Duncan’s

Some basic things to do:

• Reboot your computer. Reboot your cable/ADSL modem. Reboot means unplug the machine, many machines have a standby mode similar to a TV. Pull the plug out for 10 seconds then reinsert and restart.
• No internet? Reboot the modem. Then reboot your computer. The order is important. The modem needs to update its service details, and then the computer can read these new details. Hence the order.
• No internet or it’s incredibly slow? Have you paid your bill? After a few months service providers like to slow your connection down so that you will be motivated to go to their shop and pay. If you are in Budapest, Hungary and it is UPC then go to the shop at Moskva Ter, it is quick and reliable. You need to go in person if you want to get your connection fixed in a day. If you pay your check at the post office they will not be informed for at least a week. If you do pay at the PO then you can scan and send them the check.

Introduction - From Our Own Correspondent

The BBC has a wide variety of high quality materials. Fortunately for the language learner one of their regular radio broadcasts also comes in a written form. The program is called From Our Correspondent. It is particulary good for language learners as the correspondents have good English pronunciation and wide vocabulary. Each program contains three clips and usually a guest presenter. The variety of accents should improve your listening skills no end.

Exercises (in no particular order)

• Listen twice and make a summary of what you remember. Then read the text and see what you understood and what you missed.
• Listen and read all three. Contrast them and identify which one you like the most, dislike, and why.
• Write a letter of complaint about one of the articles
• Write a letter of praise for one of the articles
• Listen and imitate the the correspondent
• Write an email to a friend about one of the articles
• Review the text and identify structures in the text, e.g.: contrast structures, indicating fact or opinion, identifying signifance of a point.

The articles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm

The audio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/fooc/