Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Tips before the exam

A week before the examination

FROM Longman and pearson.


Look back at your revision programme. Is it complete? Aren't there some things you want to look at again? Use this week for some focused revision.


Review your revision notes every day. Try reviewing your notes without looking at them. Which parts are difficult to remember? Concentrate on learning those parts.


Remember that the examination asks you to do things in English. It is not a test of how well you remember your notes. Use your time to do some relaxing things in English.


Look back at the written work you did a year ago. Do you see how much you have improved? Think positively about yourself and your achievements.


Think about what you are going to wear for the examination. You should be comfortable, but try to choose something special for this special day. This means that when you put on those clothes, you will already be preparing yourself for the examination.


Get as much sleep as you can. Don't waste time worrying about the examination. You will not learn anything by worrying. Find some time to take exercise. You can try to remember phrasal verbs when you are jogging or plan a composition whilst you take a walk.


Travel to the place where you will take the examination. Check that you know the way and the time. Use the journey time to plan your examination strategy.


Remember to send 'good luck' messages to all your friends who are taking the same examination.


The night before the examination don't eat a heavy meal. Eat something light but nutritious. Avoid alcohol. Take some exercise and go to bed early.


red star On the day of the examination


Dress in your 'examination clothes' and prepare yourself for this special day. Open and read the 'good luck' messages from your friends. Have a good breakfast but don't drink too much. You shouldn't feel hungry or uncomfortable in any way during the examination.


Check through the 'time plan' you have made for the examination. Know how much time you will give to each question. Check you have given yourself time for checking and correcting.


Check that you have all the pens and papers you need for the examination. For many examinations you may need some identification papers.


As you travel to the place of the examination, remind yourself of your examination strategy.


green star During the examination


Focus your mind on what you have to do. Don't be distracted by outside things or by other students.


Keep an eye on the clock but try not to hurry. Always give yourself time to check your work.


Remember you will get no marks for any questions you do not attempt so make sure that you complete as much of the examination as possible.


blue star After the examination


Don't worry about the mistakes you made and the things you got wrong. You will have a long wait for the results so go out and enjoy your freedom!


The results are not as good as you expected? Well, you can always take the examination again. You are now a better, more organised person and a better learner. It will be much easier next time.


The results are good? Congratulations!

Monday, June 20, 2011

TOEFL Essay exercise

From English Club.com

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? A young couple meets and falls in love in the city. Later they get married and decide to move to a rural area. They plan to start a family. This may have been the case years ago, but today more couples are choosing to settle down in the city. In my opinion a city has more to offer a new family than a rural area. These things include jobs, institutions, and support systems.

There are more work opportunities for young couples in a city than in a rural area. Unemployment is much lower in urban centers. One reason for this is that many jobs in rural areas are seasonal. It is more common for large companies to be based in the city. Even though the cost of living is higher in the city than it is in a rural area, people who work in the city tend to have much higher salaries. Furthermore, financial stress is a leading cause of divorce and leads to the break up of families.

The city offers important institutions such as the best hospitals and schools that rural areas don't always have. For instance, people who get sick or have babies in rural areas often have to travel to the city for medical attention. This can lead to bills and transportation problems. While their parents have to commute to work, kids sometimes have to travel a long way on a bus to school. All of the travel takes away from family time. In addition, kids who grow up in rural areas are less likely to go to post secondary schools. Most have to go to the city to get a good education.

It is more likely that a young couple will have the support of friends and family in the city than in a rural area. When a young couple moves away from this support system, they often feel isolated. On the other hand, small communities are usually close and friendly. It doesn't take long to meet new friends in a small town. People look out for each other and the crime rate is much lower. Even still, you can never replace your best friends and relatives. Consequently, birthdays and holidays feel lonely without grandparents and childhood friends to join in the celebration.

Living in the city is a new trend for young families. This is partly because people are starting families later. I have already established my career and home in the city. My friends and family and all of the things I need are here. When I meet my future spouse I hope he agrees to settle down in the city.

Essay checklist
Do I have an interesting introductory sentence?
Do I have a thesis?
Does my introduction state the topics that I plan to cover?
Does each paragraph have a topic sentence?
Do I use examples and reasons to support my points?
Is my spelling and punctuation correct?
Do I use simple grammatical structure that I am comfortable with?
Do I use transitional phrases?
Have I covered both sides of an issue fairly?
Did I prove my thesis?
Does my conclusion end with an interesting thought or idea?

TOEFL Essay exercise

From English Club.com

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? A young couple meets and falls in love in the city. Later they get married and decide to move to a rural area. They plan to start a family. This may have been the case years ago, but today more couples are choosing to settle down in the city. In my opinion a city has more to offer a new family than a rural area. These things include jobs, institutions, and support systems.

There are more work opportunities for young couples in a city than in a rural area. Unemployment is much lower in urban centers. One reason for this is that many jobs in rural areas are seasonal. It is more common for large companies to be based in the city. Even though the cost of living is higher in the city than it is in a rural area, people who work in the city tend to have much higher salaries. Furthermore, financial stress is a leading cause of divorce and leads to the break up of families.

The city offers important institutions such as the best hospitals and schools that rural areas don't always have. For instance, people who get sick or have babies in rural areas often have to travel to the city for medical attention. This can lead to bills and transportation problems. While their parents have to commute to work, kids sometimes have to travel a long way on a bus to school. All of the travel takes away from family time. In addition, kids who grow up in rural areas are less likely to go to post secondary schools. Most have to go to the city to get a good education.

It is more likely that a young couple will have the support of friends and family in the city than in a rural area. When a young couple moves away from this support system, they often feel isolated. On the other hand, small communities are usually close and friendly. It doesn't take long to meet new friends in a small town. People look out for each other and the crime rate is much lower. Even still, you can never replace your best friends and relatives. Consequently, birthdays and holidays feel lonely without grandparents and childhood friends to join in the celebration.

Living in the city is a new trend for young families. This is partly because people are starting families later. I have already established my career and home in the city. My friends and family and all of the things I need are here. When I meet my future spouse I hope he agrees to settle down in the city.

Essay checklist
Do I have an interesting introductory sentence?
Do I have a thesis?
Does my introduction state the topics that I plan to cover?
Does each paragraph have a topic sentence?
Do I use examples and reasons to support my points?
Is my spelling and punctuation correct?
Do I use simple grammatical structure that I am comfortable with?
Do I use transitional phrases?
Have I covered both sides of an issue fairly?
Did I prove my thesis?
Does my conclusion end with an interesting thought or idea?

Monday, June 6, 2011

Tip 2 Listening

about.com

Strategies

Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated (adjective=upset) by limited understanding. What should you do?

Here is some of the advice I give my students:

Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
Keep cool (idiom=stay relaxed) when you do not understand - even if you continue to not understand for a long time.
Do not translate into your native language (synonym=mother tongue)
Listen for the gist (noun=general idea) of the conversation. Don't concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.
I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn't understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This approach (synonym=method) usually resulted in confusion. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two extremely important facts; Firstly, translating creates a barrier (noun=wall, separation) between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm (adjective=relaxed), I noticed that - even if I spaced out (idiom=to not pay attention) I could usually understand what the speaker had said. I had discovered some of the most important things about listening comprehension: