Hi I'm Elie and today I'm
going to talk about my end-of-year school trip to Italy. My class and
I visited Sirmione, Verona, Venice, Florence, Lucca and Pisa.
We woke up really early
on Monday to be at school at 5:15 am, to take the bus that brought us
to the Barcelona airport. Our flight was very short so we were in
Milan by 10:30. As soon as we arrived, we took another bus to
Sirmione. We shot some pretty cute pictures there by the lake and
then had our first Italian pizza for lunch! Everyone was very nice
from the beginning. We spent the rest of the day in Verona, Romeo and
Juliet's city. The Arena was huge and the city in general was
charming. At night we just fooled around and went to sleep.
The following day we had
breakfast and ran to the train station. It was Venice day: my
favourite day. We visited the famous square of San Marcos and saw
stunning buildings. We also went on a gondola ride and honestly, it
was lovely. My expectations weren't that high. In the afternoon we
returned by train to Verona and spent our last night there.
Next morning was
calorie-burning! So we were in the Verona's train station with all
our suitcases and everything and some of us were just way too excited
to go to Florence that were running around? I don't know, we just got
lost and instead of stressing out we had a lot of fun searching for
the other part of the group. We luckily found the way back to were we
had taken the wrong way and found the train. We spent two entire days
in Florence. Our hotel was super well placed and we also had a lot of
free time there. We ate gelatto and went shopping and had time to
really enjoy ourselves. In Florence we visited the Ufizzi Gallery,
the Academy, the majestic Sta Maria di Fiore and saw el Ponte
Vecchio, la Loggia dels Lanzi and lots of other cool stuff. We had a
blast there.
On the last day we
visited Lucca and Pisa, but on the way we stopped at a viewpoint with
really good views of Florence. Lucca was pretty much my idea of what
Tuscany looks like. It was a very sunny day and we just decided to
sit in a bar and have some drinks and talk. We went for a walk to see
the town and then headed to Pisa. We visited the cathedral, the
baptistry and the famous tower. Up there we met very nice Japanese
people. It was lots of fun. And as the day was ending it was time to
say see you to Italy... But! Our trip hadn't ended yet. Our flight
was delayed and so we spent about two or three hours waiting in the
airport. But it wasn't boring at all! We met people from Llagostera
and even realized we had known some of them when we were kids! As we
waited we sang and talked and laughed. And, although no one was ready
to say goodbye to Italy, we got on the plane and returned home.
I've
just joined the Adopt a Grandparent project, a group of volunteers
who believe spending time with old people that stay in a retirement
home helps them feel happier. I volunteer with a friend at a
retirement home near my town's church. Volunteering there it's just a
really good way to forget about problems for a while and learn things
about the past. I spent de first day visiting all the rooms and
meeting Maria, our “fake” grandmother. She's already 100 years
old but she's truly still young at heart!
Day
2:
I
went to the old-people's house today. The project's been amazing so
far. Maria explained us about herself and the time she lived in
France. Núria and I laughed a lot but we barely talked. I mean,
Maria was talking all the time! But we do feel very useful. Old
people feel alone sometimes, and I guess it's nice having someone
young you can share your experiences with.
Day
3:
I've
been thinking on what I want to do when I get older a lot lately. And
I'm really not sure. That's why I'm planning to organize myself a gap
year between high school and college, so that I have more time to
decide what I want to study. And while searching on the Internet, I
read about becoming an AuPair! AuPairs in the US live with an
American family for a year or more and they take care of their
children. I love children as much as I love old people, so that's a
perfect program for me! And I also want to travel a lot so, can it be
better? Anyways that's gonna be in 2 years so I'll have to wait
untill then!
Set in the fictional town of Thayer, Massachusetts, the story focuses on Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), a successful Manhattan executive whose uptight, conservative demeanor is a sharp contrast to that of her boyfriend Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) and his liberal and rambunctious family.
Meredith, feeling very much an outsider during the Christmas holidays with Everett's family, opts to stay at the local inn instead of with the family and asks her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to join her for support. Everett finds himself attracted to the more outgoing Julie. Meredith desperately tries to fit in, but her strained attempt to play charades and a clumsy effort to engage the family in a dinner table discussion about nature versus nurture and sexual orientation prove to be disastrous and their father, Kelly Stone (Craig T. Nelson), the most understanding of the family, blows up at her. Distraught, Meredith attempts to drive off but crashes the car, and Everett's brother Ben (Luke Wilson) comes to comfort her. The two end up at a local bar where, after several drinks, Meredith begins to enjoy herself. She invites Amy's high school flame and local paramedic, Brad Stevenson (Paul Schneider), to the Stones' for Christmas breakfast. The following morning, when she awakens in Ben's bed, she incorrectly assumes their night of revelry ended with the two having sex together.
Christmas proves to be a day of accusations, recriminations, self-discoveries, and attempts to mend fences. Sybil, who originally refused Everett's request for his grandmother's ring, reconsiders her position and offers it to him; but, by now, his feelings for Meredith have shifted to her sister. In a moment of emotional confusion – or clarity – he asks Julie to try on the ring, and it gets stuck. When Julie and Meredith lock themselves in the bathroom to get the ring off, they assume Everett is about to propose to Meredith. The family exchanges gifts; and Meredith, oblivious to Sybil's failing health, presents each with a framed enlarged photograph of Sybil taken when she was pregnant with Amy. Everyone is touched by her gesture, and Meredith relaxes slightly; but, when Everett asks to talk to her, she demurs again and again until she blurts out that she will not marry him. He counters that he didn't plan to ask her. Meredith breaks down in front of the family. All the personality conflicts come to a head, and everyone begins the process of healing.
One year later, the family reunites at the Stone house. Meredith and Ben are a couple, as are Everett and Julie and Amy and Brad. Everett's brother Thad and his partner Patrick have adopted a baby boy named Gus, and Everett's other sister, Susannah, has had her baby. It is hinted that Sybil died. She is referenced as the family gathers with family Christmas ornaments around the tree. The framed photograph of Sybil is on the wall next to the tree and Amy is wearing her ring.
Not gonna lie. It's an entertaining movie but it's not a "good one". The plot is easy to guess and not very original. It's one of those movies you're going to have fun with while watching them but that at the end of the day you're not going to remember what was it that you liked. It's a copy of a copy, not saying it's a bad thing but that's what it is.
TRAILER
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
FILM
1: TITANIC
In 1912, the Titanic, the world's most luxurious passenger ship, set out across the Atlantic for New York City. It would never see it's destination.
1500 people were on the ship, some first class, others restrained to the lower decks where windows were limited. Either way, the passengers on board the Titanic held high hopes, not because it was deemed "the unsinkable ship" but because they were leaving their past behind them and preparing for a new life in America.
To Jack, a homeless artist, winning two tickets on the luxery liner was the best thing that ever happened to him. His life, as well as everyone else on the ship, would be changed forever. Even before he discovered the fate of the Titanic did he know what his destiny was; he met Rose.
Rose was a troubled young woman living in a rich society, engaged to a millionaire that her mother had sought out. She was living in a fantasy, a fantasy that she didn't want, and she was looking for a way out.
Jack heroically saved Rose's life and was immediately thrust into her world though no one knew he fit in. He was the only one that could see the anguish that Rose was in... He was the only one who could get her out of it.
Their love affair would be cut short. Nighttime was a dangerous time for ships in that time period, manually having to look for obstructions in the ocean. Titanic's crew saw the iceberg too late and they struck it, the side of their hull ripping to shreds. The unsinkable ship was going to sink and more than half of the people on board were going to die.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Jack
Dawson was
a 20-year-old artist from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Orphaned at the
age of 15, he worked a variety of jobs. After a stint as a logger, he
came to Santa Monica, California, where he drew portraits on the pier
for 10 cents apiece. Working his way from place to place on tramp
steamers and similar accommodations, he went to Paris where he
studied art. Subsequently, he found himself able to return to his
native land in the grandest style possible for one with no money:
sailing on Titanic on a ticket he won in a poker game.
Rose
DeWitt Bukater
born to one of the very best families in Philadelphia, was a mere 17
years old when she became engaged to Caledon Hockley. Intelligent,
poised, and beautiful, Rose had been schooled since childhood to be
everything a young woman of society was expected to be. Rose's
betrothal to Hockley, heir to a Pittsburgh steel fortune, was
considered an admirable catch, a perfect pairing of wealth and social
position. Yet her spirit rebelled against the rigid confines and
expectations of Edwardian society controlling her destiny.
Caledon
Hockley
was the 30-year-old scion of a wealthy Pittsburgh steel family.
Handsome, self-confident, rich beyond meaning, he aspired to
sophistication and insisted on propriety. He found in Rose DeWitt
Bukater a suitable young woman to fill the role of wife in his
aristocratic future, and he presented her to his peers with the pride
of ownership, basking in others' reaction to her beauty and her
pedigree. As a wedding present for her, he purchased one of the
largest and most valuable diamonds in the world, the legendary blue
stone once worn by Louis XVI known as the Coeur de la Mer - the Heart
of the Ocean.
PERSONAL OPINION
I
really enjoyed watching this movie once again. I've seen it many
times but I still like it a lot. Jack and Rose make the perfect
couple and Titanic it's the ultimate love story, apart from Romeo and
Juliet. Loved it although it's a very sad film.
I
am writing to complain about your new movie, which I purchased online
last week as a birthday present for my younger son.
As
advertisements for the movie had been broadcast between programmes
for children, I thought that the product would appeal to them. The
advertisments also made the movie look innocent and fun, which is why
I decided to buy it. However, my husband and I think the movie is
actually extremely violent and the content is totally inappropiate
for children under 10. I had to switch off the TV when I was watching
it with my son. He was absolutely terrified and it ruined his
birthday evening.
Furthermore,
we were schocked to see that the game promotes bad behaviour. Too
many of the characters behave in a completely unacceptable way, which
your company should not encourage.
Until
now, I had always been really impressed with your company and
associated your DVDs with quality entertainment. It is very sad that
you are promoting such material. Under the circumstances, I would be
grateful if you could give me a full refund. Please find the receipt
attached.
I
look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
In 1799, New York City police constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is facing imprisonment for going against traditional methods and favoring forensic investigation techniques, such as autopsies, considered unorthodox and unimportant at the time. Ichabod submits to deployment with his bag of tools to the Westchester County of Sleepy Hollow, New York, which has been plagued by a series of brutal slayings in which the victims have been found decapitated: Peter Van Garrett , wealthy farmer and landowner; his son Dirk; and the widow Emily Winship. Arriving in Sleepy Hollow, Crane is informed by the town's elders that the killer is not of flesh and blood, but rather an undead headlessmercenary from the American Revolutionary War who rides at night on a massive black steed in search of his missing head.
TRAILER
CHARACTERS' DESCRIPTION (list of adjectives):
Ichabod Crane: loyal friend, duty-driven man, loves his wife and son.
Katrina Van Tassel: feminine, kind, smart, loving, ...
How
are you? What have you been doing since I saw you last? You won't
believe it, but I got to visit the US this summer!
I
used to be very scared about traveling without my parents, but I
decided to go anyways. What could happen? Well, I'm glad I did
because it made a real impression on me! I stayed with an American
family and we did lots of different sorts of stuff. I surfed, went
shopping, did some tourism around... It was a great time, so I'm
really pleased. Basically, It was a very good way to learn English
and have a lot of fun at the same time.
Has
that ever happened to you? I mean, have you had an opinion about
doing something but then you've done it and changed your mind?
Anyway,
I've got to go now, otherwise I'll be late for my piano lesson. Keep
in touch!
A
good friend is honest and supportive when you feel down. A friend
loves at all times, is only ever cruel to be kind, is outgoing and
loves hanging out with you. A good friend is all these things, but
most of all, a good friend is dedicated to your friendship.
Describe
a time when you made a new friend. What were you doing when you met
him/her? What was your new friend like? Use exercise 7 as a model.
Two summers ago I went to
a Christian meeting here in Banyoles with my friends. I was listening
to a woman talking about her daughters' story when Laura, a girl I
didn't know at all asked me for a tissue paper. I gave one to her and
we started to talk. We soon became friends she was really nice and
friendly and she gave me her number so that we could keep in touch.
Almost two years after that we are still very good friends!
Hi,
today I'm going to talk about my summer holidays. First of all, I'm
going to talk about my exchange experience in the States. After that,
about the week I spent in Cadaqués with my family and my days in
Catalunya. And finally, about my trip to Belgium.
This
summer I left my country to be able to live probably the best
experience of my life: a month away from home. I went to America with
the YoungLife USA camp program. On July the 1st we took a plane to
London (a 3 hours flight) and after that we took another plane to San
Diego. We spent the whole day flying and going from airport to
airport. After a really long day, we got there and I met my American
family: the Martinez family. They were a lovely Mexican couple and
they had a daughter called Emily and an 18 year old son called Eddie.
During my experience there I got to meet a really huge and nice
family and I had a lot of fun with all of them. I went hiking and I
also did some tourism around: we visited Downtown San Diego, la Jolla
beach, Oceanside, etc. On the second week everyone that came with me
from Catalunya and Andorra and some of the American kids went on a
road trip. We went to LA, Hollywood, Universal Studios, Santa
Monica,... We had a great time together. After visiting all these
places we took a bus with boys and girls from Escondido to go to
Woodleaf, which was a typical American summer camp. Woodleaf is
incredibly big and I didn't expect it to be as much fun as it was. We
did a lot of activities every day like the swing, the tower, the
slides, we went to the game room, to the club, etc and I met a lot of
new friends. Also, western night was a dream. On the last week of the
exchange program I hanged around with my friends and also did a
Service Project and went surfing. Although surfing was fun it was
really frustrating because I think I am the only one that couldn't
stand up on a surfboard. But at least I tried :') During the month in
California I didn't feel homesick at all and I'm looking forward to
go back.
After
a few days at home I went to Cadaqués with my family to spend the
week at the beach. It was great to relax and go paddle surfing for
the first time. I also stayed at home some days and went canoeing,
met my friends again,... I went on a hike with my brother, my aunt
and my uncle too. The view up there was stunning. On September I
helped at the kindergarten next to my house and also went on a trip
to Belgium. I went there with my canoeing friends to take part of the
Sobeka Flanders Cup. We did k1, k2 and k4 and even though it rained a
lot on the last day I really enjoyed that trip.
In
conclusion I had the best summer of my life and I feel blessed and
thankful that I got to meet so many great new friends.
Living on the edge! (La Jolla, San Diego)
My American parents
Craziest ones out there!
Surf day
Blackberries in Cadaqués
Cadaqués
Cap de Creus
Downtown San Diego with this one!
Downtown San Diego
Potato chip hike
LA - the view
Walk of fame
Corn dogs are sooooo good
Surf day
Western night
Baseball game
Me and a cow. Cuz why not.
Vall de Núria
Candy shop in Belgium
Photo booth with Emily
Fun times in Banyoles
Joan R: He went to Lourdes to help sick people and did a service project. He also spent two days in Barcelona.
Joan C: He went to Hawaii. He stayed in Kaneohe. He visited a lot of places in the island.
Nur: She went to Euskadi with her family. August was a new experience's month because she went to an aquatic park for the first time.
Laia: She spent the afternoons watching drama series. In September she went to El Pantà de Sau to row.
Elisabet: She slept a lot during summer. She went to Andorra to celebrate her birthday.
Maria S: She went to Port de la selva with her friend, Ariadna. She took part of the Sobeka Flanders Cup in Belgium.
Núria F: She visited different European countries with her family.
Nico: He went to a rowing camp in Eton with Laura. He also spent a month in Menorca.
OBSERVATION OF MY ORAL PRESENTATION
Body language and eye contact:
- Did you look at your audience most of the time? I look at the paper ocasionally because my oral was "quite" long but not really often.
- Did you read from your notes? As I said before, I did many times.
- Did you do any gesture/movement to hold the attention of your audience? I kind of did.
Structure:
- Did you organize your ideas in order of importance? I organized my ideas chronologically.
- Did you use discourse markers to make your ideas more clear? (First, then, after, ...) Yes
Content:
-Did you introduce interesting NEW information to your audience? I think so.
-Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the internet/books? No, because I didn't have to. I thought I wasn't going to find any information about myself on the internet or books! was your information more superficial or more detailed, and original? I tried to include funny or interesting info.
Language:
-Did you check your grammar? yes I did.
-Did you use rich vocabulary looking up the dictionary? I tried to.
-Did you use sentence linkers? yes
-Did you use fillers? yes, ocasionally.
Pronunciation and intonation:
-Did you know how to pronounce all your words? yes
-Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? no, I didn't.
-Did you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? I changed it to say certain things but not much.
-Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? Most of the time, I didn't do breaks while I was talking. I may have stopped once or twice.
Self-evaluation: I think I should get an 8 or a 9. I think I've improved.
On page 5 of this month's I love English Magazin there's a small article about Carly Rae Jepsen. I used to love this singer three years ago and I have her cd too. That's why I'm so excited she's back with new music! Looking forward to hear new pop catchy songs :)Also, Peter Pan is one of my favourite Disney movies, so I'm happy that a movie based on the book is coming out soon. Although, my favourite Peter Pan movie will probably always be the cartoon one.
Carly Rae Jepsen
Peter Pan
HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUTUBE!
I went to San Diego last summer and it's funny to know that the first YouTube video was filmed in a place I've been really close to. Also, I didn't know that it was posted in 2005! That's not a long time ago, YouTube is only 10 years old!
I think that videos are a perfect way for politicians and important public figures to reach a wider audience too. For example, there's the Yes we can video that helped Barack Obama become president of the USA. YouTube is also a very useful learning tool. You can learn lots of different sorts of stuff with just a click!
