| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | Office Schedules | Man – Woman | 01:57 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
Imagine that you are a teacher in an English Language Program, and you will have a new group of students arriving next week for an orientation meeting? What things would you need to do to prepare for a new teaching session?
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:
- go over (verb): review
– We still need to go over the final proposal before Friday. - tentative (adjective): not certain, not finalized, still in review
– Here are our tentative travel plans for next week’s trip. - commence (verb): begin, start
– The meeting was supposed to commence at 9:00 AM, but it was postponed until tomorrow. - originally (adverb): in the beginning, in the first place
– We were originally scheduled to go over the proposal today, but let’s review it later. - extracurricular (adjective): outside the regular curriculum
– Several extracurricular activities are being organized for the students this semester. - placement (adjective, also noun): the act of placing something in a particular order or level
– The results of the placement tests will determine which level you should be in. - shuttle (also noun): in this case, a bus that carries passengers from one point to another
– The shuttle should arrive in 10 minutes. - to be up to your ears in (verb phrase): to be extremely busy
– I’ll try to complete that report by 5:00 PM, but I’m up to my ears in other paperwork, so I can’t guarantee it will be finished. - to be hard pressed (verb): to have difficulty doing something, especially because there is not enough time
– I’m going to be hard pressed to complete the presentation this evening. - get things rolling (verb phrase): to start something
– If you help, we can get things rolling and complete the assignment by tomorrow. - jot down (verb): to write down a quick note
– Let me jot down your phone number so I don’t forget it. - to find a needle in a haystack (idiom): extremely difficult or impossible to find something
– Locating the report in this filing cabinet is like finding a needle in a haystack. - tall order (noun): something difficult to do
– Completing this work order by noon is a really tall order. - to lend a hand (verb phrase): to help
– Could you lend me a hand to move these boxes? - to give the green light (verb phrase): to give the okay or permission to
– The president of the company must give the green light before we proceed with the plan. - to wrap things up (verb phrase): to complete or finish
– Since everyone lent a hand to the project, we were able to wrap things up in time for the party. - bottom line (noun): the most important point
– We want to emphasize that the bottom line in our business is great customer satisfaction.
Post-Listening Exercise
You have a friend who wants to study overseas. What type of school curriculum, teachers, facilities, and school activities should he look for in a good language program?
Online Investigation
Use the internet to find two English language programs in a country of your choice. Then, answer these questions:
- What is the name of the program?
- Where is it located?
- What are the features of the program that would attract students?
- What courses are offered in the program?
- Does this program help students prepare for a university program? If so, how?
- How much does the program cost?