Class 11.11.14

In this class we studied sections of pages 68 - 71 & WB p.34 Ex 3

Grammar:

Mixed contitionals 

Vocabulary:

Surveillance collocations

Reading:

'We'll be watching you'

Speaking: 
Tracking and tags - surveillance dis/advantages.

Review:

Mixed conditionals
Expressions with 'get'.

Homework:

WB p.34 Ex 1, 2 + 3

Mixed conditionals explained.

Mixed conditionals are called 'mixed' because they use two different conditionals.

Compare these sentences from SB p.68, 5c

1a If the kidnapper hadn’t licked that envelope, (Past = 3rd conditional) he wouldn’t be in prison now. (Present = 2nd conditional)

1b If the kidnapper hadn’t licked that envelope, (Past = 3rd conditional) he wouldn’t have gone to prison. (Past = 3rd conditional)

2a If they weren’t such good actors, (Present = 2nd conditional) most of them would probably have been found out much earlier. (Past = 3rd conditional)

2b If they hadn’t been such good actors, (Past = 3rd conditional) most of them would probably have been found out much earlier. (Past = 3rd conditional)

The mixed conditonals are 2nd + 3rd, of course.

Writing correction code

Writing correction code © BBC | British Council 2007

WW = Wrong word           As our plane flew on the mountains we saw snow.
WT = Wrong time              As our plane flew over the mountains we see snow.
WF = Wrong form             As our plane flew over the mountains we was seeing snow.
WO = Wrong order           As our plane over the mountain flew we saw snow.
SP =  Spelling                    As our plane flue over the mountains we saw snow.
P = Punctuation                 As our plane flew over the mountains; we saw snow.
X = Extra word                 As our plane flew over to the mountains we saw snow.
M =  Missing word            As our plane flew over the mountains saw snow.
R = Register                      As our plane flew over the mountains we observed snow.
? = Not clear                     As our plane flew over the mountains we saw snow.
! = Silly mistake!               As our plane flew over the mountains we seed snow.
RW = Try re-writing         Our vehicle flies, we snow find, over mountains you saw it.

Writing Tips: How to use 'recommend'

Here's an explanation from the BBC website Learning English, which I hope will clarify the use of recommend. We don’t use the subjunctive very much in contemporary English unless we wish to sound very formal. With verbs likesuggest, recommend, insist and adjectives like important,essential, imperative, crucial, vital, we often use should +infinitive instead of the subjunctive or we can use the normal tense form. The reporting verbs and adjectives above are normally followed by a that-clause in which that itself is often omitted. In your example, Olly, ‘It’s important that the lesson be funny’ sounds too formal. We would normally say: ‘It’s important that the lesson should be funny.’ Compare also the following: The doctor recommended (that) he should give up smoking.  The doctor recommended (that) he give up smoking. (More formal) The doctor recommended (that) he gives up smoking. (Less formal)

Class 4.11.14

In this class we studied sections of pages 66 - 69 & WB p.34 Ex 4

Grammar:

Contitionals 0 - 3rd.

Listening: 

Forensic investigation.

Vocabulary:

Crime

Listening CD2 - 18

Reading:

For H/W 'It's a hard life.'

Speaking: 

Important decisions

Special talents

Review:

Adverbials 

Homework:

Reading p.69

Questions p.66 1c

Vocabulary 7B:

Vocabulary 7B: Listening CD2 18

To outwit = To trick. 
(Not) to have a lot to go on = (Not) to have much evidence. 
To kidnap = To capture a person, usually in order to demand money. 
A seal /si:l/ = A way to close something. 
To lick = To touch something with your tongue. 
To be easier said than done = To be difficult to do. 
DNA = Our genetic code. 
To slide through = To cross very carefully. 
To come in handy = To be useful. 
A burglar = A thief who steals from your home. 
To get away with something = Not to get caught. 
Providing + subj + infinitive = On condition that. 
To trace /treis/ = to find. 

Class 30.10.14

In this class we studied WB p.71

Vocabulary:

Formal complaints

Writing:

Letters of complaint.

Reading:
a letter of complaint

Speaking: 
Holiday disasters.

Complaining

Review:

Adverbials board game, 'Grab a word.'

Homework:
A formal letter of complaint. 120-140 words. See WB p.71 Ex 8

Write double space for corrections. No hand-writing, please. Print, and bring it to class.

Class 28.10.14

In this class we studied pages SB 62, + WB p.69-71

Vocabulary:

Word pairs

Formal and informal complaints

Writing:

Letters of complaint.

Reading:
3 letters of complaint

Speaking: 
Word pairs. Advertising.

Homework:
Workbook p.31, EX.1 + Spanish Speaker's Handbook p.28

Class 23.10.14

In this class we studied pages 60-62 + 119.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary of advertising and marketing. 

Grammar:
Position of adverbials

Reading:
'Advertising is dead.'

Listening:
Great advertising; Coca Cola & iPad.

Speaking: 
Marketing and manipulation.

Pronunciation:
Adverbials.

Homework:
Workbook p.31, EX.3 + p.32, Ex.4, 5 and 6. (See Student's Book p.150 for extra information.)

Put the words in the correct order in the exercise below, and bring your answers to class. (See, they're not so difficult after all.)

1. 

usually veryTom is friendly.

 
2. 

play with friends. my I always

 
3. 

ever been to Have you London?

 
4. 

doesn't seven. get up usually before Peter

 
5. 

write Our a also friends test. must

 
6. 

only was joking. I

 
7. 

November. is weather bad always The in

 
8. 

the Did enjoy both flight? you

 
9. 

Met never I have before. him

 
10. 

hardly Mary TV. Watches ever

Final del formulario

Practice for adverbials.

CHOOSE THE ADVERB:

http://www.ihbristol.com/free-english-exercises/test/esol-smc-adverbs

Choose the kind of adverbial:

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3965

Position of adverbials:

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-22155.php

Class 21.10.14

In this class we studied pages 58 + 59.

Vocabulary:
Showing surprise.
Vocabulary for listening p58, 7a (CD2 - 11)

Grammar:
Adverbials (from International House.)

http://www.ihbristol.com/free-english-exercises/test/esol-smc-adverbs

Listening:
5 strange stories. p58, 7a (CD2 - 11)

Speaking: 
The strange habits of people we know.
Story telling and showing surprise. 

Pronunciation:
Intonation of surprise.

Homework:
Student's book p.60 + 61 Reading and Speaking 1c. Read the article on p61, and answer questions 1-8.
p60, 2. Find words to match the definitions A - G.
If you didn't come to class on the 21st, please also complete the adverbials activity above, in green.

C1.2 Class 16.10.14

In this class we studied pages 56 - 58.

Vocabulary:
Words with different but related meanings.

Grammar:
Formal and informal ways of comparing.

Reading:
Three research articles.

Homework:
Workbook p.29 Ex. 1 + 2.

Welcome Letter from CSIM 2014-15

Madrid, 10 de octubre 2014
Estimados estudiantes:
El equipo directivo del Centro Superior de Idiomas Modernos (en adelante CSIM) os quiere dar la bienvenida a sus cursos en este nuevo año académico 2014-2015 con el deseo de que sea provechoso para todos. En este centro de la Universidad Complutense trabajamos con ilusión y entrega por ofrecer un servicio de idiomas de calidad, que os ayude a afrontar los numerosos retos de vuestra vida laboral y social.
Os informamos de que en el CSIM nos regimos por el Marco de referencia europeo, documento elaborado por el Consejo de Europa, en el que se definen, de manera precisa al tiempo que flexible, los niveles de dominio lingüístico exigidos por los exámenes y programas de evaluación existentes, lo que facilita la comparación entre los sistemas educativos y la equivalencia de los certificados en toda Europa. Es importante destacar que cada nivel no corresponde de manera sistemática a un curso académico o a un número rígido de horas de estudio.
Resaltamos la conveniencia de asistir a clase regularmente y participar en las actividades propuestas por el profesor ya que para la calificación definitiva, la evaluación continua se valora en un 60% y el examen final en un 40%. El profesor, por su parte, cumplirá los objetivos de los programas establecidos e informará a sus alumnos de las pruebas que éstos tengan que realizar. Además, proporcionará trabajos de recuperación a aquellos alumnos que justifiquen sus ausencias y pedirá al menos dos veces al año vuestras opiniones sobre el curso con el fin de adaptarse al máximo a las diferentes necesidades de cada grupo.
Recordamos asimismo algunas normas: entregar la ficha cumplimentada al profesor la primera semana de clase, llegar a clase con puntualidad y respetar el plazo de reclamaciones. Y recordamos que los cursos de viernes y sábado también son de 75 horas sin que se contabilice ningún día de fiesta en este cálculo.
Al término del curso, los estudiantes que hayan asistido regularmente y hayan superado el examen final recibirán un certificado indicando el título del curso realizado, el nivel, las horas y la calificación final obtenida. Este certificado, que expide la Secretaría Académica del CSIM, se podrá recoger en las oficinas de la Secretaría del CSIM (edificio Multiusos, 2ª planta), un mes después de finalizado el curso.
Aquellos alumnos que lo hayan solicitado, también podrán recoger en Secretaría el Certificado de Reconocimiento de Créditos de Libre Elección ó Créditos ECTS. Como ya sabéis, este certificado sólo sirve para alumnos de la UCM que estén actualmente realizando estudios universitarios con sistema de créditos. La tramitación del Reconocimiento de Créditos se realizará según las normas de la U.C.M. Para más información, consultar en www.ucm.es/csim/creditos.htm.
Los alumnos que lo deseen, también pueden realizar los exámenes de acreditación de ACLES (Asociación de Centros de Lenguas en la Enseñanza Superior) en los meses de junio, julio y septiembre.
Siempre atentos a vuestras sugerencias y opiniones, recordad nuestra dirección de correo csim@ucm.es.
Un cordial saludo,
EL EQUIPO DIRECTIVO DEL CSIM

A1-C2 Explained

Not sure what your level really means? This link will answer your doubts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

Course books 2014-15

Please make sure you get the right edition as these books have been updated this year.

C1.1/C1.2      Face2face Advanced          St bk    9788490364161

                                                                           Wk bk   9781107690585