Essential French - Fleurs

Sunflower - Tournesol

Tulip - Tulipe

Hibiscus - Hibiscus

Marigold - Souci

Daisy - Marguerite, pâquerette

Rose - Rosa

Gardenia - Gardénia

Orchid - Orchidée

Carnation - œillet

Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthème

Iris - Iris

Jasmine - Jasmin

Violet - Violette

Poinsettia - Poinsettia

Lily - Lis, lys

Crocus - Crocus

Daffodil - Jonquille

Bouquet - Bouquet

Thorn - Épine

Houseplant - Plante d'intérieur

Francisco Garrido 
Licenciado en Educación

Pictionary Dictionary - Flowers / Flores

Sunflower - Girasol

Tulip - Tulipan 

Hibiscus - Hibisco

Marigold - Maravilla / Clavelón

Daisy - Margarita

Rose - Rosa

Gardenia - Gardenia

Orchid - Orquídia

Carnation - Clavel

Chrysanthemum - Crisantemo

Iris - Lirio

Jasmine - Jazmín

Violet - Violeta

Poinsettia - Flor de Nochebuena 

Lily - Azucena / Lirio

Crocus - Azafrán

Daffodil -Narciso / Trompón

Bouquet - Ramo / Ramillete 

Thorn - Espina

Houseplant - Planta de Interior 

Francisco Garrido 
Licenciado en Educación

Sydney Bristow - Personal Information

• ID-CLASS: USS-CI-2300844
• Call signs:
  • Bluebird (CIA call sign at SD-6)
  • Freelancer (CIA, while a double agent at SD-6)
  • Mountaineer (CIA)
  • White Rabbit
  • Nightwing
  • Phoenix (APO)
• Aliases: Julia Thorne, Kate Jones  
• Height: 5'8"
• Weight: 120lbs
• Characteristics: L/R Shoulders reverse-jointed, R01 Molar extraction.
• Training/Special Skills: Krav Maga, track and field, Pilates, Linguistics, Theatre Arts, and electromagnetic lock picking.
• Languages: English (various dialects), Czech, French, Taiwanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hebrew, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Hungarian, Uzbek, Urdu, German and Swedish.
• Education: Masters in English Literature, graduated in February of 2003.
• Experience: Recruited to SD-6 Fall of her 19th year, started work with the CIA Fall of her 26th year, first generation (possible test subject) of Jack Bristow's Project Christmas Program. 

Link: http://alias.wikia.com/wiki/Sydney_Bristow

Structure and Content (TOEIC)

Of the four major language skill areas (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking, and writing), TOEIC only evaluates two: reading and listening comprehension.

Section	Parts	Númber of Questions	Time
Listening Comprehension	Scene-sentence matching	10	45 minutes (100 questions)
	Questions-Response	30
	Short Conversations	30
	Short Talks	30
Reading Comprehension	Sentence Completion	40	75 minutes (100 questions)
	Text Completion	12
	Comprehension Textos	48

Score descriptors

TOEIC Listening and Reading test questions are based on a variety of real-world settings and situations:

• Corporate Development — research, product development
• Dining Out — business lunches, banquets, receptions, reservations
• Entertainment — cinema, theater, music, art, exhibitions, museums, media
• Finance and Budgeting — banking, investments, taxes, accounting, billing
• General Business — contracts, negotiations, mergers, marketing, sales, warranties, business planning, conferences, labor relations
• Health Care — medical insurance, visits to doctors, dentists, clinics and hospitals
• Housing/Corporate Property — construction, specifications, buying and renting, electric and gas services
• Human Resources — recruiting, hiring, retiring, promoting, job applications, job advertisements, salaries, pensions, awards
• Manufacturing — assembly lines, plant management, quality control
• The Office — procedures, board meetings, committees, letters, memos, telephone, fax and email messages, equipment
• Purchasing — shopping, ordering supplies, shipping, invoicing
• Technical Areas — electronics, technology, computers, laboratories and related equipment, technical specifications
• Travel — trains, airplanes, taxis, buses, ships, ferries, tickets, schedules, station and airport announcements, car rentals, hotels, reservations, delays and cancellations

Source: http://gmatbarcelona.com/en/toeic-test-center/structure-and-content/

Common reference levels (Wikipedia)

The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions that can be divided into six levels:

A Basic User

A1 Breakthrough or beginner

A2 Waystage or elementary

B Independent User

B1 Threshold or intermediate

B2 Vantage or upper intermediate

C Proficient User

C1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced

C2 Mastery or proficiency

The CEFR describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level.

level group	A
level group name	Basic User
level	A1	A2
level name	Breakthrough or beginner	Waystage or elementary
description	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B
Independent User
B1	B2
Threshold or intermediate	Vantage or upper intermediate
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

C
Proficient User
C1
Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

C2
Mastery or proficiency
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

These descriptors can apply to any of the languages spoken in Europe, and there are translations in many languages.

Deutsche Welle suggests A1 is reached with about 75 hours of German tuition, A2.1 with about 150 hours, A2.2 with about 225 hours, B1.1 with about 300 hours, and B1.2 with about 400 hours.^[5]

Cambridge ESOL said that each level is reached with the following guided learning hours: A2, 180–200; B1, 350–400; B2, 500–600; C1, 700–800, and C2, 1,000–1,200.^[6]

Alliance Française has stated students can expect to reach CEFR levels after the following cumulative hours of instruction: A1 60–100, A2 160–200, B1 360–400, B2 560–650, C1 810–950, C2 1060–1200.^[7]

^{Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages}

Advanced Level - Confident Communicative Skills

Speaking

Advanced level English learners feel comfortable participating in most everyday conversations and can express themselves with ease and provide detail. They may feel challenged in situations where they are called upon to speak in public, but feel capable of doing so. At work, they can easily participate in every aspect of meetings, conference calls, etc. Their pronunciation only rarely gets in the way of comprehension.

Writing

English leaners at this level feel comfortable writing extended letters and e-mails, as well as writing business reports and shorter essays. They may still need proof-reading help from time to time, but are capable of complex structures and use a wide range of linking language.

Reading

Learners at the advanced level enjoy reading extensively in their own interests areas, and will sometimes read books in English for their own pleasure. When they come across challenging vocabulary, they have little problem in understanding the contextual meaning.

Listening

Learners can comprehend almost any conversation or entertainment format. They only rarely have problems when listening to very topic specific areas in which have little competence. They have no problem understanding others in both one to one conversations, and in more complex situations such as dinner with a number of friends, or business meetings.

Source:  http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/a/ESL-Level-Rubric_4.htm

Essential French - L'Essentiel

Learn basic French vocabulary and phrases.

  Even if you're just going to France for a week, you should know some survival French - a few essential words and phrases that you'll use over and over. This is a somewhat miscellaneous list of the basics, so be sure to follow the links at the end for even more essential French like "hello" and "please."

Je parle (un peu de) français
   I speak (a little) French.

Parlez-vous anglais ?
   Do you speak English?

Comment ?
   What?

Je ne comprends pas.
   I don't understand.

Que veut dire ___ ?
   What does ___ mean?

Répétez, s'il vous plaît.
   Repeat, please.

Plus lentement
   More slowly

Encore une fois
   One more time

Comment dit-on ___ en français ?
   How do you say ___ in French?


Je ne sais pas
   I don't know

J'ai une question
   I have a question

J'ai un problème
   I have a problem


oui     yes
non     no
si     yes (in reponse to a negative question)
d'accord     OK


et     and
ou     or


qui     who
quoi     what*
quand     when
où     where
pourquoi     why
comment     how

*Be careful, there are several ways to say "what" in French

Source:  http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/essentialfrench.htm

COLORS - LES COULEURS

Learn the French words for colors.

	masc sing.	fem sing.	masc plural	fem plural
purple	violet	violette	violets	violettes
blue	bleu	bleue	bleus	bleues
green	vert	verte	verts	vertes
yellow	jaune	jaune	jaunes	jaunes
orange	orange	orange	orange	orange
red	rouge	rouge	rouges	rouges
black	noir	noire	noirs	noires
white	blanc	blanche	blancs	blanches
grey	gris	grise	gris	grises
brown	marron	marron	marron	marron
pink	rose	rose	roses	roses
light blue	bleu clair	bleu clair	bleu clair	bleu clair
dark blue	bleu foncé	bleu foncé	bleu foncé	bleu foncé

The plurals of French colors are pronounced exactly like the singular ones. The sound files include the pronunciation of the masculine singular/plural adjective followed by the feminine singular/plural adjective. If there is only one word pronounced, it is because that color is pronounced exactly the same whether it is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.

Note that using the modifiers light (clair) or dark (foncé) makes the color invariable - it does not change to agree in gender or number: une chemise vert clair - light green shirt

Source:  http://french.about.com/library/begin/bl_colors.htm

French Introductions - Les Présentations

Learn how to introduce yourself and others in French

 When you meet French speakers, you need to know how to introduce yourself and what to say when you are introduced. Here are some useful expressions related to French introductions - click the links to listen to each expression in French.

Introducing yourself

   Je me présente.
   Let me introduce myself.

   Je m'appelle...
   My name is...

   Je suis...
   I am...

   Mon prénom est...
   My (first) name is...


Introducing others

   Je vous présente... (formal and/or plural)
   Je te présente... (informal)
   I'd like to introduce...

   Voici...
   This is...

   Il s'appelle...
   His name is...

   Elle s'appelle...
   Her name is...


Meeting people

   Comment vous appelez-vous ? (formal and/or plural)
   Comment t'appelles-tu ? (informal)
   What is your name?

   Enchanté / Enchantée.
   It's nice to meet you.


Practice!

   Quiz on introductions

   Listening exercise: Greetings and introductions


French words to watch out for

   prénom - first name, given name

   nom - last name, family name, surname

   surnom - nickname

   introduire - to insert. Don't use this French verb when talking about introducing one person to another - it's a false cognate. The correct verb when making introductions in French is présenter.

 Source:  http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/introductions.htm

Politeness - French Phrases

When traveling in France, being polite is absolutely essential - be sure you know how to say "please" and "thank you" at the very least. Click any link to hear that word pronounced.

please
   s'il vous plaît (plural or formal)
   s'il te plaît (singular and familiar)*

please + verb (for example, "please excuse me")
   veuillez + infinitive (veuillez m'excuser)

thank you
   merci

thank you very much
   merci beaucoup
   merci bien

bless you! (thank you so much)
   mille fois merci

More ways to express gratitude


you're welcome
   de rien

it was my pleasure
   je vous en prie (plural or formal)
   je t'en prie (singular and familiar)*

don't mention it
   pas de quoi


pardon me, I beg your pardon
   pardon

excuse me
   excusez-moi

I'm sorry to disturb/bother you
   Excusez-moi de vous déranger

I'm sorry
   je suis désolé(e)


cheers
   à votre santé (plural or formal)
   à ta santé (singular and familiar)*

enjoy your meal
   bon appétit !


bless you (after a sneeze - learn more)
   à vos souhaits (plural or formal)
   à tes souhaits (singular and familiar)*


Sir, Mr.
   Monsieur

Ma'am, Mrs.
   Madame

Miss
   Mademoiselle   (learn more)


*Not sure which one to use? See my lesson on tu vs vous

Source: http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/politeness.htm