Τρίτη 30 Απριλίου 2013
Δευτέρα 29 Απριλίου 2013
International Dance Day 29 April 2013
UNESCO has marked the 29th of April as our International Dance Day!
The day was first established in 1982 and it is held on 29 April as this is the birthdate of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet.
Do you love to dance? I know I do! We express ourselves through dancing, it's fun and one of the best forms of exercise!
So much so that you'll be having too much to fun to even realise you're working out at the same time!
It's also a great expression of our cultures - from ceilidh dancing in Scotland to bollywood dance in India.
We all have different tastes and there's got to be a type of dance to suit everyone. International dancing encourages everyone who can take part to get moving!
In 2010 300 people in Toronto performed a routine that has become a video sensation on youtube - it's been watched over 159,000 times so far!
In 2011 two seperate routines were performed; one by adults and one by children. The opportunity to join up for some modern dance lessons is also always on offer and could be worth looking into!
So whether you fancy trying something new or heading out with some friends for the night, make sure you remember to celebrate!
And remember even if you think you're a bad dancer and the robot move is the best you've got - now's the time to flaunt it! Make sure you keep checking the official International Dance Day website for more information about events in 2013.
(Copyright 2009~2013 national-awareness-days.com)
The day was first established in 1982 and it is held on 29 April as this is the birthdate of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet.
Do you love to dance? I know I do! We express ourselves through dancing, it's fun and one of the best forms of exercise!
So much so that you'll be having too much to fun to even realise you're working out at the same time!
It's also a great expression of our cultures - from ceilidh dancing in Scotland to bollywood dance in India.
We all have different tastes and there's got to be a type of dance to suit everyone. International dancing encourages everyone who can take part to get moving!
In 2010 300 people in Toronto performed a routine that has become a video sensation on youtube - it's been watched over 159,000 times so far!
In 2011 two seperate routines were performed; one by adults and one by children. The opportunity to join up for some modern dance lessons is also always on offer and could be worth looking into!
So whether you fancy trying something new or heading out with some friends for the night, make sure you remember to celebrate!
And remember even if you think you're a bad dancer and the robot move is the best you've got - now's the time to flaunt it! Make sure you keep checking the official International Dance Day website for more information about events in 2013.
(Copyright 2009~2013 national-awareness-days.com)
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| Copyright: Barry Goyette, Lizenz: creative commons |
NEWS OF THE DAY
Girl who was killed as an offering to the Inca gods sometime between 1450 and 1480, at approximately 11–15 years old.
best-preserved mummy ever found, with internal organs intact, blood
still present in the heart and lungs, and skin and facial features
mostly unscathed. No special effort had been made to preserve her and
500 years later still looked like sleeping children.
Read more: http://banoosh.com/?p=38691
TEX AVERY "THE LOONY CARTOONIST''
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – Tuesday, August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, and director. He is famous for creating animated cartoons during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He did his most major work for the Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. He created the characters of Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and Droopy. His had an effect on almost all of the animated cartoon series by various studios in the 1940s and 1950s.
THE TEX AVERY PAGE:http://www.texavery.com/
THE TEX AVERY PAGE:http://www.texavery.com/
Κυριακή 28 Απριλίου 2013
TIME FOR TEA
British people love to drink tea! If you ever visit Great Britain you will definitely be offered a cup of tea. We love tea in the morning, on a break at work, with our afternoon snack or last thing at night. British people drink tea with (or without) milk, sugar or lemon. Lets take a look at the reason why the cup of tea is such an important part of British culture.
CONTINUE READING:http://www.funkyenglish.com/profiles/blogs/british-culture-tea
MORE LINKS about the traditional 4 o'clock tea
http://www.squidoo.com/afternoon-high-tea
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/tea.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/afternoon_tea
about the history of afternoon tea:http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/afternoon-tea/
http://britishfood.about.com/od/diningdrinkingtradition/a/Tea.htm
http://tregothnan.co.uk/tea-plantation-bar/a-brief-history-of-tea/
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE BLACK TEA BLENDS PRODUCED:http://www.anglik.net/tea.htm
CONTINUE READING:http://www.funkyenglish.com/profiles/blogs/british-culture-tea
MORE LINKS about the traditional 4 o'clock tea
http://www.squidoo.com/afternoon-high-tea
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/tea.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/afternoon_tea
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| fruit tarts |
about the history of afternoon tea:http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/afternoon-tea/
http://britishfood.about.com/od/diningdrinkingtradition/a/Tea.htm
http://tregothnan.co.uk/tea-plantation-bar/a-brief-history-of-tea/
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| cucumber sandwiches |
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| scones |
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE BLACK TEA BLENDS PRODUCED:http://www.anglik.net/tea.htm
SUFFIXES
-ness
(nouns from adjectives)
-ness is one of a number of noun suffixes. It is used to
make nouns from adjectives, although not every adjective
can be modified in this way. Here are some common adjectives whose
noun forms are made by adding -ness:
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| -ity
(nouns from adjectives) -ity is another noun suffix that is formed from adjectives. Here are some adjectives whose noun forms are made in this way:
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-tion
/ -sion (nouns from verbs)
-tion, or, less frequently -sion (both pronounced
with a 'sh' sound on the initial letter) are noun suffixes that
are used to make nouns from verbs. Here are some common verbs
whose noun forms are made by adding -tion:
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-ment
(nouns from verbs and adjectives)
-ment is another suffix that is used to make nouns from
verbs and occasionally from adjectives:
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-ance
/ -ence (nouns from adjectives and verbs)
-ance and -ence are suffixes that are used to make
nouns from adjectives and sometimes from verbs:
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more
restrictive noun suffixes (nouns from nouns)
-ship (abstract nouns denoting different kinds of relationships)
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Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab
Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab - For English as a Second Language
ANOTHER GREAT SITE TO
PRACTISE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS !!!
IN LEVELS WITH LOTS OF ACTIVITIES
ANOTHER GREAT SITE TO
PRACTISE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS !!!
IN LEVELS WITH LOTS OF ACTIVITIES
Listen to News
Listen to News:
A GREAT SITE with regular listening practice based on the weekly news, with pre-reading vocabulary, reading, gap-fill exercise, comprehension quiz and answers
A GREAT SITE with regular listening practice based on the weekly news, with pre-reading vocabulary, reading, gap-fill exercise, comprehension quiz and answers
English listening, speaking & conversation
English listening, English speaking & English conversation at upper-intermediate level:
SOME FREE SAMPLES OF LISTENING LESSONS FOR ALL LEVELS
SOME FREE SAMPLES OF LISTENING LESSONS FOR ALL LEVELS
Listening Comprehension exercises
Self access exercises:
On this page you find a selection of listening comprehension exercises. Simply click a link to be transferred to the exercise of your choice.
AUDIO AND EXERCISE SHEET PROVIDED (WITH ANSWERS )
On this page you find a selection of listening comprehension exercises. Simply click a link to be transferred to the exercise of your choice.
AUDIO AND EXERCISE SHEET PROVIDED (WITH ANSWERS )
EXPRESSING HYPOTHETICAL MEANINGS
Hypothetical situations are situations that we imagine. There are
specific English grammar structures, phrases and forms to express
hypothetical situations. Here are some examples of some hypothetical
situations using a wide variety of forms. 
Wish
1- We use wish + past simple to express a wish that has not come true in the present or to talk about wishes that might come true in the future. We use this structure when we want our own situation (or the situation of the person who is doing the wishing) to be different.
I wish Eleanor liked me.
Don’t you wish you had a big car?
I wish she was/were going out with me.
We all wish the weather wasn’t/weren’t so bad.
2- We use wish + would and could to refer to general wishes for the future.
I wish the sun would shine.
I wish I could be in the basketball team.
3- Wish + would is used to talk about wishes we have for other people.
I wish my sister would stop smoking.
I wish he wouldn’t chew gum all the time.
To talk about wishes we have for ourselves we used could.
I wish I could have a holiday.
4- We use wish + past perfect to refer to things we are sorry about in the past.
I wish I had been invited to the party.
She wishes she hadn’t told him about Carlo.
If only
If only is used with the same verb forms as wish, and is used when your feelings are stronger, it is often used with an exclamation mark (!). It is often used with would/wouldn’t to someone else’s behavior.
If only I could find the answer!
If only they would stop talking!
If only I had never met him!
Its time
Its time is used with the past simple to talk about the present or future. We mean that the action should have been done before. For emphasis, we can also say it’s about time and it’s high time.
It’s (about) time you started revising for the exam.
It’s (high) time we sat off. The train leaves in half an hour.
Would rather
1- We use would rather + past simple to say what we want someone or something else to do in the present or future.
I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone about all this.
Would you rather I asked someone else?
I’d rather we didn’t discuss that, if you don’t mind.
2- We use would rather + past perfect to say what we wanted to happen in the past.
I’d rather you hadn’t told her that.
I’d rather you had asked me first.
Note: would rather + infinitive without to is used to talk about our or other peoples preferences in the present or future.
I’d rather go the concert than to the opera.
They’d rather go on foot.
Suppose /what if?
Suppose means What if…? It is used with:
1- The present simple to describe something that may possibly happen or may have happened.
Suppose someone sees her with us.
Suppose someone hears you coming in.
2- The past simple to talk about something that is just imagination or which is unlikely to happen in the future.
Suppose Eleanor knew you loved her. What would you do?
Suppose you won the prize. How would you feel?
3- The past perfect to talk about something that could have happened in the past but didn’t.
Suppose we hadn’t told her. Do you think she would have found out?
Suppose you had married Carlos. Would you have been happy together?
As if/as though
As if and as though can be followed by a present tense to talk about something that is likely to be true. When followed by the past tense, the implication is that the situation is unlikely.
You look as if you are hungry. (Likely)
He talks as if he knew all about it. (Unlikely)
from: http://www.freeamericanenglish.com/habits-accent-english.html
Wish
1- We use wish + past simple to express a wish that has not come true in the present or to talk about wishes that might come true in the future. We use this structure when we want our own situation (or the situation of the person who is doing the wishing) to be different.
I wish Eleanor liked me.
Don’t you wish you had a big car?
I wish she was/were going out with me.
We all wish the weather wasn’t/weren’t so bad.
2- We use wish + would and could to refer to general wishes for the future.
I wish the sun would shine.
I wish I could be in the basketball team.
3- Wish + would is used to talk about wishes we have for other people.
I wish my sister would stop smoking.
I wish he wouldn’t chew gum all the time.
Wish and want
We can use wish + infinitive or wish + object + infinitive to mean want in a formal situation.- I wish to leave now. (+ infinitive)
- I wish to speak to your supervisor please. (+ infinitive)
- I do not wish my name to appear on the list. (+ object + infinitive)
To talk about wishes we have for ourselves we used could.
I wish I could have a holiday.
4- We use wish + past perfect to refer to things we are sorry about in the past.
I wish I had been invited to the party.
She wishes she hadn’t told him about Carlo.
If only is used with the same verb forms as wish, and is used when your feelings are stronger, it is often used with an exclamation mark (!). It is often used with would/wouldn’t to someone else’s behavior.
If only I could find the answer!
If only they would stop talking!
If only I had never met him!
Its time
Its time is used with the past simple to talk about the present or future. We mean that the action should have been done before. For emphasis, we can also say it’s about time and it’s high time.
It’s (about) time you started revising for the exam.
It’s (high) time we sat off. The train leaves in half an hour.
Would rather
1- We use would rather + past simple to say what we want someone or something else to do in the present or future.
I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone about all this.
Would you rather I asked someone else?
I’d rather we didn’t discuss that, if you don’t mind.
2- We use would rather + past perfect to say what we wanted to happen in the past.
I’d rather you hadn’t told her that.
I’d rather you had asked me first.
Note: would rather + infinitive without to is used to talk about our or other peoples preferences in the present or future.
I’d rather go the concert than to the opera.
They’d rather go on foot.
Suppose /what if?
Suppose means What if…? It is used with:
1- The present simple to describe something that may possibly happen or may have happened.
Suppose someone sees her with us.
Suppose someone hears you coming in.
2- The past simple to talk about something that is just imagination or which is unlikely to happen in the future.
Suppose Eleanor knew you loved her. What would you do?
Suppose you won the prize. How would you feel?
3- The past perfect to talk about something that could have happened in the past but didn’t.
Suppose we hadn’t told her. Do you think she would have found out?
Suppose you had married Carlos. Would you have been happy together?
As if/as though
As if and as though can be followed by a present tense to talk about something that is likely to be true. When followed by the past tense, the implication is that the situation is unlikely.
You look as if you are hungry. (Likely)
He talks as if he knew all about it. (Unlikely)
from: http://www.freeamericanenglish.com/habits-accent-english.html
EXPRESS HABITS
Habits
Past habit: used to.
Form:
Positive statements Used to + infinitive
Negative statements Did/didn’t + use to + infinitive
Use:
We use used to to talk about past habits and states that do not occur now or no longer exist.
We used to be driven to school, but now we walk.
What did people use to do before electricity was invented?
Ken used to be shy, but he’s more confident since he met Cindy.
Watch Out!
1-Used to is not used to say how often things happened or how long they took.
2-Be careful not to confuse used to with be/get used to + noun/gerund. This means be/become accustomed to something because you have been doing it for a while.
I’m used to making my own meals.
I can’t get used to the cold winters.
Do you think we’ll ever get used to eating dinner at six o’clock?
Past habit: would
Would is also used to talk about past habits and repeated actions but not about past states.
When I was little, I would/used to play with my brother’s model cars.
Note: We would live in a small village.
Past habit: past simple
This can also be used to describe past habits and states.
When/ was a child, I walked to school every day.
Present habit: present simple or continuous
To talk about present habits we can use:
- Present simple, often with a frequency adverb
I generally park outside the library.
- Present continuous + always
He’s always going abroad on conferences
This often suggests an annoying habit.
My sister is always borrowing my clothes.
Past habit: used to.
Form:
Positive statements Used to + infinitive
Negative statements Did/didn’t + use to + infinitive
Use:
We use used to to talk about past habits and states that do not occur now or no longer exist.
We used to be driven to school, but now we walk.
What did people use to do before electricity was invented?
Ken used to be shy, but he’s more confident since he met Cindy.
Watch Out!
1-Used to is not used to say how often things happened or how long they took.
2-Be careful not to confuse used to with be/get used to + noun/gerund. This means be/become accustomed to something because you have been doing it for a while.
I’m used to making my own meals.
I can’t get used to the cold winters.
Do you think we’ll ever get used to eating dinner at six o’clock?
Past habit: would
Would is also used to talk about past habits and repeated actions but not about past states.
When I was little, I would/used to play with my brother’s model cars.
Note: We would live in a small village.
Past habit: past simple
This can also be used to describe past habits and states.
When/ was a child, I walked to school every day.
To talk about present habits we can use:
- Present simple, often with a frequency adverb
I generally park outside the library.
- Present continuous + always
He’s always going abroad on conferences
This often suggests an annoying habit.
My sister is always borrowing my clothes.
Σάββατο 27 Απριλίου 2013
Regina Brett’s 45 Life Lessons and 5 to Grow On
by Regina Brett, The Plain Dealer
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy
lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift..
*Source: http://www.reginabrett.com/life_lessons.php
IDIOM: CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE
Cat got your tongue?
This is a shortened way of saying:
Has the cat got your tongue?
This idiom can mean the following:
- Have you nothing to say?
- Why are you not talking?
- Why are you not saying anything?
- Why don’t you answer me?
It is often said by adults to children.
When someone is speechless or without words (sometimes out of surprise) you will say “Cat got your tongue?” to prompt them to react.
This idiom is often accompanied by “What’s the matter” at the beginning of it.
- What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?
This idiom can also be used as a normal sentence and not just as a question.
- I think the cat has his tongue.
Why do people say Cat got your tongue?
Well, nobody really knows the true origin of this idiom though if you think about it, if a cat has run away with your tongue, you probably wouldn’t be able to say anything. It would be a reason why you are not speaking or quiet.Examples of Cat got your tongue?
John: What do you think of my new shoes?Mike: …. (No response) …
John: Well, do you like them or not?
Mike: …. (Still no response) …
John: Cat got your tongue?
Mother: I found my lost wallet in your wardrobe. What was it doing there?
Teenager: … (silence)…
Mother: What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?
Cat got your thumbs?
With the more digital generation that communicates a lot via the internet, they have modified this expression and sometimes say: Cat got your thumbs?It is used when someone doesn’t respond to a message or text via chat or other forms of instant written communication, especially when they suddenly stop replying in a text-based conversation.
Why do they use the word Thumbs?
You use your tongue to help you communicate orally.
You use your fingers (and sometimes thumbs for the space bar on keyboards) to communicate in written form.
So the word Thumbs, replaces the word Tongue because they sound similar.
The meaning is also similar:
Has the cat got your tongue = Why have you stopped talking? Why don’t you say something?
Has the cat got your thumbs = Why have you stopped writing? Why don’t you write something?
Let us know in the comments if you understood this explanation.
If you don’t, I’ll think that the cat has got your tongue.
FROM: Woodward English
Engineering an Empire - The Ancient Greeks
Western Civilization has been influenced by many cultures, but it was born in Ancient Greece.
The Ancient Greeks laid a foundation that has supported nearly 3000 years of European history. Philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, Olympian gods, the beginnings of democracy and great conquering armies can be attributed to the Ancient Greeks. This strong and charismatic people strategically harnessed the materials and people around them to create the most advanced technological feats the world had ever seen. From The Tunnel of Samos: a mile-long aqueduct dug through a large mountain of solid limestone, to Agamemnon's Tomb, to The Parthenon, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure engineered by the Greek Empire. Peter Weller hosts.
The Ancient Greeks laid a foundation that has supported nearly 3000 years of European history. Philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, Olympian gods, the beginnings of democracy and great conquering armies can be attributed to the Ancient Greeks. This strong and charismatic people strategically harnessed the materials and people around them to create the most advanced technological feats the world had ever seen. From The Tunnel of Samos: a mile-long aqueduct dug through a large mountain of solid limestone, to Agamemnon's Tomb, to The Parthenon, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure engineered by the Greek Empire. Peter Weller hosts.
Παρασκευή 26 Απριλίου 2013
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