chachaelt

[chachaelt]

LISTENING ACITIVITY with READING INTRODUCTION

Read the intro and questions before watching the video. Do the exercises before reading the lyrics, which bring the answers to the exercises. Pay attention to the prepositions in bold (and how they are used) while reading the lyrics.

QUESTIONS REF. THE INTRODUCTORY TEXT BELOW

What’s the objective of the video?

Who sings “Dumb Ways to Die”?

Which way to die is ___ _______________? (superlative)

“Dumb Ways to Die” – Clever Musical Short Could Save Your Life

Sometimes it seems like just about everything in this world could kill you in one way or another. A little education could just save your life and Dumb Ways to Die sets out to accomplish this goal in a hilariously entertaining way. I promise you’ll never find a happier way to stay safe.

The program was sponsored by Melbourne’s metropolitan rail service as a way to keep people from acting stupid around train tracks, but this little video covers a wide array of ways you might meet your demise. You can visit the Dumb Ways to Die website to download a free MP3 of the song, buy the single by Tangerine Kitty on iTunes, watch the video, and get tips on how to behave properly at a train station.

EXERCISES

1. How would one die from food poisoning?

2. What is ___ _________ hiding place one can think of?

3. You will die from food poisioning if ______________________________________.

4. If one dresses up like a moose during the hunting season, they will ____________________________.

5. If one takes off their helmet in the outer space, their head will _____________________________________.

6. Don’t poke a stick at a grizzly bear or ___________________________________________.

7. He will _______________________________ if he sets fire to his hair.

8. If one drives around the boom gates at a level crossing, _________________________________________.

9. Piranhas will __________ your private partes if you _____________________________________________.

10. If you set fire to your hair, your head _______________.

LYRICS

Set fire to your hair Poke a stick at a grizzly bear Eat medicines that’s out of date Use your private parts as piranha bait Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die Get your toast out with a fork Do your own electrical work Teach yourself how to fly Eat a two week old unrefrigerated pie Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die Invite a psycho-killer inside Scratch your drug dealer’s brand new ride Take your helmet off in outer space Use your clothes dryer as a hiding place Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die Keep a rattlesnake as pet Sell both the kidneys on the internet Eat a tube of superglue “I wonder what’s this red button do?” Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die Dress up like a moose during hunting season Disturb a nest of wasps for no good reason Stand on the edge of a train station platform Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing Run across the tracks between the platforms They may not rhyme but they’re quite possibly Dumbest ways to die ie Dumbest ways to die Dumbest ways to die So many dumb So many dumb ways to die

Be safe around trains. A message from Metro.

[chachaelt]

WORD AS IMAGE

Watch the video, explain/discuss the words with students as thoroughly as the situation requires and ask them to create sentences with these words. In pairs, make students write their examples and read them aloud.

Afterwards, ask students to match the sentences in the first column with their missing parts in the second column. Sentences can be adapted to lower levels; alternatively, you may wish to create your own for your classes. You may also prefer to go straight to the matching exercise, and then make students create their own examples. Enjoy!

FIRST COLUMN

Think about

The sun sets

Catch

A comedy

A drama

Capitalism

Drill those rocks

Oil

Jesus

Bite me,

The thief

“Don't shoot!”

Kepp inflation

Inflation impacts

Negotiate your shares

Heights give me

A voyeur

Have bigger boobs

Don’t get ill!

Balloons float

A tsunami

Spiderman

Spiderman

Zip your fly

Unzip your fly

Cinderella has to leave

The clock

A pirate

Fire, fire!!!!

Magic

Fast food

Don’t eat

I’m on a diet.

Go on diet

The moon

Parallel lines

The Eurostar train

Marilyn’s pleated halter dress

Rabbits

Homosexual acts

Wear a condom

Take some cough syrup

You’re superstitious.

Dali

Van Gogh

The moon covers the sun

SECOND COLUMN

You never walk under a ladder.

with silicone implants!

with a zipper.

vertigo.

vampire!

to find oil.

ticks tick-tock.

the elevator.

Take aspirins and vitamin C!

before the clock strikes midnight.

spies on naked people through the window.

salary and wages.

Run to the exit!!!

robbed a convenience store.

opening the zipper.

on the horizon.

never meet.

makes you laugh.

makes you cry.

made the rabbit disappear.

low.

Jump.

is not a good diet.

is an economic system.

is a superhero.

in the air.

I can’t eat sugar.

had bread in the last supper.

had a pointy moustache.

goes through a tunnel.

goes round the earth.

floats.

are punished by death in some African countries.

fast food. It isn’t healthy.

during an eclipse.

sometimes drips from car engines.

destroyed the city completely.

cut his ear.

climbs walls.

at the stock market.

attacked a Turkish cargo ship.

and make your cough stop!

and lose weight!

and avoid catching the HIV virus.

a different idea.

, said the police officer.

[chachaelt]

Activity for LOWER INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS

The video above has no dialogues. The idea is for students to create the narrative for the video (both speaking and in writing) by using either the Simple Present or the Simple Past.

Alternatively, teachers may ask them to read the introduction below, explain the verbs listed and ask students to fill in the gaps with the correct verbs, using the same tenses mentioned before – if you want to use the Simple Past, the given text has to be changed accordingly beforehand.

INTRODUCTION - READING ACTIVITY

From the STOP MOTION GEEK:

"In all of about 10 minutes, Sweet Dreams – a short film by American animator Kirsten Lepore, transports you to a world completely fabricated and populated by food, making you laugh, cry and crave sweets all at once.

Sweet Dreams follows the exploits of a curious cupcake on his journey from his own candy-crafted land to an isle populated entirely with vegetables, then back again. The film’s set an characters were also made almost entirely from food – decorated by various sweets such as ice cream cones, sugar cubes and Liquorice (among others), while also featuring a Smorgasbord of vegetables."

VERBS

To scream

To be (2 x)

To build (2 x)

To dream

To fall

To feel

To fondle

To give (2 x)

To greet

To look (2 x)

To plant

To care for

To ring

To see

To shine

To sail

To stand up

To climb

To work

To stretch

To remove

To undress

To leave

To have

To hug

To destroy

To wake up

To rescue

To relax

To drag

To become

To knock

FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE VERBS ABOVE

Sweet Dreams

The alarm clock ______ and wakes Cupcake up. He ________ his arms and gets out of the bed. He then ________ through the window and ______ awake: he wants to sail across the ocean to unknown lands... But he's off to work.

He ______ as a sugar cube layer. His co-workers are Donut and Ice Cream. They are ________ a tower.

Cupcake can’t help thinking about sailing, so he ______ a boat and _____ it to the shore. He _____ gently throughout the night. The sky ___ clear and the moon ______.

Then the sun rises and a seagull _____. Cupcake _______ and enjoys his trip. Suddenly, however, he realizes there is a leak in his boat. He starts to bail water out it, but it reaches the shore and avoids sinking.

The impact of the boat makes Cupcake fall on the sand. As he ______ __, he realizes he doesn’t know where he is, and decides to sit down. Then the rain comes, first in a few small drops, until it rains cats and dogs.

Cupcake ___ very diligent and builds himself a shelter, using sugar cubes, the mast of the boat, its staysail and green leaves. Muffin is so tired that he falls asleep.

Later, Potato _____ him __. She says “hello” and they engage in conversation. Potato asks him to follow her; they ____ through the broccolis and _____ Onion and Apple’s work: a newly erected building.

Cupcake _____ the ladder and _____ them. They start to work together and use carrots, celery and aubergines (eggplants) to build a small village. Potato and Muffin ________ very good friends. He gives her flowers and she _____ him a melon, which becomes his new home.

Onion, Apple, Cupcake and Potato have a lot a fun. They really _____ a good time together. At night, Potato and Cupcake look at the astonishing, astounding starry sky. He _____ her. They ____ in love and go to Cupcake's. He ______ her and she _______ him. They have sex.

In the morning, Lime ______ on the door and calls Cupcake. All his friends, including the Cucumber, have a surprise for him: a new boat. Potato ______ him some seeds before he ______. He sails back to his village, but the dwellers look down on him. They scorn and spurn him because he had gone away for a long time.

Cupcake _____ rather desolate but remains optimistic nonetheless. When he arrives home, he removes the flowers from the planter and _______ the seeds Potato had given him. He wants to talk to his old friends but nobody _____ for him. A storm comes and ______ the sugar cube tower. His old friends have nowhere to go, and desperately try to run away from the flood.

Cupcake's seeds, however, have grown and become big carrots, which are then used to build a high tower to ______ his old friends. The storm teaches his old friends a harsh lesson: carrots can save lives, and so can long-lasting friendship.

ANSWERS (full text)

Sweet Dreams

The alarm clock rings and wakes Cupcake up. He stretches his arms and gets out of the bed. He then looks through the window and dreams awake: he wants to sail across the ocean to unknown lands... But he's off to work.

He works as a sugar cube layer. His co-workers are Donut and Ice Cream. They are building a tower.

Cupcake can’t help thinking about sailing, so he builds a boat and drags it to the shore. He sails gently throughout the night. The sky is clear and the moon shines.

Then the sun rises and a seagull screams. Cupcake relaxes and enjoys his trip. Suddenly, however, he realizes there is a leak in his boat. He starts to bail water out it, but it reaches the shore before sinking.

The impact of the boat makes Cupcake fall on the sand. As he stands up, he realizes he doesn’t know where he is, and decides to sit down. Then the rain comes, first in a few small drops, until it rains cats and dogs.

Cupcake is very diligent and builds himself a shelter, using sugar cubes, the mast of the boat, its staysail and green leaves. Cupcake is so tired that he falls asleep.

Later, Potato wakes him up. She says “hello” and they engage in conversation. Potato asks him to follow her; they look through the broccolis and see Onion and Apple’s work: a newly erected building.

Cupcake climbs the ladder and greets them. They start to work together and use carrots, celery and aubergines (eggplants) to build a small village. Potato and Cupcake become very good friends. He gives her flowers and she gives him a melon, which becomes his new home.

Onion, Apple, Cupcake and Potato have a lot a fun. They really have a good time together. At night, Potato and Cupcake look at the astonishing, astounding starry sky. He hugs her. They fall in love and go to Cupcake's. He fondles her and she undresses him. They have sex.

In the morning, Lime knocks on the door and calls Cupcake. All his friends, including the Cucumber, have a surprise for him: a new boat. Potato gives him some seeds before he leaves. He sails back to his village, but the dwellers look down on him. They scorn and spurn him because he had gone away for a long time.

Cupcake feels rather desolate but remains optimistic nonetheless. When he arrives home, he removes the flowers from the planter and plants the seeds Potato had given him. He wants to talk to his old friends but nobody cares for him. A storm comes and destroys the sugar cube tower. His old friends have nowhere to go, and desperately try to run away from the flood.

Cupcake's seeds, however, have grown and become big carrots, which are then used to build a high tower to rescue his old friends. The storm teaches his old friends a harsh lesson: carrots can save lives, and so can long-lasting friendship.

[chachaelt]

FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS. Read the following article available on the Wall Street Journal website and answer the questions.

What cocktail parties teach us

The Brain Is Wired to Focus on Just One Thing; Which Tasks Are Easier to Combine

Melinda Beck on Lunch Break looks at the "cocktail party effect," in which people are able to focus on one conversation while being aware of conversations going on around them. Researchers say we can train our brains to maximize this kind of awareness.

You're at a party. Music is playing. Glasses are clinking. Dozens of conversations are driving up the decibel level. Yet amid all those distractions, you can zero in on the one conversation you want to hear.

This ability to hyper-focus on one stream of sound amid a cacophony of others is what researchers call the "cocktail-party effect." Now, scientists at the University of California in San Francisco have pinpointed where that sound-editing process occurs in the brain — in the auditory cortex just behind the ear, not in areas of higher thought. The auditory cortex boosts some sounds and turns down others so that when the signal reaches the higher brain, "it's as if only one person was speaking alone," says principle investigator Edward Chang.

These findings, published in the journal Nature last week, underscore why people aren't very good at multitasking — our brains are wired for "selective attention" and can focus on only one thing at a time. That innate ability has helped humans survive in a world buzzing with visual and auditory stimulation. But we keep trying to push the limits with multitasking, sometimes with tragic consequences. Drivers talking on cellphones, for example, are four times as likely to get into traffic accidents as those who aren't.

Many of those accidents are due to "inattentional blindness," in which people can, in effect, turn a blind eye to things they aren't focusing on. Images land on our retinas and are either boosted or played down in the visual cortex before being passed to the brain, just as the auditory cortex filters sounds, as shown in the Nature study last week. "It's a push-pull relationship — the more we focus on one thing, the less we can focus on others," says Diane M. Beck, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Illinois.

That people can be completely oblivious to things in their field of vision was demonstrated famously in the "Invisible Gorilla experiment" devised at Harvard in the 1990s. Observers are shown a short video of youths tossing a basketball and asked to count how often the ball is passed by those wearing white. Afterward, the observers are asked several questions,including, "Did you see the gorilla?" Typically, about half the observers failed to notice that someone in a gorilla suit walked through the scene. They're usually flabbergasted because they're certain they would have noticed something like that.

"We largely see what we expect to see," says Daniel Simons, one of the study's creators and now a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois. As he notes in his subsequent book, "The Invisible Gorilla" (co-authored with Christopher Chabris), the more attention a task demands, the less attention we can pay to other things in our field of vision. That's why pilots sometimes fail to notice obstacles on runways and radiologists may overlook anomalies on X-rays, especially in areas they aren't scrutinizing.

And it isn't just that sights and sounds compete for the brain's attention. All the sensory inputs vie to become the mind's top priority.

That's the real danger of distracted driving, experts say. "You regularly hear people say as long as your hands are on the wheel and your eyes are on the road, you're fine. But that's not true," Mr. Simons says.

2.5% The percentage of people who can multitask efficiently. Many more people only think they can.

Studies over the past decade at the University of Utah show that drivers talking on hands-free cellphones are just as impaired as those on hands-held phones because it is the conversation, not the device, that is draining their attention. Those talking on any kind of cellphone react more slowly and miss more traffic signals than other motorists.

"Even though your eyes are looking right at something, when you are on the cellphone, you are not as likely to see it," says David Strayer, a psychology professor and lead researcher. "Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's not that critical, but that 1% could be the time a child runs into the street," he adds.

Dr. Strayer's studies have also found that talking on a cellphone is far more distracting than conversing with a passenger — since a passenger can see the same traffic hazards and doesn't expect a steady stream of conversation as someone on a cellphone does. Listening to the radio, to music or to a book on tape also isn't as distracting, because it doesn't require the same level of interaction as a conversation. But Mr. Simons notes that even drivers may miss some details of a book on tape if their attention is focused on merging or other complex driving tasks.

Some people can train themselves to pay extra attention to things that are important — like police officers learn to scan crowds for faces and conductors can listen for individual instruments within the orchestra as a whole.

And the Utah researchers have identified a rare group of "super-taskers" — as estimated 2.5% of the population — who seem able to attend to more than one thing with ease.

Many more people think they can effectively multitask, but they are really shifting their attention rapidly between two things and not getting the full effect of either, experts say.

Indeed, some college professors have barred students from bringing laptop computers to their classrooms, even ostensibly to take notes. Dr. Beck says she was surprised to find that some of her students were on Facebook during her lectures — even though the course was about selective attention.

Still, she doesn't plan to crack down. "I just explained that doing Facebook in class means you will not learn as much, which will have consequences on the exam," she says.

Clearly, it is easier to combine some tasks than others. "Not all distractions are the same," says Dr. Strayer. Things like knitting, cleaning and working out can be done automatically while the mind is engaged elsewhere. But doing homework and texting simultaneously isn't possible. (Sorry, kids).

Even conversing and watching TV is difficult. "Just try conversing with your wife while watching football. It's impossible," jokes Mr. Simons.

PAY ATTENTION | How to stay in the zone

• Recognize your limitations. The brain can only fully attend to one thing at a time. • Make your senses work together. If you're trying to listen to someone in a noisy room, look directly at the speaker. • Focus on what's important. Many professions — from pilots to police officers — depend on keen powers of observation. Training and practice help. But experts say things like chess and videogames likely won't expand your overall attention skills. • Allocate blocks of time to specific tasks. Sometimes a deadline can force people to focus. • Avoid distracted driving. Don't talk on a cellphone, text or give voice commands while at the wheel.

ACTIVITIES

A - QUESTIONS

1. How does one of the researchers describe the phenomenon — the ability to hyper-focus on one thing we want to hear, even being amidst all kinds of noises —, avoiding the use of jargon and using clear trivial language?

2. Why aren’t humans good at multitasking?

3. What does one call the main cause of accidents brought about by unsuccessful attempts of multitasking?

4. Why were people who took part in the Gorilla experiment flabbergasted?

5. How do academics explain the results of such experiment?

6. Drivers talking on hands-free cellphones are just as impaired as those on hands-held phones because ______________________

7. What is the difference between looking at something and actually seeing it?

8. Which professions may lead people to train themselves to hyper-focus on relevant things?

B - WATCH THE VIDEO TWICE OR THREE TIMES AND FILL IN THE GAPS.

ANCHOR: What is the cocktail party effect?

MELINDA BECK: It’s a phenomenon where, in amidst of a ________ cocktail party, any kind of noises at a sporting event or newsroom... We are ______ ______ to focus in on the one conversation we wanna hear and somehow tune out everything else.

ANCHOR: And how come researchers and other scientists are _____ _____________ in this? Why is that? Why do they wanna know where this ability comes from?

MELINDA BECK: It’s part of this whole phenomenon of _________ attention wherein the human brain can _______ _______ focus in... _______ on one thing at a time. And this is a survival skill, you know, we’re _________ bombarded by this _______ and _________ stimulation. We couldn’t survive unless we could focus in like this. But we can also _______ ________ focus on one thing at at a time, and that’s... That’s what’s an issue in __________ driving and all other kinds of limitations of multitasking.

ANCHOR: Are there people who... Is there a small percentage of people who _________ have the super ability to focus on more than one thing or is that ???????????

MELINDA BECK: Yes, researchers at the University of Utah have found some of _______ people in the course of their other research. They think it’s about 2% of the population. The _______ problem is that most of us think we can do that and that can have some __________ consequences.

VOCABULARY

Copy the sentences where the words in bold below originally appear. The first two examples have been done for you.

- The brain is wired to focus on just one thing.

wired: in a nervous, tense, or edgy state : not much sleep lately — I'm a little wired. • under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

- Yet amid all those distractions, you can zero in on the one conversation you want to hear.

amid: preposition

surrounded by; in the middle of : our dream home, set amid magnificent rolling countryside.

• in an atmosphere or against a background of: talks broke down amid accusations of a hostile takeover bid.

yet: nevertheless; in spite of that.

to zero in: to take aim with a gun or missile: jet fighters zeroed in on the rebel positions; to focus one’s attention: they zeroed in on the clues he gave away about.

to pinpoint: to find or locate exactly: one flare had pinpointed the target / Figurative: it is difficult to pinpoint the source of his life’s inspiration.

to underscore: to underline, highlight, emphasize.

innate: inborn, inbred, natural.

to be buzzing with: (of a place) have an air of excitement or purposeful activity : the club is buzzing with excitement.

to turn a blind eye to: to pretend not to notice.

oblivious: not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one: she became absorbed, oblivious to the passage of time | the women were oblivious of his presence.

to toss: move or cause to move from side to side or back and forth.

to vie: compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something; to strive for superiority: contend, compete.

as long as: provided that, on condition that, on the assumption that, assuming that... we’ll take care of the horses as long as can stat at your house while you’ll gone.

impaired: disabled, handicapped, incapacitated; (euphemistic) challenged, differently abled.

to drain: to cause something to be lost, wasted or used up.

to converse: to engage in coversation.

hazard: danger, risk, potential source of danger, peril, threat, menace, problem, pitfall.

ostensibly: apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually.

to crack down on (informal): to take severe measures against: we need to crack down hard on workplaces that break safety regulations.

[chachaelt]

The ads above can be used to explain WH and Y/N questions. They can also be the starting point of discussions on:

STDs and sexual intercourse;

Tobacco industry and healthy habits through decades;

Health and fitness;

The massive use of IT in business (pros and cons);

Wildlife conservation;

Reliable ELT services.

[chachaelt]

WARM UP

Ask students to read one of the following reviews on the video and discuss what measures they would take in desperate times like a post-apocalyptic scenario. Topics may include the same mentioned in the texts below: the search for water, supplies and shelter; health and quality of life; dealing with mutants, robots and gangs attacking one's home etc.

INTRODUCTION

Ducked and Covered: A Survival Guide to the Post-Apocalypse, written and directed by Nathaniel Lindsay, is without a doubt my favorite entry in this series. Described as, “An animated government/science style public service film, circa 1981, for surviving life in Australia after Nuclear War.” It is straight to the point and downright funny, deriving most of its laughs off either ideas of common sense or references to past Post-Apocalypse stories like Mad Max.

Covering the gamut, this homage to informational public films informs of ways to deal with food, mutants, becoming a warlord, and provides numerous ways to use human skulls, of which will be in abundance in after the apocalypse. The film uses very limited animation and relies more on still images accompanied by a narrator, and its nine minute running length feels short when it ends, leaving the viewer wanting more education on surviving the wastelands.

WINNER - Audience Award - Best Animated Film - MAELSTROM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Seattle, WA, USA 2010.

WINNER - Best Comedy - THE FREEKY CREEK SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Chicago, IL, USA 2011.

WINNER - Grand Prize - Best Film - THE WASTELAND FILM FESTIVAL, California City, CA, USA 2012.

ALTERNATIVE INTRODUCTION

Ducked and Covered: A Survival Guide to the Post Apocalypse is an instructional public information film designed to assist the general population with surviving life in Australia after a nuclear war. Produced by the Australian Board of Civil Defense during the early 1980s, this previously unseen, dusty print was uncovered deep within a university film archive.

Broken into four chapters, the film guides wary survivors through the trials that will await them in the post apocalypse. From post-apocalyptic fashion and unique uses for surplus human skulls, to becoming a local warlord and avoiding radioactive mutants, there is something for all dwellers of the wastelands. With its dry methodical narration, brooding synthesizer, minimalist animation and erroneous guidance, Ducked and Covered is a dark humored parody/loving homage to the late cold war era, early 1980’s public information films, as well as a reminder… OF WHAT STILL COULD BE.

QUESTIONS AND FILL IN THE GAPS

1. INTRODUCTION

There will be a fallout winter after the bomb. T/F

The favourite pastimes before the war were: a) b) c) d)

While wandering the wasteland for supplies, you will need essential items such as:

Why are canned food and drinks better than fresh ones?

What is the purpose of keeping alcohol and cigarettes in stock?

2. FASHION

An appropriate look is ___________________. advisable / fundamental / swell / fashionable / recommended

3. ___________ (fill in the blank ref. this title)

The most plentiful resource available after the war are ___________.

They can be used for: a) b) c)

How can one prevent roaring marauding gangs from attacking their home and stealing their supplies?

A skull placed in a shaft stick or pike is likely to _____________ any potential intruders or thieves. ALLURE / SHOOT / FRIGHTEN / ENCOURAGE / DETOUR / INTIMIDATE

4. BECOMING A LEADER OR WARLORD

If you wish to become a leader or warlord of your local area, _____________________ is the key.

Which weapons are befitting to subdue people?

In no time at all, your numbers will ________, and an __________________ group of civilians can ________________ a comanding legion of _____________, ready to rule and control vast areas for your own benefit.

5. RADIATION AND MUTANTS

Radiation affects the environment and also has negative effects on people: a) b) c)

Mutants are dangerous! Be ____________!

Why cannot one see a mutant hiding in the scene shown?

By displaying ________ and _______________ you and your nuclear family can hope to remain ________________.

6. KILLER ROBOTS

If you find yourself confronted by a killer robot and are against being forced into a slave labour camp, try to run away from the robot by (explain with your own words) _________________________________________________________

What does F.U.C.K. stand for?

F with regard to finding foods and fighting for survival.

U human psychology, _____________ and _________ __________.

C in regards to radioactivity and mutants.

K and _______________ of your situation.

How can one remember these words? Why should people remember them?

[chachaelt]

The ads above may be used to teach the Simple Present. Depending on the students' level, you may wish to handpick a few. Please check below the sentences in each of them:

1.5 million children die every year from drinking polluted water.

Workers are not tools. Suport 11.11.11. in their efforts for decent labour.

Feet have a lot of enemies. Protect yourself.

Usually, Marc Shuster wears Sooruz. Sooruz: no guts, no glory.

Children with disabilities feel like going to school like any other kid. We are all equal. We need inclusive schools.

Always use protection. GetFireFox.com. Firefox is the free web browser that offers greater privacy and prevents pop-ups, spyware and viruses.

Smoking batters you inside.

Your equipment stays as good as new. (3-year guarantee).

Hell isn't all fire and brimstone, sometimes it's carpeted. (Conventions should inspire).

My name is Tom; I'm very famous. Please take me home. (Cat adoption).

Enjoy!

[chachaelt]

Speak and Talk - Part 2

TALK & SPEAK

British English stresses the use of ‘to’ together with the verb ‘speak’ or ‘talk’ as in the phrases ‘he speaks to’ and ‘she talks to’. On the other hand American English prefers the use of the preposition ‘with’ in the case of the verbs ‘speak’ and ‘talk’ as in the sentence ‘Can I speak with Robert?’

However, there is no a big difference between these two verbs. They can often be used in the same situation:

I spoke to Jenny about the meeting.

I talk to Jenny about the meeting.

However, the verb speak has a more serious or formal meaning:

I need to speak to your manager. (I'm a little angry.)

The president spoke about the environment. (The president made a formal speech about the environment.)

The verb talk has a more casual or informal meaning:

Could I talk to George please?

I talked with my friends until the sun came up.

Overall, many teachers and native speakers feel that speak and talk have about the same meaning, but one verb is sometimes preferred.

Speak is not usually used before sense, nonsense and other words with similar meanings. Talk is often used for the act of giving an informal lecture. Speak is preferred for more formal lectures. Speak is also the word to refer to speech on the phone.

EXPRESSIONS

“Falar feito papagaio / falar pelos cotovelos” "talk the hind leg off a donkey" (Brit.) / "talk a blue streak" (Am.) / "talk nineteen to the dozen" (Brit.) “talk a blue streak” - connected with someone who speaks a lot and usually too fast:

She's normally a quiet person, but she will talk a blue streak about fashion, if you let her. (fala pelos cotovelos sobre moda)

Melissa was so excited that she talked a blue streak. (falou feito papagaio.)

"Talk the hind leg off a donkey" is not so commonly used nowadays. A few alternatives are: talk someone's ear off, talk someone's head off, talk someone's pants off, talk someone's arm off, talk until one is blue in the face, talk the bark off a tree, talk the hind leg off a horse, talk the leg off an iron pot .

Whenever I run into her she talks my arm off.

My cousin Jimmy talked my ears off all the way back home.

“É só gritar, dê um grito” - "just holler”

In case you need anything, just holler.

If you have any questions, just holler.

Need anything, just holler.

“Trololó, conversa mole, conversa fiada, lero-lero” - 'idle talk' or 'foolish talk':

We can never beat inflation through idle talk.

All this foolish talk won't take us very far.

Other words and expressions that convey similar meaning: 'babble', 'munkie talk', 'bullshit':

Dammit, will you just stop that babble? (talking rapidly and constinuously in a foolish or incomprehensible way)

He just gave me that bullshit again!

Come on! This is all munkie talk! (conversa pra boi dormir)

“Por assim dizer” - “as it were” or “so to speak”, both used in spoken English (not written, unless they are part of a dialogue, narrative etc.):

She’s kinda crazy, so to speak.

He became, as it were, a man without a country.

That is, as it were, the icing on the cake.

They could not, so to speak, solve the problem.

He was, as it were, the head of the family.

A friend is, as it were, a second self. (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

EXAMPLES / EXERCISES

I want to _______ to you. I think you should _______ to him. I don’t know why she has stopped _______ to me. I would like to _______ to you about the film I watched yesterday. Stop _______ nonsense. We _______for an hour. _______ your mind. I was so shocked that I could hardly _______. They are not _______ anymore. Actions _______ louder than words. This is Ms Susan Fernandez, who is going to _______ to us about cookery. This is Professor Susan Fernandez, who is going to _______ to us on recent developments in stem-cell therapy. Could I _______ to Alice, please? (More natural than ‘Could I _______ to Alice?’) Last night I _______ to my mother by Skype. I didn’t _______ to my mother by Skype. When the lecture was over, people _______ to one another.

ANSWERS

· I want to talk to you. · I think you should talk to him. · I don’t know why she has stopped talking to me. · I would like to talk to you about the film I watched yesterday. · Stop talking nonsense. · We talked for an hour. · Speak your mind. · I was so shocked that I could hardly speak. · They are not speaking anymore. · Actions speak louder than words. · This is Ms Susan Fernandez, who is going to talk to us about cookery. · This is Professor Susan Fernandez, who is going to speak to us on recent developments in stem-cell therapy. · Could I speak to Alice, please? (More natural than ‘Could I talk to Alice?’) · Last night I talked to my mother by Skype. I didn’t speak to my mother by Skype. · When the lecture was over, people talked to one another.

[chachaelt]

Speak and Talk - PART 1

SPEAK

1. to say something in order to convey information, an opinion, or a feeling : in his agitation he was unable to speak | she refused to speak about the incident.

have a conversation : I wish to speak privately with you | I'll speak to him if he calls.

[ trans. ] utter (a word, message, speech, etc.) : patients copy words spoken by the therapist.

( speak for) express the views or position of (another person or group) : he claimed to speak for the majority of local people.

( speak of) mention or discuss in speech or writing : the books speak of betrayal.

2. (speak to) talk to in order to reprove or advise : she tried to speak to Seth about his drinking.

talk to in order to give or extract information : he had spoken to the police.

discuss or comment on formally : the Church wants to speak to real issues.

appeal or relate to : the story spoke to me on so many levels: personal, artistic, professional etc.

USAGE

The verb to speak means to communicate with speech. This verb usually refers to one person communicating, which means that it is often used for one-way communication and for exchanges in more serious or formal situations.

He spoke to the audience about the need for change. (One person saying something and the audience is listening.)

I need to speak to you after class. (I want to say many things or ask many questions. We are not going to discuss something.)

I’ll have to speak to that boy — he’s getting very lazy.

After she had finished reading the letter, nobody spoke.

It may also refer to how the person is saying something:

The doctor spoke carefully and slowly. (We are talking about the way the doctor says something.)

I speakEnglish and French. (I have the skill of communicating in English and French.)

TALK

verb [ intrans. ]: speak in order to give information or express ideas or feelings; converse or communicate by spoken words : the two men talked | we'd sit and talk about jazz | it was no use talking to Anthony | [ trans. ] you're talking rubbish.

• have the power of speech : he can talk as well as you or I can. • discuss personal or intimate feelings : we need to talk, Maggie. • have formal dealings or discussions; negotiate : they won't talk to the regime that killed their families.

• ( talk something over/through) discuss something thoroughly. • ( talk at) address (someone) in a hectoring or self-important way without listening to their replies : he never talked at you. • ( talk to) reprimand or scold (someone) : someone will have to talk to Lily. • [ trans. ] (be talking) informal used to emphasize the seriousness, importance, or extent of the thing one is mentioning or in the process of discussing : we're talking big money. • [ trans. ] use (a particular language) in speech : we were talking German. • [ trans. ] persuade or cause (someone) to do something by talking : don't try to talk me into acting as a go-between.

USAGE

The verb talk means to communicate ideas. But, this verb usually refers to two or more people exchanging or sharing information:

We talked about my new project. (We shared a lot of information on my new project.)

I need to talk to my boss about my raise. (I need to ask some questions and tell him some information.)

Talk is the more usual word to refer to conversational exchanges and informal communication.

talk to someone: I talk to my mom every week by skype.

talk with someone: I like talking with my grandmother.

talk about someone/something: We generally talk about the weather and my home-town.

[chachaelt]

Bem-vindo(a)

Depois de vários anos estudando e lecionando inglês, acumulei materiais que criei e outros que adaptei para usar com meus alunos. Assim, resolvi compartilhar esses materiais, que estou publicando aos poucos. Podem ser utilizados tanto por professores como por qualquer interessado em praticar suas habilidades na língua inglesa. Caso você tenha dificuldade em acessar algum material postado e/ou queira também os arquivos em Word ou PDF dos textos e exercícios, por favor entre em contato e enviarei aqueles que eu tiver. Infelizmente, o blog não me permite anexar esses tipos de arquivo. Espero, assim, poder ajudar quem quiser estudar inglês um pouquinho, ou desenferrujar as habilidades. E, se você tiver sugestões ou encontrar algum erro, por favor me avise. Um grande abraço!

[chachaelt]

The food labels infographic and marketing: how food labels lie to you.

Additional resources

Despite recent changes, packaging is still a masterclass in manipulation - VICE MAGAZINE. 

CARTOONS

[chachaelt]

Conversation and listening class (higher intermediate / advanced students) with vocabulary practice, fill in the gaps exercise and a couple of questions, as follows:

INTRODUCTION

Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty

Once upon a time there was a granny who dreamt of being the best granny in the whole world.  Unfortunately, this granny was tormented by a lifetime of rage against the world and everyone in it. Luckily, nobody noticed what an angry old woman she had become because they took no notice of her one way or another.  But there’s only so much anger one old woman can repress before it BURSTS OUT FROM THE DEPTHS OF HER SOUL IN A SCREAMING FIREBALL OF BITTERNESS AND RESENTMENT!

...or a bedtime story, as Granny herself likes to call it.

It is a multi-awarded six-minute-long satirical black comedy short film, directed by Nicky Phelan and produced by Darragh O’Connell of Brown Bag Films in 2008. It was written by Kathleen O’Rourke. The plot centres on Granny O’Grimm, a seemingly sweet old lady, who loses the plotline as she tells her own version of Sleeping Beauty to her terrified granddaughter.

Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty was nominated for best animated short film in the 2010 Academy Awards.

Granny O’Grimm, when asked about her response to the Oscar nomination, was notimpressed. “An Academy Award nomination is not going to boil the potatoes now is it?”.However, when asked about how she’ll take to the red carpet, she was more effusive about the fashion opportunity involved: “I’ll maybe restrict myself to one chocolate gateau a day for the moment – so I can wear the frock that I bought for my husband’s funeral. It has only one stain, I never could get the pink champagne mark out”.

FILL IN THE GAPS

Are you _________, love? Are you asleep...love? Are you _________?

I think someone is looking for her bedtime __________, is she? How about your ________?...Sleeping Beauty?

Now where is it? Let me see . Once upon a time in a Kingdom far away a ________ was born and she was very _________, so they called her Beauty. Beauty was indeed very __________, just like yourself, love. But she was soon to learn that when it comes to the harsher  _________ of this life beauty is not going to get you very far, very far, very far....

Anyway, soon it was the day of her__________ and everybody in the kingdom had gathered for this joyful occasion, including the lovely, pretty fairies of the __________, who were soon to be __________, glamorous godmothers.

Oh yes, everyone was invited to this christening. Everyone that is, except maybe the one __________who might have done with the day off. You know who that was, do you? I’ll tell you. It was the ___________ fairy and do you know why nobody at all invited the ________ fairy ?

Well, I’ll tell you. It’s because she was _________ and decrepit and no one but useful in the eyes of other younger more exciting fairies who still have their muscle tone. “Oh! Let’s not invite the ___________ old fairy!”, they probably said, “She _________ of dirty bedsheets, and all she ever talks about is her bad _________. She’s so old she’ll probably fall asleep after ____ _________, anyway. Why should we care about someone who spent her life working on behalf of the entire community?

So the _________ fairy felt a little bit ___________ and left out as well she might, so she decided she’d show that __________ a __________ or two about how it feels to be old and constantly sleepy.

First of all she surprised them by appearing in the middle of their laudy daw  ______________ party in a ___________ cloud of toxic green ___________.

Of course they had their excuses as to why they hadn’t bothered inviting her. “Oh I thought you wouldn’t want to be out and about with your knee giving you so much __________”, said the Queen. “I thought you’d died _________  ______”, said one of the stupid young fairies.

Do you think the elderly fairy being older and wiser was able to ___________ them?

Don’t be ___________! Of course she wasn’t! She loomed over the ________ in a menacing manner and laughed for a very long time. And it was longer than that!

Oh look at you! Aren’t you great? With your smooth complexions and your social calendars ...dancing around on your working ___________, you make me _________!!! You look at me and you find me so old and ____________!!! Well, I’ve learnt a thing or two in my time. Try this and foresight. And with this she put a ____________  ___________ on the party, that each and everyone of them would _______ in the instant they ever fell asleep.

All right, so love. That’s me for ___________. You ______ well and I’ll see you in the morning with the help of God.

Go to sleep, go to sleep... If they ever _____  ___________, they would die, they would die, die, die, die, die, die.Oh, good enough…

VOCABULARY

[chachaelt]

Video for conversation classes. All levels.

Topics for discussion:

1) Slave labor / forced labor. Resources: Global Slavery Index - Brazil.

2) Deforestation. Resources: Deforestation Fronts, WWF. 

3) Drug Abuse. Resources: National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Crackland in São Paulo.

4) Renewable energy sources X Oil exploitation: how did oil come to run our world?

5) Green cities. Resources: Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe.

[chachaelt]

Valentine’s Day:

Most wanted gifts.

How much would you spend on a gift?

What did you do last Valentine’s Day? Do you have plans for the next one?

Do your parents celebrate it?

Dating apps:

Have you used any?

What kind of personality do you look for?

Which subjects you consider most important in a date match:

- age; - body shape; - hobbies; - occupation; - location; - political orientation; - level of education; - etc.

Extra resources: OkCupid, the math of online dating and OkCupid TED video.

When two people join a dating website, they are matched according to shared interests and how they answer a number of personal questions. But how do sites calculate the likelihood of a successful relationship? Christian Rudder, one of the founders of popular dating site OKCupid, details the algorithm behind 'hitting it off.'