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Vocabulary | Describing Books and Films

  • Choose an adjective and describe a book or film which fits this category.

    How many sentences before your partner guesses correctly?

Speaking |
Talk about a book which...

had an implausible Plot.

didn't live up to the blurb.

had an awful ending.

Pre-Reading | "Time to rename the spoiler"

  • What is a spoiler?
  • Has anyone ever spoiled a film, a book, a sports match or anything else for you by telling you how it ended?
  • Does knowing the ending affect your enjoyment?

Reading | "Time to rename the spoiler"

  • How did the reading experiment work? What was the outcome?
  • What possible reasons does the writer give for this outcome?
  • What's the writer's overall conclusion?

Reading | "Time to rename the spoiler"

  • Would you ever read the last page of a book first, or ask a friend how a film or sports event ends? Why [not]?
  • Do you ever re-read books, or watch films or sports matches a second time?
  • Does knowing the end change the experience for you?

Grammar | Adding Emphasis, Inversion

What is unusual about the word order?
What is the effect of putting the adverbial expressions at the beginning?

Grammar | Adding Emphasis, Inversion

  • Commonly with negative adverbial expressions for emphasis and dramatic effect.
    • I have not only seen the film ->
      • Not only have I seen the film, [but] I have also read the book.
    • We won't buy the next book until you behave.
      • Not until you behave will we buy you the book.
  • With the present or past simple forms, use 'do' or 'did'
    • You not only forgot to shut the window...
      • Not only did you forget to shut the window, you also left the door unlocked!
  •  Also used with expressions 'only when/then', 'hardly/scarcely' and 'rarely', etc.
    • I finally got to the train station, only then was I able to relax.
    • Rarely have I met such a self-absorbed person.
  • Use only occasionally for dramatic effect. Do not overuse, or risk sounding unnatural!

Grammar Practice | Retelling Events

  • Retell conversations or activities that happened during your week. Try to make them sound dramatic.
     
  • Use: only after..., No sooner... than I realised..., Never in the history of...,  Not until the last moment..., Not only, but...

Pre-Reading |
Translation Diary

  • Would you prefer to read a book written in English in the original version or translated into your language?
  • Would you prefer to watch an English-language film subtitled or dubbed? Why?

Pre-Reading |
Translation Diary

  • Read the introduction to a blog post by the translator Daniel Hahn. Why do you think he says translation is 'both simple and impossible'?

Pre-Reading |
Translation Diary

  • Here is a 'rough translation' of a scene. Make sure you understand every word.
  • How do you picture the scene? Where are the two people and how are they feeling?

Reading |
Translation Diary

  • Read parts 2 - 6, circling the changes in each version. How does it change what you understand?

Post-Reading |
Translation Diary

  • Have you ever tried to do a translation?
  • Do you think bad translations could have a significant impact on life, society and relationships (consider: legal documents, political discourse, cultural miscommunication, etc.)?
  • Do you think enhancements in machine translation will alleviate these issues?
  • Is it OK for companies to rely on machine translation and AI for their communications, to save money, rather than using human translators or interpreters?
  • What do you think you could learn from Daniel's blog about improving your own writing?

Pre-Listening |
In interview with a professional translator

  • In pairs, build a list of 5 questions you might ask Beverly Johnson, a professional translator, about her job.
    • e.g. How many words can you translate ina day?
    • Are you paid per project, per word translated or per page?
    • Is your job under threat by modern technology?

       
  • Predict her answers to your questions.

 

Listening |
Part One

Listening |
Part Two

Listening |
Part Three

Post-Listening |
Reaction

  • Do you agree with Beverly about the points she made?
  • Would you consider working as a translator or interpreter?

For Fun | Mistranslations

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By Adam Wyett

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