Hello from London

Hi All
I hope you are getting on well with your new teacher - only a week and a half to go before you have finished - so congratulations!!
London is cold and noisy and busy and i miss doha and all of you! I don't like being a student - ha ha!
Well, i will let you know how things are going in a few days!
Take care
Jemma

Relative Clauses

Hi all
Quite a few of you were absent today. We were looking at relative clauses. Here are some exercises, should you get the time to look at them...

http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/relative1q.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentType=text/html;quiz=1318_relative_clause

http://www.languageproject.co.uk/free_exercises/exercise_page.php?ID=73

http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/unit65_grammar.htm

Enjoy!!!

Jemma

Mahmoud

MAHMOUD, The Hero Of DOHA 2008

verb flashcards

in this link you will fined online irregular verb flashcards help English learners memorize the most important irregular verbs in English

http://www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregular_verb_flashcards.html

why are you overwieght?

hi all please check this link it's helpfull for people which they need to loss some wieght



http://www4.fatloss4idiots.com/1280index2.html?hop=roeib

Reading Exercises

hey everyone

well done for a great class today. For those of you who were absent we have been discussing different cultures and how to be polite (or not).

Ok - so remember you have a reading test on Tuesday. Here are some websites to look at, but remember the topic is not fixed so don't worry about vocabulary, just try to understand the idea of the sentence, rather than word for word!

so this one is just for newspapers or magazines in english (from all over the world) - no exercises but interesting to read.

http://www.englishpage.com/readingroom/readingroomintro.html

as usual exercises can be found on the learn english website. I believe you can also listen to these as well as read

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-stories-archive.htm

I am sure you can also find some things on go4english but at the time of writing, it wasn't working and i have noticed it has been offline a lot recently.

Any questions, please let me know

Happy studying and don't worry - my tests are never hard!

Jemma

Australian Social Customs

This term means the common or usual way Australian behave in their day-to-day life. As a tolerant society with people from many cultures, each person is encouraged to maintain and share their cultural beliefs and practices. At the same time, we respect the right of others to do the same.
Being aware of some common customs helps you to adapt to life in the community.

How do we greet people in Australia?

When meeting someone for the first time, it is usual to shake the person's right hand with your right hand. People who do not know each other generally do not kiss or hug when meeting. When you first meet someone, it is polite not to talk about personal matters.
Many Australians look at the eyes of the people they are talking with. They consider this a sign of respect, and an indication that they are listening. Do not stare at the person for a long time.
You can address a new acquaintance using their title and family name. You may use their first name when they ask you to or use it in the introduction. In the workplace and among friends, most Australians tend to be informal and call each other by their first names.



What is considered polite behaviour in Australia?

'Please' and 'thank you' are words that are very helpful when dealing with other people, and buying goods or services. When asked if you would like something, like a cup of tea, it is polite to say, 'Yes please', or just 'please' if you would like it, or 'no, thank you' if you do not. When you receive something, it is polite to thank the person by saying 'thank you'. Australians tend to think that people who do not say 'please' or 'thank you' are being rude. Using these words will help in building a good relationship.
Sometimes a sensitive issue may come up in conversation. Not to talk may seem rude. It is more polite to say 'sorry, it is too hard to explain' than to ignore a question.
Australians often say, 'Excuse me' to get a person's attention and 'sorry' if we bump into them. We also say, 'Excuse me' or 'pardon me' if we burp or belch in public or a person's home.
You should always try to be on time for meetings and other visits. If you realise you are going to be late, try to contact the person to let them know. This is very important for visits to professionals as you may be charged money for being late or if you miss the appointment without letting them know before. Most Australians blow their noses into a handkerchiefs or tissues, not onto the footpath. This is also true for spitting. Many people will also say, 'Bless you' when you sneeze. This phrase has no religious intent.



What is some common Australian word usage?

BYO : when an invitation to a party says 'BYO', this means 'bring your own' drink. If you do not drink alcohol, it is acceptable to bring juice, soft drink or soda, or water. Some restaurants are BYO. You can bring your own wine to these, although there is usually a charge for providing and cleaning glasses called 'corkage'.

Arvo : This is short for afternoon. 'Drop by this arvo,' means please come and visit this afternoon.

Fortnight : This term describes a two weeks period.

Snag : The raw type sausages usually cooked at a BBQ. They can be made of pork, beef or chicken.

Chook : The term chook means a chicken, usually a hen.

Cuppa : a cup of tea or coffee 'Drop by this arvo for a cuppa' means please come and visit this afternoon for a cup of tea or coffee.

Loo or dunny : These are slang terms for toilet. If you are a guest in someone's house for the first time, it is usually polite to ask permission to use his or her toilet. 'May I use your toilet please?' Some people ask, 'Where's the loo?'

Fair dinkum : honest, the truth. 'Fair dinkum?' when used as a question means, 'is it really true?'

To be crook : to be sick or ill.

Flat out : busy.

Shout : to buy someone a drink. At a bar or a pub when a group of friends meet, it is usual for each person to 'shout a round', meaning buy everybody a drink. Each person takes a turn at buying a 'round'. It is also acceptable to say that you do not drink (alcohol) by saying that you are a 'teetotaller'. This also means you are not obliged to shout.

Bloke : a man. Sometimes if you ask for help, you may get an answer to 'see that bloke over there'.

How ya goin ? : 'How are you going?' means how are you, or how do you do? It does not mean what form of transport are you taking. Sometimes it can sound like 'ow-ya-goin-mate'.