oxford english centre blog

2012-01-06T03:34:00.001-08:00

2010-10-28T04:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Chinese Teachers,

Games your students might like to play

Have a look.

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/games
Some great games on this site. Try the ‘Haunted House’

http://www.genkienglish.net/letslearnenglish.htm
Great simple stories for students to listen and read – click on easy level picture books
Talking games – phonic games – try it.

http://englishflashgames.blogspot.com/
Lots of flash games for learning english

http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk/games
Try Hero Hoops - a great number regognition game – Ben 10 is very big in the U.K

http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/snowman/play.htm?f
reading and interactive game for kids – build a snowman

http://www.learningplanet.com/stu/index.asp
fun games for different ages –matching games etc.

http://www.eslkidstuff.com/OnlineGamesMain.htm

http://www.rong-chang.com/game.htm List of sites with games

Have Fun

Anne

2010-08-26T01:35:00.000-07:00

Pub Quiz

With your partner or group, you are going to prepare a round of a pub quiz.

Choose one of the subjects below and write a multiple choice quiz of 7- 10 questions. Don't forget to note the correct answer.

Facts about scotland

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/britain/scotland.htm

Facts about wales

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/britain/wales.htm

Facts about Northern Ireland

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/northern_ireland.html

British Music http://www.britain.tv/entertainment_britishmusic.shtml

The History of British Football http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_football

British Food http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_cuisine

Have Fun!

Anne

What your opinion?

2010-08-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

There would be less problems with soft drugs like meow meow and ecstacy if they were freely available to buy over the counter like they are in Holland.

Do you agree?

What would you do if........

2010-08-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

What would you do if your flight was cancelled this weekend?

Writing Questions

2010-01-05T08:48:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone in the Intermediate class,

With your partner, I would like you to choose a famous person and write questions from their biography. Try to write 8-10 questons and use a variety of verb forms (tenses). Remember to write down the answers on another sheet of paper as you will need these later.

When you have finished, swap your questions with another group and try to find the answers to their questions. Then check the answers with the original group.

You can find biographies by clicking on the following link - http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/

Have fun!!

Anne

Boram's Italian Adventure - part three

2009-06-19T04:16:00.001-07:00

When my friend and I sat down on the ground at the train station, we were very comfortable. Suddenly, we felt two Italian guys were looking at us, we thought they were strange. However, after one hour, they were still around us. So we decided to change places without them, but it was not a good idea, they followed us very quietly. We could not understand their strange behaviour.

Boram's Italian Adventure - part two

2009-06-19T04:14:00.000-07:00

Anyway, the first train to Rome was about five c'clock. I was exhausted and wanted to find some new accommodation in Napoli. However I couldn't try to do anything. Because my Italian friends said that 'Napoli is a very dangerous city in Italy - if you want to go there, you will regret it in 10 minutes'. Therefore, I had to wait for my train all night. I wish I had seen the mafia of Napoli.

Boram's Italian Adventure part One

2009-06-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

It was getting dark when I arrived at the main train station of Napoli. Many trains were not working, though there were some people. The people were black and looked a little bit dangerous. In addition it was very quiet. I felt something was wrong!
Everything was okay until I checked the timetable of my train. I thought there would be a lot of trains, though it was about 11 o’clock.I was really stupid because I hadn’t checked anything about Italian train transfers before my journey.

Fode's second book review - 'A Love for Life'.

2008-12-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

A Love for Life

Fanella and Steven were in love and everything was good between then, but Fanella couldn’t have a child. Steven had met another girl in London then he started to go out with her. By the time he started going out with her, he had decided to leave Fanella. When Fanella found this out, she was really upset and she didn’t know what to do.

She had a friend called Teresa who she went to see because she was the only person who she could explain her problems to. When she came to Teresa’s house, it was evening. She went to see Timothy, Teresa’s son, to say good night to him and then came down to explain to Teresa about what had happened between her and Steven.

Teresa couldn’t believe it and she was upset to see her friend like that. Then she tried to make her happy by making tea for her and giving her some advice. Fanella went home but felt lonely and began to think about adopting a child.

Teresa took Timothy to school every morning and she met Timothy’s teacher called Rod. She found him so attractive and so kind to children .There was one student in his class called Dan, who didn’t want to study. He lied to his mum that he had been kicked by Timothy at school, so his mum came to school and complained about it but when Rod tried to explain what had happened, she didn’t want to listen.

One morning when Teresa took Timothy to school, Rod asked her to invite someone in to talk about writing, illustrating children’s books or publishing them, because Teresa used to work in publishing .Then Teresa thought about Fanella, who was an editor for children’s books. She knew about the whole publishing world and she loved children. When Teresa went home, she phoned Fanella and told her what Rod wanted. She accepted and a week later, Fanella arrived at the school.

She was welcomed by the school. Then the secretary took her to Rod’s classroom. When Fanella saw Rod her heart jumped, he was so attractive and he had a lovely smile. The talk went well and they agreed to work together. Fanella wanted to have Rod for her husband but her friend told her that he was married, so she forgot about him.

The social worker came to her house, looked around everywhere, and asked her some questions because she wanted to adopt a child. Then they decided to give her a child called Ellie, who found it really difficult to adapt to her new life, but Fanella went forward little by little. Also Ellie didn’t like going to school, but Fanella persevered until she liked going to school and her teacher was Rod, who worked with Fanella.

It was Friday when Dan’s mother came to school and had a big argument with the headteacher about Dan. Then she went to see Rod in his classroom and told him she wanted to see him in her office at break time. When Rod went to see her, she said,

‘Dan has accused you of bruising his arm and trying to hurt him and his mum went to the local authority.’

This meant she had to suspend Rod until he was proved innocent in a disciplinary hearing. Rod was shocked and he had to leave the school until this incident was sorted out. He was silent as he couldn’t believe it. While he was at home doing nothing, his wife became angry because she had a boyfriend so this man couldn’t come to see her when Rod was at home.

One day Rod met Fanella in the restaurant. They discussed their book and she explained to Rod what he had to do. When he went home, he saw a man who was kissing his wife. He became very angry and asked her what she was doing. Then she told him the truth and they broke up. He went to see Fanella and explained to her what had happened. So Fanella saw the opportunity to have a relationship with him knowing also that her adopted daughter Ellie loved him as well. It would be perfect.

While they were talking about their problems, they kissed each other and Fanella became really happy. Immediately she phoned Teresa and told her that her life had changed; she had a child to adopt and she had kissed Rod. Later that week, something happened which made her happier than she had ever been; her adoption of Ellie was finalised and made legal. Ellie asked for a party to celebrate being her proper daughter, so she invited all her friends and Rod. When Rod saw Fanella, he said to her,

‘I couldn’t stop thinking about you. To be honest, I’m in love with you.’

She couldn’t believe it. She had always dreamed of having Rod for a husband, now she had got over Steven. Teresa was jealous but she loved to see Fanella happy.
A few years later, Fanella became pregnant, so they realised the doctors had made a big mistake.

Fanella became really happy and everything went very well for her, Rod and Ellie.

The End.

By Fode N’Diaye.
1st December 2008.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 13 part two - Fencing

2008-12-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Fencing - part two.

After cremating him, all of the travellers could finally continue the journey. During their journey, Lyra asked Iorek Byrnison if he felt lonely because he didn’t have his demon. Then he informed her that the feeling was dependent on the person. He said that he didn’t know what cold was nor what loneliness was. And he added that he thought armour was the soul of the bears like demons for human beings. He said that the armoured bears were different from human beings. He suggested fencing with Lyra to prove his words.

She picked up a stick and started fending him off. To succeed in touching him, she would feint an attack in one direction then actually attacked in another. Amazingly, when she faked her intentions, he didn’t move at all. And when she attacked him, his paws had blocked her stick in advance. She attempted to attack him until she was sweating profusely, but he blocked her attacks only if they were real. It seemed that he had already known all her actions. He explained that the armoured bears were able to see things in a way which human beings had forgotten. So Lyra’s father wouldn’t escape from the bears.

After that, she talked with Lee Scoresby. He explained how to fly with his balloon, the history between Iorek Byrnison and himself, and about Tartars. While they were talking about Tartars, she said, in Lord Asreil’s presentation at Jordan College, she had seen Gruman’s head which seemed to be evidence that he had been killed by Tartars. Lee Scoresby discounted her story and added that he believed Lord Asreil had to lie to other scholars to get their permission.
After, as she fell asleep, she thought about many things such as the things related to the Dust.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 13 part one - Fencing

2008-12-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

Fencing

While Lyra was in a state of shock, she thought how the poor child was. A human being without a demon was like a ghost. Suddenly the child started speaking. He asked her where Ratter was. She thought Ratter might have been his demon. She tried to explain about the Gobblers to him but she couldn’t because of her inner sorrow for him. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel, if her demon were cut away from her. Anyway she made him calm down as quickly as she could and came back with him to the sledges.

By the time, she arrived at the gyptians’ camp, she was too exhausted to do anything. She told Iorek Byrinison to pass the word to John Faa and then fell asleep. As Iorek Byrnison informed John Faa what had happened, he scolded him for the fact that he wasn’t as brave as the little girl. He couldn’t find any word to say to apologize.

Lyra had slept for hours and when she woke up, she heard that the boy was going to be cremated because the ground was to solid to bury him. After that, she ran out to see the boy before he was cremated. She imagined the last moment she had seen him. However, she discovered he didn’t have his fish. So she asked the gyptians, who were around her, for that. Unfortunately, they replied they had given if to their dogs,which made her furious. So she wrote the name of the boy’s demon on a gold coin and put it in his mouth like the dead scholars in Jordan College’s crypt.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 12 - The Lost Boy

2008-12-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Lost Boy

The gyptians, Lee Scoresby, Iorek Byrnison and Lyra started travelling by sledges. While they were travelling, John Faa asked Lyra if she could find out with her Aletbiometer how the soldiers at Bolvangar were defending the place they would have to get through. Without any hesitation she dialed her instrument and answered accurately with details but she couldn’t catch the overall meaning, which seemed ghost like. But John Faa thought it didn’t matter at that time. He was only interested in how they would get through the place which sixty riflemen were defending.

Although she said again she felt that it would be the child they would have to rescue, he wasn’t concerned about that at all. She thought it was necessary to investigate so asked Iorek Byrnison to help her. He accepted her request and ran with her to where she had pointed, which was a small and almost ruined village. She sought the child, she had felt, everywhere in there. After a few minutes, she found the child in a dilapidated shed and was absolutely shocked. She could see the child, who had been a victim of something, didn’t have his demon at all. He was only clutching a dried fish as if it was his demon and that was all he could do. The Gobblers had cut it away.

That was what the Gobblers were doing to the children, cutting away their demons.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 11 - Armour

2008-12-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Armour

Farder Coram and Lyra returned to their boats. And Farder Coram and John Faa had a discussion about the bear. However, it wasn’t easy to decide to believe the bear’s promise. While they were hesitating and busy on other things, Lyra discovered where the armour was. A few days passed by, then one day, she saw the Aurora. It was so beautiful as if a great curtain was hung on the sky. As she saw it, she felt she was in a dream. And she started dialling as if she was the Aurora’s marionette. Then she could see the city in that. When she awoke, as if waking up from sleep, the city had gone.

By the time she awoke fully, the great goose had arrived on the deck of the boat and asked her where Farder Coram was. She ran into his room and called him. Farder Coram and John Faa went out onto the deck and started talking with the goose. They talked about the gyptians’ plans, the Gobblers, the situation of witches at that moment, Lyra, why Lord Asreil was imprisoned, the armoured bear and so on. When they talked about the bear, Lyra claimed it was necessary to find the armour to obtain his help, but John Faa and Farder Coram were still not confident the bear would keep his promise.

A few days later, the gyptians loaded their stores onto sledges to carry on their journey. While they were all busy, she met the aeronaut she had heard about from Farder Coram. Amazingly he had known the bear for ages. And he wanted to find the armour like she did. So he started getting the gyptians’ attention by playing cards. At that moment she sneaked from their group and got to where Iorek Byrnison was. She told him where the armour was after he reaffirmed his promise. As soon as he heard the fact, he ran to the place and got his armour. The police attempted to block him but they couldn’t at all. He was furious and killed them without stopping. After Lyra told him to calm down, he stopped killing and walked to the coast. Lee Scoresby welcomed him as an old friend and joked they both were hired.

By the time the gyptians finished all of their preparation, Iorek Byrnison had cleaned his rusty armour. Finally they could get into the real journey.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 10 - The Consul and the Bear

2008-12-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Consul and the Bear

John Faa and the other leaders made a decision that they would head for the port of Trollesund. There was a consulate of witches whose help the leaders thought would be necessary to rescue the children. John Faa and Farder Coram had explained their plans to Lyra then they disembarked to the port.

Farder Coram had saved a witch’s life when he was younger and she gave him a token for contacting her with, in case he needed her help. He said she would remember that, although it was about forty years previously. Also he informed her about witches. Usually witches didn’t move with their demons as they had the power to separate themselves from their demons, so they could move anywhere without the interruption of that relationship between each other. Additionally he explained why demons permanently settled on an appearance when a child grew into an adult. By the time she felt tired of Pantalaimon’s changing about, and she wouldn’t want his changing any more, he would settle on one form. She claimed she wouldn’t do that but Farder Coram was confident that she would. Furthermore, he said she would know what sort of person she was when her demon settled.

After arriving at the harbour, Farder Coram and Lyra went to the witch’s consulate to get the information about Serafina Pekkala, who Farder Coram had saved, and what would be helpful for their journey. They met Dr. Lanselius, who worked in the consulate, and asked him for the information. When finally Farder Coram asked Dr. Lanselius what he would do in his situation, Dr. Lanselius replied that he would obtain the help of armoured bears. Also surprisingly, he knew Lyra had the Alethiometer, and most witches had known of her too. He was concerned about her so she showed him she could read the Alethiometer. He thanked her for her openness, and gave her a piece of something with which she could connect with the witches.

After leaving the consulate, they moved to meet the armoured bear who lived around there. At the entrance of his house, which was clearly a cage for him, they called his name, Iorek Byrnison. He was working there shaping metal. They told him that they wanted to employ him to rescue the children but he replied he couldn’t because his armour had been stolen. After a few seconds, he promised that only if they found his armour, which had been hidden somewhere, would he fight either until he died or they had victory.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 9 part 2 - The Spies

2008-12-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Spies (part two).

One day, while they were talking, they were shocked that Jacob Huismans, the spy, came back seriously wounded. He couldn’t open his mouth due to his injuries. So his demon spoke to Farder Coram about what had happened. Even though it was rare for demons to speak to anyone except their masters, this was such an unusual situation that neither Farder Coram nor Lyra were shocked. His demon, demons usually had a different sex from their maters, said one spy died and another was captured. Also she said the spies had captured three Gobblers and had discovered who they were working for, where the orders came from and so on. However, she said they didn’t know where the kidnapped children were being taken except that it was north.
After that event, John Faa called Lyra to talk. He asked her to go with them to the North and she accepted it. He might have had no choice as she was necessary to the journey.

After that two weeks passed, Lyra was outside just for fresh air and Pantalaimon was flying as the seagull. Suddenly small black widgets started attaching themselves to Pantalaimon’s body. He fell down like a crashed air plane into the river. She was rarely mad but this was one of those times, as Lyra couldn’t do anything. At that moment, something swept past her and she realized Pantalaimon was alive. The tiller man’s demon had saved Pantalaimon’s life. The widgets were still attached to his body although he changed into a cat. Farder Coram knew what they were and informed them that the widgets were pieces of clockwork equipment sent to prevent their journey continuing.

When they were going on with their voyage, she heard one more gyptian spy had gone missing during his work. And finally, she would be able to go to the North by the best way-among friends.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 9 part 1 - The Spies

2008-12-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

The Spies

Over the next few days, Lyra invented several plans on how to go to the North but she threw away the plans because she decided that they wouldn’t work. If she wanted to use the gyptians’ boats, she would have to stow away but their boats were too narrow and small. So she thought it would be better to escape from their boats when the boats were close to the coast to stow away in big ship. But it wouldn’t be easy either as she might stow away on a wrong ship.

Meanwhile, the gyptians went on preparing for their journey. She often found herself Farder Coram, one of the heads who was very intelligent, talking about her, Mrs. Coulter and the aletbiometer. Of course, while talking to him, she always emphasized that she would be helpful for their journey but she didn’t have confidence that it would change their mind about taking her with them. He always listened carefully to her and advised her. Also they had discussions about what the images, on the aletbiometer, meant. At the time, Lyra was pretty accustomed to moving the long needle. The only problem was how to read the meaning.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 8 - Frustration

2008-12-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Frustration

Obviously Lyra needed time to find some peace of mind. It was too hard to believe that Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel were her parents. But she didn’t have much time to think about it, because she had already set her aim to go to the North.

Often she told children a story about herself that she embellished each time. Meanwhile, around the edge of the Fen country, in which she was living at the time, the police were still searching for her more carefully and determinedly. Sometimes when she was talking with Ma Costa, she questioned the story about her birth in detail. It was that Lord Asriel had shot Mr. Coulter then Mr. Coulter died and Lord Asriel asked Ma Costa to care for Lyra.

Also Lyra tried to figure out how to use the Alethiometer. Through much practice, she became more able to move the long needle as concentration. She felt thrilled at that because she thought she was getting closer to the secrets related to the North.

One day, the six heads of the gyptians got together to make a decision about their following plans. They all agreed on rescuing children also each head gave away gold and promised how many people from their groups would join the plan. One of the heads asked John Faa to take women as guards or nurses but John Faa refused strictly. After their decision, Lyra told him to take her to the North but he refused for the same reason. She attempted to persuade him again that she would be helpful because she read the Alethiometer but he didn’t agree at all.
She left his room and closed the door. And then she told Pantalaimon she would go to the North even though the gyptians wouldn’t help her. She promised.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 7 - John Faa

2008-12-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

John Faa

On the way to visit John Faa, Lyra helped Ma Costa. She cleaned, swept, cooked and so on. She felt that she really worked there compared with being with Mrs. Coulter. She recognized she did nothing but act as Mrs. Coulter’s pet.

While she was living there, in the world outside the police were searching for one girl everywhere. Lyra thought there was no doubt Mrs. Coulter had ordered it. So she had to be cautious with the police checks. One day when the gyptians’ boats got through a bridge, the police stopped them to search whether the girl was in the boats or not. Lyra was in fear but fortunately the police didn’t find her although they made a mess of the boats. After they had gone, Ma Costa explained to Lyra some particular wood had prevented their demons, which might have been dogs, from smelling Lyra’s scent.

A few days later, Lyra and the gyptians arrived at the Zaal where they would be able to meet John Faa. John Faa and other gyptians had been waiting for them and welcomed their safe arrival. John Faa wanted to talk with Lyra, so she started talking to him. She explained everything from why she was standing with the gyptians to who Mrs. Coulter was. The more she talked with him, the more she was amazed at the fact that he had already known many more things than she imagined. He had known Lyra for ages and watched what she had been doing. Critically, when he told her Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel were her parents, she was really shocked. In addition, the Master was trying to protect her from any danger. So she asked him why the Master had attempted to kill Lord Asriel. John Faa replied that it might have been some reasons which the Master had no choice about. John Faa had absolutely huge knowledge, he had even known a little about what the alethiometer was. And he knew where the manual about that was. He explained to her about that as much as he knew. Also they talked about Lord Asriel. They had a discussion about whether it would be correct to go to meet her father with the aletbiometer or not. But they couldn’t sort it out. After they ended their conversation, she went to bed. Before going there, Ma Costa hugged Lyra and kissed her like she used to do. And Lyra didn’t feel any strangeness. Lyra had heard from John Faa that the woman who nursed her when she was baby was Ma Costa.

Frank and the Northern Lights - Chapter 6 - The Throwing Nets

2008-12-05T08:16:00.000-08:00

The Throwing-Nets

Lyra thought that she had better leave the river because it was well-lit around there. Walking in the darkness was the safest way for a while. If she had known London as well as Oxford, she would have had better alternatives. Her demon changed into a wild cat so that they walked in the darkness easily.

From time to time, she had to leave the darkness to cross the bright roads and her clothes became wet and dirty. When she passed a wide street, she saw a sandwich shop. She couldn’t endure her ravenous hunger so went there and ordered. Before she ordered, a gentleman was already there. He paid for both of them and questioned why she was in the street at night. She joked that she had to meet her father to give him new clothes because he had committed murder. She stopped talking and went on her way.

A few hours later, she was exhausted so she had to find a place where she could take a rest. She found a building but she was spotted by a guard. The guard threw throwing-nets over Lyra and the guard’s demon caught Pantalaimon. She was injured in many places by the keen nets and thought that her escape had failed.

However, she saw strange scenes when she woke up from unconsciousness into depression. The guard had been knocked down and blood was pouring from his head. In addition, she heard some familiar voice. Amazingly, her gyptian friend, called Tony Costa, was standing in front of her. He had saved her life. He took her to his house which was of course a boat. He lived with some other gyptians. There was Billy’s mother, whose son had been kidnapped by the Gobblers. She told Lyra to take a rest and sleep.

The next day, she talked with Billy’s mother, called Ma Costa, about her life in London and the Gobblers. She said Mrs. Coulter was one of the Gobblers and so on. However, she didn’t say about the Alethiometer. Ma Costa had already known a little about that but she didn’t know exactly what the Gobblers were doing to the children. She just guessed they used the children for some experiments.

The gyptians were on their way to visit John Faa, the king of the gyptians. They wanted to rescue their children and Lyra wanted to recue Rodger so they started travelling together. In addition, she thought she had to rescue her uncle too.

Frank and the Northern Lights. Chapter 5 (part two). The Cocktail Party.

2008-11-21T04:20:00.000-08:00

Anyway, the party started. Lyra was polite, kind, smiling and attractive for everyone. For a while the party was going well although a journalist, who had tried to get gossip from Lyra, was banished by Mrs Coulter. After the event, Pantalaimon whispered to her that the monkey had been spying in their room. She wanted to escape the party hall but unfortunately she had to talk with Lord Borel, the scholar. Lyra thought he might have been related to Mrs Coulter.

After that, she was able to overhear a group of people by chance. Because it seemed their conversation was about her uncle, she went near to them. While eavesdropping on their conversation, Lyra heard her uncle had been imprisoned.

At that moment, she made a decision to escape from Mrs Coulter and the people wrapped in lies and secrets. She returned to her room and started packing her luggage. Fortunately, the Aletbiometer was exactly where she had left it. She couldn’t imagine what would have happened if the monkey had found it. To succeed in escape, she had to be cautious with the monkey. Pantalaimon changed his appearance into a moth and spied outside. Timing was critical and they succeeded in finding the perfect moment like a hole in a needle. They ran into the darkness. Only the darkness could help them now.

Frank and the Northern Kights. Chaper 5 (part one). The Cocktail Party.

2008-11-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

5. The Cocktail Party
Lyra’s new world started in London. Of course, it was with Mrs Coulter. Because Mrs Coulter was so famous, there were a lot of great people wherever she went. Lyra met them and learned many things from how to eat the dishes, which she couldn’t eat in usual way, to how to communicate with them. And Lyra went shopping a lot too. When they weren’t doing those activities, Mrs Coulter was teaching Lyra geography, science and mathematics. Lyra felt the gap between her knowledge which she had obtained at Jordan College and here. She made keen efforts to learn though she wasn’t outstanding at all the subjects.
One day, while Mrs Coulter was teaching her physics, Lyra said Dust accidently. At that moment, the golden monkey bristled and looked at her. Mrs Coulter made him calm down and asked her about Dust in detail. After that, Mrs Coulter returned again to teach her as if nothing had happened. Later Pantalaimon, Lyra’s demon, said that it was so strange because the golden monkey was too sensitive and aggressive.

Time flew and on the entrance of winter, Mrs Coulter decided to hold a cocktail party. While time passed, Pantalaimon was getting more suspicious about Mrs Coulter’s intention toward Lyra. He thought Mrs Coulter didn’t want to go to the North and wanted to keep Lyra in London for ever.

Lyra always kept the aletbiometer in a small shoulder bag. Before starting the party, Mrs Coulter ordered her to take off the shoulder bag and Lyra tried to resist. While they were arguing, suddenly Mrs Coulter’s demon caught Lyra’s demon roughly. She cried and begged her to release him. After she had promised to do as Mrs Coulter told her, the monkey released him. She had no choice but to take the bag off.

Frank and the Northern Lights. Chapter 4 - The Alethiometer.

2008-11-21T04:16:00.000-08:00

4. The Aletbiometer

The Master introduced her to some attendees and a woman. After that the woman, called Mrs Coulter, asked Lyra to sit next to her and Lyra accepted her request because she was curious about her. Mrs Coulter seemed to be skilled at getting on with any children. Lyra had talked with her for the whole dinner. All of what she said was so interesting for Lyra and Lyra told her about most of her life too.

After having dinner, the Master talked with Lyra about her future. He said that it was time to leave Jordan College and she needed guidance but she resisted his intention at first. So the Master asked her again if she would accept Mrs coulter being her guide. As soon as she heard that, she immediately accepted his proposition. Amazingly, at that moment she seemed to forget about her caution towards the Master and Rodger’s kidnapping.

After extra conversation with Mrs Coulter, she went to bed. At the crack of dawn, Mrs Lonsdale woke her up and requested her to go to the Master in a hurry. She received something like a compass called the Aletbiometer from the Master. Also he said that is would tell the truth and she wasn’t to show it to Mrs Coulter. And he tried to tell her about her uncle but he couldn’t do that because of being interrupted.

After that, she left Oxford with Mrs Coulter and faced her first night in London. Later that night in her bed she tried to solve the question about the Aletbiometer but she couldn’t find the answer.

Frank and the Northern Lights. Chapter 3 - Lyra's Jordan.

2008-11-21T04:11:00.000-08:00

3. Lyra’s Jordan

After Lord Asreil had left Jordan College, Lyra was left there again. But it didn’t matter to her because she was accustomed to living in the College without him. Jordan College was the biggest College in Oxford. So she had many places to play. The best thing she liked to do was to clamber over the College’s roofs. And she liked to play war too. The warfare was started when town children attacked a young college servant. And then the children of the servants, Lyra and other collegers got together to battle against the towners.

Another enemy was the gyptians, who lived in boats on the river near Jericho. When she threw small rocks or mud at their boats, they left them to chase the collegers. Often she led them into a trap, which was a broken boat that she found in advance. If they wnet into the trap, the trap would sink with them into the river and she would run away from them again. That was Lyra’s world in the College.

However, outside the College was a different world in which some children under about twelve years old were being kidnapped. A young beautiful woman with a golden monkey who was so kind to children at first, took them to her house and then asked them for a little help. In one case, she told a gyptian boy, who was hungry, that he would be able to eat as much as he wanted. After persuading him, she took him to her house. When he came into her house, other children were already there. She told them all to write a letter which would be sent to their parents but she tore up the letters without sending them.

A rumour about children being kidnapped was spreading over the country. Because nobody had seen the criminal, it was called the Gobbler. And Lyra played a game called ‘kids and Gobblers’ in which one had to hide somewhere and another find them.
One day, Lyra went to the college’s crypt with Rodger, who was a servant from the kitchen and her friend. And she recognized the demon was closely related with their master. After that, she was encouraged to learn about Dust.

A few days later, one gyptian girl who lived in Oxford disappeared. Lyra thought the Gobbler had got her but most people didn’t believe that due to the fact she was gyptian.
Unfortunately, Rodger disappeared too. She tried to find him all around the college but she couldn’t and nobody had time to be concerned about him because other servants had to prepare the special dinner which the Master had ordered. It was no doubt she was angry.
She went on searching for him but Mrs Lonsdale, the servant, took her to dress up to attend the special dinner. She didn’t know why she had to attend that but she had no option. When she entered into the Hall, she was able to see the woman with a golden monkey. Of course, Lyra didn’t know the woman was the Gobbler.

Frank and the Northern Lights Chapter Two

2008-11-17T08:42:00.000-08:00

2. The Idea of North

Although the Master’s intention had failed, he tried to control his emotions. As Lord Asriel started his presentation, Lyra started watching the Mater’s actions carefully. Before starting that, Lord Asriel had suggested that the Master moved near the wardrobe in which Lyra had hidden.
Lord Asriel showed the attendees some slides. There were interesting pictures such as the Aurora at the North pole, which Lord Asriel wanted to explore and inspect. However, many of the attendees wondered what really existed there, because Grumman, the explorer who had researched the same subject as Lord Asriel, had vanished for eighteen months and they had already known a little about his pictures.

During his presentation, Lyra was watching the Master’s actions but she couldn’t find anything strange. After that, Lord Asriel showed them the last slide. That was different from earlier ones because the Aurora’s shape was like a city. It seemed to be another world. The last slide was effective because some of scholars started asking him about the Tartars and the Dust. Finally, he was given permission for his expedition.

After all of the events, Lyra told her uncle that she wanted to go to the North. But he rejected her hope strongly. Lyra claimed again that she had the right to know about the Dust, but he didn’t change his word at all due to her young age.

At that time, the Master and his servant were talking about the events. And they talked about Lyra. It was that she would know all about the Dust, she would be an important part of some theories and she would commit a betrayal. All of what he said was mysterious.

Frank and the Northern Lights Chapter One

2008-11-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

1. The Decanter of Tokay
Lyra and her demon moved into the dark Hall secretly. The Hall was in the college and used as the retiring room. And only the scholars and his guests were allowed to enter also only man servants could clean that room. And she just wanted to look around there.

During her sightseeing, a servant came into the hall. So she needed to hide somewhere. After that the Master came into the hall and at that moment, she was hiding in the wardrobe.
They talked to each other and then suddenly the Master poured a powder into the Tokay which was prepared for Lord Asriel, who was Lyra’s uncle. She thought the powder was a poison due to some effects after pouring it. Though they went out after that, she couldn’t go out because she had seen her uncle’s danger.

A few minutes later, her uncle came there to show a presentation and tried to drink the Tokay. At that moment Lyra jumped out from the wardrobe and prevented his danger. Fortunately, there were only Lyra and Lord Asriel. When the Mater returned, Lyra hid again in the wardrobe because her uncle had ordered her to watch the Master’s actions. A few attendees had taken their seats and he was about to start his presentation.

Aytac's fil review - 'Children of Men'

2008-10-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

Children Of Men

Actors: Clive Owen , Julianne Moore and Michael Caine

Directed by Alfonso Carom

The film is set in 2027, and everything from then is going to be bad for the country. Everybody is fighting and killing each other, and no child has been born for 18 years.

One day a baby is born and our hero Clive Owen, who is called Theo in this film, wants to save this baby’s life. And he wants to escort a young pregnant woman out of the country as quickly as possible. I don t know if he could as I did not see the end of the film because after 90 minutes I was bored and switched off the TV.

If you like to see blood, you should watch this film because there are a lot of killers you can see. This film is just blood and killers. However if you don t like this kind of film, trust this review and don t waste your time on this film. It’s not good for your health.

A Review by Aytac.
30.09.08

Olympic Scavenger Hunt (Lisa's class)

2008-08-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Choose one of the following sections of the official Olympic website. It is first come, first served, so tell Lisa your choice as soon as you've made it.

Then SCAN through the pages and write as many quiz questions as you have time for. The quiz questions should be on one page and the answers on another.

When Lisa says that your time is up, trade quiz questions and computers with another group. KEEP THE ANSWERS so your competing group can't cheat!

You will then try to find the answers to the other group's questions and will be competing with them. The group with the highest percentage of CORRECT answers wins.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Anja's Review of 'The Sugar Glider' by Rod Neilsen

2008-07-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

Anja’s Book Review
‘The Sugar Glider’ by Rod Neilsen

The story is about two pilots and the daughter of one, who transport something in their plane, but the plane has a defect and they crash. After that, they have to fight in the hot and dry part of Australia to stay alive.

Everything begins with a job offer. Paul Copeman is made an offer to fly an old plane called the Sugar Glider and pick up some stuff from a mine and fly it to Melbourne. He also needs a co-pilot and his first idea is his old friend Don Radcliffe, who since his divorce and leaving behind his teenage daughter, Judy, has been flying around the Pacific Ocean for the past year. Now he is returning to start a flying school with Paul, and to see his daughter. Maybe they will have a chance to come together again, but he meets his ex-wife and her new lover, who is a businessman, and looks deeply in love with her. But Don is glad that Judy doesn’t like him as well.
Don agrees to Paul’s offer, even though he has just come back and hasn’t the time to do anything with Judy. So Don decides to take Judy with them. They start the next morning, but then everything turns bad…

I reckon it is a good story. It is full of exciting parts. So I read it in only two hours. It wasn’t really difficult to understand.

Anja Baumgartner.

24th July 2008

Tobi's Presentation

2008-07-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Angela's Presentation

2008-07-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

Kevser's First Book Review - 'East 43rd Street'

2008-07-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

East 43rd Street

East 43rd Street is a thriller about an old-fashioned private investigator whose life was absolutely changed after he saw a woman in a pub. The book is written by Alan Battersby.

The story begins with Nathan Marley sitting in McFadden’s Bar six days before Christmas. He sees a beautiful, expensively-dressed woman with huge diamonds. Marley decides to follow her but he loses her in the crowd.
But in the morning he sees her in his office, because unfortunately he had been selected by her and her husband as a fall guy for their devious plan. But he was not so stupid as they had imagined And after Mr Lam and his two bodyguards were involved in the story, everything started to change.

I found the end of the story a bit weak for this kind of book. After a lot of interesting things happened, the story finished very limply. But generally, it’s a beautifully-written book. I can recommend it to you as a good read.

Kevser Celik
16th July 2008

Vlad's presentation

2008-07-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Yao's presentation

2008-07-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ponne's presentation

2008-07-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

M.J.'s presentation

2008-07-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Irina's presentation

2008-07-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Lily's First Review - 'Robin Hood'.

2008-05-23T04:12:00.000-07:00

Robin Hood

‘Robin Hood’ is an old story, which is very popular in the U.K.
Robin Hood is a man who lived an heroic life.
In ancient England, the rich made the laws and the poor paid taxes. Robin Hood could have lived like most common people, and stayed quiet.
Fortunately he used his bravery, arrows, bow and sword to fight the laws and so he created his own life.
It suggests that if you think justice is important to you, you should fight for it, even if the result ends in failure.
Sometimes, only having determination is not enough to succeed in everything; we usually need friends’ assistance. If Robin Hood had not had the other outlaws, he would not have fought the rich men’s laws successfully.
Now, in the 21st century, we also need friends, though, you will say, sometimes friends will betray us. But if you find the true friends, you will also find that you help each other and so have more power.
‘Robin Hood’ became a popular story, because it tells us about the right ways to improve our lives.
If you read it, you will discover many positives for life.
I highly recommend that you read it.

Lily - 22nd May 2008

Li's second book review - 'A Kiss Before Dying'

2008-05-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

A Kiss Before Dying.

I’ve read the book called ‘A Kiss Before Dying’. It’s a wonderful crime novel written by Ira Levin.
I think it’s very nice to try to figure out who the murderer in the story is. I like the way the writer hid the murderer to the last. He put Gant Gordon and Dwight Powell in the story to make you believe that it should be one of them. When the ultimate killer is disclosed you get a real surprise, and have to start thinking back to who Bud really is.
Dorothy, the youngest daughter of a copper tycoon, and Bud were the students of Stoddard College in Blue River. They loved each other, and their plans were going well until a slight problem happened. Dorothy fell pregnant. However, Bud didn’t want a baby, because that meant he had to quit school and get a job. Dorothy wanted to get married soon. But if they got married without Dorothy’s father’s permission, they would stop getting money from him, and Bud wouldn’t have the chance to inherit his father-in-law’s property. That was something much more important!
But everything went wrong. Bud decided that he had to kill Dorothy immediately and change his plans. Bud transferred from Stoddard to Caldwell and became Ellen’s boyfriend, the weird thing being that Ellen was Dorothy’s older sister. Ellen was very suspicious about her sister’s 'suicide'. But she didn’t realize that her boyfriend was the one. She decided to go to Blue River to investigate the case herself. On the way to Blue River Ellen wrote a letter to Bud in which she told him about her plan. In Blue River Ellen also encountered two people she suspected. After that time, the story began to get complicated and more urgent.
Not only is the plot marvellous, but also the description of all the characters in this story. Here are some of the main characters.

Dorothy:
The naive---She seems like a pleasant and nice girl, maybe a little too nice. She always thinks that getting married is important. She wants safety and love so much. She trusts the man who just loves her father’s money.
Ellen:
The foolhardy---She seems like a more active girl who likes adventures & modern stories. She went to investigate the murder. She never cares about what will happen. But she’d better watch her back, if suddenly it goes wrong.
Marion:
The highbrow--- She enjoys going to museums. She has particular tastes. She likes artwork, serious novels & classical music. I like Marion because I think she’s more intelligent and elegant than her sisters.

BUD:
The avaricious & cruel---A young, smart beautiful man that all young ladies fall for. But in his soul he can’t be a nice man. He likes to make his life brilliant through choosing the easiest solutions. He wants to make money in an easy way, like getting it from the father-in-law. He is also a sick man—has killed 3 people to smooth his way towards gaining money. Although he’s poor, he needn’t do that. He could earn money by his own hands, even from scratch, because he is smart enough and studies economics! He certainly has the talent to make himself wealthy as easily as being an excellent actor in front of women. I’m disgusted with him very much because of his notion of life as being a man. He’s dreamt too much about fortune. Greed, the biggest sin, causes so many crimes!

I didn’t think so much about the end. Maybe I had expected a shrewder ending. Of course, I enjoyed the novel very much. I’m going to see the famous film soon. And I’ll read the original one day in the future!

Fode's Book Review No.1 - The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency

2008-04-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

This book talks about Mma Ramotswe. She has opened the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Botswana where she lives so she has become a private detective and her agency is the best one.

I’ve enjoyed this book so much.

Firstly, she’s a very honest person and she does her job very well, she helps everyone even if they are poor.
Secondly, in Botswana there were a lot of bad things which she has stopped. For example, there is one boy who was missing for a long time and his parents did everything to find their son, but they didn’t find him. When they told her about their son, she did everything to find the boy. A lot of things like this happened in Botswana and she did her best to find out what had happened.

Now in Botswana if someone has got a problem they should go to the police station but they go to see her instead because she can solve their problem much more quickly than the police.
I would like all detectives to be like her, nice and clear and to help as much as they can.

By Fode – 1/4/2008

Fode's Book Review No.2 - A Tale of Two Cities

2008-04-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

A Tale of Two Cities

This book talks about France and England and how much the people suffered in France in the eighteenth century.

In France there was a king and a queen and in England there was a king and queen. The problem was they believed that nothing would ever change. In France the people were poor, hungry and unhappy and they couldn’t say nor do anything.

Then began the French revolution and the rich aristocracy were being sent to the guillotine so they decided to escape to England and became emigrants. These emigrants particularly suffered because the new law of France stated that all emigrants must die. They were taken to the prison for nothing and most of them were sent to the guillotine. They couldn’t see their parents nor write them a letter.

There was one man called Darnay who went to England to work and got married with a Frenchwoman. When he came back from England to France, they took him to the prison because they thought he was an emigrant so he spent many years in prison for nothing.

One day he had been questioned by judges because they wanted to condemn him to death but he explained to them why he had gone to England.

If you want to find out what happens to Darnay, you will have to read the book.

It’s really interesting to read this book because you can learn a lot of things about France and how France was many years ago.

By Fode – 14/4/2008

Li's Book Review No.1 - The Smuggler

2008-04-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Smuggler.

It’s a really interesting and cliff-hanging novel which talks about two gangs of smugglers and police. I enjoyed reading it again & again to really absorb some episodes in it. The plot of this novel is rather complicated and unpredictable. There are many peaks in this novel. Even I was sweating when I read it…

A 3000-year-old Egyptian gold head in the museum went missing! Harker had written a poem before he was killed. But he wasn’t a poet. He was a smuggler, a shrewd smuggler. He left a message in that poem. Another smuggler, Ezra, and his men, and even Inspector Roland wanted to get the poem, because the poem was about the place where the gold head had been hidden. But the mysterious poem was in Fame’s hand. Fame was also a smuggler who crossed the frontier many times a week by car. Ezra & the police thought Fame was the only man who could understand the poem and work out the message in it. So they wanted to capture him!

In fact, Fame wasn’t so interested in the gold head. He just wanted to continue his smuggling business and find out the truth of Harker’s death. He used his intelligence to fight against his enemies. At last, He escaped from his captives successfully and discovered the treasure! At that time, a gun was pointing at the back of Fame’s head, the gun was in Ezra’s hand......

It isn’t a cruel ending. As my favorite character in the novel, I wouldn’t want Fame to die.

To find the ending, read the book. You’ll also encounter someone’s greed and Fame’s intelligence, bravery & probity. In my opinion, doing an illegal job doesn’t definitely mean being a bad person. We need professional morals & righteous character, even in an illegal job like smuggling. And teamwork is also very important. If Fame hadn’t had those two good workmates, he wouldn’t have been so fortunate.

At the end of the novel, you may smile or laugh, for the delightful ending & the interesting truth; for smart Fame and the foolish customs officers.

Li
19-04-2008

A memorable journey - by Ann

2008-03-04T04:27:00.000-08:00

Nine p.m.. Freezing weather. France, which I saw as soon as I got off the plane, was very dark. It was the first time that I had gone abroad by myself. The exotic language which I couldn't understand, my silly sense of direction, and the fact that my country is far from that country made me feel confused and gave me the creeps a little bit. However, on the other hand, these things made me feel excited as well. With these various emotions, I went to the hotel which I had already booked. And the first day in France passed like that.

Once starting to travel in Paris, I felt it was totally different from the first scenery I had seen the day before in lots of ways - delicate and beautiful cathedrals, which I couldn't believe were made a very long time ago, the spectacular Eiffel Tower, the amount of pieces of art in the museum which it is impossible to see in a day, the friendly and welcoming people, including tourists. All of these didn't give me the time to miss my family and friends.

However, if I have to choose one thing the most impressive, it will be warm hearted French people. One day, I arranged to go to Alres from Marceille, but I had got lost way on the way to go to the station, so I missed the train. Sun set, and it began to snow. I couldn't wait for the train which had already left anymore. Then, one French man came and told me he would take me to my destination. At first, I was worried a little bit, but eventually I could arrive Alres safely.

Even though I had mistakes sometimes, and weather was very frosty, I was very glad and satisfied with that travel. Because I could learn lots of things through that. I will never forget that memories.

The great divide

2007-07-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Are we "taught" to behave like males/females?

Who should get kicked out?

2007-07-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Decide which of the housemates you created should get kicked out of our class' Big Brother house.

Charles is a guy who works very little and makes a lot of money. He is a single writer, and his passion is drinking tequila with beer. He spends 80% of his profits gambling.
Jessica is 20 and is very aggressive. She likes swimming, playing tennis, reading books and travelling. She wants to be a businesswoman. Sometimes she is a little bit crazy. This money could help her to become independent from her parents.
Paul used to be a jobless addict. In the Big Brother house he plans to get clean. Because he can't consume anything in the house he's incredibly angry with his housemates. Paul is messy and not really a good helper in the household. Often, the others have to clean up his mess. Paul says that with the money he would start a new life.
James is a little shy when he meets strangers but very warm-hearted with his friends. He's a musician who is also good at sports and painting. He admits that sometimes he can be very bad-tempered and violent but he tries to control his anger. He needs the money to continue his career and keep his friends.
Thomas is very quiet. He speaks once or maybe twice a day in spite of the fact that he's asked a lot of questions. He comes from Liverpool, so he is a massive Beatles fan. His favorite song is "Let it be". His dream is singing "Let it be" in front of beautiful ladies. He is also very good at swearing at his Big Brother housemates.
Karin is a teacher in a high school. She likes cooking, dancing, and going to the cinema. She likes children and she considers herself the most beautiful woman in the world. Her dream is to be the president's wife.
Cherry is a lovely girl with a shapely figure. She is optimistic and has a lot of friends. But everyone is kind to her so she always thinks the world revolves around her. She is afriad of insects and she doesn't believe in God or ghosts. She is always ready to help others but sometimes she is too big-headed. She tries to change, but it is really difficult.
Sara is an unpredictable woman who usually likes going from party to party. She admits to being a fussy person who always likes things to be in their place. She thinks life would be much easier if everybody was like her. Her worst fear is daylight. She's passionate about her simple way of life.
Rose is a 19-year-old university student. She is beautiful and very attractive. At times, she uses other people's stuff without asking. But if she apologises to them with her lovely smile, everybody forgives her instantly. She takes it for granted that people like her. So she has never thought that her bad behaviour should be changed.
Anne is a housewife who loves cleaning and looking after her children, Peter and Mery. She describes herself as "the perfect mother". Anne hates seeing people lying on the couch all day. She can't bear the mess!

Why would she have done this

2007-06-29T04:33:00.001-07:00

6 months ago, a man met a woman at a party. As soon as he saw her, he fell in love with her. Within a week, he asked her to marry him. They were seen as a happy couple. They seemed not to have any problems. But one day, she committed suicide. After her death, he got a very large sum of money from the insurance.

Why would she have done this ?

2007-06-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

A word-famous woman spends the rest of her life in her house. She doesn't go anywhere and doesn't watch T.V or listen to the radio. She always reads a lot of books and stands beside the fence. Many people want to talk to her. Why would she have done this ?

why might a person have done this?

2007-06-29T04:28:00.000-07:00

A 21-year-old woman who is a university student really wanted to get married as soon as possible. However almost everyone didn't agree with her even her boyfriend. People thought that she was too young to marry and she had to graduate from the university before marriage. She tried persuading her parents and finally her parents permitted her to marry. Eventually her boyfriend proposed to her but she changed her mind suddenly and she refused hes proposal.

why might he have pretended to do that?

2007-06-29T04:21:00.000-07:00

A handsome rich business man pretended to fall in love with a poor girl when his father suddenly died in an accident.

Why would this man do this?

2007-06-29T04:20:00.001-07:00

A sixty-year-old man, while he was watching Tv, discovered he had a brother that ne never had known. The brother moved in another country when he was 20 and became a very rich business man. But the man decided not to meet him.

Why might he have done this?

2007-06-29T04:20:00.000-07:00

A man was driving on the highway, and suddendly he changed lanes and he got a head-on collision with another car.

Why might he has done that

2007-06-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

A man was drinking in a pub which was on the sixth flwor,he was stood next to the window and suddenly jumped out.Ten minutes later,he came back and kept drinking,after a glass of beer,he jumoed out of the same window again.Ten minutes later,he came back again........

Why would he do this?

2007-06-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

2007-06-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

If you were a famous person of the past, who would you want to be?

supposing......

2007-06-28T04:22:00.000-07:00

you could change something of your past, what would you change?

Supposing.......

2007-06-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

you lived without T.V. how would your life be?

suppose...

2007-06-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

you had a boyfriend or girlfriend who was blind or deaf which would you choose?

Assuming

2007-06-28T04:07:00.000-07:00

Assuming you were the only human in the world,what would you do?

Imagine...

2007-06-28T04:06:00.000-07:00

Imagine you met somebody and fell in love with them at first sight, coule it be possible for you to make a decision to marry them in one day?

supposing....

2007-06-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

you and your best friend had bought a lottery ticket and you had promised to divide the money and you won a prize. However your friend did not know. Would you tell your friend or keep it secret?

Imagine................

2007-06-28T03:22:00.000-07:00

what you would do if your hometown was flooded

Imagine..................

2007-06-28T03:18:00.000-07:00

you could do any job in the world, which would you choose?

What would you do if.......

2007-06-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

you forgot to do your homework?

What would you do if ........................

2007-06-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

you forgot your homework and the teacher said they would kill you if you forgot?

What would you do if.......

2007-06-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

one day you suddenly found that you can move things by staring at it?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

One day, a UFO landed near your home and some Martians came down to ask you to go with them for a better life?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

you were walking along the beach and you saw your boss who was naked coming towards you!

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:55:00.000-07:00

you saw your friend being beaten and you came to help him/her to beat up the other one. Finally you found out the person who you had beaten was a policeman?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:54:00.001-07:00

you were watching tv and the anchorman told the whole word that an asteroid would destroy the world in 5 hours? Imagine that you had £20.000 to do anything!!

what would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:54:00.000-07:00

you met your favourite film star in a pub, she(or he) got drunk, and wanted to leave the pub without paying her(or his) bill and were quarreling with the waiters , what would you do? would you pay the bill for her(him) and still love her(him)? Or would you feel disappointed about her(him)? And why.

what would you do if

2007-06-25T03:53:00.001-07:00

you were having dinner in your friend's home but you didn't like the food?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

you found yourself in the bathroom when you woke up at midnight?

What would you do if....

2007-06-25T03:50:00.001-07:00

Imagine!!
You were meeting the most beautiful woman you'd ever met, and she asked you if you wanted to kiss her.
But, in fact, she is not a girl. You do not know this fact.

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

you were walking along the street and you saw some rowdies kicking a grandmother and she fell on the crowded street?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:49:00.003-07:00

you met a cat which could talk while walking in the street?

What would you do if.........

2007-06-25T03:49:00.002-07:00

you dropped some spital while you were yawning and you made eye contact with the man you liked, then what would you do?

what would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:49:00.001-07:00

you found one piece of your tooth while you were eating with your food chewed?

1. spit it and keep eating
2. I don't mind. Do nothing
3. spit it and keep it for offspring
4. bring it to a dentist

what would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

you were driving on the street, suddenly a girl and a dog appeared in your sight, you had to make a choice: to strike the girl or the dog. And tell me why.

What would you do if.......

2007-06-25T03:48:00.001-07:00

you were a ghost who lived in an old house and one day saw 2 kids get into your house, one boy said that he was not afraid of ghost?

what would you do if

2007-06-25T03:48:00.000-07:00

your wife and your mother both fell into a river but you could only save one?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:25:00.000-07:00

you got a job because the boss thought you were related to someone famous but they were wrong, would you tell them?

What would you do if...

2007-06-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

you met your old girlfriend/boyfriend who is now married, would you go out to lunch (or the pub) with them to catch up or would you just say hi?

Is communication really better?

2007-06-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

The world has changed we have emails, chat rooms, text messaging and instant communication to any corner of the world. Of course, everything is faster and more convenient but is it really better for 'communication'? What happened to letters ('snail mail') where we would pour out our feelings explaining our true feelings? Faster doesn't neccesarily mean better.

E-mail/ Text-messaging/Chatting is an addiction!

2007-06-21T04:03:00.001-07:00

Nowadays most people use E-mail, textmessaging and chatting to communicate with each other. These help people speak more coveniently whenever people want to contact others. Beside these are faster than before so we can save our time and not wait long for someone's response. The most important result of these technologies are that we can communicate with others frequently. Frequent contact makes relatinship between people stronger.

On the other hand, everything has weak points. Although they are faster, easier and more convenient than comminucation before, if power is cut, we cannot keep in touch with people. Besides excessive communication is not a good thing, nowadays many people especially teenagers are addicted to using text messages and emails. They spend more time on text messages and emails than their work and study, it's a waste of time. Not only wasting time but also using computers and mobile phones are harmful to human beings' health. Generally speaking, we should use them in suitable ways.

In my opinion, although using these technologies might waste our time and hurt our health, we should use them because the world we live in is growing rapidly as nobody can expect. Also, we have creativity to make it better.

Do you think e-mail,text messaging are good for us?

2007-06-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

It's fast that modern communication such as e-mailing and on-line chatting has changed the world greatly. Most people think it has made communication better. Obviously, many people are using internet as well as mobile phones. They're experiencing the advantages of modern technology. It was a great invention that people communicate sending e-mail and text messaging since require much papers, it's very harmful to the environment also a wast of resouces. However, if you use internet or mobile phones, there won't be any problem. Moreover, using letters are also slow but modern communication really saves time. In addition using modern communication brings many oppotunities.

On the other hand, people have lost a lot of traditional good and polite expressions. People are very busy nowadays as we know, so we use the minimum number of words in e-mail and text. But, what the problem is the fact that people use short and boring sentences with no guts in daily life although they're contacting their friends and families. As a result, they can't feel their passion in them.

Although mobiles and internet can be bad, I still think the positives out weigh the drawbacks. I'm living abroad now and using them to communicate with my friends every day. I couldn't imagine my life without mobiles and internet.

survey says communication easier faster more convenient but not better

2007-06-21T04:02:00.001-07:00

In the passing of the years the world has changed a lot.The internet with such good ways of communication like email, chatting rooms have made globalization easier and faster. However what happened with the traditional way of communication how sending a letter for a friend or a telegram these were much more exciting to wait for than an email, also some email deprives us of private life with spams anda hackers that usally attacks our computer and consequently our emails and messages which we woudn't want anyone to see.

On the other hand it's a fact that email, text messaging or chatting made distance shorter. When someone go to the internet and visit a new site about another country or if they have a friend who lives far or in another country these things make it cheaper and faster to communicate with them. Researchers claims that more than 90% of the world population knows, or just use the internet or the phone to communicate with the others. In one of the surveys said: "I prefer to use the text messaging because it helps me to save time and it doesn't interrupt a conversation with friends or some date."

Although email text messages chatting are sometimes bad, I believe the positives outweigh the drawbacks. If we use them in a suitable way, they can make relationship between people stronger. They are good ways to show your missing care and other felings to people.

we aren't sincere anymore!

2007-06-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

It is obvious that there are good ways of communication such as e-mail, text messaging and chatting on the Internet which make our life more convenient or even helpful to be close to each other. If someone was abducted, they can send friends a text quickly which can be helpful. It cannot happen when there is no mobile phones to send text messages without taking a long time.

On the other hand, easier communication doesn't mean better understanding of others. People are spending a lot of time chatting with their friends and relatives. Some of them can even talk with a person that they don't know for an hour. Therefore excessive time and energy is used on nonsense. In addition, people only write very few words in an email or text messages just saying "Hello" or "How are you?" these banal sentences. Besides people may not be so sincere while chatting on the Internet as they are face to face.

In my opinion, although mobiles and emails have many bad effects. I think these are very useful. We can't deny that these are convenient. So we can't give them up. Without mobiles or emails, I can't contact with my family and friends in this lonely country. I am confronted by this problem just now.

e-mail / text messaging / chatting has made communication easier / faster / more convenient

2007-06-21T04:01:00.002-07:00

It is a fact that e-mail, text and chat have made communication more convenient than it was before. For example email, it is like a letter, it is an electronic letter, whereas e-mail is faster than a letter, and what's more. It costs no money. Teenagers nowdays almost all own an e-mail adress, unsequently it is convenient for them to chat with each other, especially for two peaple who are for away from each other. In addition to teenagers, e-mail is also very useful to business. The same as e-mails, text messages and chatting also have many merit for communication. All of them have made the world smaller and also makes life colourful!

On the other hand there are some disadvantages. The more we use these convenient and frequent things, the less we put our sincere thought in our messages. Everyday we send E0mails or textmessages to our friend. However it is just something which has purpose. In addition to that, paople spend too much time checking or sending e-mails and textmessages.

Although we will have to live with the two side of the balance forever. Both side have these pros and cons and in my opinion i just think it's better as it makes my life easier but there are others who disagree. Now I'm in England without my family, my family worries about whether I can adapt to life here, so I can tell the details of my life here by e- mail, it only takes a few seconds for my parents to receive my e-mail and know my condition.

Changing Communication

2007-06-21T04:01:00.001-07:00

Most people in the world use email, text messaging to communicate to other people nowadays as it's much more convenient and easier. Actually, it's really useful not only in daily life but also on business. Especially, people need to use it in their work to report good information quickly and not to interrupt other people's work. What the tangible advantages are contacting other people immediately without waiting although people live in different places. In addition, people don't need to select the place to use it.
On the other hand, many people use bad language when they are sending texts or emails that causes many problems understanding each other. Despite how convenient chatting room is, it has mad some people become on-line chatting addicts, which is not good for people,especially for children. Many parents are getting big bills from their children's mobile phones.
Even though there are some drawbacks, I believe that the benefits of modern communication outweigh them. I cannot imagine our lives without mobile phones or computers. If we use them properly, we will improve our lives.

Communication rules the world!

2007-06-21T04:01:00.000-07:00

The modern way of communication is growing from day to day! It is a fact that 60 % of british households use the internet. Today nobody writes letters because emailing and chatting much faster and easier than writing! You sent email and messages around the world without any time limit! Modern Communication is a part of the business world for example you have subsidaries all over the world. You have to communicate with them without any problems and very fast. That`s why text messaging , email and chatting have become a part of life for each person in the world. This "easy" communication also saves lives! Many old people all over the world have as special way to communicate with hospitals or people who can help them very fast in case something happens to them.

On the other hand there are these people who are too old to learn all this new stuff and so they are a little bit out of the loop. Espiacilly old people couldn`t learn this new way of life and so they become more and more lonley. The traditionall letter plays no role in our lives anymore! That`s why many people, in for example the postal service, will be sacked in the future! Finally there will be more crimes in the future! Hackers will enter private data and abuse them for their advatage.

In conclusion although the modern way of communication lead to some problems and negatives, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks they have.

Internet has made communication easier/faster/more convenient

2007-06-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

It is a fact that there is an increasing number of people fond of modern communication. Most people have the same perception that emails, text messages and chatting has made communication more convenient. It is said that as the world develops rapidly, communication has become freer without the limit of space and time. What flabbergasts the teenagers is the ancient and tradional ways of communiciation which takes a long time to send a message. Consequently, more people are adept at sending emails as well as text messages. Even though the fast communication accelerates the rhythm of our life, nost of us feel that living at this time is more enjoyable.
On the other hand, there are also some downsides. Text messaging can be inadequate in some cases. People in some businesses send us advertising texts to promote their new products.
Even if advertising and spam mails become rampant the advantage of the new way of communication is unstoppable. Without email,text messaging and chatting whole staks will break down. Although Georg W. Bush couldn't make war on the whole world without the modern way of communication.

My perfect day; Instructions

2007-03-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

Dear All: Listen to the perfect day 'podcasts' and then read the perfect day 'blogs' to find out who it is.

Use the podcast link or go to http//oxfordenglishcentrepod.podomatic.com

As you listen you can try to answer the questions and then see if you are right by reading the 'blog'. If you go to the earlier or last ones they are the teachers!

Have fun!

My perfect day by Kueng-Te

2007-03-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

My perfect day is going to New York Yankees Stadium. As you probably know,The Yankees Stadium is holy site for crazy baseball fans except Boston Redsox fans who might think the Fenway Park.

Of course, I might go there with my friend. He is also crazy about baseball. When we watch baseball games, we talk about Yankees team a lot. In the end, the dream will come true.

I will enjoy watching the baseball game which is in New york and Boston game. Both team's stater pitchers will be Pettite and Matsuzaca. I might shout loudly the player's name when they show us brilliant plays. Very fasinating game!! It dosen't matter which team wins. The most important thing is I am there.

After finishing the game, I will be allowed to go a locker room. I'll see a lot of famous players, shaking a hands with them, a lot of pictures being taken. I won't forget to ask for captain Derek Jeter's unifrom.

This is my perfect day. I won't miss eating a big american hot dog while watching it.

My perfect day by Betty

2007-03-29T04:10:00.000-07:00

My perfect day was the winter holiday with friends two years ago.
We stayed for free in a hotel that belongs to one of my friends' company. After a late lunch, we unpacked our luggage and talked while drinking and snacking.
When it became dark, we decided to go night-snowboarding. Actually, I had never tried to snowboard before. Two of my frieds, who were pretty good at snowboarding, taught me some basic skills. And then I tried to snowboard according to their instructions. In an hour we left the beginner's slope. In a few hours I snowboarded quite well than I had expected. All my friends were surprised at my progress. In the end, I moved to another slope for intermediate boarder. When I went to the top of the slope, I was scared by the steep slope. Hesitating for a moment, I succeeded in going down. While I was snowboarding, I fell down just a few times and enjoyed it very much.
We went back to the hotel very late. After a shower, we had a drink for a while and then had a sweet sleep.
It was a perfect day except for the traffic jam and my friend's carsickness.

My perfect Day by Jaco

2007-03-29T04:07:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine such a day ?
Last my winter holidays I visited Italy.I went there with my best friends.
We spend our leisure time on skying. It was noon. We become a little tired. Around us was a completely white landscape. Not far from us we could see only a few trees, which gave a dark spot of shadow. There was no people could us distarbed. We were alone, sitting on the snow, looking at the high mountains which surrounded our small group. We had a few bottles beer, so we could drink it together. It was so warm that I took off my polar, which I bought that year. We started speak with each other and even sing. Our song was mixed with song of birds,which was the first sign of comming the spring.

my perfect day by Isobel

2007-03-28T03:14:00.001-07:00

I need just a few things which makes me happy; A cozy and toasty couch, a book which can inspire me every moment at every single line, a piece of music, a cup of coffee and little bit of conversation with my friends.

Basically, the day needs quite a lot of extras! It will be better if I can afford to buy bottles of wine, and of course it would be best if I can lie on the couch which belongs to quiet and atmospheric spot, some kind of Italian restaurant, bar or something with soft and slow, but little bit rhythmic music. Maybe the friendly madam who I had known for ages would refill my coffee gently without any notice. And if I feel hungry, she would serve delicious food such as lasagne, pasta and fresh crab salad till late night. Finally when I and my friend would be drunk and stuffed, we could go to my flat and watch movies or talk until the sun rises. That’s my perfect day and the day I won’t ever forget because of deep moment of being with my people.

My perfect day by Hisayo

2007-03-28T03:13:00.001-07:00

My perfect day is getting up late in the morning on holiday and having a cup of tea and breakfast which is more delicious in bed. The warm sunshine which Spring has come finds its way into my pretty room, I listen to the violin sonata which I extremry like .
I spend a quiet time.
After a while I get out of bed and air the futon I feel warm yet. I feel a spring wind and go out walking by the riverside. Cherry blossoms are blooming beautifully. I enjoy spring and go home.
I make coffee, a good smell hangs over in the room. I watch my favourite film drinking the coffee. And then I call a friend and have a chat with her.
I have lunch, sea food and fresh salad, and I have a cup of tea. Time is spent calmly.

my perfect day by ellie

2007-03-28T03:12:00.001-07:00

It is about my career. I’m an officer of some international organisation like UN, WTO. I prepare papers, drinks and check the equipment for people attending the conference. After finishing it, I go to a luncheon party in a posh hotel. It is great. The delicious food, glamorous atmosphere, I enjoy it, and I go home to finish my report.

When I’m at home I read a book in a Jacuzzi with a glass of whiskey. In the evening I go to the theatre with my perfect, tall, handsome, intelligent, humorous boy friend to see the musical “Chicago”. And then we go to a fabulous, lovely, and luxurious fusion restaurant. It is a kind of buffet having almost all kinds of food of all over the countries. Besides if we want specific dishes, we can choose the ingredients of our dishes. The restaurant is on the 133rd floor, so we can see the downtown with beautiful lights of the skyline. We talk about our day with delicious food and wine.

My perfect day by Seeun

2007-03-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

My perfect day must be a warm, sunny day with a light wind in May. I’d go on a short trip with my best friends by train. The train would go by the beautiful mountains and the river which would make us happier while we are looking out the window. We’d chat all the time during our short journey and eat our lunch. The final destination would be a quite place like a beach which is not very popular. If it is a beach, probably, we’d take a boat which goes at very high speed on the sea and eat a fresh sea food dinner. After eating dinner, we’d chat all night long with some snacks and drinks. We’d go to bed when we feel very tired and sleep until about noon the next day.

my perfect day by Gang

2007-03-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

My perfect day was the day I spent with my family, friends and played basketball.
I got up early that morning to watch a Houston Rockets’ match on TV. I like Rockets and Tracy MacGrady. I am so happy that the Rockets won the game in the end. Then I went to my grandparents’ home with my parents. My cousin and his family were waiting there to have lunch together with us. My grandmother is really good at cooking. I enjoyed the lunch. After lunch, the whole family went to a park near my grandparents’ home to take photos. Then, I went downtown to meet my close friends. We went to ktv and spent the whole afternoon there. Then we had a big dinner downtown. Unfortunately, it started to rain when we left the restaurant. So we decided to play basketball inside. Three hours later, we decided to go home. I side goodbye to everybody and gave each one a hug, because it would be the last time I saw them before I went to England. It was a nice day.