As part of our “ear
training” or listening exercises, I propose you the following audiobook for the
holydays: Told After Super, by Jerome K
Jerome.
I have chosen it
because it's only over one hour long, it's read in British English, at a slow
pace and is fully subtitled, so you will have no problem with vocabulary
doubts.
Jerome Klapka Jerome
(2 May 1859 – 14 June 1927) was an English writer and humourist, best known for
the comic travelogue. WIKI
About Told After
Super, LibriVox remarks:
“It is Christmas Eve,
and the narrator, his uncle and sundry other local characters are sitting round
the fire drinking copious quantities of whisky punch and telling ghost stories
until bedtime, when...
But no, I won't spoil
the fun. This is a little gem: Jerome at his tongue-in-cheek best. (Summary by
Ruth Golding)
It has been a pleasure
working with you this couple of months, and I look forward to continue in 2015. Have a very happy season and wonderful holydays.
Here I’m suggesting
you a very interesting material to listen to.
It's a children’s story of political contents. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it very much. It is ‘The Emperor New Clothes’ by Hans
Christian Andersen; only 12:24
minutes long, which I consider a very manageable frame to work with, now that
we begin this exercise.
If you can, please
have it ready for next session on December the 17th, so we can talk
about this experience, and from then, we will decide what to do.
Feeling is the nominalization of the verb to feel. The word was first used in the English language to describe the physical sensation of touch through either experience or perception. The word is also used to describe experiences other than the physical sensation of touch, such as "a feeling of warmth" and of sentience in general. In Latin, sentiremeant to feel, hear or smell.
In marketing: Design should reflect what your company does.
A GUT FEELING, or gut reaction, is a visceral emotional reaction to something. It may be negative, such as a feeling of uneasiness, or positive, such as a feeling of trust. Gut feelings are generally regarded as not modulated by conscious thought, and as a reflection of intuition rather than rationality. The phrase "gut feeling" may also be used as a shorthand term for an individual's "common sense" perception of what is considered "the right thing to do"; such as: helping an injured passerby, avoiding dark alleys and generally acting in accordance with instinctive feelings about a given situation. It can also refer to simple common knowledge phrases which are true no matter when said, such as "Water is wet", "Fire is hot", or to ideas that an individual intuitively regards as true, without proof.
What in the world are all (or some) of those people feeling?
What in the world could all of those people be feeling?
Take a walk down Memory Lane. Just follow the song, and sing along, if you wish (recomended).
Due to the petition of our classmate Paco, I’m happy to give you, some useful
information about the infamous ‘phrasal verbs’ ;)
Like a teacher says in
one of the videos I present today, some people get really confused with this suject,
but there is no need to feel bewildered by them. Just learn them like extra vocabulary, one
at the time, like separate words.
There are hundreds of
them, so relax and take them easy.
For now, I am
including several graphics and some videos that explore phrasal verbs
originated in three concrete verbs:to get,
to keep and to turn.
I hope they are of
some benefit. Enjoy and learn!
I’ll try to add more
to this post. Feel free to comment or
suggest material for me to hang in here.
The first North
American settlers migrated from Siberia by way of the Bering land bridge
approximately 15,000 or more years ago. Some, such as the
pre-Columbian Mississippian culture, developed advanced agriculture, grand
architecture, and state-level societies. After European explorers and traders
made the first contacts, the native population declined due to various reasons,
including diseases such as smallpox and measles, intermarriage, and
violence.
The European colonization begun in the 16th
century. The United States emerged from 13 British colonies located along the
Atlantic seaboard. Disputes between Great Britain and these colonies led to the
American Revolution. On July 4, 1776, as the colonies were fighting Great Britain
in the American Revolutionary War, delegates from the 13 colonies unanimously
issued the Declaration of Independence. The war ended in 1783 with the
recognition of independence of the United States from the Kingdom of Great
Britain, and was the first successful war of independence against a European
colonial empire. The current Constitution was adopted on September 17,
1787. The first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were
ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil rights and
freedoms.
CIVIL WAR OR
SECESSION WAR.
A civil war is a war
between different groups of people who belong to the same country. The American Civil War was fought between the
North (Union states) and the South (Confederate states). It lasted from
1861-1865, triggered by the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Lincoln wanted to end slavery and keep the
Union together.
The conflict between
the North (the Yankees) and the South (the Rebels) started because of their
different ways of living. The North
wanted the South to give up their farms, build factories, and abolish
slavery. Congress treated the slaves as
personal property and would not take away rights of ownership.
Thus, America began
the conflict that would take the lives of more than 620,000 of its citizens and
injure more than 375,000. Most of the
battles took place in the South and the recovery from the destruction took many
years.
DEMOGRAPHICS
The United States of
America has people of many different race and ethnic backgrounds. 80% of the
people in the United States descend from European immigrants. Many people are
descended from Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Africa, and Italy. 13%
of the people in the United States are African-American. Most of them descend
from the African slaves that were brought to America. Asian-Americans make up
only 5% of the population in America but make up a bigger portion in the west
coast. For example in California, Asian-Americans make up 13% of the population
of that state. Hispanic-Americans or people of Latin origins make up 15% of the
nation. The original peoples, called Native American or American Indians and
Inuit (Eskimos) are a very small group.
RELIGION
Native American
religions included various animistic practices, including reverence for nature
and spirits. There are many different religions in the U.S. Statistically, the
largest religion is Christianity, including groups such as Catholicism,
Protestantism and Mormonism. Other religions include Hinduism, Islam, Judaism,
Unitarian Universalism, Wicca, Druidry, Baha'i, Raelism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism
and Jainism.
The United States is
one of the most religious countries in the Western World, and most Americans
believe in God. The number of Christians in the U.S. has gone down. 86.2%
called themselves Christian in 1990 and 78.4% said this in 2007.
Doubts about the
existence of a God, gods or goddesses are higher among young people.
COUNTRY FACTS
The United States of
America is also called the USA, US, United States or sometimes America.
On July 4, 1776, the
Declaration of Independence was issued, establishing the United States of
America.
The US is the 4th
largest country in the world by land area and 3rd by population.
On February 25, 2013,
the estimated population of the US was 315,568,000.
The US is a diverse
country with a multicultural society.
The US has the world's
largest economy.
The US developed the
first nuclear weapons, using them on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki near the end of World War 2.
The Mississippi and
Missouri Rivers combine to form the longest river system in the US and the
fourth longest in the world.
The tallest mountain
the US is Mt McKinley, located in the state of Alaska it reaches 20,320 ft
(6,194 m) above sea level.
Alaska was purchased
from Russia in 1867 and is the largest state in the US by land area.
Hawaii is the most
recent of the 50 states in the US (joining in 1959) and is the only one made up
entirely of islands.
Most of the world's
tornadoes occur in the Midwest region of the US known as Tornado Alley.
The most populated
city in the US is New York City, followed by Los Angeles and Chicago.
English is the most
commonly spoken language in the US, followed by Spanish.
The first man to walk
on the moon was American Neil Armstrong (July 21, 1969).
The US was the leading
force behind the development of the Internet.
The US consumes more
petroleum than any other country in the world.
The most popular team
sports in the US are American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey.
HERE THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITHISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH:
HERE THERE IS A VIDEO ABOUT THE USA. Yes, it is for kids, but I
find it appropriate, for our purpose is, to read and listen at
the same time, also, it is pretty short.
Ireland is an island
nation on the westernmost edge of Europe. It is the continent's second largest
island (after Great Britain). The Republic of Ireland occupies 80 percent of
this landmass, while a large chunk of land in the north is part of the United
Kingdom.
Ireland is known for
its wide expanses of lush, green fields. In fact, its nickname is the Emerald
Isle. But there are also large areas of rugged, rocky landscape. About 15,000
years ago, Ireland was completely covered by thick glaciers. The movement of
these giant sheets of ice stripped the soil, leaving huge tracts of flat,
limestone pavement.
The midlands and west
coast of Ireland are dotted with damp peat bogs, the soggy remains of dried-up
ancient lakes left by the glaciers. Ireland's highlands rise mainly in the
southwest, often ending at sheer cliffs that plunge thousands of feet into the
Atlantic Ocean.
NATURE
The Irish have a great
affection for nature and rural life. The country's first coins even featured
pictures of animals. Low levels of development and pollution in Ireland have
left most of the nation's open spaces relatively undisturbed.
Did you know that
there are no wild snakes in Ireland? The sea has stopped many animals common on
mainland Europe from reaching the island. There are also only two wild mouse
species, one type of lizard, and just three kinds of amphibians.
Irish wildlife is
protected by government conservation programs. To preserve natural habitat, the
government has established six national parks and hundreds of national heritage
areas throughout the country.
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Ireland is a nation of
storytellers. The tradition dates back to Celtic bards, who would record and
recite the country's history. Many famed writers come from Ireland, including
four winners of the Nobel Prize for literature. The Irish also excel in music
and sports.
GOVERNMENT &
ECONOMY
The government of
Ireland consists of an elected parliament, which makes the laws, and a
president, who is head of state. The head of the government is the Taoiseach
(pronounced tee-shuck), which means "chief." The Taoiseach is the
leader of the political party with the most parliament members.
For most of its
history, Ireland's economy has been based on farming and agriculture. But since
the late 1950s, government efforts to attract business have turned the country
from one of Europe's poorest nations to its second wealthiest. The amazing
turnaround earned Ireland the nickname "Celtic Tiger."
HISTORY
Archaeologists think
the first people to settle in Ireland arrived around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C.,
settlers were using stone tools to clear farmlands. Around 700 B.C., a diverse
and technologically advanced culture from central Europe called the Celts began
to settle the island. They would thrive there for nearly 2,000 years.
In the ninth century
A.D., Viking invaders began raids into Ireland. They established settlements
that later became some of the country's main cities, including the capital,
Dublin. The Vikings and Celts fought often for 200 years until a battle in 1014
united the country. Peace broke down quickly though, and Ireland was divided
into many kingdoms.
In 1170, Norman
Vikings who had taken control of England invaded Ireland and made it an English
territory. In the early 1600s, England's official religion became Protestant
while most Irish remained Roman Catholic. This would create tensions that would
eventually lead to revolution and Ireland's independence.
By the 1820s, British
laws unfair to Catholics had sparked a mass movement for Irish sovereignty. In
1829, many of those laws were overturned, but Ireland still wanted freedom. In
1922, after violent uprisings, the Irish Free State was created within the
British Empire.
In 1948, most of
Ireland became an independent country, while six mainly Protestant counties in
the northeast remained a British territory.
FACTS
Official name: Ireland
Size: 27,133 square
miles (70,273 square kilometers); slightly larger than West Virginia
Population: 4, 670, 976
as of July 2011
Capital: Dublin
Official Language:
Irish, or Gaelic, and English
Literacy: 99%
Religion: Roman
Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 7.8
Currency: Euro
Climate: Cool, damp,
and overcast most of the year, mild winters and cool summers
Industries:
pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products,
beverages and brewing, medical devices
MYTHS
The leprechaun is likely the most widely
known type of fairy living in Ireland. Leprechauns have been in existence in
Irish legend since the medieval times. Traditionally, leprechauns are tall
fairies and often appear to humans as an old man – much different from the
modern view of a small, childlike fairy in a green suit. As legend holds,
Leprechauns love to collect gold, which they store in a pot and hide at the end
of a rainbow. If a human catches a leprechaun, the fairy must grant the human
three-wishes before he can be released.
Faeries exist in some form in mythology all over the world but hold a special
importance to the Irish. The fairy society in Ireland is thought to be very
much alive, and far from Peter Pan’s Tinker Bell. An Irish fairy can take any
form she wishes, but will usually choose a human form. They are said to be
beautiful, powerful and hard to resist, which is unfortunate because most
fairies in Ireland love to bring misfortune and bad luck to the mortals who
come near them.
The Banshee was a woman who carried with
her an omen of death. Sometimes you saw the Banshee as an old woman dressed in
rags, sometimes you saw her as a young and beautiful girl and sometimes you saw
her as a wash woman, ringing out bloody clothing. Whenever she was seen, she
let out a horrible cry and legend has it this cry brought death to any family
that heard it. King James I of Scotland thought he was approached by a Banshee.
Shortly after, he died at the Earl of Atholl.
The rose is a type of
flowering shrub, they are woody perennials. Its name comes from the Latin word
Rosa. The flowers of the rose grow in many different colors, from the
well-known red rose to yellow roses and sometimes white or purple roses. All roses were originally wild and they come
from several parts of the world, North America, Europe, northwest Africa and
many parts of Asia and Oceania. There are over many different species of roses,
over 100 and thousands of cultivars. The
wild rose species can be grown in gardens, but most garden roses are cultivars,
which have been chosen by people. Over
hundreds of years they have been specially bred to produce a wide variety of
growing habits and a broad range of colours.
DESCRIPTION AND USE
The flower of the rose
plant can be different sizes. It may be as small as 1/2 inch across to a
diameter of almost 7 inches.[2] Also, roses can be used for good scent. The
scent of the rose comes from tiny perfume glands on the petals, which can be
seen through a powerful microscope. Sometimes rose petals are dried and packed
so that you can use them for decoration or for scent.
Roses can be seen very
much in gardens. Sometimes they can be in vineyards as well. In a big vineyard,
a bush of roses is planted at the end of each row of vines. As long as the roses stay healthy, the vine
growers can see that their vines are healthy as well.
ROSE FRUIT OR HIP
The fruit of the rose
is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do
not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not
provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few have dark purple to black hips. Rose hips of
some species, are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any
plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings,
which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat
the seeds.
Rose hips are
occasionally made into jam, jelly, marmalade, and soup or are brewed for tea,
primarily for their high vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered
to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil,
which is used in skin products and some makeup products.
SYMBOLISM OF ROSES
1. Red Roses: Red roses convey a simple message: "I
love you". This makes them the ultimate symbol of romantic love and the
most popular choice on Valentine’s Day. Other meanings for red roses include
desire, passion, courage, respect, beauty and sincerity. A red rosebud symbolizes
purity and loveliness.
2. Coral Roses: Coral roses speak of desire and passion.
3. Lilac or Lavender
Roses: Lilac roses reveal love at first
sight or enchantment.
4. Orange Roses: Orange roses communicate desire, enthusiasm
and fascination. They make an excellent choice for a new relationship that you
wish to pursue further.
5. Peach Roses: Peach roses express gratitude, appreciation,
admiration or sympathy. They can also convey sociability and friendship and
send the message "Let's get together". A pale peach rose symbolizes
modesty.
6. Pink Roses: In general, pink roses symbolize grace,
gentility and happiness and express appreciation and gratitude.
7. Pale Pink Roses: Pale pink roses connote grace, joy,
gentility and gratitude.
8. Light Pink Roses: Light pink roses suggest happiness and fun.
Like all pink roses, they also convey admiration and appreciation.
9. Deep Pink Roses: Deep pink roses say "Thank you".
They also express appreciation, admiration, sincerity and sympathy.
10. White Roses: Second only to red roses in popularity, white
roses symbolize truth and innocence. They also represent silence, secrecy,
reverence, humility, youthfulness and charm. You can use them to say,
"You're heavenly", "I miss you" and "I’m worthy of
you". A white rosebud symbolizes girlhood.
11. Yellow Roses: Yellow roses symbolize friendship and
freedom, so are not specifically romantic roses. They convey congratulations,
joy, gladness and delight. But they also promise a new beginning, say
"Welcome back" and "Remember me", and can convey jealousy
and caring. Yellow roses with red tips convey friendship and falling in love.
12. Dead Roses: Dead roses in any color convey "It's
over!"
SOME MITHOLOGY
The early Greeks (and
later, the Romans with their mythological counterparts) inexorably linked the
rose to love, beauty, purity and passion. According to the poet Anacreon,
seafoam dripping from the body of Aphrodite as she is born turns into white
roses; thus representing her purity and innocence. Later, when she is trying to
help her wounded lover, Adonis, Aphrodite sheds a few drops of blood onto a
white rose and changes it to red; thus representing her desire and passion.
