Accomplishments of Our Intermediate Reading Class

The Intermediate Reading class of the Loyola Intensive English Program, taught by LIEP instructor Karen Greenstone, can be very proud of our accomplishments this semester. We read widely and became more fluent readers in English.


PLEASURE READING


We expanded our reading ability in English by reading two or more individually chosen books for pleasure over the course of the semester. Choices included unabridged versions of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum, and The Baby Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin, as well as abridged versions of  other novels and non-fiction books.

An array of pleasure reading books

We read our pleasure books, kept thoughtful reading journals, and discussed our books with our instructor and occasionally in class.


READING SKILLS

A well-worn copy of More Reading Power 3

In class, we worked on reading skills, using More Reading Power 3, 3rd edition, by Linda Jeffries and Beatrice S. Mikulecky from Pearson Longman, as well as an occasional current newspaper or magazine article

• We scanned articles to find specific facts very quickly.
• We skimming articles to get a quick view of their ideas and usefulness.
• We identified organizational patterns, main ideas, and supporting details.
• We read between the lines to understand what is implied but not stated.
• We summarized and outlined.
• We learned which words to guess at and which words to look up.
• We found ways to practice and retain new vocabulary.
• We improved our reading speed and comprehension, and we made decisions about when to read quickly and when to read slowly.

BECOMING EFFECTIVE READERS

We worked diligently on increasing the ability to read more quickly with good comprehension so that reading becomes more enjoyable. More Reading Power 3 helped us with this by provided several series of 600-word articles on the same subject. We timed ourselves reading these and answered comprehension questions, getting faster and more accurate over the course of the semester.

The film Houdini stars Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh

In the first half of the semester, we focused on the fascinating life of Ehrich Weiss, who became the great magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini. We followed Houdini, beginning with his immigration to the United States from Hungary with his parents, through his years as a hard-working stage magician and then his success as a well-known and thrilling escape artist, to his death of sudden appendicitis. After completing the story of Houdini, we gave ourselves the treat of watching the 1953 film Houdini with Tony Curtis as Houdini and Janet Leigh as Houdini's wife, Bess. The film brings to life some of Houdini's most spectacular escape feats.

The film Black Beauty shows a life of work
from the point of view of a horse

Our focus in the second half of the semester was on reading about interesting and unusual work. We read about dog sitting in New York City, street performing in Paris, butterfly farming in Kenya, beautifying fingernails and toenails in the United States, and other interesting occupations. Our treat after these work-related readings was to watch the 1994 film Black Beauty, about the work life of a horse and his humans.

Congratulations to the students of the LIEP Intermediate Reading class for these accomplishments in becoming more fluent readers in English this semester!

Dramatic Performance: Horrible Bosses

Our previous post shared scenes from the first of two end-of-semester dramatic performances by students in the Advanced Listening/Speaking class of the Loyola Intensive English Program, taught by LIEP instructor Jess Haley. The first play was Complicated Love. This post will share scenes from the second of the two plays, Horrible Bosses.


BEST ACTRESS AND BEST ACTOR


The titles of Best Actress and Best Actor were awarded to Horrible Bosses performers Sister Kim Dung Bui of Vietnam and to Andy Li of China. Look for Sister Kim Dung and for Andy in the scenes below!


HORRIBLE BOSSES


In Horrible Bosses, three unreasonable bosses create problems for their employees -- until the employees become fed up and plot revenge!


Below, the first horrible boss rages at his employee for being just two minutes late for work.

Alicia Lucidi of France as employee and Andy Li  of China as boss

The second horrible boss makes unreasonable demands of his employee.

Inajara Da Costa Nunes of Brazil as employee and Alex Ajavi as boss 

The third horrible boss is furious at his employee for rearranging the office furniture. He has forgotten that he moved the furniture himself!

Fahad Almutairi of Kuwait as boss and Sister Kim Dung Bui of Vietnam as employee 

Finally, the three employees meet to discuss their horrible bosses. They decide to invite their bosses to a party where they will serve food that will make their bosses sick, thus getting their revenge!

Sister Kim Dung Bui of Vietnam, Inajara Da Costa Nunes of Brazil, and Alicia Lucidi of France as the employees meeting to plot revenge on their horrible bosses

A big thank-you to the students of the Advanced Listening/Speaking class and to LIEP instructor Jess Haley for presenting two exciting plays: Complicated Love and Horrible Bosses!


Our congratulations to Best Actress Sister Kim Dung Bui of Vietnam and to Best Actor Andy Li of China!

Dramatc Performance: Complicated Love

On Monday, April 30, the students in the Advanced Listening/Speaking class of the Loyola Intensive English Program, taught by LIEP instructor Jess Haley, completed their semester with two dramatic performances: Complicated Love and Horrible Bosses.

This post will share with you some scenes from Complicated Love. Our next post will share scenes from Horrible Bosses.

COMPLICATED LOVE

Complicated Love follows the love-life of a young man named Vincent who professes love for three women in his search for one true love.

First, Vincent declares his love for Vita.

James Zhang of China as Vincent and Helena Posada of Nicaragua as Vita

But then Vincent notices Clare, whom he has for years believed to be his sister. Clare surprises Vincent with the news that she is not related to him after all.

James Zhang of China as Vincent and Ying Liao of China as Clare

Vincent's third love interest is Karen, Vita's boss.

James Zhang of China as Vincent and Nicole Rios of Nicaragua as Karen

Vincent decides to marry Vita, but Karen storms into the wedding and attacks Vincent! She knocks him out, and he ends up in the hospital in a coma!

James Zhang of China as Vincent, Jinhee Lee of Korea as the priest, Helena Posada of Nicaragua as Vita, Nicole Rios of Nicaragua as Karen, and Marietta Rivero of Mexico as the Narrator

The doctor announces that it is not known if Vincent will ever wake up. Vita is not willing to spend her life caring for Vincent. She says goodbye and leaves him.

Jinhee Lee of Korea as the doctor, James Zhang as Vincent, and Helena Posada as Vita

Ten years later, Vincent wakes up from his coma to find that Clare has cared for him all this time. The two profess undying love!

Ying Liao of China as Clare and James Zhang of China as Vincent

Our thanks to the cast of Complicated Love and to LIEP Instructor Jess Haley for a very enjoyable performance!

Our next post will share scenes from the second play, Horrible Bosses.