tips for fce reading and writing_11011501

7/28/2019 Tips for FCE Reading and Writing_11011501

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Tips for FCE Reading and Writing

Bob Obee Sibiu and Bucharest 2012


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Reading


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Format of Paper 1 (Reading)

Part 1 a text followed by 8 multiple choice

questions

Part 2 gapped text task with 7 sentences

removed from a base text

Part 3 one text or several short texts - multiple

matching questions


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FCE Reading

Part 1 One text with multiple-choice questions

(gist, attitude, opinion, detail, main idea, text organisation features etc.)

Part 2 Gapped text with sentences removed

(text structure, cohesion and coherence)

Part 3 Multiple matching

(specific information,detail opinion and attitude)


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Multiple-choice eliminationI shifted uncomfortably inside my best suit and eased a finger inside the tightwhite collar. It was hot in the little bus and I had taken a seat on the wrongside where the summer sun beat on the windows. It was a strange outfit forthe weather, but a few miles ahead my future employer might be waiting forme and I had to make a good impression.

There was a lot depending on this interview. Many friends who had qualifiedwith me were unemployed or working in shops or as labourers in theshipyards. So many that I had almost given up hope of any future for myselfas a veterinary surgeon.

1As he travelled, the writer regretted his choice of

A

B clothes.

C career.

D means of transport.


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Part 1: testing focus /question spread

1 detail 5 opinion

2 purpose 6 detail (inference)

3 main point 7 lexical meaning

4 main point 8 gist


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Reading Part 2

How things fit together


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Question 9: option DMrs Hart was one offourtheatre lovers

chosen to judge all new drama productionslast year.They were part of a panel that

also included five professional theatre

critics.


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Question 11: option GBeing a judge was hard work, though. In

one week alone, her duties involved herreviewing as many as seven plays. ButI

never got sick of it. Even the playsI didnt

like always had some redeeming qualities.


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Question 13: option BIn this situation, there is surely a danger

of the professional critics dominating thediscussions.Thatdidnt happen at all. It

was all very civilised and friendly.


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Built-in checkAs a boy, Chris Peters collectedhundreds of vintage cameras, mostlyfromjumble sales and dustbins. Later,when the

time came to buy his first house, he had tosell his valuable collection in order to putdown a deposit. A few years after, he tookup the interest again and now has over athousand cameras, the earliest dating

from 1860.

Now Peters just cannot stop collectionand hopes to open his own photographicmuseum where members of the public willbe able to touch and fiddle around with thecameras. Whilst acknowledging that theRoyal Camera Collection in Bath isprobably more extensive than his own, hepoints out that so few of the items are on

show there at the same time that I thinkmy own personal collection will easily rival

it.

Which person

had to re-start their collection?

received an unexpected gift?

is aware that a fuller collection of itemsexists elsewhere?

has a history of collecting differentitems?

insists on purchasing top-quality items?

has to protect their collection fromdamage?

would like to create a hands-on displayof their collection?


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Classroom activities to familiarise students

with FCE Reading

Students draw lines from reference words to the nouns/phrases theyrefer back to.

Students practise underlining the key idea in a paragraph or text.

Students check all the multiple-choice options against the text andjustify their choice.

Students collect synonyms for important words in a text.

Students complete jigsaw reading tasks in order to focus on textstructure.

Linking words are removed from a text and students are asked toreplace them.

As a homework assignment, students are asked to find texts andwrite questions for a multiple matching task.


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Writing


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Writing Part 1

Task Awareness : Communication


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Task

-Audience whos it to

- Purpose whats it for

- Result what effect/result you want


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Feedback

ESOL Criteria

Composite Feedback


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CONTENT SCALE (for all CEFR levels)

5 All content is relevant to the task.

Target reader is fully informed.

4

3 Minor irrelevances and/or omissions may be present.

Target reader is on the whole informed.

2

1 Irrelevances and misinterpretation of task may be present.

Target reader is minimally informed.


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B2 Band 5

Communicative Achievement

Uses the conventions of the communicative task effectively to hold thetarget readers attention and communicate straightforward and complexideas, as appropriate.

Organisation

Text is well-organised and coherent, using a variety of cohesive devicesand organisational patterns to generally good effect.

Language

Uses a range of vocabulary, including less common lexis, appropriately.Uses a range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control andflexibility.

Occasional errors may be present but do not impede communication.


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B2 Band 3Communicative Achievement

Uses the conventions of the communicative task to hold the targetreaders attention and communicate straightforward ideas.

OrganisationText is generally well-organised and coherent, using a variety oflinking words and cohesive devices.

Language

Uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately, with occasionalinappropriate use of less common lexis.

Uses a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms with agood degree of control. Errors do not impede communication.


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ESOL Criteria

Content:

Organisation

Communicative

Achievement

Language :

Accuracy and

Range


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UtilisingThe local market it is outdoors so that it is exposed to the elements. [org]

As

Being

Many cloths shops are expencieve, because there are brands [accuracy and range]

Brands

Such shops can

On the hole it is recomented that tourists should visit the local market. [register]

I would

On the whole, tourists


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Use of English


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Use of English

Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze (lexical/lexico-grammatical)

Part 2 Open cloze (grammatical/lexico-grammatical)

Part 3 Word formation (lexical,lexico-grammatical)

Part 4 Key word transformations (lexical and grammatical)


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Multiple- choice : Question analysis

Time

find pass waste fly have make spend drag

go take

1

A took B went C flew D passed


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Controlled tasksmulti-faceted tasks that aim at reinforcing

form / word associations :

What would the opposite action (of the highlighted verb)

be in each case.

My friends left Portugal last week

We boarded the plane just after midnight.

She left home on Friday.

They got on at the last stop.

Hes just come back from a trip.


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Grammaticisation

Lexis grammar

John leave Jane arrive

John really fancies Jane so changes his mind

John wants to avoid Jane


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Grammaticisation

The Jules Rimmet trophy, great prize

PROFESSION soccer, is better known as

the world cup

Think Cambridge FCE : Word Formation


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Grammaticisation

Lexis grammar

John leave Jane arrive

John really fancies Jane so changes his mind

John wants to avoid Jane


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at first never since get became

1 He hasnt had a holiday for years.

Its ___________ had a holiday in years.

2 The last time it rained here was in May.

It _____________ May.

3 How long have they been married.

When _____________ married ?


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Authentic v Genuine

1 You only get depressed because you worry. 0 1 2 3

If you _______ not get so depressed NOT

2 Youre always blaming me for things that go wrong. 0 1 2 3

Whenever _____________ me ANYTHING

3 I didnt phone because I didnt know you were back 0 1 2 3

I _____________ Id known you were back. IF


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Listening


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Listening - PredictionSUMMER CAMPS

Helen says that people taking part in the summercamp usually sleep in a 9 ______

The summer camp is a chance for teenagers tomeet people and learn 10 ______

As an example of a practical activity, Helen tellsus about a team which built a 11 ______


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Listening Prediction Part of Speech


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Listening Prediction Paraphrases youll hear


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Using tapescriptsInterviewer: I see. And what did you do when you left school?

Ruth:

Well, for me staying at home and being a farmer, as my grandmother

hoped, wasnt an option, but I didnt have the qualifications to be an

engineer, which was what I wanted. I tried being a journalist because I

thought it might give me opportunities for adventure, but I didnt make a

very good one, Im afraid! The only other work Ive ever done has beensomething temporary to raise funds for an expedition.


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Speaking


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Format of FCE Speaking

3 -way betweencandidates with question

from interlocutor

Discussion4 ?

candidates talk

together around inputCollaborative

Task3

candidate talks about

two picturesIndividual

long turn

2

3-way between

candidates and

interlocutor

Social

interaction

1

LanguageKEYStrategies

Interaction patternFormatPar

t

?


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Part 1 : Key strategy

Short Answer

Not really

Expansion

I never seem to get the

time ..Im very busy with

school


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Explore/Practice

Shape of question (specifically what)

Appropriate short answer

Expansion ( how much information)


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Part 1: Topic Areaseveryday Life

likes and dislikesfree-time activities

your town / country

future plans

learning English


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Questions- short answerholiday ?

Nowhere

specialNo idea really

future ?

I do

actually


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STAIGHT FACE

I do actually


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Sample Task Work with another student. Practice

interview sequences with these short

answers. Think of questions and how toexpand on these answers.

Only at weekends. None at all

Whenever I can I do actually..

A few times. It depends.


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Collaborative practice

you give a short answer

you extend

you extend some more

What do like about living in Bucharest ?


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Strategy two : your partners

answerThink about and practice relating your answer toyour partners answer.

..even if only through pronunciation.

For me its the same .

Im a bit different to/ Like Sergio .

I dont get out so oftenActiveListenin

g


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Free time

How different are your weekends in the

summer and the winter ?


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Part 2

How can we ensure that students

have plenty to say in their long

turn ?


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Part 2 : the bigger picture

situate

move back and forth

plus specific task dimension


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Safe speculation language

It looks [a bit] like

I suppose its

It could be .

Its probably something/somewhere like


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Support for teachers

Teacher Support Websitewww.teachers.CambridgeESOL.org

Free resources lesson plans, handbooks, etc.

Exam discussion forums Teacher tips

Publications for exam preparation Past Paper Packs Speaking Test Preparation Packs Top Tips Series for candidates

Seminars and conferences
http://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/http://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/


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Tips for CAE Reading and Writing

Bob Obee Sibiu and Bucharest 2012


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Performance - CAERomania performance vs top 10 countries 2011

*J une session only

Reading Writing Use of Eng Listening Speaking

1 Germany Bulgaria Bulgaria Germany Germany

2 Mexico Germany Romania Portugal Mexico

3 Romania Romania Agrentina Switzerland Romania

4 Czech Rep Czech Rep Poland Romania Czech Rep

5 Italy Russia Portugal Bulgaria Italy

6 Russia Italy Germany Czech Rep Russia

7 Switzerland Switzerland Czech Rep Poland Switzerland

8 France Portugal Russia UK France

9 Poland Agrentina Italy France Poland

10 Bulgaria Poland Mexico Mexico Bulgaria


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Gapped ParagraphsFollowing an initial reading of the base text, a candidate spendsquite a lot of time focusing on and highlighting different elements ofthe opening lines of the missing paragraphs.

The candidate then does the same thing for the opening lines of theparagraphs in the base text. The result looks like this:

F Over the next houror so the noise grew to terrifying dimensions.By the time we edged around the bed to confront it, we were

convinced we would be faced with mountains of white water,instead, despite all the sound and fury, the Zambezi seemed onlyslightly ruffled by a line of small rocks.


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Multiple-choice : yes, no, doesnt say

Your article should show you are passionate and knowledgeableabout environmental issues, it should also be objective andaccurate, while being creative enough to hold thereaders interest.We are not looking for think pieces or opinion columns.

Your aim should be to advance understanding and awareness ofenvironmental issues ,you should be able to convey complex ideasto readers of this general interest magazine in an engaging andauthoritative manner.

Your article should

A. focus on straightforward conceptsB. include a range of views

C reveal the writers standpoint


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Multiple choice : Main pointsCAE December 2004 The singer and the song

In modern pop music, the harmony is surrendered to aprocess of distortion, involving much mixing and editing.

Sometimes serious doubts arise as to whether the performersmade more than a minimal contribution to the recording,which owes its trademark to the subsequent soundengineering, designed precisely to make it unrepeatable.Hence, pop fans find themselves deprived of one of the most

important gifts of music the gift ofsong. It is almostimpossible to sing the typical pop song unaccompanied andstill to make musical sense. The best you can do isimpersonate your idol with a karaoke machine which will giveyou the benefit of full instrumental backing.


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Summary points

This could be summarised in one or all

three of these points:

The technology is more important than the singer's voice

these days.

It is hard to copy pop singers because of technology.

The song should be more important and interesting thanthe singer.


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Writing


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In Writing in L2 students even Advanced ones need hand-

holding and guidance with every step of the process

- Data collection

- Selecting

- Planning- Drafting

- Crafting

- Editing- Rewriting

- Proof-reading


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Writing Assignment Cycle

1 Set the task

3 Writing clinics

2 Exposure4 Composing

5 Feedback Allow time for datacollection/selection

Focus on register

organisation ..Help with drafting

Envisioning

improvement


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Read the extract from your friends letter and from your diary below. Then, using theinformation appropriately, write a letter to your friend saying whether or not you wouldrecommend the job to your friend and giving your reasons.

Do you think Id like the job? Most of all I want to hear plenty of music. Idlike to make enough money for a holiday too. If I could use my English andget useful work experience, that would be great!

Cheers,

Jan

July 2Boring office work! No chance to learn anything. I answer the phone and make coffee.July 10Pay day! Things are improving! The moneys not bad.July 15Did some translation and dealt with enquiries from English visitors.July 22Another free visit to festival!


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Exposure


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RANGE

A letter


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ORGANISATION and COHESION

An essay [article]


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! . ,

? ;

: -

dash

full-stop

inverted comma

colon

comma

semi-colon

question mark

exclamation mark

apostrophe


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1 The problems of pollution, deforestation and

managing waste are low government priorities.

2 The truth is simple : economic needs are put before

environmental ones every time.

3 Coastal areas should or rather must make use

of tidal energy.

4 Some foods given green labels have been produced

in an eco-friendly way ; others have not.


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5 Rainforests must be preserved at all costs : they actas the lungs of the earth.

6 Poverty and greed, the results of modern economicpolicy, are the twin causes of environmental

destruction.

7 Our parents generation has known about climatechange for twenty years and done nothing. Itsshameful !

8 We need to be careful when using the term :

blame.


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Perfect EssayRespect the Land

When we consider a subject as sweeping as the environment, we oftenfocus on its most tangible aspects - the air we breathe, the water we drink,the food we put on the table. Those things are critically important. But to methe environment is also about something less tangible, though no lessimportant. It is about our sense of community - the obligation we have to

each other, and to future generations, to safeguard Gods earth.

Those are values I learned firsthand, as a young boy on my familys farm inTennessee. We didnt call it environmentalism back then; it was simplycommon sense. My earliest environmental lessons came from our efforts tostop soil erosion - by stopping the formation of gullies that would wash away

the vital topsoil on which our farm depended. Large farmers who leased theirland for short-term profits didnt worry about soil erosion at the time: thatsone of the reasons three hectares of prime topsoil floats past Memphis everyhour, washed away for good.


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As a teenager, I learned that such short-term thinking was causing even moreserious problems. One of the books we discussed around our family table wasRachel Carsons classic Silent Spring, about pesticide abuse. As it did formillions around the world, Carsons book helped awaken in me that our planetslife is too precious to squander.

Today, the threats to our environment are even clearer to see and muchgreater in scope and number. We live in a world where climate change,

deforestation, holes in the ozone layer and air pollution are growing sources ofconcern. Our challenge is to find new ways to address those problems byreaching back to our oldest values of community and responsibility - by inspiringa greater respect for the land and resources we share.

If we are to protect and preserve the environment on a global scale we must alldo our part, as nations, as families and as individuals. The need for awareness

has never been greater, and the opportunity for us to make a difference is justas great. If we practice and teach the right kind of care and commitment for theenvironment it will continue not only to bring us its natural gifts, but also to bringus together.


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Writing Clinics

- Manageable

- Transparent outcomes


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- Feedback- ESOL framework

- Composite feedback


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COMMUNICATIVE

NEED

FREQUENCY

SALIENCY

COMPLEXITY

INTAKE


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What is there to teach ..?

Is the Use of English paper . more about

grammar . or more about vocabulary ?

Lexico-grammar


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Lexico grammar

Depth of knowledge

phonetic and orthographic dimensions

main meanings

main contexts of use

syntactic properties

underlying form and derivativesnetwork of associations with other words

connotations


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Use of English

Cambridge Advanced Syllabusword formation

gapped sentences

multiple-choice cloze

open cloze

word formation

key word transformations

register in Writing paper

phonetic and orthographicdimensions

main meanings

main contexts of use

syntactic properties

underlying form andderivatives

network of associations withother words

connotations


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Spelling mistakes from corpus at

CAE level Romaniawhich

collaboration

behalf

rehearsal

schedule

spacious

togetherdiseases

numerous

expansion

wich

colaboration

behaf

rehursal

shedule

spaceous

togheterdeseases

numerrous

expantion


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One day : One focus

poss - access-comprehens- afford-sustain- flex-

biodegrad- fashion-valu- respons-suit- profit-exhaust- vis-

renew- feas-revers- desir-compat- reus-

-able

-ible


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One day : One focus

[or maybe 2]poss - access-comprehens- afford-sustain- flex-

biodegrad- fashion-valu- respons-suit- profit-exhaust- vis-

renew- feas-revers- desir-compat- reus-

un

im

irnon-

in-


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Word-building

MeaningWhat is the specific meaning of the missing word?

Is the positive or negative form of the word required?

FormWhat part of speech is required in the gap?

Is it a derivative or compound of the given word?

Is there more than one derivative form to consider?What is the spelling?


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Match them up

Aerial photography

Photography was still in its (29) ..... when,

in 1858, French artist Felix Tournachon tookthe first aerial photograph from a hot-air

balloon. From these crude (30) ..... , aerial photographshave been taken from (31) ..... higher vantage points andnow cameras on

satellites can capture images of earth from space.

This would have been (32) ..... in 1858

imagine begin infant increase


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imagine

imagination (n)

imaginings (n)

imaginary (adj)imaginative (adj)(adv)

imaginable (adj)

imaginably (adv)

unimagined (adj)

[un] [ly]

[un]

[un]


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Transformation Familiarisation

44 Do you think you could help me to fill in this

application form? WONDERING +

I .... me a hand filling

in this application form.

48 Unless the weatherimproves, they will have to

stop the tennis match. +MEAN+

If the weather doesnt get ..

the tennis match.


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Improvise a bit

Discuss with another student what you

aboutpossibilities, procedures, fees and

expectations of candidates when applyingto universities overseas.


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Firm it up

admissions requirement

obstacles interviews

course dates

language requirement

accommodation

finance

type/length of course


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Wheres the grammar

must may can should might

cant have to might not have to

be able to be allowedto be boundtobe due to be expectedto be obligedto

are likelyto are supposedto

be willingto be aboutto


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When and how does the grammar

come in.

You / Them

Pair / Plenary

Look at this / Do it again


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must may can should might

cant have to might not have tobe able to be allowedto be boundto

be due to be expectedto be obligedto

be likelyto be supposedto be willingto be aboutto

1 I expect that shellget permission to go too.

She

2 Im suretheywill require youto have a Bachelorsdegree for such courses.

You


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Two Listenings [Part 1]

Listen to the recording and listen for evidence as

to why answers A and B are not correct.

What makes Patsy continue acting in soap

operas?

A. the feeling of security it gives her

B. the irregularity of the filming schedules

C. the enjoyment of working as part of a team

D. the challenge of reacting to changes in the plot


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First to eliminate / narrowPatsy:

I cant speak for everyone, but for me the joy of an ongoing series is that you can

go on happily week after week, turning up with the rest of the cast at the studio, thinking

that you know whats on the cards but you arent always aware whats found the next

corner. So its no good as an actor saying, Oh, but my character wouldnt do that!Maybe you feel sure that she wouldnt, given that youve played her for years in a variety

of situations. It doesnt mean to say something cant be flung at you, as it would be in life,

that actually throws you off balance and you react in an unexpected way. And thats

whats intriguing. Thats why I dont like to know too much about the coming storyline


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Part 4 Focusing on paraphrase

Admiration/respect I couldnt help looking up to [them].

Fondness for something I have affection for [that period].

To feel patronised by someone He talked down to me.

To be agitated about something He went right over thetop as if it was the end of

the world.

He was surprised He couldnt believe his eyes.


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Linking Listening to other skillsYou will hear a nature conservation worker called Brian Dover talkingabout his job.

For questions 714, complete the sentences.

CONSERVATION WORKER

Brians parents used to have a ____________________ (7) so hemet people who told him about wildlife.

The subject Brian chose to study at university was

__________________ (8).

Brians present job involves both _____________________ (9) andpractical skills.


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Transformation exercise

1. He used to meet people who told him about wildlifeCOME

He would often _________ people who told him aboutwildlife.

2. Thats what he chose to study at university CHOSEN

That was ________________ at university.


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Speaking


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Speaking :Areas of competenceGrammatical Resource

Lexical Resource

Pronunciation

Discourse management

Interactive communication

Global achievement


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Discourse Management

This scale refers to the coherence, extent

and relevanceof each candidates

contribution.The candidates ability to produce a

coherent flow of language is assessed.

Also assessed here is how relevant the

contributions are to what has gone before.


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B2 scale- good control of simple forms

- attempts some complex

language

- can exchange views on a range

of familiar topics- relevant with very little repetition

- extended discourse despite

hesitation

- is intelligible

- maintains and develops

interaction

- good control ofa range of simple and

some complex forms.

- can exchange views on familiar

and unfamiliar topics

- initiates and responds appropriately,

- links contributions to those of otherspeakers.

- develops interaction and negotiates

towards an outcome

- extended relevant contributions are

relevant with clear organisation

- Is intelligible.. intonation is appropriate.

.

C1 scale


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Part 3

How can we help students to

interact appropriately ?


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So a good Part 3 candidate will..

establish in context ..

actively listen

support and comment .seek and help to clarify

initiate and respond

probe and question .

help navigate ..

.. agreeing / disagreeing . tend to seek closure

How effective might these suggestions be in improving health


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g gg p g

care?

Which two would benefit the local community most?


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On the floor practice

What makes you say that ? This is obviously connected with .

Im not so sure . This would be my first .

I see what you mean ..and another reason for ..

I doubt though Wouldnt you say though

Patterns of

Interaction

P t 4


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Part 4

Encourage simple across turn strategies

Across turn

And .But .Thats

Skills and strategies


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Support for teachers

Teacher Support Websitewww.teachers.CambridgeESOL.org

Free resources lesson plans, handbooks, etc.

Exam discussion forums Teacher tips Publications for exam preparation

Past Paper Packs

Speaking Test Preparation Packs Top Tips Series for candidates
http://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/http://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/

tips for fce reading and writing_11011501

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