"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, AND that has made all the difference"The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
DREAMING IN ENGLISH. Are you dreaming in English yet?
WELCOME!!! This is a bit of a challenge for me!!! This blog is intended for all audiences. I hope you enjoy and get the most of it!!!
Here you might find resources to help you navigate the muddy waters of English. The humble aim of this blog is just to keep you in touch with different types of English and different aspects of the English culture , to increase your curiosity about English through many different fields.
DO YOU LIKE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS? DO YOU SPEND TIME DECORATING YOUR HOUSE?
Listen to this video about Christmas in the White House and then answer the following questions.
- How is the White House Decorated? - What´s the special thing about this year´s decorations? Sum up what you hear.
What is the Christmas spirit about? Listen to Barack Obama talking about the meaning of Christmas with these children in a primary school. Can you summarize what is the most important thing about Christmas for him? What is he trying to teach to these children? What does Christmas mean for you?
Christmas is a time when children hope to receive presents from their parents, other family, and friends, but not only children like presents.....What Christmas gifts would you like to receive?
Listen to these girls asking Santa for Xmas presents and try to answer the questions.
Sometimes it is very difficult to give a present to somebody and that this person likes it. Choosing a present is a difficult task.Pay attention to what happens to Sheldon in Big Bang Theory. Penny gives him a present for Xmas but his reaction is not the expected one.... Watch the video and answer the following questions.
Learn things about Santa´s village in the North Pole. Move around the different houses and follow the clues.http://www.northpole.com/
To know everything you wanted to know about Christmas, click on this link and try to do this interactive book. It has lots of interesting vocabulary, videos, listengings, songs, etc.
Try to do the following pages:
- Vocabulary ( pages 4, 5 , 10) - Listening: Christmas Eve ( pages 11, 12) - Christmas dinner in UK (pages 14, 15) and in the USA ( pages 18, 19) - What´s the Boxing Day?. Find out in pages 22, 23 - Listen to a Christmas Carol. Pages 24, 25 http://chagall-col.spip.ac-rouen.fr/spip.php?article23
We are going to focus on 2 important contemporary American poets: ROBERT FROST and CARL SANDBURG.
ROBERT FROST
Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech.His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. He is considered one of the founders of the modern American poetry because he expressed in a simple philosophical way different feelings about every day life. He was awarded several Pulitzer Prizes.
Here you´ve go 2 popular poems by him. In this year you will have your first contact with English Literature and we will work with different writers, poets. We are going to work with pronunciation, rhythm and try to anlayse a little bit the following poems.
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Do you understand the poem? Here we have some reflections about nature.
- What is nature for you?
- What feelings does the poet have about nature? It seems that he id drawn by an hipnotic spell but Is he positive or negative about Nature?
- Here we don´t have the typcial Romantic version of some romantic poets
- Do you understand the last stanza? What did he want to do? What prevents him from that?
THE ROAD LESS TAKEN
Some times we have to make choices in life. It is not possible that one can choose one way and decide to turn back for the other. All the choices we make are going to affect our future. It seems both roads are "eaqually laying", they are pretty much the same, that´s why the decision sometimes is so difficult to make... because depending on what you choose you may have regrets...
CARL AUGUST SANDBURG
(January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was a writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. He was called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."
This poem may be a bit difficult to understand because it has lots of new vocabulary for you. So let´s focus on general ideas and once more on rhythm and pronunciation. Have you got a favourite city? Could your write a poem or a short text about what your city , or your favourite place makes you feel? This poem is an Ode to Chicago, city where the poet lived, and it shows the industrial moment the city was going through. It shows some social realism. The poem also celebrates his pride in his nation, and its people
To finish here you a have a shorter poem by Sandburg too. What is Happiness about? What is happiness for you?
HAPPINESS
I ASKED the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell
me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of
thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though
I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along
the Desplaines river
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with
their women and children and a keg of beer and an
accordion
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb inpopular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media. The term is synonomous with wealth.
Sometimes people become celebrities due to media attention for their extravagant lifestyle or wealth; for their connection to a famous person or even because they appear in reality showsand staff like that.
Some people would do everything to get 5 minutes of fame. In our present society, the rise or the celebrity culture is a fact and the mass media have contributed to that. Everyone who appears on the media becomes famous and admirable. Do you agree with this?
VOICETHREAD. Choose 2 people from the mosaic of faces you have in the post and talk about them. Make sure you mention the following ideas: - Why you have chosen them. - Talk about their lives, what they have done. Have they a real reason to be famous? Are all celebrities the same? What´s your opinion about the new famous people that come out of reality shows and similar programmes? - Describe their personalities (use some of the adjectives learnt in class) - Do you admire them? Why? Why not? - Do you think that celebrities have a responsibility to uphold? Do you think they have to be models for the rest of us? - ARe you fascinated by famous people? Would you like to be famous?.Advantages and disadvantages. - Do you really admire a celebrity that is not in these pictures you have in the post? Who? Why?
Have you ever met famous people? Listen to these people who are at a party and answer the questions.
Do the listening and the post-listening exercise.Section IV. Here you have
4 different situations and you are asked how you would start a conversation and how you might introduce yourself. Choose 2 of the 4 options and write a brief comment.
HALLOWEEN IS BETWEEN FALL AND WINTER, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. iT IS A TIME OF SUPERSTITIONS AND CELETRATIONS!!! This period of time is full of fear for some people...haha... but for others it is one of the best times of the year!!!! Some people carve pumpkins and others try to pretend they are evil creatures ( ghosts, werewolves, vampires, etc) Find out more things about the origin of Halloween watching this video. Answer the following questions. 1. Where does Halloween come from? 2. Why were bonfires made? 3. Why did the Pope Gregory III established the day of All Hallows Day? 4. How was the name the Celts used for their celebration changed 5. When did this festivity become important in America? Why 6. What are the origins of Trick or Treating?
Everything you wanted to know about the pumpkin but you were afraid to ask.....Watch this presentation and improve your knowledge about why this vegetable is important in Halloween.
Is trick or treating safe? Watch this video and try to answer the following questions.
1. What are the best choices when choosing costumes for children? 2. What materials do they recommed to avoid when in contact with candles, fire? 3. Why masks can be dangerous? what do they recommend instead? 4. What is advisable to do when you go trick or treating? 5. To be visible to drivers, what do we have to wear? 6. What should we do with the candies and toys the children get?
Do you want to play a game? Here you have the HALLOWEEN GAME. Should you talk to strangers? Should you go trick or treating only to houses that are well lit? Play this game and find out which is safe for you http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/play.html
Have you seen Nightmare before Christmas? Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King, ruler of Halloween town, happens upon Christmastown, and decides to change Christmas into another Halloween. He kidnaps Santa Claus, then takes it upon himself to deliver some alternative gifts to unsuspecting children. He wants to turn Christmas into another Halloween!!
Watch the video. - Can you describe this Hallowen town? What things happen in there? - What typical stereotypes about Halloween can yo see there? - What kind of frightenig creatures live there?
Do you feel spooked when you see Michael Jackson´s Thriller? This song is a Halloween favourite. Pay attention to the wonderful video and then discuss in groups which evil creatures appear in the video and what do they do. What would yo do if you saw them?
In the song there are lots of verbs and words related to horror which help to create a gloomy and frightening atmosphere. Try to identify them as well
DOyou like Edgar Allan Poe? He was a very important American writer and poet. He is famous because of his wonderful horror stories. Here you have a popular poem by him. It is a poem about love and death. Many critics say it is based on his own life.... Do you like it?
Watch this video which is a tribute to Steve Jobs. Here he talks about 3 important stories in his life. This video summarizes a little bit his philosophy in life. What do you think of it?
His character helped define a generation and change the world. He is co-founder of the fairytale company we now know as Apple Computers. And he is the visionary of the personal computers world that led the entire computer hardware and software industry to restructure itself.
He was a witty man and very good at creating catchy phrases. He always thought that there was no shortcut to excellence, you have to love what you do and do always what you love. He said that it was wonderful to have a "beginner´s mind" because you can face life "full of curiosity, wonder, amazement" He was a businessman-philosopher, and the philosophy he embraced was the fundamental cause of his remarkable productivity, success, and happiness.
What was important to Jobs was not making money per se, but the process of creation. “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful . . . that’s what matters to me.”
Try to answer the following questions: 1.What are the 3 stories about? 2. Why do you think his mother decided to put him up for adoption? 3.When he started to work for APPLE, how many employees did the company have? and What did they create? 4. How old was he when all this happened? 5. He was fired by the company, but in the end he thought that his was a good thing for him. Why? 6. Later he returned to apple. There was a change in the company. In what sense? 7. Why death is so important to help us in our lives? 8. Can you summarize Steve´s pieces of advice to succeed in life? He gives us different tips to follow our heart and intuition. They summarize his philosophy of life. Try to write them down 9. Do yo understand the meaning of his last sentence "Stay hungry, stay foolish"? It can be considered a very good summary of his ideas and his way of life. Try to explain its meaning
Who are Jason´s neighbours? Listen and drag the pictures to the right floor. Then write a summary of what Jason says about them. http://www.elllo.org/nine/neighbors.htm VOICETHREAD. - What do friends mean to you? - What makes a friend a best friend? - Is it easy for you to make friends? - Do you stay in touch with all of the friends you’ve made - Is there a difference in friendship between your male friends and female friends? - Are friends sometimes more important than family? -- Do you agree with the expression “a friend in need is a friend in deed”? - How similar are you to your friends? - At which stages of life is it easier to make friends? - Are your childhood friends those you have strongest bonds with? - How often do you fall out with your friends? - Which characteristics do you like in a friend? Which ones don´t you like? Do your recording about this topic. Use the above questions to help you
Friends. Do you like the series? Here you have one of the most famous examples of friendship on TV. 6 friends sharing their problems, some of them living together, etc. Watch the following chapter and try to answer the following questions. The chapter is callled "The one where Ross moves in". 1. Which characters interact in this episode? 2. What´s the relation between them? How would you describe them? you can use some of the adjectives seen about personality and appearance. 3. What kind of conflicts do they have and how do the solve them? In which sense do they help each other? 4. Are they real friends? Do you like their sense of friendship? http://tvflicks.info/friends-season-5-episode-7-the-one-where-ross-moves-in/
lunes, 19 de septiembre de 2011
Public education is under threat, we have been subject to tremendous cuts. Education is a right. It is not a business that you can change whenever you want! Hard times for public education in Madrid. The regional governement is doing lots of budget cuts giving priority to private education and schools connected to the catholic church. As a result public school teachers are feeling really bad about it because they see that all their effort, enthusiasm and commitment is being looked down on. With the new regulations there are fewer teachers, more students per class and less attention to those students with special educative needs. Despite all that we have to be strong against all these attaccks and try not to feel too demoralized because there´s always somebody who defends us and public education, which is a balloon full of energy for those who believe in equal opportunities for everyone and in an education free of segregation. Listen to this speech given by Matt Damon in a Save Our Schools MArch DC in summer. '>http://
Describe 4 of the following pictures. Choose the oneS you like and try to explain why you have chosen them. Describe them as accurately as possible taking into account different ideas such as colours, impressions, feelings, personality, physical characteristics, what they describe, connections with important issues such as ONG´s, hunger, poverty, sports, happiness, innocence, etc. (Whatever you can think of) Try to use your imagination and make your description as creative and appealing as possible.
You will be given some useful tips in class to make the description easier. Good luck
Have you ever longed for something? Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true... As the Dalai Lama said "not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stoke of luck". Do you agree? Let´s be a bit philosophical and think about our wishes and regrets and practise your grammar. First listen to Pink Floyd and their famous song "Wish you were here" and complete the lyrics. http://
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ___________ HEAVEN FROM _____ BLUE SKIES FROM ______ CAN YO TELL A GrEEN _____ FROM A COLD _______ RAIL? A SMILE FROM A VEIL? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN _____? DID THEY GET YOU TO TRADE YOUR HEROES FOR ________? HOT _________ FOR TREES? HOT AIR FOR A COOL _________? AND COLD COMFORT FOR CHANGE? DID YOU ___________A WALK ON PART INF THE _____, FOR A LEAD ROLE IN A ________? HOW I _______, HOW I ______YOU ______ HERE´ WE´RE JUST TWO_______ __________ SWIMMINNG IN A _______ ______, YEAR AFTER YEAR, RUNNING OVER THE SAME OLD GROUND. WHAT HAVE WE FOUND THE SAME OLD _________ . _______YOU ______HERE
Check your grammar and the uses of wish in the following quizzes.
Listen to these students. They are about to leave school and they are making plans for their future. Choose three of them and write down a comment with their ideas.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER is based on a true story and it deals with a group of four Irish guys accused of putting bombs in a Guilford´s pub.- Summarize the film taking into account the following questions: Why have they been accused?; What are the dangers of bias and stereotyping?; How does Gerry´s attitude change thoughout the film?; What do you think of the legal system as it is presented in the film?; How do you feel when watching the film?
Watch the trailer of the film THE KING´S SPEECH. 1.What´s his problem? How do you call this in English? 2. Why does he go to see this controversial doctor? 3. What can we say about his methods? 4. The king feels lots of pressure. Why is that? 5. What´s special about the chair that appears at he end of the trailer? 6. Why is the speech so important?
Colin Firth is interviewed and asked a few questions about the film and the period in which the film is set. Pay attention and try to complete the quiz
Saint Patrick´s day is just around the corner but what is it exactly that we’re celebrating with all that green beer, corned beef, and cabbage? Well, it turns out that St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and perhaps the most well-know of all the saints. St. Patrick was born on March 17th, 460 A.D. in Britain, but when he was 16 he was kidnapped and kept as a prisoner in Ireland. After six years, St. Patrick escaped and returned to Britain, but it is said that he had visions which told him to return to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.
Watch this video about ireland, pay attention to the images and the information you can read on them and try to answer the following questions.
1. How many provinces has IRELAND got?
2. What happened in 1840?
3. What´s the meaning of teh Irish flag?
4. Ireland is called the "emerald isle". Why is that?
5. Why were Shamrocks used by S. Patrick?
6. What´s the national symbol of the country?
7. What´s the most famous stout brewery?
8. What happens if you kiss the Blarney stone?
Watch the video and discuss the following questions:
1. Who celebrates St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.?
2. When is it celebrated?
3. What is one symbol of this holiday?
In the video some idomatic expressions are included try to do examples of your own with the following prompts:
1.Describe a problem that you were able to solve easily. [as luck would have it]
2.Describe a time you felt that you didn’t have support from others. [rain on my parade]
3.Name an event that you must prepare for very soon. [just around the corner]
- why certain colors are associated with particular holidays (e.g., green with St. Patrick’s Day)
- why a shamrock is considered lucky/ other symbols of luck
- other holidays that allow people to celebrate their ethnicity/ nationality
- other spring holidays around the world
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone!
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT NORTHERN IRELAND? Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflict which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom, while nationalists wish for it to be politically reunited with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule. Since the signing of the "Good Friday Agreement" in 1998, most of the paramilitary groups involved in the Troubles have ceased their armed campaigns. Due to its unique history, the issue of the symbolism, name and description of Northern Ireland is complex, and similarly the issue of citizenship and identity. In general, Unionists consider themselves British and Nationalists see themselves as Irish, though these identities are not necessarily mutually exclusive
Find out information about:
- the IRA
- bloody Sunday
Song ‘Sunday, Bloody, Sunday’ by U2 cannot be ignored because it gives a good idea of the atmosphere of that day. Listen to the song and analyse the lyrics.
1.What news is he referring to?
2. "how long must we sing this song". what does it mean?
3. Which lines describe horror and the event? write them down.
4. What does he mean by saying "we are inmune" "when fact is fiction and TV reality?"
The movie ‘In the Name of the Father’ by Sheridan shows what the atmosphere was like in the seventies in Northern Ireland. A small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub that kills several people while he is in London. Bullied by the British police, he and four of his friends are coerced into confessing their guilt. Gerry's father and other relatives in London are also implicated in the crime. He spends 15 years in prison with his father trying to prove his innocence with the help of a British attorney, Gareth Peirce. Based on a true story.
If you are interested in travelling to Ireland have a look at this site and improve your knowledge about the emerald isle. Watch videos about Dublin, Belfast, Cork, etc and discover lots of interesting things about this country. http://travel.guardian.co.uk/discoverireland/0,,2044063,00.html
WATCH THE GREENPEACE VIDEO YOU HAVE IN THE PREVIOUS POST.WHAT´S YOUR OPINION ABOUT GREENPEACE CAMPAIGNS? AND ABOUT THIS ONE? DO YOU AGREE WITH WHAT THE BOY SAYS? HOW DO YOU THINK OUR FUTURE WILL BE? WHICH PARTS OF THE VIDEO DO YOU AGREE / DISAGREE WITH?
How often do you reclycle? Learn how to reclycle different materials as a way of saving energy and conserving the environment. Have a look at this site and choose one of the following issues:
- learn how to recycle paper, glass, aluminium
- how to recycle at home taking into account the 3 "R"s ( reduce, reuse, recycle)
- recycle at school and improve our nature awareness. http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/
This man has given up his job, family, possessions to build an island that floats on plastic bottles. Can you believe it? listen to the following story and find out!!! After listening, try to answer the following questions:
1. How long did it take to build it?
2. What was his former job?
3. Where did he move to makes his dream come true?
4. How did he get the bottles?
5. How was the foundation of the island created?
6. What are the measures of the island?
7. The man is self_sufficient. In what sense?
8. Is he alone in the island?
9. How did the Mexican government react?
http:// Global warming is changing our world. Is it too late? Watch this Greenpeace video and express yourself. Do you agree with them?
Who is the boy blaming for our environmental problems?
According to him what will happen with?
- fish; rain forests; clean air; polar ice; oceans; some countries; famine; epidemics; life-expectancy?
MY BOUNTY IS AS BOUNDLESS AS THE SEA MY LOVE AS DEEP; THE MORE I GIVE TO THEE
THE MORE I HAVE, FOR BOTH ARE INFINITE
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Young love is a flame; very pretty often very hot and fierce,but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined hearts is as coals, deep-burring , unquenchable. Henry Ward Beecher LISTEN TO 6 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESENTS THEY GAVE TO THEIR BOYFRIENDS OR GIRLFRIENDS. YOU WILL SEE 3 PICTURES AND YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON THE CORRECT ONE, BUT BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IF YOU ARE WRONG YOU WILL HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SAME STORY AGAIN.... http://www.elllo.org/02LGPages/23-LG-Vday.htm
'>http:// Listen and answer the following questions: 1. Is there any guarantee of the historical origin of Saint Valentine´s? Where? 2.Where does the association between Romance and celebretrions in mid-february come from? 3. What did these festivities consist of? 4. What change is there in the 5th century? 5. In what sense did Valentine defy the emperor of the time (Claudius)? 6. Legend goes that when Valentine was sent to jail ... 7. When in jail, he fell in love. With whom? 8. Just before his execution, he ... 9. What kind of festivity is it today? 10 What type of presents are the most common ones among Americans?
A question on our minds when teaching English is whether or not it is appropriate to teach students the use of slang and idioms. Although the distinction between what is a formal term versus an informal one is crucial, slang is a significant part of conversational English and, as such, should be covered in the classroom. It would be very difficult for someone new to the English language to understand an American movie, TV show, news broadcast or even a typical conversation as they are filled with nonstandard English. But what is "slang"?. Let´s define this word: An informal nonstandard variety of speech characterized by newly coined and rapidly changing words and phrases . This means, that it is very difficult to keep up-dated.
When we learn other culture apart from this, we have to learn as well idiomatic expressions and idioms. What is an "idiom"? Any difference with slang? Typically, and idiom is a phrase used in a given culture and it has a meaning different from its literal meaning, whereas "slang" is used as a single word.
American Slang Read the sentences, and try to guess what the slang word or phrase (in bold) might mean. 1. ¨Nobody knew what the word meant, so we googled it¨ When you ´´google´´ something, you.... a. look at it for a long time b. look it up on the internet c. post something in your blog online. 2."I was just kidding when I said my teacher was a monster. She's strict, but she's actually a very nice person." Kidding means... a you have children b. you´re talking about children c. what you said is not actually true, it is a joke 3. If someone tells you that your clothes are cheesy, that means... a. you spilled cheese on your clothes b. your clothes are orange c. your clothes are cheap and out of fashion 4. A couch potato is someone who... a. A person who watches too much television b. Someone who loves potatoes c. Someone who owns a potato farm 5.¨¨Have you seen the new Brad Pitt flick?¨ Flick is another word for.. a. a song b. a movie or film c. a picture 6. ¨¨He wanted to go swimming in the middle of the winter, but I told him he was nuts¨¨ When someone is nuts they are… a. smart b. clever c. crazy 7. If a song is ´hot´´ it is... a. about the beach b. played in the summertime c. very popular 8. ¨¨The new football player is on fire¨ On fire means. a. they are hot b. they are doing really well c. they need a drink of water 9. ¨¨He really liked the movie, but I thought it was lame.¨´ If something is lame, it is a. really great b. boring, stupid c. really expensive 10.¨¨If you have a secret, don´t tell Sarah. She has a really big mouth¨¨ Someone who has a big mouth… a. has a small face b. shouts a lot c. talks too much 11.¨¨Oh no! I did my homework but I forgot it at home!¨¨ ¨¨Really? Man, that sucks.¨¨ That sucks means… a. That´s really good. b. That´s really bad. c. That´s really difficult 12.¨¨I´m pumped for the concert on Friday!¨ I´m pumped means.. a. I ´m upset because I can´t go b. I´m going to but tickets c. I´m really excited 13.¨¨After a long day at school, Tim just wanted to veg out in front of the TV¨¨ Veg out is another way to say… a. Relax and do nothing b. Eat a lot of vegetables c. Watch TV 14.¨¨I need to peace out soon, it´s getting late¨ ¨ Ï´m leaving, peace out!¨¨ Peace out can mean… a. To arrive or hello b. To go to the bathroom or how are you c. To leave or goodbye 15.¨Dude, you have a new car? That´s awesome!¨ Dude and awesome mean… a.man, really great b.Dad, really bad c.Hello, fine
LISTEN TO THIS VIDEO. "An Italian in Malta". What problems does he have because of his bad pronunciation and slang misunderstanding?
