Language I - Unit 1
Language I - Unit 1
Language I - Unit 1
Profesorado de Inglés
LANGUAGE I
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English Language I
Unit 1
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English Language I
Unit 1
READING TEXTS
Before reading
We have biological ancestors, from whom we inherit the tint of our skin,
the shape of our skulls, and everything about our bodies. We also have
cultural ancestors, from whom we inherit the society in which we live and especially
the language we speak. People in the British Isles have diverse biological ancestors, but
they all share a common cultural ancestry expressed in the language they speak. So in
studying English and its history, you can get to learn more about the inhabitants of the
British Isles, their national character, their customs, and how these have influenced
their language and its changes over the years.
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READING TEXT
He Elizabeth I (the last of the Tudor monarchs) fought constantly with France and/or
Spain. Her army defeated the Armada in 1588, this began a period of colonial expansion.
All these actions built the image of English insularity.
❖ PLAINESS – the lexicon is rudimentary, they style is easy to understand, the words
are English.
VI The result was a mixture of both, a rich and beautiful language. One
of the personalities of that era was Shakespeare. He lived in
Stratford-upon-Avon during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In his
works he used both Inkhorn and Plainess. Shakespeare spoke a
S
Sir Walter Raleigh was one of Queen Elizabeth's favorites. Raleigh gained favour
through his extravagant explorations. His expeditions lead to the first settlement in
America, at Chesapeake Bay in 1607. In 1620, the Mayflower arrives in Cape Cod, and
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Sir Francis Drake was also one of the great explorers of the
Elizabethan age. Drake, along with several other explorers,
enabled England to begin the colonisation process that led to the British Empire
becoming so large.
Across the Atlantic, the deluge of settlers from all over the British Isles influences the
development of different American accents. The early settlers come from the west of
England; the ‘Pilgrim Fathers’ from Norfolk. Even to this day, remnants of these accents
can be discerned in particular areas.
Many so-called ‘Americanisms’ today are actually remnants of Middle English that
crossed the Atlantic at this time: for example, 'I guess' for 'I think', 'gotten' for 'got',
'mad' for 'angry', 'fall' for 'autumn'.
American English features loan words from indigenous Indian languages as well as
from immigrant groups:
By the middle of the 17th century, ‘thou’ was disappearing from standard usage, but it
was being kept alive in everyday life by members of the emerging Society of Friends, or
Quakers. They disapproved of the way singular 'you' had come to be part of social
etiquette and continued to use the ‘thou’ forms.
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Comprehension check
READING TEXT
ENGLISH, A LINGUA FRANCA
Why English?
The British conquest and colonization of remote and vast areas of the world during
three centuries and the American global economic and cultural expansion made the
English language and culture the most widespread in the world. In addition, scientific
and technological advances, films and television programmes, popular music, and
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Today, English is used more widely and for more purposes as a second language than
any other human tongue. About 400 million people speak English as a first language
and about 800 million use English as a second language and as a foreign language.
Moreover, it is the official or semi-official language in more than 60 countries and of
many international organisations, even air traffic control and communication at sea
around the world is in English.
English belongs to all those all over the world who speak and write it, who read its
literature, and who treasure it. They are its tomorrow.
● SIMPLICITY OF FORM: verb forms are simple and require little change to form
tenses; adjectives and articles do not change according to the noun, e.g.:
I/ you/ they/ we like chocolate – He/ she /it likes chocolate (simple present)
I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ we/ they liked chocolate (simple past)
I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ we/ they will like chocolate (simple future)
b)
The red houses are at the top of the highest hills. (plural)
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● FLEXIBILITY: The same word can be used as many different parts of speech, that
is, many nouns and verbs have the same form.
(verb) (noun)
Would you like to have a drink?
(noun)
(verb)
Conclusion
To conclude, English is the language of millions and speaking it fluently may open the
doors of the world to you. Nevertheless, learning a foreign language is hard work which
requires discipline and dedication. English linguistic forms might be simple, but to
achieve native-like fluency implies the development of certain strategies we will work
on in this subject.
Comprehension check
Answer the following questions about the text above.
a) Why has English become the most widespread language in the world?
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Forum 1.1:
In this forum we will discuss the appropriateness of using online translating apps.
Use any online translator and translate a common Spanish phrase or expression:
(for example:(después de correr una maratón) “¡Estoy muerto!”)
d. What do we learn after this experience? What resources can you use
when words in English slip your mind?
We’ll share our views on this topic in the Forum from March 8th to March 13th.
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Listening Comprehension
Click on the link "English International Language" to listen to the audio.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
STUDY TIP
It is easier to take in new information when you already
know something about the topic. Recordings contain a
lot of new information that you will need to take in
quickly.
Task 1
Complete the following sentences with the missing information.
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Now listen to the file and take notes to complete the sentences above.
Listen to the recording twice only.
Task 2
Read the following task:
Name as many areas where English is the official language as you can:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Task 3
Read the following task:
Tick the reasons given in the recording as to why English has become a lingua
franca:
● British colonialism
● American capitalism
How well did you do? If you haven't done very well, don't panic!
Listening comprehension skills will be developed all through the
course, and you will be given useful tips to improve them as we go along.
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During your teacher training course you will be asked to record and submit audiofiles.
You will have to record your speech and submit it for your tutor to analyse how well
you are doing and what you need to work on to improve your oral fluency.
Oral fluency is a measure of how well and how easily you can communicate your ideas
clearly and accurately in speech. Of course, correct pronunciation of individual sounds
and words is very important for fluency, for your listener has to be able to hear and
distinguish the words you are saying. However, stress, rhythm, and intonation can be
even more important, for they help make both single words and combinations of words,
like phrases, clauses, and whole sentences, understandable to your listener. Grammar
is the structure of the language and vocabulary holds the individual building blocks, so
both are also essential to fluency.
You will be able to keep track of how your fluency is improving by means of an Oral
Assessment Sheet your tutor will complete for you every time you submit an audiofile
for correction. You will be able to learn how your pro nunciation practice is going, and
how your speaking skills are improving. It's a good idea for students to write down
what you need to work on, whether it's pronunciation, a grammar point, vocabulary, or
just that more practice is needed in a particular area. This has to do with the
autonomous work which is required in a distance education programme.
You may feel awkward at first, but as you record more and more audiofiles you will feel
more confident and, together with your tutor's feedback, you will re alize how your
fluency improves over time. Therefore, you must bear in mind that you are
expected to speak freely, not to write a text and read it aloud. You won't be able to
improve your fluency by just reading aloud, will you?
● Plan what you want to say, but do not write it out and read it aloud or memorize
it. Remember you can record as many files as you want before submitting your oral
production.
● Before recording, you can practise your speech in front of a mirror or a friend.
● Speak slowly and clearly.
● You must submit ONLY .mp3 or .wma files because of system compatibility issues.
● Always name audiofiles as instructed in "Lineamientos Generales":
SURNAME_Language I - Unit 1
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MANDATORY ASSIGNMENT
Assignment 1.1
Record an audiofile (.wma or .mp3 extensions only) discussing (not making choppy
sentences in disconnected answers) the following points:
You can use vocaroo to record and share the link to your audiofile.
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Part 4 - Grammar
4.1 Tenses
Questions for thought and reflection
❖ How many times have you found that you doubt in the verb tense choice?
❖ How well do you know your verb tenses?
❖ How can you account for the use of Present Perfect tense as opposed to Simple
Past tense?
❖ Do you know when you are expected to use the Passive Voice?
INTRODUCTION
Read the following letter written by Mikaela who is working as an au pair in London.
She is telling her friend Gisela about her experiences there.
17 Linwood Terrace
London N8 7TW
March 25th
Dear Gisela,
It was so nice to hear from you again. I hope you are getting on better with your boss, she
sounds terrible. If I were you I would give up that job and come to London. If I ask Mrs
Greene, she will find an English family which needs an au pair.
I have had a difficult time lately. Do you remember my old boyfriend James? Well,
yesterday he was sent to prison for stealing money from foreign girls like us. He knew I
wanted to be a model. He said he had lots of contacts in Milan. After I had given him
money to buy plane tickets he disappeared. I think I will never see him again. Then one
day, I was walking along Piccadilly Circus when I came across him with a Korean girl.
He went away, and I introduced myself to her. I told her my story, and at first she
thought I had made up everything but I managed to convince her.
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She told the police where he lived and they found a diary full of the names of the girls he
had already taken in. If I had known what he was like I would have never given him a
penny! I won´t trust another man for a long time!
Anyway, I must go now. I have to pick up the children from school in ten minutes. They
finish at 3 p.m. every day. I´ll write again soon again soon. Be careful.
Love,
Mikaela
Now search the letter and find an example of each of the following structures among
the words in bold:
a. What tenses are used in the letter? What kind of actions or activities do they
express?
b. Why is the passive voice used?
Further exemplification:
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Further exemplification:
This tense is used to express an action that started in an indefinite time in the past and
continues in the present.
Further exemplification:
Mikaela has worked as an au pair for three months. (She started three months ago
and continues working there.)
e.g: Then one day, I was walking along Piccadilly Circus when I came across him with
a Korean girl.
The simple past is used to express an action that started and finished at a definite
time in the past (one day). The past continuous expresses an action that was
happening or in process (was walking) at the moment something else happened
(came across).
Further exemplification:
They were going out when he suggested he could help her to become a model.
e.g: After I had given him money to buy plane tickets he disappeared
The past perfect expresses an action that happened before another action in the
past. It is known as the past of the past. The action of giving him money took place
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before he disappeared so it should be made clear by the use of the right past tenses.
It is usually anteceded by expressions like after and before.
Further exemplification:
At first, the Korean girl thought she had invented everything (everything was
invented before the girl got to know about it and formed an opinion about the
situation.)
The simple future expresses a future action which has not been planned. It usually
refers to a future prediction or action likely to happen, but there is no certainty
about its happening. It is also anteceded by expressions like I think, I guess, I
suppose, probably, etc.
Further exemplification:
I think the Korean girl will also feel she can´t trust men for some time.
TASK 1
Write examples of the tenses analysed above based on the situation described in the
letter (see further exemplification).
TASK 2
Read the following story and put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense.
A PENSIONER´S STORY
For some reason on this occasion I (6)………………(go) to the door and (7) ……………
(open) it. Two young men in uniform (8) …………….. (stand) on the doorstep. One of
them (9) ……………….(explain) that someone (10)……………..(smell) gas outside my
house and that they (11) …………….(come) to investigate. Naturally I (12) ………………
(let) them in and even (13) ……………… (offer) them a cup of tea. They (14) ………………
(accept) gratefully. I (15) ……………… (leave) them in the living-room and (16)
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……………(go) into the kitchen. When I (17) ………………(come) back they (18)
……………… (go). I soon (19) ………………… (realise) my wallet (20) …………………
(disappear) with them!
Now check your answers with the key at the end of the unit.
FURTHER PRACTICE
Now you are going to make a thorough revision of verb tenses,
aspect and their use. In order to do so, you will have to work on
Unit 1 of the book “Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge
Advanced and Proficiency”.
✔ Perfect tenses
✔ Other perfect forms
✔ Continuous forms
✔ The future
✔ Stative vs. dynamic verbs
You will probably find that this book contains advanced materials, explanations and
exercises. Don’t panic! You will get used to it as you go along. It is our aim that you can
move forward in your language skills by means of self study.
It would be a good idea for you to follow these steps as you work with unit 1 on
the book:
1) Before you read any explanation, take the entry test. Check your answers against
the key and then determine which your stronger points are and which tenses
need to be revised.
2) Focus on the explanations and read the examples carefully in your “Overview”
section (page 17)
3) Read the “Watch out!” section and try to understand the main contrast between
the Present Perfect and the Past Simple.
4) Try to focus your attention on those aspects which seem more difficult to
understand and get ready to work on each section of the unit separately to allow
more time for concepts and ideas to “sink in”.
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5) Work with all tasks and check your answers against the key.
6) After you have finished working on individual sections, take the “Exam Practice”
test to check whether you have internalised the use of tenses or need further
assistance.
STUDY TIP
Whenever one of the answers you provided does not match the key, go
back to the explanation section and try to find out what went wrong. Make
a conscious effort to understand. If after these steps, you still can’t see
where the mistake is, or if you do not agree with the information provided
by the key, get in touch with your tutor.
TASK 3
Complete the following text with the verbs in the correct tense. Write your
answers in capital letters or in colour so as to highlight them.
Ever since the day I …DECIDED... (eg. decide) to move to London, I …………………….. (1. worry) whether
the decision I …………………….. (2. take) was the right one. As I …………………….. (3. already sell) my
house and …………………….. (4. arrange) a new job, it is too late to change my mind. However, since
then, I …………………….. (5. hear) a lot of negative things about living in the capital, and lately some of
them …………………….. (6. begin) to bother me. I …………………….. (7. grow up ) in a fairly small town
and I …………………….. (8. spend) all of my life there. I …………………….. (9. always want) to live in a big
city and so when my company …………………….. (10. offer) me a job in their London office, I
…………………….. (11. grab) at the chance. But according to a programme I …………………….. (12. just
hear) on the radio, more and more people …………………….. (13. stop) working in London recently,
and a lot of large companies …………………….. (14. choose) to move away from the centre. Since then
I …………………….. (15. hope) secretely that the company would tell me that the move was off!
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But in the current world where technology is used more and more for communication
purposes, what is the importance of correct spelling and punctuation? Isn't spelling
reform a good idea? Do we still need
punctuation?
Let's see this in a practical way. Here is the first paragraph of a student's essay. Read it
though carefully and decide whether it is a competent piece of writing.
This essay will examine a number of issues relating to the growth of communism in China
since 1900 and its later-day decline. In particular, we will explore the neo-feudal system
that excited before 1900 and how the grow of new China was closely linked with the
spread of communism the reasons for the failure of communism to achieve it's aims will
also be explore.
I hope that you spotted that there are at least four spelling mistakes and two major
punctuation errors in this introductory passage. Even if the students used a spell-
checker this would not have helped. Why not? Read the notes:
Notes
There are a number of mistakes in this paragraph. The spelling mistakes would not have
been picked up by a computer spell-checker because they are all valid English words,
even though they are being misused in this context.
✔ latter-day
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✔ existed
✔ growth
✔ missing full-stop between communism and the
✔ it's should be its
✔ not explore but explored
A reader, faced with a piece of writing like this, would immediately get a very poor
impression of this essay, whatever the content. From the very start, the writer would
be heading for a low grade and this would be hard to overcome. The first paragraph is
particularly important because it gives the reader the first impression, although every
sentence in the essay is important in its own way.
There is no doubt that accurate spelling and correct punctuation are very important in
setting the general tone of your writing. The marker will spot any difficulties in these
areas immediately and will, mentally at least, begin to mark your work down if there
are too many errors. There is a very close correlation between accuracy in these two
areas and your overall mark. A fluent, academic style of writing will invariably be
accompanied by good spelling and punctuation; the reverse is almost always tr ue as
well, and will pull down your marks.
Task 1
Look at the following sentences. Is there anything wrong with them? Would you like to
make any changes?
2. I like George in some ways unfortunately his eating habits put me of.
3. The teacher looked at her and said, ‘Your not working hard enough.’
5. I liked that film we saw last night and Lucy did to.
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6. Albert Thomas 1932 - 1993 wrote some intresting guide books they
demonstrated a wide understanding of these areas..
7. It was a hot humid day and he was sat down reading a book when his sister Tracy
came to visit him she was sweating a lot.
8. She said that, 21% of students in the university were from the city.
Now check your answers with the key at the end of the unit
https://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/punctuation-
rules.html
Forum 1.2
Rewrite the sentences below using proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
Choose one and post it in the forum from March 18th to March 23rd. Explain your
changes. Use the link above to justify your changes.
Remember that forums set the ground for interchange and discussion. Discussing is not
arguing – discussing is sharing one’s views and having constructive conversations. So
you’re welcome to speak your mind!
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Self-assessment
This is the end of Unit 1. Evaluate your performance throughout the unit
by reflecting on your performance. In order to do so, complete the items
below, stating percentages:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Make sure you have submitted all your mandatory assignments for
correction.
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Key to Unit 1
Part 2 -Listening comprehension
Task 1
English started to be used in diplomacy after the First World War / 1919 / the treaty of
Versailles
In the 21st century, the growing use of English is due to economic globalization.
The future of English depends mostly on the patterns of usage and public attitudes to English.
Task 2
Possible answers:
Task 3
✔ British colonialism
✔ American capitalism
✔ American technological development
✔ The expansion of the Hollywood film industry
Part 3 - Grammar I
Task 2
Suggested answers:
Task 3
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Task 1
2. I like George in some ways. Unfortunately, his eating habits put me off. (or: I like George. In some
ways ……. . Also note the spelling of the word off.)
3. The teacher looked at her and said, "You're not working hard enough."
4. The Birmingham Area registers about 70% of all patents in the UK each
year. Many of them are concerned with electronics. (Note the spelling of
patients/patents)
5. I liked that film we saw last night, and Lucy did too.
7. It was a hot, humid day and he was sitting down reading a book when his sister Tracy came to
visit him. She was sweating a lot.
8. She said that 21% of students in the university were from the city.
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