I am writing to complain about the poor service that I received when I was in your store last week. recently you decided to remove (remove) listening facilities in your stores, and your staff encouraged customers to take (take) home their CDs without hearing (hear) them first. you invited us to return (return) any CDs that we did not like, as long as we kept the receipt as proof of purchase. In my opinion this was an exellent policy as it allowed customers to risk (risk) buying (buy) things that were a little different.
A consequence of your policy is that customers will buy more CDs, and this means returning (return) more that they dont like. In fact last week I braught back eight CDs, from the fourteen I had bought on the previous visit. Your salesman refused to accept (accept) such a large number, and accused me of taking (take) the CDs home just to copy (copy) them. I strongly object to be (be) treated like this.
Sunday 7 September 2008
Article from The New York Times
I've readen an article from the New york times called: Would you buy a new car from Eva Longoria. Here is the link for the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/opinion/10thu4.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=would%20you%20buy%20a%20car%20from%20eva%20longoria&st=cse&oref=slogin
Here is some notes taken from the article:
- In the 50s a marketing consultant introduces a new selling technique through the consummer subconsions.
- Fears about corporations using this technique rose quickly, which leaded to an issuing of disclosal by the Federal Communications Commission against it.
- Nowadays, corporations have found a new way of persuasion by embedding commercials into tv shows like American Idole, The office...
- Several tv shows were sponsored by companies that includes products on the show as normal, but that's their goal.
- Questions were made about wheter we should let this practice without disclosure or not.
- The problem is not to disclose commercials in a Tv show, but telling the truth about the product is the real matter.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/opinion/10thu4.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=would%20you%20buy%20a%20car%20from%20eva%20longoria&st=cse&oref=slogin
Here is some notes taken from the article:
- In the 50s a marketing consultant introduces a new selling technique through the consummer subconsions.
- Fears about corporations using this technique rose quickly, which leaded to an issuing of disclosal by the Federal Communications Commission against it.
- Nowadays, corporations have found a new way of persuasion by embedding commercials into tv shows like American Idole, The office...
- Several tv shows were sponsored by companies that includes products on the show as normal, but that's their goal.
- Questions were made about wheter we should let this practice without disclosure or not.
- The problem is not to disclose commercials in a Tv show, but telling the truth about the product is the real matter.
Verb patterns exercises
Exercise 1: Complete with the verb in the correct form
1- I'm sorry I forgot to respond to your email.
2- I tried to get to the computer shop before it closed.
3- I'll never forgot attending the seattle protests in 1999.
4- I wrote this over the summer but forgot to post it on my blog.
5- I remember hearing something about how popular the movie Titanic was in China.
6- I stopped putting my video clips on Youtube because my friends teased me.
7- She remembered to bring her video camera to the edding, so we've got a great film of it.
Exercise 2: inderline the correct form
1- I'm sorry I forgot to call/calling you, but Iwas reallu busy
2- I stopped in Paris for a few days to meet/meeting Henri
3- We' ve stpped to meet/meeting so often. It was a wate of time
4- Learning a language mean to be /being intersted in the culture as well
5- I meant to make / making some more photocopies, but i didn't have time
6- Itried to open/ opening the window, but it too high to reach
7- I tried to open / opening the window, but it was still too hot in the room
8- I'll never forget to give/ giving my first presentation to the board
9- Don't forget to look/ looking at the audience when you speak
10- we regret to announce/ announcing the death of our founder, Mr Obuchi
11- I regret to quit/ quiting my MBA course
1- I'm sorry I forgot to respond to your email.
2- I tried to get to the computer shop before it closed.
3- I'll never forgot attending the seattle protests in 1999.
4- I wrote this over the summer but forgot to post it on my blog.
5- I remember hearing something about how popular the movie Titanic was in China.
6- I stopped putting my video clips on Youtube because my friends teased me.
7- She remembered to bring her video camera to the edding, so we've got a great film of it.
Exercise 2: inderline the correct form
1- I'm sorry I forgot to call/calling you, but Iwas reallu busy
2- I stopped in Paris for a few days to meet/meeting Henri
3- We' ve stpped to meet/meeting so often. It was a wate of time
4- Learning a language mean to be /being intersted in the culture as well
5- I meant to make / making some more photocopies, but i didn't have time
6- Itried to open/ opening the window, but it too high to reach
7- I tried to open / opening the window, but it was still too hot in the room
8- I'll never forget to give/ giving my first presentation to the board
9- Don't forget to look/ looking at the audience when you speak
10- we regret to announce/ announcing the death of our founder, Mr Obuchi
11- I regret to quit/ quiting my MBA course
Gerunds (verb + ing)
Gerunds used as subjects:
e.g Drinking too much beer is harmfull for the health
Gerunds as objects:
Here is the common verbs followed by gerund as object:
Admit
Appreciate
Avoid
Consider
Delay
Deny
Discuss
Enjoy
Finish
Give up
Keep on
Miss
Plan
Practice
Putt off
Quit
Recall
Stop
Take up
Understand
e.g Don't avoid taking responsibility
Gerunds as subjects of prepositions:
Be aware of
Be found of
Be intersted in
Be accustoned to
Be capable of
Be concerned about
Think about
Talk about
Think of
Look forward to
e.g Jhon is thinking about looking for a job this summer.
He is intersted in going to a foreing country
Gerunds after verbs of perception
Feel
Hear
Listen to
See
Notice
Watch
e.g Isaw her giving a presentation
e.g Drinking too much beer is harmfull for the health
Gerunds as objects:
Here is the common verbs followed by gerund as object:
Admit
Appreciate
Avoid
Consider
Delay
Deny
Discuss
Enjoy
Finish
Give up
Keep on
Miss
Plan
Practice
Putt off
Quit
Recall
Stop
Take up
Understand
e.g Don't avoid taking responsibility
Gerunds as subjects of prepositions:
Be aware of
Be found of
Be intersted in
Be accustoned to
Be capable of
Be concerned about
Think about
Talk about
Think of
Look forward to
e.g Jhon is thinking about looking for a job this summer.
He is intersted in going to a foreing country
Gerunds after verbs of perception
Feel
Hear
Listen to
See
Notice
Watch
e.g Isaw her giving a presentation
Articles
Some usefull rules for the use of articles:
Zero article:
we use zero article in the cases bellow
- for uncountable and general nouns:
e.g There was a lot of pressure on me.
- for cities and countries:
e.g I was 34 at Sydney.
Definite article "the":
- we use the definite article if it's specific and there is only one of this thing
e.g I didn't win the olympics for me.
Indefinite articles "a","an":
- we use the indefinite article if it's countable or one of many
e.g That was a rhough battle.
It's like you step out off the plane to a new life.
Zero article:
we use zero article in the cases bellow
- for uncountable and general nouns:
e.g There was a lot of pressure on me.
- for cities and countries:
e.g I was 34 at Sydney.
Definite article "the":
- we use the definite article if it's specific and there is only one of this thing
e.g I didn't win the olympics for me.
Indefinite articles "a","an":
- we use the indefinite article if it's countable or one of many
e.g That was a rhough battle.
It's like you step out off the plane to a new life.
cause and effect
Exercise 1: decide if it's a reason or result?
1- Venice is sinking because of the rising level of the sea. ( reason)
2- Archeologists study ancient objects in order to learn about ancient cultures. (reason)
3- the fire in the museum resulted in extensive damage. (result)
4- Visitors to the art exhibition are not permitted to use flash fotography since this can cause damage to the pictures. (reason)
5- Historic monuments are expensive to maintain, so it often necessary to charge an entry fee. (result)
6- A new museum is being built as the collections are too large for the present museum. (reason)
7- The construction of the Aswan dam and lake would have destroyed the ancient temple of Abu Simbel. Therefore, it was decided to move the temple to a new site. (result)
Exercise 2: join the two parts of the sentence.
1- Large numbers of people from all over the world visit Petra, in Jordan, because of its beauty.
2- Children are encouraged to visit museums because it's imprtant for them to learn about the history of their country.
3- Historians are often required to learn languages such as latin in order to read ancient manuscripts and inscriptions.
4- Some cities, like Rome, have been inhabited for thousands of years, so the ancient buildings are hidden bellow modern buildings.
5- In 79 CE Pompeii was coverd by a thick layer of volcanicash from Mont Vesuvius. As a result the city was particulary well preserved.
1- Venice is sinking because of the rising level of the sea. ( reason)
2- Archeologists study ancient objects in order to learn about ancient cultures. (reason)
3- the fire in the museum resulted in extensive damage. (result)
4- Visitors to the art exhibition are not permitted to use flash fotography since this can cause damage to the pictures. (reason)
5- Historic monuments are expensive to maintain, so it often necessary to charge an entry fee. (result)
6- A new museum is being built as the collections are too large for the present museum. (reason)
7- The construction of the Aswan dam and lake would have destroyed the ancient temple of Abu Simbel. Therefore, it was decided to move the temple to a new site. (result)
Exercise 2: join the two parts of the sentence.
1- Large numbers of people from all over the world visit Petra, in Jordan, because of its beauty.
2- Children are encouraged to visit museums because it's imprtant for them to learn about the history of their country.
3- Historians are often required to learn languages such as latin in order to read ancient manuscripts and inscriptions.
4- Some cities, like Rome, have been inhabited for thousands of years, so the ancient buildings are hidden bellow modern buildings.
5- In 79 CE Pompeii was coverd by a thick layer of volcanicash from Mont Vesuvius. As a result the city was particulary well preserved.
some usefull vocabulary
some expressions for generalisations:
- Some people believe that.....
- It is generally/ commonly believed that....
- In general it is believed.....
- In general it is believed....
- People tend to choose the air plane as a mean of transport.
- Students have the tendency to.......
Some vocabulary to express caution:
- It would seem/ appear that.....
Expressing probability:
Adjectifs and adverbes:
- It is likely that it will rain today
- Probably, the school will close early this year due to the weather conditions
Model verbs (may, might, can, could)
- The olympics in the UK may bring a lot of tourists to the country.
- I am speculating about the possible benefits of the olympics games.
- Some people believe that.....
- It is generally/ commonly believed that....
- In general it is believed.....
- In general it is believed....
- People tend to choose the air plane as a mean of transport.
- Students have the tendency to.......
Some vocabulary to express caution:
- It would seem/ appear that.....
Expressing probability:
Adjectifs and adverbes:
- It is likely that it will rain today
- Probably, the school will close early this year due to the weather conditions
Model verbs (may, might, can, could)
- The olympics in the UK may bring a lot of tourists to the country.
- I am speculating about the possible benefits of the olympics games.
Supporting a point of view
The fair trade movement has resulted substantial improvements for small farmers and producers in developping countries. Moreover, it encourages developement of the local communities. Specifically, it would seem that fair trade gives to the producers the opportunity to use their financial and technical expertise in their communities. An example of this, a coffee co-operative in Mexico started a public bus service in the village.
In parrallel of this, fair trade helps to reduce environmental damage. In particular, producers use some systems which allow the soil to recover naturally without chemicals. For instance, the producers of organic rice in thailand use traditional thechniques which do not use chemicals or exhaust the soil.
In parrallel of this, fair trade helps to reduce environmental damage. In particular, producers use some systems which allow the soil to recover naturally without chemicals. For instance, the producers of organic rice in thailand use traditional thechniques which do not use chemicals or exhaust the soil.
Friday 8 August 2008
Relative pronoun and clauses
1- The beach is a place that i go to if i am feeling a little depressed and it always makes me feel better.
2- Kamelia, who is one of my closet friends, always know how to console me.
3- poligamy is a notion that i will never be able to accept.
4- An old ring, which is probably my most treasured possession, was given to me by my grand mother.
5- Few people have heard of Hicham Elgerouj who is a runner, but he is very famous in my country.
6- London which I've always dreamed of visiting, now seems to me like any other city.
2- Kamelia, who is one of my closet friends, always know how to console me.
3- poligamy is a notion that i will never be able to accept.
4- An old ring, which is probably my most treasured possession, was given to me by my grand mother.
5- Few people have heard of Hicham Elgerouj who is a runner, but he is very famous in my country.
6- London which I've always dreamed of visiting, now seems to me like any other city.
Newsnight - program about China
Thank you Jim, it was really intersting to listen to the lecture about what the world think of China. It was useful in terms of langage and also in terms of the information given in this video.
I found it a little bit difficult to understand some accent but in general it was ok. In this lecture it was a comparaison, using some statistics, between the USA, the UK, Brazil and South Korea in people perception of China...
An author from USA claimed that America is not afraid from China to be the first power in the world, he also claimed that America is even helping China to be introduced in the world trading organization. India feel more sensitive about China and look at it as threaten. whereas in Africa they feel more positive about China...
I found it a little bit difficult to understand some accent but in general it was ok. In this lecture it was a comparaison, using some statistics, between the USA, the UK, Brazil and South Korea in people perception of China...
An author from USA claimed that America is not afraid from China to be the first power in the world, he also claimed that America is even helping China to be introduced in the world trading organization. India feel more sensitive about China and look at it as threaten. whereas in Africa they feel more positive about China...
Writing a paragraph using reference words
The walkman was invented by Akio Morita at the end of the twentieth century in Japan. At first he created a new pocket sized radio in 1957 but he found it very hard to sell his product. This was because it was slightly big to fit in a shirt pocket. Finally in 1979, Morita produced the walkman making it the first portable music player.
Vocabulary
This is some vocabulary we learnd in class from The Times article "Delicate China":
Separatists: a goup of person who want to be separate from the governement.
Poured in: supplyed huge money/invested
Powerhouse: superpower
Revamped: improved
Staged: held
Boast: exageration
Vexed: finding problems and difficulties
Leaden skies: air pollution
Defuse: make something powerless
Ill-fated: bad things happened
Sparse: there is no much vegetation, trees....
Foiled: discover something before it happened and stop it.
Glitter: shining
Separatists: a goup of person who want to be separate from the governement.
Poured in: supplyed huge money/invested
Powerhouse: superpower
Revamped: improved
Staged: held
Boast: exageration
Vexed: finding problems and difficulties
Leaden skies: air pollution
Defuse: make something powerless
Ill-fated: bad things happened
Sparse: there is no much vegetation, trees....
Foiled: discover something before it happened and stop it.
Glitter: shining
Some advantages of the Olympic games.
When a country stages the olympic games, it's a whole economy that increases. The olympics it's one from the most important and most spectacular events that could happen in a country. The infrastracture is being improved, the old building are cleaned up, the tourism is progressing.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Topic sentence exercices
Topic SentenceExercise 1.2
1
Thousands of new people are born on our planet every day. The number of inhabitants in the world has already reached over six billion. If the present growth rate remains unchecked, the world may soon face wide-spread starvation, poverty, and serious health problems. __________________________________ (topic sentence).
Suggestions:
Therefore, it is predicted that the world will face serious health problems in the near future.
The rapid growth of the world's human population is the most important problem the world needs to address.
One of the burning issues is the population explosion in third world countries.
2
__________________________________ (topic sentence). Arriving in the land below the Rio Grande River, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez was surprised to see the local inhabitants raising crops that included avocados, corn, garlic and nuts. Onions, tomatoes, chilli peppers and pumpkins were also grown in the rich soil. Irrigation systems were employed in some of the drier regions. The Aztec farmers also were skilful in creating terraced gardens to make the most of the rainfall and to minimise soil erosion. Evidence shows that they employed crop rotation as well as natural fertilisers to enhance the production of their farm products.
Suggestions:
The Aztecs of Mexico were a nation of accomplished farmers.
Hernando Cortez discovered farming in Mexico.
Mexico is blessed with rich farmland and an abundance of food products.
Bas du formulaire
Topic SentencesExercise 1.3
The most important factor is a student's past experience of study. If a student has already developed good study habits, study at university should not be difficult. Good study habits need to be complemented by interest and motivation, factors which are important when competition gets tough. We should however not underestimate the distracting effects of financial and personal difficulties. All students have to grapple with these at some stage of their university life. Beyond the personal factors it has to be said that there is also a certain element of luck involved in success: this includes finding excellent teachers and the subject matter that inspires one to give one's best.
Topic sentence: Student’s success at the university is related to many factors.
Topic sentnce
Exercise 1.4
1- There is many reasons why students panic during final exams.
The possible reasons are:
not being prepared
information overload
Suggestions:
· being stressed
· the exam could be difficult
2. New Zealand trade efforts have recently started to focus on South America as a new destination for our export products.
Benefits of increased trade with South America are:
growing, stable major economies provide increasing trading opportunities
diverse trading opportunities throughout a huge region
Suggestions:
Spanish is becoming an interesting language
New Zeeland is more independent than before
1
Thousands of new people are born on our planet every day. The number of inhabitants in the world has already reached over six billion. If the present growth rate remains unchecked, the world may soon face wide-spread starvation, poverty, and serious health problems. __________________________________ (topic sentence).
Suggestions:
Therefore, it is predicted that the world will face serious health problems in the near future.
The rapid growth of the world's human population is the most important problem the world needs to address.
One of the burning issues is the population explosion in third world countries.
2
__________________________________ (topic sentence). Arriving in the land below the Rio Grande River, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez was surprised to see the local inhabitants raising crops that included avocados, corn, garlic and nuts. Onions, tomatoes, chilli peppers and pumpkins were also grown in the rich soil. Irrigation systems were employed in some of the drier regions. The Aztec farmers also were skilful in creating terraced gardens to make the most of the rainfall and to minimise soil erosion. Evidence shows that they employed crop rotation as well as natural fertilisers to enhance the production of their farm products.
Suggestions:
The Aztecs of Mexico were a nation of accomplished farmers.
Hernando Cortez discovered farming in Mexico.
Mexico is blessed with rich farmland and an abundance of food products.
Bas du formulaire
Topic SentencesExercise 1.3
The most important factor is a student's past experience of study. If a student has already developed good study habits, study at university should not be difficult. Good study habits need to be complemented by interest and motivation, factors which are important when competition gets tough. We should however not underestimate the distracting effects of financial and personal difficulties. All students have to grapple with these at some stage of their university life. Beyond the personal factors it has to be said that there is also a certain element of luck involved in success: this includes finding excellent teachers and the subject matter that inspires one to give one's best.
Topic sentence: Student’s success at the university is related to many factors.
Topic sentnce
Exercise 1.4
1- There is many reasons why students panic during final exams.
The possible reasons are:
not being prepared
information overload
Suggestions:
· being stressed
· the exam could be difficult
2. New Zealand trade efforts have recently started to focus on South America as a new destination for our export products.
Benefits of increased trade with South America are:
growing, stable major economies provide increasing trading opportunities
diverse trading opportunities throughout a huge region
Suggestions:
Spanish is becoming an interesting language
New Zeeland is more independent than before
Words from the academic list: AWL Highlighter from the Nottingham University
File produced at level 10
The media is a huge phenomenon which takes a big part in our daily life. In the recent years, the media has grown exponentially with the advance of technology, first there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspapers, magazines, television and now the internet. It is generally agreed that the media has an incredible power and plays an immense role in education, entertainment and informing people about the latest news. However, we have to put into consideration the bad influence of media on kids, teenagers and society. On one side, the television and the other kinds of media are very essential for education with the huge amount of educational channels available for every one. The television gives us the opportunity to be aware of the latest news at the same time that it happens. On the other side, children spend more time watching television than doing their homework or doing sport activities. Moreover, they are permanently exposed to violence and sexual scenes and immoral programs. According to Mark Henderson "people who are very overweight spend more time watching television and other indoor activities than do those with healthier bodies" (The times, 19 July 2008).
In this essay it will be argued that the media influence harmfully our lives and have an impact on the public opinion. This piece of work will provide an overview of the pros and cons of the media by firstly examining its positive sides and then by looking at the negative effects of media.
The media is a huge phenomenon which takes a big part in our daily life. In the recent years, the media has grown exponentially with the advance of technology, first there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspapers, magazines, television and now the internet. It is generally agreed that the media has an incredible power and plays an immense role in education, entertainment and informing people about the latest news. However, we have to put into consideration the bad influence of media on kids, teenagers and society. On one side, the television and the other kinds of media are very essential for education with the huge amount of educational channels available for every one. The television gives us the opportunity to be aware of the latest news at the same time that it happens. On the other side, children spend more time watching television than doing their homework or doing sport activities. Moreover, they are permanently exposed to violence and sexual scenes and immoral programs. According to Mark Henderson "people who are very overweight spend more time watching television and other indoor activities than do those with healthier bodies" (The times, 19 July 2008).
In this essay it will be argued that the media influence harmfully our lives and have an impact on the public opinion. This piece of work will provide an overview of the pros and cons of the media by firstly examining its positive sides and then by looking at the negative effects of media.
Monday 4 August 2008
Seminar's feedback
Today's seminar was really succesful. Fortunetly the group was composed from different nationalities, so we had the opportunity to get different point of view about the topic. During the weekend, I did so much research in the internet, I used the links we have in the course book and also the links in Jim's blog. The lecture we listened last Friday in the class was also very helpful. I've done enough preparation which helped me to to speak many times in the seminar, to express clearly my opinion and to give some evidence and examples about what I've said. I've also listened attentively to all my colleegues and interupted some others when they were talking a lot using the language that we learned in class. The voccabulary I used was most of it related to the topic, I've tried also to use the language of expressing opinion, interupting and agreeing or desagreeing as much as Icould. Pretty much all the member of the group, including myself, tried to keep the discussion in the right direction.
To summarise I would say that the seminar was great, people with each other. I've expressed my opinion clearly in every time that I've spoken and I think that everyone was able to understand what Iwas saying.
To summarise I would say that the seminar was great, people with each other. I've expressed my opinion clearly in every time that I've spoken and I think that everyone was able to understand what Iwas saying.
Some notes for the seminar
1- The closed-circuit television:
* The CCTV images is a form of surveillance that provide evidence for the police and lead to the arrest of criminals.
* When a crime takes place, officers have to walk the route involved identifying cameras and hoping to sequester evidence.
* A director of security solutions at british defense contractor said that London neds to move from the after-the event- analysis to the after- the event- anticipation.
* This technology is called The real time video analysis and it's in use at New Jersey.
* London is one of the most surveilled zone in the world, and spend over 3 quarters of the budget of the home office crime prevention to fund the introduction of CCTV system in public places.
* A governement report claims that CCTV are of little help in the fight against crimes.
* Privacy international believes this current situation with CCTV is dangerous and unacceptable. Surveillance should not be conducted without legal protection.
2- DNA database:
* The Britain stores the most extensive DNA database on its population in the world.
* One in four men could be soon included on the national database.
* The database has been estabilished with a little or no public consultation but over the past ten years has collected DNA profiles on more than 3.5 million people.
* The database increase at the rate of 40.000 profiles a month.
* Everyone who has ever been arested by the police, even if he is not charged, is obliged to provide DNA sample for the national database.
* The CCTV images is a form of surveillance that provide evidence for the police and lead to the arrest of criminals.
* When a crime takes place, officers have to walk the route involved identifying cameras and hoping to sequester evidence.
* A director of security solutions at british defense contractor said that London neds to move from the after-the event- analysis to the after- the event- anticipation.
* This technology is called The real time video analysis and it's in use at New Jersey.
* London is one of the most surveilled zone in the world, and spend over 3 quarters of the budget of the home office crime prevention to fund the introduction of CCTV system in public places.
* A governement report claims that CCTV are of little help in the fight against crimes.
* Privacy international believes this current situation with CCTV is dangerous and unacceptable. Surveillance should not be conducted without legal protection.
2- DNA database:
* The Britain stores the most extensive DNA database on its population in the world.
* One in four men could be soon included on the national database.
* The database has been estabilished with a little or no public consultation but over the past ten years has collected DNA profiles on more than 3.5 million people.
* The database increase at the rate of 40.000 profiles a month.
* Everyone who has ever been arested by the police, even if he is not charged, is obliged to provide DNA sample for the national database.
Monday 28 July 2008
writting introduction: section B
- What is the introduction a chance for you to do?
The introduction is a chance for the writer to give a good first impression of his essay and attract the reader attention.
- Why do you think planning is important when you are writing an introduction?
In an introduction we should present the subject and some of the element related to the question problem, and we should also talk about the main points that will be treated in the essay. This is why planning is very important before writing an introduction.
- I would like you to rewrite this introduction (to the same question) using the language suggestions from the University of Manchester website and post it on your blog by the end of this class. If you do not have a blog, write it on a separate sheet of paper to give to me by the end of class.
One of the most significant current discussion in legal and moral philosophy is Immigration. It is an emotive subject which is seldom out of the news. In the recent years, there has been an incredible rise in immigrants in the United Kingdom from the new European Union countries and this has refocused debate on this controversial issue. However this topic still difficult to explore because of the lack of hard data and the preponderance of anecdotal evidence. As already mentioned, immigration recently has largely consisted of Europeans but there is also a constant flow of migrants from other parts of the world, some of whom arrive seeking refuge from war or famine and some of whom claim asylum. This essay will give an account of the benefits to the UK of immigration by firstly examining the economic arguments surrounding the issue, and then by looking at the social issues involved.
Saturday 26 July 2008
Writing introduction: section A
1. Looking at the information on both the websites – what should a good introduction contain?
The first thing that should an introduction contain is the central idea or the main subject of the essay. Some background should also be included to inform the reader and attract his attention. In an introduction we give a statement about the matter or the main problem and try to explain the plan that the discussion will follow.
According to Manchester university website an introduction shoul contain:
¨ establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic
¨ indicate a problem, controversy or a gap in the field of study
¨ define the topic or key terms
¨ state of the purpose of the essay/writing
¨ provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing
2. On the University of Manchester page, look at the suggested language for different sections of the introduction. Which verb tenses are most commonly used in each section? (Write down a verb tense and an example for each…)
Establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic:
· Simple present: X is the leading cause of death in western industrialised countries
· Present continuous: It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore
· Present perfect: In the new global economy, X has become a central issue for......
Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given):
· The most used tense in this section is the present perfect: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in....
· The simple past: One of the most important events of the 1970s was…
Highlighting a problem or controversy in the field of study:
· Present simple: However, a major problem with this kind of application is......
· Present continuous: However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect
· Present perfect: To date there has been little agreement on what......
· Simple present: One major issue in early X research concerned.......
Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study:
In this section the passive voice is used most of time with the simple present and the present perfect.
Focus and aim:
· Simple future: This paper will focus on/examine/give an account of......
· Simple present: This paper seeks to address the following questions
Outline of structure:
· Simple present: This paper begins by......
· Present perfect: The essay has been organised in the following
The first thing that should an introduction contain is the central idea or the main subject of the essay. Some background should also be included to inform the reader and attract his attention. In an introduction we give a statement about the matter or the main problem and try to explain the plan that the discussion will follow.
According to Manchester university website an introduction shoul contain:
¨ establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic
¨ indicate a problem, controversy or a gap in the field of study
¨ define the topic or key terms
¨ state of the purpose of the essay/writing
¨ provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing
2. On the University of Manchester page, look at the suggested language for different sections of the introduction. Which verb tenses are most commonly used in each section? (Write down a verb tense and an example for each…)
Establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic:
· Simple present: X is the leading cause of death in western industrialised countries
· Present continuous: It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore
· Present perfect: In the new global economy, X has become a central issue for......
Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given):
· The most used tense in this section is the present perfect: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in....
· The simple past: One of the most important events of the 1970s was…
Highlighting a problem or controversy in the field of study:
· Present simple: However, a major problem with this kind of application is......
· Present continuous: However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect
· Present perfect: To date there has been little agreement on what......
· Simple present: One major issue in early X research concerned.......
Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study:
In this section the passive voice is used most of time with the simple present and the present perfect.
Focus and aim:
· Simple future: This paper will focus on/examine/give an account of......
· Simple present: This paper seeks to address the following questions
Outline of structure:
· Simple present: This paper begins by......
· Present perfect: The essay has been organised in the following
Friday 25 July 2008
Seminar's feedback
After reading some articles and watching a lecture, today we've had a seminar about media and television. We were divided into small groups of four or five people. Each group was composed from different nationalities to have as much information as possible. I believe that not only listening to lectures, reading and writing are important in university study, seminars are also essentials to complete our learning.
The seminar that we've just had was very successful, it gave us the opportunity to interact with each other and to know more about other cultures habits in watching television. We have also talked about the reality TV, the new phenomene that has emerged in our televisions and his negative effects on the society especially children. People are catched by the stereotypical views sent by TV and make them confuse reality. During the seminar, some of those common stereotypes examples were given and disscussed.
This was the first seminar for me and i thimk i did well on it and i know that i could do better next time. Every thing was good, we listened to really interesting views and opinions and got so much new information. only one thing that could've been a problem for me and also for other people, is that sometimes when the teacher was listening to us i was just finished wath i was saying and not speaking at that time, so this might give the teacher the impression that I wasn't participating enough.
The seminar that we've just had was very successful, it gave us the opportunity to interact with each other and to know more about other cultures habits in watching television. We have also talked about the reality TV, the new phenomene that has emerged in our televisions and his negative effects on the society especially children. People are catched by the stereotypical views sent by TV and make them confuse reality. During the seminar, some of those common stereotypes examples were given and disscussed.
This was the first seminar for me and i thimk i did well on it and i know that i could do better next time. Every thing was good, we listened to really interesting views and opinions and got so much new information. only one thing that could've been a problem for me and also for other people, is that sometimes when the teacher was listening to us i was just finished wath i was saying and not speaking at that time, so this might give the teacher the impression that I wasn't participating enough.
Monday 14 July 2008
Describing situations
EXERCISE 1:
1-To understand the problem, we need to look at all the many factors which may influence development in the child’s social and physical conditions
2- it has been claimed that the status of teaching as a profession is not as high as it used to be or as it should be.
3-The infrared aerial photograph seems to show the existence of a large village around 1000 years ago.
4-The Company’s president died in rather suspicious circumstances surrounding and his son took over.
5-In the absence of any clear instructions from above, I think we should decide ourselves how to proceed.
6-The country can never become a major economic player unless it improves its infrastructure
7-i can’t tell you what the word means unless you tell me it in context.
8-Students today live in very luxurious environment compared with students in the past.
EXERCISE 2
1- The government has introduced legislation to restrict smoking in public places.
2- Learning from your mistakes is an infinite part of making progress.
3- Her attempt to confine to restrain the children from making a noise in the library met with little success.
4- The professor always insists that even the most junior research associate is an integral part of the team.
5-What are the minimal requirements for getting a place on the course?
6- During the exam period restrictions are imposed on visitors to the college.
7-There were some rather curious contexts surrounding the case.
8- The level of taxation in the country is a major constraint on foreign investment there.
Exercise 3:
1- The economy has been unstable for several years.
2- Instability has been a feature of government in the country for the last decade.
3- The northern region possesses an apparently infinite supply of uranium.
4- The omnipresence of cholera in the area was noted by scientists in 1978.
5- A maximum temperature of 20 degrees must be maintained at all times.
1-To understand the problem, we need to look at all the many factors which may influence development in the child’s social and physical conditions
2- it has been claimed that the status of teaching as a profession is not as high as it used to be or as it should be.
3-The infrared aerial photograph seems to show the existence of a large village around 1000 years ago.
4-The Company’s president died in rather suspicious circumstances surrounding and his son took over.
5-In the absence of any clear instructions from above, I think we should decide ourselves how to proceed.
6-The country can never become a major economic player unless it improves its infrastructure
7-i can’t tell you what the word means unless you tell me it in context.
8-Students today live in very luxurious environment compared with students in the past.
EXERCISE 2
1- The government has introduced legislation to restrict smoking in public places.
2- Learning from your mistakes is an infinite part of making progress.
3- Her attempt to confine to restrain the children from making a noise in the library met with little success.
4- The professor always insists that even the most junior research associate is an integral part of the team.
5-What are the minimal requirements for getting a place on the course?
6- During the exam period restrictions are imposed on visitors to the college.
7-There were some rather curious contexts surrounding the case.
8- The level of taxation in the country is a major constraint on foreign investment there.
Exercise 3:
1- The economy has been unstable for several years.
2- Instability has been a feature of government in the country for the last decade.
3- The northern region possesses an apparently infinite supply of uranium.
4- The omnipresence of cholera in the area was noted by scientists in 1978.
5- A maximum temperature of 20 degrees must be maintained at all times.
Thursday 3 July 2008
Brief summary of the findings
Our research aims to find out if London Met students are influenced by fashion and find how much they spend in shopping per month and also what they think about fashion.
To make up this research, in a way to see some statistics, we have decided, to make a quantitative survey. A questionnaire was made and distributed to the other students in pre-sessional academic English.
After collecting answers from the respondents of the other classes, the results have shown that more than 60% of the students interviewed were between 21 and 25 year old and 21% were 20 and under. 58% of them were female. More than half of the respondents (58%) declared that they go for shopping more than 3 times per month and the majority buy clothes. Almost of respondents get between 500 and 700 pounds per month and spend less than £100 in their shopping per month while only 6% of them spend more than 300 pounds per month in shopping.
Nearly two thirds of students stated that they are influenced by the media TV, newspapers, magazines, posters….) for their shopping while 37% affirmed that they aren’t influenced by any kind of media and do shopping as part of their lifestyle, and only 3% say that they are influenced by celebrities.
To make up this research, in a way to see some statistics, we have decided, to make a quantitative survey. A questionnaire was made and distributed to the other students in pre-sessional academic English.
After collecting answers from the respondents of the other classes, the results have shown that more than 60% of the students interviewed were between 21 and 25 year old and 21% were 20 and under. 58% of them were female. More than half of the respondents (58%) declared that they go for shopping more than 3 times per month and the majority buy clothes. Almost of respondents get between 500 and 700 pounds per month and spend less than £100 in their shopping per month while only 6% of them spend more than 300 pounds per month in shopping.
Nearly two thirds of students stated that they are influenced by the media TV, newspapers, magazines, posters….) for their shopping while 37% affirmed that they aren’t influenced by any kind of media and do shopping as part of their lifestyle, and only 3% say that they are influenced by celebrities.
Questionnaire
This is a survey research for pre-sessional course at London Metropolitan University. The research aims to find out if London Met students are influenced by the latest fashion and how much they spend on and finally what they think about fashion.
1) Gender:
a- Male
b- Female
2) Age:
a- 18 - 20
b- 21 – 25
c- 26 – 30
d- 30 – 40
e- More than 40
3) Education:
a- Senior high school
b- Undergraduate
c- Postgraduate
d- PHD
4) Do you have a part time job?
a- Yes
b- No
5) How much do you earn per month?
a- Under £300
b- 300 – 400
c- 400 – 500
d- Over £500
6) How much do you get from your sponsors?
a- Under £500
b- 500 – 600
c- 600 – 700
d- Over £700
7) How often do you shop per month?
a- Once
b- Twice
c- 3 times
d- More than 3 times
8) How much do you spend on shopping per month?
a- Under £100
b- 100 – 200
c- 200 – 300
d- More than £300
9) What kind of stuff do you usually buy?
a- Clothes
b- Shoes
c- Accessories
10) What’s influence your choice in shopping?
a- Posters in front of shops
b- Newspapers and magazines
c- TV
d- Celebrities
11) What do you think of fashion?
1) Gender:
a- Male
b- Female
2) Age:
a- 18 - 20
b- 21 – 25
c- 26 – 30
d- 30 – 40
e- More than 40
3) Education:
a- Senior high school
b- Undergraduate
c- Postgraduate
d- PHD
4) Do you have a part time job?
a- Yes
b- No
5) How much do you earn per month?
a- Under £300
b- 300 – 400
c- 400 – 500
d- Over £500
6) How much do you get from your sponsors?
a- Under £500
b- 500 – 600
c- 600 – 700
d- Over £700
7) How often do you shop per month?
a- Once
b- Twice
c- 3 times
d- More than 3 times
8) How much do you spend on shopping per month?
a- Under £100
b- 100 – 200
c- 200 – 300
d- More than £300
9) What kind of stuff do you usually buy?
a- Clothes
b- Shoes
c- Accessories
10) What’s influence your choice in shopping?
a- Posters in front of shops
b- Newspapers and magazines
c- TV
d- Celebrities
11) What do you think of fashion?
Grammar exercises: passive voice
Exercise 1:
1- The theft was reported to the police.
2- The charity has been given £1,000.
3- The program will be demonstrated to the students.
4- The procedure was explained to me.
5- Large areas of forest are being destroyed every day.
6- The land next to the university has been bought.
7- I hope all the marking will have been completed by tomorrow
8- The library should have been finished by the time you arrive
9- Better results are expected soon
10- The complaints should be sent to the head of department
11- The lecture had to be postpone because of illness
12- The fire could have been caused
13- Next year’s conference in Birmingham is going to be hold
14- This fact is known very well
15- The new lecture theatre was opened only the last month
16- The answers must be written on the examination paper in black ink
17- This type of computer is now being manufactured in Korea
18- The problem should be investigated
Exercise 2
1- Prices are stables and they are maintained in this way over generations
2- Tropical forests are defined here as ‘ evergreen or partly evergreen forests’
3- Methane is distinguished because it has a large number of significant sources
4- The old dilator procedure was reformed in 1852
5- In 1916 the disease regulations were passed
6- It was only in the 1930s, in oxford, that lysozyme was isolated and crystallised
7- These findings are replicated
8- The date 753 BC was eventually generally accepted
9- A range of rival theories are next considered
10- The subject is required to answer if the statement is true or false
11- The examinations should be conducted in the greatest possible privacy
12- The discussion will be confined to general principles of treatment
13- Many genes were transcribed and many proteins synthesised
14- A further class of solutions in which main equation are separated in yet another way has been given by Yurtse
Exercise 3
1- It was understood that Mr Smith was willing to meet the British prime minister
2- It is considered that this surgeon is a brilliant practitioner
3- When Chain came in on Sunday morning and saw the result, it is said that he danced
4- It is claimed that drugs produced no undesirable side effects
5- It is expected that the electricity supply industry will be running into surplus capacity by next year
6- It is now thought that only a small fraction of the nitrous oxide emitted to the atmosphere ach year comes from fossil-fuel use, primarily coal
7- At the present time, it is believed that the only problem with daytime is that it is too short
8- Although it is expected the patient to pay for his treatment, he will be reimbursed via the state medical insurance scheme
9- If one person chooses to causes serious injury to another, it should be presumed that he or she realises that there is always a risk of death
10- It was also alleged that he amassed wealth by exploiting his high creditwith the Palmyra court
1- The theft was reported to the police.
2- The charity has been given £1,000.
3- The program will be demonstrated to the students.
4- The procedure was explained to me.
5- Large areas of forest are being destroyed every day.
6- The land next to the university has been bought.
7- I hope all the marking will have been completed by tomorrow
8- The library should have been finished by the time you arrive
9- Better results are expected soon
10- The complaints should be sent to the head of department
11- The lecture had to be postpone because of illness
12- The fire could have been caused
13- Next year’s conference in Birmingham is going to be hold
14- This fact is known very well
15- The new lecture theatre was opened only the last month
16- The answers must be written on the examination paper in black ink
17- This type of computer is now being manufactured in Korea
18- The problem should be investigated
Exercise 2
1- Prices are stables and they are maintained in this way over generations
2- Tropical forests are defined here as ‘ evergreen or partly evergreen forests’
3- Methane is distinguished because it has a large number of significant sources
4- The old dilator procedure was reformed in 1852
5- In 1916 the disease regulations were passed
6- It was only in the 1930s, in oxford, that lysozyme was isolated and crystallised
7- These findings are replicated
8- The date 753 BC was eventually generally accepted
9- A range of rival theories are next considered
10- The subject is required to answer if the statement is true or false
11- The examinations should be conducted in the greatest possible privacy
12- The discussion will be confined to general principles of treatment
13- Many genes were transcribed and many proteins synthesised
14- A further class of solutions in which main equation are separated in yet another way has been given by Yurtse
Exercise 3
1- It was understood that Mr Smith was willing to meet the British prime minister
2- It is considered that this surgeon is a brilliant practitioner
3- When Chain came in on Sunday morning and saw the result, it is said that he danced
4- It is claimed that drugs produced no undesirable side effects
5- It is expected that the electricity supply industry will be running into surplus capacity by next year
6- It is now thought that only a small fraction of the nitrous oxide emitted to the atmosphere ach year comes from fossil-fuel use, primarily coal
7- At the present time, it is believed that the only problem with daytime is that it is too short
8- Although it is expected the patient to pay for his treatment, he will be reimbursed via the state medical insurance scheme
9- If one person chooses to causes serious injury to another, it should be presumed that he or she realises that there is always a risk of death
10- It was also alleged that he amassed wealth by exploiting his high creditwith the Palmyra court
vocabulary
1- Abhorrence: horror, fear
Exp: His abhorrence of flying is coming back in each time he is travelling by plane.
2- Alacrity: be happy and enthusiastic to do something
Exp: He accepted our invitation with alacrity
3- Beastliness: very bad and horrible behaviour, the adjective is beastly
Exp: The beastliness of his manners always causes him problems
4- Jubilant: very happy, and the signs of happiness are very clear and appear in your face, very excited.
Exp: She was jubilant over her daughter’s marriage
5- Junkie: is someone addicted to drugs. We can also use the word for someone who really likes something like chocolate, sugar or football.
6- Peripatetic: people who don’t stay in the some place. People who move a lot.
Exp: His abhorrence of flying is coming back in each time he is travelling by plane.
2- Alacrity: be happy and enthusiastic to do something
Exp: He accepted our invitation with alacrity
3- Beastliness: very bad and horrible behaviour, the adjective is beastly
Exp: The beastliness of his manners always causes him problems
4- Jubilant: very happy, and the signs of happiness are very clear and appear in your face, very excited.
Exp: She was jubilant over her daughter’s marriage
5- Junkie: is someone addicted to drugs. We can also use the word for someone who really likes something like chocolate, sugar or football.
6- Peripatetic: people who don’t stay in the some place. People who move a lot.
Monday 30 June 2008
hello everybody
My name is Nadia Aghjdam, I'm 22 and I'm from Morocco. I was living in Morocco with my parents and my brother. My father works with the governement and my mother is a housewife who has done all her best for us and stil doing it although we are far from her. My brother lives in United States of America studying international business. I have really a good relationship with all my familly and each one respect the others and their views.
About my hobbies, i don't really have many, i can even say that i have any hobbies. But what i can say is that from i was a kid i love swiming but i think is normal because i live in a touristic city with beatiful sea and 300 day per year with sunshine. I like also travelling, I enjoy moving and meeting new people and especially discovering new cultures. I've been in Spain, France, Gran Canaria, and of course Britain, and i want to discover Asia and their culture.
I already have a diploma in business administration and a degree in marketing. I have some proffessional experinces in some companies in my contry and I hope I can complete that by an important work experience in a multinatiomal here in London. I came to London to improve my english and to do a master degree in marketing and have a life experience, but after all what i said, i want to go back to my contry, have a good job and get married.
British culture is different from many other cultures. If i compare it with Moroccan culture, british people are very polite, serious, hardworkers but they are a bit cold persons and pesemistics. Morrocan people are very friendly, they have the sens of hospitality and enjoy the life as much as possible, but they are less serious and a bit lazy.
By the end of the course, I would like to be able to communicate better with people, to emprove my writing skills and my vocabulary.
I have started reading an academic book about marketing, so i think it will be the main target of my selfstudy. I will post in my blog summeries of the chapters that I've readen and some new vocabulary related to marketing.
About my hobbies, i don't really have many, i can even say that i have any hobbies. But what i can say is that from i was a kid i love swiming but i think is normal because i live in a touristic city with beatiful sea and 300 day per year with sunshine. I like also travelling, I enjoy moving and meeting new people and especially discovering new cultures. I've been in Spain, France, Gran Canaria, and of course Britain, and i want to discover Asia and their culture.
I already have a diploma in business administration and a degree in marketing. I have some proffessional experinces in some companies in my contry and I hope I can complete that by an important work experience in a multinatiomal here in London. I came to London to improve my english and to do a master degree in marketing and have a life experience, but after all what i said, i want to go back to my contry, have a good job and get married.
British culture is different from many other cultures. If i compare it with Moroccan culture, british people are very polite, serious, hardworkers but they are a bit cold persons and pesemistics. Morrocan people are very friendly, they have the sens of hospitality and enjoy the life as much as possible, but they are less serious and a bit lazy.
By the end of the course, I would like to be able to communicate better with people, to emprove my writing skills and my vocabulary.
I have started reading an academic book about marketing, so i think it will be the main target of my selfstudy. I will post in my blog summeries of the chapters that I've readen and some new vocabulary related to marketing.
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