Saturday, December 28, 2019

2019: GOOD NEWS (Reading/Speaking activity)

Enough of All the Bad News. 


Here Are Some Things That Prove 2019 Was an Excellent Year



  • - The Netherlands planted the roofs of 316 bus stops with flowers, especially for bees.
  • - The humpback whale population, which was on the verge of extinction in the 50s of the last century, has been recovered almost completely. There used to be only 450 of them, now their population is somewhere near 25,000.
  • - NASA satellites have recorded that the world is much greener now than 20 years ago.
  • - The Vet Friends Foundation organization finds owners among lonely war veterans for old homeless dogs and covers all the medical expenses for the animals themselves. Both the vets and the dogs become happier.

  • - Norway decided to not drill oil wells in the Lofoten Islands (the oil reserves there are estimated at approximately $60 billion) in order to preserve the local ecosystem.
  • - Daytime disco-parties are arranged in Seoul, South Korea for people over 65, to help them cope with dementia and loneliness.
  • - 20 African countries are taking part in the construction of the Great Green Wall in order to stop the desertification of Africa. About 32 million hectares of land have already been restored. After the completion of the wall, the barrier of trees and plants will stretch for 5,000 miles, occupy 100 million hectares, and be visible from space.

  • - Tribal ruler Theresa Kachindamoto has managed to terminate with the marriages of 3,500 child brides and help the girls finish their schooling.
  • - You can pay subway fare with plastic bottles in Rome — one ride costs 30 bottles. Within the first month after the start of this program, about 100,000 bottles were collected.
  • - The European Parliament introduced an amendment to the European Union law that prohibits the selling and manufacturing of disposable plastic items.
  • - California has passed a law against animal cruelty, which prohibits the sale and purchase of natural fur products.
  • - The government of Costa Rica has launched a campaign banning selfies with wild animals.
  • - Unusual canal cruises have become popular in Amsterdam: not only can tourists enjoy sightseeing, but they can also collect trash from the water with hoop-like nets. About 146,000 plastic bottles have already been collected.
  • - The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded for the study of the reaction of body cells to the amount of oxygen they are exposed to. This is a revolution in oncology: instead of chemotherapy, which affects the whole body, it will be possible to affect only the tumor cells, depriving them of oxygen, and hence of the possibility to grow.

  • - Scientists have created food for cats that stops their fur from triggering an allergic reaction in humans.
  • - The Netherlands became the first country in the world without stray dogs.
  • - In 2019, 40 countries banned using wild animals in circuses.
  • Which one is your favourite?
  • What was the greatest event in your life in 2019?                                                                       https://brightside.me/
  • Vocabulary
  • roof 
  • on the verge of 
  • drill
  •  cope with 
  • fare
  • amendment
  • disposable
  • depriving
  • pass a law
  •  hence
  • triggering
  • stray (dog)

ENVIRONMENT VOCABULARY


Formal & Informal English+Word List PDF

We use formal English in serious situations, when applying for a job, essays for school and with people we don’t know well.
Informal English is used with friends, relatives and on social media mostly.
Formal English is more common when writing, informal English is more common when we speak.

formal: I have decided to refuse his offer.
informalI’ve decided to refuse his offer. (informal: I’ve=contraction)
formal: The person whom I met in Ireland was very friendly.
informal: The person I met in Ireland was very friendly.
(informal: relative clause without the relative pronoun whom)
formal: I ate your cake this afternoon.
informal: Ate your cake this afternoon.
formal: apologize
informal: say sorry
formal: as soon as possible
informal: ASAP

Usage of modal verbs

Can I offer you something new? (neutral)
May I offer you something new? (more formal)
Might I offer you something new? (very formal)
Examples of Less Formal & More Formal Expressions 
    Less Formal                                             More Formal 

a lot of                                  many, much, numerous, a great deal of 
about                                    regarding 
after that                               thereafter 
also / plus                             moreover 
answer                                  respond 
ask for                                  request 
at first                                   initially 
better                                    superior, improved 
breathing                              respiration 
buy                                       purchase 
cheap                                    inexpensive 
drink                                     beverage 
eat                                         consume  
end                                       terminate, complete 
enough                                 sufficient 
fix                                         repair 
get                                        obtain, acquire 
help                                      assist, assistance 
home                                    residence 
in the end                             finally, ultimately 
I've got to / I have to            I must, It is necessary for me to 
kind of / sort of                    rather, somewhat 
leave                                    depart 
let                                         permit
live                                       reside 
lively                                   animated 
need                                     require, necessity/requirement 
next/later                             subsequently 
OK / all right                       acceptable, satisfactory 
old                                       elderly 
people                                 persons, individuals 
people say that…                it is said that… 
right away                           immediately 
seem                                   appear 
show                                   demonstrate 
so                                        therefore, thus, consequently 
start                                     begin, commence 
start again                           resume 
stop                                     cease 
sweat                                  perspire, perspiration 
tell                                      inform 
that's why                           therefore 
try                                      attempt 
very, really                         quite 
want                                   desire, would like, wish 
watch                                 observe 
whole                                 entire 
work                                   function 
wrong                                 incorrect 
you (generic)                      one, everyone



Commonly Misused Words: How to Use them Correctly





Tuesday, November 26, 2019

SHORT VIDEOS

Learn Anytime, Anywhere on Any Device!



Watch short videos featuring speakers from around the world answer one question using natural English. Videos come with a script and quiz.
http://www.elllo.org/video/index.htm

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Story of the Mayflower and the First Thanksgiving for Children: History for Kids



https://jeopardylabs.com/play/thanksgiving-jeopardy192

Negative Prefixes



Negative statements are the opposite of affirmative statements. In English, one way to make negative statements is by adding negative prefixes to nouns, adjectives, and verbs. 

Here are some English negative prefixes: 

a, dis, il, im–, in-, ir, non, un.



For example, the prefix un- can be attached to the adjective happy to create the negative adjective unhappy
Or you can use the negative adverb not
Note that there is no difference in meaning between these two forms.
affirmativenegative
negative prefixnot
Tom is happy.Tom is unhappy.Tom is not happy.
Words that take a as a negative prefix always begin with a consonant.
affirmativenegative
politicalapolitical
sexualasexual
theistatheist
Words that take dis– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.
affirmativenegative
agreedisagree
comfortdiscomfort
mountdismount
orientdisorient
Words that take il– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter l.
affirmativenegative
legalillegal
legibleillegible
literateilliterate
logicalillogical
Words that take im– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter m or p.
affirmativenegative
mobileimmobile
moralimmoral
perfectimperfect
possibleimpossible
Words that take in– as a negative prefix can begin with a vowel (except i or u) or a consonant.
affirmativenegative
accurateinaccurate
eligibleineligible
organicinorganic
decentindecent
saneinsane
Note: There are many words that begin with in– that are not words with a negative prefix. For example:
worddoes not mean
inclinenot cline
indulgenot dulge
insistnot sist
invokenot voke
Words that take ir– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter r.
affirmativenegative
rationalirrational
reconcilableirreconcilable
regularirregular
resistibleirresistible
Words that take non– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.
affirmativenegative
conformistnonconformist
essentialnonessential
fictionnonfiction
sensenonsense
Words that take un– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or consonant.
affirmativenegative
ableunable
interestinguninteresting
usualunusual
comfortableuncomfortable
helpfulunhelpful
preparedunprepared
Remember, not all words that appear to have a negative prefix are negative.
word   does not mean
alikenot like
discussnot cuss
universenot iverse
illuminatenot luminate
importantnot portant
involvenot volve
irrigatenot rigate                                                   lawlessenglish.com
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Past perfect (HAD DONE), examples in movies and TV shows| Hollywood English

Past Perfect Continuous. Examples in Songs

Present Perfect Continuous Vs Present Perfect Simple. Form and Usage

Present Perfect Continuous in English: Form

Present Perfect Tense vs. Past Simple: Tom’s Story

"USED TO" SONGS

Songs in Present Perfect

Monday, November 4, 2019

Vocabulary: Film Reviews



Writing a Book / Film Review


Follow these steps to write a book or film review.

Prewriting
Remember and take notes of the plot of the story. What impression did it produce on you?

Writing
  • Introduction
Give the title and author of the book. If you're reviewing a film mention the director or actors.
  • Body
1. Summarize the plot in a few sentences.
2. Mention the setting: the place and time of the plot.
3. Say something about the main characters.
4. Say something about the content.
  • Conclusion
1. Comment on the book or film.
2. Let others know whether or not you liked the book/film.
3. Why do you like it? Why don't you like it?
4. Is the author's style good or bad, is the book/film interesting or boring, etc.
5. Do you want to recommend the book/film?

Post writing
  • Edit your writing.

Useful Expressions
  •  Title, Author / Director, Actors

The film is directed by
The film is produced by...
It is starred by...
The book is written by ...
  • Setting

The action takes place in ... (setting)
The action of the film is set in ...
The story takes place in...
  • Characters and Plot

The main characters are ...
The story is about...
The novel tells the story of ...
In the course of the novel, the action develops dramatically.
The novel/film begins with...
The novel has an unexpected ending.
The end of ... is ...
  • Reaction  

I am impressed by
I think...
The book is terribly / beautifully written
The film is terrible/exciting.
What surprised me is ...
What I liked is...
What I didn't like is...
I liked/didn't like the film/novel because ...
                                                                                                            https://www.myenglishpages.com/


EXAMPLES