Santa Brigida: Procedure For Certification Exam Registration

Intermediate 2 Students in Santa Brigida, if you are going to do the Certification Exam on June the 4th, please go to the Santa Brigida Webpage HERE and read the instructions on how to fill in the form. Print it out and take it to the Office. The opening date to leave the form in the office is from the 2nd of May.

Remember this is totally your responsability, we will not be filling in the form in class. Any questions, please read the webpage instructions carefully or ask in the office.  Thanks.

P.S.  IMPORTANT :  There are TWO pages you have to print and bring to the office, check carefully.

Santa Brigida Exam Time-Table

Intermediate 2A

Reading and Listening                         Monday 13th of May

Writing                                               Wednesday 15th of May


Advanced 1

Reading and Listening                         Monday 20th of May

Writing                                               Wednesday 15th of May



Speaking:  If you do not already have a Speaking Exam time, please come and talk to me or leave a message in the comments box below.

Good luck everyone!

Petition Against the Cutbacks in the Escuelas De Idiomas

Please read THIS article and sign the petition if you want to help stop the cutbacks in the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas.

7 Reasons To Learn a Foreign Language

This is a wonderful article on 'Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language.'  Go HERE to read the complete article.

I hope it will motivate you to keep learning and to keep enjoying it. Some quotes from the article that stood out for me are:

'Nine times out of ten, those whose succeeded had one thing in common: genuine interest in the language.'

' You realize you can be your own teacher.'

'You realize that learning is organic and unpredictable.'

Enjoy! : )

Certification Exams Guide And Certification Exam Models

The Department of Education has published a guide to find out all about the Certification Exams in June 2013.  Go HERE if you want to read it.


Please go HERE if you want to see models of Certification Exams from other Autonomous Communities. Remember that the format may be different in some of them.

Telde Exam Time-table

NI2 A    5-7 Group

Reading and Listening  30th of April Tuesday  5-6.45

Writing  2nd of May Thursday  6-7

NI2 C    7-9 Group

Reading and Listening  30th of April Tuesday  7-8.45

Writing  2nd of May Thursday  7-8

Speaking Exams are arranged individually with each student. If you do not have a speaking exam time, please get in touch with me in the comments box to organise a time.  Thanks.

Santa Brigida: Intermediate 2 CD 4

NI2

CD 4

1

1 shy  2 jeans  3 T-shirts  4 (some) CD’s  5 colours  6 making  7 France  8  art galleries

2

1A  2B  3A  4C

3

1E  2A  3B  4D  5G  6E  7F  8D  9C  10A

4

1C  2A  3A  4C  5B

5

1B  2C  3F  4E  5A

6

1A  2C  3B  4B  5C  6A

7

1B  2C  3B  4C  5B  6C  7A  8B

8

1 Italy  2 a circus  3 every day  4 trainer  5 fifteen  6 relax  7 plane  8 ankle

9  football  10 restaurant

9

1C  2C  3B  4B  5A  6B

10

1D  2B  3F  4E  5C

11

1B  2B  3C  4C  5B  6B

12

1B  2A  3B  4C  5B  6C  7B  8A

Advanced 1 CD 3 Answers

NA1

CD3

1 E 

1C   2  B   3  C   4  A   5  C   6  B   7  A   8  C

2 E

1 (she was) 12   2 (a new) paperback/book   3 (an) engineer   4 (a/an (art)) teacher  

5 tell/read her a story   6  read her own stories   7 poetry/poems  8  a (new) computer

9 an editor 10 the advice

3 E

1  E   2  C   3  D   4  F   5  A

4 E

1  M   2  A   3  P   4  A   5  M   6  P   7  A

5 E

1  B   2  B   3  B   4  A   5  B   6  C   7  A   8  C

6 E

1  the hotel porter   2  the hotel reception desk   3  the hotel doctor

4  24 hours in advance/before   5  warm clothing  6  (a number of) local restaurants  

7  until late at night  8  credit cards   10 fine(s)  11  a special licence (plate)

7 E

1  C   2  E   3  F   4  D   5  A

8 E

1  C   2  C  3  B   4  B   5  A   6  B   7  C

9 E 

1 B  2  C   3  A   4  B   5  C   6  C   7  C   8  B

10 E

1 two/a couple of weeks   2 all over the world   3 cold/chilly/only 7 degrees   4 train 

5/6 large/grey/very busy  (either order)   7 learning Russian  8  English (conversation) lessons  9 recipes 10 English suppers

11 E

1  C   2  E   3  D   4  A   5  F

12 E

1  G   2  T   3  H   4  H   5  G   6  T   7  H

13 E

1 Australia    2 business/work   3 train   4 bus/coach   5 45 minutes   6  20 minutes

7 self-service place/restaurant and snack bar  8  chocolate and shoe shops

14 E

1  D   2  F   3  B   4  C   5  E

15 E

1  T   2  T   3  F   4  F   5  T   6  F   7  T

Santa Brigida: Advanced 1 Speaking Samples

MONOLOGUES

Advice

a) Use a variety of like/dislike expressions and opinion expressions to explain your reasons. 

b) Generalise. 

c) Link your ideas coherently. 

d) Give examples. 

e) Use a variety of grammar. 

f)  Make your speaking sound confident, personal and ‘real!’

g) Organize your discourse in a logical way with a suitable introduction, development and conclusion within the time framework of 3 minutes. You will have to time yourself in the exam.

Risks

1. Have you ever not taken advantage of a good opportunity and regretted it or have you ever taken advantage of a good opportunity? Explain, giving reasons and examples.

2. Talk about what you were allowed to do and what you had to do when you were a child. Are there things you used to do as a child which would be considered risky now?

3. If you were going to go backpacking in the Amazon rainforest, what do you think would be the biggest dangers? Would you do it? Why/Why not?

4. Would you do a parachute jump for charity? Why/why not? Talk about the whole concept of doing such things for charity.

Music

5. Talk about how important music is in your life. When/where/why/how do you listen to music?

6. Would you perform in front of an audience? Why/why not? How would you expect to feel on doing this? Do you have any experience of performing for an audience?

7. If you could be a world-class musician, what exactly would you choose to be?

Exams

8. What is your procedure for preparing for exams? Do you begin in time or do you leave it until the night before? Explain your reasons for doing so. Talk about the consequences of your techniques.

9. Talk about something you would love to learn to do. Why/why not? What are the possibilities of this happening?

House

10. Talk about things that need doing in or around your house/flat/garden. If money were not an obstacle, what would you like to do to your house/flat/garden? Why?

Wishes

11. Talk about something(s) that really annoy you and why and how you wish it/they would change.
Consider the following or choose one of your own:
Companies that call you during the evening trying to sell you something,
People who criticize politicians and the government but then don't vote in elections etc

Reaction/Feelings

12. Talk about something in the news recently that shocked you or an area of your town/city/island which is scary at night.

Regrets

13. Talk about what you think might be the typical things that people regret in their lives. Think of areas related to: Family, Lifestyle, Education, Work or other areas.

Adverts

14. Talk about a favourite advert. Give details and explanations.

15. Talk about an advert that makes you NOT want to ever buy the product. Why does the advert or adverts have this effect on you.

Media

16. How do you keep up to date with what is going on in the world? What is the biggest story in the news at the moment?

INTERACTIONS

Advice

a) An Interaction is NOT a mini-monologue.  You MUST interact, which means: You ask for (suggest, advise, persuade, find out, share etc ) your partner’s opinion, you respond to what your partner says.

b) Use a variety of like/dislike expressions and opinion expressions.

c) Explain your reasons.

d) Generalise.

e) Link your ideas coherently.

f) Give examples.

g) Use a variety of grammar.

h) Make your speaking sound confident, personal and ‘real!’

1. Discuss high-risk sports. Do you think that high-risk sports should be allowed, why/why not? Have you ever tried any high-risk sports or would you ever try any high-risk sports? What do you think about how local authorities sometimes have to 'rescue' people involved in high-risk sports and the public costs involved in this?

2. What is your opinion of Gangsta Rap music? Some people say that it contains sexist lyrics and may encourage aggresion and a certain level of violence. Discuss together what you think of these statements.

3. Discuss the concept of living in a sleep-deprived society. Do you think this is true? Why/why not? Talk about sleep in general and your sleep habits. Ask and respond.

4. Discuss the world of advertising. Exchange views on whether people should be allowed to advertise the following: alcoholic drinks, expensive children's toys, junk food, political parties.

5. Talk together about the advantages and disadvantages of 'Online Dating.' Opinion, reason and give examples.

6. Discuss together which is better working for someone else or being your own boss.

7. Discuss together about how it is impossible to get an unbiased view of what is happening in the world from the News on TV. Newspaper are far more objective.  Ask and respond to each other.

8. Discuss the idea of banning traffic from all city centres. Only public transport, bikes and pedestrians should be allowed in the city centre.

Santa Brigida: INTERMEDIATE 2 Sample Speaking Monologues and Interactions

Here are some sample Monologues and Interactions. Please also check the speaking samples from Jan. 2013 which may also appear in the May Exam.

MONOLOGUES


Advice

a) Use a variety of like/dislike expressions and opinion expressions to explain your reasons. 

b) Generalise. 

c) Link your ideas coherently. 

d) Give examples. 

e) Use a variety of grammar. 

f)  Make your speaking sound confident, personal and ‘real!’

g) Organize your discourse in a logical way with a suitable introduction, development and conclusion within the time framework of 3 minutes. You will have to time yourself in the exam.

Clothes

1. Talk about clothes and your attitude to shopping for clothes (where? When?). Include your view on the latest fashion and the ‘need’ or not to keep to the latest fashion and trends.  

2. Give your opinion on the following: 'The More Expensive Clothes Are, The Longer They Last '

Wishes

3. Talk about two things you wish you had/hadn't done when you were younger. Give reasons and examples.

4. Talk about two or three possessions you wish you had which would improve your life. Give reasons and examples.

Houses and Decoration

5. Talk about if there is anything you really don't like about your own house or/and the furniture and decoration in general in your country. 

6. Talk about a room or a piece of furniture in your house that you are particulary fond of. Give details (e.g where did you get the piece of furniture, why that room? etc).

7. Talk about your Dream House (Where would it be? What would it be like? etc) Give reasons for your choices.

Animals or People

8. If you could be an animal which one would you be and why?  Give reasons etc

9. What animal do you think makes the best pet for children, old people, working adults. Explain why, giving reasons and examples.  

Memory

10. Talk about how important it is to have a good memory for you. Do you think it's possible to improve your memory? If so, how? If not, why not? Give reasons , examples and personal experience.  

11. Talk about a childhood memory. Use these headings to help you: age, occasion and background to story, what happened, what happened in the end, how you felt.   

12. Talk about a very special birthday or holiday occasion e.g. Christmas

13. Talk about being very excited about something you were going to do for the first time.

Secret Stories

14. What kind of toys did you used to play with when you were a child? Did you have a favourite toy? Why? Which toys were in fashion when you were a child? Are they still in fashion now?

Lifestyles

15. What is the Canarian lifestyle? What is your opinion on the way of life in the Canaries? Is the standard of living good? Why?/Why not?

16. What outside influences has an effect on the Canary islands? Describe how and why.  

INTERACTIONS

Advice

a) An Interaction is NOT a mini-monologue.  You MUST interact, which means: You ask for your partner’s opinion, you respond to what your partner says.

b) Use a variety of like/dislike expressions and opinion expressions.

c) Explain your reasons.

d) Generalise.

e) Link your ideas coherently.

f) Give examples.

g) Use a variety of grammar.

h) Make your speaking sound confident, personal and ‘real!’

1. Discuss together:  'Being Fashionable Is More Important Than Being Comfortable.' Suggest ideas. Accept or reject each other's ideas. Give reasons and examples. 

2. Discuss together: Do you think men and women behave differently because they have been conditioned by society to do so, or because they are biologically different. Support your viewpoint with reasons and examples.

3. Discuss together: Do you believe in the philosophy of Feng Shui? Ask and respond to each others questions on this philosophy. What parts of it are attractive to you? What do you find difficult to believe? Do you have any personal (or other) experience of this philosophy? 

4. Discuss together: 'We worry too much about protecting wild animals and not enough about protecting people.' Take different sides and reason your arguments, giving examples.

5. Discuss together: 'Should hunting as a sport be made illegal?'  OR 'Should animals be used in medical experiments?'

6. Discuss together: 'Should dogs be banned in cities?'  OR 'Should animals be killed for food?'  

7. Discuss together: What brands are popular in your country? Why do you think these brands are popular? Do you think it is a good idea to buy special brands or is it just as good to buy a generic product?   

8. Discuss together: 'American influence has affected our islands/country greatly' Give reasons and examples. Ask and respond to your partner.