European Commission Writing Skills - Series 2, Lesson 10

Class
Political Unit - editing cables
Media Unit - conditionals http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442621/Conditionals

Homework
Finish the following stems:
What do you do if....?
What will you do if...?
What would you do if...?
What would you have done if ...?

What different situations do they describe?

ANIA C2 Lesson 18

Class

• Discussion - the future of print media
• Reflection on personal progress this course
• Exam strategies
• CPE Reading & Use of English Part One - Exercises taken from Proficiency Test-builder (2013, Macmillan) Answers to Part One - Multiple Choice Cloze: 1A, 2D, 3D, 4C, 5B, 6B, 7C, 8A

Corrections
every news   - every piece of news/news item (countable) all the news (uncountable)
limitate   - limit
Pronunciation/suffixes true (adjective) truth (noun)
Pronunciation/syllable stress - advantageous

Homework

We resume lessons on 22nd September so in the meantime keep up your reading and listening taking special note of collocations, fixed phrases, idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs. Complete the exercises (parts 3 - 4) from today's handout and contact me through the comment section below if you have a question or would like the answers. 

Have a great summer and congratulations on your progress in the last 5 months. 

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 24

Class
Covering letters p. 34

Notes
Key Phrases
Click on image to enlarge

Planning

Read the advertisement and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in this particular job/internship/position?
2. What qualities/experience/skills are they looking for and how do you fulfil them? (n.b. if the advert lists specific qualities, think of synonyms for them, don't just copy what they have written.) 
3. Why should they choose you?
4. Who are you writing to? Is there a contact name?

_{Yes - Start your letter: Dear Mr/Ms + surname and end it with Yours sincerely}

_{No - Start your letter: Dear Sir/Madam and end it Yours faithfully}

 

Structure

A good covering letter should perform the following functions:

• State the position you are applying for and how you found out about it
• Refer to your attached/enclosed C.V. 
• State why you are interested in THIS job/position/internship and why you want to work for THIS firm
• Say what you are doing now (are you currently employed, finishing your degree or recently graduated?)
• Refer to any relevant experience you have
• Talk about your particular skills, qualifications and achievements
• Refer to future contact (I look forward to...)

Register

A covering letter should be consistently formal so:

NO contractions -  I'm writing to apply -  I am writing to apply 

NO abbreviations -  advert  Advertisement 

NO slang or vague terms - lots of  A considerable amount of  

Style

Try to avoid repetition, e.g. don't start every sentence with "I".

I have excellent communication skills - My excellent communication skills are one of my main strengths.

I have reached level B2 in English and am able to speak fluently with... - Having reached level B2 in English, I am able to speak fluently with ...

Key Qualities of an Effective Covering Letter

Your letter should be concise and persuasive. 

Homework
Have a look on the internet and find a position that you are interested in applying for. Write a covering letter and bring it along (with a copy of the advert to our next lesson on 9th June. If you are not sure where to look try the following recruitment agencies:
http://www.adecco.co.uk
http://www.faststream.com/shipping_jobs/
http://www.faststream.com/shipping-maritime/

ANIA B2.3 Lesson 18

Class

• Reflection and self assessment on progress on the course so far.
• Listening skills - More or Less (20/05/2016) Is the iphone the most profitable product in history? Source: To download or listen click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03vrkyw

Vocabulary

Profitable (adjective)

(Profit) Margin

To get in touch = contact

In droves = many, in great numbers

Revenue

To break even = to recoup costs but make no profit

Rough (and ready) numbers = approximate figures

Homework answers

(P. 90, reading part 5, extra word exercise)

1. It

2. Been

3. Correct

4. Time

5. Correct 

6. Have

7. Correct

8. Them

9. Do

10. Up

Going further

A little bit of listening each week goes a long way.

Our course resumes on 21st September but in the meantime but you can maintain your level over the break by doing a little bit of listening in English a couple of times a week. Songs, films, tv shows, Ted talks and podcasts (such as More or Less or Law In Action) are all good sources for your practice and remember that is important to listen to natural speech even if you can't understand everything. The challenge next term is to stop translating and start thinking in English and you can prepare yourself for this by doing as much listening practice as you can. 

Congratulations on your progress this term.

Have a good summer.

Sean.

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 24

Class

Listening skills - gap fill

Language skills - conditional forms in the present/future (0, 1st and 2nd conditionals)

BEC Vantage Masterclass pp. 74 - 75

Vocabulary

Buy up   = (1) to purchase all, or all that is available, of (something)
(2) (business) to purchase a controlling interest in (a company, etc), as by the acquisition of shares

Set up

Set about = start or begin (a process)

Go through = to use an agent/other organisation for (10) other meanings see: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/go-through

Time well spent

Costly

Likely

Notes
Click on the image to enlarge.

Identify the conditionals in the sentences below. what is the difference between 4 and 5?

1. If you are looking for Peter, you’ll find him upstairs. (present action)
2. If you are staying for another night, you should ask the manager for a discount. (future arrangement)
3. If you’ve finished eating, I’ll ask for the bill.
4. If I had the money, I would go on holiday.
5. If I had the money, I could go on holiday.
6. Provided you pay your invoice, we deliver on time.

Homework

1. Finish the question 5 exercise on p. 75.

2. Finish the following stems:

What do you do if....?

What will you do if...?

What would you do if...?

What different situations do they describe?

Going further

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before ~ The Smiths.

European Commission Writing Skills. Series 2, Lesson 9

Class
Proofing & editing:

• Weekly cables
• Report on Constitutional Referendum Campaign

Language Input:

• Conditionals

Sources:

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442621/Conditionals

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32379905/Hypothetical%20versus%20Open%20Conditionals

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/42354161/A%20Comparison%20between%20Italian%20and%20English%20Conditional%20Forms

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 22

Class

Situation Vacant

Listening Skills

Speaking Skills - Interview skills

Framing questions (e.g. I would like to know, Could you tell us)

Using fillers when answering ( e.g. That's a good question, I'm glad you asked me that)

Unit 3.4 New Language Leader

Vocabulary & Corrections

Vacancy = free position (job), available room (hotel)

Depend on

Positive thinking

Positive thoughts

Adaptable

Determined

Extroverted

Too much detail (uncountable)

Too many details (countable)

Some advice (uncountable)

Going Further

A humorous approach to job interviews can be found at the comedy wensite The Poke. http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2015/02/03/20-essential-job-interview-tips/

ANIA C2 Lesson 17

Class

Listening Skills
General Listening - Percentages
The World's Most Diverse City - More or Less Podcast
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03v1r1p

Expressions
Nearly half
A fair few
A smattering of
Skewed figures/numbers

Tricky to measure

Least worst metric

Obtain figures for the total number of
Exam Tasks - Matching
Media

Key Vocabulary

Libel laws

To put a spin on something (usually bad news)

To file copy

To put (the paper) to bed

To stake places out (c.f. To stalk someone)

Reading & Discussion

Can the web save the press from oblivion?

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/17/can-internet-save-printed-press-blendle-lumi

Expressions and Idioms

(Caught) between a rock and a hard place

(Caught) between the devil and the deep blue sea

To be at the end of your rope/tether. = to have no more patience or strength

To pluck up the courage to do something

Ostrich = someone who "buries their head in the sand"/avoids uncomfortable truths

Lemming = someone who blindly follows the crowd to their detriment

Going Further

Listening/Viewing

The BBC series The Thick of It and its spin off film, In the Loop, feature a spin doctor called Malcom Tucker (allegedly based on Alastair Campbell), perhaps the most foul mouthed character in the history of comedy.
https://youtu.be/xUky4_A7Zw4

ANIA B2.3 Lesson 17

Class
Language Skills
-ing forms (BEC Masterclass p. 90)
Verb Structure
stop, remember, try
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/25080022/Verb%20Structure

Listening Skills
Percentages
The World's Most Diverse City - More or Less Podcast
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03v1r1p

Expressions
nearly half
a fair few
a smattering of
skewed figures/numbers

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 23

Class
Weak forms -  can you hear the difference between major decision and made your decision?
Assimilation - can you hear the difference between did carefully and dig carefully?
Pronunciation of 'oo', 'ou' and 'ea' spellings.

Activities taken from Pronunciation Games
Dictation Computer
Vowel Jigsaw

New Vocabulary
wipe: to rub (a surface or object) lightly, esp with (a cloth, hand, etc), as in removing dust, water, grime, etc
swipe: to move a finger across a touchscreen on an electronic device as a means of inputting a command e.g. swipe left, swipe right
term = semester
lead noun = a soft, grey, heavy metal

Homework Answers from 11/05
Reading p. 72-73
Question 2
1C, 2D, 3B, 4A, 5C (n.b. the difference between business and a business when answering question 1)
Question 3
the best bet - phrase = the best option
permit - noun
gauge - verb = evaluate = check pronunciation

ɡeɪdʒ

switch  verb = change        
elastic  adjective = flexible
to be counterproductive
casually dressed adverb + adjective collocation

European Commission Writing Skills Series 2 Lesson 8

Class
Editing Skills - same mistake/different sentences
Report Editing

Going Further
Tenses and Hypotheticals in English
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442655/The%20English%20Tense%20System
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442621/Conditionals

Post CPE Lesson 24

Class
1) Negotiation - Role-play

Vocabulary: n.b. difference between rates and instalments
Pronunciation: vowel sounds
promise,

ˈprɒmɪs

bottle

ˈbɒtəl

2) Music

Listening - Desert Island Discs - Tom Hanks (BBC Radio 4) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079m78n

Discussion - Classic albums, pop music and protest

"In the 60's you could write songs that were like calls to arms and it would work. Well, Kind ....ish. It's much harder to do that now." Thom Yorke (Interview with George Monbiot, Télérama, 2015)

Reading - album reviews

Beyoncé http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/27/beyonce-lemonade-ew-review

Anohni http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/08/anohni-hopelessness-review-antony-and-johnsons

Radiohead http://www.nme.com/reviews/radiohead/16467

Vocabulary

Eerie = (place/atmosphere, etc) mysteriously or uncannily frightening or disturbing; weird; ghostly

To excise = to delete/remove

To coo = to murmur softly or lovingly

Anguish = mental or physical torture/agony

Ripple = a slight wave or undulation on the surface of water, a sound reminiscent of water flowing quietly in ripples   ⇒ a ripple of laughter

Woke (adjective - slang) socially aware.

Run of the mill = ordinary

To put out an album/disc = release music

Hopping mad = very angry

(Opening) gambit = a risky, strategic move

To let (something) rip = lose control/proceed without restraint

To grab you by the throat = to get your complete attention

(To wear your) heart on your sleeve = to make your feelings obvious.

To pooh-pooh something (especially an idea/argument) = to say something is not very good.

Motorik = 4/4 beat used in Kraut rock for example on records by Can, Neu! or Kraftwerk. 

Homework

1. Listening: Listen to the rest of the Desert Island Discs podcast and/or songs from the albums discussed today and share your reactions with the group in the comments section below.
2. Writing: As there is no lesson next week, pen a review on a film, book, album, TV show of your choice (250 - 300 words). 
3. Reading: Was 1966 pop music's greatest year? http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/31/three-albums-1966-beatles-revolver-bob-dylan-blonde-on-blonde-beach-boys-pet-sounds
   Forget 1966, because 1981 was pop's year of revolution http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/dec/17/1981-pop-year-of-revolution
   Thom Yorke & George Monbiot interview http://www.telerama.fr/monde/thom-yorke-and-george-monbiot-we-have-to-prepare-for-the-inevitable-failure-of-cop21,134497.php

Listening practice - all groups. Podcasts!

As we have discussed many times in class this term, frequent listening practice will really help all aspects of your learning from vocabulary acquisition to speaking fluency as well as listening comprehension. Podcasts are a great source of listening practice as you can download them, pause them, replay them and listen to them when and wherever you want. If you are stuck on which podcast to listen to, have a look at the article in the link below from today's Guardian. There are 50 podcasts listed (with links to their respective sites) so you are sure to find something that takes your fancy.


http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/14/fifty-best-podcasts-bob-mortimer-john-oliver-jemaine-clement-serial

ANIA C2 Lesson 16

Class

Music

Listening - Desert Island Discs - Tom Hanks (BBC Radio 4) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079m78n

Discussion - Classic albums, pop music and protest

"In the 60's you could write songs that were like calls to arms and it would work. Well, Kind ....ish. It's much harder to do that now." Thom Yorke (Interview with George Monbiot, Télérama, 2015)

Reading - album reviews

Beyoncé http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/27/beyonce-lemonade-ew-review

Anohni http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/08/anohni-hopelessness-review-antony-and-johnsons

Radiohead http://www.nme.com/reviews/radiohead/16467

Vocabulary

Woke (adjective - slang) socially aware.

To take someone to task = to call into account/blame/censure

Run of the mill = ordinary

To put out an album/disc = release music

Hopping mad = very angry

Fellow traveller = someone who sympathises with your (political) beliefs

(Opening) gambit = a risky, strategic move

To let (something) rip = lose control/proceed without restraint

Foxy = clever/sly

To come/arrive thick and fast = a large number of something occurring rapidly

To grab you by the throat = to get your complete attention

(To wear your) heart on your sleeve = to make your feelings obvious.

To pooh-pooh something (especially an idea/argument) = to say something is not very good.

Motorik = 4/4 beat used in Kraut rock for example on records by Can, Neu! or Kraftwerk. 

Homework

Listen to the rest of the Desert Island Discs podcast and/or songs from the albums discussed today and share your reactions with the group in the comments section below.

1. Formation Beyoncé
https://youtu.be/LrCHz1gwzTo?list=PL-E79MQ72MqVQWkmv0BEYOwXMc-hCTqHg

2. Drone Bomb Me Anohni

3. Burn the Witch Radiohead

Going further

Reading

Was 1966 pop music's greatest year? http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/31/three-albums-1966-beatles-revolver-bob-dylan-blonde-on-blonde-beach-boys-pet-sounds

Forget 1966, because 1981 was pop's year of revolution http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/dec/17/1981-pop-year-of-revolution

Thom Yorke & George Monbiot interview http://www.telerama.fr/monde/thom-yorke-and-george-monbiot-we-have-to-prepare-for-the-inevitable-failure-of-cop21,134497.php

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 22

Class

Stop to do versus stop doing

You stop doing something in order to do something else

Present perfect simple versus present perfect continuous.

New Language Leader p. 30 question 7, p. 131 G2

Notes:

Present Perfect to talk about...

• Something that starts in the past and continues to now
• Something that happened in the past but is still important/relevant/has an effect now
• A time period that hasn't finished yet e.g. This month, this week, this year etc
• Recent events/experience when the time is not important

+ Simple for 

• State and sense verbs
• Permanent situations
• To emphasise the amount or number of things you have completed
• Finished actions

+ Continuous for 

• Verbs like wait and rain that imply duration
• Unfinished actions
• To emphasise that the action lasted a long time
• Temporary situations or repeated actions

When choosing the best tense, think about:

1) the nature of the action or the event (i.e. the context)

2) the point of view of the speaker

3) the verb you are using e.g. learn versus study, see versus watch.

Vocabulary

On board delivery

take over (from me) = to assume control/responsibility/management of something

Homework

Find a text (written or oral e.g. an article, or short interview or podcast) and notice all the uses of the present perfect simple and peesent perfect continuous. Why has the speaker/writer used these tenses?

Find a good monolingual dictionary to download as an app or to use in desk top form on your computer (e.g. Collins). Set it to the "learner" version. This will be a great source of words and how to use them.  http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-cobuild-learners

ANIA B2.3 Lesson 16

Class

Workplace Communication error correction - extra word exercise

Speaking skills - team building discussion - functional language

Corrections

Areas to work on:

Zero article when speaking generally.

Suffixes: noun, adjective, adverb

Participles as cohesive devices e.g. starting a sentence with an -ing form.

Play (verb) Play a game.

Play (noun) See a play at the theatre.

Many people has familes X

Many people have families

Improve the communicate X

Improve communication

Pronunciation

Suggestion

Complicated

Relaxed

Vocabulary

So as = with the result/purpose

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 22

Class

International Business Unit 9 pp. 70 - 71

Homework

Reading pp. 72 - 73

Vocabulary

Sales outlet (compare with outlet store or factory outlet)

Sales subsidiary

Distributor

To sell direct

To work out/negotiate a deal or agreement

To move into/enter a new market

To establish/set up a subsidiary

To acquire/buy up a company

To seek/look for a new market

To accelerate/speed up entry

Corrections

Spelling - commonly confused words
addition versus addiction

For all those students revising for exams

For all those students currently studying for exams (language/school/university or otherwise) the article on the link below is essential reading. It's not about how many hours you put in - it's about what you do. It's not about recognising, but recalling. Test yourself, practice the tasks that you will have to do in the exam and put your time and effort into learning what you don't know or can't remember.
The way you're revising may let you down in exams – and here's why by Tom Stafford
Tom Stafford is a lecturer in psychology and cognitive science at the University of Sheffield
Saturday 7 May 2016 09.00 BST
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/may/07/the-way-youre-revising-may-let-you-down-in-exams-and-heres-why

Post CPE Lesson 23

Class

• Listening skills - the language of negotiations - discourse markers and functional language.
• Speaking skills - negotiation - contract formation. 
• -tion and -sion nouns
• Phrasal verbs

Vocabulary
Phrasal verbs:  find out, give up, turn down, fit in (with), set up, bring up, come back, give yourself away, watch out, point something out, go on, shut up, stand up.

non-competition clause
arbitration clause
franchise, franchisee, franchisor
Merger clause
A merger clause (a.k.a. integration clause) prevents a party from claiming the contract does not reflect the complete understanding of the parties after the contract was formed. Parties often attempt to do this by relying on pre-contract negotiations or oral agreements after the contract is formed. The merger clause ensures that the written contract is the complete agreement between the parties. A typical merger clause will say, "This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties." - See more at: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/merger-clause-lawyers.html#sthash.u7D5Ieok.dpuf

Going Further

• Phrasal verbs - transitive and intransitive phrasal verbs http://www.grammarly.com/handbook/mechanics/phrasal-verb-and-idioms/5/intransitive-phrasal-verbs/  separable and inseparable phrasal verbs http://esl.about.com/od/businessenglishvocabulary/a/Separable-Inseparable-Phrasal-Verbs.htm
• Negotiation - functional language and role-play. http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/37881077/Negotiations
• Negotiations - advanced features http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41183559/Negotiations%20-%20Advanced%20Features

Homework
Prepare for negotiation role-play.

ANIA C2 Lesson 15

Class

Plastics!

Listening Skills - note taking

Reading Skills - opinion/attitude/register

Vocabulary Skills - informal phrases

Language Skills - cohesion: substitution and ellipsis

Below: Emma Watson at the Met Ball on Monday in a dress made of recycled plastic bottles. See: http://edition.cnn.com/videos/style/2016/05/03/emma-watson-met-ball-dress-orig.cnn

Taken from Language Leader Advanced (2010, Pearson/Longman pp. 124 - 125)

Homework

Question 10  - rewrite the sentences using the 5 different substitution techniques we looked at today.

Vocabulary

Cruel chance

Disparaging (words, remark etc) - speech that's intended to belittle or reproach

Demeaning (behaviour etc) - something that debases, degrades or lowers in dignity.

To decompose

To get caught up in

Teeming with

Untold numbers of

Rant (verb and noun)

To spout 

To wheel out

To bother to do something (cf. To bother someone)

To be bothered

Going further

Language Practice

Language reference notes and extra practice 

Reading 

Stan Carey: There's nowt wrong with dialects, nothing broke ass about slang.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/03/dialiects-slang-children-language-english

Listening/Viewing

"Lauren" The Catherine Tate Show

Am I bovvered? 
Note the non-standard pronunciation of 

ð

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 21

Class

Work placements/internships

Reading Skills - inferring opinion

Listening skills - note taking

Language skills - noticing present perfect simple and present perfect continuous forms

New Language Leader pp. 30 - 31.

Vocabulary

To open doors 

On the other hand

To exploit

Without question

To send off = to send

Homework

P. 30 question 7

Going further

The intern who lived in a tent.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/un-intern-tent-david-hyde-unpaid-stunt-geneva-10457021.html

Legal English at Bennett Languages Civitavecchia. Lesson 24 (last)

Class
Contract law - language exercises
Contractual Remedies
Case Study  Gainsborough Construction v. Deep Blue Pools

Vocabulary 
unwarranted = unjustified
waiver = not taking up a right or claim
Adjective - Noun
deep - depth
wide - width
long - length
high - height
Antonyms
enforceable - unenforceable
implied - express
binding - non-binding
valid - invalid
Abstract Nouns
renewal, draft, inclusion, omission, termination, encryption, adoption, negotiation, proposal, transaction. 
For more on -ion nouns see: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/59805858/Love%20Profusion%20-%20Madonna

ANIA B2.3 Lesson 15

Class
Listening Skills:
1. Weak forms and assimilation recap.
2. High numbers.

Podcast More or Less 22/04/2016
Listen or download here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03s4577

An artist's impression of the planned nuclear power plant. 

What is the most expensive “object” ever built? There are plans in the UK to build a brand new nuclear power station called Hinckley Point. The environmental charity Greenpeace have claimed it is set to be the most expensive object on Earth. But could it really cost more to build than the Great Pyramid of Giza? We take a look at some of the most costly building projects on the planet.

Notes:

Billion 1,000,000,000 (short scale used in the U.S., U.K. since 1974 and most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand).

1,000,000,000,000 (long scale used in the U.K. until 1974, still used in some countries e.g. in South Amercia).

Pronunciation of large numbers:

£324,345,923.00 

Three hundred and twenty four million, three hundred and forty-five thousand, nine hundred and twenty-three pounds.

Note also the use of commas and full stops in English.

Vocabulary

Piffling - trival/of little value e.g. A piffling number/amount = an insignificant number or amount. 

To splash out on (something) = to spend a lot of money on

A bargain = something of good quality obtained at a low price

Quids = pounds

Caveat = caution, warning

Homework

Finish listening to the rest of the podcast. If the accents are difficult at first, they will get easier the more you listen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03s4577

D' Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 21

Class

• Vocabulary recycling - advertising 
• Grammar recycling - future forms

N.b. The use of the future continuous wiil+ be -ing and the future perfect will + have + past participle.

This time next week I will be flying to London.

By the end of the course I will have written 6 research papers and a thesis.

• Listening Skills - high numbers

Podcast More or Less 22/04/2016
Listen or download here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03s4577

An artist's impression of the planned nuclear power plant. 

What is the most expensive “object” ever built? There are plans in the UK to build a brand new nuclear power station called Hinckley Point. The environmental charity Greenpeace have claimed it is set to be the most expensive object on Earth. But could it really cost more to build than the Great Pyramid of Giza? We take a look at some of the most costly building projects on the planet.

Notes:

Billion 1,000,000,000 (short scale used in the U.S., U.K. since 1974 and most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand).

1,000,000,000,000 (long scale used in the U.K. until 1974, still used in some countries e.g. in South Amercia).

Pronunciation of large numbers:

£324,345,923.00 

Three hundred and twenty four million, three hundred and forty-five thousand, nine hundred and twenty-three pounds.

Note also the use of commas and full stops in English.

Vocabulary

Piffling - trival/of little value e.g. A piffling number/amount = an insignificant number or amount. 

To splash out on (something) = to spend a lot of money on

A bargain = something of good quality obtained at a low price

Quids = pounds

Caveat = caution, warning

Homework

1. Finish listening to the rest of the podcast. If the accents are difficult at first, they will get easier the more you listen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03s4577
2. Learning tips - collocations with image, market & advertise. See today's photocopy question 5. 

Song of the week: King of May - Natalie Merchant

For May Day I am posting this song from Natalie Merchant's 1998 album Ophelia. The song is a tribute to Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

[Verse 1:]
Farewell today
Travel on now
Be on your way
Go safely there
Never worry
Never care
Beyond this day
Farewell tonight
To all joy and to all delight
Go well and go peacefully
We can't keep your majesty
Be on your way

[Chorus:]
Make ready for the last king of may
Make a cardboard crown for him
Make your voices one
Praise a crazy mother's son
Who loved his life[x2]

[Verse 2:]
Farewell today
Travel on now
Be on your way
Can't bear the very thought
That we could keep your majesty
Be on your way

[Chorus][x2]
Make ready for the last king of may
Make a hole in the crowd for him
Raise your voices up
Lift your loving cups
To his long life[x2]

Post CPE Lesson 22

Lesson 22 
(Saturday 30th April 2pm)
Class
Discussion & Reading

• Semantic mapping of the brain
• The advantages of working in your second (or third) language
• Referenda, Brexit & voting by proxy

Vocabulary:
(to be) in/of two minds undecided; wavering
default setting/position/language
to bulldoze
to get a word in (edgeways) contribute to a conversation with difficulty because the other speaker talks incessantly.
a boon something extremely useful, helpful, or beneficial; a blessing or benefit   ⇒ the car was a boon to him
dim/bright 
stumbling block
disingenuous not sincere; lacking candour
verbiage the excessive and often meaningless use of words; verbosity
verbage (informal) verb + garbage = (1) a made up word used to impress, (2) a synonym for copy or text, (3) a variation on verbiage derogatory term for redundant official text.  See http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=verbage for more usages.

Sources: 

1. Neuroscientists create ‘atlas’ showing how words are organised in the brain

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/apr/27/brain-atlas-showing-how-words-are-organised-neuroscience?CMP=fb_gu

2. Of Two Minds The Economist

http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21696489-advantages-working-your-own-language-are-obvious-those-working-foreign?fsrc=scn/fb/te/pe/ed/oftwominds

Going Further

Listening: Hug a Brit Inside Europe podcast (DW)http://www.dw.com/en/inside-europe-inside-europe-2016-04-24/e-19149786