SESSION 3: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION
2.1 ANIMALS: Should we leave them alone? Think why yes/why no
- animals for bullfighting
- animals as pets
- animals for medical research
- animals for the blind and disabled
- animals for zoos and circuses
- animals we eat
2.2 TRADITIONS: How many traditions can you think of in your country? Make a list and rank them from the best to the worst from your point of view. Try to think about them, their purpose and if they have more or less followers.
2.3 WORDS: Think about these words and what they represent:
- ban
- tradition
- spectacle/spectators
- crowds
2.3 DISCUSSION: Here are some questions you can try asking yourself before you come to our discussion on Wednesday:
a) What did you think when you read the headline? Had you heard this news before on TV, the radio or the newspapers?
b) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘bullfighting’?
c) Some say it’s a sport; others an art. What do you think?
d) Is bullfighting cruel?
e) Why do people fight bulls? What’s the purpose of the sport?
f) Should any animals be used in sport?
g) Do you agree with the ban in Catalonia?
h)Why are matadors so popular in Spain?
i) Do you think it’s sad that a national celebration is coming to an end? Are other national celebrations going to follow? Is there any celebration that has already come to an end in Spain?
j) Have you ever signed a petition?
k) Do you think the opponents of the ban will get it overturned?
l) If there are fans who want to see it, why ban bullfighting?
m) Do you think there’ll be no bullfighting in Spain one day?
n) In a globalized world, will countries lose their tradition if they keep abandoning traditions?
o) Have you ever seen / would you ever go to see bullfighting?
p) Why do people become matadors?
PREPARING A DISCUSSION IS FUNDAMENTAL:
THIS MUST BE DONE IN TWO DIRECTIONS:
FIRST, YOU NEED TO LEARN NEW VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO USE FOR THE DISCUSSION.
SECONDLY, YOU HAVE TO PREPARE THE TOPIC BY LOOKING UP INFORMATION IN THE INTERNET, BOOKS, ENCYCLOPAEDIAS.
THIS WAY YOU WILL FEEL MUCH MORE CONFIDENT AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU WILL HAVE MUCH MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
FINAL TASK:
HERE IS ONE FINAL TASK THAT YOU MAY DO IN ORDER TO COVER THE FOUR SKILLS YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON WHEN LEARNING A LANGUAGE: LISTENING, READING, SPEAKING AND WRITING.
Write a composition and leave it in the blog as a comment to Session 3, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions. Choose one of these two options:
- 'Bullfighting is an art and it should never be banned.' Express your opinion.
- Traditions in different Regions of Spain.
Nowadays, society is becoming more conscientious about how animals are treated. The fact that lots of people are protesting against these traditions and some governments are banning them in the following months, make us wonder if bullfighting is an art and if so, can some governments ban these sorts of events?
ReplyDeleteGeneral speaking, bullfighting is an antique tradition which started a long time ago in Seville’s Maestranza ring. Since then, it spread in lost of places in Spain and south America which became incredibly popular very soon. Bullfighting has a lot of codes which are understood by people who study these events and even lots of vocabulary has a direct relation with bullfighting. So this means that this fiesta is deeply integrated in Spanish traditions and summer festivals would not be understood without them. Another important aspect, which has relation with the possible ban of bullfighting, is economic, because a lot of people live thanks to them. Besides, fans of bullfighting attend every year and they will not understand their festivals without these fiestas.
On the other hand, we should concern about the treatment bulls receive. They are maltreated cruelly in order to make spectators spend good moments, so it can remind us how Romans treated slaves in their festivals. Although it is not the same, we can think about it seriously. Another downside, might be the risk matadors suffer when they fight against a bull. We all know they do it voluntarily, but many matadors have died because the bulls have damaged them seriously causing matador’s death afterwards. That is the reason why this fiesta is so popular, I mean the fight between men and animals face to face and how one of them win a trophy, despite being the bull which always looses.
In conclusion, bullfighting is an antique tradition and it might be consider as art by lots of fans, so in my opinion, people should have the freedom to attend to these events or on the contrary they might choose not to attend them, so in this way bullfighting will come to an end by themselves.
Miguel Ruano.
Everything goes by because our destiny is to go by and bullfighting is not different. Our world could survive without bullfighting until 1750 and I am sure we will survive when it disappears.
ReplyDeleteMaybe some of the arguments people who are against bullfighting use, are true and an objective person would agree with them. So the way bulls are killed at arena is a kind of torture incompatible with our civilized ideas which are against mistreating animals.
But two elements we must bear in mind when we talk about bullfighting. One of them is that political questions are behind of this prohibition in Catalonia, an important part of Catalonian population wishes to be separated from Spain and they see bullfighting as a Spanish symbol. Secondly, I find many of these outcries against it very violent and exaggerated while many other injustices unfortunately still exist in Spain and all over the world, injustices which affect human beings and not just animals.
Summing up, I am not a strong defender of bullfighting but if I had to fight against something, I would use my strength to try to eliminate all the situations which violate human rights.
It is well known the huge controversy between citizens provoked by the ban of bullfighting in Catalonia. Indeed, bullfighting has been considered for centuries as a traditional spectacle of Portugal, Spain, Southern France and Latin America countries. However, it is right now when this sport or whatever we named it, has been strictly forbidden in the northwest of Spain when spring up different opinions about if it should be banned or by contrast should be reminded as an old tradition.
ReplyDeleteSupporter of bullfighting argue that it is a culturally important tradition and an extraordinary art as it could be dancing, music and painting. As a matter of fact, it may be a bit exaggerated statement because nobody its is hurt or die in any of this kind of arts but what it is clear is that it is economically positive to our country due to the number of foreigners who visit Spain attracted by the celebration of bullfighting.
On the other hand, for detractors this tradition is a cruel and bloody ritual resulting in a suffering of bulls, horses and in the worse case the matador. It is seems, that people have forgotten that to go hunting it is still considered as a sport; what it is more, the cockfighting (very popular in the north of London) date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries until in the mid-nineteenth century was banned, although in many regions of Spain the fight of cocks is still regarded as an sport.
In short, as far as I am concerned, and as a biased person due to bullfighting never interested me, it is important to raise awareness that in this troubles and crisis times we are living today, there are other issues to be worried about, clearly the media has achieved his purpose diverting real information and focusing in trivial matters which gives us food for thought.
Hi dear teacher, I have just left other writing composition on your blog, ready to be checked and corrected.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. I am really grateful for your help and your fantastic and useful web page.
Regards,
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Bullfighting is an art and it should never be banned. Express your opinion.
According to the medium (the TV, the radio, the newspapers and the Internet), it is well known that the bullfighting has come in an end in Catalonia as a result of a ban which will come into effect on the first of January, the next year 2012 and what is more, this prohibition will probably cause a ripple effect on the most of our country, due to the significant and increasing number of detractors against this old custom with more than two hundred years old and considered as a sport and an art by their supporters. Obviously, it has caused a lot controversy about different issues like the respect to keep traditions and customs, as well as the protection for animals. Therefore, many people, mostly fans and those who make their living of this spectacle as for example matadors or bullfighters think that this popular tradition should never be banned but personally I do not totally agree with that.
Firstly, although there are sports more dangerous than others, none of them have as a objective to kill any animal or person, on the contrary its aim is to enjoy people giving a impressive, funny and amusing spectacle but never ever to make a bloody and cruel show. Along those lines, if I had been asked about if I consider bullfighting as an art and sport, I would have replied: ‘of course not’.
Secondly, despite we had better keep our traditions and customs alive as a symbol of identity, above all currently because we live in a globalized world, we should be conscious that some of them are incompatible with our civilized ideas, so that we should forbid them, as for instance bullfighting or cockfighting, the sooner, the better
Finally, taking into account the current economic crisis in the world, especially in our country, I must admit that this ban is ordered in an inappropriate moment when there are other serious problems to solve, as for example unemployment and nearly bankruptcy in our country, apart from so many other injustices that unfortunately still exist in Spain and all over the world. Consequently, in many occasions and in the case of the ban of bullfighting, it seems to have political interests, so everybody knows that Catalonia expect to be independent from Spain at all costs, and that really gets my nervous.
In conclusion, we must respect our traditions, customs and allow citizens take pleasure in spectacles but always respecting animals and human rights.