The last hurrah! Over there and out of reach!

Good morning, goodbye and God bless you all!

The taxi is booked and arriving in 90 minutes' time.

The suitcases are almost packed and last bits and pieces need fixing.

OK then, you're on your own from now onwards, folks! Family and friends will claim me, not forgetting a certain encounter with the pride of Portugal on Saturday!!!

I'd love to hear how you got on, no feedback from the 24 June candidates, probably nothing more from the rest of you, except for the noble Jean Luc! Ah well, that's life and IELTS prep courses of 2006, 2005 was a different story...

Good luck from your faraway teacher

Tony

It ain't over till the fat lady . . . . . (?)

Hello guys!

Come on, let's see you this evening and finish the job.

We don't have to go at it for three hours and I'll give you more than 10 minutes' break, but to get some kind of 'closure' I'd like to see you all this evening.

We have some matters to attend to:

• feedback on your three testsfrom last night
• your certificates + counselling & Kleenex tissues
• my MAGAZINES returned, please!
• an end-of-course questionnaire
• your future plans
• your strategy for IELTS
• the epic IELTS achievement of Mais Al Bassam, from Baghdad
• residual problems that have not been fixed
• some listening and speaking work
• a general 'wind-down' after a very gruelling three weeks' work

England will be playing Sweden at 11pm, so that's something to look forward to watching, isn't it, Iris?

Bye for now

What a pity that you did not exploit the weblog, apart from one magnificent exception!

Stand up, take a bow and accept my salutations and felicitations, M Jean Luc Debar, you have left your mark!

See you all tonight, or else!

Tony B

nb If you're interested, I can find four correlations between me and another Tony B...

oh yeah, what does the fat lady have to do before it's over?

Sunday Bl**** Sunday!

Yes, IELTSers, the end is almost nigh!

The title of this blog entry is from a well known film of the 1970s.

I have 'moved the goalposts' regarding the Diana debate - it's tonight and me vs Mouza/Jamilah/Mahra - what a prospect! Do come prepared to listen with an open mind...

I have a final handout or two; Dr Rashid's report; some speaking work and another full scale Task 1 / Task 2 writing exam. I see progress, but some of you are still not listening to me, why????

TOMORROW, don't forget to bring your INSIGHT into IELTS coursebook for the full scale Reading / Listening / Writing mock IELTS - it will grind you into a pulp!

Have fun!

A ce soir!

Antoine

You've got problems with English? What about us?

Good morning I-world peoples!

Further to Jean Luc's dictionary research why not check out this extremely funny website? Come on, we all need some fun, don't we?

http://www.fun-with-words.com/malapropisms.html

Bye for now

Tony B

Tony tormenting us again!

Hello campers!

The weekend has passed, the final week looms! Here are a few points from me:

• I have edited and commented on Jean Luc's 12 June post of his death penalty essay that Dr Rashid had kindlyreviewed
• I have gone over Jean Luc's most commendable edit of Mahra's Task 2 essay
• I apologise for the incomplete photocopying of the reading project on the Titanic - the job will be re-done tomorrow
• Tomorrow we will have a full scale READING test from 7.20 to 8.20. Please do come on time and bring your purple Cambridge Test Book 1
• After some work in the middle on WRITING, especially feedback on your Tuesday tests, we shall finish with a full scale Task 1 and Task 2 WRITING test. I demand that everyone does this properly. I am getting fed up with sloppy work and students who scribble anything just to finish quickly. In many ways I prefer the likes of Jean Luc and Halat, for example, who come to the IELTS course with no pre-conceptions. The HCT students in particular are narrow, blinkered, not prepared to listen and very mechanical in their approach - it is OK, just blame the teacher!
• Holland and Ivory Coast are battling away at each other as I two-finger type to you. Guys, are you battling? Are you hurting? Have I told you the story of Mais Al Bassam from Baghdad? If not, then remind me tomorrow!
• DIANA DEATH DEBATE is scheduled for Sunday, 18 June when I take on the might of Mouza, Jamilah, Mahra and all your preconceptions. Will you give me a fair hearing? If your minds are irrevocably made up that it was murder, then I have an impossible task. Give me a chance and be wary of Internet evidence. I expect the ladies to prove incontrovertibly that there was pre-meditation, planning, a motive, a method and hard evidence to support their claims that X, Y or Z was responsible for 'killing' Diana on 31 August 1997.

It has been wonderful hearing from you all and thank you for letting me have a weekend 'off'.

Good night

Tony

I do apologise that Wayne Rooney is so ugly!!!

Mahra's Task 2 essay on sport

Here is Mahra's task 2 essay that she emailed me yesterday. I probably won't have time to look at it today, neither will I edit Jean Luc's essay.

Hey! Teachers need weekends off as well!

Tony

This is the 'raw' text!



Sport is the one of the most important things in our life, which plays a big role in our life. Especially in young kind of people exactly on men, but also important for sick people, children and women. The government in all countries care about all kind of sports, such as; football, volleyball basketball, tennis and so on. Its also play a role in making games in the world level, the Football War Cap is the most famous game which is going on in these days.

Sportiest should have sportive spirit in their life, in my view, people are emotional, specially, if there games in there country against others in international conflicts. From this point, we can see from football games, can release patriotic emotions in good way, like, what happened in1998 for Football Ware Cup in France between Iran and America, therefore the result was for Iran, which were a safe way between the tow countries . The gifts and photos were given between them.

On the other hand, it can cause politics conflicts between countries, such as; the war between Vendors and Salvador in 1982, which resulted from the Football World Cup in Span, and also 1984 in Belgium,5000 supporters were killed in the match of Champions League, between Juventos and Liverpool.

Over all, the popular events like the Football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easy international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a good way. Finally, it is a game for fun and many people enjoy it and waiting for the Football World Cup in every four years.

So, what do you think?

Tony expects...

I-world members

Just a quickie...

At the end of yet another gruelling week, this is just to warn you that we might overrun until 10.30pm this evening.

Please bring some Panadols and sleeping bags...

Till this evening

Tony

ps I have long given up expecting any response from this serious, silent class...

Learning Zone Access

I-world knowledge seekers!

For those who have the free time mornings/afternoons/Thursdays, the Learning Zone IS open. There are no plans to close it for maintenance, some PCs will be up-graded at some stage.

Call the front desk, 02 6910600 to make sure beforehand.

Even so, two PCs are always available for booking (ones on the left of the plasma screen) - if a teacher has a class these two should be freed up. Failing that, the IELTS program is on the two PCs in the Information room next door.

You can come from 8am to 8pm, Saturday to Thursday.

From 1pm to 5pm there are NO classes - the whole room is free.

Should there be any problem, why not make a STUDY GROUP in a free classroom if you have come down and cannot use the LZ for whatever reason?

Over to you, the silent majority, I assume you are reading this, aren't you?

Fun-filled, action-packed evening ahead, campers!

Tony

TO WATFORD F.C FANS

watford football club is now officially back in the premier league and they have got the share certificate FAPL(football association premier league limited) to prove it.
link: http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News

*note:in order to view the above link,you will need to register with the official site.
MOH'D IBAHIM

Cheers Mohammed!! You can be an honorary WATFORD fan. We call ourselves the Hornets!!!!

Loved your post and interest in my team!

Tony

subject: DENTAL CARIES.

dental caries is the most common disease affecting human being.it can be described as localized destruction of teeth by microorganisms.
The term caries comes from latin cariousus which means rottenness.
Dental caries can be described as a destructive process which cause decalcification of enamel and dentin resulting in cavitation.
dental caries may occur in any area where plaque and food can adhere to the tooth surfaces.
certain types of bacteria found in the mouth break down sugars and starches and create an acid capable of destroying tooth enamel.
So,formation of cavity requires acid producing bacteria,suitable sugary food,plaque,and host susceptibility factors.
i will discuss the ways af prevention in my next post.
moh'd ibrahim

Preparing 24/7

Hey Tony,
As clear from the title, i am preparing for ielts all the time. I was not at home yesterday, that is why i did not post anything here. Currently, i am preparing for the Debate, we have tonight. I have done plently of listening and reading tests in these two days (I have got Cambridge IELTS 1, 2, 3, 4 & INSIGHT and many other books, for studying on computer). I have also searched and downloaded more usefull material, which can assist in preparing IELTS.
INSHALLAH, i will come tonight with organized folders, and Insight book in my Hands :)

Watch out! I am starting to get impatient...

Ieltsworld blog!

Just a quick message before I hit the pit! As you can see, Jean Luc is amazed at how apathetic you seem to be, I am not! I have seen it all before and know that the successful IELTS students are the ones that are active learners. Just coming to class and listening to me, then asking worried questions about any particular aspect of IELTS that concerns you are NOT enough!

So, shake yourselves out of that lethargy! Jean Luc, I and Dr Rashid can have a pleasant two weeks on the weblog, but YOU need to practise more than we do!

Week 2 is when we 'step on the gas', so fasten your seatbelts!

Tomorrow's agenda:

• England play Paraguay (5pm to 6.45pm) I have prepared my handouts already apart from an extra two Reading related papers
• we have the first debate
• I give you back your task 2 essays (except for the absent Nada)
• We do some Task 2 work
• You analyse my feedback on your essays
• You do a dictation on 12 spelling mistakes from your work
• I give you a Reading homework
• You do a Reading task
• I give you an IELTS report from Yasmeen who scored band 8 in April 2005 on the academic IELTS
• You do a timed Reading Test - bring the purple Cambridge Test Book, especially Bilal who will get a red card if he comes bookless. I want you to transfer your answers to the Reading answer paper.
• I check that you understand the part 2 of the Speaking text
• I interview Jean Luc, Hassan and Bader one-by-one in Room 9 while the others do their mock Reading test

Every day, every lesson will be a three hour grind. It is hot. The World Cup is on. You have other commitments. However this is when the going gets tough, so let us make sure that the tough gets going!!!

Good night, campers!

Reaction please from the 14 dreamwalkers!

Tony

Say Hi :P

Hey everyone!
Atlast, i am stepping inside the blog room. I wanted to know that who is the third participant, who will argue against the topic on Saturday. Bilal, Hamza and __ ?
And yes, i will try to be active in this Weblog. It's fells so great to be in touch with class fellows and share thoughts.
Who is going to say welcome first? :P

Calling all cars!

Come on guys!

11 people have not responded to the blog invitation - the first week has ended, we are one third of the way through the course. Email me again or use BLOGMEMBER account!

Certain individuals are posting, especially Jean Luc and Halat, but there is no reaction from the rest, no dialogue & no interaction! Are you 'blogophobic' or so shy of commenting in this public way? Just try it, it's great fun and helpful!

Thank you Dr Rashid, for your feedback on Jean Luc's and Halat's writing. It is strange how the ablest students are so self critical and eager for feedback. The ones who really need to contribute are languishing in their fear and self doubt.

Ah well, c'est la vie, n'est-ce pas, JL?

I expect a response from the ieltsworld community 'cos the World Cup is starting and my daughter Dana is coming soon from London to join us and her wee sister, Zeena. Sheherazade and Nadine will be waiting for us to join them in England at the end of June.

I'll be in touch, there is no escape and you don't want to disappoint me, do you?

Tony the Tiger

Phew! Day Four Already!!!

Hello my i-world members!

The first week has almost gone, the weekend will vanish in a flash and then Saturday comes! Week two is when we fasten the seat belts and step on the gas - be warned!

This evening I envisage that we:

• set up Saturday's debate
• get some feedback on last night's (nb JL!) Listening test
• look, very quickly, at the Speaking papers that I'd forgotten yesterday
• get familiar with the British Council IELTS program in the Learning Zone
• use the INSIGHT into IELTS coursebook for Reading skill work while the rest of the class are in the Learning Zone (please bring it to class!)
• have a workshop on TASK 1 Writing
• look into ORGANISING your handouts into a FOLDER (you will need a set of 10 SUBJECT DIVIDERS to separate your papers / notes.)
• write a Task 2 ESSAY from that IELTS paper where you did the Task 1 practice
• - start the SPEAKING tests with Mouza/Halat/Delilah (one-by-one) in Room 9 while the rest of the class are doing the Task 2 essay

Looking ahead to the weekend, the World Cup kicks off, England lost comprehensively to Sri Lanka at cricket, I think you should try to relax and ABSORB what I have thrown at you this week. There will be no set homework as such, apart from:

1. - buying a folder/subject dividers & organising your notes
2. - preparing for the computer debate
3. - using the Learning Zone on Thursday afternoon / evening (?)
4. - writing to me (and the world) on the WEBLOG

OK folks, that is enough for the moment.

Can we have some comments / reaction / interaction / dialogue, please? We are a community and need to reach out and help each other and ourselves by communicating via the weblog! It's your loss otherwise, because after the course I will be flying to the UK and you have my undivided attention for the next 14 days (apart from the intrusion of the World Cup!) So take advantage! Read the old weblogs - they are fascinating and full of very useful IELTS-related advice, tips and experience.

Bye for now (BFN)

Tony as Blogmember (remember the username & password - it is dead easy!)

CU tonight!

The second day

Good morning and welcome to our IELTS world!

We have 14 passengers, three were absent yesterday and one was denied access. Such is life!

There was a lot to digest last night, wasn't there? You might feel daunted, not to say overwhelmed by the demands I and IELTS make of you. Take heart, everyone feels the same at the beginning. If they are not challenged by the standard of IELTS then such over-confidence will lead to a harsh confrontation with IELTS reality - it bites! Shakespeare referred to "o'ervaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself" - as ever, there is a lot of truth in the Bard's words.

Have you done those two items of homework? Have you read through the handouts I gave out? Did you check out any of the websites or old weblogs? I'll explain about using the Learning Zone tonight. We shall analyse your first Listening practice; confirm the speaking test list and have a rapid look at Reading & Writing as well. I also plan to squeeze an IELTS Writing task 1 report / letter from the respective Academics & Generals

I am really looking forward to hearing from, as are Dr Rashid and Dr Kamal.

Best regards

Tony

Message for DHANYA: when are you doing the IELTS? How about giving us a synopsis of what you found most useful on the IELTS preparation course that you finished last week? Thanks in anticipation for your post...