)
Interesting vocabulary: heat up, takeaway, soup, fat, wholemeal, dishes, stew, portions, eat out, honey

- Listening practice: Rumiko Yasuda and her diet (p. 5)

- Grammar 1A (p. 5 and p. 130)
Present Simple and Present Continuous:
Sarah usually goes shopping in the evening vs. Sarha is shopping in Tarragona at the moment.
Action and non-action verbs:
. action verbs: they express actions and can be used in the simple or continuous form
. non-action verbs: they express states or feelings and are usually used in the simple form (f.e. need, believe, love, hate, understand, see) (copy)

- Food quiz (p. 6) and Vocabulary: Food and Restaurants (p. 144)
Useful expressions: takeaway food, ready-cooked meals, home-made food, low-fat food.

- Pronunciation: the sound /u/ (p. 6)

- Video Listening: "The Seven Wonders of Britain"
Useful vocabulary: to have green fingers (tenir bones mans per la jardineria), rosemary (romaní), the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

- Oral activity in groups: write a description about a wonder in your place and let the other students guess!

- A poem in the IPA alphabet: guessing what it means in groups of four.

20-24 September 2010

Over this first week...
- we introduced each other
- we checked what we could remember from last June: short grammar test and "present simple and present continuous" exercise
Present simple and present continuous revision
- we also did some pronunciation (useful copy)
- and, of course, we did some singing

Click here to listen to Duffy's "Mercy" again:

Hi there!

Welcome to 3rd Level in EOI del Vendrell. I hope you enjoy the course and that, of course, you improve your English level.
See you on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 19:00 to 21:00.