IELTS: Talking Pictures. Describe a favourite film

16th March 2022

Zhang Zihi in the visually stunning film ‘Hero’

Exquisite cinematography in ‘Raise The Red Lantern’ with Gong Li

A typical IELTS question

Talk about a film you like. Why do you like it, and what is the story ?

The film I would choose is ‘Lost In Translation‘ starring Scarlett Johannsson

STRUCTURE:

Short introduction – do not answer the question immediately

Organised structure – one point per paragraph

A change of attitude – a critical view

Short conclusion

LOOK OUR FOR

Low-frequency words

Complex sentences – combining two or more bits of information in the same sentence.

Discourse markers – words to link ideas together

Adverbs and less common adjectives

So, without further ado, the question:

Talk about a film you like. Why do you like it, and what is the story ?

INTRODUCTION – talk about cinema or films in general DON’T immediately talk about your favourite film.

Watching films and going to the cinema is one of my passions, so choosing just one film is going to be terribly difficult, not to say impossible. However, if I have to select one film, it would be ‘Lost in Translation’, with Scarlett Johannsson.

First paragraph. Information about the film and the main characters.

The film, directed by Sophia Coppola, daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, was made in 2003, and takes place in Tokyo. A young newly-married girl, named Charlotte, is alone in her hotel because her husband is constantly out working. Staying at the same hotel is a middle-aged, world-weary American actor, Bob Harris, in Japan to make a commercial for Japanese whiskey.

Second paragraph. The plot: what happens and why.

Both characters appear to be suffering from culture shock and seem afraid to leave the security of the hotel. For example, despite seeming to be impressed by all the neon and energy of the city, Bob spends his night in the hotel bar with other tourists, while Charlotte reads and listens to music in her room.

Third paragraph. Develop the plot.

They meet in the hotel where, age difference notwithstanding, they seem to get on extremely well, extremely quickly. Furthermore, they give each other energy and courage to venture outside. We learn that Bob is less than happy in his current life, while it becomes apparent that Charlotte is doubting her own marriage. At one point it look like they will get together, hook up. However, Bob decides to go back to the USA leaving Charlotte, but not before they share an embrace on the street in which Bob whispers something in her ear. We, that is the audience, do not get to hear what he said; we have to speculate.

Fourth paragraph: Something negative for balance.

Some people could be irritated that the final words are a mystery, other could be somewhat disappointed by this love story that never happens. This negativity is like a black cloud on an otherwise bright, sunny day. The film is quite melancholic as we are left to wonder what might have been.

Conclusion: A short summary.

‘Lost in Translation’ is described as a romantic-comedy-drama. The characters are totally believable and likeable, while, technically, the cinematography is stunning. Furthermore, in my view, it is a charming, heart-warming, and life-affirming albeit bitter-sweet movie.

*An iconic shot from the opening of the film*

NOW … YOUR TURN

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION !

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Ukrainian Artists #6: Gregory Skovoroda

14th March 2022

A poet, teacher and composer, Gregory Skovoroda is most famous in the field of philosophy, even earning the sobriquet of the ‘Ukrainian Socrates’.

Skovoroda was born on 3rd December 1772. His musical talents were discovered early in life, and he joined the imperial choir performing in Moscow, St Petersburg and in the Hungarian Empire. The love of travelling never left, and he spend the last part of his life walking around Ukraine, rarely staying in one place too long. Skovoroda adopted a simple, hermit-like existence, writing and studying.

A good video introduction may be found on YouTube. Skovoroda’s writings are described as “simple and straightforward.”

Themes of moralising, the inner struggle between good and evil permeate his metaphysical philosophy.

A piece of music attributed to Skovoroda may be accessed here:

Skovoroda died on 9th November 1794. In 2006, his image was placed on a Ukrainian bank note.

Ukrainian Artists #4: Alexander Dovzhenko

6th March 2022

Alexander Dovzhenko is, along with Sergie Eisenstein, Dziga Vertov & Vsevolod Pudovkin, one of the great silent filmmakers from the Soviet era.

Dovzhenko was born in Ukraine on 10th September 1894, and began his cinema career in 1926. He is most famous for his ‘Ukraine Trilogy‘, the final part of which, ‘Earth‘, is regarded as one of the greatest silent films ever made.

Dovzhenko’s films are characterised by elements of avant garde, camera tricks, slow motion and unsettling framing, most notably in the incredible cinematography of ‘Arsenal‘. “Sequences of invigorating speed and motion are contrasted with images of deathly stillness.” (BFI.org.uk)

Further information may be found on:

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2018/great-directors/dovzhenko-alexander/

http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CD%5CO%5CDovzhenkoOleksander.htm

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6ee4d030

Ukrainian Artists #2 Tania D’Avignon

4th March 2022

Born in Lviv, Tania D’Avignon emigrated with her parents to the USA in 1949. She has worked on several National geographic projects, and her art has been reproduced in books in Europe, Ukraine and the States. Tania has exhibited in many USA and Canadian cities, as well as Ukraine and Poland.

You will find more of her work on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FOTOGRAFINIA/photos

Here are a few examples:

Ukrainian Artists #1: Ivan Marchuk

3rd March 2022

Marchuk was born on May 12th 1936 in Moskalivka, Ukraine. The Daily Telegraph (UK) listed him as one of the 100 geniuses of today.

Marchuk graduated from Lviv Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts in 1965, and his work was exhibited in Moscow, Kiev and other Soviet cities but it wasn’t until 1990 that he was officially recognised by the Soviet artistic establishment. His work has now been displayed in New York, Toronto, Detroit, Philadelphia, Massachusetts and Sydney, Australia. The Boston Herald wrote that Marchuk’s paintings “Expressed the desire for independence, the pain and anger, the pride and hope of [his] people.”

Source: Hogan, E (editor), ‘From Three Worlds’, New Ukrainian Writing, 1996, GLAS Publishing

For me, art – is life and revelation. There is no alternative. Simultaniously, art – is a hard labor. I work 365 days a year, and without it I can not exist. This is destiny, karma, judgment, doom.

Ivan Marchuk

IELTS: Discourse Markers

18th February 2022

By using discourse markers, students will be able to link their ideas together as well as increasing their fluency. Consequently speaking for two minutes without pauses or hesitation will be a piece of cake.

There is a great list on another blog: https://aliciateacher2.wordpress.com/grammar/discourse-markers/

I recommend students learn at least two from each section

Using discourse markers: I give teams two words which they have to incorporate into a short passage.

EXAMPLE: ‘therefore‘ and ‘subsequently‘

The class had an extremely important speaking test, therefore they should have studied hard. One student preferred to play video games all night. Subsequently, he failed the exam and his mother, who is a real tiger mum, was absolutely furious.

having said that & furthermore

moreover & consequently

initially & eventually

likewise & specifically

meanwhile & notwithstanding

on the whole & instead

Using discourse markers to tell a story

An exercise where students have to relate a story based on several photos may be found on this previous blog: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/06/ielts-4-5-speaking-class/

IELTS: Relatives, relatively speaking

17th February 2022

One perennial IELTS speaking topic, an old chestnut in fact, is family. You will, no doubt, encounter such questions as, “Who do you live with ?” or “Which member of your family do you feel closest to and why.”

So, continuing on from the pervious posting, here are some exercises designed to increase your speaking prowess, and boost your score.

To kick off, a recap of expressions:

a heart of gold // firm but fair // as good as gold

life and soul of the party // a little angel // is a good sport

he looks out for me // he has my back //

never has a bad word to say about anybody

On the other hand

a real tiger mum // is a bit of a wallflower

is a little devil // drinks like a fish

is a real prima donna // is very touchy

Exercise 1

Tell me about your mother, using a subordinate clause and at least one of the above expressions.

Asian Mother Pictures | Download Free Images on Unsplash — Image from unsplash.com

EXAMPLE:

My mother, who works as a medical secretary, has a heart of gold.

Exercise 2

Tell me about your father, brother, sister, grandmother and uncle. Make sure you use a subordinate clause for each person. Endeavour (try) to make longer, jaw-dropping sentences.

Safe Houses – South Africa – Emmanuel Relief & Rehabilitation International of Canada — Image from eicanada.org

Now, let’s kick it up a notch. Add at least one of the personality adjectives from below:

Personality adjectives:

aggressive / arrogant / calm / domineering /extrovert / fastidious / generous / honest / humorous / kind / mean / modest / outgoing / polite / quiet / reliable / rude / selfish / serious / thoughtless / trustworthy / unreliable

First, decide if these adjectives are positive or negative, then match with the expressions accordingly.

EXAMPLE:

My mother, who is very fastidious, is a bit of a tiger mum. By that I mean she always wants me to pass every test with flying colours. However, I know, deep down, she wants what’s best for me, and that she has a heart of gold.

Exercise 3

Tell me about your family. You have to speak for two minutes, and tell me what the members look like, their personality, their occupation, and an anecdote about them.

EXAMPLE:

My uncle Michael, who lives in Ha Noi where he works as a tour guide, is the life and soul of the party. He is so outgoing and a real extrovert. I recall one time he came to Sai Gon for Tet Holiday and he really enjoyed himself. To be honest, he drank like a fish, singing karaoke and dancing with everybody. My uncle, who is my mother’s brother, actually looks nothing like her as he is very tall and thin, and has a receding hairline.

Mens Receding Hairline Hair Cuts - Stylist225.com of Baton Rouge : Salon Hair Stylist — A receding hairline. Image from stylist225.com

IELTS: Relatively speaking

16th February 2022

A collection of exercises to prepare students, who need practice, for IELTS speaking which tests the use of grammatical range and accuracy.

The aim is to get students forming complex sentences naturally in order to pass with flying colours.

So, without further ado, let’s go to London which is my hometown as well as being the capital of the UK.

Exercise 1 A day in London. The aim is to introduce aspects of London in the form of complex sentences, using

who where which whose

EXAMPLE

Please allow me to introduce you to London, where I was born, so you can experience first hand what it is like to live in this incredible historic city.

Firstly, we can visit the British Museum, which is a must-see sight, as it contains some of the world’s most amazing treasures such as a giant stone figure from Easter Island, Egyptian mummies and the unique Rosetta Stone.

The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum, London

Secondly, I would be pleased to introduce you to the buskers and street performers at Covent Garden. These artists, who work for tips, really lend the area a bustling, friendly atmosphere. In my opinion this area, which is close to many sights, is not to be missed although prices can be sky-high.

Things to do in Covent Garden: The best restaurants, bars, pubs and more | London Evening Standard | Evening Standard

No trip to London would be complete without sampling fish and chips which, along with shepherd’s pie and the Sunday roast, is traditional British food.

We have a variety of ways to get around. The famous black London taxis are ubiquitous in central London however, they cost an arm and a leg. Most Londoners use the Tube, which is the subway system, as it connects most areas of the city. Having said that, avoid using at rush hour, because it will be chockablock.

In the example I mentioned one famous sight, some people, some food and how to get around.

Now … your turn

Work in small groups and plan a day for me in your hometown. Assign one paragraph to each student so that everybody prepares work and speaks.

Remember, the aim of the exercise is for you to use relative pronouns.

The formula

An introduction

First paragraph a famous sight

Second paragraph about some people

Third paragraph about local food

Finally, how to get around.

The Tube is chockablock during rush hour

IELTS: Let’s get complex

7th February 2022

KEEP CALM BACK TO LIFE BACK TO REALITY Poster | | Keep Calm-o-Matic

Indeed, this week the language schools reopen in Sai Gon after an incredibly long break due to the COVID pandemic.

Furthermore, Tet Holiday has just finished so time to put your noses to the grindstone and get back to work.

Thus, some warm up games to practise using complex sentences.

Asian Community Fund — Photo from tbf.org

First up, tell me about a member of your family using a relative pronoun for a subordinate clause. This means, in a nutshell, adding extra information about a subject.

EXAMPLE:

My uncle lives in Singapore.

My uncle, who is a doctor, lives in Singapore.

My uncle, who is a doctor and works at a private clinic which is extremely expensive, lives in Singapore.

My uncle, who lives in Singapore, is a doctor and works at a private clinic which is extremely expensive.

If you want to pass IELTS with flying colours, and why wouldn’t you, forming complex sentences is imperative. After all, if you don’t employ such sentences, you will not get high marks for grammatical range and accuracy.

So what are you waiting for ? I give you two minutes … Go !

Vocabulary Bank

Premium Photo | Close-up of handsome drunk guy in suit — My cousin is always the life and soul of a party. However, he drinks like a fish ! freepic.com

Expressions to help you give more colour and complexity to your answers:

Positive

a heart of gold (My mother has a heart of gold)

firm but fair

life and soul of the party

a little angel / is as good as gold

he looks out for me / he has my back

never has a bad word to say about anybody

is a good sport

Negative

a real tiger mum

won’t listen to reason

is a bit of a wallflower

is a little devil / looks like butter wouldn’t melt in (his or her) mouth

drinks like a fish

is a real prima donna

is very touchy, can’t take a joke

1,359 Angry Mexican Woman Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock — My aunt, who lives in Mexico, is very touchy. She can’t take a joke.

For Top Cats: look at these pictures and give me astounding, jaw-droppingly brilliant complex sentences. Because I have a heart of gold, allow me to offer an example.

Scootering classics: The Deep Six - Scootering Magazine — The Deep Six featuring my mate Pete, who is wearing a check shirt and glasses, on bass.

My close friend Pete, who lives in Birmingham which is the second biggest city in the UK, plays bass guitar in a band called The Deep Six. Pete, who is a good sport, never has a bad word to say about anyone, in fact he always looks out for me when I go to visit him because my London accent makes me stand out. However, and I’m sure he won’t mind me spilling the beans, he enjoys a beer or two. To be honest, he drinks like a fish although he can still play which I find truly amazing. Cheers, Pete, keep on rocking.

Piece of cake, yeah ? OK, impress me. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination … GO !

Free Photo | Surprised middle-aged man wearing green t-shirt showing peace gesture isolated on olive green wall — freepik.com

Free Photo | Portrait of young asian lady smiling with cheerful expression, shows something amazing at blank space in casual clothing and looking at camera isolated over blue background. facial expression concept. — freepik.com

GrabBike Việt Nam: Giám đốc sáng lập Grab Việt Nam Nguyễn Tuấn Anh trải lòng về cơ duyên với Grab | VietnamFinance — vietfinance.vn

Reading in Personal and Professional Life | Medline Blog — medline.eu

Premium Photo | Arab man is drinking coffee in a cafe. — freepik.com

Young Learners: Kids’ Guide to … listening and comprehension exercises

5th February 2022

A chance for younger students to watch short videos in order to practise their listening skills. After the clips, the teacher can ask basic comprehension questions.

Top Five Activities for Children in HCMC

What was the name of the first activity ?

What is special about the pictures ?

Where is the museum ?

How high is the climbing wall ?

How much does it cost ?

What can you hear at a water puppet show ?

On what day is the Water Park closed ?

How old was the youngest child on the bike tour ?

What would you like to do, and why ?

Is there any place you would not like to visit ? Tell me why.

Answers

Artinus 2. The pictures are 3-D 3. District 7 4. 20 metres 5. About $6 6. Singing (in Vietnamese) and traditional music. 7. Tuesdays 8. 2-years old.

Now to my home town: what can kids do in London ?

First, board some new words and expressions. The kids can shout out when they hear them spoken.

loads and loads / I reckon / really / very / amazing

What are the names of the kids from the UK ?

What can you see at the Natural History Museum ?

Where does the Queen live ?

What can people do on the South Bank ?

How many people can ride in the London Eye ?

What was the girl’s favourite waxwork ?

How much are the Crown Jewels worth ?

What is the name of the bus that can drive into the river ?

What films were made at Warner Brothers Studio ?

How can people travel around London ?

What is the most exciting thing for YOU in London ? Choose 3 things to want to do or see in London.

Answers

Robert, Jess, Lara & Olive 2. dinosaurs 3. Buckingham Palace 4. See buskers, shows and markets 5. 800 6. Hulk 7. 23 billion GBP 8. Duck Tours 9. Harry Potter 10. The Tube (subway) walk, bud, taxi, bicycle