Grades

EDIT: I've already discussed your final marks with Matias. You can ask Julieta or Carlos about them.

6° ESO E-LEARNING NOTAS - 3° TRIMESTRE  

The Rules of Work

Please complete the following set of reading comprehension activities. Of course you can do the discussion tasks orally in class.

Send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

The Rules of Work

Choosing Careers

You may have already done a bunch of these, but I thought it would be worthwhile to take a career aptitude test. The idea is to find out what kinds of jobs are best suited for your personality and interests.

Complete the following quiz and post your results in a comment below.

1) What do you think about the careers that have been suggested to you? Would you consider any of them?

2) Do you think this kind of test is accurate?

On college life

Since many of you have just mentioned your plans to go to university next year, here is something that may come in handy for you:

Transitioning to College Life and Study .mp3

Found at bee mp3 search engine

1) Listen to the first 3:00 minutes of this podcast, and complete the following chart:

2) Continue listening about the two-part study plan (2 more minutes). Answer the questions:
a) How much does a typical freshman have to study?

b) What advice is given about working? Why? 

c) What does she mean by 'part 1 studying' and 'part 2 studying'?

d) Which is the most effective?

3) Choose 5 keywords or expressions which are mentioned repeatedly by the speaker and explain them. You may use your dictionary.

Please complete the tasks in your own words and send them via e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

No such thing

As the year draws to a close, I imagine you must have been thinking about what you are going to do next year. On that note, here's something I'd like you to listen to -you only need to listen to the 1st 2.15 minutes, the intro to the song:

Discuss the following questions:

1. John retells a recurrent conversation he's had with his mother. What is it about? How has his mum's attitude changed as the years went by? 

2. Do you think this reflects stereotypical teenagers and their relationship to their parents? How?

3. Have you decided 'what you are going to do with your life'? Tell us about it. How did you make this decision? What factors did you prioritise when choosing?

4. Should parents interfere with this kind of decisions? Why (not)?

Please post your answer in a comment below.

 

 

Opinion essay

As you've been discussing advantages and disadvantages of using social networks, I thought it would be a good idea to write an opinion piece on this topic.

Please read the model below, and try to complete the activities suggested; you don't have to hand this in but it will definitely be useful for you to improve on layout, organisation, coherence and cohesion.

Writing an Opinion Essay

Write your opinion essay about one of the following topics:

• New technologies have had a positive influence on communication.
• Online social networks are a double-edged sword.
• The use of social networks has had a negative effect on teenagers. 

Please send your essay by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Commercials

Since we have been discussing technology and inventions, it seems suitable to discuss social networks as well.

I'd like you to watch the following commercials -they are really short, I promise- and answer the questions below:

 

 

1) What are the disadvantages of online social networking that are highlighted in each video? Do you agree with their message?

2) Choose one of these videos and discuss it. What do you think the point of the commercial is? Did you like it? Why (not)?

3) What are, in your opinion, the main advantages and disadvantages of social networks like facebook?

Please post your answers in a comment below.

  

Inventions

First of all, I'm glad to see that most of you have been working very well lately :) Istill have to finish correcting some of your assignments, but I'll e-mail you some feedback and post your marks as soon as possible.

As regards today's task, please complete the following reading comprehension activities. You'll see that the last one is oral, so perhaps you can do that next class with Matias. Send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Inventions

Shift happens

I've been talking to Matias, and he suggested that a nice topic we can work on is technology. In order to introduce this new unit, I'd like you to watch the following video.



Discuss the following questions in a comment below:

1. Choose three facts mentioned in the video which surprised/interested you. Explain what they mean to you and why you chose them.

2. What is your relationship with technology like? Has it always been the same, or has it changed over time?

3. Which of the gadgets/websites/media/etc. mentioned in the video do you think you couldn't live without? Why? 

4. Do you think technology has had a positive impact on society? Are there any disadvantages?

The News about the News

In order to wrap up our discussion about the news and the media, here's an interesting talk that I came across.

 

I'd like you to work on it as a listening exercise, although looking at the visuals in the presentation will definitely help:

 

 

A. Listen to the presentation, and answer the following points:

 

1. Compare the 'world land mass' map and the 'february 2007 news' map. What are they? What do they show?

2. Name some of the events that took place in February, 2007. Were they covered by the press?

3. Which news story monopolised press coverage during this time? Do some research about this. What does it tell you about society?

4. Explain why global news have become neglected. Provide statistics and examples.

5. When the speaker contrasts local TV news with websites such as Google News, what conclusion does she arrive at? 

 

B. Complete the following vocabulary activity:

 

 

 

 

The media

Watch the following podcast about different people's opinion on the media:



Answer in your own words the same questions that the speakers are asked (they are at 0:12 , 1:08, 2:00, 2:48)

Please post your answers in a comment below.

Your news

Since we've been reading several news articles, I thought it would be interesting for you to be able to write your own news story. Of course an article has a particular form and style, so let's start by watching the following video about the 'inverted pyramid' structure:

 

 

Choose something 'newsworthy' -a piece of news about an event that has happened recently in our town or in our country. Write your own news article about it, following the instructions in the video. Don't forget to write a title, too!

 

Send me your articles by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Something else on voting

Watch the following video about the voting system in the United States:



What are the main differences between our voting system and theirs according to the video? Find at least one more difference on the web -there are many!

Do you know about the electoral system in other countries?

Please post your answers in a comment below.

Dear all,

Basically, since many of you have expressed disagreement about the workload, some changes will be made, taking your suggestions into account:

- You will only have to do one activity per week. One week you'll have to do a 'language activity' (reading, listening, writing, grammar) and the next week you'll have to do a 'comment activity' (videos, websearches, opinion, etc).

Remember that, as we have been doing so far, language activities are handed in by e-mail, they are individual, and they are given a mark (1-10) that counts towards your final language mark; comment activities are answered on the blog, and they are not given a mark, they are evaluated in terms of participation (fair - good - very good - etc) so they are considered for your attitude mark.

- You will have the possibility to do extra activities in case you failed the second term, to get extra credit. These extra assignments will be handed in on paper, so that the school can keep a record. They will help you to get a higher mark over the third term.

 

 

Please post any questions or comments. If not, at least comment 'ok' so that I know that you've read the post.

News on Voting

Since last week you chose some articles from The Argentina Independent, I thought it would be a nice idea for me to share one with you.

I wanted to discuss it with you, and see what your perspective on the topic is:

Bills Introduced to Lower Voting Age and Include Foreigners

by Celina Andreassi, 30 August 2012.

The national government is pushing for reforms to the electoral code, to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 years, and to allow for permanent residents to vote in national elections.

Frente para la Victoria (FPV) senator Anibal Fernández and deputies Jorge Yoma and Diana Conti, introduced bills in Congress to make voting optional for 16 to 18-year olds. Frente Amplio Progresista (FAP) deputies also introduced a similar bill. At the moment, voting is compulsory for people over the age of 18, and optional for people over 70.

The move has been controversial, with opinions split regarding the ability of 16-year olds to exercise this democratic right, and the government’s intentions for introducing this reform.

Opposition members have accused the government of trying to reform the electoral code in order to obtain more votes in the next election. Deputy Francisco de Narváez, from Frente Peronista, said that “wanting to get 16-year olds to vote is an electoral maneuver to increase the number of voters.” Radical deputy Mario Negri said that “only five countries in the world allow for optional voting for over-16s. This cannot be simplified, we must analyse the proposal and make sure the rights also match the responsibilities.”

The principal of the Buenos Aires National school (a high school owned by the University of Buenos Aires) argued that 16-year olds are “in no condition to vote,” because “they are still being formed as citizens and have a lot to learn.”

Senator Fernández defended the bill, saying that voting does not depend on age, but on the person’s “vocation and interest.” He also said that, according to some polls, “40 to 50% of young people [between 16 and 18 years of age] would be willing to vote.” The bill itself mentions the cases of Brazil, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Ecuador as having a similar policy, and assures that it has been positive. People over 16, says the introduction to the bill, “possess a level of information that allows them to form their own opinions.”

Fernández also ruled out the possibility of the potential new voters being “manipulated” into voting for the government, saying no one can be sure of how people will vote. “You have to know how to talk, go out there, and each has to present their political ideas,” he said.

The government hopes to pass these changes into law before the end of the year. However, it will need a special majority to be able to change electoral laws. Some opposition groups have agreed with the changes. Socialist deputy Roy Cortina said “I agree with this initiative. In principle, without knowing many details, I’d be willing to discuss it and support it, as long as [voting] is optional.”

FAP introduced a similar bill to that of the FPV, one which had already been introduced in 2010. The bill states that “it’s contradictory to establish that young people can assume as adults their eventual responsibility over criminal acts, without also considering that they should have the right to express and become involved as citizens in the construction of political proposals that include them.” It also encourages political participation in young people as a way to integrate them into society and even decreasing their participation in criminal activities.

Senator Fernández also introduced a bill to allow foreign permanent residents to vote on national elections. Potential voters should have at least two years’ permanent residency in the country.

If both initiatives are made into law, an estimated 2.5 million people will be added to the voting population: 1.5 million youngsters and 1 million permanent residents.

Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. What is a 'bill' in this context? Explain the bills that the article talks about.
2. Who is against this bill? Discuss why.
3. Who supports this bill? Describe why.
4. What do you think about this matter? Do you think 16-18 year-olds are mature enough to vote? If you were given the right to vote right now, would you choose to do it?

Match the expressions from the article (a-e) with their definition (1-5):

a. compulsory
b. controversial
c. maneuver
d. poll
e. encourage

1. If something is _____________, it causes disagreement or discussion.
2. To make someone more likely to do something, or to make something more likely to happen
3. A movement or set of movements carefully and skillfully made.
4. If something is _____________, you must do it because of a rule or law.
5. A study in which people are asked for their opinions about a subject or person.

Please send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Grades 2nd Term

Dear all,

Here's an update on grades. I'll submit you final mark next Wednesday, so let me know if there's anything I missed.

6° ESO E-LEARNING NOTAS - 2° TRIMESTRE

The News

Just something easy for you to do to finish the term:

Look at this website. It's an Argentinian newspaper. Choose an article that you find interesting. Post the link in a comment below. Describe briefly, in your own words, what the article is about. Explain why you chose the article :)

Write your post in a comment below.

The best of the Olympics

Watch the following video featured on the official London 2012 youtube channel:



1) Did you follow the development of the games?
2) Which were the most memorable moments for you? Describe them.

End of the second term

Dear all,

 

We are almost finishing the second term. I know that because of the winter holidays and then your trip to Bariloche, we didn't have much continuity. But we need to get back on track.

 

Many of you haven't turned in your assigments or commented on the blog for several weeks. I really need you to complete the activities that were due in July/August.

 

Here's what I suggest doing: today and next week, I will only post activities where you have to make a short comment on the blog. No extra homework. Meanwhile, you can catch up on the activities you haven't finished. Is that ok?

 

Please let me know if you have any questions

This week

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that since many of you are still in Bariloche, there won't be any new homework this week.

Please take this time to catch up on your work :)

The Olympics and Sustainability

One of the most remarkable things about the 2012 Olympics, is that great emphasis has been placed on making them in an enviromentally-conscious way.

I'd like you to read the following document about them (it looks long but you only need to read the text in black)

D6 - Sustainable - Complete

Answer the following questions in your own words:

1) In which negative ways are we affecting our planet?
2) What are the London 2012 'sustainability themes'?
3) Why is the olympic velodrome so sustainable?
4) What does it mean if we say these are 'zero-waste' games?
5) How is biodiversity preserved in the Olympic Park?
6) Give an example of how the games promote healthy living.

Please send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com).

The Olympics

Welcome back! I hope you had a great time over the winter holidays.

As you must know, the 2012 Olimpic Games are being held in Londo right now. In order to introduce the topic, I'd like you to watch this very short video about the history of the games:

I'd like you to focus on the connections between the different historical events/periods mentioned in the video, and how this had impact on the Olympics. Choose one of these, and explain it briefly in a comment below :)

On file-sharing

Watch this video where musicians discuss their opinion on file-sharing, and more precisely, downloading music from the Internet.



1) Which arguments for/against downloading music do they discuss? Do you agree or disagree?
2) Do you ever download music from the Internet for free? If you had to pay for it, would you continue doing it?
3) Do you ever buy CDs? Why (not)?
4) Some bands post their new songs on their websites, do you think this is a good idea?

Please post your answers in a comment below

Favourite bands

Listen to a learner of English talking about her favourite band.
My Favourite Band by mmasuyama

1) Explain the following quotes from the listening. What do the words in bold mean? You can check with a dictionary, but I'd like you to explain in your own words:
a) "And actually I bought their album out of scepticism."
b) "I just think that, "Wow! This is real music!" because it's musically and lyrically great."
c) "They have also widened my horizons to the fullest."
d) "I just think that not any band in the music scene has this guts to care about."
e) "Contrary to general belief that Radiohead is depressing, Thom Yorke the frontman is always whining. I actually think that their music is very uplifting and soothing."

2) Choose the best option:

a) She first became interested in the band when...

1 ... a DJ played OK Computer in a disco
2 ... there was a special radio programme about the band
3 ... someone on TV recommended the album
b) Radiohead inspired her to...

1 ... write poems
2 ... listen to different types of music
3 ... play a musical instrument

c) Because of the band she...

1 ... became interested in graphic design
2 ... met the designer of the album cover
3 ... created art for cd covers

3) Why does she care about the fact that the members of the band are 'socially responsible'? Do you think it's important for musiciand to send these kinds of messages?

Please send your answers by e-mail

Grades so far

Dear all,
These are the updated grades. Please check if I overlooked anything. Questions are welcome :)

6° ESO E-LEARNING NOTAS - 2° TRIMESTRE

Songs

Write a paragraph about a song that has influenced you in some way:

When/where did you first hear it?

What kind of song is it? What is it about?

What memories do you associate it with?

Why is this song special for you?

Write your answer in a comment below. And please post a link to the song so that I can paste them here :)

Guadalupe Paul McCartney 'My Valentine'
Borja Nene Malo 'Bailan Rochas Y Chetas'
Mariana Alanis Morisette 'Head Over Feet'
Victoria Depeche Mode 'A Question of Lust'

31 Songs

Remember Nick Hornby, author of Fever Pitch? Well, besides being obsessed with football, he has written a great deal about music. One of his latest books, 31 Songs, is a collection of essays where he describes the songs that make up 'the soundtrack of his life'. In a related article, the Guardian newspaper asked different people about the songs that changed their lives. Read the extract below:

31 Songs

1) Decide which of the people above talk about a song...

a) ... that inspired other musicians.
b) ... that is great to listen to when you're sad.
c) ... that he/she hated at first.
d) ... which is about crime.
e) ... that is sung by his/her best friend.
f) ... that had a futuristic style.
g) ... whose lyrics are not clear.
h) ... that he/she doesn't like, but is connected to a very happy moment of his/her life.
i) ... that had multi-cultural influences.
j) ... which is about crime.
k) ... which includes a dramatic pause.

(there are extra songs that you don't need to use)

2) Look up five words you don't know in the dictionary. Write the definition and an example.

Please send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Writing

Today you're going to write song lyrics. I know you've already done this with Andrea, so it shouldn't be too difficult. If you need help, anyway, check out this article which has very useful tips.

What I want you to write is one more stanza for the song 'Wishlist', expressing your own wishes or regrets. It doesn't necessarily have to rhyme, but you ought to take into account the rhythm to write verses that would fit in the song.

Write at least 4 lines. Make sure you use the right tenses for wishes!

You can write it in a comment below or send it to me by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com) If you want, you can also record it and send me the audio.

Wishlist

Listen to the following song, 'Wishlist' (by Pearl Jam) and read the lyrics below:

Lyrics

I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off
I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
The Christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top
I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the grounds
For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me
I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good
I wish I was the full moon shining off your Camaro's hood

I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on
I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down

I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up
I wish...
I wish...

1) What do you think the song is about?
2) How does the 'narrator'/'singer' feel?
3) Analyse one of the metaphors in the song.
4) Did you enjoy it?
5) What kind of music do you like? Would you like to work with other bands or songs on the blog? If so, which?

Please write your answers in a comment below.

Grades so far - 2nd Term

Dear all,

Please look at your grades so far for the second term.

6° ESO E-LEARNING NOTAS - 2° TRIMESTRE

Some things to consider:

• Some people got very low marks in their film review. This is because they didn't correct and hand in again their writings!
• About the comments, most people get VERY GOOD as their participation grade. Those who don't, it's not because I don't like your comment or I don't agree with it; it's probably because you did it too late, or it's incomplete.
• Many people are falling behind with their work. Let's remind them that they have to participate and do the activities on the blog.
• If you have any questions, please post them in a comment below.

Expressing wishes and regrets

Read the following explanation from the BBC website:

wishing for the impossible: wish that + past tenses

To express wishes for unlikely or impossible situations and to express regrets, we use wish that + constructions with  could, was, were or past tenses.  Note that although we are using past tense forms, we are talking about present and future situations. Compare the following:

 

I'm hopeless at foreign languages, but I wish I spoke Spanish and French.
I'm not hard-working at all - I'm really lazy - but I wish (that) I weren't.

It's only Tuesday today, but I wish it was Saturday.

 

Note that was and were are fully interchangeable with first, second and third person pronouns, singular and plural. Arguably, were sounds more formal than was. Note also that that is optional in all these that-clauses.

 

My wife has to work such long hours, but I wish she didn't (have to).
I have to prepare all the meals. I wish (that) I didn't.
And now the dishwasher doesn't work. I wish it did.

 

Note also that we use wish that + could when we are talking about people's ability to do things and wish that + would when we are talking about things that we would like people to do or not to do.

I can't eat anything with nuts in - I'm allergic to them - but I wish I could.
I know your parents won't let you come to the nightclub, but I wish you could.

I know you don't really want to come to the nightclub, but I wish you would.
He keeps sending me text messages, but I wish he wouldn't.

Past regrets: wish + past perfect

To talk about wishes and regrets about past situations, we use wish with the past perfect: 

I didn't ever receive the parcel from my granny, but I wish I had (received it).

The parcel never arrived. I wish (that) it hadn't got lost in the post.

Note that wish with past tenses and with past perfect is used in a similar way to conditional sentences and that if only can sometimes be used as an alternative to wish:

 

I wish I had worked harder at university. If only I had worked harder at university, I would've got a better job.
I wish I had done more travelling in my youth. If I had travelled more widely, I am sure I would be more open-minded now.
I wish you could come with me to Cancun this summer. If you could only come with me to Cancun, that would make it a perfect summer.

Homework

 

Do the practice exercises in the document below and send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Wish

3 Wishes

We have talked about the significance of the number 3, and we have mentioned in passing how there is a motif in literature for things to come in threes. One example is the idea of a genie granting 3 wishes.

Watch the following video, where people discuss what they would wish for:



If you had the chance, what would you wish for? Why? (of course you can't wish for more wishes!)

Write your answer in a comment below :)

Some more research

Finally, to conclude with our discussion of magic numbers, I'd like you to search the web for other numbers (besides 3 and 7) which have symbolic significance.

I would particularly be interested in the connection between magic numbers and literature, myth and superstition.

Please don't use Wikipedia as your only source!

Write your answers in a comment below.

On number 7

Read the following article:
The Magical Number Seven Plus or Minus Two

Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. What kind of experiments did Miller carry out? What did he find out?
2. How is Miller's idea connected to telephone numbers?
3. Give at least 5 examples of why 7 can be considered a magic number.
4. Why do some people believe 7 is too much to remember? Think about telephone numbers again to explain.
5. Summarise Hall's idea of the perfect group size.
6. What does Atwood believe about magic numbers? What does he mean by 'red herring'?

Please submit your answers by e-mail mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com

Magic Numbers

I was talking to Andrea today about the fact that you have to do some research about Numerology. I decided to help you out a bit, and give you a short introduction about the 'magic number', 3.

You will find that there are several references to special nubers in literature and folklore. Most of these derive from the recurrent allusions to certain numbers, ranging from Ancient Greece to various religions. In addition, many philosophical or scientific themes or concepts come in threes.

Here are some examples from The Book of Threes: 

In Greek mythology, the number three is is associated with different trios. The clearest example is how the universe was ruled by three gods - Zeus ruled the sky, Poseidon the seas and Hades the underworld. The Three Graces were daughters of Zeus- Euphrosyne, Aglalia, Thalia. The Three Fates were three sisters who decided the fate of men and gods - Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos. The three Furies were feared goddesses - Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera. There were also three Cyclopes, representing thunder, lighting, and the lighting bolt - Brontes, Steropes, and Arges.   There are also creatures for which the number three is significant: The Chimaera has three heads - lion, goat, and snake; or the Cerberus, a three headed dog with a snake tail and snake heads protruding from his back.

In other cultures, we can find different examples. In Asian folklore there are three wise monkeys - Mazaru: Speak no evil, Mizaru: See no evil, Mikazaru: Hear no evil. In Norse Mythology, the world had three levels, and the world tree had 3 main roots going to each level. In Muslim legends, the Genie can grant three wishes. Even in children's folk tales, we can think about the 'Three Little Pigs' or 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.

Many examples come from religion. In Christianity, many concepts are tripartite: The Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the three temptations of Christ; the Holy Family - Mary, Joseph and Jesus. In Islamism, there are thre Holy Cities -  Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem. In Hinduism, there is the Trimurti - Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. In Buddhism, there is the Triple Gem - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. In Judaism, there are Three Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. And the list goes on...

Nowadays, we still have some supperstitions connected to the number three: 'third time's lucky', 'third time's a charm', 'the third man gets caught' or 'three strikes and you're out'.

So I'd like you to browse The Book of Threes and find examples that you find interesting about the significance of number 3 in different areas: Art, Literature, Politics, Philosophy, Science, Sport, etc. Choose 3 examples, explain them in your own words, and discuss why you find them interesting in a comment below.

On films

Just a quick couple of questions to get you thinking about the writing:

1) What kind of films do you like best?
2) What's your favourite film of all times? Why do you like it?
3) Have you got a favourite actor/director?
4) Do you ever read film reviews before you choose to watch a film?

Please write your answers in a comment below.

A Film Review

Since we have been talking about films lately, I though it would be fitting to write our own film reviews.

First, read this model and think about what information you need to include in each paragraph.
Film Review

Choose a film you remember well -it doesn't need to be a horror film. Write your review following the model you read above.

Some tips:

• When you write the summary of the plot, use present tenses to make it more vivid. And don't tell the reader how the film ends.
• When you describe good an bad points, try to use a variety of adjectives and adverbs.
• Include linkers!

Write your review in 120-180 words.
Please submit your writing by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Shaun of the Dead

In the listening below, the speaker mentions a comedy film called 'Shaun of the Dead'. Watch the trailer.

Which film does it satirise?

What characteristics of horror films does it parody?

Would you like to watch it? Why (not)?

Compare it to other parodies like 'Scary Movie'.

Please write your answer in a comment below.

On Horror Films

You have been working on horror for quite some time now. Today we are going to listen to a girl who discusses different kinds of horror films.

Horror Films by mmasuyama

a. Complete the following sentences:

1) When she was a child, she used to watch the ___________ horror films, for example, ___________. She mentions an anecdote about her mum finding her all alone one night watching a film called ___________.

2) She really enjoys the so-called ___________ films, which are really bloody and violent, like ___________. She doesn't think they are scary, she thinks they are ___________.

3) She thinks the scariest films are the ones which are ___________ , for instance ___________.

4) Her favourite horror films are ___________. The one she likes best is ___________.

5) The last horror film she saw was ___________. It was based on a story, written by ___________.

b. Name more examples of the types of films mentioned in sentences 1, 2, 3 and 4.

c. Have you watched any of the films the girl mentioned?

d. What kind of horror films do you like, if any?

e. Discuss a horror film that you watched during your childhood. What was it about? How did you feel?

Please submit your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Reported Speech

We are going to do some brief revision of Reported Speech, which I'm sure you've studied before. Just to brush it up, have a look at this video:

Read these comments about The Black Cat, taken from GoodReads.com

1) Report them, using a variety of reporting verbs.

a. Sonia: 'In this story, the readers can imagine themselves in the character's place and can almost feel the pain and fear inside.'

b. Ellen: 'Very disappointing to see this kind of torture in something that is considered classic horror literature.'

c. Sarah: 'The narrator's attitude after killing his wife reminds me of he attitude of the narrator in Tell Tale Heart after killing the old man .'

d. Jeff: 'I was not impressed with this book, I wasn't able to follow the plot and it was very uninteresting.'

e. Matt: 'Pretty sure there's not an ounce of real terror anywhere in this story. Funny stuff!!'

f. Elise: 'I was highly disturbed by it, but I guess that's the point.'

g. Jessica: 'I love my two pet cats and what happened in this story made me feel ill.'

2) Do you agree/disagree with any of the comments? Why (not)?

Please send your answers by e-mail (mmasuyama.nes@gmail.com)

Back to Poe

I was told that you read Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat. With that in mind, I found a very interesting comic version of the story. Have a look (I suggest that you fullscreen for a better view):

Edgar Allan Poe's THE BLACK CAT by Bernie Wrightson & Archie Goodwin
What do you think about the version?
Do you think looking at the pictures helps you understand the story?
Is it how you had pictured it?
Do you know of any other artwork inspired by the story?

Write your answers in a comment below.

Grades so far

Dear all,

Here's an update on grades.

I've been talking to Andrea about the fact that many people have complained about the blog. Since neither of us can do anything about it, we have asked Carlos to discuss it with you tomorrow. Feel free to tell him whatever your opinion is.

6° ESO E-LEARNING NOTAS

On late assignments

Some people have not submitted all the activities yet. Remember the first term is drawing to an end, so if you have any pending assignments, make sure you hand them in over the next couple of weeks.

Please consider the following:

• If you have technical issues, you can use the school computers. Or you can hand in homework in paper.
 
• If you have any questions, you can contact me by email, comment on blog posts or see me at school on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
 
• If you comment on old posts, please let me know. Otherwise, I don't usually check back.
 
• If you have sent me any activities by email more than a week ago and you haven't received any corrections, then I probably haven't got them.

The deadline for handing in late work will be May 16th. Assignments which have been handed in late will, of course, be graded accordingly.

Let me know if there's anything that is not clear about this.