September Exams

Dear all,

There have been some changes in your exam dates for September:

NI1

• Reading, Listening, Writing -> Sept 2nd from 18h to 20:50h (Room 7)
• Speaking -> Sept 5th (Room 7)
• Exam results -> Sept 13th at 14h 
• Exam check -> Sept 16th at 15h

NI2 

• Reading, Listening, Writing -> September 17th from 15:45 to 19:30 (Room 4)
• Speaking -> Sept 9th at 16h (Room 7)
• Exam Results -> Sept 20th at 14h
• Exam check -> Sept 23rd at 16h

NI2 Grades

Dear NI2 students,

Your grades are now ready on the school webpage. To see your personal marks, introduce your ID number and your date of birth.

Those who wish to check their exams may do so from 17h to 18h on Monday 24th. 

Have a good day!

Proof

At the Macmillan Dictionary, this week’s language tip is about countable and uncountable proof.

When proof means ‘information that proves something’, it is almost always an uncountable noun, and so:
       ▪  it rarely comes after a or a number
       ▪  it is rarely used in the plural
 
✗ The fact that science never stops developing is a proof that man never stops using his imagination.
✓ The fact that science never stops developing is proof that man never stops using his imagination.
✗ There are no proofs that homosexual couples are not able to bring up healthy, stable children.
✓ There is no proof that homosexual couples are not able to bring up healthy, stable children.
 
The countable noun proof (usually found in the plural) is a technical word for a copy of a book or article which has to be checked before being printed:
The corrected proofs have been delivered to the printer.

31 things you can do to improve your life in 31 days

This is a presentation made by Nicole Elmore. She is a marketing strategist and EntrepreneurLead.com founder. 

How did you come up with the idea for this presentation? 
The idea for the presentation started developing when I was thinking about the things I have done in my life, and how many people get in the routine of doing the same thing day in and day out — get up, get ready, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to sleep, wake up the next morning and do it all over again. So I was trying to think of a topic to inspire people to try out some new things, challenge themselves in a new task, start a new activity in their life. 

S Jobs' Quotes for Creatives & Designers

What do you think of these quotations? Aren't they inspirational?

 

Cultural Misunderstandings

I just wanted to add a bit of humour while getting ready for the exam today! Can you see how important pronunciation is?

 

NI1 Grades

Dear NI1 students,

As arranged, you can see your grades on this school link. You have to introduce your ID number and your date of birth.

Remember that those who wish, may check their exams in the clasroom on Monday 24th at 16h.

Have a good day!

Gadgets

Dear NI2 students,
 
This is a listening exercise that you can do from Hot English Magazine. Listen to the dialogue first and try to answer the questions. Then complete the text with the missing words.

Learning in the womb

What do babies learn before they are born? New tests have taken place to understand how unborn babies - called foetuses - learn language. It has been discovered that when babies are born they can already recognise familiar sounds and language patterns.

Rob and Finn discuss this research in 6 Minute English. They also talk about how babies develop an accent at a very young age.

This week's question:
According to a survey by the National Literacy Trust, which one of these words was discovered to be the most common first word for a baby to say - not including Mummy or Daddy?
        a) dog
        b) eat
        c) bus
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

The cronut - the US pastry sensation that must cross the Atlantic

These blends between croissants and doughnuts are all the rage in New York, but have yet to make it to the UK. So can you replicate them in your own kitchen?

Cook Edd Kimber's version of the Cronut with this recipe

What do you get when you cross a croissant with a doughnut? Introducing: the Cronut, currently the most sought-after snack on earth. Cronuts have had a rapid rise to fame. New York bakery Dominique Ansel sold its first batch of the portmanteau pastries on 10 May. Within days, pictures of the Cronut had Harlem Shaked their way across the internet, and lines began forming outside the bakery at 6am. Dominique Ansel currently makes just 200 of its trademarked $5 Cronuts a day. Celebrity fans include Hugh Jackman and CNN's Anderson Cooper, and, according to Time magazine, a Cronut black-market has sprung up with pastries selling on Craigslist for around $40. Imitation "doissants" have also gone on sale in the US and Australia.

Do you fancy a ride around 1927 London?

'London In 1927' from John Maher on Vimeo.

The Great Gatsby

Dear all, 

This is the story of The Great Gatsby, a film based on the novel with the same name by Soctt Fitzgerald published in 1925. 

The story takes place a little bit before 1929. For more information on that crisis visit 'Informe semanal' - Aquel jueves negro de 1929. Doesn't it remind you of what we are experiencing these days?

Tea and biscuits against racism

A mosque has been praised for serving tea and biscuits to English Defence League supporters after the far-right group arranged a demonstration there.

 

About six people turned up to protest at the mosque in Bull Lane, York, on Sunday and were invited inside to play football with worshippers. More than 100 supporters of the mosque had gone there after learning of the planned EDL (English Defence League) protest.

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said the mosque's response was "fantastic".
He said: "Tea, biscuits, and football are a great and typically Yorkshire combination when it comes to disarming hostile and extremist views."

Proud Moment

Father Tim Jones, who went to the Bull Lane mosque, which is situated in his parish, said: "I've always known they were intelligent and compassionate people and I think this has demonstrated the extent to which they are people of courage - certainly physical courage and also a high degree of moral courage.

Daredevil Gene

Dear NI2 students,

This is the bank of words that you'll need to do the reading task called Daredevil Gene.
Good reading!

all                it                must                to
also             known       not                   what
fearless       later          on                    which
followed      leaving      one                  who
following     likely          others              why
for               lives          that
half             might         those

Key

Hi!

This is the key for the latest homework assignment I told you to do at home.

• NI1

• NI2

I hope you all do well in the exam. Don't get nervous and remember to have sound sleep before the exam. 
I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your reviews of my work and the school. It was my pleasure to have you in class :-)

Listening Lessons

Hi!

As promised, I'm showing you some links to listening exercises for NI1. 
Source: Talk English
http://www.talkenglish.com/Listening/ListenIntermediate.aspx

NI2 Film reviews

Book reviews

Mobile Phones - a great invention?

Almost everybody has a mobile phone. But is it a great invention? What are the advantages, what are the arguments against? What's your opinion? Write down your proposals on the comments' section. 

Film Reviews

Hi!

You can read some of your partner's film reviews. Have you any of these? What do you think? Would you recommend it as well?