Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This date is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday, January 15.
Here are some links to webpages about Martin Luther King:
Here's some basic and simple information on Relative Clauses.
Link to complete info PERFECT GRAMMAR. - WHAT'S A RELATIVE CLAUSE? We use a Relative Clause to join two sentences in English or to give extra information about something. I bought a new car. It is very fast. - I bought a new car that is very fast She lives in New York. She likes living in New York. - She lives in New York, which she likes. - DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES. Give us the necessary information to know what we're talking about. I like the woman who lives next door. (If we don't say "who lives next door", we don't know which woman it is).
When the relative pronoun is the subject of a defining relative clause.
We can use ‘who’, ‘which’ or ‘that’. We use ‘who’ for people and ‘which’ for things. We can use ‘that’ for people or things.
The relative clause can come after the subject or the object of the sentence. We can’t drop the relative pronoun.
For example: (clause after the object of the sentence):
I’m looking for a secretary who / that can use a computer well.
When the relative pronoun is the object of the clause. In this case we can drop the relative pronoun if we want to. Again, the clause can come after the subject or the object of the sentence. Here are some examples:
(clause after the object) She loves the chocolate (which / that) I bought.
(clause after the subject) The bike (which / that) I loved was stolen.
Give us extra information about something, but we don't need it to understand it. I live in London, which has some fantastic parks. (Everybody knows where London is, "which has fantastic parks" is extra information).
We don’t use ‘that’ in non-defining relative clauses, so we need to use ‘which’ if the pronoun refers to a thing, and ‘who’ if it refers to a person. We can’t drop the relative pronoun in this kind of clause, even if the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause. A non-defining relative always goes between commas and a pause is made in speech.
(clause comes after the subject)
My sister, who I live with, knows a lot about cars.
My bicycle, which I've had for more than ten years, is falling apart.
(clause comes after the object)
Yesterday I called our friend Julie, who lives in New York.
Last week I bought a new computer, which I don't like now.
- WHOSE.
‘Whose’ is always the subject of the relative clause and can’t be left out. It replaces a possessive. It can be used for people and things.
The woman is coming tonight. Her car is a BMW. → The woman whose car is a BMW is coming tonight.
- WHEN / WHERE / WHY.
We can sometimes use these question words instead of relative pronouns and prepositions.
I live in a city. I study in the city. → I live in the city where I study. → I live in the city that / which I study in. → I live in the city in which I study.
- PREPOSITIONS IN RELATIVE CLAUSES.
If the verb in the relative clause needs a preposition, we put it at the end of the clause:
My brother met a woman. I used to work with the woman. → My brother met a woman (who / that) I used to work with.
If you want to hear an oral explanation on Relative Clauses, here's a video: Video Relative Clauses explanation:
The school's English Department wants to participate in this year's cultural week with a photo exhibition of our own personal cultural and natural heritage.
Photos of our villages, our own nearby monuments, buildings, private landscapes... together with a personal description of each of the photos in English to be displayed at the school's hall during the event. So start taking photos...
Photos must be a standard digital size between 11'4x15'2 & 15'2x20'2
The description must be in English. You must explain where it is, its name, what it is and the reason you chose it. You must check that your description is correct. You can count on your teacher's help.
PHOTOS MUST BE HANDED IN BEFORE MARCH 1st
Here are some examples:
As Fragas do Eumeis anatural parksituated in north-west Spain.Fragais aGalicianword for "natural woodland" and the park is an example of atemperate rainforest. The protected area extends along the valley of theriver Eumewithin theFerrolterramunicipalities ofPontedeume,Cabanas,A Capela,Monfero,Pontedeume, andAs Pontes. Some 500 people reside within the park.The area was declared a natural park (a level of protection lower than national park) in 1997. It is one of six natural parks in Galicia. It's near where my parents come from and its a peaceful place to visit and a natural heritage that we should preserve.
Monastery of Caaveiro The Monastery of Saint John of Caaveiro (Galician Mosteiro de San Xoán de Caaveiro) is a Spanish monastery founded in the tenth century by Saint Rudesind. It is situated in Pontedeume, Ferrolterra, Galicia, within the Fragas do Eume Natural park. You have to climb up the hill to reach it. It's a wonder how they could build it there so long time ago.
It's Christmas Eve, ClickOnEnglish wishes you all a very Merry (not "morry") Christmas & a Happy New Year! And for some practice, here's a karaoke for you to sing along with the melody.
Today, we're all starting our Christmas holiday. It's good to have a break. Hope you enjoy it together with your loved ones and come back full of enthusiasm for the new term.
Click on the picture to read this Christmas story by Jackie Lawson.
Ending 2012, the year that commemorates the 200th birthday of British novelist Charles Dickens, IES "Rafael Dieste" is going to close the school term showing a film based on his classic novel "A Christmas Carol". Here we're including some reference about the novel and the film we'll be watching on Friday at 12:30 for 1st & 2nd ESO students.
A Christmas Carol is a novelby English authorCharles Dickens, first published on 19 December 1843. The story tellsEbenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation resulting after the supernatural visits fromJacob Marleyand the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The novel was instant success and critical acclaim.
The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was both strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions and an initiation of new practices such as Christmas trees and greeting cards. Dickens's sources for the tale appear to be many and varied but are principally the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales.
The story is about Ebenezer Scrooge. At the beginning of the book he is a mean old man who runs a business lending people money. These people are poor and often cannot pay him back. He pays his clerk Bob Cratchit badly.
On Christmas Eve, Scrooge refuses an invitation to his nephew's house for Christmas dinner, telling him he hates it (he calls it a "Humbug"). He then refuses to give money to two men who are collecting for charity.
Later that evening, he is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley, who went to Hell because of his bad life. He tells Scrooge that the same future will happen to him unless he changes and that during the night he will be visited by three more ghosts. These will show him where he went wrong in his life, and how to be a better person in the future.
The first ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Past. This ghost shows him where he went wrong in the past, showing him his unhappy childhood and how he did not get married.
The second ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Present. This ghost shows him things which are happening now, such as how his clerk, Bob Cratchit, is having a nice Christmas despite not having much money. He also shows him Bob's youngest son, Tiny Tim, who is crippled. Later, the ghost shows him how his nephew is having a good Christmas, and how Scrooge is missing out.
The third ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This ghost shows Scrooge what Christmas will be like in the future if he does not change. Firstly, people are shown celebrating a man's death and robbing from his house. The ghost also shows him that Tiny Tim has died. Scrooge is then shown his own grave, and realizes that the celebrations were for his death.
On Christmas morning, Scrooge wakes up and realizes that he has to change. He decides to celebrate Christmas, and help Tiny Tim get better. Through the ghosts' help he becomes a better man.
The tale has been viewed by critics as an indictment of 19th-century industrial capitalism. It has been credited with restoring the holiday to one of merriment and festivity in Britain and America after a period of sobriety and sombreness. A Christmas Carol remains popular and has been adapted to film, stage, opera, and other media many times. It is still a relevant story nowadays.
A Christmas Carol (named on-screen and in promotional material as Disney's A Christmas Carol) is a 2009 3D computer animatedmotion-captureholidayfantasycomedy-drama film written and directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is an adaptation of the Charles Dickensstory of the same name and stars Jim Carrey in a multitude of roles, including Ebenezer Scrooge as a young, middle-aged, and old man, and the three ghosts who haunt Scrooge.
If you want to get completely into the spirit of Christmas, here are some links to webpages where you'll find everything about Christmas and even more... traditions, printables, games, songs, decorations, recipies, stories, cards... and all in English for you to practice. Browse around...
Once again, Charo Pita and Tim Bowley are back at IES Rafael Dieste with their stories in Galician & English versions. The same story in two languages. They'll be with us today. Students of 1st & 2nd ESO will meet them at our assembly hall ready to listen to their stories from different parts of the world. Welcome back, Charo & Tim.
More Christmas songs. This one is quite original, it's a classic Christmas song "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU", which has been sung by many famous artists. This is an original version with no instruments, the band NOTA performs it a capella.
Video "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU", Nota:
Lyrics: I don't want a lot for Christmas There's just one thing I need I don't care about presents Underneath the Christmas tree I just want you for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true All I want for Christmas is you.
I don't want a lot for Christmas There is just one thing I need I don't care about presents Underneath the Christmas tree I don't need to hang my stocking There upon the fireplace Santa Claus won't make me happy With a toy on Christmas day I just want you for for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true All I want for Christmas is you You baby
I won't ask for much this Christmas I won't even wish for snow I'm just gonna keep on waiting Underneath the mistletoe I won't make a list and send it To the North Pole for Saint Nick I won't even stay awake to Hear those magic reindeer click 'Cause I just want you here tonight Holding on to me so tight What more can I do Baby all I want for Christmas is you You
All the lights are shining So brightly everywhere And the sound of children's Laughter fills the air And everyone is singing I hear those sleigh bells ringing Santa won't you bring me the one I really need Won't you please bring my baby to me
Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas This is all I'm asking for I just want to see my baby Standing right outside my door Oh I just want him for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true Baby all I want for Christmas is You
All I want for Christmas is you baby All I want for Christmas is you baby
Here's a Christmas song by the band Train, "SHAKE UP CHRISTMAS". Video "SHAKE UP CHRISTMAS", Train:
Lyrics:
Ho, ho, ho
Shake up the happiness
Wake up the happiness
Shake up the happiness
It's Christmas time
There's a story that I was told
And I wanna tell the world
Before I get too old
And don't remember it
So let's December it
And reassemble it oh yeah
Once upon a time in a town like this
A little girl made a great big wish
To fill the world full of happiness
And be on Santa's magic list
Chorus
Shake it up
Shake up the happiness
Wake it up
Wake up the happiness
Come on y'all
It's Christmas time
Ho, Ho, Ho
Ho, Ho, Ho
It's Christmas time
At the same time miles away
A little boy made a wish that day
That the world would be okay
If Santa Claus would hear him say
I got dreams and I got love
I got my feet on the ground
And family above
Can you send some happiness
With my best to the rest
Of the people of the East and the West and
Maybe every once in a while you
Give my grandma a reason to smile
Tis the season to smile
It's cold but we'll be freezing in style
And let me meet a girl one day that
Wants to spread some love this way
We can let our souls run free and
She can open some happiness with me
Chorus
I know you're out there
I hear your reindeer
I see the snow where
Your boots have been
I'm gonna show them
So they will know then
Their love will grow when
They believe again
Every Christmas, a British or American popstar comes around with their own Christmas album or Christmas song. This Christmas isn't going to be different. They usually cover traditional Christmas songs. This time it's Tracey Thorn's turn. Tracey Thorn was the voice of the 80s duo Everything But The Girl, which she formed together with Ben Watt, after meeting in 1981 at Hull University. The have worked as a duo until 2003. In 2007, Tracey started a solo career. Now, she has made up her own Christmas album "TINSEL & LIGHTS", collecting not so much traditional Christmas songs, but songs that have a Christmas or wintery atmosphere to them, where snow, cold or Christmas concepts are mentioned. And here's the video-single from it "JOY". The video was shot in Lille's traditional Christmas Market in France. En-joy!
Video "JOY", Tracey Thorn:
Lyrics "JOY", Tracey Thorn: WHEN SOMEONE VERY DEAR CALLS YOU WITH THE WORDS "EVERYTHING'S ALL CLEAR" THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR BUT YOU KNOW IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT IN THE NEW YEAR THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE HANG THE LIGHTS SO HIGH JOY JOY
YOU LOVED IT AS A KID BUT NOW YOU NEED IT MORE THAN YOU EVER DID IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DARK YOU SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE SPARK THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY THE CAROLS MAKE YOU CRY JOY...
THE TINSEL ON THE TREE, YES I SEE THE HOLLY ON THE DOOR, LIKE BEFORE THE CANDLES IN THE GLOOM, LIGHT THE ROOM THE SALLY ARMY BAND, YES I UNDERSTAND
SO LIGHT THE WINTER FIRE AND WATCH AS THE FLAMES GROW HIGHER WE'LL GATHER UP OUR FEARS AND FACE DOWN ALL THE COMING YEARS AND ALL THAT THEY DESTROY AND IN THEIR FACE WE THROW OUR JOY JOY...
IT'S WHY WE HANG THE LIGHTS SO HIGH AND GAZE AT THE GLOW OF SILVER BIRCHES IN THE SNOW BECAUSE OF THE DARK WE SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE SPARK WE MUST BE ALRIGHT IF WE COULD MAKE UP CHRISTMAS NIGHT"
Tradition, customs and practices inherited from ancestors.
Britain is a country that is proud of its cultural and natural heritage and preserves it excelently. Here are links to pages. You'll see that they are much more successful and aware of their heritage and its protection than us.
English Heritage is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It was set up under the terms of the National Heritage Act 1983. Its functions for maintaining ancient monuments and advising on the care of the historic environment in England. English Heritage's best known role is managing over 400 significant historical and archaeological sites, from Stonehenge to the world's earliest iron bridge. It directly owns some historic sites and also collaborates with private owners of others that are managed under guardianship arrangements. It has major responsibilities in conservation, giving advice, registering and protecting the historic environment. It also maintains a public archive: the English Heritage Archive. English Heritage complements the work of Natural England.
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved. It also has a responsibility to help people enjoy, understand and access the natural environment.
This video is about one of the most famous English heritage sites and wonders of the world. Stonehenge is estimate to be as old as 3100 BC. There is no record on how primitive humans could have put together such a large and hefty monument.
Video "STONEHENGE" - English Heritage:
The school's English Department wants to participate in this year's cultural week with a photo exhibition of our own personal cultural and natural heritage. Photos of our villages, our own nearby monuments, buildings, private landscapes... together with a personal description of each of the photos in English to be displayed at the school's hall during the event. So start taking photos...
Today's the fourth Thursday in November, that means it's Thanksgiving Day in the USA (In Canada, it's on the second Monday of October), so here's a quick post to link you to:
- Posts in this blog from previous years devoted to THANKSGIVING: click on
It's not such a strange thing... It can't text, but it's got text. It can't blog, scroll or tweet... It doesn't need wi-fi, you can use it anywhere... It's (simply) a book... but there's so much inside... just open one...
This site is used with a non-profit educational purpose only. If you find content (photo/video...) you think shouldn't have been included here, please tell me so I can delete it. Thanks.
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