Monday 25 February 2013

London: Now See it for Yourself

 

We are visiting London next month but now it is time for you to move around, so enter VisitLondon.com, grab the map and walk around this wonderful city.
Choose the attractions, read about its history and learn more about the places clicking on their official webpages.

Thursday 21 February 2013

How to Succeed at an Interview 3

In the future you'll have the chance to showcase your English speaking skills in an oral test… but perhaps feeling a little nervous as well!

See our overview of the exam. Try our tips to help you relax and show the examiner just how well you speak English! Let’s start by getting a feel for the exam with this video:



1. Introduction and Interview:
lasts about 4-5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find out a little about you through some simple 'getting-to-know-you' questions.

2. The Long Turn:
exam you have to speak for between 1 and 2 minutes on a set topic based on information on a card the examiner will give you. You'll be a given a minute to prepare what you want to say - just enough time to jot down some ideas to help give your talk structure and interest.

3. Two-Way Discussion:
lasts between 4-5 minutes, you will participate in a discussion with the examiner based on the topic in Part 2. The examiner is likely to ask you questions based on your experience or opinion of the subject.


(Thanks to IELTS Speaking)


Friday 15 February 2013

How to Succeed at an Interview 2

In the future you'll have the chance to showcase your English speaking skills in an oral test… but perhaps feeling a little nervous as well!

See our overview of the exam. Try our tips to help you relax and show the examiner just how well you speak English! Let’s start by getting a feel for the exam with this video:



1. Introduction and Interview:
lasts about 4-5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find out a little about you through some simple 'getting-to-know-you' questions.

2. The Long Turn:
exam you have to speak for between 1 and 2 minutes on a set topic based on information on a card the examiner will give you. You'll be a given a minute to prepare what you want to say - just enough time to jot down some ideas to help give your talk structure and interest.

3. Two-Way Discussion:
lasts between 4-5 minutes, you will participate in a discussion with the examiner based on the topic in Part 2. The examiner is likely to ask you questions based on your experience or opinion of the subject.

(Thanks to IELTS Speaking)

Thursday 14 February 2013

Love Actually




Find more videos like this on EFL CLASSROOM 2.0

 

St. Valentine's Day

 
Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day in your country? In the UK it's the most romantic day of the year!
February 14th is traditionally a celebration of love, so how do people in the UK mark the occasion?
Have you ever sent these messages on your mobile phone?
 
WUBMV - will you be my Valentine
xoxoxoxoxo - hugs and kisses
LUWAM ImRdy4Luv - I'm ready for love
:'-) - I'm so happy, I'm crying
ILUVU - I love you
 
Read this British Council Valentine's web page, learn how British celebrate it and check your understanding.

 

 

Tuesday 12 February 2013

How to Succeed at an Interview 1


In the future you'll have the chance to showcase your English speaking skills in an oral test… but perhaps feeling a little nervous as well!

See our overview of the exam. Try our tips to help you relax and show the examiner just how well you speak English!

Let’s start by getting a feel for the exam with this video:




1. Introduction and Interview:
lasts about 4-5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find out a little about you through some simple 'getting-to-know-you' questions.

2. The Long Turn:
exam you have to speak for between 1 and 2 minutes on a set topic based on information on a card the examiner will give you. You'll be a given a minute to prepare what you want to say - just enough time to jot down some ideas to help give your talk structure and interest.

3. Two-Way Discussion:
lasts between 4-5 minutes, you will participate in a discussion with the examiner based on the topic in Part 2. The examiner is likely to ask you questions based on your experience or opinion of the subject.

(Thanks to IELTS Speaking)

Sunday 10 February 2013

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2013

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

Dragon dances, acrobats, fireworks, a parade ... London is buzzing with excitement at Chinese New Year. Find out what you can do to join in the excitement!

The event

For London’s Chinese community (and everyone else who loves a party!), Chinese New Year is a huge event. Before Chinese New Year, people make sure their houses are clean and tidy, buy new clothes and have their hair cut, to bring good luck for the new year. London has the biggest celebrations outside of Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people go to watch the parade from the West End to Trafalgar Square, which includes Chinese acrobats, and traditional lion and dragon dances.

The date

In 2013, Chinese New Year is on 10th February. The exact date is calculated according to lunar and solar calendars, so it changes every year. This February will be the end of the Chinese year of the dragon and the beginning of the year of the snake. So, from the 10th February, especially in Chinatown, listen out for people wishing each other a “Kung Hei Fat Choi” - Happy New Year!

The celebrations

In central London there are fireworks and stage performances with all kinds of acts and special guests. Previous celebrations have included fashion shows and Chinese hip hop acts, as well as more traditional performances with Chinese acrobats. Chinatown is buzzing with excitement. The streets are decorated with lucky red lanterns and full of craft and food stalls. If you’re thinking of eating in one of Chinatown’s excellent Chinese restaurants, however, book a table early, because you won’t find one on the night!

Chinese people in Britain

For young Chinese people studying or working in the UK, video conferencing is a brilliant way of joining big family celebrations back home. Those missing home might also cook traditional Chinese dumplings for friends in Britain or organise an evening of karaoke, another popular way of celebrating. The festivities are not as noisy as back home, they say, where loud firecrackers are traditionally used to frighten away evil spirits, and the special red envelopes of money from relatives may have further to travel to the UK. But there is still plenty of excitement, happiness and good feeling, as people come together to enjoy the celebrations.





More info about the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year in London

Sunday 3 February 2013

Grafitti and Street Art

 
 

The Story of Street Art

Modern graffiti began in big cities in the United States in the 1970s. In New York, young people wrote their names or “tags” in pen on walls around the city.
One of the first “taggers” was a teenager called Demetrius. His tag was TAKI 183. He wrote his tag on walls and in stations in New York. Other teenagers saw Demetrius’s tag and started writing their tags too. Soon, there were tags on walls, buses and trains all over New York.
Then, some teenagers started writing their tags with aerosol paint. Their tags were bigger and more colourful. Aerosol paint graffiti became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. It appeared on trains, buses and walls around the world.
In the 1990s and 2000s, a lot of graffiti artists started painting pictures. Some artists’ pictures were about politics. Other artists wanted to make cities beautiful and painted big, colourful pictures on city walls.

Graffiti in Galleries

In some countries, writing or painting on walls is a crime. Sometimes, graffiti artists have problems with the police. In other countries, artists can draw and paint in certain places. For example, in Taiwan, there are “graffiti zones” where artists can paint on walls. In Sao Paulo in Brazil, street artists can paint pictures on walls and houses. Their pictures are colourful and beautiful. Some tourists visit Sao Paulo just to see the street art!
In Bristol in the UK, there is a street art festival in August every year. Artists paint all the buildings in a street. Lots of people come to watch the artists and take photos. You can see exhibitions of street art in some galleries too. There have been exhibitions of street art in galleries in Paris, London and Los Angeles.

Who are the Artists?

Some street artists have become famous. Here are three stars of the street art world:
Os Gemeos are twin brothers from Sao Paulo in Brazil. They paint big, colourful pictures of people on buildings. In 2007, they painted a castle in Scotland!
Blek le rat is from Paris. He is famous for painting pictures of homeless people in big cities.
Faith 47 is from Cape Town in South Africa. She paints big, colourful pictures of people and animals. She likes painting in different places and you can find her work on pavements, postboxes, buses and, of course, on walls!

The Future of Street Art

Many street artists use the internet to look at photos of street art from around the world. They communicate with other artists on-line and share ideas. Some street artists are famous and you can see their pictures in galleries. We don’t know about the future of street art, but it is here to stay for
sure!

(Robin Newton Thanks to British Council)


Friday 1 February 2013

My Day

From Educanave we can practice a lot of material in Englsih, this is one of them. If you don't see it properly, follow the link