Ce blog est à destination de tous les élèves qui souhaitent enrichir leur connaissance de la langue anglaise. Chaque jour, des cours nouveaux expliqués...
(cliquez sur le drapeau de votre choix pour lire la suite dans la langue voulue)
Hey,
today you took your final test on the death penalty. I hope that you will ace awesome grades. I'll try to give you the results back next time, i.e. on Thursday.
Until then, enjoy your week-end and take care.
Mr Hattais.
Hey,
today we first talked about a new document dealing with road safety and mobile phones.
Here is what we said about it:
The ad campaign about road safety
Type of doc: ad campaign / awareness campaign
Topic: this document is about road safety and mobile
phones.
=> This document deals with road safety and mobile phones.
Target: It aims at everybody, and more
precisely drivers who phone and drive at the same time.
Goal: It intends to make people understand that it’s forbidden to phone and drive at the same time because it’s dangerous.
Description:
We can see...
There is/are...
It represents / depicts / features a
fake road sign.
There are two sentences in black and white which are mixed up / jumbled up.
It’s difficult to read if you are not concentrated.
It’s a comparison with when you are on the phone and drive at the same
time.
It’s forbidden / not allowed
/ prohibited
Analysis: the background of the road sign is red.
It evokes / symbolizes danger and warning. It’s a symbol for what you musn’t do.
It can also evoke the blood in a car accident.
Then we had time to listen to a new document about road safety. You can listen to it again below:
We didn't have time to write anything about it even if we commented a bit on the document.
We will correct your homework for today next time.
HW: get ready to talk about the document we studied in class (and add your personal opinion about it) and don't forget to update the vocabulary, grammar, etc... sections of your copybook as there will be a vocabulary test very soon.
Hey,
today we first talked about a new document dealing with road safety and mobile phones.
Here is what we said about it:
Road Safety:
- type of doc: ad campaign -> awarness campaign
- topic: ... deals with / is about road safety and mobile phones
- goal: ... intends to ... warn / sensitize people about ...
- description: ... represents / depicts / features... a fake road sign
there is (/ are) ...
-> there are two sentences wich are mixed up / jumbled
up. It's difficult to read them when you are not concentrated.
The first one is written in black and the second is written in white.
The background colour of the road is red.
It evokes both danger and interdiction.
- analysis:
It's the illustration that driving and phoning at the same time is difficult,
dangerous and forbidden. It's a comparison.
Then we corrected your homework for today. Here is the correction:
Recap interdiction:
It's not allowed to breathe.
It's not permitted to daydream in
class.
HW: get ready to talk about the document we studied in class and don't forget to update the vocabulary, grammar, ... sections of your copybook as there will be a vocabulary test very soon.
Hey,
today we first worked on link words and how to express cause, goal, and consequence. Here is the correction for the exercise we completed:
"to be written by Quentin"
Then we continued the lesson with the reading of two example letters in which you had to highlight important link words and vocabulary. Finally, you needed to correct your mistakes and get some proof-reading objectives ready for tomorrow.
HW: test about the sequence Death Penalty (letter)
Files:
- First letter here.
- Second letter here.
Hey,
today we first talked about the previous lesson again and then we continued to talk about mobile phones with a new document. You can listen to it again below:
Here is what we said about it (=today's lesson):
The ad campaign: "2 voices at the same time"
Type of document: the document is an ad campaign probably produced by
a charity who protects the victims of the road or the government.
Target: It aims at drivers who phone when they’re on the
road.
Goal: It intends to warn drivers not to call when they drive.
Message: on the road, there are 4 times more accidents because people are not concentrated. It’s hard to
concentrate both on the road and on the phone. You are more likely to have a crash if you use your phone when you drive.
It’s more probable to have a crash. You have more chances to have a crash.
Exprimer l’interdiction:
It’s banned / forbidden /
illegal / not allowed / not permitted to drive and phone at the same time.
HW: finish filling in your worksheet about the "stupid" road signs and create your own + learn your lesson + don't forget to create new entries of vocabulary, grammar, ... in your copybooks.
+ Don't forget about your IRREGULAR VERBS!
Files:
- download the road sign worksheet here
Hey,
today we first talked about the previous lesson again and then we continued to talk about mobile phones with a new document. You can listen to it again below:
Here is what we said about it (=today's lesson):
Topic: the document is an advert. It deals with road safety.
Target: it aims at drivers who phone and drive at the same time.
Goal: it intends to warn people about the dangers mobile phones.
Content: "you're four times more likely to have a crash when you're on a mobile phone".
"It's hard to concentrate on two things at the same time."
Exprimer l'interdiction:
"to be written by Axel"
HW: finish filling in your worksheet about the "stupid" road signs and create your own + learn your lesson + don't forget to create new entries of vocabulary, grammar, ... in your copybooks.
+ Don't forget about your IRREGULAR VERBS!
Files:
- download the road sign worksheet here
Hey,
today we corrected the essays you completed during the vacation about the importance of money.
We first talked a little bit about a grammar point. Here is what we said:
Grammar: Verbe en position nominale = V-ing
- Making money has become a priority for some people
- Living abroad is my dearest dream
Then we continued with vocabulary:
Money is the root of all evil = l'argent est source de tout les maux
Money talks= l'argent est roi
Money doesn't grow on trees = l'argent ne tombe pas du ciel
You can be young without money but you can't be old without it = on ne peut pas vivre sans argent
And finally I gave you an example of correction in which you had to highlight the vocabulary about money and the link words used.
We didn't have time to create examples for some arguments in the essay but we talked about possible examples in French at the last minute.
HW: don't forget your mock exam on Saturday. NB: Priscillia, Geroguy, and Sonia -> you'll catch up with your exam this Friday from 9h to 11h (room # 318 with Mr Brot) and on Monday from 8h to 9h (room # 512 with me).
Files:
- Correction of the essay here.
- Link words worksheet (that you will be allowed to have for the mock exam) here.
Hey,
today tried to find arguments in favour of the death penalty and arguments against it. Here is what we have come down to:
For
- murders and rapes are atrocious
crimes
- crime repetition
- killers deserve to be killed if their action was intentional and premeditated
- criminals should face the consequences of their action
- it's an "example" = it's a deterrent for criminals
- there's a natural desire for revenge - anger
- society must stop crime
- an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Against
- innocence ? = unfair -> judicial mistakes
- people can change (= no second chance)
- no one deserves to be killed
- the death sentence is not "good" punishment; criminals don't really pay for their crimes
- how to face the consequences of your actions if you're dead?
- we can't decide who lives or dies; we are not God
- the judge is also a murderer
- jail for life is harder psychologically
- why are there different laws in France and in the US? is justice too tough?
Then you had to listen to some opinions from a tape. You had to spot if the arguments were for or against and add some more arguments to your list. You can listen to the document again below:
Finally, and only with the 1st group unfortunately, we had time to listen to all of the arguments for and against that we had listed and repeat them in order to have the correct pronunciation. You can listen to the documents again below and practise:
For:
Against:
_________________
Link words:
Remember that if you don't speak on Friday for the final debate, you will get a zero... :s You don't want it to happen, do you...?
HW: get prepared for the debate on Friday + Monday= lettre à rendre (avec enveloppe timbrée à 0€87 pour pouvoir l'envoyer à l'international) + Compréhension écrite d'une heure pour finir la séquence. Je relèverai également vos classeurs ce jour-là pour les noter. Il faut impérativement qu'ils soient bien classés et que vous ayez fait des fiches pour tous les onglets de ce classeur en plus de la leçon bien tenue et mise en valeur (words, grammar, methodology, phonetics, civilization, tests). Par ailleurs, vous aurez bientôt un nouveau contrôle de vocabulaire pour rattraper le dernier auquel vous avez tous eu des résultats misérables...
And remember, practice makes perfect!
Files:
Download the "Can you... argue your case?" worksheet here.
Hey,
today we first corrected your essays thanks to some activities I suggested. One of them was to build better examples for your arguments.
Here is what we said for "People even infringe the law to make more money.":
1- For example, some immigrants cross the border illegally from Mexico to the US to send money back to their family. They leave their home country because they are fed up with poverty.
2- For instance, some people decide to sell drug even if it is illegal and very dangerous. You can get arrested by the police or killed by gang members.
Then you had to work on link words and correct the mistakes in your own essay.
Finally, we started a new sequence entitled "Segregation in the US". We commented on the picture below.
Here is what we said:
Type of doc: photograph in black and white -> There is a special
light which evokes the pictures taken in the past.
When? -> the fifties or sixties
Clothes (the way people dress and the patterns)
Hair style (for women and for men [hats])
At night (the light comes from the flash of the camera)
Where?
Outside (tree)
In the US
Who?
A party / crowd of white people (in the foreground, at
the bottom)
Two black people -> Maybe criminals. They are hanged.
What? (be + ing)
People are smiling at the photographer.
They are enjoying the « show ».
How? (reactions, feelings...) ...
HW: learn the commentary of the picture and develop the "how" part (= reactions and feelings).
Don't forget about your mock exam on Saturday.
Files:
Download the correction for your essay here.
Download the "link words" worksheet here.
Hey,
today we first talked about traveling abroad and settling in a foreign country as a warm up. Here is what we said:
Living abroad and travelling to foreign countries:
Léna would like to go to Quebec and to settle there permanently. She thinks Canada has the advantages of the USA without the drawbacks.
As for Julien, he would love to travel to many destinations, but maybe not to settle permanently abroad. He would like
to be a globe-trotter.
Then we continued talking about the text "Why the caged bird sings". Here is what we said:
HOW TO EXPRESS OBLIGATION
It was an obligation for her...
She had to go abroad...
It was necessary for her to...
It was mandatory for her to...
She was forced to...
She has no other choice but to...
ATTENTION: MUST N'A PAS DE FORME PASSEE -> HAD TO
Ana has mixed feelings. She is torn apart
between her previous life in Mexico (with her family) and the new life she has learned to enjoy in the US.
She must feel ashamed / guilty to like this new life.
Finally, we corrected the end of the translation. Here is the correction:
Using cash wired by Ana and her siblings, her family is building a sprawling two-story structure that overshadows the cinder-block shacks of her neighbors:
Avec l'argent envoyé par Ana et ses frères et soeurs, sa famille construit une structure à un étage
qui s'étale et fait de l'ombre aux cabanes en parpaing de ses voisins.
The new home is already filled with plush sofas, stereos and television sets:
Il y a déjà dans la nouvelle maison des canapés somptueux, des chaines hifi, et des postes de télévisions partout.
As in many Mexican barrios, her family's conspicuous consumption has bred deep resentment:
Comme dans beaucoup de "barrios" mexicains, la consommation excessive de sa famille a provoqué une profonde rancoeur.
Poorer kids are banned from the house
out of fear that they would steal toys and food:
On interdit l'entrée de la maison aux enfants les plus pauvres de peur qu'ils ne volent des jouets et de la nourriture.
NB: attention! une structure passive en anglais se traduira souvent par un
"on..." en français. Dès que vous voyez un verbe où quelqu'un subit une action, vous devez penser à cette solution.
HW: vocabulary test.
Hey,
today you first had to take a vocabulary test that none of you have succeeded in completing correctly... Shame on you!
Then we continued with the correction of your letters. We first worked a little bit on grammar. Here is what we said:
"to be written by Nadia"
Then we continued the class with an exercise about link words (cause, consequence, goal). Here is the correction:
so as to (but)
in order to (but)
since (cause)
thanks to (cause)
that's why (conséquence)
therefore (conséquence)
1- He was sentenced to death since he confessed his crime
2- There was a lot of evidence against him that's why he pleaded guilty
3- He raped a girl; therefore he was put under arrest
4- The police investigates a lot so as to find the cold-blooded murderer
5- He confessed his crimes in order to be freed earlier
6- He wasn't sent to prison thanks to his lawyer
Finally, I gave some examples of correction for the letter you had to write. You had to highlight the link words expressing cause, consequence, and goal, and the important vocabulary.
Here are the two letters:
- First letter here.
- Second letter here.
HW: for next time, don't forget to have filled in your worksheet about the text "Death Row" and to get prepared for a debate. Don't forget to
update your classeur, because I will grade them VERY soon.
Hey,
today you first took a 15-minute vocabulary test about South Africa that you have nearly all failed dramatically... OMG! When are you going to learn your lessons????
Whatever...
Then I told you about your oral mock exams that are coming up. You can download the complete schedule here again:
Finally, we continued the study of our text "Black and White" and we said some more things about the languages in South Africa. Here is what we said:
They have family values in the language itself.
It's very important to them.
For example, they don't have a specific word for "aunt" but they say: "mother's sister".
The language insists on the family relationship / ties / bonds.
HW: learn your lesson and find the name of the main "African" language in South Africa.
More information about languages in South Africa here and about a South African language here.
Hey,
today we first began the class with a quick warm-up about what you had done during the week-end and what you like doing in your spare time. Here is what we said:
"to be written by Royda"
Then we continued to speak about the interview and we listed more advantages and drawbacks. Here is what we said:
Advantages:
- It’s practical / useful
- chat with friends
- get in touch with family, parents, ...
- You can phone without parents interfering
- It allows her to call her parents at
night if she needs help. She can ask them to pick her up.
- It’s more useful and handy (practical) than a phone box / phone booth.
Drawbacks:
- it’s embarrassing if it rings in class; you have to switch it off.
- parents can trace her => pb = cut the cord.
-> CCL: a mobile phone can be an advantage and a drawback at the
same time.
Ex: It allows you to have more privacy
because your parents can’t interfere. You can get in touch directly with your friends.
BUT It reduces your privacy because it enables your parents to contact you any
time.
Finally, we began to listen to a new audio document that you can listen to again below:
We didn't have time to write anything about it yet. We will continue next time.
HW: learn your lesson of course!
Hey,
today we first began the class with a quick warm-up about what you had done during the week-end and what you like doing in your spare time. Here is what we said:
- Alexandre likes sleeping, he slept during the whole weekend.
- As for Ary and Michael, they enjoy soccer. Michael plays in a club and he says
he has a good level. He would like to become a professional.
It's a dream .
- Contrary to Ary and Michael, Fabien is not sporty. Fabien is crazy about
playing video games.
Then we continued to speak about the interview and we listed more advantages and drawbacks. Here is what we said:
Advantages:
- Parents can't hear what teenagers say to their friends. Teenagers can have more privacy.
- Contrary to a land line, you can call from anywhere.
- When you have a mobile phone, you don't need to find a phone box / phone
booth.
- You can call your parents and they can come and pick you up. The phone permits
teenagers to call their parents if they have a problem.
Drawbacks:
- You must buy a package and it's often expensive / it's not cheap.
- A mobile phone allows parents to trace
their teenagers; so they have less privacy.
-> There's a paradox because a mobile phone is also an advantage: it doesn't enable parents to hear what teenagers say on the phone.
Finally, we began to listen to a new audio document that you can listen to again below:
We didn't have time to write anything about it yet. We will continue next time.
HW: learn your lesson of course!
(290310145734)grido_di_liberta_1.jpg)
Hey,
today we continued to study the text entitled "Black and White" about a white journalist who visits a black family in a township during Apartheid. Here is what we said about the characters in the text so far (opinions, reactions, and comparisons):
Tenjy: Black - Woman - She opposes herself to the white power but she believes both white and black people have skills - She recognizes white people have brought positive things to South Africa such as medicine
and industry.
Tenjy's uncle (John): Black - Man - He agrees with Tenjy (his
niece) - He is proud of his country - He is a nationalist, he says: "This is an African country". However, he is
tolerant with the whites and believes in unity. He uses the word "our" to prove he wants to share the country /
the land.
Mapetla: Black - Man (but we don't know it in
the text) - His tone of voice is bitter / angry - He doesn't like white people - He makes a difference between blacks and whites - He thinks blacks are superior.
He thinks very little of whites people / He scorns white people /
He despises white people -
Mapetla thinks the whites are reponsible for the problems in South Africa:
- the homeless
- the poor
- the children who are abandoned
- apartheid
He blames the whites for the problems in Africa / He reproaches the whites
with the problems in Africa / He accuses the whites of the problems in Africa ->
cf. he uses the word "your" to insist on the separation between blacks and whites.
Comparison Mapetla / John: Mapetla is narrow-minded, he is bitter whereas Tenjy' uncle is open-minded / tolerant; he is sweet; he speaks
kindly.
Tenjy's uncle wants unity whereas Mapetla wants a war / segregation / only black people in Africa.
Steve Biko: Black - Man - Nationalist (he is involved in politics) - He fights for the rights of black people.
Donald Woods: White - Man - A Journalist asks people questions and makes a report / an interview.
HW: for next time, you need to learn your vocabulary as you will have a quick test at the beginning of the class.
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