Archive for June, 2012

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Am I a Monarchist?

Friday, June 29th, 2012

It’s not democratic, it’s passed down from parent to children and it involves living a totally 5 star life with not much work. Two large city residences come with the job and 4 or 5 beautiful country houses are yours to use and they have a full staff of servants to make your life even more pleasant. Bored with the country? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of foreign travel. You don’t have to pass any exams for this job or show that you’re particularly good at the job.

Don’t get too excited though, you can’t apply for this job. The job title is Queen of England. Did you guess?

As you know, we’ve just had a celebration of 60 years of the reign of Elizabeth II. At times like this, when you see the Royal family every day, it’s natural to examine your opinion about the monarchy. Is it a good idea? Does it work? Should we change to a presidential system?

As a democrat and an egalitarian with slightly left-wing opinions, you would expect me to disapprove of the monarchy but I don’t.  This surprises me too . I’m not a great fan of the monarchy. You won’t find me waiting at the gates of Buckingham Palace to see the Queen or a possible princess go past in a car. I think those people need to get a life or psychological help.

So why do so many British support this system? There are various common reasons given.

Foreigners like it. This idea is that foreign tourists like the idea of the tradition and glamour of the royal family and wouldn’t come so much if all the palaces were empty.

  1. Who needs more elections? With national and local elections and euro- elections, most people are not enthusiastic about more election campaigns, more expenses, more promises.
  2. They are a true symbol of the country and provide a strong ‘brand image’ for the UK.
  3. They have no political position so they can meet comfortably with foreign leaders of all political views.
  4. They are not corrupt and have never will be.

Well, all these may be true but I don’t find them particularly  strong reasons for having a Queen in the 21st century. I only realised the other day why I was happy to have a monarchy. It was during the celebrations for the Jubilee ( 60 years with the same queen). People said that the celebrations ‘brought everyone together’ and I suddenly realised that this was the most important thing.

If we had a president, there would always be some reason for people to be against him. Maybe he was from a political party you don’t support, or he was a business man and probably did some harm to some people, or he’s got certain views you don’t agree with. Lots of possible reasons.

With the queen, none of these problems can be true. We know that she just does her job to the best o f her ability and doesn’t take one side of an argument. She’s just a symbol of the country and has no ambitions beyond that. Everyone can support that and feel comfortable with that idea.

So, am I a monarchist?  No, not really. Do I think we should change it? No, it works OK the way it is.

Posted in Life in London | No Comments »

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Where to…Experience Great London Markets

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

There are many London markets selling specialist and organic food.

So whether you’re searching for unusual ingredients, or just fancy treating yourself to some home-made delicacies, take a look at some of our recommendations for London’s best food markets below.

Berwick Street Market
Berwick Street Market has been selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, herbs and cheese since 1840. The market traders still shout out special offers and many offer big discounts late in the afternoon.

Open: Mon to Sat 9am-6pm
Where: Berwick Street Market, Berwick Street, London, W1

Borough Market
The award-winning Borough Market is one of the largest food markets in the city, spreading under the railway arches at London Bridge. It’s a gourmet’s paradise, offering top quality produce and artisan foods from all over Britain and the continent.

Open: Thurs 11am-5pm; Fri 12 noon-6pm and Sat 8am-5pm
Where: Borough Market, Borough High Street, London, SE1

Brixton Market
Brixton Market is Europe’s biggest Afro-Caribbean food market. It sells unusual foods and spices, exotic fruit and vegetables and specialist meats and fish. You will also find local art, clothing and lots of reggae music!

Open: Mon to Sat 8am-6pm
Where: Brixton Market, Brixton Station Road, London, SW9

Leadenhall Market
In the heart of the City, Leadenhall Market sells rare meats including traditional game and poultry, as well as gourmet ingredients and wines. Its cobbled walkways and glass roof make it an attractive place to shop, eat and drink.

Open: Mon to Fri 7am-4pm
Where: Leadenhall Market, Whittington Avenue, The City, London, EC3

Smithfield Market
Meat has been bought and sold at Smithfield Market for over 800 years, and roughly 120,000 tons of produce pass through it each year. As well as meat and poultry, products such as cheese, pies and other delicatessen goods are available.

Open: Mon to Fri 4am-10am
Where: Smithfield Market, Charterhouse Street, London, EC1

Check the UIC Social Programme on our website for details of trips to famous London markets with our students!

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Writing about a topic

Monday, June 25th, 2012

Most students feel comfortable talking about things they are familiar with like family and friends however they often have problems speaking about them as they don’t have much vocabulary or correct grammar. Therefore, to achieve better fluency students write about a topic first which gives them time to think about the grammar structure and find any words they want to use.

Here are two examples from our General English Intermediate class:

I have known my best friend since I was 15 years old. We studied at the same junior high school but in different classes. We have known each other since the painting course where we met. She is easy going, sociable and amusing.  Moreover, we laugh at the same things and talk a lot, we get on very well. Sometimes I spend many hours on the phone talking to her because she is very talkative.  We like doing many things together for example, going to watch movies, eating in restaurants or shopping.  Sometimes she comes to my house to drink beer and we complain about our problems. We don’t argue much and get on very well so I hope we can stay friends forever.

My best friend and I have been friends since I was 14 years old. We were classmates. She very outgoing so she has lots of friends. Everyone likes her because she is very thoughtful and has a great personality. She is very funny and cheerful and always makes me happy. Whenever I have a problem, she gives me good advice and helps to solve them.  My best friend is a graduate student so she is very busy to meet me regularly. She likes fashion and is very stylish. We usually go shopping together and we have never had an argument because she is so good natured. Before I came to London she gave me a photo album as a present. It is one of my most precious things.

 

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The UIC Social Week

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

Surprisingly this week in London we have had some lovely weather! You could be mistaken for thinking it was summer at long last, all this sunshine has been wonderful. It stayed out for our walking tour on Tuesday where we took the tube to Green Park and walked around to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen. There we talked about the history of the palace, built originally as a private country home then the Royals moved in with Queen Victoria and Albert doing extensive renovations and adding the iconic facade. Did you know that Buckingham Palace has the largest private garden in London?

Then we walked through St James’ Park, by far the best in London with all its wildlife. We saw signets, baby swans, all fluffy and cute and also a model of the crown made from plants.

The pub crawl was busy this week with everyone out to support England in the Euro football. We started off sampling the English beer before having a go at a game of darts. There are lots of local, friendly pubs around London with different beers to try and traditional pub games such as snooker, pool and darts. We finished up at International Student House to watch the game, cheap beers, tasty food and a win for England against Ukraine!

On Wednesday the sun was still shinning (although it didn’t last till the weekend!) and we went to the London Eye. This giant ferris wheel sits on the bank of the Thames, overlooking Westminster and Big Ben and is the tallest in Europe, reaching 120m! Fortunately none of us were scared of heights and were able to take in the breathtaking views over London, such as Buckingham Palace, Canary Wharf, the Houses of Parliament and even the new Olympic Park.

We also hosted our first UIC International Night at a trendy bar near school. This night was a great success! It saw the English language students getting together with the evening school students who are learning foreign languages at UIC. It was a great night of conversation, speaking practice and a little too much wine!

Tara’s Top Tip for the Weekend in London…

Greenwich Docklands International Festival 2012
The annual Greenwich + Docklands International Festival of outdoor arts, theatre, dance and family entertainment is consistently spectacular. Events, most of which are free, take place at the Old Royal Naval College and other sites in Greenwich including St Alfege Park, also Canary Wharf, the Isle of Dogs, Woolwich and Mile End Park. http://www.festival.org/

What’s on Next Week at UIC?
Monday: Welcome Meeting for all new UIC students
Tuesday: Coffee Morning, British Museum and Pub Crawl
Wednesday: Madame Tussauds
Thursday: Jack the Ripper Walk
Friday: Coffee Morning and Pre-Summer Party at Pacha

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Building confidence through gap filling tasks

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

One of the most common exercises that students do in their General English Classes at UIC is a gap fill. These are easier than other language exercises because students can usually guess from context even though they may not know the word. This help to build their confidence in learning English.

The following is a typical exercise we may give to a low level class.

dentist  Mohammed  Japan  Titanic  women
snakes  dogs  India  butterfly  shaving

1. The first bullet proof vest and windshield wiper blades were both invented by _______.

2. When the ________ departed from port it carried 86,000 pounds of meat, 40,000 eggs and 36,000 apples to feed the passengers and crew on the 7 day voyage.

3. The largest milk producing country by size in the whole world is _________.

4. _______ can have a deadly reaction to eating chocolate.

5. For a ______ to fly it must have a body temperature 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. There are no _______ in New Zealand.

7. If you are really scared of going to the ______ you may actually have a phobia called odontophobia.

8. __________ is the most common birth name in the world.

9. One fifth of all the publications from ______ are comic books.

10.  An average man spends during his whole life around 3100 hours _________.

 

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Where to…have an extraordinary London cinema experience – on the roof top!

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

If the temperatures are high and you would like to make most of warm long summer nights in London – why not have a movie night under open sky with a fresh breeze rather than sitting in a dark and sticky cinema hall?

The Rooftop Film Club (http://rooftopfilmclub.com) is offered in two different locations. Both of them are located on urban roof tops surrounded by London’s skyscrapers and other high buildings.

Equipped with a big screen and high quality wireless headphones you can enjoy both classic and cult movies whilst leaning back on your comfortable chair. Food and drinks can be bought at the bar.

Location 1 - Shoreditch (screenings 5 days a week, from  1st May to 30th August 2012)

QUEEN OF HOXTON
1-5 Curtain Road, London  EC2A 3JX
Nearest Tube/Rail:  Old Street/ Liverpool Street/ Shoreditch High Street

Location 2 – Kensington (Screenings in August, no scheduled films for July)

On this rooftop there will be an outdoor coal fired barbecue and  your tickets include a snack of traditional fish and chips or a hot dog or a burger that will be freshly grilled up there.

THE ROOF GARDENS
99 Kensington High Street, London  W8 5SA
(Access to the building is via Derry Street which branches off Kensington High Street)
Nearest Tube/Rail: High Street Kensington

Programme
To check out the program, please visit: http://rooftopfilmclub.com/program.html

Costs and Tickets
Tickets cost £10 and you can buy them online  (you should do that some time in advance as tickets are selling out quickly!!).  If you haven’t bought your ticket online and you can still see ticket availability for the movie of your choice on the webpage, you can go to your roof top location around 8.30pm and buy a ticket at the box office.

Screening  usually starts around 9pm.

We hope you have fun!

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The Social Week at UIC

Monday, June 18th, 2012

So this week we went on a great trip to Kensington Palace in Hyde Park. It is a royal residence, meaning members of the royal family still use it regularly and William and Kate plan to make it their official home soon. We learnt all about Queen Victoria’s childhood and family life in the house, saw her wedding dress when she married Albert and the state rooms she held court in. The Kings Apartment was very grand, with ornate ceilings and luxurious fittings. We learnt how to play a popular court card game called Commerce, which is similar to poker, and I won!


On Tuesday we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. This museum holds items from across the globe with particular focus on art and design. We all enjoyed trying out the new chairs they had on display relating to the new exhibition by Heatherwick Design Studios. We also joined a tour of the British Galleries which took us through the different art styles from 1400-1900. It was very interesting learning about the interior design fashions and how they were influenced by the growth of the British Empire.


Our pub crawl was slightly dampened by the weather this week but we still managed to try a selection of different English beers and even a fish finger sandwich! The pubs are certainly busier with the Euro football matches on every night; let’s hope England get a win tonight!

Tara’s Top Weekend Tip….

Trooping the Colour for the Queen’s Birthday
June 16th at Horse Guards Parade
The ceremony to celebrate the sovereign’s official birthday is probably the most spectacular of London’s annual traditions. You can watch from the Mall or Green Park but get there early! Fly-pass at 1pm.

Next week at UIC…
Monday:  Welcome Meeting
Tuesday: Walking Tour, Theatre Trip and Pub Crawl
Wednesday: London Eye
Thursday: UIC International Night
Friday: Greenwich Docklands Festival and Party Night at Café de Paris

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Robbery in a Bank

Friday, June 15th, 2012

Creative writing is a unique skill to have and through writing UIC students get to practice not only their grammar but also vocabulary.  The following are two examples from our Pre- Intermediate General English class who were writing an article for a newspaper.

Yesterday there was a robbery in the Springfield bank.  The men were disguised as women. They were in front of the cashier and pulled out the gun. The cashier was ordered to put the money in the shopping trolley. After that, they ran out of the bank and were driven away in a getaway car. The wigs were taken off in the car. A student saw them and wrote down the number of the number plate.  Later, she called the police and gave them the information. They were immediately caught by the police and were sentenced to prison for 10 years by the judge.

 

 
Springfield bank was robbed yesterday by thieves. They robbed about 80,000 pounds in cash and some jewellery.   There were four thieves and the gun was pulled out. The customers were very scared and they cried a lot. When the thieves left, there was a car waiting for them outside.  Also, they were not recognized because they were disguised as women. A student saw it all and the number plate was noted by her when she was arriving at school.  The thieves were arrested later.  After few hours the police took the thieves to court and they were prisoned for 10 years by the judge.  A ticket to an amusement park was given to the student as a reward.

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The Greatest Show on Earth Comes to London

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

Yesterday, on the way home from UIC, I walked through Trafalgar Square, as I was heading to Charing Cross to meet friends.  I stopped at the ‘Countdown Clock’ in the middle of the square.  It said ’44 days, 5 hours, 56 minutes.’  But what did this refer to? Any ideas?

For those of you who don’t know, this clock marks the time left before London will host the greatest show on earth – the 2012 Olympic Games.  On 27 July, less than two months away, the eyes of the world will be on this great city for the Opening Ceremony, expected to attract a TV audience of over a billion people, the world over.

During the games, experts have predicted over 450,000 foreign visitors, along with 5.5 million daily visitors from other parts of the UK outside London.  Preparations have been underway since the city won the bid to host the Games in 2005.  £6.5 bn has been invested in new transport infrastructure, including the city’s major airports, train-lines and the tube, there will be 100,000 hotel rooms available in London for July.  200,000 workers have been employed by the Olympic Committee to prepare for the massive event.  7.5 million tickets have been sold, so far.  These figures are immense and I don’t think any of us have considered how this will impact on our home city.

I asked a few of our students what they thought about the up and coming Olympics in London.

Jiao from China: “I’m so happy to be in London for the Olympics! It’s such an exciting time.  I think there will be really great
atmosphere in London and I want to see it! Also I am excited to see the Chinese gymnast, Zou Kai.  I hope he can win another medal!”

Ivan from Russia: “I was disappointed that I couldn’t get a ticket to see one of the Olympic sports, but I will try to see the free events.  I love horses, so I will try to go to Greenwich to see the horseriding.  My favourite athlete is Aliya Mustafina, but we have a lot of good athletes in Russia who will be coming to London.”

Sonia from France: “Of course I will be supporting all the French athletes this year and I hope we win lots of medals.  My family visited me last weekend from Paris and we went to the Olympic village in Stratford for dinner.  It was fantastic and so much going on! I loved it.”

Wendy, Director of Studies at UIC

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How to…Write a successful CV before applying for a job

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

Getting a CV up to scratch is an important part of the job searching process.

A good curriculum vitae – or CV – is vital when looking for work, especially when there are numerous candidates for the same job, so what should it contain?

There is no perfect template, and each sector may require a different emphasis on a different aspect of the content, such as career history or qualifications.

However, experts suggest there are some basic rules on how a CV should be written and the information that should be included.

Overall, a CV should be neat and typed if possible. Most libraries now have public computers, if you do not have your own.

It should also be short, usually no more than two sides of A4. It should be positive, stressing achievements and strengths, and make a good impression in a clear and positive way.

The basic format for a CV includes:

  • Personal details, including name, address, phone number, email address and possibly any professional social media presence. You no longer need to include your date of birth, owing to age discrimination rules
  • Career history, starting with your most recent job first. Include dates and
    temporary or voluntary jobs if appropriate
  • A personal profile which sells yourself and your qualities, tailored towards the job you are applying for
  • Achievements from previous jobs that are relevant
  • Qualifications and training from previous jobs, with the most recent first
  • Interests, if they are relevant and especially if the skills or teamwork concerned are relevant for the job
  • Any extra information, such as reasons for a career change or reasons for gaps in career history, such as caring duties
  • References, ideally two or more and including a recent employer

You can find an example of a CV on the UIC E-Learning site.

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