English lesson- 19 September 2014

USEFUL SENTENCES
We use some sentences for...
Stating an opinion
The way I see it...
In my opinion...
As far as Im concerned...
If you ask me...
Asking for an opinion
Do you agree?
How do you feel about that?
What do you think?
Whats your idea?
Expressing agreement
Absolutely
Thats exactly how I feel
Thats so true
You have a point there
Expressing disagreement
Thats not always the case
I dont think so
Im afraid I disagree
Thats not always true
Interruptions
Sorry to interrupt you, but...
Can I add something here?

NEGOTIATE
I cant help thinking that.
Isnt it more a matter of...
What you say reminds me of...
Thats all very well, but...

English lesson- 24 October 2014

PAST SIMPLE
To form the past simple we add -ed to regular verbs.
Work - worked
Play - played
P, f, k, sh, s, ch, x + ed = suono t
V, m, n, r, ay, l, z + ed = suono d
T, d + ed = suono id
Esempio:
T

ID

Peaked

Lived

Started

Worked

Declined

Boosted

Launched

Arrived

Amounted

Hoped

Mumbled

Landed

Increased

Stayed

Decided

We use past simple to talk about completed actions in the past.

E: Did you read the contract? Yes, I read it yesterday
We use it to refer to a definite moment in the past.
E: I spoke to them an hour ago.
Exercise A
The Wright Brothers made the first flight in 1903.
Neil Armstrong landed on the surface of the moon in 1969.
Pierre and Marie Curie discovered radium in 1902.
Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1434.
Isaac Singer patented the first commercial sewing machine in 1851.
Describing the graph
The graph shows Uk economic growth from the first quarter of 2008 to the second quarter
of 2014, using the GDP parameter. The GDP decreases from the Q1 of 2008 to the Q1 of
2009, losing a total of 2,5%. Then, starting from Q1 2009, after recovering all the lost
points, GDP trend becomes erratic, gaining and losing points every quarter of year. After
Q3 2014 the trend levels off, becoming stable around 1% more than 2008.

Adjectives and adverbs to describe the movement of a line

Adjectives
Meaning BIG: Dramatic, sharp, huge, steep, substantial, considerable, significant,
marked...
Meaning SMALL: slight, moderate, minimal...
Adverbs
Meaning BIG: Dramatically, sharply, hugely, steeply, substantially, considerably,
significantly, markedly...
Meaning SMALL: Slightly, moderately, minimally...
Describing the second graphic
This graphic describes Uk economic growth from the 1920s to the 30s.
In 1918, %GDP dove to its minimum (considering the period given), losing 10 points %,
then flattening to this level until 1920. In 1921 it recovered the points it lost in previous
years, and kept increasing, reaching more than 5 points of growth. From 1923 to 1925,
GDP level widely swing, and then dropped again in 1926. It has a brief period of recover
from 1926 to 1929. After another brief period of crisis, the GDP started another period of
growth.
Questions about the video
1) What is GDP?
2) What happens if GDP is going down?
3) What happens if GDP is rising?
4) What is the limitation of GDP?
Answers:
1) GDP is the measure of all the economic activities. It includes all the aspects of
economy, from agriculture to government department.
2) If GDP is going down the economy is shrinking, jobs are cut and house prices fall.
3) If GDP is rising the economy is expanding; it means more wealth and jobs.
4) Its good to say what already happened but not whats going to happen.

English lesson - 7 November 2014

ADVERTISING
It is a paid form of communication.
Communication is a way of passing information or ideas and can use all the senses: touch,
sight, smell, sound and taste.
The sponsor of the ad is identified, both for legal reasons and to make sure the target
audience buys their product.
It tries to persuade or influence people, to modify purchasing behavior or thought patterns.
Advertisers use many different kinds of mass media, such as:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Radio
- Television
- Billboards
- Sandwich boards
- Neon signs
- Skywriting
- Posters
We can have 2 different kinds of paper: one called broadsheet and another called tabloid.
The difference is the importance of it. The broadsheet, which name means pagina larga
because in the past it was very big, is the one more serious, whereas the tabloid aims to
people with less culture, and is often simpler to read.
The correct definition of advertising is: a paid non-personal communication from an
identified sponsor using mass media to persuade or influence an audience.
TYPES OF ADVERTISING
Brand advertising
It aims to the development of a long-term brand identity and image. It tries to develop a
distinctive brand image for a product.
A brand is not only a logo, ad campaign etc... Rather, a brand is a product a company
creates with employees.
Retail advertising
In contrast with the previous type, it is local and focuses on the store to try to sell products
to customers. It tries to create a distinctive image of the store.
Direct-response advertising
It employes any direst medium, including direct mail (corrispondenza), and it tries to
stimulate a sale directly. The customer can answer directly by phone, mail etc and the
merchandise is shipped to him.
Political advertising
Used from the politicians to persuade people voting for them.

Corporate (or institutional) advertising

It focuses on establishing a corporate identity. It is more a kind of PR than sales
promotion.
Public service advertising
This communicates a message on behalf of a good cause, such as a drug-free country,
preventing child abuse or the danger of drunken driving.
VIDEO QUESTIONS
1) Name 3 P&G products
2) How much does purchasing intent increase when consumers make a connection
between brands?
3) What does Irwin Lee think consumers want to know?
4) What was the sales boost during the period of the Vancouver games thanks to their
advertising campaign?
5) What risk does David Haigh point out?
6) What is P&G corporate advertising a response to?
Answer the questions
1) Pampers, Pringles, Pantene shampoo, Gillette shaving
2) 10 to 20 percent
3) Who is behind the brand, if they are upstanding and what is their character
4) 100 million $ increased sales
5) The risk is that people knows the name of products coming from P&G, and if something
goes wrong its possible that customers stop to buy their products
6) It is a response to the consuming demanding to know more.
ARTICLE: YOUNG SHOPPERS
Which section of the article mentions:
1) The kind of shop in which TV advertising expects to see results? B
2) The influence a parent has had over their childs view? D
3) The fact that children do not understand why their parents refuse their demands? B
4) A parent who understands why their children make demands? E
5) A family who rarely argued while shopping? D
6) An unexpected benefit for shops? F
7) A parent who has different rules for themselves and their children? E
8) The fact that parents blame the advertisement for the situation they find themselves in?
C
9) A TV advertising rule which has little effect? C