(Writing) Writing in English

Writing in English

(Pronunciation) 'r' and 'l'

I worked rate and I didn't alive home until 10 o'clock. I was very wet because of the lane. Then to my supplies, my key didn't fit in the rock. So I looked closely at my keys and saw that they were the long ones. I had left my house keys at work. So I got back on my motorbike and load back to the office to correct them. I got home really tired, so I went to bed, led for half an hour, switched off the right and went to sleep.

(Advanced) The Grenfell Inquiry

The Grenfell public inquiry opens tomorrow, exactly three months on from the fire which took at least 80 lives. The judge heading it, its remit, its powers and the time it will take, all have been sources of controversy. So how can it succeed? Or is it doomed to failure?

12 collocations

Watch report:

The Grenfell Inquiry

How long ago was the fire?

What do these things have in common? the judge, the remit, the powers, the time it will take

How many died in the fire?

What is the main criticism survivors have of the people heading in the inquiry?

Why is it problematic that the inquiry is being held along with a criminal investigation?

Why offer indemnity to witnesses? Why do some people disagree?

(Advanced) How architectural innovations migrate across borders

As the world's cities undergo explosive growth, inequality is intensifying. Wealthy neighborhoods and impoverished slums grow side by side, the gap between them widening. In this eye-opening talk, architect Teddy Cruz asks us to rethink urban development from the bottom up. Sharing lessons from the slums of Tijuana, Cruz explores the creative intelligence of the city's residents and offers a fresh perspective on what we can learn from places of scarcity.

Watch here:

Across borders

(Advanced) System 'D' - the power of the informal economy.

Robert Neuwirth spent four years among the chaotic stalls of street markets, talking to pushcart hawkers and gray marketers, to study the remarkable "System D," the world's unlicensed economic network. Responsible for some 1.8 billion jobs, it's an economy of underappreciated power and scope.

Section 1 

0:00 - 3:00

Before listening can match these?

According to Robert...

What is System D? 

What is business synergy? 

What was the global business – why?   

What is a business incubator? 

What is the Aleph?

A business that sells imported fish

The informal economy

A boat building business

An open air market

A dump

What is the informal economy?   Why is it not a black market?

What do you think the opposite of “aboveboard” would be?    

What does “débrouillardise” mean?  

Listen and check.

Discuss:

Why do you think governments hate the DIY economy? Why do you think they closed down the street market?

Section 2

3:00 - 6:30

What is a pickle problem?

What is the pickle economy?

Why is the informal economy more important according to Robert?

What are "high frequency stores" – what makes this market segment especially important?

Section 3

6:30

Which country is the “big dog” in Africa?

What is "air time"? 

What does the term "second hand" usually mean in China?

What do companies like Nike secretly use as “market research”?

Why do they track piracy?

Section 4

10:00 - End

Why does Robert think we shouldn't blame the little guy when it comes to tax avoidance?

Discuss the quotes. 

What are the ideas behind them? 

(Advanced) Heke

'Heke Beer' was launched last year in an attempt to showcase a lager from the waters of Waiheke Island, but a descendant of the Ngāpuhi chief Hone Heke, David Rankin, wants the name removed.

Listen

Heke

Quiz:

24 collocations


Who is unhappy about the name of the beer?

Who was Hone Heke?

Why did he cut down a flagpole?

Why is David Rankin unhappy about the use of the name?

Which Maori tribe might object to the use of the name Heke?

What does the word "heke" actually mean?

What is its "genealogical" meaning?

What does "deep pockets" mean?

Discuss:

What do you think?

 Hone Heke

(Upper-Intermediate) Mishread words

Many of the words we commonly use today aren't really words at all — they're misheard versions of the original.

Watch:


Mishread words

One minute sales pitch

Watch:

One minute

Make notes on the following:

Name:
Need / solution:
Target group:
Comparison with similar products (Point of difference):
Extra feature:
Market research:
Marketing strategy:
Goal:
Amount of investment sought:
Return promised:
Slogan:

(Intermediate) Please adjust your course

A humorous example of miscommunication.

Watch:

Please adjust your course