Oral exam tips

•  Read the instructions carefully so that you are clear about the aim of your discussion.
• Remember that you must listen to what your partner says so that you can respond appropriately. Don’t concentrate only on what you want to say.
• Make sure that you and your partner discuss everything in the list, even if you only discuss some things briefly.
• Remember that you are trying to persuade your partner to agree with you. This means that you must support your opinions with reasons.
• Remember that you can ask your partner questions as well as making statements yourself.
• Talk to your partner, not to the examiner.

5 Elements of Feng Shui

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The Five Elements of Feng Shui

The 5 elements include: Wood, Fire, Water, Earth, and Metal. Each of the elements is designated by a color or colors. The elements are controlled by the Productive Cycle and the Destructive Cycle.  

The Productive and Destructive Cycles

The Productive Cycle starts with the element, water, which creates wood. Wood then turns into fire, which produces earth, and in turn earth produces metal, which produces water. It is a continuous cycle, as each element benefits from one another creating a constant flow and harmony. 

The Destructive Cycle is equally as important as the Productive Cycle. Balance is key in feng shui. In this cycle, wood disassembles earth, earth absorbs water, water puts out fire, and fire melts metal, which, in turn, can chop wood. An ongoing continuous cycle. Each element is important to the cycle, and to the harmony in your home or office.

Meaning of Each Element in Feng Shui

Water is the energy of rest and stillness. It is strengthened by metal and weakened by wood. It is connected to wealth and prosperity and its direction is downwards.  

Wood is the energy of growth and vitality. It is strengthened by water and weakened by fire. It is connected to spring and early morning, a sign of expansion and development.

Fire is strongest in the summer and its direction is upwards. A triangular red candle can be used to add a fire quality to a room. Fire also should be used with discretion, as it is the most unstable. 

Earth is the most stable and balanced element. Bricks and rocks can easily bring more of an earth element into your room or space.  

The metal element is found in round forms such as spheres. It can be added to your space easily by adding a clock with large metallic metal hands. It is used to neutralize earth imbalances as it condenses earth energy.

Trading Ages

Halloween history

EBOLA VIRUS

Conversation Starters

Conversation Starters	Topics
Do you like ...? Are you into (sport) at all? Did you see the game/match on ...?	SPORT
Have you been away on holiday this year? Anywhere nice? I was planning to go to ... Where are you going on your next holiday?	HOLIDAYS
Have you seen those new...? I wonder if they’re any good. Because I heard... Do you have one of those ...?	GADGETS
Are you hungry? Shall we get ourselves...? What do you fancy? How about...?	FOOD/DRINK
I like your ... by the way. Where did you get it/them? I suppose it/they must have cost you.... That's a nice ...	CLOTHES
What kind of music are you into? Have you heard ...’s latest album? Do you like going to concerts?	MUSIC
Do you get to do much travelling? Have you ever been abroad? Have you ever been to ...? I’ve always wanted to go there.	TRAVEL
Isn't this weather...? Apparently, the forecast is for... Today has been so ...	WEATHER
I see the stock markets are... It’s probably a good time to put your money into ... I have some investments in ...	ECONOMICS
Have you seen any good films lately? What kind of movies do you like? I quite liked that one with (actor) in ... oh, what was it called?	MOVIES
Did you see in the news ...? Have you heard about...? ... news, isn’t it?	NEWS
How are you enjoying...? Do you know many people here? What do you think of the party?	THE PARTY
Do you know.... by the way? S/he’s a bit/very..., isn’t s/he? I should introduce you to ... He/She is ...	FRIENDS
How’s business? What do you do in your job? I hear...	WORK

Small talk

RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY

2.1. Libros de consulta y ejercicios

·         Longman. Grammar Practice for Upper-Intermediate Students.

·         Murphy, R. English Grammar in Use, C.U.P

·         Swan, M. English Practical Usage, O.U.P (New Edition)

2.2. Para revisar la fonética y mejorar pronunciación

·         English Pronunciation in Use. Ed. CUP

2.4. Para enriquecer el vocabulario

·         English Vocabulary in Use. Advanced. Ed. CUP

·         Test your English Vocabulary in Use. Advanced. Ed. CUP

·         English Idioms in Use. Ed. CUP

·         English Collocations in Use. Ed. CUP

·         Advanced Vocabulary. CUP

·         Vocabulary Builder. Heinemann

2.5. Para leer por placer

Títulos de cualquiera de las siguientes colecciones:

·         Oxford Bookworms, nivel 7

·         Heinemann Guided Readers, upper-intermediate level

·         Longman Structural Readers, 7-8

·         Collins Graded Readers 7-8

·         Macmillan Readers: Advanced.

·         Penguin Readers. Levels 7-8

·         Cambridge English Readers. Levels 7-8

Revistas:

·         “Speak Up”

·         “Time”

2.6. Diccionarios

Bilingües            

·         OXFORD STUDENT´S DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH. Oxford University Press,
·         POCKET PLUS (con CD-ROM). Longman
·         OXFORD STUDY (with CD-ROM). Oxford University Press.

Monolingües    

·        Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary. Collins

·         LONGMAN DICTIONARY OF CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH (with CD-ROM). Longman.

·         CAMBRIDGE LEARNER´S DICTIONARY (with CD-ROM). Cambridge University Press.

2.7. Cómo mejorar la comprensión oral

Además de todo el material disponible en el laboratorio para este nivel, el siguiente:

·         Cambridge Skills for Fluency. Ed. CUP

·         Active listening. Level 3: Building skills for understanding. Ed. CUP

·         Task Listening. Ed. CUP

Our book

English File Upper-Intermediate

Student’s book + Workbook

Third Edition.

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