Saturday, 18 June 2011
Friday, 17 June 2011
Anecdote: Not Recommended
Read through and give spoken answers to the questions that follow.
The hotel guest waited in the restaurant for his lunch. He waited for twenty minutes. In the end, he became very angry. He asked the waiter:
“What’s the problem?”
The waiter replied: “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, sir. But the chef has just gone out for his lunch. He’ll be back in a minute.”
Answer
1. What did the guest wait for, and for how long?
2. Did he stay calm?
3. Was the chef in the kitchen?
Answer guide
1. He waited for his lunch for 20 minutes. 2. No. He became very angry. 3. No. He had just gone out for his lunch.
The hotel guest waited in the restaurant for his lunch. He waited for twenty minutes. In the end, he became very angry. He asked the waiter:
“What’s the problem?”
The waiter replied: “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, sir. But the chef has just gone out for his lunch. He’ll be back in a minute.”
Answer
1. What did the guest wait for, and for how long?
2. Did he stay calm?
3. Was the chef in the kitchen?
Answer guide
1. He waited for his lunch for 20 minutes. 2. No. He became very angry. 3. No. He had just gone out for his lunch.
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Frogman: Dialogue
Mrs Ramsbottom is interviewed by a policewoman. What questions did the policewoman ask her?
1. Q.
A. I was taking the dog for a walk.
2. Q.
A. I thought it was a bird of some sort.
3. Q.
A. It was an old man.
4. Q.
A. He had his jacket on.
5.Q.
A. Yes. A man walking his dog.
Answer guide
1. What were you doing? 2. What did you think it was? 3. What was it? What did it turn out to be? 4. Why did you think it was a bit funny? 5. Did you meet anyone?
1. Q.
A. I was taking the dog for a walk.
2. Q.
A. I thought it was a bird of some sort.
3. Q.
A. It was an old man.
4. Q.
A. He had his jacket on.
5.Q.
A. Yes. A man walking his dog.
Answer guide
1. What were you doing? 2. What did you think it was? 3. What was it? What did it turn out to be? 4. Why did you think it was a bit funny? 5. Did you meet anyone?
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Review Test
With reference to the reading passage, Frogman, read through and complete from memory. One word is missing in each case. Intermediate pass level: 75% Aim: 95%
Mrs Joyce Ramsbottom liked to take her dog (1).................... a walk (2).................... the local canal. One morning, she (3).................... her dog were enjoying their walk (4).................... Mrs Ramsbottom noticed something in the canal. As it was some distance (5)...................., Mrs Ramsbottom could not be sure (6).................... it was. She waited for the object to float nearer so (7).................... she could see it. She thought it might be a bird of some (8).....................
(9).................... a few minutes’ wait, her patience was rewarded. Mrs Ramsbottom saw that it was not a bird. (10).................... was an old man. He had his jacket (11)...................., was white-faced, and coughing and spluttering.
Mrs Ramsbottom continued to wait (12).................... the old man had floated out of (13)..................... Then she went (14).................... with her walk. She met a man who was (15).................... walking with his dog. They stopped and discussed dogs (16).................... a minute or two. (17).................... as she was moving away, Mrs Ramsbottom said:
“As you’re going that way, (18).................... if you can spot an old man (19).................... grey hair floating about. He passed me just now. I was wondering (20).................... it, because he had his jacket on.”
The man agreed with her that it was a bit funny for someone to be in the canal with his jacket on.
Answer guide
1. for 2. beside 3. and 4. when 5. away 6. what 7. that 8. sort 9. After 10. It 11. on 12. until 13. sight 14. on 15. also 16. for 17. Just 18. see 19. with 20. about
Mrs Joyce Ramsbottom liked to take her dog (1).................... a walk (2).................... the local canal. One morning, she (3).................... her dog were enjoying their walk (4).................... Mrs Ramsbottom noticed something in the canal. As it was some distance (5)...................., Mrs Ramsbottom could not be sure (6).................... it was. She waited for the object to float nearer so (7).................... she could see it. She thought it might be a bird of some (8).....................
(9).................... a few minutes’ wait, her patience was rewarded. Mrs Ramsbottom saw that it was not a bird. (10).................... was an old man. He had his jacket (11)...................., was white-faced, and coughing and spluttering.
Mrs Ramsbottom continued to wait (12).................... the old man had floated out of (13)..................... Then she went (14).................... with her walk. She met a man who was (15).................... walking with his dog. They stopped and discussed dogs (16).................... a minute or two. (17).................... as she was moving away, Mrs Ramsbottom said:
“As you’re going that way, (18).................... if you can spot an old man (19).................... grey hair floating about. He passed me just now. I was wondering (20).................... it, because he had his jacket on.”
The man agreed with her that it was a bit funny for someone to be in the canal with his jacket on.
Answer guide
1. for 2. beside 3. and 4. when 5. away 6. what 7. that 8. sort 9. After 10. It 11. on 12. until 13. sight 14. on 15. also 16. for 17. Just 18. see 19. with 20. about
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Elementary Proposition Review
Read aloud, giving the missing prepositions:
1. Jim is............... the office.
2. His wife is............... home.
3. He is sitting................... his desk.
4. She is working.................. the kitchen table.
5. He has papers................. his desk.
6. She has a cookery book................... the table.
7. Jim goes................ the office................ eight.
8. His wife stays............... home................ ten: then she goes..................... the supermarket.
9. ..................... the supermarket, she buys groceries.
Answer guide
1. at 2. at 3. at 4. at 5. on (in) 6. on 7. to... at 8. at... until... to 9. At
1. Jim is............... the office.
2. His wife is............... home.
3. He is sitting................... his desk.
4. She is working.................. the kitchen table.
5. He has papers................. his desk.
6. She has a cookery book................... the table.
7. Jim goes................ the office................ eight.
8. His wife stays............... home................ ten: then she goes..................... the supermarket.
9. ..................... the supermarket, she buys groceries.
Answer guide
1. at 2. at 3. at 4. at 5. on (in) 6. on 7. to... at 8. at... until... to 9. At
Monday, 13 June 2011
Onomatopoeia: Sounds of Words
Many words in English reflect the actual sounds they refer to. An obvious example is the "clip-clop" of a horse's hooves. Less obvious are the words in the sentence:
The old man in the canal was coughing and spluttering.
Why? Because he was drowning.
A list of similar words follows. Say the word, and perform the action!
Give short spoken answers. Why/When might someone...?
01. sneeze
02. sniff
03. hiccup
04. snore
05. wheeze
06. snort
07. retch
08. belch
09. puff
10. gasp
11. gargle
12. grunt
Answer guide
1. if you have a cold 2. if your nose is running 3. if you eat too quickly 4. if you sleep on your back with your mouth open 5. if you cannot breathe 6. if you don’t like something 7. if you are sick (vomiting) 8. if you drink too quickly 9. after you have run to catch a bus, putting out a candle 10. if you are surprised, if you have difficulty breathing 11. if you wash your mouth out 12. if you are hit in the stomach, if you are a weight-lifter
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Vocabulary : Suffix -man
Perhaps he was a frogman.
Some people have said it is wrong to use the word "man" as a suffix because, of course, women can also be divers. However, "frogwoman" would not be terribly flattering. Sometimes the "man" is omitted, and sometimes the word "person" is used. So, "chairman" becomes US "chairperson" and UK "chair". Frogperson?
Give at least eight more words which use the suffix "man".
Answer guide
(For example) policeman, fireman, gentleman, salesman, gunman, milkman, workman, horseman, doorman, foreman, barman, herdsman, headman, spokesman, superman, businessman...
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