Here's the presentation:
The questions were in two parts.
EXERCISE 1
Listen to the text and choose the 3 things which are mentioned.
a) who directed the movie;
b) who stars in the movie;
c) who wrote the movie;
d) where the movie was shot;
e) how much money the movie has earned.
Listen to the text and choose the 3 things which are mentioned.
a) who directed the movie;
b) who stars in the movie;
c) who wrote the movie;
d) where the movie was shot;
e) how much money the movie has earned.
EXERCISE
2
Listen to the text again and choose the correct answer (A.,B, or C.) for each question.
Listen to the text again and choose the correct answer (A.,B, or C.) for each question.
1.
A. 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for 1 Oscar.
B. 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for more than 1 Oscar;
C. It is unclear how many Oscars 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for.
A. 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for 1 Oscar.
B. 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for more than 1 Oscar;
C. It is unclear how many Oscars 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for.
2.
A. The movie has earned more than any other Oscar-nominated movie this year.
B. The movie has earned more than some other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
C. The movie has earned more than most other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
A. The movie has earned more than any other Oscar-nominated movie this year.
B. The movie has earned more than some other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
C. The movie has earned more than most other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
3.
A. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the main actor in the movie.
B. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the director of the movie.
C. Chiwetel Ejiofor has won an Oscar before.
A. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the main actor in the movie.
B. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the director of the movie.
C. Chiwetel Ejiofor has won an Oscar before.
4.
A. The Oscars ceremony will have happened by 2 March.
B. The Oscars ceremony will happen on 2 March.
C. The Oscars ceremony will happen a few days before 2 March.
A. The Oscars ceremony will have happened by 2 March.
B. The Oscars ceremony will happen on 2 March.
C. The Oscars ceremony will happen a few days before 2 March.
[scroll down for the answers]
The answers are...
In EXERCISE 1, we heard about:
b) who stars in the movie;
d) where the movie was shot; and
e) how much money the movie has earned.
In EXERCISE 2, the correct choices are...
d) where the movie was shot; and
e) how much money the movie has earned.
In EXERCISE 2, the correct choices are...
1. C. It is unclear how many Oscars 12 Years a Slave has been nominated for.
2. C. The movie has earned more than most other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
3. A. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the main actor in the movie.
4. B. The Oscars ceremony will happen on 2 March.
2. C. The movie has earned more than most other Oscar-nominated movies this year.
3. A. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the main actor in the movie.
4. B. The Oscars ceremony will happen on 2 March.
If you understood most of the text, and if you could answer most of the questions accurately, congratulations! You're able to understand how we English speakers use defining and non-defining clauses in a fluent way.
If you visited our Facebook page in January, or if you read our Business42 blog on consumerism, you'll be familiar with how defining and non-defining clauses work.
You'll know, for example, that we use words like which, where and who to give information about things, places and people (respectively). You'll also know that defining clauses use these "w"-words to give essential information, and that non-defining clauses use these "w"-words to give extra information.
Interestingly, the text on 12 Years A Slave used these defining and non-defining clauses without any "w"-words.
Here are three general rules on defining and non-defining clauses in Cambridge exams such as FCE, CAE and IELTS:
1. Using a few defining or non-defining clauses when writing, and sometimes in speaking, will earn you a lot of extra marks. Clauses show a good ability to use English naturally.
2. Using these clauses without the "w"-words in writing/speaking is unlikely to earn many more marks.
3. Understanding clauses with or without the "w"-words in listening or reading is essential for a mid-level score or high-level score.
If you did well on the listening exercise on this page, then you don't have to worry about rule 3. Why not take a look at the exercise below to improve your ability to write defining/non-defining clauses?
If you had trouble with the exercise, it's recommended that you focus a little more on your listening and grammar. Future blog posts here on Exams42 will help with that.
ACTIVITY IDEA:
To practice your talent for writing these caluses, take a look at this text. It's a transcript of the 12 Years A Slave presentation we listened to earlier.
If you visited our Facebook page in January, or if you read our Business42 blog on consumerism, you'll be familiar with how defining and non-defining clauses work.
You'll know, for example, that we use words like which, where and who to give information about things, places and people (respectively). You'll also know that defining clauses use these "w"-words to give essential information, and that non-defining clauses use these "w"-words to give extra information.
Interestingly, the text on 12 Years A Slave used these defining and non-defining clauses without any "w"-words.
Here are three general rules on defining and non-defining clauses in Cambridge exams such as FCE, CAE and IELTS:
1. Using a few defining or non-defining clauses when writing, and sometimes in speaking, will earn you a lot of extra marks. Clauses show a good ability to use English naturally.
2. Using these clauses without the "w"-words in writing/speaking is unlikely to earn many more marks.
3. Understanding clauses with or without the "w"-words in listening or reading is essential for a mid-level score or high-level score.
If you did well on the listening exercise on this page, then you don't have to worry about rule 3. Why not take a look at the exercise below to improve your ability to write defining/non-defining clauses?
If you had trouble with the exercise, it's recommended that you focus a little more on your listening and grammar. Future blog posts here on Exams42 will help with that.
ACTIVITY IDEA: To practice your talent for writing these caluses, take a look at this text. It's a transcript of the 12 Years A Slave presentation we listened to earlier.
|
Line 1
|
12 Years A Slave, an Oscar-nominated movie,
tells the story of a free
|
|
2
|
man who was kidnapped and forced to
work as a slave. Released at
|
|
3
|
separate times in the US and Europe,
it has earned forty-six million
|
|
4
|
dollars, a higher grossing than many
of the other movies nominated
|
|
5
|
for Oscars this year. Chiwetel
Ejiofor, the lead actor starring as
|
|
6
|
Solomon Northup (the slave mentioned
in the title), has been
|
|
7
|
nominated for an Oscar. This is the
first time he has been nominated
|
|
8
|
for the award. The movie was filmed in
New Orleans (the biggest city
|
|
9
|
in Louisiana): filming took place over
a 7-week period between July
|
|
10
|
and August 2012. Critics and fans
reviewing the movie reported that it
|
|
11
|
was depressing but wonderfully
produced. It is sure to win at least
|
|
12
|
one award at the Oscars ceremony,
taking place on Sunday March 2.
|
The
following words can go into the text
(but they don’t need to!) to define/give extra information about people, places
or things. Which line could each option go into?
Be careful! One of the options cannot be used!
Be careful! One of the options cannot be used!
a) which is
b) which is
c) which is
d) which were
e) who is
f) who is
g) who was
h) which is
i) which was
j) who were
k) where was
