Languagelab.com Blog

Last week’s conversation class about the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was quite successful. We met at the Egdgware arms pub in Second Life and spent about an hour discussing the first chapter. We mostly spoke about social changes, particularly the role of women in society in the past 200 years. The discussion was based around the opening quote of the novel.

Conversational English at the Edgware Arms

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

We talked about what the statement might have meant to the characters in the novel, to the narrator, to Jane Austen and to people living in the 21st Century in general. At times the debate got quite heated and I was pleased to find that the students who attended had strong opinions and really wanted to express them.

I’m not sure how we will manage to read the entire book, especially seeing that at the rate of a chapter a week it will take about three years! But people were really keen to continue the discussion this week, so we will keep going with this book until we tire of it.

This week we will talk about chapter two of the novel. Read chapter two here.

When? On Sunday the 3rd of May at 11 pm PST – Convert this time and date to your timezone here

Where? The Edgware arms pub. Click here to see the schedule and location

This class can be attended from anywhere in the world. All you need is a good internet connection and headphones with a microphone. If you would like to join us then be sure to do the following things:

1) Join languagelab.com

2) Read this post to find out how you can read Pride and Prejudice for free online

Captain Salsita waiting for passengers

Have you seen this video before? It’s the flight attendant onboard a South West airlines flight who is ‘rapping’ the welcome aboard message.

Come along to conversation hour and learn how to ‘rap’ this song. I’ve posted the words below.

When? Tuesday 21st April, PST 11pm

Where? The airport at languagelab.com (Click here to teleport)

Watch the video here

Here are the words

This is flight 372 on SWA the flight attendants on board serving you today
Theresa in the middle
David in the back
My name is David and I’m here to tell you that
Shortly after take off
First things first
There’s soft drinks and coffee to quench your thirst
But if you want another kind of drink then just holler
Alcohol and beverages ‘ll be four dollars
If a monster energy drink is your plan
That’ll be three dollars and you get the whole can

We won’t take your cash
You’ve gotta pay with plastic
If you have a coupon
Then that’s fantastic

We know your ready to get to new places
Open up the bags put away your suitcases
Carry on items go under the seat
In front of you so none of you have things by your feet
If you have a seat on the row with the exit
We’re gonna talk to you so you might as well accept it
You gotta help us evacuate in case we need you
If you don’t wanna then we’re gonna reseat you

Before we leave
Our advice is
Put away your electronic devices
Fasten your seat belt
Then put your trays up
Press the button to make the seat back raise up
Sit back relax
Have a good time
It’s almost time to go so I’m done with the rhyme

Thank you for the fact that I wasn’t ignored
This is South West airlines
Welcome aboard

Salsita Almendros is returning to languagleab this week. Check out her blog Salsita Says to find out more about her classes.

After a well deserved holiday Salsita Almendros is back this week and will resume her popular TOEFL speaking practice classes. Join her on SL Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 11am to 12 pm in the garden at the museum.

This week Fran McMinnar will be testing out the new time of SL 1900 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Come and join her on Monday and Wednesday to talk about the latest world news and on Tuesday to practice your pronunciation while singing songs about money in English.

Have you had the chance to meet Fran McMinnar yet? She is one of English City’s newest residents. This week she will be in the city talking about the latest news headlines (Monday SL 1am), writing thank you notes for all her lovely ‘Chrissie Pressies’ (Tuesday SL 1am) and making some New Year’s resolutions (Wednesday SL 1am).

Before coming to English City Fran was an English teacher so she is ready and waiting to help you practice your English. Can you guess where she is originally from?

Answers in the comments please.

Sally Teacher

Bette Jarman

Bette Jarman is one of English City’s best kept secrets! She owns and manages the Smart Temps employment agency and she is always there for you when you want to discuss your employment needs.

Bette is very involved with the local community, I’ve heard that this week she will be making a Thanksgiving float and participating in the City’s Thanksgiving parade. Her daughter, Lane Jarman runs the local news agency called The City News, so between them the dynamic duo have a considerable influence over the daily events in English City.

The first time that you meet Bette she will make sure that you register with her agency. Once she has collected information about your interests, goals, skills and qualifications she may even ask you if you would like to be a Smart Temps assistant. If you decide to become an assistant then you will need to complete a short training course (in English), after the course you will be given an assistant’s badge and can help to register new clients when they come to join the Smart Temps agency.

Bette often runs skill seminars and workshops which you can participate in to help to improve your chances of finding a job that will suit you. In these seminars you will do things such as write a resume or learn how to perform well in a job interview, as well as learning about the different kinds of employment available in different industries and the skills and qualifications you will need to work in these industries.

Spending time with Bette Jarman is another great way to practice English at languagelab, so if you haven’t met Bette already why don’t you come along to the Smart Temps agency and register today!

To find out the days and times when Bette can be found in English City click on this link and browse the Languagelab schedule for her name.

Attending a seminar with Bette at Smart Temps employment agency

Sally Teacher

Each week at Languagelab we will review one good English practice website that may complement your English studies with us. Each review will focus on two questions.

What are the key features of the site?
How can Languagelab students benefit from this site?

This week’s English practice website is called esl.about.com

What are the key features of the site?

Esl.about.com is like an enormous and interactive online English practice resource book. If you have a question about grammar, or you simply want to find a practice tutorial for a grammar point, the chances are that you will find what you need at this website.

How can Languagelab students benefit from this site?

With a website that has such an enormous collection of resources as this one it’s easy to get lost for hours simply browsing from topic to topic. In this case, that is exactly what I recommend you do. Why not begin your journey by choosing your level from the following links:

Beginning English

Intermediate English

Advanced English

Once you have selected your level browse through the topics that interest you or that you enjoy. Remember that we often learn and remember things better when we are enjoying ourselves, so making sure that you choose something you enjoy is always a good idea when you are trying to learn something new. Finally, don’t forget to bring your questions and doubts about the topics you study to the grammar house where one of our qualified English teachers will be ready and waiting to help you with those questions that a website just can’t answer.

Sally Teacher

Kent Fromund

Did you know that Kent Fromund is really Griffin Morrisey’s nephew? Kent is one of English City’s newer residents. Actually, he’s not as new as some people think. If you’ve been coming to Languagelab for a while you may have met him in the past when he used to be called “Johnathon Shelman”. The big question here is why did “Johnathon” change his name to Kent? Read on to find out…

Warning, this story is complicated! You may need to read it several times to completely understand it. While you are reading please remember that Kent Fromund is the man who used to be called “Johnathon Shelman”

It turns out that Kent was not the first person to change his name in the Fromund family. Griffin’s real surname is actually Fromund but when he became a musician he changed it to Morrisey because he thought it sounded more musical. One day, not so long ago, Griffin and ‘Johnathon’ were chatting in the pub when Griffin told “Johnathon” that his (Griffin’s) real surname was “Fromund”. “Johnathon” was very surprised to hear this surname as, it’s quite unusual and … it was also the surname of “Johnathon’s” long lost father.

“Johnathon” never met his  father. He was raised by his Chinese mother who had met “Johnathon’s” father  when he was a young man backpacking through China. When “Johnathon’s” mother fell pregnant her family were very upset and sent her away to live with a relative in the USA.

Nobody knows what happened to “Johnathon’s” father. He was broken hearted after “Jonathon’s” mother was sent away (he thought that she had run away from him) and he disappeared himself not long after she was sent away. He never knew about his little baby boy “Johnathon”.

When “Johnathon” heard Griffin mention the name “Fromund” he immediately started to ask more questions about Griffin’s family. He knew very little about his father, but the one thing he did know was that Fromund was his father’s surname. It didn’t take the pair long to put two and two together and realise that Griffin was “Johnathon’s” uncle. Griffin confirmed that at around the time “Johnathon” was born his brother had disappeared after writing a letter telling of the Chinese woman who had run away from him and broken his heart.

Once “Johnathon” realised that his father had not deserted him and his mother he decided to change his name to Kent Fromund to honour the father who he had never met. These days Kent can be found hanging around in English City working on Art exhibitions and telling stories to those who will listen to him.

Why don’t you drop in for a visit and ask him to tell you the story of how he changed his name? In the meantime, can you answer these questions?

1) What was Kent Fromund’s name when he was a child?

2) What was Griffin Morrisey’s name when he was a child?

3) What country was Kent Fromund born in?

4) Who is Kent’s uncle?

Sally Teacher

Each week at Languagelab we will review one good English practice website that may complement your English studies with us. Each review will focus on two questions.

What are the key features of the site?
How can Languagelab students benefit from this site?

This week’s English practice website is BBC Learning English

What are the key features of this site?

Continue reading ‘English practice website review – BBC Learning English’