Newsletter September 2014 Issue 5
Contents 3…….Welcome 4…….The term in pictures 6…….Exam results 7…….Term Timeline 9…… ARTICLE: Joanna’s Excel College Journey 10…...Interviews with our students
12…...ARTICLE: Science in Manchester 14…...Quizzes and Games 16…...Writing Competition 17…...Adverts and Special Offers 18…...This Term
Welcome to the Excel College September newsletter. There were some big changes last term at Excel College. Sam, our Marketing and Improvement Manager sadly moved to another company and we welcomed Joanna, our new Admissions and Student Services Assistant to the team. But this isn’t the first time Joanna has visited Excel College. Go to page 9 to read about her Excel College journey. You can see what has been happening at the College, in Manchester, and in the UK in our term timeline on page 7. We went on trips to John Rylands Library, Manchester Art Gallery and to the summer outdoor cinema. We also started a new conversation club which gives students the opportunity to meet up with teachers and staff for a chat, a coffee, and to practise their English. On page 18 we have a summary of all of the exciting festivals and events happening in Manchester this term including Manchester’s annual Science Festival in October. Did you know that many famous scientists have worked in Manchester? There is an article on page 12 all about them and their discoveries. As always, if you’d like to practise your writing skills by writing a review, a recipe, a letter or an article for the next newsletter, send an email to admin@excel-college.com. We’d love to see your photos and videos too!
Anna Bartholomew Admissions and Student Services
Do you have an IELTS or Cambridge (FCE, CAE or CPE) exam soon? Why not take a practice test? All tests include:
Example scores for each skill and overall score Guidance notes on the most important points to improve Practice Test Options Reading, Listening and Writing + Brief Feedback
£35
Reading, Listening and Writing + 30 minutes tutorial
£45
Reading, Listening, Writing and speaking + Brief feedback
£45
Reading, Listening, Writing and speaking + 60 Minutes tutorial
£70
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The term in pictures
Exam Results and Letters We love hearing about students’ exam results and their experiences at Excel College. You can send your results or letters to admin@excel-college.com Student: Ali Country: Kuwait IELTS: 5.0 Course: IELTS Foundation Preparation
Student: Karl Country: France IELTS: 5.5 Course: IELTS Foundation Preparation
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
5.0
4.5
5.0
6.5
Listening
Reading
4.5
4.5
Writing
Speaking
4.5
6.0
Student: Arathy Country: India IELTS: 7.5 Course: 1 to 1 IELTS Preparation Class
Congratulations to Arathy, Ali, Hura, Henriette and Karl on their results and good luck to students taking exams next term!
Listening 7.5
Student: Henriette Country: Cameroon IELTS: 6.5 Course: IELTS Advanced Preparation
Reading 7.5
Writing 7.5
Speaking 8.0
Student: Hura Country: Spain IELTS: 6.0 Course: IELTS Advanced Preparation
Listening
Reading
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
5.5
5.5
6.5
6.5
6.0
6.5
Writing
Speaking
6.0
7.0
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Term Timeline What has been happening at the College, in Manchester and in the UK this term? Have a look at our timeline to find out.
Summer Solstice 21st June Pagans celebrate Midsummer, the longest day of the year. Some people travel to Stonehenge for a big party.
Theatre Festival 24:7 18th—25th July A week of new writing and new theatre at a variety of Manchester venues. The festival comes to Manchester every year and it’s a great opportunity to see some original and affordable theatre!
John Rylands Library Trip 1st August Students went on a trip to a gothicstyle library in the city centre, one of Manchester’s top tourist attractions. They had a tour of the building and got to see some very old books!
Screenfields Outdoor Cinema 24th June Luckily, the sun was shining and students went to watch a movie at Manchester’s summer cinema!
Manchester Jazz Festival 18th—27th July Manchester’s annual jazz festival returned to the city. There were artists from all around the world and lots of free performances to watch in Albert Square.
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Dig the City: Urban Gardening Festival 2nd—10th August Every year, Dig the City makes Manchester a greener place. Local businesses, charities and gardeners opened their gardens to the public and garden experts came to give talks and workshops. There was also a dog show, live music and a city centre picnic.
First Conversation Club 22nd August We are now holding free Conversation Clubs every Friday lunchtime. For our first Conversation Club we went to a café, had a coffee and a chat with teachers and students.
Manchester Food & Drink Festival 18th—28th September Manchester’s celebration of local and international food and drink comes to the city every year. There are lots of food stalls, cookery demonstrations, an Oktoberfest tent in Albert Square, and special offers at restaurants around the city.
Coffee Morning 1st September We had a coffee morning at the college with lots of cake and biscuits. Everyone got the chance to meet some new students and practise their English.
Manchester Pride 22nd—25th August Every August, Manchester Pride comes to the city. It’s a month long celebration of LGBT culture culminating in a huge party and a parade on the last weekend of August.
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Joanna’s Excel College Journey Last term we welcomed a new member of staff to the team. Joanna started working at the College as Admissions and Student Services Assistant. But Joanna’s journey with Excel College started back in 2008. “I’m Joanna. In 2006 I was studying economics at university in Poland but I wanted to try something different and moved to the UK. My English was not good at all but I was really excited to meet new people and learn English. “When I first arrived in the UK, I worked in factories and did not have many opportunities to learn the language so I decided to change my life, finish university and get my dream job. “In 2008 I started studying English at Excel College in Manchester. Working full time and preparing for the IELTS exam was very difficult. It was one of the most stressful times of my life. The teachers and staff at Excel encouraged me to practise my English as often as I could and helped me with my application for university. Thanks to them I managed to achieve a score of 6.5 and received an unconditional offer letter from Manchester Metropolitan University. That was the best day of my life! “After finishing my degree and working at another language school, I’m
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now back at Excel College – but not as a student! I’m working as Admissions & Student Services Assistant. On a daily basis, I help students with their applications, their issues and make sure they feel at home here in Manchester. I’m speaking English all the time and helping students to achieve their dreams just like I did.”
Interviews with our students We asked some of our students about Manchester, England and why they are here. Our students come to study for many different reasons and each of them have different reasons for liking (or disliking!) the UK. Let us know what you think on Twitter #excelstudents
First Name: Roberta Age: 34 Nationality: Italian Course: General English; Intermediate Level How long have you been in England? Over 2 months Why did you choose Manchester? Because it’s smaller and cheaper than London. It’s a university city and there are not many Italian people around. The are many students and young people here and you can find whatever you want on foot.
Where's your favourite place to go in Manchester? My favourite place is The Oast House in Spinningfields. There is live music and different people (parents with their sons, students, workers) singing and dancing all together. It also offers more than 40 bottled beers from around the world. What places have you visited in the UK? London, Chester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. What’s the best thing about the UK? English people. They are often friendly, helpful and they like singing. What's the worst thing about the UK? The weather. Why are you studying English? I just like it. I want to learn it for my job and personal reasons. What do you think is the best thing to do to improve your English? Spending several months in the UK where you can study and speak with English people. Also watching original English movies. Why did you choose Excel College? My Italian friend recommended it to me and I saw there was a possibility to do many extra activities.
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First Name: Alicia Age: 25 Nationality: Spanish Course: General English; Advanced Level How long have you been in England? Almost 2 months. Why did you choose Manchester? Because it’s a relatively small city and I thought that there were not too many Spanish people here. Where's your favourite place to go in Manchester? Sinclair’s Oyster Bar. You can enjoy spending time with your friends while you’re drinking a beer! What places have you visited in the UK? Liverpool, Chester, Brighton, London and I’m going to visit Edinburgh next month. Why are you studying English? I like it and I want to pass a Cambridge exam. What do you think is the best thing to do to improve your English? Speaking with native people and listening to the radio. Why did you choose Excel College? Because I liked the variety of nationalities.
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Science in Manchester This term, as part of the 8th Manchester Science Festival, some of the world’s best scientists will visit Manchester to give talks about their work. Throughout history, Manchester has been home to many prominent scientists and has seen some key scientific discoveries. Here are just a few of them.
The Atom
Nuclear Physics
John Dalton was a meteorologist and a chemist. He came to Manchester in 1793 as a teacher. He did important research into meteorology and colour blindness and also developed an Atomic Theory. His theory established the atom as a fundamental chemical object. Previously, people had thought that all atoms were identical but Dalton claimed that atoms of different elements vary in mass and size. His theory is the basis from which modern atomic theory evolved. Dalton became a very famous man but was very modest and frugal throughout his life. There is a street in the city centre named after him.
A group of scientists working in Manchester in the late 19th and early 20th centuries became known as the “nuclear family” for their work in nuclear physics. J.J. Thomson was one of these scientists. In 1897 his research led him to discover the electron as a component of atoms. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1906 and taught many men who went on to become eminent physicists themselves. One of his students was Ernest Rutherford who worked alongside Hans Geiger and Niels Bohr at the University of Manchester. Rutherford became known as the “father of nuclear physics” when he successfully “split the atom” in 1917.
Computing
The Joule James Prescott Joule was born in Salford in 1818. He was taught by John Dalton. As an adult he managed his father’s brewery and started to do scientific experiments to find more efficient ways of brewing. By 1840, Joule was running his own laboratory. Through his experiments, he established that various forms of energy, like heat, mechanical and electrical, are basically the same and can be transformed from one into another. This challenged the popular Caloric theory and Joule’s ideas were ignored until Lord Kelvin and some other respected scientists gave him their support. Joule’s discoveries were the basis for the First Law of Thermodynamics. A unit to measure energy, the joule, is named after him. You can see a statue of Joule in Manchester Town Hall.
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In 1948, a computer designed by a team at Manchester University ran for the first time. The machine was called the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine and was nicknamed the Manchester Baby. It was the first computer in the world to work from a program stored in its memory rather than a program hardwired into the system. This computer contained all of the elements necessary for the modern computers and software we know today. The University and Ferranti, a UK based electrical engineering company, used this and subsequent research to develop Ferranti Mark 1, the world’s first commercially sold computer.
Graphene Manchester’s most recent scientific discovery is graphene. Two scientists at Manchester University won the Nobel Prize in Physics after discovering graphene in 2004. It is a two-dimensional material that is one atom thick and 200 times stronger than steel. It is carbon based and can conduct electricity very efficiently. Scientists are now working to find practical ways in which the material can be used. This year the government announced that by 2017, there will be a new Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at Manchester University.
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) In 1978, in Oldham General Hospital, Lesley Brown gave birth to baby Louise, the world’s first “test tube baby”. The IVF technology that helped Lesley to conceive Louise was developed by a gynaecologist at Oldham Hospital and two physiologists from Cambridge University. Their research was initially very controversial and raised ethical concerns; some groups thought of IVF as unnatural, and immoral and worried that the “test tube babies” would be shunned by society. Now the procedure is much more socially accepted and more than 5 million babies have been born around the world using IVF technology.
The Manchester Science Festival runs from 23rd October to 2nd November or you can visit Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry all year round.
Word match Can you match these words from the article to their definitions?
1. Eminent
a. Economical with food or money
2. Frugal
b. Famous and respected within a particular area
3. Brewery
c. Find
4. Shunned
d. Place where beer is made
5. Mass
e. At first; in the beginning
6. Evolved
f. Ignored or rejected
7. Breakthrough
g. A room or building for scientific experiments
8. Initially 9. Discover
h. A sudden and important discovery or development, usually after a period without success
10. Laboratory
i. Developed gradually j. Weight 13
Now can you match the words to these pictures?
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Quizzes and Games Talking About the Weather Can you find the weather words in the wordsearch?
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TORRENTIAL
GALE
RAINBOW
BLIZZARD
SHOWER
STORMY
DOWNPOUR
DROUGHT
HEATWAVE
WINDY
LIGHTNING
BOILING
THUNDER
BLUSTERY
SCORCHING
DRIZZLE
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English Slang How well do you know English slang? See if you can put the words into the sentences. Plonk
Nosh
Minted
1. He’s having a bad week. He’s really …………………. that he failed that exam.
Faff
Quid
Nippy
Gutted
2. Look at that man driving the Bentley! He must be ………………….!
4. “I think you’re really ……………………….
Will you go out on a date with me?”
5. I’m really tired. I’m going to try and have a …………… before we go out tonight.
8. Let’s go and get some ……………I’m really hungry! 7. You should take a coat. It’s a bit ………….outside.
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Kip
Fit
3. “Will you get some wine for tonight.” “Something expensive or a bottle of ………………….?
6. I spent three hours trying to put together an IKEA wardrobe. It was a right ……………………….
9. Can you lend me a ……………….. for the bus? I’ve got no change.
Writing Competition The wheel? Penicillin? The X Box? Enter our writing competition and tell us what you think is the greatest invention of all time. There are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!
1st Prize £50 Amazon voucher OR 15 hours of English lessons 2nd Prize £25 Amazon voucher OR 9 hours of English lessons 3rd Prize £15 Amazon voucher OR 6 hours of English lessons m
Maximum 400 words Closing date 11 December 2014 Please email all entries to admin@excel-college.com
Terms and Conditions
All entries must be in English and must be suitable for all audiences.
Any entries that arrive after 23:59BST 11/12/2014 will not be counted.
If you win, you will be asked to confirm whether you would like English lessons or Amazon Vouchers. You will not be able to change your decision once you have confirmed.
If your visa is refused, you will not receive a cash alternative, however we will be happy to keep your hours for a future course and advise you on how to improve your visa application.
If you use the English hours as part of a longer course and your visa is refused, you will receive a refund for the part of the course you have paid for as per the terms and conditions on our application form. Alternatively, we will be happy to keep your hours for a future course and advise you on how to improve your visa application.
English hours apply to group classes in the morning, afternoon or evening and cannot be swapped for one-to-one lessons or practice tests.
Amazon vouchers will be emailed and no cash alternative will be given.
Results will be emailed and posted on social media sites on the 19/06/2014
The judge’s decisions are final and no debate will be entered into.
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Quiz Answers Science in Manchester Word Match 1b. 2a. 3d. 4f. 5j. 6j. 7h. 8e. 9c. 10g.
Movie Club
Watch films in
English with English subtitles
English Slang 1. Gutted, 2. Minted, 3. Plonk, 4. Fit, 5. Kip, 6. Faff, 7. Nippy, 8. Nosh, 9. Quid.
Bring your friends All films shown on
the projector in 2B A new film every
week
Mondays at 15:00
PINK 10 Reflexology “your feet are in good hands” PINK 10 REFLEXOLOGIST EXCEL14
20% discount for Excel College students and staff. ONLY £16.00 per treatment. Ring Lynda for an appointment on 07909700199 Based in Salford M6
If you’re looking to meet new people in Manchester, join Meet Up! You can find lots of different groups in the city who host regular activities, with something for every interest: hiking, reading, international exchange, dancing and cycling to name a few! You can also keep up-to-date with Excel College social activities by joining our Meet Up group.
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What’s happening this term? We’ll be celebrating Bonfire Night with fireworks, sparklers and toffee apples. We’ll also be celebrating Halloween by wearing fancy dress and eating lots of chocolate! And, of course, there’s Christmas. We’ll be having our Christmas end of term party where there’ll be decoration making, Christmas movies, party games and food from around the world. We have trips planned to see some classical music, to the Manchester Literature Festival, to the Christmas markets, the ice rink and to the Manchester Museum. As always, we will be running our conversation club, movie afternoons and playing weekly 5-a-side football matches. Have a look at our events calendar for more information.
Also in Manchester over the next few months, you can visit the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair and the Manchester Science Festival, you can watch Lady Gaga performing or you can go to a big party in the city centre when the Christmas lights are turned on. Have a look at the chalk board in reception for what is happening each weekend. To all students returning to Excel College after the break or starting classes for the first time, we hope you have a fun and successful term!
To all students—past, present and future!
COME TO OUR
FREE
CONVERSATION CLUB!
You’re invited to the Excel College
Christmas Party
EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON
on Friday 12th December 12:00—14:00
AT
We’ll be playing games, watching a Christmas movie and eating lots of Christmas food. Bring food from your country so everyone can try something new. We hope to see you there!
13:00.
PRACTISE SPEAKING ENGLISH WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
FROM THE
COLLEGE.
Write for the College Newsletter! Put your writing skills to the test! Want to review a book, film or restaurant? Love or hate something about Manchester? Want to give a big thank you to your favourite teacher? We’d love to hear from you! Send articles, photos or ideas to admin@excel-college.com 18