Tuesday, 19 December 2017
Auggie Wren's Christmas Story from "Smoke"
When Paul Auster was asked by The New York Times to write a Christmas story for the Op-Ed page, the result, "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story," led to Auster's collaboration on a film adaptation, Smoke.
It begins with a writer's dilemma: he's been asked by The New York Times to write a story that will appear in the paper on Christmas morning. The writer agrees, but he has a problem: How to write an unsentimental Christmas story? He unburdens himself to his friend at his local cigar shop, a colorful character named Auggie Wren. "A Christmas story? Is that all?" Auggie counters. "If you buy me lunch, my friend, I'll tell you the best Christmas story you ever heard. And I guarantee every word of it is true."
And an unconventional story it is, involving a lost wallet, a blind woman, and a Christmas dinner. Everything gets turned upside down. What's stealing? What's giving? What's a lie? What's the truth? It's vintage Auster, and pure pleasure: a truly unsentimental but completely affecting tale.
Monday, 18 December 2017
The Greek island of old age
The inhabitants of a small Greek island live on average 10 years longer than the rest of western Europe. So what's the secret to long life in Ikaria?
Read more
Sunday, 3 December 2017
Monday, 27 November 2017
True Blood
True Blood is an American dark fantasy horror television series produced and created by Alan Ball and based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris.
The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress living in the rural town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, two years after the invention of a synthetic blood that has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin" and allow their presence to be known to mankind. Now they are struggling for equal rights and assimilation, while anti-vampire organizations begin to gain power. Sookie's world is turned upside down when she falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and for the first time must navigate the trials, tribulations and terrors of intimacy and relationships.
- Why is Sookie so excited?
- What does Bill, the customer, order to drink?
- Why don't they have what he wants?
- What is he going to have instead?
- Who is Sam? What do we learn about him?
Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Wednesday, 8 November 2017
Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy: Jewel on the Hill
'Civita is adapting to the modern world. As its permanent population dwindles, it's becoming a weekend escape for wealthy urbanites'
Here is this word again! We came across it in the article 'How to have a conversation'. Do you remember the context?
Tuesday, 24 October 2017
Connected, but alone? - Sherry Turkle
Unit 2 is about THE ART OF CONVERSATION. Watch this TED TALK. I'll be a good way to get into the subject.
Groningen: The World's Cycling City
This is how they tackled the problem of traffic in Groninger, in the Netherlands.
Sunday, 22 October 2017
President Obama Oregon FULL Speech. 'Some How This Has Become Routine'
Have you ever listened to one of Barak Obama's speeches?
Do you find any differences with Trump's style?
In case you missed something, here is the whole speech.
Do you find any differences with Trump's style?
In case you missed something, here is the whole speech.
Tuesday, 17 October 2017
This linguist studied the way Trump speaks for two years. Here’s what sh...
Do you think Trump is a good example to follow?
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
Friday, 6 October 2017
City vs Countryside : Cambridge or IELTS Speaking Exam
It's early days yet, but what would you say if you had to talk about living in a city or in the countryside in the oral exam in June? Here are some ideas.
Sunday, 1 October 2017
Saturday, 30 September 2017
Thomasina Miers
In this video Thomasina Miers, the famous British chef, talks about her love for Mexican cuisine and language.
Click here to watch the video.
Click here to watch the video.
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