Just in case you need more practice with regular verbs, have a look at this website if you want to test yourself. Remember, try to read out the verbs to practice your own pronunciation as you progress with the exercise:
http://club.telepolis.com/phonetics/afoneticedd.html
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Unit 2. BBC News Bloopers
Do you ever make bloopers? Well, we ALL make bloopers from time to time. Who doesn't?
Hang on... Let me guess. You don't know what bloopers are, do you? No problem. Just have a look at the following "BBC News Bloopers video" and try to guess. As usual, you can use the Comments section to post your answer, in case you got a good one.
Did you find the answer yet? I bet you did. You can listen to more bloopers at http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/fungames/bloopers.shtml
Hang on... Let me guess. You don't know what bloopers are, do you? No problem. Just have a look at the following "BBC News Bloopers video" and try to guess. As usual, you can use the Comments section to post your answer, in case you got a good one.
Did you find the answer yet? I bet you did. You can listen to more bloopers at http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/fungames/bloopers.shtml
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Unit 2. Irregular Verbs
This is just to remind you that next Tuesday 28th of November, we'll be doing a short written test where you will have to prove how good you are at English irregular verbs.
You can find the whole list of irregular verbs on page 165 of your student's book. The rest is up to you... :)
You can find the whole list of irregular verbs on page 165 of your student's book. The rest is up to you... :)
Unit 2. Grammar: Pronunciation of Regular Verbs in the Past
1. Classify the following verbs according to their pronunciation in the past simple tense, that is, /d/, /t/ or /id/. There are ten answers for each column.
allowed - asked - cracked - cried - damaged - decided - encouraged - ended - flooded - guessed - included - jailed - killed - landed - loved - missed - mixed - pasted - relaxed - repeated - shaved - slipped - stopped - tasted - visited - wasted - washed - watched - welcomed - yawned
2. Complete the rules for the pronunciation of regular verbs in the past.
a. When the regular verb ends in a vowel sound or voiced consonant sound, the -ed ending is pronounced /_____ /.
b. When the regular verb ends in an unvoiced consonant sound, the -ed ending is pronounced /_____ /.
c. The -ed ending is pronounced /id/ when the verb ends in the consonant sounds _____ and _____ .
allowed - asked - cracked - cried - damaged - decided - encouraged - ended - flooded - guessed - included - jailed - killed - landed - loved - missed - mixed - pasted - relaxed - repeated - shaved - slipped - stopped - tasted - visited - wasted - washed - watched - welcomed - yawned
2. Complete the rules for the pronunciation of regular verbs in the past.
a. When the regular verb ends in a vowel sound or voiced consonant sound, the -ed ending is pronounced /_____ /.
b. When the regular verb ends in an unvoiced consonant sound, the -ed ending is pronounced /_____ /.
c. The -ed ending is pronounced /id/ when the verb ends in the consonant sounds _____ and _____ .
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Unit 2. Media. How to Write a News Article
How to Write a News Article
Style:
You will be writing in a different style than you are used to in class. Newspaper articles generally contain sentences and paragraphs that are short and direct. Most paragraphs in news articles contain a maximum of three sentences.
Format:
Newspaper articles should contain the following items:
a) Headline - An attention-getting phrase at the top of the article.
b) Byline - By [your name]
c) Lead Paragraph - Start with a strong, interesting sentence to get the reader engaged. Include the 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why' and 'how' as appropriate.
d) Explanation and Amplification - This section will include several brief paragraphs explaining the details surrounding your photograph.
e) Background Information - This section will include several brief paragraphs explaining events leading up to the picture, related national stories, etc.
Bias:
Newspaper articles should be written without bias. In other words, you should report the facts objectively - don't give opinions in your news article.
Works Cited:
You also need to create a Works Cited list that includes at least two sources. This must be in correct format.
* Adapted from: Sebrank, Patric, Verne Meyer, and Dave Kemper. Write source 2000. (1995). Wilmington: MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Style:
You will be writing in a different style than you are used to in class. Newspaper articles generally contain sentences and paragraphs that are short and direct. Most paragraphs in news articles contain a maximum of three sentences.
Format:
Newspaper articles should contain the following items:
a) Headline - An attention-getting phrase at the top of the article.
b) Byline - By [your name]
c) Lead Paragraph - Start with a strong, interesting sentence to get the reader engaged. Include the 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why' and 'how' as appropriate.
d) Explanation and Amplification - This section will include several brief paragraphs explaining the details surrounding your photograph.
e) Background Information - This section will include several brief paragraphs explaining events leading up to the picture, related national stories, etc.
Bias:
Newspaper articles should be written without bias. In other words, you should report the facts objectively - don't give opinions in your news article.
Works Cited:
You also need to create a Works Cited list that includes at least two sources. This must be in correct format.
* Adapted from: Sebrank, Patric, Verne Meyer, and Dave Kemper. Write source 2000. (1995). Wilmington: MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Unit 2. Grammar: Relative clauses (defining & non-defining)
a) Fill in the gaps with a suitable relative pronoun. Indicate also if the relative pronoun can be omitted:
1. The man ............... spoke to you yesterday was my uncle.
2. The horse, ............... he bought for a thousand pounds, won the Grand National.
3. The girl ............... parents are coming to the party is called Susan.
4. The city .................. I was brought up has changed a lot.
5. Alan works for a company ............... makes typewriters.
6. Margaret Thatcher was the first woman ............... became the Prime Minister of Britain.
7. What is the date ............... the USA celebrates its independence?
8. Napoleon was the French Emperor ............... final battle took place in Waterloo.
9. Latin was the language ................. was spoken in the Roman Empire.
10.Kennedy was the American president .............. was assassinated in 1963.
11. The 25th of December is the day ................. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
12. The Egyptian Queen ................. beauty was famous is Cleopatra.
13. Do you know the man ................ Sara is living with?
14. The hotel .................. we stayed was very expensive.
15. James Dean was an actor ................ died in a car accident.
16. I gave her all the money ........... I had.
17. The woman ......... husband was arrested by the police was Brenda.
18. We know a lot of people ........... live in London.
19. The girl ................ I wanted to see was away.
20. The dress .............. Ann bought doesn’t fit her very well.
21. The girl .............. he fell in love with left him after a few days.
22. I don’t like stories ............... have a happy ending.
23. The man ................ lives in front of me is very friendly.
24. The book .................. I was looking for is in the library.
25. Have you found the keys ................... you lost?
2. Join both sentences using a NON-DEFINING relative clause:
1. Madonna married in 1985. Her first recorded song was ‘Everybody’
2. My neighbour has two daughters. He is also a teacher.
3. Martin is very fluent in English. His mother is Australian.
4. The lake was very pleasant. We had a picnic there.
5. My sister is visiting us next week. You met her last year.
6. The dog bit me. His owner lives in that large house at the corner.
8. The Browns are selling their house. They've lived there for twenty years.
9. Mrs Smith walks six miles every day. She is eighty-six.
10. 'The Phantom of the Opera' is a musical. It’s being shown at the Odeon.
1. The man ............... spoke to you yesterday was my uncle.
2. The horse, ............... he bought for a thousand pounds, won the Grand National.
3. The girl ............... parents are coming to the party is called Susan.
4. The city .................. I was brought up has changed a lot.
5. Alan works for a company ............... makes typewriters.
6. Margaret Thatcher was the first woman ............... became the Prime Minister of Britain.
7. What is the date ............... the USA celebrates its independence?
8. Napoleon was the French Emperor ............... final battle took place in Waterloo.
9. Latin was the language ................. was spoken in the Roman Empire.
10.Kennedy was the American president .............. was assassinated in 1963.
11. The 25th of December is the day ................. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
12. The Egyptian Queen ................. beauty was famous is Cleopatra.
13. Do you know the man ................ Sara is living with?
14. The hotel .................. we stayed was very expensive.
15. James Dean was an actor ................ died in a car accident.
16. I gave her all the money ........... I had.
17. The woman ......... husband was arrested by the police was Brenda.
18. We know a lot of people ........... live in London.
19. The girl ................ I wanted to see was away.
20. The dress .............. Ann bought doesn’t fit her very well.
21. The girl .............. he fell in love with left him after a few days.
22. I don’t like stories ............... have a happy ending.
23. The man ................ lives in front of me is very friendly.
24. The book .................. I was looking for is in the library.
25. Have you found the keys ................... you lost?
2. Join both sentences using a NON-DEFINING relative clause:
1. Madonna married in 1985. Her first recorded song was ‘Everybody’
2. My neighbour has two daughters. He is also a teacher.
3. Martin is very fluent in English. His mother is Australian.
4. The lake was very pleasant. We had a picnic there.
5. My sister is visiting us next week. You met her last year.
6. The dog bit me. His owner lives in that large house at the corner.
8. The Browns are selling their house. They've lived there for twenty years.
9. Mrs Smith walks six miles every day. She is eighty-six.
10. 'The Phantom of the Opera' is a musical. It’s being shown at the Odeon.
Unit 2. Engrish.
Do you speak Engrish? I hope you don't!
This is the website that we used in class to discuss the Engrish phenomenon that has been taking over Japan in the last few years. It's well worth a visit... as long as you understand Engrish!
Check it out: www.engrish.com
Some fun stuff... Bilingual songs?
Some famous songs that are written in English seem to contain secret sentences... in Spanish!
Watch this video and compare. Can you understand the real lyrics in English? Do they really sound similar as the ones shown on the subtitles?
Have fun.
Watch this video and compare. Can you understand the real lyrics in English? Do they really sound similar as the ones shown on the subtitles?
Have fun.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Unit 2. Media. Soap operas
A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television or radio. This genre of TV and radio entertainment has existed long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap. What differentiates a soap from other television drama programs is their open-ended nature. Plots run concurrently, intersect, and lead into further developments. An individual episode of a soap opera will generally switch between several different concurrent story threads that may at times interconnect and affect one another, or may run entirely independent of each other. Each episode may feature some of the show's current storylines but not always all of them. There is some rotation of both storylines and actors so any given storyline or actor will appear in some but usually not all of a week's worth of episodes. Soap operas rarely "wrap things up" storywise, and generally avoid bringing all the current storylines to a conclusion at the same time. When one storyline ends there are always several other story threads at differing stages of development. Soap opera episodes invariably end on some sort of cliffhanger*.
But... why is this genre called 'soap opera'? Do they use soap in the shootings? Do they play opera music in the ending credits? Today's task is to find out the real reason why this genre was named that way.
As usual, you can post your answers in the Comments section. This time, the winner will get two free tickets to watch next week's game between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford. :)
School Trip to New York
Interested in travelling? For your information, there's going to be a meeting at the EOI San Javier extension next week. There you will find lots of information on the forthcoming school trip to New York. Here's the details:
- Place: EOI San Javier, room 4.
- Date: Thu, 16th November.
- Time: 9.00pm
More info: Mª Angeles
- Place: EOI San Javier, room 4.
- Date: Thu, 16th November.
- Time: 9.00pm
More info: Mª Angeles
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