quarta-feira, 29 de dezembro de 2010

THE RED HAT SOCIETY


Language Level: Advanced
Source: SPEAK UP
Standard: British Accent

Girls Just Want to Have Fun



THE RED HAT SOCIETY


     When Sue Ellen Cooper was passing a charity shop in Tucson, Arizona, one Day is 1998, she bought a bright red fedora hat, for no other reason than it was cheap and, she thought, quite dashing. A couple of years later she came across the poem “Warning” by Jenny Joseph, which begins: “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple, With a red hat that doesn’t go and doesn’t suit me. At that point she decided that she would give all her friends bright red hats when they reached the age of 50.
     What started out as a bit of fun and frivolity for ladies has taken the world by storm and the Red Hat Society now has 1.5 million members worldwide. But while wearing a red hat may just be a bit of fun in the States, it used to mean something quite different in the UK, as Judy Brown, known as “Queen Wren Ruby Judy” to her chums in the “Belles aux Chapeaux Rouges” chapter in Blackpool, explains:

Judy Brown
(Northern English accent)

     Traditionally, nice ladies do not wear red hats, and certainly in England, they don’t wear red hats.
     Traditionally, women, “red hat, no knickers,” you see, it was ladies of the night, really, but now, Americans didn’t realise that, they just thought it was fun because people just don’t wear red hats.

A BAD NAME…

     The wearing of red hats is no longer the sole right of “ladies of the night” or prostitutes. Indeed the women of the Red Hat Society are respectable older ladies who are seeking “friendship and fun.” The society has its own hierarchy. Members in their 40s are either lavender or pink red-hatters, while “graduation" – a variation on “graduation” – comes at the age of 50.
     Judy Brown thinks that many members are discovering how to have fun for the first time:

     Judy Brown:

     So many women of our age always feel you have to do something for a reason, not just to go and have fun. I think men haven’t got that. Men can do something just for fun, women very rarely do that. You know, they actually don’t do anything for fun, there’s always, “Oh well, I’ve got to do the shopping on the way home” or something like that. Just to go and have fun, dress up, you know, wear a feather boa during the day, put a big red hat on and go forth and have fun with your friends and laugh and then go home again.
POST-FEMINIST?

Yet Judy thinks that the Red Hat Society actually has a more serious role to play:

Judy Brown

It’s done more than, I think, all the feminist movement did, in one sense, because women are friends wherever you are, and the emails I get, oh, my goodness me! it’s just one man’s work keeping up with everything.

No Rules (no sound available)

The Red Hat Society was founded by Sue Ellen Cooper, its “Exalted Queen Mother.”It is a “disorganization” with no fixed rules because, says the Exalted Queen Mother, “Most of us are really tired of rules.” Actually there is one rule: you need to be female and 50 in order to join. Women under 50 can become “pink hatters.” For more info, visit: www.redhatsociety.com

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FAMILY ALBUM PART XIX



Source: Family Album USA

terça-feira, 28 de dezembro de 2010

Quiz 1

Past and Past participle quiz 1


Source: ENGLISH PRACTICE

Do the lesson and comment with answers, please. 

Fill in the blanks with the past and past participle of the words given in brackets.
1. The sailors ——————— to the broken mast, as the ship ———————-. (cling, sink)
2. They ——————- a deep well, but ——————- no water. (dig, find)
3. The snake —————— around the boy’s hand, but he ——————— it away. (wind, fling)
4. When the bell was ———————, the runners ——————– to their feet. (ring, spring)
5. As he ——————– the axe, it fell from his hands and his toe was ———————– in two. (swing, cleave)
6. The book —————— from my knee to the floor. (slide)
7. The wind —————— the leaves. (stir)
8. He —————— his hands in his pockets. (stick)
9. He —————– the ladder against the wall. (stand)
10. Malaria is a deadly disease —————— by mosquitoes. (spread)
11. There never has —————— a great man who has not been misunderstood. (arise)
12. Adam and his wife —————— themselves from the presence of the Lord God. (hide)
13. She was so angry that she ——————– the letter into pieces. (tear)
14. The boy who had ———————- the watch was arrested. (steal)


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 27th to September 3rd 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




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  stormy skies
You won't know the rain from the  in my eyes
You'll never know  I still love you so
 the heartaches remain
I'll do my crying  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

segunda-feira, 27 de dezembro de 2010

Beyoncé, Helo


Author: Viviana Botello 



Answer the following questions
1. Who is she?
2. Where is she?
3. What is the song's tittle?
4. She is helping him to put his...
5. What color is the sofa?
6. What color are his eyes?
7. Which animal is on the video?
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...