Growth metaphors

I've come across an interesting post on another blog. It connects to some of the things we discussed in our academic English classes, though the focus here is more on business English. Still, quite useful, and well presented. Here is a link to that post: 10 metaphors that are used in business

What Type of Learner Are You?

Have you ever considered what type of learner you are? Here is an interesting infographic, with some clues and advice for different learners. I think I qualify as an auditory learner. What about you?

Interested to learn some British slang?

I have just come across a list of 75 expressions labeled as "slang". When you hear of slang, you probably expect something vulgar and improper, but when I looked at the list, I realized that most of these expressions ccould be heard on talk shows, in interviews and normal conversations published in the media and on YouTube. It may be pretty difficult to understand present-day informal spoken English if you don't know these phrases. For example, when someone says, "That film was pants!", would you know what they meant?

Since the list is quite long, I am not copying it here. Instead I would invite you to visit the original article on www.lifehack.org. Do check if you are up to date with conversational English. Some of the phrases are a bit "naughty", but I hope you don't mind that much. If you have problems understanding the explanations provided, there is always the Urban Dictionary, where you can find a lot more of such language, sometimes perhaps more explicit than you are prepared for. :)

Note that I would not advise you to use slang expressions in your English unless you are absolutely sure that the context is exactly right in terms of the level of formality and the meaning of the word/phrase you want to use. So, just to be on the safe side, just check the meaning of the words listed and watch out for them on YouTube and in other spoken English materials. With time you will see how they are used and will get the feel of them.

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A rather shaky start

So, here we are, beginning another academic year. Is it only me who thinks it's tougher than usual this year? Things seem pretty hard to organize, everybody is a bit nervous and irritable. I know I am, but that's a different story.

Despite all this, I wish you all a very good year, full of personal and academic success and satisfaction.

Let the game begin! :)

marsroverdriver CC BY-SA 2.0

Today was special in one way: it was announced that Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel  Prize in Literature. I am exhilarated about the choice! Her short stories are among my favorite reads, and they deserve to be read everywhere in the world. Actually, it's the other way round - PEOPLE everywhere deserve to read them. Because that's how Munro's stories work - they are such a pleasure to read. Her prose is vibrant, full of life and feeling and compassion. So, if you want to see for yourself, go to the bottom of this website, where you can find links to quite a few of Munro's stories, available online, for free. Enjoy!

Summertime!

Thanks everybody for your involvement in our lessons and our extra projects, and for keeping high spirits despite all your hard work. Best of luck with your tests and exams! And then... 

RELAX! :)

A life to be remembered

To my second-year students:

As a follow-up to seeing The Young Victoria, I would like you to think of a historical figure whom you find fascinating and inspiring in any way. Apart from giving us a few basic facts about who the person was, please explain why you have chosen him/her, write about the way he/she affected you, and try to add an image and/or some video material (an interiew, a documentary, a lecture - anything) to give us some backround to the person's life and achievements. No "copy-and-paste" writing, please, but feel free to add links to pages  which offer information about your chosen hero/heroine.

Other students are also welcome to join in, if anyone finds the idea interesting enough.

First picture of Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth filming 'Before I Go To Sleep'

First picture of Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth filming 'Before I Go To Sleep' in London - London Evening Standard

"Debut novelist tells of thrill at watching his book brought to life."

Here is the first officially released image from the movie based on the book we listened to in class. Click on the link above to read more about the book, and to find out how the author feels about the adaptation. Would you like to see it?

DT in Warsaw

David Tennant talks about the Old Town in Warsaw, where he made his recent TV series "Spies of Warsaw". Has any of you seen it? It was on Polish TV in February, but it was really badly dubbed. How can anyone even try to sound like THAT! ;) You may hear that David Tennant's English sounds a bit different, and that is because he is Scottish. He didn't use his original accent in Doctor Who, though.

Five Card Story: Shopping gone bad

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Here is what I managed to come up with in response to the five pictures that came my way. I'm sure you will be much better at this ;)

a Five Card Flickr story created by alewan

flickr photo by bionicteaching

flickr photo by bionicteaching

flickr photo by Serenae

flickr photo by Serenae

flickr photo by Serenae

A young woman went shopping, but was lured into a strangely lit hair salon and decided to have an image makeover. When she finally left the shopping center it was dark outside. Then she remembered that she was supposed to buy a Christmas present for her baby-niece. She went back inside to find a toy shop, but when she reached it the whole building went dark! Was it a power cut? Then, one light bulb began to flicker faintly. However, there was no shop any more, just a damp, empty cellar. The only thing in it was a beautiful, rich, red flower lying on the floor. The woman thought, "I wish I hadn't gone shopping today." The flower filled the cellar with such an intense aroma that she... woke up, with her hair nicely cropped and dyed, and the hair salon full of floral scent.

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Work on your vocabulary!

As you can see, there are many more ways to say that something is "nice". Remember to express yourself in precise and interesting ways. Your readers will be much more involved in what they are reading, and will remember it better. This is what varied and rich vocabulary is for.

New team on board

Since the blog project has now been joined by a new group, I would like to welcome everyone and wish you a lot of ideas to write about and the willingness to share them with your readers. Since the "new" group's topic now is taking risks, you may write something about yourself from that perspective. Are you a risk taker? Do you take a plunge decisions easily? Or do you tend to play safe? I don't really mean extreme sports, but big life decisions and choices. Perhaps you want to tell us what your recent important decision was and how you went through the process of arriving at your choice?
If you have other ideas for this week's post, you can go ahead and use them instead. Whatever you write, please read it before you publish, just to make sure your English turns out as good you can make it. Also, if you notice an error after you've published your post, you can easily come back to the editor and correct it.

Here is something that should encourage you to write on your blog:



Have fun blogging!

200 years of Pride and Prejuice

Here is our opening scene in two versions. First is the BBC TV miniseries from 1995 (the scene we are working on starts at 3:15, and goes on till about 6:40), and then the film adaptation of the novel from 2005 (play from the start). In which  version do you think is this particular scene  presented more convincingly/closer to the spirit of what we can read in the novel itself? Which adaptation do you generally prefer, if you know both? Is this the type of book/film you like, at least from time to time? Please address these questions on your blogs, or just discuss anything connected with Pride and Prejudice (novel/TV series/movie). I'm looking forward to your first posts in this semester! :)

Kids' stuff again

If you are a sister or have one, I'm sure you will appreciate this.

Don't Ever Bite Your Sister
by Kenn Nesbitt

Don't ever bite your sister.

Don't kick her in the shin.
Don't slap your sister silly
and don't sock her on the chin.

Don't tape a "Kick Me" poster
upon your sister's back.
Don't take your stinky socks off
and then put them in her pack.

Don't purchase plastic spiders
and place them on her head.
Don't leave your rubber rattlesnake
inside your sister's bed.

Don't do this to your sister
for, if you ever do,
I'm pretty sure she may do something
even worse to you.


Copyright © 2009 Kenn Nesbitt

All Rights Reserved

From www.poetry4kids.com

Keep safe!

A cute little song, isn't it? :D