The Burning Man Festival

Source: Speak Up

Language level: Basic

Standard: American English by Chuck Rolando, Lisa Bound: New Zealand accent 

The Burning Man Festival

Where did all the flower children GO? Well, once a year, in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, you’ll find that spirit of the 1960’s is alive and well. The Burning Man Festival is an annual event that brings over 20.000 artists and free minds into the desert to build an incredible city where people forget social restrictions. They create a magical new world, and express their true inner spirits.

BLACK ROCK CITY

The 2007 festival takes place from August 27^th to September 3^rd when, for one short week, Black Rock City will appear and then – just as suddenly –disappear. Each year the organizes choose a Central theme: the Art Theme for Burning Man 2007 is “The Green Man,” in reference to humanity’s relationship to nature.

Black Rock City is not a place for spectators: everyone must build their own temporary home, create artworks, construct theme camps and help to create a communal “utopia.” People come from all over the world. They must leave their old lives as they enter the city. There are no cars: people use bicycles to get around the streets; there is no money. Participants must given freely to each other and there are often on clothes, but the open use of drugs is not encouraged as there are police officers on patrol in the city.

LIGHT MY FIRE

Artists create spectacular wooden sculptures of ships, animals and magical palaces. The streets are full of activities, especially at night when you can see street performers, listen to musicians and watch as sculptures burn on communal fires. Safety and conservation are very important, so fires are carefully regulated and, at the end of the festival, nothing can remain, not even a single piece of paper.

Festival organizers Larry Harvey needs a 40-man committee to help run the event, but he says the most important thing is for everyone to share. “If you give a gift, then you’ll receive a gift,” he explains. “And that’s how we create an intense sense of community.”

Travel and Ticket information (no sound)

Black Rock City is three hours north of Reno, Nevada, by car. The nearest airports are Reno and San Francisco, where you can rent a vehicle. There is also an air shuttle service service from Reno airport to the Black Rock City Private airport.

The Green Tortoise Bus company runs bus tours from San Francisco (details at www.greentortoise.com ). Tickets for the festival cost 200-250 on arrival, but you can also buy tickets online. People must bring sufficient water, food and shelter for the week. Visit the festival website for more information.

Cry in the Rain

Source: http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=5335

Author: Teacher Agnes

 

What do you know about A-HA?

 

Which of those men is the leader of A-HA?

 

 A) B) C)

Where are they from?

Where are they from? 

When was the band founded? 

How many people are in A-HA? 

What is the title of their debut album? 

Which of those songs is not A-HA?

a)  Take on me              b)Come undone                c)Crying in the rain 

 

Complete information about the song:

Choose the correct words

"Crying in the Rain" is a song written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King and was originally recorded by The Everly "Crying in the Rain" is a song wrote / written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King and was primarly / originally recorded by the Everly Brothers. The single picked / peaked at #6 on the U.S. pop charts / chats.

In 1990, the Norwegian pop band a-ha cavered /covered the song. Following its success, a-ha became closer to / with the Everly Brothers, who had originally recorded the song. The band members were presented a group /set of guitars by the Everly Brothers that/who a-ha continues to use.

 

Listen to the song and do the tasks

 

Write in missing words

 

I'll   let you see
The   my broken heart is hurting me
I've got my   and I know how to hide
All my sorrow and  

I'll   my crying in the rain

Choose correct word

 

If I wait onforby stormy skies
You won't know the rain from the triestearsteers in my eyes
You'll never know thattherewhere I still love you so
thoughtthroughthough the heartaches remain
I'll do my crying oninat the rain

 

Write in missing word

  falling from heaven
Could never take away my misery
But since we're not  

I'll wait for   weather
To hide these   I hope you'll never see

 

Choose the correct word
Someday when my crying's gone / doneI'm gonna have /wear a smile and walk in the sun
I may be a full/foolBut till/still then, darling, you'll never see me complain
I'll do may/my craying in the rain (x4)

Antonyms

Family Album, part XVIII

Source: Family Alum USA

Beyoncé, Helo

 Source: http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2979

Author: Viviana Botello 

Answer the following questions

1. Who is she?

RiahnnaMariah CareyBeyónceWhitney Houston

2. Where is she?

At homeOn the beachAt schoolOn the park

3. What is the song's tittle?

AngelYellowHaloHello

4. She is helping him to put his...

shirtshoespantstie

5. What color is the sofa?

BlackWhiteGreenBrown

6. What color are his eyes?

GreenBlueBrownBlack

7. Which animal is on the video?

BirdDogCatMouse

Listen to the song and complete the lyric with the appropiate words.

There are some pictures to help you.

Remember those    I built, Well baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a    They didn't even make a sound

I found a way to let you in, But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your   , I got my      now

It's like I've been awakened, Every rule I had you breaking
It's the risk that I'm taking, I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your   

Baby I can see your halo, You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more, It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo, Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo, halo, halo Can see your halo, halo, halo, Can feel your halo, halo, halo...

Hit me like a ray of   , Burning through my darkest      

You're the only one that I want, Think I'm addicted to your light.

I swore I'd never fall again, But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget, To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I've been awakened, Every rule  I had you breaking
It's the risk that I'm taking, I'm never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo, You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more, It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo,   it won't fade away

I can feel your halo, halo, halo, Can see your halo, halo, halo, Can feel your halo, halo, halo...
Halo, halo

Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo, You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more, It's written all over your     Baby I can feel your halo, pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo, halo, halo...

How the world celebrates New Year

 Source: www.maganews.com.br for more information keep in touch with the site

New Year

How the world celebrates New Year

The New Year is not only celebrated withfireworks [1] and champagne. Countries have different ways to see the New Year in

In Portugal people go to the windows of their houses and beat saucepans [2]. In Spain it is traditional to eat 12 green grapes [3] at midnight to make sure the next twelve months are prosperous. In Japan it is common to carry out a house-cleaning ceremony. In Islamic countries, and in China and in Israel, New Year is celebrated on other dates. InBrazil one of the most traditional ways to see in the New Year is the São Silvestre footrace, held every year in São Paulo on the last day of the year. Another tradition is the fabulous New Year’s Eve [4] on Copacabana beach - Rio de Janeiro (see photo), considered to be one of the most beautiful events of its kind in the world. There are, however, some common ways countries celebrate New Year:  fireworks and champagne toasts [5]. The tradition of people making end-of-year resolutions [6], such as stopping smoking or drinking, or going on a diet, is also common in Braziland other countries.

Traditional songs

Music is part of the New Year traditions. In Brazil almost everyone knows the song “Fim de Ano,” better known as “Adeus Ano Velho, Feliz Ano Novo!” It was written in 1951 by  David Nasser and  Francisco Alves. English-speaking countries also have their New Year’s  song.  It was written in 1788 by Robert Burns as a poem and is called “Auld Lang Syne.” In England and the USA this song is known as ‘the song that nobody knows’. 

Matéria publicada na edição de dezembro (número 52) da Revista Maganews.

Áudio – Andy Shepherd (sotaque britânico)

Foto - Riotur

Vocabulary

1 fireworks – queima de fogos

2 saucepan -  panela

3 green grape – uva verde

4 New Year’s Eve – véspera de Ano Novo / Réveillon

5 champagne toast – brinde com champanhe

6 end-of-year resolution – promessa (s) de Ano Novo

Hugh Laurie: Dr. House

Source: Speak Up

Language Level: Basic

Standard: American accent

DR HOUSE

Dr. House has a dry, cynical smile and no time to waste on his patients’ feelings. He is a very unconventional doctor who tells his patients they are dying. Is this simply cruel, or necessary to save their lives?

ARROGANCE

Hugh Laurie stars as Dr. Georgy House in the successful US series House. Each episode focuses on a patient who is dying from a rare disease; Dr. House and his team of experts must discover the cause and find a solution. He’s arrogant and cruel. He’s a grumpy, middle-aged man, who is crippled and walks with the aid of a walking stick. This is not the recipe for a successful American TV show: so why is House a worldwide success? It’s the eccentricity and genius of Dr. House, a man who is ready for risk his career for his patients. He refuses to accept the obvious, ignores orders to stop investigations, and eventually reveals the truth. Executive producer Paul Attanasio inspired by the New York Times Diagnosis Column, wanted to create a medical version of the American hit series CSI. The show’s principal writer David Shore decided, however, to focus on the characters of the medical team. House, an infectious disease specialist, bullies and argues with his group of young colleagues, especially Dr. Eric Foreman (who regularly questions House’s ability), House also ignores hospital administrator Dr. Lisa Cuddy’s frequent reprimands. He has just one friend who he confides in, Dr. James Wilson.

ELEMENTARY…

The creator of the series, David Shore, modeled the doctor’s character on Sherlock Holmes (even the name “House” is a synonym of Ho ( L )mes. Both men have supreme deductive powers, are addicted to drugs, and play musical instruments. Arthur Conan Doyle in fact based the character of Holmes on the famous medical diagnostician Joseph Bell.

Hugh Laurie won the starring role in the hit series when producer Bryan Singer saw his audition: “This is what the show needs,” he declared, “ a real American actor!” Hugh Laurie, an Englishman who does an excellent American accent, isn’t embarrassed, but he feels guilty because he now earns far more than his father, a real doctor.

Who is Hugh Laurie? (no audio)

Laurie says he’s best known as a pair of ankles in the Stuart Little movies he was adopted mouse’s father.

The truth is that Laurie has been as success comedian in Britain for over 20 years: he starred with Stephen Fry in the British comedy shows A Bit of Fry and Laurie and Jeeves and Wooster, he also appeared in Rowan Atkinson’s BBC series Blackadder.

The Boat Race

Laurie was born in Oxford on June 11^th 1959. He went to the exclusive public school Eton and studied Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge. He was a successful rower at school and university; his crew narrowly lost the 1980 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

The Footlights

Glandular fever forced him to give up rowing, so he joined the university’s Footlight Revue –an annual show which has produced many stars such as Monty Python’s John Cleese and the actress Emma Thompson produced in the 1980 Footlight Revue called The Cellar Tapes with Stephen Fry.

Laurie has also written a novel, The Gun Seller, a light-hearted thriller.

Where's Amelia Earhart? Listening

Source: www.englishexercises.org

Author: ArgTeacher

Watch the video and answer the following questions:

1) What date is it mentioned in the video? 

2) What was the name of her navigator? 

3) What was the US navy conclusion? 

4) Is there any evidence to prove that she ran out of gas? 

5) How many years have investigators been trying to solve the enigma? 

6) How did Amelia return to the USA?

7) Which are the hypothesis mentioned in the video for Amelia´s disappearance?