ANIA Group Courses

12:30 pm Group 5 Level C1
Lesson 26 (last in the current cycle)

Class

1. Reflection on course progress
2. Feedback on Exam Writing
3. Free Speaking - Language Learning and Travel

Vocabulary
worthwhile
long haul (flight)
self defence 
associate with (verb + preposition collocation)

Homework
Reading: Word of the year 2017  https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/nov/02/fake-news-is-very-real-word-of-the-year-for-2017
Listening: Recommended podcasts

• The Allusionist https://www.theallusionist.org
• The Memory Palace http://thememorypalace.us

2:00 pm Group 6 Level C2

Lesson 26 (last in the current cycle)

Class

1. Contrast, Reason and Manner Clauses (Proficiency Masterclass pp. 103 -104)
2. Fixed expressions with make: to make for, to make do with, to make like, to make good
3. Word of the year 2017 
4. Referring to decades - the noughties. But what do we call the current decade? The teens? The tens? This is a linguistic enigma: https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-61226,00.html http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/what-should-we-call-the-decade-after-191569

Notes

The exercises from Proficiency Masterclass raised a few knotty problems

• even though More emphatic than although, even though introduces a condition which is currently true (a fact). Not to be confused with even if which introduces a hypothetical condition which is not yet true. 
• like/as The general rule is that like is a preposition which can be followed by a noun or a gerund and as is a conjunction which is followed by a more complex clause containing a verb. However, like is used as a conjunction in colloquial language a lot and this has been a source of controversy as outlined by Grammar Girl here: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/like-versus-as  As if and as though follow the verbs feel, look and sound and in informal situations can be replaced with like as in today's example It sometimes feels like you know them personally. 
• in that can be used instead of because to add a reason or explanation for a preceding statement. In that, however, can only show a causative relationship whereas as, since and now that can also show a temporal relationship e.g. explaining a present relationship which was demonstrated in today's examples: We can see films we want at home now that (temporal) we get on-demand TV.  Watching TV is a very different experience from what it was 10 years ago in that (causative)/now that (temporal) there are now so many channels to choose from.

Homework

Reading: Word of the year 2017  https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/nov/02/fake-news-is-very-real-word-of-the-year-for-2017
Listening: Recommended podcasts

• The Allusionist https://www.theallusionist.org
• The Memory Palace http://thememorypalace.us