Vocabulary work

Last post was a bit short, but I was out of time and I had to write the report in a hurry. Today I have more time and I'll be able to write and introduction. I have been reading a diferent news page today, the BBC one. It's good to change the fonts because the style is always different. After reading newspapers usually I find it easier to understand the vocabulary. That's why there aren't many words in this report. The topics are similar so the specific vocabulary about the Israel conflict, the Obama election or sports is easier. Here are the new words I've learned:

outcry: a protest

stakeholders: someone entrusted to hold the stakes for two or more persons betting against one another; must deliver the stakes to the winner

lead: mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction (trinquet)




http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7896994.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7897631.stm



There's a word that I haven't understood. Speaking about mortgages: "Forecloser". I tried to fins it in the dictionaries but it wasn't there.


Time Spent: 2h

Vocabulary work

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/16/pakistan-torture-mi5-agent-binyam

detainees: detinguts

devised: ideat, concebut

lenient: indulgent

bear: aguantar

chill: refredat

starvation: inanició

emaciated: esquàlid

indictment: acusació

pinch: robar

amongst: entre

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/16/pirate-bay


Time Spent: 2h

Last conversation class: 13/02/2008

So, we reach the final conversation class of the CAL and I can say that I have improved a lot, looking at the first classes. I feel confortable with my English, but I have also improved my pronunciation and my accent is coming far more natural than it was. The conversation was completely normal, as it would be in catalan or spanish. We talked about my English studies out of school and about the different exams I have taken to get English degrees. I don't have much to say about this conversation class, as I was alone and I didn't found any problem in fluency or vocabulary. I am going to work in some vocabulary during this weekend and I'll go on with the conclusions next week.


Time Spent: 1:30

Conversation class 11/02/2009

I was alone in the class and adding to this, I was ill, so I was a bit idle during the class. A way to evaluate my English in adverse conditions! It's better to always take the good look at things. I didn't have much problems. We talked about blogging in the internet, the exams, the theatre play that I am in and about the cold that was attacking me. Apart from that, she brought some exercises to learn structures used when you doubt and you can't find the correct word. As an example:


For lack of a better word

What do you call it...

What's the word I'm looking for?

It's kind of hard to explain

I can't tell much about my performance as I am still a bit sick and I should write the conversation class report before the next class. I believe I spoke well and didn't have problems of vocabulary except for a thing (sistema del boca-orella = By ear). Today I'll go to another classe and during the weekend I'll work in my vocabulary. Next week will be focused in the conclusions of the entire CAL.


Time Spent: 1:30

Impossible to write this week

I haven't had time and until tuesday I won't be able to write anything. I finish exams that day and then I'll try to work like 10 hours in the next two weeks to accomplish a reasonable number of hours.