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TEACHER OF THE YEAR http://www.ToLearnEnglish.com - Resources to learn/teach English |
I) ANTICIPATING
Answer these questions:
II) READING COMPREHENSION
>> TEXT:
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
A social studies teacher from the state of California has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year. President Bush presented the award to retired Army officer Chauncey Veatch at a ceremony at the White House last week. The president praised Mister Veatch for serving both the children and the nation well.
In accepting his award, Mister Veatch urged others to become teachers. He praised teaching as a way to become part of America’s future. He spoke in English and Spanish.
Mister Veatch teaches at Coachella Valley High School in Thermal, California. Most of his students have families who speak Spanish. Many of the families are farm workers who move from place to place to pick grapes. Mister Veatch is the son of a military family who also moved often. As a child he once attended five different schools in four states during a single school year.
Mister Veatch’s students have won competitions in science, spelling and mathematics. They also have earned scholarships -- money to attend universities. This year, half of his thirty-four students said they want to become teachers.
Mister Veatch is fifty-four years old. Before becoming a teacher, he served for twenty-two years as an Army officer. He was a medical administrator. After retiring from the Army in 1995, he became interested in teaching.
He asked the local school system if he could be a substitute teacher. He had never taught before. Still, the school system gave him a job teaching science and mathematics to middle-school students. Mister Veatch attended university classes at night, on weekends and during the summers. After three years, he completed the training required to become a permanent teacher.
>> QUESTIONS:
1. What is this article about?
a) A new single-sex school
b) An award given to a teacher
c) A new way to recruit teachers in the USA
2. Where does Mr. Veatch live?
a) In Florida
b) In Kansas
c) In California
3. Why did Mr Veatch go to the White House?
a) Because he rescued someone
b) Because he is a good teacher
c) Because he was the organizer of a big concert
4. When he was young, Mr Veatch attended a lot of schools.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
5. Why did Mr Veatch make his speech in English and Spanish?
a) Because he lived in Spain for 20 years
b) Because he doesn't speak English very well
c) Because most of his students come from Spanish-speaking families
6. Mr Veatch's students are very good students.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
7. All his students want to become teachers.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
8. Mr Veatch has always been a teacher.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
9. Mr Veatch studied very hard to become a teacher.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
10. How old is Mr Veatch?
a) 45
b) 54
c) 60
III) ORAL COMPREHENSION
Here is the script of the tape. Fill in the gaps with the missing words:
1952 - American - Bush - education - jobs - presidents - retired - Teacher - teaching - year
__________ __________ have presented the __________ of the Year Award to the country’s finest teachers every __________ since __________. The goal is to honor __________ and show support for __________. President __________ also has expressed special support for a program called Troops to Teachers. This program places __________ members of the military in public school teaching __________.
IV) GRAMMAR: Present Perfect
Mr Veatch’s students have won competitions in science, spelling and mathematics. They also have earned scholarships.
> Main Use
The"present perfect" is a very difficult tense.
It is mainly used for past actions with results/consequences in the present.
The most famous example is:
Paul has eaten all the cookies.
- When was the action done? In the past: a few minutes ago/yesterday.
- Consequence? There is no cookie left. There is nothing left for me.
It is the same case here:
Mr Veatch’s students have won
competitions in science, spelling and mathematics. They also have
earned scholarships.
- When was the action done? In the past: several months ago
- Result? They are very good students. They have been given scholarships.
They deserve them.
> Syntax
We use HAVE (or HAS - with he/she/it) + PAST PARTICIPLE
> Examples
> In the affirmative: I have done my homework. She has done her homework (verbe: do, participe passé irrégulier)
> In the negative: I have not done my homework. = I haven't done my homework. She has not done her homework. = She hasn't done her homework.
> Questions: Have you done your homework?
> Short answers: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
3. I'm the best! I ____________________ (win) the match.
4. ____________________ (you/sell) your car?
5. I ____________________ (take) my shower yet: I can't come.
V) VOCABULARY
Find the correct definitions.
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A) an award B) to retire C) to praise D) to urge E) to attend F) a scholarship G) a substitute H) training I) to support J) an army |
1) Offering words of homage as an act of worship 2) Financial aid provided to a student on the basis of academic merit 3) The activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities 4) Activity leading to skilled behavior 5) Force or impel in an indicated direction. 6) An organization of military land forces 7) A tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction 8) Be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc. 9) A person or thing that takes or can take the place of another 10) Go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position |
VI) ANSWERS
> Reading Comprehension: 1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (c) 6. (b) 7. (b) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (b)
> Oral Comprehension: American presidents have presented the Teacher of the Year Award to the country’s finest teachers every year since 1952. The goal is to honor teaching and show support for education. President Bush also has expressed special support for a program called Troops to Teachers. This program places retired members of the military in public school teaching jobs.
>
Grammar: