Summary topic 2

“I’ve seen a lot of people deal with fame and stuff, and they go crazy really quickly. It’s frightening to see how quickly they go crazy.” Robert Pattinson

Young people and politics

Topic 3: Fame

Alright! Enough is enough! Now we move to a different topic: Fame. For a start off, let´s listen to what Woody Allen says about being famous...and think about these questions: a) Does fame bring happiness? b) Do people change when they become a celebrity? c) Advantages and disadvantages of becoming famous

More on animal rights (Very interesting)

"This incredible photo marks the end of Matador Torero Alvaro Munera’s career. He collapsed in remorse mid-fight when he realized he was having to prompt this otherwise gentle beast to fight. He went on to become an avid opponent of bullfights. Even grievously wounded by picadors, he did not attack this man. Torrero Munera is quoted as saying of this moment: 'And suddenly, I looked at the bull. He had this innocence that all animals have in their eyes, and he looked at me with this pleading. It was like a cry for justice, deep down inside of me. I describe it as being like a prayer - because if one confesses, it is hoped, that one is forgiven. I felt like the worst shit on earth.' " Here you have an article about him:

INTERVIEW BY TONI L. QUEROL VICE.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF ÁLVARO MÚNERA A bull named Terciopelo [Velvet] gored the Colombian bullfighter Álvaro Múnera, aka “El Pilarico,” in 1984, confining him to a wheelchair for life. Múnera was 18 years old back then. His best friend, “El Yiyo,” was gored to death months later, and the manager of both bullfighters committed suicide three years after that. Múnera became a hardcore animal rights defender and nothing less than the Antichrist for tauromachy [the art of bullfighting] aficionados. He currently works in the Council of the City of Medellín, using his position to defend the rights of disabled people and to promote anti-bullfighting campaigns. vice.com: How did you decide to be a bullfighter? Álvaro Múnera: I was born in Medellín, where my dad had taken me to see bullfights since I was four years old. The atmosphere at home was totally pro-taurino [taurino is the Spanish adjective for everything relating to bullfighting culture]. We didn’t talk about football or any other thing, it was just bulls. Bullfighting was the center of the world for my dad. Since I grew up immersed in this taurino atmosphere, it was logical that at the age of 12, I decided to be a bullfighter. I started my career and five years later I became successful at the Medellín Fair. This was when Tomás Redondo, who was the manager of El Yiyo, agreed to be my manager too. He took me to Spain. I fought 22 times in Spain until on September 22 of 1984, I was caught by a bull. It gored me in the left leg and tossed me in the air. This resulted in a spinal-cord injury and cranial trauma. The diagnosis was conclusive: I would never walk again. Four months later I flew to the US to start physical rehab, and I seized the opportunity to go to college. The US is a totally anti-taurino country, and due to my former profession I felt like a criminal. I became an animal rights defender. Since then I’ve never stopped fighting for every living being’s right not to be tortured. I hope I will continue to do so until the very last day of my life. vice.com: Did you ever think of quitting bullfighting before that bull confined you to a wheelchair? Below right: Munera in his youth in Spain shortly before sustaining his life-changing injury. Yes, there were several critical moments. Once I killed a pregnant heifer and saw how the fetus was extracted from her womb. The scene was so terrible that I puked and started to cry. I wanted to quit right there but my manager gave me a pat on my back and said I shouldn’t worry, that I was going to be an important bullfighting figure and scenes like that were a normal thing to see in this profession. I’m sorry to say that I missed that first opportunity to stop. I was 14 and didn’t have enough common sense. Some time later, in an indoor fight, I had to stick my sword in five or six times to kill a bull. The poor animal, his entrails pouring out, still refused to die. He struggled with all his strength until the last breath. This caused a very strong impression on me, and yet again I decided it wasn’t the life for me. But my travel to Spain was already arranged, so I crossed the Atlantic. Then came the third chance, the definitive one. It was like God thought, “If this guy doesn’t want to listen to reason, he’ll have to learn the hard way.” And of course I learned. vice.com: Is there a lot of regret that you let it get to the point where you became paralyzed? I think it was a beautiful experience because it made me a better human being. After convalescence and rehabilitation, I started working toward the goal of amending my crimes. Many animal rights defenders applauded your decision, but many others say they can’t forgive you. They even call you “mass murderer” to this day. There are people who think that I’m just resentful for the accident. That’s absurd. I’ve rebuilt my life and dedicated it to helping hundreds of disabled people get ahead, in addition to fighting for animal rights. On top of that, I don’t know of any resentful person defending his victimizer. A bull confined me to a wheelchair and another one killed my best friend! I should reasonably be the last person on earth to care about bulls. But as for the people who cannot forgive me for what I did to so many bulls? I have to say that I understand them and agree, to some extent. My only hope is to have a long life so that I can amend my many crimes. I wish to have the pardon of God. If He doesn’t pardon me, He has good reasons not to do so. vice.com: Chiquilín, another repentant bullfighter, claims to have seen bulls weeping. He says that he cannot kill even a fly nowadays. I take my hat off to that man. He’s a real hero who learned his lesson through reason and thinking. vice.com: Are you in touch with any other repentant bullfighters? Truth be told, I don’t know if there are more repentant bullfighters. What is indeed known is that there are more and more ex-bullfighting aficionados every day. These are people who realized how macabre the show they were supporting really is, and so they stopped going to the bullrings. Sometimes they tell me their personal experiences and thank me for the articles I write. vice.com: What was the decisive factor that made you an animal-rights defender? When I went to the US, where I had to face an antitaurine society that cannot conceive how another society can allow the torture and murder of animals. It was my fellow students, the doctors, nurses, the other physically disabled people, my friends, my North American girlfriend, and the aunt of one of my friends, who said I deserved what happened to me. Their arguments were so solid that I had to accept that it was me who was wrong and that the 99 percent of the human race who are firmly against this sad and cruel form of entertainment were totally right. Many times the whole of the society is not to blame for the decisions of their governments. Proof of this is that most people in Spain and Colombia are genuinely anti-bullfighting. Unfortunately there’s a minority of torturers in each government supporting these savage practices. vice.com: If the people of both countries are against bullfighting, why do bullfights still exist? Well, I believe that bullfighting eventually will disappear if it doesn’t remove its elements of torture and death. There’s a generational shift in values, and most well-educated young people are against cruel traditions. vice.com: In your articles you’ve associated tauromachy with a lack of culture and sophistication on the part of its aficionados. Isn’t this a bit simplistic? How do you explain that intelligent people like Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, John Huston, and Pablo Picasso were into bullfighting? Look, to be a talented person doesn’t make you more human, more sensible, or more sensitive. There are lots of examples of murderers with a high IQ. But only those who have a sense of solidarity with other living beings are on their way to becoming better people. Those who consider the torture and death of an innocent animal a source of fun or inspiration are mean-spirited, despicable people. Never mind if they paint beautiful pictures, write wonderful books, or film great movies. A quill can be used to write with ink or blood, and many terrorists and drug dealers of the 21st century have university diplomas hanging on the wall. The virtues of the spirit, that’s what really counts in God’s eyes. The Soul is coming to the fore and ignorance is slipping away – - > Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so much strong as widespread. But the time will come when inhumanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought. Let us work that this time may come. A man is ethical only when life is sacred to him, that of animals as well as that of his fellowman, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help.” • Dr Albert Schweitzer; Physician, Missionary, Theologian and Nobel Laureate for Peace 1952


On animal rights

Are animals rights holders? Do they have a conscience? Here you have a very interesting article on the topic!!!! http://animalrights.about.com/od/animalrights101/a/Neuroscientists-Declare-Animals-Have-Consciousness.htm By the way...do you know if there is an international declaration of "animal" rights similar to the internationa declaration of human rights?....Ok! I will tell you. In fact, here is one!!!!

Final Exam: December 11th

Just to wish you all the best for tomorrowś test!

International Day of Human Rights

Today is the international day of Human Rights. I would like like to read the Declaration for Christmas. We will comment on it after the break. http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/ http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/2011/ International Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Compositions 1st Term

I have just sent you your compositions. You should all have two compositions (but one of you)corrected and marked!

Today is the international day of people with disabilities

http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1597 Do you think having a disability prevents one from succeeding in life? Have a look at this biography

World Aids Day

More on gender violence. Watch the video!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2012/sep/24/join-one-billion-rising-violence-women

A present for you before the test!

Animal rights!

The Constitution Day is coming!

Spain celebrates the Constitution day on the 6th of December...but...What is a constitution? What values does the constitution transmit? Have you read it? Here you can do it in English!!!! http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Hist_Normas/Norm/const_espa_texto_ingles_0.pdf Spain has also celebrated the signing of previous constitution: the constitution of 1812, that is, la Pepa. Do you know why it´s called that way? What did it imply? In what historical context was it signed? Do you know of other constitutions? Does the U.K. have a constitution? And the U.S.?

Phil Collins

This is a famous song from some time ago, but it has to do with the issue of poverty, which we have dealt with already. Enjoy it!

More on houses!

NEXT EXAMS

You will have a test next Friday. This test will be different from the one you will have to do shortly, which, by the way, we have to date!

International Day Against Gender Violence

Yesterday we celebrated the International day against gender violence.

Thanksgiving day: The fourth Thursday of November

Research questions Do you know the history of Thanksgiving day? What does it (Thanksgiving) have to do with questions adressed previously? (namely the struggle between the catholic church and the reformation pushed forward by Luther in England, colonialism...). Who were the Pilgrims?

Poverty

Fighting without violence

Whigs and Tories

Beyoncé and the second conditional

Children´s day

Yesterday was Children´s day. Read these two articles in relation to a Pakistani girl who campaigned for Children´s rights towards education. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19908409 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/09/pakistan-girl-shot-activism-swat-taliban From Wikipedia Children's Day is recognized on various days in many places around the world, to honor children globally. It was established in 1954 to protect children working long hours in dangerous circumstances and allow all children access to an education. The UN General Assembly recommended that all countries should establish a Universal Children's Day on an "appropriate" day. Major global variants include a Universal Children's Day on November 20, by United Nations recommendation. Children's Day is often celebrated on other days as well. International Day for Protection of Children, observed in many countries as Children's Day on June 1 since 1950, is said to have been established by the Women's International Democratic Federation on its November 1949 congress in Paris. Universal Children's Day takes place annually on November 20th. Parents of the children are told on this day, to get their son/daughter a treat. First proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. It was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood. Universal Children's Day is preceded by International Men's Day on November 19 creating a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively during which time the positive roles men play in children's lives are recognized.

International Men's Dayto be able to display their talents, skills and achievements and simply celebrate the earlier years of childhood. Events and activities focus on language and literacy, health, sport and recreation, the arts and science, as well as children's cultural, social and emotional needs.

Compositions

Hand written compositions should be handed in at the end of this week.

Environment: 10 years after the Prestige catastrophe

Have a look at this article. As you should have done with the rest of texts I have sent you, put down all the words you don´t understand. Re-read the text after you do so so that you understand the word in its context http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/10/17/inenglish/1350479700_402049.html

Social Movements

Change really has come to America. The Occupy Wall St. movement has had a tremendous impact on American politics. The movement has basically awoken America from its stupor and brought it back to reality. Issues that were never in the conversation have now become meaningful topics of discussion. Occupy Wall St. has made a tremendous change in the way Americans view their politics, a shift in how government should be run in this Nation. A movement which is still in its infancy but has made statements that no politician in recent history has been able to make. The Occupy Wall St. goes beyond politics it is an outcry for social justice and a paradigm shift in politics, it has made quite the impact and with election season upon us it will continue to influence even the mainstream thinking in America. Prior to Occupy the buzz in Washington was bleak. Austerity was the only word being muttered in Congress even by people who ostensibly represent the interests of the left. The only theories flouted forward were vicious cuts to our social net such as Paul Ryan and his plan to kill current seniors and those of all upcoming generations for time immemorial by gutting Medicare completely. When the Occupation started to heat up suddenly austerity was replaced with economic justice. The idea of spitting upon the weaker became public discourse. The poor in this country who are often shoved under the red carpet of capitalism as lazy aberrations, suddenly came to the limelight. The working class and those who carry on multiple jobs to survive stepped forward out of the bleakness and challenged the notions of austerity (which by the way look to Europe so you can see the impact of austerity). Suddenly the topic has shifted people wanted solution for the rest of the country the 99% who have become lost under the sheen of the 1% which lived not a just a good life; but a life of excessive greed. This discourse about helping the poor and middle class even made its away as the mainstream started to become introduced to the inequality which has had America in a vice grip since the Ronald Reagan era. Corporations for so long have dominated this country in the shadows. By throwing money at politicians they have earned the ability to write legislation, all their purchased representative need do is signed the dotted line and the bargain with Mephistopheles is sealed. The Occupy movement first brought the greed of the corporate banks to light. Then the whole facade came crumbling down for Corporate America. For the first time the enemy became clear to the people. The people of the United States have been dealing with the shadow government for a while but the movement has made them step forward from the darkness. With the influence of Occupy movements nationwide cities around the country are formulating resolutions to end Corporate Personhood. The voices grow louder with every passing day and every passing moment all thanks to Occupy with their help now we can hope that an Amendment to the Constitution can be made. The United States has finally awoken. Not since the Civil Rights movements has there been another social force that has made such an impact. This force has also made its impact felt in a very short time frame. The movement is a true grassroots movement and one that will impact the results of many an election not just for this year but many years to come. Since the birth of the Occupy Movement we can mark that day as a Renaissance in American politics, and if it accomplishes the transformation it can be marked as the day of the People’s Independence from Fascism.

14N General Strike

On November the 14th, Portugal, Spain and other peoples will engage global strike to say "NO" to austerity measures. Everywhere in Europe, activist social movements are organising themselves to say "STOP" to austerity, "STOP" to those ultraliberal politics serving finance. Portugal and Spain will be on global strike the 14th November, many countries prepare to join them to maximize rejection to austerity mesures. ETUC, responding to popular pressure, decided to call for strike demonstrations and meeting for November the 14th. People have to rise up against the austerity politics, organized social fractures that are used to pay back some debt that is not theirs… People have to fight politics that protect, encourage a minority part of the class who gets richer and richer with this increasing austerity and these illegitime debt interests. Yes, this debt is illegitime, contracted by the financial world against people’s real interests: jobs, housing, education, heathcare, and a world that can survive the century. This debt is not our own, we owe nothing to them and we’ll pay nothing. This day of global strike won’t be a one-time action. It must mark the the start of a rapport de force built by people against politicians, banks, the market and industrial trusts. After this day of struggle, it is an absolute necessity to build together a global unlimited strike. People of Europe, rise, up, struggle together for a Social Europe, full of equality where none will be left aside.

War

We all know about Anne Frank and Anne Frank´s diary. Nonetheless, Anne was not a exceptional case nor was diary-writing. Many children were killed during the Nazi holocoust and at least two of them that I know of wrote their diaries during this dreadful period. Here you have a documentary in English about Rutka Laskier´s life, the Polish Anne FRank.

Ok! It´s not all studying! Liten to this song!

What do you think this song is about?

Vocabulary sheets!

Remember that you have to do all the exercises from the vocabulary sheets I am sending to you. This will increase your lexicon and, therefore, you will be able to both understand and say more things both when speaking and when writing! Put all the words in your personal dictionary.

TOPIC 2: Society

Ok, now we move on to a different topic. Remember that we kind of dealt with it in the initial test. And I also pasted some videos on this issue. This is a very broad topic, therefore we can include many things a a lot of vocabulary. Have a look at the videos and at the links. As always, remember that it is important that you acquire as many words as possible. The more words you have, the richer you will be. Articles http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/spanish-woman-jumped-from-fourth-floor-balcony-as-bailiffs-arrived-to-evict-her/2012/11/09/4366dfda-2a8d-11e2-aaa5-ac786110c486_story.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20299384 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/12/spanish-banks-evictions-suicides This article also contains a video: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/13/spain-indignado-protesters-anniversary-rallies Videos

Summary of topic 1

Obama wins

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/us/politics/obama-romney-presidential-election-2012.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Types of houses

Groucho Marx

"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."

Some days ago we talked about the values we stick to. What do you think about Groucho Marx´s quotation? Do you stick to a set of values? What things are important for you in life?

A bit of work!

You are supposed to have received some exercises related to the topic we are dealing with. Do them at home along with the ones related with description I sent already. Should you have any problems receiving them, do please let me know.

England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom

Catching up with our discission about the terms England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, I paste below a link to a very interesting website where you can get some information on this issue. http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/britain.html And some videos:

Reminder

I would like to remind you of the reading of all the texts I am reffering you to. You shall read, understand, grab the general idea of the texts, and put down all the words you don´t know. This is something you have to do on a regular basis in order to increase your lexicon, so that you are able to understand texts of different sorts.

Very interesting article related to the previous lesson

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17997163

Living and studying abroad: the Erasmus Program

Have a look at this piece of news http://www.eppgroup.eu/tv/default_en.asp

Halloween is coming!

Here you have a video explaining the history of "Halloween". More information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

B2

Here you have some more information about the B2 level exam, should you be interested at all. http://ingles.eoimalaga.net/descargas/Curriculum%20B2.2%20%20April%2012.pdf

Marco de referencia europeo para el aprendizaje de lenguas

Here you have some links where you can find information about both the B1 and B2 levels, as well as other levels you might be interested in. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_com%C3%BAn_europeo_de_referencia_para_las_lenguas

Stress

The protagonist of the first text of our text book probably looked forward to living in the woods because he felt stressed at work. I hope it is not your case with exams and stuff ;)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/nov/19/brain-stress-research-reshape

The history of stuff

Do you think we live in a materialistic world with no values?

Catching up with our discussion topic at the beginning of the topic I paste here some videos. The first video has to do with the treatment of elderly people in our society nowadays. The second video has to do with our treatment of our planet.

3rd debate

Looking for an apartment?

Many of you will have to live in another city next year. And many of you will live in another country the year after. It is important that you get familiar with the way to look for an apartment abroad. I paste here some links related to this issue.

Information about the B1 exam

As you know, many of you are interested in getting the B1 exam. I paste here some information for you to have a look at in relation to this issue. https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/digitalAssets/115928_PET_schl_RW_Sample_Paper_REVISED.pdf http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/exams/pet/pet-info-candidates-en.pdf http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/exams/pet-schools/pet-schools-info-candidates-en.pdf http://www.sioc.no/pdf/2012/navitas/07%20Navitas%20English%20Pretest%20-%20PET.pdf http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/exams/pet/pet-info-candidates-en.pdf http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/exams/pet-schools/pet-schools-info-candidates-es.pdf http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/54743/sample/9780521754743ws.pdf http://colorincoloradosl.com/pag%20web1/pet.pdf http://ebookbrowse.com/preliminary-english-test-pdf-d257844815 http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/store7/item619994/version1/PET4_LPI_TEST_ReadingWriting.pdf http://cdextras.cambridge.org/ObjectivePET/start.htm http://www.cambridge.org/gb/elt/students/zones/categoryresources/item2325600/2325600844817/Exams-IELTS-&-Cambridge-English-Preliminary-English-Test-(PET)/?site_locale=en_GB¤tSubjectID=2325600¤tCategoryId=844&parentCategoryId=817#anchor2505910 http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/store7/item5632981/version1/ObjPET_WLM_WithDefinitions.pdf http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/store7/item5632982/version1/ObjPET_WLM_WithoutDefinitions.pdf

2nd Debate Obama-Romney

Topic 1: HOME

Ok, we move on now to a different topic: Home. As a warm-up, have a look at these articles and at this video.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/may/29/3m-young-adults-live-parents http://ideas.time.com/2012/02/23/the-surprising-benefits-of-boomerang-kids/ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/nini-and-the-european-dream/article1389123/ http://www.finanzas.com/noticias/empleo/reportajes/2010-09-17/346748_nini-generation.html http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/expertpapers/2011-10_Iacovou_Expert-paper.pdf

Summary of starter unit

Khalil Gibran´s poem!

Compositions deadline

Compositions will have to be handed in on Monday the 22nd as the latest. Compositions sent after that date will not be collected

International day against poverty

Today is the international day against poverty. We will tackle this issue (matter, topic) in due time when we talk about social issues (matters, ...)

From EL PAIS: Spanish children now at greater risk of poverty than seniors (Twenty-six percent of minors live in homes that fall below the 2010 poverty threshold/Only Bulgaria and Romania exceed these figures within the European Union) "Poverty has the face of a child," said the director of Unicef Spain, Paloma Escudero, at the presentation on Monday of a report entitled The impact of the crisis on children. Some 26 percent of Spaniards under the age of 18 - 2.2 million children - live in homes that fall below the 2010 poverty threshold, according to National Statistics Institute figures compiled for the report. For the first time, children living in situations of deprivation in Spain outnumber the over-65s, which was the worst-affected demographic until this year at 21.7 percent. Furthermore, the number of children on the poverty line has risen by 10 percent with respect to 2008, which represents families of two adults and two children with income of less than 16,400 euros. Of the 205,000 children in this bracket, 13.7 percent live on a total income of less than 11,000 euros, which is considered extreme poverty. Only Bulgaria and Romania exceed this figure within the European Union. Unemployment has also taken its toll: 714,000 families in Spain have no working members, a 120-percent increase over 2007, according to Eurostat figures. "The cost of not acting now will not only affect the most vulnerable children and families today but will also jeopardize the growth of society in the medium and long term," said Escudero. Government spending cuts saw the suppression of the so-called "baby bond" - a 2,500-euro payment for new or adopting parents - in 2010 and the reduction of social security subsidies for families with two children and income of less than 13,000 euros from 500 euros to 291 euros.

Writing tools

As you know, you will have to write a composition in the Selectividad test. It is important that you get familiar with the types of texts or text formats that you may be required to write in as well as with the expressions that you can make use of. Hence, I have left a dossier in conserjería for you to use when writing the composition that you are supposed to hand in by next week. Remember that it is a narrative. Should you have any questions do please let me know.

Spain on the Road

Does anybody know where the "Churros" eaten at the begining come from?

Another selectividad test!

Here you have another selectividad test related to the article I refered you to some entries ago!!! (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/love/ )It has to do with the science of love. http://www.uhu.es/antonia.dominguez/selectividad/2003/examen_2.pdf Put down all the words you don´t know and create a personal dictionary with the new words you learn (revise them from time to time) not just from this test but from all the material we have been having a look at.

Europe´s living in celebration!

As you know, the European Union has received the Nobel Prize. This could well be a topic of a selectividad exam. I paste here an article about this topic. We will deal with the concept of Europe again in topic number 4. I paste below some other tests for you to read and do at your own pace related to Europe. The exams are old, and the criteria not longer holding. Nonetheless, the topic is still, say, universal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/13/world/nobel-peace-prize.html?pagewanted=all http://www.telefonica.net/web2/allp/ew/PAU/generationeurope.pdf http://www.telefonica.net/web2/allp/ew/PAU/LOGSE96-eurokids.htm

Next class!

As you know, we did not have class today. Do the exercises I sent you and we will have a look at them in due time.

Conversation classes put off!

As you know, we have parents meeting tomorrow. Conversation classes will therefore be postponed (put off) till next Monday.

Homework

Do exercises from page 82 from the students book

Columbus Day: Venio Ergo Es

As you know, we don´t have class tomorrow due to the "Día de la Hispanidad". In the anglo-saxon world this day is referred to as "Columbus Day". It is just celebrated by those contries that happen to have certain connection with Spain because of the so-called "Discovery of America". Now, you just probably know the history of the "Discovery" from a Spanish perspective. Have you ever thought of what native americans think of that "Discovery"? Let me know your reflections on the topic on Monday. By the way, do you perceive certain sarcasm in my using the expression "Venio Ergo Es"? Does it ring a bell to you?

Correction!

As you will have seen, the photocopies I asked you to do today did not correspond as far as content is concerned to the topic we are working on. There was a confusion. I will give you the right copies on Monday.

Listening exercise and research questions

Remember to bring the research questions I asked you to research on for Tuesday. Remember also to bring the listening exercise I told you to do at home. You had to put down what you heard from Khalil Gibran´s poem. See you on Thursday!

Selectividad exams

Hi! As I told you in class, I am going to paste two links with two exams related to the topics we are dealing with. Do them at home and do the compositions on a separate sheet of paper so that I can bring it home. http://www.telefonica.net/web2/allp/ew/PAU/MarriedSingle.html http://www. telefonica.net/web2/allp/ew/PAU/domesticviolence.pdf

Another parenthesis: First debate between Barak Obama and Romney

We will deal with politics in due time (lesson 3). In the meantime do please hear the fist debate between Obama and Romney. Remember the importance of listening in the learning of English!

Research questions

I want you to research on the next questions. Some of them you were supposed to have answered already, but apparently you didn´t! a) Where did the potato come from and how did it get to Ireland? b) What does the potato famine have to do with immigration? c) Where did many Irish people emmigrate to? d) Who was Sir Walter Raleigh? e) What´s the name of the historical period Shakespeare was living in? d) What other things interesting from a cultural point of view were coming about at that time? f) What does the Reformation mean for England? g) What points of connection were there between England and Spain at that time?

On marriage

As I told you, there are many poets that have dealt with the issue of love. One of them was William Shakespeare. Another poet perhaps less well-known is Gibran Khalil Gibran. Do this listening exercise about the concept of marriage. Try to put down what you hear (you might have to take notes in English when you go to university!!!!). I will give you the poem in written form (with music) next week! Have a nice weekend, and remember that the only way to learn a language is to be surrounded by the language!

Homework

Remember to do all the exercises for next day. I will try to finish the topic next week. From page 9 exercise 3. We will do exercises 4 and 5 in class. From page 10 do exercises 1, 2, and 3.

Conversation clases

Just to remind you that conversation clases to train you for the B1 exam and for you to have more fluency are due to start on Monday 15th. The clases are optional, so it is not compulsory to come. Classes will be informal and intended for you to feel more confident when speaking English.

Radio Stations available!!

I can´t remember if I told you this, but there are a couple of radion stations you can have access to. One of them is TALK RADIO EUROPE (TRE): 88.9. The other one is CENTRAL FM: 98.6. I want you to listen to them every morning. Remember that listening to a language is the starting point of learning any language.

Very funny!: The museum of broken relationships!

Did you know that there is a museum where one can send all the stuff related to a failed relationship? It is in Croatia! Pay atention to the way they speak English! You may find Croatian students at the university when you get there!!!

The science of love: From the BBC

Here you have a very interesting article about love from a scientific perspective: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/love/

Homework

Last day we corrected some of the exercises I asked you to do. We also corrected the rest of the selectividad exam that I gave you at the beginning of the course. And we also talked (less than I expected!) about relationships! Next day, we will continue correcting the exercises from page 7 and 8 and will also revise how to make negative structures and interrogative structures n English. This last aspect is very important for you, not just because it may be a question in the selectividad test, but also because knowing the tools to make questions and negative sentences will enable you to create all sorts of questions (an infinite number, in fact). Creativity is a skill that you have to develop! NOTE: Remember to do the exercises of the workbook I told you to do!!! See you on Thursday!

A parenthesis! Social Issues: Some information related to the initial test!

I want to provide you with some videos around the topic that was dealt with in the reading comprehension section of the initial test. In the test, the U.S. election process is also mentioned. Here you have another video on how presidents are elected in UNCLE SAM.

Rules of the Elisabethan theatre and the Globe

Here you have a documentary about the Globe, the theatre where Shakespeare used to perform nearly all the plays he wrote. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgnInT4x8kA&list=LPLYoczV9uibo&index=1&feature=plcp And here you have a video taken from the film "Shakespeare in love" refering to the topic we talked about in class, namely the prohibition of women acting.

Homework

Remember that for next day you should do exercises 1 to 5 from page 8. We will also finish correcting the exercises that we could not correct last day. I will remind you also of how to make questions and negative sentences again. Have a nice weekend.

Starter unit: Relationships

Ok! We have started our journey into our class book. This unit deals with issues related to real life situations. This unit also paves the way towards some other matters, like love. This universal feeling has been dealt with by both writers and thinkers alike. As I told you, Shakespeare is perhaps the most well-known poet to deal with this feeling. Nevertheless, there are other poets that have dealt with it or with similar ones, like the Lebanese writer Gibran Khalil Gibran. Others, like the great thinker Avraham Noam Chomsky have also reflected on it.

Homework!

Remember that for next day you are required to do exercises 1-3 from page 6 and 1-3 from page 6. Think about the topic we are dealing with in the book, because I will ask you some questions.

Colonization and the 15th century

Ok, I hope that by this time you have done a bit of research and answered the questions that I asked you to under ti title "A bit of British history". Therefore, you are supposed to have looked into the figure of Walter Raleigh. Now, what I don´t know is whether you are familiar with all the things that where happening at that time in terms of religion, science, and literature. The period under which the figure of Sir Walter Raleigh followed other explorers of the new world is called Renaissance. In terms of religion, Martin Luther (a german scholar) challenged the principles of the catholic church creating a new version of Christianity called Protestantism. Do you know why? Do you know how that affected Spain? In terms of science, Galileo challenged the principles of the catholic church by stating that it was the earth that turned around the sun, not the other way around. And in terms of literature, as far as English literature is concerned we have the writings of perhaps the most famous English poet in British history: William Shakespeare. Shakespeare will be the link that will take us to the beginning of our book, for the opening lesson has to do with relationships and love. Do you know any of his poems? Here you have one:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
 Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Selectividad requirements

Here you have a link where you can find all the information related to the test that you are to do in some eight months´time. Read them carefully and get familiar with the sort of questions that you´ll be asked. Having a look at them will enable you to have a better idea of what you are required to do in the test. Should you have any questions just let me know. As you will see, there is a mock exam that you can do at home.



http://distritounicoandaluz.cice.junta-andalucia.es/paginas/distrito/examenes_sel_m25/criterios_selectividad/directrices_y_orientaciones_lengua_extranjera_(ingles)_2012_2013.pdf

Initial tests

Remember that we will be doing the initial tests at the beginning of the week! After you do them, we will continue with our classes.

Cockney accent

In the previous class, when we were speaking about accents, I mentioned that there is a very special way of pronuncing in some parts of London, the so-called "cockney accent". This accent or this way of speaking consists mainly of two things: rhymes and pronunciation. Have a look at the next videos and let me know your thoughts about it in class! The first video is about a well-known British film in which a teacher "tries" to teach a student how to speak correctly.
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You can also have a look at Wikipaedia to get more information about it!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney

A bit of British History

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In the previous post I asked you to research into the figure of Sir Walter Raleigh. I hope that by this time you have done a bit of research already. Now, would you be able to explain what the relationship between Christopher Columbus and Raleigh is? What kind of upheavals were coming about (heppening, occuring)in England at that time? How did those turmoils affect the configuration of the US taking into consideration what you already know of history? I will try to address these questions in class next week!

Immigration: The Irish Potato Famine

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Here you can see a video related to the Selectividad text that we saw in class today. Have a look at it and try to answer the next questions. Use the internet to help you if you want. Research questions: Where did the potato come from and how did it get to Ireland? What does the potato famine have to do with immigration? Where did many Irish emmigrate to? Who was Sir Walter Raleigh?

British and American accents

We have seen in class that there are some differences between British English (BrE) and American English (AmE). Eventhough both English and U.S. speakers understand eachother, there are differences not just in the vocabulary/lexicon they use, but also as far as accent is concerned. What conclusions can you draw from these two videos? British speaker imitating U.S. accent
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U.S. speaker imitating the British accent
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And here you can see a very funny video from a classic British soap opera! I hope you enjoy it!

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Learning a second language

Getting down to the basics, you should bear in mind that learning a second language (not a first language) is something very difficult, so don´t be frustrated if you don´t speak like a native speaker at the end of the year!!! Learning a language is not like learning how to fly a helicopter in Matrix!

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It takes time and effort, but some people seem to have an innate capacity (seem to be endowed) for learning more than one language, like this person here!

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The Role of the Teacher

Since I am going to be your English teacher, I would like you to take into consideration the importance of the teaching process and teachers proper in our society nowadays and of free education!

Welcome to your blog!

I have devised this blog to help my students of different courses with some of the material that I deal with in the lessons. I hope it is useful!