A2 - Lesson 01

Part 1 : Video Lesson & Transcript

Part : Listening & Reading comprehension

Part 3 : Use of English

Part 4 : Grammar lesson

Part 5 : Writing an essay & corrections

Part 6 : Speaking, interaction, & explanations.

INSTRUCTIONS

Please make sure you unfold each content for each part of the lesson.  Merci de déplier chaque contenu pour chaque partie de cette leçon.

LINKS TO GRAMMAR BOOKS :

PART 1 : VIDEO BASED LESSON & TRANSCRIPT

See instructions beneath the video.

VIDEO : CLICK ON THE PICTURE

How adoption worked for me.

Image
Image

How adoption worked for me.

Talent is universal, but opportunity isn't, says TED Fellow Christopher Ategeka. In this charming, hopeful talk, Ategeka tells his story of being orphaned at a young age -- and how being adopted gave him the chance to experience a new culture, acquire an education and live up to his full potential. "We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today," Ategeka says, "But certainly we can raise children to create a positive, inclusive, connected world full of empathy, love and compassion."

VIDEO : EXERCISE

UNFOLD - DEPLIER - INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS TO WORK ON THE VIDEO :

1) Listen to the video without reading the text / transcript

2) Then Listen to the video again reading the transcript as you listen.

3) Then listen to the video again without reading the transcript.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

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How many of you are tired of seeing celebrities adopting kids from the African continent?

Well, it's not all that bad. I was adopted. I grew up in rural Uganda, lost both my parents when I was very, very young. And when my parents passed, I experienced all the negative effects of poverty, from homelessness, eating out of trash piles, you name it.

But my life changed when I got accepted into an orphanage. Through one of those sponsor-an-orphan programs, I was sponsored and given an opportunity to acquire an education. I started off in Uganda. I went through school, and the way this particular program worked, you finished high school and after high school, you go learn a trade -- to become a carpenter, a mechanic or something along those lines.

My case was a little different. The sponsor family that was sending these 25 dollars a month to this orphanage to sponsor me, which -- I had never met them -- said, "Well ... we would like to send you to college instead." Oh -- it gets better.

And they said, "If you get the paperwork, we'll send you to school in America instead." So with their help, I went to the embassy and applied for the visa. I got the visa.

I remember this day like it was yesterday. I walked out of the embassy with this piece of paper in my hand, a hop in my step, smile on my face, knowing that my life is about to change. I went home that night, and I slept with my passport, because I was afraid that someone might steal it.

I couldn't fall asleep. I kept feeling it. I had a good idea for security. I was like, "OK, I'm going to put it in a plastic bag, and take it outside and dig a hole, and put it in there." I did that, went back in the house. I could not fall asleep. I was like, "Maybe someone saw me." I went back --

I pulled it out, and I put it with me the entire night -- all to say that it was an anxiety-filled night.

Going to the US was, just like another speaker said, was my first time to see a plane, be on one, let alone sit on it to fly to another country. December 15, 2006. 7:08pm. I sat in seat 7A. Fly Emirates. One of the most gorgeous, beautiful women I've ever seen walked up, red little hat with a white veil. I'm looking terrified, I have no idea what I'm doing. She hands me this warm towel -- warm, steamy, snow white. I'm looking at this warm towel; I don't know what to do with my life, let alone with this damn towel --

I did one of the -- you know, anything anyone could do in that situation: look around, see what everyone else is doing. I did the same. Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village to the airport that day. So I grab this warm towel, wipe my face just like everyone else is doing, I look at it -- damn.

It was all dirt brown.

I remember being so embarrassed that when she came by to pick it up, I didn't give mine.

I still have it.

Going to America opened doors for me to live up to my full God-given potential. I remember when I arrived, the sponsor family embraced me, and they literally had to teach me everything from scratch: this is a microwave, that's a refrigerator -- things I'd never seen before. And it was also the first time I got immersed into a new and different culture. These strangers showed me true love. These strangers showed me that I mattered, that my dreams mattered.

Thank you.

These individuals had two of their own biological children. And when I came in, I had needs. They had to teach me English, teach me literally everything, which resulted in them spending a lot of time with me. And that created a little bit of jealousy with their children. So, if you're a parent in this room, and you have those teenager children who don't want anything to do with your love and affection -- in fact, they find it repulsive -- I got a solution: adopt a child.

It will solve the problem.

I went on to acquire two engineering degrees from one of the best institutions in the world. I've got to tell you: talent is universal, but opportunities are not. And I credit this to the individuals who embrace multiculturalism, love, empathy and compassion for others. We live in a world filled with hate: building walls, Brexit, xenophobia here on the African continent. Multiculturalism can be an answer to many of these worst human qualities.

Today, I challenge you to help a young child experience multiculturalism. I guarantee you that will enrich their life, and in turn, it will enrich yours. And as a bonus, one of them may even give a TED Talk.

We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today, but certainly we can raise children to create a positive, inclusive, connected world full of empathy, love and compassion.

Love wins.

Thank you.

PART 2 : COMPREHENSION

  1. Listen to the video and answer all questions below  without reading the transcript /text of the video.
  2. Then read the transcript of the video and check your answers, before looking at the corrections.

LISTENING & READING COMPREHENSION

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According to the speaker, are these statements true or false?

  1. The speakers parents died before he was an adult
  2. The speakers parents are American
  3. He learned to become a carpenter
  4. Someone stole his visa and passport
  5. He had never been on plane before
  6. The beautiful woman gave him a dirty towel
  7. The family he stayed with was strange
  8. He had a problem with his two adopted brothers
  9. He studied at an American University

 

ANSWERS

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Answers:

  1. T
  2. F
  3. F
  4. F
  5. T
  6. F
  7. F
  8. T
  9. T

PART 3 : USE OF ENGLISH

USE OF ENGLISH

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verb as subject

  • Going to the US was my first time to see a plane
  • Going to America opened doors for me to live up to my full God-given potential

In the two examples from the text above, the verb “go” is the subject of the next verb. When a verb is the subject of another verb, it is usually the gerund (-ing) form that is used (though the full infinitive is also used, but is considered very formal).

Change the order of these sentences, so that one verb is the subject of another (use the gerund form), as in these two examples:

  • It is very difficult to play football in the snow – playing football in the snow is very difficult
  • We went on holiday to Galicia. It wasn’t a good idea – going on holiday to Galicia wasn’t a good idea

 

  1. You listen to music a lot. It must be quite boring
  2. It is unacceptable to treat staff in such a manner
  3. I decided to quit my job. It was one of the best things I have ever done
  4. He was accused of stealing the money. It made him very upset
  5. He stopped smoking, which helped him to become a better runner

CORRECTIONS

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English in Use:

  1. listening to music a lot must be quite boring
  2. treating staff in such a manner is unacceptable
  3. deciding to quit my job was one of the best things I have ever done
  4. being accused of stealing the money made him very upset
  5. stopping smoking helped him to become a better runner

TRADUCTION

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Traduire les phrases suivantes en anglais, issues du texte, puis retrouver ces phrases dans les deux premiers paragraphes du texte en anglais:

1. Et quand mes parent sont morts, j'ai fait l'experience de tous les mauvais aspect de la pauvreté, de vivre dans la rue à se nourrir de dechet de poubelle, je l'aia fait.

 

2.Mais ma vie a changé quand j'ai été accepté dans un orphelinat.

PART 4 : GRAMMAR

LESSON

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Essential Grammar in use p 201-202

Unit 97   from...to   until      since    for

EXERCISES

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put in until / since / for

  1. Mr and Mrs Kelly have been married ...... 1968
  2. I was tired this morning. I stayed in bed ..... 10 o'clock
  3. We waited for ..... half an hour but she didn't come.
  4. 'Have you just arrived ?' 'No, I've been here  ...... half past seven.'
  5. 'How long did you stay at the party last night?' '.....  midnight'
  6. David and I are good friends. We have known each other ........ ten years.
  7. I'm tired. I'm going to lie down ... a few minutes.
  8. Don't open the door of  the train ... the train stops.
  9. This is my house. I've lived here . I was seven years old.
  10. Jack has gone away. He'll be away ... Wednesday.
  11. Next week I'm going to Paris .......... three days.
  12. I usually finish work at 5.30, but sometimes I work . six.
  13. 'How long have you known Ann?' '................. we were at school together.'
  14. Where have you been? I've been waiting for you  .. twenty minutes.

CORRECTIONS

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  1. since
  2. until
  3. for
  4. since
  5. Until
  6. for
  7. for
  8. until
  9. since
  10. until
  11. for
  12. until
  13. since
  14. for

PART 5 : WRITING

VOCABULARY

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Passed (adj.) (usually “passed away”) – euphemism, died

Orphan (n.) - a child who has no parents alive

Carpenter (n.) – a person whose job involves cutting and making things from wood

Paperwork (n.) – the documents that are necessary for an administrative task

“from scratch” (prepositional phrase) – from the beginning, to start a task from the beginning

Repulsive (adj.) – the opposite of attractive

Bigotry (n.) – a prejudice against people who don’t belong to your group (such as sexuality, race, country, gender, religion)

WRITING

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Peseshet is a doctor and a teacher. The video describes a typical day of her life.

Now it is you turn. Write a text :

- Present yourself.

- Describe your profession.

- Tell what you did to get this job.

- Describe a typical day of your life : what usually happens when you are at work?

 

CORRECTION

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You can book a one to one class with a teacher who will correct your writing exercise.  One to one classes can be online, with a video call, anytime of the day. 

This gives you full flexibility for your timetable.

Please send us an email at afterschool at afterschoollyon.com.

PART 6 : SPEAKING

SPEAKING

UNFOLD - DEPLIER - OPTION

You can book a one to one class with a teacher for the speaking.  One to one classes can be online, with a video call, anytime of the day. 

This gives you full flexibility for your timetable.

Please send us an email at afterschool at afterschoollyon.com.

Our online classes range from A1 to C2 levels, including specific class contents and online video classes.  They are designed to improve communication of spoken and written English with learner-centred lessons which help build students’ confidence, accuracy and fluency.

Our online learning classes offer an extensive level of flexibility for individual students, with comprehensive syllabus and content.