This is a follow-up to the English classes for level 'Básico 2' at the Official School of Languages in Aranjuez. Enjoy!

Bye, bye!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Well, this is all, folks! It's time for me to say goodbye and I just want to thank you all. It's been a real pleasure!

Thanks to all,
Mariluz

SEPTEMBER 2010 EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Hi, there!


This is the final schedule for your exams in September this year.


THURSDAY, 16th and TUESDAY, 21st
SPEAKING TEST
From 16.00 onwards
Room: 2.22

CONVOCATORIA DEFINITIVA AQUÍ
(In case you find it impossible to attend, please let me know as soon as possible)


Remember that you will have to do 2 tasks. In task 1 you will have to interact with the teacher and in task 2 you will have to talk to other students in your group. Here you have more information about this test, and you can check exam samples here.


MONDAY
, 20th
READING, LISTENING AND WRITING TESTS
From 15.45 to 18.30
Room: 0.19

In the reading part you will have to do 4 tasks. For each task you will be given different texts and different activities to test your comprehension level. In task 1 you will need to be able to identify the main topic by matching texts and headings. In task 2 you will need to be able to understand the most important ideas by doing a true/false or multiple choice activity. In task 3 you will have to be able to understand the most significant details by filling in the gaps in a text. Finally, in task 4 you will have to find specific information with a time limit of 10 minutes.

In the listening part, you will have to do 3 tasks. For each task you will be given different listening extracts and different activities to test your comprehension level. In task 1 you will need to be able to identify the main topic by matching extracts and headings. In task 2 you will have to be able to understand the most important ideas by doing a true/false or multiple choice activity. In task 3 you will have to be able to understand the most significant details by completing a chart or filling in the notes.

In the writing part, you will have to do 2 tasks. In task 1 you will have to interact with a written text by filling a form or replying to written texts such as e-mails, letters, notes, etc. using about 50/80 words.  In task 2 you will need to be able to write a piece of 100/120 words about your routine, studies, leisure time, etc.


WEDNESDAY, 22nd
Marks will be published at 18.00 (approx.) on the door of the teaching room.
Review of the exam with your teacher (18.00-20.00) in the teaching room.

EVALUATION

PARTES
Porcentaje
Puntuación
Mínimo
Duración
Comprensión de lectura
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
55’ aprox.
Comprensión oral
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
30’ aprox.
Descanso






20’
Expresión escrita
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
55’ aprox.
Expresión oral
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
15-20’ aprox.

Please, be punctual and good luck!

JUNE 2010 EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Hi, there!


This is the final schedule for your exams in June this year. NOTICE THE SPEAKING TEST TAKES PLACE BEFORE THE READING, LISTENING AND WRITING TESTS!!!


MONDAY, 14th and TUESDAY, 15th
SPEAKING TEST
From 16.00 onwards
Room: 2.22

CONVOCATORIA DEFINITIVA AQUÍ
(In case you find it impossible to attend, please let me know as soon as possible)

Remember that you will have to do 2 tasks. In task 1 you will have to interact with the teacher and in task 2 you will have to talk to other students in your group. Here you have more information about this test, and you can check exam samples here.


FRIDAY, 18th
READING, LISTENING AND WRITING TESTS
From 15.45 to 18.30
Room: 0.19 for group A and 1.14 for group B

In the reading part you will have to do 4 tasks. For each task you will be given different texts and different activities to test your comprehension level. In task 1 you will need to be able to identify the main topic by matching texts and headings. In task 2 you will need to be able to understand the most important ideas by doing a true/false or multiple choice activity. In task 3 you will have to be able to understand the most significant details by filling in the gaps in a text. Finally, in task 4 you will have to find specific information with a time limit of 10 minutes.

In the listening part, you will have to do 3 tasks. For each task you will be given different listening extracts and different activities to test your comprehension level. In task 1 you will need to be able to identify the main topic by matching extracts and headings. In task 2 you will have to be able to understand the most important ideas by doing a true/false or multiple choice activity. In task 3 you will have to be able to understand the most significant details by completing a chart or filling in the notes.

In the writing part, you will have to do 2 tasks. In task 1 you will have to interact with a written text by filling a form or replying to written texts such as e-mails, letters, notes, etc. using about 50/80 words.  In task 2 you will need to be able to write a piece of 100/120 words about your routine, studies, leisure time, etc.


TUESDAY, 22nd
Marks will be published at 16.00 (approx.) on the door of the teaching room.
Review of the exam with your teacher (17.00-20.00) in the teaching room.

EVALUATION

PARTES
Porcentaje
Puntuación
Mínimo
Duración
Comprensión de lectura
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
55’ aprox.
Comprensión oral
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
30’ aprox.
Descanso






20’
Expresión escrita
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
55’ aprox.
Expresión oral
25%
25 p
15 p (60%)
15-20’ aprox.

Please, be punctual and good luck!

Exam training sessions: reading and listening skills

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Hi guys!

Well, time has come to revise and prepare for the final exam and I know this is a really stressful situation for you but don't panic: there's still time to train for it. Here you have the reading and listening exam tasks that we did in class last Wednesday and yesterday in case you couldn't come or you want to check the answers and listening transcripts:






Listening task 1 + Answer key + transcript (audio file -- right-click and choose "guardar destino/enlace como"--)

">

Listening task 2 (audio file -- right-click and choose "guardar destino/enlace como"--) +Answer key + transcript

">

Listening task 3 + Answer key + transcript (audio file -- right-click and choose "guardar destino/enlace como"--)

">

Extra cloze texts:



Extra listening matching:


Extra listening gap-fill:



And don't forget to hand in your last assignment or send it by e-mail as soon as possible, so I am able to correct it and give it back to you before the classes are finished.

Tomorrow Wednesday we'll continue with some more exam training because as an English proverb says, "Practice makes perfect" (=the more you practice, the better you will become). Please, do this multiple choice exercise for homework tomorrow.

Keep up the good work!




Unit 10C. Marathon men and Unit 10D. Doctor, doctor

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Hi, there!

Yesterday we talked about sports and learnt how to use "play", "go" or "do" with sports and activities. For extra vocabulary practice, try these sites:
How to use Play, Do and Go
Quiz: Play, Go & Do

Extra listening:
Sports
Football
Tennis
Rugby
Should sports focus on winning? (video exercise)
What sports did you play on the school ground? (video exercise)

Please, do exercise 3 on this worksheet for Wednesday's homework.

We finished the unit by revising your body parts and listening to a conversation between a doctor and her patients. You can do the exercises that we did in class again by clicking here and here. Finally, we completed a table which described seven common reasons for going to the doctor and roleplayed a doctor-patient conversation.

Extra listening:
The doctor and the patient (video + open questions)

To revise this unit, download these files:

Unit 10 test
Unit 10 test Answer key

You can also do the Revision test of unit 10 on page 157 of your Student's Book and check your answers here.

Cheers!

Unit 10A. Animal lovers and Unit 10B. Stress

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Hi, there!

It's been a really busy week, with lots of things to do, and I find it difficult to keep the blog updated, so please, be patient with me! :) Last Monday we started unit 10 by reading a shocking article about Americans' attitude towards their pets. Then we learnt how to use the present perfect with for and since. On Wednesday we basically corrected homework and talked about stressful experiences. Finally, we learnt how to use present perfect for unfinished time.

Extra grammar:
Present perfect+for and since (1)
Present perfect+for and since (2)
Present perfect or past simple (1)
Present perfect or past simple (2)

Extra vocabulary:
Animals
Collocations with get

This is the listening exercise we did in class:


Stress (multiple choice) (see key and transcript)

Extra listening:
What is your favorite animal? (multiple choice)
Are holidays stressful for you? (multiple choice video)

Please, do exercise 1 of the vocabulary section on p 99, exercise 3 and 4 of the speaking and vocabulary section on p 100 and exercise 2 of the grammar section on p 101 for homework.

Cheers!

Because our blog is worth it!

Friday, May 7, 2010


Congrats to all! Our blog was kindly given an award by a fellow blogger from the self-learning blog of the English Department at EOI Coruña, which is also worth checking out. Apparently, this is an initiative to make your favourite blogs known to your readers. There are some rules you need to follow:

1. Copy and display the picture of the award given to you.
2. Link back to the blog that nominated you.
3. Nominate 10 different blogs yourself.

So, bearing that in mind, here are the blogs that I find most useful and well worth a visit:

Alpozo's Phonetic Blog (Ana López Pozo)
Blog de Alejandro Valero 
Blog de Ana M. Almarza 
Blog de Cristina (Cristina Cabal)
EOI Leganés (Laura Acebes)
EOI Nivel Básico 1 (Sergio Viñals)
Kaleidoscope (Leticia González Cepeda)
Matilde's English Corner (Matilde Seara) 
Ms Bermejo's NA2 classes (Mª José Bermejo Sánchez)
Nik's Daily English Activities (Nik Peachey)

 

Unit 7D. The recruitment agency

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Hey guys!

Well, it's been really hot this week in Aranjuez and I guess this is the reason why some of you find it increasingly difficult to come to class on time...I can understand but try to be more punctual, please! On Monday we basically corrected homework and learned phrases used in CVs. We also watched a very ingenious short film about a man getting advice on his way to an interview for a job as a sales rep. Here you have the video to watch it again and here you have the transcription. We finished the unit yesterday by learning how to ask for & give advice, as well as how to read aloud email & website addresses.

Extra grammar:
should, shouldnt (1)
should, shouldn't (2)

Extra listening:
Job options (multiple choice quiz) (transcript here)
Students and jobs (multiple choice quiz) (transcript here)

To revise this unit, download these files:
Unit 7 test
Unit 7 test Answer key

You can also do the Revision test of unit 7 on page 154 of your Student's Book and check your answers here.