Classwork
- Finished the yellow feedback sheet for Task 12.
- Studied participial phrases on pp. 250-253 of the blue handout. Completed Practice 1 Ex. A on p. 253. Answers are as follows:
- n/a
- The number of students studying robotics is growing.
- Soon, robots working in assembly plants will be able to follow voice commands.
- a. Robots, having the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and radiation levels, can perform jobs that are too dangerous for humans. b. Having the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and radiation levels, robots can perform jobs that are too dangerous for humans.
- a. Robots, not needing to eat, sleep, or take breaks, can work nonstop. b. Not needing to eat, sleep, or take breaks, robots can work nonstop.
- In the lab, wrote Task 13 (What can be done to increase the amount of English that students speak at the ELC both inside and outside of class?)
Homework
In the Blue Handout
- Complete Ex. B on p. 254.
- Read about general form -ed participial phrases on p. 254.
- Complete Practice 2 Ex. A & B, pp. 254-255.
Classwork
- In the lab, wrote Task 12 Draft 3 (What is your biggest fear for your own life? OR What is your biggest fear for the world?)
- Reviewed Grammar Quiz 1 on sentence structure.
- Reviewed feedback for Task 12. (See the yellow handout.)
Homework
Friday
- Take your 30-minute essay test in the lab. Remember to sign up for a time.
Monday
- Read "Improve Your Writing Style: Reducing Relative Clauses" on pp. 130-131 in the new book and pp. 110-111 in the old one.
Tuesday
- Turn in your packet for Tasks 9 & 10, including the cover sheet, 4 drafts for Task 9, and 4 drafts for Task 10.
Classwork
- In the lab, rewrote Task 11 (Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space. Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with?)
- Reviewed the sentences that students wrote for homework (Ex. 2, p. 146 in Writing Clearly and Practice 2A, p. 235 in the blue handout.)
Homework
- Revise Task 12 (10.25.11: What is your biggest fear for your own life? OR What is your biggest fear for the world?). Print it and staple it on top of the first draft. Bring it to class tomorrow.
Classwork
- In the lab, wrote Task 12 (What is your biggest fear for your own life? OR What is your biggest fear for the world?)
- Reviewed feedback from Task 11. (See the half sheet of white paper.)
- Reviewed Unit 6, Ex. 1, p. 145.
Homework
- Unit 6, Ex. 2, p. 146. This exercise will help you practice writing relative (adjective) clauses.
- Practice 2A, p. 235 of the blue handout. This exercise has the same purpose.
Classwork
- Took a quiz on Unit 9 (connecting words).
- Reviewed the Grammar Solutions/Guidelines for Relative Clauses on pp. 128-130. Which of the relative pronouns that, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, why can be used as the following in relative clauses
- subjects
- objects
- objects of prepositions
- possessives
- adverbs
- In the lab, typed Task 11 (Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space, for example, traveling to the moon and to other planets. Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with?)
Homework
- Read the four common problems with relative clauses (Unit 6), pp. 127-128.
- Complete Ex. 1 (in Part A: Relative Clauses), p. 145.
Classwork
- In the lab, wrote Draft 3 of Task 10 (Is it better for a country's media to be independent of the government? Or is it better for the media to also be a branch of government?)
- Completed Ex. 4, p. 213. (This is Ex. 3 in Unit 9 in the old version.) Remember connecting words that add information (e.g., moreover, furthermore, also, additionally, in addition) are used for items in the same category, similar to a list. For example, these words can be used to introduce the three reasons that support your thesis or the next example in a series of examples. Don't overuse connecting words of addition!
- Started Unit 6: Relative, Adverbial, and Noun Clauses. Studied the box on p. 124 that identifies independent and dependent clauses and lists the three types of dependent clauses: relative or adjective, adverb, and noun clauses.
Homework
Monday
- Study for the quiz on Unit 9: Connecting Words. The quiz will be very similar to the post-test on pp. 214-215: You will need to identify whether the sentence's connecting words are correct or incorrect and then fix the mistakes. You will also need to fill in the correct connecting words in a paragraph (similar to Ex. 4). Finally, you will need to write sentences with the connecting words from the pink handout.
- Read pp. 128-130. (For the old version, this is the grammar information section of Unit 6. It should teach about the different words that can start relative clauses.)
- Turn in the packet for Tasks 7 & 8, including the cover sheet, 4 drafts for Task 7 and 4 drafts for Task 8. Note that this is due on MONDAY not FRIDAY.
Classwork
- In the lab, wrote Draft 3 of Task 9 (Is it better for a country's top military commander to be independent of the government? Or is it better for a country's top military commander to also be the head of the government?)
- Gave feedback on example sentences with connecting words. (See white handout.) Study the revised sentences below:
- Tulga agrees that Wendy's has delicious crispy chicken. Conversely, Maguino and Felipe disagree.
- Mexico has strict rules. Conversely, Greece has very lax laws.
- Life requires people to do many difficult things, namely taking care of themselves.
- People like junk food, if admittedly they know that it is unhealthy.
- My paper is good enough for this class, if admittedly my errors are many.
- I have all the tools I need; thus, I will be able to fix the car without having to call a mechanic.
Homework
- Task 10 Draft 2 without my or others' help. Identify and correct the errors yourself. You can do it!
