Lang 4.1. The road to discovery. Finite examples with grammar

Lang 4.  The road to discovery

Lang 4.1. Finite examples with grammar                         3-4-5  level                15-20 min

GOAL. To develop some learner strategies to explore the language of texts increasing awareness.

WARMING  UP

TASK 1. Mark the items you now feel you need to act upon from 1 to 7 (1 the least, 7 the most):

1 I forget many of the words I study 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

2 I need to focus on useful language more often 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

3 I do NOT revise my work.  1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

4               I am tied to basic language structures 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

TASK 2.  Decide how you are going to prioritise your learning.

About .........................................................., my first priority, I am going to ..................................................

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TASK 3. Assess your learning on the following aspects. Mark with 1 (the least ) to 7 (the most).

Q1. How much do you agree with these statements:

Ø    A reflective learner is an effective learner. ................... 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

Ø    I feel grammar is easier than vocabulary ................... 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

Ø    I don't pay attention to items longer than isolated words.. ........ 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

Ø    My language learning is NOT reflective. . ................... 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7

Q2. Explain the most extreme scores:

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE (with humour).

TASK 4. Underline the six ways to express agreement in this dialogue and explain its syntax on the left.

Jim Hacker: "Yes, well this is serious."          
Chief Whip: "Very serious."
Sir Humphrey: "Very serious."
Jim: "What could happen if either of‘em became PM?"
Humphrey: "Something very serious indeed."
Chief:               "Very serious."
Jim:              "I see...."
Chief:    "Serious repercussions."

Humphrey: "Serious repercussions."
Chief:               "Of the utmost seriousness."
Jim:               "Yes, that is serious."
Humphrey: "In fact, I would go so far as to say, that it

                    could hardly be more serious."
Jim:       "Well, I think we all agree then: this is serious."

  [source: www.yes-minister.com/ymseas4.htm

Which other ways do you know? ........................................................................................ .......

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TASK 5. Underline the seven ways to express vague language in this dialogue as a way to avoid a straight answer. Copy the two most successful ones in your view below.

Jim Hacker: Are you going to support my view that the Civil Service is overmanned, or not? Yes or no? Straight answer."

Sir Humphrey: "Well Minister, if you ask me for a straight answer, then I shall say that, as far as we can see, looking at it by and large, taking one thing with another in terms of the average of departments, then in the final analysis it is probably true to say, that at the end of the day, in general terms, you would probably find that, not to put too fine a point on it, there probably wasn't very much in it one way or the other. As far as one can see, at this stage."

[quote5 www.yes-minister.com/ymseas1b.htm

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Language variation.

TASK 6. Some Europeans live in a country different from the one they were born. They were asked  in five different ways about their opinions in a newspaper survey. Analyse the variation of lexical choices  for verbs and objects describing what the interviewers do. Follow the example.

     Edward  asks a cross-section of the Irish population

      V (ask) +  DO (compound noun: cross-section = a sample)  Nominal complement: Irish + population

Alexandra talks to a cross-section of her Pole compatriots

  Monica buttonholes a cross-section of the population in Germany

  Marianne puts the questions to a cross-section of her fellow Danes

Paul asks a cross-section of the  population in the Neederlands for their opinions

TASK 7. Analyse the variation of structure of the second conditional. of the sentence whey were asked.

Ø  Where would they choose to live    ........         if they had to leave it?

Ø  Where would they live       .................if they were to leave it?

Ø  Where would they like to live            .....       if they had to leave it?

Ø  Where would they live           ........... if they left?

Ø  Where would they like to live       .....         if they were to leave?

Ø  Where would they choose to live ...........       if they were not to stay in Greece?