English Profile

English profile is a long- term project in which a group of institutions are working together, such as the British council, Cambridge university press, English UK, and so forth.

The aim of this project is to provide specific, objective and concrete criteria to the common European framework. This information will help learners to know in which level of English they are, not only in terms of skills, but also in terms of vocabulary and grammar.

As far as I am concerned English profile should be adopted in Chile because as learners of English it is useful for us to have access to a web site in which we can find word lists based on corpus that will help us to improve our vocabulary.

Personally, I think that the common European framework should be implemented in our country because it can be useful for learners like us to identify in which level we are. For example, if we know in which level we are, we could buy books that are appropriate for our level and if we want to improve we can buy a book that is more advanced.

Vocabulary


Rod: the rods were used to introduce vocabulary …
Meaning: a long thin pole made of wood or metal
Gr. Info: noun, countable
Collocations: steel rod, fishing rod, hot rod, piston rod, long rod.
Example: the concrete is strengthened with steel rods.
My example: for Christmas I would like to give my father a fishing rod.
Other: idioms: make a rod for your own back; meaning: acting in a way which creates more problems for yourself in the future.

Thwart: …the stimulation of output could thwart the second language acquisition process.
Meaning: to stop something from happening or someone from doing something.
Gr. Info: transitive verb, regular.
Collocations: thwart sb’s plans.
Example: my holiday plans have been thwarted by the strike.
My example: when she came late, she thwarted my plans.
Other: synonyms: upset, frustrate, disappoint, obstruct.

Leisure: buy at leisure
Meaning: the time when you are not working or doing other duties.
Gr. Info: noun, uncountable.
Collocations: leisure activities, leisure time, leisure facilities, leisure center.
Example: the town lacks leisure facilities such as a swimming pool or squash courts.
My example: I wish I could have some leisure time.
Other: idiom: busman's holiday leisure: meaning: time spent doing something similar to what one does at work.

Warehouse: art warehouse gift vouchers for employees…
Meaning: a large building for storing items before they are sold, used or sent out shops.
Gr. Info: noun, countable.
Collocations: furniture warehouse, wine warehouse,
Example: the goods have been sitting in a warehouse for months because a strike has prevented distribution.
My example: I need a new desk; I think I will buy it in a furniture warehouse.
Other: synonym: stockroom, storehouse,

Affordable: the London affordable art fair restricted to UK…
Meaning: not expensive
Gr. Info: adjective
Collocations: affordable prices
Example: nice clothes at affordable prices.
My example: I was reading in a newspaper that nowadays you can find affordable online degrees.
Other: synonyms: reasonable, cheap and inexpensive.

Corpus

Corpus is the study of language, spoken and/or written thanks to a research of test, magazines, conversations of native speakers and so forth. This research is usually stored in a computer database and some of the purposes of the corpora can be the creation of a word frequency list or the creation of dictionaries.

English teachers have to be updated and for that reason they need corpus. Also corpus is a teaching resource for non- native speakers, so it is an important tool for teachers. Finally, corpus can facilitate professors to know more about language acquisition and to help them to improve their labor as educators.

I found a quote that helps me to understand why corpus is important and how can contribute to a professor in the english teaching process.

Language cannot be invented; it can only be captured.

(Sinclair, 1997: 31

1. Acutely: The second language teacher needs to be acutely aware of cultural thought patterns that…

Meaning: Completely and extremely.

Gr.Info: adverb.

Collocations: acutely aware/ anxious7embarrased/ concerned

Example: management is acutely aware of the resentment that their decision may cause.

My example: the government is acutely aware of the global financial crisis.

Other: synonyms: critically, sharply, rigorously.

2. Trigger: social interaction was claimed only to trigger development at the right moment in time.

Meaning: to cause something bad to start.

Gr.Info: Verb- transitive- improver- regular.

Collocations: trigger a reaction, to pull the trigger on,

Example: people find that certain foods trigger their headaches.

My example: at school I learnt that the attack on Pearl Harbor triggers the Second World War.

Other: idioms: quick on the trigger = quick to act, understand or retort

3. Remorse: mainly shock, fear, guilt, remorse, embarrassment….

Meaning: a strong feeling of guilt and regret about something you have done.

Gr.Info: noun

Collocations: fill with remorse, feel remorse for.

Example: after the argument, she was filled with remorse.

My example: I feel remorse for what I did yesterday.

Other: antonyms: good conscience, happiness, indifference, remorselessness, satisfaction.

4. Chiefly: but that children learn to function in a language chiefly through interaction and discourse.

Meaning: mainly, for the most part.

Gr.Info: adverb

Collocations:

Example: the island chiefly attracts upmarket tourist.

My example: I like to watch soup operas, but I am chiefly interested in movies.

Other: synonyms: above all, especially, in general, in the first place, principally.

5. Masquerade: in fact, in some ways mediation theory was really a rational/cognitive theory masquerading as behavioristic.

Meaning: to pretend or appear to be someone or something.

Gr.Info: verb – intransitive - regular

Collocations: masquerade as sb/sth, masquerade ball, masquerade party.

Example: hooligans masquerading as football fans have once again caused disturbances.

My example: sometimes immigrants masquerade as native speakers to avoid discrimination.

Other: quote: The closing years of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped. — Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)