Σάββατο 30 Νοεμβρίου 2013
Παρασκευή 29 Νοεμβρίου 2013
'Twas the Night Before Christmas "A Visit from St. Nicholas"
WITH MUSIC AND SONGS
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
Important Vocabulary
I've prepared this version of the story highlighting difficult vocabulary in bold. English learners or classes can first learn difficult vocabulary and then move on to listening or reading the story themselves in class. Reading through 'Twas The Night Before Christmas also makes a great pronunciation exercise for the whole class.
The vocabulary is in the order it appears in "'Twas The Night Before Christmas"
'Twas = It was
stirring = movement
nestled = comfortably in place
'kerchief = handkerchief
clatter = noise
sash = window covering that is pulled down from inside the room
shutters = window covering that is opened from outside the window
lustre = glow, illumination
sleigh = Santa Claus' vehicle, also used in Alaska with dogs
St. Nick = Santa Claus
Coursers = Animals which draw a sleigh
Porch = terrace
dash away = move onwards quickly
twinkling = a second
bound = a jump
tarnished = dirty
soot = black waste material found inside a chimney
bundle = bag
peddler = someone who sells things on the street
dimples = indentations on the cheeks
merry = happy
droll = funny
encircled = circle around
belly = stomach
dread = to be afraid of
jerk = quick movement
down of a thistle = the light material on a certain type of weed that floats away in the air
ere = before
I hope you enjoyed this traditional Christmas story. Here are some comprehension questions based on the story:
Check your understanding of this classic Christmas tale:
'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Comprehension
FROM:http://esl.about.com/od/holidayresources/a/r_twas.htm
Travelling abroad:LISTENING ACTIVITIES
Do you ever have trouble understanding announcements at the airport or railway station? Practise your listening skills with these airport announcements then try the exercises!
Travelling abroad | LearnEnglishTeens
Travelling abroad | LearnEnglishTeens
Πέμπτη 28 Νοεμβρίου 2013
CHRISTMAS !!!!
CHRISTMAS RESOURCES 1
CHRISTMAS RESOURCES 2
ADVENT CALENDAR
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS NET PAGE
READ THE BOOK"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" BY
CHARLES DICKENS
CHRISTMAS PRINTABLES
PRINTABLE CARDS
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR VOCABULARY
TRACK SANTA!!!(Come back on December 1st to begin the official countdown to Santa's launch!)
A VISIT TO THE NORTH POLE
CHRISTMAS RESOURCES 2
ADVENT CALENDAR
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS NET PAGE
READ THE BOOK"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" BY
CHARLES DICKENS
CHRISTMAS PRINTABLES
PRINTABLE CARDS
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR VOCABULARY
Christmas trees around the world – in pictures
Images from several countries- 10 Interesting Christmas Facts Part 1
- 10 Interesting Christmas Facts Part 2
- 10 Fascinating Christmas Traditions from Around the World
TRACK SANTA!!!(Come back on December 1st to begin the official countdown to Santa's launch!)
A VISIT TO THE NORTH POLE
The Little Match Girl
Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and
evening-- the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there
went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked
feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was
the good of that? They were very large slippers, which her mother had
hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them
as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that
rolled by dreadfully fast.
One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself. So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing.
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!
The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you know it was New Year's Eve; yes, of that she thought.
In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other, she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did not venture, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money: from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was cold too, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.
Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. "Rischt!" how it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, the stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.
She rubbed another against the wall: it burned brightly, and where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that she could see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it was a splendid porcelain service, and the roast goose was steaming famously with its stuffing of apple and dried plums. And what was still more capital to behold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl; when--the match went out and nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was left behind. She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house.
Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when--the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.
"Someone is just dead!" said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God.
She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.
"Grandmother!" cried the little one. "Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!" And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety--they were with God.
But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall--frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. Stiff and stark sat the child there with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. "She wanted to warm herself," people said. No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year.
One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself. So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing.
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!
The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you know it was New Year's Eve; yes, of that she thought.
In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other, she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did not venture, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money: from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was cold too, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.
Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. "Rischt!" how it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, the stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.
She rubbed another against the wall: it burned brightly, and where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that she could see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it was a splendid porcelain service, and the roast goose was steaming famously with its stuffing of apple and dried plums. And what was still more capital to behold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl; when--the match went out and nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was left behind. She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house.
Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when--the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.
"Someone is just dead!" said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God.
She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.
"Grandmother!" cried the little one. "Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!" And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety--they were with God.
But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall--frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. Stiff and stark sat the child there with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. "She wanted to warm herself," people said. No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year.
Τρίτη 26 Νοεμβρίου 2013
Δευτέρα 25 Νοεμβρίου 2013
Create your own virtual person
Create your own virtual person
With Honest Johnny, you can create, change, dress and customize a virtual person. You can choose your character and make him or her speak using the text-to-speach tool.
When you finish you can email the result to your friends or post it on your blogs.
Enjoy it!
With Honest Johnny, you can create, change, dress and customize a virtual person. You can choose your character and make him or her speak using the text-to-speach tool.
When you finish you can email the result to your friends or post it on your blogs.
Enjoy it!
THINK TEEN 1 Chinese Zodiac Zone
:: Chinese Zodiac Zone - Happy New Year! :
:: Find out which animal year you were born in and which famous people share the same Chinese Zodiac sign.
- Let Magic Monkey read your mind and guess your Chinese Zodiac sign.
- Test your knowledge of English Idioms that use the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
- Download and print your own fun Chinese New Year Posters.
:: Find out which animal year you were born in and which famous people share the same Chinese Zodiac sign.
- Let Magic Monkey read your mind and guess your Chinese Zodiac sign.
- Test your knowledge of English Idioms that use the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
- Download and print your own fun Chinese New Year Posters.
GRAMMAR ISSUES - INVERSION
PRACTISE ENGLISH: GRAMMAR ISSUES - INVERSION:
What is inversion and how to use it?
In statement it is usual for the verb to follow the subject, but sometimes this word order is reversed.
We can refer to this as inversion. There are two main types of inversion:
• when the verb comes before the subject (optional inversion)
In the doorway stood her father. (or …her father stood.)
• when the auxiliary comes before the subject and the rest of the verb
phrase follows the subject (inversion is usually necessary)
Rarely had he seen such a sunset. (not Rarely he had see …)
Inversion brings about fronting , the re-ordering of information in a sentence to give emphasis in a particular place. Often this causes an element to be postponed until later in the sentence, focusing attention on it.
CONTINUE READING
What is inversion and how to use it?
In statement it is usual for the verb to follow the subject, but sometimes this word order is reversed.
We can refer to this as inversion. There are two main types of inversion:
• when the verb comes before the subject (optional inversion)
In the doorway stood her father. (or …her father stood.)
• when the auxiliary comes before the subject and the rest of the verb
phrase follows the subject (inversion is usually necessary)
Rarely had he seen such a sunset. (not Rarely he had see …)
Inversion brings about fronting , the re-ordering of information in a sentence to give emphasis in a particular place. Often this causes an element to be postponed until later in the sentence, focusing attention on it.
CONTINUE READING
INVERSION
USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR FCE/CAE/CPE WRITING
PRACTISE ENGLISH: USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR FCE/CAE/CPE WRITING:
FORMAL LETTERS
Letters objecting to someone's plans
I am writing to express my concern /disappointment / alarm at hearing ...
I was extremely alarmed/sorry/distressed to hear about your plans to ...
As I think you know, …
May I point out that …
I feel I really must object to ...
I am extremely concerned at the thought that ...
It must be very clear that ...
If these proposals go ahead, ... will happen.
Another threat to ... , if these proposals go ahead, would come from ...
I dread to imagine what damage this will cause.
May I respectfully suggest that you ...
I was wondering if you had considered this alternative?
Would it not be possible to ... ?AND MANY MORE
Κυριακή 24 Νοεμβρίου 2013
Advice in English
Advice in English
- Asking for advice
- I need some advice.
- What would you advise me to do?
- I’m about to break up with him. What do you suggest?
- I don’t know what to do, could you advise me?
- I’m very confused, what do you think I should do?
- Don’t you think I could try?
- Please tell me, what would you do if you were me?
- What would you do in my place?
- Wouldn’t it be better for me to borrow one?
- Giving advice
- Take my advice : Try and improve your Japanese. It will help you in your career.
- If you want my advice, dismiss him.
- If I were you, I wouldn’t break up with him. He’s just so courteous and you don’t want to lose him.
- If I were in your place, I’d behave properly in front of them.
- I advise you to wait for a while. This is not a good time for giving up.
- Believe me : give him his money back. You don’t want to get in trouble.
- Take my word for it, leave this place.
- Let me tell you this : it’s not that bad, you can try again and again, just pull yourself together and you will be fine.
- It’s up to you, of course, but I wouldn’t do it.
- If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t wait, she’s a one in a million.
- You’d better think twice about what you’re going to do!
- She’d better not talk to her father like this! She has to show him some respect.
- You could work more, couldn’t you?
- Couldn’t you make an effort?
- Why don’t you consult another doctor?
- I’d advise you to have a quick look at it.
- Why not catch an earlier train?
- Don’t you think it would be a good idea to have a few days’ holidays?
- Personally, I think the best would be to stay in bed for a few days.
- I think it would be better if you gave me the list.
- They shouldn’t talk so loudly.
- You should wait for us outside.
- It’s in your interest to leave this country for some time.
- It’s about time you studied foreign languages seriously. You know you will need them if you get a job.
- You ought to be more humane with them.
- They ought not to criticize her.
- It might be an idea to record the lecture.
- You might as well ring her from here.
- It occurred to me that you might as well resign.
- Refusing to give advice
- I’m afraid I can’t suggest something.
- This is not my domain, and I don’t know what to advise.
- I wish I could help, but I can’t.
- I’m not sure about it.
- I have no clue about what, I can’t advise!
from: http://englishlearningbox.com/speaking/advice-in-english
Πέμπτη 21 Νοεμβρίου 2013
THINK TEEN 2 :SCHOOLS
http://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/
Where success is not defined by academic achievement but by the child's own definition of success...>
Where the whole school deals democratically with issues, with each individual having an equal right to be heard...>
Where you can play all day if you want to...>
And there is time and space to sit and dream...>
...could there be such a school?
A.S. Neill's Summerhill
Imagine a school...
Where kids have freedom to be themselves...>Where success is not defined by academic achievement but by the child's own definition of success...>
Where the whole school deals democratically with issues, with each individual having an equal right to be heard...>
Where you can play all day if you want to...>
And there is time and space to sit and dream...>
...could there be such a school?
A.S. Neill's Summerhill
Εγγραφή σε:
Αναρτήσεις (Atom)