CPE Articles and Determiners/Quantifiers (Flo-Joe)

Complete each of the following sentences with the correct article or determiner.

1. After borrowing two thousand pounds from you, the very ........ she could do is offer to pay back a little each month.

2. ........ as I hate to do this, we’ll have to cancel the party if more people don’t respond.

3. She wants to travel the world eventually but above ........ her priority is to finish her degree course.

4. John doesn’t have many friends, just a select ........, who tend to go along with everything he says.

5. Valerie and Simon can’t decide whether to make their home in France or Australia. ........ way it will mean sacrifices for one of them.

6. In England, polo is a sport that is associated with ........ rich and powerful.

7. As a junior doctor there was ........ a time when I had to seek a second opinion from my superiors before I made a diagnosis.

8. The company has had ........ of its employees taking sick leave and it has decided to crack down on absenteeism.

Gapped sentences (Flo-Joe)

1. We need something to bridge the ........ between the two walls over there. .


2. There was a ........ in the market and the company felt they could take advantage of it. .

3. I sometimes feel the generation ........ is getting wider and wider..

Gapped sentences (Flo-Joe)

'I didn't want to disturb you as you seemed to be ........ in thought.'

'He took a ........ breath and then dived in.'

'I was in a very ........ sleep when all of a sudden I was woken up by this loud noise from outside.'

Word formation (Flo-Joe)

Try this online exercise:
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/wform/lcommon.htm

Word formation (Flo-Joe)

1. The old man felt ........ by the dreadful living conditions he had experienced when he was growing up.  (BITTER)

2. Many young people train in gyms in order to achieve a toned ......... physique. (MUSCLE)

3. Jackie’s daughter is a rather ........ child - she’s full of mischief and badly-behaved. (TROUBLE)

4. The living room looked cold and ........ when the fire wasn’t lit. (INVITE)

5. The romantic novel started with a young woman staring ........ into the fire. What a cliché! (DREAM)

6. John muttered ........ under his breath about the volume of work he’d been given but he didn’t dare complain to the boss. (CONTENT)

7. As I climbed aboard the plane I was ........ reminded of the previous time when my plane almost crashed.
(COMFORT)

8. The newspaper reported that an old woman had been ........ treated while she was in hospital. (SHAME)

Word formation (Flo-Joe)

1. The man sat in the doctor’s waiting room, nervously ................ his lips every so often, whilst he waited to be called. (MOIST)

2. The company installed a water cooler in the main office which would ........ the drinking water. (PURE)

3. A number of directives have been passed recently with the aim of ................ work practices across different countries.(HARMONY)

4. The girl’s parents suspected she was taking drugs because her eye pupils were so ......... (LARGE)

5. A number of world-renowned ........ addressed the conference. (HISTORY)

6. The results of the medical tests showed that the patient had several ......... of the brain that required urgent treatment. (NORMAL)

7. I was so embarrassed when I dropped the ........ of boxes I’d been carrying right in the middle of the road. (ARM)

8. The computer system requires several ........ checks a month. (MAINTAIN)

Question on "Sakespeare in Love" (Flo-Joe). Is anyone interested?

Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Letter

Set-Text. Shakespeare in Love (A Screenplay)

Question:
Your local film group is organising a debate with the following motion: "The role of drama is to transport the reader to another world.".
Write a letter to the chair of the film group offering to speak in favour of the motion, using 'Shakespeare in Love' to illustrate your argument. You should describe the ways in which the film 'transports the reader to another world'. (around 300 - 350 words).

Content: You should discuss the different ways in which the writers of 'Shakespeare in Love' successfully transport the audience. In support of the argument, reference may be made to events and plot, setting, and characters in the screenplay/film. Quotes from the screenplay/film may be included as long as they are relevant, but this is not essential.

Range: Language of description, argument, persuasion and recommendation.

. 
Organisation: The letter should have the correct layout, but without postal addresses. Paragraphing should be logical and helpful to the reader. The screenplay/film title and authors should be clearly stated early on in the letter.

Register: Could be formal or semi-formal.

Target reader: The chair of the film group would be informed about the film and whether or not the writer would be a suitable candidate to speak in the debate.

Language accuracy: Does not have to be completely accurate but any errors should be minimal.

Begin your letter with reference to the debate and your offer to speak.

Make a list of aspects of drama that can 'transport the reader' e.g. an unusual setting, a different time period, the social milieu, the characters' professional and domestic lives, etc.

Then, select some of the events, and descriptions of setting/characters/social aspects from 'Shakespeare in Love' that best show how the screenwriters, Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, successfully create another world.

- historical setting: London in 1593
- Shakespeare as a main character: his early professional life and loves
- social setting: attitudes to women and marriage

Finally, sum up your recommendation for the film. Why should people see it? Who would enjoy it particularly?

People who watch films for escapism will enjoy this drama...

Drafting and proofreading your work

You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:

• Have you answered the question fully?
• Is the layout and organisation appropriate for a letter of this kind?
• Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?
• Is the style appropriate and consistent for your letter?
• Will it help the audience members to appreciate the importance of the work you have selected?

If the answer is 'no' to any of these questions then you will need to do some more drafting!.

Gapped sentences (Flo-Joe)

'He'll be perfectly safe on the trip and won't come to any  .........'

'Why don't you ask for a pay rise? There's no ........ in  trying.'

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean any ......... I haven't hurt you, have I?'

Gap filling - click on the image below!

Key sentences - 10 medals!

Gapped sentences (Levi)

a.
1) The hospital would only give news to Trudy's ....... family and not her friends and distant relatives.

2) The law will take place with ........ effect.
3) The patient reported experiencing ........ benefits following the operation and is not expected to need any further treatment.

b.
1) My computer has run out of ........ and it crashes everytime I try to download anything.
2) My brother has a marvellous ........ for historical facts.
3) After the accident he suffered from a loss of ........ and didn't even recognise his wife.

c.
1) For instructions on how to wash this garment, please see the inside .........
2) The teachers have given him the ........ of troublemaker when actually he is a very intelligent child.
3) We need one more sticky ........ for this present. Have you got one?

d.
1) The official book ........ will be in early March but many advance copies have been distributed already.
2) The police will ........ an enquiry into the murder.
3) The Queen is due to ........ the new cruise liner later this month.

e.
1) When you drive down our road you can't ........ our house. It's got a red front door.
2) The tutor has such a quiet voice. I always ........ half of what she says.
3) It's all a bit hit and ......... really. Nobody really knows whether the project will be successful or not.

Word formation (Flo-Joe)

"WEST"


1. There were very few ........ in the country and he stood out when walking down the streets.
2. A great deal of ........ has taken place as a consequence of the process of globalisation.
3. He travelled ........ in search of a better life.

How to write a report (Flo-Joe)

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/writing/task.htm

Gapped sentences

It is my greatest regret that I never learned to play a/an ......... while I was still at school.

The internet has proved a powerful ........ in changing the way that people access information.

That carpentry tool looks more like a/an ........ of torture!

Word formation - SERVE

"SERVE"


1. The greedy children helped themselves to two extra ........ of pudding each.
2. My great great grandmother was employed as a lady's maid. She was held in .......... to other people for most of her life.
3. I distrust most politicians. Most of them appear to be ........ and always acting in their own interests.

What single word can fill each of these gapped sentences? (Flo-Joe)

1. It's freezing cold out here. Don't you think it's time to ....... back home?
2. The new police chief is to ........ an investigation into corruption amongst his officers.
3. I couldn't believe it when the defender managed to ........  the ball into the back of the net during the last few seconds of the football match.

Paper 2 tips

• Try to structure your response around the content points set out in the task. If you don’t address all of them explicitly and develop them fully, you’ll be penalised for not answering the question. Remember that the reader has to be fully informed.
• Your conclusion has to emerge naturally from the body of your work. Don't leave the reader confused about your point of view on the issue. It does not matter how controversial your ideas are, so long as they are consistent and well-supported.
• Organise your response clearly with suitable linking.
• Use a wide range of appropriate language accurately (e.g. hypothesising, evaluating, explaining, speculating, making predictions, etc).
• Use paragraphing effectively.

We're rooting for you! (Leandro Toledo's contribution to our blog)

Leandro Toledo (Have you met him?) has kindly sent me this song and suggested that I post it on our blog.

Nice song, isn't it? Remember: WE'RE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!!

Don’t be ridiculous sweet darlin
It's so unlike you to be blue
You had ‘em the moment you walked in
Everyone’s rooting just for you
And every smile and every single grin
Conquers and captures their hearts and minds
You can’t not win
Casting your spell,
So arresting, effortlessly flabbergasting
So far from what you're suggesting
Girl that gaze is everlasting
So don’t be a stranger little darling
Until forever we will root for you

More key word transformations!

1.He was arrested at a department store for stealing clothes.

KNOCKING

He was caught _________________ department store.


2.I believe Shirley prefers to forget the break up of her marriage and won't discuss it with anyone.

RAKE

I don't think Shirley wants us ____________________________ her marriage.


3.Scientists have tried many methods of how to solve the problem of common cold for years.

GRAPPLING

For years __________________________ problem of how to solve the problem of common cold.


4.The mother enjoyed a few hours of sleep at home after hurrying to send her daughter off to school.

BUNDLED

The mother__________________________________ then enjoyed a few hours of sleep at home.


5.While waiting for the train, which was to arrive only in a few hours, we spent the time reading and chatting.

WHILED

We had a few hours before the train arrived so ________________________ and chatting.

Key Word Transformations (Paper 3 - Part 4)

1. It was really unexpected when my football team achieved the result it did.
time

At ........................................................... my football team to do as well as it did.

2. I have a lot of respect for his writing style although I do not agree with the opinions he expresses.
much

........................................................... his writing style, I do not agree with his opinions.

3 gapped sentences in addition - 9 medals

Click on the image
to see a larger picture

Which word fits all three sentences? (Amanda's contribution)

1. They always ______ with the idea of getting a job promotion.


2. It's embarrassing when people _____ in public.

3. My brother is a terrible _______. Girls never look at him!

CPE Collocations (Flo-Joe)

Complete each of the following sentences with the word that collocates with the words in bold.


1. Victoria has a working ........ of Chinese, which she needs for her job as an international corporate lawyer.
2. The defendant told the judge that she accepted full ........ for her actions and that she would plead guilty.
3. After William realised his mistake he was forced to ........ his pride and apologise.
4. I thought I ........ my position absolutely clear. Either he goes or I do!
5. Tanya came away from the interview with the overriding ........ that she wouldn’t get the job.
6. Although my mother’s in her seventies she is still very young at ........
7. When the shop assistant refused the customer a refund, he was met with a torrent of ........
8. The drowning boy was pulled out of the river and ........ the kiss of life by a medic.

CPE Prepositional phrases and phrasal verbs (Flo-Joe)

Fill in the gaps in each sentence with a suitable particle or preposition.

1. My boss is biased ........ me, which explains why I’ll never get promoted if I stay with this company.
2. Marco had severe misgivings ........ taking the June exam as he felt he just wasn’t ready.
3. People who eat an unhealthy diet are susceptible ........ all kinds of illnesses and diseases.
4. My cousin talked ........ length about his recent holiday and bored everyone to death!
5. When Rose was unfaithful to Joshua she threw herself ........ his mercy and asked him to forgive her.
6. When I was younger I wanted to be an air pilot but I soon went ........ the idea when I realised I hated flying.
7. The government’s plans to reduce crime came ........ for a lot of criticism from freedom groups.
8. Anna: This problem’s driving me crazy!
    Joe: Well, have you tried standing ........ from the situation and evaluating it objectively?

Which word fits all three sentences? (Flo-Joe)

1. I shouted at the ........ of my voice but he didn't hear me.

2. Could you tell me what the sales figures were for last month off the ........ of your head?

3. I'm going into the office early today to try to get on ........ of my work.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.

1 If there is an accident, phone the emergency services. OF
Phone the emergency services ........................................................... an accident.

2 We would have missed our connecting train if we had not caught the earlier plane. NOT
Had ........................................................... the earlier plane, we would have missed our connecting train.

3 I couldn’t have bought that motorbike unless my mother had agreed to pay the monthly repayments. BUT
.......................................................... agreeing to pay the monthly repayments I could never have bought that motorbike.

4 Purchases may be refunded within seven days. MIND
Should ........................................................... your purchase you have up to seven days to bring it back for a refund.

5 Even though her C grade in the Proficiency wasn’t quite as high as she had expected, it was still a good result. IF
Her grade C in the Proficiency exam, ........................................................... , was still a good result.

6 Providing that you make up the time later in the week you can take Monday off. CONDITION
You can have the day off on Monday ............................................................ make up the time later in the week.

Some contribution from your fellow bloggers!

Click on the link below and have fun! Post your answers in form of comments!

CLICK HERE!

Which word fits all three sentences?

1. It's your decision - you must ________ the responsibility if things go wrong.

2. These prices _________ no resemblance to the ones I saw printed in the newspaper.

3. I don't ___________ any grudge against you.