Monday's Assignment

Good morning everyone,

Welcome back to the class after your March break. Hope that each one has enjoyed his/her time off to the max.

Today's task is a reading task. Read the following passage and then answer the following questions. Make sure to record your answers for class discussion afterwards.

HOCKEY’S $124 MILLION MAN

 When Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin became the National Hockey League’s first $100-million man early in 2008, it was hard to find anyone in the hockey world who didn’t believe he was worth every penny. But how can this be possible? Is any hockey player truly worth that much money? It doesn’t take a Wall Street accountant to figure out what was in it for the player known as ‘Alexander the Great.’ Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124-million contract averages out to just over $9.5 million a season, giving him financial security for life. Even so, Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis believes the deal is also good for his hockey team. At the time, Leonsis admitted that making a decade-long commitment to a 22-year-old in just his third NHL season wasn’t an ordinary thing. But if Ovechkin has proven anything by his goal-scoring rampage since his rookie season in 2005–06, it’s that he’s no ordinary player. All the awards and accolades – Calder Trophy as top rookie in 2006, Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal-scorer and Hart Trophy as NHL’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and 2009, plus four straight first-team all-star selections – only begin to tell the story. It’s Ovechkin’s once-in-a-generation combination of skill, size, brute physical strength and relentless passion that sets him apart and draws fans to the arena. That’s the package that Leonsis is paying for. “I’m a risk-taker,” Leonsis said at the time. “And if you’re going to make a long-term investment, who else would you do it with?” Ovechkin said the contract wouldn’t change the way he approaches the game. “I know it’s extra pressure, but I have to play the same,” he said. “If you think of the pressure, it’s hard for you. I have to play the same way – play more, play better.”

Questions:

A- For each of the following underlined words from the article, choose the right meaning. Try to guess the meaning of the words without using a dictionary.

1. A rookie is someone who

a. is just starting his career

b. is controversial

c. generates a lot of profit for a company or organization

2. When someone receives accolades, they get

a. bad reviews in the press

b. praise and recognition

c. big sums of money

3. “Goal-scoring rampage” refers to

a. going after other players to try to score goals

b. scoring goals from a ramp

c. scoring lots of goals

4. When we say Ovechkin’s passion is relentless, we mean that

a. it pays off

b. it never stops

c. it can hurt others

5. A long-term investment is

a. something you will be paying for in the next few years

b. something you will pay for a long time

c. something that will pay off (or bring you profit) after many years of investment

6. Ovechkin’s combination of skill and passion sets him apart means

a. it distinguishes him from others

b. it makes him feel distant

c. it makes him independent

B- Read the article and choose true or false. Find the fragments of the text that confirm your answer.

1. Most people associated with hockey agree that Ovechkin is worth such a large amount of money. T F

2. Ovechkin is famous for his fair play. That’s why he attracts so many fans. T F

3. Leonsis feels paying Ovechkin so much money is a risk he is willing to take. T F

4. Ovechkin started his career in NHL hockey in 2008. T F

5. Signing the biggest contract in NHL history will make Ovechkin change his style of playing hockey. T F

6. It was obvious only to Wall Street accountants how much financial security Ovechkin has with this contract. T F

Friday Assignment

Good morning everyone,

Today's task is to follow up with our classroom activity.

Task 1:

Go over the following adjectives for emotions again and identify which words describe a positive, neutral or negative feeling. If necessary, look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Some words may fit into more than one category.

• ambivalent • discouraged • overwhelmed

• annoyed • embarrassed • regretful

• anxious • enthusiastic • relieved

• apprehensive • frustrated • shocked

• concerned • furious • thrilled

• content • grateful • uneasy

• defensive • grieving • vulnerable

• determined • miserable • wary

• disappointed • optimistic • upset

Task 2:

The list above contains adjectives to describe emotions. Where possible, change them into nouns.

Task 3:

Choose five of the emotions from the list above. For each emotion, describe a situation you have experienced that made you feel this way.

Monday's Assignment

Writing Practice

Task 1:

Prepositional Collocations: Complete the sentences below with the correct verb or adjective followed by an appropriate preposition (e.g., for, to, with, about).

thank	apply	inform	respond
inquire	upset	interested	complain
invite	sorry	concerned	apologize

1. I would like to ...............................my absence at the meeting.

2. I am ........................the lack of supervision in the playground.

3. I am writing to ................................the poor service I received at your store.

4. I am very ........................... not being able to meet the deadline.

5. We would like to ......................you................. the ABC Company’s open house on Saturday, June 16 at 1:00 p.m.

6. I am writing to ............................you the new budget proposal.

7. I would like to take this opportunity to .....................you .................  being a loyal customer over the years.

8. I am ........................... finding out about the training programs that you offer.

9. I am very ...................................the way I was treated by one of your admin staff.

10. I am writing to................................ the position you have available.

11. I am .....................................your advertisement in the Globe and Mail on June 3, 2009.

12. I would like to ...........................the position of Sales Manager that was advertised in the Kingston Whig Standard on September 31, 2010.

Task 2:

Pick one task only:

1.    Write a formal invitation for a group function (such as a company picnic, BBQ or potluck).

2.    Write a letter or email to a friend to describe feelings about a new home town, English class or job.

3.    Write a personal message to cancel an appointment. Express inability to keep the appointment, disappointment, and offer an apology.

4.    Write a personal note of sympathy to someone who has experienced a loss.

Task 3:

Ask two of your classmates to proofread your writing for you before you publish on your blog. Make sure to write their names as follows: ''Edited by:.........and ....................''

Job Fair on March 6th, 2015

Toronto Job Fair

Here is the coming job fair for you. Click on this link to be directed to its website. Register here.

Check all the hiring companies, current job openings, location, and timing.

More Details TBA!

Please make sure to come prepared together with few copies of your resume.

Here's the schedule:

10:00 Arrival at Queen Station and Pre-Tour Skating at Nathan Phillips Square (optional; bring your own, or rental available)

View both the Old and New City Halls on ice from Nathan Phillips Square

11:00 Meet and greet at the entrance of Toronto City Hall.
11:05 Tour the historic building you have read about as well as Nathan Phillips Square
11:30 Luncheon at a food court
12:00 Explore Bay Street and Toronto's PATH Underground City
13:00 Enter the Job Fair at One King Street West Hotel
14:30 Dismissal

Thursday's Assignment

Presentations

We are still talking about presentation skills and how it is important to build your self-confidence, time organization, public-speaking, and a lot of other skills.
Thanks to Newton, he has planned some tasks for today's assignment. Click here and you will directed to his blog.

12th Annual IEP Conference

Plan to arrive by 8:00 and 8:30 am, when the conference proceedings will begin, and lunch is served to registered delegates at 12 noon. Please be sure to meet outside the Marketplace at 11:45 a.m. for a group photo, meal pick-up, and a time of exchanging notes with friends and classmates.

Guest speakers include His Worship Mayor John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, and Frank O'Dea, Founder - The Second Cup. 

The 12th Annual IEP Conference will be on February 27th, 2015 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front Street West, North Building, Lower Level.

Check this link for getting to the site. Please see this link below for more details about the schedule.

While you are there:

1.    Enjoy the opportunity to attend specific Skill Building Sessions in your field, in Engineering, IT, Finance, Sales, Healthcare, etc. 

2.    Try to meet at least 3 new people in the morning and ask about their experience, interest, and country of origin (it's IEP after all!). Don't forget to tell them about our program here! 

Everything you learn will be shared next week through your blog and Facebook postings! It may even result in a fabulous future for you--in terms of friendships and employment!