English Fundamentals

Select one of the topics below and write about it for 20 minutes...

Descriptive topics

1. Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
2. What do you do outside of school and work? Describe any hobbies you have, sports you participate in, or other activities you regularly enjoy.
3. If you could invite five people to a dinner party, who would they be? What is each guest like?
4. Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
5. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Describe it and explain why you’d choose it.

Instructions

1. Give directions for getting from one point to another. Explain what landmarks someone might see along the way.
2. Explain how to entertain guests who unexpectedly arrive at your home.

Verb tense practice

1. What’s one thing you could never live without and why?
2. Describe your ideal town or city, why you would want to live there, and what you would do there.
3. Write about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision, and explain what you did.
4. Talk about five specific goals you want to accomplish this year, and explain how you are going to accomplish them.
5. Imagine you’re babysitting a child who breaks the kitchen table. Explain to the child how they could have avoided doing this if they had behaved differently.

Practical vocabulary practice

1. Write a review of a new restaurant (either fictional or real) in your area.
2. Describe the best party or large-scale event you’ve ever attended.
3. If you could get one gift for everyone in your family, regardless of the cost, what would you get them and why?
4. Choose a form of transportation (such as cars, trains, boats, planes, or subways) and explain how it has changed people’s lives.
5. Write a pitch for a new blockbuster movie. Explain what will happen in the movie and why it will draw crowds to the theater.

Persuasive writing practice

1. Do you think our society is too dependent on technology like smartphones? Why or why not?
2. Imagine that a big new department store is being built in your hometown. Do you support this development or not?
3. Do you think it’s better for students to have a long summer break or be in a year-round school system with more breaks throughout the year? Explain your position.
4. Should employers set aside time during the day for their employees to exercise? What might be some of the advantages or disadvantages of this?
5. What is your favorite book or movie, and why should people read or watch it?

13 Colonies

WATCH THE VIDEOS AT THIS LINK

Ladies: How Proverbs 31 Are You?  Take these 2 quizzes!
1. The Proverbs 31 Quiz! 
2. How Well Do You Know the Proverbs 31 Woman Quiz.

English As a Second Language Placement Test

International Students 2015

Please read this article and write a reaction (1-2 paragraphs) to it using your personal experience.

International students taking a big piece of the American pie

It's a New Year!

The summer is now officially over, and a new school year has begun at SVA.  Explore this website to find a number of websites to help you learn and improve your English.

Washington, D.C. Field Trip

Washington, D.C. Field Trip

Thursday, May 14, 2015
(See homework assignment below)

Projected Trip Itinerary (tentative and subject to change)

5:00 a.m.          Leave SVA

9:00 a.m.          Arrive Washington - White House/Pennsylvania Avenue/U.S. Capitol

10:00 a.m.        Library of Congress

11:00 a.m.        Supreme Court

12:00 p.m.        Lunch on the National Mall National Mall Museum Map PDF

12:30 p.m.        Visit Museums*

5:00 p.m.          Leave Museums/Walk National Mall & Monuments

                         Meet at Washington Monument by 5:30 p.m.

                         Walking tour of:

                         WW2 Memorial

                         Korean War Memorial

                         Vietnam War Memorial

                         Arrive at Lincoln Memorial by 6:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.          Leave Washington

10:00 p.m.        Arrive SVA

*Museum Groups - You must be in groups of 3 or 4 people and remain on the National Mall.

Give Mr. Rivera cell numbers and internet numbers.

Top 5 Washington, D.C. Places to Visit (as voted in class)

Lincoln Memorial

White House

U.S. Capitol

Air & Space Museum

Washington Monument

IMAX Films (Shown at Air & Space Museum and Natural History Museum)

Washington, D.C. Map

What to bring

D.C. and/or National Mall Map

Cell phone or Internet Phone

Camera

Comfortable walking shoes

Long sleeves for cold bus & museums/IMAX theatres

Nice clothing (no t-shirts, ladies no shorts)

Spending money

Weather Forecast for May 14

Mostly Sunny

Low - 56 degrees

High - 75 degrees

Mr. Rivera's Contact Information

413-325-4656

edward.a.rivera@gmail.com

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
By Wednesday, May 13, you must give me your museum group plan for museum time on Thursday between 12:30 and 5:00 p.m.  Provide the following information by email.

1.  Names of 3-4 group members
2.  National Museums you plan to visit between 12:30 and 5:00 p.m.
3.  Your email/cell phone/what's app number

Mr. Rivera will take a group to the Air & Space Museum, The Art Museum, and the American History Museum.  We will try to see one IMAX film ($9).