Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
En verano pasado fuimos de vacaciones a Francia. ¿Qué hiciste durante las vacaciones de verano? El verano pasado fui de vacaciones a España. Fui con mis padres y mi hermana y también una amiga vino conmigo. Fuimos durante dos semanas al sur de España, a una ciudad que se llama Fuengirola. Es una ciudad bastante bonita al lado del mar, sin embargo es muy turístico. Hizo mucho calor durante mis vacaciones entonces fui a la playa casi todos los días por la mañana. De vez en cuando fui de compras porque tenía que comprar regalos para mis amigos en Inglaterra. Cada noche cenamos en un restaurante diferente y mi favorito fue un restaurante al lado de la playa. Allí comí sardinas frescas y para el segundo plato tomé paella, que es un plato español con arroz, carne y pescado. Después de cenar normalmente fuimos a la discoteca. El año que viene voy a visitar otra ciudad en España porque me encanta la cultura del país. Es posible que vaya a Barcelona con el instituto
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Luís se ha despertado a las siete. Él se ha lavado y, saliendo de baño, ha oído de la cocina la voz de la mujer: «el Desayuno es preparado ya». Habiendo vestido, Luís ha ido a la cocina. Él ha desayunado y, como siempre, ha tomado la taza del café fuerte. Después él ha dicho a la mujer: «Muchas gracias, querido» se ha levantado de la mesa. «¿Cuando volverás?» — ha preguntado la mujer. «a las siete aproximadamente» — ha respondido Luís y ha salido de la casa. Él se ha sentado en el coche y ha ido a la oficina. Luís ha llegado allá exactamente a las ocho y media. Cerca de la entrada él ha encontrado a Fernando, lo ha saludado y ha entrado en el gabinete. En la mesa él ha visto una carta y los algunos periódicos. Él ha leído la carta rápidamente, pero porque no había nada importante allí , Luís lo ha puesto en el cajón de la mesa y ha incluido el ordenador. Él ha comenzado a ver lo que debe hacer hoy. Habiendo visto todo, Luís ha pensado que el día será no fácil, pero es necesario hacer el máximo para no dejar la parte del trabajo para mañana.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
TO SIR, WITH LOVE By E.R.Braithwaite The Guianan diplomatist Eustace Braithwaite was born in 1912 in British Gui¬- ana. He flew with the R.A.F. ' during the war years. After the war colour prejudice precluded'him from obtaining the kind of job for which his scientific qualifica¬- tions fitted him. From 1950—1957 he worked as a school-teacher. In the sixties he was a Permanent Representative of Guiana to the UN. In 1959 Braithwaite won the Ainsfield Wolff Literary Award for To Sir, with Love, a book about his experiences as a teacher in a school in London's East End. The other books that came from his pen are A Kind of Homecoming (1961), Paid Servant (1962), A Choice of Straws (1965), Reluctant Neighbours (1972). . '
(Extract) Each Friday morning the whole school spent the pre-recess pe-riod in writing their Weekly Review. This was one of the old Man's pet schemes: and one about which he would brook no interference. Each child would review the events of his school week in his own words, in his own way; he was free to comment, to criticise, to agree or disagree, with any person, subject or method, as long as it was in some way associated with the school. No one and nothing was sacred, from the Headmaster down, and the child, moreover, was safe from any form of reprisal. "Look at it this way," Mr. Florian said. "It is of advantage to both pupils and teacher. If a child wants to write about something which matters to him, he will take some pains to set it down as carefully and with as much detail as possible; that must in some way improve his written English in terms of spelling, construction and style. Week by week we are able, through his review, to follow and observe his progress in such things. As for the teachers, we soon get a pretty good idea what the children think of us and whether or not we are getting close to them... You will discover that these children are reasonably fair, even when they comment on us. If we are careless about our clothing, manners or person they will soon notice it, and it would be pointless to be angry with them for pointing such things out. Finally, from the reviews, the sensible teacher will observe the trend of individual and collective interests and plan his work accordingly.’’ On the first Friday of my association with the class I was anxious to discover what sort of figure I cut in front of them, and what kind of comment they would make about me. I read through some of the reviews at lunch-time, and must admit to a mixture of relief and dis¬appointment at discovering that, apart from mentioning that they had a new "blackie" teacher, very little attention was given to me ... It occurred to me that they probably imagined I would be as transient as my many predecessors, and therefore saw no point in wasting either time or effort in writing about me. But if I had made so little impression on them, it must be my own fault, I decided. It was up to me to find some way to get through to them. Thereafter I tried very hard to be a successful teacher with my class, but somehow, as day followed day in painful procession, I realized that I was not making the grade. I bought and read books on the psychology of teaching in an effort to discover some way of providing the children with the sort of intellectual challenge to which they would respond, but the suggested methods somehow did not meet my particular need, and just did not work. It was as if I were trying to reach the children through a thick pane of glass, so remote and uninterested they seemed. Looking back, I realize that in fact I passed through three phases in my relationship with them. The first was the silent treatment, and during that time, for my first few weeks, they would do any task I set them without question or protest, but equally without interest or enthusiasm; and if their interest was not required for the task in front of them would sit and stare at me with the same careful patient attention a birdwatcher devotes to the rare feathered visitor... I took great pains with the planning of my lessons, using illus-trations from the familiar things of their own background... I creat¬ed various problems within the domestic framework, and tried to encourage their participation, but it was as though there were a conspiracy of indifference, and my attempts at informality fell pitifully flat. Gradually they moved on to the second and more annoying phase of their campaign, the "noisy" treatment. It is true to say that all of them did not actively join in this but those who did not were obviously in some sympathy with those who did. During a lesson, especially one in which it was necessary for me to read or speak to them, someone would lift the lid of a desk and then let it fall with a loud bang; the culprit would merely sit and look at me with wide innocent eyes as if it were an accident. They knew as well as I did that there was nothing I could about it, and I bore it with as much show of aplomb as I could man- age. One or two such interruptions during a lesson were usually enough to destroy its planned continuity... So I felt angry and frus¬trated when they rudely interrupted that which was being done purely for their own benefit. One morning I was reading to them some simple poetry. Just when I thought I had inveigled them into active interest one of the girls, Monica Page, let the top of the desk fall; the noise seemed to reverberate in every part of my being and I felt a sudden burning anger. I looked at her for some moments before daring to open my mouth; she returned my gaze, then casually remarked to the class at large: "The bleeding thing won't stay up." It was all rather de¬liberate, the noisy interruption and the crude remark, and it her¬-alded the third stage of their conduct. From then on the words "bloody" or "bleeding" were hardly ever absent from any remark they made to one another especially in the classroom. They would call out to each other on any silly pretext and refer to the "bleed¬ing" this or that, and always in a voice loud enough for my ears. One day during an arithmetic period I played right into their hands. I was so overcome by anger and disgust that I completely lost my temper ... I went upstairs and sat in the library, the only place where I could be alone for a little while. I felt sick at heart, because it seemed that this latest act above all others, was intended to display their utter disrespect for me. They seemed to have no sense of decency, these children; everything they said or did was coloured by an ugly viciousness, as if their minds were forever rooting after filth. ‘Why, oh why,’ I asked myself, ‘did they behave like that? What was wrong with them?’
Questions
1. What occupation did the whole school have each Friday morning? Do you think it’s common in the majority of schools? Why not?
2. What advantages did the Headmaster see in pupils’ writing their Weekly Reviews? Can you find any disadvantages in the scheme? What’s your opinion of it? What traits of character are necessary for a teacher to be involved in a scheme of the kind?
3. Why did the narrator feel ‘a mixture of relief and disappointment’ after having read a few of his pupils’ reviews?
4. In what way did the narrator try to explain his pupils' lack of interest concern¬ing his personality?
5. How did the narrator try to be a successful teacher? How helpful is it for a young teacher to read specialist books? Give reasons for your answer.
6. Do you find the children's unresponsiveness natural? How can you account for it?
7. What was the first phase in the narrator's relationship with his class? It was rather a quiet stage, wasn't it? Why then was the teacher dis¬satisfied with it?
8. In what way did he try to interest his pupils in the subject? Can you find any reasons to explain his failure?
9. Characterize the second phase of the pupils' campaign. Do you think the teacher is to blame for it? Do you agree with the narrator that "there was nothing he could do about it"? Do you think a teacher's aplomb can help under the circumstances? Do you find the second phase more unpleasant? Why?
10. Do you think the teacher's feelings are understandable? Would you try to stop the campaign? How?
11. What do you think of the third phase of the pupils' conduct?
12. The school described in the extract was situat¬ed in the East End of London. The pupils attending it had been poorly fed, clothed and housed. Some were from homes where the so-called bread-winner was chronically unemployed. Do you think the children's background can account for their bad language and misconduct? Can a teacher expect such a behaviour under other circumstances?
13. Can the pupils' behaviour be explained by the fact that their teacher was a Black?
14. The extract above describes the narrator's first weeks in school. Think of a possible develop¬ment of his relations with the class. Do you think the teacher will manage in the end to gain the children's confidence and respect? What methods and techniques would you advise him to use?
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Sunday In The Park By Bel Kaufman Analysis of the text
In the short story, "Sunday in the Park", an idyllic day in the park becomes the setting for the age-old competition between the man of physical strength and the man of intellectual prowess. More than that, however, this story also points out the very basic and unspoken family needs that occur in the middle of the story. The afternoon begins well. The woman, who's name is never mentioned, is enjoying the sunshine as she sits by her bookish husband, Morton, and watches their son, Larry, playing in the sandbox. She wants to be able to have this bit of rest and sunshine more often, to allow her husband more time outdoors, away from his academic profession. Her perfect afternoon is spoiled, however, when another little boy playing in the sandbox decides to pick on her son by throwing sand at him. Not only does the other little boy ignore her when she admonishes him, but his father apparently inspires him by stating that it's a "public sandbox", implying that anyone may do as he or she pleases when in public (. It is then that her husband steps in to somehow stand up for the right of his own child to play, unharassed, in the sandbox . In the end, however, Morton backs down to the more aggressive father and takes his wife and child back home, while his wife tries to explain away her disappointment to herself as he explains his actions to her. She unconsciously wants Morton to show their son a father that can be a role model that fights a bully. Her thou ght is unmoral, what Morton did is right because the fat man teaching his son to be bully by using force is wrong.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Rowling wrote a new novel! The Casual Vacancy is an upcoming 2012 novel written by J. K. Rowling. It will be her first novel published since the Harry Potter series, her first apart from that series, and her first novel for adults.[1] I It is aimed specifically at an older audience and includes adult themes and swear words. The publisher says that The Casual Vacancy will be "blackly comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising".It is due to be released on 27 September 2012 and will be 512 pages.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Debate Kicks Off
With anniversary jokes and jobs talk.
The first presidential debate of election season got off to a light-hearted start with a shout-out by Obama to his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary: “A year from now we will not be celebrating it in front of 40 million people.” Romney quipped back when it was his turn, congratulating the couple and saying, “This is the most romantic place you could imagine, here with me!” The two quickly got down to business, outlining the major differences between their economy and jobs plans. Obama stressed the middle class set the tone for the country as a whole, while Romney blamed him for burying the mid-earners. Romney was quick to jump on allegations that he would cut taxes, saying, “I don’t have a five-trillion-dollar tax cut.” Obama shot back, saying Romney’s tax plan will benefit those on the top tier.
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a law introducing a single voting day for regional and federal elections, a measure that opposition politicians said was illegal and would benefit the ruling party.The law creating a single voting day stipulates that the two days in early March and October when regional and municipal elections are currently held be replaced with a single day: the second Sunday in September.
Also on Wednesday, it was reported that the Central Elections Commission had proposed granting elections officials the right to put limitations on the creation and use of photographs and videos produced at polling places ahead of regional elections on Oct. 14.
The commission could give elections officials the right to restrict photography and video-recording at polling stations to certain areas
Current laws allow accredited vote monitors and reporters to take photographs and record video at polling stations any time and anywhere except in the voting booths.
Officials could also be allowed to prohibit observers from taking close-up photos and videos and from publishing them without the consent of those who are filmed.
Lilia Shibanova, executive director of independent elections watchdog Golos, said the new photography and video-recording rules would make it more difficult to document violations.
“If we need to record [ballot] stuffing, it is useless to ask for permission. No one will give it,” Shibanova said by telephone.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
History of Mass Media Mass media helps in connecting people and "brings the globe into our glance". Let us take a look into the history as well as origin of mass media, which is also popularly known as public media. Mass media includes print media like newspaper and magazines, electronic media like radio, television and video and new age digital media like the Internet, blogs and mobile phones. To know the origin and history of media, we should know the growth and evolution of mass media.
History and Origin of Mass Media
The history of mass media can be traced back to the early days of dramas that were performed in various cultures. However, the term 'Mass Media' originated with the print media that was also its first example. The first newspaper was printed in China 868 A.D, but due to the high cost of paper and illiteracy amongst people, it didn't prosper.
Europe can boast to be the place of birth of mass media. It was Johannes Gutenberg, who for the first time printed a book in a printing press in 1453.
Gradually, during the period post-Second World War, radio, television and video were introduced. The audio-visual facilities became very popular as they provided information and entertainment. Of late, it is the Internet which has become the latest and most popular of the mass media. Here, information has been generated through various websites and search engines. One can play games, listen to radio while working and chat with friends and relatives, irrespective of location. It also gives information on various topics such as literature, politics, science, sports, fashion, movies, education, career, jobs, etc., similar to other types of mass media.
Thus, due to the progress of science and technology, history of media has evolved and reached the present-day world of internet, cellular phones, blogs, podcast and RSS feeds. Read more at Buzzle: www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-mass-media.h...
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Парсамова Полина 402 а/и ФИЯ
A few thoughts about Hamlet. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature. Also the play was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime. I think that Hamlet could have several possible endings. The plot of this tragedy is very complicated and if cut of a few events and a couple of deaths the whole story can be changed. In fact there are several different Hamlet’s. Three different early versions of the play are extant. Each version includes lines, and even entire scenes, missing from the others. So even I can imagine a few alternative endings of Hamlet: - Hamlet drinks poisoned wine instead of Gertrude.
-Hamlet kills Laertes before Laertes has a chance to stab Hamlet with the poisoned sword.
-Gertrude drinks wine, but Hamlet and Laertes both survive their fencing match.
-Gertrude drinks wine, and Hamlet is killed by Laertes.
-Everything happens as in the play, except that Horatio kills himself. But for me everything perfect as it is. I think Hamlet is possibly the greatest story or play written ever.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Driverless cars now street legal in California California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law on Tuesday that will allow autonomous vehicles such as Google’s (GOOG) to be tested on California roads, the Associated Press reported. As a precautionary measure, the law requires a licensed individual to be in the driver’s seat at all times to take over control if need be. “Today we’re looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow’s reality — the self-driving car,” Brown said while signing the bill at Google’s Mountain View headquarters. “Anyone who gets inside a car and finds out the car is driving will be a little skittish, but they’ll get over it.”
Google received its first license to test its autonomous vehicles on public roadways in Nevada earlier this year. The tests have shown that the car is just as safe, if not safer than vehicles operated by human drivers, having logged more than 300,000 accident-free miles. Google co-founder Sergey Brin predicted that autonomous vehicles will be available to consumers within a decade, however the company has no plans to commercially produce its own vehicles.
The system combines information gathered from Google Street View[citation needed] with artificial intelligence software that combines input from video cameras inside the car, a LIDAR sensor on top of the vehicle, radar sensors on the front of the vehicle and a position sensor attached to one of the rear wheels that helps locate the car's position on the map.The system drives at the speed limit it has stored on its maps and maintains its distance from other vehicles using its system of sensors.The system provides an override that allows a human driver to take control of the car by stepping on the brake or turning the wheel.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Passengers and crew on two commercial jets have helped locate a missing yachtsman off Australia by looking through the windows with binoculars.
An Air Canada plane and an Air New Zealand aircraft swooped down to 4,000ft to assist rescuers in the search for the solo yachtsman who had activated his emergency beacon.
His remote location was out of helicopter range, so rescuers asked the planes' pilots to get involved as they were flying over the yacht's GPS position.
The crew on each plane asked passengers to tell them if they had binoculars in their hand luggage so they could be used to help in the search.
The Air Canada pilot Captain Andrew Robertson said once he determined he had enough fuel to land the plane safely in Sydney after diverting to search for the yacht, he swooped down to 5,000ft and reduced speed while the crew peered out.
"As we got to about two to three miles of this yacht, the first officer said 'there it is, I see it'. I was amazed.
"We didn't know if we were looking for a sunken boat or one that was still floating."
Captain Robertson circled around once more at 3,700ft for a closer look to see if anyone was on board.
It was then they saw the yachtsman.
Captain Robertson said the search was the first of his aviation career.
"A lot of passengers said it was very exciting to be involved in a search like this," he said.
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Several years ago I went to a horror film with my friends. I was Silent Hill. The plot of the film is followinng: Against the wishes of her husband Christopher (Sean Bean), Rose DaSilva (Mitchell) takes her disturbed daughter Sharon (Ferland) to Silent Hill, an abandoned mining town whose name Sharon keeps reciting in her sleep. After a freak accident on the way, Rose wakes up alone and begins a frenzied search for Sharon - except that Silent Hill is no ordinary place. I’ve been a huge fan of the “Silent Hill” game series since they first came out. I have to say that they didn’t deviate too far from the games (which is a good thing). “Silent Hill” addresses the concept that evil is a very real thing, with very real consequences. Unless you’ve played the games, much of the film probably won’t make much sense. Overall, I thought the film was fantastic! There were scenes of violence and disturbing images, but it’s important to remember that this is a horror film. I felt that as a horror film, it was actually done tastefully (not over the top like most horror films). It also had a powerful message about not fighting evil with evil, because in doing so, you can become evil yourself. There were also elements of sacrifice (selflessness) and love. I can’t review much more without giving away some vital elements, and I won’t give away the ending, but I will say that the ending was awesome! Unlike most horror films, the ending wasn’t necessarily a happy one which really added to the film’s theme and quality. The weaknesses of the film were: The film may be a little hard to understand unless you’ve played the games; This is certainly not a film for those who are faint of heart, and certainly not for anyone under 17. This film is both frightening and disturbing. For those of us who enjoy a good horror this is the best one I’ve seen in a long time! I’d personally give it 4 out of 5 stars!
Добро должно быть с кулаками. А зло - с тентаклями. Народная мудрость (с)
Israel['ɪzreɪl] strikes Gaza The military leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, has been assassinated in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. Mr Jabari is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since Israel's military offensive on the city four years ago.Israel says the killing marks the start of a broader operation in Gaza. Hamas said Israel "had opened the gates of hell". JERUSALEM — Israel Defense Forces in Operation Cloud Pillar killed the head of Hamas's military wing, sources confirmed Wednesday to GlobalPost's correspondent in Israel, Noga Tarnopolsky. "In the past hour, the IDF targeted Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas's military wing, in the Gaza Strip," a military source said. "Jabari was a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas' command and was directly responsible for executing terror attacks against the State of Israel in the past number of years." The death of Jabari, who ran the Ezzidine Al-Qassam Brigades, is a serious blow to Hamas' chain of command.
-
-
04.09.2012 в 08:40¿Qué hiciste durante las vacaciones de verano?
El verano pasado fui de vacaciones a España. Fui con
mis padres y mi hermana y también una amiga vino
conmigo. Fuimos durante dos semanas al sur de España,
a una ciudad que se llama Fuengirola. Es una ciudad
bastante bonita al lado del mar, sin embargo es muy
turístico.
Hizo mucho calor durante mis vacaciones entonces
fui a la playa casi todos los días por la mañana. De vez
en cuando fui de compras porque tenía que comprar
regalos para mis amigos en Inglaterra.
Cada noche cenamos en un restaurante diferente y mi
favorito fue un restaurante al lado de la playa. Allí
comí sardinas frescas y para el segundo plato tomé
paella, que es un plato español con arroz, carne y
pescado. Después de cenar normalmente fuimos a la
discoteca.
El año que viene voy a visitar otra ciudad en España
porque me encanta la cultura del país. Es posible que
vaya a Barcelona con el instituto
-
-
11.09.2012 в 09:42-
-
11.09.2012 в 23:09By E.R.Braithwaite
The Guianan diplomatist Eustace Braithwaite was born in 1912 in British Gui¬-
ana. He flew with the R.A.F. ' during the war years. After the war colour prejudice
precluded'him from obtaining the kind of job for which his scientific qualifica¬-
tions fitted him. From 1950—1957 he worked as a school-teacher. In the sixties he
was a Permanent Representative of Guiana to the UN. In 1959 Braithwaite won the
Ainsfield Wolff Literary Award for To Sir, with Love, a book about his experiences
as a teacher in a school in London's East End. The other books that came from his
pen are A Kind of Homecoming (1961), Paid Servant (1962), A Choice of Straws
(1965), Reluctant Neighbours (1972). . '
(Extract)
Each Friday morning the whole school spent the pre-recess pe-riod in writing their Weekly Review. This was one of the old Man's pet schemes: and one about which he would brook no interference. Each child would review the events of his school week in his own words, in his own way; he was free to comment, to criticise, to agree or disagree, with any person, subject or method, as long as it was in some way associated with the school. No one and nothing was sacred, from the Headmaster down, and the child, moreover, was safe from any form of reprisal.
"Look at it this way," Mr. Florian said. "It is of advantage to both pupils and teacher. If a child wants to write about something which matters to him, he will take some pains to set it down as carefully and with as much detail as possible; that must in some way improve his written English in terms of spelling, construction and style. Week by week we are able, through his review, to follow and observe his progress in such things. As for the teachers, we soon get a pretty good idea what the children think of us and whether or not we are getting close to them... You will discover that these children are reasonably fair, even when they comment on us. If we are careless about our clothing, manners or person they will soon notice it, and it would be pointless to be angry with them for pointing such things out. Finally, from the reviews, the sensible teacher will observe the trend of individual and collective interests and plan his work accordingly.’’
On the first Friday of my association with the class I was anxious to discover what sort of figure I cut in front of them, and what kind of comment they would make about me. I read through some of the reviews at lunch-time, and must admit to a mixture of relief and dis¬appointment at discovering that, apart from mentioning that they had a new "blackie" teacher, very little attention was given to me ...
It occurred to me that they probably imagined I would be as transient as my many predecessors, and therefore saw no point in wasting either time or effort in writing about me. But if I had made so little impression on them, it must be my own fault, I decided. It was up to me to find some way to get through to them.
Thereafter I tried very hard to be a successful teacher with my class, but somehow, as day followed day in painful procession, I realized that I was not making the grade. I bought and read books on the psychology of teaching in an effort to discover some way of providing the children with the sort of intellectual challenge to which they would respond, but the suggested methods somehow did not meet my particular need, and just did not work. It was as if I were trying to reach the children through a thick pane of glass, so remote and uninterested they seemed.
Looking back, I realize that in fact I passed through three phases in my relationship with them. The first was the silent treatment, and during that time, for my first few weeks, they would do any task I set them without question or protest, but equally without interest or enthusiasm; and if their interest was not required for the task in front of them would sit and stare at me with the same careful patient attention a birdwatcher devotes to the rare feathered visitor...
I took great pains with the planning of my lessons, using illus-trations from the familiar things of their own background... I creat¬ed various problems within the domestic framework, and tried to encourage their participation, but it was as though there were a conspiracy of indifference, and my attempts at informality fell pitifully flat.
Gradually they moved on to the second and more annoying phase of their campaign, the "noisy" treatment. It is true to say that all of them did not actively join in this but those who did not were obviously in some sympathy with those who did. During a lesson, especially one in which it was necessary for me to read or speak to them, someone would lift the lid of a desk and then let it fall with a loud bang; the culprit would merely sit and look at me with wide innocent eyes as if it were an accident.
They knew as well as I did that there was nothing I could about it, and I bore it with as much show of aplomb as I could man- age. One or two such interruptions during a lesson were usually enough to destroy its planned continuity... So I felt angry and frus¬trated when they rudely interrupted that which was being done purely for their own benefit.
One morning I was reading to them some simple poetry. Just when I thought I had inveigled them into active interest one of the girls, Monica Page, let the top of the desk fall; the noise seemed to reverberate in every part of my being and I felt a sudden burning anger. I looked at her for some moments before daring to open my mouth; she returned my gaze, then casually remarked to the class at large: "The bleeding thing won't stay up." It was all rather de¬liberate, the noisy interruption and the crude remark, and it her¬-alded the third stage of their conduct. From then on the words "bloody" or "bleeding" were hardly ever absent from any remark they made to one another especially in the classroom. They would call out to each other on any silly pretext and refer to the "bleed¬ing" this or that, and always in a voice loud enough for my ears. One day during an arithmetic period I played right into their hands. I was so overcome by anger and disgust that I completely lost my temper ... I went upstairs and sat in the library, the only place where I could be alone for a little while. I felt sick at heart, because it seemed that this latest act above all others, was intended to display their utter disrespect for me. They seemed to have no sense of decency, these children; everything they said or did was coloured by an ugly viciousness, as if their minds were forever rooting after filth. ‘Why, oh why,’ I asked myself, ‘did they behave like that? What was wrong with them?’
Questions
1. What occupation did the whole school have each Friday morning? Do you think it’s common in the majority of schools? Why not?
2. What advantages did the Headmaster see in pupils’ writing their Weekly Reviews? Can you find any disadvantages in the scheme? What’s your opinion of it? What traits of character are necessary for a teacher to be involved in a scheme of the kind?
3. Why did the narrator feel ‘a mixture of relief and disappointment’ after having read a few of his pupils’ reviews?
4. In what way did the narrator try to explain his pupils' lack of interest concern¬ing his personality?
5. How did the narrator try to be a successful teacher? How helpful is it for a young teacher to read specialist books? Give reasons for your answer.
6. Do you find the children's unresponsiveness natural? How can you account for it?
7. What was the first phase in the narrator's relationship with his class? It was rather a quiet stage, wasn't it? Why then was the teacher dis¬satisfied with it?
8. In what way did he try to interest his pupils in the subject? Can you find any reasons to explain his failure?
9. Characterize the second phase of the pupils' campaign. Do you think the teacher is to blame for it? Do you agree with the narrator that "there was nothing he could do about it"? Do you think a teacher's aplomb can help under the circumstances? Do you find the second phase more unpleasant? Why?
10. Do you think the teacher's feelings are understandable? Would you try to stop the campaign? How?
11. What do you think of the third phase of the pupils' conduct?
12. The school described in the extract was situat¬ed in the East End of London. The pupils attending it had been poorly fed, clothed and housed. Some were from homes where the so-called bread-winner was chronically unemployed. Do you think the children's background can account for their bad language and misconduct? Can a teacher expect such a behaviour under other circumstances?
13. Can the pupils' behaviour be explained by the fact that their teacher was a Black?
14. The extract above describes the narrator's first weeks in school. Think of a possible develop¬ment of his relations with the class. Do you think the teacher will manage in the end to gain the children's confidence and respect? What methods and techniques would you advise him to use?
-
-
24.09.2012 в 08:49Analysis of the text
In the short story, "Sunday in the Park", an idyllic day in the park becomes the setting for the age-old competition between the man of physical strength and the man of intellectual prowess. More than that, however, this story also points out the very basic and unspoken family needs that occur in the middle of the story.
The afternoon begins well. The woman, who's name is never mentioned, is enjoying the sunshine as she sits by her bookish husband, Morton, and watches their son, Larry, playing in the sandbox. She wants to be able to have this bit of rest and sunshine more often, to allow her husband more time outdoors, away from his academic profession. Her perfect afternoon is spoiled, however, when another little boy playing in the sandbox decides to pick on her son by throwing sand at him. Not only does the other little boy ignore her when she admonishes him, but his father apparently inspires him by stating that it's a "public sandbox", implying that anyone may do as he or she pleases when in public (. It is then that her husband steps in to somehow stand up for the right of his own child to play, unharassed, in the sandbox . In the end, however, Morton backs down to the more aggressive father and takes his wife and child back home, while his wife tries to explain away her disappointment to herself as he explains his actions to her. She unconsciously wants Morton to show their son a father that can be a role model that fights a bully. Her thou ght is unmoral, what Morton did is right because the fat man teaching his son to be bully by using force is wrong.
-
-
26.09.2012 в 20:28The Casual Vacancy is an upcoming 2012 novel written by J. K. Rowling. It will be her first novel published since the Harry Potter series, her first apart from that series, and her first novel for adults.[1] I
It is aimed specifically at an older audience and includes adult themes and swear words.
The publisher says that The Casual Vacancy will be "blackly comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising".It is due to be released on 27 September 2012 and will be 512 pages.
-
-
04.10.2012 в 10:02With anniversary jokes and jobs talk.
The first presidential debate of election season got off to a light-hearted start with a shout-out by Obama to his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary: “A year from now we will not be celebrating it in front of 40 million people.” Romney quipped back when it was his turn, congratulating the couple and saying, “This is the most romantic place you could imagine, here with me!” The two quickly got down to business, outlining the major differences between their economy and jobs plans. Obama stressed the middle class set the tone for the country as a whole, while Romney blamed him for burying the mid-earners. Romney was quick to jump on allegations that he would cut taxes, saying, “I don’t have a five-trillion-dollar tax cut.” Obama shot back, saying Romney’s tax plan will benefit those on the top tier.
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a law introducing a single voting day for regional and federal elections, a measure that opposition politicians said was illegal and would benefit the ruling party.The law creating a single voting day stipulates that the two days in early March and October when regional and municipal elections are currently held be replaced with a single day: the second Sunday in September.
Also on Wednesday, it was reported that the Central Elections Commission had proposed granting elections officials the right to put limitations on the creation and use of photographs and videos produced at polling places ahead of regional elections on Oct. 14.
The commission could give elections officials the right to restrict photography and video-recording at polling stations to certain areas
Current laws allow accredited vote monitors and reporters to take photographs and record video at polling stations any time and anywhere except in the voting booths.
Officials could also be allowed to prohibit observers from taking close-up photos and videos and from publishing them without the consent of those who are filmed.
Lilia Shibanova, executive director of independent elections watchdog Golos, said the new photography and video-recording rules would make it more difficult to document violations.
“If we need to record [ballot] stuffing, it is useless to ask for permission. No one will give it,” Shibanova said by telephone.
-
-
04.10.2012 в 10:06Mass media helps in connecting people and "brings the globe into our glance". Let us take a look into the history as well as origin of mass media, which is also popularly known as public media.
Mass media includes print media like newspaper and magazines, electronic media like radio, television and video and new age digital media like the Internet, blogs and mobile phones. To know the origin and history of media, we should know the growth and evolution of mass media.
History and Origin of Mass Media
The history of mass media can be traced back to the early days of dramas that were performed in various cultures. However, the term 'Mass Media' originated with the print media that was also its first example. The first newspaper was printed in China 868 A.D, but due to the high cost of paper and illiteracy amongst people, it didn't prosper.
Europe can boast to be the place of birth of mass media. It was Johannes Gutenberg, who for the first time printed a book in a printing press in 1453.
Gradually, during the period post-Second World War, radio, television and video were introduced. The audio-visual facilities became very popular as they provided information and entertainment. Of late, it is the Internet which has become the latest and most popular of the mass media. Here, information has been generated through various websites and search engines. One can play games, listen to radio while working and chat with friends and relatives, irrespective of location. It also gives information on various topics such as literature, politics, science, sports, fashion, movies, education, career, jobs, etc., similar to other types of mass media.
Thus, due to the progress of science and technology, history of media has evolved and reached the present-day world of internet, cellular phones, blogs, podcast and RSS feeds.
Read more at Buzzle: www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-mass-media.h...
-
-
09.10.2012 в 22:07A few thoughts about Hamlet.
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father.
Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature. Also the play was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime.
I think that Hamlet could have several possible endings. The plot of this tragedy is very complicated and if cut of a few events and a couple of deaths the whole story can be changed.
In fact there are several different Hamlet’s. Three different early versions of the play are extant. Each version includes lines, and even entire scenes, missing from the others.
So even I can imagine a few alternative endings of Hamlet:
- Hamlet drinks poisoned wine instead of Gertrude.
-Hamlet kills Laertes before Laertes has a chance to stab Hamlet with the poisoned sword.
-Gertrude drinks wine, but Hamlet and Laertes both survive their fencing match.
-Gertrude drinks wine, and Hamlet is killed by Laertes.
-Everything happens as in the play, except that Horatio kills himself.
But for me everything perfect as it is. I think Hamlet is possibly the greatest story or play written ever.
-
-
10.10.2012 в 22:56California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law on Tuesday that will allow autonomous vehicles such as Google’s (GOOG) to be tested on California roads, the Associated Press reported. As a precautionary measure, the law requires a licensed individual to be in the driver’s seat at all times to take over control if need be. “Today we’re looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow’s reality — the self-driving car,” Brown said while signing the bill at Google’s Mountain View headquarters. “Anyone who gets inside a car and finds out the car is driving will be a little skittish, but they’ll get over it.”
Google received its first license to test its autonomous vehicles on public roadways in Nevada earlier this year. The tests have shown that the car is just as safe, if not safer than vehicles operated by human drivers, having logged more than 300,000 accident-free miles. Google co-founder Sergey Brin predicted that autonomous vehicles will be available to consumers within a decade, however the company has no plans to commercially produce its own vehicles.
The system combines information gathered from Google Street View[citation needed] with artificial intelligence software that combines input from video cameras inside the car, a LIDAR sensor on top of the vehicle, radar sensors on the front of the vehicle and a position sensor attached to one of the rear wheels that helps locate the car's position on the map.The system drives at the speed limit it has stored on its maps and maintains its distance from other vehicles using its system of sensors.The system provides an override that allows a human driver to take control of the car by stepping on the brake or turning the wheel.
-
-
18.10.2012 в 07:34An Air Canada plane and an Air New Zealand aircraft swooped down to 4,000ft to assist rescuers in the search for the solo yachtsman who had activated his emergency beacon.
His remote location was out of helicopter range, so rescuers asked the planes' pilots to get involved as they were flying over the yacht's GPS position.
The crew on each plane asked passengers to tell them if they had binoculars in their hand luggage so they could be used to help in the search.
The Air Canada pilot Captain Andrew Robertson said once he determined he had enough fuel to land the plane safely in Sydney after diverting to search for the yacht, he swooped down to 5,000ft and reduced speed while the crew peered out.
"As we got to about two to three miles of this yacht, the first officer said 'there it is, I see it'. I was amazed.
"We didn't know if we were looking for a sunken boat or one that was still floating."
Captain Robertson circled around once more at 3,700ft for a closer look to see if anyone was on board.
It was then they saw the yachtsman.
Captain Robertson said the search was the first of his aviation career.
"A lot of passengers said it was very exciting to be involved in a search like this," he said.
-
-
02.11.2012 в 13:19Against the wishes of her husband Christopher (Sean Bean), Rose DaSilva (Mitchell) takes her disturbed daughter Sharon (Ferland) to Silent Hill, an abandoned mining town whose name Sharon keeps reciting in her sleep. After a freak accident on the way, Rose wakes up alone and begins a frenzied search for Sharon - except that Silent Hill is no ordinary place.
I’ve been a huge fan of the “Silent Hill” game series since they first came out. I have to say that they didn’t deviate too far from the games (which is a good thing). “Silent Hill” addresses the concept that evil is a very real thing, with very real consequences. Unless you’ve played the games, much of the film probably won’t make much sense. Overall, I thought the film was fantastic! There were scenes of violence and disturbing images, but it’s important to remember that this is a horror film. I felt that as a horror film, it was actually done tastefully (not over the top like most horror films). It also had a powerful message about not fighting evil with evil, because in doing so, you can become evil yourself. There were also elements of sacrifice (selflessness) and love.
I can’t review much more without giving away some vital elements, and I won’t give away the ending, but I will say that the ending was awesome! Unlike most horror films, the ending wasn’t necessarily a happy one which really added to the film’s theme and quality. The weaknesses of the film were:
The film may be a little hard to understand unless you’ve played the games;
This is certainly not a film for those who are faint of heart, and certainly not for anyone under 17. This film is both frightening and disturbing. For those of us who enjoy a good horror this is the best one I’ve seen in a long time! I’d personally give it 4 out of 5 stars!
-
-
15.11.2012 в 00:58The military leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, has been assassinated in an Israeli air strike in Gaza.
Mr Jabari is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since Israel's military offensive on the city four years ago.Israel says the killing marks the start of a broader operation in Gaza.
Hamas said Israel "had opened the gates of hell".
JERUSALEM — Israel Defense Forces in Operation Cloud Pillar killed the head of Hamas's military wing, sources confirmed Wednesday to GlobalPost's correspondent in Israel, Noga Tarnopolsky.
"In the past hour, the IDF targeted Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas's military wing, in the Gaza Strip," a military source said.
"Jabari was a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas' command and was directly responsible for executing terror attacks against the State of Israel in the past number of years."
The death of Jabari, who ran the Ezzidine Al-Qassam Brigades, is a serious blow to Hamas' chain of command.
-
-
09.12.2012 в 17:01