Job satisfaction and working for Google - click here
Google video
Island caretaker
GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.
| The world will soon ____________ who will get the “best job in the world”. The position is for a caretaker to live on and look after a tropical island off the ____________ of Queensland, Australia. Duties include relaxing on the island, which is part of the Great Barrier Reef, and writing a blog to ____________ the area. Other responsibilities are to feed the fish, clean the pool and collect the mail. The job website, islandreefjob.com, tells ____________: “There are over 1,500 species of fish living in the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t worry. You won’t need to ____________ them all.” The successful applicant will get a salary of nearly US$100,000 for the six months. Officials from Queensland’s ____________ department announced on Tuesday that they were now ____________ at 50 candidates. Unsurprisingly, over 35,000 people ____________ for the job. |
looking
coast applicants know tourism promote applied feed | |
| The next stage in the selection ____________ is to get the list of candidates down to 11. The tourism board will ____________ ten people. Visitors to the website will choose an eleventh person. The public can look at the video applications of all 50 ____________ caretakers. The eleven lucky finalists will then fly to Hamilton Island for a ____________ interview. The winner will be announced on May 6, and the job starts on July 1. The ____________ shortlist of 50 includes people from 22 countries. They include dancers, chefs, scientists and students and they all want a ____________ of paradise. Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said there was much discussion to ____________ down the list to 50. He told reporters, “it boiled down to…the motivation and professionalism of the applicants and their '____________' with the job and Tourism Queensland”. |
narrow
hopeful fit process current select formal slice |
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
| a. | The “best job in the world” is to look after a desert island. | T / F |
| b. | One of the duties of this job is to catch and cook fish. | T / F |
| c. | There are 15,000 species of fish living on the Great Barrier Reef. | T / F |
| d. | More than 35,000 people applied for this wonderful job. | T / F |
| e. | Website visitors will choose a shortlist of 10 candidates. | T / F |
| f. | Website visitors can look at the video applications of the candidates. | T / F |
| g. | All of the applicants for the best job in the world are Australian. | T / F |
| h. | Tourist officials want someone who is motivated and professional. | T / F |
| 1. | position | a. | post |
| 2 | look after | b. | reduce |
| 3. | promote | c. | job |
| 4. | d. | choose | |
| 5. | applied | e. | publicize |
| 6. | process | f. | match |
| 7. | select | g. | care for |
| 8. | current | h. | method |
| 9. | narrow down | i. | went for |
| 10. | fit | j. | present |
Reading: The English Can't Dress page 2
Listening: Camden Fashion
Grammar: Order of adjectives
Grammar Pratice:
1. He was wearing a ________ shirt.
dirty old flannel
flannel old dirty
old dirty flannel
2. Pass me the ________ cups.
plastic big blue
big blue plastic
big plastic blue
3. All the girls fell in love with the ________ teacher.
handsome new American
American new handsome
new handsome American
4. I used to drive ________ car.
a blue old German
an old German blue
an old blue German
5. He recently married a ________ woman.
young beautiful Greek
beautiful young Greek
beautiful Greek young
6. This is a ________ movie.
new Italian wonderful
wonderful Italian new
wonderful new Italian
7. She is a ________ supermodel.
beautiful slim Brazilian
Brazilian beautiful slim
slim Brazilian beautiful
8. It's in the ________ container.
large blue metal
blue large metal
blue metal large
9. He sat behind a ________ desk.
big wooden brown
big brown wooden
wooden big brown
10. She gave him a ________ vase.
small Egyptian black
black Egyptian small
small black Egyptian
1. Grammar: Prepositions of movement
2. Listening and writing: Watch the video National Fantasy Football League and write a sentence for each clip
eg: He kicked the ball through the car and then jumped through the car to catch it.
27th May
30th May
Children's changing media habits
16th May
Email writing: Formal, informal or neutral?
Inventions: Click here
6th May
Neighbours worksheet continued...
Homestay families: Reading
Travel problems: Vocab
Making requests: Gap fill
What advice would you give to the student who says each of these
problems? Draft an answer to each and prepare to have a roleplay for each one
“My host family don’t want me to stay out late. They are
treating me as if I am a child! ”
“My host parents are lovely but I just can’t eat the food
they cook, I don’t like it. What can I do? I don’t want to be impolite”
“I don’t like the food that they serve for dinner, there
is no fresh fruit or veg, it’s all fried food”
“My host family don’t really talk to me…they just watch
TV in the evenings after work. I’m here to learn French but they don’t want to
interact. What can I do?”
“I am allergic to cats but they let the cat sleep on my
bed”
“My host parents refuse to give me my own key. They say
the last foreign student lost and it was expensive to replace, but it means I
have no freedom”
“I have nothing in common with my host family. It’s more
than a cultural difference and I want to change families please”
“The house is dirty and it smells bad. I don’t feel at
home there”
2nd May
Language: Idiomatic expressions for Emotions
Personality flow: Adjectives
Neighbours: worksheet
29 April
cultural differences
national stereotypes
Phrasal verbs with get: click here
Adjective order
adjective order explanation
adjective order exercise
Modals
Writing: Formal, informal and neutral language for writing email
Grammar: Modals of obligation
| Modal | Meaning | Example | ||||||||||||||||
| can | to express ability | I can speak a little Russian. | ||||||||||||||||
| can | to request permission | Can I open the window? | ||||||||||||||||
| may | to express possibility | I may be home late. | ||||||||||||||||
| may | to request permission | May I sit down, please? | ||||||||||||||||
| must | to express obligation | I must go now. | ||||||||||||||||
| must | to express strong belief | She must be over 90 years old. | ||||||||||||||||
| should | to give advice | You should stop smoking. | ||||||||||||||||
| would | to request or offer | Would you like a cup of tea? | ||||||||||||||||
| would | in if-sentences | If I were you, I would say sorry. Modal verbs are unlike other verbs. They do not change their form (spelling) and they have no infinitive or participle (past/present). The modals must andcan need substitute verbs to express obligation or ability in the different tenses. Here are some examples:
Modals are auxiliary verbs. They do not need an additional auxiliary in negatives or questions. For example: Must I come? (Do I must come?), or: He shouldn't smoke (He doesn't should smoke). |
Practice: How to: Describing a process using modals
Listening: TED Talks: "There's a flip side to everything"
Speaking: Derek Sivers worksheet
Climate Change and environmentalism
Speaking: The Future of our Planet
Language: reporting verbs
Language: click here
----
15th April
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2004/climate_change/default.stm
Grammar: Reported speech
Indirect Speech (also known as Reported Speech) refers to a sentence reporting what someone has said. It is almost always used in spoken English.
If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause will be in a past form. This form is usually one step back into the past from the original.
For example:
She said her job was interesting.- She said she went to the library each day.
- Our new colleague said he spoke French every day.
If simple present, present perfect or the future is used in the reporting verb (i.e. says) the tense is retained. For example:
- She says that her job is interesting.
- She says that she goes to the library each day.
- Our new colleague will say that he speaks French every day.
If reporting a general truth the present tense will be retained or even the future tense can be used. For example:
- She said that her country is very beautiful.
- They said that trust is vital for any business.
- My wife said that she will always love me no matter what.
Now read the following story and find the indirect speech expressions in italics.
"Say it again"
"I'm just popping out to put the car away in the garage. I've left it in the road." — I told my wife that I just was popping out to put the car away in the garage as I had left it in the road. "You be careful. Remember you've had a lot to drink and the police are having a particular purge at the moment in drink driving." — She told me to be careful and reminded me that I had a lot to drink and that the police have a particular purge at the time on drink driving. She is very law-abiding, my wife.I shut the front door and as I walked down the garden path, I noticed someone standing by the car. It was a policeman. "Very pleasant weather for the time of year." — He pointed out the pleasantness of the weather for the time of year. "Oh er - yes. Absolutely". I hesitated and agreed wholeheartedly. "Is this your car, sir". — He asked me whether it was my car.
"Yes, indeed" I affirmed confidently. "Don't see many of this particular make often. I've sometimes thought of buying one myself." — He reckoned that youdid not often see many of that particular make. He sometimes thought of buying one himself. "Oh, really". I expressed interest in his comment.
"What is this man up to? Is he trying to lure me into starting up the car so that he can then breathalyze me?" — I asked myself what that man was up to and wondered whether he was trying to lure me into starting up the car so that he could then breathalyze me. "But then I doubt I could afford it. Cost a fair amount, I expect?" — Then he doubted whether he could afford it and conjectured that it it had to cost a fair amount. "I picked it up quite cheaply actually. It has done a lot of miles, you see." — I explained that I had it picked up quite cheaply because it had done a lot of miles. The man was beginning to get on my nerves. Why didn't he just arrest me for intent to drive a motor car while under the influence of drink?
Listen to this BBC report and then present back what was said: Bull Power
Reading: Bonuses for Botox
Speaking: 1. What are your feelings about a job that would force you to consider cosmetic surgery?
2. Should older people step aside for the next generation to take control? Why/not?
__________
____________
18th April
2. Should older people step aside for the next generation to take control? Why/not?
__________
Class 2
Grammar, verb + ing
Common verbs followed by –ing nouns are:
Verbs of liking and disliking:
- detest
- dislike
- enjoy
- hate
- fancy
- like
- love
I love swimming but I hate jogging.
They always enjoyed visiting their friends.
A: Do you fancy going for a walk?
B: I wouldn’t mind
They always enjoyed visiting their friends.
A: Do you fancy going for a walk?
B: I wouldn’t mind
Phrases with mind:
- wouldn’t mind (= would like)
- don’t mind (= I am willing to)
- would you mind (= will you please…?)
I wouldn’t mind having some fish and chips.
I don’t mind waiting for a few minutes.
Would you mind holding this for me?
I don’t mind waiting for a few minutes.
Would you mind holding this for me?
Verbs of saying and thinking:
- admit
- consider
- deny
- imagine
- remember
- suggest
Our guide suggested waiting until the storm was over.
Everyone denied seeing the accident.
Everyone denied seeing the accident.
Other common verbs are:
- avoid
- begin
- finish
- keep
- miss
- practise
- risk
- start
- stop
I haven’t finished writing this letter.
Let’s practise speaking English.
Let’s practise speaking English.
Passive form of -ing
Many of these verbs are sometimes followed by the passive form of -ing: being + past participle
I don’t like being interrupted.
Our dog loves being stroked under the chin.
Our dog loves being stroked under the chin.
Noun + -ing clause
Some verbs are followed by a noun and an -ing clause:
Verbs to do with the senses:
- see
- watch
- hear
- smell
- listen to
- etc.
We saw everybody running away.
I could hear someone singing.
I could hear someone singing.
Other common verbs:
- catch
- find
- imagine
- leave
- prevent
- stop
I caught someone trying to break into my house.
We couldn’t prevent them getting away.
We couldn’t prevent them getting away.
Video.
____________
18th April
Language: Idiomatic expressions for Emotions
Personality flow: Adjectives
Neighbours: worksheet
_________
File sharing
Who buys DVDs or CDs these days? Of course, many download music through iTunes or Amazon, legally purchasing a data copy of the work. However, other individuals have quit making any purchases. They instead turn to illegal downloads via person-to-person networks on the Internet.
Movie and music companies claim that downloads significantly reduce their profits. Once a movie has been watched, the majority of viewers won't watch it again. In other words, they'll spend their hard-earned cash elsewhere. The same holds true of music. However, the movie and music industry continue to thrive, mostly because people who download thus sample other work. In fact, many outside the industry suggest that file sharing has reinvigorated the entertainment industry.
Preview the lesson material:
Warm Up: Discuss the question with your partner for five minutes.
- Have you ever downloaded movies or music? Do you know people who have?
Comprehension Questions: Answer the questions before/after your read the article.
- What information isn't true?
a. many people download music legally
b. fewer people spend their money these days
c. file sharing may have reinvigorated the entertainment industry
d. all of the above - What best describes the opinion of the author?
a. supportive of downloading
b. someone who thinks money is important
c. supportive of the entertainment's industry's concerns
d. someone who has reinvigorated the entertainment industry
Discuss: Discuss these questions with a partner. Remember to support your answers.
- Why do people illegally download movies and music? Please explain.
- Should people who illegally download be punished? Why/not?
- Can you think of any reasons that file sharing should be legal?
Summary
29 May 2009
Around seven million people in the UK are involved in illegal downloads at huge cost to the economy - but changing attitudes is going to be tough. A report warns that criminalising people who download illegally may not be the right course.
Reporter:
Rory Cellan-Jones
Rory Cellan-Jones
7m people in the UK download illegally at huge cost to the economy
Report
The report for a body advising the government on __________looks at __________ __________ to illegal downloading. Researchers found 1.3 million people online on just one file-sharing network on a weekday and worked out that over a year, they were getting free __________ to material worth __________ pounds.
The report says seven million people who download illegally in the UK can't all be students, older people must also be__________. But it says there's __________ about what is or is not illegal, and the fact that so much on the internet is free only adds to the __________.
The report warns the government that__________ downloaders could have huge economic costs and might not even work.
Rory Cellan-Jones, BB
C
C
Write a presentation: Flip a coin to decide whether to argue for or against free file sharing then prepare a presentation defending your position
__________
Education
Listening: Universities in the UK Click here
Universities in Britain are a magnet for _________ students. There are currently over 200,000 from outside Britain studying at British universities. The largest single group is Chinese students. There are currently 50,000 in the UK. The British government expects the total number of overseas students to be around 900,000 by 2020, and also thinks that a quarter of these will be Chinese.
But why is the UK such a _________destination for university students? Well, the quality of your course is _________. All courses are _________ by an independent system, so you can be assured that your course is officially approved and has wide international _________.
The British education system is very _________ in order to provide for the needs of a modern, _________ society. It is also_________. Degree courses are usually shorter and more intensive than in other countries. There are lots of _________ available. You normally need 3 A-levels, which are the exams taken by people leaving school at 18, in order to enter an undergraduate degree course. You also need an IELTS score of at least 5.5, but many universities offer foundation or access courses to prepare students for their studies.
British universities offer a _________ but independent approach. The emphasis is on creative and independent thought, which helps develop the skills you will need to compete in the global job market. Tutors not only teach but also provide support and guidance. As a result, international students have a very low _________ rate and a very high_________.
It is very simple to become an international student in the UK. The British Council offers a free and _________ service to anyone who is interested in studying in the UK, and an organisation called UCAS assists you in finding a course and making an effective application.
The UK is a _________ and _________ place. The countryside is beautiful, and the theatres, museums, architecture and rich history make it a _________ place to live and study. Why not give it a go?
Language: pick out all the adjectives used to describe UK universities above
Speaking: Write a presentation which describes the language school you work for. Present its best features to prospective students
How can you help first-day students to your language school feel more at ease?
Read through this blog: Surviving my first day at uni
Do you want to add any more advice?
Article: Homeschoolers on the Rise
Increasing numbers of families are choosing the best in private schools. They are hiring teachers to educate their children at home. Unlike the more familiar home schoolers of recent years, these families aren't interested in getting more religion. They don't have a problem withordinary education either. Simply, public schools don't fit their lifestyles.
Lisa Mazzoni, for example, and her family split their time between California and Florida. Lisa sometimes has her algebra or history homework delivered poolside or on her condo's rooftop. Lisa's mother says, "For someone who travels a lot or has a parent who travels and wants to keep the family together, it's an excellent choice." The Mazzonis own a speedboat company that requires them to travel frequently.
The price tag for private teachers generally runs from $70 to $110 an hour. Furthermore, the cost can easily equal or top the best private schools, where $30,000 is not uncommon.Advocates see in-home teaching as an opportunity to offer the highest levels of academic attention and flexibility in scheduling. There is also a sense of family togetherness and independence over what the children learn.
The minus, however, may be that children don't develop socially. The children have fewer opportunities to interact with their friends, and so important social skills may not develop. Group lessons, such as ballet or sculpture, help to substitute some social contact.
There are many companies that supply teachers and curricula, making it easier for families to step away from traditional schooling. Tiffany Wheeler, another home schooler, explains it best. "It's fun," she says, barefoot and looking relaxed at her bedroom desk.
Preview some of the lesson material:
Warm Up: Do you agree or disagree? Why?
- Home schooling is for the elite and powerful. It’s an unfair system!
- Grades are the most important part of school.
- Children must learn social customs, and so should go to school.
- Learning from home with a tutor or via the Internet is the wave of the future.
- All children should be required to attend public school to receive the same education.
True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false. If false, correct the sentence.
- In the past, home schooling was often due to religious reasons.
- The price tag of home schooling can be greater than the top private schools.
- Opponents say that home schooling offers unequalled levels of academic attention.
- There are no downsides to home schooling.
- Social interaction among peers can be duplicated outside the school environment.
post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
- What are some reasons that you would want to home school your child?
- What are some reasons that you wouldn't want to home school your child?
- Do you think home schooling via the Internet is the wave of the future? Why/not?
- What is the single greatest advantage of home schooling of public schooling of private schooling?
- What would you say if your son or daughter wanted to quit school and study at home?
Google Search: Type "home schooling" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.
________
________
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