Extra class practice : General English (GE1B)
Here are some useful sites for GE1B:
- Lateline (ABC TV) - Great listenings with tapescripts. Challenge yourself!
- Chat to Alice - Talk to ALICE the robot online.
Select the week you wish to use
- Week 1 - The climate crisis
- Week 2 - Lost in translation
- Week 3 - The straight and narrow
- Week 4 - Money makes the world go round
- Week5 - An apple a day
| Week 1 | The climate crisis |
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Saving the Earth. Listen to a 9-year-old talking about what she does to help the enviroment and answer the questions.
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Changing weather. Tim talks about changes in weather he has noticed in his local area.
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Global warming. Christine, from Papua New Guinea, explains how global warming is affecting her island.
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| Saving energy. Tim talks about three things he is doing to help the environment and save energy. |
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GM Food. Akane and Todd debate the topic of genetically modified foods.
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Earthquake. Simon and Todd talk about a recent earthquake they were in. First do the listening, then the quiz and finally look at the script.
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Hurricane. Alexandra talks about a hurricane. Listen and answer the questions.
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Song: Blue moon. Leonie sings the famous song, Blue Moon. Listen and read the words. Then do the word challenge.
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SBS World News tapescripts. Watch the news tonight on SBS (channel 28) at 6:30 pm. Then check your understanding the next day using these tapescripts.
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SBS World News online. An online news video program from the well-respected SBS World News.
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| Vocabulary |
Words for describing the weather
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| Grammar |
Review articles - A, An or nothing (57 questions)
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Cause and effect grammar (because, because of, etc.) - Quiz - because or because of? - Explanation and exercise - cause and effect
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| Reading |
Aeroplanes and global warming - Read the text and answer the questions.
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Environmental protest groups - Reading with comprehension questions.
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| Other websites |
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| Week 2 | Lost in translation |
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| Listening |
English success story. Peter is from Sweden and he explains how he learned to speak English fluently.
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Learning languages. Deanne speaks four languages fluently. She gives language learning tips in this listening. First listen, then do the quiz and then read the tapescript.
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Working with languages. It is Deanne's job to work with languages. She talks a little about what she does. First listen, then do the quiz and then read the tapescript.
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English language centre. A student calls to find out more information about a Language Centre. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.
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Video talk on culture shock. Listen to a talk about culture shock and the stages of this event. Then answer the questions.
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BBC learning English: Australian Parliament bans the word 'mate'. Hear about how this Aussie word was banned from parliament. Listen without reading and then use the tapescript to check.
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Learning language (difficult). Listen to a radio program about language learning. Then answer the questions.
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Lecture: why learn languages? (very difficult). One hour lecture from Gresham College (London) on languages. Listen, take notes and then read the transcript.
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| Vocabulary |
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Countries, nationalities and languages
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Countries where English is spoken - crossword
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British to American English - crossword
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Change idioms to plain English
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| Grammar |
Verb tenses - Interesting facts (practice with verbs - Things people do (choose the correct verb form
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Bilingualism - read about biligual and answer comprehension questions.
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The meaning of tingo - read about words that can't be translated into English.
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Illiteracy - read and answer the comprehension questions.
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| Week 3 | The straight and narrow |
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| Listening |
Personal security - theft in the park. A man reports a theft to the police. Listen and asnwer the questions.
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Police in America. Nitiya asks about the police in America.
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Driving road test. Mr. Smith tries to get his driver's licence.
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Crime in the United States. Nitiya and Todd discuss why people kill.
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The death penalty. Listen to six people talking about the death penalty and answer the questions.
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Gangs. Jeanie talks about crime in Philadelphia, USA. First do the listening, then the quiz and finally look at the script.
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The gun debate. Click "Play Audio", listen and take notes and then compare your notes to the transcript.
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Lawsuit settlement (medium). Listen to an advertisement from a law firm and answer the questions.
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Drugs company settles lawsuit. Story from BBC Learning English - Words in the News (27/08/2004) - Read and listen.
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BBC learning English - words in the news. Tons of other great stories to read and listen to.
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Lecture: can maths catch criminals and bring them to justice (very difficult). One hour lecture from Gresham College (London) on languages. Download the lecture notes, listen, take your own notes and then read the transcript.
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| Vocabulary |
John robs a corner store: criminal and legal vocabulary
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Find the incorrect word: jury duty in the US
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Vocabulary test - estimate the size of your vocabulary
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| Grammar |
Passive voice - Past tense passives and trivia
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Review: Prepositions
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| Reading |
Gun control - great debate with comprehension questions.
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Vice, investment and the seven deadly sins - read and answer the questions.
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Assassination - read about assassinationa (and don't forget the questions).
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| Week 4 | Money makes the world go round |
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Shopping. Listen to six people and then answer the questions.
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Shopping for the day. Listen to this shopping conversation and choose the right answers.
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wasting money. Anita and Todd talk about things they waste money on.
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Personal finance. Anita talks about savings, retirement and and sharing money and bank accounts in a marriage.
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Store returns. Listen to this conversation about a man returning something to a store and choose the right answers.
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Listening game: part-time job. Listen to information about six available jobs and answer the questions.
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ABC's of money matters: debt consolidation (difficult). Listen to a man talking about his debt problems and answer the questions.
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Lecture: how can you have too much choice? (very difficult). One hour lecture from Gresham College (London) that talks about consumer choice and other choices. Listen, take notes and then read the transcript.
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Clothes and things we wear (with pictures)
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Clothes and accessories (with pictures)
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| Grammar |
"because" or "due to" - an explanation and exercise
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Connectors - test your use of words like in spite of, although and therefore.
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| Reading |
Inequality of wealth - read the text and answer the true/false questions.
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Consumer society - read the text and answer the comprehension questions.
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Viral marketing - interesting article (with questions) about innovative marketing.
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| Week 5 | An apple a day |
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Hospitals. Listen to six people talk about if they are afriad of hospitals and then answer the questions.
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Medical advice: what's the matter? Steve talks about being sick. Listen and answer the questions.
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Staying healthy overseas. Sarah compares staying health in different areas of the world. Listen and then do the Quiz.
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Not doing well... Conrad is sick. Find out what is wrong. Answer the questions and then read the tapescript.
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Going to hospital. Ian talks about his many trips to the hospital.
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A Doctor's appointment. Hear a telephone call and answer the questions.
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A battle with Cancer. Hear about one man's story and answer questions. This is a challenging listening.
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Lecture: Diet and obesity - manna from the Gods or the food of destruction (very difficult). One hour lecture from Gresham College (London). Listen, take notes and then read the transcript.
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| Vocabulary |
Body parts (quiz with pictures)
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Ailments and injuries wordsearch
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Phrasal verbs: Melanie's trip to the Doctor
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| Grammar |
Review: verb forms/tenses
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| Reading |
Fat verus fit - interesting reading followed by comprehension questions.
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DNA: the stuff we're made of - A reading with a comprehension activity.
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A HIV/AIDS success story: senegal - the AIDS situation is strongly connected to social and religious values in this country.
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| Other websites |
Useful sentences for health care
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