London is our classroom - A new makeover for our Intensive General English course this summer
It’s that time of the year again: Wimbledon; strawberries and cream; music festivals; hay fever; deckchairs; picnics in the park; ice cream; barbecues; and, of course, sunburn. Summer in London is all of these things and more.
London is a great place to be, especially in the summer. The whole city buzzes with excitement as everyone heads down to the park to play games and have a picnic or go swimming in the famous lidos or the outdoor pools in Hampstead. Despite its reputation as being a rainy city, London receives less rain than Rome, Bordeaux or Naples. Summers in the city are generally very pleasant, the heat being boosted by the urban heat island effect making the centre of London at times 5 °C warmer than the suburbs and outskirts. So we try to make the most of it by staying out all day catching some rays before going to the nearest beer garden for an ice-cold drink.
Here at the school we’re getting ready for the summer by revamping our General English courses, and if you’re returning to study general English with us, you may notice a few changes. For the past few months we’ve been writing some pretty special lessons and activities just for the summer. Building on the success of ourmodular courses, we’ve created a new afternoon programme of lessons for our General English learners which we hope will be as useful as they are interesting. We’ll also be using London as a classroom like never before, with activities and visits planned throughout the summer months. We will be running special educational walks every Wednesday afternoon, taking students out to some of the most fascinating parts of the city. And we’re giving our students the chance to vote on where they go next!
If you’re coming to join us in the sunshine – or even if you aren’t – follow us on Twitter or keep an eye on our Facebook page to see how the summer goes!
Glossary
hay fever - (n.) a seasonal medical condition like a bad cold which is caused by pollen
deckchair - (n.) a folding chair with a long sheet of cloth often used in public parks, beach or on ships
to buzz with excitement - (fixed expression) a lot of activity and excitement within a group of people or place
to head down to - (phr. v.) to go towards
lido - (n.) an outdoor swimming pool with an area for sunbathing
urban heat island – (n. phr.) a metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities
suburbs /outskirts – (n.) the outer parts and surrounding areas of a city
to make the most of something - (fixed expression) to get as much use or enjoyment as possible out of something
catch some rays – (idiom) to sunbathe
beer garden - (n.) an area with seats outside a pub
revamping - (v.) giving a new and improved structure and appearance
fascinating - (adj.) very interesting
keep an eye on – (idiom) to check/look at regularly
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