Friday, 18 March 2016

Essay writing question!!

Question

Read the two texts below:
Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts. Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own idea in your answer.
Write your answer in 240-280 words
Movie Magic
It has often been claimed that people flock to the cinema primarily to escape from the boredom, or sometimes even the misery of their everyday lives. Remarkable technological advances have made the experience of watching a movie ever more magical and emotionally powerful, increasing the appeal and impact of the cinema for each new generation. Yet movies have a power that goes far beyond their capacity to transport us to another world, since they can influence audiences to change their attitudes or behaviour in significant ways, making them consider complex moral and social issues such as war, poverty, and prejudice.

Is the cinema in decline?
The inescapable truth is that the cinema, one of the greatest cultural achievements of the twentieth century, has reached a new low point in recent years. All but a few movies are, frankly, not worth anyone’s valuable time. Audiences are increasingly presented with childish comedies, predictable action films and disappointing sequels. There is also the absurd idea that a film with an inflated budget of millions is a substitute for a well-acted, imaginative and original film. Film studios now spend almost as much money on marketing their films as producing them, which tends to suggest their concern is with profit rather than quality.
Email it to me at james.humphris@sfpaula.com
I'm expecting your articles too! :) 

New expressions and vocab 18/03/16

Week 18/03/2016

White goods = Things likes fridges, microwaves etc.
To bring something to life
To join forces
Deem = regard as
To be aware of the implications of something
To come down to
By rights = It is what people ought to do
As right as rain = to be 100% fit and healthy
In the right = to be correct
Right under their noses = Very close to them
Film rights = copyright of the film
Right on time = exactly on time
Within your rights = You have the right to do something
Make all the right noises = behave in the correct way and say the correct things
The right way round = correctly positioned
Serve somebody right = Somebody deserves their punishment
Acquisitive power = spending power
Personalised service = customized service

Passionate ABOUT sth
Attempt
To do something AS an achievement

Consist OF something

Friday, 11 March 2016

Vocabulary and expressions 11/03/16

Week 11/03/2016.

To encircle = to surround
Uninviting = unattractive
Antiquity
Perpetually
Gratitude
Outcast = socially marginalized
Hectic = really busy (situation)
Pariah = outcast
Scorned = Rejected  To scorn=to tell off/reject
Miffed = Really confused and puzzled
Travelling abroad could answer your prayers.
Home truth = a truth that somebody tells you that is difficult to accept
Apart from…, I also…
As a result…
Along/together/coupled with…

Although…

Vocabulary and expressions 04/03/16

Week 04/03/2016
Wicker (mimbre) = made from straw
Loss leader = a product in a supermarket that makes no profit but attracts customers
Marketing ploy = marketing technique
The icing on the cake = the final thing that made something perfect
To sweeten the pill = to make something more appetizing / (opposite) To be a bitter pill to swallow
Put all your eggs in one basket = To only back/support one possibility/option
Have bigger fish to fry = have more important things to do
Take something with a pinch of salt = to understand that what you are hearing is not completely true
Spill the beans = Tell the truth
Sell like hot cakes = sell very well
Get egg on your face = to be proved wrong
Eat humble pie = To be proved wrong
Have a lot on your plate = Have a lot of things to do
This government is sweetening the pill of higher taxation by introducing new benefits for employees at the same time.
I’ve put all my eggs in one basket work-wise.
Harry got egg on his face when Professor Samuels confronted him in the canteen queue.
Valentina isn’t staying on here as a student as she has bigger fish to fry in the US, with a Harvard scholarship.
After the rugby team’s outstanding performance, journalists will have to eat humble pie.
I finally got Simon to spill the beans about his wedding.
Sharon has a lot on her plate at the moment.
Maria’s earrings are selling like hot cakes on the market stall.
The best thing since sliced bread = the best thing in a long time.
Allotment = a vegetable patch in a public area.
Bunch of bananas/grapes etc.
Genetically modified crops / GM crops
The outskirts
On a small/medium/large scale.


Mark Zuckerberg got egg on his face, since a product which he described as useless and ridiculously expensive, in fact sold like hot cakes after an excellent marketing ploy thought up by the company’s head.

Vocabulary and expressions 19/02/16

Week 19/02/2016
To jeopardise / put in jeopardy = to put in danger
To date back to (with noun) = since
To come to terms with = to accept something
An upturn in something = an improvement in something
To lend itself to something =
Unfazed = undeterred
He had no alternative but to leave his house as he couldn’t pay the bills.
I had no choice but to give up my Rolls Royce as there had been no upturn in the fortunes of my business and my future was in jeopardy, a situation that dated back to 2012 and one I found difficult to come to terms with.
Giorgio finally came to terms with the idea that he had no other choice but to not expect an upturn in events as Andrea had put the whole plan in jeopardy.
Private Humphris had no option but to go over the top after finally coming to terms with the possibility of death and putting in jeopardy his return to Seville.
Due to the increase in wind strength, John had no alternative but to carry their children to a safer place, although they couldn’t come to terms with leaving home.
The physical integrity of the class members was put in jeopardy by the delegate, but due to an upturn in events they made it out of the building which was going up in flames.

To avert your gaze