Doris Lessing dies at 94

Revenge is sweet

"Don't get mad, get everything". 

Ivana, ex-wife of millionaire Donald Trump, giving advice to wronged wives.

Ivana Trump (1949- ) is a Czech-born Olympic skier, who emigrated to the USA where she met and married American property millionaire Donald Trump. When they divorced, Ivana is reported to have won a settlement of more than 20 million dollars.

*mad in American English means angry.

Do you think it is right that spouses of wealthy people often receive huge divorce payments from their ex-partners even when they weren't married for very long?

Look now at some famous sayings about revenge. Whick saying best fits each of the three stories we read in class? Do you agree with any of them?

‘Revenge is sweet’

‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’

‘In revenge, woman is more barbarous than man’

‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’

Family secrets

THE INTERVIEW

Here you have the tracks and transcripts for the listening exercises we did in class.

Part 1. Track 1.15
Part 2. Track 1.16
Trascripts

IN THE STREET
Track 1.18
Transcript

Speaking: Answer he same questions:
1. How much do you know about your family tree?
2. Have you ever researched it?
3. Is there anyone in your family you'd like to know more about?


Read an article: Should family secrets remain hidden?

Take care of yourself

"I received an email telling me it was over. I didn't know how to answer. It was as if it wasn't meant for me. It ended with the words: Take care of yourself. I took this recommendation literally. I asked hundred and two women, chosen for their profession, to interpret the letter in their professional capacity. To analyze it, provide a commentary on it, act it, dance it, sing it. Dissect it. Squeeze it dry. Understand for me. Answer for me. It was a way to take the time to break up. At my own pace. A way to take care of myself."  Sophie Calle.

Here is a video where you can see what the exhibition looked like.



Now watch an interview where Sophie Calle explains what she did and why. You can also see her work. (Warning: She has a very strong French accent)

Breaking up is hard to do

Find the lyrics here.

Past narrative tenses

Narrative tenses from esuarezguillen 

• The past: narrative tenses, used to, and would  
• Gap fill exercise
• Grammar Notes and more exercises

NARRATIVE TENSES

More PowerPoint presentations from eva buyuksimkesyan

How to write a reference letter

According to Wikipedia, an employment reference letter can cover topics such as:

- the employee's tasks and responsibilities
- the duration of employment or tasks/ responsibilities
- the position relative to the author of the reference letter
- the employee's abilities, knowledge, creativity, intelligence
- the employee's qualifications (foreign languages, special skills)
- the employee's social attitude
- reason(s) of employment termination
- some text with the actual recommendation itself (e.g. 'I unequivocally recommend ... [name] as a ... [function/ role] and would be happy to hire him/ her again').

Here you have some useful links to help you write a REFERENCE LETTER:

Sample reference and recommendation letters
Daily Writing Tips
Writing reference letter
How to write a reference letter

Have vs. Have Got

1. Listen and read HERE what the Grammar Girl says: Is "have got" acceptable English?

2. "have" Revision exercise

Baldness treatment a step closer

Let's talk about HAIR...

* How can we look at it better?
* How much of a problem are these situations for you?

Losing hair  -  Greying  -  Dandruff  -  Split ends  -      Bad hair days  -  Hairstyle

*How would you define your hairstyle?

straight  -  closely cropped  -  very long  -  wavy  -  curly  -  shaved  -  punk  -  ponytail

Now read the news:
Baldness treatment a 'step closer' by the BBC
New Hair Loss Treatment by livescience

Finally, complete the gaps: (full text in the comment section)

Help may soon be at (1) ____ (or head) for the millions around the world who suffer from and worry about baldness. Scientists from the University of Durham in the UK, and Columbia University Medical Centre in the USA, say they are close to finding a (2) ____ to grow new hair. This is also good news for (3) ____ victims, who are likely to be those first helped by any new treatment. The scientists have grown new hair follicles in the laboratory. This is different from currently available treatments, which (4) ____ transplant hair from the back of the scalp to cover bald (5) ____ and areas without hair at the front of the head. Unlike transplants, the new (6) ____ will allow the hair to keep growing naturally in the follicle.

Researcher Colin Jahoda did not give a (7) ____ in which his research will be commercially available. He said: "It's closer, but it's still some way (8) ____ because in terms of what people want (9) ____ they're looking for re-growth of hair that's the same shape, the same size, as long as before, the same angle. Some of these are almost engineering (10) ____." He did assure those with receding hairlines and those thinning on top that there is hope. He said: "I think baldness will eventually be (11) ____, absolutely." Professor Jahoda's colleague Angela Christiano was equally positive, saying their research could "revolutionise" hair-loss treatment. She said: "The first step is actually (12) ____ that it can be done."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	face	(b)	back	(c)	hand	(d)	hair
2.	(a)	solution	(b)	solvent	(c)	solved	(d)	salutation
3.	(a)	burns	(b)	burning	(c)	burnt	(d)	burn
4.	(a)	simply	(b)	easily	(c)	justly	(d)	costly
5.	(a)	circles	(b)	spots	(c)	lines	(d)	hairs
6.	(a)	pedicure	(b)	promiscuity	(c)	procure	(d)	procedure
7.	(a)	timely	(b)	timepiece	(c)	timeframe	(d)	time-to-time
8.	(a)	around	(b)	ajar	(c)	afar	(d)	away
9.	(a)	cosmetically	(b)	beautifully	(c)	prettily	(d)	outwardly
10.	(a)	solved	(b)	solutions	(c)	solvents	(d)	soluble
11.	(a)	treatise	(b)	treatable	(c)	treated	(d)	treating
12.	(a)	proofing	(b)	growing	(c)	showing	(d)	lengthening

The Family of Charles IV

The Family of Charles IV by Francisco Goya in 1800

The man in the shadows in background at left is Goya himself. Others, left to right (all dates are birth-death): Carlos Maria Isidro (1788-1855); the future Fernando VII (1784-1833); Maria Josefa (1744-1801), sister of Carlos IV; an unknown woman; María Isabel (1789-1848); Queen Maria Luisa (1751-1819); Francisco de Paula (1794-1848); King Carlos IV (1748-1819); Don Antonio Pascual, brother of the King (1755-1817); Carlota Joaquina (1775-1830, only part of head visible); Don Luis de Parma (1773-1803) and his wife Maria Luisa (1782-1824), holding baby Carlos Luis (1799-1883), the future Duke of Parma.

Video commentary of the painting.

Track and Transcript of the listening we did in class.

Family Vocabulary

Here you have some exercises to revise Family Vocab: 

1. Crossword

2. Lexis in context

3. Idioms

WHAT DO YOU CALL...

1. a person in your family who lived a long time ago?
2. your grandparents' parents?
3. something shocking, embarrassing, etc. that has happened to you or your family in the past and that you want to keep secret?
4. a woman on her wedding day?
5. a man on his wedding day?
6. a diagram that shows the relationship between members of a family over a long period of time?
7. the study of family history?

(Answers in the Comments section)

Bonfire night

On the night of November 5th, throughout Britain, the capture of Guy Fawkes is commemorated with bonfires and fireworks.

Learn more about it with this video.