[8th CW] TRAPPIST-1: NEW PLANETS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED

The year we are decoting to the Cosmos, seven Earth-sized planets have been observed by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope around a tiny, nearby, ultra-cool dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1. Three of these planets are firmly in the habitable zone. Their  existence has just been confirmed. Watch the video below for all the information.

Video:

VOICED vs VOICELESS CONSONANT PAIR SOUNDS

DEMOCRATISING DEMOCRACY

Are our democracies working correctly? Can we improve this political system? Is democracy the best way of ruling? After Brexit and Donald Trump's election in the States, there's been a lot of thought going on. Here's a video that reflects on this topic and shows where the solution may be to a more satisfactory democracy.

Video "AGAINST ELECTIONS":

PREPOSITIONS IN MOTION

Sharing today with you all these gifs on preposition concepts by Cambridge University Press.

10 WAYS TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" & LOVE IDIOMS ON VALENTINE'S DAY

[8th CW] A REVIEW ABOUT A SPACE FICTION FILM OR BOOK

As the activity for our 8th Cultural Week devoted to the Cosmos. The English Department proposes to write reviews about famous space fiction films of books that you have enjoyed.

PLAN:

- Name of film or book.

- Who starred, directed it or wrote it.

- What's the setting and main characters.

- What you liked the most. Has it got a good plot?

- Any memorable scenes or characters.

- What's your opinion about it?

PARAGRAPHS:

1- Introduction: title, actors/characters & setting.

2- Details: characters, plot. Strong or weak points.

3- Opinion & conclusion / recommendation.

Once they have been checked by the teacher, you can edit them for display and also include photos.

Here's some film related vocabulary for you to have:
DIRECTOR - the person who makes the film
STARS - the most famous actors in the film
CAST - all the actors & actresses that appear in a film
PRODUCER - the person who finds the money and actors to make a film.
AUDIENCE - the people who watch the film
EXTRAS - the people (not actors) who appear in the film as crowd
SCREENPLAY -the actions and dialogue of the film
SCRIPT - the dialogue of the film
SCENE - part of a film happening in one place
SOUNDTRACK - the music of the film
PLOT - the story, what happens
SPECIAL EFFECTS - images often created by a computer
SEQUEL - a film or book that continues the story of the previous one
DUBBED - not in the original language
SET - situated in a particular time and place
SHOOT - film, record with a camera
STARRING - the main actors appearing in the film
SUBTITLED - with translation script at the bottom of the screen

A FLOWER GUIDE (FOR St. VALENTINE)

BASICS WHEN TRAVELLING TO LONDON

This year our 4th ESO students won't be travelling to Nuremberg on the usual student exchange. This year they'll be spending 5 days in London! So to help, here are some basic notes for when travelling there. 

Video 1:

Video 2:

Video 3:

ADJECTIVES: DEGREES OF COMPARISON

STOP TO + INFINITIVE vs STOP + -ING FORM

STOP is one of the verbs that can be followed either by infinitive or the -ing form, but with a change of meaning. You can see the difference in the infographic above with many examples.

THE AMPERSAND '&'

The ampersand is the logogram "&", representing the conjunction word "and". It originated as a ligature of the letters et, Latin for "and".

USAGE: Ampersands are commonly seen in business names formed from partnership of two or more people, such as Johnson & Johnson, Dolce & Gabbana, Marks & Spencer, and Tiffany & Co., as well as some abbreviations containing the word and, such as AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph), R&B (rhythm and blues), B&B (bed and breakfast).

The ampersand can be used to indicate that the "and" in a listed item is a part of the item's name and not a separator (e.g. "Rock, pop, rhythm & blues, and hip hop").

The ampersand may still be used as an abbreviation for "and" in informal writing regardless of how "and" is used.

+ info @ Wikipedia.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II SAPPHIRE JUBILEE: A 65-YEAR REIGN

Today, February 6th, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, has become the first British monarch to reach the Sapphire Jubilee. 65 years reigning. She has only been surpassed by 3 other kings as you can see in the chart above.

+ info:

- Queen Elizabeth II @ Wikipedia

- The Queen's Sapphire Jubilee celebrations @ BBC.

PHRASAL VERBS: FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

SOUNDS & SPELLINGS

PITTSBURGH FACTS

Our lecturer this course, Laura, has been talking about her hometown in 1st BAC classes these last two weeks. 
She's been telling us about how the city grew in the past with the steel industry, bringing many immigants to the city, and why it's important now: good science and techonology universities and the film industry with many films having been shot there. 
She also talked about the important things from this city: 
- HEINZ, the food processing company started there, 
and the different sport teams: 
- the Pittsburgh Steelers (American football team which has won the Super Bowl more times than any other team in the USA), 
- the Pittsburgh Pirates (baseball), 
- the Pittsburgh Penguins (hockey)... 
Moreover, she showed us the famous Pittsburgh skyline which can be seen from the Duquesne incline. To end she commented the way people from Pittsburgh speak, their peculiar accent: Pittsburghese, which was chosen the worst American accent by an online poll some years ago.

Here's the video we saw to prove about the accent and to show how nice it is to see Pittsburgh from the incline. Have a look... See how much you can understand...

Video Pittsburgh skyline & incline: