WARM UP about LANGUAGES

You can use the questions below as a WARM UP ACTIVITY to check your students' knowledge about languages. 

Answer the following questions:

1. How many languages are there in the world?

1. Between 200 and 300
2. Between 2000 and 3000
3. Between 6000 and 7000

2. How many indigenous languages are there in Europe?

1. Between 5 and 10
2. Between 50 and 100
3. Between 200 and 300

3. In which two continents are most of the world’s languages spoken?

4. What percentage of the world’s population is bilingual or plurilingual?

1. About 20%
2. About 40%
3. More than 50%

5. How often do Europeans come across foreign languages?

1. Once in a blue moon
2. Every now and then
3. Very often

6. How many words do many languages have?

1. A few hundred
2. A few thousand
3. 50,000

7. Do languages affect each other? Why?

8. In its first year a baby utters a wide range of vocal sounds; how many words does he/she possess at five?

1. Several hundred
2. Several thousand
3. Several million

9. How many languages are spoken in London alone?

1. between 30 and 50
2. about 300
3. about 3000

10. What is a “mother tongue”?

11. What are the benefits of bilingualism?

12. Most …………………. languages belong to the Indo-European family.

13. Most …………………. languages belong to the three broad groups: Germanic, Romance and Slavic.

14. Can you name three Germanic languages?

15. Can you name three Romance languages?

16. Can you name three Slavic languages?

17. Can you name three alphabets?

KEY

1.There are between 6000 and 7000 languages in the world - spoken by 7 billion people divided into 189 independent states.

2.There are about 225 indigenous languages in Europe - roughly 3% of the world’s total.

3. Most of the world’s languages are spoken in Asia and Africa.

4. At least half of the world’s population is bilingual or plurilingual, i.e. they speak two or more languages.

5. In their daily lives Europeans increasingly come across foreign languages.

6. Many languages have 50,000 words or more, but individual speakers normally know and use only a fraction of the total vocabulary: in everyday conversation people use the same few hundred words.

7. Languages are constantly in contact with each other and affect each other in many ways: English borrowed words and expressions from many other languages in the past and European languages are now borrowing many words from English.

8. In its first year a baby utters a wide range of vocal sounds; at around one year the first understandable words are uttered; at around three years complex sentences are formed; at five years a child possesses several thousand words.

9. Due to the influx of migrants and refugees, Europe has become largely multilingual. In London alone some 300 languages are spoken (Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Berber, Hindi, Punjabi, etc.).

10. The mother tongue is usually the language one knows best and uses most. But there can be “perfect bilinguals” who speak two languages equally well. Normally, however, bilinguals display no perfect balance between their two languages.

11. Bilingualism brings with it many benefits: it makes the learning of additional languages easier, enhances the thinking process and fosters contacts with other people and their cultures.

Bilingualism and plurilingualism entail economic advantages, too: jobs are more easily available to those who speak several languages, and multilingual companies have a better competitive edge than monolingual ones.

12. Languages are related to each other like the members of a family. Most European languages belong to the large Indo-European family.

13. Most European languages belong to three broad groups: Germanic, Romance and Slavic.

14. The Germanic family of languages includes Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, German, Dutch, English and Yiddish, among others.

15. The Romance languages include Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian, among others.

16. The Slavic languages include Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Bulgarian and others.

17. Most European languages use the Latin alphabet. Some Slavic languages use the Cyrillic alphabet. Greek, Armenian, Georgian and Yiddish have their own alphabet.

Should High School Students Wear Uniforms?

There are differing opinions on whether uniforms school be required in high schools. It' important to consider the pros and cons specific to teenagers when making up your mind about this controversial question.

                                                          High School Uniform Pros

High schools require students to wear uniforms for many good reasons. Here are some of the advantages.

1.-_______________________________________________________________ 

       Wearing uniforms can be a great way for high schoolers to show pride for their institutions. Schools often want their students to proudly wear attire with the school's symbol embroidered somewhere on the outfit.

2.- _______________________________________________________________

         Some secondary schools want to choose what teenagers wear so they can ensure no one wears something indecent that would potentially harm the school's reputation.

3.- ______________________________________________________________

        Teenagers who wear uniforms don't face ridicule from other students when they are unable to wear the latest styles. The elimination of this type of bullying can preserve self-esteem and keep the focus on education.

4.- _______________________________________________________________

      A September 1999 article from “Psychology Today” reported that after a Long Beach, California school adopted uniforms their crime rate dropped by 91 percent, school suspensions dropped by 90 percent, sex offenses decreased by 96 percent and vandalism incidences declined by 69 percent.

                                                      High School Uniform Cons

The use of uniforms in high schools can help students and school officials in many ways, but it's not without it's downfalls.

5.- _______________________________________________________________

        Adolescence is a time of self-discovery and expression. This expression is common through what teenagers wear. Requiring a uniform deprives adolescents of the ability to express themselves through clothing, which could result in expressing themselves in other inappropriate ways.

6.- ______________________________________________________________

        Adolescents struggle to break away from parents and other authority figures to find their own identity. In the process, they often reject restraints put on them, including uniforms. Teenagers may resist the uniform by refusing to wear it, changing it, or engaging in risky or deviant behavior.

7.- _______________________________________________________________

      Uniforms can be expensive, and they are usually not worn outside of school. Parents may also have to endure the added expense of buying trendy teen clothing for functions outside of school.

8.- _______________________________________________________________

        While some uniform advocates may say that they promote better learning environments, critics argue that some are uncomfortable, which may distract students.

9.- _______________________________________________________________

          Some critics warn that uniforms may inhibit successful transition to adulthood. Since teenagers are told what to wear each day, they haven't learned which types of clothing are considered appropriate or inappropriate in certain settings.

Another consideration is that since teenagers had to wear uniforms for years, they may not be as willing to dress as professional when they don't have to anymore, which could become a problem with some jobs.

10.- _______________________________________________________________

          The great uniform debate continues and there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory conclusion for both teens and school officials. Many teens find that uniforms are boring and wish they could wear something much more their style. School officials want uniforms so teens can forget what they are wearing and how they look so they can pay attention to the real reason why they are in school. Answer the question of whether uniforms should be required in secondary schools involves determining what you believe are the true influences of them on teenagers and their education.

By Marcelina Hardy, MSEd, BCCBoard Certified Coach

1.- Write the appropriate headline to each paragraph

a.- Promotes Rebellious Behavior

b.- Decreases School Violence

c.- Displays School Pride

d.- Emphasizes Education

e.- Affects Transition to Adulthood

f.- Costs More Money

g.- Preserves School Integrity

h.- Suppresses Individuality

j.- Uncomfortable and Distracting

i.- The Great Uniform Debate

2.- Find words or expressions in the text with similar meaning.

Pros

1.- cause 2.- clothes 3.- hurt 4.- most recent 5.- protect 6.- narrate 7.- decrease 

Cons

1.- usual 2.- fight 3.- limit 4.- cost 5.- fashionable 6.- claim 7.- divert attention 

KEY

1.- Write the appropriate headline to each paragraph

a.- 6.- Promotes Rebellious Behavior b.- 4.- Decreases School Violence c.- 1.- Displays School Pride d.- 3.- Emphasizes Education e.- 9.- Affects Transition to Adulthood f.- 7.- Costs More Money g.- 2.- Preserves School Integrity h.- 5.- Suppresses Individuality j.- 8.- Uncomfortable and Distracting i.- 10.- The Great Uniform Debate 

2.- Find words or expressions in the text with similar meaning.

Pros

1.- reason 2.- attire / outfit 3.- harm 4.- latest 5.- preserve 6.- report 7.- decline 

Cons

1.- common 2.- struggle 3.- restrain 4.- expense 5.- trendy 6.- argue 7.- distract 

WHO'S WHO VIDEO

Listen and complete the following sentences

1. You have to guess ….......................................................... .
2. Her father is in fact an Academy …..................................................... .
3. She does a lot of work for …............................ .
4. She too has …........................................ .
5. She is considered by the media ….......................................... .
6. Her husband is known as one of …........................................................................ .
7. We're talking about …................................................ .

KEY

1. who I'm talking about
2. award winning actor
3. charity
4. won an Oscar
5. as a sex symbol
6. the most attractive men alive
7. a beautiful couple

Conditions things are in

Most of the things around are not in perfect condition. Match the items with the condition they are in

1. The metalwork is                              a. lock
2. All the windows are                          b. grease
3. The water pipes are                         c. torn
4. All my records are                            d. blocked
5. My favourite socks are                     e. rusty
6. My jacket is covered in                     f. scratched
7. The saucers are all                          g. stale
8. And the glasses are                         h. stuck
9. The bread has gone                         i. cracked
10. The bathroom door won’t                 j. chipped

Key

1. E
2. H
3. D
4. F
5. C
6. B
7. J
8. I
9. G
10. A

First-ever male cheerleaders in NFL history describe lengthy LA Rams auditions

     For the first time in NFL history, the Los Angeles Rams announced that two men would join its cheerleading squad. Quinton Peron and Napolean Jinnies will step out on the field this season, cheering and dancing alongside the previously all-female team. "I thought, 'Why not me? Why can't I do this?' And I called my friend and I asked her when auditions were for the Rams and she told me Sunday [March 11] and I showed up," Peron said in an interview on "Good Morning America."

     The two men and California natives were among the 76 finalists who auditioned for the Rams cheer team and said they were elated to make the squad, especially after the lengthy audition process.

     "They were unlike anything I've ever been to. I'm used to getting a call or an email after the interview," Jinnies said, referring to other auditions. "This one was about three weeks long and we had a bunch of rehearsals in between and an extensive interview process, but it was really humbling and amazing to be invited every time you came back."

Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Give evidence from the text

1. In the past, men used to be cheerleaders.
2. The team called Quinton Peron to hire him.
3. The audition process took a long time.
4. The two men are really happy to be part of the squad.
5. Both men had gone through similar experiences before.

KEY

1. False. “For the first time in NFL history, the Los Angeles Rams announced that two men would join its cheerleading squad.”
2. False. “ And I called my friend and I asked her when auditions were for the Rams and she told me Sunday [March 11] and I showed up," Peron said in an interview.”
3. True. “...... especially after the lengthy audition process.”
4. True. “ …..they were elated to make the squad, “
5. False. “ "They were unlike anything I've ever been to. I'm used to getting a call or an email after the interview," Jinnies said, referring to other auditions.”

What do these items do?

          

Match each thing with an appropriate verb from the right-hand column.

1. A clock                                        a. rings
2. A volcano                                    b. flows
3. A kettle                                        c. bounces
4. A bell                                           d. flushes
5. A ball                                           e. erupts
6. A violin string                               f. swings
7. A toilet                                         g. stretches
8. A pendulum                                 h. boils
9. A river                                          i. strikes
10. Elastic                                          j. vibrates

Key

1. i    2. e    3. h    4. a    5. c    6. j    7. d    8. f    9. b    10. g

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MAY 68

Caroline de Bendern: 'leave campaign was lies and xenophobia'

Activist, who became symbol of 1968 protests when she was photographed in Paris, prepares to march against Brexit

Abigail Frymann Rouch

      Her image has been symbolic of the national mood once before. Recreating a 19th-century masterpiece of Lady Liberty leading the French to revolution, a statuesque portrait of Caroline de Bendern emerged as a defining image of the protests that swept Europe in the summer of 1968.

      Now almost five decades on, the British former model and disinherited aristocrat is taking to the streets again – to demonstrate her opposition to Brexit and fly the flag for the European Union at this week’s Unite for Europe march.

      Thousands of pro-EU protesters are expected at marches in Edinburgh and London on Saturday, where speakers will include the Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron. De Bendern says the atmosphere will be different from her first foray into political action. In 1968, “there wasn’t all this hate,” she said.

      The March-June protests brought together students, artists, leftists and workers demanding better working conditions, sexual liberation, and political and social reform. Political change and cooperation was similarly needed today, she said. Now 76 and living in France, De Bendern told the Guardian she was concerned at Britain breaking away from the EU at a time of Russian activism.

      “We need to form a bloc against countries like Russia who want to destroy Europe and ... absorb it,” she said, recalling allegations of Russian interference in the EU referendum and the US presidential elections. “Why would they interfere in the referendum if they haven’t got some idea behind it?” With the future of the union under strain, she said, “England is going to become isolated”.

“The whole [leave campaign] was lies and xenophobia,” said De Bendern, who dated rock musician Lou Reed in New York and counted artist Andy Warhol and model Nico as friends.

The activist also voiced concerns about her status as a British national in France. She said she loved Britain, where she visited family two or three times a year, but had lived in France since 1968 and was applying for dual nationality in case her ability to live in France was jeopardised by Britain’s exit from the EU. She said she is “scared shitless” of an election win by Marine Le Pen, who has threatened to introduce restrictions on dual nationality.

Question 1: [2 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a) Caroline de Bendern had a portrait statue made in the summer of 1968.

b) Caroline de Berdern used to be a model.

c) Nowadays Caroline is worried about Britain leaving de European Union.

d) Caroline fears that she may be expelled from France if Brexit happens.

Question 2:[2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text.

a) What differences are there between the protests of May 1968 and nowaday’s protests against Brexit, according to Caroline?

b) Why has she decided to apply for dual nationality?

Question 3:[1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a) Representative, typical. (Paragraph 1)

b) Earlier, previous. (Paragraph 2)

c) To leave, become separate. (Paragraph 4)

d) Alone, separated from. (Paragraph 5)

e) Put at risk. (Paragraph 7)

     Question 4: [1.5 POINTS] Choose the most suitable answer (a, b, c or d) according to the text and write down your answer.

1. Caroline de Bendern is an activist

1. when she became a symbol of May 68.
2. who became a symbol of May 68.
3. became a symbol of May 68.
4. that she became a symbol of May 68.

2. If Caroline hadn’t participated in the protests,

1. she wouldn’t have been disinherited.
2. she hadn’t been disinherited.
3. she would have been disinherited.
4. she would had been disinherited.

3. Thousands of pro-EU protesters ...

1. expect to participate in marches in Edinburg and London on Saturday.
2. expected to participate in marches in Edinburg and London on Saturday.
3. are expected to participate in marches in Edinburg and London on Saturday.
4. are expected they will participate in marches in Edinburg and London on Saturday.

Question 5 [3 POINTS] Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic: What can we all do to make changes in society?

KEY

Question 1:

1. False. A statuesque portrait of Caroline de Bendern emerged as a defining image of the protests that swept Europe in the summer of 1968.
2. True. The British former model.
3. True. Now 76 and living in France, de Bendern told the Guardian she was concerned at Britain breaking away from the EU.
4. True. The activist also voiced concerns about her status as a British national in France. . She said she loved Britain, where she visited family two or three times a year, but had lived in France since 1968 and was applying for dual nationality in case her ability to live in France was jeopardised by Britain’s exit from the EU.

Question 2:

1. In 1968 students, artists, leftists and workers together were demanding better working conditions, sexual liberation, and political and social reform. Today, she feels there’s hate involved. Moreover, some countries such as Russia want to absorb Europe.
2. She is afraid of having to leave France if Britain leaves the EU. Specially if Marine Le Pen wins the elections as she has threaten to restrict dual nationality.

Question 3:

1. Symbolic
2. Former
3. To break away / break away / breaking away
4. Isolated
5. Jeopardise

Question 4:

1. b. who became a symbol of May 68.
2. a. she wouldn’t have been disinherited.
3. c. are expected to participate in marches in Edinburg and London on Saturday.