Maintain your level in a foreign language

How have you maintained your level of a foreign languages?  I read and listened a lot.  My work only requires reading technical English. No speaking nor writing is required. Somehow I can write and speak without  hassle.

Rewriting a writing assignment The reading passage and the lecture have opposing views regarding the benefits of scholars appearing on television. Does it help or harm them? According to the reading passage, the participation on the news of professors helps them because they and the university where they work become known by the general public. Their authority on their research subjects become recognized. Besides, it servers as publicity of the universities. The public reaps benefits as well because they receive deeper comments on the subject. In other hand, the lecture states that the appearance on television harms the professors because their peers will regard them as not serious scholars. That could mean not receiving invites to conferences or being declined fund for their research projects. Besides, appearing on television means wasted time in unnecessary travels and tasks like makeup. Finally, the lecturer doubts the public gain anything from having an accomplish scholar because the television is more interested in the title than in the knowledge.

Pride and Prejudice - chapter 1 Mr. Bingley was a rich man. When he rented Netherfield Park, Mrs. Bennet saw an opportunity for one of her daughters to get married. She talked about it with her husband asking him to visit Mr. Bingley because, only after that, it was proper for her or their daughters to go to the new neighbor's home. Mrs. Bennet was dismayed with her husband's refusal to visit Mr. Bingley. Vocabulary Note: most of the unknown words are different meanings of common words. I took the definitions from Merrian Webster Dictionary. 1) fixed - held to tenaciously and often blindly or obsessively 2) to let - (chiefly British) rent, lease chaise - a vehicle pulled by horse 3) to design - to plan or intend to start out on a trip or course 4) to engage - to become pledged or answerable - garantee, promise - usually used with for 5) scrupulous - diligent, through, and extremely attentive to details to abuse - obsolete - to speak falsely of - misrepresent 6) to vex - to make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters

English Study Group for Advanced Students

I would like to form or join a study group with other advanced English students (C1 and C2 levels). I have little hope of finding a willing native English language partner. The reason is obvious: few want to learn Brazilian Portuguese. Another important point is that teaching someone else is the best way to learn. These are the activities I have in mind:

1) Each will explain to the group what they learned.

2) The group will discuss an article previously chosen.

3) The group will discuss prompts for advanced students.

I'm open to suggestions but, for all this to work, dedication and punctuality are essential.

Booking a Class

I've booked two classes here in italki. The first one I just booked. No message was sent to the teacher at all.  I have filled my profile and taken the the Oxford Online Placement Test.  So,  the teacher can have a good idea of my level.  Nevertheless,  I felt like I should have contacted her first.  At least I booked with some days in advance.  She could contact me if it were necessary. 

The second teacher I contacted before hand. I felt better about it. 

How do you book your classes with a teacher?  How important is the first contact with them?

Comma rules This sentence is in a text I wrote about Brazil. My mistakes were corrected. I think the commas are required because I am specifying "president" with the word "the". Am I correct? Last year this law came back into the headlines because the new president, Michel Temer, tried to eliminate the Ministry of Culture as one of the measures used to cut down the budget. If I didn't want to use commas, could I rewrite like this? Last year this law came back into the headlines because President Michel Temer tried to eliminate the Ministry of Culture as one of the measures used to cut down the budget. Thanks!

Government Spending on Culture For many years Brazil has had a Ministry of Culture. Some years ago the lobby of artists succeed in making the Brazilian congress to approve a law that allowed companies to finance approved art projects and deduct the expenses from their due taxes. This law was well received by the press when it came into effect. Last year this laws had a comeback into the headlines because the new president Temer tried to extinct the Ministry of Culture, as one of the measures used to cut down the budget. The artists complained, but some editorials were favorable to the president's decision criticizing the types the project that were approved. A review to the projects approved showed that a lot of money was spent on famous artists that didn't need to be subsided by the government. A country with so many problems in education, health and safety cannot have the luxury of spending money on those projects.