jueves, 29 de enero de 2015

Pupils 'shunning tough books at secondary school'

Research by Dundee University finds that pupils read relatively difficult books throughout primary education before an "alarming" dip in standards at secondary level.
            By the age of 11, children are accessing books aimed at pupils with a chronological reading age six months lower than their own, with standards continuing to decline as pupils grow up. The study found that pupils aged 14 to 16 were actually reading texts that were also listed among the top titles for seven- to eight-year-olds such as The Twits by Roald Dahl. Many older pupils – especially boys – also turned to non-fiction books about sport, with Roy App’s biology of Wayne Rooney named in the top 20 most popular titles. But the report published by Renaissance Learning, the education company, said that sporting titles were “not sufficiently challenging for their level of ability”.
            The study – based on a large-scale analysis of the reading habits of 426,000 children in 2,000 UK schools – suggested that primary teachers were more likely to push pupils towards challenging books because of awareness of the importance of developing literacy skills at a young age. But it is feared that reading takes a backward step in secondary education because more time is spent focusing on other subjects.
            Keith Topping, professor of educational and social research at Dundee University, said: “There is a marked downturn in the difficulty of books at secondary transfer and this does not necessarily reflect a lack of ability to read more difficult texts. The results seem to point to under challenge at either end of the spectrum, both for struggling readers and high-ability readers.”
            Researchers logged the difficulty level of books using a system that scans texts for average sentence length, the difficulty of words and the size of the particular title. Pupils were also quizzed about their understanding of chosen books.
            The study found that difficultly level of books “tends to plateau” in the first year of secondary school. By the time pupils hit the age of 12 standards “decline absolutely, which is alarming”, the report said.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a. “The Twist” by Roald Dahl is recommended for seven-year-old children.
b. Older pupils prefer non-fiction books
c. No special attention is paid to reading in secondary schools.
d. Secondary students are unable to read difficult texts.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What are the differences between an eleven-year-old and a fifteen-year-old reader?
b. How were the books classified?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. to fall, to drop (paragraph 1)
b. proposed, intended (paragraph 2)
c. really (paragraph 2)
d. ability (paragraph 3)
e. ordinary, common (paragraph 5)
Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a. The report said sporting titles were “not sufficiently challenging for their level of ability”.
    Sporting titles…
b. Primary teachers were more likely to push pupils towards challenging books because of awareness of the importance of developing literacy skills at a young age.
    Because primary teachers…
c. By the time pupils hit the age of 12 standards “decline absolutely, which is alarming”, the report said.
     The report said that…

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

“It is a good idea to make pupils read novels at secondary school” do you agree with this statement? 

Rephrasings 15

Rewrite the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. 

1.        Close the door when you out, she said to me.
He told ………………………………………..
2.       I didn’t work for that bank because the pay was very low.
If the pay………………………………….
3.       I would like to have more brothers and sisters.
I wish ……………………………………
4.       It’s years since I last went to the cinema.
I haven’t ……………………………
5.       Are you free tomorrow?
Are you …………………..
6.       Surfing is more exciting than skating.
Skating isn’t …………………………..
7.       I always got up at six in those days.
I used ………………………………………
8.       Do you fancy going to the opera tonight?
Would ……………………………………………….
9.       The doctor took out one of my teeth yesterday.
Yesterday I …………………………..
10.     What time does the library open? She asked.
She asked …………………………………..
11.      I’m sorry I didn’t bring a map.
I wish ………………………………………
12.     Terry was very happy in spite of her illness.
Although ……………………………………..
13.     I know someone. This person likes you.
I know someone………………………………………

Parecer

There are five verbs you can use to translate the Spanish “parecer”. Choose from the ones below
 
Look (like/alike)
Smell (like/alike)
Feel (like/alike)
Sound (like/alike)
Taste (like/alike)

Translate the following sentences into English

  1. ¡Qué bien huele ese perfume! Parece caro.
  2. ¿A quién se parece tu hermano? Se parece a mi padre.
  3. ¿Oyes esa música? Parece de Mozart.
  4. Esas dos mellizas se parecen mucho.
  5. Esa canción parece inglesa.
  6. Ñam, ñam. Parece zanahoria pero no estoy seguro.
  7. Ese perfume se parece al mío.
  8. La música de ese cantante me parece maravillosa.
  9. Esta tela parece de seda.
  10. Puaf! Parece queso y a mí no me gusta el queso.

KEY
  1. How good/nice that perfume smells. It smells expensive.
  2. Who does your brother look like? He looks like my father.
  3. Can you hear that music? It sounds like Mozart’s.
  4. Those twins look very much alike.
  5. That song sounds English.
  6. Yum yum. It tastes like carrot but I’m not sure.
  7. That perfume smells like mine.
  8. That singer’s music sounds beautiful to me.
  9. This fabric/material feels like silk.
  10. Yuck! It tastes like cheese and I don’t like cheese.


Pupils 'shunning tough books at secondary school'

Question 1
a. TRUE. among the top titles for seven- to eight-year-olds such as The Twits by Roald Dahl
b. FALSE. Many older pupils – especially boys – also turned to non-fiction books
c. TRUE. reading takes a backward step in secondary education because more time is spent focusing on other subjects.
d. FALSE. this does not necessarily reflect a lack of ability to read more difficult texts

Question 2
a. By the age of 11, children are accessing books aimed at pupils with a chronological reading age six months lower than their own, with standards continuing to decline as pupils grow up. The study found that pupils aged 14 to 16 were actually reading texts that were also listed among the top titles for seven- to eight-year-olds such
b. Researchers logged the difficulty level of books using a system that scans texts for average sentence length, the difficulty of words and the size of the particular title. Pupils were also quizzed about their understanding of chosen books.

Question 3
a. dip
b. aimed
c. actually
d. skill
e. average

Question 4
a. Sporting titles… are said not to have been sufficiently challenging for their level of ability.
b. Because primary teachers… were aware of the importance of developing literary skills at a young age, they were more likely to push pupils towards challenging books.
c. The report said that… by the time pupils hit the age of 12 standards declined absolutely, which was alarming.


Couple fined £100 for slamming "rotten stinking" hotel in online review

A couple have been 'fined' £100 for describing a hotel as a "rotten stinking hovel" on a travel website. Tony and Jan Jenkinson posted the negative comment on Trip Advisor after their one night stay at the Broadway Hotel in Blackpool left much to be desired.
            The couple later found their credit card had been charged £100, with the hotel stating is policy was to charge for "bad" reviews. It is now thought it may have breached unfair trading practice regulations. When contacted for comment the manager of the hotel was unavailable, the BBC reports.
            The hotel policy, contained in a booking document, reads: "Despite the fact that repeat customers and couples love our hotel, your friends and family may not. For every bad review left on any website, the group organiser will be charged a maximum £100 per review", it adds.
            However, the Jekinsons are not the only ones unimpressed by the seafront hotel - it is ranked 858 out of 894 in Blackpool and more than half its reviews rate it as “terrible”. One recent review described the accommodation as a “prisoner camp” while other visitors said they would rather sleep in a tent on the beach opposite.
            John Greenbank, north trading standards area manager, said fines were a “novel” way to prevent bad reviews. He said: “I have worked for trading standards for many years and have never seen anything like this. The hotel management clearly thinks that they have come up with a novel way to prevent bad reviews, however, we believe this could be deemed an unfair trading practice.”
            Councillor John McCreesh, cabinet member for trading standards, said that customers needed to be free to be honest about the service they were receiving. He added: “Other customers depend upon it. Hotel owners should focus on getting their service right rather than shutting down aggrieved customers with threats and fines. People should have the right to vent their disappointment if a hotel stay did not meet their expectations and should not be prevented from having their say.”

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. The Jenkinsons submitted their review while staying at the hotel.
b. The hotel has refused to make any comments.
c. John Greenbank thinks this idea is a good way to prevent bad reviews.
d. According to John McCreesh, people ought to be free to express themselves.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. Why did the hotel charge the money to the Jenkinsons?
b. Why does Mr McCreesh disagree with this practice?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. to declare (par 2)                   b. not affected (par 4)                c. to find (par 5)
d. to consider (par 5)                 e. letdown (par 6)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a.  The group organiser will be charged a maximum £100 per review.
            The hotel...
b. It is thought this fine has breached unfair trading practice regulations.
            This fine...
c. He said: “I have worked for trading standards for many years and have never seen anything like this.”
           He said that ....................

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:


Why are low cost holidays so popular nowadays?

Articles 2

Translate the following sentences into English

  1. Ese hombre fue a la cárcel por robo.
  2. Fui a la prisión a hablar con el ladrón.
  3. Dicen que el queso francés es muy bueno.
  4. Prefiero la música pop a la música folk.
  5. Un tal Smith vino a vernos.
  6. Pedimos sólo un café, no dos.
  7. Yo tengo una morada y tú una azul.
  8. Estaba en la cama con gripe.
  9. Tengo dolor de cabeza.
  10. Ella trabaja cinco días a la semana.


KEY

  1. That man went to prison for burglary.
  2. I went to the prison to talk to the burglar.
  3. They say that French cheese is very good.
  4. I prefer pop music to folk music.
  5. A Mr Smith came to see us.
  6. It was one coffee we ordered, not two.
  7. I’ve got a purple one and you’ve got a blue one.
  8. I was in bed with flu.
  9. I’ve got a headache.
  10. She works five days a week. 

Couple fined £100 for slamming "rotten stinking" hotel in online review

Question 1

a) FALSE “ Tony and Jan Jenkinson posted the negative comment on Trip Advisor after their one night stay at the Broadway Hotel in Blackpool left much to be desired”
            b) TRUE “When contacted for comment the manager of the hotel was unavailable”
            c) FALSE “we believe this could be deemed an unfair trading practice.”
d) TRUE “People should have the right to vent their disappointment if a hotel stay did not meet their expectations and should not be prevented from having their say.”

Question 2

            a) - it was the hotel policy.
                - for writing a bad review about the hotel on a travel website.
            b) - other customers depend upon it.
                - hotel owners should focus on getting their service right.
                - people should have the right to express themselves.
Question 3

a)       stating / (to) state
b)       unimpressed
c)       (to) come up with
            d)   deemed / (to) deem
            e)   disappointment

Question 4

a)       The hotel  will charge  the group organiser a maximum £100 per review.
The hotel will charge a maximum £100 per review to the group organiser.
b)       This fine is thought to have breached trading practice regulations.

c)       He had worked for trading standards for many years and had never seen anything like that.

jueves, 15 de enero de 2015

Lies have become an accepted part of British life, poll reveals

The average Briton tells more than 10 lies a week, with two fifths claiming fibs are ''sometimes necessary'', research has found. Almost all Britons (91%) have told a lie at some point in their lives, with a quarter (25%) saying they will ''happily'' tell a fib if they think it will not hurt anyone, the survey for confused.com found. Just 5% believe it is never acceptable, 55% ''sometimes stretch the truth'' and 27% say white lies are acceptable.

The most common subject for lies is vices, with 41% admitting to dishonesty about the price of an item they have bought, 25% lying about how much they drink and 23% fibbing about their eating habits. Almost a third (32%) say they have lied about the reason for missing a call and 31% have made up a reason for why they were late. Some 16% have been untruthful about a past relationship, the survey found, 15% about where they went the previous night and 14% about who they were with the night before. Some 7% say they have lied on sites such as Facebook and Twitter to make themselves seem more interesting, with this figure rising to 19% among 18 to 24-year-olds.

The survey found 67% of women are likely to tell white lies compared with 58% of men, with women most likely to lie about how much something cost and men most likely to fib about how much they drink. More than half the population (54%) admitted they lie to their parents. Nearly one in seven (13%) admitted to lying when they took out an insurance policy, with 44% doing so to save money.

Matt Lloyd, head of life insurance at Confused.com, said: ''It's not surprising to see that the majority of Britons (91%) have told a lie at some point – little white lies are part and parcel of daily life; whether it's about what a person had for lunch or how much something cost. However, it's alarming to see that nearly one in seven have lied on their insurance application. If lies are told whilst applying for life insurance it could have very serious consequences. If insurers prove a claimant has lied or withheld information on their application, they could reject a claim or only pay a percentage of it.''

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. More than half of the people asked said lying is never acceptable.
b. Most people are honest about their former partners.
c. Very few women lie about their shopping expenses.
d. Some people lie in order to avoid paying high sums of money.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. What kind of people lie in social networks and why?
b. What is the risk of lying on an insurance application?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. harm (par.1)                          b. invent  (par.2)                           c. lie (par.3)
d. request (par.4)                      e. keep (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a.      Although she lied to me, she never hurt my feelings.
            Despite …………………………………………………………….
b.      He lied on his insurance application so the company rejected his claim.
If …………………………………………………………………….       
c.      ''It's not surprising to see that the majority of Britons (91%) have told a lie at some point”, Matt Lloyd said.
Matt Lloyd said that ……………………………………………

           

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

                There are times when lying is acceptable. Do you agree?

BRITISH and AMERICAN ENGLISH 14




Are these sentences British or American English? Decide, by reading the whole sentence, if you have to use the British or the American word, which is given in brackets.

  1. Every child in the family expected presents on ( Boxing day / the day after Christmas ), but the adults said that Santa Clause had run out of petrol.

  1. The baby was crying in her ( cot / crib ), so Mary gave her her pacifier and changed her ( diaper / nappy ).

  1. Her sister was visiting her during her vacation, so Mary put up a ( cot / camp bed ) next to the baby’s crib.

  1. In the morning, when the baby woke up, they went to the ( shopping centre / mall ), so they put the baby in the stroller.

  1. They took the car and stopped at the petrol station; they had to open the (hood / bonnet ) because they heard a strange noise.

  1. Finally, when they got to the mall, they left the car in the ( car park / parking lot ).

  1. My apartment is on the fourth floor but I’m afraid there’s no ( lift / elevator)

  1. The trousers look nice with that ( waistcoat / vest )

  1. Put the garbage in the (dustbin / trashcan )

  1. At my son’s High School the new ( term / semester ) starts next week.

  1. After changing his nappy, Mary put the baby in the ( stroller / push chair ) because he was too big for the ( pram / baby carriage )




KEY


  1. Boxing Day
  2. crib – diaper
  3. cot
  4. mall
  5. bonnet
  6. parking lot
  7. elevator
  8. waistcoat
  9. trashcan
  10. semester
  11. push chair - pram

Pasar(se)

Translate the following sentences into English.


1.      El día pasó sin incidentes.
2.      Él podía pasar por un inglés.
3.      ¿Quieres pasarme el azúcar?
4.      La tormenta ha pasado y el sol brilla otra vez.
5.      Él pasa el tiempo haciendo crucigramas.
6.      Nos contaron todo lo que pasó en su viaje a Amsterdam.
7.      Pasaremos el fin de semana en el campo.
8.      Pasaron cinco minutos hasta que llamaron.
9.      ¿Qué ha pasado?
10.  Ellos pasaron al curso siguiente sin grandes dificultades.


Key

1.      The day passed without incident.
2.      He could pass for an Englishman.
3.      Will you pass me the sugar?
4.      The storm has passed, and the sun is shining again.
5.      He spends his time doing crosswords.
6.      They told us everything about his journey to Amsterdam.
7.      We’ll spend the weekend in the country.
8.      Five minutes passed till he phoned.
9.      What has happened?
10.  They promoted to the next course without big difficulties.

Home hairdresser's

Watch the video and decide if the statements are true or false. Correct the false ones. 

1. The girl says "I cut my hair".

 2. Her sister tried to stop her.

 3. The girl says she is not going to do it again.

 4. The girls' parents cut their own hair.

 5. The father gets really angry.

KEY

1. False. I cut my fringe.
2. False. She didn't.
3. False. She is not.
4. False. They go to the hairdresser's
5. False. He keeps calm.

Rephrasing Passive


Rewrite these sentences so their meaning doesn’t change, the beginning is given

 1.  A jeep picked up the soldiers from the base.
The soldiers…
2.      We ought to invite Susan to the party.
Susan…
3.      The police took the angry youth away.
The angry…
4.      Food is being eaten right now in this class.
They…
5.      People think pollution is not a minor problem.
Pollution…
6.      All the victims were being taken to hospital.
Ambulances…
7.      The hairdresser was cutting Martha’s hair.
Martha…
8.      Shoes have been made here for nearly 50 years.
They…
9.      The teacher had completed our report cards.
We…
10.   Mum didn’t cook dinner because she was very tired.
Dinner…
11.   The crew will bury the sailors to sea.
The sailors…
12.   Do they add sugar to fruit in order to make jam?
Is…


KEY
      1.       The soldiers were picked up from the base by a jeep.
2.      Susan ought to be invited to the party.
3.      The angry youth was taken away.
4.      They are eating food in the class right now.
5.      Pollution is thought not to be a minor problema.
6.      Ambulances were taking all the victims to hospital.
7.      Martha was having her hair cut.
8.      They have made shoes for nearly 50 years.
9.      We hads our report cards completed.
10.   Dinner wasns’t cooked by mun because she was very tired.
11.   The sailors will be vuried to sea.
12.   Is sugar added to fruit in order to make jam?

Echar(se)

Translate the following sentences into English.

  1. Echaron al criado por ser poco honrado.
  2. Este carbón echa poco humo.
  3. Échame esa pelota que está junto al banco.
  4. Échate otra taza de café.
  5. Échale un hueso al perro de tu vecino.
  6. Si están haciendo mucho ruido, ¡échalos!
  7. Voy a salir a echar unas cartas al correo.
  8. Ella echó el vino en un vaso.
  9. El médico me dijo que me echara en la cama.


Key
1.      The servant was sacked for being dishonest.
2.      This coal gives off little smoke.
3.      Throw me that ball that is next to the bench.
4.      Pour yourself another cup of coffee.
5.      Throw a bone to your neighbour’s dog.
6.      If they are making too much noise, throw them out!
7.      I’m going out to post some letters.
8.      She poured the wine into a glass.
9.      The doctor told me to lie down on the bed.

Volunteers begin packing away Tower of London’s ceramic poppies

Yesterday hundreds of volunteers began the long and repetitive task of removing and packing the 888,246 ceramic poppies that have gripped the British public’s imagination at the Tower of London.

The first poppies were taken off their metal stems on Wednesday, the day after Armistice Day. Each was carefully placed in cardboard boxes ready to be taken to a factory. They will then be delivered to the 600,000 people who paid £25, with six charities each expected to benefit by £1.2m. Private investors who lent money to fund the project are also expected to benefit.

About 1,000 people a day, many of whom were among the 19,000 who put the flowers in the moat between July and Armistice Day, are due to work in three three-hour shifts a day over the next two weeks packing the flowers away.

One of the volunteers was Agnes Atkinson, who moved to London from the Philippines 22 years ago. “I think I am so lucky to be here for the first morning. To be part of it is such an amazing experience.” She added that pulling them up was hard work: “Some of them are really quite stubborn, so you really have to dig your hands down and pull it.”

More than 5 million people are estimated to have visited the art installation by artist Paul Cummins, over the last five months.

Among the crowds yesterday was Irma Ansell, a garden designer, from Buckinghamshire anxious to see the poppies before it was too late. “I had no idea how enormous this was,” she said. “It’s breathtaking. I haven’t got any family who were killed in the First or Second World Wars but I do have family who were in the war and it had a great effect on them and their friends. Their whole lives were changed. So I’m here really to respect what they gave up.”

Two parts of the installation – the Weeping Willow, a cascade of poppies which spills from a window of the castle, and the Wave, which swirls out of the moat to form an arch over the entrance to the Tower – will remain in place until the end of the month. They will then go on tour around the country until 2018, when they will be gifted to the Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester.
Adapted from The Guardian, 12 November 2014
Glossary
Poppy - amapola

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a.      There were more than one thousand poppies at the Tower of London.
b.      It will take three hours to remove the poppies from the Tower of London.
c.      About 1,000 people placed the flowers.
d.      The Weeping Willow and the Wave are not going to be removed right now.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What are they going to do with the poppies?
b. What’s going to happen in 2018?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. to enthrall (par. 1)                  b. to support (par. 2)                  c. peace agreement (par. 3)
d. spectacular (par. 6)                e. to honor (par. 6)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a.       The first poppies were taken off their metal stems on Wednesday
They ……. 
b.       “I think I am so lucky to be here for the first morning. To be part of it is such an amazing experience.”, Agnes Atkinson said
She said …….
c.       Some of them are really quite stubborn, so you really have to dig your hands down and pull it.
As …………………………………………………

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:


Do you celebrate any historical dates?