The death penalty debate

Following Vanessa´s presentation, here you are more "food for thought" ideas on the issue by actor Jeremy Irons. Try and answer these questions about the video:

1.Say 2 ideas he mentions against death penalty.
2. Which social group is especially affected by death penalty?
3. What is the saying in the US about "capital punishment"?
4. "Death penalty is irreversible". Explain.
5. Since 1990, how many execution of child offenders have there been in countries with death penalty?
6.Complete the sentence: "an attack to human rights (like the right to life) is an attack...................."
7. "Explain: "Criminals and murderes have crossed the line between right and wrong. Do we want to join them?"

More Maori legends

Watch the video and answer the questions:

 

1.Why did the days become too short?

2.How many brothers did Maui have?

3.What did Maui want to do?

4.How is he going to do that?

5.Why did they walk where the sun rose during the night?

6.Why did they make a wall?

7.What did they do with the ropes?

8.Why were they magic?

9.What did Maui do when the sun rose?

10.What happened in the end?

The Present Perfect vs the Past Simple

Check this link with theory and exercises.

BECAS MEC (CURSO DE INMERSIÓN EN JULIO)

For Bachillerato students only. Click HERE for information. Deadline: April 7.

Rihanna

SOS
Cry

Maori legends

This is a waka.

This is the map of New Zealand. What is the relation between the map and The Legend of Maui and the Magic Fishhook?

Tell me the names in Maori of the different islands.

Your Haikus (E1ºC)

 

Forests have been cut

by the anger of chain saws

to take from them wood

("Deforestation", by Laura G. and Alejandro G.) 

If you are alone

happiness is always there

to give you colour 

("Alone with Happiness", by Marta Z. and Steveen T.) 

Sunset finds a voice

of a strange boy with a rose

for his beauty lost

("Love" by Alicia M. and Concha L.)

You are suffering

the death takes your life away

and the silence cries

("Dust in the Vault" by Esther L. and Marina L.)

Good work to you all!

Haiku examples

Remember how to make a haiku: 3 lines, with 5 syllables the first, 7 the second and 5 the last. It can´t be easier! Some reference to nature is typical in these poems.

The birds are flying
Above sea and white mountains
I want to be free 

Students like rainbows
generously cross our path
dissolving in warmth

Falling to the ground,

        I watch a leaf settle down

In a bed of brown.

 Snow falling slowly
Blanketing the trees and road
Silence and beauty.


alone, on the web,
drops of sensitivity
embrace an eyelash 

Revision 3ºA

 1.The Present: Present Simple: click HERE .Present Continuous: click HERE. PS/PC contrast: HERE.

2.Past Continuous practice: click these links:
#1
#2

3.Past Continuous vs Past Simple. Click:
#3 
#4

4.Comparative/Superlative. Click:
#5
#6

5.Present Perfect. Click:
#7
#8
#9
#10

6.Since and for are so tricky! Do an exercise about them HERE.

Romeo and Juliet prologue and quiz

The Prologue: listening (Luhrmann´s RJ).  Words.

Plot quiz here. Too easy for you? Try this one.

Problems with the iambic pentameter?

Actually, it´s like an ancient rap! (It comes from Greek poetry). Have a look at this link . Try also this one.

Shakespeare´s sonnet 116

 

Audio here. Text here.

 

  SONNET 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
   If this be error and upon me proved,
   I never writ, nor no man ever loved. 

You must prepare a recitation of the sonnet for next Thursday. You´ll be evaluated on memorization, pronunciation and rhythm. For the pronunciation practice, listen to the poem carefully (link above). For the rhythm, remember the iambic pentameter pattern: the stressed syllables are the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and so on.

Here you are a translation into Spanish that can help you to understand it better:

Que para la unión de las almas sinceras
yo no admita impedimentos. El amor no es amor
si se altera al enfrentar la alteración,
o flaquea cuando el que parte se aleja:
¡Oh, no! Es un faro siempre en pie,
que ve pasar las tempestades y nunca es derribado;
es la estrella para el navío a la deriva,
de valor incalculable, aunque se mida su altura.
El amor no es juguete del tiempo, aunque el carmín de labios y mejillas
caiga bajo el golpe de su guadaña;
el amor no se altera con sus cortas horas y semanas,
sino que todo lo soporta hasta el final de los tiempos.
Si estoy errado, y que eso se pruebe,
yo nunca he escrito, ni ningún hombre ha amado.

Work out your grammar!

1.Past Continuous practice: click these links:
#1
#2

2.Past Continuous vs Past Simple. Click:
#3 
#4

3.Comparative/Superlative. Click:
#5

#6

4.Good work! Now (and only now) let´s see how good you are at History with this quiz (here).

Australia Day or Survival Day? (E1C)

Do you remember Meghan´s presentation on Australia day? You must know the following key points, they may appear in our next literacy exam!
-What does the flag above represent?
-70% of Australian territory is .........................
-How many languages are spoken by Australian Indigenous nations?
-What happened in 1770?
-Who was James Cook? How did he die?
-What kind of people were the first European settlers?
-What is the "stolen generation"?
-What movement began in 1972?
-What was the "Tent Embassy"?
-Who was Mabo?
-Who is Kevin Rudd? What is his relation with this issue?
-We read the poem Let Us Not Be Bitter by Oodgeroo Noonuccal in class. Read it again (follow this link) and check the main topics and vocabulary.

Isaac Asimov: teaching, learning and computers.