Sunday, November 27, 2011

SESSION 10: A SONG

SESSION 10: A SONG
3 DOORS DOWN - HERE WITHOUT YOU

THE LYRICS:
http://youtu.be/NqjfvD-qbmw

SESSION 10: A VIDEO (2)

SESSION 10: A VIDEO (2)
1 YEAR TO GO TO LONDON 2012

SESSION 10: VIDEO (1)

SESSION 10: VIDEO (1)
2012 LONDON OLYMPIC: WE ARE LONDON

Saturday, November 26, 2011

SESSION 10: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK

SESSION 10: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK


2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION:

2.1 PROTECT: How can Britain protect its Olympic Games? Think about the problems these things my have and the measures the British government should take:
  • the Olympic Park
  • the athletes
  • spectators
  • the website
  • London
  • the Marathon
2.2 SPORT: What´s best? Rank the following, put the best at the top:
  • Olympics
  • Formula 1
  • Tennis Opens
  • Golf Opens
  • Fifa Soccer World Cup
  • America´s Cup Yacht Race
  • NFL Super Bowl
  • Baseball World Series
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?
b) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘Olympics’?
c) What are your earliest memories of the Olympics?
d) How high-profile are the Olympics?
e) How easy or difficult do you think it is for terrorists to attack the Olympics?
f) Do you ever worry about terrorism?
g) What do you think of the Olympics being protected by missiles?
h) Would this news keep you from attending the Olympics or make you feel safer?
i) Are the Olympics a bigger target because they are in London?
j) Why do you think the Olympics security coordinator is denying reports that missiles will be deployed?
k) How important are the Olympics?
l) What’s your favourite Olympics event?
m) How happy are you when athletes from your country win gold?
n) What do you know of previous terrorist attacks at the Olympics?
o) How safe will London be during the Olympics?
p) What will an undercover FBI do at the London Olympics?
q) How important is it for a country to hold the Olympics?
r) Are you looking forward to the Games?
s) What questions would you like to ask London's Olympic security coordinator Chris Allison?

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 10, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions:
  • How important is it for a city to hold the Olympic Games? Express your opinion.
  • Security in the Olimpic Games. Express your opinion.

SESSION 10: KEY TO EXERCISES

SESSION 10: KEY TO EXERCISES


1.1 TRUE/FALSE:
a.F / b.F / c.T / d.T / e.F / f.F / g.T / h.T

1.2 SYNONYM MATCH:
1.b / 2.f/ 3.e / 4.h / 5.j / 6.a / 7.d / 8.c / 9.g / 10.i

1.3 PHRASE MATCH:
1.g / 2.d / 3.i / 4.b / 5.h / 6.a / 7.f / 8.c / 9.j /10.e

1.4 GAP FILL:
1. SET - 2. BY - TAKEN - 4. AIR - 5. BEFORE - 6. NEAR - 7. TIME 8. SINCE
9. DEFENDED - 10. TARGET - 11. ATHLETES - 12. INJURED - 13. WELCOMED - 14. DIPLOMATS - 15. DISGUISED - 16. BOOST

SESSION 10: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

SESSION 10: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

NOTE: IN ORDER TO WORK WITH THE TEXT, UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE IT BETTER I RECOMMEND THESE EXERCISES:

THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF EXERCISES:
1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT: THESE ARE EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE READING COMPREHENSION, WORKING WITH VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS.
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION: EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE PREPARATION FOR THE DISCUSSION.

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

1.1 TRUE/FALSE: Look at the article and guess whether these sentences are True (T) or False (F):
a. Britain will use missiles to prevent a land attack during the Olympics.
b. It will be the first Olympics to be defended by military missiles.
c. The Beijing and Athens Games prepared missiles ready for use.
d. The Olympics security coordinator denied missiles would be used.
e. Defences at London’s Olympics won’t be as good as at earlier Games.
f. The article mentions attacks at three different Olympics.
g. The USA is sending 1,000 of its agents to protect the London Olympics.
h. More than 5,000 British soldiers will dress up as security guards.

1.2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
1. set .................. a. probable
2. protect ............. b. ready
3. ensure .............. c. greeted
4. deployed ........... d. victims
5. reports ............. e. make certain
6. likely ............... f. keep safe
7. target .............. g. dressed up
8. welcomed ......... h. used
9. disguised ........... i. increase
10. boost .............. j. accounts

1.3 PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from this article (sometimes more than one option is possible):
1. Britain is set ..................... a. of terrorists before
2. an attack ......................... b. to-air defences
3. All necessary ..................... c. agents
4. appropriate ground- ............ d. by air
5. London's Olympic security ..... e. boost security
6. They have been the target .... f. the security measures
7. The USA has welcomed ........ g. to use surface-to-air missiles
8. undercover ...................... h. coordinator
9. soldiers disguised ............... i. measures
10. 12,000 police will ............. j. as security guards

1.4 GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text:

BEFORE - TAKEN - TIME - SET - SINCE - AIR - BY - NEAR
Britain is (1) ____________ to use surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to protect the London Olympics from an attack (2) ____________ air. U.K. Defence Minister Philip Hammond said on Monday: "All necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of the London Olympic Games will be (3) ____________ including, if the advice of the military is that it is required, appropriate ground-to-(4) ____________ defences." Such military weapons have been made available (5) ____________ to protect an international sporting event. China deployed them (6) ____________ its main venues for the Beijing games in 2008. Missiles were also on standby for the Athens Games in 2004. It is the first (7) ____________ missiles will be used in Britain (8) ____________ World War II. London's Olympic security coordinator Chris Allison said the reports of SAMs were not true.

INJURED - TARGET - BOOST - ATHLETES - DIPLOMATS - DEFENDED - DISGUISED - WELCOMED
The 2012 Games are likely to be the best-(9) ____________ Olympics ever. They have been the (10) ____________ of terrorists before. At the Munich Olympics in 1972, members of the Palestinian Black September group killed eleven Israeli (11) ____________ and coaches and a West German police officer. In an attack on the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, two people died and 111 were (12) ____________ in a bomb attack at the Olympic Park. The USA has (13) ____________ the security measures. They are sending up to 1,000 FBI and undercover agents to protect American athletes and (14) ____________. More than 6,000 British soldiers (15) ____________ as security guards plus 10,000 volunteer guards and 12,000 police will (16) ____________ security for the London Games.

SESSION 10: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 30TH NOVEMBER

SESSION 10: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 30TH NOVEMBER
MISILES TO PROTECT 2012 OLYMPIC

TEXT TAKEN AND/OR ADAPTED FROM:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

THE TEXT:
Britain is set to use surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to protect the London Olympics from an attack by air. U.K. Defence Minister Philip Hammond said on Monday: "All necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of the London Olympic Games will be taken including, if the advice of the military is that it is required, appropriate ground-to-air defences." Such military weapons have been made available before to protect an international sporting event. China deployed them near its main venues for the Beijing games in 2008. Missiles were also on standby for the Athens Games in 2004. It is the first time missiles will be used in Britain since World War II. London's Olympic security coordinator Chris Allison said the reports of SAMs were not true.
The 2012 Games are likely to be the best-defended Olympics ever. They have been the target of terrorists before. At the Munich Olympics in 1972, members of the Palestinian Black September group killed eleven Israeli athletes and coaches and a West German police officer. In an attack on the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, two people died and 111 were injured in a bomb attack at the Olympic Park. The USA has welcomed the security measures. They are sending up to 1,000 FBI and undercover agents to protect American athletes and diplomats. More than 6,000 British soldiers disguised as security guards plus 10,000 volunteer guards and 12,000 police will boost security for the London Games.
Misìles to Protect 2012 Olympic; 15th November, 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

SESSION 9: A VIDEO (2)

SESSION 9: A VIDEO (2)
ADVERTISING-CUSTOMER BREAK UP

SESSION 9: A VIDEO (1)

SESSION 9: A VIDEO (1)
HOW THE INTERNET IS CHANGING ADVERTISING

SESSION 9: A SONG (2)

SESSION 9: A SONG
BRUNO MARS- THE LAZY SONG (OFFICIAL ALTERNATE VIDEO)

SESSION 9: A SONG

SESSION 9: A SONG
BRUNO MARS - THE LAZY SONG

LYRICS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbMWQbruYck&feature=BFa&list=FLpvnjwzT9dwl15PiOBRKgjw&lf=mh_lolz
SESSION 9: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK


2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION:

2.1 BENETTON: What do you think of these Benetton´s ads?


















2.2 ANYTHING GOES? Which of these should not be in adverts? Put the worst at the top:
  • people smoking
  • semi-naked women
  • drug users
  • men kissing
  • famine victims
  • religious leaders
  • animals
  • children
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?j) Should the Vatican understand this is the 21st Century and try to understand these ads?
b) What do you think about what you read?
c) What do you think of Benetton’s ads? Have you seen others apart from the ones here?
d) Do you think advertising is an art form?
e) Have you ever been shocked by an ad?
f) What ads can you think of that you thought were very clever?
g) Is it OK to include religious leaders in ads?
h) Why do you think Benetton uses such controversial advertising?
i) Should advertising only feature the actual product, message or service being sold?
k) What do you think of Benetton’s “Unhate” campaign?
l) What do you think the political and religious leaders think about the kissing ads?
m) Should Benetton pay compensation for creating these doctored images?
n) What is “the culture of hate”?
o) Is an ad of the Pope kissing a leading Muslim imam damaging?
p) Is the Vatican making this issue bigger by complaining about it?
q) What questions would you like to ask Benetton’s advertising boss?
r) What do you think his/her replies would be?

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.
HIS 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 9, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions:
  • 'Benneton´s publicity campaign is provocative and original.' Express your opinion.
  • Anything goes in advertising? Express your opinion.

SESSION 9: KEY TO EXERCISES

SESSION 9: KEY TO EXERCISES


1.1 TRUE/FALSE:
a.F / b.F / c.F / d.F / e.F / f.F / g.F / h.F

1.2 SYNONYM MATCH:
1.e / 2.h/ 3.a / 4.c / 5.j / 6.b / 7.i / 8.f / 9.d / 10.g

1.3 PHRASE MATCH:
1.b / 2.f / 3.h / 4.i / 5.d / 6.c / 7.j / 8.e / 9.a /10.g

1.4 GAP FILL:
1. GIANT - 2. SHOCKING - 3. MATING - 4. DOCTORED - 5. LIPS - 6. PULLED - 7. COMPLAINTS - 8. FURTHER -
9. PART - 10. RIVALS - 11. LIPS - 12. SMOOCHING - 13. SPOKESMAN - 14. ABSURD - 15. DIGNITY - 16. BELIEVERS

SESSION 9: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

SESSION 9: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT


NOTE: IN ORDER TO WORK WITH THE TEXT, UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE IT BETTER I RECOMMEND THESE EXERCISES:

THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF EXERCISES:

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT: THESE ARE EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE READING COMPREHENSION, WORKING WITH VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS.
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION: EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE PREPARATION FOR THE DISCUSSION.

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

1.1 TRUE/FALSE: Look at the article and guess whether these sentences are True (T) or False (F):
a. A clothes company has upset the Vatican over an advertisement.
b. The clothes company never usually uses shock tactics in its ads.
c. A Benetton ad shows a doctor kissing two religious leaders.
d. The Vatican is now happy that the ad is no longer being used.
e. A new ad campaign is aimed at getting people to like each other more.
f. Most of the leaders in the ads are actually kissing each other.
g. Representatives of a Cairo imam suggested the ads were ridiculous.
h. The Vatican is concerned about the feelings of Catholics worldwide.

1.2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
1. campaign ............. a. falsified
2. mating ................ b. fight
3. doctored ............. c. withdrew
4. pulled ................. d. ridiculous
5. measures ............. e. drive
6. battle ................. f. kissing
7. seemingly ............ g. self-respect
8. smooching ........... h. breeding
9. absurd ................ i. apparently
10. dignity .............. j. actions


1.3 PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from this article (sometimes more than one option is possible):
1. once again in .......................... a. absurd
2. The company has a history of ....... b. the headlines
3. photos of two horses ................. c. of hate
4. it has used doctored .................. d. measures
5. take the proper legal ................. e. Imam
6. battle the culture ...................... f. using shocking ads
7. political ................................. g. of the Pope
8. A spokesman for the .................. h. mating
9. irresponsible and ...................... i. photos
10. damaging not only to the dignity .. j. rivals

1.4 GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text:

PULLED - MATING - SHOCKING - LIPS - GIANT - FURTHER - COMPLAINTS - DOCTORED
The clothing (1) ____________ Benetton is once again in the headlines over a controversial advertising campaign. The company has a history of using (2) ____________ ads for its products. In the past it has used photos of two horses (3) ____________, an AIDS victim and a bloodied newborn baby on billboards and in magazines. This time it has used (4) ____________ photos of world leaders looking like they are kissing. One of these shows what looks like Pope Benedict XVI brushing (5) ____________ with Imam Ahmed el Tayyeb – one of Egypt’s top religious leaders and imam of Cairo’s al-Azhar. Benetton (6) ____________ the ad after (7) ____________ from the Roman Catholic Church. However, the Vatican has told its lawyers around the world to "take the proper legal measures" to stop (8) ____________ use.


SMOOCHING - RIVALS - DIGNITY - PART - BELIEVERS - SPOKESMAN - LIPS - ABSURD
Benetton’s new ads are (9) ____________ of a campaign called “Unhate,” which it says aims to "battle the culture of hate”. Similar images show political (10) ____________ seemingly with locked (11) ____________. These include Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas kissing the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, (12) ____________ North and South Korean leaders, US President Barack Obama kissing Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A (13) ____________ for the Imam described the advertisement as "irresponsible and (14) ____________," while the Vatican said it was "damaging not only to the (15) ____________ of the Pope and the Catholic Church but also to the feelings of (16) ____________ ".

SESSION 9: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 23RD NOVEMBER

SESSION 9: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 23RD NOVEMBER
POPE KISSING IMAM AD OUTRAGES VATICAN

TEXT TAKEN AND/OR ADAPTED FROM:

THE TEXT:
The clothing giant Benetton is once again in the headlines over a controversial advertising campaign. The company has a history of using shocking ads for its products. In the past it has used photos of two horses mating, an AIDS victim and a bloodied newborn baby on billboards and in magazines. This time it has used doctored photos of world leaders looking like they are kissing. One of these shows what looks like Pope Benedict XVI brushing lips with Imam Ahmed el Tayyeb – one of Egypt’s top religious leaders and imam of Cairo’s al-Azhar. Benetton pulled the ad after complaints from the Roman Catholic Church. However, the Vatican has told its lawyers around the world to "take the proper legal measures" to stop further use.
Benetton’s new ads are part of a campaign called “Unhate,” which it says aims to "battle the culture of hate”. Similar images show political rivals seemingly with locked lips. These include Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas kissing the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, smooching North and South Korean leaders, US President Barack Obama kissing Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A spokesman for the Imam described the advertisement as "irresponsible and absurd," while the Vatican said it was "damaging not only to the dignity of the Pope and the Catholic Church but also to the feelings of believers".
'Pope Kissing Imam Ad Outrages Vatican': 18th November, 2011

Sunday, November 13, 2011

SESSION 8: A VIDEO (2)

SESSION 8: A VIDEO (2)
UGANDA CHILD SACRIFICE - BBC OUR WORLD DOCUMENTARY- PART 2

SESSION 8: A VIDEO (1)

SESSION 8: A VIDEO (1)
UGANDA CHILD SACRIFICE - BBC OUR WORLD DOCUMENTARY. PART 1

SESSION 8: A SONG

SESSION 8: A SONG
KEANE: SOMETHING IN ME WAS DYING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL_U2dNJRGk&feature=BFa&list=FLpvnjwzT9dwl15PiOBRKgjw&lf=mh_lolz

HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!

SESSION 8: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK

SESSION 8: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK


2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION:

2.1 CHILDREN: How can we protect children in these different situations:
  • child sacrifices
  • child labour
  • bullying
  • domestic violence
  • child soldiers
  • cyber-bullying
2.2 CHILD FEARS. What do you think children worry about most? Rank them from most worrying to least worrying:
  • the dark
  • the dentist
  • other schoolchildren
  • parents
  • horror movies
  • spiders
  • old age
  • stangers
2.3 DISCUSSION: Here are some questions you can try asking yourself before you come to our discussion on Wednesday:
a) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘sacrifice’?
b) What do you think of what you read?
c) Why does this still happen today?
d) What should Uganda’s government be doing about this?
e) What should the rest of the world do to stop these killings?
f) Have you heard of anything like this in another part of the world?
g) What do you think the people who order a child sacrifice think about the life of these children?
h) Are those who order sacrifices murderers?
i) What kind of damage does this do to Uganda’s reputation?
j) Why do rich people think child sacrifices will bring them good health and wealth?
k) Are the witch doctors murderers?
l) What three adjectives describe this story?
m) Why and how do you think this ritual started?
n) What should Ugandan parents do to protect their children against being kidnapped?
o) Do you think there will always be witch doctors in Uganda?
p) What could you do to help highlight and end these ritualistic killings?
q) In what other ways are children in danger in the world?

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.
HIS 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 8, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions:
  • Children: what can we do to protect them around the world?

SESSION 8: KEY TO EXERCISES

SESSION 8: KEY TO EXERCISES


1.1 TRUE/FALSE:
a.T / b.F / c.T / d.T / e.F / f.T / g.F / h.F

1.2 SYNONYM MATCH:
1.f / 2.a/ 3.i / 4.e / 5.c / 6.g / 7.j / 8.d / 9.b / 10.h

1.3 PHRASE MATCH:
1.d / 2.f / 3.b / 4.h / 5.c / 6.j / 7.e / 8.a / 9.g /10.i

1.4 GAP FILL:
1. REPORTED - 2. RITUAL - 3. SEEMINGLY - 4. BOOM - 5. CASE - 6. RESPONSE - 7. PUT - 8. CASES
9. SUDDEN - 10. ELITE - 11. WEALTH - 12. LOVERS - 13. WILLING - 14. EXCHANGE - 15. COMERCIAL - 16. SPELL 

SESSION 8: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

SESSION 8: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT


NOTE: IN ORDER TO WORK WITH THE TEXT, UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE IT BETTER I RECOMMEND THESE EXERCISES:

THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF EXERCISES:

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT: THESE ARE EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE READING COMPREHENSION, WORKING WITH VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS.
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION: EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE PREPARATION FOR THE DISCUSSION.

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

1.1 TRUE/FALSE: Look at the article and guess whether these sentences are True (T) or False (F):
a. The killing of children in Uganda in rituals is increasing.
b. The killing has been going on for three decades.
c. In 2006 there was just one reported case of a child being sacrificed.
d. There are another 900 possible cases of child sacrifice.
e. The killings are happening due to a downturn in Uganda’s economy.
f. Some people believe killing a child will bring them more money.
g. Child sacrifice has not yet become a commercial enterprise.
h. Witch doctors charge more for animal sacrifices than child sacrifices.

1.2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
1. killing ................ a. practice
2. ritual ................. b. enterprise
3. alongside ............ c. secret
4. response ............ d. increased
5. undercover ......... e. reply
6. elite ................. f. murder
7. huge ................. g. high society
8. risen ................. h. prepared
9. business ............. i. next to
10. willing ............. j. enormous

1.3 PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from this article (sometimes more than one option is possible):
1. almost unheard ................. a. amounts of money
2. a boom in the ................... b. records
3. police ............................ c. to be investigated
4. try and put an end to .......... d. of
5. 900 more cases have yet ...... e. elite
6. The sudden increase ........... f. country's economy
7. the country's new .............. g. buy these children
8. paying witch doctors huge .... h. the murderous rituals
9. people who are willing to ..... i. business
10. a commercial .................. j. in the ritualistic killings

1.4 GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text:


SEEMINGLY - RITUAL - RESPONSE - CASES - BOOM - REPORTED - PUT - CASE
The BBC has (1) ____________ that the killing of children in Uganda as sacrifices for wealth and good health is increasing. The news agency says the (2) ____________ “was almost unheard of in the country until about three years ago, but it has re-emerged, (3) ____________ alongside a (4) ____________ in the country's economy”. In 2006, there was just one                 (5) ____________ of child sacrifice reported in the country. However, police records show this is increasing. In 2008, police investigated 25 ritual murders, and in 2009, another 29 killings. In (6) ____________, Uganda launched the Anti-Human Sacrifice Police Task Force to try and (7) ____________ an end to the murderous rituals. Undercover BBC journalist Chris Rogers reports 900 more (8) ____________ have yet to be investigated.

LOVERS - ELITE - COMMERCIAL - EXCHANGE - SUDDEN - WEALTH - SPELL - WILLING
The (9) ____________ increase in the ritualistic killings coincides with Uganda’s economic boom. Many believe the country's new (10) ____________ is paying witch doctors huge amounts of money for the sacrifices to increase their (11) ____________. The BBC interviewed pastor Peter Sewakiryanga about the child sacrifice. He said: "[It] has risen because people have become (12) ____________ of money.…They have a belief that when you sacrifice a child you get wealth, and there are people who are (13) ____________ to buy these children for a price. So they have become a commodity of (14) ____________, child sacrifice has become a (15) ____________ business." A witch doctor explained he got $390 for an animal sacrifice but much more for the most powerful (16) ____________ - the sacrifice of a child.

SESSION 8: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

SESSION 8: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 16TH NOVEMBER
CHILD SACRIFICE IN UGANDA INCREASING

TEXT TAKEN AND/OR ADAPTED FROM:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

THE TEXT:
The BBC has reported that the killing of children in Uganda as sacrifices for wealth and good health is increasing. The news agency says the ritual “was almost unheard of in the country until about three years ago, but it has re-emerged, seemingly alongside a boom in the country's economy”. In 2006, there was just one case of child sacrifice reported in the country. However, police records show this is increasing. In 2008, police investigated 25 ritual murders, and in 2009, another 29 killings. In response, Uganda launched the Anti-Human Sacrifice Police Task Force to try and put an end to the murderous rituals. Undercover BBC journalist Chris Rogers reports 900 more cases have yet to be investigated.
The sudden increase in the ritualistic killings coincides with Uganda’s economic boom. Many believe the country's new elite is paying witch doctors huge amounts of money for the sacrifices to increase their wealth. The BBC interviewed pastor Peter Sewakiryanga about the child sacrifice. He said: "[It] has risen because people have become lovers of money.…They have a belief that when you sacrifice a child you get wealth, and there are people who are willing to buy these children for a price. So they have become a commodity of exchange, child sacrifice has become a commercial business." A witch doctor explained he got $390 for an animal sacrifice but much more for the most powerful spell - the sacrifice of a child.
'Child Sacrifice in Uganda Increasing' : 13th October, 2011

Saturday, November 5, 2011

SESSION 7: A SONG

SESSION 7: A SONG
LEONA LEWIS: FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND

SESSION 7: A VIDEO (2)

SESSION 7:  A VIDEO (2)
TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2011-2012

SESSION 7: A VIDEO (1)

SESSION 7: A VIDEO (1)
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BY COLLEGE VIEW.COM

SESSION 7: SOME NEWS

SESSION 7: SOME NEWS

Caltech ranked first among world's universities - Pasadena Star-News

Friday, November 4, 2011

SESSION 7: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK

SESSION 7: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK

2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION:

2.1 THE TOP SPOT: Who/what gets the top spot for the following things? Why?
  • university
  • sport
  • sportsman
  • company
  • person
  • musician
  • pop group
2.2. STUDY: What is the best degree to study at university? Rank them
  • English / Languages
  • IT
  • Medicine
  • History
  • Event Management
  • Accountancy
  • Engineering
  • Astrophisics
  • others.....
2.3 DISCUSSION: Here are some questions you can try asking yourself before you come to our discussion on Wednesday:
a) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘university’?
b) What are the good and bad things about universities?
c) Do you think universities today are better than those in the past?
d) How important is it to go to a university?
e) Do you think it´s important to have a university degree for opportunities in jobs?
f) What do you know about Harvard University and Caltech?
g) What are the universities like in your country?
h) Why do you think so many of the top unis are in the U.S.A.?
i) How might your life improve by getting a degree from a top university?
j) Is it more difficult to be successful in life without graduating from university?
k) Why is funding for research so important for universities? Do universities in Spain also get these funds from private companies?
l) In some countries, a university education is free. Do you think it should be free?
m) Which are better, public or private universities?
n) What would you really love to study at university? What would you really have liked to study at university?
o) Who gives funds to universities and why?
p) Do you think universities will be totally online in the future, with no necessity of  buildings?
q) What do you think of Oxford and Cambridge university?
r) What do you think of the University of Granada and Almería?
s) Should all university subjects be practical?

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 7, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions. Choose one of these two options:
  • Private versus Public Universities, express your opinion.
  • Do you believe the best universities are in the USA or the UK only? What about the rest of the world?

SESSION 7: KEY TO EXERCISES

SESSION 7: KEY TO EXERCISES


1.1 TRUE/FALSE:
a.F / b.T / c.T / d.F / e.T / f.F / g.T / h.F

1.2 SYNONYM MATCH:
1.f / 2.d/ 3.i / 4.b / 5.j / 6.e / 7.c / 8.a / 9.g / 10.h

1.3 PHRASE MATCH:
1.f / 2.h / 3.b / 4.d / 5.c / 6.a / 7.i / 8.e / 9.j /10.g

1.4 GAP FILL:
1. SPOT - 2. KNOCKED - 3. TIED - 4. ANNUAL - 5. COMPILED - 6. DOMINATED - 7. REST - 8. CLIMBED
9. EDITOR - 10. GREATER - 11. SIGNIFICANT - 12. TIPPING - 13. DONORS 14. ABILITY - 15. ELIGIBLE - 16. RAISING FUNDS

SESSION 7: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

SESSION 7: EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT


NOTE: IN ORDER TO WORK WITH THE TEXT, UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE IT BETTER I RECOMMEND THESE EXERCISES:

THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF EXERCISES:
1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT: THESE ARE EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE READING COMPREHENSION, WORKING WITH VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS.
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION: EXERCISES FOCUSING ON THE PREPARATION FOR THE DISCUSSION.

1. EXERCISES WORKING WITH THE TEXT

1.1 TRUE/FALSE: Look at the article and guess whether these sentences are True (T) or False (F):
a. Harvard University has dropped out of the top ten universities.
b. A technology college from California is now the world’s top uni.
c. Stanford and Harvard universities share the same spot on the rankings.
d. Cambridge and Oxford universities are both in the top five.
e. Caltech got the top spot because if found more funds for research.
f. There was a huge difference between Harvard and Caltech last year.
g. Caltech can invest in new ideas before public universities can.
h. Private universities in the U.S. are facing problems getting funding.

1.2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
1. spot ................ a. lucky
2. tied ................ b. the others
3. annual ............. c. more
4. the rest ........... d. drew
5. climbed ........... e. jumped over
6. leapfrogged ...... f. place
7. greater ........... g. chances
8. fortunate ......... h. money
9. opportunities .... i. yearly
10. funds ............ j. rose

1.3 PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from this article (sometimes more than one option is possible):
1. lost its top spot .......... a. Harvard
2. It was knocked off its ... b. second spot
3. tied with Harvard for ... c. places in the rankings
4. dominated the ........... d. list
5. climbed two .............. e. over in its favor
6. Caltech leapfrogged ..... f. in the ranking
7. a significant increase .... g. new ideas
8. tipping the balance ...... h. perch by Caltech
9. steadfast .................. i. in its research income
10. invest in ................. j. donors

1.4 GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text:

COMPILED - KNOCKED - ANNUAL - TIED - DOMINATED - SPOT - REST
Harvard University has lost its top (1) ____________ in the ranking of world universities for the first time in eight years. It was (2) ____________ off its perch by Caltech (the California Institute of Technology). Another California college, Stanford University, (3) ____________ with Harvard for second spot. The (4) ____________, global list of the planet’s top educational institutions is (5) ____________ by London’s Times Higher Education and the Thomson Reuters Corp. Universities from the U.S.A. and U.K. (6) ____________ the list, with 75 American schools in the top 200. Seven of the top 10 colleges were in the U.S. and the (7) ____________ were in Britain. Oxford University (8) ____________ two places in the rankings to fourth; Princeton University came fifth and the University of Cambridge was sixth.

SIGNIFICANT - ELIGIBLE - GREATER - DONORS - EDITOR - RAISING - TIPPING - ABILITY
Phil Baty, (9) ____________ of the rankings, explained that Caltech leapfrogged Harvard because it had found (10) ____________ funding for its research. He said: “The difference between Harvard and Caltech last year was minuscule. What’s happened this year is Caltech has seen a (11) ____________ increase in its research income. A 16 percent increase. It’s quite significant in (12) ____________ the balance over in its favor.” Dr. Jean-Lou Chameau, president of Caltech, said: “Caltech is fortunate to have steadfast (13) ____________ and partners whose support gives [the university] the (14) ____________ to invest in new ideas long before they would be (15) ____________ for public funding opportunities.” Baty said private universities in America like Caltech are becoming more successful in (16) ____________ funds.