Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for January 5th

 For homework, please: 

- read one article / watch one video / listen to one podcast that addresses content related to your question. What content (arguments, details, vocab) contained here is relevant/would serve as a fresh take for your prepared debate question?

- have a look at this video Is magic real? | Derren Brown | Big Questions - YouTube and be prepared to debate the following questions in our next session (as you listen, think about how you would respond to Brown's comments if you were in conversation/debate with him): 

1. Are we in charge of our own fate? (Relate this to our previous debate: Are we living in a simulation?)

2. Is a life without pain desirable? 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for January 4th

For homework, please: 

- read one article / watch one video / listen to one podcast that addresses content related to your question. What content (arguments, details, vocab) contained here is relevant/would serve as a fresh take for your prepared debate question?

- have a look at this video Is magic real? | Derren Brown | Big Questions - YouTube and be prepared to debate the following questions in our next session (as you listen, think about how you would respond to Brown's comments if you were in conversation/debate with him): 

1. Are we in charge of our own fate? (Relate this to our previous debate: Are we living in a simulation?)

2. Is a life without pain desirable? 

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Eleven (December 21-22)

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (January 4th), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-M) for Unit 22 and learn the vocabulary  for Unit 22 (pp. 176-177). In addition to this, complete Review 11 on pp. 184-185. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding rules/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

Please also complete exercises C, D and E from the file "passive voice quick check" on Ilias. 

(It would be a good idea to review passives and causatives (Unit 7) and noun phrases (Unit 21) to stay on top of one's studying for the exam in January.) 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for January 3rd

In advance of our next session, please explore the Poetry Foundation's website and select three poems to read and discuss (make sure that the poems are connected to the US in some way, either by authorship or subject matter): Poetry Foundation

(You might find their "guides" webpage Poem Guides | Poetry Foundation useful for analysis or their "collections" page interesting in terms of how the poems are curated into categories Collections | Poetry Foundation) 

Please also read three letters (also connected in some way to the US) from the Letters of Note site (link featured below). Bring these letters with you to class to discuss (Scroll almost all the way to the bottom of the page to access the letters; you'll see that there are 57 pages of them. Alternatively, you can use the search feature on the website (see the upper right-hand corner of the page) to type in keywords that might return relevant letters): Letters of Note – Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Eleven (December 20-22)

In preparation of next Monday's session (January 3rd), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-M) for Unit 22 and learn the vocabulary  for Unit 22 (pp. 176-177). In addition to this, complete Review 11 on pp. 184-185. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding rules/these solutions with you to next Monday's session.

Please also complete exercises C, D and E from the file "passive voice quick check" on Ilias. 

(It would be a good idea to review passives and causatives (Unit 7) and noun phrases (Unit 21) to stay on top of one's studying for the exam in January.) 

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (12/22) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- read a review of a film, album or book (you can find reviews on Culture | The Guardian and on the NY Times (the TH has a subscription, but you need to be logged into the VPN in order to access it)) and assess the review using the following categories: 1) word choice, 2) details/examples, 3) sentence structure, 4) paragraph structure/essay organization, 5) thesis statement (is there a main "take-away" from the review?). Bring this review with you to class (save the URL to it as you will be sharing it with your partners via the chat window/sharing your screen.

- watch at least one of the videos from Amoeba Records "What's in my bag?" series Amoeba - YouTube and observe/take notes on how they present their picks. Then, select 3-5 books/films/albums that you will present to your group in a similar fashion (i.e. hopefully being so convincing that your group will want to check that media out) in your breakout sessions on Wednesday. (Don't worry if you don't have the physical object; links/copying-pasting the cover work into a document to share will suffice.)

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, write a review of a film, album, or book. (Please stick to one of these three types of media.) Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as a MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Wednesday, December 22nd at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for December 22nd

 For homework, please: 

- read one article and watch one video clip/listen to one podcast on your prepared debate question this week and pretend that you are debating the author/speaker. What (devil's advocate) arguments would you present to counter what author/speaker has stated? 

- read the file "New Zealand Plans to Eventually Ban All Cigarette Sales" and answer the following questions: a) Should other countries follow New Zealand's lead? b) Will other countries follow New Zealand's lead?

- consider the question "Are Kanken backpacks overrated?" before you watch the following video Here’s How Swedish Brand Fjällräven's Backpack Became A Global Icon | Suddenly Obsessed - YouTube See if your arguments change (even in the slightest) after watching the video. 

- read the file "Suffixes and word stress II" and complete exercises 11.1 and 11.3 of the "Suffixes and word stress II exercises" file.

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should other countries follow New Zealand's lead when it comes to cigarette sales?

2. Are Kanken backpacks overrated? (Note: This is NOT a jab at people who own these backpacks! Be respectful, whether you own this product or not. (Pretend your partner does.))

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for December 21st

For homework, please: 

- read one article and watch one video clip/listen to one podcast on your prepared debate question this week and pretend that you are debating the author/speaker. What (devil's advocate) arguments would you present to counter what author/speaker has stated? 

- read the file "New Zealand Plans to Eventually Ban All Cigarette Sales" and answer the following questions: a) Should other countries follow New Zealand's lead? b) Will other countries follow New Zealand's lead?

- consider the question "Are Kanken backpacks overrated?" before you watch the following video Here’s How Swedish Brand Fjällräven's Backpack Became A Global Icon | Suddenly Obsessed - YouTube See if your arguments change (even in the slightest) after watching the video. 

- read the file "Suffixes and word stress II" and complete exercises 11.1 and 11.3 of the "Suffixes and word stress II exercises" file.

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should other countries follow New Zealand's lead when it comes to cigarette sales?

2. Are Kanken backpacks overrated? (Note: This is NOT a jab at people who own these backpacks! Be respectful, whether you own this product or not. (Pretend your partner does.))

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Ten (December 14-17)

 In preparation of next Tuesday's session (12/21), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-O) for Unit 6 and learn the vocabulary for Unit 6 (pp. 44-45). Do Review 2 for Units 5 and 6 on pp. 52-53 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

Please do all of the exercises from the files "Spotlight exercises future tenses" and "Grammar for CAE and CPE ing or infinitive exercises" posted on Ilias. Check your answers on the bottom of the Spotlight page for future tenses and in the file "Grammar for CAE and CPE ing or infinitive exercises answers" and bring any questions you have with you to Tuesday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Units 5 and 23 (verbal complements) this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Thursday's session (12/16) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- browse the monster.com website and read at least one article that is in some way related to career advice: Monster Jobs - Job Search, Career Advice & Hiring Resources | Monster.com What strikes you interculturally speaking about the advice given (i.e. do you notice an intercultural differences between what is expected in your home country and the US/anglophone countries?)?

- have a look at this video on what Google expects from applicant resumes (most of the points they mention are relevant for all jobs) Create Your Resume for Google: Tips and Advice - YouTube and do the following:

 a) write down five tips from the video

 b) write down as many phrases/patterns/collocations and idioms that the speakers use as you can (e.g. "walk you through", "a safe bet")

- finally, think back to project week and answer the following question: What would you like to do with your degree in the future? (Bring in any job-related questions you have as well.)

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: Is being passionate about one's work the key to building a successful career? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Thursday, December 16th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for December 20th

For homework, please read pp. 71-82 of "Why Do So Few Blacks Study the Civil War?" by Ta-Nehisi Coates posted in the Week Ten Reading folder on Ilias. What is Coates' answer to his research question?

Kompetenzerweiterung I, Study Pack

This study pack is meant for your personal enrichment and is in no way required. 

Future and present forms

http://oefeningenengels.classy.be/futuremixed3.html

http://www.english-grammar.at/online_exercises/tenses/t059-homes-of-the-future.htm

https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/will_going_to_future.htm

https://www.englishpractice.com/quiz/simple-present-future-tense/

Mixed tense

https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/upperint/grammar/grammar_06_012e?cc=de&selLanguage=de

http://www.englishlessonsbrighton.co.uk/the-christmas-mess-mixed-tenses-reading-exercise/

Gerund and infinitive

https://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/gerunds_infinitives_5.htm

http://a4esl.org/q/f/z/zz97mkm.htm

https://languageavenue.com/advanced-english/advanced-grammar-exercises/gerunds-and-infinitives-1-advanced#take-the-quiz

Word formation

https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_use_of_english_part3_test2.htm

http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-english-word-formation-exercises.html

https://www.grammarbank.com/word-formation.html

https://quizlet.com/103833447/word-formation-exercises-verbs-nouns-adjectives-flash-cards/

Cloze tests

http://www.englishdaily626.com/cloze_passages.php?001

(you will find at the bottom of this page a list of hyperlinked numbers; all of these are CLOZE exercises you can use for practice)

Register rewrite

http://www.ltn.lv/~markir/essaywriting/inform.htm

https://www.engvid.com/english-resource/formal-informal-english/

Relative pronoun gap fill

https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-2/pronouns/lesson-7/relative-pronouns

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/3g14-relative-pronoun-gap-fill-exercise.php

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/3g61-relative-pronouns-gap-fill.php

http://www3.lernplattform.schule.at/anglisten/pluginfile.php/6813/mod_resource/content/4/Gap_filling_1.htm

Relative clauses rewrite

https://www.englishgrammar.org/joining-sentences-relative-pronoun/

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/relative-clause-exercises.html

Error correction

http://www.businessenglishresources.com/common-english-mistakes-english-error-correction-3a-advanced/

http://www.businessenglishresources.com/common-mistakes-in-emails/

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_55.htm

Active to passive voice

https://www.englishgrammar.org/active-passive-voice-exercise-8/

http://www.english-grammar.at/online_exercises/passive-voice/pa006-active-passive.htm

Do/take/make/have:

http://www.tinyteflteacher.co.uk/learning-english/FCE/practice-make-do.html

https://learningapps.org/192576

http://www.english-grammar.at/online_exercises/general-vocabulary/gv002-make-and-do.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv2.shtml

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Ten (December 13-17)

In preparation of next Monday's session (12/20), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-O) for Unit 6 and learn the vocabulary for Unit 6 (pp. 44-45). Do Review 2 for Units 5 and 6 on pp. 52-53 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Monday's session.

Please do all of the exercises from the files "Spotlight exercises future tenses" and "Grammar for CAE and CPE ing or infinitive exercises" posted on Ilias. Check your answers on the bottom of the Spotlight page for future tenses and in the file "Grammar for CAE and CPE ing or infinitive exercises answers" and bring any questions you have with you to Monday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Units 5 and 23 (verbal complements) this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (12/15) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- browse the monster.com website and read at least one article that is in some way related to career advice: Monster Jobs - Job Search, Career Advice & Hiring Resources | Monster.com What strikes you interculturally speaking about the advice given (i.e. do you notice an intercultural differences between what is expected in your home country and the US/anglophone countries?)?

- have a look at this video on what Google expects from applicant resumes (most of the points they mention are relevant for all jobs) Create Your Resume for Google: Tips and Advice - YouTube and do the following:

 a) write down five tips from the video

 b) write down as many phrases/patterns/collocations and idioms that the speakers use as you can (e.g. "walk you through", "a safe bet")

- finally, think back to project week and answer the following question: What would you like to do with your degree in the future? (Bring in any job-related questions you have as well.)

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: Is being passionate about one's work the key to building a successful career? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Wednesday, December 15th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for December 15th

 For homework, please: 

- read one article and watch one video clip/listen to one podcast on your prepared debate question this week. Jot down any good language (vocabulary or expressions) and arguments used in this content. 

- read the file "Should alcohol be banned on flights" and consider other words that could go in the X-slot in the templates "Should X be banned on flights" and "Should alcohol be banned on/in/at X". See if you can use any of the arguments from the article for the new debate questions your words create. 

- watch the press conference here (22 minutes) concerning Auckland's voucher scheme as part of its pandemic recovery strategy: Aucklanders offered 100,000 vouchers to ‘reactivate’ the city - YouTube There is excellent vocabulary in this press conference concerning government assistance and implementing governement programs; I recommend jotting down phrases for future debates. Pay attention to the way the PM and the government officials react to the journalists' questions (some of them are quite pointed/confrontational in nature). 

- read the file "two stress phrasal verbs" and do exercises 20.1 and 20.3 from the file "two stress phrasal verbs exercises". Make it a goal to incorporate more phrasal verbs into your speech and debates. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should alcohol be banned on flights?

2. Are voucher schemes are good idea for pandemic recovery strategies?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for December 14th

 For homework, please: 

- read one article and watch one video clip/listen to one podcast on your prepared debate question this week. Jot down any good language (vocabulary or expressions) and arguments used in this content. 

- read the file "Should alcohol be banned on flights" and consider other words that could go in the X-slot in the templates "Should X be banned on flights" and "Should alcohol be banned on/in/at X". See if you can use any of the arguments from the article for the new debate questions your words create. 

- watch the press conference here (22 minutes) concerning Auckland's voucher scheme as part of its pandemic recovery strategy: Aucklanders offered 100,000 vouchers to ‘reactivate’ the city - YouTube There is excellent vocabulary in this press conference concerning government assistance and implementing governement programs; I recommend jotting down phrases for future debates. Pay attention to the way the PM and the government officials react to the journalists' questions (some of them are quite pointed/confrontational in nature). 

- read the file "two stress phrasal verbs" and do exercises 20.1 and 20.3 from the file "two stress phrasal verbs exercises". Make it a goal to incorporate more phrasal verbs into your speech and debates. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should alcohol be banned on flights?

2. Are voucher schemes are good idea for pandemic recovery strategies?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Nine (December 7-10)

 In preparation of next Tuesday's session (12/14), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-N) for Unit 4 and learn the vocabulary for Unit  4 (pp. 28-29). Do Review 2 for Units 3 and 4 on pp. 36-37 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

Please do the exercise on this page Upper-intermediate grammar exercise: past simple vs. past perfect – Speakspeak and read through the "common mistakes" tables further down the page. Check your answers and bring any questions you have with you to Tuesday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Unit 3 this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Thursday's session (12/09) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- Read the following article What is the internet? 13 key questions answered | Internet | The Guardian and do the following:

a) be able to paraphrase each of the 13 answers in your own words 

b) highlight 10 words/phrases that have to do with change and technology

c) highlight 10 collocations/word chunks that you would like to incorporate into your active vocabulary

- watch one of the videos on this playlist 5 Levels - YouTube and do the following:

a) jot down some words and details that make each "level" of explanation distinct

b) be prepared to explain a concept of your choice on two different levels (when you are planning this, have two different audiences in mind)

- finally, be prepared to debate/discuss the following question on Thursday: Is change a given?

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: Is the internet good for us? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Thursday, December 9th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for December 13th

For homework, please: 

- read/skim "The Talented Tenth" by W.E.B. Du Bois posted under "Week Nine Reading Du Bois" on Ilias and answer the following:

a) paraphrase Du Bois' concept of the "talented tenth" and identify at least three points in the reading that he uses to support his thesis that "the Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men".

b) answer the following question: where do we see echoes of the "talented tenth" discourse in 21st-century US society? (Make the link to Hall: how do informal-level convictions about meritocracy manifest on the formal and technical levels of culture in the US today?)

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Nine (December 6-10)

In preparation of next Monday's session (12/13), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-N) for Unit 4 and learn the vocabulary for Unit  4 (pp. 28-29). Do Review 2 for Units 3 and 4 on pp. 36-37 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Monday's session.

Please do the exercise on this page Upper-intermediate grammar exercise: past simple vs. past perfect – Speakspeak and read through the "common mistakes" tables further down the page. Check your answers and bring any questions you have with you to Monday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Unit 3 this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (12/08) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- Read the following article What is the internet? 13 key questions answered | Internet | The Guardian and do the following:

a) be able to paraphrase each of the 13 answers in your own words 

b) highlight 10 words/phrases that have to do with change and technology

c) highlight 10 collocations/word chunks that you would like to incorporate into your active vocabulary

- watch one of the videos on this playlist 5 Levels - YouTube and do the following:

a) jot down some words and details that make each "level" of explanation distinct

b) be prepared to explain a concept of your choice on two different levels (when you are planning this, have two different audiences in mind)

- finally, be prepared to debate/discuss the following question on Wednesday: Is change a given?

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: Is the internet good for us? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Wednesday, December 8th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for December 8th

 For homework, please: 

- try to submit your debate question as soon as possible to me, if you haven't done so already. If you already have, spend some time this week researching content and perhaps already practicing the question with your partner. 

- read the file "Should firms fire staff for their private social media activity" and consider specific examples of social media activity in preparing a debate that answers this question. (Refer back to the article "Why I Have Nothing To Hide Is Wrong" in considering your answer as well.)

- watch the video Should Chocolate Advent Calendars Be Banned? | Good Morning Britain - YouTube and prepare a debate drawing on detail that you see/have seen in your environment regarding this question. 

- read the file "fixed expressions and idioms" and do exercise 35.1 from the file "fixed expressions and idioms exercises". Make it a goal to incorporate more idiomatic expressions into your debates. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should firms fire staff for their private social media activity?

2. Should chocolate Advent calendars be banned?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for December 7th

For homework, please: 

- try to submit your debate question as soon as possible to me, if you haven't done so already. If you already have, spend some time this week researching content and perhaps already practicing the question with your partner. 

- read the file "Should firms fire staff for their private social media activity" and consider specific examples of social media activity in preparing a debate that answers this question. (Refer back to the article "Why I Have Nothing To Hide Is Wrong" in considering your answer as well.)

- watch the video Should Chocolate Advent Calendars Be Banned? | Good Morning Britain - YouTube and prepare a debate drawing on detail that you see/have seen in your environment regarding this question. 

- read the file "fixed expressions and idioms" and do exercise 35.1 from the file "fixed expressions and idioms exercises". Make it a goal to incorporate more idiomatic expressions into your debates. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should firms fire staff for their private social media activity?

2. Should chocolate Advent calendars be banned?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Eight (November 30-December 3)

 In preparation of next Tuesday's session (12/07), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-O) for Unit 2 and learn the vocabulary for Unit 2(pp. 12-13). Do Review 1 for Units 1 and 2 on pp. 20-21 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

Please also do exercises 3.2-3.5 from the files "present tenses exercises 1_2" and "present tenses exercises 2_2" posted on Ilias. Check your answers using the "present tense exercises answer key" file (the first set of 3.2-3.5 answers in the first column on the page) and bring any questions you have with you to Tuesday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Unit 1 this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Thursday's session (12/02) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- read at least two essays from the following page and do the following: Is School Reform Hopeless? - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

a) identify how the writer either lived up to or did not live up to delivering an argument suggested in their title

b) identify the most impactful/strongest point made in either of the two essays

c) consider how the points made in these essays could be used or inspire arguments for this week's essay prompt

- find a YouTuber who has made a video in English about studying at an anglophone university you would be interested in attending/are curious about. As you listen to their account, do the following:

a) jot down where the student is from and what university/college they attend (make notes concerning their English accent: what are its most distinctive features?)

b) compare and contrast the student life at their university with yours. 

c) compare and contrast their list of courses/reading lists/assignments with yours. 

d) write down one interesting detail/fact mentioned in the video that stuck out to you. 

e) summarize their video in three sentences (see if you can incorporate vocabulary and expressions from Unit 2 in doing so).

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: What is currently not included in your school's/university's curriculum that you think should be? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Thursday, December 2nd at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for December 6th

In advance of our next session, please read the seminal texts by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth featured in the Week Eight Reading folder on Ilias and do the following (the texts feature the English of the 19th-century United States, so don't worry about understanding everything word-for-word):

a) see if you can describe what you read in the terminology we've used in class thus far this semester (have a look at the title slides of each lecture and have a look at the slides on discourse from November 15th in particular)

b) what intertextuality is present in these texts?

c) what themes are represented in this first wave of feminism that are relevant for/related to the themes represented today in the fourth wave of feminism?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week 8 (November 29-December 3)

In preparation of next Monday's session (12/6), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-O) for Unit 2 and learn the vocabulary for Unit 2(pp. 12-13). Do Review 1 for Units 1 and 2 on pp. 20-21 of your book as well. Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding the vocabulary/these solutions with you to next Monday's session.

Please also do exercises 3.2-3.5 from the files "present tenses exercises 1_2" and "present tenses exercises 2_2" posted on Ilias. Check your answers using the "present tense exercises answer key" file (the first set of 3.2-3.5 answers in the first column on the page) and bring any questions you have with you to Monday's session. 

(It would be a good idea to review Unit 1 this week as well just so that you don't save all of your studying for January.)

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (12/01) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- read at least two essays from the following page and do the following: Is School Reform Hopeless? - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

a) identify how the writer either lived up to or did not live up to delivering an argument suggested in their title

b) identify the most impactful/strongest point made in either of the two essays

c) consider how the points made in these essays could be used or inspire arguments for this week's essay prompt

- find a YouTuber who has made a video in English about studying at an anglophone university you would be interested in attending/are curious about. As you listen to their account, do the following:

a) jot down where the student is from and what university/college they attend (make notes concerning their English accent: what are its most distinctive features?)

b) compare and contrast the student life at their university with yours. 

c) compare and contrast their list of courses/reading lists/assignments with yours. 

d) write down one interesting detail/fact mentioned in the video that stuck out to you. 

e) summarize their video in three sentences (see if you can incorporate vocabulary and expressions from Unit 2 in doing so).

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, answer the following question: What is currently not included in your school's/university's curriculum that you think should be? Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Wednesday, December 1st at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for December 1st

  ***Please be advised that there are no Zoom meetings in the Project Week (November 22-26). Registration for our exam opens during the Project Week, so please register by the deadline on PSSO!***  

- make it a priority to find a partner for the exam and decide on a prepared debate question together. One of the partners should send me an email including 1) both partners full names, 2) the prepared debate question (must be in the form of a question; do NOT send me a mere topic/debate category), 3) the dates/times you would prefer your 30-minute time-slot to be scheduled during (time-slots are given on a first-come, first-served basis, but I cannot make any guarantees that you will receive your "first pick" time-slot).

- prepare the following two debate questions for our next session (both stem from previous exams): "Should higher education be tuition free?" and "Should personal finance be a mandatory subject in schools?" Please seek out quantitative and qualitative data. Keep a list of the sources you consult in compiling data and arguments for the questions (hopefully, they are sources/outlets you can use for your own prepared debate question as well). 

- read the file "words for discussions" and do exercises 16.1, 16.3, 16.9, 16.11, and 16.12 from the "words for discussions exercises 1 of 2" and the "words for discussions exercises 2 of 2" files. Check your answers using the file "words for discussions answer key". Bring any questions you have with you to our next session. 

- read the file "Can we trust online reviews" and prepare to debate this question next week in a 5-minute debate in which you consider reviews other than product reviews. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should higher education be tuition free?

2. Should personal finance be a mandatory subject in schools?

3. Can we trust online reviews?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for November 30th

 ***Please be advised that there are no Zoom meetings in the Project Week (November 22-26). Registration for our exam opens during the Project Week, so please register by the deadline on PSSO!***  

- make it a priority to find a partner for the exam and decide on a prepared debate question together. One of the partners should send me an email including 1) both partners full names, 2) the prepared debate question (must be in the form of a question; do NOT send me a mere topic/debate category), 3) the dates/times you would prefer your 30-minute time-slot to be scheduled during (time-slots are given on a first-come, first-served basis, but I cannot make any guarantees that you will receive your "first pick" time-slot).

- prepare the following two debate questions for our next session (both stem from previous exams): "Should higher education be tuition free?" and "Should personal finance be a mandatory subject in schools?" Please seek out quantitative and qualitative data. Keep a list of the sources you consult in compiling data and arguments for the questions (hopefully, they are sources/outlets you can use for your own prepared debate question as well). 

- read the file "words for discussions" and do exercises 16.1, 16.3, 16.9, 16.11, and 16.12 from the "words for discussions exercises 1 of 2" and the "words for discussions exercises 2 of 2" files. Check your answers using the file "words for discussions answer key". Bring any questions you have with you to our next session. 

- read the file "Can we trust online reviews" and prepare to debate this question next week in a 5-minute debate in which you consider reviews other than product reviews. 

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Should higher education be tuition free?

2. Should personal finance be a mandatory subject in schools?

3. Can we trust online reviews?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Seven (November 16-19th)

 ***Please be advised that we will have no Zoom meetings during the Project Week (November 22-26). Registration for our January exam opens during the Project Week, so please register by the deadline on PSSO!***  

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (11/30), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-K) for Unit 15 and read the grammar details for Unit 15 (pp. 122-123). Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding rules/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

In preparation of this Thursday's session (11/18) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- Come to class with a working definition of satire (ideally with some concrete examples to support it). The following videos might help you: 

"What is Satire?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers - YouTube

"What is Irony?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers - YouTube

- Do a close reading of the article "Bitter Brew", which you'll find on Ilias. Identify where humor is employed in the text and try to pinpoint how it was crafted (e.g. does the humor lie is the way the sentence sounds out loud, a choice of words, a specific example, a combination of factors?)

- Bring a list of the anglophone comedy you consume on a regular basis. (This can be TV shows, series, films, podcasts, blogs, etc.) What type of humor is represented in the comedy you consume (e.g. dark humor, sarcasm, word-play, etc.)? Do you notice (inter)cultural differences in the humor you consume? If so, try to pinpoint what these are. If not, what is universal about the humor you consume?

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, write a piece inspired by "Bitter Brew", in which you give your reader insight into a world you are familiar with (and they are most likely not) in a humorous manner. (Your essay needs a thesis, i.e. one key point/take-away that you wish to share with the audience.) Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Thursday, November 18th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for November 29th

 ***Please be advised that there will be no Zoom meeting in the Project Week (November 22-26). Our next Zoom session will be on Monday, November 29th***  

For homework, please read/skim through pp. 74-83 of Immerwahr's How to Hide an Empire (uploaded to Ilias in the Week Seven Reading folder) and answer the following question: 

How does Immerwahr use the details mentioned in this excerpt to support his thesis that the US had imperialistic ambitions early on in its history?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Seven (November 15-19)

***Please be advised that we will have no Zoom meetings during the Project Week (November 22-26). Registration for our January exam opens during the Project Week, so please register by the deadline on PSSO!***  

In preparation of next Monday's session (11/29), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-K) for Unit 15 and read the grammar details for Unit 15 (pp. 122-123). Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding rules/these solutions with you to next Monday's session.

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (11/17) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- Come to class with a working definition of satire (ideally with some concrete examples to support it). The following videos might help you: 

"What is Satire?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers - YouTube

"What is Irony?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers - YouTube

- Do a close reading of the article "Bitter Brew", which you'll find on Ilias. Identify where humor is employed in the text and try to pinpoint how it was crafted (e.g. does the humor lie is the way the sentence sounds out loud, a choice of words, a specific example, a combination of factors?)

- Bring a list of the anglophone comedy you consume on a regular basis. (This can be TV shows, series, films, podcasts, blogs, etc.) What type of humor is represented in the comedy you consume (e.g. dark humor, sarcasm, word-play, etc.)? Do you notice (inter)cultural differences in the humor you consume? If so, try to pinpoint what these are. If not, what is universal about the humor you consume?

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, write a piece inspired by "Bitter Brew", in which you give your reader insight into a world you are familiar with (and they are most likely not) in a humorous manner. (Your essay needs a thesis, i.e. one key point/take-away that you wish to share with the audience.) Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Wednesday, November 17th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for November 17th

 For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the article "toxic friendships" on Ilias and use the findings from its case and large-scale studies to debate the question, "Are frenemies worse than enemies?"

- read the file "suffixes and word stress" and do exercises 13.1 and 13.4  from the "suffixes and word stress exercises" file.

- read the file "Should the UK introduce an online sales tax" and prepare to debate this question next week in a 5-minute debate in which you do not use Amazon as an example.

- watch the following video The pandemic pushed millions of U.S. workers to join the 'Great Resignation.' Here's why - YouTube and jot down some of the good quantitative (e.g. numbers, statistics, percentages) and qualitative (e.g. case stories, anecdotes) that you hear.

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Are frenemies worse than enemies?

2. Should the UK introduce an online sales tax?

3. Has the pandemic fundamentally changed the way we look at work?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for November 16th

 For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the article "toxic friendships" on Ilias and use the findings from its case and large-scale studies to debate the question, "Are frenemies worse than enemies?"

- read the file "suffixes and word stress" and do exercises 13.1 and 13.4  from the "suffixes and word stress exercises" file.

- read the file "Should the UK introduce an online sales tax" and prepare to debate this question next week in a 5-minute debate in which you do not use Amazon as an example.

- watch the following video The pandemic pushed millions of U.S. workers to join the 'Great Resignation.' Here's why - YouTube and jot down some of the good quantitative (e.g. numbers, statistics, percentages) and qualitative (e.g. case stories, anecdotes) that you hear.

Make sure you're prepared to debate the following questions in next week's class:

1. Are frenemies worse than enemies?

2. Should the UK introduce an online sales tax?

3. Has the pandemic fundamentally changed the way we look at work?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Six (November 9th-12th)

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (11/16), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-I) for Unit 21 and read the grammar details for Unit 21 (pp. 170-171). Please consult the key at the back of the book to check your work AFTER you have given the exercises a go on your own. Bring any questions you have regarding rules/these solutions with you to next Tuesday's session.

Please do the remaining exercises for Unit 23 on verbal complements, i.e. exercises D-J on pp. 189-191 (then self-check your answers). Bring any questions you have with you to next Tuesday's session. 

In preparation of this Thursday's session (11/11! Feel free to come in costume to our Zoom session!) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- read 2-3 of the essays featured here What I'm really thinking | Lifeandstyle | The Guardian and do the following: 

1) be able to pinpoint what compelled you to click on the article in the first place (of the hundreds of articles on the site, what made that person's perspective interesting enough to read?)

2) did the articles live up to you expectation (i.e. what you had in mind when you clicked)? Explain.

3) take notes regarding the paragraph organization of the article

4) bring a sketch of an essay with you to class (the key here is narrowing down the perspective of the person and how you are going to contextualize this person's experience) 

- visit this website Home (thisamericanlife.org) and do the following (most stories are about one hour in length, so schedule enough time for this):

1) decide on a story to listen to (the "archive" and "recommended" tabs at the top right-hand corner of the page can be helpful in picking from the hundreds of stories available)

2) determine if the story was well-structured (some stories are broken down into "acts" on their respective webpages) and lived up to the expectations you felt when you read the story's description. If you feel compelled to stop listening at any point, identify what specifically caused this.

3) answer the question: could any of the material in the story you listened to inspire a great "what I'm really thinking" essay? If so, how and for what kind of essay? If not, why not?

Optional essay assignment: In 250-350 words, write a "what I'm really thinking" essay of your own. Make sure that your essay a) doesn't exceed the word limit, b) is sent as an MS Word document, and c) is submitted to my email address by Thursday, November 11th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Student questions/links of interest:

PREFECT | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary (scroll down for the Harry Potter connotation mentioned in class)

A nice handout on prepositions targeted to advanced learners/users: Grammar: Using Prepositions (uvic.ca)

To my Dan Brown and Avatar fans, you might enjoy these parodies from SNL: 

Book Ad - Saturday Night Live - YouTube

Papyrus - SNL - YouTube 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for November 15th

For homework, please: 

- watch the following video, which features author Francisco Cantú, a former member of the US Border Patrol (2008-2012, i.e. the first Obama administration) and published a memoir about his experiences in 2017: How this former Border Patrol agent learned to see through the eyes of those trying to cross - YouTube

As you watch the video, take notes on any comments, information and/or sights presented therein that surprise you.

- after watching the video, read an excerpt from Cantú's book The Line Becomes a River posted under the "Week Six Reading" folder on Ilias Inhalt (you'll find it at the bottom of the page between weeks one and three). The excerpt is written in the voice of José, an undocumented immigrant to the US Cantú befriends in the course of the memoir's events. In this scene he is in Mexico tending to his dying mother. (The "you" in this scene refers to Cantú, but is obviously also a stylistic choice used to pull the reader in.) As you read the excerpt, jot down notes/highlight passages that capture the complexities of José's situation. 

- finally, do some research concerning the US visa options available to a Mexican citizen (you can look up other countries as well, but make sure you investigate Mexico). Keep notes tracking the sources and websites you use to obtain this information.