COMPUTER IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM Task I
Read the newsletter about computers in the English language classroom and decide what the underlined words refer to in the text. (5 points)
1. Them
2. They
3. Ones
4. Them
5. It
Task 2
Read the newsletter again and decide whether the statements below are true (T) or false (F). (5 points)
1. Computers will attract all the attention of students in language classes.
2. Teachers of English can easily be replaced by good computers.
3. Some teachers do not believe that they will ever learn to work with the Internet.
4. Teachers shouldn’t use computers as toys.
5. Every magazine about computing contains a free CD with ideas of how to teach English.
COMPUTERS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM
Dear Teacher of English,
Computers are invading every branch of our lives. Companies, banks, airports, offices, hotels, radio and television stations have
these smart machines. Why not let (1) them into English language classrooms? You should not be afraid of computers stealing all the at-tention in your classes. Remember that a computer is only a tool to as-sist the teaching and learning process — just like a cassette recorder, video or television. Computers, no matter how good, can never replace teachers. Before introducing computers to the classroom, both teachers and students need basic computing skills.
Many teachers are determined to get on the Internet and exploit the amazing resources available there, but at the beginning (2) they do not have much faith that they will be able to achieve anything. Still, it is possible to accomplish more than you really dream of through a simple philosophy; learning by doing. Within a few months or weeks, you can learn how to design your own website and load an Internet discussion group for teachers of English in Eastern and Central Europe.
Here are some useful tips for the shy (3) ones. Play around. The computer is a toy. Click on menus and see what options are available. Usually, you can undo most actions. Try out all possible steps.
Calm down. No matter what happens, do not panic. There are help files to help you find out about a problem you might be having. If you are still confused, ask someone to help you.
Read a lot. You can learn a lot from books and magazines about computing. Additionally, some computer magazines give away free CDs with nice software on (4) them-
Don’t give up. There are only three rules here: try, try and try again. The computer is only an intelligent fool. If you don’t succeed, turn it off and listen to music, watch TV or go for a walk. A few hours later get back to (5) it and you might see things in a new light.
Just imagine the possibilities with the magic of computers in your English classroom correcting pronunciation, communicating with classes in other parts of the world via e-majl, getting to know colleagues, sharing experiences, your students working on virtual projects with partner classes thousands of miles away...
It is so fascinating and it is all just a click away!
Make up 8 questions to the text ‘Computer in the English language classrooms’.
Recently we have watched a very grasp film which is entitled “Frida”. The movie was adapted from the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. It was directed by Julie Taymor. The main characters of the film are Salma Hayek (Frida Kahlo) and Alfred Molina (Diego Rivera).
Frida begins with the traumatic accident Frida Kahlo suffered at the age of 18 when a car trolley collided with a bus she was riding. She is impaled by a metal pole and the injuries she sustained plague her for the rest of her life. To help her through convalescence, her father brings her a canvas upon which to start painting. Throughout the film a scene starts as a painting, then slowly dissolves into a live-action scene with actors.
Frida also details the artist's dysfunctional relationship with the muralist Diego Rivera. When Rivera proposes to Kahlo, she tells him she expects from him loyalty if not fidelity. Throughout the marriage, Rivera cheats on her with a wide array of women, while the bisexual Kahlo takes on male and female lovers.
The two travel to New York City. While in the United States, Kahlo suffers a miscarriage, and her mother dies in Mexico. Rivera refuses to compromise his communist vision of the work to the needs of the patron, Nelson Rockefeller; as a result, the mural is destroyed. The pair return to Mexico.
Kahlo's sister Cristina moves in with the two at to work as Rivera's assistant. Soon afterward, Kahlo discovers that Rivera is having an affair with her sister. She leaves him, and subsequently sinks into alcoholism. The couple reunite when he asks her to welcome and house Leon Trotsky. She and Trotsky begin an affair, which forces the married Trotsky to leave the safety of her Coyoacán home.
Kahlo leaves for Paris after Diego realizes she was unfaithful to him with Trotsky. When she returns to Mexico, he asks for a divorce. Soon afterwards, Trotsky is murdered in Mexico City. Rivera is temporarily a suspect, and Kahlo is incarcerated in his place when he is not found. Rivera helps get her released.
Kahlo has her toes removed when they become gangrenous. Rivera asks her to remarry him, and she agrees. Her health worsens, including the amputation of a leg, and she ultimately dies after finally having a solo exhibition of her paintings in Mexico.
Frida Kahlo is the magnificent surrealist Mexican painter. Her works are penetrated by sensuality and realness. Most of all in Fried's life loved a life — and it is a magnet drew to her men and women. In the self-portraits she represented herself both a woman, and a man. She tried to understand all duality of human nature. She dreamt of the child, but the terrible trauma has not allowed her to have children. Therefore in her pictures dead children are represented more often. Despite this fact, nevertheless the majority of her pictures, still-lifes, landscapes are penetrated by the sun and light. On her self-portraits she doesn’t depict herself smiling. The idea of her pictures is ciphered in details, a background, the figures appearing near to Frida.
In my opinion, this film is full of emotions and it was very pleasant to watch it. While watching this movie I was admired with her firmness and art to enjoy the life. The brilliant playing of actors and the plot of the film have made it a real classic of genre.
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