quick trip report of Friday's tour on Oct 24, 2016

I joined a wonderful trip to Braeben Golf on last Friday. There are a lot of perfect facilities, like wide landscape with 18 golf holes, a shining show room and tourist vehicles. What impressed me deeply is that it was a waste landfill before and it was reused as a golf course by planting and rebuilding smartly. This shows Canadian wise and their strong awareness of  protecting environment. This attracted me to have a real view on it. Except for a good sight, their facilities convenient us a lot, for example,  the tourist vehicles allowed us to walk less in the blowing clod wind. Also, the fanny sections include the golf experiencing for the tourists and golf  movement demonstration. I think it is good trip because it enriched my understanding of Canadian culture.

Need assessment on 19 Oct 2016

There were two biggest problems for me are listening and speaking fluently before. After I joined Lever 5/6 for 6 months, these two sections were improved a lot. And I am able to catch the keys words and main ideas in some routine conversations. What's more, I can express my thought fluently in Canadian style. However, there are still some obstacles in these two parts. I will feel confused if my partners spoke too fast or talked about some complicated and unfamiliar issues, like academic topics.
 I think the reason for those is that I had little practice or stress in the class. So, I hope there are more practices in speaking and listening in class instead of homework because lots of resources presents in LINC; for example, international new comers can exchange their own experiences by chat. In 6 months of studying in LINC class, the field trip and presentation by volunteers impressed me deeply due to different topic, like food safety, Canadian culture and polities system. Besides, I am interested in 10 topics as below:
1. Job market status in Ontario. Which ones will be potential careers?
2. Public health system and key expression in the appointment of physicians.
3. Advice on tour in Canada.
4. How to maintain lawns and plant flowers.
5. How to drive safely.
6. Kids' education system in Canada.
7. How to foster kids' independence.
8. Introduction of Canadian social welfare systems.
9. Introduction of immigration policies in Canada.
10. Introduction of Ontario economy in recent years.

Same words brought us different ideas

"Happy New Year" seems a pretty common greeting in New years worldwide; however, my uncle was angry with this when I said to him one year. I didn't know the reason and asked him why he didn't like this expression. Finally, I knew that there are at least two meanings with the same pronunciation as "Happy New Year" in Chinese. The first one is to hope someone feel happy in the New Year. And other one is to wish someone lose the recent position and do lower position, like supervisors and officers in Chinese pronunciation. After this experience, I used other expressions instead of "Happy New Year".

I found that some words are more easily to be expressed to opposite ideas  in same pronunciation. And it will lead confusion or makes some to get into trouble. Specially in historical and cultural places, there are many idioms and words in similar tone. So, I think it is critical to take consideration to expression to avoid risk.

 

assignment on 3 Oct 2016

Hi ABC,

I wrote this email to complain about my bad experience in your restaurant and manager's poor attitude. My husband and I ordered an lobster and wished to have good dinner in ABC branch in the evening of 1st Oct; however, the empty lobster shell with little meat shocked me seriously when I opened the pack. What is worse seem to be the negative attitude of canteen Manager, Mr Robert. He appeared to be suspect my complaint and wondered I cheat him for more refunded lobsters. The meal was quit by ourselves immediately as for the rude reaction. May I ask you investigate what was going on at that day and response to me with a apologize letter as well as 30% discount of that meal? If there were not satisfied solutions, my complaint and bad experience will be share with CBC as well as related association.

I am looking forwards to receiving your reply. Thanks a lot.

Best regards

Keith He

assignment of 27 Sep 2016

Automated Voice Menus

A telephone voice menu is a set of options a caller can choose from, usually by pressing a number on the telephone. Voice menus are commonly used by large organizations to help their clients access the information they need easily. Listening to automated telephone voice menus can be difficult when several options are presented. If you have trouble understanding the options, try pressing “0.” Sometimes, this will connect you to a person who can help you. If you don’t reach a live person, try replaying the menu options a few times to become familiar with them.

Task 1:

Listen to a recorded voice menu system for a library. Write down the number you need to press to accomplish the following.

	Press #
1. You would like to find out if a book is available at the library.	3
2. You would like to ask the librarian if you could book a room for a workshop.	4
3. You would like to put a book on hold.	3
4. You would like information about the location of the library and its hours.	1
5. You would like to renew a book.	2
6. You left your gloves in the library and want to find out if someone turned them in.	4
7. You want to know the library’s website address.	1

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. You would like information about special services at the library. Write the sub-menu option number you need to press to accomplish the following.

	Press #
1. You would like information about the language learning center.	2
2. You would like to sign up for an Internet training course.	1
3. You need information about the picture and video collection at the library.	4

1.What is the library’s address? 
234 first street

2.What are the hours of operation on weekdays? 
Mon-Thur9:30am-9:30PM and Fri9:30AM-5:30PM

3.What is the library’s Internet address? 
www.cityrefferencedlibrary.ca

 Task 3:

Click on this link and record a voice message to a friend to invite him/her for lunch over at your house or at a restaurant that you would recommend.  

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0fxKp3XcgGJ

Make sure to provide clear information on the reason of the invite and also the date, time, location, and detailed directions how to reach the place you have proposed.

1. Preparation: matching

Do this exercise before you listen. Match the verb with the correct noun and write a – g next to the numbers 1 – 7.

1…E….. take                                                                                a. a designer

2…G….. listen to                                                                         b. your scooter

3…D….. watch                                                                             c. a business

4…F….. stroke (= move your hand gently over something)       d. films

5…B….. park                                                                                e. photos

6…A….. make it as (= be successful as)                                f. the cat

7…C….. set up (= start)                                                              g. music

2. Check your understanding: matching

Match the speakers with their favourite things. Write a – e next to the numbers 1 – 5.

1…A….. Speaker                   A a. a tablet

2…E….. Speaker                   B b. a sewing machine

3…C….. Speaker                   C c. a scooter

4…B….. Speaker                   D d. a set of knives

5…D….. Speaker                   E e. a cat

3. Check your understanding: gap fill

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the word to fill the gaps.

A. My favourite thing has to be my new tablet. It’s really light and quite _SMALL, so I take it with me everywhere. I’m always writing to friends and it’s big enough to do college work on it too. It takes really good __PHOTOS_, and I play games and listen to _MUSIC_ on it as well, of course. I often download _FILMS_ onto it, and watch them in ___BED_. My mum says I’m __ADDICTED_, because I’m always on it. I even read things on it at breakfast time. I’m not allowed to at __DINNER_ time, though. I have to be _POLITE_ and talk to people then. “Welcome back to real life,” my mum says.

B. My favourite thing? Does my _CAT_ count as a thing? She’s not really a thing, but anyway. She’s a really _BEAUTIFUL_ little cat. I’ve had her since she was ___4__ months old. You know how some cats are really __INDEPENDENT_ and hardly talk to you? I know cats don’t really talk, but you know what I mean. Well, she’s not like that at all. She’s really _FASHIONED_ and comes up to me as soon as I get home, purring away like mad. She makes a lot of __NOISE_ for a tiny thing. She loves being stroked and comes and curls up next to me when I’m on the _SOFA_. She’s great _ACCOMPANY_.

C. My new scooter! It’s quite small, but FUN_, and just what I needed for getting around the _CITY_. I used to have quite a long walk to the _METRO_, then a longish walk at the other end to get to _COLLEGE. But now I can just whiz there on my _SCOOTER_. And there’s no problem parking, there’s always SPACE_ for it. You have to be _CAREFUL_ with the cars and _LORRIES_ – they don’t always see you – and when it rains the surface of the road is _TERRIBLE_, it gets really slippery. But in general it’s perfect for me, and I can fit a _FRIEND_ on the back too – I’ve got an extra __HELMET_ for a friend. It’s great. Riding along makes me feel so free.

D. This might sound a bit old-fashioned, but my sewing __MACHINE_ is my favourite thing. I’m studying ___FASHION__ and love making things, as well as designing them. I also love __CLOTHS___ myself and often buy second-hand clothes – everyone loves the “vintage” ___LOOK__ at the moment – and then I adapt them to my _SIZE__. It’s much easier using a machine to do that than doing it by __HANDS__. I do alterations for my mum and my sister too. If I don’t make it as a _DESIGNER_, I suppose I can always set up my own alterations and customising _BUSINESS__. Customising clothes, by taking things off and adding things on, is actually very ___CREATIVE__, so I wouldn’t mind that.

E. My set of Japanese knives. That sounds a bit sinister, doesn’t it, but I’m not a _MERGE_ or anything. They’re chef’s knives and the best ones come from ___JAPAN_. Cooking is my new hobby. I got into it when I started watching Masterchef on TV. Then I went to an evening __CLASS__or

beginners, and I haven’t looked back since. I try and have a _DINNER__or between four and eight__FRIENDS__ every two or three ___WEEKS_. That gives me something to work towards and I always do new _DISHES_ so they can try them out and give me feedback. It’s quite an___EXPENSIVE_ hobby if you use good __INGREDIENT_, but now my friends help towards the_COST_. They still get a good _MEAL_ for a very low price.

4- What’s your favourite thing?

My new car is considered as my favorite recently.

5- Why is it important to you?

It is pretty helpful and looks stylish.  I always apply it to drive my daughters and wife to the spot for studying and work especially when it is rainy and snowy. Meanwhile, the shinning black usually attract people's eyes.

6- Vocabulary Box: Write any new words you have learnt in this lesson and use it in a sentence of your own.

Assignment on 23 Sep 2016

Personal interaction in electronic society

The picture posted on the website impressed me deeply for it meaning. In this picture, many of person with electronic monitor, rather than visual faces, were connected by wires. Even thought there are not any explanation from author, the idea of this painting seems to demonstrate  internet are taking place of face-to-face interaction world wide.

Recently, a lot of technological application play more roles in the personal interaction, like the Cloud Technique, internet communication etc. Instead of meeting with each other visually, people can share their ideas as well as achievement to related one by telecommunication and video devices. These lead to more efficiency and decrease the cost in the communication.

However, disadvantages come up at the same time, For example, people may get in trouble if they make friends only by internet because they can not get to know them. This may create some criminal activities, including fraud and rope.

In a conclusion, advanced technologies can bring us convenience, but they can make us into trouble at the same time. So, I think we need to learn more about them and decrease risks.