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Legendary shoe shop to shut store for good as string of locations have already disappeared in 'end for high street'

(1º§) The retailer, which has more than 300 stores, has confirmed it'll shut for good at High Street in Newcastle under Lyme by the end of 2023. It comes after Clarks announced that it'll pull down the shutters in High Street Inverness before the end of this month. It'll also shut in Westwood Cross Shopping Centre in Kent in mid-November.

(2º§) Several Clarks stores closed earlier this year too, with its branch in Fareham Shopping Centre shutting on August 5 and the Dundee store closing on July 25. Before this, it closed the doors on two stores in Kent in Ashford and Gillingham at the end of 2022. Shoppers have reacted with disappointment at the Newcastle closure, with one writing on social media: "The end of the high street it's all gone now." While another added: "Another one so sad." And a third said: "I can't cope with this."

(3º§) A Clarks spokesperson told The Sun: "We have a strong duty of care to all our employees, and we are working closely with the store team as they now go through a period of consultation. "Customers can continue to shop from our full range of products online and at our nearby Clarks stores in Leek, Crewe and Nantwich, as well as our outlet store in Talke." The popular footwear chain was founded in 1825 and operated across over 1,400 stores and franchises internationally at its peak. But as of July 2023, the brand had just 320 stores.

(4º§) Clarks brought in management consultants McKinsey & Co to help with restructuring plans after posting a £82.9million post-tax loss in 2019. It was then rescued from the brink of collapse with a £100million investment deal by private equity firm LionRock Capital.

(5º§) A Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was agreed which saw the Clarks family lose overall control of the company. A CVA allows firms that have run out of cash to look at ways to save the business, such as reducing rent rates with landlords. Companies often agree to a CVA to avoid insolvency, which can lead to closures or the whole business going bust.

(6º§) More than 50 stores were set to close following this announcement in November 2020 - but dozens more have shut since then. All is not lost for shoppers though, as the retailer has also relocated and opened new shops in recent months. The brand opened a new store on East Street in Taunton in April following the closure of its original high street store.

(7º§) Clarks also opened up a new store in Newcastle's Eldon Square shopping centre on May 14. Meanwhile, fellow footwear retailer Shoezone is pulling down the shutters on another store in its latest round of closures. Plus, we have the full list of 78 shops closing this week including Wetherspoons and House of Fraser. The cost of living crisis on top of a rise in online shopping has made it tougher than ever for businesses to keep physical stores open. Retailers and shoppers alike are also hit hard by stubbornly high energy costs and inflation.

Fonte: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/24188403/clarks-shop-close-high-street/

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What's the best way to learn receptive skills?

Miranda Hamilton

July 26, 2021

We often think of speaking and writing as the most challenging of the four language skills but what about the receptive skills? With reading, learners have time to think, but listening in another language presents a very different set of challenges for the learner. How often have we heard learners complain ‘it’s too fast, teacher!’? So how can you help?

Some guides are designed to help teachers understand the subskills of listening, with activities, tips and strategies to help you develop your learners’ listening skills as they prepare for their exams.

Here are just a few of the ideas from the guides for you to try with your learners. They will work at all levels.

How many words?

This micro listening is a great activity to try towards the end of your listening lesson, when learners have already heard the recording, so they know the speakers’ voices and the topic.

• Select a short phrase, of around 10 words, from the listening you have just completed. Set up the audio so you are ready to press ‘Play’.

• Tell the learners to listen and count the number of words they hear. You will need to play the audio several times. Pairs discuss. Take a range of answers from the class, but don’t tell them the answer just yet.

• Write the phrase on the board and count the number of words with the class. Who was the closest?

• Now ask them to listen and read the phrase at the same time. This time they have to decide which words they hear most clearly, in other words, you want them to notice the stressed words. Ask why they think they heard these words most clearly. Explain that stressed words carry the key information.

This micro listening activity helps raise learners’ awareness of sounds, helping them notice the stressed words and preparing them to listen for key information.

Support every learner

In mixed-ability classes, put a few simple strategies in place so the whole class can listen to the same recording, and take part in the same activity. This means that no learner feels lost or left behind.

• Make the gap-fill or sentence-completion task more achievable and supply the first letter of the missing word. Alternatively supply the first and the final letter and indicate how many letters the missing word has.

• Provide an additional layer of support for weaker learners by giving them the audio script. They can read the script as they listen and use it to help them find the correct answers.

Prepare to listen, prepare to understand

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to hand out the listening task and press ‘Play’. Time spent in class before listening means learners are better prepared to understand.

• Before you listen, have a class discussion around the topic of the listening. This gives learners the opportunity not only to practice their speaking, but also to practice listening to one another. A good discussion will make them think about the main ideas they might hear when they listen. • Useful vocabulary always comes out of a class discussion, creating a very natural way to pre-teach vocabulary before they listen. Useful language linked to a discussion is easier to learn because learners have a context, which makes it easier to remember than pre-teaching vocabulary from a wordlist.

• Take your time to discuss the task and check understanding. Encourage the class to reflect on their discussion and predict the answers. Remember to write their predictions on the board. Did they guess correctly? It doesn’t matter if they did or not, what matters is that they are prepared and ready to listen to see if they were right.

Feeling prepared to listen means learners feel confident and ready to understand, both in the classroom and in their exam.

Adapted from: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/blog/whats-the-best-way-tolearn-receptive-skills

Read this text to answer questions 24, 25 and 26.

In today's dynamic job market, various skills are highly valued by employers, such as effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. As well, technical proficiency is often a prerequisite for many positions. It is crucial for individuals to continuously enhance their skills, whether through formal education or self-directed learning. As the professional landscape evolves, staying abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies is essential. It's not only about acquiring new knowledge but also applying it in real-world scenarios. Embracing a diverse skill set, such as both soft skills and technical expertise, can significantly enhance one's employability. As well, cultivating a proactive and collaborative mindset is instrumental in navigating the challenges of the contemporary workplace.

TEXT III – Tema: As novas tecnologias na sala de aula de Língua Inglesa

Is Technology Taking Over Classrooms?

(Available from: https://citedatthecrossroads.net/eng101f13/2013/10/27/is-technology-taking-over-classrooms/ Accessed on July 8^th , 2023)