Used to + INF. & The Town

Past Simple vs Past Continuous

Describing appearances

It’s Lady Gaga, one of the most popular singers worldwide. She’s famous for her music, attitude and extravagant/flamboyant/outrageous/odd/weird/fanciful outfits/clothes/apparels/garments/wear/look.

She’s medium size/height/weight/average build. She’s short and thin but she has got a lovely figure and well-shaped legs.

On the left-hand side picture, she’s got blond, short, curly hair and she’s wearing lots of make-up. She’s also wearing a black bonnet and a mask. She’s wearing a black feathered jumper matching a grey patterned skirt in different shades too. She’s probably in a film premier.

In the middle picture, she’s got short, half-pink dyed hair. She’s wearing white, sequined lingerie and long wellingtons. She seems to have blood stains on. She’s probably singing in a music awards show.

In the picture on the right …

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Now, read the text again and follow the instructions:

1. Check the meaning of all the words you don't know in the text above. Jot them down in your vocab booklet.
2. Give a definition for every underlined word (in English!!!).
3. Write a description of Lady Gaga on the right-hand side picture.

Subject & Object Questions

Now follow the directions given in the activity below and complete it in your notebook:



https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1Jb_FzrteUSOpgkwPc4uAUn1GekcByh7o2fFsEmgUMWw

Present Contrast

Click below for some practice:

Present Continuous and Present Simple, by Paula :)
Find this and other present continuous exercises in English Exercises .org

Summer Reccomended Reading List

I know, I know ... the last thing you want right now is doing anything that has to do with English, but keep this in mind: a little bit of reading harms nobody!!! ... consider it will help your brains keep fit as you are hanging out at the swimming pool or sunbathing in Benidorm ... ;-)

There you go!, these are recommended readings for your well-deserved off-school days (click on each entry to check details on the publishers):

-My Family and Other Animals  (Reading Training)

-Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde  (Reading Training)

-The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole  (Advanced Readers)

-The Last of the Mohicans  (Advanced Readers)

In case you prefer reading in digital form, check the  Short Stories on the blog's right-side menu.

Enjoy your holidays!!!

Irene

Writing Outline + Sentence Connectors

I. INTRODUCTION

Thesis statement: present the topic of your writing by giving a brief explanation of what you are going to talk later.

II. DEVELOPMENT

Topic statements: decide how many topics you want to develop and make a sentence for each. You need to support each topic with details or examples.

> Sentence 1: details/examples

> Sentence 2: details/examples

> Sentence 3: details/examples

> Sentence 4: details/examples

...

In this section, use as many of the sentence connectors below as you need. These are words that help you link your ideas to write a cohesive, coherent paragraph.

Logical Order
>Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly ...

>Next/Last/Finally ...

>In addition/Furthermore/Also ...

Contrast

>However

>On the other hand

>On the contrary

>In comparison

>In contrast

Result

>As a result

>As a consequence

>Therefore

Comparison

>Similarly

>Likewise

>Also

III. CONCLUSION

Concluding statement: recap all the topics/ideas you have dealt with above and add up a closing statement that gives the reader an idea of successful completion (as if you left nothing to say).

West Side Story

I. Find this information on the Internet and answer the following questions:

     >What is the plot of the film (3-5 lines)?
     >When was the film first released?
     >Could you name the main characters? Who were in the cast?
     >How many awards and honours has this film won?
     >What is special about its soundtrack? Who is the scores’ author?

II. Look up the phrase "melting pot" in any online encyclopaedia. Explain the relation that term could possibly have with the plot or topics in the film.

III. Write your film review (70-80 words). Keep to the layout basics given in the post above.

In case you need some help, check the following document:

DRACULA (by Bram Stoker)

We have seen the award-winning movie "Dracula" of the director Francis Ford Coppola (1992). Now see the trailer of an older version, "Horror of Dracula" (1958), starred by Christopher Lee. Which one have frightened you most?

DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR READER ESSAY

READING ADVICE

ü       Do not translate every word nor look its meaning up in the dictionary.

ü       Read two or three pages on one go.

ü       Try to get general ideas. Do not worry if you do not understand all details.

ü       Check only the words that you consider useful to understand what happens.

ü       Jot them down in your `vocab booklet´ so that you can use them in your summary.

ü       Make some notes on the teacher’s explanations (they will help you to draft your essay later).

LAYOUT

Ø       Use blank pages.

Ø       Cover (book’s title and author). Write your name and class below.

Ø       Hand-writing (never edit your paper on your PC, spell checks and translator gadgets prevent your English from a quick advance).

Ø       Make sure all the titles in bold, upper case below are in your paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

                0. SOURCES

Use "Britannica" search gadget on the right-hand side of the blog and find out who the following people were (write three or four lines for each):

>Bram Stoker

>Vlad the Impaler

I. SUMMARY

Make a list of all the chapters’ titles. Translate them into Spanish and write five or six sentences giving a brief description of the main events at each chapter. (Try making simple sentences. Do not translate directly from Spanish. Avoid using translation tools and spell-checks from your computer.)

II. CHARACTERS

Choose one character. Draw it or write his/her name and make a word tree with details of his/her appearance, personality, problems, experiences, fears, etc. Now use the words in the tree to write a full paragraph about that character. (70-80 words approx.)

III. VOCABULARY

Choose one chapter. Pick out 15 words that you consider relevant and necessary for a complete understanding of the events. Make a glossary including the word, page, word class (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, etc.), translation and a phrase sample.

IV. GRAMMAR

Choose a different chapter. Write 10 samples of grammar structures studied at class (including the page where they can be found). i.e. Present/Continuous, Past Simple/Continuous, Present Perfect, Subject/Object Questions, like/prefer/hate/enjoy + gerund, comparative/superlative adjectives, so/such a(n) + adjective, etc.

V. BOOK REVIEW

v      TITLE

v      AUTHOR

v      BOOK TYPE (adventure, mystery, crime, romance, historical, suspense, etc.)

·                  The story happens in…………………………………………………………………… (place, time).

·                  The characters in this book are …………………………….……….. (names, brief description).

·                  My  favourite character is……………………………………………………….. I like him/her   because…………………………………………………………………… (justify your choice).

·                  My favourite part of the story is when…………………………………………

·                  I like/don’t like the book because…………………………………………………

·                  I recommend/don’t recommend this book because………………………

This Modern Love (Bloc Party Lyrics)

To be 1_______ in the forest
To be 2_______ adrift
You've 3________ trying to reach me
You bought me a book
To be 1_______ in the forest
To be 2_______ adrift
I've been paid
I've been paid

X 2
Don't get offended
If I seem absent-minded
Just keep telling me facts
And keep making me smile
Don't get offended
If I seem absent minded
I get 4_______
Baby, you've got to be more 5_______
I've never 6_______ what's good for me
Baby, you've got to be more 7_______
I will be yours
I'll pay for you anytime  X 2
You told me you wanted to 8_______ _______my sadness
Well jump on, enjoy, you can 9_______ _______
You told me you wanted to 8_______ my sadness
Jump right
Baby, you've got to be more 5_______
I've never 6_______ what's good for me
Baby, you've got to be more 7_______
What are you 10 _______ _______ _______?
What's always in the way?
Why so damn absent-minded?
Why so 11_______ _______ romance?
This modern love 12_______ me
This modern love 13_______ me
Do you wanna come over and kill some time?
Tell me facts, tell me facts, tell me facts
Tell me facts
Throw your arms around me

Rockers in Love

Watch the acoustic version of the most popular song by the English band Bloc Party. Try to get as many past participles as you can. Then complete the lyrics on the post above:

HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY

Watch this video and learn about Valentine's Day. Then, answer these questions:

>What's the origin of St. Valentine's? Is it pagan or religious? What was the first name given to the festival?

>Who was Valentine? Whose emperor's times did he live in?

>What happened on the first 14th February?

>What does Cupid stand for?
>How much candy is sold on that day?

Christmas homeworks ... ho ho ho!!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (by Charles Dickens)

VIDEO



-PREFACE

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,

C. D.

December, 1843.

AUDIO




-STAVE 1: Marley's Ghost

-STAVE 2: The First of the Three Spirits

-STAVE 3: The Second of the Three Spirits

-STAVE 4: The Last of the Spirits

-STAVE 5: The End of It

Listening better

Listening is a very important skill both professionally and in personal life, but most people are not too good at it.


Here are some tips to help you listen to other people better.

Ten Tips To Become A Better Listener

View more presentations from Vaishnavi Ragunathan.

Thanksgiving Day

Answer the following questions about this video:

>How were the guys who fled from England called? and the ship where they sailed?
>When and why did it happen?
>What is the name of the first place they arrived in?
>Which troubles did they go through in America?
>Who helped them?
>How was and is it still celebrated?

Thanksgiving History Lesson

pb {Fire Xscape} | Vídeo MySpace

Pump it!

Find some tricks you need to take into account when writing a composition:

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

Read the questions below and try to find the answers in this video:

>How's this day called in UK? and in USA?
>What happened that day?
>Which king set this day in memory to those who died?
>What is the name of the main battlefield?
>Which symbol stands for this important day in the calendar?

Learn About Remembrance Day

2 minutes
          silence
                  are usually kept
                                     to show respect
                                                          for those who died ...

... take yours if you like!

Are we human or are we dancer?

What's the meaning under cover in this title? Does it say anything to you? ...

Watch this video of the latest hit of the art-rock band `The Killers´ and find out.



You have worked on terms like `freedom´ and `slavery´ in Citizenship class these days ... how are they related to the following phrases in the song lyrics?

> Cut the cord
> Looking for the answer
> You've gotta let me go
> Will your system be alright ...?
> ... no message we're receiving ...
> ... is your heart still beating ...

Do you care how you look like?

This is kind of a project! It's called a Scavenger or Treasure Hunt and it will help you to build up your vocabulary about descriptions. Besides, you are asked to learn about some past and present subculture movements round the world. You will need to make an extra effort and work out solutions to people's strong opinions about appearances. This is due on Mon, 30th november.

Click on the link bellow, read carefully and follow the instructions:

THE RIGHT IMAGE

Bonfire Night

Watch and pay attention to every detail in this video.

Answer the following questions:

>Who was Guy Fawkes?
>Which year did he try his plot?
>Which historical reasons are behind?
>How did he end up?
>List some of the words you have learned in this video and add them up to your vocab booklet.