Class: Monday, 29^th April 2013

Unit 12: History

Can-Do Objectives: Talk about how people have built success

                               Discuss key historical events

Pages: 86 and 87

Grammar: Dramatic inversion

Vocabulary: death knell, dent, to claim

Homework: Please attempt to do some work over the brief break. This is what I suggest you do - Course book pg. 147; Workbook pg. 74, 2^nd column and pg. 75

Presentations: Thank you to Esther, Francisco and Verónica. I love learning new things.

As you all know, the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990 is not only a key historical event but also a personal key event in my life. I’ve included this brief video so that you might have a glimpse of some of the things I experienced.

Iraq Invades Kuwait - 8/2/1990

I’m including another video about a historical event. Try to remember what you were doing when you heard the news.

NBC News at Sunrise Reports the Death of Princess Diana

Class: Wednesday, 24^th April 2013

Unit 12: History

Can-Do Objectives: Ask for clarification

                              Discuss key historical events

Pages: 84 and 85

Grammar: Similes

Vocabulary: claim, assert, stark, thatching, to date, demise, whipped cream

Homework: Workbook pg. 70 – 71; Course book pg 85 - Vocabulary

Recent history: Zahra' Langhi: Why Libya's revolution didn't work -- and what might

http://www.ted.com/talks/zahra_langhi_why_libya_s_revolution_didn_t_work_and_what_might.html

Class: Monday, 22^nd April 2013

Unit 12: History

Can-Do Objectives: Describe key events in peoples lives

                              Use similes to make descriptions more interesting

                              Talk about how people have built success

Pages: 82 and 83

Grammar: Similes

Vocabulary: to be orphaned, dodo, to flee, to drop out

Homework: Course book pg.84 – Reading ex A

This link is to the scene of the film The Life of Brian mentioned in the reading.

 

What have the Romans ever done for us?

I’m afraid that the following video isn’t as funny. It’s a TED talk given by a North Korean young woman telling us about her escape to South Korea.

Please watch it.

Hyeonseo Lee: My escape from North Korea

http://www.ted.com/talks/hyeonseo_lee_my_escape_from_north_korea.html

Also, thank you to Gloria for your presentation.

Remember: Final Exam dates – The Written Exam will be on the 22^nd May and the Oral Exam on the 27^th May during class time. If you cannot make either dates, let me know as soon as possible.

Class: Wednesday, 17^th April 2013

Unit 8: Nature

Can-Do Objectives: Describe different ways of talking

                              

Pages: 56 and 57

Grammar: Auxiliaries: question tags, short answers, emphasis

Vocabulary: copycat, follow-up, retreats, hard-wired, self-help books

Homework: Course book pg. 143; Workbook - Unit 8 ALL

I would like to thank Sara for being brave and be the first to give her presentation and doing such a good job.

Here is a funny video that perpetuates male – female stereotypes:

Mark Gungor - Men's Brain Women's Brain

Class: Monday, 15^th April 2013

Unit 8: Nature

Can-Do Objectives: Describe natural landscape

                              Use tags to emphasize your opinion

Pages: 54 and 55

Grammar: Auxiliaries for emphatic tags

Vocabulary: rugged, bend, lush, barren, vineyard

Homework:  Course book pg. 58 Reading; pg. 59, column 1 D; pg 59 Vocabulary ex A and D

Remember: Send me an e-mail with the date and approximate length of your oral presentation. Also, let me know if you need to make use of a projector or a computer.

Natural landscape photos (The slide presentation is much shorter than the time posted.)

Class: Wednesday, 10^th April 2013

Unit 13: News and the Media

Can-Do Objectives: Comment on news stories

                              Recognize and use rhetorical questions

Pages: 92 and 93

Grammar: Reporting and verbs patterns

Vocabulary: casualties, seizure, to haul, to slash, ups and downs, to up, to deal a blow, fuss, thug, bribery, toll, halt, gullible

Homework: Workbook – Unit 11 ALL

A BBC World News 4 years ago (maily headlines and transition language from one news item to another):

Class: Monday, 8^th April 2013

Unit 11: Play

Can-Do Objectives: Explain how to play different games

                              Use sports and game metaphors

                              Recognize and discuss playful language

Pages: 78 – 81

Grammar: Linking words

Vocabulary: to shed, to spot, to gang up on smo., to be bound to, to tip over

Homework: Course book pg. 146; Vocabulary pg. 80

Remember: Send me an e-mail telling me when you want to do your Oral Project and whether you need a computer and a projector.

An video on Amazing Card Tricks:

So you can review some of the vocabulary we saw in class.

Class: Wednesday, 3^rd April 2013

Unit 11: Play

Can-Do Objectives: Talk about sports you watch and do

                              Recognize and use irony

Pages: 76 and 77

Grammar: Review Modals

Vocabulary: to boo, get knocked out, to send off, to drop smo., reckless, underdog, to uphold, to overturn, blow one’s chances, to fade, to scrape through

Homework: Course book Reading pg. 80 ex A and pg. 81

Remember: Your ORAL PROJECT!

A TED talk on cartoon humour

http://www.ted.com/talks/liza_donnelly_drawing_upon_humor_for_change.html