Domestic violence

Jacqui Smith on the launch of the public consultation on domestic violence The largest ever government public consultation to tackle violence against women and girls. It includes a review into police powers for dealing with serial perpetrators of domestic violence and a review of the sexualisation of teenage girls.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/03/2009_10_mon.shtml

Justice and criminals

crime vocabulary practice
http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blwordgroups_crime.htm

A letter to a newspaper

You are going to write a letter or email expressing your own opinions in reply to
this letter written to a newspaper.

a As you read the letter, decide whether you basically agree or disagree with the opinions
expressed.

In these days of equality between the sexes, it seems to me perfectly reasonable that, in wartime, women soldiers should be expected to fight alongside their male counterparts on the front line. Unlike your reporter (Ref Why we should continue to protect our women, The Evening Times, Friday 13 April) I firmly believe that, given the right training and experience, women are as physically and mentally tough as men.
In my view, those who claim that women are not capable of fighting effectively because of their emotional make‑up are guilty of simple, old-fashioned sexism.
Jenny Lavender (Manchester)

b make a list of points to include in your email or letter.
‑ if you agree with the writer, think of two additional points to support her argument.
‑ if you disagree, think of two arguments expressing the opposite point of view.
c Plan your writing paragraph by paragraph. Example:

Paragraph 1 State your basic position on the subject, referring to the original letter. Include reference to any relevant experience you have had.
Paragraph 2 Present your first argument.
Paragraph 3 Present your second argument.
Paragraph 4 End with a summary of your views or an additional thought in support of your point of view.

Sample answer
I am in complete agreement with Jenny Lavender. In general, I believe that the majority of women are as well equipped as men to fight on the front line in wartime.
Although I have no direct experience of this myself, several members of my family, men and women, have spent time in the arm forces. With this in mind, I can honestly say that in some the women were better able to cope with the emotional pressures than the men. I have no reason to believe that this would be any different in a wartime situation.
The main reason for my point of view is this: women have been been fighting for equality with men for decades now. In many countries, they have achieved equal pay with men for the same work. Their arguments have always been that the work they did demanded the same skills and abilities as their male colleagues. If we have been convinced by their arguments for equal pay for equal work, how can we possibly deny women the right to fight on the front line in times of war? Secondly, and this may be a controversial point, I believe morale generally would be higher among armies if women were allowed to fight on the front line.

In this situation, which is stressful for everyone concerned, it seems to me that a "normal" mix of men and women could only raise morale.
In conclusion, I believe, as does Jenny Lavender, that the arguments against women becoming front‑line fighters are based on old-fashioned sexist attitudes. Men may want to protect us from the horrors of war, but we need to prove that we are strong enough to fight alongside men.

From Real Writing ed. Cambridge English Skills

Complaining about a service

Dear Sir,
On 23 April I was due to attend an important meeting in Chicago. I had a seat on the 12.15 flight from Heathwick Airport. To make sure I did not miss my flight, I decided to catch the train from my local station. Unfortunately, the train did not arrive until 08.45 and was further delayed due to a 'staff shortage'. We did not leave the station until 10.45. Needless to say, I missed my flight to Chicago. I explained the situation to the airline staff, but still had to buy another ticket. I arrived in Chicago considerably out of pocket and very late for my meeting.

I am now writing to complain about this appalling rail service and to demand a full refund, not only of my rail fare but also of my replacement air ticket.
Please find attached details of these costs.

I look forward to hearing from you. I should be grateful if you would contact me at the above address or by phone.
Yours faithfully,

Job application letter

549 Shaftesbury Road `
Finsbury Park
London N6 4ST
20 February 2006

Ms Angels, Cartwright
Personnel Department
Speed Software Development
150‑154 The Avenue
Croydon CR2 OQU

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing in response to your recent advertisement for an ofice administrator. Please find enclosed my current CV.
I feel I would be suitable for the post for a number of reasons. Firstly I speak excellent English, having recently passed the Cambridge Certificate exam with an A grade.
Secondly, I feel I possess the relevant import and export experience, having previously worked in that department in a French company trading in ________ . During
this time, I gained invaluable experience. I also feel I have social skills and ability to communicate .

On top of all this, I am a dedicated, motivated worker, able to act both independently and also as part of a team. In my last job, I was responsible for _____________. I enjoy new challenges and never give less than my all.

I am available for interview at any time and would be happy to provide references should you require them.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Yours faithfully,

Budget travel tips

Prison education scheme 'failed'

BBC news Thursday, 30 October 2008

Prison education scheme 'failed'




Ministers hope to reduce re-offending rates by improving inmates' education

Schemes to improve prisoners' basic skills and qualifications in English jails have "failed in almost every respect", an MPs' committee has said.
They were of "little practical use" to those serving less than a year and those moving between prisons could find themselves unable to continue.
Only 20% of those who needed help the most had joined a course, MPs said.
But ministers said there had been "significant progress" and the service was "far from failing".
In its report the Commons public accounts committee said helping prisoners improve basic and vocations skills was a major plank of the government's policy to cut reoffending.

Alcohol problems
Many prisoners had "severe" learning problems, nearly 40% had a reading age below that expected of an 11-year-old and half of people in custody had no qualifications, they said.
Since 2006, the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) has handled inmates' education provision in England.
But the committee said only about a fifth of those with "serious literacy or numeracy needs" enrol on a course that would help them and more could be done to motivate them.

It notes there are challenges as many prisoners have mental health, alcohol or drugs problems and the "operational requirements" of prisons had to take priority over learning.
But it says there appeared to be "confusion" over how funding should be prioritised, "tensions" over objectives and a risk that "performance incentives" for those providing the service did not encourage them to reach out to the hardest-to-reach prisoners.
"Payments are made to providers irrespective of offender take-up, attendance or achievement," the report said.
"The programmes currently on offer are likely to be of limited practical use to prisoners serving less than 12 months, and reconviction rates for these prisoners are not improving."
'Far from failing'
It also raised concerns about a lack of assessment of some prisoners, "frequently deficient" learning plans and the lack of a core curriculum, which meant if inmates moved prisons they could find it hard to continue their courses.
The committee's Conservative chairman, Edward Leigh, told the BBC: "The people who are responsible are those who actually run our prisons, they seem to want to have above all a quiet life, they want to have tame prisoners who are locked up.

He added: "I think you want to have a vigorous really committed service which believes in the power of resurrection of these people and says 'I'm going to give these people a life skill'."
In a statement with the report, he added: "OLASS was set up to overcome long-standing problems in the delivery of skills and learning for offenders. In practice, it has failed in almost every respect."
But the government said the report had been based on a National Audit Office study which focused on "very early days" in the service, since when significant changes and a "marked improvement" had been made.
In a joint statement, further education minister Sion Simon and minister for offender management David Hanson MP said the service was "far from failing".
They said nearly 40% of inmates had taken part in training courses in 2007/8, compared with less than 30% when the service before 2006.
"OLASS has made significant progress since its creation with a solid growth in the number of offenders learning new skills," they said.
"All the agencies involved in offender learning will continue to work together and are wholly focused on reducing reoffending through skills and employment."

Describing cities. Zaragoza

Inversion/ adding emphasis

Emphasis using negative introductory expressions

The following expressions can be placed first in a sentence for emphasis. The subject and verb are then inverted.
We use do/does/did if there is no auxiliary.

• little, never, rarely, scarcely:

Never have I seen so many people.

Little did we know that he had followed us.

• no sooner ... than, barely/hardly ... when:

No sooner had he got the job than he asked for a pay rise.
Hardly had I got through the door when the phone rang.

• at no time, under no circumstances, on no account, no way (informal):

Under no circumstances should you let anyone in.

• not since, not for, not a (person/thing), not only ... (but also):

Not since the 90s has he written such a superb novel.
Not a soul did we see on our journey.

Not only do they want a pay increase, they (also) want reduced hours.

• only + time expression or prepositional phrase:

Only now / after all these years has the crime been solved.
Only when I got to the airport did I realise I had forgotten my passport.

B Emphasis through 'fronting' parts of the sentence

'Fronting' involves moving elements of a sentence to the front in order to:

• start with the most important information;

• provide an emphatic contrast with the previous sentence;

• provide a link with what came before by putting known information at the front of the sentence.

Note
In order to avoid ending a clause or sentence with be as a result of fronting, we normally invert the subject and verb.

1 Fronting the object or complement

I don't know what we're going to do. -+ What we're going to do I don't know.
It took me ages to finish that assignment! -+ Ages it took me to finish that assignment!
I don't believe that. -+ That I don't believe!

2 Fronting adverbials and verbs of place or movement (+ inversion)

And now we are in the market place.
Here stood the old Corn Exchange building. Opposite is the church.
We arrived at our camp. Then began the slow process of acclimatisation.
Into the room swaggered the Count.
Note
We don't invert the subject and verb:

• if the subject is a pronoun:
Here stands his statue. Here it stands. Here stands it.

• with time phrases
At eight o'clock went off the alarm clock.

3 Fronting comparative or superlative phrases, so, such (when not followed by a noun), also (+ inversion)

She has made five films to date. Her latest film is particularly good. -+ Particularly good is her latest film.

The storm was so terrible that the ship sank. -+ So terrible was the storm that the ship sank.

His financial position was such that his friends started to worry. -+ Such was his financial position that his friends started to worry.

The house loomed out of the darkness. Also visible were several dogs guarding the door.

4 Fronting as and though
Try as they might, they could not win the race.
Exhausted though he was, he stumbled on.

Making Diet Resolutions Stick

Making Diet Resolutions Stick
with Jonathon E. Stewart
Why make a diet resolution if you can't keep it for more than a week? Try these tips to keep you in check and make your weight loss resolution a habit you keep with you all year long.

Transcript: Making Diet Resolutions StickHey guys - Jonathon Stewart here for About.com. Getting into the habit of eating healthy, nutritious foods will not only help you to lose weight, feel better, and live longer, it will also give you the self-confidence of knowing you can create a positive change in your life. But how do you make a resolution about your diet that you'll actually stick to? Easy-peasey, japanesey! Check it out.
View Your Diet Resolution as a Lifestyle Change First, don't think of what you're doing as restricting yourself from anything. If you're trying to lose weight or cut inches off your body, or just eat more healthy, nourishing foods, think of the endeavor as a change in lifestyle - not as something that you have to eliminate from your life, temporarily or otherwise. This includes making sure that your diet has variety - don't limit yourself to just eating grapefruit in the morning, or cottage cheese at lunch. Take some time to research healthy foods that are high in nutrition and low in fat or excessive carbohydrates, and head to the grocery store with a list. Think of it as a new food exploratory adventure!
Set Realistic Diet ResolutionsNext, be realistic about the goals you set for yourself. With the help of your doctor, a nutritionist, or some well-thought out research online, make a plan and write it down, along with short and long term mileposts. If you're slimming down, aim for losing a half pound to two pounds a week at the most, and be sure to chart your progress as you go. Making an ongoing list of things that you look forward to doing, and how you plan to feel when you reach your goals can help to keep you focused as well. Spend a little time each day specifically concentrating on your new you, and feeling good about yourself as you go.
Find a Diet Resolution Buddy You might also think about recruiting a buddy who shares a similar resolution with you - a spouse, sibling, or good friend can be a great person to plan meals with, just don't let their downfalls suck you in. They should be there to support your success, not the other way around.
Be Aware of Diet Temptations Be able to identify trouble spots that are likely to kick you back into old eating habits, like Tuesday Wing Night after work, or the coffee shop where you once indulged in a daily triple-fat venti mochacino. Find new routines to support your new healthy eating habits, and remember that in every moment, you are in control of what you put in your body. Because the only person who's guiltily stuffing that bacon-wrapped hot dog into your mouth at 3am is you.
Remember to Bounce Back Finally, don't be discouraged by setbacks. There's every likelihood that you may stumble, just don't let it knock you off track. Get back up, dust yourself off, redouble your resolve, and never look back. And before you know it, you really will be a new you.

Thanks for watching! To learn more, visit us on the Web at About.com.

THE OTHER MEDICINE

Every year, one in five of us tries some sort of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) - what's the attraction? And what do we get out of it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/other_medicine_transcript5.shtml

Should we regulate complementary and alternative medicine?

A quarter of the UK population has tried some form of complementary therapy - the most familiar being acupuncture, osteopathy and homeopathy.Osteopathy and chiropractic are regulated, but there is no body that regulates complementary or alternative medicine - and there is no law that says you have to be qualified to practice. The government has just announced it's to look into herbalism and acupuncture and propose statutory regulation, but that leaves a whole raft of therapies with no control. Last Friday Reginald Gill, who called himself a wellness practitioner, was sentenced to a year in prison for deception under the Trades Descriptions Act. He claimed he could cure cancer. Sheila Cracknell tells Jenni how she took him to court after her son Stephen died. So what sort of regulation would prevent quacks setting up as therapists and how can we be sure what works and what doesn't? Edzard Ernst, Profesor of Complementary Medicine at the Peninsula Medical School of the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth and Jayne Goddard, President of the Complementary Medical Association join Jenni to discuss

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2004_10_mon_01.shtml

Britons keen on complementary medicine

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2952969.stm

WHO warns on alternative medicine

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3831931.stm

Comparisons

A Review of comparison:
Comparative structures

• to a higher degree:
Boston is smaller/safer than New York.
Living in the centre is more fashionable these days.
• to the same degree:
Congestion in London is (just) as bad as it is in Paris.
He's as good a policeman as his father was.
Both cities are equally beautiful.
• to a lower degree:
The city is not as/so safe as it used to be.
It's not such a safe city as it used to be.
That's not such a good idea. (implied: as you might think)

2 Superlative structures
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. Prison is the most/least effective way of dealing with such cnmes.

B Modifying comparisons
1 To express a big difference, we can use:
• a great deal, (quite) a lot, considerably, far, (very) much + comparative
It's much easier to get around today.
• by far (and away), easily + superlative
This is easily the best book I've ever read.
• nothing like, not nearly, nowhere near as ... as
Graffiti is nowhere near as serious a crime as murder.
• just about + superlative
He's just about the nicest person I know. (= extremely nice)

2 To express a small difference, we can use:
• barely, a bit, hardly any, a little, scarcely (any), slightly, somewhat + comparative
The house is scarcely bigger than a rabbit hutch.
• nearly, not quite as ... as, much the same as ...
The city is much the same as it was 50 years ago.

C so/such;too/enough (result)
so + adjective + that-clause
The demonstration was so peaceful that most of the police left·
• such a + adjective + noun + that-clause
It was such a peaceful demonstration that most of the police left.
• too + adjective (+ for) + to-infinitive
It was too dangerous (for us) to go out at night.
• (not) adjective + enough (+ for) + to-infinitive
It wasn't safe enough (for us) to go out at night.

D Other types of comparison

1 Repetition of the same comparative form to emphasise increase or decrease:
I'm getting colder and colder / more and more anxious.

2 the ... the to say how a change in one thing affects another:
The more I see you, the more I like you. The less you know, the better.
The longer we stand here in the rain, the worse I feel.

3 To contrast two similar qualities:
His behaviour was more strange than suspicious. (His behaviour was strange rather than suspicious.)
I'm not so much angry as relieved.

E as versus like
1 like + noun = similar to
He looks like a criminal. (but he's not)

2 as + name of job, etc. = role, function
He works as an 'extra' in films. (That's his job.)

F Ways of expressing preferences
We sometimes use comparative forms when expressing preferences:
I'd want/prefer to pay an on-the-spot fine rather than go to court.
I'd (far) sooner/rather live in Chicago than New York.

Past tense for hypothetical meanings: Wish/if only etc.

Past tenses for hypothetical meanings
We use past tenses after the following expressions to describe situations in the present, past or future which are imagined or unreal:

wish / if only, It's (high) time, would rather/sooner, would prefer, as if/though, suppose/supposing, what if

A wish / if only
1 We use wish / if only + past when we want a present situation to be different:
I wish / If only we had more money. (but we haven't)
I wish I was (formal: were) a bit taller. (but I'm not)
2 wish + would is used to express a wish for something to change in the present or future.
• We often use it to criticise or complain about someone or something:
I wish Peter would wear smarter clothes. I wish the weather would improve.
• I wish + would cannot be used to refer to oneself:
I wish I could (not would) stop smoking. (but I can't)
• We cannot use would for an impossible change:
If only the earth was (formal: were) square.

Note
Notice the difference between wish and hope. If we hope something will happen, we believe it is possible and likely:
I hope they will come. (= I want them to and I think it's likely.)
I wish they would come. (= I don't believe it's likely.)

3 We use wish / if only + past perfect to express regret about a past situation:
I wish we'd had something to eat earlier. (but we didn't)
If only I hadn't missed my appointment. (but I did)

4 Differences between wish and if only.
• if only is usually more emphatic than I wish.
• We can put a subject between if and only for emphasis:
If only you / If you only knew what I've been going through.

B It's time
We use this expression to say that something is not happening and it should be:
It's (high) time you gave up playing computer games. (You should give them up!)

C would rather/sooner, would prefer
I'd rather / I'd sooner you didn't ask me for any more money. (Please don't!)
I'd prefer it if you didn't ask me for any more money.

Notes
• If the speaker and the preference are the same, we use an infinitive, not the past tense:
I'd rather/sooner watch TV. (not Fe watch)
I'd prefer to watch TV (not-watch)
• We can also say I'd prefer you not to go.

D as if/ as though
• We use the past after as if/as though to indicate that the situation is unlikely:
He acts as if/though he was (formal: were) a teenager. (In fact, he's in his thirties.)
• We use a present tense to indicate that something is likely:
He looks as if/though he is a teenager. (And he probably is.)

E suppose/supposing, imagine, what if
We use these expressions to ask about an imaginary situation in the present or future, and its possible consequences:
(just) suppose/supposing/imagine you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?
What if you had hurt yourself-what would have happened then?

CONDITIONALS

Conditionals
1 Zero conditional: real events/situations, things which are always true
If means the same as when.
• present + present
If / When I work late, I always get home tired.
• past + past
If / When the weather was bad, we used to stay indoors.

2 First conditional: possible or likely events/situations (future)
If + present + modal verb / present continuous (with future meaning) / going to / imperative
If it snows tomorrow, the match willlmaylcould be cancelled / I'm staying at home.

3 Second conditional: unlikely or unreal situations (present or future)
If + past + would/could/might + infinitive
If you met your favourite actor on the street (unlikely), what would you do?
If I became President (but I won't), I'd build more hospitals. (in the future)
If I were you (but I'm not), I'd take warm clothes. (= advice)

4 Third conditional: unreal/impossible past situations
If + past perfect + wouldlcould/might + have + past participle
If we had known about the blizzard, we wouldn't have set out. (but we didn't know)
If you had listened more carefully (but you didn't), you would have understood. (= criticism)

Mixed conditional structures combine the verb forms from two different conditional patterns. The most common combinations are:
• unreal past + unreal present
If we hadn't got lost, we'd be there by now.
• unreal present + unreal past
If I were a more ambitious person (but I'm not), I'd have become a politician.

Other conjunctions can be used to introduce conditions:
• unless (= if ... not or only if)
Unless the weather improves, we will have to cancel the game. (If the weather doesn't improve ... )
She won't go to sleep unless you tell her a story. (She will only go to sleep if you ... )
• providing/provided (that), on condition that, as/so long as (= only if)
Note
These conjunctions are not used with the third conditional.
I'll lend you the money providing (that) you pay it back. I'd lend you the money as long as you paid it back.
• but for (= if it had not been for, if ... not)
But for your warning, we wouldn't have realised the danger. (If it had not been for your warning, / If you had not warned us, ... )

• whether ... or not (= it doesn't matter which of these situations )
Whether governments like it or not, they have to give more aid to the developing world.
• suppose/supposing, what if (used to talk about imaginary situations)
- The present tense suggests the condition may be fulfilled:
What if your plan fails, what then?
- The past tense suggests the condition is unlikely:
Suppose you won the Lottery, what would you do?
• assuming that (= in the possible situation that) Assuming (that) you're right, we should turn left here.
• in case (as a way of being safe from something that might happen)
Take your umbrella in case it rains.
• otherwise (= if not)
Let's hope the weather improves. Otherwise (= If it doesn't), we'll have to cancel the picnic.
D Omission of if
If can be omitted and the auxiliary verb moved in front of the subject (inversion). this structure is formal.
• should suggests that the condition is unlikely:
Should you ever find yourself in Oxford, we would be glad to see you. (If you should ever ... )
• were suggests that the condition is unlikely:
Were the company to collapse, many people would lose their savings. (If the company collapsed ... )
• had
Had I known earlier that you wanted to join the team, I'd
have put your name on the list. (If I had known ... )
My horse would have won had he not fallen at the final fence. ( ... if he had not fallen ... )

Conditional sentences

The first conditional
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode24/languagepoint.shtml?postcard_dropdown=Episodes&x=7&y=11

The second conditional
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1159_gramchallenge38/

The third conditional
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv356.shtml

mixed conditionals
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv344.shtml

Inversion in conditional sentences

Is the sentence Hadn't it been for?...(as an alternative to Had it not been for?...) correct or incorrect?

www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv342.shtml

Climate change

US scientists have reported that humans have had a significant influence on the earth's climate over the last ten thousand years. This report by Richard Black:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/031224_witn.shtml

More people recycle their rubbish

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4240000/newsid_4244700/4244776.stm

Hear story

Q&A: Eco-towns

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7481457.stm

Prosecution vow for fly tippers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6225803.stm

Illegal dumping of rubbish in the Welsh countryside is a growing problem, according to environment officials.