Reading and Use of English to do over the holidays

http://www.flo-joe.com/cpe/students/tests/

The answers are on the page

Writing task to do over the holidays

http://www.flo-joe.com/cpe/students/writing/makeover/makeover2.htm

Go to this web site to see the question and email it to me when you have finished.
Below is an example of another letter to the editor.

Dear Sir

I am writing in response to the article in last Wednesday´s edition of your paper regarding the proposal of increasing nursery provisions across the country to encourage women back into the worklife after having a baby. I would like to comment on the points that were raised.

First of all I would like to say that I totally agree with the statement that providing greater nursery provisions will allow women to return to work as soon as possible. Improvements in childcare programmes will definitely contribute to this, and I think they are a wonderful idea. As I see it women should be able to have children without having to worry about losing their jobs, simply because it is their natural right to do so.  

Secondly, I would like to mention that the fear some companies have that this pro-children policy will encourage women to have too many children and therefore cause them serious economic problems, is irrational. Women of these days are career-oriented and are likely to choose to have just one or two children. Not having to worry about leaving the company will just make them more committed to their work and more motivated to contribute to the enterprise´s success. 

I also would like to add some ideas to your comments: "a greater nursery provision provides an ideal opportunity to introduce a national programme of pre-school learning". I think it is true that we do not have an adequate nursery programme, specially for six-month babies and toddlers. We have seen education as a right for anyone older than three years old without considering the younger population. I fully expect to see a change in such an important aspect of education in our country.

To sum up, women do not need to risk their careers when deciding to have a baby. It is the government´s job to ensure that children are secure in their first years as well as to create an appropriate national education programme and to encourage companies to provide nursery facilities.

I look forward to hearing other readers´ views on the subject.

Yours faithfully 
Gustavo Albarracín

New vocab week 11/12/2015

New vocab and expressions

To cram into somewhere

Depict = To show

e.g. picture A depicts fireman resting after having entered a burning building

To put out a fire = to extinguish a fire

To put somebody out = to make somebody do a favour for you

To have repercussions for somebody/something = to have severe consequences for something

I inferred from the picture that…

Precisely that’s why…

She’s a seasoned professional

To check up on somebody = to make sure somebody is behaving properly

To go through something = to check something

To put a brave face on something/To put on a brave face = To pretend you are happy when you are not

To be my idea of doing something

To steer clear of something = To avoid something

To team up with somebody = To get together with somebody to do a job

To long for / To yearn for = To desire something greatly

To be caught up in something = To be preoccupied by something/To become so involved with something that you lose track of reality

To put somebody on a pedestal = To admire someone greatly

To enable someone to do something

To be entitled to something = To have the right to do something

To be empowered = To be given the ability to do something

New vocab and structures from class 4/12/15

Week 4/12/2015

To go on a trip/an excursion

Destination is different to destiny (fate)

You cannot LIVE an experience. You have an experience / you experience

Women have more chances / opportunities to…

Couple (two people together - romantic). Pair (of socks for example). Partner (one member of the couple).

Interesting synonyms – fascinating, amazing, incredible, breathtaking.

Absolutely amazing (extreme adjectives)

Entrepreneur (person) Entrepreneurship (activity) Entrepreneurial (adjective)

Over the last few years

Suffer FROM something

Expressions for essays

In this respect

To offset something against something else = to find a balance between two things

The texts contrast the pros and cons

Text 2 argues that…

As far as ____ is concerned

To render something (adjective) = to cause to be/become

This boils down to… = the most important thing remaining. E.g. the Spanish premier league boils down to just two teams.

To regard something as something else e.g. advertising is regarded as fundamental

To do something on a whim = to do something without thinking

So as to = in order to