Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for Vocational training

MODAL VERBS

He must be in love/ She could be working too hard/ He may not earn very much/ That must be very hard/ That can't be Claire's grandfather/ He must have sold his business for a lot of money/ They can't have had another argument/ we might have met before/ she can't have had a happy childhood/ She may have thought I'd be angry.

I might be able to give you a lift but../ I wasn't able to swim till last year/ I can see Sarah../ I've made the main course for dinner.. so I haven't been able to make the dessert yet/ When I was 14, I was able to run from my home../ Will you be able to speak Chinese../ I was able to go to last Saturday's../ my brother can usually fix the computer

LISTENING

Cave Diving

(size/explorer/challenge/darkness/problem-solving/...

Translate Verbs and Participles (English to Spanish)

• Enlarge: agrandar
• Lengthen: alargar
• Strengthen: fortalecer
• Tighten: apretar
• Widen: ensanchar
• Bent: doblado
• Chipped: astillado
• Dented: abollado
• Scratched: rayado
• Worn: desgastado

Translate Nouns: Spanish to English

• Cajón: Drawer
• Carretilla elevadora: Forklift
• Carretilla de mano: Wheelbarrow
• Escalera de mano: Ladder
• Botella de vidrio: Glass bottle
• Fregadero: Sink
• Gafas de protección: Safety goggles
• Mangas: Tank
• Migas: Crumbs
• Taladradora: Drill

Writing Numbers in English

• -1,000,000,000: One billion
• -7,500,000: Seven million, five hundred thousand
• -8/3: Eight-thirds
• The year 1862: Eighteen sixty-two
• 691.50: Six hundred ninety-one point five zero (assuming 691,50 means 691.50)

Completing Questions

1. How long does it take

Essential English Synonyms and Vocabulary

• Succeeded in / Managed to: To achieve a goal.
• Trip / Journey: Travel from one place to another.
• Giving, Supplying, Offering: Providing.
• Suggests, Brings up: Raises.
• Achieving: Accomplishing.
• Sickness, Illness: Disease.
• Innumerable, Numberless: Countless.
• Observed: Noticed.
• Friendly, Easygoing: Good-natured.
• Irritation, Displeasure: Annoyance.
• Aim, Purpose: Goal.
• Useful, Worthy, Rewarding: Worthwhile.
• Conscious: Aware.
• Cancelling: Reversing.
• Pull the trigger: Shoot.
• Search for, Seek: Look up.
• Enormous, Large: Huge.
• Tendency: Trend.
• Poll, Questionnaire: Survey.
• Succeed, Triumph: Overcome.
• Declare, Assert: Claim.
• Inequitable, Improper: Unfair.
• Spectator, Audience: Viewers.
• Prepared, Ready, Voluntary: Willing.
• Entered: Walked in.

The Open Window, by H.H. Munro (Saki)

Having moved to the countryside in search of a cure for his nerves, and carrying a letter of introduction from his sister, Mr. Nuttel visits the Sappletons. Vera, a fifteen-year-old girl, explains to him that the window is open because three years before Mrs. Sappleton's husband and brothers left through it and never returned. They sank in a bog and their bodies were never found, so her aunt is still waiting for them. Mrs. Sappleton comes down and explains that the window is open because her husband and brothers are about to return. When Mr. Nuttel sees them coming, he runs off without a word. Vera explains to the family that he was probably afraid of the dog, as he had been attacked by dogs in a cemetery...

CLASS #5

Recap:

• The gangster film
• A Warner Bros. specialty
• Gangsters had to die
• Cagney, Robinson, Raft and Bogart
• “White Heat” last of the great Warner gangster films

THE WESTERN

The Western glamorized and glorified the American spirit of independence and expansion.

• Guys in the white hat, good, guys in the black hat, bad.
• Native American almost always bad
• Native American, stereotypes and rarely depicted by actual Native Americans
• Westerns began in silent era: “Squaw Man” directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Early Stars: William S. Hart, Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry
• Republic Pictures – Herbert Yates
• Western serials – shorts
• Lone Ranger
• “Shane”
• “Unforgiven” – Clint Eastwood
• Spaghetti Westerns – Sergio Leone
• TV westerns – Bonanza, Gunsmoke
• “Stage

This document captures a series of candid, everyday dialogues, offering a glimpse into various personal interactions, plans, and observations. From packing for trips to discussing new managers and future aspirations, these snippets highlight the diverse facets of daily life.

Conversations on Daily Life

• Packing and Preparations

  Susan: "Okay, I packed some towels, shampoo, and soap."
  Peter: "Oh, you need to take some sunscreen too."

• Where Things Are Kept

  Ellen: "I put my cell phone on that shelf. Sarah puts hers here, and Josh puts his over there. Where do you keep yours?"
  Chass: "I keep mine on my desk."

• Home Decor Choices

  Arnold: "Which curtain do you prefer?"
  Gin: "Well, I like that small, brown Italian one."

• Modern Impressions

  Samantha: "My mother

LORD OF THE FLIES
Time: The story is set during an unnamed time of war (a fictional atomic war).
Place: It is set on a deserted tropical island in the Pacific Ocean.
Characters- Ralph: he’s one of the oldest boys and quickly becomes the leader. He is calm and rational and has a natural sense of authority.
- Jack: He is cruel and sadistic and has little time for rules and order. He is motivated by pure self-interest and represents the military mindset with dictatorial tendencies. He’s a cruel boy. He represents the instinct of savagery, violence and the desire of power.
- Simon: he is the most introspective character in the novel. He has a deep affinity with nature and often walks alone in the jungle. Against the idea of evil on the...

High School Graduate Job Search

This year, I am finishing my high school studies and looking forward to getting a job. I know that whatever job I get now, it won’t be my perfect calling, but rather a way to earn some money and make new friends. Nevertheless, certain characteristics would make this new activity comfortable and fulfilling.

My Ideal First Job Criteria

Proximity to Boston College

First of all, it would be great if it was near my college. I was accepted at Boston College and wouldn’t like to spend a lot of time traveling from one place to the other. I’ll be moving into a dorm there next year and I’m hoping to find some job opportunities waiting for me in the vicinity.

Preferred Work Schedule

I would also like to work the morning...

English Grammar Essentials

1. Present Tenses

Present Simple

• Affirmative (+): Play / Plays
• Negative (-): Don’t / Doesn’t play
• Interrogative (?): Do you...? / Does she...?

Adverbs of Frequency

• Always, Usually, Often, Sometimes, Occasionally, Hardly ever, Never

Frequency Expressions

• Every day, Every year, Once a week, etc.

Stative Verbs (Non-Continuous Verbs)

These verbs are generally not used in continuous tenses:

• To be, Like, Love, Hate, Dislike
• Know, Understand, Believe, Think, Want, Feel
• Have got (for possession)

Present Continuous

• Affirmative (+): Am / Is / Are + -ing (playing)
• Negative (-): Am not / Isn’t / Aren’t + -ing (playing)
• Interrogative (?): Are you...? / Is she...? (Short answers: Yes, I am / No, I’m not)

Present Continuous Time Expressions

• Look!