Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for Baccalaureate

The History of Afternoon Tea Tradition

The tradition of afternoon tea originated partly because the evening meal was served late, causing a long wait. This practice was introduced to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.

Key Historical Points and Facts

• Queen Catherine started drinking tea when it was primarily accessible only to the wealthy classes.
• Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford, is credited with introducing the traditional afternoon tea ritual.
• It was noted that eventually, all people could drink tea at this time, suggesting a move towards broader accessibility, discriminating against nobody.

Related Notes on Tea

When did tea first appear in England? Ensuring the tea is hot enough is essential for the experience. Tea is grown in India.

Vocabulary...

Anne Frank's Early Life

Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, to a Jewish family. In 1933, her parents moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Fleeing Germany and Hiding

During World War II, the family hid to avoid the Nazis. They left their home and moved to a shelter in the offices of her father's company. It was not a comfortable place, but they had to adapt as it became their new home.

Anne's Life in Hiding

Age and Emotions

Anne was 13 years old. She wrote about the feelings of others, expressing her discomfort and eventual feelings of love.

Protecting from the Nazis

To protect themselves from the Nazis, Anne and her family hid in an apartment where they could not make any noise to avoid being caught.

Anne's Diary

Anne believed that...

My Dog Carly

*By DJ*

What kind of animal gets to sleep in a bed, lay on the couch, and ride in the family car?

If you guessed my dog, Carly, then you're right! Ms. Berndl and fellow classmates, I'm going to talk a little about the breed of a Labrador, as well as my Labrador, Carly.

Labradors:

• Originated in Newfoundland, not Labrador.
• Are known to be good-natured and friendly dogs.
• Make good pets.
• Are often used as guide and rescue dogs.
• Like to hunt and swim.
• Are not guard dogs, although they do bark at people.

Carly has been a member of our family for two and a half years. My mom got Carly from someone she works with whose dogs were having puppies. Carly's mom was a blonde Lab, and her dad was a chocolate Lab. Carly is a black Lab. My mom insisted we...

Zara: A Spanish Fashion Success Story

Zara maintains full control over its entire production system, from design to production and distribution. They have precise knowledge of new collection arrivals, with customers often eagerly awaiting the latest lines. Zara actively seeks customer feedback to inform the creation of new lines.

Key Insights and Observations on Zara

• Observation: False (referring to lines 3-4 of an original text)
• Observation: False (referring to lines 14-15 of an original text)
• Scale: Enormous
• Location: Headquarters
• Consumer Behavior Note: Addictions
• Consumer Behavior Note: Lonely

Personal Style and Fashion Choices

Comfort is a primary consideration when choosing clothing, allowing individuals to wear what they prefer. Personally, I...

1. The Legacy of the Titanic (June 2012)

Analysis and Comprehension

• 1a) We have learned since the sinking of the Titanic that we cannot fully control new technology.
• 1b) For 100 years, life and new technologies have advanced significantly.
• 2a) False: According to lines 4-5, the great achievements are beyond our control.
• 2b) True: According to lines 8-10, for 100 years, people were too sure of themselves.
• 2c) False: According to lines 11-12, two years later, we discovered the power of the atom.

Vocabulary and Multiple Choice

• 3) a) smart, b) flawed, c) landmark, d) steady
• 4) 1) c, 2) b, 3) c

Part B: Life Without Technology

In the first place, I would like to say that new technologies help us every day to have a better life. However, is everyone truly happy...

Modal Verbs

Common modal verbs include: 1. Can, 2. Don’t have to, 3. Could, 4. Mustn’t, 5. Must, 6. Have to, 7. May, 8. Couldn’t, 9. Oughtn’t.

Relative Clauses

• Linda, who is going to be a secretary, studies at college with me.
• A hurricane hit the east coast where I was on holiday last year.
• Beethoven, who wrote nine symphonies, was a famous composer.
• The woman, who has a very unusual hairstyle, is a hairdresser.
• This is the place where I lost my dog.
• Steven Spielberg, whose films have all been successful, is a film director.

Causative and Passive Structures

1. We had Sarah’s birthday cake made at the bakery.
2. I’m having my scooter repaired.
3. The children were entertained by a professional magician at Christmas.
4. John had his hair dyed green last week.

English Vocabulary and Definitions

• Ban: Prohibir
• Be about to: Estar a punt de
• Charm: Contradiu
• Command: Dorm
• Deserve: Merecer
• Devise: Idear
• Enable: Penetrar
• Enthusiastic: Entusiasta
• Expel: Expulsar
• Hop: Saltar
• Insane: Demente
• Judge: Jutjar
• Overcome: Superar
• Proficient: Proficient
• Proposal: Proposta
• Prosper: Prosperar
• Read aloud: Leer en voz alta
• Run counter to: Van en contra de
• Self-consciousness: Timid
• Start out: Partir
• Throughout: Arribar al propòsit
• Upcoming: Pròxim
• Value: Valor
• Yell: Cridar

Synonyms and Contextual Meanings

• Succeed finally: Prosper
• Principle: Value
• Jump on one foot: Hop
• Conflicts with: Runs counter to
• Form an opinion about: Judge
• Idea: Propose
• Again: Reviewed
• Insane: Not insane
• Cooperate: Together
• Enabling: To cause
• Non-Chinese: Not
• Bilingual: Two
• Overcrowded:

Reported Speech Examples and Exercises

Learn how to convert direct speech into reported (indirect) speech with these practical examples and exercises.

Example 1: He said, "I like this song"

Direct Speech: He said, "I like this song."

Reported Speech: He said that he liked that song.

Other reported speech transformations:

• ...where my sister was.
• ...that she didn't speak Italian.
• ...to say hello to Jim.
• ...that the film had begun at seven o'clock.
• ...not to play on the grass.
• ...where he had spent his money.
• ...that he never made mistakes.
• ...not to try that at home.

Example 2: "I was very tired"

Direct Speech: "I was very tired," she said.

Reported Speech: ...that she had been very tired.

Additional examples:

• ...to be careful,
• ...that she will get herself a drink,

Poem: Late Hours and Lost Dreams

It was a sad, sleepy late All the elements that make up the poem converge, leading to the dialogue that the poet has with the source in the last six verses. The question that this raises in the poet and the corresponding response thus become the central, fundamental text. And so it is not the source which speaks to the poet, but he himself who unfolds an intimate dialogue with his conscience. //

Memory, Dreams, and Pessimism

Does he still remember, despite the time elapsed, the dreams that once lit his life and gave it meaning and zest? The answer, full of pessimism tinged with sadness, is a confession of forgetfulness and the loss of those aspirations and dreams he once had. Those dreams are dead in the poet's...

Franz Kafka: A Life of Detachment

Franz Kafka felt deeply detached from his surroundings, concentrating his life energy into his writing. A German critic famously summarized his complex identity:

"As a Jew who was not part of the Christian world... I do not belong entirely to the Jewish community. As a German speaker among the Czechs, I was not fully part of the German Bohemians. As a Bohemian, I did not belong entirely to Austria. As an insurance officer, I was not entirely within the bourgeoisie. As the son of bourgeois parents, I was not entirely within the working class."

These circumstances, combined with his exceptional sensitivity and delicate constitution, were reflected in his work. Prague, his hometown, serves as the disturbing backdrop...