*NEW HOURS
For the month of September Intensive courses will be held every Tuesday (martedi') and Thursday (giovedi') as follows:
ore 9:30 -11:15 Basic English (Corso di recupero)
ore 11:30 - 13:15 Corso di preparazione per l'esame FCE (First Certificate in English)
ore 13:30 – 15:00 Corso di preparazione per l'esame TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
ore 15:00 - 16:30 Corso di preparazione per l'esame PET (Preliminary English Test)
Information about Cambridge Exams
PET (B1) € 92 Sat 21 Nov
FCE (B2) € 183 Sat 12 Dec
Cambridge Registration dates 14 September - 2 October
From 3/10 extra fee € 50
From 26/10 extra fee € 100
Information about TOEFL exams
Internet-based Test (C1) $225 (circa €160)
Fri., Sep 25, 2009
Sat., Oct 31, 2009
Sat., Nov 07, 2009
Fri., Nov 20, 2009
Fri., Dec 11, 2009
Registration dates: space is limited so you should register as soon as you are sure you want to take the exam.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Summertime activities
I want to say how proud I am of this particular group of students! You have all worked very hard to improve your English skills by completing all of the activities in this course. I hope that you will come back in September (I promise to post a precise date before long) and work toward a real international certificate (PET or First Certificate). Some of you may also be interested in the TOEFL exam, which is an American exam for people who would like to do a Master's Degree or a PhD abroad. Check out the links on this blog for more information.
I would also like to congratulate MONICA, who actually took the REAL PET exam and passed easily! Congratulations - you are an inspiration to me and to the other students, I am sure!
Now - if you want to do yourselves a favor, you can improve your listening skills easily this summer by going to a site called ESL LAB (click HERE to see it) where you can listen to and read some very useful conversations and recited texts. Start with the elementary level, and try to understand it without reading the script. If you don't understand most of it, it is a good idea to just listen and read along (to read, click on SCRIPT at the TOP of the page). There are also questions to answer! Do these exercises when and if you can, and you will be amazed at how much you improve!
Have a GREAT summer, and check back here in early September to see when the courses start.
All good things,
Dianna Pickens
I would also like to congratulate MONICA, who actually took the REAL PET exam and passed easily! Congratulations - you are an inspiration to me and to the other students, I am sure!
Now - if you want to do yourselves a favor, you can improve your listening skills easily this summer by going to a site called ESL LAB (click HERE to see it) where you can listen to and read some very useful conversations and recited texts. Start with the elementary level, and try to understand it without reading the script. If you don't understand most of it, it is a good idea to just listen and read along (to read, click on SCRIPT at the TOP of the page). There are also questions to answer! Do these exercises when and if you can, and you will be amazed at how much you improve!
Have a GREAT summer, and check back here in early September to see when the courses start.
All good things,
Dianna Pickens
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
ESAMI!
ULTIMI ESAMI giovedì 23 luglio, ore 9:30-12:00
registrazione ore 13-14:00
hanno già superato l'esame:
Cortini Fabio 084/039
Del Pizzo Anna 084/043
Esposito Monica 084/042
Farina Federica 084/041
Fasulo Teresa 084/033
Genovino Maria 084/036
Marrazzo Raffaella 084/037
Petraglia Felicia 084/049
Borriello Mariolina 164/139
Cirella Angela 164/158
Imperato Marilisa 164/147
Nocerino Davide 164/135
Olivero Annalisa 164/093
Palmieri Maria 164/173
Perna Marzia 164/084
Manfredonia Francesca N05/009
Napolitano Manuela N05/113
Imperato Pasquale 03/76024
La registrazione si terrà nell'aula inglese di Mascabruno.
registrazione ore 13-14:00
hanno già superato l'esame:
Cortini Fabio 084/039
Del Pizzo Anna 084/043
Esposito Monica 084/042
Farina Federica 084/041
Fasulo Teresa 084/033
Genovino Maria 084/036
Marrazzo Raffaella 084/037
Petraglia Felicia 084/049
Borriello Mariolina 164/139
Cirella Angela 164/158
Imperato Marilisa 164/147
Nocerino Davide 164/135
Olivero Annalisa 164/093
Palmieri Maria 164/173
Perna Marzia 164/084
Manfredonia Francesca N05/009
Napolitano Manuela N05/113
Imperato Pasquale 03/76024
La registrazione si terrà nell'aula inglese di Mascabruno.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Assignment 4: Practice for your final exam!
I am sure you are all anxious to practice for your final English exam, so you probably anticipated your next assignment...go to the same link as before and do BOTH PET exams! If you had trouble with the KET exam, it would be a good idea to do the other KET before attempting to do the PET exams. I would like you to send ALL of your PET writing assignments to this blog, where I will correct them. This is your last assignment before the exam, which is on Friday the 19th (or Friday the 26th of June, if necessary) at 9:30 or 11:30. If you usually followed the course in the afternoon, please come at one of the other times in the morning.
I look forward to hearing from you all, and remember, you can't have the credits unless you complete all of the assignments, so get started!
I look forward to hearing from you all, and remember, you can't have the credits unless you complete all of the assignments, so get started!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Assignment 3, corrections of Assignments 1, 2
Congratulations Monica!!! Good luck on the PET exam this Saturday!!
The link for practicing KET/PET exercises is on the right side of this page, or you can click here.
Your assignment (3) is to do KET test 1 (click on KET, click on Test one at the top of the page).
KET is an easy version of PET. It is not electronically corrected, so you will have to evaluate yourself sometimes. If you have any questions about something you have written, please ask me when you make your comments! Good luck!
Now, here are a few hints and corrections of some of your messages on this blog:
***Everyone should be more careful with your spelling…please proofread your comments before sending them! Also, please send them just once – they do not appear immediately because I have to read them first - I promise I will publish them as soon as I possibly can!!
**Please don’t just copy and paste the text from the articles you have read. I prefer a shorter but relatively correct comment to longer ones that have been copied or have not been checked properly!
*Use an online dictionary if you are not sure of the words you want to use.
Vocabulary:
n.b. The past form of “read” is “read” – the pronunciation is like the color “red” but the spelling is “R-E-A-D!”
“Hit it off” means to get along very well from the beginning (andare subito d’accordo)
Example: I met the new French Prof the other day and we really hit it off!
“Flu” is the abbreviation, and more commonly used form, of “influenza”, and it means the same thing in English and Italian. It is a noun. It is a type of infectious disease or illness. “Illness” and “disease” are two other nouns that mean “malattia”.
The word “information” is always singular, and it is NEVER used in the plural with s.
Example: !All of the information on this site is quite useful.” Or “There is a lot of information on this site.”
A “bagel” is a ring-shaped type of bread which is hard on the outside and soft but dense on the inside. You can find them freshly made in the Jewish quarter of Rome, but it is difficult to find them in Naples!
Rely (Relies= 3 person) is a verb which is always followed by “on” or “upon”, and it means to “count on” or “depend on”. Example: “During the war, people relied upon their radios for information.”
The adjective form is “reliable” (affidabile). Example: “My assistant is reliable: he always comes to work on time and gets all of his work done before going home.”
A “statement” is an observation or a remark. Example, “The prime minister made a statement yesterday about the accusations made against him. He said, “ I am not guilty”.
A “backpack” is a bag that you wear on your back (zaino). It is now used as a verb as well. Example: My boyfriend is backpacking around Europe with his friends. He’ll be back in a few weeks.”
A “scholarship” is money you receive to pay for your studies. It is usually given by a University or organization (borsa di studio). Other similar words are “award”, “grant” (sussidio), or “fellowship (un contratto a tempo determinato per fare ricerche)”. It can also be used to describe “profound scholarly knowledge”. Example: His scholarship in the field of physics is unmatched by anyone in the world.”
“Wellness” is the same as “health”: in other words, a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease”.
A “chicken nugget” is a fried, small piece of compressed chicken like they sell at McDonalds. “Nugget “ means literally, “a solid piece of precious metal (especially gold).”
”Treated” is the past tense of the verb “to treat” means to “care for” which is what doctors do to people who are sick. Example: “The doctor treated the patient’s broken leg.”
”lifespan” is your entire life from birth to death, so if you use the word “cut” with “lifespan” it means to reduce the number of years you are supposed to live. Example: “Smoking cuts your lifespan by about 15 years.”
To “laud” something is to praise something highly. Example: “The students were lauded for their hard work”.
“roommates” are people who are not your relatives who you share an apartment with.
to “drop” means to allow something to fall by accident.
”shiny” is an adjective meaning “bright” or “glossy”. After washing your car, it becomes “shiny”.
a “bowl” is a deep plate for soup, or a large one for salad.
To “wrap” means to cover or enfold something. Example: “She wrapped the baby in a blanket because it was so cold outside.”
”hiking” means taking a long walk in the mountains. “trekking is a longer, harder version of “hiking”
To “spoil” means to “ruin something”, or to “go bad.” Children can be spoiled by their parents if they allow them to have everything they want. Food can spoil if it is kept past the expiration date or is left out of the refrigerator.
That's all for now - good luck!!!
The link for practicing KET/PET exercises is on the right side of this page, or you can click here.
Your assignment (3) is to do KET test 1 (click on KET, click on Test one at the top of the page).
KET is an easy version of PET. It is not electronically corrected, so you will have to evaluate yourself sometimes. If you have any questions about something you have written, please ask me when you make your comments! Good luck!
Now, here are a few hints and corrections of some of your messages on this blog:
***Everyone should be more careful with your spelling…please proofread your comments before sending them! Also, please send them just once – they do not appear immediately because I have to read them first - I promise I will publish them as soon as I possibly can!!
**Please don’t just copy and paste the text from the articles you have read. I prefer a shorter but relatively correct comment to longer ones that have been copied or have not been checked properly!
*Use an online dictionary if you are not sure of the words you want to use.
Vocabulary:
n.b. The past form of “read” is “read” – the pronunciation is like the color “red” but the spelling is “R-E-A-D!”
“Hit it off” means to get along very well from the beginning (andare subito d’accordo)
Example: I met the new French Prof the other day and we really hit it off!
“Flu” is the abbreviation, and more commonly used form, of “influenza”, and it means the same thing in English and Italian. It is a noun. It is a type of infectious disease or illness. “Illness” and “disease” are two other nouns that mean “malattia”.
The word “information” is always singular, and it is NEVER used in the plural with s.
Example: !All of the information on this site is quite useful.” Or “There is a lot of information on this site.”
A “bagel” is a ring-shaped type of bread which is hard on the outside and soft but dense on the inside. You can find them freshly made in the Jewish quarter of Rome, but it is difficult to find them in Naples!
Rely (Relies= 3 person) is a verb which is always followed by “on” or “upon”, and it means to “count on” or “depend on”. Example: “During the war, people relied upon their radios for information.”
The adjective form is “reliable” (affidabile). Example: “My assistant is reliable: he always comes to work on time and gets all of his work done before going home.”
A “statement” is an observation or a remark. Example, “The prime minister made a statement yesterday about the accusations made against him. He said, “ I am not guilty”.
A “backpack” is a bag that you wear on your back (zaino). It is now used as a verb as well. Example: My boyfriend is backpacking around Europe with his friends. He’ll be back in a few weeks.”
A “scholarship” is money you receive to pay for your studies. It is usually given by a University or organization (borsa di studio). Other similar words are “award”, “grant” (sussidio), or “fellowship (un contratto a tempo determinato per fare ricerche)”. It can also be used to describe “profound scholarly knowledge”. Example: His scholarship in the field of physics is unmatched by anyone in the world.”
“Wellness” is the same as “health”: in other words, a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease”.
A “chicken nugget” is a fried, small piece of compressed chicken like they sell at McDonalds. “Nugget “ means literally, “a solid piece of precious metal (especially gold).”
”Treated” is the past tense of the verb “to treat” means to “care for” which is what doctors do to people who are sick. Example: “The doctor treated the patient’s broken leg.”
”lifespan” is your entire life from birth to death, so if you use the word “cut” with “lifespan” it means to reduce the number of years you are supposed to live. Example: “Smoking cuts your lifespan by about 15 years.”
To “laud” something is to praise something highly. Example: “The students were lauded for their hard work”.
“roommates” are people who are not your relatives who you share an apartment with.
to “drop” means to allow something to fall by accident.
”shiny” is an adjective meaning “bright” or “glossy”. After washing your car, it becomes “shiny”.
a “bowl” is a deep plate for soup, or a large one for salad.
To “wrap” means to cover or enfold something. Example: “She wrapped the baby in a blanket because it was so cold outside.”
”hiking” means taking a long walk in the mountains. “trekking is a longer, harder version of “hiking”
To “spoil” means to “ruin something”, or to “go bad.” Children can be spoiled by their parents if they allow them to have everything they want. Food can spoil if it is kept past the expiration date or is left out of the refrigerator.
That's all for now - good luck!!!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
After the long weekend...Assignment 2
You have all done an excellent job with the first assignment. The point is to use your English comprehension skills to navigate the web. This week you will be watching a very short video on the world's English MANIA. It is from a site that I really like called TED.COM, and I often watch videos on this site instead of watching TV!
Just click on the link, and then look at the bottom left side of your screen to turn on the subtitles in English. You can try to watch without subtitles the first time, but it is a GREAT idea to practice listening with subtitles in English so that you train your brain to understand the words being spoken.
After watching the video, explore the site and choose another video that you think will be interesting. Don't forget to turn on the subtitles!
I can't wait to hear what you think about the one I have chosen, and also the ones you choose to watch afterward!
Here is the link:
Jay Walker on the World's English Mania
Enjoy!
Just click on the link, and then look at the bottom left side of your screen to turn on the subtitles in English. You can try to watch without subtitles the first time, but it is a GREAT idea to practice listening with subtitles in English so that you train your brain to understand the words being spoken.
After watching the video, explore the site and choose another video that you think will be interesting. Don't forget to turn on the subtitles!
I can't wait to hear what you think about the one I have chosen, and also the ones you choose to watch afterward!
Here is the link:
Jay Walker on the World's English Mania
Enjoy!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Welcome and First Assignment 2009
Welcome to the 'Food and Health' blog! We will be communicating through this blog for the next few weeks, so you will need to remember a few rules:
1) This is a public site, so everything you write will be seen by everyone else.
2) The official language is English, but if you are REALLY having trouble, you can write in Italian. Try not to do it if at all possible...
3) Have Fun! Even learning English can be fun if you have the right attitude!
So, on to your first assignment...
As you may have noticed, there is a "Clusty Cloud" at the top of our blog. This is a service provided by a search engine that I find to be very useful, http://www.clusty.com . I think it is better than Google in some ways, because it puts the search results into categories so that you waste less time looking at things that do not interest you.
Your assignment is to click on one or more of the words in the "Clusty Cloud" and take a look at the search results. Then, choose a category on the left, and start exploring the sites. Choose an article, read it, and of course, after that, you have to write to me and tell me about what you have found.
I am looking forward to your comments!
In addition, you will need to do some listening practice for the final exam. Click on the link below, scroll down to find three listening categories: easy, medium and difficult. We will start with an easy listening activity. It is called "Heavenly Pies Restaurant". Click on the name and then play the audio. There are some questions to answer further down the page. If you don't understand what they are saying, you can click on the words "quiz script" and listen again while you read. This site is an EXCELLENT place to practice listening, and your final exam will have a listening part, so you would do well to come back and listen to some others as well... If you do, please write and tell me about it!
1) This is a public site, so everything you write will be seen by everyone else.
2) The official language is English, but if you are REALLY having trouble, you can write in Italian. Try not to do it if at all possible...
3) Have Fun! Even learning English can be fun if you have the right attitude!
So, on to your first assignment...
As you may have noticed, there is a "Clusty Cloud" at the top of our blog. This is a service provided by a search engine that I find to be very useful, http://www.clusty.com . I think it is better than Google in some ways, because it puts the search results into categories so that you waste less time looking at things that do not interest you.
Your assignment is to click on one or more of the words in the "Clusty Cloud" and take a look at the search results. Then, choose a category on the left, and start exploring the sites. Choose an article, read it, and of course, after that, you have to write to me and tell me about what you have found.
I am looking forward to your comments!
In addition, you will need to do some listening practice for the final exam. Click on the link below, scroll down to find three listening categories: easy, medium and difficult. We will start with an easy listening activity. It is called "Heavenly Pies Restaurant". Click on the name and then play the audio. There are some questions to answer further down the page. If you don't understand what they are saying, you can click on the words "quiz script" and listen again while you read. This site is an EXCELLENT place to practice listening, and your final exam will have a listening part, so you would do well to come back and listen to some others as well... If you do, please write and tell me about it!
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