miércoles, 3 de julio de 2013

Exam Review

Dear students,

The following activities will help you practice for your Descriptive Writing Exam.

Describing Places


 You were invited by the Queen of England to visit Buckingham Palace. In your visit, you collected all the information below. Now write an email to your mum or dad explaining what you have seen and learnt about this place.


In one of your visits to the Palace you were introduced to some members of the British Royal Family.  Now write an email to your best friend describing ONE of them giving your personal opinion. Include physical and character description, and some information about their daily routine. 



martes, 11 de junio de 2013

Film Review

Are you UP for a film?

Hi, students!

Today in the lab you'll practice your film review writing with part of a very popular animated film. Do you know what film this is?


Let's take a look at Carl and Ellie's love story.




Project

Write a film review about this extract from the film "Up" including all the aspects seen in class. 

Paragraph 1: An introduction

Facts and background information concerning the film,such as:
  • the title
  • the name ofthe artists or actors and actresses
  • the name ofthe director
  • the type ofmovie
  • the place where the story in the filmhappens(i.e.the setting )
Paragraph 2 and 3: Main body

Paragraph 2: describing the main features of the plot (or summary of the story in the film)

paragraph 3: general comments and opinions on:

  • ‐the acting
  • ‐the music
  • ‐the photography
  • ‐the colour/ animation (if it is a cartoon )
  • ‐the setting
  • ‐the costumes
  • ‐special effects( e.g.sci‐fi movies)


Paragraph 4: Conclusion

  • Include a recommendation and reasons why you recommend the film

You can use some of these phrases to write your film review. 

  • The film is called... (title)
  • It is a... (type)
  • It is directed by... (director's name)
  • It starts... (actors' names)
  • It is set in... (location)
  • It is about... (story)
  • It is... (description using adjectives)
  • if you like... (recommendation) 

domingo, 2 de junio de 2013

Enjoying a good film

Look at the types of films below and match them to the pictures.


a romance - a science fiction film - a comedy -  a fantasy film - a musical - a drama an action film


1) ________________________________________

2) _________________________________________

3) _________________________________________

4) _______________________________________

5) ________________________________________

6) ____________________________________

7)________________________________________

8) ______________________________________ 





These people have described the type of films they like the most.  Match the descriptions to the types.


Liz: "I like films which make me laugh".
Jo: "I like serious films with good dialogues".
Mark: "I like films in which strange and frightening things happen".
Ed: "I like love films".
Sarah: "I like films set in the future".
Mick: "I like films about magical, imaginary worlds".
Jim: "I like films with lots of singing and dancing".
Kate: "I like films with lots of adventure and excitement".

Men films / Women films

Do you think men and women enjoy films differently? Look at the things people usually look for in a film. Decide which ones are men's and women's choice.  Complete the table below

action - a good story - attractive men -  excitement - fighting - attractive women - dialogue - emotion - excitement - love - relashionships - speed



Now, listen to Janet Shaw talking about women's films on a radio programme.  Were your guessings right?



Listen again and answer these questions.

  1. What do women's films focus on?
  2. Why are the films Thelma and Louise and  Alien mentioned?
  3. What does Dr Shaw say about actors Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, and Mel Gibson?
  4. Do women watch only women's films?
  5. Which kind of films does Dr Shwa prefer?






Reviews

Read the reviews below.


Answer the following questions about the reading.
  • Which film are these reviews about? If you are not sure, find information in this website http://www.imdb.com/
  • Do you agree with any of the reviews?Why? Write a journal entry with this information.
  • Do you think the writers are male or female?














miércoles, 29 de mayo de 2013

That´s Entertainment

Movie Time!


        Hello Students,               Carrete_de_cine : Un proyector de cine 8 mm vintage proyecta una imagen en blanco con película polvo y rascaduras sobre una pared junto a una pila de carretes de película Foto de archivo


          Today in class  you will learn about  a very old film called The Lady Killers.

                The Ladykillers           


Now watch an extract from  this film and take down notes based on what you see.

                           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVrFhpoJ7PE 

After you gather all your notes, compare them with a partner and write a summary of what happens.

Hand in your work to your teacher.




                                                                                                                      

Journal

Answer the following questions.

  • What kind of movies do you like?  Who's your favourite actor/actress?
  • What was the last film you saw? Did you see it at the cinema or on DVD?
  • Who was in it?
  • What was it like? Would you recommend it? Why(not)?

martes, 21 de mayo de 2013

LET'S REVIEW



DESCRIBING PROCESSES
                                    

                                                
                                                    
Hello Students,

You have read 'The Black Cat and other Stories' and 'A Christmas Carol', two graded readers  published by Penguin , but have you ever wondered  how books are made?

By clicking on the link below, you’ll have the chance to see the whole process. In your copybook, take down notes of the main steps that are followed,  paying  special attention to the use of passive voice and the new vocabulary:

                    Step 1. _________________________________
                    Step 2. _________________________________
                    Step 3._________________________________ (Etc)



                   http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/misc/uk/puffin/makebook3.swf 




Now watch the video below and write down the process of making newspapers. Use the passive voice as well as appropriate sequence words.


After you watch the video, do the following task:

Pairwork: Can you find similarities and/or differences between both processes?

Write a paragraph stating your findings.


martes, 14 de mayo de 2013

HOW TO...


Hello students!

Today you will work on describing manufacturing processes. Let’s take a look at the first  process:




How Cadbury chocolate is made

 
Are you familiar with the chocolate brand “Cadbury”? Where is it from?

The next three videos explain how Cadbury chocolate is made from cocoa beans to chocolate bars. Take notes while you're watching the videos. 

Watch the three videos and do the following activity.









Summarize the three videos into 10 sentences describing the main features of the manufacturing process. Write the description using passive voice and sequence words.
The following verbs can help your writing.

Harvest
Dry
Grind
Mix
Sort
Refine
Ferment
 Roast
Winnow
Pack
Grade
Mould

1.____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________
5.____________________________________________________________
6.____________________________________________________________
7.____________________________________________________________
8.____________________________________________________________
9.____________________________________________________________
10.___________________________________________________________


Here is another manufacturing process:

How to Make Olive Oil



Harvesting

Production of olive oil begins with the harvest. The picking of the olives starts as early as September, when the lives are under-ripe and still green. They yield little oil, but their flavor is intense. These oils have the longest shelf life and are richer in flavor and aroma. Oil from olives harvested early has a low percentage of acid and a deep green color.
However, most harvesting takes place between early November and late December. 

The youngest green olives are handpicked off the branches, whereas riper olives are beaten or shaken down with rakes or sticks and collected on nets beneath the trees. Since olives are delicate, the best oils are made from olives that are picked by hand or by machines that do not beat or bruise the fruit. Leaves and small stones are removed.

Milling and Pressing
After gathering the olives, growers bring them to be pressed. Olives should be crushed within the first 24 or 36 hours of picking. If left to wait, the level of acidity rises, creating olive oil of poor quality. Just before being crushed, the olives need to be run through a washer to eliminate any remaining impurities. Generally the olives are crushed whole, without prior stoning.

The simplest and oldest method of crushing olives is with granite millstones, although other methods are now used. The olive paste obtained is layered on nylon or natural fiber mats which are stacked high with metal disks between them. These mats of olive pulp are then put under great deal of pressure from a screw or hydraulic press. The liquid produced by the pressing drains through the mats and is collected for the final separation.

This liquid is made up of water and oil that need to be separated from one another. The liquid is put through a centrifugal separator, where the rapid spinning eliminates all remaining water and all of the impurities from the oil.

After centrifugation, oil appears amber in color, with an opaque quality—a characteristic feature of superior oils. The more acidic the oil, the clearer and brighter it appears, and the worse it is for your health. Oils processed in this mechanical or hydraulic presses cannot be called virgin olive oil and is expensive. Cheaper
oils are produced by crushing the olives several times or by heating.

Taken from:
http://www.italiancookingandliving.com/olive_oil/oil_essentials/production.html  

TASK

Complete the diagram with ten pieces of missing information from the passage “How to Make Olive Oil”.
















martes, 7 de mayo de 2013

Making your own food

Do you ever cook? Do you like it? Quite a lot, not that much, a little, or not at all? 

Ask your partner and make notes about his/her answers.