Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for November 3rd

 For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the file "food waste lake sun leader" and prepare to debate the question: Should food packaging stop featuring expiration dates? (Consider how you genuinely respond to this question and then make an attempt to formulate a "devil's advocate" thesis for the "other side".)

(Here's an interesting German article on the topic as well: Lebensmittel: Das Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum könnte aus Europas Supermärkten verschwinden (msn.com) )

- read the file "responses to partner" and do exercise 58.1 from the "responses to partner exercises" file.

- read the file "should companies encourage fun at work" and come up with a concrete detail/example/experience to support a yes answer and one to support a no answer. 

- watch this Skavlan interview with Canadian writer Malcolm Gladwell and be prepared to debate the question, "Should we do away with face-to-face interviews?" (Minutes 4-7 of this video are most relevant for the debate.) Malcolm Gladwell explains why he avoids face-to-face job interviews | SVT/TV 2/Skavlan - YouTube

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

1. Should food packaging stop featuring expiration dates?

2. Should companies encourage fun at work?

3. Should we do away with face-to-face interviews?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for November 2nd

 For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the file "food waste lake sun leader" and prepare to debate the question: Should food packaging stop featuring expiration dates? (Consider how you genuinely respond to this question and then make an attempt to formulate a "devil's advocate" thesis for the "other side".)

(Here's an interesting German article on the topic as well: Lebensmittel: Das Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum könnte aus Europas Supermärkten verschwinden (msn.com) )

- read the file "responses to partner" and do exercise 58.1 from the "responses to partner exercises" file.

- read the file "should companies encourage fun at work" and come up with a concrete detail/example/experience to support a yes answer and one to support a no answer. 

- watch this Skavlan interview with Canadian writer Malcolm Gladwell and be prepared to debate the question, "Should we do away with face-to-face interviews?" (Minutes 4-7 of this video are most relevant for the debate.) Malcolm Gladwell explains why he avoids face-to-face job interviews | SVT/TV 2/Skavlan - YouTube

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

1. Should food packaging stop featuring expiration dates?

2. Should companies encourage fun at work?

3. Should we do away with face-to-face interviews?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Four (October 26-29)

Unit 5, exercise I: 6. was...leaving, 7. was, 8. were...would/could/might, 9. were, 10. to

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (11/2), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 7 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 7. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 7 folder and would like you to consult this key 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 read the file "Grammar for CAE  Future p 24" and complete the check exercises on that page and complete exercises 1, 2, and 4 in the file "Grammar for CAE Future p 25" as well. (For exercise 1 on pg. 25, I would like you to also come up with contexts in which the form that you did not select for the book's sentence could work. An example for sentence 1 (whose answer is "she's going to") would be "I think she'll faint if you tell her that." Will-future works in this sentence because the if-clause construction takes us into the hypothetical. Going to-future is used in the book's sentence because one sees concrete evidence in the form of the pale face.) You'll find the answers to these exercises at the bottom of the post (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Thursday's session (10/28) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:30): 

- watch the following video 8 Artists: Advice to the Young - YouTube (Patti Smith drops an f-bomb about 10 seconds before the end of the video, so if you prefer to avoid such language, just stop it earlier) and 

a) identify which advice resonates with you most

b) see if you can identify some salient features of the first language English speakers' speech

c) see if you can detect some errors in the non-first language speakers' speech

- read the article in the file "Missing apostrophe" on Ilias and do the following:

a) make sure you can summarize what the case was about and what its ruling was

b) look up all of the words you don't know (there is quite a bit of legal language used in this article which will prove useful for you to know in your later studies)

c) summarize the basic rules of how apostrophes are used in English (this might require outside research/consultation with other English grammar/language books you own)

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "What is best advice you've ever received?" (I would encourage you to respond to this question not solely from an art perspective.) 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 Thursday, October 28th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Answer Key: check: 1 fixed plans/arrangements, 2 a personal intention, 3 an unalterable arrangement or fact, 4 an immediate decision, 5 an action that will happen because it is regular or decided

exercise 1: 1 she's going to, 2 I'll, 3 I'm going to be, 4 I'll, 5 am leaving, 6 is not, 7 would, 8 will be doing, 9 will have gone, 10 are 10

exercise 2: 1 supposed/due/required/obliged, 2 just, 3 point, 4 unless, 5 be, 6 to, 7 left, 8 leaving/going/off, 9 be, 10 move

exercise 4: 1 the point of, 2 would do his/was doing his, 3 as we've paid, 4 is going to have (or: will have) an, 5 will have been studying, 6 to be taken/being taken/going to be taken

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for November 8th

 ***Please be advised that there will be no Zoom session on Monday, November 1st due to the holiday.***

For our next session on November 8th, please: 

- read the three-page article "us should break up states" and answer the following questions:

a) What do you think is meant by the expression "the American experiment" used at the beginning of the article? 

b) Why does the article argue that the US needs more states?

c) What is gerrymandering? (This will most likely require outside research.)

d) Do you think Joel Garreau (author of The Nine Nations of North America) and David Treuer (author of the Atlantic article "Return the National Parks to the Tribes") would be proponents of splitting up states? Why or why not?

- read the one-page article posted under the title "Graphic detail US politics" on Ilias and answer the following questions: 

a) Why is the Senate imbalanced?

b) What is straight-ticket voting?

c) Do you think the article's proposal for voters to move to other states is plausible? Why or why not?

- make sure that you can summarize how the Electoral College works in your own words

Links of interest: 

Author David Treuer on rewriting the Native American narrative - YouTube

Home Page | National Museum of the American Indian (si.edu)

Marlon Brando's Oscar® win for "The Godfather" - YouTube

Te Ao Mārama - YouTube

Native American Poetry and Culture | Poetry Foundation

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Four (October 25-29)

***Please be advised that there will be no Zoom session on Monday, November 1st due to the holiday.***

Unit 5, exercise I: 6. was...leaving, 7. was, 8. were...would/could/might, 9. were, 10. to

In preparation of next Wednesday's session (11/3), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 7 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 7. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 7 folder and would like you to consult this key 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 Wednesday's session (because there is no Zoom session on November 1st). 

Please read the file "Grammar for CAE  Future p 24" and complete the check exercises on that page and complete exercises 1, 2, and 4 in the file "Grammar for CAE Future p 25" as well. (For exercise 1 on pg. 25, I would like you to also come up with contexts in which the form that you did not select for the book's sentence could work. An example for sentence 1 (whose answer is "she's going to") would be "I think she'll faint if you tell her that." Will-future works in this sentence because the if-clause construction takes us into the hypothetical. Going to-future is used in the book's sentence because one sees concrete evidence in the form of the pale face.) You'll find the answers to these exercises at the bottom of the post (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (10/27) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- watch the following video 8 Artists: Advice to the Young - YouTube (Patti Smith drops an f-bomb about 10 seconds before the end of the video, so if you prefer to avoid such language, just stop it earlier) and 

a) identify which advice resonates with you most

b) see if you can identify some salient features of the first language English speakers' speech

c) see if you can detect some errors in the non-first language speakers' speech

- read the article in the file "Missing apostrophe" on Ilias and do the following:

a) make sure you can summarize what the case was about and what its ruling was

b) look up all of the words you don't know (there is quite a bit of legal language used in this article which will prove useful for you to know in your later studies)

c) summarize the basic rules of how apostrophes are used in English (this might require outside research/consultation with other English grammar/language books you own)

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "What is best advice you've ever received?" (I would encourage you to respond to this question not solely from an art perspective.) 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, October 27th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Answer Key: check: 1 fixed plans/arrangements, 2 a personal intention, 3 an unalterable arrangement or fact, 4 an immediate decision, 5 an action that will happen because it is regular or decided

exercise 1: 1 she's going to, 2 I'll, 3 I'm going to be, 4 I'll, 5 am leaving, 6 is not, 7 would, 8 will be doing, 9 will have gone, 10 are 10

exercise 2: 1 supposed/due/required/obliged, 2 just, 3 point, 4 unless, 5 be, 6 to, 7 left, 8 leaving/going/off, 9 be, 10 move

exercise 4: 1 the point of, 2 would do his/was doing his, 3 as we've paid, 4 is going to have (or: will have) an, 5 will have been studying, 6 to be taken/being taken/going to be taken

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for October 27th

 For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the article "Stress Tests" featured in the file of the same name on Ilias. This article is rich in examples and see if you can provide a few more in support of the importance of addressing pronunciation and intonation in languge instruction and language learning materials. (Bonus question: why is this column called "Johnson"?)

- read the file "linking sounds" and do exercise 26.2 from the "linking sounds exercises" file.

- read the file "should companies track employee health" and consider how you respond were you to role play as a boss/supervisor and as an employee in two different debate rounds. 

- watch this Good Morning Britain debate: Should Criminals Have a Curfew? Copenhagen's New Law Sparks Debate | Good Morning Britain - YouTube (This playlist Should Criminals Have a Curfew? Copenhagen's New Law Sparks Debate | Good Morning Britain - YouTube might be useful to you in preparing your prepared debate/in terms of supplementary content. There is excellent legal language used in the curfew debate, for example, that is transferrable to any number of debates that reference the law.) 

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

1. Should pronunciation and intonation be addressed more in the language learning classroom?

2. Should companies track employee health?

3. Should criminals have a curfew?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for October 26th

For homework, please prepare the following: 

- read the article "Stress Tests" featured in the file of the same name on Ilias. This article is rich in examples and see if you can provide a few more in support of the importance of addressing pronunciation and intonation in languge instruction and language learning materials. (Bonus question: why is this column called "Johnson"?)

- read the file "linking sounds" and do exercise 26.2 from the "linking sounds exercises" file.

- read the file "should companies track employee health" and consider how you respond were you to role play as a boss/supervisor and as an employee in two different debate rounds. 

- watch this Good Morning Britain debate: Should Criminals Have a Curfew? Copenhagen's New Law Sparks Debate | Good Morning Britain - YouTube (This playlist Should Criminals Have a Curfew? Copenhagen's New Law Sparks Debate | Good Morning Britain - YouTube might be useful to you in preparing your prepared debate/in terms of supplementary content. There is excellent legal language used in the curfew debate, for example, that is transferrable to any number of debates that reference the law.) 

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

1. Should pronunciation and intonation be addressed more in the language learning classroom?

2. Should companies track employee health?

3. Should criminals have a curfew?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Three (October 19-22)

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (10/26), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 5 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 5. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 5 folder and would like you to consult this key 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 read the file "Grammar for CAE Stative Verbs p 26" and complete all of the exercises on that page and complete exercises 1,2 and 3 (do 4 as well if you have time) in the file "Grammar for CAE Stative Verbs p 27" as well. You'll find the answers to these exercises on Ilias in the "Grammar for CAE and CPE Stative Verbs Answer Key" file (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Thursday's session (10/21) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

Listen to the podcast featured at the top of this page and complete the following: 

From the archive: How to spot a perfect fake: the world’s top art forgery detective – podcast | News | The Guardian

a) at the beginning of the podcast, you'll hear a speaker of Indian English. Identify (some of) this English variety's key phonetic features.  

b) identify at least 10 words, expressions and/or collocations featured in the podcast (consult the "How to spot an art forgery" file on Ilias)

c) answer the following question: is art forgery less egregious than other crimes?

d) whether you write an essay this week or not, consider how you would answer the prompt below. 

If you are interested in (fine) art, I highly recommend the following YouTube channels: 

The British Museum - YouTube

The Met - YouTube

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "Is authenticity overrated?" (I would encourage you to respond to this question not solely from an art perspective.) 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 Thursday, October 21th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for October 25th

 ***Please be advised that there is no class on November 1st due to the holiday.***

For homework, please: 

- read National Parks Should Belong to Native Americans - The Atlantic (the article has been scanned and uploaded to Ilias as well and can be accessed in the "Week Three Reading" folder...there is also no need to read the article word-for-word/get caught up in specific historical details; read with the main aim of understanding Treuer's main arguments) and answer the following questions/do the following: 

1. List some of the reasons Treuer gives for advocating a return of Native land to Native tribes.

2. On pg. Treuer writes, "In some respects, ours is an era of Native resurgence." Do you agree? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Treuer's proposal concerning how to implement a return of these lands is feasible? Support your answer with details. 

At this point in the semester, I would recommend that all of you have a US map at hand/in your notes for quick reference as well as a timeline of presidents (since certain periods of time are referred to by presidential administrations, e.g. the zeitgeist of the Obama era). 

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Three (October 18-22)

In preparation of next Monday's session (10/25), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 5 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 5. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 5 folder and would like you to consult this key 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 read the file "Grammar for CAE Stative Verbs p 26" and complete all of the exercises on that page and complete exercises 1,2 and 3 (do 4 as well if you have time) in the file "Grammar for CAE Stative Verbs p 27" as well. You'll find the answers to these exercises on Ilias in the "Grammar for CAE and CPE Stative Verbs Answer Key" file (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (10/20) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

Listen to the podcast featured at the top of this page and complete the following: 

From the archive: How to spot a perfect fake: the world’s top art forgery detective – podcast | News | The Guardian

a) at the beginning of the podcast, you'll hear a speaker of Indian English. Identify (some of) this English variety's key phonetic features.  

b) identify at least 10 words, expressions and/or collocations featured in the podcast (consult the "How to spot an art forgery" file on Ilias)

c) answer the following question: is art forgery less egregious than other crimes?

d) whether you write an essay this week or not, consider how you would answer the prompt below. 

If you are interested in (fine) art, I highly recommend the following YouTube channels: 

The British Museum - YouTube

The Met - YouTube

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "Is authenticity overrated?" (I would encourage you to respond to this question not solely from an art perspective.) 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, October 20th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for October 20th

For homework, please: 

Browse the page Room for Debate - NYTimes.com and consider what topic areas/questions you could see yourself pursuing for the prepared debate on the exam. 

Read the file "Should there be a meat tax" on Ilias and identify the best example/detail/piece of data used between the two responses. (This "best detail" doesn't necessarily have to be in line with your genuine stance towards the question -- in a way, all the better if it doesn't because this is extremely useful for developing convincing counter-arguments!)

Listen to the first 9 minutes of this interview Changing Your Mind: A Conversation with Ray Dalio - YouTube and identify where the speaker thinks our aversion for admitting ignorance and/or being wrong comes from. (The Intelligence Squared YouTube channel might prove to be useful to you for in "shopping" for a prepared debate question/general listening practice.)

Read the "foreign words in English" file on Ilias and do exercise 25.1 from the "foreign words exercises in English" file. See if you can add five other foreign words to those introduced on these pages which you've heard change in their English pronunciation/stress (and possibly even spelling).  

Prepare a distinct thesis statement is response to each of these debate questions and bring these with you to class:

1. Should artists be role models for society?

2. Should there be a meat tax?

3. Can people truly change?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for October 19th

For homework, please: 

Browse the page Room for Debate - NYTimes.com and consider what topic areas/questions you could see yourself pursuing for the prepared debate on the exam. 

Read the file "Should there be a meat tax" on Ilias and identify the best example/detail/piece of data used between the two responses. (This "best detail" doesn't necessarily have to be in line with your genuine stance towards the question -- in a way, all the better if it doesn't because this is extremely useful for developing convincing counter-arguments!)

Listen to the first 9 minutes of this interview Changing Your Mind: A Conversation with Ray Dalio - YouTube and identify where the speaker thinks our aversion for admitting ignorance and/or being wrong comes from. (The Intelligence Squared YouTube channel might prove to be useful to you for in "shopping" for a prepared debate question/general listening practice.)

Read the "foreign words in English" file on Ilias and do exercise 25.1 from the "foreign words exercises in English" file. See if you can add five other foreign words to those introduced on these pages which you've heard change in their English pronunciation/stress (and possibly even spelling).  

Prepare a distinct thesis statement is response to each of these debate questions and bring these with you to class:

1. Should artists be role models for society?

2. Should there be a meat tax?

3. Can people truly change?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week Two (October 12-15)

 In preparation of next Tuesday's session (10/19), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 3 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 3. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 3 folder and would like you to consult this key 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. 

As we discussed collocations this week, please read the file "Grammar for CAE collocation p 28" and complete all of the exercises on that page and complete exercises 1 and 2 in the file "Grammar for CAE collocation p 29" as well. You'll find the answers to these exercises at the very bottom of this blog post (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Thursday's session (10/14) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- read at least two of the essays written in response to whether it should be acceptable or not to donate store-bought goods to school bake sales: Putting the 'Bake' in Bake Sale - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

After you've read the essays, decide what were the merits of each using the following categories: 1) strength of thesis statement, 2) convincing detail, 3) cohesive structure, 4) interesting word choice

- have a look at this video: Should we be worried about technology? | The Economist - YouTube

and 1) take down notes concerning what can be worrying about technology, 2) what tech lash is, 3) why the video ultimately argues that we shouldn't be worred about tech. Reflect on the points of the video you agree with and those you disagree with.

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "Should we be worried about technology?" Write an original entry of your own; don't respond/synthesize the answers of the other authors. 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 Thursday, October 14th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Answer Key: pg 28 1) 1a 2b, 2) a: adverb + adjective, b: dependent preposition, c: verb + noun, d: adjective + noun, e: noun + noun, 3) 1d 2b c e 

pg 29: 1) 1a 2b 3a 4b 5b 6b 7b 8b, 2) 1 time, 2 surely, 3 twinkling, 4 next, 5 immemorial, 6 nick, 7 kill, 8 time-consuming, 9 long-standing, 10 matter

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for October 18th

For homework, please: 

watch these videos on US accents (the three parts total to about 35 minutes, so plan your viewing accordingly): 

Accent Expert Gives a Tour of U.S. Accents - (Part One) | WIRED - YouTube

Accent Expert Gives a Tour of U.S. Accents - (Part 2) | WIRED - YouTube

Accent Expert Gives a Tour of North American Accents - (Part 3) | WIRED - YouTube

Take some notes as you listen (no need to be comprehensive, but jot down some terms/details/historical information that interest(s) you) and see if you can place where some of the accents you hear in your favorite series (think characters whose accents stand out like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory or Phoebe from Friends) are from. 

For those who want to geek out about dialectology, accents, and varieties further, here are some useful links: 

American Dialect Society

Language Log (upenn.edu)

- skim through the Lippi-Green article "Teaching Children to Discriminate" referenced in class. There is no need to read the article word-for-word, but try to identify the 1) research question, 2) the paper's data set, and 3) the paper's main claim. 

Other links of interest/links referenced in class: 

Malcolm X "dictionary scene": Malcolm X | "God Is Black" | Netflix - YouTube

Music from Earth featured on the Voyager Golden Record: Voyager - Music on the Golden Record (nasa.gov)

The 116 images featured in the Voyager Golden Record: The 116 images NASA wants aliens to see - YouTube

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week Two (October 11-15)

In preparation of next Monday's session (10/18), please do the following:

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 3 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 3. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 3 folder and would like you to consult this key 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. 

As we discussed collocations this week, please read the file "Grammar for CAE collocation p 28" and complete all of the exercises on that page and complete exercises 1 and 2 in the file "Grammar for CAE collocation p 29" as well. You'll find the answers to these exercises at the very bottom of this blog post (but please do the exercises BEFORE checking your answers!). 

In preparation of this Wednesday's session (10/13) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- read at least two of the essays written in response to whether it should be acceptable or not to donate store-bought goods to school bake sales: Putting the 'Bake' in Bake Sale - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

After you've read the essays, decide what were the merits of each using the following categories: 1) strength of thesis statement, 2) convincing detail, 3) cohesive structure, 4) interesting word choice

- have a look at this video: Should we be worried about technology? | The Economist - YouTube

and 1) take down notes concerning what can be worrying about technology, 2) what tech lash is, 3) why the video ultimately argues that we shouldn't be worred about tech. Reflect on the points of the video you agree with and those you disagree with.

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "Should we be worried about technology?" Write an original entry of your own; don't respond/synthesize the answers of the other authors. 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, October 13th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Answer Key: pg 28 1) 1a 2b, 2) a: adverb + adjective, b: dependent preposition, c: verb + noun, d: adjective + noun, e: noun + noun, 3) 1d 2b c e 

pg 29: 1) 1a 2b 3a 4b 5b 6b 7b 8b, 2) 1 time, 2 surely, 3 twinkling, 4 next, 5 immemorial, 6 nick, 7 kill, 8 time-consuming, 9 long-standing, 10 matter

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Wednesday Group), Homework for October 13th

 Welcome to the course! For homework, please:

Read the long-read "Why I have nothing to hide is wrong" on Ilias and 1) look up all of the words you don't know and 2) identify where you agree with the author and where you disagree with them. 

Read the file "Should we eliminate small-denomination coinage" on Ilias and highlight what you consider to be the most convincing data/details from both sides. 

Watch two of the 5-minute debates on this site https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/series/five-minute-debates and be prepared to debate one of the questions with your partner in class.

Read the "contracted forms" file on Ilias and do exercise 27.2 from the "contracted forms exercises" file. 

Prepare both yes and no responses to the following debate questions (bring these notes to our next session):

1. Is "I have nothing to hide" a poor excuse when it comes to surveillance?

2. Should we eliminate small-denomination coinage?

Kompetenzerweiterung III (Tuesday Group), Homework for October 12th

Welcome to the course! For homework, please:

Read the long-read "Why I have nothing to hide is wrong" on Ilias and 1) look up all of the words you don't know and 2) identify where you agree with the author and where you disagree with them. 

Read the file "Should we eliminate small-denomination coinage" on Ilias and highlight what you consider to be the most convincing data/details from both sides. 

Watch two of the 5-minute debates on this site https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/series/five-minute-debates and be prepared to debate one of the questions with your partner in class.

Read the "contracted forms" file on Ilias and do exercise 27.2 from the "contracted forms exercises" file. 

Prepare both yes and no responses to the following debate questions (bring these notes to our next session):

1. Is "I have nothing to hide" a poor excuse when it comes to surveillance?

2. Should we eliminate small-denomination coinage?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Tuesday/Thursday Group), Homework in Week One (October 5-8)

 Welcome to the course! 

In preparation of next Tuesday's session (10/12), please do the following:

Purchase the textbook (Destination C1 & C2, ISBN 978-0230035409) and bring it with you to each class session as soon as you get it.

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 1 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 1. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 1 folder and would like you to consult this key 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. 

Since we are working with present perfect in Unit 1, it is essential that you review the irregular past participles for irregular verbs in English. This list is not included in the book, so I encourage you to consult previous texts you've used or use this list available here: https://speakspeak.com/resources/vocabulary-general-english/english-irregular-verbs

In preparation of this Thursday's session (10/07, 11:30-13:00) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Thursday 9:45-11:15): 

- bring in two truths and a lie to this Thursday's session. Each clue should use a different present time form (see Unit 1 on present time)

- bring in a concrete goal you'd like to achieve this semester which is a specific as possible (i.e. instead of "improve my vocabulary" make it "100 new (phrasal) verbs")

- read the text on Ilias "best sense touch" which was written in response to the question "What's the best sense?" and highlight all of the instances of "-ing" in the text. See if you can define the four functions that "-ing" has in English. 

- read the remaining responses in "best sense other responses" and: 

a) decide which response you find most compelling (be able to share with the group why)

b) identify specifically British English spellings/phrasings used in the texts

c) identify 10 words that are new to you/that you know you don't use in your active vocabulary and would like to incorporate into your active use

d) identify other collocations for "sense"

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "What's the best sense?" Write an original entry of your own; don't respond/synthesize the answers of the other authors. 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 Thursday, October 7th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read. 

Kulturraumstudien USA, Homework for October 11th

Welcome to the course!

For homework, please: 

- read the reading on Ilias featured in the "Week One reading" folder (pp. 17-29). Find a US speech (doesn't necessarily need to be from a politician; graduation/commencement speeches can serve as wonderful sources) and identify at least five different metaphors used in the speech (with the sections/examples in which they are used). Bring the speech and these notes with you to next week's class.

- do a Google Maps search (or other search engine of your choice) for Washington D.C. and have a look at what is referred to as the "National Mall". Using Hall's Triad, what monuments/institutions/offices located on and around the Mall strike you as interesting from a cultural studies perspective? What formal and informal levels lie beneath their surfaces? What is "missing" from the National Mall, in your opinion?

Kompetenzerweiterung I (Monday/Wednesday Group), Homework in Week 1 (October 4-8)

Welcome to the course! 

In preparation of next Monday's session (10/11), please do the following:

Purchase the textbook (Destination C1 & C2, ISBN 978-0230035409) and bring it with you to each class session as soon as you get it.

Please complete the exercises (i.e. A-J) for Unit 1 that have been posted on Ilias and read through the grammar details for Unit 1. I have posted an answer key for these exercises to the Unit 1 folder and would like you to consult this key 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. 

Since we are working with present perfect in Unit 1, it is essential that you review the irregular past participles for irregular verbs in English. This list is not included in the book, so I encourage you to consult previous texts you've used or use this list available here: https://speakspeak.com/resources/vocabulary-general-english/english-irregular-verbs

In preparation of Wednesday's session (10/06) please do the following (I recommend you complete these exercises during "study hall", i.e. Monday 11:30-13:00): 

- bring in a concrete goal you'd like to achieve this semester which is a specific as possible (i.e. instead of "improve my vocabulary" make it "100 new (phrasal) verbs")

- read the text on Ilias "best sense touch" which was written in response to the question "What's the best sense?" and highlight all of the instances of "-ing" in the text. See if you can define the four functions that "-ing" has in English. 

- read the remaining responses in "best sense other responses" and: 

a) decide which response you find most compelling (be able to share with the group why)

b) identify specifically British English spellings/phrasings used in the texts

c) identify 10 words that are new to you/that you know you don't use in your active vocabulary and would like to incorporate into your active use

d) identify other collocations for "sense"

Optional essay assignment: In an essay of 250-350 words, answer the question, "What's the best sense?" Write an original entry of your own; don't respond/synthesize the answers of the other authors. 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, October 6th at midnight. Submissions that do not abide by these guidelines will not be read.