Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for English

Analysis of Burning Bright

The ironies in this book continue to multiply as Montag discovers that Millie was the one who turned in the fire alarm. In fact, it's interesting to note that as Millie makes her abrupt departure, her worries and concern focus only on her television family and not her husband (Montag). Although Beatty feels some remorse over what will happen to Montag, he continues to ridicule him: "Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he's burnt his damn wings, he wonders why. Didn't I hint enough when I sent the Hound around your place?" Though one's sympathies are, rightly so, with Montag, Beatty is revealed here as a man torn between duty and conscience, which makes him more of an individual and less a villain, less... Continue reading "The Ironies of Burning Bright" »

Hurricane Katrina: A Family's Ordeal in New Orleans

On August 29, 2005, my parents, my sister, and I were sitting in our house in New Orleans, listening to the wind outside. Hurricane Katrina was here! We were all terrified, even our dog, Belle. Eventually, the wind stopped, and we knew the storm was over, so we went to bed.

At first, all was quiet. Then, my mother heard Belle drinking, but she wasn't drinking from her dish—she was drinking from the floor. Floodwater was filling our house! As soon as we realized what was happening, we ran up to the roof. We waited there for two days, with nothing to eat. We were hungry and scared.

Finally, a helicopter came and took us to a safe place. Now we live with my aunt in Houston, Texas. I'm sad that... Continue reading "Surviving Nature's Fury: Personal Accounts of Disasters" »

Lucy's Fear of Sleep

I was awake all night watching Lucy. This morning she woke up much better. This evening I went to Lucy’s room again to keep her company during the night. She was happy that I was there. Whenever she seemed to be falling asleep, she forced herself to wake up again. She did this two or three times.

"Don’t you want to sleep?" I asked. "No, I’m afraid," she replied. "Afraid to go to sleep? Why? Everybody likes sleeping," I said. "Not if you are like me. Sleep, for me, is the beginning of horror," she said. "The beginning of horror. What does that mean?" I asked. "I don’t know. I don’t know," she said, "and that is what makes it so horrible! A weakness comes to me when I am asleep."

"But my dear girl," I said, "you can... Continue reading "Lucy's Fear of Sleep and Mysterious Illness" »

Jennifer's Daily Routine

My name is Jennifer. I get up at 5 in the morning. I have breakfast, coffee, and a sandwich. Then, I go to work and leave at two in the afternoon. I go home for lunch and spend time with my daughter in the afternoon. After that, I have a shower and prepare everything for the next day before going to bed.

Hobbies

• Play football
• Play basketball
• Play volleyball
• Play tennis
• Play rugby
• Play jockey
• Play poker
• Play golf
• Go sailing
• Go yachting
• Ride a bike
• Ride a ski
• Surf
• Dance

Careful with the third person (he, she, it), add -s: play – plays, -es: watch – watches, -es: pass – passes, -es: go – goes. Usage: The present simple is used to talk about habitual actions. + (affirmative) TURN ON THE COMPUTER – (negative) DON´T TURN ON THE

Essential English Irregular Verbs

Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle

• to be - was/were - been
• to become - became - become
• to build - built - built
• to buy - bought - bought
• to come - came - come
• to do - did - done
• to drink - drank - drunk
• to eat - ate - eaten
• to feel - felt - felt
• to find - found - found
• to fly - flew - flown
• to get - got - gotten
• to give - gave - given
• to go - went - gone
• to grow - grew - grown
• to hang - hung - hung
• to have - had - had
• to hear - heard - heard
• to know - knew - known
• to leave - left - left
• to lose - lost - lost
• to make - made - made
• to meet - met - met
• to put - put - put
• to quit - quit - quit
• to read - read - read
• to ride - rode - ridden
• to run - ran - run
• to say - said - said
• to see - saw - seen
• to speak - spoke - spoken
• to spend - spent

City Center Flat: Park & Beachfront Living

This flat is located in the city center, directly fronting the park and extending to the beach. We are the proud owners of the entire building, which includes a private garage.

Spacious Interior & Modern Amenities

Inside, the flat features:

• Three comfortable bedrooms.
• A large living room, the most spacious in the house.
• A functional kitchen.
• An inviting terrace.

Bedroom Details

My parents' bedroom is exceptionally large, surpassing all other bedrooms, including my sister's and mine. My room is very modern, equipped with a computer, a smart TV, a PlayStation 4, and a comfortable bed.

The flat is generally older.

The Hunger Games: A Tale of Survival

The story unfolds in Panem, a nation starkly divided into... Continue reading "City Center Flat & Hunger Games: A Dual Story" »

Section 1: Verb Forms and Contextual Usage

Context: Opening of the New Gulliver Sports Center

Exercise: Select the Most Suitable Verb Form

• 1. was opened
• 2. was used
• 3. fell
• 4. was sold
• 5. was converted
• 6. played
• 7. were held
• 8. was damaged
• 9. broke out
• 10. was not used
• 11. remained
• 12. went on
• 13. was decided
• 14. was launched
• 15. was raised
• 16. offered
• 17. were drawn up
• 18. includes
• 19. congratulated
• 20. was given

Section 2: Passive Voice Sentences

Examples of Passive Voice Construction

1. The football pitch was flooded by a sudden storm.
2. The car door was scratched by vandals.
3. A new planet has been discovered by scientists in Geneva.
4. The new National Museum will be opened by the president.
5. The new primary school is being built by a local firm.
6. The swimming pool was not used

I thought that we could talk about travelling. Do you enjoy travelling?

If answer is YES.  Ahhh, then you will probably feel the same as me about this way of life.

If answer is NO  Oh.... You must be then one of the very few people who don’t..... In any case…

I prefer to speak about the reasons why we do it and the benefits we might get when we travel. Have you been on a trip recently?

Let me tell you a bit more about the reasons why people decide to travel. Nowadays, people travel mostly for pleasure. Travelers typically choose destinations where they think they’ll feel relaxed in different ways. Other people instead prefer travelling for deeper, more conscious motivations. If you have lived all your life with the comforts of western society,... Continue reading "The Benefits of Traveling: Why You Should Explore the World" »

Present Simple Passive Voice Examples

1. Emails are sent.
2. The grass is cut.
3. Chocolate is preferred.
4. Cars are often stolen.
5. Loud music is played.
6. English is spoken here.
7. The London parks are loved.
8. Staff is wanted.
9. Articles are written.
10. Julie is loved.
11. A lot of books are read.
12. Dinner is cooked every day.
13. Milk is delivered in the mornings.
14. Flowers are bought for the flat.
15. The cars are washed every week.
16. A report is written every Friday.
17. The roads are fixed.
18. New houses are built every year.
19. Vegetables are sold in the market.
20. The office is cleaned every day.

Past Simple Passive Voice Examples

1. The key was found.
2. Mistakes were made.
3. That woman was loved.
4. The rooms were cleaned.
5. The computer was fixed.
6. That house was built.
7. War and Peace was written.
8. The Mona Lisa was painted.
9. My

The Man in the Iron Mask: Key Plot Points

This summary details crucial plot points concerning the imprisonment of Philippe, the rivalry between Colbert and Fouquet, and the final actions of D'Artagnan and the Musketeers.

Philippe's Living Conditions

Philippe lived in a secluded house in the country, attended by a nurse and a teacher. He couldn't leave the premises, though select visitors were permitted access.

Louis XIV's Reaction to the Second Son

King Louis XIV was deeply unhappy about the birth of his second son. He feared that having two potential heirs would lead to a future struggle for the throne, resulting in civil war and instability in France.

The Rivalry Between Colbert and Fouquet

Nicolas Fouquet, the powerful Minister of Finance, was... Continue reading "The Man in the Iron Mask: Key Plot Points and Character Fates" »