Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Review game

11th March 2021

FIFA World Cup 1966 | England 66 | Football | Athlet.org

To review recent lessons, try these questions – answers at end of blog.

For teachers, you could add these into a computer game, assigning different points based on the difficulty of the question.

A) Name two famous artists

B) If you study hard, you will ______________ a qualification

C) Tell me two kitchen appliances that are useful but not essential

D) What kind of painting is this ?

Laughing Cavalier - Wikipedia
‘The Laughing Cavalier’ by Franz Hals

E) What two types of electromagnetic radiation can be found in a home ?

F) English Tests can make you (a negative adjective)

G) Give your view on this work of art:

Ý nghĩa đằng sau bức tranh "Persistence of Memory" - Salvador Dalí | Almond  Blossom
‘Persistence of Memory’ by Dali

H) Hyper means: i) more than average ii) average iii) less than average. Give two examples.

I) Which is correct i) She loves reading books ii) She loves to read books iii) Both

Premium Photo | A cute asian woman is sitting reading a book on the sofa or  a chair happy smiling at home during relax time

J) This young lady is in a coffee shop. Such shops are ________ in this city. What big word (low-frequency word) means ‘everywhere’ ?

K) What type of painting is this ?

Meadow with Two Large Trees by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - Hand Painted  Oil Painting | Landscape paintings, Oil painting landscape, Landscape art
By the French artist Corot, and if you can’t appreciate the beauty of art, then I feel sorry for you.

L) A student who comes to English class and then refuses to speak English is i) wasting their time ii) wasting their money iii) normal in Vietnam iV) all of the above

M) One small town in Virginia, USA has banned … what … and why ?

N) A great adjective we use when we can’t describe something that we really like.

O) A word meaning ‘to light up’. Can you give an example from Viet Nam ?

Here are some helpful Hoi An travel tips, just for you!

P) Mark Zuckerberg growed up in New York, and drop down of Harvard University … correct the two phrasal verbs.

Q) Teaching unmotivated students is boring, t_______ & m_______.

R) A term for someone who wants to be a powerful decision-maker is a ___________________________

S) An idiom meaning one has no choice

T) What type of art is this ? Give two expressions to indicate that you don’t like it

Jackson Pollock: The face of abstract expressionism
by Jackson Pollack (USA)

U) How often does Thay Paul smile in class ?

V) A nurse will hold a patient’s wrist to check the _______

W) Say this:

The brother bit the sister so the mother beat the brother

X) Time to think and use your imagination. What feelings does this painting inspire in you ?

‘Nighthawks’ by Edward Hopper

Y) Why are you studying English ? Seriously … why ?

Z) What is the name of this effect ?

Lady Silhouette - Vector Etch

A) Picasso, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Renoit, Dali, Munch etc …

B) attain

C) blender, sieve, potato peeler, whisk, egg-timer, meat slicer etc

D) a portrait E) radio, microwave F) nervous, scared, anxious etc

G) start with ‘In my opinion …’ or ‘As far as I’m concerned …’ etc

H) i) more than: hyper-market, hyperinflation, hyper-sensitive

I) both are correct (check Cambridge Dictionary for confirmation)

J) ubiquitous K) a landscape L) all of the above

M) cell phones and WiFi as they interfere with the radio telescope.

N) ineffable O) illuminate, such as the lanterns in Hoi An.

P) grew up & dropped out of Q) tedious & monotonous

R) a mover and a shaker S) my hands are tied

T) not my cup of tea, I wouldn’t call that art, it leaves me cold, I don’t get it at all etc

U) in this class, NEVER (except at 9.00 pm)

V) pulse

X) [no irony intended … well, maybe a little] ‘Nighthawks’ is often interpreted as showing loneliness, sadness, depression, urban alienation. I could explain more, but nobody in this country gives a hoot about art.

Y) beats the hell out of me.

Z) silhouette

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Art for art’s sake

3rd March 2021

International Women's Day (8th March) | Days Of The Year
Happy International Women’s Day
A Conversation with Tracey Emin CBE RA, Artist. – Thought Economics
The British artist Tracey Emin
The Empty Bed: Tracey Emin and the Persistent Self - Image Journal

‘ My Bed’ by Tracey Emin, created in 1998 and first exhibited in 1999 at the Tate gallery, London.

Tonight’s class is on a subject close to my heart – art. I have several blogs on art which you can access on these links:

Art: giving opinion // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/13/adult-speaking-class-level-3-art-what-do-you-think/

This is the link I’ll be using tonight. Other blogs include genres of art, early C20th surreal art, and finally an introduction to art for younger learners.

Portrait, Landscape, Still Life (Wyndham Lewis, John Constable, Paul Cezanne) // Adult Class, Level 1 // 19th December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/19/adult-class-level-1-lessons-1-2/

Art: DaDa & Surrealism // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/23/adult-speaking-class-level-3-dali-dada-and-surrealism/

Art: types of art // Young Learners, level 4 (Dali, Alice in Wonderland) // 16th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/16/young-learners-level-4-art-for-arts-sake/

Let’s dive in ! To my classroom students, look at the quote from Tracey Ermin … do you recognise any words from last week’s lesson (on electromagnetic waves) ? Did you notice ’emit’ & ‘pulsing’ ? Do you recall what they mean ?

With art, you can be honest and say what you feel – is it not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ situation. Quite simply, do YOU like the art ? Can you express why ? What does the art say to you ? What feelings does it evoke ?

You don’t have to know anything about art – but it is a useful way to extend your English. Here are some expressions you could use:

“As far as I’m concerned…” // “Speaking for myself…”

“In my opinion…” // “Personally, I think…”

“I’d say that…” // “It really appeals to me …”

I don’t get it at all // It leaves me cold

It’s not my cup of tea // I wouldn’t call that ‘art’.

What do you think of these Vietnamese works, as an introduction to unusual art:

Abtract vietnamese artist
‘Happy Market’ by NGUYEN QUY TAM
by Thanh Chuong
Showcase "Collection of Vietnamese Contemporary Paintings" - Hanoi Grapevine

Finally, a very famous Norwegian painting, which I was lucky enough to see in Oslo:

The Scream, c.1893' Art Print - Edvard Munch | Art.com
‘Skrikt’ or ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch

How do you respond to this ?

Here’s what sunset looks like in Oslo:

File:Solnedgang over Oslofjorden Sunset Oslo Fjord Norway.jpg - Wikimedia  Commons

Suddenly, the blood red sky ceases to be abstract and becomes realistic. Hope you can practice using opinion phrases, as well as incorporating new words into your everyday English. Tonight, from the book we had:

abstract

artificial

illuminate

layer

silhouette

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Breaking the silence.

2nd March 2021

Social interaction
The future of social interactions | by UV | Medium

Ôi Trời ƠiOy Vey! – Are you kidding me ! Last night’s class was chockablock with new, high-level vocabulary:

I don't underStand - Confused asian lady | Meme Generator

Ok, take it easy, let’s break it down. Firstly, you were not expected to learn or remember everything; I told you to … well, you tell me. Try to complete the sentences with the new words. If you need help, the vocabulary box follows the questions, while I’ll put the answers at the end of the blog.

1) I didn’t understand everything, but I got the ________

2) Light and sound travel in ___________

3) X-Rays and microwaves are a form of (type of) __________________

4) For me, trying to pronounce Vietnamese words is a real ____________

5) Can you buy twelve eggs ? Yeah, buy me ______________

6) I don’t understand the Zoom instruction video, there’s so much computer __________

7) One of y tá (nurse) Cam’s duties is to take a patient’s ________ , to measure their heartbeat.

8) They love each other dearly, but they don’t always see __________________

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - Full HD Movie For Free | hdbest.net
A scene from ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe ?’ with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor who actually were married … twice, in fact.

VOCABULARY: a dozen // gist // struggle // pulse // jargon // waves // eye to eye // electromagnetic radiation //

Types of Electromagnetic Radiation | Tnuda

Despite the jargon, there were some useful, everyday phrases that you can start to use:

lack of ..

for the sake of …

actually quite …

away from …

there’s no chance of …

NOW … YOUR TURN – complete the sentences, then make your own examples (in pairs or teams).

A) I need a holiday, I have to get ________________ the city.

B) She thought the film would be tedious but is was ____________ interesting.

C) Unless you study harder, _______________ you passing the test.

D) People can be very unhealthy due to a _________ vitamins in their diet.

E) He always agrees with his wife _______________________ peace and quiet.

Finally, for extra practice:

i) I don’t phone the UK on my mobile because it’s ___________

Been struck down by a mobile phone bill shock? – Which? Conversation

ii) If my Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, I will ______________________

7 Tips For Dealing With a Conflict at Work, Even In Quarantine

iii) Things that can affect society and how people behave. For example, the original ‘Star Wars’ films were an incredible ____________________

Poll: Are You a Die-Hard Star Wars Fan? | StarWars.com

Answers

1) gist 2) waves 3) electromagnetic radiation 4) struggle 5) a dozen 6) jargon 7) pulse 8 ) eye to eye

A) away from B) actually quite C) there’s no chance of D) lack of E) for the sake of

i) prohibitively expensive ii) lose my mind iii) sociological phenomenon

A piece of cake - APC Languages

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Maintain radio silence.

1st March 2021

The Truth Is Out There - Poster Emporium

Tonight’s class will focus on the town of Green Bank, Virginia (which is a southern state in the USA). Green Bank is a very small town. The population in 2019, according to Wikipedia, was 182 yet it has become famous as the town without Wi-Fi. Wireless internet is banned and mobile phones (cell phones USA) are unable to make or receive calls, nor can they send texts. The reason …

Green Bank Telescope - Wikipedia
the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope

Telescopes can be used for light or for sound. The above picture shows the radio telescope, which is 485ft tall, at Green Bank. It listens out for sounds from space. You may hear electromagnetic radiation in the class video.

Light and sound travel in waves. A star will emit light waves but electromagnetic radiation can also travel by radio waves. Giant telescopes are situated in areas with low light pollution while radio telescopes need to be in areas without Wi-Fi or mobile telephone, which can cause interference. You may have experienced this on an airplane when you are told to switch off phones during take-off and landing.

If you wish to learn more about Green Bank, here’s a link to a lengthy article from the Washingtonian: https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/01/04/the-town-without-wi-fi/

Bilingual No Cell Phone Acrylic White Interior Sign | Etsy

And so to work … as a warm up, get a partner or a small group and ask each other the following questions. Remember to encourage each other to speak in longer sentences and give reasons.

Could you live in a town with no Wi-Fi ?

What would you miss most if you had no phone or Wi-Fi ?

How important is your mobile phone to you … why ?

How often do you use Facebook ? Is it essential or fun ?

Do you think you spend too much time on social media ?

If you are with friends and your phone rings, or you get an alert, do you ignore it or stop talking to your friends ?

How to build sentences: explain your answers … ‘because‘ // such as … //

Tell me your experience: ‘For me, mobiles phones are …’ // ‘I couldn’t live without Wi-Fi because …’ // ‘I rely on …’

New vocabulary: essential // imperative // convenient //

It would be like losing an arm // a vital part of my life // I control my Wi-Fi use, it doesn’t control me // prohibitively expensive // I would lose my mind !

Why a WiFi failure makes you angry?

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Coffee, cooking and cuisine

1st February 2021

ALH 7.4 pp 68 – 69

Juan Ferrer on Twitter: "Iggy Pop and Tom Waits. Coffee and Cigarettes  (2003) Jim Jarmusch.… "
Miles Davis - Cookin' - LP | JazzMessengers
Plan, Shop, Save, & Cook | Pierce County | Washington State University

Welcome to the class – hey, what’s cooking ? (what’s happening ?)

Unfortunately, I’m not 100% today. I have a sore throat so have to reduce the amount of talking … which is good news for you !

Standard English:

I’m not feeling very well // I have a slight cold // I’m not at my best

Idioms:

I’m feeling under the weather // I’m not myself tonight

Vernacular:

I feel like hell // I just want to crawl back into bed

So, to warm up here are some dialogues you can practice. Look up any new words or phrases, then try to use them throughout tonight’s lesson.

Old Compass Cafe Saigon - Vietnamese cuisine, wine, cafe, events

Pat Well, I’m exhausted. I need a damn fine cup of coffee and a big piece of pie.

Sam There’s a Highlands over the road, or we can go to Coffee Bean or Milano.

Pat I’d prefer Tran Nguyen but it costs an arm and a leg. Highlands is also incredibly expensive.

Sam But great quality and superb cakes. Come on, I’m starving, I need coffee now !

Pat OK, hold your horses hahaha. After we can meet up with Thay Paul.

Sam Sounds good. Now … shall we have chocolate cake or fruit cake … ?

Inside the coffee shop

Quán cà phê “trong mơ” của những người Việt trẻ có gì? | Báo Dân trí
Highlands Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee chain

Sam Hi, I’ll have a large cappuccino, please. What do you fancy ?

Pat Tough decision. I’m going for the cheesecake and a slice of blueberry pie.

Sam Oh, me too. Big slice, no, only joking, I have to watch my weight.

Pat I think you look great. Lets also get some chocolate cake and we can share.

Sam Brilliant.

This is an extract from a previous blog, which may be accessed here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/11/adult-speaking-class-level-2-coffee-shop-chat/:

Next week is Tet Holiday

As a guest in Vietnam, I am not sure of Vietnamese culture and customs. Work in teams and make a presentation to the class, explaining Tet holiday in terms of food, how it’s prepared, and who is invited to eat. Are there any strange or unusual traditions associated with Tet ?

Standard English:

Watch this video // Have a look at this short clip

UK London slang:

Have a butcher’s at this clip (butcher’s hook = look)

Vernacular:

Check out this vid

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Future plans

11th January 2021

The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s: Staff List | Billboard

What do you want to do, what would you like to be ?

How would you like to spend your holiday … and with whom ?

Here’s a simple, warm-up exercise to promote sentence building and boost vocabulary.

I want to go to Korea but it is expensive.

Subject + wish + discourse marker (‘but’) + reason

Instead, try these:

I really want to … (present simple)

I have always wanted to … (present perfect + adverb)

I have my heart set on … (fixed expression)

Discourse markers:

having said that …

however …

although

Reasons:

Cost or expense (idiom: it costs an arm and a leg)

No time (work or family commitments)

No means or ability (expressions: I have no ear for music, I have two left feet, you’d never catch me doing that !)

Impossibility ! (I can’t see that ever happening)

Now … Your Turn

Transform these mundane, prosaic, boring sentences into some killer statements !

I want to go to Hanoi but I have to study.

He wants to be a doctor but that is a lot of work.

She wants to marry Keanu Reeves but he lives in the USA.

The Life of Keanu Reeves | Brut.

I want to win a lot of money.

I want to travel around the world.

I want to play guitar like Jimmy Page.

5 times Jimmy Page showed up out of nowhere

I want to speak perfect English.

I want puppies but my apartment has a ‘no pets’ rule.

👑 Follow for more interest pins pinterest : @princessk 👑 | Kash doll, Dog  mommy, Single parenting

I want to be Batman !

Pin on car crash cosplay

Thay Paul wants to dance with the Brown Eyed Girls but …

Brown Eyed Girls Preparing For First Comeback In 4 Years | Soompi
Brown Eyed Girls from Korea … I would love to dance with them, however I can’t ever see that happening 😦

Love and Marriage: The best bits !

28th December 2020

Image result for wedding

A single lesson version of three previous blogs that can be found here:

Lesson 1: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/11/adult-speaking-class-theme-traffic/

Lesson 2: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/12/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-marriage-part-2/

Lesson 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/13/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-and-marriage-part-3/

Single and lovin’ it … really ?

FREE SPEAKING Ask your partner or team members:

What’s the best thing about being in a relationship? 

What’s the best thing about being single? 

What headings would you put these under ?

Life is more fun than being alone. Problems are easier to solve.

We have total, 100% freedom ! Do what we want, when we want.

We have less responsibility.

No lonliness

If you meet someone you like, you can ask them out on a date.

There’s a time to play and a time to settle down and raise a family.

No in-laws !

How do couples meet ?

How did you meet your: wife / husband / boyfriend / girlfriend / partner ? Or was it a blind date ?

Activity: Arrange a blind date for these three men. Which lady is the best choice … and why ?

How do you think the dates will be ? Will they keep meeting, maybe get married … or never see each other again ?

Peter
James
David

PETER. Age 46. Lawyer. Likes cooking, travelling, wine, driving, tennis. Divorced, 2 children. Looking for a quiet lady with no children, to look after the house and him.

JAMES. Age 26. IT worker. Likes music, dancing, going to clubs, beach holidays. Single. Looks for young lady who is loud and fun, likes to party.

DAVID. Age 22. Model. Likes fashion, clothes, cocktail bars, smoking cigars. Looking for a women who is a model so we can look great together. Must be very beautiful and wear expensive clothes.

And now … the ladies:

Jane
Lisa
Emily

JANE. Age 22. Likes fashion, clubbing, kittens, holidays in the sun. Looks for a man with a steady job and ‘down-to-earth’. Non-smoker only.

LISA. 28. Banker. Likes quiet restaurants, badminton, travelling. Looks for a mature man with good income for long term relationship. No boys, please !

EMILY. 20. Likes dancing, fashion, going out with my friends. Movies. Wants a young, cute boy-friend so we can go to parties together. No boring old men, please !

And … if all goes well, there could be wedding bells

Image result for cute asian bridesmaids

FREE SPEAKING: What is a traditional wedding in your country ?

In the UK and many western countries, the bridegroom waits in the church next to the Best Man, who has the rings. The church music starts and the Bride walks down the aisle next to her father, who will ‘give her away.’ Behind the Bride are her Bridesmaids. The Vicar will start the service. At the end, the Bride and Groom kiss.

Vocabulary booster

Match words with meaning

Honeymoon // a secret relationship

Romantic // promise to do something/ be loyal to someone.

Divorce // when people decide they will get married

Affair // after you legally separate

Engaged // a holiday after getting married 

The dress … Which one do you prefer ?

Listening Practice:

5 Weird Things Vietnamese People Do

weird = unusual / strange

Listening practise: Vietnamese culture (0.23 – end) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBAi_b__l_c

Do you agree with the video ? To what extent ?

BONUS: can you spot any English mistakes ?

Vocabulary to show agreement or disagreement:

I agree totally / I agree to an extent / I disagree / I disagree strongly /

She couldn’t be more wrong if she tried !

She makes a good point /

She is spot on / She is way off 

In my experience … /

No, that is certainly not my experience

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: How was your weekend ?

21st December 2020

Lan Kwai Fong: Hong Kong's party district | CNN Travel

My story: I flew, by private jet, to Hong Kong, and had the time of my life, so many parties, so many interesting people, non-stop fun !

Boring Night In. Don't judge me. I usually work very… | by Róisín McLiam |  Medium

The reality, the truth: I went to work in the morning, then was so exhausted, I just sat and watched YouTube videos.

Warm – up: Students ask each other about each other’s weekend. Students must tell two stories, one true, one false. Students have to guess which is true.

Naturally, saying I have a private jet is not very believable so the story has to be feasible.

Examples:

HD wallpaper: food, eating, pizza, dark hair, Asian, women, model |  Wallpaper Flare

On Saturday, after working in the morning, I met my friend Ms My. I had promised her that I would take her to try western food. Therefore, I invited her to eat pizza. It was her first time and she really liked it but wasn’t sure how to eat it – knife and fork or use hands !

On Sunday, I was too lazy to cook and, because my dog needed a walk, I went to a local restaurant and tried some Vietnamese sea food. The prawns were delicious, but the soup was just OK, nothing special. My dog liked everything and was over the Moon (very happy).

Which one is true ? Did I eat pizza with a beautiful young lady OR did I take my dog to eat seafood ?

Vocabulary

How was your weekend ?

Did you do anything special last weekend ?

What did you get up to over the weekend ?

Thanks for asking, I …

Well, I had a great time. First I …

Oh, nothing special, I just …

Today’s lesson is about people exaggerating about their weekends, in order to seem more interesting. So, a talking activity:

What would you do ?

Your young niece plays piano. It is terrible !

3,127 Kid Playing Piano Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from  Dreamstime

Do you …

a) Say that was really good, well done

b) Say hmmm, that is very hard to play, you just need to practice.

c) Say troi oi (omg, oi vey !) that was awful – stop, stop, STOP !

Why did you say that ?

Your partner makes dinner for you. It is terrible ! (partner can mean husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend).

Woman Surprised, Man Cooked Dinner for Woman at Home by vla9 | VideoHive

a) Say, “That was delicious, darling,” and eat it all.

b) Say, “It looks wonderful, but I’ve already eaten. I’ll have it later,” then throw it out.

c) Say, “This tastes like dog food ! Never, ever cook again. Order me pizza !”

Your friend or girlfriend comes to your house to visit and meet your parents. Your parents are traditional and old-fashioned.

streetfashiontrends | Kawaii fashion, Harajuku fashion, Japanese street  fashion

a) Say that your house is being decorated, so you have to meet in town.

b) Say that you want to meet her parents and will visit her instead.

c) Say, “No way ! My parents will scream ! Put some normal clothes on and wear a hat.”

New vocabulary

Do you know these words?

survey // impress // in fact // psychologist // paperwork // illusion

actually, really // something that looks real but is false //

to show someone that you are very good at something // a report about what people think // writing forms or reports //

// a person who studies how people behave and why.

Most Beautiful South Indian Actresses In Sarees || Tollywood Actress -  YouTube

You made those saris yourself ? I’m so ________________

Free Photo | Young african couple doing paperwork together, sitting at  kitchen table with lots of papers

We spent our weekend doing ________________

San Antonio Activist's Petition Asks the Tobin Center to Cancel Jordan  Peterson Lecture | The Daily

Dr Jordan Peterson is a world-famous ____________

File:A community health worker conducting a survey in the Korail slum,  Bangladesh (8630810827).jpg - Wikimedia Commons

This health worker is conducting a _____________ to get information.

Magician Dynamo adds an extra Birmingham date to his first live tour -  Birmingham Live

The magician Dynamo, who is from the UK, is walking on the River Thames … but it is just an _________________.

Shopping: Vocabulary, speaking exercises, fixed prices & fixed expressions

14th December 2020

A compilation of Shopping blogs, for all levels

Vocabulary:

range of choice / quality / cost / location / crowded

store layout (what does it look like ? Is it easy to find things ?)

staff helpfulness / average (normal), put themselves out (very helpful) surly (unhappy)

value for money (good quality at a good price)/ on offer / sale /over-priced / bargains

Vocabulary for malls:

lift / elevator/ display /salesperson / free parking /restroom / lost property /receipt

credit cards / take away / fitting room / returns policy / shoplifting /Black Friday

Speaking practice:

When was the last time you went to a mall ?

Why did you go ? What did you buy ?

Did you buy more than you intended ?

Was it a pleasant experience ?

Which do you like and would you recommend them to a friend … why ?

Where would you go to buy these shirts or T-shirts ?

How much would you expect to pay ?

Can you haggle (argue over the price ?) or are they fixed price ? How would you rate the quality ?


What was the last thing you bought ? Was it for yourself, or a present ?

Don’t you love a bargain ? When is the best time to buy at discounted prices ?

In the UK, after Christmas we have the sales – many items are MUCH cheaper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSKrVh-3U3E

Black Fridayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPVAUulKZE

What do you think about these scenes ?

Are they dignified / horrific / shameful / appalling / materialism gone mad ?

Dialogue:

Ben Did you pick up anything on Black Friday

James Yeah, one or two things. I got a cool new shirt and shoes, half price.

Ben Sounds a bargain ! I was after a big screen TV but the store was crowded

James Tell me about it ! It was crazy. Apparently, it was the busiest day ever.

Ben I’m not surprised. That’s why I detest shopping; no where to park …

James People screaming and pushing, can’t even get in the lift …

Ben When you do find something, you have to queue for ages.

James I wanted to pay by credit card but the salesperson was really surly.

Ben Must have been rushed off her feet (very busy).

James She could have been more pleasant. Could have smiled once !

Ben What did she look like ?

James You decide … I tried out my new phone camera:

angry woman blowing steam coming out of ears | Canadian Contractor

Deciding what to buy

You are on a shopping trip to the USA

Which of these items would you buy ? Which appeal to you ? Which hold no interest ?

Vocabulary

That looks wonderful // I need to try it (them) on first // That’s good quality

No, that’s a rip off (too expensive) // That’s not my style // That really suits me

You must be joking ! // Brilliant ! // Wrap it up ! // Do you take credit cards ?

$75
$200
$145
$ 8,435
$47
$2,800
$9.95
$91.99
$25

Coffee in Sai Gon

7th December 2020

Describe these pictures, using adjectives and your opinions.

Highlands Coffee has great coffee, air-con and free wifi. Having said that, the service is a little slow, there are no waiters and the cost is unbelievably expensive !

Vietnam is famous for coffee; coffee shops are ubiquitous. In fact, there are so many, it’s hard to see (difficult to understand) how they stay in business let alone turn a profit.

Be that as it may, let’s use this as a learning opportunity. To practice making longer sentences, and as a warm up exercise, the students can ask each other, “Where do you go for coffee ?”

Tips:

Don’t answer the question directly and immediately; Begin with a short introduction:

Sai Gon has so many coffee shops, some are cheap while others can be quite expensive although they have a wide range of delicious coffee. Personally, I like going to …

Then

Explain:

  1. How MUCH do you like it (adverbs) ?
  2. What kind of coffee (adjectives) ?
  3. What do you think about this ? (opinions)
  4. WHY do you like it (give reasons)
  5. Interesting words, phrases, idioms

Personally, I like Tap Coffee which is an independent shop where I live. I enjoy going there so much because the owner is very friendly and tries to speak English with me. There isn’t a lot of choice, so I order cappuccino with hot, fresh milk. In my opinion, it is good value and tastes delicious. What I like about the shop is the free wifi, the comfortable chairs and the atmosphere. Furthermore, it is usually very quiet and it therefore a good place to read. I love to put my feet up, kick back and sip my damn fine coffee.

Before the exercise, elicit and board as many relevant words and phrases as required. The students have a discourse marker list, so I could insist that they use certain words (moreover, therefore, consequently etc). Additionally, I’ll need to explain vernacular phrases such as ‘kick back’ and ‘put my feet up’.

IF a student doesn’t like coffee, then they can say where they go and what they drink. IF they don’t go anywhere or like anything (yes, I have had that in a class), then they can explain WHY NOT!

Key vocabulary: ambience // aroma //atmosphere

Grammar Note:

In a list of three, use one comma and a linking word (and):

The service is a little slow, there are no waiters and the cost is unbelievably expensive !

In a list of two, just use a linking word (and): 

Mega Mart has amazing choice and is good value for money.

How to make Vietnamese coffee

Tell me: what do I need ? What type of coffee is best ? Where can I buy it ?

New verbs: pour / stir / fill up / 

Make a long, fluent presentation.

Signpost expressions: used to help tell a story or a narrative. They allow the listener to help organise the information.

Useful words or expressions:

Firstly / afterwards / and then / following that /

don’t forget to … / you can always ….

lastly / finally / at the very end …

In your experience, what coffee is best ? Trang Nguyen, Highlands or Milano ? Maybe street coffee ?

Speaking practice:

Old Compass Cafe Saigon - Vietnamese cuisine, wine, cafe, events

Pat Well, I’m exhausted. I need a damn fine cup of coffee and a big piece of pie.

Sam There’s a Highlands over the road, or we can go to Coffee Bean or Milano.

Pat I’d prefer Tran Nguyen but it costs an arm and a leg. Highlands is also incredibly expensive.

Sam But great quality and superb cakes. Come on, I’m starving, I need coffee now !

Pat OK, hold your horses hahaha. After we can meet up with Thay Paul.

Sam Sounds good. Now … shall we have chocolate cake or fruit cake … ?

costs an arm and a leg = very expensive

hold your horses = please be patient and wait

Inside Highlands Coffee Shop

Quán cà phê “trong mơ” của những người Việt trẻ có gì? | Báo Dân trí
Highlands Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee chain

Sam Hi, I’ll have a large cappuccino, please. What do you fancy ?

Pat Tough decision. I’m going for the cheesecake and a slice of blueberry pie.

Sam Oh, me too. Big slice, no, only joking, I have to watch my weight.

Pat I think you look great. Lets also get some chocolate cake and we can share.

Sam Brilliant. Oh, did I show you my recent photos ? Here, on my phone.

Pat Let me see … oh, so funny. Who’s that ? The man next to Niall ?

Sam That’s Jimmy, he’s in Niall’s band. He plays drums and drinks like a fish !

Pat And that’s you, a selfie. You look adorable. Butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth !

VietnamCupid on Twitter: "Selfie tip of the week: Know your angles… "
A very sweet young lady – butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth

drinks like a fish = drinks a lot of alcohol

Butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth ! = looks very sweet and nice … but can be very naughty