For-and-against essay

Will we find a way to make Spain a socially fairer, more environmentally sustainable country in the aftermath of this pandemic?

C1.2 Week 5

Textbook.
Pages 88, 89 (minus 5A, 5B and 6B) and 90.

Blog.
1. Watch the clips below and choose one.
2.  Jot down vocab you may want to use when retelling one of these anecdotes.
3. Email me your 250-word first person retelling before Tuesday, 27 of April.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu-DHRYM0Js
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWwDeqorbH0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkcVEQDStPM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-GyolJZcAo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioSI3KsE2_k

1.Are we better off or worse off than we were in 2008?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiNqB-Yqpz8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQvig0KvUaE

2. Is the Italian debt likely end up jeopardizing the future of the EU? 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hYt9T218k2Q

3. Google knows what you're looking for. Facebook knows what you like. Sharing is the norm, and secrecy is out. Are we doomed to witness the end of privacy?

4. Data from the World Resources Institute (WRI)suggests that global population will increase by 34% by 2050 - an extra 2.3 billion people. To consider that the entire global population was 2.5 billion in 1950 gives an idea of the challenges which lie ahead.  Should international regulations be put in place?  Should sterilization be incentivized,  one-child policies implemented?

5. AI will lead to a technological singularity, a point when machine intelligence will overpower human intelligence. Some think this is the end of the world; others see more positive possibilities. While arguing that the virtually unregulated development of machine learning and AI pose a very serious risk to the survival of the human species, Nick Bostrom concedes that  superintelligence could also help us solve issues such as disease, poverty, and environmental destruction, and could help us to “enhance" ourselves. Does AI pose a real threat to human existence or should we be mostly  optimistic about it? 

6. What are the main drawbacks and upsides of virtual reality?

How to write reports

Step-by-step video explanations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h53hZPKvHI4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KQTTHxFr6E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2zTjN7AQ24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2dyZx68K7k

far beyond masta scribbla status

Here's the kind of blog you needed. It´s packed full with specific information about C1 writing tests at EOI and  links to ESL webpages which provide juicy tips, exercises, real C1 feedback, sample tests- you name it... All of that to get you up to speed on the different writing formats you are expected to be familiar with. That new year's resolution whereby you'd be becoming a proficient English writer will now seem feasible rather than that ever retreating dream of old.


http://writingeoi.blogspot.com.es/p/c1.html


The following links are from the aforementioned blog:

https://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/writing/makeover/archive.htm

https://www.caeexamtips.com/blog/how-to-write-a-cae-proposal

https://www.caeexamtips.com/blog/2016/2/19/improving-a-cae-essay

We were discussing dictionaries in our last session. Here s a free dictionary of collocations:
http://www.ozdic.com/collocation-dictionary/road

And a couple of excellent monolingual dictionaries with rather juicy extra features:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/you-can-bet-your-life?fallbackFrom=british-grammar&q=Bottom+dollar

https://www.merriam-webster.com/news-trend-watch/franks-resigns-amid-surrogacy-scandal-20171208

Tips on how to write blog posts, reviews and comments.

http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/02/09/how-to-write-a-blog-post
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt7fwAhXDy3oNFTAzF2o8Pw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmXXz65auIo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDVSw54VU1A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyW01TOyEKI

rEviewS reViews Reviews

film
https://www.youtube.com/show/criticspicks
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/the-current-cinema

fiction&non-fiction
http://www.economist.com/topics/book-reviews
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/reviews/
http://www.newyorker.com/books

music
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums
http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews

exhibits
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/best-art-exhibitions-on-now/

In-depth articles on a variety of topics. Audio and text versions!

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/may/11/teaching

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/sep/28/podcast-audio-longread-why-isis-fight-audio

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/aug/21/john-horton-conway-mathematics

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/sep/21/china-xi-jinping

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/sep/11/podcast-guardian-long-read-the-selling-of-the-krays

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/oct/19/marxism

http://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2015/oct/30/pubs-housing

Vocab mushrooming!

collocations
http://oxforddictionary.so8848.com/search1?word=service

specific vocab
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/elections/absentee-ballot
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/committing_crime
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/diet

Loads of sample letters and templates.
http://www.writeexpress.com/complaint.htm
http://www.writeexpress.com

The missive in English...

Dear Manuel,

Having not heard whether the vendors were in agreeance regarding the sale at 12:30 on the 17^th of this month, I contacted Javier who sent me the below emails and texts. I must admit to being at a loss as to why it has taken so long to be able to arrange this, and I still do not have a clear confirmation. Of course, I will not be ordering the transfer of the funds from Australia until the attendance of the vendors has been assured. Consequently, there will now be further unavoidable delays.

I have informed Javier on numerous occasions that I need sufficient prior notice to make the transfer and I am now not confident that I can pledge that I will have the funds in time for the 17^th. As I write there is only one bank trading day left before this week is over in Australia and with the next two days being the weekend, the chances of the transfer clearing to Spain and me being able to organize a bank cheque by Tuesday to bring on Wednesday are now as good as zero, even if I was to have a confirmation today, and there were to be no complications with the transfer.

As I do not know how long the process to complete the sale will take, I cannot guess if there is a possibility of completing the sale (and associated payments of taxes, connecting the water etc.) with sufficient time prior to my leaving for London (as I detailed previously) - without there being issues hanging over until my return in January. I would be pleased to know if you can say that these things can be done. If not, I believe we will need to put off the sale until January.

On another note, I have to say that I have become increasingly exasperated with Javier’s communications (when they exist) and was wondering if you could advise me whether I could simply put myself in contact directly with Antonio ? I have only a verbal agreement with Javier that he is acting as in intermediary between myself and Antonio on Antonio’s behalf. On this point I also hope that I can ask your advice; have you dealt with Antonio before and know him to be a reputable lawyer? I ask this as his written Spanish in his communication with Javier is strange, and hardly confidence inspiring.

On a final point, I would also like to ask, is it usual that the purchaser of a property pays the abogado of the vendors? This is what Javier is asking me to do (2% of the total purchase price). I would have thought that the vendors would pay Antonio for his services, would that be correct? As I have not signed anything to such an end, I am wondering if I am obliged to pay it?

I very much look forward to hearing from you soon, and that you may include your charges, and a copy of the escritura (which is now extremely urgent) so that I may have good time to check these prior to needing to make the transfer from Australia.

Kind regards

Let us have a go at translating a few paragraphs!

Dear Manuel,

Having not heard whether the vendors were in agreeance regarding the sale at 12:30 on the 17^th of this month, I contacted Javier who sent me the below emails and texts. I must admit to being at a loss as to why it has taken so long to be able to arrange this, and I still do not have a clear confirmation. Of course, I will not be ordering the transfer of the funds from Australia until the attendance of the vendors has been assured. Consequently, there will now be further unavoidable delays.

I have informed Javier on numerous occasions that I need sufficient prior notice to make the transfer and I am now not confident that I can pledge that I will have the funds in time for the 17^th. As I write there is only one bank trading day left before this week is over in Australia and with the next two days being the weekend, the chances of the transfer clearing to Spain and me being able to organize a bank cheque by Tuesday to bring on Wednesday are now as good as zero, even if I was to have a confirmation today, and there were to be no complications with the transfer.

As I do not know how long the process to complete the sale will take, I cannot guess if there is a possibility of completing the sale (and associated payments of taxes, connecting the water etc.) with sufficient time prior to my leaving for London (as I detailed previously) - without there being issues hanging over until my return in January. I would be pleased to know if you can say that these things can be done. If not, I believe we will need to put off the sale until January.

Por otra parte, he de decir que los mensajes de Javier, cuando se digna a mandármelos, han colmado mi paciencia últimamente, por lo que me preguntaba si, a su juicio, sería aconsejable que en adelante me dirigiera directamente a Antonio.  Entre nosotros solo media un acuerdo verbal por virtud del cual Javier actúa como intermediario entre Antonio y yo. En cuanto a Antonio, le ruego que me permita pedirle su opinión acerca de la calidad de sus servicios ya que Javier me mando uno de los correos electrónicos que Antonio le había remitido y el cual le adjunto. Al final de dicha comunicación, su uso del español es cuanto menos agramatical e improcedente y no se si me equivoco al juzgar que no es propio viniendo de un abogado.

Por ultimo quería preguntarle si es común que el comprador de una vivienda pague al abogado de los vendedores. Esto es lo que Javier parece estar pidiéndome que haga (dos por ciento del precio de la venta). Yo daba por hecho que los vendedores serían los que pagaran los honorarios de su abogado. Puesto que no he firmado ningún documento a tal efecto me preguntaba si estoy de alguna forma obligado a pagar dicho porcentaje.

Aprovecho para desearle lo mejor y rogarle que me haga llegar cuanto antes un documento en el que especifique la cuantía de sus honorarios y una copia de las escrituras de forma que tenga tiempo para revisarlas antes de hacer efectiva la trasferencia desde Australia.

Atentamente,

Videos (reviews and articles) for C1 organized by topic

3b book reviews, interviews and lectures 

Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8E7HLUaRF4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rv5VBF54mI
Drive by James Sallis
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/21/james-sallis-crime-salt-river
High Fidelity  Nick Hornby
http://www.theguardian.com/books/1995/mar/28/fiction.reviews
The Human Stain by Philip Roth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbqL2G_iQ-c&list=PL9156A37193921175&index=19


3b film reviews

Drive
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marshall-fine/movie-review-idrivei_b_959652.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYjFNh_aIA
High Hidelity
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jul/21/nickhornby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60woEQroy0g
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jul/21/comment
The Human Stain
http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9505E4D81430F932A05753C1A9659C8B63
The Inside Job
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMQ804MKkWI

3c money
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS0hj4kiqsA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMQ804MKkWI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niNYQtU8GkY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEiCN57XhiI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvAf2gOvaiY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsrtB5lp60s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69NDIcHOl8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7m9wfFnH6o

Paraphrase it, rephrase it, say it in your own words, break it down your own way, put it across as plain and simple as you can... or , maybe, twist it beyond recognition, embellish it, adorn it...whatever y'all do, though , u betta make sho' y'all keep ya rap flowing and ya tools sharp!

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/28/12/33/answer
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/6/9/24/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/6/9/24/answer

CAE practice tests.

Listening
http://www.examenglish.com/CAE/cae_listening.html

Speaking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVRC3psIPU8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yde9HKd01k

 All skills
https://www.sprachzertifikate.info/pruefungsvorbereitung/pruefungsvorbereitung-cae.html

http://www.teachya.com/exams/cae/

http://www.englishspeaker.com/index%20-%20CAE.html

http://www.englishspeaker.com/index%20-%20CAE.html#anchor

http://hibernia-institute.cz/on_line_testy/cae/index.htm

http://www.english-online.org.uk/caefolder/caehome.php?name=Practice%20for%20the%20Cambridge%20Advanced%20English

http://www.ihbristol.com/free-english-exercises/esol

http://www.slideshare.net/larodry/cae-practice-tests-plus-2-22380462

http://www.slideshare.net/RaquelCanales/cambridge-cae-29770114

http://www.slideshare.net/larodry/cambridge-complete-cae

http://englishaula.com/en/cambridge-advanced-certificate-cae-use-of-english.php

https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/exams/academicandprofessional/cae

http://www.caeexam.com/Download.html

http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/insess/CAEpractice.html

http://es.scribd.com/doc/37723398/CAE-Practice-Tests-Plus-2

http://todayschool.es/blog/advanced-cae-online-tests/

Some useful tips

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Short-Story

That's right. Time to write! Watch minutes 1.50  to 6.05. Finish the story of The Man in The Hole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUhGvAY9fM4

You can read the first few pages here. Just click on the book cover.
http://www.amazon.com/Man-Dark-Novel-Paul-Auster/dp/0312428510

 Have you ever tried setting google on book search. Keep looking and you may stumble onto some very interesting stuff you won't have to pay for...
 
http://books.google.es/books?id=VgVMkT2T5ggC&printsec=frontcover&dq=speak+english+fluently&hl=es&sa=X&ei=AxwCU46hOOn40gXHw4HoBA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=speak%20english%20fluently&f=false

http://books.google.es/books?id=mjdxKEvI_pkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=write+in+english&hl=es&sa=X&ei=fRwCU_i1MuOn0QX7vIC4Dw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=write%20in%20english&f=false

http://books.google.es/books?id=g5PeZC0JwFYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=sample+writing&hl=es&sa=X&ei=cBoCU8DnI6iT0QWdvIDACQ&ved=0CFQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=sample%20writing&f=false

http://books.google.es/books?id=xeTd0I-XPYIC&pg=PA12&dq=sample+writing&hl=es&sa=X&ei=cBoCU8DnI6iT0QWdvIDACQ&ved=0CFwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=sample%20writing&f=false

Video news

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/feb/12/australia-toyota-closure-politics-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/nov/26/nsa-gchq-surveillance-made-simple-video-animation
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/video/2013/aug/13/freed-matrix-3d-replay-technology-video
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/video/2013/dec/16/tablet-google-apple-microsoft-2013-video-review
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/feb/14/fifth-snowstorm-blankets-new-york-2014-video
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/24/act-of-killing-oscar-nomination-indonesian-government

Brilliant  film show
http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2013/dec/27/top-3-films-2013-video
http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2014/feb/14/her-cuban-fury-monuments-men-video-review
http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2014/jan/31/out-of-furnace-armstrong-lie-lone-survivor-video-review
http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2014/jan/24/inside-llewyn-davies-teenage-august-osage-county-video-review

 See what you make out of this...
http://careers.theguardian.com/careers-blog/the-good-the-bad-and-the-covering-letter
http://careers.theguardian.com/sectors-industry-roles