Showing posts with label Vocabulary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vocabulary. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Taking photos


Match each word to the correct definition:
a photograph
b photographer
c photography
d wallpaper
e portrait
f scene
g snap


1 A view that you can see in a picture.
2 A person that takes pictures with a camera.
3 A picture taken with a camera.
4 The image that appears in the background of your computer screen.
5 The process of taking pictures with a camera.
6 A photo taken without professional equipment, usually on holiday.
7 A drawing, painting or photo of someone, especially of their face only.


In Spain, people say ‘patata’ when they are posing for a photo. Do you know which word we say in English?
cheese!
(Try saying ‘cheese’ – notice how your mouth opens wide!!)


http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2010/feb/28/charles-veley-worlds-most-travelled#/?picture=359797622&index=0

http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/tipper-of-the-week-archive.jsp

Key
1 f 2 b 3 a 4 d 5 c 6 g 7 e

Taking photos


Match each word to the correct definition:
a photograph
b photographer
c photography
d wallpaper
e portrait
f scene
g snap


1 A view that you can see in a picture.
2 A person that takes pictures with a camera.
3 A picture taken with a camera.
4 The image that appears in the background of your computer screen.
5 The process of taking pictures with a camera.
6 A photo taken without professional equipment, usually on holiday.
7 A drawing, painting or photo of someone, especially of their face only.


In Spain, people say ‘patata’ when they are posing for a photo. Do you know which word we say in English?
cheese!
(Try saying ‘cheese’ – notice how your mouth opens wide!!)


http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2010/feb/28/charles-veley-worlds-most-travelled#/?picture=359797622&index=0

http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/tipper-of-the-week-archive.jsp

Key
1 f 2 b 3 a 4 d 5 c 6 g 7 e

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

April Fool's Day


This is a list of vocabulary items related to April Fool's Day


April Fool

1. A trick played on someone on April Fools' Day, or the person who is tricked

2. Said on April Fools' Day when you have tricked someone

April Fool's Day
Also Called All Fool's Day. It is on the first of April every year. People can play tricks, practical jokes and hoaxes on each other on this day.

Fool
A person who behaves in a silly way without thinking or someone who doesn't understand what's happening around him/her

Hoax
A plan to deceive someone, such as telling the police there is a bomb somewhere when there is not one, or a trick:

The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax

Gullible
easily deceived or tricked, and too willing to believe everything that other people say:

There are any number of miracle cures on the market for people gullible enough to buy them

Play a joke (on someone)
(Also play a trick on someone.) Do something funny (an amusing trick) that is done in order to make people laugh and that another person doesn't suspect at first.

Practical joke
A playful trick that usually puts the receiver in an embarrassing position.

Prank
A trick that is intended to be amusing but not to cause harm or damage:

When I was at school we were always playing pranks on our teachers.
I've had enough of your childish pranks


Prankster

Someone who performs pranks on people

Spoof story
It is a story that's not true, presented as though it were real.



Do the exercise below on the vocabulary related to April Fool's Day and click on the button to check your answers.

Choose the right words:

fool / cracks / play / celebrated / practical / trick / gullible / hoax / prank / prankster


1.April Fools' Day is a day to…………………jokes on people.
2.This is the day when you try to make your friends believe something that isn't true and if they believe it you're supposed to say April…………………..
3.April Fools' Day is…………………..in many countries around the world. In Poland, for example, the tradition is to get people wet by pouring water on them.
4.A…………………..joke is a ……………………..that usually puts the receiver in an embarrassing position.
5.Another word for practical joke is……………………….
6.He is……………………………….enough to believe anything you tell him.
7.A…………………….is an attempt to trick a person into believing that something false is real.
8.A…………………………..is someone who performs pranks on people.
9.He is very funny. He always……………………………..jokes.


And now you can read more about April Fool’s Day and answer the questions below

April Fool's Day


April Fool’s Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is on the first of April every year. People can play practical jokes. That's why you shouldn't believe what is said to you and you should be doubtful of the people around you on this day. Someone might change the time on another person's alarm to make him wake up very early or very late. Or she / he may put a lot of pepper in another's food. Of course all this is done just for fun. when the trick is played people say "April Fool" to make the poor person realize that it was just a joke.

Some of the well known and most successful pranks or practical jokes were on the media - television, radio stations, newspapers... For instance, a BBC television program ran a famous hoax in 1957, showing Italians harvesting spaghetti from trees. A large number of people contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate spaghetti trees. In 2008, the BBC again reported on a newly discovered colony of flying penguins showing people walking with the penguins in Antarctica, and following their flight to the Amazon rainforest.


Comprehension:

1.April Fool's Day is also called Fool's Day ?
a. True
b. False

2.On this day
a. you must be suspicious about what people around you say or do
b. You should wake up early in order not to be hoaxed

3.After you play a trick on someone
a. say April Fool
b. say April Fool's Day

4.After the announcement of the BBC "spaghetti documentary"
a. people believed the piece of news
b. people called the BBC to complain about being hoaxed




KEY

1.April Fools' Day is a day to playjokes on people. .
2.This is the day when you try to make your friends believe something that isn't true and if they believe it you're supposed to say April fool .
3.April Fools' Day is celebratedin many countries around the world. In Poland, for example, the tradition is to get people wet by pouring water on them.
4.A practical joke is a playful trick that usually puts the receiver in an embarassing position.
5.Another word for practical joke is prank .
6.He is gullibleenough to believe anything you tell him.
7.A hoax is an attempt to trick a person into believing that something false is real
8.A prankster is someone who performs pranks on people..
9.He is very funny. He always cracks jokes

KEY for the Reading

1. False (it is also called All Fool's Day) - b

2. you must be suspicious about what people around you say or do - a

3. say April Fool - a

4. people believed the piece of news - a

April Fool's Day


This is a list of vocabulary items related to April Fool's Day


April Fool

1. A trick played on someone on April Fools' Day, or the person who is tricked

2. Said on April Fools' Day when you have tricked someone

April Fool's Day
Also Called All Fool's Day. It is on the first of April every year. People can play tricks, practical jokes and hoaxes on each other on this day.

Fool
A person who behaves in a silly way without thinking or someone who doesn't understand what's happening around him/her

Hoax
A plan to deceive someone, such as telling the police there is a bomb somewhere when there is not one, or a trick:

The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax

Gullible
easily deceived or tricked, and too willing to believe everything that other people say:

There are any number of miracle cures on the market for people gullible enough to buy them

Play a joke (on someone)
(Also play a trick on someone.) Do something funny (an amusing trick) that is done in order to make people laugh and that another person doesn't suspect at first.

Practical joke
A playful trick that usually puts the receiver in an embarrassing position.

Prank
A trick that is intended to be amusing but not to cause harm or damage:

When I was at school we were always playing pranks on our teachers.
I've had enough of your childish pranks


Prankster

Someone who performs pranks on people

Spoof story
It is a story that's not true, presented as though it were real.



Do the exercise below on the vocabulary related to April Fool's Day and click on the button to check your answers.

Choose the right words:

fool / cracks / play / celebrated / practical / trick / gullible / hoax / prank / prankster


1.April Fools' Day is a day to…………………jokes on people.
2.This is the day when you try to make your friends believe something that isn't true and if they believe it you're supposed to say April…………………..
3.April Fools' Day is…………………..in many countries around the world. In Poland, for example, the tradition is to get people wet by pouring water on them.
4.A…………………..joke is a ……………………..that usually puts the receiver in an embarrassing position.
5.Another word for practical joke is……………………….
6.He is……………………………….enough to believe anything you tell him.
7.A…………………….is an attempt to trick a person into believing that something false is real.
8.A…………………………..is someone who performs pranks on people.
9.He is very funny. He always……………………………..jokes.


And now you can read more about April Fool’s Day and answer the questions below

April Fool's Day


April Fool’s Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is on the first of April every year. People can play practical jokes. That's why you shouldn't believe what is said to you and you should be doubtful of the people around you on this day. Someone might change the time on another person's alarm to make him wake up very early or very late. Or she / he may put a lot of pepper in another's food. Of course all this is done just for fun. when the trick is played people say "April Fool" to make the poor person realize that it was just a joke.

Some of the well known and most successful pranks or practical jokes were on the media - television, radio stations, newspapers... For instance, a BBC television program ran a famous hoax in 1957, showing Italians harvesting spaghetti from trees. A large number of people contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate spaghetti trees. In 2008, the BBC again reported on a newly discovered colony of flying penguins showing people walking with the penguins in Antarctica, and following their flight to the Amazon rainforest.


Comprehension:

1.April Fool's Day is also called Fool's Day ?
a. True
b. False

2.On this day
a. you must be suspicious about what people around you say or do
b. You should wake up early in order not to be hoaxed

3.After you play a trick on someone
a. say April Fool
b. say April Fool's Day

4.After the announcement of the BBC "spaghetti documentary"
a. people believed the piece of news
b. people called the BBC to complain about being hoaxed




KEY

1.April Fools' Day is a day to playjokes on people. .
2.This is the day when you try to make your friends believe something that isn't true and if they believe it you're supposed to say April fool .
3.April Fools' Day is celebratedin many countries around the world. In Poland, for example, the tradition is to get people wet by pouring water on them.
4.A practical joke is a playful trick that usually puts the receiver in an embarassing position.
5.Another word for practical joke is prank .
6.He is gullibleenough to believe anything you tell him.
7.A hoax is an attempt to trick a person into believing that something false is real
8.A prankster is someone who performs pranks on people..
9.He is very funny. He always cracks jokes

KEY for the Reading

1. False (it is also called All Fool's Day) - b

2. you must be suspicious about what people around you say or do - a

3. say April Fool - a

4. people believed the piece of news - a

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The rise of the portmanteau words



EVER SINCE THE SMOKING BAN in enclosed public places came into force last July, there has been a marked upsurge in smirting, proving that the British public can adapt and adopt new words.

‘Smirting’ is a portmanteau word, formed by packing parts of two words together to create another, combining the sense of each (‘smoking’ and ‘flirting’). Smirting is a cousin of smog (smoke + fog).

A portmanteau was a suitcase that hinged in the middle like a book, allowing you to carry clothes in one side and anything else in the other. The word is itself a portmanteau, formed by combining ‘porter’, the French for ‘to carry’, with ‘manteau’, meaning ‘coat’ or ‘cloak’.
In 1896, Punch invented “brunch”, combining breakfast and lunch.

Today the portmanteau is probably the most fertile vehicle for neologisms. Countries have been formed by packing two place names together: Tanzania, for example, was formed in 1964, linguistically speaking, by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
This is only a guesstimate (guess + estimate), but the internet (international + network) has produced thousands of new portmanteau words: blog (web and log), webinar (a web-based seminar), wikipedia and so on.

Combining the names in a famous couple can be a way of implying that they are a brand, indistinguishable as individuals: Billary (Bill and Hillary Clinton); the famous actor couple Brangelina.

The rise of the portmanteau words



EVER SINCE THE SMOKING BAN in enclosed public places came into force last July, there has been a marked upsurge in smirting, proving that the British public can adapt and adopt new words.

‘Smirting’ is a portmanteau word, formed by packing parts of two words together to create another, combining the sense of each (‘smoking’ and ‘flirting’). Smirting is a cousin of smog (smoke + fog).

A portmanteau was a suitcase that hinged in the middle like a book, allowing you to carry clothes in one side and anything else in the other. The word is itself a portmanteau, formed by combining ‘porter’, the French for ‘to carry’, with ‘manteau’, meaning ‘coat’ or ‘cloak’.
In 1896, Punch invented “brunch”, combining breakfast and lunch.

Today the portmanteau is probably the most fertile vehicle for neologisms. Countries have been formed by packing two place names together: Tanzania, for example, was formed in 1964, linguistically speaking, by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
This is only a guesstimate (guess + estimate), but the internet (international + network) has produced thousands of new portmanteau words: blog (web and log), webinar (a web-based seminar), wikipedia and so on.

Combining the names in a famous couple can be a way of implying that they are a brand, indistinguishable as individuals: Billary (Bill and Hillary Clinton); the famous actor couple Brangelina.

Portmanteau words

1 Find the portmanteau words in the text formed from the two words on the right.
Example
blog web + log
…………………………………. guess + estimate
…………………………………. smoke + fog
…………………………………. international + network
........................................... web + seminar

2 Which words have been used to make these portmanteau words?
Brangelina …………………………………. ………………………………….
fanzine …………………………………. ………………………………….
heliport …………………………………. ………………………………….
email …………………………………. ………………………………….
internet …………………………………. ………………………………….
infocommercial …………………………………. ………………………………….

3 Which words are made from these two words?
…………………………………. breakfast + lunch
…………………………………. emotion + icon
…………………………………. Spanish + English
…………………………………. motor + hotel
…………………………………. situation comedy
…………………………………. shopping + alcoholic

4 Use a portmanteau to complete each of these sentences.

1 One of the best places for ………………………………… in our city is the restaurant at the Central Hotel. They offer a wide variety of food in their buffet and you can eat as much as you like.

2 Every evening, the sports presenter on the news presents an …………………………………. Often, cars are advertised.

3 You won't want to miss this one! Take a moment to register for our next …………………………………. Robert Plant will share tips for improving reading speed.

4 The company directors took off and landed at the hotel ……………………………………….. .

5 When we checked into the …………………………………… it was already dark.


Key

1. guesstimate, smog, internet.
2. Brad Angelina, Fan magazine, Helicopter airport, electronic mail, international network, information commercial.
3. brunch, emoticon, Spanglish, motel, sitcom, shopaholic.
4. 1 brunch 2. infocommercial 3. webinar 4. heliport 5. motel

Portmanteau words

1 Find the portmanteau words in the text formed from the two words on the right.
Example
blog web + log
…………………………………. guess + estimate
…………………………………. smoke + fog
…………………………………. international + network
........................................... web + seminar

2 Which words have been used to make these portmanteau words?
Brangelina …………………………………. ………………………………….
fanzine …………………………………. ………………………………….
heliport …………………………………. ………………………………….
email …………………………………. ………………………………….
internet …………………………………. ………………………………….
infocommercial …………………………………. ………………………………….

3 Which words are made from these two words?
…………………………………. breakfast + lunch
…………………………………. emotion + icon
…………………………………. Spanish + English
…………………………………. motor + hotel
…………………………………. situation comedy
…………………………………. shopping + alcoholic

4 Use a portmanteau to complete each of these sentences.

1 One of the best places for ………………………………… in our city is the restaurant at the Central Hotel. They offer a wide variety of food in their buffet and you can eat as much as you like.

2 Every evening, the sports presenter on the news presents an …………………………………. Often, cars are advertised.

3 You won't want to miss this one! Take a moment to register for our next …………………………………. Robert Plant will share tips for improving reading speed.

4 The company directors took off and landed at the hotel ……………………………………….. .

5 When we checked into the …………………………………… it was already dark.


Key

1. guesstimate, smog, internet.
2. Brad Angelina, Fan magazine, Helicopter airport, electronic mail, international network, information commercial.
3. brunch, emoticon, Spanglish, motel, sitcom, shopaholic.
4. 1 brunch 2. infocommercial 3. webinar 4. heliport 5. motel

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Acronyms


Name the Acronym


Fill in the blank with the correct acronym from the box.


BBL / CUL8R / TTFN / PMJI

FYI / LOL / FAQ / GTG

IDK / BTW / ASAP / SETE


1. laugh out loud _______________________

2. smiling ear to ear ________________________

3. got to go ____________________________

4. by the way ___________________________

5. I don´t know _________________________

6. Ta Ta for now ________________________

7. pardon my jumping in __________________

8. see you later _________________________

9. be back later _________________________

10. as soon as possible ___________________

11. frequently asked questions _____________

12. for your information __________________


Key to” Name the Acronym”


1. LOL
2. SETE
3. GTG
4. BTW
5. IDK
6. TTFN
7. PMJI
8. CUL8R
9. BBL
10. ASAP
11. FAQ
12. FYI

Acronyms


Name the Acronym


Fill in the blank with the correct acronym from the box.


BBL / CUL8R / TTFN / PMJI

FYI / LOL / FAQ / GTG

IDK / BTW / ASAP / SETE


1. laugh out loud _______________________

2. smiling ear to ear ________________________

3. got to go ____________________________

4. by the way ___________________________

5. I don´t know _________________________

6. Ta Ta for now ________________________

7. pardon my jumping in __________________

8. see you later _________________________

9. be back later _________________________

10. as soon as possible ___________________

11. frequently asked questions _____________

12. for your information __________________


Key to” Name the Acronym”


1. LOL
2. SETE
3. GTG
4. BTW
5. IDK
6. TTFN
7. PMJI
8. CUL8R
9. BBL
10. ASAP
11. FAQ
12. FYI

Monday, December 20, 2010

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Christmas and music
Vocabulary

1 Look at these words and expressions. They are all in the text below. Do we use them to talk about money or music?
pay, cheque, hits, airing, generates, revenue, release ,
profitable, money-spinners, digital downloads, playlists, tracks

2 Now, match each of the words to the correct definition.
a) very successful songs
b) produce/create
c) making money for a person or company
d) music made available to buy
e) one of several songs on a CD f) money paid for work
g) when a song is played on the radio
h) something that you copy onto your computer from the internet
i) a product or activity that produces a lot of money
j) the money that a company earns on a regular basis
k) all the music that people will listen to on a particular occasion

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Whether you love Mariah Carey or loathe Jona Lewie, there is no escaping them at this time of year. The annual resurrection of songs from Christmas past is well underway – and for the artists who penned or performed those festive favourites decades ago, the pay cheques are waiting under the tree.
Of the 20 most-played Christmas songs during the past ten years, the most modern – Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" – dates from 1994. Most of the others in the list were hits in the Seventies and Eighties. They include Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers, while commercial stations pay a percentage of their advertising revenue.
This means that even songs that failed to make an impact on their original release can prove highly profitable later. Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" reached just number 53 in 1988. Yet, now seventh in the most-played list, it remains one of Rea's most reliable money-spinners.
The breadth of music choice permanently available through digital downloads also means that songs no longer have to be re-released as in years gone by to take a march up the charts. "All I Want For Christmas has charted in the top 20 in each of the past three Decembers, and has already reached number 22 this year.
Martin Talbot, the managing director of The Official Charts Company, said: "At this time of year people are putting together lots of Christmas party playlists and they want to make their own compilations of tracks at home. Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."
Question 1 (2 points)

Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) The youngest song in the top twenty list of Christmas songs is sung by Mariah Carey.
b) “Merry Xmas Everybody” and “ Do They Know It’s Christmas” were both sung by Slade.
c) Chris Rea’s song “Driving Home for Christmas” is more popular now than in 1988.
d) Some people buy old songs because they are going to meet friends and celebrate Christmas.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) How do old songs continue to make money?
b) Why is it now easier to select the songs you want to listen to?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) write (Paragraph 1)
b) wide choice (Paragraph 5)
c) the list of the highest selling records for one week (Paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mariah Carey first sang “All I want for Christmas” in1994.
The song “All I want for Christmas” …………………………………… in 1994.

b) Martin Talbot said: “Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."
According to Martin Talbot, five or …………………………………………….…..

c) A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers.
If a three-minute song is played once on BBC Radio one, both ...................................................

Question 5 (5 points)

Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Music is just one of many things which help us to celebrate.” What do you think?


Most played Christmas tunes

1 All I Want For Christmas Is You (1994) Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ymlnxMZkXA

2 Last Christmas (1984) Wham!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1zWafQF1hc

3 Fairytale of New York (1987) The Pogues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q&feature=related

4 Merry Xmas Everybody (1973) Slade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqiDo28s70w
5 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (1973) Wizzard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r8UVR9DDBo

6 Do They Know It's Christmas? (1984) Band Aid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cX_ncZLls
7 Driving Home For Christmas (1988) Chris Rea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czhZbqpyBm8&feature=fvsr
8 Stop The Cavalry (1980) Jona Lewie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOe18JcatZo
9 White Christmas (1942) Bing Crosby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVZOK_9UUI
10 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1966) Dean Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mSSPM3ies0



Key Vocabulary tasks
1
Money
pay cheque, generates, percentage, revenue, profitable, money-spinners
Music
songs, hits, airing, release, digital downloads, playlists, compilations, tracks

2
a) hits b) generate c) profitable d) release e) tracks
f) pay cheque g) airing h) digital download i) money-spinner
j) revenue k) playlist

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Christmas and music
Vocabulary

1 Look at these words and expressions. They are all in the text below. Do we use them to talk about money or music?
pay, cheque, hits, airing, generates, revenue, release ,
profitable, money-spinners, digital downloads, playlists, tracks

2 Now, match each of the words to the correct definition.
a) very successful songs
b) produce/create
c) making money for a person or company
d) music made available to buy
e) one of several songs on a CD f) money paid for work
g) when a song is played on the radio
h) something that you copy onto your computer from the internet
i) a product or activity that produces a lot of money
j) the money that a company earns on a regular basis
k) all the music that people will listen to on a particular occasion

All we want for Christmas is an old festive song

Whether you love Mariah Carey or loathe Jona Lewie, there is no escaping them at this time of year. The annual resurrection of songs from Christmas past is well underway – and for the artists who penned or performed those festive favourites decades ago, the pay cheques are waiting under the tree.
Of the 20 most-played Christmas songs during the past ten years, the most modern – Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" – dates from 1994. Most of the others in the list were hits in the Seventies and Eighties. They include Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers, while commercial stations pay a percentage of their advertising revenue.
This means that even songs that failed to make an impact on their original release can prove highly profitable later. Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" reached just number 53 in 1988. Yet, now seventh in the most-played list, it remains one of Rea's most reliable money-spinners.
The breadth of music choice permanently available through digital downloads also means that songs no longer have to be re-released as in years gone by to take a march up the charts. "All I Want For Christmas has charted in the top 20 in each of the past three Decembers, and has already reached number 22 this year.
Martin Talbot, the managing director of The Official Charts Company, said: "At this time of year people are putting together lots of Christmas party playlists and they want to make their own compilations of tracks at home. Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."
Question 1 (2 points)

Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) The youngest song in the top twenty list of Christmas songs is sung by Mariah Carey.
b) “Merry Xmas Everybody” and “ Do They Know It’s Christmas” were both sung by Slade.
c) Chris Rea’s song “Driving Home for Christmas” is more popular now than in 1988.
d) Some people buy old songs because they are going to meet friends and celebrate Christmas.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) How do old songs continue to make money?
b) Why is it now easier to select the songs you want to listen to?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) write (Paragraph 1)
b) wide choice (Paragraph 5)
c) the list of the highest selling records for one week (Paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Mariah Carey first sang “All I want for Christmas” in1994.
The song “All I want for Christmas” …………………………………… in 1994.

b) Martin Talbot said: “Five or ten years ago, you'd have to buy a Christmas hits package, but now it's more democratic. People can choose what they like."
According to Martin Talbot, five or …………………………………………….…..

c) A single airing of a three-minute song on BBC Radio One generates about £37.50 for writers and £37.50 for performers.
If a three-minute song is played once on BBC Radio one, both ...................................................

Question 5 (5 points)

Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Music is just one of many things which help us to celebrate.” What do you think?


Most played Christmas tunes

1 All I Want For Christmas Is You (1994) Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ymlnxMZkXA

2 Last Christmas (1984) Wham!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1zWafQF1hc

3 Fairytale of New York (1987) The Pogues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q&feature=related

4 Merry Xmas Everybody (1973) Slade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqiDo28s70w
5 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (1973) Wizzard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r8UVR9DDBo

6 Do They Know It's Christmas? (1984) Band Aid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cX_ncZLls
7 Driving Home For Christmas (1988) Chris Rea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czhZbqpyBm8&feature=fvsr
8 Stop The Cavalry (1980) Jona Lewie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOe18JcatZo
9 White Christmas (1942) Bing Crosby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVZOK_9UUI
10 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1966) Dean Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mSSPM3ies0



Key Vocabulary tasks
1
Money
pay cheque, generates, percentage, revenue, profitable, money-spinners
Music
songs, hits, airing, release, digital downloads, playlists, compilations, tracks

2
a) hits b) generate c) profitable d) release e) tracks
f) pay cheque g) airing h) digital download i) money-spinner
j) revenue k) playlist

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Witch's hat halts London Underground on Halloween





A witch's hat brought part of London's Underground to a standstill on Halloween when it was thrown on to a track.

Tube passengers had to walk through tunnels in the early hours of Sunday morning after the hat, which contained metal, was thrown on to the line at Chalk Farm, in North London. A passenger is thought to have thrown the hat which cut out the power, halting four trains.
Hundreds of passengers were stuck on the trains for more than an hour before they were allowed to walk along tunnels to the nearest stations, London Underground said.
The four trains, three heading north between Camden and Belsize Park, and one northbound between Camden and Kentish Town, were stopped at 0040 BST. London Underground estimated that there were up to 90 passengers on each train.
"We apologise to passengers who were inconvenienced as a result of this incident, and would urge customers to take care and not to discard items on the railway," a spokesman for the company said. "The metal part of a hat thrown on to the rails at Chalk Farm caused power interruption," London Underground said.

1 Look at the following words in the text. They are all in italics. Put each word next to the correct definition/synonym.

a) Tube is another, informal way of naming the ……………………………… .

b) People who travel in a vehicle (but are not the driver), are ………….…………………

c) There are four ways of referring to the metal strips where the train runs. What are they?

2 Find words in the text that mean:

a) To stop (paragraph 1) ……………………………..….

b) Trapped (paragraph 2) ……………………………..….

c) Travelling northwards (paragraph 2) …...……………………………….. or ....……………………………..

d) To say sorry (paragraph 3) ……………………………..….

e) Someone who represents a company in an interview ……………………………..….



Links to materials of interest:

Worksheet on vocabulary and some listening activities.click here




Key
1 a) London Underground
b) passengers
c) track, line, railway, rails
2 a) halt
b) stuck
c) heading north / northbound
d) apologise
e) spokesman

Witch's hat halts London Underground on Halloween





A witch's hat brought part of London's Underground to a standstill on Halloween when it was thrown on to a track.

Tube passengers had to walk through tunnels in the early hours of Sunday morning after the hat, which contained metal, was thrown on to the line at Chalk Farm, in North London. A passenger is thought to have thrown the hat which cut out the power, halting four trains.
Hundreds of passengers were stuck on the trains for more than an hour before they were allowed to walk along tunnels to the nearest stations, London Underground said.
The four trains, three heading north between Camden and Belsize Park, and one northbound between Camden and Kentish Town, were stopped at 0040 BST. London Underground estimated that there were up to 90 passengers on each train.
"We apologise to passengers who were inconvenienced as a result of this incident, and would urge customers to take care and not to discard items on the railway," a spokesman for the company said. "The metal part of a hat thrown on to the rails at Chalk Farm caused power interruption," London Underground said.

1 Look at the following words in the text. They are all in italics. Put each word next to the correct definition/synonym.

a) Tube is another, informal way of naming the ……………………………… .

b) People who travel in a vehicle (but are not the driver), are ………….…………………

c) There are four ways of referring to the metal strips where the train runs. What are they?

2 Find words in the text that mean:

a) To stop (paragraph 1) ……………………………..….

b) Trapped (paragraph 2) ……………………………..….

c) Travelling northwards (paragraph 2) …...……………………………….. or ....……………………………..

d) To say sorry (paragraph 3) ……………………………..….

e) Someone who represents a company in an interview ……………………………..….



Links to materials of interest:

Worksheet on vocabulary and some listening activities.click here




Key
1 a) London Underground
b) passengers
c) track, line, railway, rails
2 a) halt
b) stuck
c) heading north / northbound
d) apologise
e) spokesman

Monday, April 26, 2010

Say, Speak, Talk or Tell

Choose the correct answer for each question.


1. Stop __________ and listen.
1. ? saying
2. ? talking
3. ? telling

2. Can you __________ me the time?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

3. __________ louder; he's a little deaf.
1. ? Say
2. ? Tell
3. ? Speak

4.Shh! Don't __________ anything.
1. ? speak
2. ? tell
3. ? say

5. He never stops __________ .
1. ? talking
2. ? saying
3. ? telling

6. He __________ jokes well.
1. ? speaks
2. ? says
3. ? talks
4. ? tells

7. He wants to __________ at the meeting.
1. ? Tell
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak

8. __________ the truth.
1. ? Speak
2. ? Talk
3. ? Say
4. ? Tell

9. Can we __________ about this, please?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

10. __________ me your name.
1. ? Talk
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak
4. ? Tell

11. I __________ 'Hello'.
1. ? talked
2. ? said
3. ? spoke
4. ? told

12. I need to __________ to you.
1. ? say
2. ? tell
3. ? talk


13. Don't __________ lies!
1. ? talk
2. ? tell
3. ? speak
4. ? say

14. __________ the boy a story.
1 ? Speak
2. ? Tell
3. ? Say

Say, Speak, Talk or Tell

Choose the correct answer for each question.


1. Stop __________ and listen.
1. ? saying
2. ? talking
3. ? telling

2. Can you __________ me the time?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

3. __________ louder; he's a little deaf.
1. ? Say
2. ? Tell
3. ? Speak

4.Shh! Don't __________ anything.
1. ? speak
2. ? tell
3. ? say

5. He never stops __________ .
1. ? talking
2. ? saying
3. ? telling

6. He __________ jokes well.
1. ? speaks
2. ? says
3. ? talks
4. ? tells

7. He wants to __________ at the meeting.
1. ? Tell
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak

8. __________ the truth.
1. ? Speak
2. ? Talk
3. ? Say
4. ? Tell

9. Can we __________ about this, please?
1. ? tell
2. ? say
3. ? talk

10. __________ me your name.
1. ? Talk
2. ? Say
3. ? Speak
4. ? Tell

11. I __________ 'Hello'.
1. ? talked
2. ? said
3. ? spoke
4. ? told

12. I need to __________ to you.
1. ? say
2. ? tell
3. ? talk


13. Don't __________ lies!
1. ? talk
2. ? tell
3. ? speak
4. ? say

14. __________ the boy a story.
1 ? Speak
2. ? Tell
3. ? Say