Verb patterns

Click here to listen to a BBC Six-Minute English about verb patterns. There is a little test at the end!

Activity 1. Choose the correct answer.

Activity 2. Click on the words in the right order.

Activity 3. Choose the correct answer.

Activity 4. Let or make?

Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in the fourth century and is famous for bringing Christianity into Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day falls on the 17th of March. Click here to listen to the text and then do Task 1. (scroll down) 

About The Archers

Archers fan Stephen Fry gives his instant introduction for new listeners. Learn about the people and places, the laughs and the scandals, so that you can get the most from The Archers. What do you learn about the following characters? You can find the answers as a comment.

1. David and Ruth Archer:___________________________________

2. Pat and Tony Archer: ____________________________________

3. Brian and Jennifer Aldridge: ______________________________

4. The Hebden Lloyds: _____________________________________

5. Emma and Ed Grundy: ___________________________________

TV Addicts

Most people can't imagine life without TV, yet it's only 75 years since regular broadcasting began. Listen to the programme and complete the sentences. You can find the answers as a comment.

1. How many hours a week on average does someone in the UK watch television? 

a) 20 hours

b) 30 hours

c) 40 hours

2. The BBC first public broadcast in the UK began in ___________.

3. Nick Higham explains other names that were considered for the television, such as photo  ___________ or electric ___________.

4. The television historian John Trenouth mentions the radio was called  ___________ in the past.

5. Some of the first things to be shown on TV were ___________, ___________ demonstrations and ___________ models.

6. Some British people didn't have a TV set back then because they weren't ___________ and they were ___________ of this mystical device.

7. Manufacturers put ___________ on the front of TV sets as people thought the TV set could see them and tried to put a ___________ over the screen!

8. Technology has developed so much that today you can even watch TV on your ___________ ___________, and the number of ___________ has expanded.

Source: BBC 6 minute English

16th January: Martin Luther King's Day

 

Answer the following questions:

1. What event took place on 18th August 1963?

2. Who was the most relevant speaker?

3. What had happened a few months earlier?

4. How did President Kennedy react to that?

5. Where did the demonstration start and finish?

6. Who did Martin Luther King mention at the beginning of his speech?

You can find the answers to the question in 'comments'.

What's a University Education Worth?

Every year, it costs British students more and more to attend university. Students are graduating with larger and larger debts. So is a university degree really worth it?

Click here to download the worksheet with the listening activities. Don't read the transcript before you do the exercises!

Click here to download the audio track.

Teens and elders bridge generation gap and digital divide

Watch the video and answer the questions:

1. What's 'Capable Living' about?
2. In what way are the employees special?
3. What's the goal of the company?
4. Who does Amanda Cavaleri speak to? What about?
5. What do demographic data show?
6. How can seniors be helpful for younger people?
7. What's one of Amanda's newest projects?
8. What has Bruce Mackenzie learned to do?
9. What does Jack Williamson think are the benefits of this programme?
10. What is her latest project?

You can find the answers to these questions as a comment to the post.

Shopping in the UK

Click here to listen to Dan and Rob talking about shopping centres and comparing shopping in a local high street and a shopping centre.

The Bullring in Birmingham is the UK's busiest shopping centre, but how many people, on average, visit the Bullring each year? Is it:

a) 27 million
b) 37 million
c) 47 million

Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme! You can also read the transcript here.

What about you? Do you prefer shopping in a local high street or in a shopping centre? Why? (as a comment to the post)

Source: BBC 6 Minute English

Dream holidays

 
Welcome, everybody! Listen to some people talking about their dream holidays.

What about you? Write a few lines on what your ideal holiday would be like as a comment to this post. Read your partners' contributions and we'll discuss them on Wednesday.