This blog is designed in order to support the Reading&Writing course at Anadolu University, DELT BA Program.
Friday, December 18, 2009
ELT Journal Chapter 9
Monday, December 7, 2009
UNIT 2 - A SEASON IN UTOPIA
Hello friends, this week we are going to discuss about utopias and perfect societies. Please answer the following questions after you read the text on page 26.
1- What is the aim of Brook Farm society?
2- What are the incomes of this society?
3- Is it money which dominates this society?
4- What do you think is the most utopic practice of this society?
5- Are there social classes in this society?
6-Would you like to live in Brook Farm?
7-Do you think it is possible today to create such a society? Why or why not?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
ELT Journal Chapter 10
Below you will see the questions I wrote on the board today. Please answer the first few questions at the beginning of this post. You don't have to answer the rest but consider them please.
a)Do you think the language learning situation in Taiwan and the students have some similarities with Turkish context? If there are some similarities, what are they?
b) Would it be possible to use this technique in language classes in Turkey? Would it be beneficial to use this technique in ELT departments? If so how?
c) Would you personally like to use this technique in order to develop your speaking ability? Why /why not?
1- What is an audio-taped journal?
2-What are the benefits of dialogue journals?
3- What are the benefits of audio-taped journals?
4- How did the researcher colloect data and analyze them? What is the method of the study?
5- How were the journal entries evaluated?
6- Why is the teacher response so important in dialogue journal exchanges?
7- What are the principles the teacher followed for the success of audio-taped journals?
8- What were the advantages of the audio-taped journals for the teacher at the end of the process?
9- What are the limitations of audio-taped journals?
Monday, November 30, 2009
UNIT 1 VOCABULARY ACTIVITY
The answer will be announced here later this week.
1. The teacher was ____________. Her students had to work very hard in her class, but they learned a lot.
a. depressed b. tough c. interesting
2. After the divorce, she felt tired, sad, and uninterested in her work. She was in a ________________.
a. marriage b. depression c. episode
3. When the baby died, her mother could not eat or speak for days. She was _______________ .
a. sober b. proud c. devastated
4. The man ____________ his behavior on alcohol. He said alcohol had made him crazy.
a. instructed b. blamed c. avoided
5. His father died of Hodgkin’s disease and now, at the age of 38, John has the same disease.
The disease is ______________
a. hereditary b. learned c. determined
6. When the young actress received her award, she wiped away a tear and said “thank you.”
She was so ______________ she couldn’t say more.
a. controversial b. choked up c. famous
7. Every afternoon the baseball coach ___________ the players on how to hit and throw the ball.
a. instructs b. chokes up c. prioritizes
8. In his final years, Mickey Mantle did not drink alcohol. He stayed ____________.
a. sober b. sick c. choked up
9. “Diamonds are forever” is a successful ____________ the DeBeer diamond company used in various advertisements to sell their diamonds.
a. piece of jewelry b. slogan c. television commercial
10. Some people do not like noise. They _____________ parties, popular restaurants, and other crowded places.
a. go to b. like c. avoid
NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, Advanced: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 1 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
ELT Journal Chapter 11
You all welcome to the Advanced Reading and Writing Course. With the help of this blog page, we are going to discuss about the chapters in ELT Journal, practice vocabulary, share ideas about the units in your course book, and sometimes publish the written texts.
This week please answer the following questions given below about Chapter 11 in ELT Journal. You can respond them by simply clicking on the "comment" button. Do not forget to write your name under the comments.
See you in class.
Training in brainstorming and developing writing skills
1- Why is writing considered as an important skill?
2- What is the learning perspective of cognitive theory?
3- Why is it important for students to interact with each other?
4- What is the aim of the study?
5- What were the reactions of students in experimental group towards the brainstorming strategy?
Monday, March 16, 2009
Unit 7: Homing in on Education
1. The effectiveness of home schooling is ___________. Some people believe it provides children with a superior education but others think it is too limiting.
a. debatable b. challenging c. isolated
2. There are many different ways to ___________a student’s learning. Students may take tests, write essays, or complete projects to show what they have learned.
a. ensure b. assess c. isolate
3. The government tries to ____________all children receive a basic education, so it has standards that all schools, even home schools, must meet.
a. ensure b. debate c. state
4. Most children attend ____________schools which have teachers and large classrooms.
a. mainstream b. home c. private
5. Home schools are on the edge of community life, but their __________role may change dramatically in the next twenty years.
a. debatable b. mainstream c. marginal
6. Children in home schools ____________group-learning experiences that other children get in classrooms and on school sports teams.
a. ensure b. miss out on c. assess
7. Some critics say that home schooled children are ___________other children because they spend so much time at home with their parents.
a. busy with b. bullying c. isolated from
8. Teenagers often do dangerous things because they want to be accepted by their group. They make decisions based on __________and not their own good judgment.
a. peer pressure b. bullying c. resources
9. When children hurt, intimidate, or force weaker children to do things, they are ___________.
a. applying peer pressure b. bullying c. curious
10. Many home schools ___________in the past twenty years. It is expected even more will form over the next twenty years.
a. have disappeared b. have emerged c. have been isolated
NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 7 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Unit 6: Give and Learn
1. Many people __________Justin Lebo for working so hard to build bicycles for poor children.
a. admire b. challenge c. think about
2. It can be ___________to volunteer because it requires commitment, skills, energy, and time.
a. exciting b. challenging c. fun
3. I was ____________to meet the President at the Volunteers of America dinner. I was so excited I could hardly speak!
a. thrilled b. determined c. pleased
4. It is not easy to complete volunteer projects. You must be _________to get the work done.
a. determined b. thrilled c. battered
5. Mother Theresa ____________her life to her religion and to the poor of Calcutta.
a. donated b. devoted c. challenged
6. The high school students didn’t have money to give to the children’s home. Instead they_________ books, toys, and school supplies.
a. donated b. devoted c. battered
7. One good volunteer can _____________many other people to give their time and money to community projects.
a. inspire b. determine c . ask
8. You must have good ___________to make the right decisions.
a. proposals b. intentions c. judgment
9. The church committee presented a ____________for a new children’s program, but church members didn’t like the idea and said no.
a. proposal b. judgment c. commitment
10. Many volunteers get great ______________from helping others. It makes them feels good about themselves and their communities.
a. donations b. satisfaction c. proposals
NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 6 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Noise came from the ground floor.But I ignored it and went upstairs to play ping pong.After half an hour, during an excited matchthe door was opened.My friend,Yasin said “ The school manager was looking for you.”He seemed a bit confused.He hardly walked along the corridorWhen I came in , a high tension atmosphere was waiting for me.Manager shouted at me by saying " open your wardrobe " .Un fortunately I forgot my keys at home.Secretly I took one of my friend's key and opened it.He searched it to find some bad things to beat me up.But he wasn't succeed in.He was highly drunk.He leaned forward and realized a suitcase on the corner of the room.He said that it wasn't the place of that suitcase.As soon as Alper openedmouth to answer,He suffered from a slap.After five seconds,he threw up the shoes to another friend.Finally he exited from our room and passed next room.Violation continued in the next room.Before I came , he had tried to open my wardrobe.When he couldn't open,He asked Yasin who was this wardrobe’s owner.Yasin said he was in upground.He slapped Yasin and said to call me.Our manager who we all were having high respect for him turned into a monster at that night.
Because it was our first month in dorm.,we were shocked.We all decided to leave dorm but family pressure blocked us from leaving.This event has been one of the most dramatical events in my childhood.
Written by: Selim Kapancı
Finally,fire was stopped with difficulty.we returned to our homes a few days later,but our home’s Windows were broken and walls were craced.Everywhere was sooty.This event had happened again years ago and we though that this wasn’t last one.
Friday, February 6, 2009
SCHOLL'S BALL
That night started with a pleasant meal.While we were eating our delicious meal,our teachers made speeches and then cap ceremony was made.It was time to dance.Everybody waited for music so when music played,everybody stood up and started to dance.All of us seemed very enthusiastic.I was very sure that nobody wanted to finish this brillant night.It lasted until 3.00 a.m. and all of us were still very eager for dancing but unfortunately the night finished.
I finally came home with my best friends.We talked about the night and interesting events and then slept.That night was unforgettable for each of us.
Written by: Berna ÖZKAN
UNFORGETABLE NIGHT
It was hard to sleep because of the sound of wind.I bounced from bed with the noisy of brick which fell down to root and made unbeareble sound.Suddenly ı realized that the bed was shaking.there was no one except me in the room.I tried to walk but ı couldn’t.I fell,screamed ‘’ mother mother’’ she didn’t do anything because she had already fainted.Also my father head was bleeding.With the help of our neighbour we were removed from home.The time was 3:45, the eartquake started at 3.27 and lasted 17 seconds.With the initial light of morning,we realized the covering of dust cloud,there was also callopsed buildings both of them made hard to breath.When my mother came round she said to us to go my aunt home.She was living high building which was also close to my friend’s home.We went there to look my aunt but when we arrived ı shocked,petrified.the building which my friend was living callopsed,7 floor apartment became as if 1 floor.I cried,yelled,shouted.I felt myself as if ı were in hell.I was afraid but words didnt mean anything.The view which ı faced made me depressed.There was no differences between me and corpse for days.We waited only to come to know what was happen to him and aproximately a few days later we learnt that he died.
Thank to this event, ı learnt there there was nothing significant than human.If human exist,he can do whatever he want.Life is someting that make you learn everything is ephemeral except death..I lived that 17 seconds it finished, passed but my friend didnt turn back again so live what you want at time,dont miss even one minute of life.
Written by: Merve Caf
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
My Turning Point
Written by: Sinem Kale
The Nightmare Day
Suddenly, The voice disappeared and left its place to a dead slience.Everbody stood up with worry.I runned check my grandfather's pulse ,but when I toched him, I felt nothing but the cold body of him.The moment I broke into tears, everybody felt the weight of the world on their shoulders.The slience was ceasedby the outcries like a thunder that felt in the middle of the house.With the dead of beloved husband, father, grandfather,every sense but sorrow died.We unclothed him and put a white sheet on him. Under the sheet he seemed like a sleepingangel which was about to oped his wide wings and fly to the heaven.With the sun-rise, it was time for us to prepare him for funeral ceremony.We washed him gently as if he had been stiil alive. We were still avoiding to hurt him.His body was as cold as ice ,and his skin was as soft as silk.Then, I combed his hair as though I was preparinghim for the most important meeting.Then we put him in his coffin which was like a steel cage from which there was no escape.We took my grandfather to the mosque where he lied sliently like a sleeping baby for his funeral ceremony. After the ceremony, we took him to the graveyard to bury him ,and in order to do our last service for him.The graveyard was full of agony ,andeverybody felt the coldness of this agony deep in their heart.While we were burying him, the rain was washing our tears as ifit was trying to console us, but it didn't help us to stop our cries.
After the burial, we went back to home, but there was something missing.We had left my grandfather alone.I felt like running till his grave to bring back even though I knew there was no way of it as he had come to the end.When we were servedmeals, nobody touched them.They all tasted bland.My grandfahter's dead had influenced us terribly.Although i don't cry anymore, one part of my heart still misses him desperately.
Görkem KÜÇÜKOĞLU
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
MY WORST DAY
It was unbelievable that my father has died.I was shocked when I heard this because we left him only five months ago because of some unendurable and insistent problems.I haven't seen my frantic father since we left him and our house.I was shocked and was feeling like a stone.I thought ıt was a joke or a nightmare.I wanted to wake up as if it was a morning like every morning.I heard suddenly that my mother was crying.When I heard this,I realized that everything was real,and my father had died.After being shocked by the news of his death it looked as if I saw his frantic face and his white hair which was like snow.Then we went to our own house where my father had died.When I walked towards our house,I could hear a deathly silence.It seemed like the end of the world and my life.I didn't realize that he had died until Isaw his coffin.He was in coffin and was sleeping like a child,who sleeps in peace.Unfortunately,he started out his last travel.It seemed to me that he will come back,but he never came back and will never come back.
His death was the beginning of a new life,without him.It has affected me very much and will affect me until the end of my life.He was very important for me,and he will be.He died five years ago,but I never forget that day.That day is the nightmare of my life.I think,I never wake up from this nightmare.
Written by: Ayşe Şermin Kertis
THE TERRIFYING FLOOD
It was a rainy and stormy December morning,I was at home then I turned the TV.I heard some awful news.Storms and heavy rain paralayzed daily life in Antalya and also they resulted in the death of eight people.
In Çakırlar which is situated between mountains,was the most damaged place in Antalya.Many houses were flooded, bridges were collapsed and the electricity wires were fallen down onto streets,so homes were remained n darkness for long periods.Many people were unable to leave their homes they were waiting help desperately.They were really frightened. Goventment sent vehicles to rescue people and volunteers help them,too.Vehicles were barely taking people from their home,because flood hindered to them.Scarcely bulldozer took a boy when it fell down.Unfortunately,the boy and driver died. At that time,I heard the irritating and painful screams from residents.It was so unbearable voice I had ever heard.
Finally,after a day storm abated.However exhausted they were,they started to search their relatives or nighbours and their possessions eleborately.They suffered from adversely.Flood undermined their homes and dreams.Ofcourse it was an enviromental event,however people could take precaution for disasters.
Written by: Ezgi Yavuz
1999 The Most Frightening Year
At 03:05,there was a horrifying roar.everywhere was white as light as a day time.Our building was shaking as if it had sprung to air and fallen on place. While the earthquake occured.the electricity cut off.The earthquake continued 45 minute but we felt as if it took many minutes.
After earthquake.everything changed and occured as usual.Everybody in our quarter wennt out with dread.Everywhere was so full that nowhere was empty.There were lots of people like doomsday.All people tried to phone their relatives but that wasn't easy.That day influenced me so much that I couldn't forget.
Written by: Burcu Çavdar
Saturday, January 31, 2009
My Worst Day
As long as I went out , my family began to cry.That moment I noticed something changed.Deep sensations surrounded me.I felt so exhausted but in my heart left so little happiness.Then we arrived at the station where is full large,luxurious and comfortable buses.When my bus came, all joy in my heart ended.I was completely worried.The instant I got on my bus , all ropes broke out.my family were crying out.The moment ı saw them while crying ,I burst into tears.Then I perceived what happened.I didn't want to go to Eskişehir.Anymore,I left alone.
I finally dozed off to sleep.When I awoke, my bus came to Eskişehir.I was aware of everything and there would be the only Betül.Then I understood my family are valuable and the most priceless existence in the world for me.
Written by: Betül Atalay
DREADFUL FIRE 28/01/2009
The Fire was the most horrifying event I kept in my mind since my childhood.It was a pretty March night, with dark sky but there was unendurable heavy rain.My sister and I were at home.My parents visited my uncle.While we were playing cards ,we were drinking something.It was very enjoyable.My sister and I wanted to drink tea, so my sister put some water on the cooker.Our curtain was near the cooker.My sister opened the window because the kitchen was stifling.There was a harsh storm outside.Curtain blowed about towards the cooker.We go to sit in the livingroom.We were watching tv.We had been slepless the day before yesterday.We had watched a lot of films, so we dozed on the sofa.We forgot tea. We woke up with disgusting scent.We couldn’t breath clearly,we were coughing constantly.We ran the kitchenThe fire was expanding as if it would cover everwhere.It was becoming bigger and bigger.First, we shocked and we couldn’t anything.Then, we tried to put out it by carrying water with small buckets.Everywhere was covered with stifling smoke.My neighbour came , and she said that she phoned the fire-fighter.After that, we phoned my parents, and they came.Fire fighter put out the terrible fire.Our some furnitures were burned.There was ashes everywhere ,and a disgusting,incredible scent. After the dreadful fiıre, we sat and talked about the event.We realized that curtain catched fire from the cooker.I and my sister deposed the police.We were exhausted.We felt as if we would guilty.I never forget this dreadful event.This fire taught me:”People always must be attentive.”
Written by: Duygu YILMAZ
Thursday, January 29, 2009
THE 1999 EARTHQUAKE
It was the only terrifiying Sunday that I never want to remember for all my life.It was a roasting August Sunday,with the sun glowing over us like a fire and the boundless sky with its sapphire blue like the colassal,bottomless oceans.We were living our typical Sunday without the conscious of the fortcoming catastrophe.The atmosphere was like a hell with its burning hot.When it became dark,instead of its vivacious nights,İstanbul was as still as a sleeping baby.This made me scared and I felt coldness of a melting ıce in my heart and shaked.My mother and my father were looking helpless and upset as if they were informed beforehand about the disaster.They were pale like a death rose.With the anxiety of the night,we went to our beds at 12 o’clock being unaware of the fact that the earthquake was waiting for 3 o’clock to take lifes’ of millions like the angel of the death.
When I put my head on my pillow,I wanted to sleep as fast as possible to escape from the dissatisfaction of that night.However,it didnt take a long time and after three hours, I got up with the trembling of my bed.As I was sleepy,I didnt take into consideration it,but when the speed of vibrations increased,my life went through in front of my eyes like a film band, and I felt the scent of death going through my nasal passages.I got up immediately and tried to find my parents.However,the door had been locked and the electricity had gone.So, I screamed and began to weep bitter tears.All of the furnitures fell down with an incredible roar that I almost never want to hear again.I curled beside my bed putting my hands over my head.After a couple of minute,my father broke the door and took me out of the room.We found a lantern and got out of the house in the speed of light.It was keeping on shaking with an increasing velocity.We gathered with our neighbours in the empty field across our buildings.Everybody was crying like a child and seeing their deadly pale faces made me faint.
When I opened my eyes,the new day dawned as if nothing had happened.My mother and father were beside me,but they had some wounds on their bodies.My father had injured his left leg,and my mother’s soft skin turned into a tough iron because of the stressful and painful night..I tought that ıt was our luck that make us rescue with small wounds from an earthquake with 7.4 strength after I heard the balance sheet.17.840 people had died during the earthquake and 43.953 people had injured due to the uninvited guest..Morever,thousands of corpes and living bodies had waited under wreckages to be found for many days.So,it was the worst weekend I have ever had during my life.
Written by: BURCU CENDEK
AN ECCENTRİC DAY
Monday, January 19, 2009
VOCABULARY EXERCISE UNITS 3 & 4
Vocabulary Exercises
Unit 3 and 4
Choose the correct answer.
1. Another word for “lawyer” is _____________.
a. accuser b. attorney c. physician
2. Another word for “medical doctor” is _____________.
a. prosecutor b. attorney c. physician
3. The state ___________________ said the Hermanson family broke the law. He took them to court.
a. physician b. practitioner c. prosecutor
4. The Hermansons had to ________________ for the murder of their daughter even though they never meant for her to die.
a. shed weight b. stand trial c. return
5. It was very hard for the Hermansons to lose their daughter. The criminal trial made them ____________ even more.
a. heal b. suffer c. feel
6. A(n) _____________ is done on a dead body when the cause of the death is not certain.
a. trail b. check-up c. autopsy
7. The Christian Scientists believe that medical _____________ can be treated with prayer.
a. ailments b. practices c. exercise
8. Alex cannot find a pair of pants big enough for him. He needs to _____________________.
a. suffer b. shed weight c. grow
9. After a long trial, the court _____________ Pamela Smart of murder. She will be in prison for many years.
a. convicted b. concentrated c. convinced
10. If you _______________, the police will probably catch you and take you to court.
a. commit a crime b. lie c. stand trial
Complete the sentences. Choose the correct answer from the words in the box.
bleakly boiling boughs dread stifling strayed
sweltering swiftly trigger utterly still
One hot evening a storm approached my house as I was in the garden. The air was _________ (1). I could hardly breathe. The heat was intense. It had been a _______ (2) day. There was no movement in the air. It was _________ (3). The _________ (4) of the trees did not move. I felt ___________ (5) grow in my heart. I knew there was nothing I could do to escape the approaching storm.
The sunlight was strangely dark. Its yellow-green light shined _________(6) on the land. The clouds began to bubble up and move like water that is ___________ (7). The storm __________ (8) moved in. I had no time to get back to the house. The wind blew sand and dirt into my mouth and eyes.
I wanted return to the shelter of the house, but I couldn’t see. I ran for several minutes,
but realized that I had run in the wrong direction. I had __________ (9) too far from the house. I survived that storm. But now the sound of a strong wind will ________ (10) my memory of that storm and I feel a sudden rush of fear come over me.