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Email
A.
Do you ever use email? With whom? Do you ever send email in English?
B.
Here is an email from a work colleague in the main office to a colleague
who is abroad trying to improve his English.
Read it and then decide which is the best reply from the three options
below.
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From:
Tina Goodyear
To: lee@hotmail.com
Date: 11 July 1998 09.45
Subject: News from the office
Just
to let you know what's happening here at the office. On
Monday we got the new software package and yesterday we
met the guy who's going to train us. He was really nice.
We had lunch together and decided to start the training
next month, when you're back here. We didn't finalize the
dates. Please let me know what's best for you.
I
also spoke to everyone about the office party. Most people
wanted to go out to a restaurant but some preferred the
idea of a dance at the local discotheque. What do you think?
Hope
you're enjoying the English classes!
Keep
in touch, Tina.
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Now read the replies and choose the best one.
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To:
conogo@entel.net
Subject: Reply to your mail
Thanks
for your mail. The English classes are going well. Regarding
the training, any time after the 10th is fine for me. The
plans for the party sound good.
Regards,
Chris
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To:
conogo@entel.net
Subject: Reply to your mail
Thanks
for the message. Glad you got the software on time. I'll
definitely be back for training.
As
for the party, count me in! The English course is going
good.
Regards,
Chris.
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To:
conogo@entel.net
Subject: Reply to your mail
Thanks
for your mail. Re. the training course, I'll be away next
month after the 20th, so before then is best for me.
I'm
looking forward to the party - I prefer the restaurant plan.
The
English course is good but hard work!
Regards,
Chris
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C.
Why did you choose the one you did?
Teacher's
notes
In
this activity students have the opportunity to practice reading
verbs in the past simple in a realistic context. This activity will
be made much easier if your students are already familiar with email.
The activity focuses on the point that emailing is much simpler
and quicker than writing a letter (snail mail), but that there are
still things to remember such as getting the level right, i.e. not
being too 'chatty', and being careful to address all the points
in it.
B. The correct answer is the third mail, as it answers both questions,
i.e. the best dates for the training and the preference for the
party, and is not too 'chatty' or conversational.
C.
If students have difficulty picking an answer help them by asking
how many points need answering and what they are.
As
a follow-up, you can get your students to write their own version
of Chris's reply or a quick reply from Tina to Chris's email, e.g.
Chris, Thanks for getting back to me. I'm glad the classes are good.
See you soon, Tina.
Key
B. 3
If you have any suggestions, comments or requests, please e-mail eltweb@cambridge.org
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