February 10 2010
3
10
/02
/February
/2010
13:45
Hey,
today we first warmed up with "the snow" that was falling in the playground. Here is what we said about it:
When I was a child, I used to make snowmen when it was snowing.
The perfect snowman:
The props:
- a broom or skis instead of the broom
- a scarf
- a hat
- a carrot for the nose
- chesnut for the eyes
- a tie to make it smart
Now, I love having snowball fights.
Then we continued our lesson with a recap of what we had said about Lord of War (the credits) and we moved on with an analysis of the double page (pp. 98-99) in your books and answered the question: why is there a gun culture today in the US. Here is what we wrote:
A long "love story" with guns:
Americans have always had guns. Since the time when the first settlers arrived, they have had a right and even a duty to bear arms. It used to be necessary to fight back and conquer new land. When the settlers went West, they had to kill buffaloes to eat and they also killed native Americans / Indians to conquer their land. Weapons are at the core of the making of the country. Now, there is a powerful lobby (the NRA). It defends the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. The second Amendment to the "Bill of Rights" states that weapons are necessary for protection.
Finally we began speaking about the text p. 100-101 and the photos. Here is what we said:
Text and Pictures (p100-101):
The cover of Time magazine depicts a 5-year-old who is bearing a gun. He seems unaware of what he has in his hands. He is bearing the gun as though it were a toy.
HW: no homework during the vacation but the lessons. You will need a rest after the mock exams. But I do want you to remember Maxime's remark about the child in the text and in the magazine cover. I also want you to ponder on Claire's thoughts about gun toys. If she had a child, she would allow her son to play with a gun toy whereas she would forbid her daughter... food for thought...
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February 9 2010
2
09
/02
/February
/2010
11:27
Hey,
today we first warmed up with the study of the credits from Lord of War and here is what we said about them:
The man:
There is a discrepancy (a gap) between the way the man is dressed (he is wearing a suit and a tie) and the damage around him (houses are on fire). Normally, there should be soldiers and not a businessman. He's certainly an arms trader.
He looks self-confident and powerful. For him, selling weapons is as if he were selling food, jewels or clothes.
He sells weapons as if he were in a meeting in the US.
He sells weapons as if it were normal to do that.
He sells weapons as if they were toys.
He sells weapons as if could solve problems in Africa.
The bullet:
We follow the life of a bullet [i], from the beginning (its creation in the US) to its target (the head of a child in Africa). We see the scene as though we were the bullet.
The target(/aim/purpose) of the movie is certainly to denounce the arms trade cynically. We are considered as though we were the killers, as though we had our share of responsability in the arms trade.
Remember the use of "AS IF... / AS THOUGH..."
Then we continued studying a double page of documents in your textbooks. Each group had to work on a special set and will have to report to the class about what connection they have made between the documents and why guns are said to be popular in the US.
You can watch the credit titles again here:
HW: prepare your report to the class.
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February 3 2010
3
03
/02
/February
/2010
13:41
Hey,
today we first finished correcting your type bac exercise and I gave you some tips about how to deal with a dialogue (cf. worksheet) and a translation.
Here is the correction for the questions from your mock exam:
5) Some of her colleagues thought she felt full of her own importance "very keen on her position she was".
6)
1-RIGHT: "Dagliesh thought that his witness was far from being a fool" (l.40)
2-RIGHT: "He suspected that Amy Shorthouse craved more excitement than her life customarily..." (l.12-13).
3 - WRONG: "The little grey eyes were shrewd and amused" (l.11)
4- RIGHT: "She screwed up her face in a simulated agony of effort" (l.41)
7) "the chap" (l.51); "the other voice" (l.53), "he"
8) Even if she is an extravagant woman, she gives out critical information* for the investigation. She remembers a lot of details.
9) Traduction:
Pas la peine de préciser que je ne peux pas dire qui l'a commis parce que je ne le peux pas. Non pas que je n'aie pas ma petite idée. Mais il y a une chose que je peux vous dire. Je suis la dernière personne à lui avoir parlé. Aucun doute là-dessus. Non, effacez ça! Je suis la dernière personne à lui avoir parlé, face à face. Mis à part le meurtrier, bien sûr.
Then we watched the credits from the movie "Lord Of War". Click on the picture below to watch the extract again:
HW: I'm expecting your prepared reactions as a warm up about this document.
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February 2 2010
2
02
/02
/February
/2010
13:35
Hey,
today I first gave you a list of vocabulary that is of utmost importance to deal with a question about your likes and dislikes (in a book, a movie, ...).
Here it is:
Correction de l'expression: Nowadays, most people love suspense in books and films. What about you ?
- Vocabulaire:
a thriller - to thrill - it gives me the thrills / creeps - thrilling / suspenseful - a captivating book - a breath-taking scene - it makes me want to carry on +V.ing - a weirdo / a creep
Then I did a quick recap of grammar and particularly on "verbes de sentiments", the use of "very" and "quite" and uncountable nouns. Here is what we said:
- Grammaire:
*noms non-comptables : news*/evidence*/furniture*
a piece of/ two pieces of..
Verbes sentiments + V.ing.
Examples : like, prefer, hate, be keen on, be crazy about, be fond of.
Finally we started reading an correcting the comprehension part of your exercise dealing with the extravagant witness and the detective. Here is the correction for some of the answers:
1) a. The text is taken from a detective story.
b. "Excepting the murderer, of course" (l.22-23)
" [...]while waiting to be interviewed" (l.2)
2) a. Present: Dalgiesh and Amy Shorthouse
Mentioned: Mr Lauder, Peter Nagle, the chap, Miss Bolam.
b. The conversation takes place in Miss Bolam's office.
" [...]it was in this room" (l.27) + "her office"
c. The detective questions the witness in order to find information* and evidence* about the murder. Her testimony could be important.
3) a.Number 3: "a modish pair of high-heeled court shoes" (l.4-5), "the latest idiocy in hats" (l.5), "the shortness of her skirt" (l.5-6), "fur coat".
b. She's an extravagant woman. She pays attention to her looks. She wants to please.
4) a. 4-3-1-5-2
b.She is having fun. "The little grey eyes were shrewd and amused" (l.11), " [...] was enjoying herself" ( l.13-14).
HW: tomorrow, we'll continue correcting both your tests and hopefully, we'll have time to move on back to the lesson on guns.
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January 27 2010
3
27
/01
/January
/2010
14:49
Hey,
today we first warmed up with a teleshopping presentation of Guillaume, Martin, and Robin about an extraodinary pencil... You did a great job, guys! Thumbs up! =)
I wish I had had a real camera to record your performance...
Be careful to the pronunciation of the following words:
- pencil [ə] - quality [kwa]
- ouch! [au]
- discount [au] / bargain
- type [ai]
Then we summed up everything that was important to notice in a teleshopping environment, both the setting and the attitude of the presenters. Here is what we said:
The setting:
The scene takes place in an office with bright / flashy colours and modern furniture. There is music in the background.
The pencil is in the spotlight. The rest of the room is filled with dim soft light.
The attitude / behaviour:
The presenters take up a smile at all times. They speak in a high-pitched enthusiastic tone. They keep showing the pencil. They use technical words and superlatives. They sometimes take up a quizzical tone.
Then we continued analysing the spoof ad in more details and here is what we concluded about it:
According to Claire, this ad is not efficient and even stupid. She can't see the point / the interest.
However, the aim of the ad is to raise awareness / to make people aware of the problem of the arms trade.
As for Selma, the ad is too funny to make people react. It should be more serious. They should show the damage of a war and images of child soldiers. It should shock people more.
Finally, we did a quick recap of vocabulary concerning the selling process:
- a rebate / a discount / a bargain / it's on sale
- a purchase
- a (shopping) cart
HW: just learn your lesson and get ready for a new document!
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January 26 2010
2
26
/01
/January
/2010
11:10
Hey,
today we first warmed up with your reactions concerning the picture of the man with a gun in his hand and a baby... Here is what you said:
The situation shocks me. The attitude of the father would seem cruel / cowardly towards the baby since it can't defend itself. However as the man doesn't have his finger on the trigger, it's just a symbol of protection. He is the father of the child. But what a protective father he is!
Personally, I think the man will have a bad influence on the child. The infant may become violent.
There is a contrast between the pistol and the innocence of the baby.
The man is maybe a soldier?
Other traumatic situations:
- fight between parents
- addictions: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, ...
Then we continued with a "special task". You had to try and sell me a pen / pencil as if you were a teleshopping presenter... Here is some advice so as how to speak:
Attitude of the 2 characters:
- the speaker: enthusiastic, happy, joyful, speaks in a high-pitched tone, in a quizzical tone, asks a lot of questions, winks at the camera, takes up a smile, ...
- the expert: passionate, serious, carries out a demo, uses technical words, knows everything about his/her product, ...
Finally, we watched a spoof ad by Amnesty International against the arms trade which is out of control. We'll study it more tomorrow but you can watch it again below:
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January 20 2010
3
20
/01
/January
/2010
13:37
Hey,
today we first highlit the expressions of behaviour in your test about the Jamaican teacher.
Then we continued the class with a little "warm up situation" about "safety at school" and here is what we said:
I don't really feel safe at school. I was attacked last Monday by another student on the bus. He was bullying me about my ipod / was nagging me about my ipod.
Luckily, these events don't happen every day. However, I believe that they are getting more and more frequent.
Finally we started a fun activity with Martin who had to describe a picture to you so that you could draw it. You will find this picture again p. 103 in your books.
HW: for next time, you need to prepare an oral presentation about the reactions you had when you first discovered the description and the picture itself.
Don't forget that you need to turn in a dialogue on Wednesday (cf. test. Expression: 1- a- 200 words).
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January 19 2010
2
19
/01
/January
/2010
13:23
Hey,
today we first warmed up about the tragedy in Haiti and here is what we said:
Last week, there was a terrible / huge earthquake that was 7 on the Richter's scale in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti. The death toll is not precise yet but there were a lot of people who died.
As the buildings were weak, they all collapsed and people became prisoner of the debris. All communication went out and the international aid couldn't come easily. People are now fighting for food and water and against diseases.The catastrophe was so important because it was unpredictable and it happened in a poor country.
Then we began correcting your tests on immigration and here the vocabulary I reminded you was necessary to understand this text.
School:
headmaster / headmistress
the A levels (UK) / the SAT (US)
#F=>A #0=>100pts
1) middleschool 2) highschool 3) college/university
a freshman (1ère année)
I'm a freshman in highschool
a sophomore
a junior (avt dernière année)
a senior (dernière année)
Work:
to work (verbe) /a job (noun)
to toil
employer / employee
CEO= Chief Executive Officer
an applicant - to apply for a job= position= post
vacancies
a CV (UK) / a resume (US)
letter of application= cover letter
skilled/unskilled
competent
hard-working
HW: for tomorrow, don't forget that you have a type bac exercise to complete and we will finish correcting your tests. For this, please highlight in your document the attitudes and ways in which the characters speak. It will allow you to understand the text better.
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January 16 2010
6
16
/01
/January
/2010
17:36
Hey,
thanks to Benjamin I got to know that not only was the text badly xeroxed but there were also some missing words in the questions.
Here are the missing questions for you to be able to complete your tests correctly:
2-b) Where does the conversation take place? Justify your answer by quoting from the text.
6- Focus on Dagliesh's opinion about Amy and his attitude to her. Say whether...
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Take care,
M. Hattais.
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January 13 2010
3
13
/01
/January
/2010
10:19
Hey, today you had to complete a test dealing with a problem of immigration as a written comprehension exercise.
Hope you didn't find it too hard.
You can download the text and questions here again:
You only had to answer questions 1 to 9. As homework for Wed. Jan. 27th, I expect you to complete the written expression part. Subject 1) a- in 200 words.
Take care and see you next week.
M. Hattais.
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