Text types: speech

Publicat el 29 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

A SPEECH

Before writing a speech, you need to take into account the following aspects:

  • WHO you are writing your speech for (the audience).
  • WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic).
    – the main points ranked in order of importance with supporting research.
  • HOW long it needs to be.

The structure of a speech is simple. It consists of three parts:

  1. an opening or introduction.
  2. the body where all the information is given.
  3. and an ending (or summary).

Let’s go through the different steps you need to follow to write your speech:

STEP 1 – THE AUDIENCE

  • Identify the people who are going to be listening to you. Imagine them sitting in front of you waiting for listening to you.

STEP 2 – WRITING AS YOU SPEAK

  • Note down the main ideas you want to give in your speech. Organise them and write down what you’d say as if you were talking directly to them.

STEP 3 – CHECKING

  • Check the “tone” of your language.
    Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
  • Check the length of your sentences.
    If they’re too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.
  • Have you chosen words your audience will understand?
  • Remember you are writing “oral language”.
    You are writing as if you were explaining, telling or showing something to someone. It doesn’t have to be perfect sentences. We don’t talk like that.

STEP 4 – THE OPENING

The answer is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a “hook”. Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what the specific hook is to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech? Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do as a result of listening to you? Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

STEP 5 – THE ENDING

The ideal ending is highly memorable. You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Source: Write Out Loud

WRITING TASK

You are the representative of your country before the United Nations Organization (UNO). Write a speech addressed to the UNO general delegates denouncing the resurgence of slavery. (June 2008 S5) Reading & Listening Test / Answers / Audio File

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a , , | Deixa un comentari

The 71 Most Amazing Innovations of all time

Publicat el 29 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS
  1. Do you know the meaning of BCE and CE when referred to years?
  2. Which do you think comes first?
    1. the sailboat or the nail?
    2. the soap or the wheel?
    3. the first libraries or the alphabet?
    4. the modern number system from 0 to 9 or the abacus?
    5. the first mechanical clok or the compass?
    6. the telescope or the microscope?
  3. Can you order in time the following inventions?
    1. the telephone
    2. the camera
    3. the television
    4. the radio
    5. the wireless telegraph
    6. the light bulb
    7. the airplane
    8. the modern car
    9. the GPS
    10. the smartphone
  4. Can you match the following innovations or discoveries to these dates?
    1) the scientific method a) 1854
    2) the Gregorian calendar b) 1915
    3) boolean logic c) 384 BCE
     4) water purification d) 1897
    5) Einstein’s theory of general relativity e) 1804
     6) the genome sequencing f) 1582
    7) the electron g) 1977
    8) the first moon landing h) 1969
  5. Which innovations do you think transformed agriculture?
  6. What is considered to be the first computer ever? When was it created?
  7. When and where do you think the first democracy began?
  8. Which invention do you think raised dramatically the collective human IQ? When was it discovered?
  9. Which invention shaped the Industrial Revolution?
  10. What has prevented 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths in the last 20 years?
  11. Which inventions made our world feel a little smaller?
  12. What were satellite communications useful for in the 40s?
  13. What is the Hubble telescope?
  14. Now watch this video and check your answers above. Add dates.

So, all in all, what is the greatest ability possessed by humans?

[Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo for sharing this video]

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 1 | Etiquetat com a , | Deixa un comentari

Tyrrell’s from Seed to Chip

Publicat el 24 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

I. Do you like potato chips? Which is your favorite flavor? And brand name?

II. Which of these flavors would you prefer? Which of these have you already tasted?

III. Watch this video.

IV. Complete with the present passive form:

  1. The chips (deliver) to the customers.
  2. The potatoes (slice into)  sunflower oil.
  3. The rejects (pluck out).
  4. The potatoes (store) in wooden crates.
  5. Excess soil and foliage (remove).
  6. The seeds (plant).
  7. The potatoes (wash and peel).
  8. Natural seasonings (sprinkle on) the chips.
  9. The potatoes (grade) according to size.
  10. The potatoes (sort).
  11. The potatoes (load) into the trailer.
  12. The chips (weigh) into their respective pack sizes.
  13. The potatoes are (dig up).

V. Let’s check the answers here and let’s do some other activities, too.

VI. Submit the answers to number 11 in a comment here to be published next week.

[Thanks to The English Blog by Jeffrey Hill]

 

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a | Deixa un comentari

The Velcro Letterman

Publicat el 23 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 1 | Etiquetat com a , , | Deixa un comentari

PAU Tests to be done over the Easter break

Publicat el 11 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Take these listening & reading tests in real exam conditions. Don’t use a dictionary and listen to the tests only twice. Use up to 45′ to answer each reading exam.

Deadline: The Tuesday after the Easter break.

You may have to create a dropbox account to download the audio file. It’s free!

Watch lots of movies and TV series in English to improve your listening skills!

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a | Deixa un comentari

WHAT CAUSES TORNADOES, AND WHY ARE THEY SO DESTRUCTIVE?

Publicat el 11 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Today we are going to watch a video on what causes tornadoes and why are they so destructive.

Get ready to watch some striking images!

After watching the video, could you briefly describe what causes tornadoes to form?

Also, can you think of three adjectives to describe tornadoes?

Finally, what synonyms for the word ‘tornado’ are used in the video?

Now, read the following key facts about tornadoes and try to fill in the gaps while listening again to the video.

  1. A tornado or a ________ is a rapidly rotating __________ that stretches from clouds at the base of a thunderstorm to the ground.
  2. They can produce winds ____________ 300 miles per hour.
  3. Tornadoes are created by ______________ with the most violent ones arising from huge rotating ________ thunderstorms.
  4. Some of the largest ones have _______________ more than 2 miles.
  5. They typically last no more than a few minutes and travel less than a mile along the ground, before _________________ that sustain them causes them to ___________.
  6. Their intensity is hard to measure, so scientists rate them according to the damage they cause, using what is known as the ________________.
  7. EF5 tornadoes can ____________ buildings and bridges.

(by Yolanda Bravo)

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a , | Deixa un comentari

PAU WRITING NOTES

Publicat el 8 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

We are going to create a set of writing notes on:

  1. Informal e-mail or letter (BTX1 U1, U3)
  2. A blog post (BTX1 U2)
  3. Invitation and reply to an invitation (BTX1 U4)
  4. Formal letter (BTX1 U5) (BTX2 U5)
  5. For and against essay (BTX1 U6) (BTX2 U6)
  6. A story / narrative (BTX2 U3)
  7. An article (BTX2 U4)
  8. A review (BTX2 U7)
  9. An opinion essay (BTX2 U8)
  10. A dialogue

Image result for write

 

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a , | Deixa un comentari

How Much Damage Can An Earthquake Do?

Publicat el 8 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Discuss the following in pairs.

  1. Where did the largest earthquake ever recorded hit? Which was its magnitude?
  2. When do earthquakes occur?
  3. How are earthquakes measured?
  4. How many detectable earthquakes are there every year all over the world?
  5. Is there a way to predict earthquakes?
  6. Which serious damage can earthquakes cause?
  7. Can earthquakes cause any secondary effects?
  8. What are the aftershocks?
  9. Can major illnesses arise from earthquakes?
  10. Do you think that in the event of an earthquake, a skyscraper is more susceptible to more damage than a regular height building?

Now watch this video and check your answers.

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a | Deixa un comentari

BTX2 Oral presentations for Ms. Tammy Trevor, a Canadian teacher

Publicat el 3 d'abril de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a | Deixa un comentari

PAU TESTS

Publicat el 22 de març de 2019 per MIREIA XORTO PRADOS

Take these listening & reading tests in real exam conditions. Don’t use a dictionary and listen to the tests only twice. Use up to 45′ to answer each reading exam.

Deadline: Tuesday, April 2

Reading & listening Tests (only series 1)

Audio file

Key

Publicat dins de Batxillerat 2 | Etiquetat com a | Deixa un comentari