Reading (Ex. 1-4)
Most of the reading tasks are taken from: _______, blogs or websites.
articles
Your email should be 120-160 words long. What happens if there are 200 words?
The examiner will stop reading at word 160
Is this a good way to end an informal email task?
“Now I have to go, don’t forget to write back!”
Yes!
It was great to hear from you again.
informal email
Is it a GOOD idea or a BAD idea to use PARAGRAPH HEADINGS when writing your report? (like "introduction, body, conclusion")
It's a GOOD idea --> this will help you to organize your report
**HOWEVER with a max wordcount of 160 now, you can also skip the headings if you need to [BONUS POINTS if you gave this reason!]
This is an example of what type of question:
How do people usually react when Josh explains his job to them?
(main idea / details / attitudes or opinions)
details
The rubric says: "Task is fulfilled." What does that mean?
It means you answered each of the three bullet points from the prompt
What's wrong with this email opening? (Fix it!)
"Dear Mary,
I'm writing to tell you about something that happened last week..."
There is no inquiry/asking about Mary / mention of their relationship
In my opinion, live music is better than recorded music because it has more atmosphere.
essay
What is the PURPOSE of a report?
To give feedback about an event (to the organizers)
This is an example of what type of question:
What advice does the writer give to people who want to grow living stone plants?
(main idea / details / attitudes or opinions)
attitudes
(the writer's attitude is that he thinks the information /suggestions he's giving are good advice)
Prompt says: "describe your friend's family who you visited". Student answers: "I stayed with him, his older sister and their parents." Which part of the rubric would this get low marks for?
(content not relevant / style not appropriate / bad sense of audience / content not developed)
content not developed --> look at this BETTER EXAMPLE of developed ideas:
They are an easygoing amiable family of four; they welcomed me with open arms, and I could already tell that I’d have a blast! You won’t believe how hilarious Ben’s father is! He had me laughing non-stop — you know me, I always appreciate a good sense of humor.
Is this a good closing? Why / why not?
"Goodbye from your friend"
No, it sounds unnatural or awkward. If you are friends with the person, he/she already knows this!
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be stranded on a remote and deserted island?
school magazine article
Who is the most common AUDIENCE of a report?
1. teacher
OR
2. school principal
(OR
3. some other kind of event organizer)
This is an example of what type of question:
What was Josh’s main reason for writing this blog?
(main idea / details / attitudes or opinions)
attitudes or opinions
(asking about author's purpose)
The rubric says: "Excellent sense of purpose and audience" --> which four elements here relate to audience?
Dear Omar, How was your math exam? I hope it went well. You’ve got to know all about my recent trip to England — it was amazing! As you know, I spent my one-week stay with my English friend Ben and his family to improve my lousy English. They are an easygoing amiable family of four; they welcomed me with open arms, and I could already tell that I’d have a blast! You won’t believe how hilarious Ben’s father is! He had me laughing non-stop — you know me, I always appreciate a good sense of humor.
1. How was your math exam?
2. As you know, I spent my one-week stay...
3. You won't believe...
4. - you know me -
Is this a good closing? Why / why not?
"That is all I wanted to tell you."
No - because this doesn't establish a relationship with the person. There should be some asking for a response - 'what do you think' or 'write back and tell me about...' or 'I can't wait to see you next week' etc.
It made me more aware of the ancient civilizations and cultures in our local area's past.
*BONUS [explain the situation]
report
*BONUS: (about a school trip to a museum)
Think about the AUDIENCE of a report. How will this affect your content? (there are TWO POSSIBLE answers - either answer gets the points)
Audience is usually teacher or school principal. So:
1. you will use formal language
2. you will NOT need to spend more than 1-2 sentences summarizing what HAPPENED on the event (because they already know!)
Understanding implied meaning:
Coca Cola was invented in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. By the 1950s and 1960s, it had become a popular drink and a symbol of American culture. Over the next decade, the company began exporting to Europe and other countries. It was soon in great demand around the world, but it was very expensive. That is no longer the case. There are now Coca Cola factories in many countries. In most places, a can of Coca Cola is no more expensive than other drinks. In fact, market research recently discovered something surprising. The country where a can of Coca Cola now costs the most is ______.
the United States
(implied by the flow of ideas from cheapest at home --> expensive abroad --> cheap abroad --> cheapest abroad) Key words: "no longer the case" and "in fact..."
What could you say for this prompt? -->
Recently, you spent a week with your English friend and their family to improve your English. Write an email to your cousin about your visit.
• describe the family you stayed with
• explain what you enjoyed doing during your visit
• say how your English has improved.
As you know, I spent my one-week stay with my English friend Ben and his family to improve my lousy English. They are an easygoing amiable family of four; they welcomed me with open arms, and I could already tell that I’d have a blast! You won’t believe how hilarious Ben’s father is! He had me laughing non-stop — you know me, I always appreciate a good sense of humor. Luckily, everything during my stay was enjoyable! Ben took me to some of the tourist attractions in his city, like the vast national museum, an aquatic zoo, and botanical gardens, which were a sight to behold! I enjoyed going to shopping malls with him too, and even relished the opportunity to engage in lively discussions about fashion, design, and aesthetics while having a mouth-watering dinner. Absolutely fun, isn’t it? You’d be astonished how much my English has improved! I guess you already noticed that by now. My grammar improved greatly, and my pronunciation is now somewhat like natives. My siblings were surprised by my accent and wide linguistic prowess. You won’t be able to brag about your English around me anymore — finally!
What's wrong with this answer:
"I'm really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! I'm writing to tell you about something that happened to me last week."
This is fake / unnatural because the writer will meet her friend the next day so there is no need to tell a story in an email! Just skip the email and share the story face-to-face!
Set in London in the 21st century, the film starts off with the funeral of the British Prime Minister who dies under mysterious circumstances.
review (of a movie)
What are the TWO MOST IMPORTANT parts of a report? (hint: it's not the two speech bubbles, although these can be important)
a. POSITIVE FEEDBACK (usually something like "what you learned" or "how students benefited from the event")
b. NEGATIVE FEEDBACK (recommendations - what could be changed)
You SHOULD INCLUDE BOTH of these in your report