CAE sample test next week

Well, next week we have a test, as you all know.  In the end, we're going to take a sample CAE test.  Hopefully this will help some of you in your preparations to take an official exam.  I suppose it will take all class to do.

Today we reviewed the format of the CAE, and did a unit in academic vocabulary on statistics (26).

Vocabulary:


on the verge of giving up a punto de darse por vencido
at the point of giving up        en el punto de renunciar
halfway point                        mitad del camino
plummet/nosedive                caer en picado
soar                                        galopante, dispararse, palnear
glide                                 planear
fair to say                         es justo decir
brag/boast                         presumir / presumir
fiancé                                 prometido
data point                        
test bed                        

English Test is on March 2nd

Sorry for the mistake--the test is on 2/3, March 2nd in other words, as I suppose you figured out...

Lewis

Work-life Balance

Today we examined train schedule differences between the US and Spain.
Safety seems to be a much greater concern in the USA.
We also did Unit 15 Nouns and Prepositions in Academic Vocab.
We also did the vocabulary activity in unit 4 (ex.1)

Homework: Finish Cask of Amontillado!, Do Unit 35 Academic Vocab., and watch the following video (optional).

Groundhog Day 2011

Courtesy of Ruben!

http://www.visitpa.com/groundhog-day-live-stream

brief summary of class

academic vocabulary book: 16, 33, reference at back US vs British English
advanced grammar in use:  44-48 articles

beans on toast video
cask of amontillado for next class

Articles

Here are some links to useful information on articles.

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/adjectives-determiners-the-a-an.htm
http://www.usingenglish.com/handouts/50.html
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/nouns-and-phrases/countability-and-noun-types-article/152822.article

Poets in our midst

Tuesday, 4:42 pm

There is a guy in the room next door

His voice, a drill in my ear

But I guess I can do nothing more

Than try to relax and sit right here

But I wish I had a spoon in my pocket

To pull his eyes out of their sockets

                                                      Xavi

Ode to Public Transport

A train quickly crosses a city 

The windows show busy people

Going to work which is a great pity

Because they waste their time, which is little

Doing things they do not want to make

And feeling it makes them ache.

                                Pau

A Real Picture

Reflections of the sky on the quiet lake

Give the sense of the depth of the universe

An upside down picture will make

A sight, where the space seems immense

Lost the reference of gravity, the world appears

As a void, or a fiction, but it's more real.

                                                 Isabela