Smoke Alarms

Look at the man in the picture. He is standing on a ladder. He has a smoke alarm in his hand. He is installing the smoke alarm now. The smoke alarm will make his house safer. It is very important for your house to have a smoke alarm installed. If you don’t have a smoke alarm installed in your house, go to the shops and buy one. Smoke alarms don’t cost a lot of money. For under $10, you can buy a smoke alarm. More expensive ones can cost more money. It doesn’t matter if you buy a cheap or an expensive smoke alarm. Both of them will do the job.

A smoke alarm is very easy to istall. You don’t need to hire a handyman to come to your house to install the smoke alarm for you. You can do the job yourself.

When you buy a smoke alarm, you will get instructions on how to istall it. The instructions are written on a piece of paper. You can use your dictionary to understand the instructions on the piece of paper. You can look up new words to make sure you understand the instructions.

If you have a big house, you may need to buy more than one smoke alarm. If you have a double-storey house, you will need two or three smoke alarms. You will need to install smoke alarms in different rooms in the house. This will make you feel safe. If there is a fire in the house, the fire alarm will make a loud noise. If you hear this noise, you need to act quickly. You need to check if there is smoke inside your house. Smoke can be very dangerous. Too much smoke in the house can kill people. It is very dangerous if a fire starts when people are sleeping. A fire alarm in the house will wake you up if there is a fire during the night.

If there is a small fire in the house, try to put it out. If you can NOT control the fire, leave the house at once. Do not walk slowly if there is a fire inside the house. You need to walk quickly or run. You need to make sure you alert everyone inside the house about the fire. You can shout or bang the wall so others will notice that they need to go out. When you go outside your house, make sure everyone is safe. You need to count the people to see if there is anyone missing.

If there is a fire inside the house that you can’t control, make sure you call 000 immediately. The fire brigade will come as soon as they can to put out the fire. The fire brigade always come in two big trucks. You will see more than ten firemen outside your house and they will start working quickly. They will use water from the trucks to put out the fire. If there is anyone who needs medical attention, the firemen will help in that too. They are trained to give first aid.

Sometimes big fires break out in houses or businesses. Big fire trucks come quickly. An ambulance may come too if there is anyone in danger. People who work for the ambulance service are called paramedics. They are trained to save lives. If there is anyone in danger, paramedics will try to save this person’s life. They may need to take that person away to hospital to get medical attention.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Look at the man in the picture. He is standing ……………. a ladder. He has a smoke alarm in his hand. He is installing the smoke alarm now. The smoke ………………. will make his house safer. It is very ……………. for your house to have a smoke alarm installed. If you don’t have a smoke alarm installed in ………………. house, go to the shops and buy one. Smoke alarms don’t cost a lot …………… money. For under $10, you can buy a smoke alarm. More expensive ones can cost more money. It doesn’t ……………. if you buy a cheap or an expensive smoke alarm. Both of ………………. will do the job.

A smoke alarm is very …………… to istall. You don’t need to hire a handyman to ………………. to your house to install the smoke alarm for you. You can do the ………………… yourself.

When you buy a smoke alarm, you will ……………….. instructions on how to istall it. The instructions are written on a piece of paper. You can use your dictionary to understand the instructions on the ……………. of paper. You can look up new words to make sure you understand ………………. instructions.

If you have a big house, you may need to buy …………….. than one smoke alarm. If you have a double-storey house, you will need two or three smoke alarms. You will need to install …………. alarms in different rooms in the house. This will make you feel safe. If there is a fire in …………. house, the fire alarm will make a loud noise. If you hear this noise, you need to act quickly. You need to check if there is smoke …………….. your house. Smoke can be very dangerous. Too much smoke in the house can kill people. It is very dangerous if a fire starts …………….. people are sleeping. A fire alarm in the house will wake you up if there is a ……………….. during the night.

If there is a small fire in the house, try to …………. it out. If you can NOT control the fire, leave the house at once. Do not walk slowly if there is a fire inside the house. You need to walk quickly or run. You ……………. to make sure you alert everyone inside the house about the fire. You can ……………. or bang the wall so others will notice that they need to go out. When you go outside your house, make sure everyone is safe. You need to count the …………….. to see if there is anyone missing.

If there is a fire inside the house that you can’t control, make sure ………….. call 000 immediately. The fire brigade will come as soon as they can to put out the fire. The fire …………….. always come in two big trucks. You will see more than ten firemen outside your house and they will start working quickly. They …………… use water from the trucks to put out the fire. If there is anyone who needs medical attention, the firemen will …………. in that too. They are trained to give first aid.

Sometimes big fires break out in houses ……………… businesses. Big fire trucks come quickly. An ambulance may come too if there is anyone in danger. People who work for ………….. ambulance service are called paramedics. They are trained …………. save lives. If there is anyone in danger, paramedics will try to save ………….. person’s life. They may need to take that person away to hospital to ……………….. medical attention.

Your classmate will ask you thest questions:

1. Do you have a smoke alarm in your home in Melbourne?
2. Did you install it yourself?
3. Did you get someone else to install it for you?
4. Do you think installing a smoke alarm is a big job?
5. Were the instructions easy for you to read?
6. Do you think expensive smoke alarms are better than the cheap ones?
7. If you are renting a house, do you need to buy a smoke alarm or do you need to get the owner of the house to buy it for you?
8. Do you need to get an electrician to install a new smoke alarm for you?
9. Do you think homes that don't have smoke alarms installed are safe to live in?
10. Is it safe to sleep in a house that does not have any smoke alarms?
11. Did you use to have a smoke alarm at home in your country?
12. Where can you buy smoke alarms from in Melbourne?
13. Are the instructions that come with the smoke alarm easy to understand?
14. What can you do if you don't have a ladder at home and you want to install a new smoke alarm?

Link

Click here to learn how to speak to others in English.

http://dialogueworkout.blogspot.com.au/

Winning Money

Why does everyone wish to win a lot of money? Why do millions of people buy Lotto tickets each week? The answer is simple. Because everyone hopes to win a lot of money. After answering this simple question, there is another question that needs to be answered. What might happen to you if you won a lot of money all of a sudden? There are many answers to this question. Of course this will make you very happy. You will be able to buy anything you want. You will be able to pay off your debts in one go.

Even your boss at work will stop shouting at you and praise the work you do. You will be able to buy a very nice house and leave the one you currently live in because it is not suitable enough. You will be able to go on holiday and spend a lot of money staying in the best hotels. The list can go on and on for the things you will be able to do. At the same time, winning a lot of money can open the door for many people to make your life miserable.

You will have ALL your family members lining up outside your door expecting you to help them with their money problems. If you don’t do so, they will be angry with you and may never want to talk to you or see you again. If you go to a party or a family gathering in the future, they will look at you angrily. You will be public enemy number one.

You may get phone calls from your primary school old friends. Some of whom you have not seen for a very long time. They will ask to reunite with you because later on they are planning to ask you to give them money.

You will get phone calls from companies that will offer to invest your money for you. Because you don’t have any business background, you may end up losing ALL the money you won. When you lose a lot of money, you will feel sad. In other words, your money will make you sad and you will wish you haven’t won a cent.

On the other hand, there are things that can make you happy and they don’t cost money. You are healthy. You can walk and talk. You can use your skills to do things others can’t. You are better than others in so many ways. You are a smart person. Being rich does not mean that you are smart. You have goals for your future. If you don’t have work to go to in the morning and people to talk to during the day, life will become boring. Life will have no meaning.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps: 

Why does everyone wish to ................a lot of money? Why ..............millions of people buy Lotto tickets each week? The answer is simple. Because everyone ................ to win a lot of money. After answering this ................question, there is another question that needs to be answered. What might happen ...............you if you won a lot of money all of a sudden? There are ................answers to this question. Of course this will make you very happy. You .................be able to buy anything you want. You will be able to pay off ..................debts in one go.

Even your boss at work will stop shouting at you and praise the ..................you do. You will be able to buy a very nice house and leave the one you currently .................in because it is not suitable enough. You will be able to go on holiday and spend a .....................of money staying in the best hotels. The ................can go on and on for the things you will be able to do. At the ..................time, winning a lot of money can open the door for many people to make your .................miserable.

You will have ALL your ...................members lining up outside your door expecting you to help them with their ..................problems. If you don’t do so, they will be angry with you .................may never want to talk to you or see you again. If you go to a party or a family gathering in the future, they will .................at you angrily. You will be public enemy number one.

You may ...................phone calls from your primary school old friends. Some of whom you ................not seen for a very long time. They ...............ask to reunite with you because later on they are planning to ask you to give ......................money.

You will ...................phone calls from companies that will offer to invest ...............money for you. Because you don’t have any ...............background, you may end up losing ALL the money you won. When you .....................a lot of money, you will ...................sad. In other words, your money will make you sad and you will ............you haven’t won a cent.

On the ...................hand, there are things that can make you happy and they don’t ................money. You are healthy. You can walk and talk. You can ....................your skills to do things others can’t. You are better than others in so many ways. You are a smart person. Being ................does not mean that you are smart. You have goals for your future. If you don’t .................work to go to in the morning and people to talk to during the day, life will become boring. Life will have .................meaning.

Answer these questions: 

1. How important do you think money is in our lives? 
2. How much money would you like to win one day? 
3. Do you have realistic goals for your future? 
4. How hard do you work at the moment to achieve your goals? 
5. How much money would you give away if you won 20 million dollars? 
6. Who will you give this money to? 
7. Do you think people would use you if you had a lot of money? 
8. What are some of the things you might buy if you won a lot of money? 
9. What are some of the crimes that have been committed because of money? 
10. Do you think rich people are happy? 

Myanmar

Myanmar is a small country in Asia. The country is located in southeast Asia. My home town is located in the west of the country.The name of the town is Thantlang. The populations is approximately seven-thousand. There are about one thousand and five hundred houses inside the town. The town is in the Chin state in Myanmar. So, most of the people who live there are Chin people and they are Christians. The town has very nice views that can bee seen from a distance. It is interesting to know how the people who live there work and spend their holidays.

People in the Chin state live with each other in big families. This may be the one difference between Myanmar and Australia. Most peoples don't have cars to transport into the town, most of peoples use motorcycles, because the town is small and they don't need to use a car to travel inside the town. If you have a car you can use it, wherever you want to go. But people need to use a car or a bus when they want to visit another town and if they want to travel to other states. Mostly, peoples who visit or travel to other states and towns use an express bus.

The town doesn't have any universities, so peoples who want to study at university have to move to other states depending on their majors. During holidays, most university students came back in the town from their universities. Most of the town youth spend their holiday and leisure time socializing and some help their parents at work.

Sometimes some people, especially the youth, go to the rivers that are nearby the town and they catch fish. The town has a pretty big town-hall and there are two government hospitals, two public high schools and three government primary schools. There are great mountains and good environment that people enjoy there.

Because conditions of a roads are bad, people who lives in the town are very kind and friendly with one another.

Text by student David Mang from Mynmar

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city in China.Today shanghai is an important centre of commerce and finance.

It is located on china's central easten coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River.The streets in shanghai are clean.The new Bund street is famous in shanghai. There are many people come from different cities in China who live in Shanghai.They live in shanghai because they want to work and get better education for themselves and for their children.

There are some universities in shanghai like Fudan university, Jiaotong university and Tongji university.

Most peope like drinking tea. People usually go to "tea culture",the art fo making and drinking tea and some customs about tea. Some of them drink coffee.

Wedding in shanghai cost a lot of money. House prices in shanghai are the most expensive in China.Some young people usually rent an apartment.

During public holidays ,people usually travel to different cities in their cars. Some of them usually go to parks or visit relatives and friends.

New Australians

Guilin

Guilin is a small city in south China. There are 5 million people in the city. People who live there speak a local language.

                                        

Guilin is tourist city. It is very famous in China. There is a famous river called LIJIANG. When you travel along the river by boat, you can see many green mountains that link together. You can travel from Guilin to Yangsuo in about  3 hours by boat. Yangsuo is also a famous town and many foreigners live there. They open many coffee shops in Westerner street. Of course they can speak Chinese very well. There are many places in Guilin that you can visit. 

Guilin weather is not very hot, but in winter it is very cold. Sometimes there is snow. The air is fresh because there are not  many factories. On the street two side,there are osmanthus fragrans. Everywhere you can smell osmanthus’s flower in August .

Guilin has many parks and many people like going there to do excises like taiji. Many old people dance together in the morning. living and work in Guilin is not busy. The average income also not too high but the city offers good living conditions.

In Guilin, food is very cheap and delicious. The most famous foods are rice flour and Lijiang fish. You can buy rice flour everywhere in the morning ,afternoon or at night .If you travel to Guilin, you should buy three things to give your friends as presents - fermented bean curd ,rice wine and chilli sauce.

Guilin has 4 universities, and a number of small TAFE collages. Students from other cities in China and also many oversea students study there. In Guilin there is an airport, two train stations and a big bus station. On public holidays, buses and trains are very crowd.

Text by student Huimei zhou

Shanghai

My name is Jiayun Ni. I come from Shanghai. Shanghai is a very famous city in China. Many people who are from different countries come to Shanghai for business and even to live there. So if you live in Shanghai and want to find a decent job, you must study another language such as English, Japanese or French.

Shanghai is a very busy city. Everyone walks fast. People don't say "Hello" or smile at each other because they have no time. In Shanghai, time is money for some people.  

In Shanghai I think the most famous and beautiful place is the Bund, especially when you go there at night. You can see old buildings along the west coast from the east coast and you can also see modern buildings along the east coast from the west coast. The best way of sightseeing is to take a ferry so you can see both sides of the HuangPu River.

Finally, I want to talk about the delicious snacks. No matter which flavour you like, sweet, salty, spicy, bitter or sour, you can always find what you want in the city of Shanghai. Shanghai is a beautiful fantastic place. Hope to see you there!

Text by studentNi Jia Yun

Shanghai

My Home town Shanghai is the most modern and biggest city in China. Lots of Asia's headquarters of multinational corporations such as GM,3M,Volkswagen are located in Shanghai. Shanghai has one of the two China stock exchanges and there are around 1000 companies that are listen in Shanghai Stock Exchange Centre. So Shanghai is an indisputable economic centre of China.

Shanghai is also a fashion city. There are thousands of fashion shows lunched in Shanghai and thousands of fashion famous celebrities who come to Shanghai every year. HuaiHai Road and Xujiahui are two famous fashion places in Shanghai. Lots of ladies and young people always go to that two places on the weekends and holidays.

Shanghai is still developing. More and more people come from other places in China to live in Shanghai and more and more modern buildings are being built there. Lujiazui is the center of the whole city. There are hundreds of high rise buildings including 3 of the highest buildings in China. They are more than400 metres high and are located in Lujiazui.

Shanghai has not only modern elements but also a long history. Shanghai started as a small town around 223 BC in Qing Dynasty. We can easily find some small historical towns around the city center, such as Longhua town, Qibao town and Zhujiajiao town. There are lots of Chinese traditional foods; traditional buildings and traditional culture that can be found in these towns. They also attract millions of travellers from all parts of China and around the  world visit these towns.

Text by student Qing,Wang

Facebook Party Turns Ugly

http://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/latest/a/-/newshome/13235104/facebook-house-party-gets-out-of-control/

First Day in Australia

My first day in Australia was a very special day for me. It was a cold rainy day and I was sleepy and tired after travelling by plane for 12 hours.
At the airport I met my husband and we went home by car. The temperature was 15 degrees and I was very cold but happy to be with my husband.

After driving for one hour, we went to a large clean restaurant and had a meal. I felt full after eating a whole chicken and some sandwiches by myself.

I felt happy because my husband bought me a nice gold ring as a present.

Beijing

I come from Beijing. Beijing is the capital of China. I liked it very much when I was young. But I think Beijing is going to the dogs. It is getting worse and worse every day. 

Beijing is an old city. There are a lot of historic sites in Beijing. The most famous sight is the Forbidden City. It is located in the city centre. It is the palace of the Qing and Ming dynasty. I like standing in front of its gate at midnight. I used to imagine I was a general, and I felt I could speak to the old palace. There is a part of the Great Wall in the north of Beijing’s mountainous area. It is really magnificent. Some people like walking on the Great Wall. Autumn is the best season in Beijing - the blue sky, white clouds, golden leaves and of course the Great Wall which is over one thousand years old. I believe that you will enjoy yourself once you go there.

Beijing is a modern city also. There is a big number of new buildings in Beijing. The Olympic stadium, National theatre, New TV station building……. But I don’t like it. It is not suitable for Beijing. Beijing should be old-fashioned and light grey. Now there are too many steels and glasses.

Beijing is a city for a lazy person. When I was young，People flew kites in the square in Spring, swam in Summer, walked in the park in Autumn, had a snowball fight beside the river in Winter. My favourite thing to do was wandering through the Hutong (narrow street) on my bicycle. Although I didn't have a lot of money, I enjoyed the cheap snacks, funny Xiangshen (a talk show), classical Beijing Opera and I was happy in Beijing.

Beijing is a busy city now. There are over 4 millions cars in Beijing. The roads likes a big car park in rush hours. Crowds of people are everywhere. More and more people move to live in Beijing. They find jobs and make money, but most of them are not happy. Beautiful Beijing is gone. I just can see her in my dreams.

Beijing is worth visiting, especially for foreigner. If you decide to visit Beijing one day, I will be your best tour guide. I have plenty of time. All you need to do is buy a return ticket from Melbourne to Beijing for me.

Text by student Liu Tao

Wuhan

Wuhan Wu han is a famous city in the china, because it has long history and culture. There is a famous university called THE UNIERSITY OF WUHAN. Lots of successful businessman and government officials graduated from this university.

Wuhan is the central of Chinese middle part transport. If you take a train or a ship from eastern to western china, you must cross theYangtze River, which is the most famous river in china. It is even famous all over the world. There are two airports in Wuhan. You can take a flight from any of them and fly to anywhere you want to go to.

There are many kinds of fast food in Wuhan, such as Chinese doughnuts, steamed meat buns, hot-and-dry noodles, steamed dumplings, wonton, soybean juice, spring rolls, and fried dough sticks. People in Wuhan like  these foods very much. They have these food for their meals every day. They also buy these foods as treats for visitors and foreigners. People in Wuhan people are always proud for their food culture.

Wuhan is a beautiful city. In spring, you will see lots of cherry blossoms in the Wu han university. In summer, you will see lots of lotus flowers in the East lake. Every April, there is a cherry blossom festival for everyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms. People in Wuhan have picnics with their families under the cherry blossom trees. Visitors bring their cameras and take lots of photos with flowers and people.

Wuhan is famous for its state-of-the-art universities, cherry blossom and the beautiful weather. Wuhan is one of the top three hottest cities in China. In summer, the temperature goes as high as 42, which means, if you cracked a egg on the hood of a car, you will find the egg was well cooked. Wuhan people like self mockery about the weather, “look! We can save some gas on cooking eggs!”

Text by student Cong Li Wang

Hangzhou

Hangzhou is the capital city of Zhejiang province and is the political, economical and cultural centre of the province. Hangzhou is also one of the most important tourism cities in China. There is the Qianjiang river in south east China. There are 6.8 million people who live there.

There are lots of nice places to visit in Hangzhou. The west lake is the most of famous tourist attraction. The lake covers an area of 566 kilometres and is about 15 km wide. There are four small islands in the lake.

The famous poet Su Dongpo, who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty described the charming scenery of the Xihu in many of his poems.

There are many delicious types of food in Hangzhou. The most famous restaurant there is named Lou wai lou. Visitors will enjoy themselves when they travel to Hangzhou.

The public transport is convenient and fast. Now there is building metro in Hangzhou. The street is clean and there is many Sweet Osmanthus Trees planted in the city. It’s a tree city . During Autumn, there is a lot of Osmanthus fragrance that fills the city.

The house prices in Hangzhou is also expensive. The city is approximately  in the top ten.

There are many famous universities in Hangzhou. One of them that is called Zhejiang University.

People like to go to the tea houses or coffe bars around the west lake on the weekend. People who live in Hangzhou are relaxed and laid back.

Text by student Lu Ting

Xia Men City in China

My home town Xia Men is in the south eastern part of China. There are more them two million people who live in this beautiful city. Also XIA MEN is second most beautiful city for live in china.

Xia Men's weather is a bit like Melbourne but the seasons are different. It’s hot in June, July and August. Winter starts in December. It continues through January and February. There is a lot of rain and humidity in Spring.  

    

The most place for tourists to visit is Gulangyu Island. Tourists call it the piano island. If you want to go there, you need to take a ship. Ships come every ten minutes or so and this makes it easy for lot of tourist to visit it.

More than fifty percent of the population in XIA MEN are the Buddhists and vegetarian dishes and seafood are famous dishes that people eat there.

Text by student Chao Xia Nian

New Courses at AMES

You have been working hard to improve your English for some time and can’t wait to get your first job in Australia. AMES can help you get your first job. There are some courses that you can do at AMES to give you the skills you need before you start looking for work. There is a new course that will start at AMES next term. It is called Workplace Skills for Community Services. The students who will do this course come from different countries. This means that English is not their first language.

The course will start on 16th April and will end on 29th June 2012. You will have a chance to improve your English and at the same time get ready to study a level III course in children services or aged care. If you love working with young children and choose to do the children services course after you finish the community services one, you will be able to work in a childcare centre. On the other hand, you may choose to do a certificate III course in aged care and work with elderly people.

The course will also teach you about how to communicate with other workers in a workplace. Having the skills to do a job may be not enough to get a job in Australia. You will also need to show that you can talk nicely to others and be part of a team. The course will teach you good communication skills. You will learn about occupational health and safety in the workplace. You will learn how to keep yourself and others safe when you are working.

Not everyone can get into the new courses we have at AMES. You will need to have finished at least 380 AMEP hours. You also need to be studying in a certificate III class. You need to be a permanent resident of Australia. Temporary residents will not be able to do the new courses. You also need to be registered with Centrelink as a jobseeker.

Getting your first job will mean a lot to you. You will be able to make money and at the same time use the skills you have learned. You will also make friends from different cultures. It is also good to make yourself busy doing something that you really like.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:
You have been working hard to improve your ........................for some time and can’t wait to get your first job in Australia. AMES can help ............................get your first job. There are some courses ...........................you can do at AMES to give you the skills you need before you start looking for work. There ...........................a new course that will start at AMES .............................term. It is called Workplace Skills for Community Services. The students who will .....................this course come from different countries. This ..............................that English is not their first language.


The course will start on 16th April and will .....................on 29th June 2012. You will have a chance to ......................your English and at the same time get ready to study a level III course in children services or aged care. If you love ........................with young children and choose to do the children services .............................after you finish the community services one, you will be able to work in a ............................centre. On the other hand, you may ............................to do a certificate III course in aged care and work with elderly people.

The course will also ..............................you about how to communicate with other workers in a workplace. Having the skills to ............................a job may be not enough to get a job in Australia. You will also need to show that you can talk ...........................to others and be part of a team. The course will teach you ........................communication skills. You will learn about occupational health and safety in the workplace. You will ..........................how to keep yourself and others safe when you are working.

Not everyone can get into the .......................courses we have at AMES. You will need to have finished at least ........................AMEP hours. You also need to be studying in a certificate III class. You need to ....................a permanent resident of Australia. Temporary residents will not be able to do the new courses. You also .......................to be registered with Centrelink as a jobseeker.

Getting your first job will .......................a lot to you. You will be able to make money ........................at the same time use the skills you .......................... learned. You will also make friends from different cultures. It is also good to make .........................busy doing something that you really ...............................

How to Say Sorry

I am sorry because I was late.

I am sorry because I am busy now. I can’t talk to you now.

I am sorry because I let you down. I didn’t help you when you needed help.

I am sorry because I made a mistake.

I am sorry because I fell in love with you. It was a mistake. You took all my money.

I am sorry because I cooked dinner for you. I got my PR now.


I am sorry for + ing

I am sorry for coming late to class today.

I am sorry for not helping you last night.

I am sorry for talking about you badly.

I am sorry for making you angry last night.



I am sorry (I feel sad) to hear that you are not well. You are sick.

I am sorry to hear that you have lost your job.

I am sorry to know your grandfather has passed away.


apologise for + ing

I apologise for coming late to class today.

I apologise for not coming to your party last week.

I apologise for not doing my homework for the whole term.

I apologise for not having dinner with you last night.

I apologise for interrupting your class.

Learning English

In my English class, there are students who come from different countries. Most of the students come from China. Most of them find it difficult to study a new language because they think they are too old to learn. It is interesting to know that students learn new languages in different ways.

Most students like to listen to a teacher who explains things to them. They believe that teachers know everything. They do not interrupt the teacher when he or she explains things in class. They sometimes look at their books when the teacher is talking and they take notes of important things.

Other students like to learn a new language by taking part in discussions. They talk to other students in class. They don’t like to keep quiet. They like to ask questions, read for a little while and take notes or underline important sentences in their books.

There are other students who learn a new language by watching TV at home and listening to the radio when they drive their cars. They go on the internet and read pages in the new language.

Some students learn a language by doing a lot of listening. They use their MP3 players to listen to audio files they download from the internet. They sometimes like to look at the text while they listen. They think it is a good idea to learn a new language.

In Australia, learning English is an enjoyable experience. In class, students make friends with others who come from different cultures. They learn from other students in class too. Teachers don’t talk all the time. Teachers give the students a chance to talk to one another. They give them reading texts and help them learn new vocabulary.

The students keep working inside the class and do one activity after another. Teachers normally give their students photocopies of the lessons they want them to learn. Some teachers give their students their email address and ask them to send them emails in English. Students find it difficult to type an email in English and send it to the teacher. After sending some emails, the students find that their English has improved because they learn from their mistakes. If they don’t study at home, they improve their language just a little bit.  

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

In my English class, there are students ……………… come from different countries. Most of the students come from China. Most of ………………………… find it difficult to study a new language because they think they are too old to learn. It is interesting to know that …………………… learn new languages …………………….. different ways.

Most students like to ………………….. to a teacher who explains things to them. They believe that teachers ……………….. everything. They do not interrupt the teacher when ……………….. or she explains things in class. They sometimes look at their …………………. when the teacher is talking and they take notes of important things.

Other students like to learn a new …………………….. by taking part in discussions. They talk to other students in class. They …………………… like to keep quiet. They like to ask questions, read for a little while and take notes or underline ………………………. sentences in their books.

There are other students who learn a ………………….. language by watching TV at home and listening to the radio when they drive their cars. They go on the …………………… and read pages in the new language.

Some students ……………………. a language by doing a lot of listening. They use their MP3 players to listen to audio files they download ……………………… the internet. They sometimes like to look at the text while they listen. They think it is a good idea to ……………………. a new language.

In Australia, learning ………………………. is an enjoyable experience. In class, students make friends with others who come from different cultures. They learn …………………….. other students in class too. Teachers don’t talk all the time. Teachers ………………………… the students a chance to talk to one another. They give them reading texts and ………………………. them learn new vocabulary.

The students keep working …………………… the class and do one activity after another. Teachers normally give their students photocopies of the lessons …………………… want them to learn. Some teachers give their students their email address and ask …………………… to send them emails in English. Students find it difficult to type ………………….. email in English and send it to the teacher. After sending some emails, the students …………………. that their English has improved because they learn from their mistakes. If they don’t study at …………………….., they improve their language just a little bit.  

Ahmed from Afghanistan

Ahmed is an old man who lives in a poor country called Afghanistan. Ahmed is 75 years old and he used to be a farmer. Now he is old and not strong enough to work anymore. His wife died ten years ago and his children and grandchildren look after him. In Ahmed’s village, there are about two thousand people who live there. There is a small school for young children to learn how to read and write. There is no high school for those students to study in. After finishing primary school, the students go to work in the fields or in the small shops in the village.

Near Ahmed’s village there are hundreds of American soldiers who fight in Afghanistan. They come to the village from time to time to search houses. Sometimes they arrest people from the village and take them away. There are a lot of tanks and big trucks in the camp where the American soldiers stay. No one can go near the camp because they will get shot in the head. Parents tell their children not to play near the camp because they don’t want the American soldiers to kill them.

A few weeks ago, some American soldiers came to the village in big trucks. They smashed the doors of a few houses. They started killing women and children in the village. People in the small village quickly left their homes and run away. They didn’t want the American soldiers to kill them. In a few minutes, the American soldiers killed 16 people before they drove back to their camp.

The people in the village are helpless. They cannot fight the American soldiers because they don’t have guns. Ahmed says that the Russians came to Afghanistan many years ago and killed thousands of people there. The Russians stayed in Afghanistan for 15 years. They left the country after they destroyed it. Now the Americans are doing the same thing to his country. They kill people and destroy houses. They don’t build any schools or hospitals. They come with big guns, tanks and airplanes.

Ahmed wants his children and grandchildren to live in peace. He does not think this is possible because there is a war in his country. He knows he is an old man and can do very little. When people start a new day, they don’t know how many civilians the Americans are going to kill or arrest.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:
Ahmed is an old man who lives in a ………………. country called Afghanistan. Ahmed is 75 years old and he ………………….. to be a farmer. Now he is old and not ……………. enough to work anymore. His wife died ten years ago and his children and grandchildren …………….. after him. In Ahmed’s village, there are about ……………… thousand people who live there. There is a small school …………….. young children to learn how to read and write. There is no ……………….. school for those students to study in. After finishing .................... school, the students go to work in the fields or in the small shops …………………. the village.

Near Ahmed’s village ……………….. are hundreds of American soldiers who fight in Afghanistan. They come to the village from time to ………………. to search houses. Sometimes they arrest people from the village and take them away. There are a lot of tanks and big ………………… in the camp where the American soldiers stay. No one can go ……………….. the camp because they will get shot in the head. Parents tell their children not to play near the camp because they don’t …………………. the American soldiers to kill them.

A few weeks ago, some American soldiers came to ………………. village in big trucks. They smashed the doors of a few houses. They ……………………… killing women and children in the village. People in the small quickly left their homes and run away. They didn’t …………………… the American soldiers to kill them. In a ………………… minutes, the American soldiers killed 16 people …………………. they drove back to their camp.

The people in the village ……………….. helpless. They cannot ……………….. the American soldiers because they don’t have guns. Ahmed ………………. that the Russians came to Afghanistan many years ago and killed thousands of people there. The Russians …………………. in Afghanistan for 15 years. They left the country …………………… they destroyed it. Now the Americans are doing the same thing to his country. They ………………….. people and destroy houses. They don’t build ………………….. schools or hospitals. They come with big guns, tanks …………………… airplanes.

Ahmed wants ………………… children and grandchildren to live in peace. He does not think this is possible because there is a war in his country. He knows ………………. is an old man and can do very little. When people start a new day, they don’t ………………….. how many civilians the Americans are going to kill ………………… arrest.

GuangZhou

Today I am going to present some information about my city GuangZhou in China, I was born in a beautiful city called Jiangsu in China. It is in the Eastern part of China. About fifteen years ago my family moved to GuangZhou city, which is in Southern China. GuangZhou is the Capital city of Canton, It takes two hours to travel from GuangZhou to Hongkong by bus. It has nearly 2200 years of history and culture. It is very old city. There are about 12.7 million people who live there. The local language is Cantonese, but almost every person who lives there can speak Cantonese and Mandarin.

GuangZhou's weather is almost warm and sometimes hot, even during the winter. Winter is not cold, and it is very short, just about two and three months. Pearl River is a very famous river, It flows through GuangZhou city. Next to the river there is a new television tower. The name is Canton Tower. It is very famous too. You can go up to the top of the television tower overlooking the GuangZhou city, that is very fantastic. The 2010 Asian Games were held in Guangzhou. There are many famous universities in GuangZhou like Sun Yat-sen University, the univeristy name comes from a very famous person who is a very important person in the New China. He is one of the founders of New China. His name is Sun ZhongShan, Sun Yat-sen is his English name.

GuangZhou is also a commercial city. Many of the world famous companies have branches in GuangZhou. China Import and Export Fair is held in GuangZhou two times a year. Many products from different parts of the world come to China via this exhibition, and Chinese goods are exported to the world. People who visit this exhibition need to bring enough money, because there are so many goods they can buy.

GuangZhou's public transport is very convenient, Bus and subway services are frequent, every five minutes once on average, but it is still very crowded. GuangZhou's roads are crowded too because there are too many cars on the roads. It is a good idea to take the subway during rush hours, because subway service does not have traffic jam usually. And you can visit many tourist attractions and modern theme parks in GuangZhou.

GuangZhou's foods are every famous around the world too. A lot of foreigners like Yuncha and Dinsim from GuangZhou. Food City is GuangZhou’s other name in China. There are different kinds of food, and a lot of Cantonese snacks are very delicious. You can eat all day without feeling that you’ve had enough.

I am really happy you now know a little about GuangZhou. Are you interested in GuangZhou? I would like to welcome you to GuangZhou in China. I am sure you will have a fantastic trip if you decide to visit it one day.

Text by student Joyce from China

Seoul

Seoul is the capital city of Korea and a centre of politics, economy, education and cultures. Seoul is smaller than Melbourne but has a population of 10 million. Seoul has been the capital city in our history for more than 500 years, so traditional palaces are still remaining in the centre of the city.

Nowadays Seoul is one of the modernist cities in the world.  And there are many famous department stores for shopping such as Namdaemun Market, Dongdaemun Market , which are famous large clothes markets and Insa-dong, and Seoul Plaza is also popular destinations for tourist. Also there is Han River which flows through the city.  Seoul has very nice and beautiful night view as well.  

Text by student Youngsoon

Term 2

We will finish this class on 05/04/2012. We will have a holiday for two weeks only. After that, we will come back to AMES to learn more English. Term two will start on 16/04/12.

There is one problem. Some students who finish study here for one term sometimes have to travel back to China. They don’t come back for the beginning of the new term.
Teachers always ask students if they are coming back to study at AMES. Some students say YES but they don’t come back.

We want you to tell your teacher if you are coming back to study English in term 2. The teacher will put on the computer that you are coming back. This is really important for AMES because we want to know how many students will be in one class. We don’t want to offer very big classes. So, we need your help.

Li from China

Li is an immigrant who comes from China. He is married and he has three children. Li had a big bike factory in Shanghai. He exported his bikes to different countries around the world. A few years ago, Li came to Australia to do business. He fell in love with the country and decided that he wanted to live here. Li applied to immigrate to Australia and got a special visa for business people. It was not hard for Li to get a visa because he had a lot of money.

When Li came to Australia, he stayed at a friend’s house. He wanted to buy a house in a good suburb. He started to look for a house online. He visited some real estate web sites and met some real estate agents. Those real estate agents showed Li different houses to choose from. Li liked one big house in Balwyn. The asking price was five million dollars. Li offered to pay four million dollars to buy the house. The owner of the house did not accept Li’s offer. Li really liked the house. He finally agreed to pay the whole amount of money to get the house.

Li’s children liked the house because there was a big park nearby. They also started to go to a primary school there. They liked the big rooms the house had and the big garden. In a very short time, Li’s children made friends with a number of kids that lived in the same street. Some of them were Chinese. The kids improved their English in a short time because they spent a couple of hours each day talking to their friends.

Li decided to start a business in Australia. He didn’t want to buy a coffee shop. He didn’t want to open a restaurant. He wanted to buy land and build houses. Li bought a big lot of land and built 65 houses on it in one year. He made a few million dollars profit. He also paid a lot of money in tax but he was happy.

Li wanted to buy a farm outside Melbourne. He bought a farm from a businessman who had a big problem with his bank. Li bought the land for a very good price. Not long after that, he sold it for double the price. He made a few million dollars in profit.

Li spends a lot of money to help his family members who still live in China. He remembers how poor he was when he was young. He also remembers how hard he had to work to help his father who worked in a government job. Li does not want his children to waste their money when they grow up. He gives them jobs to do around the house and pays them a few dollars each week. He wants them to know that it is not easy to make money and that they have to work hard for each dollar they get from him. If they don’t do well in school, Li does not allow them to go out with friends or watch TV. He is a very strict father.
Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Li is an immigrant who comes …………….. China. He is married and he has three children. Li had a big bike factory in Shanghai. He exported his bikes to different countries ………………. the world. A few years ago, Li came to Australia to do business. He fell in ……………….. with the country and decided that he wanted to live here. Li applied to immigrate to Australia and got a special …………………. for business people. It was not hard for Li to get a visa ………………….. he had a lot of money.

When Li came to Australia, he stayed …………. a friend’s house. He wanted to buy a ………………. in a good suburb. He started to look for a house online. He visited ……………… real estate web sites and met some real estate agents. Those real estate ………………… showed Li different houses to choose from. Li liked one big house in Balwyn. The asking price was five ………………. dollars. Li offered to pay four million dollars to buy the house. The owner of the ……………….. did not accept Li’s offer. Li really liked the house. He finally agreed to pay the whole amount of money to ……………… the house.

Li’s children liked the house because there was a ………… park nearby. They also started to go to a primary school there. They liked the big rooms the house had and …………. big garden. In a very short time, Li’s children made friends with a number of kids that …………….. in the same street. Some of them were Chinese. The kids improved their English in a short time ………………… they spent a couple of hours each day talking ……………….. their friends.

Li decided to start a business ……………….. Australia. He didn’t want to buy a coffee shop. He didn’t want to open a restaurant. He wanted to buy land and build houses. Li bought a ……………… lot of land and built 65 houses on it in one year. He ………………… a few million dollars profit. He also paid a lot of money in tax but he was happy.

Li wanted to buy a farm ………………. Melbourne. He bought a farm ………………. a businessman who had a big problem with his bank. Li bought the land for a very good price. Not long after that, he sold it for double the price. He made a few million ……………………. in profit.

Li spends a lot of money to ………………… his family members who still live in China. He remembers how poor he was when he was young. He also remembers ……………….. hard he had to work to help his father who worked in a government job. Li does not want his …………………….. to waste their money when they grow up. He gives them jobs to …………………. around the house and pays them a few dollars each week. He wants them to know that it is not easy to make money and that they ………………….. to work hard for each dollar they get from him. If they don’t ……………… well in school, Li does not allow them to go out with friends or watch TV. He is a …………………….. strict father.

Henan Province in China

I come from China. My hometown is in Henan province. The capital of Henan is Zhengzhou city. Henan province has more than 100 million people there, which makes it the biggest population in China.

Henan is in the centre of China. It has a very rich history and its culture is wonderful. 2000 years ago, it was the economic and cultural centre of China. The Yellow River runs through the province from the west to the east. It is China’s biggest river.

Henan has many famous tourist attractions such as Shaolin and Kaifeng. Luoyang and Anyang city are the old capitals of China. Yuntai Mountain looks different depending on the season. It is fantastic.

Henan is where Chinese kongfu, shaolin and chen’s taiji started. Henan is a big agricultural province. It produces a lot of China’s corn and wheat.  But it does not have many factories like other provinces that are close to the sea.

Text by student Jiaxuan Zhang

Shanghai

Shanghai is the biggest city in China. There are 23 million people who live there. It is a very important economical and cultural centre in China. People who live in Shanghai have a local language.

There is a big river that goes through the city. It is a branch of a big river. The streets in Shanghai are clean. The Bund street in Shanghai is a very famous street. The people who live in Shanghai come from different parts in China. They live in Shanghai because they want to make money and get better education for themselves.

There is a very famous university in Shanghai. It is called Futan University. There are other universities there too. The Australian embassy is in Shanghai.

People in Shanghai like to eat local Chinese food. At breakfast, people like to drink soy milk. Soy milk is healthy for people.

Weddings in Shanghai cost a lot of money. House prices in Shanghai are the most expensive in China. If you want to buy an appartment there, you need to pay about three million Yuans. There are good trains and buses in Shanghai. They are very convenient to use.

During public holidays, you can use public transport and travel to any part in China. There is a very fast train service that can take you to other cities. The express train is a very fast train that can take you to Beijing, Nianjing and other cities.

You can lose all your money if you play cards in Shanghai. It is easy to gamble your money there. If you are lucky, you can win a lot of money. If you are smart enough, you don't go to these places. You work hard for your money.

There are many famous buildings in Shanghai. There is a TV tower. It is a very famous building.

There are two very big airports in Shanghai. Both of  them are for international and local flights. One airport is close to the city. It is easy to go there.

Assignment

I would like you to type a text about your hometown. Tell me some interesting information about it. Tell me about the nice places that you liked to visit there. How people spend their time. Any famous people who have come from your hometown. The schools there and the hospitals. How people travel from one place to another. Email me your text as soon as you can. I will make it available online so other students can learn from it. Thank you.

Travelling by Train in Melbourne

The train service in Melbourne is a very good one. There are 15 train lines in Melbourne. There are more than 200 train stations and nearly half a million people use trains to travel. Trains are air conditioned and they are clean. People are not allowed to smoke when they are standing on platforms or when they are on trains. If someone smokes on a train, he or she will be fined. People are not allowed to drink alcohol when they travel by train in Melbourne.

Buying a train ticket in Melbourne is easy. You can buy a ticket from a machine before you get on the train. You need to have some coins or banknotes to buy the ticket you want. These machines do not accept banknotes more than $20. A good way to buy a ticket is to get a Myki ticket. It looks like a credit card and you can keep it in your wallet. You can check how much money you have on your Myki card online. If you don’t have enough money on your card, you can top it up. When you have enough money on your card, you will be able to buy any ticket you want.

There are different tickets you can choose from. If you have a healthcare card, you can buy a concession ticket. Concession tickets are cheap to buy. People who have low incomes can buy concession tickets. Also children under 16 years of age can travel on a train using a concession ticket. They don’t need to show their healthcare cards. If you don’t have a healthcare card and you buy a concession ticket, you can get a fine. Also if you don’t have a ticket and you travel by train, you can get a fine. These fines are very high. You’d better buy the correct ticket when you travel.

You can buy a two-hour, a daily, a monthly or a yearly ticket and use it travel by train, tram or a bus. Make sure you select the right zone. There are two zones in Melbourne – zone one and zone two. You can buy a zone-one ticket but you cannot use it to travel in zone two.

Travelling by train is a good choice if you work in the city because it is not easy to park your car there. Trains are crowded during rush hours. This is the time when the streets, the trains, trams and buses are busy because many people are going to or coming back from work.

When people travel on trains, they sit down or stand up if the train is crowded. Some people like to read newspapers. Others like to listen to music on their MP3 players. Still others use their computers. Late at night, you may see people who are drunk using trains. There is a very small number of those people that you can see.

When you see a train coming, you need to stand behind the yellow line on the platform. This is very important because we need you to be safe at all time. You are not allowed to ride your bike or scooter on the platform. If you do so, you can pay a fine. You can take your bike with you when you travel by train. It will be hard to take your bike with you on a train during rush hours. Also you need to give other people who travel by train a chance to get off before you get on. Do not try to push other people when you take public transport. When you buy a ticket from a bus driver, don’t give him a $20 or a $50 note because most of the time, the driver does not have enough money to give you change.

You can buy a special ticket to travel by public transport on weekends. This ticket is cheap to buy. You can NOT use the weekend ticket to travel by public transport during week days. Remember that you always need to buy the correct ticket before you travel.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

The train service in Melbourne is a …………… good one. There are 15 train lines in Melbourne. There are more than 200 train stations and nearly half a million people use ………………. to travel. Trains are air conditioned and they are clean. People …………….. not allowed to smoke when they are standing on platforms or …………….. they are on trains. If someone smokes on a train, he or she ……………… be fined. People are not allowed to drink ………………….. when they travel by train in Melbourne.

Buying a train …………… in Melbourne is easy. You can buy a ticket from a ………………… before you get on the train. You need to have ………………. coins or banknotes to buy the ticket you want. These machines do not accept banknotes more than $20. A good way to buy a ………………… is to get a Myki ticket. It looks like a credit card and you can ……………….. it in your wallet. You can check how much money you have on your Myki card online. If you don’t have enough money ……………. your card, you can top it up. When you have enough money on your card, you will be ………………… to buy any ticket you want.

There are different tickets you ………………… choose from. If you have a healthcare card, you can buy a concession ticket. Concession tickets are cheap to buy. People ……………….. have low incomes can buy concession tickets. Also children under 16 …………………… of age can travel on a train using a concession ticket. They don’t need to show ……………….. healthcare cards. If you don’t have a healthcare card and you buy a concession ticket, you can get a fine. Also if ………………… don’t have a ticket and you travel by train, you can get a fine. These fines are very high. You’d better buy ……………….. correct ticket when you travel.

You can buy a two-hour, a daily, a monthly or a ……………………… ticket and use it travel by train, tram or a bus. Make sure you select the right zone. There …………………….. two zones in Melbourne – zone one and zone two. You can buy a zone-one ticket but ……………… cannot use it to travel in zone two.

Travelling by train is a good choice if …………………. work in the city because it is not easy to park your car there. Trains …………………. crowded during rush hours. This is the ………………… when the streets, the trains, trams and buses are busy because many people are going to or ………………….. back from work.

When people travel on ………………………., they sit down or stand up if the train is crowded. Some people like to read newspapers. Others like to listen to ………………. on their MP3 players. Still others use their computers. Late at night, you may see people who are drunk ………………. trains. There is a very small number of those people that you …………………. see.

When you see a train coming, you ……………… to stand behind the yellow line on the platform. This is very important because we need you to be safe at all time. You ………………… not allowed to ride your bike or scooter on the platform. If you do so, …………………. can pay a fine. You can take your bike with you when you travel by train. It will be hard to take your bike with you on a ……………….. during rush hours. Also you need to give other people who ………………….. by train a chance to get off before you get on. Do not try to push other people when you take public transport. When ………………. buy a ticket from a bus driver, don’t give him a $20 or a $50 note because ………………….. of the time, the driver does not have enough money to ………………… you change.

You can buy a special ……………. to travel by public transport on weekends. This ……………….. is cheap to buy. You can NOT use the weekend ticket to travel ………………… public transport during week days. Remember ………………….. you always need to buy the correct ticket ……………….. you travel.

Starting School

Tomorrow will be the first day for Tam to attend primary school. She turned five years old a few weeks ago and her mum and dad are very happy she is going to school. Tam went to a childcare centre near her home and she made some friends there. Two of her friends will go to the same primary school she will go to because they live in the same street.

Last week, Tam’s mother took her shopping. She bought a yellow t-shirt and a green skirt for her. She also bought her some pencils to use at school. Tam’s mother spent some time putting her daughter’s name on all the items she is taking to school. She got Tam to help her and Tam thought it was a lot of fun to put the name tags on her school items. Tam now knows how to write her name and she knows some of the letters of the alphabet. Her mum taught her to write the letters at home. At the childcare centre, the teacher gave Tam some paper and helped her learn how to write her name. Tam is very excited about starting school.

On the first day of school, there are many young kids who cry because they don’t want to leave their mums. Sometimes it is very hard for the parents to make their young kids go inside their classrooms. Some primary school teachers work hard to make the first week full of fun activities so young children start to like school and make new friends. They take young kids on excursions to the zoo or to play in nearby parks. They let them watch educational TV programs at schools. They do all they can to help the young kids settle down in their new school.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Tomorrow will be the first ………….. for Tam to attend primary school. She turned five years old a few weeks ago and her mum and dad are very happy she is ……………. to school. Tam went to a childcare centre near her …………….. and she made some friends there. Two of her friends ………………….. go to the same primary school she will go to ………………… they live in the same street.

Last week, Tam’s mother …………….. her shopping. She bought a yellow t-shirt and a green skirt for her. She also ………………. her some pencils to use at school. Tam’s mother ……………. some time putting her daughter’s name on all the …………….. she is taking to school. She got Tam to help her and Tam thought it was a lot of fun to put the name tags on …………. school items. Tam now knows how to write her ……………. and she knows some of the letters of the alphabet. Her mum taught ……….. to write the letters at home. At the childcare centre, the ……………… gave Tam some paper and helped her learn how to write ………………… name. Tam is very excited about ………………… school.

On the first day of school, there are …………….. young kids who cry because they don’t want to leave their mums. Sometimes it is ……………… hard for the parents to make their young kids go inside their classrooms. Some primary school teachers ……………. hard to make the first week full of fun activities so young children ……………. to like school and make new friends. They take young kids on excursions to the zoo or to play in nearby parks. They let ……………… watch educational TV programs at schools. They do all they can to help the ……………. kids settle down in their new school.

Alcohol

Why do people drink alcohol? This is one question but you may get different of answers for it. Here are some of the reasons why people drink alcohol. Young people drink alcohol because they would like to try a new thing. Others drink to socialise with friends when they go out or invite friends to their homes. Still others drink to celebrate different occasions. Some people drink alcohol to try to forget their problems. Still others drink when they are sad like after the death of a family member or losing one’s job. People in Russia drink alcohol because the temperatures there can be very cold. Young people start drinking because they have seen their parents drink for so many years.  

The list can go on and on because people really have their own reasons to drink alcohol. We just need to know about the effects of alcohol. If you drink too much, you will not be able to think clearly. You will not be able to drive your car. If the police stopped you while you are drunk, you can lose your car license. We also need to know that alcohol affects women more than men.

After you drink alcohol, you may have nausea, shakiness. You may also start to vomit or injure yourself. If you drink too much, you may suffer from alcohol poisoning and may need to go to hospital. Drinking alcohol for many years can destroy your kidneys. Some people get depression because of drinking. Depression is a sad feeling that people get for a long time. When they go to see their doctors, they give them medicines to try to cure depression.

Because of alcohol problems, people sometimes lose friends or have divorce. Alcohol can make people lose their money or go into debt or become violent. A husband, for example, can hit his wife and children because he drinks alcohol.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant is wrong. It is not safe for the baby. Women who are pregnant should seek medical help or talk to their doctors if they drink alcohol. In some countries it is not allowed for anyone to drink alcohol because of the problems it can cause.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:
Why do people drink alcohol? This is ……………… question but you may get different of answers for it. Here are some of the reasons why people drink alcohol. Young people ………………. alcohol because they would like to try a new thing. Others drink to socialise ………………… friends when they go out or invite friends to their homes. Still others drink to celebrate different occasions. Some people ……………….. alcohol to try to forget their problems. Still others drink ………………… they are sad like after the death of a family member or losing one’s job. People in Russia drink alcohol because the temperatures ……………………. can be very cold. Young people start drinking because they have ……………………. their parents drink for so many years.  

The list can go on and on ……………….. people really have their own reasons to drink alcohol. We just ……………. to know about the effects of alcohol. If you ……………… too much, you will not be able to think clearly. You will not be able to drive your car. If the police stopped you ……………….. you are drunk, you can lose your car license. We ……………………… need to know that alcohol affects women …………………….. than men.

After you drink …………………., you may have nausea, shakiness. You may also ……………………. to vomit or injure yourself. If you drink too much, you …………………… suffer from alcohol poisoning and may need ………… go to hospital. Drinking alcohol ………………….. many years can destroy your kidneys. Some people get depression because of drinking. Depression is a sad ……………………… that people get for a long time. When they go to see their …………………………., they give them medicines to try ………………. cure depression.

Because of alcohol problems, people sometimes lose ……………………. or have divorce. Alcohol can make people lose their money or ……………….. into debt or become violent. A husband, for example, can hit …………… wife and children because he drinks alcohol.  

Drinking alcohol …………………… pregnant is wrong. It is not safe for the baby. Women ……………….. are pregnant should seek medical help or talk to their doctors if they drink alcohol. In ……………………… countries it is not allowed for anyone to drink alcohol ………………………….. of the problems it can cause. 

Businesswoman

Hong is a businesswoman who comes from China. In China, Hong studied accounting and worked in a big bank in Shanghai. Shanghai is a very big city in China with 22 million people living there. Hong had a chance to meet many of the customers who did business at her bank. One day she met an Australian tourist who wanted to exchange some American dollars. They went out for dinner and in a few weeks’ time, they got married.

When Hong came to Australia, her English made her feel frustrated. She could not speak English very well and she wanted to improve her speaking and listening skills. She started an English class at AMES in Box Hill. Most of the students in her class were from China. They spoke to her in Chinese. Hong didn’t like her class that much until one day a new student came from Japan. The Japanese student could not speak Chinese. Hong and the new students soon became friends. They spoke English all the time.

The teacher gave the students worksheets each day. Most of the students did not bother having a look at these worksheets at home after class. Hong studied the worksheets again at home and she went on the internet. She used visited the web sites that the teacher showed her in class. In a short time, Hong was able to read the newspaper in English and enjoyed watching TV in Australia.

After improving her English, Hong started her own business from home. She sold goods on the internet. She bought the goods from China. She started to have a few customers a week. Not long after that, many customers knew about her goods and bought them because she sold them for really good prices. After a few months, Hong could afford to buy a house in Box Hill using the money she earned from her online business. Now Hong employs five people who work in her business. She travels to China once a month to look for goods to sell in Australia. She is a really clever businesswoman.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Hong is a businesswoman who …………….. from China. In China, Hong studied accounting and worked in a big bank in Shanghai. Shanghai is a very big city in China with 22 million …………… living there. Hong had a chance to meet many of the customers who did ……………. at her bank. One day she met an Australian tourist who wanted to exchange some American dollars. They went …………….. for dinner and in a few weeks’ time, they got ………………...

When Hong came to ……………….., her English made her feel frustrated. She could ……………… speak English very well and she wanted to ……………………. her speaking and listening skills. She started an English ………………. at AMES in Box Hill. Most of the students in her class were ………………… China. They spoke to her in Chinese. Hong didn’t like her class that much until one day a new student came from Japan. The Japanese ……………………. could not speak Chinese. Hong and the new students soon ………………………….. friends. They spoke English all the time.

The teacher gave the ……………….. worksheets each day. Most of the students did not bother having a ……………. at these worksheets at home after class. Hong ……………………… the worksheets again at home and she went on the internet. She ………………….. visited the web sites that the teacher showed her in ……………………….. In a short time, Hong was able to read the newspaper in ……………………………. and enjoyed watching TV in Australia.

After improving her English, Hong started her ………………….. business from home. She sold goods on the internet. She bought the goods from China. She …………………….. to have a few customers a week. Not long after that, many customers knew about her goods and bought ………………….. because she sold them for really good prices. After a few months, Hong ………………….. afford to buy a house in Box Hill using the money she ………………… from her online business. Now Hong employs five people who …………………… in her business. She travels to China once a month to look for goods to …………………….. in Australia. She is a really clever businesswoman.

Answer these questions: 
Where did Hong work when she was in China?
How did Hong meet her husband?
What did she study when she was in China?
Why was Hong not happy when she first came to live in Australia?
What did Hong do to improve her English language?
Why didn't Hong like about the students in her English class?
Why did Hong choose to make friends with the Japanese student?
What happened to Hong's English after a short time?
What sort of business did Hong start?
Why does Hong travel to China every month? 

Parents help Children Learn

All parents want their children to do well in school and get high marks. Parents sometimes do two or more jobs to be able to afford to send their children to private schools. They sometimes spend a lot of money for the children to have private lessons with teachers. Those teachers come to the student’s home and in this way the student gets special attention. Those parents do so because they want their children to get the best education. They think that getting good education will help children get good jobs in the future.


When students do well in school, they enjoy learning. They get high marks in their tests. They also feel that they are smart. They enjoy learning different subjects such as English, science, maths, history and geography.

Many parents also spend a lot of time helping their children learn at home. They sometimes spend hours reading books with them. When their children do well in exams, parents sometimes buy them presents or send them to watch a movie with friends or other family members.

Some parents get themselves involved in school activities. They go on excursions with their children’s classes. They go and help the teacher inside the classroom. They go on certain days to work in the yard at school or fix broken chairs.

One mother says that the best thing to do is to provide a quiet place for her children to study at home. She makes sure the students don’t watch too much TV at home or go on the internet for a long time. This mother thinks that spending too much time on the internet can make her children neglect their studies. She doesn’t want them to do so. She wants them to focus on their homework after they finish their school day.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

All parents want their children to ………….. well in school and get high marks. Parents ………………. do two or more jobs to be able to afford to send their children to private schools. They sometimes ……………… a lot of money for the children to have private lessons with teachers. Those teachers ……………. to the student’s home and in this way the student gets special attention. Those parents do so because …………….. want their children to get the best education. They think that getting good education ………….. help children get good jobs in ………………….. future.

When students do well in school, …………….. enjoy learning. They get high marks in their tests. They ……………….. feel that they are smart. They enjoy learning …………………. subjects such as English, science, maths, history and geography.

Many parents also spend a lot of time helping their ………………. learn at home. They sometimes spend hours reading books with them. When their children do well in …………….., parents sometimes buy them presents or send them to ……………. a movie with friends or other …………………… members.

Some parents …………….. themselves involved in school activities. They …………….. on excursions with their children’s classes. They go and help the teacher inside the classroom. They …….. on certain days to work in the yard at school or fix broken chairs.

One mother says that the best thing to do is to ………………. a quiet place for her children to study at home. She makes sure the students don’t watch too much TV at …………….. or go on the internet for a long time. This mother thinks that spending ………….. much time on the internet can …………….. her children neglect their studies. She doesn’t want them to do so. She wants ……….. to focus on their homework after they finish their school ………...

Kitchen Hand

Nancy is new to Australia. She has been living in Melbourne for the past three weeks. Nancy is not happy because she doesn’t have a job. She wants to get work as soon as possible. Nancy decided to get a job in a restaurant. She chose to do so because there are thousands of restaurants in Melbourne and she thinks it is easy to get work in one of them.

Nancy went on the internet and found some information that will help her in her job hunting. She read on the net that a kitchen hand is a person who works in the kitchen under supervision from a chef. A kitchen hand washes, cleans dishes and makes sure they are stored in the right places. He or she handles and stores food. A kitchen hand cuts food and prepares salads and desserts. He or she uses kitchen equipment and keeps the floor dry and clean. He or she must help make the work place safe for everyone who works there.

Nancy will need to do a short course that will take one day to learn how to keep food safe. After she finishes her course, she will be able to get a full-time or a part-time job. She may need to do shift work. This means that she may need to work in the morning, the afternoon or the evening. She may be asked to work on weekends too.

People who work as kitchen hands usually enjoy practical work. They are able to work quickly and safely. They have good personal hygiene. They need to work as part of a team. They also need to have good communication skills.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Nancy is new to Australia. She has ……………. living in Melbourne for the past three weeks. Nancy is not happy because she doesn’t have a job. She wants to get work as ………………. as possible. Nancy decided to get a job in a restaurant. She chose to do so ………………….. there are thousands of restaurants in Melbourne and she thinks it is easy to get work in one of them.

Nancy went on the internet and …………….. some information that will help her in her job hunting. She read on the net that a kitchen hand is a person who works in the kitchen ……………… supervision from a chef. A kitchen hand washes, cleans dishes and makes ……………….. they are stored in the right places. He or she handles and stores food. A kitchen hand cuts food and prepares salads and desserts. He or ……………… uses kitchen equipment and keeps the floor ………………….. and clean. He or she must help make the work place safe for everyone who works there.

Nancy will need to do a short course that ……………….. take one day to learn how to keep food safe. After she finishes her course, she will be ………………. to get a full-time or a part-time job. She may need to do shift work. This means that she may need to work in the morning, the ………………………… or the evening. She may be asked to work ………………… weekends too.

People who work as ………………….. hands usually enjoy practical work. They are able to work quickly and safely. They have good personal hygiene. They need to …………………. as part of a team. They also ………………… to have good communication ……………………….

A Builder's License

Tom is a new immigrant in Australia. He originally comes from China. He worked as a civil engineer in China and he speaks English well. Tom came to AMES to improve his English because he wants to get a license to work as a builder in Australia.
A counsellor gave Tom some information about the career he wants to have in the future. The counsellor searched the internet to get this information. She told Tom the following:

To work as a builder in Australia a person must have good communication skills, management and leadership skills and also good organisational skills.

A builder needs to look after many things in his work. He will deal with customers and find out their needs. He will arrange delivery times of materials and keep in touch with the workers at the building site. He must be good at maths because he will need to do a lot of calculations at work. He must learn about the law and prepare payments.

Tom will work hard on improving his English. After that, he will go to TAFE and study there for one year to help him get a license to become a builder. Tom will need money to spend during his study at AMES and at the TAFE. This should not be a problem for Tom as he saved a lot of money while he was working in China.
Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps:

Tom is a ……………….. immigrant in Australia. He originally comes from China. He ………………… as a civil engineer in China and he speaks English well. Tom ………………….. to AMES to improve his English because he wants to get a license to work as a …………………… in Australia.

A counsellor gave Tom some ………………………………. about the career he wants to have in the future. The counsellor searched ……………….. internet to get this information. She told Tom ………………. following:

To work as a ………………………. in Australia a person must have ……………………. communication skills, management and leadership skills and ………………………. good organisational skills.

A builder needs to look after many ……………….. in his work. He will deal with customers and find out their needs. He will ……………………….. delivery times of materials and keep in touch with the …………………. at the building site. He must be good at …………………………… because he will need to do a lot of calculations at work. He must learn about the law and ………………………………… payments.

Tom will work hard on improving his …………………….. After that, he will go to TAFE and …………………….. there for one year to help him get a license to ……………………….. a builder. Tom will need money to spend during his study at AMES …………………… at the TAFE. This should not be a problem for Tom as he ……………. a lot of money while he was ………………………… in China.