The decision to have children

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013 - The decision to have children

What would you call this in English?

Well, it’s not a pouf as you might have thought. It’s a beanbag chair.

In one of the mini-articles we read on page 119 (the Grocery Store Test), why do they talk about goats, if the topic is HAVING CHILDREN?

Can you think of another way to say “make somebody do something”, “order somebody to do something”, or “ask somebody to do something”? Read the Toy Test paragraph on page 119 again and see if you can find the answer.

On p. 55

ex.7

Less formal - formal

put - place

get - obtain

take out - remove

put - set

go (to) - proceed (to)

buy - purchase

Listening and Speaking p.55

People talking about the decision to have or not to have kids

In the case of Gabby, she is a single mom or single parent

Dan and Lou didn’t like the idea of having to take care of a child

Rajiv and Katie decided to have a child when they felt they were better prepared

Gabby didn’t want to give up her independence and her career so she decided to raise her daughter on her own

ex.3

1.

felt, urge

heart set

to feel the urge to have kids = feel the need/desire to have kids

to have your heart set on something = to aim at something

2.

felt like

whole point

prepared

to feel like doing something = to be in the mood to do something

the whole point of doing something = the purpose of doing something = the reason for doing something

be prepared to do something = be ready to do something

3.

about, jeopardy

miss out

be about to put something in jeopardy = be ready to put something at risk = be willing to endanger something

miss out on something = lose the opportunity to do something

put my career or independence in jeopardy = put them at risk

Now here is the discussion: Having children - When and why?

This is some things you said during the talk:

Women should have kids at (the age of) …

She worked as a housewife until she was 30 (years old)

He graduated in 1998

He majored in Law

I had my child when I was …

It depends on the city you live in

It depends on the city in which you live (more formal)

Your decisions are affected by

To raise a kid is …

People are not psychologically prepared to

They’re young to ...

Anything else to add?

Anxiety, tests and children (New Module - EP4)

ANXIETY AND LEARNING ENGLISH

I get anxious about something/about doing something e.g. about meeting deadlines
schedule = timetable

to schedule a date, an appointment, a trip, a lesson, a class, a vacation, a party, a meeting

Here are some interesting takes on what ANXIETY is:

Anxiety is like salt: too much can kill you and too little can make life a funeral/can make life tasteless/can make life bland (by Luciana)
Anxiety is the difference between poison and medicine (by Maxwell)
Anxiety is good after and bad before (by Thiago)
Anxiety is the excitement of the expectation (by Pedro)

I am looking forward to doing something = I am anxiously waiting for doing something

Something I will have to study for all my life/for my entire life/for a lifetime/for as long as I live/until my last dying day (by François)/until my last breath



Anxiety and Parenthood
The most difficult thing about being a parent
The most rewarding thing about being a parent


parent X relative

parent = only father or mother
relative = uncle, aunt, cousin, grandparents, nephews, nieces, in-laws

There are more pros than cons
When you become a parent, life makes new sense/life has new meaning
Raising an only child is more difficult because you don't know when to say to them 
That's the biggest challenge = that's the dilemma
It could be amazing to ...
Some kids can run a riot = some kids can cause destruction
Some parents beat children as a way of education
Some parents let children do what they want

Ready, Steady, test!

Getting ready for the tests

Oral test format

• done in pairs or trios
• the teacher evaluates the pair or trio one at a time
• the test has three main parts
• part 1: description, comparison and contrast of pictures
• part 2: comment on general statements related to the topics covered in the book. Each student says if they agree or disagree and why
• part 3: students work together to decide on a picture or an object based on their negotiation skills

Duration: no more than 10-12 minutes


The test is applied by the teacher

Things to remember:
Be objective - sometimes less is better
Don’t dominate the conversation
Don’t despair if the teacher interrupts you or tells to stop talking
Try not to focus on the teacher’s note taking during the test. It’s not meant to pick out only mistakes made by the candidates


Some useful language that came up in class:
to be successful in + gerund
achieve/reach/obtain/attain success
bring something forward = anticipate
I think it’s his strong personality that attracts me
I think his strong personality attracts me
Are you absolutely/utterly/thoroughly/definitely/totally/completely sure?  
considerate = kind, thoughtful
The guy on the right looks more aggressive
It looks as if she’s in …
I see two people having an argument
Is there anything in common or are they totally different?
Something happened to make their blood boil
hijack the conversation = dominate the conversation
to be in the spotlight = to be the center of attention
I’m working on my attitude = I’m trying to be better

Some more language you can use to talk about yourself:  

Anybody ready for the big day?

Questions Galore - Reviewing for the tests

How would you answer the following questions?

1. Can you make somebody do something even they don't want to?
2. Do you know what it is like to have no sensitivity in a part of your body?
3. What's the best part of falling out with a friend or a loved one?
4. What advice would you give to someone who needs to learn English but doesn't have the time?
5. News is that scientists have learned that bees venom is lethal for HIV? Do you think they will have eradicated it by 2025?
6. Do you need to get anything fixed at home?
7. What pisses you off?
8. Do you think you would be willing to learn how to read and write if you were illiterate?
9. Who do you usually ask for help when you're in trouble?
10. Do you think the press usually minimizes the gravity of a tragedy?
11. Have you ever had to cancel an appointment? What happened?
12. Do you think it's better to anticipate meetings at work? Why?
13. What in a man generally attracts women?
14. Are you 100% sure of your plans for the future?
15. How do you react to totally unexpected news? (body, head, eyes, face)
16. Why do you think it is more difficult to make some people understand something than others?
17. Is it good to always do something nice for others?

Clubbing and other topics

Lesson 30



Talking about clubs


It depends on the club/clubber/type of music
It varies from club to club
Each club is unique
Each club has its features/its peculiarities
I totally/utterly agree = Absolutely = No question/No doubt
People go just to start a fight, just looking for trouble
You can meet not only … but …
It is useful to buffer your mind (buffer = protect, cushion)
Do you think so?
It was different in my time/in my day
Most clubs don’t … x Most of the clubs (more specific) don’t …

Topics that will be covered in the PC3

Pets: having a pet, buying a pet

• Are you planning to have more pets?
• Would you buy an expensive pet?
• Would you buy an offbeat pet/exotic pet?

Clubs and gangs

• What makes people join a gang?

Reacting to Annoying things:

• What really gets on your nerves?

Inappropriate behavior: smoking in public, graffiti, disrespect, rudeness, conversation hijackers

• Do you suffer with conversation hijackers?
• What is the most common inappropriate behavior you come across at work?  

Choosing clothes
Problems in relationships

HW

1. Write a paragraph on ONE of the topics
Presenting counter-arguments
Choose one of the topics below and give an OPPOSING view and say why. Use the expressions we learned in the past class to give counter-arguments.

1. People don't complain about problems as much as they should
2. Advice columns in newspapers are a waste of time
3. Companies use body language as a form of discrimination against interview candidates
4. Sports personalities make too much money

e.g.
It’s not altogether true that sports personalities make too much money, that’s not always the case.  Most sportspersons get an average salary or get just enough to get by. In fact, a very small minority of these athletes make millions of dollars because the rest earn very little.


2. Read the article on p.48

Gangs and Football supporters

Monday, March 4th, 2013 (Lesson 28)


What do you find most shocking about the text on p. 46?

What was mind-blowing was the initiation ceremonies, especially the ones for girls.

They seem so barbaric that not many people live to see their 30's: the phrase  "violence takes a huge toll' means that many of them die as a result of the violence.
 
The interview of one of the gang members, Melvi, gives an insight into what the text explores: 
He gives short, incisive answers (this is probably because it is normal to want to to sound tough)
He talks of the city as a place where he can’t walk freely (the limits of territories dictated by the walls)
The reasons for joining the gang are quite clear: feeling of revenge, search for identity and an innate feeling


The article resembles what happens in this movie, Freedom Writers.

To find similarities between gangs and football supporters we have to think of the following generalizations: 
  
Some football supporters are gang members

Not all football supporters are gang members

(In general) Gang members are football supporters

Gang members pretend to be football supporters

Presenting arguments and counter-arguments p.47

1. Some similarities between gangs and football supporters

• the way they dress or the dress code
• the language - slang, signs, jargon
• the behavior - aggressive, instinctive, herd-like
• the age groups - 18-30

2. Which of the sentences do you agree with?

Being a football fan is giving up your identity to your club
Women will never play for male teams
Football players make too much money
Drugs in sport should be legalized
Most hooligans come from underprivileged backgrounds
There us far too much football on TV

ex. 3 The counter arguments used in the dialogs

 (1)  I know what you mean, but …
 (2) *That’s what people think, but …
 (3) *But that overlooks the fact that …
 (4)  Do you really think so? I mean, ..;
 (5) *That’s not always the case, …
 (6) *That’s true to a certain extent, but …

The sentences with an asterisk * are used in formal writing. Here are some more examples:

As I understand it, …
It goes without saying …
As far as I’m concerned, …

These are more informal:  
You don’t …
The way I see it, …
Let’s face it, …

That’s what people think. …

Informal - Formal phrases
1. c
2. d
3. a/e
4. f
5. a/e
6. b
 

Which of topics below would you like to write about?

1.  People don't complain about problems as much as they should
2. Advice columns in newspapers are a waste of time
3. Companies use body language as a form of discrimination against interview candidates
4. Sports personalities make too much money

Cast your vote in the Comments Box below.