PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Preparing for the Oral Exam

Picture Description is an important part of the Oral Exam and it needs to be practised . 

One of the things that you need to take into account when describing a picture is that you cannot  be 100% sure what is happening in the picture. Therefore, you need to use appropriate language to show you  are guessing . You have to speculate about the pictures.

Some structures you can use:

• Look as if + sentence/ Seem as if + sentence : he looks as if / seems as if he is looking for something
• Seem + to infinitive: he seems to be tired/ he seems to be having a great time
• Look/ Seem + adjective: They look/ seem quite tired
• Appear + to infinitive : She doesn’t  appear to be concentrated on what she’s doing

Some modal verbs  you can use.

• Must : for positive deduction. He must be happy because he’s smiling. The photomust have been taken in summer.
• Can’t : for negative deduction. He can’t be going to school because he is not carrying books.
• May/ Might/Could : for posibility. He could be telling her something she doesn’t like. The photo might have been taken in winter as they are wearing winter clothes.

Words like : perhaps, maybe….   

Let’s listen to an example now.

You’ll hear a girl called Magda practising this part of the Speaking test

Now, watch this video for more practice:

CHRISTMAS AND SPOTS

Looking forward to having Christmas around?

 

The retailer´s Christmas TV spot, with its *pithy narrative, softly sung cover version and emotional *denouement has become a major event on the marketing calendar in England.

Watch the new Christmas advert The Man on the Moon by John Lewis and sing the song Half the World Away, originally by Oasis but performed by 19-year-old Norwegian newcomer Aurora Asksnes.

*pithy = breve 
*denoument = desenlace

REVIEW
The latest John Lewis advert plays on the theme of loneliness and introduces a little girl, Lily, who is desperate to make contact with a solitary man who lives on the Moon. Looking at the moon through her family telescope one night, she is amazed at what she finds, a man on the moon.
Lily watches on as our man goes about his chores, all alone up there. She becomes determined to get something to the moon, to send him a message and show him that someone down here is thinking of him.

 

And now,  Oasis´original song written and sung by Noel Gallagher.




WATCH MORE
If you want to watch John Lewis´ Christmas ads from years 2007-2014 click on
the link below:
    All John Lewis´Christmas Adverts

TOP NEWS: The founder of Facebook *gives away 99% of his stock

The news that Mark Zuckerberg is to donate 99 per cent of his shares to charity following the birth of his daughter may have surprised some. Why would the billionaire choose to freely give away stock worth $45bn (about £30bn)? Here’s a clue: “"Priscilla and I are so happy to welcome our daughter Max into this world. For her birth, we wrote a letter to her about the world we hope she grows up in,” the 31-year-old Facebook founder began in an open letter to newborn Max.
Click here to read the letter to his new-born daughter.

 *give away= donate

 

 

GIVINGTUESDAY



WHAT IS #GIVINGTUESDAY?

Americans have a day for giving thanks: Thanksgiving Day. They have two

 for getting deals: Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Now, they have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.

 On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, charities, families, businesses,

community centers, and students around the world will come together

 for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your

company or your organization to come together to give something more.

 

It´s a pity few people heard about this on the news yesterday!

 

http://www.givingtuesday.org/

USED TO

Click on the link below and watch this video about Childhood. If you do it at home you can download the PDF worksheet to work on the video comprehension.  You will understand the use of USED TO very well.

http://www.insideout.net/blog/elessons/video-lesson-3-childhood

Now, are you ready to record your ´I used to ´ video?
 See them on our next class!

For more practice,  try completing this famous song by Coldplay, Viva la Vida.

“VIVA LA VIDA” – used to/would ​​page two

used to rule​feel  the fear​gave the word ​used to roll

can’t explain​wicked and wild wind​ ​what I had become

​used to own​when I ruled the world

5. Listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the phrases.

“Viva la vida” (Coldplay)

I _________________ the world,

Seas would rise when I _____________

Now in the morning I sleep alone,

Sweep the streets I _______________

I ____________ the dice,

______________ in my enemies’ eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

“Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!”

One minute I held the key,

next the walls were closed on me

And I discovered that my castles stand

upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

​I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing, Roman Catholic choirs are singing

​Be my mirror, my sword, and shield, My missionaries in a foreign field

​For some reason I _______________, Once you know there was never,

​Never an honest word…that was when I ruled the world

It was the _________________________,

blew down the doors to let me in

Shattered windows and the sound of drums,

people could not believe  _________________

Revolutionaries wait

for my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string—

Oh who would ever want to be King?

​I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing, Roman Catholic choirs are singing

​Be my mirror, my sword, and shield, My missionaries in a foreign field

​For some reason I can’t explain, I know Saint Peter won’t call my name

​Never an honest word…and that was when I ruled the world

--What emotions do you think the “king” is feeling in this song?   Why?

happiness​sadness​regret​   confusion​ pride​   fear​   nostalgia

Writings 1º Bto B: My Personal Profile

Here is the Writing guide for your Personal Profile. I´m sorry for my delay in posting it!

• Paragraph 1:  Name, age, where you´re from. Family.
• Paragraph 2: Physical description and personality. Style.
• Paragraph 3: Likes and dislikes. Interests. What you want to do in the future
• Paragraph 4: Interesting things you are doing now or that  you´ve done recently.(Use Present                      Continuous or Present Perfect here)

Remember to USE :

• TWO Phrasal Verbs leart in this Unit.
• TWO Compound adjectives used in this Unit.
• ONE Present Continuous.
• ONE Present Perfect.
• can´t wait or can´t resist
• would like to
• Because/ so

What do you look like?

Describing Appearance - 1º Bto Listening

B1 Listening describing people

• http://www.examenglish.com/B1/b1_listening_describing_people.htm