1   Reading

a   Read the prof le of a French student on the right and tick (✓) the correct answer.

a   Claude’s studying French.

 Claude’s going to study in the USA next year.

c   The online course is about American cinema.

 Claude works in a café every day.

TELL US ABOUT YOU…

Hi everyone. My name’s Claude and I’m French. I’m doing a degree in English and German at the Sorbonne University here in Paris. I’m really enjoying it. At the moment, I’m studying 20th-century American novelists, such as Ernest Hemingway. It’s really interesting, but the best thing about my degree is that next year I’ll spend six months in the UK and six months in Germany – I can’t wait! I also get the chance to take an online course, in film studies. I can already speak English very well because my father’s American. However, my written English isn’t very good.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS ONLINE COURSE?

I’ve always loved the cinema so I’m really looking forward to taking this American Film Studies course. I hope it will help me to understand American films better and also help me to improve my written English at the same time. I’m also very excited about making friends with students from different countries.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT STUDYING?

I have a part-time job in a café near the Arc de Triomphe, in the centre of Paris. I work there three evenings a week and sometimes on Sundays, too. In my free time, I like going out with my friends. We usually go to the cinema, or sometimes we have dinner in one of the cheap restaurants in the Latin Quarter.

b   Read Claude’s prof le again. Are the sentences true or false?

1   Claude likes the course he’s doing at university.

2   He already speaks and writes English very well.

3   He hopes he will be better at writing in English after the course.

4   He wants to make friends with American students.

5   He doesn’t often go to see films with his friends in Paris.

Answer

 c

b   True: 1, 3;   False: 2, 4, 5

2   Writing Skills – Avoiding repetition

Change the words in bold in the sentences to pronouns.

1   I’m doing a degree in Medicine. I’m really enjoying my degree ……it…… .

2   The other students on my course all come from different countries. The other students …………… all speak English very well.

3   My cousin Sarah is also studying at the same university as me. Sarah’s …………… doing a degree in Business Management.

4   When I’m not studying, I spend time with my girlfriend, Anna. I see Anna …………… three or four times a week.

5   We haven’t decided which hotel to stay at when we go to Rome. I think we should try and find a hotel …………… near the Colosseum.

6   My dad’s an IT consultant. My dad …………… usually works from home, but sometimes my dad …………… has to go for meetings in London.

7   My brother and I are both studying Law. My parents have always wanted my brother and I …………… to become lawyers, just like my father.

8   I’ve got a part-time job working in a supermarket. This part-time job …………… isn’t very interesting, but I do this part-time job …………… because I need the extra money.

Answer

2 They   3 She’s   4 her   5 one   6 He, he   7 us   8 It, it

3   Writing

Read the notes and write a student profile for Hitomi, who is also taking the online American Film Studies course.

Student profile – notes

Tell us about you …

  • Hitomi: from Osaka, Japan
  • Master’s Degree in Economics – Tokyo University
  • next year: job in London or New York?
  • studied English at school: writing OK, but speaking???

How do you feel about this course?

  • want to learn about Am. cinema: always loved Am. films
  • improve English?
  • talk about films with other students?
  • my English: improve quickly?

What do you do when you’re not studying?

sport – tennis x1 or x2 a week

– golf at weekends

– gym at the university: like keeping fit

– yoga when stressed: helps me to relax

Answer

Suggested answer

Tell us about you …

Hello everyone. I’m Hitomi and I come from Osaka, in Japan. I’m doing a Master’s Degree in Economics at Tokyo University and next year I want to get a job in London or New York. I studied English for ten years at school, so I can write it quite well, but I can’t speak it very well, so I need to practise!

How do you feel about this course?

I really want to learn more about American cinema because I’ve always loved watching American films. I hope the course will help me to improve my English. I’m looking forward to talking about all the films we’re going to watch with the other students on the course (via Skype?). I’m sure my English will improve quickly during the course.

What do you do when you’re not studying?

When I’m not studying, I play a lot of sport. I play tennis once or twice a week and sometimes golf at weekends. I also go to the gym at the university because I like keeping really fit. Sometimes I do yoga when I feel stressed. It really helps me to relax.

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