Congratulations!
Mamacu won again!!!!.
But all the participants were very very close!!
Try again with our new quiz !! You can win a free lesson!!
Go to the comments of Quiz 21 to check the correct answers.
Schedule changes for the holidays
As usual, the school will stay open during the Christmas season, and we'll have the traditional Excursion Class with Inge on Christmas day.
- Christmas Class: Wednesday, December 25th at 11am PST, Xmas Excursion class with Inge. An excursion will help use some of those Xmas dinner calories.
- Jeff's classes on Tuesday December 24 and 31 are canceled. He'll be back on January 7, 2014.
- All other classes are at the usual time.
Quiz 21
Congratulations!
Mamacu and Laci won!!.
Gigi and Romantic were very very close!!
Gigi and Romantic were very very close!!
Try again with our new quiz and you will get another point!!
Go to the comments of quiz# 20 to check the correct answers.
Quiz 20
Mamacu is again the winner after 2 weeks. Congratulations!
Other participants went very close. They didn't win, but they lost nothing.
Try again!
Go to the comments of quiz# 19 to check the correct answers.
Anniversary, happy?
Story class: every Sunday at 7am PST
Michelle came back to her apartment after work and turned on the TV.
A talking head appeared on the screen and said: "Hello".
Michelle went to the kitchen to put the groceries she had bought in the refrigerator and hear the voice coming from the TV saying: "Hello Michelle".
Michelle was petrified and shrieked like a small child and ran screaming for the front door.
She went to the TV and found that the TV was off. She became afraid and wondered from what was happening .
She was shivering while she turned off the TV. All of sudden the phone rang and she picked it up. Someone on the phone was whispering in a threatening way.
The voice on the receiver was the same as the one on TV. Michelle shouted, "Who are you?". She heard a click and the voice was gone.
The voice disappeared from the phone and appeared on the TV again . The voice told her: "Where is your son? Do you miss it?". She started to search her son in every room of the house. She didn't find him . She was in shock. She picked up the phone again to call her husband. She found the same voice on the phone. It said "Hang up the phone right now."
The caller said, "I can see you, don't do something stupid.. Your kid is with me! Don't call the police; if you call police then I'll kill your son.
New Class: pronunciation course
New class and new teacher: the teacher is Soneji Tigerclaw (mejiajav), and the lesson is a pronunciation course in 10 lessons.
Sunday at 7am am PST. Story writing class is on hold, but will be back for sure.
This course is recommended not only for beginner students, but also for intermediate students who want to improve their pronunciation or fix a specific problem.
This is the program of this course:
Sunday at 7am am PST. Story writing class is on hold, but will be back for sure.
This course is recommended not only for beginner students, but also for intermediate students who want to improve their pronunciation or fix a specific problem.
This is the program of this course:
1 - Vowels
of English: Spelling vs. Pronunciation - list of American English
vowels with IPA symbols, English examples and French examples; sorting
exercises and spelling exceptions, as well as 25 sentences to practice
pronouncing
2 - Vowels of English: Diphthong Version - same as document above, but with diphthongs of the "long vowels" in English
3
- Letter Combinations & Pronunciations - Another list of long vs.
short vowel pronunciation according to spelling, as well as exceptions
4 - English Pronunciation Poem - A poem to show that spelling cannot always help with pronunciation
5
- Different Vowel Sound - Students circle the word that has a different
vowel sound than the rest, even though they're spelled with the same
letters
6 - Consonant Sounds - IPA symbols of consonant sounds in American English, with room to write example words
7 - Homophones - Set of 75 homophones in American English (different spelling, same pronunciation)
8 - Heteronyms - Two sample sentences comparing each heteronym (same spelling, different pronunciation)
9 - Pronunciation of -ed and -s - Sort past tense verbs and plural nouns according to the pronunciation of their endings
10
- Word Stress - Mark the stress on the advanced vocabulary words for
Terminale topics (environment, gun control, immigration, health,
organization of speech)
Time change: this week only
This Saturday's grammar class is at 2am PST instead than 6am PST.
This week only.
This class: VOICE - Basic grammar
Practice prepositions, pronouns, phrasal verbs, verb tenses
Beginner and very beginner students are welcome
This week only.
This class: VOICE - Basic grammar
Practice prepositions, pronouns, phrasal verbs, verb tenses
Beginner and very beginner students are welcome
The real red button
Story class: every Sunday at 7am PST
While driving back from work, Vito heard a strange noise coming from the engine of his car.
The noise kept getting worse. When Vito was close to home, he saw a garage on the side of the road which he had never seen before. He parked his car there and the mechanic came out. Vito told him about the problem and the mechanic told him they would look into it. Vito asked him if they had a courtesy car. "Sure", answered the mechanic, and he gave Vito the keys of a very small red car.
"You can use this while we repair your car", the mechanic said. Vito thanked and got into the car. Just as he was driving away the mechanic told him: "Remember to NOT touch the red button on the dashboard. It could be very dangerous."
Vito saw a red button of a kind he had never seen before in a car. When he turned to ask for more information about the button, the mechanics had disappeared.
He jumped into the car and drove home. While driving, he thought about music and saw no button on the dashboard for the music but the red one.
As he was driving, Vito became bored as he had no music to keep his mind occupied. Thoughts of Lisa in the hospital continued to flood his brain and tear his heart apart. Vito glanced at the red button again.
QUIZ 19
We don't have winners of the Quiz 18 but you were very close to get it!!
Try this new quiz!! You can get it this time and win a free English class!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz# 18.
The doll that turned into a pumpkin.
Story class: every Sunday at 7am PST
Mark was at the supermarket. It's her girlfriend's birthday, but he hasn't bought her a present, or planned a party, because he's been sick all week.
While he's shopping for food to make a nice dinner for her, an old lady asks him: "Excuse me, would you pick that box from the top shelf? I can't reach it."
He smiles and tells the old lady: "Sure my mom". He Takes the box for her and asks her if she needs any other help.
She says: "No, thanks my son ... you are a gentleman."
The old lady sees a girl's toys that he had already bought and asks: "Is it for your daughter?"
He replies: "Yes, she was just born this week."
He picks the girly one, and says: "Hmm.. this hello kitty seems good for her". But in the middle of the road, when he's walking back to his apartment, he meets a woman who looks like a witch.
He doesn't notice that she turns the hello kitty doll into a pumpkin with a fur.
Mark was at the supermarket. It's her girlfriend's birthday, but he hasn't bought her a present, or planned a party, because he's been sick all week.
While he's shopping for food to make a nice dinner for her, an old lady asks him: "Excuse me, would you pick that box from the top shelf? I can't reach it."
He smiles and tells the old lady: "Sure my mom". He Takes the box for her and asks her if she needs any other help.
She says: "No, thanks my son ... you are a gentleman."
The old lady sees a girl's toys that he had already bought and asks: "Is it for your daughter?"
He replies: "Yes, she was just born this week."
He picks the girly one, and says: "Hmm.. this hello kitty seems good for her". But in the middle of the road, when he's walking back to his apartment, he meets a woman who looks like a witch.
He doesn't notice that she turns the hello kitty doll into a pumpkin with a fur.
Quiz 18
Winners of Quiz 17:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Antiope Eales and Annamaritza Resident
Congratulations!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz# 17.
Lots of participants were again very close to the correct answers, we are sure you can win next quiz
and here you will find the new quiz!!
Answer the questions correctly, do it three times and win a free class!!
Quiz 17
Winner of Quiz 16:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Mamacu
Congratulations Again!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#16.
Lots of participants were again very close to the correct answers, we are sure you can win next quiz
and here you will find the new quiz!!
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
Quiz 16
Winner of Quiz 15:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Mamacu
Congratulations Again!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#15.
Lots of participants were very close to the correct answers, we are sure you can win next quiz
and here you will find the new quiz!!
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
Quiz 15
Winner of Quiz 14:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Mamacu
Congratulations!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#14.
And here you will find the new quiz!!
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
Reading Class: from Tuesday to Monday
Reading class has moved from Tuesday to Monday at the same time: 6am PDT.
We had to do it because LL decided to restart the region at the same time, just before or during the lesson. Now that we have changed the day of class will they change the sim restart day? We'll see.
We had to do it because LL decided to restart the region at the same time, just before or during the lesson. Now that we have changed the day of class will they change the sim restart day? We'll see.
Quiz 14
Winner of Quiz 13:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Moskau Edenbaum
Congratulations!!
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#13.
And here you will find the new quiz!!
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
QUIZ 13
Winners of Quiz 12:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
Mamacu who wins her second free lesson!!!!
Meroest
Annamaritza Resident
Check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#12.
You can also be the winner of Quiz 13. Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
Quiz 12
Winners of Quiz 11:
♪♪Ta-Dah♪♪
mamacu (Black Widow)
Sinome88
check the correct answers in the comments of quiz#11.
You can also be the winner of Quiz 12. Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class!!
A Journey Through 2D and 3D VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments): Not All ESL Sites Are Created Equal in Second Life...
Don't worry, I'm not an a--hole.
The only people who think so are "researchers"
95% of them (not the writer of this post. He's in the 5%) are both superficial and time-consuming.
They ask prepared questions that are impossible to answer. They are only interested in filling their questionnaires with numbers and don't care to see the originality of this school. Very often, because the school is in SL, they behave like they're in a zoo. Just because we're open to every visitor they think they can go to the classroom and interrupt the lesson, ask question to the students, the teacher, and so forth.
So, yes, sometimes I am an a--hole with them, but if the visitor is a student who is interested in learning or improving his/her English, I'm quite nice :)
Read what they write about the school:
A Journey Through 2D and 3D VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments): Not All ESL Sites Are Created Equal in Second Life...: Not All ESL Sites Are Created Equal in Second Life Although ESL sites abound in Second Life, not every site is created equal. Most ar...
The only people who think so are "researchers"
95% of them (not the writer of this post. He's in the 5%) are both superficial and time-consuming.
They ask prepared questions that are impossible to answer. They are only interested in filling their questionnaires with numbers and don't care to see the originality of this school. Very often, because the school is in SL, they behave like they're in a zoo. Just because we're open to every visitor they think they can go to the classroom and interrupt the lesson, ask question to the students, the teacher, and so forth.
So, yes, sometimes I am an a--hole with them, but if the visitor is a student who is interested in learning or improving his/her English, I'm quite nice :)
Read what they write about the school:
A Journey Through 2D and 3D VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments): Not All ESL Sites Are Created Equal in Second Life...: Not All ESL Sites Are Created Equal in Second Life Although ESL sites abound in Second Life, not every site is created equal. Most ar...
Quiz 11
Quiz 11 is here:
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class.
Results of quiz 10: congratulation Meroest, it's your second win! One more and you'll win a free class. Congratulations to Black Widow too, even if it's not a surprise anymore: it's your 4th win!
The quiz is after the jump, good luck :)
Answer the question correctly, do it three times, win a free class.
Results of quiz 10: congratulation Meroest, it's your second win! One more and you'll win a free class. Congratulations to Black Widow too, even if it's not a surprise anymore: it's your 4th win!
The quiz is after the jump, good luck :)
Quiz 10
Congratulations to the winners of the week!!! We have 5 winners!!
First Firanelli, Mamacu, Muutan Resident, Annamaritza Resident and Meroest!!
And this week we have a winner of a free lesson:
MAMACU !!! Congratulations!!!
You can get your free lesson too!! Try to answer the questions of the following Quiz....
Day and time change: Excursion class on Sunday at 4am PDT
Excursion class has been moved to Sunday, at 4am PDT.
Check the calendar for more summer changes.
Can't find a class on the right day, or at the right time? Tell us! Visit the school during office hours and tell a staff member.
Time change: Saturday
Saturday's class has moved from 5am to 6am PDT.
By the way, would you like a class at a certain day and time but it's not on the calendar?
Let our staff know about it, or write an email to info@drive-through-esl.info
By the way, would you like a class at a certain day and time but it's not on the calendar?
Let our staff know about it, or write an email to info@drive-through-esl.info
Quiz 7
Congratulations to Template, Black Widow and jiahgate, you have 1 point now. 2 more points and you'll win a free class.
And here's #7
And here's #7
Time changes
The Skype class on Monday 6am PDT has moved to Wednesday 4am PDT and it's a Grammar Practice class now.
The other Skype class is still Thursday 3pm PDT
The Grammar Practice class on Saturday has moved from 5am to 6am PDT
The other Skype class is still Thursday 3pm PDT
The Grammar Practice class on Saturday has moved from 5am to 6am PDT
Paying by week
Now students can pay by the week.
The fee is 5000L$.
When you pay in this way, you can attend all the classes you want for a week (7days).
So, for example, if you pay Monday, you can attend all the classes until Sunday.
If you pay on Wednesday, you can attend all the classes until the following Tuesday included.
It's a good type of payment for students who have time to attend many classes and want to learn fast (immersion).
The fee is 5000L$.
When you pay in this way, you can attend all the classes you want for a week (7days).
So, for example, if you pay Monday, you can attend all the classes until Sunday.
If you pay on Wednesday, you can attend all the classes until the following Tuesday included.
It's a good type of payment for students who have time to attend many classes and want to learn fast (immersion).
My voice problem and how I fix it
When I log in SL, 3 times out of 4, I have no white dot.
Through a lot of trials, I found a quick way to make it work, without having to relog many times.
Today, I told it to Kimnga, who had not been able to use voice for weeks. It worked for her too.
If you have frequent problems with voice, try it. I hope it can work for you as well.
This is how I fix it:
 |
| click to enlarge |
1) Open Preferences/Sound and Media, and open Audio Device settings
 | |
| click to enlarge |
2) The Input, Output and Input Volume boxes are grayed out
 |
| click to enlarge |
3) Wait 5/10 seconds, and the boxes become active. Click Apply, then click OK
4) The white dot appears!
NOTE: I use Firestorm with the Starlight/Silver Blue skin. If you use a different viewer or a different skin, the buttons may look different.
Time change
Comprehension, Discussion class on Wednesday is now one hour earlier.
New time: Wednesday 8am PDT
New time: Wednesday 8am PDT
New: Skype classes
So many problems with voice in Second Life!
Let's use Skype.
Monday 6am PDT: This class will be in Skype
Reading, comprehension, discussion. During this class we'll read a text and explain its meaning, idioms, slang and context. Comments and submissions are welcome.
Thursday 3pm PDT: This is a new class
VOICE - Grammar practice/Pronun
Also, all Pronunciation classes are available both in SL and Skype
Monday: 12am-2am PDT
Wednesday: 10am-12pm PDT
Friday: 4am-6am PDT
15 minute individual class
VOICE - Pronunciation, accent, intonation
For Skype classes contact: esl-sl
Let's use Skype.
Monday 6am PDT: This class will be in Skype
Reading, comprehension, discussion. During this class we'll read a text and explain its meaning, idioms, slang and context. Comments and submissions are welcome.
Thursday 3pm PDT: This is a new class
VOICE - Grammar practice/Pronun
Also, all Pronunciation classes are available both in SL and Skype
Monday: 12am-2am PDT
Wednesday: 10am-12pm PDT
Friday: 4am-6am PDT
15 minute individual class
VOICE - Pronunciation, accent, intonation
For Skype classes contact: esl-sl
Time changes
We changed a few class times
Tuesday: Grammar practice: from 11 to 10am PDT
Wednesday: Grammar practice: from 6 to 4am PDT
If you cannot find a class at a good time for you, call us. Tell us the best day and time for you and we'll try to schedule a class at that time.
You can call us in your language too. Check out our office hours
Tuesday: Grammar practice: from 11 to 10am PDT
Wednesday: Grammar practice: from 6 to 4am PDT
If you cannot find a class at a good time for you, call us. Tell us the best day and time for you and we'll try to schedule a class at that time.
You can call us in your language too. Check out our office hours
New Class: Friday 4pm PDT
New Class at 4pm PDT.
This time is good for students from Central and South America, and for early birds from Asia
Teacher: Catherine Freeman
Class Runner: Giovanni Tweak - ITA
This class: VOICE - Pronunciation, Comprehension.
During this class we'll read a story and explain its meaning, words, idioms and correct pronunciation. Word scramble. Picture description.
This class is recommended for beginner students
Test voice before class. Microphone recommended
This time is good for students from Central and South America, and for early birds from Asia
Teacher: Catherine Freeman
Class Runner: Giovanni Tweak - ITA
This class: VOICE - Pronunciation, Comprehension.
During this class we'll read a story and explain its meaning, words, idioms and correct pronunciation. Word scramble. Picture description.
This class is recommended for beginner students
Test voice before class. Microphone recommended
Contest Tip
Here's a little tip about question 5 of contest #3.
If you don't have a SL account watch this video to find something that starts with the letter P.
Don't be shy, and good luck.
If you don't have a SL account watch this video to find something that starts with the letter P.
Don't be shy, and good luck.
New class: Pronunciation
Pronunciation class is different from the other lessons.
It's individual (one student) and it's 15 minutes long.
How does it work?
Check the school calendar for PRONUNCIATION class time. It's a 2-hour period.
You can call any staff member and book your time in advance.
Or you can come to the school when you're free, (maybe you'll have to wait a few minutes until the previous lesson is finished)
This week pronunciation class will be:
Tuesday 10pm - 12am PDT
Wednesday 10am - 12pm PDT
Friday 4am - 6am PDT
15 minute individual class
VOICE - Pronunciation, accent, intonation
Come to the infohub during pronunciation class times or book your class in advance. Write your name in the calendar, send an email, or ask a staff member to do it for you.
Microphone needed.
750L, 1 credit, 3US$, 300Y
It's individual (one student) and it's 15 minutes long.
How does it work?
Check the school calendar for PRONUNCIATION class time. It's a 2-hour period.
You can call any staff member and book your time in advance.
Or you can come to the school when you're free, (maybe you'll have to wait a few minutes until the previous lesson is finished)
This week pronunciation class will be:
Tuesday 10pm - 12am PDT
Wednesday 10am - 12pm PDT
Friday 4am - 6am PDT
15 minute individual class
VOICE - Pronunciation, accent, intonation
Come to the infohub during pronunciation class times or book your class in advance. Write your name in the calendar, send an email, or ask a staff member to do it for you.
Microphone needed.
750L, 1 credit, 3US$, 300Y
Quiz
This is the first quiz.
There will be a new one every week (courtesy of Tuanjana)
Answer all 10 questions correctly.
Do it 3 times.
Win a free class.
Have fun learning English.
There will be a new one every week (courtesy of Tuanjana)
Answer all 10 questions correctly.
Do it 3 times.
Win a free class.
Have fun learning English.
Class change: Day and time.
Time change: PST to PDT
In three weeks, when the time changes in Europe and many other countries, there will be more changes.
Tonight, Saturday, the clock in SL will move one hour forward (spring forward, fall back).
My advice: check the class calendar for your country.
The list of countries is in the right-hand column of this blog and on the school website.
If you cannot find the calendar for your county, tell us.
Class switch: Monday and Wednesday 2pm GMT
The classes at 2pm GMT have switched:
Monday: Reading, comprehension, vocabulary
Wednesday: Grammar practice.
Monday: Reading, comprehension, vocabulary
Wednesday: Grammar practice.
Mike, the magic cat, and the news lady who didn't like pepperoni pizza
Story class is every Friday at 5am PST.
It was a dark and stormy night. Mike, on his way home, stopped at the corner store, bought a frozen pizza, and went home.
He put the pizza in the oven and turned on the TV to watch the weather forecast for the next day. The news lady had big news to tell.
She said she was extremely hungry and she was waiting for the pizza, but when Mike said the pizza was with pepperoni she got mad.
The news lady said that tomorrow there would be a big disaster. Because of the seriousness of the news, Mike didn't realize he had left the pizza in the oven for an hour. When he finally got the pizza out of the oven, it was burned.
He shouted in panic: "Oh my god" and rushed to get it out of the oven. He was disappointed that the pizza was burned.
A thick gray smoke filled the kitchen. Mike called the fire department. Desperate, he went out and forgot that his cat was locked on the balcony.
Jeff's class (idioms) Tuesday 5am PST
If you follow the changes in the class calendar, you have seen this class moving around.
This week it's Tuesday, 5am PST.
This week it's Tuesday, 5am PST.
Apples from old ladies
STORY CLASS, FEB 1ST, 2013
Jim was on the commuter train, coming back home from work. He was tired, and fell asleep. When he woke up it was dark. "We're in a tunnel", he thought.
But there were no sounds, no lights, and, apparently, no one else on the train.
He was shocked and he tried to recall what was happening when he fell asleep. He remembered that he was sitting near an old lady and she offered him an apple.
He accepted the apple and said: "Thank you". Then he asked old lady: "Where are we? I have to go back my home." The lady answered: "I'm sorry, i don't know".
The old lady also said: "If you eat the apple I offered you... I'm not sure, but you can know where you are."
He looked at the woman carefully from head to toe. He was confused because he could see the chair through her body. He rubbed his eyes with his cold hands and blinked several times. He couldn't believe what he saw.
Story writing class
It's been gone for a long time, but it's never been forgotten.
And now it's back!
Story writing class: Fridays at 4am PST
One story, one or two sentences for each student, corrections on the fly.
This class will be TEXT, but if everyone can hear, I'll use voice for corrections.
I hope to see you.
And now it's back!
Story writing class: Fridays at 4am PST
One story, one or two sentences for each student, corrections on the fly.
This class will be TEXT, but if everyone can hear, I'll use voice for corrections.
I hope to see you.
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