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