Final written test practice (second part)

Session 2 

 

Reading:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading4.html

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading_part5.htm

 

Listening:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part3.htm

 

Vocabulary:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/vocabulary/B1_vocabulary_topics.htm

2014 Have you had a good year??

This years is almost over, the semester is about to finish, and wherever you go there is Christmas decoration, Uff!!.

I remember I used to enjoy those TV shows or the news when they used to show a kind of summary at the end of the year. I had never done something like that with my own life until today.  Here I am, writing this post for you trying to answer all these questions and  thinking about important news and thinking to myself at the same time “Is it time to say it?”, …….. and I just can tell you I’m happy cause there’s “ a bun in the oven” J

This year I have worked hard and there have been good and bad moments.  I think I’m very lucky or I probably try to be positive because I easily forget bad things and I stay with the good ones.  Among these good things I have to mention my level 4 students at Odontology because I’m still positively amazed with you.  I thought that it would be very hard teaching and keeping motivated students who already are highly proficient in English.  I thought it would be even harder considering your classes are on Fridays afternoon when students prefer being somewhere else but not in class.  I have taught students who know just a little bit and they think there’s nothing else to learn but you have had a completely different attitude: most of you know a lot, but there you have been every Friday, ready for our English class! Or English talking club?. No mattered if you were tired, hungry or not feeling well. There you were! Here you are!  This will be my last post, it’s not a good example for this task because I’m not answering all the questions but this is what I wanted to say.  It’s also time of saying good bye and thank you.

P.D  I never kept a real attendance record.   I wasn’t necessary with you  J J J J

Wordcount: 250 + 3 comments 

Write about:
> Good things that have happened in your life
> Situations that did not go so well
> Your achievements in 2014
> Things you did not do / have not done yet / still have to do this year
> Important news / events you would like to highlight
> Any other comments

You don’t need to cover all the points.  This time one of your three comments is for your teacher.

PET (Preliminary English Test) Practice

Reading:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/reading1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading2.htm

Listening:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part2.htm

Vocabulary:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_vocab.htm

How green are you?

Although I’m not part of any eco-organization, I’m concerned about taking care of our environment and I try to reduce my carbon footprint as much as I can. I think we don’t have to be members of a group to start doing little things that show our commitment with the planet. Simple little things like doing the laundry with a full washing machine, recycling, going to the supermarket with my own bag instead of bringing plastic bags from the supermarket, using my car only when necessary (long distances and a family trip), etc., those things can make a difference!

If I lived closer to my job, I would go biking but I live in Peñaflor so it’s impossible! I thought about buying a folding bike once but buses here are small, aisles are narrow and they are usually crowded, I would probably have an argument with the other passengers or the bus driver and I would probably end up being completely stressed out, even before getting to work. Instead of using a bike, I use public transport and I walk a lot, that’s my contribution.

I think teachers have the opportunity to discuss  these issues about the environment with their students in the  classroom, when teachers work in a school, they can take students to clean a square or a public place, for example, or we can promote a project in which students take actions to be environmentally friendly. (240 words)

Where do people learn about enviromentally friendly practices?- Have you incorporated recycling into your habits? Describe- Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?- Have you joined or supported any eco-organisations? Why/Why not?- What else have you done /would you like to do?- What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint? - What's missing in our society/Santiago regarding this issue? Number of words: 230Don't forget to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates posts. 

My worst nightmare

I usually forget my dreams as soon as I wake up; it’s the same for good dreams and nightmares.  There’s only one dream I can remember right now because it  was recently and it was a kind of trauma for me; I also felt very guilty the whole day and I was wondering why I have dreamed that after so many years.

I have recently dreamed about an ex-boyfriend and it was weird because I had not even been thinking about him.  I don’t want to tell you some details about that dream, and that’s not because it’s something private, it’s just because I really don’t remember very well.  I can just recall my feelings after waking up, I was sad and curious at the same time.  I believe dreams are our subconscious voice, but I had no idea I was nostalgic for such an old love story (we were together almost 15 years ago).  He was important, indeed! But dreaming about him was a nightmare for me because it’s been a very very very long time since we broke up.  I started to ask myself a lot of things about the past, about good and bad things, and I ended up being very sad that day.  My husband asked me why I was so silent and I just told him I had had a nightmare.  No details of course! I felt guilty because it was letting the past sleep between us although I didn't mean it.  L  (238 words)

My future job

I remember I wanted to be journalist but I changed my mind when I realized there were too many journalists working in something else.  That’s because it is hard to find a job when the working field is crowded with professionals from the same area.  Finally, I studied English literature and linguistics because I liked reading and I  liked English too.  Pedagogy wasn’t part of my plans but it’s a profession I really enjoy and  I don’t regret the choice I’ve made. 

Suddenly, I was working as a teacher so I didn’t have time to think about how it would be working like this.  When I was younger I had probably dreamed about traveling a lot in my job but my family, and spending time with them, is very important for me now, so I don’t mind if my job doesn’t mean travelling around the world.

I think it’s very important being up to date in any profession or in any job. I’m sure I’ll be studying a master’s degree in education in the future. I want to study in Australia and I have to go there with my husband and son. That’s a little complicated because they’ll have to change their lives for me. We have talked about it, and they are willing to spend a year abroad with me but there are some arrangements to make first. Anyway, I know I’ll make it sooner or later. (230 words)

 What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it?

- Outdoors /indoors?- In an office?

- Would you like to travel a lot in your job?

- What major are you studying / are you thinking of taking?    Explain why

- Add any other related ideas.

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts

- Word Count: 210 words

Before I die.....

Before you chose to write about this topic, I had read an article on Time Magazine in which a nurse revealed 5 regrets patients made in their deathbed.  The five 5 things were:

1.  I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier

We usually think about the things we want to do and soon as we accomplish them, we want to do something else.  That’s the way our lives go on, I have thought about this article a lot because we take simple things for granted!. Nobody regrets something like “Oh, I should have got a bigger house” or “I should have got Ph.D. degree”, when people are dying they think about their family, friends, someone they loved.  The most important thing I want to do before I die is living my life as I want it to be but I think I should not forget that love and people around me are really important. It’s so easy to get caught up in life, that we usually don’t give our family and friends enough time that's why some people end up in their deathbed completely alone.  (222)

The best concert I’ve had

It’s has always been hard for me to decide what’s my best in everything.  I think every experience is unique so what’s the best concert I’ve had?.  I thought about Soda Stereo’s last concert in Chile, I probably thought about it because Gustavo Cerati has recently died and when I heard the news a lot of memories came to my mind.  I remember how I sang every single song that day, I also remember I was very excited and sad at the same time; one of my favorite bands was going to say good bye.

How to forget how much trouble I got into for going to that concert!;   I was living with my grandparents, they were not very fond of concerts, because they thought I would be dangerous for their lovely granddaughter, so I had to tell a lie. I said I would go to a friend’s party and I would stay in her house.  The problem was that she said the same!  When the concert was over we had nowhere to go! (I was hypothetically in her house and she was in mine). It was fun at the beginning but later it was disgusting.  It was cold that night, we were tired and sleepy and I remember were driving from one place to another waiting for the sunrise. Anyway, I don’t regret it! (225)

Write about the best concert you’ve had (180 words).  If you haven’t had any concerts, you can write about the best holidays you’ve had

Don't forget to write 3 comments on your classmates' posts

Promoting my country

I think it’s worth visiting Chile. I’m not saying this just because I’m Chilean and I’m proud of my country, I really mean it because it’s a privilege when you have different weather conditions and different landscapes in the same country. After a rainy day, you can see the Andes Mountain range if you take a look  at the East.  There are wonderful lakes, forests, volcanoes and waterfalls in the South.  You can see the Atacama Desert and geysers in the North and you can enjoy historical places in Santiago the Capital city.  Don’t forget the Ester Island which is part of Chile too, although it is not in South America.

If you want to taste Chilean wine, you won’t regret it because our weather has been a conspirator so our wineries are able to produce one of the tastier wines in the world.

I could mention a lot of places and cities you should visit here, but I think that you should come to Chile, meet Chilean people, talk to them, I’m sure they will be very kind, they will recommend you some places to visit and they will probably invite you to a relative’s house in the North or in the South. Just come here, and you’ll see. (206 words)

Write: 170 words
Don't forget to comment 3 of your classmates' posts

Your classmates' blogs

therealflowersblog.blogspot.com                        Mariana Flores
heytakeiteasyman.blogspot.com                         Nicolás Faundez
itisnotablogg.blogspot.com                                 Francisco Cid
ca-ro-lii-na.blogspot.com                                    Carolina Ayala
littlediane.blogspot.com                                      Diane Campos
johndger225.blogspot.com                                  Juan Díaz
wre4class.blogspot.com                                      Constanza Morales
onceuponablog23.blogspot.com                          Camila Pulgar
amazingblogger1313.blogspot.com                    
sorri-sou-rei.blogspot.com                                  Paulo Ortega
mainmachine3.blogspot.com                              Alvaro Hurtado
lookforpositiveside.blogspot.com                      Carolina Belmar
odontohappytwopointzero.blogspot.com          
odontojavi.blogspot.com                                     Javiera Barahona
anestesikoo.blogspot.com                                   Denny Arcos
blowthisout.blogspot.com                                  Rodrigo Rivera
sarilindareloaded.blogspot.com                         Sarah Frenkel
itsfoo.blogspot.com                                           Carolina González
cfdankerts.blogspot.com                                    Carlos Dankert
gabrielgarate123.blogspot.com                         Gabriel Gárate

A COUNTRY I'D LIKE TO VISIT

There are many places I would like to visit for different reasons, but when I think about a dream vacation, I would like to visit Jamaica. I would like to go there because I’m interested in countries around the Caribbean Sea, but I’m especially interested in Jamaica because I enjoy reggae music and I dream about being in a beach club, listening to live music and dancing barefoot.

I would like to go sightseeing by myself, I mean, I don’t like the idea of taking a bus tour, I’d prefer to rent a bike and visit different places like museums, traditional market places, visit the countryside, meet local people, etc.

I don’t know too much about Jamaica; I watched a documentary about Bob Marley once, and I learned about Rastafarians, I know marijuana is not legal there (contrary to what many people think) and I also know that Jamaica is not a paradise because there is a lot of violence and crime in some cities.  Despite of that, I would like to go there because the scenery must be wonderful.  (180 words)

Write a post considering the following questions:

- Which country would you like to go to? Why?
- What do you know about it?
- What would you like to do there?
- Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.
- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts

- Word Count: 160 words