Morning course
May 24, 2016
INTERMEDIO 1 Those who stayed learned (a lot?)
This is the picture of the last survivors
It all started back in October, when I walked into the classroom and stared into your curious eyes. Eight months have gone by (time tends to fly when you’re having fun). We lost some soldiers on the way but the thing is those who stayed did learn. Besides, we’ve had an interesting group: an aspiring rockstar, a late (but enthusiastic) starter, a world traveler, a tea-sipping adventurer and, of course, Wolverine’s wife. Not too shabby for a Laredo classroom, don’t you think?
The toughest course? Intermedio 1 is probably the toughest course for a number of reasons. It’s really a combination of many factors. For starters, some of the students that wash up on this
Intermedio 1
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Morning course
May 24, 2016
particular shore passed the basic level eons ago. Their English is not rusty: it’s fossilized.
Your achievements We have come a long way since those babbling beginnings. As a matter of fact I believe that the list of your accomplishments is pretty impressive. Think about it. You have learned to pronounce the dreaded “-ed” (I liked it). Some of you will pull “an Enrique” during the oral exam and mumble the Rafa looks like he’s wondering who has verb fast enough to go practically unnoticed but, at stolen his grammar notes. The door least, you have become aware of its critical importance looks like it could use some technical at this stage of the learning process. The V-sound in words like very or every is not an exotic anymore. You have also realized that prepositions matter (I switch off from work) and synonyms are not useless (I unwind). Now you know the difference between building your own kind of English (when I arrive in the house) and the real thing (when I get home). You now know that you need to brush up on your past participles if you want to form certain sentences ( Have you ever ridden a hippo? ). You have learnt to string together rather sophisticated sentences (The man I work for is not here).
Typical exam mistakes The list of potential mistakes might be too long. Exams make everyone nervous and, for some fifteen minutes, you are not exactly you. Having said that, it is true “I’m not sure we that some errors are bound to occur. Here are some examples you should have learnt avoid at all costs: People is, Jennifer much but we and his boyfriend, I don’t know where have laughed a do you live, Last night I watch a movie, The men don’t enjoy ironing their lot” clothes, Polandish people are openROSALÍA minded, What means that? It has been an honor to help you make progress in this timeconsuming adventure. Your English is (hopefully) a little better now than it used to be. I sincerely apologize for my longThis is a snapshot of the winded explanations, my personal sense of humor (which might textbook of one of you. not be everybody’s cup of tea) and my occasional delay with Anyone ventures a guess? your essays. Teaching you has been fun. Remember: keep up the good work and never ever give up!
Intermedio 1
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