Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for Other courses

Ozymandias vs. London: A Poetic Comparison

Key Quotes and Their Significance

1. Ozymandias – "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

   • Command Verb (Imperative)

     The verb "Look" conveys Ozymandias’s arrogance, attempting to assert dominance over future generations, suggesting an inflated sense of power. This contrasts with the powerless citizens in London, whose suffering is imposed upon them by external forces, not self-proclaimed power.

   • Irony

     The juxtaposition of "despair" with the ruined state of the statue highlights the futility of Ozymandias’s power, emphasizing the transience of human legacy. Similarly, London highlights the decaying impact of unchecked power through the physical and emotional scarring of the city’s inhabitants.

   • Noun:

1. Verb Only

“I’m really sorry,” she apologized. (agree, apologise, refuse)

2. Verb + That Clause

“I hacked into the company’s accounts system.” He admitted (that) he had hacked into the company’s accounts system.

Verbs: accept, acknowledge, add, admit, advise, agree, announce, answer, argue, assume, believe, boast, comment, complain, concede, conclude, confess, consider, continue, deny, doubt, exclaim, expect, explain, foresee, imagine, imply, insist, know, mention, notice, observe, point out, predict, promise, propose, remark, remind, reply*, report, respond, reveal, say, shout*, state, suggest, vow, whisper.

3. Verb + Object + That Clause

“Don’t worry, you’ll arrive on time.” She reassured me that I would arrive on time.

Verbs:

Job Hunting and Communication Essentials

Job Search

Job hunting is a synonym for job search. When you pick up the phone and the speaker wants to talk to you, you say: "Speaking". In your cover letter, you explain why you are keen on that particular job and why you think you are a good candidate for it. The European model of CV is known as Europass.

Email Etiquette

Electronic mail, or email, is a quick way of sending messages to people using the internet. How do we read the symbol @ when we write an email address? At. Give a synonym for junk mail. Spam. The files, documents, photos, and attachments that you send in your email are called attachments. The subject line is where we give an idea of what the email is about. To forward is to send the email...

Phrasal Verb Examples

1. Break Down

   Tina's computer broke down in the middle of her paper.

2. Turn Down

   She turned down all the men who asked her to marry them.

3. Look Up To

   That teacher is someone I look up to.

4. Get On With

   Does Sheila get on well with her parents?

5. Look Into

   Have scientists ever looked into the way animals communicate with humans?

6. Get By

   It is difficult for the family to get by on the money they have.

7. Look Forward To

   The girls are looking forward to seeing their grandparents again.

8. Come Up With

   The inventor came up with a solution to the problem in a dream.

9. Put Off

   They have put off the meeting until next Friday.

10. Work Out

    It was difficult to work out what was happening in the story.

11. Look Up

    Will you look up this word in the dictionary?

12. Drop Out

    I didn't know

Summary

In Posquerra, a young boy of eleven named Daniel, nicknamed "The Little Owl," lived with his humble family. Daniel is about to leave for the city to study for his Bachelor's degree, a sacrifice his father, a humble cheesemaker, has made for his son. The night before leaving, Daniel remembers the stories and adventures of his life in the village, realizing how much it has taught him.

He fondly recalls the simple exploits and adventures with his two best friends, Roque (Moñigo) and Germán (Tiñoso), with whom he had endless fun and learned so much. Ultimately, Daniel realizes that his life is in the village with his loved ones, where he grew up. He has learned important values such as friendship, love, and self-identity, marking his maturation....

Character Analysis and Thematic Conflict

Buby: The Bridge Between Worlds

Buby, who runs the ballet and the Music Hall, acts as a bridge between the two contrasting worlds presented in the work. Initially, he belongs to the bohemian world of theater and opera. However, he also exhibits features of the conventional, bourgeois world, such as the importance he attaches to money and his exploitative nature toward his ballet girls.

Secondary Characters: The Music Hall Artists

The artists from the Music Hall—Fanny, Madame Olga, Sagra, Trudy, and Carmela—serve as a counterpoint to the bourgeois world, yet they are ultimately subservient to it. They represent the misleading underworld of prostitution. The author introduces us to these characters as...

Adrian's Teenage Life

Adrian is 13 ¾ years old and makes resolutions for the new year. He is worried about a spot on his chin. Adrian has a dog that became ill after eating his father's model ship. His parents drink a lot of vodka. They got divorced, and his mother moved in with Mr. Lucas. Adrian met a girl at school named Pandora, whom he liked.

His best friend, Nigel, started a relationship with Pandora, but they broke up. Nigel was a wealthy boy with a beautiful house. One of Adrian's classmates, Barry Kent, hit him and tore his father's coat. Adrian discussed the fight with his father. When his grandmother found out, she resolved the problem by talking to Barry Kent and scaring him, so he stopped hitting Adrian.

Adrian went out with Pandora....

Homeschooling: Advantages and Disadvantages

Some parents choose to teach their children at home instead of sending them to school. But is this a good or bad thing for the children? In this essay, I will discuss both sides.

Benefits of Homeschooling

One good thing about homeschooling is having a parent as a teacher. Parents understand their children well and can focus on what their kids need to learn. This can make learning easier and more enjoyable for the child.

Drawbacks of Homeschooling

However, a big problem with homeschooling is that children might not make many friends. In school, kids meet other students and learn how to get along with different people. Without this, homeschooled children might feel lonely or miss out on important social...

Basque Surnames (O.S.V : Ocho Apellidos Vascos) is one of the best Spanish comedy films of the last few years. It premiered in 2014 in cinemas all around Spain, and now it has over 2 million views. They have a sequel called Eight Catalan Surnames (O.S.V : Ocho Apellidos Catalanes).

The film starts with Amaia Zugasti (Clara Lago) travelling to Seville on a planned honeymoon that ends up being a friend trip. Rafa Quiros (Dani Rovira), is the owner of the bar where the girls go to have fun one night. Rafa starts telling jokes and making a clown out of Basque people which makes Amaia lose her temper. They end up fighting and he kicks her out. Instead of walking away, she starts another argument but they finish kissing in Rafa’s house. The next...

English Grammar: Conditionals

1. First Conditional

Structure: If + present simple → will + base verb

Usage: Real or possible future results.

Example:

• If you break the law, you will pay a fine.

2. Second Conditional

Structure: If + past simple → would + base verb

Usage: Unreal or imaginary situations.

Example:

• If I were rich, I would hire a lawyer.

Key Grammar Notes

• Use will only in the main clause, not after if.
  ❌ If you will steal…
  ✅ If you steal…
• The order can be swapped:
  
  • If you study, you will pass.
  • You will pass if you study.

Modal Verbs: Rules and Obligation

Examples:

• You mustn’t steal.
• You don’t have