Σάββατο 10 Μαΐου 2014
Κυριακή 4 Μαΐου 2014
writing practice by the British Council
writing practice by the British Council:
An email to a new friend (B1) -
http://goo.gl/ITcrJb
A letter to a friend (B1) - http://goo.gl/6sHQv8
A more formal email (B2) -
http://goo.gl/xqv9EA
An informal email (B2) - http://goo.gl/B32YZM
An email to a new friend (B1) -
http://goo.gl/ITcrJb
A letter to a friend (B1) - http://goo.gl/6sHQv8
A more formal email (B2) -
http://goo.gl/xqv9EA
An informal email (B2) - http://goo.gl/B32YZM
Play time :Academy Island
Play Academy Island:
Practise your English with our Academy Island game!
An unknown alien life form lands on earth and has to learn English to get by in a range of social situations. Players of Academy Island have to progress through different difficulty levels by helping the alien use English in a range of situations such as shopping in a bakery and visiting places such as an art gallery and library. Our game is designed to help learners improve their English language ability, in a fun way.
Practise your English with our Academy Island game!
An unknown alien life form lands on earth and has to learn English to get by in a range of social situations. Players of Academy Island have to progress through different difficulty levels by helping the alien use English in a range of situations such as shopping in a bakery and visiting places such as an art gallery and library. Our game is designed to help learners improve their English language ability, in a fun way.
Σάββατο 3 Μαΐου 2014
Πέμπτη 1 Μαΐου 2014
May Day - Customs and Traditions in May
May Day - British Culture - British Customs and Traditions in May:
secular celebration and
the ancient traditions like the Maypoles, the greens...
CELEBRATING MAY DAY I N BRITAIN
Beltane, May Day, May 1st in ppt
Fun Facts About May Day
May Day has a special significance in a number of cultures.
Especially in Europe, the traditions followed are reminiscent of
fertility festivals of the ancient Germanic and Roman civilizations.
Non-European cultures may have customs that are similar. For your next
May Day celebration, try some of these suggestions.
May 1st, International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of
working people throughout the world, and is recognized in every country except
the United States, Canada, and South Africa. This despite the fact that the
holiday began in the 1880s in the United States, with the fight for an
eight-hour work day.
In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions passed a
resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work from
and after May 1, 1886. The resolution called for a general strike to achieve
the goal, since legislative methods had already failed. With workers being
forced to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours a day, rank-and-file support
for the eight-hour movement grew rapidly, despite the indifference and
hostility of many union leaders. By April 1886, 250,000 workers were involved
in the May Day movement.
The heart of the movement was in Chicago, organized primarily by the anarchist
International Working People's Association. Businesses and the state were
terrified by the increasingly revolutionary character of the movement and
prepared accordingly. The police and militia were increased in size and
received new and powerful weapons financed by local business leaders.
Chicago's Commercial Club purchased a $2000 machine gun for the Illinois
National Guard to be used against strikers. Nevertheless, by May 1st, the
movement had already won gains for many Chicago clothing cutters, shoemakers,
and packing-house workers. But on May 3, 1886, police fired into a crowd of
strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding
many. Anarchists called for a mass meeting the next day in Haymarket Square
to protest the brutality.
The meeting proceeded without incident, and by the time the last speaker was
on the platform, the rainy gathering was already breaking up, with only a few
hundred people remaining. It was then that 180 cops marched into the square
and ordered the meeting to disperse. As the speakers climbed down from the
platform, a bomb was thrown at the police, killing one and injuring seventy.
Police responded by firing into the crowd, killing one worker and injuring
many others.
Although it was never determined who threw the bomb, the incident was used as
an excuse to attack the entire Left and labor movement. Police ransacked the
homes and offices of suspected radicals, and hundreds were arrested without
charge. Anarchists in particular were harassed, and eight of Chicago's most
active were charged with conspiracy to murder in connection with the Haymarket
bombing. A kangaroo court found all eight guilty, despite a lack of evidence
connecting any of them to the bomb-thrower (only one was even present at the
meeting, and he was on the speakers' platform), and they were sentenced to
die. Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolf Fischer, and George Engel were hanged
on November 11, 1887. Louis Lingg committed suicide in prison, The remaining
three were finally pardoned in 1893.
It is not surprising that the state, business leaders, mainstream union
officials, and the media would want to hide the true history of May Day,
portraying it as a holiday celebrated only in Moscow's Red Square. In its
attempt to erase the history and significance of May Day, the United States
government declared May 1st to be "Law Day", and gave us instead Labor Day - a
holiday devoid of any historical significance other than its importance as a
day to swill beer and sit in traffic jams.
Nevertheless, rather than suppressing labor and radical movements, the events
of 1886 and the execution of the Chicago anarchists actually mobilized many
generations of radicals. Emma Goldman, a young immigrant at the time, later
pointed to the Haymarket affair as her political birth. Lucy Parsons, widow of
Albert Parsons, called upon the poor to direct their anger toward those
responsible - the rich. Instead of disappearing, the anarchist movement only
grew in the wake of Haymarket, spawning other radical movements and
organizations, including the Industrial Workers of the World.
By covering up the history of May Day, the state, business, mainstream unions
and the media have covered up an entire legacy of dissent in this country.
They are terrified of what a similarly militant and organized movement could
accomplish today, and they suppress the seeds of such organization whenever
and wherever they can. As workers, we must recognize and commemorate May Day
not only for it's historical significance, but also as a time to organize
around issues of vital importance to working-class people today.
As IWW songwriter Joe Hill wrote in one of his most powerful songs:
This article written and distributed by: l.gaylord@m.cc.utah.edu
History and Origin
Learn about the roots of thissecular celebration and
the ancient traditions like the Maypoles, the greens...
CELEBRATING MAY DAY I N BRITAIN
Beltane, May Day, May 1st in ppt
Fun Facts About May Day
- In Ancient Greece
they celebrated the Festival of Chloris. She was the goddess of flowers
and spring. The Ancient Romans had a similar festival in honor of the
goddess Flora. - Morris Dancers in England
wear hats decorated with flowers, suspenders, and ankle bells. They
stomp their feet, wave handkerchiefs, and bang sticks together when they
dance. - One traditional May Day dance in England is called the Cumberland Square.
- A Maypole stands all year long in Inkwell England. It has been there since 1894.
- Maypoles were sometimes made from old ship's masts.
How to Celebrate May Day
Especially in Europe, the traditions followed are reminiscent of
fertility festivals of the ancient Germanic and Roman civilizations.
Non-European cultures may have customs that are similar. For your next
May Day celebration, try some of these suggestions.
Crafts for KidsMay Day Activities
May Day is not about maypoles: the history of international workers' day
Forget the Morris dancers, May Day's roots are in the fight for workers' rights and it has long been a focus for protest . A MUST READ ARTICLE
May Day - the Real Labor Day
May 1st, International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of
working people throughout the world, and is recognized in every country except
the United States, Canada, and South Africa. This despite the fact that the
holiday began in the 1880s in the United States, with the fight for an
eight-hour work day.
In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions passed a
resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work from
and after May 1, 1886. The resolution called for a general strike to achieve
the goal, since legislative methods had already failed. With workers being
forced to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours a day, rank-and-file support
for the eight-hour movement grew rapidly, despite the indifference and
hostility of many union leaders. By April 1886, 250,000 workers were involved
in the May Day movement.
The heart of the movement was in Chicago, organized primarily by the anarchist
International Working People's Association. Businesses and the state were
terrified by the increasingly revolutionary character of the movement and
prepared accordingly. The police and militia were increased in size and
received new and powerful weapons financed by local business leaders.
Chicago's Commercial Club purchased a $2000 machine gun for the Illinois
National Guard to be used against strikers. Nevertheless, by May 1st, the
movement had already won gains for many Chicago clothing cutters, shoemakers,
and packing-house workers. But on May 3, 1886, police fired into a crowd of
strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding
many. Anarchists called for a mass meeting the next day in Haymarket Square
to protest the brutality.
The meeting proceeded without incident, and by the time the last speaker was
on the platform, the rainy gathering was already breaking up, with only a few
hundred people remaining. It was then that 180 cops marched into the square
and ordered the meeting to disperse. As the speakers climbed down from the
platform, a bomb was thrown at the police, killing one and injuring seventy.
Police responded by firing into the crowd, killing one worker and injuring
many others.
Although it was never determined who threw the bomb, the incident was used as
an excuse to attack the entire Left and labor movement. Police ransacked the
homes and offices of suspected radicals, and hundreds were arrested without
charge. Anarchists in particular were harassed, and eight of Chicago's most
active were charged with conspiracy to murder in connection with the Haymarket
bombing. A kangaroo court found all eight guilty, despite a lack of evidence
connecting any of them to the bomb-thrower (only one was even present at the
meeting, and he was on the speakers' platform), and they were sentenced to
die. Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolf Fischer, and George Engel were hanged
on November 11, 1887. Louis Lingg committed suicide in prison, The remaining
three were finally pardoned in 1893.
It is not surprising that the state, business leaders, mainstream union
officials, and the media would want to hide the true history of May Day,
portraying it as a holiday celebrated only in Moscow's Red Square. In its
attempt to erase the history and significance of May Day, the United States
government declared May 1st to be "Law Day", and gave us instead Labor Day - a
holiday devoid of any historical significance other than its importance as a
day to swill beer and sit in traffic jams.
Nevertheless, rather than suppressing labor and radical movements, the events
of 1886 and the execution of the Chicago anarchists actually mobilized many
generations of radicals. Emma Goldman, a young immigrant at the time, later
pointed to the Haymarket affair as her political birth. Lucy Parsons, widow of
Albert Parsons, called upon the poor to direct their anger toward those
responsible - the rich. Instead of disappearing, the anarchist movement only
grew in the wake of Haymarket, spawning other radical movements and
organizations, including the Industrial Workers of the World.
By covering up the history of May Day, the state, business, mainstream unions
and the media have covered up an entire legacy of dissent in this country.
They are terrified of what a similarly militant and organized movement could
accomplish today, and they suppress the seeds of such organization whenever
and wherever they can. As workers, we must recognize and commemorate May Day
not only for it's historical significance, but also as a time to organize
around issues of vital importance to working-class people today.
As IWW songwriter Joe Hill wrote in one of his most powerful songs:
Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying
We'll have freedom, love and health,
When the grand red flag is flying
In the Workers' Commonwealth.
This article written and distributed by: l.gaylord@m.cc.utah.edu
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a holiday to honor and give thanks to our mothers.
People celebrate the day all over the world. In France, a flower-shaped
cake is part of the family meal. In the U.S., most restaurants claim
this day as their busiest all year. In many other countries, carnations
have a special significance.
READ MORE
History of Mother's Day — History.com Video
Find out about the ancient roots and modern history of Mother's Day,
which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
FAQ ABOUT MOTHER'S DAY
Here are ten bad mothers in literature. They are in no particular order
RESOURCES FOR MOTHER'S DAY
Mother's
Day (ppt)
READING A BOOK FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS
FOR TEACHERS :
*LESSON PLAN
*LESSON PLAN 2
HANDOUTS
PRINTABLES
CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES LIST
On a sunny summer day.
You'd pick her in a minute
If you could have your way.
A Mother is like the sunshine;
She warms your heart each day
And makes you feel like smiling.
It's just her special way."
Mother's Day Poems for Free
MOTHER'S DAY LINKS GALORE
Mother's Day Lesson Activities
A ONE THAT I LOVE
People celebrate the day all over the world. In France, a flower-shaped
cake is part of the family meal. In the U.S., most restaurants claim
this day as their busiest all year. In many other countries, carnations
have a special significance.
READ MORE
History of Mother's Day — History.com Video
Find out about the ancient roots and modern history of Mother's Day,
which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
How the World Celebrates Mother's Day
FAQ ABOUT MOTHER'S DAY
Famous Moms in History
AND
Top 12 warrior moms throughout history
The 10 Worst Mothers in Books
Here are ten bad mothers in literature. They are in no particular order
but as I write, I realize the worst ones are the selfish ones, who live
their lives as if their children are not there. Whatever the case,
across the board, all bad mothers are punished.
Idioms about Mothers
at your mother's knee
said about something that you learned when you were a child.
She learned to sing at her mother's knee.
expectant mother
a pregnant woman.
There are many good tips for expectant mothers in this little book.
experience is the mother of wisdom
this idiom is used to mean that people learn from what happens to them.
You
will never understand the love parents have for their children until
you get your own children. Experience is really the mother of wisdom.
face (that) only a mother could love
a very ugly face.
Look at that poor girl. That's a face that only a mother could love.
he that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin
This is a proverb which means that if you intend to marry a woman, first try to win her mother on your side.
Listen Joe, if you want to marry Nancy, try to impress her mother
first and be sure that she is on your side. He that would the daughter
win, must with the mother first begin.
like mother, like daughter
This is a proverb which means that daughters resemble their mothers.
Like mother, like daughter. Liza's mother is mad about chocolate, too.
necessity is the mother of invention
This proverb means that when people really need to do something, they will find a way to do it.
When her pen had run out of ink, she used her lipstick to write a short note to her husband who was at work.
the mother of all
an extreme example which is the biggest, most impressive, or most important of its kind.
Failure is the mother of all success.
Mother's Day Jokes
Expecting a baby
For weeks a six-year-old lad kept
telling his first-grade teacher about the baby brother or sister that
was expected at his house.
One day the mother allowed the boy to feel the movements of the unborn
child. The six-year old was obviously impressed, but made no comment.
Furthermore, he stopped telling his teacher about the impending event.
The teacher finally sat the boy on her lap and said, "Tommy, whatever
has become of that baby brother or sister you were expecting at home?"
Tommy burst into tears and confessed, "I think Mommy ate it!"
RESOURCES FOR MOTHER'S DAY 
Mother'sDay (ppt)
READING A BOOK FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS FOR TEACHERS :
*LESSON PLAN
*LESSON PLAN 2
HANDOUTS
PRINTABLES
CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES LIST
CRAFTS FOR KIDS
"A Mother is like a flowerOn a sunny summer day.
You'd pick her in a minute
If you could have your way.
A Mother is like the sunshine;
She warms your heart each day
And makes you feel like smiling.
It's just her special way."
Mother's Day Poems for Free
by Nicholas Gordon
MOTHER'S DAY LINKS GALORE
Mother's Day Lesson Activities
- Mother's Day Celebration
- Robot Mothers Worksheet
- Mother's Day Crossword Puzzle Answers
- Mother's Day Vocabulary Worksheet Answers
- Hidden Picture Game - Mother's Day
- Mother's Day Lesson Plan
- Gifts for Mother's Day PowerPoint
A ONE THAT I LOVE
Τετάρτη 30 Απριλίου 2014
Τρίτη 29 Απριλίου 2014
Δευτέρα 28 Απριλίου 2014
Κυριακή 27 Απριλίου 2014
Useful vocab for composition writing
Useful vocab for composition writing - ------ GCE Study Buddy ------ The Best O Level revision resource
Writing Tips
- It is a good idea to have a few really good stories that you tell well. Adapt these to the task you have been given.
- Plan
a SHORT beginning and a SHORT ending – most of the story should be the
middle where things happen and characters think and feel. - Plan
a resolution in your ending (e.g. solving a problem) and refer to it in
the beginning – a good short story has the reader wondering how a
problem is going to be resolved - and then it is. - Plan you last sentence – ending with a punch leaves your reader smiling. This is the time to be original.
- Keep
your reader informed of what is happening, and what characters are
thinking and feeling – we cannot read your mind. If it isn’t written in
the story it doesn’t happen - DON’T start lots of sentences with the same word –read it over to check and cross out or substitute words to avoid this.
- Include
some direct speech in your story ( with correct punctuation) AND AT
LEAST ONE piece of indirect speech –avoid using “said” (something like
“the doctor replied that he had seen spots like this before but only on a
ladybird.” Or “Katy thought to herself that she had never seen such a
strange sight in all her life.”) - Leave
at least five minutes to check your story for all of your target points
– a finished and corrected story is 100 times better than an unfinished
and hurried one – whatever the style and standard. - Whenever
you are stuck, or taking a break, read the story over to yourself under
your breath but mouthing the words – if it sounds right when you read
it out it is probably OK. If you pause when you are reading then check
there is a pause marker (like a comma or fullstop). - Avoid telling the reader what to feel, e.g. it was scary. Make them feel it through your descriptions.
- Avoid
telling the reader what a character feels, e.g. she was sad. Show how
they feel through what they say or do, e.g. her lip trembled. - Keep thinking ‘what would this person do/say?’
- Develop the setting.
- To
create suspense, lull the reader into a false sense of security – get
characters doing something pleasant and introduce an unexpected
dilemma. - Know your ending so you don’t include irrelevant details.
- Limit dialogue to four exchanges per paragraph.
- Develop setting and characters through descriptive sentences.
- Keep a brisk pace. Short and interesting is great!
- Plan
your story on paper. Think who is it about? What is going to happen in
the end? What exciting and interesting things will happen along the
way? - A ‘punchy’ start that ‘grabs’ the readers attention, such as speech, onomatopoeia or a piece of great description.
- Three well described characters (looks, experiences and personality)
- A conversation to show direct speech and new speech, new line.
- A well structured story, having a beginning, middle and an appropriate end.
- When you have finished. Read your story VERY carefully, asking yourself, ‘Does this make sense?’ If it doesn't, change it!'
Σάββατο 26 Απριλίου 2014
Παρασκευή 25 Απριλίου 2014
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