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