English learning log

English learning log

OUR CLASS

2021. december 08. - polly graph

I started my English Course For Beginners at Bonus Language School last month. Our teacher is very friendly. She is not afraid of chairs or songs.

My classmates are very nice. The best students in the Galaxy! There are 8 of us in the group - 3 men and 5 very lovely women. The nicest people in the world!

....... has short hair and buys a new book every day. He goes to THE prison regularly but he's not a criminal.

........ is a married and his wife is expecting a baby. Maybe a boy. Maybe not. I think he wants a boy. He has a lot of good questions and delicious sandwiches.

.......'s got short/long/wavy/curlystraight hair and a fishtank and she would like to go to space. She hates red cards.

........... really likes chocolate and quizzes. Everybody wants to beat her but nobody can. She is really into law.

........... is new and so she missed the best part of the course: she missed the lesson when the teacher fell off the chair. We will have to ask her some questions. Who's this girl? (We asked the questions and found out that her chiwawa has one ball!)

............. can draw very well and she is really nice so never laughs at the teacher's terrible drawings.

........... has three cats and always listens to the teacher very carefully. Because she wants to be a psychologist. She is a survivor!

........ is fond of corners, mulled wine and series. He hates questions like "How old were you in 2010?" He's a family guy.

The lessons are quite interesting! I'm fond of English. I think we have the BEST teacher in the UNIVERSE!

A LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Fill in the gaps:

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am w...... to express my dismay at the s....... at your Eden Hill branch on Saturday 14 January.

I o.......... collect prescriptions from the pharmacy on behalf of my grandmother, Mrs Elaine Bingham. On this o...........  there were two prescriptions: one for 10 x 50 mg Kendomol and one for 50 x 100 mg Leoprone. I was served quickly even though there appeared to be only one p............ on duty. H.........., as I was leaving I saw that I had been given 500 mg tablets of Kendomol. This is ten times stronger than the prescription called for.

If I h........... noticed the difference between the prescription and the actual tablets, my grandmother could ........ taken a dangerous overdose of Kendomol. I would be worried about getting any future prescriptions at Eden Hill.

The pharmacist apologised and corrected the mistake but I wanted to b........ it to your attention. I think it happened because there were not enough staff on duty. I understand that mistakes happen but there needs to be a minimum of two pharmacists at all times so all prescriptions can be checked.

I h......... you can take steps to make sure this mistake does not happen again.

Yours f.............,

Roger Bingham

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/upper-intermediate-b2/a-letter-of-complaint

BANkING

I have a checking account and a savings account. I use my checking account very often. I have a debit card that I use to buy something. I am a student and I do not earn money (although I am planning to find a part-time job next year) so I get pocket money from my parents: they usually transfer the money to my bank account or give me the cash that I deposit at the ATM. Sometimes I withdraw money from the ATM although I prefer paying by credit or debit card.

I did not get a student loan because my parents are paying for my school. In the future I might get a loan to buy a house, a car or start my own business.

BANKING

I have a savings account and a checking account. I often use my debit card to buy something, I sometimes deposit or withdraw money at the ATM. I can use my debit card for online shopping, too. I am a student and I do not have a job so I don't earn money (although I am planning to get a part time job next year). I get pocket money from my parents. They usually transfer the money to my bank account or give me the cash that I can deposit. I prefer paying by credit or debit card. I didn't get a student loan bacause my parents pay for my school. In the future I might get a loan (or mortgage) to buy a house or a car or start my own business.

 

PASSIVES

A: Josephine invented THE DISHWASHER.

P: The dishwasher was invented BY Josephine.

A: She opened her factory in 1872.

P: The factory was opened in 1872.

A: Hobart bought her company

P: Her company was bought by Hobart,

A: The servants washed the dishes.

P: The dishes were washed by the servants.

A: Josephine invited a lot of people.

P: A lot of people were invited by Josephine.

My telephone was MADE IN CHINA.

I WAS BORN

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A: I clean the room every day. Somebody cleans the room every day.

P: The room IS cleaned every day.

A: I wash the car every week.

P: The car is washed every week.

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A: I will clean the room.

P: The room will be cleaned.

A: I will feed the cats.

P: The cats will be fed.

A: I will paint the wall.

P: The wall will be painted.

 

 

READING, LISTENING COMPREHENSION + WRITING

I have put together a couple of tasks: I've used two recent articles to make READING COMPREHENSION tasks. The first one is a 'fill in the gaps' type one, the second one is 'answer the questions' type. Exercise number 3 offers more reading tasks (click on the link to access them), number 4 is a listening task. I also linked a matura exam test - you can do the listening part. And last but not least: two writing tasks with sample answers that you can use for ideas. Of course, you have to write your own letters.

 

READING COMPREHENSION:

1. Fill in the gaps with the missing parts:

Ameet the key summit goal B:  the fatal mistake C: only agreed to D: that despite E: where climate change   F:  cannot force sovereign nations

G: was reached after H: in the right direction

 

The Glasgow climate deal is a "game-changing agreement" which sounds "the death knell for coal power", Boris Johnson says.

Although countries ........... (1) "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal, the prime minister said this was a fantastic achievement.

The wording change was made after a late intervention by China and India.

But it remains the first time plans to reduce coal have been mentioned in such a climate deal.

The agreement ............ (2) the two-week Glasgow COP26 summit went into overtime on Saturday.

Critics have said the deal does not go far enough and will not ........... (3) of limiting global warming to 1.5C by the end of the century.

Scientists say this would limit the worst impacts of climate change.

During a Downing Street news conference, Mr Johnson said:

  • "We can lobby, we can cajole, we can encourage, but we ............ (4)   to do what they do not wish to do"
  • "For all our disagreements, the world is undeniably heading ............. (5) "
  • The "tipping point has been reached in people's attitudes" - with leaders "galvanised and propelled by their electorates"
  • But "........... (6) now would be to think that we in any way cracked this thing"

Mr Johnson said ........... (7)  the achievements of the summit, his reaction was "tinged with disappointment".

He said there had been a high level of ambition - especially from countries .......... (8)  was already "a matter of life and death".

Fill in the gaps with the missing parts:

Ameet the key summit goal B:  the fatal mistake C: only agreed to D: that despite E: where climate change   F:  cannot force sovereign nations

G: was reached after H: in the right direction

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59284505

 

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2. Read the article and answer the questions:

Jasmine Joof said she has been sick with congestion, coughing and headaches for several weeks after discovering the mold growing in her Howard University dorm caused an allergic reaction.

The sophomore said she reported the mold issue to a residential adviser in September, but it was never addressed. So in October, she along with other students facing similar living conditions in their dorms decided they would sleep in tents and air mattresses at the university's Blackburn Center to protest and demand that officials address their concerns. Some have also complained about flooding, roach and mice infestation and non-working Wifi in their dorms at the historically Black university in Washington, DC.
"It's active negligence to their students," said Joof, who's also a spokeswoman for the #BlackburnTakeover. "They have had every opportunity to fix these dorms."
Student activists and civil rights leaders say the controversy is indicative of a widespread issue with crumbling buildings on century-old HBCU campuses that are often underfunded compared to predominately White institutions. The Howard protests have gained support from students at other historically Black colleges including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse and Spelman. The Atlanta-based schools held a joint protest last month against poor living conditions and housing shortages on their own campuses.
The protests at Howard -- one of the most prestigious HBCUs in the country -- have now been going on for a month. The sit-ins have garnered national attention with lead civil rights activists that include Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. William Barber II and Martin Luther King III publicly supporting the students. Jackson was on campus earlier this month attempting to mediate the situation with students and Howard administration.
The student protesters have asked for a meeting or town hall with university officials and for them to provide a comprehensive plan to fix the building issues and be more transparent. More than 4,500 people have signed a petition for Howard to cancel its contract with Corvias Inc., the corporation that maintains and operates residential buildings on campus.

QUESTIONS: 

1. What did Jasmine find in her dorm room?

2. What symptoms did she have?

3. What did the students decide to do in October?

4. What other problems did they have with the dorm room?

5. What did the Atlanta-based schools did last month?

6. How long have the protests at Howard been going on?

7. Which civil rights activist visited the campus?

8. What do the protesters demand?

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/14/us/howard-university-protests-dorm-conditions/index.html

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3. MORE C1 level reading tasks: 

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/advanced-c1/the-state-of-the-world

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4. LISTENING TASKS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GlGrsO0cQE

https://www.oktatas.hu/kozneveles/erettsegi/feladatsorok/emelt_szint_2021osz/emelt_5nap

5. WRITING TASKS: 

 

https://ecl.hu/wp-content/uploads/ECLWritingSamplesC1.pdf

 

Josephine Cochrane

 

Josephine Garis Cochrane was an independent woman o. the mid-1800s. When she married husband William Cochran, she took his last name but added an “e” to the end. And when she realized no one had yet created a proper automatic dishwasher, she invented one herself!

Josephine led a comfortable life i. Shelbyville, Illinois. William was a successful businessman, and the couple often held dinner parties i. their large home. She even had servants to clean up afterward. But one morning a.... a party, she found some of her good china had gotten chipped. She was so upset, she decided to wash the dishes herself f... then on. It wasn’t long b..... Josephine wondered why no one had invented a machine to do the job and soon she had sketched out the idea that would become the first commercially successful automatic dishwasher.

Her design used water pressure to clean, just as today’s dishwashers do. It had wire compartments f.. the dishes, which fit i... a wheel inside a copper boiler. A motor turned the wheel while soapy water sprayed o... the dishes. It was practical, but Josephine had a hard time trying to hire a mechanic to build her machine the way she wanted, instead o. insisting o. building it HIS way. She finally found a man named George Butters to work w..., and the Garis-Cochran Dish-Washing Machine was patented i. 1886, three years after her husband died.

Josephine thought her invention would appeal to other housewives, but it was more o. a hit with hotels and restaurants, maybe because it was an expensive appliance f.. a regular family to buy. She opened her own factory i. 1897, and personally sold her machines nearly up u.... her death in 1913. I. 1926, her company was bought b. Hobart, which eventually became the modern appliance giant KitchenAid.

https://kidsdiscover.com/quick-reads/meet-the-woman-who-invented-the-automatic-dishwasher/

Meet the Woman Who Invented the Automatic Dishwasher - Kids Discover

REAL ENGLISH: Money vocabulary & expressions

 https://www.myenglishpages.com/english/vocabulary-lesson-banking.php

https://www.really-learn-english.com/english-vocabulary-for-the-bank.html

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/read-uk/money

https://quizlet.com/636129043/banking-flash-cards/

FILL IN THE GAPS USING THE WORDS IN ITALICS

balance, bank account, deposit, earn, insurance, loan,  debt, taxes, teller, withdraw

I went to the city to open a ........... (1)

Sometimes I ...........(2)  money from an ATM.

A ............ (3) is a person who deals with customers in a bank. 

In this world nothing is certain but death and ......... (4).

A .......... (5) is an amount of money that you owe.

He got a better job because he wanted to ........... (6) more money.

Don't keep cash at home, ......... (7) your money in a bank.

If you don't have enough money to buy something you can get a ........... (8) from a bank.

I check my ........... (9) every week.

If the .............. (10) doesn't pay, I'll fix it for you.

FILL IN THE GAPS USING THE WORDS IN ITALICS

 

bank account, deposit, earn, insurance, loan,  owe, taxes,  teller, withdraw

How To Get a Loan in Bank Instruction. Stock Vector - Illustration of  design, approval: 133352754What Can I Get a Personal Loan For?Georgian banks: a detailed overview and comparison of the top 5 banks in  Georgia by terms of service | Investment climate in Georgia | GEOLN.COM —  Find off-plan property or real estateHow Can You Make Your Money Work Harder For You? – Forbes Advisor INDIA

 

SERVICES

 

A guide to holiday tipping: What to give your hairdresser, doorman, and  othersPécs Barber Shop - Professzionális Borbély - Professional BarberWatchmaker Is Repairing The Mechanical Watches In His Workshop Stock Photo,  Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 95668068.How to Become a Successful Freelance Photographer205,311 Beautician Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStockWhat's the difference between an optician, optometrist and ophthalmologist?  — Eye Spy OptometryAsk A Mechanic - Why Visiting A Mechanic Might Be The Best Decision For You  - Cash Cars BuyerThese Are the Different Types of Plumbers for Different NeedsHow To Spot An Electrician Scam - Things You Should Know About Electrician  Scam | My DecorativePostman Bag Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock4 Key Benefits of Hiring a Professional Appliance Repair Company - Homer  Appliance

A hairdresser cuts and styles hair.

A barber cuts men's hair and shaves or trims beards.

A watchmaker makes and repairs watches and clocks.

A photographer takes photographs.

A beautician gives people beauty treatment.

An optician makes and supplies glasses and contact lenses.

A mechanic repairs and maintains vehicle engines.

A plumber fits and repairs the pipes, fittings, and other apparatus of water supply, sanitation, or heating systems.

An electrician installs and maintains electrical equipment.

A postman delivers letters.

A home appliance repairman  installs, adjusts and repairs appliances.

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CAUSATIVE:

I cut my hair every month.   OR   I have my hair cut every month. (or: I get my hair cut.)

I shave my beard.

I repair my watch.

A take my photo.

I clean my pores.

I make new glasses.

I repair my car. I change the tyres. I change the spark plug.

I repair my washing machine.

I repair the fuse box.

I deliver my letters.

GrammarRules l The passive causative structure. #English #inglés  #vocabulary #grammar #englishlanguage #lan… | Profesores de inglés,  Enseñanza aprendizaje, Idiomas

 

Passive causative

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-O6thNzaWo

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/causatives-exercise-1.html

 

ECL - B2, topic number 7

7. Communication/keeping in contact 

 

  • reasons of the popularity of mobiles

 top 10 daily uses for smartphones:

  1. Texting (88% use this)
  2. Email (70%)
  3. Facebook (62%)
  4. Camera (61%)
  5. Reading news (58%)
  6. Online shopping (56%)
  7. Checking the weather (54%)
  8. WhatsApp (51%)
  9. Banking (45%)
  10. Watching videos on YouTube (42%)

  As you can see, phone calls didn’t even make the top ten. It actually came in at number 11, with only 41% of people regularly using the feature.

Endangered' elements used to make mobile phones are running out quickly,  scientists warn | The Independent | The Independent

If you ask me, mobile phones, especially smartphones are getting more and more popular because we can use them for many different things. Modern smartphones have lots of interesting features.

I usually use my phone for texting, watching videos on YouTube or Tiktok, online shopping, taking photos, sending messages on messenger or Whatsapp, checking the weather, banking and reading the news. 

I think smartphones have more advantages than disadvantages. We need only one device instead of a camera, TV, and a computer. We can save a lot of money and time. I'm keen on online shopping. Instead of going to the shop and trying on clothes we can order fashionable outfits that cost less money than in the mall. We can keep in touch with friends and family all the time. Instead of using boring snail mail we can send a video and share our experiences with the world. 

However, if you spend too much time online, you can get addicted to your mobile phone. Although you can keep in touch with your friends and family online, nothing compares to face-to-face communication. Another disadvantage is that social media can affect our mental health. We can feel isolated or jelaous if we spend too much time on facebook or instagram. People share perfect moments of their perfect lives and if you do not have the perfect body, perfect house or family you will feel less happy. If you ask me, everybody should do a digital detox from time to time and go without a phone for a couple of days. I believe it would help us enjoy real-life activities and adventures.

Reasons to Do a Digital Detox

 

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