Strange Laws
In the U.S. as in most other countries of the world, laws are often made under special circumstances and then forgotten when the need for them no longer exists. It frequently happens that these laws are not repealed and so they remain (technically speaking) in force. Here are some of the most interesting ones:

The United States

Alabama
It’s illegal to wear a fake mustache that causes laughter in church.
All women of “uncertain” chastity must be off the streets by 9 p.m.
It is unlawful to howl at ladies inside the city limits.
It is illegal to flick boogers into the wind.
It is illegal for a husband to beat his wife with a stick larger in diameter than his thumb.
It is a criminal offence to call a policeman, "Shitface"

Alaska
Whispering in someone’s ear while he’s moose hunting is prohibited.
Intentionally avoiding walking on the cracks in the pavement is illegal.
It is forbidden to push a moose out of a plane which is in motion.

Arizona
Hunting camels is forbidden.

Arkansas
It’s illegal to mispronounce the name of the state of Arkansas.
It is illegal to call a child Zabradacka.
A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month.
It is illegal to make bats and owls into burgers.

California
You may not eat an orange in your bathtub.
Gay men are not allowed to wear pink.
A person must own two cows in order to legally wear cowboy boots in public. (Blythe, CA),

Colorado
It’s unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbour. (Denver, CO).
It is illegal to throw shoes at weddings.

Connecticut
A man must not kiss his wife on a Sunday. [This is a typical example of so-called “blue laws”, which are intended to promote Christian morality and ensure the sanctity of the Lord’s Day. Most states have “blue laws” but they are rarely enforced.]
It is unlawful to walk backwards after sunset. (Devon, CT)

Delaware
No person shall pretend to sleep on a bench on the boardwalk.
One may not whisper in church.

Florida
If you tie an elephant to a parking meter, you must pay the same parking fee as you would for a vehicle.
It is illegal for unmarried women to parachute on Sunday.
You may not fart in a public place after 6 P.M. on Thursdays.

Georgia
It’s illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless you draw the shades first.
It's against the law for any citizen to attend church on a Sunday unless he is carrying a loaded rifle.

Hawaii
Residents may be fined for not owning a boat.
It is illegal to place coins in your ears.
Men from the ‘Orakama’ tribe are not permitted to eat their second wife.

Idaho
A man must not give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing fewer than fifty pounds.
You are not allowed to sleep in a dog kennel unless you are a dog. (Wallace, ID)

Illinois
It’s illegal to take a French poodle to the opera (Chicago, IL).
It is illegal to eat inside of a building that is on fire. (Chicago, IL)
It is against the law for a monster to enter the city limits. (Urbana, IL)
Firemen are required to practice for 15 minutes before attending a fire. (Fort Madison, IL)

Iowa
Kisses may last for as much as, but no more than, five minutes.
It is unlawful to masturbate in front of any man who has a very small penis.
One-armed piano players must perform for free.

Indiana
The value of pi is 4, and not 3.1415.
The singing of any Bob Dylan song in a public place is a criminal offence.
It is against the law to take a bath in winter.
It is illegal to dress up in clothes of Ken and Barbie.

Kansas
It’s illegal to throw knives at men wearing striped suits (Natoma, KS).
No one may catch fish with his bare hands.
It is illegal for any person to cut off an arm or leg so that they can earn more money from begging.
Rabbits may not be shot from motorboats.
A father is not allowed to frighten his daughter's boyfriend with a gun. Wichita, KS

Kentucky
Every citizen is required to take a shower once a year.
It is against the law for women to swallow live frogs.
It is illegal to paint your lawn red.
It is illegal to transport an ice cream cone in your pocket
It is against the law to shoot off a policeman's tie. (Frankfort, KY)

Louisiana
Bananas must not be carried in public.
It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol.

Maine
If you keep your Christmas decorations on display after January 14, you will be fined.
There is no February 19 in the State of Maine.
It's illegal to walk on any street while playing a violin (Augusta, ME)
You may not step out of a plane that is still in flight.

Maryland
It is illegal to take a lion to the movies. (Baltimore, MD)
It is illegal for any boy under the age of 16 to wear lipstick.

Massachusetts
No gorilla is allowed in the backseat of any car.
Anyone who wishes to rob a bank must receive written permission from his doctor.
False teeth must be removed during sex.
Mourners at a wake may not eat more than three sandwiches.
It is illegal to take a bath unless one has been ordered by a physician to do so. (Boston, MA)

Michigan
A woman may not cut her hair without her husband’s permission.
It is illegal to kill a dog using a decompression chamber.
It is illegal to hitch a crocodile to a fire hydrant.

Minnesota
It is against the law for any woman to laugh at the size of a man's penis
It is illegal to sleep naked.
It is illegal to pass a cow without tipping your hat. (Pine Island District, MN)

Mississippi
Walking a dog without dressing it in diapers is forbidden (Temperance, MI).
It is illegal to make soup from eagles.

Missouri
Children may buy shotguns but not toy cap guns. (Kansas City, MO)
It's illegal to sit on the curb of any city street and drink beer from a bucket. (St. Louis, MO)

Montana
It is against the law to throw candy at the President after 4 pm.
Seven or more Indians are considered a war party, so it is legal to shoot them.
It is illegal to tear a telephone book in half.

Nebraska
Girls under the age of eight may not have beds in their doll's houses (they may enact sexual acts with their dolls).
Bar owners may not sell beer unless they brew a kettle of soup simultaneously.

Nevada
It’s illegal for men with mustaches to kiss women.
Anyone walking the streets is required to wear a mask.
It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway.

New Hampshire
It is against the law to hang yourself from any tree that's older than 100 years.
It is an offence to mow the lawn using a kitchen spoon.
Men wearing kilts must use the female restrooms.

New Jersey
It’s against the law for a man to knit during the fishing season.
It is illegal to wear a bullet-proof vest while committing a murder.

New Mexico
Females may not appear unshaven in public.
During lunch breaks no couple should engage in a sexual act while parked in their vehicle, unless their car has curtains. (Carlsbad, NM)
Men with beards must not bend down to tie their shoe laces in a public place.
Hunting is prohibited in Mountain View Cemetery. (Deming, NM)

New York
While riding in an elevator, you must talk to no one, fold your hands, and look toward the door.
It is against the law to walk backwards while eating peanuts during a concert. (Greene, NY)
A woman must wear a mini skirt if her husband demands it.
It's against the law in New York City to open or close an umbrella in the presence of a horse.
It is an offence to invite a vampire to a party. (Ocean City, NY)
Children are not allowed to attach wings to their arms and fly.
It is unlawful for a man to go outside wearing a jacket and pants that do not match. (Carmel, NY)

North Carolina
It’s against the law to sing off-key.
Monkeys must not be used to deliver groceries.
If a boy sees a girl’s ankle he must immediately wash his face to remove the evil sin.

North Dakota
It’s illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.
It is legal to shoot an Indian who is on horseback provided you are in a covered wagon.

Ohio
It's illegal for a woman to strip off her clothing while standing in front of a man's picture. (Oxford, OH)
It is illegal to kiss a polar bear in public. (According to a law passed in 1843, this offense is punishable by hanging.)
It is illegal to get a fish drunk.

Oklahoma
It’s forbidden to take a bite out of another person’s hamburger.
It is unlawful to put any hypnotized person in a display window. (Harthahorne City, OK)
Whale hunting is strictly forbidden throughout the entire state. [Oklahoma is a landlocked state.]
It is illegal for the owner of a bar to allow any customer to pretend to be having sex with a buffalo.
Kisses lasting more than three minutes are forbidden. (Tulsa, OK)

Oregon
It is illegal to whisper “dirty” things in your lover’s ear during sex.
A dead person cannot be made to serve on a jury.

Pennsylvania
It’s illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
A newly married man must close his eyes while his bride is undressing.
All fire hydrants must be checked one hour before all fires. (Danville, PA)
No man may purchase alcohol without written consent from his wife.
"Any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait ten minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock, and continue." [When automobiles were first introduced, farmers complained that they
frightened animals.]

Rhode Island
You may not bite off another person’s leg.
If a bird makes its nest in your vehicle, you are not allowed to use it until the chicks have left the nest.
Pilots are only allowed to fly an airplane in the nude on religious occasions.

South Carolina
Anyone who is poor must work free of charge for a rich person.
It is against the law to eat mushrooms while in the bath.
It's illegal to keep a horse in a bathtub.
It is illegal for an unmarried woman to buy edible panties.

South Dakota
It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.
If there are more than five Native Americans on your property you may shoot them.
If three or more Indians are walking down the street together, they can be considered a war party and fired upon.
Anyone called Tom must leave the state on 13th July. He is allowed to return on the 14th.
Women are not permitted to eat chocolate.

Tennessee
It is legal to shoot Elvis Presley impersonators.
It is illegal to drown after 10 pm.
It is illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish.
It is illegal for a woman to drive by herself – “A man must walk or run in front of the vehicle, waving a red flag in order to warn approaching pedestrians and motorists if the vehicle is going over 5 mph”. (Memphis, TN)
It is illegal for a woman to call a man for a date. (Dyersburg, TN)

Texas
You may not shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
If two girls are fighting it is permissible to tie their hair together until they stop.
Criminals must give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and explain the nature of the crime they intend to commit.
A person cannot go barefoot without first obtaining a special five-dollar permit.

Utah
It is illegal not to drink milk.
It is illegal to detonate a nuclear weapon.
It is against the law to fish from horseback.
No woman may have sex with a man while riding in an ambulance. If caught, the woman’s name is to be published in the local newspaper." The man isn't charged nor is his name revealed. (Tremonton, UT)

Vermont
It is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole.
It is illegal to whistle underwater.
Doves must not be kept in a freezer.
Residents are not allowed to eat more than six meals per day.
It is obligatory for everybody to take at least one bath each week -- on Saturday night.
It is illegal to paint a horse.

Virginia
Tickling a woman is unlawful.
Gay men, by law, must wear a pink flower on their left sleeve.
Bathtubs must be kept in the back yard.
Men are not permitted to wear their underwear on top of their regular clothes
A man must not kiss a girl unless he is willing to kiss one of her parents if requested to do so.
It is illegal to have sex with the lights on.

Washington
It’s illegal to pretend that one’s parents are wealthy.
It is illegal to carry a concealed weapon that is more than six feet long.
A woman must never tell her husband that he is ugly.
It is illegal to photograph ghosts.
It's illegal to ride down the streets on an ugly horse. (Wilbur, WA)
It is mandatory for a motorist with criminal intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town.

West Virginia
It is against the law to watch television for more than eight hours per day
It is illegal to let your horse fall asleep in the airport. (Peewee, WV)
No member of the clergy may tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service. (Nicholas County, WV)
It is illegal for lions to run wild in the streets. (Alderson, WV)

Wisconsin
It is illegal to eat a woman’s pubic hair in public.
It is illegal for a man to have an erection in public, even if he is wearing clothes. (Kenosha, WI)
Time Travel is against the law.
It is illegal for a man to shoot off a gun when his female partner has an orgasm. (Connorsville, WI)

Wyoming
Unless you have an official permit, you may not take a picture of a rabbit from January to April.
Blind men are not allowed to fly helicopters between the hours of 9am and 6 pm.

Strange Laws from Around the World

Canada
It is illegal to set fire to the wooden leg of a wooden legged man. (Alberta)
It’s an offence to have more than two colours of paint on your house. (Beaconsfield)
It is against the law to make burgers out of polar bears.
Children under the age of five must not be locked in refrigerators. (Ottawa)
It is against the law to impersonate a foreigner. (Quebec)
It is illegal to curse in any language other than French. (Quebec)

United Kingdom
It is forbidden to ask a Scotsman what he wears under his kilt.
It is illegal for a Member of Parliament to enter the House of Commons wearing a full suit of armour.
It is illegal to die in the House of Parliament.
If a postage stamp bearing an image of the Queen is placed upside down, this is considered an act of treason.
It is legal to shoot a Welshman with a bow and arrow inside the city walls of Chester.
It is illegal to eat mince pie on Christmas Day. [This law was passed during the reign of Oliver Cromwell. The intention was to purify Christianity of practices – like the celebration of Christmas – which were associated with Catholicism.]
If someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter. (Scotland)
All English males over the age 14 are to carry out two or more hours of longbow practice a week supervised by the local clergy. [This law was instituted in the early Middle Ages. The exceptional skill of English archers with the longbow was a crucial element in several great battles during the Hundred Years War.]

Ireland
In Trinity college students can demand a glass of wine at any time during an exam, provided they are wearing their sword.

Switzerland
It is illegal to ski down a mountain while reciting poetry.

France
No pig may be called Napoleon.

Denmark
No man may say to his wife that she is ‘uglier than her mother’. The penalty is up to 1 year in prison.

Norway
No one may start a car while someone is underneath the vehicle.
ales must go off on expeditions of rape and plunder to nearby countries at least every five years.

Israel
It is illegal to pick your nose on the Sabbath
It is forbidden to bring bears to the beach.
No person is allowed to dress or undress with the light switched on.

Guinea
It is illegal to call a baby “Monica”.

Australia
It is illegal to dress up as Batman or Robin.
It is illegal to force a kangaroo to drink more than 6 bottles of beer.
Taxi cabs are required to carry a bale of hay in the trunk.
It is illegal to give a name to an animal that you plan to eat.
Only licensed electricians may change a light bulb. (Victoria)

China
If you pass anyone over the age of seventy in the street, you must bow to them and say a prayer to the Gods of the Ancients.
You must not intentionally “eat another man's wife in a dish of meat”. [During severe famines – which have been frequent in China – the least prestigious member of a family might be sacrificed to ensure the survival of the rest.]
To go to college you must be intelligent.
Anyone who discloses the secret of how to make silk will suffer death by torture.
It is against the law to store more than one ton of explosive (fireworks) in the cellar of a house.

Singapore
It is illegal to urinate in an elevator. [Men urinating in elevators was once a serious problem in Singapore.]
Eating raw fish while lecturing on Science is illegal.

Thailand
At the age of thirty unmarried women become the property of the state.
It is not allowed to go out of the house without wearing underwear.

Malaysia
It is illegal for restaurant owners to substitute a table napkin with toilet paper.

Japan
If an older brother asks to marry your girlfriend you and your girlfriend must agree to this.

Korea
All dogs sold for consumption must have a government approved tattoo.
It is illegal to impersonate an animal while in a restaurant.
The eating of stray cats is not permitted.
Traffic police must report all bribes that they receive from motorists.

Samoa
It is a criminal offense for any man to forget his wife’s birthday.

Ronald A. Perry / Licenciatura en Inglés , UTP / September 2011

Two Jokes

(1) POPE BENEDICT

Pope Benedict’s limousine driver says, “Excuse me, Your Holiness. Please get in the car so that we can leave.”
The Pope replies, “When I was a cardinal at the Vatican, they never let me drive. I’d like to drive today.”
The driver replies: “I’m sorry, Your Holiness, but I can’t let you do that. I could lose my job. What if something happens?”
The Pope replies, with a smile, “Who is going to tell?”
Reluctantly, the driver gets into the back seat and the Pope climbs behind the wheel. As soon as the limousine leaves the airport the Pope accelerates the limousine to 205 kph. (kilometres per hour).
“Please slow down, Your Holiness!” begs the driver. But the Pope keeps the accelerator to the floor. Suddenly, they hear sirens.
The driver moans, “Oh, Dear God. I’m going to lose my driver’s licence and my job!”
The Pope stops the car by the side of the road and rolls down the window as a cop (policeman) approaches. The cop looks at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and turns on his radio.
“I need to talk to the Chief”, he says to the dispatcher.
The Chief gets on the radio and the policeman says, “I stopped a limousine going 205 kph.”
“So bust (arrest) him”, says the Chief.
'I don't think we want to do that, he's really important,' said the cop.
The Chief exclaimed, “All the more reason!”
“No, I mean really important”, said the cop.
The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?”
Cop: “Bigger.”
Chief: “A senator?”
Cop: “Bigger.”
Chief: “The Prime Minister?”
Cop: “Bigger.”
Well,' says the Chief, “Who is it?”
Cop: “I think it's God!”
The Chief is even more surprised and curious, “What makes you think it's God?”
Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope!”

(2) CIA JOB INTERVIEW

The CIA had a job opening for an assassin. After all the background checks, interviews and testing were done, there were three finalists: two men and a woman. For the final test, the CIA agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun. "We must know that you will follow our instructions no matter what the circumstances. Inside the room you will find your wife sitting in a chair . . . Kill her!"

The man said, "You can't be serious. I could never shoot my wife." The agent said, "Then you're not the right man for this job. Take your wife and go home."

The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about five minutes. The man came out with tears in his eyes, "I tried, but I can't kill my wife." The agent said, "You don't have what it takes. Take your wife home."

Finally, it was the woman's turn. She was given the same instructions, to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one after another. The agents heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman, wiping the sweat from her brow. "This gun was
loaded with false bullets" she said. "I had to beat him to death with the chair!"

MORAL: Women are extremely determined. Don't mess with them!

Onion News - Human kidneys donated to a hospital

Onion News - Facebook cuts the CIA's operating costs

Onion News - Brave man refuses to accept that he has cancer

Onion News - Lil Wayne consumes all the drugs in Mexico

Onion News - China celebrates that it is the world's biggest air polluter

"UPSTREAM" book on Sale

ANNOUNCEMENT: A representative from the distributor of the book UPSTREAM, will be selling books AGAIN on Tuesday, August 23. Here is the message from Professor Clara Ines Rios:

El señor Mario Botero de la editorial Express Publishing, estará nuevamente en la ciudad el próximo martes 23 de agosto vendiendo los libros.

Hora: 10:00 a 4:00

Lugar: Cafetería al frente de la Universidad Antonio Nariño.

Feliz noche.

Clara

Remember that the book for this course is UPSTREAM, Pre-intermediate, B1.

I'll get you my pretty...!

Some pics from Wednesday, August 10

Assignment for Ronald's class; Friday, August 12

Indicate the word class that each underlined word represents (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, preposition, conjunction, interjection.)

1. Have you ever seen a baseball game?

2. Remain here until I arrive.

3. Throw the baseball to me.

4. Trains must round curves very slowly.

5. The leaders held a round of negotiations.

6. The movie’s ending was sad.

7. A large round object was seen in the sky.

8. I think that the movie is ending.

9. I water in the well is contaminated.

10. Did you look well?

11. Well, I think there must be an error.

12. The airplane was flying very high.

13. Heroin produces a high.

14. The king built a high tower.

15. Who is knocking at the door?

16. Running is good exercise.

17. The meeting will last one hour.

18. This is the last page.

19. Muslims fast during Ramadam.

20. I don’t feel well.

21. Why are you running?

22. A high wall extended round the city.

23. Will you help me?

24. The woman did not leave a will.

Assignment for Ronald's class of August 10

Write down at least one example for each of the following:

- numerical adjective (for example, "five")

- descriptive adjective (for example, "pretty")

- noun referring to a place (for example, "forrest", "city", "bedroom")

- noun referring to a person (for example, "teacher", "boy", "aunt")

- noun referring to an article of clothing (for example, "shirt", "coat")

- noun referring to food (for example, "soup", "apple")

- noun referring to an animal (for example, "cow")

- noun referring to a plant (for example, "flower")

- noun referring to a part of the body (for example, "foot")

- noun referring to a tool or weapon (for example, "hammer", "knife", "rifle")

- transitive verb (verb that can take an object; for example, "make", "give")

- intransitive verb (verb that cannot take an object; for example, "sleep")

- adverb (for example, "carefully", "fast")

- interjection (for example, "Heavens!", "Wow!")

Write your words on a piece of paper. You will use the words for an activity.

Assignment #1 (for Ronald's class of August 9)

A common task for an English speaker is to fill out a form. For the next class:

- Think about how you would fill out this form.

- Think of questions you can ask in order to fill out this form for a classmate.

For example:

Place of birth (city) __________________________________

Where were you born? or Where are you from?

Favorite kind(s) of music ______________________________

What's your favorite kind of music? or What kinds of music do you like?

You do not have to write anything.

Please complete this form. (Items marked with asterisk (*) are optional.)

1. First name __________________________________________

2. Last name __________________________________________

3. Place of birth (City) ____________________________________

4. Date of birth* ________________________________________

5. Place of residence (City) ________________________________

6. Marital status* _______________________________________

7. High school _________________________________________

8. Hobbies* ___________________________________________

9. Favorite kind(s) of music* _______________________________

10. Favorite artist(s)* ____________________________________

11. Favorite movie(s)*____________________________________

12. Favorite TV show(s)*__________________________________

13. Favorite book(s) _____________________________________

14. Have you taken any special English courses (aside from High School)?

No ____ Yes ____

(If "yes) Where? _______________________________________

15. Have you visited or lived in any English-speaking countries?

No ____ Yes ____

(If "yes) City and country _________________________________

How long did you visit/live there? ____________________________

Información sobre venta de Libros

Les informamos que el señor Mario Botero de la editorial Express Publishing estará vendiendo los libros de "Upstream" a los estudiantes el día miércoles 10 de agosto de 10:00 a.m a 4:00 p.m en la panadería "Delicias" del Jardín (al frente de la Universidad Antonio Nariño). En caso de que estén interesados y no tengan la plata ese día, pueden ir a preguntarle a Mario que otro día regresa a la ciudad para continuar la venta de los libros. El valor del libro (Student’s Book & CD) es de $65.000.

Les animamos a que aprovechen esta oportunidad, puesto que el Sr. Botero estará ofreciendo a los libros a un precio especialmente favorable para los estudiantes.

PRE-INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH - PROGRAM

SEMESTER: Second semester of 2011
SPECIFICATIONS: Code LI 216 / Theoretical-practical / 6 credits
INTENSITY: 8 hours per week; 128 semester hours
PROFESSORS:
Group #1: María Elena Gutierrez magube@utp.edu.co
Group #2: Ronald Alan Perry ronald@utp.edu.co
Group #3: María Cristina Giraldo macris@utp.edu.co
BLOG: “Pre-intermediate English, UTP” http://prinenut.blogspot.com
TELEPHONE: Humanities/languages office (Consuelo): 3137231

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Pre-Intermediate English is the second in a series of four courses in general EFL (English as a foreign language) offered by the UTP’s English Licenciatura. These four courses, together with the more specialized courses of Pronunciation I and II, English Conversation I and II, English Composition and Advanced Grammar, constitute the language component of the program.The Pre-Intermediate English course uses listening, speaking and writing activities to reinforce and develop the linguistic, socio-linguistic and pragmatic competences that have been introduced in Basic English. Upon completion of this course, students should have achieved a B1 level of linguistic competence as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF).As with the other courses which make up the language component of the Licenciatura program, Pre-Intermediate English fosters the development of autonomous language study skills while providing students with opportunities to observe, propose, critically analyze and practice pedagogical techniques that they will apply as professional teachers.

GENERAL COMPETENCES

This course will empower students to:

 Employ elements of English grammar and lexis for the exchange of information.

 Participate in discussions and write texts in English concerning specific themes.

 Effectively employ written, audio-visual and ICT materials for self-directed learning

 Identify distinguishing aspects of Anglophone culture and compare these with elements of their own culture

 Employ effective listening strategies to extract the basic content of messages received in English from audio recordings, live speakers, and written discourse.

 Reflect critically on their own learning processes and develop individual EFL learning and teaching strategies.

SPECIFIC COMPETENCES
This course will develop the following specific competences:

Oral production:

 Employ common vocabulary to construct propositionally and linguistically meaningful sentences on contextualized themes.

 Formulate continuous discourse, of a limited extension, relating to familiar topics.

 Identify and reproduce English phonemes, word stress, and intonation.

 Participate actively in spontaneous, animated conversations with one or more speakers.

 Request and give directions for completing a task.

 Participate fully in interviews, either as inter-viewer or interviewee, expanding and developing points of discussion.

 Perform accurately some speech acts such as expressing opinions and feelings and discussing plans, activities and life experiences.

 Effectively use regular and irregular verbs in different tenses.

 Give individual or group presentations, demonstrating acceptable oral skills such as correct pronunciation and intonation, appropriate body language, effective voice projection, grammatical accuracy and eye contact.

 Effectively use strategies such as avoidance, code-switching, body language and non-linguistic cues to facilitate oral communication.

Listening comprehension:

 Extract meaning from extended speech on a variety of academic and general topics.

 Understand the main ideas of propositionally and linguistically complex speech on contextualized topics delivered in a standard dialect.

 Effectively employ a variety of strategies, (e.g. predicting, listening for gist, listening for details, inferring, using contextual clues, etc.) to extract messages from live or broadcast oral input received in standard dialect.

Reading comprehension:

 Recognize different types of written texts such as narrations, descriptions, academic expositions etc. according to their styles and purposes.

 Apply reading comprehension strategies such as skimming, scanning, analyzing paragraph structure, predicting and inferring to effectively extract messages from written texts.

 Summarize in their own words and by means of mind maps the content and organization of information in written texts.

Writing:

 Produce clearly intelligible continuous writing with reasonably accurate spelling and punctuation.

 Write grammatically correct sentences and join them to construct paragraphs, effectively using linking words to mark relationships between ideas.

 Write affirmations and questions and construct simple, complex and compound sentences

 Use writing to narrate events, give descriptions and express viewpoints.

 Construct mind maps as a planning strategy to write different types of texts.

Grammar and vocabulary:

 Recognize the functions of the following linguistic structures:

-Comparatives and superlatives.
-Present, future, past and past perfect verb tenses
-Countable and uncountable nouns
-Quantifiers
-Indefinite pronouns
-Prepositions of time: in / on / at / for / during / while / by / until
-Phrasal verbs beginning with give / get / come / go / carry
-Definite and indefinite articles: the / a / an

 Identify and appropriately use a variety of linking words used to express situations like positive/ negative, addition, contrast, example, cause/effect, sequence, etc).

 Identify cognates, synonyms and antonyms,

 Identify and use in communicative contexts a limited selection of prefixes and suffixes

Cultural Awareness:

 Identify some of the most common registers used in English discourse

 Recognize and appropriately use a limited range of English colloquial and idiomatic expressions

 Produce and respond to communicative acts such as expressing opinions and feelings, accepting and refusing, etc. in a manner appropriate to the cultural norms of Anglophone speakers

 Discuss situations, events, and phenomena related to Anglophone culture

Pedagogical Component:

 Discuss basic literature linked to the learning-teaching of EFL (English as a Foreign Language)

 Use linguistic and pedagogical meta-language to discuss and practice the teaching of EFL

 Prepare practical teaching sessions dealing with listening skills

 Self-reflect on their own learning processes.

MATERIALES
Students will require, for in-class and out-of class work, the following materials:

 Textbook: Upstream Pre-Intermediate B1 by Virginia Evans & Jenny Dooley (Student’s Book). Express Publishing, 2005.

 A good monolingual dictionary (i.e. a dictionary that contains detailed information about word usage and shows pronunciation using the International Phonemic Alphabet. (See Bibliography for recommended dictionaries).

 Texts and exercises that students will copy from documents that will be provided online, sent individually by e-mail, or left in the folder “Pre-Intermediate English” in the photocopy Center in the Medicine building. Make sure that your professor has your correct UTP e-mail address.

 Portfolio: a folder in which students will keep written work completed during the course.

METHODOLOGY
Methodology will be based on readings and exercises proposed in the textbook Upstream:Pre-Intermediate B1 and its corresponding workbook, but activities will be selected and adapted from these – and other sources – in accordance with the aims of the program. Classroom activities will emphasize cooperative learning by means of pair and group work. Class sessions, however, will constitute only one part of the complex, autonomous learning process that students must actively pursue both inside and outside of the classroom. Students are expected to participate enthusiastically in classroom discussions and tasks, exert themselves to use and understand English in teacher-student and student-student interchanges, conscientiously complete out-of-class work that is assigned, and develop autonomous strategies for practicing the language and for maximizing their own learning

EVALUATION
Grades for this course will be determined in the following manner:

• 1st Partial Evaluation – A formal test that will represent 15% of the definitive grade.

• 2nd Partial Evaluation – A formal test that will represent 20% of the definitive grade

• Final Evaluation – A formal test that will represent 40% of the definitive grade.

• Portfolio (Work in and out of class) – quizzes, exercises, workshops, expositions, homework assignments, etc. The individual grades for these items will be averaged and together will represent 25% of the definitive grade.

The criteria for assigning numerical grades will be as follows:

0.0 Not presented or not accepted

1.0 – 2.9 Presented but below-standard

3.0 – 3.4 Achieves minimum standards

3.5 – 3.9 Satisfactory (average) in quality

4.0 – 4.4 Above-average in quality

4.5 – 5.0 Excellent (of the highest quality)

Students will evaluate and reflect upon their own learning and that of their peers, and will evaluate the efficacy of the course by means of periodic “journal” entries.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Texts:

COUNCIL for Cultural Cooperation, Education Committee, Modern Languages Division. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 2001. 418.007 C734 E.2

EVANS–DOOLEY. Upstream Pre-Intermediate Level B1. (with audio CD) Express Publishing, 2004. 428

MURPHY, Raymond. English Grammar in Use: A Self-study Reference and Practice book for Intermediate Students. 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press, 2004. 428.24

PHILPOT, Sarah. New Headway Academic Skills: Reading, Writing, and Study Skills. Oxford University Press, 2006.

SOARS, Liz and John. New Headway English Course: Intermediate Students’ Book, Oxford University Press, 2003. 428

UR, Penny. Teaching Listening Comprehension (Cambridge Handbooks for Teachers) Cambridge University Press 1984 428.83

WHITE, Goodeth. Listening (Resource book for Teachers) Oxford University Press, 1998. 428

WILSON, J.J. How to Teach Listening (with audio CD) Pearson-Longman, 2008. 428.34071

Dictionaries:

CLIFF, Peter. The Oxford English Dictionary Online, Available from the Internet: http://www.ariadne.uk/issue23/oed-review/.

Macmillan English Dictionary. Macmillan Publishers, 2002.

Oxford Quick Reference Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 1998.

Some useful Internet Resources:

Headway Online www.oup.com/elt/headway

English Student Resources http://www.ohiou.edu/esl/teacher/technology/index.html

Hotchalk Lesson Plans Page http://www.lessonplanspage.com/index.htm

BBC Learning English http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

B@E Better at English http://www.betteratenglish.com/be-episode archives/

British Council / Learn English http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/

www.ManyThing.org. Interesting Things for ESL Students http://www.manythings.org/
TEFL Games.com / Interactive Games: Matching Words http://www.teflgames.com/msie1v_opposites1.htm

Activities for ESL Students http://a4esl.org/

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

-Please arrive punctually and remain until the class finishes. If you miss all or part of a class session, it is your responsibility to find out from your classmates what you must do to prepare for the next class.

-Check the blog “Pre-Intermediate English, UTP” http://prinenut.blogspot.com regularly for information, announcements, and supplementary course materials.

-Quizzes and other graded class work not presented due to unexcused absence will receive a grade of zero (0.0).

-If you miss a partial evaluation because of illness, you must present a valid medical excuse* within five working days (días habiles).

-Out-of-class work that is not presented on time will be penalized one point (1.0) for each day it is late. Missing class, (except for excused absences) does not exempt you from presenting

assignments on time.

-Wait for your professor inside the classroom; if you arrive late, enter the classroom quietly.

-Observe respectful, professional conduct toward classmates and professors. Abstain from activities that distract your attention from the lesson or disrupt the normal conduct of the class.

-Abstain from eating and chewing gum during class activities.

-Turn off and put away cell phones and personal audio equipment before the class begins. If you expect an urgent call, set your cell-phone to “vibrate” and take your call outside of the classroom.

-Visit the Language office (H 402) if you need extra help or if you have personal matters to discuss that require concentrated attention. If you cannot come during scheduled office hours you can look for your professor at other times or make a special appointment.

-Partial and final exam papers remain on-file in the Languages office. Students may not keep them or copy them. Exams that are not returned immediately after they are reviewed in class will receive a grade of 0.0.

-Keep quizzes, graded homework assignments, and other returned work in your personal portfolio. This will help you to follow your academic progress and will facilitate correction of errors in computing grades.

_______________________________
* Note: According to the Reglamento Estudiantil, a medical excuse is acceptable only if it is validated by Bienestar Universitario.