My favourite movie

CONSEJERÍA DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTES PRUEBAS DE CERTIFICACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA    JUNIO 2013

PART 2. You are going to listen to an actor, Jeffrey Wright, talking about his favourite movie. Look at the notes below and complete the information with what you hear. You may need more than one word or number for each space. You will hear the information twice.

JEFFREY WRIGHT’S FAVOURITE MOVIE

Jeffrey Wright was (1) __________________ years old when he first saw Apocalypse Now.

This film is the story of a (2) __________________ who is given a mission.

At the beginning of the film, Martin Sheen is (3) __________________ in Saigon.

Wright thinks that Marlon Brando’s performance is (4) __________________ ,          (5) __________________ and wonderfully indulgent.

Wright’s first movie was called (6) __________________ .

Wright told Albert Hall that he had seen the film (7) __________________ .

Wright’s new film is called (8) __________________ .


Click here to read the script and check your answers.

Dean Koontz talks about his book series Odd Thomas

Watch this video and do the listening activity. Check your answers in "comments".

CONSEJERÍA DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTES  

PRUEBAS DE CERTIFICACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA IN_B2_CO_JUNIO 2014

PART 2. You will hear Dean Koontz talking about his book series Odd Thomas and his current writing. Choose the best answer (A, B or C) which fits best according to what you hear.

0. The title of the book he was working on is

 a) Face          b) Odd Thomas         c) Surrounded

1. Why does he consider his book Odd Thomas special?

 a) Because he started writing it unexpectedly

 b) Because he was inspired by a book he was given as a present

c) Because it took him a long time to finish the second half

2. The protagonist, Odd, changes as a result of

a) being a year older

b) going through a shocking experience

c) the maturity of the aut hor

3. When he read A tale of two cities,

a) he couldn’t put it down

b) he did not find it too moving

c) he was in college

4. What does he intend to do about the Odd Thomas series?

 a) Start writing another novel now

b) Write one more novel at least

c) Write some more novels in the future

5. Your Heart Belongs to Me seems to be

a) a science-fiction novel

b) a thriller

c) a drama

6. What kind of readers’ reaction does he expect?

a) He prefers not to say

b) It’s unpredictable

c) People will be delighted

A play and a film

1. Listen to a play review.

2. Watch this short video and answer these questions (check your answers in "comments").

1. What's Hitchcock's opinion of films such as Frankenstein?
2. What's his idea of a horror film?
3. When he made Psycho, did he have in mind a horror film or an amusing film?
4. Was the film Psycho a very violent one? If not, why did it make people scream?

1.                               

Books and Films

Learn some useful vocabulary to speak about books and films.

Books and films (useful words and common questions)

Films (12 English phrases to describe films)

Film vocabulary

Describing films

The News

Some interesting websites to keep you up to date and improve your English at the same time. 

CNN Student News (with scripts and quizzes)

Breaking News English (different levels, scripts and lots of exercises)

Newsy (video news with scripts)

One-minute World News (BBC)

Irregular Verbs

Practise your irregular verbs here. 
Try this wheel too.

Passive

Click here to read an explanation about how to form and use the passive voice. You can also do different activities.

"It is said..." Passive of reporting verbs or impersonal passive. Click here to read the grammar and do an exercise.