EC London English Language School

Tomorrow is the first day of April, a day we also call “April Fools‘ Day”. It is quite common for people to play jokes on others, tell lies or generally be a bit silly. There is usually a story in the newspaper or on the radio which sounds unbelievable – and it probably is! But if you’re gullible, then you may fall for it and end up feeling like a fool when you realise it is all a hoax.

Do you celebrate April Fools’ Day? Or have you ever been the fool of someone else’s joke or hoax?

You can read about past April Fools’ Day hoaxes if you visit:

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

Useful language:

a fool (n.c) = someone who is not very clever or who acts silly

gullible (adj. negative) = describes someone who believes everything they hear or see without questioning it

to fall for a joke/hoax (phrasal verb) = to believe something completely without questioning it

a hoax (n.unc) = a situation that has been created to make someone believe it but which is completely untrue

Have fun and don’t be fooled!
Sam

Level tests were held for all EC London students on Monday. The level test is designed to check your level before the new course cycle starts and some students will move up to the next level.

If you missed the test on Monday, you can take the test at 2.30 on Wednesday 25th March in the Study Room.

Please speak to the Acadmic Department if you have any questions.

Now, being a teacher, I’m fairly used to public speaking. Standing in front of a group of people and talking about the wonders of the present perfect or the mysteries of collocation comes as second nature.

But a lecture is different. 

For a start, there are more people. Secondly, there’s more speaking from me, and less from the people listening. Thirdly, there’s the technology: laptops, projectors, CD players, and anything else that needs 240 volts.

So when I delivered the first lecture (all about music) on 3rd March 2009, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Having fiddled with the technology, I managed to get my PowerPoint presentation displayed on the wall and the stereo playing some carefully selected tunes.

Around ten to one, students began filing into room A3 at Southampton Place. From the looks on their faces, I’d say that many of them didn’t know what to expect either.

At 1:00pm, the lecture began. First, I spoke about sound – what it is and how we get to hear it. Next, I showed some examples of orchestral and modern instruments, and we listened to how they sound on the CD. Then we listened to some different genres of music, from funk to folk, trad jazz to trance and soul to speed metal. Finally we looked at the British invasion – the success of British music in the USA since the sixties.

And then it was over! A whole hour and whizzed past, and I hadn’t even noticed. The audience had stayed with me throughout, showing interest and asking relevant questions – and not one person had fallen asleep.

The best thing was after the lecture though – I couldn’t believe the number of students that told me (either personally or via their teachers) how much they had enjoyed it!

Let me tell you, hearing that was…well, music to my ears…

By Dan Woodard

Today is St Patrick’s Day. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Many people around the world celebrate today by wearing green and drinking Guinness.

But green is just not a colour. Do you know these green expressions?

She was green with envy when I bought the shoes she wanted.

You can tell she has green fingers by her beautiful garden.

The Green Party gained even more votes during the last election.

He’s going to need a lot of help and support in his new job – he’s quite green.

After going on the rollercoaster three times, he started looking rather green.

Do you know any more green expressions?

I was reading The Sunday Times today and read an article about Spotify, a website which is like a music library or a jukebox. It has only been around for a month and it is already very popular with music lovers. I had heard about it from two of my colleagues but until today had not tried it myself. After 5 minutes setting up an account (which was free), I was happily navigating the site and building my own music library – it was so easy. You cannot download the music but you can listen to the whole song for free and create your own playlists – great to listen to your favourite songs and discover new musical tastes.

I’d really recommend it. To try it visit: www.spotify.com. 

How can it help your English?

• Listening practice 
• New vocabulary
• Pronunciation practice
• Something to talk to your classmates about!

Happy listening!
Sam

Language:

The Sunday Times  (n.) – a popular broadsheet newspaper with many extra features

a jukebox (countable n.) – a machine which stores music and allows people to choose what they listen to. Usually found in pubs.

be around (v.) – to be in existance

navigate  (v.) –  to find your way or direction

For Comic Relief today, teachers and staff dressed in red and jeans and paid £1 for the privelege. Next week on St Patrick’s Day (Tuesday 17th March), everyone will be encouraged to wear green. To find out more about Red Nose Day and where the money goes, visit www.rednoseday.com

It hasn’t been a good couple of months for paraskevadekatriaphobics; like London buses, there are none for ages and then 2 come along at once!

Do you know where this “condition” came from originally? Do you know what it is? The clue is in today’s date…

Do people in your country have the same fear?

FCE and CAE students at EC London have been studying hard all term and now the exams have arrived, we all wish you the best of luck!

Don’t forget to take all your documents with you to the exam and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam centre.

If you have any last-minute questions about the exams, please speak to your teachers or speak to Sam, Rich or Amanda.

Do you know these two everyday English expressions we say before someone takes an exam?

Br_ _k a l_g!

F_ _ger_ cr_ss_ _!

What expressions do you have in your language? Are they similar or completely different?

EC London launches its Academic Year Lecture Series this week. All AY30 students will be expected to attend one lecture every 4 weeks.

Beginner, Elementary and Pre-Intermediate students who take Survival English have a lecture on Thursday 12th March on “Photography”. It takes place at 1pm at Southampton Place. 

Intermediate students and above have their lecture on Tuesday 10th March on “British Music”. It will take place at 1pm at Southampton Place.

Students will be expected to take notes and write a summary of the lecture. The deadline is one week after the lecture. 

We hope all our AY30 students will enjoy the challenge of attending a lecture- the skills they will be developing will be invaluable* for studying at university or attending presentations at work in the future. We would like you to tell us what you think of the lecture series so that we can continue to improve and develop it. 

We recommend www.uefap.com  for practical tips and help on understanding and using Academic English.

*invaluable (adj) = very useful and  important