Sunday, September 30, 2012

30 Sept 2012

Homework: Did you do it?
Section 1
Section 2 a: listening
Section 3: Grammar
  Do section 3a
Workbook: Page 79, Section 1.
Section 5A: in pairs

Passive to describe process

Reasons for using passive voice:
A) We don't know who does the action
B) It isn't important who does the action.


Basic passive: form of be  + past participle
A scene isn't filmed just once.
The best shots are used.
The research was completed by the team.

Passive with modal: modal + be + past participle
One scene may be shot from five or six different angles.
Lots of different shots have to be taken.
A lot of cows can be raised on a productive farm.

Vocabulary
narrative: a description of events that tell a story
drive-in: a place where you can sit in your car and watch a movie on a big screen
epic: a book or a movie that tells a long story
IMAX film: a VERY VERY large screen movie shot with special cameras
animated: use of drawings rather than actors
feature film: a full length movie
gross: bring a total income 
shoot: to make a film
shot: a photo
angles: different views of the same thing
studio: a place where movies are filmed, pictures are taken
script: the words that the actors read and then perform
locations: places where the movie is filmed
costumes: clothing worn by the actors
sets: things that are built for a performance
rehearse: to practice
perform: to present a play
print: to make the pages for a book, newspaper, play, magazine, etc..
distribute: to send a product to different places to see (for example: to an outlet)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Past Modals for opinions and advice, vocabulary.

Class plan today.
  • Go over homework.
  • Section 9, page 89 - Past modals for opinions and advice.
  •     Do section A. Then we'll go over it.
  • Section 10a
  • Workbook: page 76, section 5A
  • Listening: Section 11, page 13

Homework!!
This will be graded as a quiz!
Workbook, page 78, Section 7. 


Grammar: Past modals for opinions and advice

Giving advice
could: states an option or suggestion - something to try.
Examples:
You could try Umniah instead of Zain as the company you use for internet at home.
You could use Jett busses to get to Aqaba because they are more comfortable for riding in.

could have: states options or suggestions for something that happened in the past; options given that are too late to act upon

Examples:
You could have used Skype instead of your cellphone to call over seas, it would have been cheaper.
You could have taken a bus to Petra instead of renting a car because then you would not have gotten lost.
You could have chosen to eat something less spicy, then your stomach would feel better.

would: used to state a preference for something or an opinion about something
Examples:
I would choose to use the bus instead of a taxi because it is cheaper.
I would choose the pink scarf instead of the purple one because I like the color pink better.
I would choose to go to Canada instead of the United States because they have better health care there.

would have: a polite way to make a request or state an opinion
Examples:

  • I would have moved to Canada instead of the United States because of their health care system.
  • I would have eaten the knafa from the place just off of Queen Rania Highway  because it tastes better than the knafa from the place in Baqa'a.

wouldn't have: a polite way to state an opinion about doing something different than was done by someone

Examples:

  • I wouldn't have tried to travel to Rainbow street on Friday afternoon because traffic is just too heavy!
  • I wouldn't have gone through Dahklia circle on Thursday night because there are protesters there then.
  • I wouldn't have taken a bus to Aqaba because it is boring. Instead I would have rented a car and enjoyed the drive.

Giving options
should: states advice, stronger suggestion, the best option
Examples:
You should pay your bill before they turn off the internet.
You should put your clothes out to dry when it is sunny, not when it is raining. 

should have: advice about something in the past that should have happened; an opinion given too late to act upon it

Examples:
You should have pressed the save button after every paragraph of your paper.
You should have locked the door to your car because then your computer would not have been stolen.
You should have paid the bill before they turned the internet off.

shouldn't have: advice about something in the past, but telling the person not to have done it; an opinion given too late to not act upon it.

Examples:
You shouldn't have taken the exam without studying for it.
Jane shouldn't have made the bread without reading the recipe first.
Hussein shouldn't have left so late on Thursday for his evening job because traffic is very slow in Amman on Thursday evenings.


Vocabulary

  1. an assumption: belief, guess, expectation
  2. a criticism: disapproval, negative judgement, negative thought about something
  3. a demand: strong request, command, order
  4. an excuse: reason for doing something, explanation
  5. a prediction: guess, informed thought about what will happen in the future
  6. a suggestion: advice about something to do
  7. a suspicion: feeling about something - usually negative; idea about something
  8. a warning: a notification about something that will happen - usually something bad that will happen.


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Resources for learning English

Sept 25

Homework: lets go over it!

Section 1 vocabulary:
pet peeve: something that consistently annoys youmessy: not neatbe in short of money: to need money for somethingimpress: to try to get others to feel admiration for something you do



Grammar: Past modals for degrees of certainty
certainty? what does that word mean?

Modals of possibility
may: used when we are not sure of something, to make polite requests, to ask questions
may is more formal than might

Examples (from the British Council):
Jack may be coming to see us tomorrow. Oh dear! It’s half past ten. We may be late for the meeting. There may not be very many people there. May I borrow the car tomorrow? May we come a bit later?

might: used when we are not sure of something, for the past tense of may, and very polite requests.
could have 

Examples (from the British Council):
I might see you tomorrow.
It looks nice, but it might be very expensive.
It’s quite bright.
It might not rain today.
He asked if he might borrow the car.
They wanted to know if they might come later.
Might I ask you a question?
Might we just interrupt for a moment?
More information with links to exercises for practicing using may and might.

Modals of certainty
    must: more certain than couldn't have, used to express a positive thought rather than negative, used to express events in the present and the future
    Examples: 
    I must go to the bank tomorrow to deposit my paycheck! 
    My children must get their rooms clean because their grandparents are coming for a visit.
    I must get this work done now.
    couldn't have: often used to reduce suspicion, used to express a negative thought, and to discuss something in the past. 

    Examples: 
    He couldn't have broken that glass, he was in the other room.
    She couldn't have stolen the necklace, she was in Aqaba when it was taken!
    He couldn't have caused the car accident, he is an excellent driver.


    Workbook, page 73, write one sentence for each picture.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Grading of the exams explanation:
Grade: percentage correct out of 38.
Dropped the section on causative verbs
Did not count answers to the following questions:
    Section II: 6 and 8
    Section VII: 2

Homework:
Work book, page 71. Write 2 sentences for each. 
Each day you do not do your homework, you will loose 2 points from your final grade.




Thursday, September 20, 2012

Unit 12 Day 2, Sections 8, 10, 11 & 13

Grammar

because and since:
because- for the reason that something happened
since - for the reason that something happened
They mean the same thing, but since is more formal.
Because and since are followed by a subject + verb


because of and due to:
because of: the reason of; on account of
due to: caused by, because of
They mean the same thing, but due to often has a negative connotation
Because of and due to are followed by a noun or noun phrase.

for
it means in support of, or in favor of, or because of
for is followed by a noun or noun phrase

the reason (that/why) ... is ...
it means because of or the cause of

Homework: Workbook page 70

Read the article, and then answer sections B & C



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Grammar

Causative Verbs 

Certain verbs can be used to express a causal relationship between the subject and object in a sentence. Some of them require a "to" while others do not.

With "to"
S + V + O + to V (O)

  • I allowed Jim to clean up the mess.
  • I asked Jim to clean up the mess.
  • I told Jim to clean up the mess.



Without "to"
S + V + O + V (O)

  • I let Jim clean up the mess.
  • I had Jim clean up the mess.
  • I made Jim clean up the mess.



Infinitive clauses

An infinitive phrase will begin with an infinitive [to + simple form of the verb]. It will include objects and/or modifiers. 
Example:


  • To smash a spider.
  • To kick the ball past the dazed goalie.
  • To lick the grease from his shiny fingers despite the disapproving glances of his girlfriend Gloria.



Infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
Example:

  • To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer's lap is Michelle's only goal tonight.
  • To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer's lap functions as a noun because it is the subject of the sentence.
  • Lakesha hopes to win the approval of her mother by switching her major from fine arts to pre-med.
  • To win the approval of her mother functions as a noun because it is the direct object for the verb hopes.
  • The best way to survive Dr. Peterson's boring history lectures is a sharp pencil to stab in your thigh if you catch yourself drifting off.


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Unit 11 Sections 7, 9, 10, 11

Homework: Section 13

Today we will cover:

6.15-6.25
What did you cover?

6.25- 6.45
Section 7a
Perspectives
I should’ve
6.45-7.05
Section 7b
Perspectives
Do you have similar regrets
7.15-7.25
Section 9
Interchange
If things were different
7.25-7.35
Section 10a
Pronounciation
Listen
7.35-7.45
Section 10b
Pair work
Complete the sentences
7.50-8.05
Section 11
Listen
Listen to people describe their regrets, complete their regrets

Vocabulary

amazing: fantastic, extraordinary
finances: money matters
head: leader or manager
public relations department: workers who explain what a company does, how people will benefit from it so the public will approve of it
telecommunications: the process or business of sending and receiving electronic communications
status: rank or position, having status means that people respect you
honor: recognition, something that shows high achievement
selfish: putting your wants and needs before someone else's 
missed: lost
losing oneself: allowing someone or something from the outside to change you into a different person that you wouldn't otherwise be
shortsighted: not considering the future
cheated: having missed out on something

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Unit 11 Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, & 6.

Monday Homework: Workbook section 1, page 61, Section 2, page 62


Time plan:
6.15-6.25: Section 1, Rites of Passage
6.25-6.45: Section 2a, Conversation, I was really immature
6.45-7.05: Section 2b, Conversation, I was really immature
7.15-7.25: Section 4a: Listening: What life event has been important to you
7.25-7.35 Section 4b: Listening: What do you have in common with the speakers?
7.35-7.50: Section 5: Speaking: Pair work: Section A and B
7.50-8.05: Section 6: Words: Pair work: When do people tend to behave in these ways

Vocabulary

ambitious: go-getting, eager, determined
argumentative: quarrelsome, antagonistic
carefree: relaxed, untroubled, unworried
conscientious: hard-working, dedicated, careful 
naive: unsophisticated, trusting, gullible
pragmatic: no-nonsense, matter-of-fact
rebellious: unruly, disobedient, defiant
sensible: practical, responsible
sophisticated: modern, complicated, enlightened