MadmoiZelle speaks English

[Almora]

( Je me permets de m'incruster sur ce topic pour un petit souci : je suis une daube en anglais sauf que j'ai besoin d'envoyer un mail à un hôtel anglais. Y aurait t'il une Madmoizelle bilingue qui voudrait bien m'aider ? Si oui peut elle me contacter par MP ou sur mon mur ?
Désolé de cette incursion en français... :errf: )

[Sood]

Good evening Ladies !
I do not speak English very easily even if I have good marks at school. That's make me think that the standard at secondary school is not very high. I want to add that I'm a little bit anxious to talk on this subject, i'm afraid to make too many mistakes. Can you correct me if that I say is wrong ?

[Lou Phoque]

Posté par Sood

Good evening Ladies !
I do not speak English very easily even if I have good marks at school. That's make me think that the standard at secondary school is not very high. I want to add that I'm a little bit anxious to talk on this subject, i'm afraid to make too many mistakes. Can you correct me if that I say is wrong ?

Hey, that's not too bad You have made just one mistake: "that's make". I guess you wanted to say "that makeS"? x)
I've been learning English for quite a long time now: I started when I was 8 (and I'm 19 now). Now I'm at university and still learning English, and I can't wait for next year when I'll go to Britain for my Erasmus year (maybe in Edinburgh or Cardiff, quite hard to choose, really...)!!

[Amy']

Hiii !
Next year, i'm going to Australia during 6 months (yeaaaah) and so, i have a lot of papers to fill (Is it this word for say "remplir" ?) in french and in english. There is a lot of questions about me, my ideas if life, my career goals, ... and there is one question I don't really understand. They say "What national or internationals affairs, if any, interest you ?" Could you tell me how you understand this question because I don't know what i have to write ?

(Sorry if there are mistakes )

[Eleen]

I think you have to explain what interests you the most about world's actuality. It is propably made to see if you feel concerned about what happends in the world, and if you have some culture.

[suspensi0n]

Posté par May'

Hiii !
Next year, i'm going to Australia during 6 months (yeaaaah) and so, i have a lot of papers to fill (Is it this word for say "remplir" ?) in french and in english. There is a lot of questions about me, my ideas if life, my career goals, ... and there is one question I don't really understand. They say "What national or internationals affairs, if any, interest you ?" Can you say to me how you understand this question because I don't know what i have to write ?

(Sorry if there are mistakes )

Oh God, I hate that kind of questions. Even in French I wouldn't be able to be sure to understand it...
But, I'd say that they're asking you if you're interested by politics, economics... For example, if you have to read newspapers, what kind of article would interest you the most.
But I'm not sure...

I think that suspensi0n is right.

[Eleen]

Hey ! I'm good, I don't have any lessons this afternoon, so I'll be able to do my homework (and I've got quite a lot), relax, and I hope I will have time to watch a movie. What about you ?

[Jehn.]

I'm not fine. I've got plenty work to do, essays to write, mid-term exams coming, books to read, administrative stuffs to take care of for my exchange program next year, it's cold outside, and I'm sick, and I've got no more money (but hopefully tomorrow I'll receive my pay check), and no time to see my friends. Everything seems wrong today - but maybe it's just because I'm in a bad mood since this morning.

Oh, and also, I'm stressed out because in two weeks I have the IELTS test and if I don't get a 7 out of 12, I won't be able to go where I want next year. Is there anyone here who knows how hard the test is?

[Bulle de Lys]

Posté par Elfy.Musicaë

I've got one lesson of guitar, and then a replay (on dit comme ça une répétition ?) with my group of music.

I would say rehearsal with my band, replay is, in my opinion, playing a second time (re-play) and band suits better.

Have fun playing guitar

[Bulle de Lys]

You're welcome !

[Tangerine]

Hey, Jehn, don't worry, I'm sure everything's gonna be fine for the IELTS. Well I don't really know how it works, but i thought the marking for the TOEFL would be very tough, and I just got my results: I got 105/120 whe Auckland asked for 80/120. So I guess that IELTS is almost the same. Anyway, good luck for the exam!
Oh and maybe there are online practices or books and CDs you can borrow from your university library?

[suspensi0n]

Posté par Tangerine

Well I don't really know how it works, but i thought the marking for the TOEFL would be very tough, and I just got my results: I got 105/120 whe Auckland asked for 80/120. So I guess that IELTS is almost the same. Anyway, good luck for the exam!

Was it hard ? I need to get at least 92/120 to the TOEFL and I want to do it in december. I have a book that explains every kind of questions and how I'm supposed to answer. I did a fake toefl test and I got like 92% to the reading, but I was too tired to really try to do the others, so I didn't focused on the audio extracts.. But, i mean, at home i might be different from the day of the exam... Can you tell me how it was please ?

[Tangerine]

Posté par suspensi0n

Was it hard ? I need to get at least 92/120 to the TOEFL and I want to do it in december. I have a book that explains every kind of questions and how I'm supposed to answer. I did a fake toefl test and I got like 92% to the reading, but I was too tired to really try to do the others, so I didn't focused on the audio extracts.. But, i mean, at home i might be different from the day of the exam... Can you tell me how it was please ?

Well, it's not that hard. It's just that it's very long (4h in front of a computer if you choose the TOEFL IBT) and you need to be concentrated all the exam long.
You start with the reading, 3 or 4 extracts + about 15 questions for each excerpt.
Then you do the listening: 2 or 3 parts, 2 lectures and 1 conversation for each part.
Then you have a 10-minute break.
And you go on with the speaking (found that was the hardest part): first you have a general question (had "between teacher and doctor, what is the most important job in life?"), you have 15 seconds to think about it and 45 seconds to answer. Then you have another question (can't remember the type :/ ), same time to prepare/answer; then you read a passage and listen to a lecture on the same topic, 30 seconds to prepare/60 to answer, then you read a passage and listen to a conversation, ditto for the time; you listen to a lecture, you have 30 seconds to prepare/60 to speak, and finally you listen to a conversation, ditto for the time.
To finish, the writing. You listen to a lecture and you read a passage on the same topic, generally their opinions are opposed, you have to say in what manner they are contrasted (20 minutes to prepare and write). And then you have a general question (had "some people think it's a good idea to eat regularly with their family. what do you think?) and you have 30 minutes to prepare and write.

The reading is quite tricky because in some questions you have to be very precise: some propositions to the question are very similar and if you don't get the difference between the two, you can be wrong. And also, when you start your reading, some other participants might still be adjusting their microphone and be speaking when you're desperately trying to concentrate on your text! lol. The listening is difficult because you can have a passage like economics or butterfly metamorphosis (lol, had that one!) and if you don't know the vocab, that can be hard. The speaking is hard because you have to think very quickly. 15 seconds is very short so most of the time when I started speaking I was mumbling! lol And the writing is ok, except when you don't "like" the topic and cant' find any good argument... :/

And to prepare myself, I did the free online practice you have once you register for the exam (on the ETS website), borrowed some books from the university library and did all the mock exams in them, and I also bought another official practice on the ETS website. That's quite expensive (about 40 euros i think), but it helped me because you have an evaluation of what mark you could get for the real test (had 107 for the mock and 105 for the real).

Anyway, if you have any other question, just ask!

[suspensi0n]

Posté par Tangerine

Well, it's not that hard. It's just that it's very long (4h in front of a computer if you choose the TOEFL IBT) and you need to be concentrated all the exam long.
You start with the reading, 3 or 4 extracts + about 15 questions for each excerpt.
Then you do the listening: 2 or 3 parts, 2 lectures and 1 conversation for each part.
Then you have a 10-minute break.
And you go on with the speaking (found that was the hardest part): first you have a general question (had "between teacher and doctor, what is the most important job in life?"), you have 15 seconds to think about it and 45 seconds to answer. Then you have another question (can't remember the type :/ ), same time to prepare/answer; then you read a passage and listen to a lecture on the same topic, 30 seconds to prepare/60 to answer, then you read a passage and listen to a conversation, ditto for the time; you listen to a lecture, you have 30 seconds to prepare/60 to speak, and finally you listen to a conversation, ditto for the time.
To finish, the writing. You listen to a lecture and you read a passage on the same topic, generally their opinions are opposed, you have to say in what manner they are contrasted (20 minutes to prepare and write). And then you have a general question (had "some people think it's a good idea to eat regularly with their family. what do you think?) and you have 30 minutes to prepare and write.

The reading is quite tricky because in some questions you have to be very precise: some propositions to the question are very similar and if you don't get the difference between the two, you can be wrong. And also, when you start your reading, some other participants might still be adjusting their microphone and be speaking when you're desperately trying to concentrate on your text! lol. The listening is difficult because you can have a passage like economics or butterfly metamorphosis (lol, had that one!) and if you don't know the vocab, that can be hard. The speaking is hard because you have to think very quickly. 15 seconds is very short so most of the time when I started speaking I was mumbling! lol And the writing is ok, except when you don't "like" the topic and cant' find any good argument... :/

And to prepare myself, I did the free online practice you have once you register for the exam (on the ETS website), borrowed some books from the university library and did all the mock exams in them, and I also bought another official practice on the ETS website. That's quite expensive (about 40 euros i think), but it helped me because you have an evaluation of what mark you could get for the real test (had 107 for the mock and 105 for the real).

Anyway, if you have any other question, just ask!

Thank you for the "recap" of the test The speaking scares me ! I 15s is very short to organize our thoughts... Did you apply to the test a long time before doing it ? I want to do it in december, I'm registered on the website but I haven't chosen any date yet.

[Tangerine]

Mmmh yeah, I was really scared of the speaking, but don't worry, I think it's gonna be fine for you!
So, for the registration, well, in September I've been told I had the take the TOEFL and I registered for the next closest session to my home town. So had about 1 month and a half to get ready for it. Was ok, because I don't think it would have changed my grade if I had done more practice. The most important is to get ready on the exam's format because it's always gonna be the same order, the same type of questions, the same number of tasks for the different parts, etc. Then, it's only a matter of luck if you get a topic you like/understand. Well, in any case, there's always a topic related to what you know (most of the time you get at least one task dealing with sciences, another about social sciences, a third on economics, another on philosophy, etc.) So, some topics might be hard, but you can make up for it with another one.

[Tangerine]

Yep, you're right Omphale. The examinors don't judge according to the ideas you havebut according to the way you explain them, if the vocab is accurate. That's why when I got the writing concernign family meals and didnt know what to say, I mainly focused on the grammar, in order to get a better mark.
And yep, I have a Bachelor in English and am currenty doing a postgrad. I've lived a year in England and I'm going to New Zealand in 3 months.

[Tangerine]

Posté par Omphale

Oh I see, that makes total sense then !
You must be so excited about this study abroad experience ! I guess you'll have the time of your life there. New Zealand sounds neat !

Yeah, I'm soooo excited (and I just can't hide it... lol) ! I'm getting a bit nervous about going over there, but at the same time I'm really really looking forward to being there! ^^

Posté par Elfy.Musicaë

Tangerine, I hate you !

Lol, sorry... I'll try not to post to many pictures when I'm down there!

[Greta_garbo]

Well, I'd really love to speak english as good as I used to...

I've been studying anglistics (in France we call it "LLCE anglais") for one year and, to be really honest, it was the best year in my whole life. I never forgotten this happy year and that's the main reason why I'm so nostalgic.

Now I study german, I only got 2 hours for my english courses. It's only about translation, we don' learn anything so I mostly get bored and draw some stuff. So I forgot a lot about english and its grammar/literature, my english was way better 3 years ago.

I'd have a plenty of questions but I'll just ask one: Tangerine, were you in England as Erasmus or "assistante"?

Gotta go now, I really don't want to and I'm afraid... yep, today isnt a holiday where I'm living at the moment, so, go to the uni...

(I know there're a lot of mistakes in my text but I totally forgot about the tense/verbs, I hated my linguistic grammar courses.. my english sucks)

[Jehn.]

Tangerine, how long as you gonna stay in New Zealand? One year?
I must say, I really envy you. If I am lucky enough to go to Australia next July, I'll come and visit you, haha