Extra English episode 8 The landladys cousin (part1)

Extra English episode 8 The landladys cousin (part2)

Extra english episode 7 part 1

IELTS Writing: Do and Don´t Task 2

DO

DON´T

analyse the topic respond to all parts of the prompt fully spend the first five minutes planning your essay in the introduction: paraphrase the task and state the aim of your essay in a thesis statement divide your essay into paragraphs (min. four: introduction, two main body paragraphs, conclusion) start each paragraph with a topic sentence provide a reason and an example for each of your arguments summarise the points made in the essay in the conclusion provide some food for thought (e.g. recommendations, suggestins, wider implications) in the conclusion use impersonal language (e.g. we must - it is essential we) if appropriate, state your opinion in formal style (e.g. It is my firm belief that) use formal vocabulary (e.g. keep - maintain; make sure - ensure) TIP; words that sound or look more French, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese will usually be more formal use passive voice to sound more formal and objective (e.g. The film will be shown...) avoid repetition by using synonyms (e.g. important = vital = essential = crucial) use formal linking words (e.g. despite, neverthless, furthemore) use complex sentences proofread your work to avoid simple mistakes make sure you´ve written at least 250 words

DON´T use contractions (e.g. I don´t) avoid being personal (e.g. I, me, my) DON´T use emotive language (e.g. disgusting, fabulous) DON´T use only personal examples DON´T use colloquial expressions (e.g. I had great time) avoid simple vocabulary (e.g. say, think, bad) and basic linking words (e.g. and, but, also) DON´T repeat the same vocabulary throughout your essay DON´T write simple sentences (e.g. Everyone thinks it´s true. I disagree.) DON´T use overgeneralisations (e.g. everyone, always, never, all) DON´T copy the task in your introduction DON´T forget  to answer ALL parts of  the task DON´T write less than 250 words DON´T forget to summarise and conclude your essay in the last paragraph DON´T use examples or arguments unrelated to the topic

compiled by Marek Kiczkowiak

Are celebrities bad for you?

What´s wrong with enjoying a bit of celebrity gossip? It doesn´t do us any harm ... or does it? Read the article to find out if celebrities really are bad for you.

Celebrities are everywhere nowadays: on TV, in magazines, online. Is this preoccupation with famous people harmless fun or is it bad for us? How many people are truly obsessed with modern media idols? And on the other side of the coin, can fame be harmful to the celebrities?

Studies suggest that the vast majority of teenagers do not really worship celebrities. Researchers have identifies three kinds of fans. About 15% of young people have an ´entertainment-social´ interest. They love chatting about their favourite celebrities with friends and this does not appear to do any harm.

Another 5% feel that they have an ´intense-personal´ relationship with a celebrity. Sometimes they see them as their soulmate and find that they are often thinking about them, even when they don´t want to. These people are more at risk from depression and anxiety. If girls in this group idolise a female star with a body they consider to be perfect, they are more likely to be unhappy with their own bodies.

That leaves 2% of young people with a ´borderline-pahological´ interest. They might say, for example, they would spend several thousand pounds on a paper plate the celebrity had used. or that they would do something illegal if the celebrity asked them to.. These people are in most danger of being seriously disturbed.

Rules adverbs of frequency

What are adverbs of frequency?

Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence by telling us how often or how frequently something happens are defined as adverbs of frequency.

An adverb of frequency is exactly what it sounds like – an adverb of time. Adverbs of frequency always describe how often something occurs, either in definite or indefinite terms. An adverb that describes definite frequency is one such as weekly, daily, or yearly. An adverb describing indefinite frequency doesn’t specify an exact time frame; examples are sometimes, often, and rarely.

Adverbs of Frequency Rules

These simple rules for adverbs of frequency will help you to use them correctly:

• Always use adverbs of frequency to discuss how often something happens.
• Adverbs of frequency are often used to indicate routine or repeated activities, so they are often used with the present simple tense.
• If a sentence has only one verb, place the adverb of frequency in the middle of the sentence so that it is positioned after the subject but before the verb. For example: Tom never flies. He always takes the bus.
• When a sentence contains more than one verb, place the adverb of frequency before the main verb. For example: They have often visited Europe.
• When using an adverb of frequency in the negative or in forming a question, place it before the main verb. For example: Do you usually get up so late?

Examples of Adverbs of Frequency

Each sentence contains an example of an adverb of frequency; the examples are italicized for easy identification.

1. The incubator turns each egg hourly.
2. We take a vacation at least once annually.
3. I usually shop for groceries on Saturday mornings.
4. He is often late for work.
5. We seldom see John.
6. My dentist told me I should floss twice daily.

Adverbs of Frequency Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of frequency work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. I ________________ late on Saturdays.

a. Get up usually

b. Get usually up

c. Usually get up

Answer: C. I usually get up late on Saturdays.

2. Jared ______________ late for work.

a. Never is

b. Is never

Answer: A. Jared is never late for work.

3. _______________ on weekends?

a. Often do you travel

b. Do you often travel

c. Often you do travel

Answer: B. Do you often travel on weekends?

4. Susan ________________ early for class.

a. Often is

b. Are often

c. Often are

d. Is often

Answer: D. Susan is often early for class.

5. When do you ____________ go on vacation each year?

a. Always

b. Never

c. Usually

d. Ever

Answer: When do you usually go on vacation each year?

Adverbs of Frequency List

This list of adverbs of frequency contains many of the most common; keep in mind though that there are many other words which can serve in this capacity.

Always

Annually

Constantly

Daily

Eventually

Ever

Frequently

Generally

Hourly

Infrequently

Later

Monthly

Never

Next

Nightly

Normally

Now

Occasionally

Often

Quarterly

Rarely

Regularly

Sometimes

Soon

Then

Today

Tonight

Weekly

Yearly

Yesterday

Yet

Business and ethics

The primary goal of a company may be to make money but some companies nowadays also recognise that they have a responsibility towards the society in which they operate.

Read the text and then do the exercises.

Case study – James Carston, Fine Shirtmakers

Set up in the 1920s by James Carston, a Manchester tailor, the company has remained in the family and is now run by James’s grandson, Paul Carston.  Employing fewer than 50 people, the company has a reputation for producing high-quality men’s shirts, which it sells by mail order, and has a loyal customer base.  As Paul Carston says, ‘Once someone has tried our shirts, they tend to come back for more.  Our customers appreciate the attention to detail and the high-quality fabric we use.’ And it’s the fabric they now use that makes the company almost unique in the world of men’s shirt manufacturers.

When Paul Carston took over running the company in 1999, he inherited a business that prided itself on using local well-paid machinists rather than sweatshop labour, and looked upon its employees as members of an extended family. Paul, a committed environmentalist, felt that the company fitted in well with his values. The shirts were made from 100 per cent cotton, and as Paul says, ‘It’s a completely natural fibre, so you would think it was environmentally sound’. Then Paul read a magazine article about Fair Trade and cotton producers.  He was devastated to read that the cotton industry is a major source of pollution, and that the synthetic fertilisers used to produce cotton are finding their way into the food chain.

Paul takes up the story.  ‘I investigated our suppliers, and sure enough found that they were producing cotton on an industrial scale using massive amounts of chemicals.  Then I looked into organic cotton suppliers, and found an organisation of Indian farmers who worked together to produce organic cotton on a Fair Trade basis.  Organic cotton is considerably more expensive than conventionally produced cotton, so I did the sums. I discovered that if we were prepared to take a cut in profits, we would only need to add a couple of pounds to the price of each shirt to cover the extra costs.  The big risk, of course, was whether our customers would pay extra for organic cotton.’

Paul did some research into the ethical clothing market and discovered that although there were several companies producing casual clothing such as T-shirts in organic cotton, there was a gap in the market for smart men’s shirts.  He decided to take the plunge and switch entirely to organic cotton. He wrote to all his customers explaining the reasons for the change, and at the same time the company set up a website so they could sell the shirts on the internet.  The response was encouraging. Although they lost some of their regular customers, they gained a whole customer base looking for formal shirts made from organic cotton, and the company is going from strength to strength.

Task 1

Read the case study again and decide if the statements are true or false

James Carston was Paul’s grandfather.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The company has over 50 employees.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The shirts are sold in shops.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

When Paul started running the company, he immediately decided to change to organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

Conventionally produced cotton is cheaper than organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The company didn’t lose any customers when they changed to organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

Task 2

Read this case study about an ethical business and choose the correct profile for the company:  A, B or C.

A

• began trading in 1923
• has always been a family business
• has always paid its employees well
• now produces men's shirts using organic cotton

B

• began trading in 1919
• was sold to Paul Carston in 1999
• stopped using sweatshop labour in 1999
• now produces t-shirts in organic cotton

C

• began trading in 1999
• set up by Paul Carston
• all employees are members of his family
• produces formal and casual men's clothes in organic cotton

The correct profile is letter ______.

Keys

Task 1

True, False, False, False, True, False

Task 2

A