Objective Proficiency p 92. Picturetelling. Extra Speaking

Romeo and Juliet are dead 

They are lying on the floor in a

bedroom. The floor is very wet. Romeo and Juliet are

surrounded by lots of pieces of broken glass. There is a

shelf above them. There is no one in the house and there is

no sign of a break in. The house is located next to a railway

track. Can you explain what happened?
http://englishc2.blogspot.com.es/2006/07/romeo-and-juliet-are-dead.html 

Romeo and Juliet

Bournemouth Beach

The photograph was taken on a beach in the United Kingdom.

Q: Who has been to the UK? Do you go to any beaches? 
How do they compare to beaches here in Mallorca?

The photograph was taken in March 2011.

Q: Can you guess what the weather is like in this picture?

It is a beautiful day. 
The sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky.

Q: What else do you expect to see in the photograph?

In the picture, a man and a woman are sitting on a deckchair facing the sea.

Q: Do you know what a deckchair is? Can you guess?

It is a folding chair for the beach. It is made of wood and canvas (Sp. lona).

Q: I think that the man and woman must be in a relationship.

What makes me think that? (Elicit as many ideas as possible)

Well, he has his arm around her waist and they look happy. 
They are smiling and they are

wearing sunglasses.

This photograph is going to appear in the Guinness Book of Records.

Q: Can you guess why?
http://englishc2.blogspot.com.es/2006/07/bournemouth-beach.html 

or here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/picture/2012/mar/23/bournemouth 

The Happy Couple

This is a day of celebration. In the background of the photograph, a crowd of people are

smiling and cheering. They hold up their mobile phones to take photographs of the happy

couple who are standing in the foreground of the picture, embraced in a passionate kiss.

There is no doubt that they will remember this day for the rest of their lives.

A day of celebration / a crowd of people

Some of them are holding objects above their heads

* What are the objects?

* What is happening in the picture?

Mobile phones

* Why do you think they are holding mobile phones above their heads?

Taking photographs of the happy couple /
standing in the foreground of the picture

Embraced in a passionate kiss

Will remember this day for the rest of their lives.

* What else do you expect to see in the picture?

Something has just happened

* What do you think has just happened / what have they just done?

The kiss is taking place between two men / never met before

* Who are the people? What is the relationship between them?

* What has just happened?
Look at the photo here:
http://englishc2.blogspot.com.es/2006/07/chelsea-fan-kisses-frank-lampard.html 

or here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/picture/2012/may/20/eyewitness-chelsea-fans-celebrate-champions-league


Parisian bridge
This is one of those photographs that captures a moment of street life - a split second that would otherwise have been lost forever. It is a black and white photograph that was taken on a Parisian bridge. The sky looks grey and the trees that line the Seine are bare. This looks very much like a lazy Autumn day. I imagine that it is a Sunday. On the bridge, there are two Parisian artists at work - a painter and a photographer. Perhaps they know each other. Or perhaps they have never met. The painter is painting the view from the bridge. The photographer is photographing the scene on the bridge. The artists are not alone. In between them, two curious passers-by have stopped on the bridge to watch them at work.
Passer-by number one is discretely looking over the painter's shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the canvas, possibly hoping that he doesn't get caught. He is standing with his hands behind his back and in his hands he is holding a chain. Passer-by number two is looking in the opposite direction. She is more interested in the photographer. She is staring directly at him, less worried about being discrete.

Draw the image.

Compare with a partner. Find 3 or 4 differences (examples include: types of tree, types of bridge, number of people in picture, layout, etc.)

Ask students how many people they included in their drawings. They probably won’t say less than four. Tell them that there are only two people in the photograph. Ask them if they can explain.

Invite students to ask you questions in an attempt to work out why there are only two people.

Look at the picture here:

http://englishc2.blogspot.com.es/2006/07/le-fox-terrier-du-pont-des-arts-1953.html 
or here:

http://www.centrepompidou.fr/cpv/ressource.action;jsessionid=9457073EE393EC1D4F1D7901362A18D9?param.id=FR_R-705f8c8b536d14e98ebd1b3b974b2f0&param.idSource=FR_O-d7ef1ff02b97b7571b82a53a3c77465 

Objective Proficiency p 92. The Village. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 92. A Secrets Special. Extra Listening

People reveal the secrets they've been keeping from their partners, family and friends in this joint Woman's Hour and Men's Hour special programme. Presenters Jane Garvey and Tim Samuels team up to hear the perspectives of men and women from around the UK - and explore the motivations for and impact of keeping secrets. Listeners share their experiences from finding out they were adopted to discovering there had been a murder in their family.

Objective Proficiency p 92. Where did happily ever after go – and can you get it back? Extra Reading

Is being in love a distant memory? Couples therapist Andrew G Marshall teaches techniques to revive flagging long-term relationships – Joanna Moorhead tries some of them out.
Today started, for my husband, like any other day. Grumpy at 5.30am, he woke to the equally grumpy tones of James Naughtie (they are both Scottish, and I sometimes wonder if perhaps they are related), before proceeding – as usual – to edit me out of his morning as he focused on the news on the radio, having his bath, finding his cufflinks and heading out to get the train to work.
But on the doorstep, something happened. Normally we just bark “bye” to one another, usually from opposite ends of the house. Today, though, I was waiting at the front door as he left. I stood close to him. I said his name. I touched his shoulders. And then I kissed him, on the lips.
Gary was alarmed. Not just a bit alarmed – seriously rattled. He backed off and stared at me as though I’d grown a second head, and said: “What on earth is going on?:
I laughed. He looked at me as though I’d truly lost it, then saw his chance to get past me on to the pavement and scuttled off towards the station. Whew, he was probably thinking. That was weird.
It was weird, but here’s the thing. That was love. Or at least, it’s the sort of thing people who are in love do. Gary and I have been married for 28 years – being in love is just a distant memory. Somewhere inside we do care and respect and look out for one another, but these days the focus of our relationship is our children. We have pretty separate lives and it’s a long time since the focus for either of us was the other one.
Couples like us are prime contenders to start the new year by calling a divorce lawyer because, really, how easy is it to stay married on and on and on into the future? How easy is it to stay married when so many marriages around you are ending in divorce? How easy is to stay married when you can’t quite remember, most days, what made you decide to team up with the other person anyway and when their habits drive you more to derision than distraction?

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It’s definitely not easy, as the bestselling marital therapist Andrew G Marshall would be the first to agree. As his book I Love You But I’m Not In Love With You, which has already sold more than 100,000 copies in 20 languages, is reissued to mark the 10th anniversary of its publication, we are sitting in his local tea shop in Sussex, eating carrot cake and drinking tea, and pondering the $64m question: do all these couples who will be lifting the phone to their lawyers next week really need to do that? Could they still save their marriages?
The thing is, says Marshall, that in the decade since he first wrote the book, more of us believe it’s at least worth another punt. “People used to say, how can we ever fall in love again?” he says. “But these days there’s more of a realisation that people have built a wall in their relationship and they can take the wall down again.”
Also, many more people are open to the idea of therapy. “Thirty years ago, if you went to see a therapist it would have been regarded as odd, whereas now I’m surprised if I meet anyone who has never seen a therapist. The more we understand ourselves, the less likely we are to have a car crash.”
At the core of Marshall’s relationship credo – the truth he says he wants to dedicate his career to furthering – is that no marriage, no partnership, is ever all plain sailing. “It’s my all-time ambition to be remembered as the man who exploded the myth of soul partners,” he says. “That idea that you’ll find someone you’re so in tune with and so similar to and that you’ll never have any arguments or problems in your life is at the heart of 95% of all relationship problems.”
So here are two big truths: no relationship is ever perfect, and every relationship requires hard work to survive. A lot of hard work, and then some. The funny thing is, says Marshall, that it’s in the very differences between us – the snarls and grumbles and shortcomings – that the space for growth and betterness lies. “Too many couples bury the nasty bits – they avoid arguments, but what they don’t realise is that it’s the conflict and challenge in a relationship that helps it grow,” he says.
“What I want people to realise is that it’s OK to argue and actually that’s the best way of repairing your relationship. Arguing is very intimate: you have to care enough about someone to want to have it out with them. Often it’s easier to let something go than to have an argument. But that’s another brick in the wall in a relationship.”
One of the big issues with long-term togetherness is that we have very poor linguistics relating to what constitutes love. “I love my partner and I love this carrot cake, but the two loves are very different things,” says Marshall. “Yet it’s the same word. But love is so many different things. And what our society most focuses on as love – and what we seem to most believe love is about – is something that would more properly be called limerence.”
Coined by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov in the mid-1960s, limerence is the experience of being in love; it’s a vital stage of a couple’s love journey, the foundations in many ways of the whole relationship – but contrary to the Hollywood myth of happy ever after, it’s only ever a prequel to more settled forms of ongoing love as months turn to years and the years become decades.
According to Marshall, there are six distinct stages to a couple’s love journey: limerence, blending, self-affirming, collaborating, adapting and renewing. All of them are about love, but only limerence is about that aching heart, that spring in the step, that total inability to focus on anything else but the object of desire. As he says in his book, it’s that moment in West Side Story when Maria sings I Feel Pretty. It’s life-giving and bubbly and beautiful and magical, and we can all sing it in our heads, but it’s not the only part of the movie – and perhaps more importantly, when Maria’s friends sing about how she’s crazy, insane and in an advanced state of shock, they are right. Limerence is a bit of madness – the bit of madness, perhaps, that we all long for in our lives. “I always say, if that’s the stage you’re at then enjoy every minute,” says Marshall. “Because it’s absolutely wonderful.”
And it’s the madness that everything else is built on.
“People say what’s the craziest thing anyone has ever done for love?” says Marshall. “I say the craziest thing any of us has ever done was to open our home and our bank account, and our heart, to an absolute stranger.”
The only reason any of us does that is limerence; but the reason we are still with the other person decades later is because of all those other love stages.
Like all therapists, Marshall is coy about his own story. What he will say is that he started out as a radio journalist, and it was while brokering a phone-in show one day with a marriage guidance counsellor that he had a lightbulb moment.
“I was almost shaking as I listened because I suddenly knew this was what I wanted to do.”
He went to what was then the Marriage Guidance Council, now Relate, and trained as a therapist in the mid-1980s – at this stage, he recalls, the job was voluntary. He reckons he has counselled more than 3,000 couples in the decades since and 17 more books have followed his original I Love You But … All he’ll confirm about his own love story is that he is in a relationship, and that he tries (though sometimes fails) to live by his own rules.
So what are his rules? Well, the first one is that it’s all too easy, in a long term relationship, to start living in silos and to be convinced that nothing will ever make your partner change. You get stuck in ruts and you become certain that nothing will ever be any different. But you are wrong, says Marshall. OK, so you can’t force your partner to behave differently but you can change yourself. And by changing yourself, you could trigger changes in your partner – and, in time, everything else. “It’s like the mother who says to her child who has been in a row, you’ve got to be the big person here. You’ve got to make up first.”
There is simply no knowing, he says, what might happen when you introduce a bit of kindness, a bit of intimacy, a bit of connection. Hence Gary’s weird encounter with me on the front step this morning – that device to reconnection is a Marshall suggestion for how to reconnect.
And, he says, there are lots more little things you can do to change things in a stale relationship. “One fabulous habit to get into is actually being in the same room as the other one when you’re speaking,” he says. “And look into one another’s eyes – that’s a great thing to do as well.”
It’s also important to try to recognise your partner’s love language: he or she might just be doing the washing, or tidying the kitchen, or shopping, but underlying it is an act of love that should be named and acknowledged. Eating together gets another big Marshall tick. So, too, more controversially, does putting your partner first, rather than the children. “The way I see it a marriage is for ever, but the children are just passing through.”
But what message does he have for those couples who are thinking that they may be at the end of the road?
Marshall is not in favour of couples hanging on in there at any price: if the relationship is abusive or dead, then you’re right to get out. But there’s often a bit more road to be travelled and the process of trying to negotiate it can be healing even if you do eventually divorce. “Trying to save your marriage puts you into a win-win situation. Even if you separate, you’ll have learned to be better co-parents. It will also help you with the mourning process that’s an inevitable part of marriage breakup. So whatever happens, you’ll be in a better position.”
All things considered, I’m not quite ready to give up. At supper in a brasserie, I slip off a shoe under the table and gently slide my foot on top of my husband’s. “Eeergh!” he shouts. “There’s a mouse under the table!”
But when I’ve calmed him down, and we’ve assured the waiter it was a false alarm, we do both laugh for ages. And it feels good. If I find out where the headlights are, even though it’s a dark night, I think there might still be some road ahead for us.
The Guardian

Objective Proficiency p 92. A Man's Best Friend. Extra Humour

Objective Proficiency p 92. DRIVE THRU WEDDING. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 92. I Wish You Were Here. Extra Joke

Objective Proficiency p 92. Channel 5 TV Listings. Extra Word Formation

1____ (CON) , 2____ (FLEECE) and Left for 3____ (BREAK)

Brand new 4___________ (DOCUMENT) 5__________ (REVEAL) the dangers of 6_________ (BE) too 7_____________ (TRUST). Three women tell how they were 8____________ (EMOTION) 9____________ (MANIPULATION) and 10_____________ (RUTH) 11___________ (FRAUD) by their best friends.


KEY



1. Conned
Con:  to trick somebody, especially in order to get money from them or persuade them to do something for you. E.g. con somebody (into doing something) I was conned into buying a useless car. Con somebody (out of something) They had been conned out of £100,000.



2. Fleeced
fleece somebody (informal) (V) to take a lot of money from somebody by charging them too much or swindling (cheating) them. E.g. Some local shops have been fleecing tourists. The city’s cab drivers are notorious for fixing fares and fleecing tourists.

fleece: (N) the wool coat of a sheep; this coat when it has been removed from a sheep (by shearing ) 



3. Broke: having no money. E.g. I'm always broke by the end of the month. During the recession thousands of small businesses went broke (= had to stop doing business).



4. documentary
Brand new: completely new. E.g. a brand new computer. She bought her car brand new.



5. revealing



6. being



7. trusting/ trustful
trusting: tending to believe that other people are good, honest, etc. E.g. If you're too trusting, other people will take advantage of you.

trustful: having or marked by a total belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone. E.g. I became very nervous and less trustful of people. He is too trustful and does not realize what people are capable of doing to him.



8. emotionally 



9. manipulated 



10. ruthlessly: in a hard and cruel way; determined to get what you want and not caring if you hurt other people. E.g. I have to be ruthlessly honest with you. They should be punished ruthlessly for what they have done. An industry that so ruthlessly fleeces its customers shouldn't be surprised when some bite back.

ruth: a feeling of pity, distress, or grief. E.g. in this business I have neither ruth nor pity. Her honesty is never ruthless in the strict sense of the word; there is ruth, or mercy, even for the worst. But when it comes to making personnel decisions, Johnson is legendarily ruthless; not an ounce of ruth in him.



11. defrauded
defraud: /dɪˈfrɔːd/ to get money illegally from a person or an organization by tricking them. E.g. All three men were charged with conspiracy to defraud. They were accused of defrauding the company of $14000.




 

Objective Proficiency p 92. Pamela Meyer: How to Spot a Liar. Extra Listening

On any given day we're lied to from 10 to 200 times, and the clues to detect those lies can be subtle and counter-intuitive. Pamela Meyer, author of Liespotting, shows how those trained can recognize deception -- and she argues honesty is a value worth preserving.

Objective Proficiency p 92. Why you shouldn't force a child to kiss a grandparent. Extra Reading

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/08/shouldnt-force-child-kiss-grandparent-consent-sex-education

Objective Proficiency p 92. Strangers for Hire. Extra Listening

Many people rent out their homes or cars, but Nina Robinson hears that in Japan some are now offering more surprising services.

We are getting used to the idea of people renting out their homes for holidays or using their cars as taxis, all via online sites. Perhaps the next wave is going to be hiring people - not just to do work for us, but for the things we once expected friends and families to do: from offering a sympathetic ear to your problem or chaperoning a young woman on a date.

Japan, with its complex social codes, is at the forefront of the trend. Nina Robinson reports on some of the eyebrow-raising services now available.
You can hire an 'ossan' - a middle-aged man - perhaps to give away a bride at a wedding or just to provide a bit of companionship. Or a young man or woman to join you in your Instagram photos. Nina also meets the grandmother who is hired to give advice to wives whose husbands are cheating on them.
The programme airs as part of the BBC’s Life Stories season, which looks at differing attitudes to death, companionship and rites of passage around the world. Strangers For Hire explores whether this is a case of Japan today - the rest of the world tomorrow.


Listen to the programme

Objective Proficiency p 92. Vocabulary

Ex 1
Possible answer
The couple on the left look as though they've been together for decades!
They seem to have a good relationship and are very close, whereas the couple on the right are clearly going through some sort of communication breakdown. I think you need to respect your partner and be willing to support them whenever necessary. There will be good times and bad, after all. The external factors that can impinge on a relationship are many: stress at work, lack of money, poor living conditions, or other family members' influence.


impinge: /ɪmˈpɪndʒ/
impinge (on/upon something/somebody) (formal) to have a noticeable effect on something/somebody, especially a bad one. Sp. afectar, impactar. E.g. He never allowed his work to impinge on his private life. The preparations for war were beginning to impinge.

• Distraught: / dɪˈstrɔːt/ extremely upset and anxious so that you cannot think clearly. Sp. Consternado, angustiado. E.g. She's still too distraught to speak about the tragedy. The child's distraught parents pleaded for witnesses to contact the police.
• Dump somebody: (informal) to end a romantic relationship with somebody. E.g. Did you hear he's dumped his girlfriend?

Ex2
Possible answer
What counts above all in a relationship is the ability to compromise- both partners need to show some give and take, because otherwise there will inevitably be friction in the relationship and unpleasant arguments



Ex3
KEY


1D



2A



3B



4B



5C
Questions

• Look up to somebody: to admire or respect somebody.
• A change of heart: if you have a change of heart, your attitude towards something changes, usually making you feel more friendly, helpful, etc. E.g. Dan did not want to get married but recently he's had a change of heart.
• Aberration: /ˌæbəˈreɪʃn/ a fact, an action or a way of behaving that is not usual, and that may be unacceptable. Anomalía. E.g. a temporary aberration of his exhausted mind. A childless woman was regarded as an aberration, almost a social outcast.
• Bring sth on: to make something develop, usually something unpleasant. Cause. Provocar. E.g. He was suffering from stress brought on by overwork. 
• At somebody's expense: /ɪkˈspens/ 1 paid for by somebody. E.g. We were taken out for a meal at the company's expense. 2 if you make a joke at somebody's expense, you laugh at them and make them feel silly. E.g. He thought she was having a laugh at his expense. 
• Put something down to something: to consider that something is caused by something. Attribute. E.g. What do you put her success down to?
• Unattached: /ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/ 1. Not married or involved in a romantic relationship. Single. E.g. He was still unattached at the age of 34. 2. Not connected with or belonging to a particular group or organization.
• Ditch something/somebody (informal):  to get rid of something/somebody because you no longer want or need it/them. E.g. The new road building programme has been ditched. He ditched his girlfriend.

Transcript

• High: the feeling of extreme pleasure and excitement that somebody gets from doing something enjoyable or being successful at something. E.g. He was on a real high after winning the competition. The highs and lows of her acting career. 
• Tie the knot: (informal) to get married. 
• Bubbly: /ˈbʌbli/ always cheerful, friendly and enthusiastic. E.g. Julie's bright, bubbly personality.
• Cast your net: to throw a fishing net into the water.
• Down to earth: sensible and practical, in a way that is helpful and friendly. Sp. realista, práctico. 
• Have money to burn: to have so much money that you do not have to be careful with it. 
• Move in with somebody: to start living with somebody in the house or flat/apartment where they already live. 
• Rub along (with somebody/together): (British English, informal) (of two people) to live or work together in a friendly enough way. Sp. Llevarse bien con alguien, tener buen rollo. E.g. We manage to rub along together fairly well.
• Plain: easy to see or understand. Clear. E.g. He made it plain (Sp. dejó claro) that we should leave. 
• A bolt from the blue: an event or a piece of news which is sudden and unexpected; a complete surprise. Sp. salir de la nada. E.g. Her dismissal came as a bolt from the blue. How did you take this bolt from the blue?
• Baffle: /ˈbæfl/ to confuse somebody completely; to be too difficult or strange for somebody to understand or explain. E.g. His behaviour baffles me. I'm baffled (as to) why she hasn't called. Some of the country's customs are baffling (incomprensibles, desconcertantes) to outsiders.
• Pull a trick (on sb): to deceive somebody, to play a trick on somebody. E.g. Let's pull a trick on the teacher. 
• Whip somebody/something up:  to deliberately try and make people excited or feel strongly about something. Rouse /raʊz/. Sp. Avivar. E.g. The advertisements were designed to whip up public opinion. He was a speaker who could really whip up a crowd.
• Fleeting: /ˈfliːtɪŋ/ lasting only a short time. Brief. E.g. a fleeting glimpse/smile. A fleeting moment of happiness. We paid a fleeting visit to Paris.
• Anguished: /ˈæŋɡwɪʃd/ with severe pain, mental suffering or unhappiness. Sp. Angustioso. E.g. anguished cries. An anguished letter from her prison cell.  
• Streak: /striːk/ a part of a person's character, especially an unpleasant part. Sp. vena. E.g. a ruthless/ vicious/ mean streak. A streak of cruelty. 
• Dawn on somebody: /dɔːn/ [no passive] if something dawns on you, you begin to realize it for the first time. Sp.  Pasar por la cabeza. E.g. it dawns on somebody that… Suddenly it dawned on me that they couldn't possibly have met before. 
• Call the tune: (informal) to be the person who controls a situation. 
• Fend off: to protect yourself from difficult questions, criticisms, etc, especially by avoiding them. Sp. esquivar. E.g. She managed to fend off questions about new tax increases. The Prime Minister fended off three challenges to her leadership. 
• Throw yourself/something into something: to begin to do something with energy and enthusiasm.  
• Pick up on something: to notice something and perhaps react to it. E.g. She failed to pick up on the humour in his remark.
• Keen: enthusiastic about an activity or idea, etc. E.g. a keen sportsman. One of the keenest supporters of the team. She was a star pupil—keen, confident and bright.
• Disgust: a strong feeling of dislike or disapproval for somebody/something that you feel is unacceptable, or for something that looks, smells, etc. unpleasant. E.g. He walked away in disgust (Sp. indignado).
• Blurt something (out)| blurt that…| blurt what, how, etc…| /blɜːt/ to say something suddenly and without thinking carefully enough. Sp. soltar algo. E.g. She blurted it out before I could stop her.‘She's pregnant,’ Jack blurted. 
• Hold sth back: to stop yourself from expressing how you really feel. Sp. contener. E.g. She just managed to hold back her anger. He bravely held back his tears. 
• Phased: brought to an end. 
• Carry a torch for somebody: to be in love with somebody, especially somebody who does not love you in return. 
• Roll up your sleeves: to prepare to work or fight. 
• At death's door: (often humorous) so ill/sick that you may die. E.g. I suppose you won't be coming to the party if you're at death's door!
• Idyllic: /ɪˈdɪlɪk/ (BrE); /aɪˈdɪlɪk/ (AmE). Peaceful and beautiful; perfect, without problems. E.g. a house set in idyllic surroundings.
• Rapture: / ˈræptʃə(r)/ a feeling of extreme pleasure and happiness. Delight. Sp. éxtasis. Charles listened with rapture to her singing. The children gazed at her in rapture. Never before had she known such rapture.
• Slushy: said about stories, films/movies or feelings that are considered to be silly and without value because they are too emotional and romantic. Sp. sentimentaloide, sensiblero. E.g. slushy romantic fiction. 
• Pop the question: (informal) to ask somebody to marry you. 
• Fall/slot into place: if something complicated or difficult to understand falls or slots into place, it becomes organized or clear in your mind. E.g. Then I found his diary and it all began to fall into place.
• Give somebody the cold shoulder: (informal) to treat somebody in an unfriendly way.
• Prospective: /prəˈspektɪv/ likely to be or become a particular thing. Sp. Fururo. E.g. a prospective client/ employee/ candidate. 
• Come around/round (to something): to change your mood or your opinion. Sp. dejarse convencer. E.g. He'll never come round to our way of thinking.
• Heart-to-heart: a conversation in which two people talk honestly about their feelings and personal problems. E.g. to have a heart-to-heart with somebody.
• Go off: to leave a place, especially in order to do something. E.g. She went off to get a drink.
• Get/take a grip (on yourself): to improve your behaviour or control your emotions after being afraid, upset or angry. Sp. Controlar. E.g. I have to take a grip on myself, he told himself firmly. (informal) Get a grip! (= make an effort to control your emotions).
• Leap /liːp/, leapt /lept/, leapt: to move or do something suddenly and quickly. E.g. She leapt out of bed. He leapt across the room to answer the door. I leapt to my feet (= stood up quickly). They leapt into action immediately. (figurative) She was quick to leap to my defence (= speak in support of me). The photo seemed to leap off the page (= it got your attention immediately). His name leapt out at me (= I saw it immediately). 

Objective Proficiency p 91. Keys and Vocabulary

Ex 4
KEY
a end

• At the end of the day: used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered. Sp. A fin de cuentas, al fin y al cabo, después de todo. E.g. At the end of the day, he'll still have to make his own decision.

b. all

• All things considered: thinking carefully about all the facts, especially the problems or difficulties, of a situation. Sp. A fin de cuentas, en conjunto, en general. E.g. She's had a lot of problems since her husband died but she seems quite cheerful, all things considered. 

c. come

• Come to think of it: used when you suddenly remember something or realize that it might be important. On reflection (said when an idea or point occurs to one while one is speaking). Sp. ahora que lo pienso. E.g. Come to think of it, he did mention seeing you. Come to think of it, that was very daring of you.

d.  cold/clear

• In the cold/clear light of day: when you have had time to think calmly about something; in the morning when things are clearer. E.g. These things always look different in the cold light of day. The purchase needs to be made in the cold light of day and not on impulse Sp. La compra debe basarse en un análisis objetivo y no en un impulso.

e. all

• All in all: when everything is considered. Sp. En términos generales, teniendo todo en cuenta, en conjunto. E.g. All in all it had been a great success.

 

Ex 5
KEY
Rhetorical questions are appropriate to both articles and essays 
Possible answers
 

a Don't American products impose a way of life on us that many regard as alien at the end of the day?
 



b All things considered, mightn't globalisation bring more equality to the world?



c When you come to think of it, isn't it rather depressing to find a McDonald's in every town?
 

Extra rhetorical questions:
1 All in all, is it so disastrous that everyone can link up to the Internet?
 


2 In the cold light of day, won't these transnational companies bring much-needed investment to poorer countries?
 


3 Do we all want to wear the same branded clothes, in the final analysis?

Advice

• Punchy: having a strong effect because it expresses something clearly in only a few words. E.g. a bright, punchy style of writing.

Ex7

• Boon: (to/for somebody) something that is very helpful and makes life easier for you. Gran ayuda. E.g. The new software will prove a boon to Internet users.
• Pillage: to steal things from a place or region, especially in a war, using violence.  
• At stake: that can be won or lost, depending on the success of a particular action. Estar en juego. E.g. We cannot afford to take risks when people's lives are at stake. The prize at stake is a place in the final. 
• In your own right: because of your personal qualifications or efforts, not because of your connection with somebody else. E.g. She sings with a rock band, but she's also a jazz musician in her own right.
• Reassert something: to make other people recognize again your right or authority to do something, after a period when this has been in doubt. Reafirmar. E.g. She found it necessary to reassert her position.
• Mourn: /mɔːn/ to feel and show sadness because somebody has died; to feel sad because something no longer exists or is no longer the same. E.g. He was still mourning his brother's death. They mourn the passing of a simpler way of life.

Objective Proficiency p 90. M-learning Activities

https://kahoot.com/

Objective Proficiency p 90. The New Elizabethans: Tim Berners-Lee. Extra Listening

Jim Naughtie on Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and unlikely hero of the Olympic opening ceremony. Berners-Lee is a key figure in the digital revolution that has re-fashioned social lives, working practices and the flow of information around the globe.

Listen to the programme

Objective Proficiency p 90. Science and Technology. Extra Speaking.

1. MONOLOGUE. Prepare a talk of AT LEAST 5 minutes on the subject. You may use the pictures above and the contents below if you wish:

 "The future belongs to young people who know where the knowledge is, how to get it, how to think about it, and how to turn it into better work, better products, better lives."
Rexford Brown, Executive Director, P.S. 1 Charter School and Urban Learning Communities, Inc.

 
What are the benefits and drawbacks of Web 2.0 sites? What about Web 3.0 sites? In what ways can misinformation spread? How can people broadcast information nowadays? Can we rely on traditional media or do you think that newspapers and television often convey misconstrued and biased information? What about the radio? Do news sources give us verifiable and non-biased information? In what ways can MOOCs  change higher education? How can they help us? Is gamification helping young people? or hurting them? How is m-learning impacting the students of today? Do you think that with the technological and methodological advancements teachers will be rendered obsolete in the near future? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a flipped classroom methodology in adult education?

You may make some notes for your talk to take into the exam. These should not exceed five lines.

2. INTERACTION
In this part of the test, the examiner will ask you some questions about issues related to the TOPIC. Remember that you are expected to have a conversation as natural as possible and give full answers. This part of the examination will last AT LEAST 5 minutes. You will not see the questions below.
________________________________________



TEACHER'S QUESTIONS

1. Do you think that there is a threat of potential cyberattacks that can disrupt IT services across the globe? How can we protect our computers and smartphones? Do you keep a backup copy of important files?
2. What social changes have been brought about by new technologies?
3. What cutting-edge technology should your dream airport have?
4. What technology is all the rage among your friends?
5. To what extend do ubiquitous computing and wearable technology share the vision of interweaving technology with the everyday life making technology pervasive?
6. In what ways are the new generations more tech-savvy than the older generations? Who is the techiest member of your family?
7. How can we be more wary of phishing emails, pharming websites and hackers? Can you think of other scams? Which can be the consequences of being too gullible?
8. Do you think landline phones may one day disappear?
9. If you had the possibility to only work from your house via a computer, would you do it? 
10. What are the benefits and drawbacks of social networking sites like Facebook?  
11. Have we raised a generation of pirates?




1 Monologue
Picture 1


cyberbully: /ˈsaɪbəbʊli/ a person who uses messages on social networking sites, emails, text messages, etc. to frighten or upset somebody. E.g. Fortunately, the victim reported the cyberbully to the moderator and the offensive messages were removed from the message board.



cyberbullying: /ˈsaɪbəbʊliɪŋ/ the activity of using messages on social networking sites, emails, text messages, etc. to frighten or upset somebody. E.g. The school provides guidance for parents on how to deal with issues such as cyberbullying.



netiquette: the rules of correct or polite behaviour among people using the Internet.



troll: a message to a discussion group on the Internet that somebody deliberately sends to make other people angry; a person who sends a message like this. 

 
More vocabulary about the internet


surf the Net/Internet to use the Internet. E.g. I was surfing the Net looking for information on Indian music.



ego-surfing: the activity of searching the Internet to find places where your own name has been mentioned.



silver surfer: an old person who spends a lot of time using the Internet. 



browse (something) (computing) to look for or to look at information on a computer, especially on the Internet or a specific website. E.g. I spent the whole evening just browsing on the Internet. I browsed the website for information about the event but didn’t find anything useful.



hook up: to connect somebody/something to a piece of electronic equipment, to a power supply or to the Internet. E.g.  Check that the computer is hooked up to the printer. A large proportion of the nation's households are hooked up to the Internet. 



lurk: to read a discussion in a chat room, etc. on the Internet, without taking part in it yourself.



netizen: a person who uses the Internet a lot. 



webhead: a person who uses the Internet a lot. 


the Deep Web: the part of the World Wide Web that cannot be searched using a standard search engine because the data is protected by passwords or special codes. E.g. The biggest weakness of the Deep Web is also its greatest strength: it's really hard to find anything. 


the Dark Web: the part of the World Wide Web that you can only get access to with special software, allowing users and website owners to remain secret, used especially for criminal activities. E.g. Dealers are also selling drugs through the Dark Web. 





 
Picture 2

magnifying glass: She is examining the screen under a powerful magnifying glass. She is peering at it through her magnifying glass.



peer: to look closely or carefully at something, especially when you cannot see it clearly.



obsolete: /ˈɒbsəliːt/ no longer used because something new has been invented. Out of date. E.g.
obsolete technology. With technological changes many traditional skills have become obsolete.



obsolescent: /ˌɒbsəˈlesnt/ becoming old-fashioned and no longer useful.



obsolescence: /ˌɒbsəˈlesns/ the state of becoming old-fashioned and no longer useful. E.g. products with built-in/planned obsolescence (= designed not to last long so that people will have to buy new ones).  



Text: /tekst/ to send somebody a written message using a mobile/cell phone. E.g. Text me when you're on your way. Kids seem to be texting non-stop these days. I'll text you the final score.

 

More vocabulary about phones


Hands-free set / kit: Sp. manos libres



Missed call: Sp. llamada perdida.



send s.o. a missed call/give s.o. a missed call/ missed call s.o./ drop call s.o./ prank s.o./ give s.o. a prank call/ one bell s.o./ call s.o. and hang up: Sp. dar un toque 



Phone charger: Sp. cargador de batería
 


Low battery
 


Dead battery



Touch screen: noun(computing) a computer screen which allows you to give instructions to the computer by touching areas on it.



turn on/set airplane, vibrate or silent/mute mode. If you could all mute your phones, that'd be great. You may unmute your phones now.



There’s no signal / reception/ out of range: Sp. no hay cobertura



To be breaking up: when a person who is talking on a mobile/cell phone breaks up, you can no longer hear them clearly because the signal has been interrupted. Sp. se va el sonido, la voz; se corta la conversación.
 


Cut off: to interrupt somebody who is speaking on the telephone by breaking the connection. E.g. We were cut off in the middle of our conversation.



Engaged/ busy:  The line is busy.



Handset: 1. Mobile phone; 2. The part of a desktop telephone that contains the speaker and the microphone.



swipe (something) (on/across something) to move your finger quickly across the screen of an electronic device such as a mobile/cell phone or small computer in order to move text, pictures, etc. or give commands. E.g. Switch on the phone and swipe your finger across the screen to unlock it.



smiley: a simple picture or series of keyboard symbols :-) that represents a smiling face. The symbols are used, for example, in email or text messages to show that the person sending the message is pleased or joking.



emoticon: /ɪˈməʊtɪkɒn/ a short set of keyboard symbols that represents the expression on somebody’s face, used in email, etc. to show the feelings of the person sending the message. For example :-) represents a smiling face (when you look at it sideways). 


 
Picture 3



Block: if you want to stop someone from contacting you, you can block them. E.g. When you block someone, they can't see your profile or posts.

 

More vocabulary about Social Networking



Log in/on: to perform the actions that allow you to begin using a computer system. E.g. You need a password to log on.



Log out/off: to perform the actions that allow you to finish using a computer system. E.g. Log out before switching the computer off.



Sign up: E.g. sign up to our social media.



Befriend:  /bɪˈfrend/ befriend somebody to become a friend of somebody, especially somebody who needs your help. E.g.  Shortly after my arrival at the school, I was befriended by an older girl. When did it become normal to befriend people you don’t know on Facebook?



Add a friend: E.g. add me as a friend on facebook.



Defriend or unfriend: to remove somebody from a list of friends or contacts on a social networking website. E.g. If a Facebook friend suddenly becomes your boss, do you unfriend them? Young adults are more likely to unfriend.



Report:  to tell a person in authority about a crime, an accident, an illness, etc. or about something bad that somebody has done. E.g. Please keep in mind that reporting something to Facebook doesn't guarantee that it will be removed. You can report inappropriate content on facebook and they will take it down. Report someone I reported him on Facebook for being annoying. I reported a p




Friend request: E.g. should you accept a friend request from someone you don't know?



Mutual friend: We have some mutual friends on facebook.



Update: to give somebody the most recent information about something; to add the most recent information to something. E.g. Update your status by telling others what you're doing right now.
Can you see my latest status update on Facebook?

Feed: (N) a special feature on a blog, news website, social networking website, etc. that allows you to see new information that has been added without having to visit the website. E.g. News Feed is the constantly updating list of stories in the middle of your Facebook home page.  

Poke: (V) to quickly push your fingers or another object into somebody/something.  In Facebook it is a mechanism for getting someone's attention. E.g. I Facebook poked Wendy two hours ago, but she hasn't poked me back yet!

Poke: (N) the action of quickly pushing your fingers or another object into somebody/something. In Facebook it is a mechanism for getting someone's attention. E.g. Have you ever received a poke from someone on Facebook?

like something if you like something on a social networking service, news website, blog, etc. you show that you agree with it or that you think it is good by clicking a special button. E.g. By the next morning, over twenty of my friends had liked my new profile picture. Over seven hundred Facebook users have already liked the company’s website.

Like (N) if something on a social networking service, news website, blog, etc. receives a like, it means that somebody has shown that they agree with it or think it is good by clicking a special button. E.g. The band now has thousands of likes.

Comment: (V) comment (on/upon something) to express an opinion about something. E.g. Thanks everyone who commented on my blog.

comment (about/on something) something that you say or write which gives an opinion on or explains somebody/something. E.g. Please email us or leave a comment on our website.

Share: E.g. many followers shared my status update. 

follow: to choose to regularly receive messages from a person, company, etc. E.g. I don’t follow many celebrities on Twitter any more. 

follower: a person who chooses to regularly receive somebody’s messages. E.g. a celebrity with thousands of followers on Twitter. 

followee: a person, company, etc. whose messages people choose to receive regularly. E.g. I often use Twitter recommendations to select new followees.  

tweet: (N) a message sent using the Twitter social networking service. E.g. He started posting tweets via his cell phone to keep friends and family updated on his progress. He sends too many tweets

tweet: (also twitter) (V) tweet/twitter (something) to send a message using the Twitter™ social networking service. E.g. He tweeted that he was very busy. 

retweet: if you retweet a message written by another user on the Twitter social networking service, the message can be seen by all of the people who regularly receive messages from you. E.g. I retweeted a tweet from a friend about it. That tweet got retweeted over 500 times.



twitterer: /ˈtwɪtərə/ n (also twitter user) a person who posts messages on the Twitter website.

hashtag: a word or phrase with the symbol ‘#’ in front of it, included in some messages sent using the Twitter social networking service so that you can search for all messages with the same subject. E.g. I often use hashtags to search for trending topics.

Facebook: (V) 1 to communicate with someone by using the Facebook™ website. E.g. Noticing her healthy hair in a picture the other day, I Facebooked her a compliment. 2 to search for information about someone by using the Facebook™ website. E.g. My curiosity about Lloyd became overwhelming, and within five minutes I had facebooked him and found out where he lived on campus.

Location: E.g. turn off location if you do not want to advertise your whereabouts. 



ghost: /ɡəʊst/ to end a relationship by simply disappearing, without any explanation; to do this to someone. End a personal relationship with (someone) by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication. E.g. Being “ghosted” is one of the toughest ways to be dumped. I didn't want to ghost her, so we ended up having ‘the talk’ and it was horrible.

 
Monologue: questions

Web 2.0: a second stage in the development of the World Wide Web, involving ways of sharing information such as blogs and wikis. It is a term used to describe how the internet has changed in recent years to facilitate greater sharing of personal information and user-operated design. E.g. On the one hand a Web 2.0 site may allow users to interact and collaborate with each other. They can access information about a wide range of topics on Web 2.0 sites. They offer information and data from all over the world. On the other hand, it is necessary to develop skills to evaluate what you find. When you use a research or academic library, the books, journals and other resources have already been evaluated by scholars, publishers and librarians. Inaccurate information can be misleading or even dangerous (health information for example). 



The term Web 3.0 (the “semantic Web”) describes sites where computers will be generating raw data on their own.



raw data: not yet organized into a form in which it can be easily used or understood. E.g. This information is only raw data and will need further analysis.



For Web 1.0 and 2.0, the Internet is trapped within the physical walls of the computer, but as more devices become connected to the Web, such as smartphones, cars, and other household appliances, the Internet will be set free and become omnipresent. Devices will be able to exchange data among each other and even generate new information (e.g. how Last.fm anticipates what music the user may enjoy based on their previous song selections).  The Internet will be able to perform tasks faster and more efficiently, such as search engines being able to search for the actual individual users interests, and not just for the keyword typed into search engines.  We are not there yet, but we will someday soon, and educators must be prepared because Web 3.0 technology will truly move the classroom beyond the basic lecture and take it to new exciting territories!



If we make a decision based on wrong or unreliable information,…



Misinformation can spread fast via /ˈvaɪə/ social networks.



Twitter lets you broadcast information about … 



We are aware that the media, mainly the newspaper and television, conveys (communicates) misconstrued (misinterpreted) and biased information to a gross (total) population about many events.
 


We have relied on many newspapers and news sources for years to give us verifiable and non-biased information. These days though it seems…  

 


MOOC: /muːk/ the abbreviation for ‘massive open online course’ (a course of study that is made available over the Internet, usually without charge, to a very large number of people).



gamification /ˌɡeɪmɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ the use of elements of game-playing in another activity, usually in order to make that activity more interesting. E.g. The supermarket chain has started using gamification to make food shopping online fun. Gamification is no stranger to the education industry, as I'm sure many of us remember our teachers turning classroom learning into games.



gamify /ˈɡeɪmɪfaɪ/ to use elements of game-playing in another activity, usually in order to make that activity more interesting. E.g. We gamified the online survey by awarding virtual rewards at the end of each section. A gamified classroom engages students while allowing them to learn better. 

 


m-learning /ˈem lɜːnɪŋ/ (also mobile learning) a system of learning that uses mobile devices such as mobile/cell phones, small computers and tablets that can be carried, etc. so that people can learn anywhere at any time. 

 


Flipped classroom: In a flipped classroom model, students watch online lectures, collaborate in online discussions, or carry out research at home and engage in concepts in the classroom with the guidance of the instructor. Flipped Learning is a  pedagogical approach in  which direct instruction moves  from the group  learning space  to the individual learning  space, and the resulting  group space is transformed  into a dynamic, interactive  learning environment where  the educator guides students  as they apply concepts and  engage creatively in the  subject  matter. In a flipped classroom students are doing the lower levels of cognitive work (gaining knowledge and comprehension) outside of class, and focusing on the higher forms of cognitive work (application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) in class, where they have the support of their peers and instructor. This model contrasts from the traditional model in which “first exposure” occurs via lecture in class, with students assimilating knowledge through homework; thus the term “flipped classroom.” 
E.g. In a flipped classroom problems may arise if students come unprepared.

More vocabulary related to the media 
the media: 
[uncountable + singular or plural verb] the main ways that large numbers of people receive information and entertainment, that is television, radio, newspapers and the Internet. E.g. the news/broadcasting/national media. The trial was fully reported in the media. The media was/were accused of influencing the final decision. Any event attended by the actor received widespread media coverage. He became a media star/sensation for his part in the protests. 



the mass media: /ðə ˌmæs ˈmiːdiə/ sources of information and news such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television, that reach and influence large numbers of people. E.g. the relationship between politics and the mass media.



binge-watch: to watch several episodes (= separate parts) of a television series or programme, one after another. E.g. We binge-watched an entire season of Breaking Bad on Sunday. 




algorithm: /ˈælɡərɪðəm/ a set of mathematical instructions or rules that, especially if given to a computer, will help to calculate an answer to a problem. E.g. Music apps use algorithms to predict the probability that fans of one particular band will like another.



personalisation:  (also personalization) the process of making something suitable for the needs of a particular person. E.g. Some of the newest internet businesses offer a higher level of personalization than in the past.



couch potato: a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television.



cliffhanger: 
/ˈklɪfhæŋə(r)/
a situation in a story, film/movie, competition, etc. that is very exciting because you cannot guess what will happen next, or you do not find out immediately what happens next. E.g. The first part of the serial ended with a real cliffhanger. Tonight’s vote on European policy threatens to be a cliffhanger.



square-eyed: If you say someone is or will go square-eyed, you mean they are watching too much television. E.g. You'll go square-eyed if you sit in front of that TV any more!



fake news: false reports of events, written and read on websites. E.g. Many of us seem unable to distinguish fake news from the verified sort. Fake news creates significant public confusion about current events. 

keep abreast of something

to make sure that you know all the most recent facts about a subject. E.g. It is almost impossible to keep abreast of all the latest developments in computing. I like to keep abreast of current affairs. It’s important to keep abreast with the latest legislation.  How important is it to keep abreast of the news?



keep up with something:
to learn about or be aware of the news, current events, etc. She likes to keep up with the latest fashions. I try to keep up with the news, but it's a daunting task.

no news is good news

(saying) if there were bad news we would hear it, so as we have heard nothing, it is likely that nothing bad has happened.



broadcast, broadcast, broadcast
The concert will be broadcast live (= at the same time as it takes place) tomorrow evening.
The local radio broadcasts information for the residents.


 

2. Teacher's questions
Question 1
cyberattack: /ˈsaɪbərətæk/ the act of trying to damage or destroy a computer network, computer system or website by secretly changing information on it without permission. E.g. Fourteen people were arrested for launching a cyberattack on the company’s website.


backup (computing) a copy of a file, etc. that can be used if the original is lost or damaged. E.g. Always make a backup of your work. A backup copy.
backup: [uncountable, countable] extra help or support that you can get if necessary. E.g. The police had backup from the army. We can use him as a backup if one of the other players drops out. A backup power supply.
  
 
Question 2

Bring sth about: to make something happen. Cause. E.g. social changes that have been brought about by new technology. 

 

Question 3


The cutting edge (of something): the newest, most advanced stage in the development of something. Sp. lo más nuevo, lo último. E.g. working at the cutting edge of computer technology.

 
Question 4


be all the rage: (informal) to be very popular and fashionable. E.g. Fax machines in cars are all the rage in California.

 
Question 5


ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/ seeming to be everywhere. Very common. E.g. With ubiquitous computing, wearable technology share the vision of interweaving technology into the everyday life, of making technology pervasive.



Wearable Technology: clothing and accessories incorporating computer and advanced electronic technologies.Sp. Wearable Technologies like Google Glass and Smartwatches are on the rise in personal and business use.



interweave, interwove, interwoven: to twist together two or more pieces of thread, wool, etc. E.g. The blue fabric was interwoven with red and gold thread. Figurative: E.g. The problems are inextricably interwoven (= very closely connected).



Pervasive: existing in all parts of a place or thing; spreading gradually to affect all parts of a place or thing. Sp. generalizado, dominante, penetrante. E.g. a pervasive smell of damp. Her influence is all-pervasive (= it affects everyone and everything). A sense of social change is pervasive in her novels. The increasingly pervasive subculture in modern society. Facebook is so pervasive that it has become the main target of parents’ angst. 



angst noun[U] (from German) a feeling of anxiety and worry about a situation, or about your life. Sp. angustia, preocupación. E.g. songs full of teenage angst.



commonplace: /ˈkɒmənpleɪs/ done very often, or existing in many places, and therefore not unusual. E.g. Computers are now commonplace in primary classrooms.

 

Question 6

tech-savvy: well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology, especially computers. E.g. today’s tech-savvy consumers. Kids are pretty tech-savvy these days.
 


Savvy: /ˈsævi/ practical knowledge or understanding of something. E.g. political savvy.



techie (also techy) /ˈteki/ a person who is expert in or enthusiastic about technology, especially computers. E.g. many techies are often too busy to eat properly.

 

Question 7

hack: to secretly find a way of looking at and/or changing information on somebody else’s computer system without permission. E.g. hack into something He hacked into the bank's computer. hack something They had hacked secret data.  



phishing: the activity of tricking people by getting them to give their identity, bank account numbers, etc. over the Internet or by email, and then using these to steal money from them.



pharming: the practice of secretly changing computer files or software so that visitors to a popular website are sent to a different website instead, without their knowledge, where their personal details are stolen and used to steal money from them. 



gullible: /ˈɡʌləbl/ too willing to believe or accept what other people tell you and therefore easily tricked. 


 

Question 8

retronym: /ˈretrəʊnɪm/ a new name that is given to something that has existed for a long time, in order to distinguish it from a more modern development. E.g. The list of retronyms includes acoustic guitar, manual typewriter, silent movie and landline phone.


Question 11


pirate: a person who makes illegal copies of DVDs, computer programs, books, etc., in order to sell them. E.g. a pirate edition. Software pirates.



pirate something to copy and use or sell somebody’s work or a product without permission and without having the right to do so. E.g. pirated computer games. Jones was accused of having pirated the scientist’s work. 

More vocabulary related to science and technology

 
New Technologies


Electronic commerce: commonly known as e-commerce or e-comm, is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks.



E-business: e-commerce.



Newsgroup: /ˈnjuːzɡruːp/ a place in a computer network, especially the Internet, where people can discuss a particular subject and exchange information about it.
 


Computers
 


sleek: having an elegant smooth shape. Sp. elegante. E.g. a sleek yacht. The sleek lines of the new car. Travel in style with a sleek laptop.



bug: a fault in a machine, especially in a computer system or program.



crash: (N) a sudden failure of a machine or system, especially of a computer or computer system. E.g. A systems crash in the morning and a bomb scare in the afternoon provided enough excitement for one day. 



crash: (V) crash (something) if a computer crashes or you crash a computer, it stops working suddenly. E.g. Files can be lost if the system suddenly crashes. 



freeze, froze, frozen: when a computer screen freezes, you cannot move any of the images, etc. on it, because there is a problem with the system.

 


scroll: to move text on a computer screen up or down so that you can read different parts of it. E.g. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the list of files. Scroll down to the bottom of the document.  

Email 


E-pal: (also e-friend): a person that you make friends with by sending emails, often somebody you have never met. E.g. She now has e-pals all over the world.


email: (V) to send a message to somebody by email. E.g. email (somebody) Patrick emailed me yesterday. Email something (to somebody) I'll email the documents to her. Email somebody something I'll email her the documents.



trash: E.g. To delete an email, you can move it to Trash



spam/junk mail: advertising material sent by email to people who have not asked for it



CC: carbon copy (to) (used on business letters and emails to show that a copy is being sent to another person) E.g. to Luke Peters, cc Janet Gold.



BCC: blind carbon copy (to) (used on emails or business letters to show that a copy is being sent to another person whose name and address cannot be seen by the other person or people who receive it).



snail mail: used especially by people who use email to describe the system of sending letters by ordinary mail.
 


Websites and Blogs

Often websites and blogs publish information that…

Google: to search for something on the Internet, especially using the Google™ search engine. E.g. Last week, with the new year on the horizon, I Googled the top ten resolutions to help me prepare my answer for the question of the day. Having Googled my symptoms, I feared the worst.

As online identity became more significant, being googleable (=found when entered as a Google™ search) was considered desirable, which in turn gave us the quality of googleability (=a measure of how easy it is to find someone or something by googling) and the potential to be ungoogleable.

a blog post/entry

label (V)

label (N)

embed: E.g. embed videos

embed code



stream something (computing) to play video or sound on a computer by receiving it as a continuous stream, from the Internet for example, rather than needing to wait until the whole of the material has been downloaded. E.g. You can stream the song for a single listen. The programme was streamed on the Web 24 hours a day. He live streamed his party.

 

White goods

white goods: large pieces of electrical equipment in the house, such as washing machines, etc.