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.
informal: I’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

https://www.learnenglishteam.com/formal-and-informal-english/

Commonly Misused Words: How to Use them Correctly

GAME OF CHORES

READING/GAME 

(/learnenglishkids.britishcouncil)

COMPARISON

The three different forms of comparison are the positive, the comparative and the superlative.

Verb Collocations List

Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day. Reading (B1)

Black Friday & Buy Nothing Day

British Council

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

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.

affirmative		negative
		negative prefix		not
Tom is happy.		Tom is unhappy.		Tom is not happy.

Words that take a– as a negative prefix always begin with a consonant.

affirmative		negative
political		apolitical
sexual		asexual
theist		atheist

Words that take dis– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
agree		disagree
comfort		discomfort
mount		dismount
orient		disorient

Words that take il– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter l.

affirmative		negative
legal		illegal
legible		illegible
literate		illiterate
logical		illogical

Words that take im– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter m or p.

affirmative		negative
mobile		immobile
moral		immoral
perfect		imperfect
possible		impossible

Words that take in– as a negative prefix can begin with a vowel (except i or u) or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
accurate		inaccurate
eligible		ineligible
organic		inorganic
decent		indecent
sane		insane

Note: There are many words that begin with in– that are not words with a negative prefix. For example:

word		does not mean
incline		not cline
indulge		not dulge
insist		not sist
invoke		not voke

Words that take ir– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter r.

affirmative		negative
rational		irrational
reconcilable		irreconcilable
regular		irregular
resistible		irresistible

Words that take non– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
conformist		nonconformist
essential		nonessential
fiction		nonfiction
sense		nonsense

Words that take un– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or consonant.

affirmative		negative
able		unable
interesting		uninteresting
usual		unusual
comfortable		uncomfortable
helpful		unhelpful
prepared		unprepared

Remember, not all words that appear to have a negative prefix are negative.

word		does not mean
alike		not like
discuss		not cuss
universe		not iverse
illuminate		not luminate
important		not portant
involve		not volve
irrigate		not rigate                                                   lawlessenglish.com Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3

Nicholas the Sweep | Sainsbury’s | Christmas 2019

John Lewis Christmas 2019 Advert

These Are The Best Super Bowl 2019 Commercials | TIME

PAST CONTINUOUS

Irregular Plurals

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

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 

• https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/upper-intermediate-b2-writing/skyfall-film-review

• https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/graded-reading/hunger-games-book-review-level-1