ENGLISH TESTS - HOW TO LEARN ENGLISH FOR FCE, IELTS AND TOEFL

quarta-feira, 19 de maio de 2010

VIDEOS WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLE - Maz Jobrani, The Iranian Showman

Take a look at this video with english subtitles and learn english with the comedian Maz Jobrani, who laughs about his ethnic character and, at the same time, criticizes sterotypes of Middle Eastern people in the United States.

Watch Maz Jobrani´s Show

You can also read what CNN wrote about "Axis of Evil", the comic company of Maz Jobrani, Aron Kader and Ahmed Ahmed. In November 2005, the comics took up the name Axis of Evil, playing off the term President Bush used in his 2002 State of the Union address to describe Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

Link for CNN's reportage:

terça-feira, 18 de maio de 2010

TOEFL Talk 3 - Advanced (Learn English with Steve)

Another hints for the Speaking part of TOEFL iBT. Steve continues talking about the rhythm of your words. Don´t make prolongate pauses. He speaks about the topic too: Don´t get off the topic you are talking about. Enjoy the video.

TOEFL iBT - Talk 2 - Advanced (Learn English with Steve)

More speaking hints from Steve for the TOEFL iBT test: What to talk about? What do not talk about as well...

What is the TOEFL test?

The TOEFL® test is an internationally accepted standard of English that measures the academic English proficiency of a non-native speaker of English.

TOEFL® (TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE™) measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university settings. The TOEFL® test has an academic focus. An internationally accepted standard of academic English proficiency, it is a required certification by more than 5000 colleges and universities worldwide.

Who uses the TOEFL test?

Students who want to study further: For non-native speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English speaking countries

Academic institutions: To determine academic readiness and make admissions decisions for international applicants

Individuals who are applying for professional licensure or certification

Many government, licensing and certification agencies, as well as exchange and scholarship programmes also use TOEFL® scores as a decision-making tool.

Source: http://www.ea.toefl.eu/

What is the FCE (First Certificate Test)?

FCE or First Certificate in English "is an ideal exam for people who want to use English for work or study purposes"*. If these are your purposes, please join me.

I want to share with you all informations about the papers* which are:

Paper 1 - Reading (news, articles, books, label on shampoos...)
Paper 2 - Writing (just do it! :-P)
Paper 3 - Use of English (control of grammar/vocabulary.)
Paper 4 - Listening (Let´s take podcasts, radio anounncements...)
Paper 5 - Speaking (Nothing to say!)

Source:
*First Certificate in English (FCE). (2008, February 11). From:http://www.cambridgeesol.org/

exams/general-english/fce.html

What is the IELTS test?

What is IELTS?
IELTS is the International English Language Testing System which tests English proficiency across the globe. Conducting 1.4 million tests globally, IELTS is the world’s most popular English testing system.

Which organisations accept IELTS?
IELTS is accepted by more than 6000 organisations worldwide. These include universities, immigration departments, government agencies, professional bodies and multinational companies. To search for a recognising institution, use the IELTS Global Recognition System.

Who owns IELTS and who writes the test?
IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) and offered through more than 500 locations in over 130 countries. International teams of writers contribute to IELTS test materials. Ongoing research ensures that IELTS remains fair and unbiased. Test writers from different English-speaking countries develop IELTS content so it reflects real-life situations.

Why are there two versions of the test?
IELTS has two versions – Academic and General Training. The Academic test is for those who want to study at a tertiary level in an English-speaking country. The General Training test is for those who want to do work experience or training programs, secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking tests but different Reading and Writing tests.

Which version should I do?
Read the explanation of the Academic and General Training tests, then contact the organisation or institution to which you are applying to find out what it requires. Note that you must know which version to take when you complete the IELTS Application Form (PDF, 273KB).

What is the test format and how long will it take?
IELTS has four parts – Listening (30 minutes), Reading (60 minutes), Writing (60 minutes) and Speaking (11–14 minutes). The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are done in one sitting. The Speaking test may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests. Find out more and see a test sample.

How do I practice and prepare for my test?

The IELTS Official Practice Materials explains the test format in detail and gives you practice tests and answers. You can order your IELTS Official Practice Materials in one of three ways:

Source: http://www.ielts.org/

quarta-feira, 19 de maio de 2010

VIDEOS WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLE - Maz Jobrani, The Iranian Showman

terça-feira, 18 de maio de 2010

TOEFL Talk 3 - Advanced (Learn English with Steve)

TOEFL iBT - Talk 2 - Advanced (Learn English with Steve)

Posts - Learn English for FCE, TOEFL, IELTS