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

Understanding Key Literary Elements

Outcome

The ending of the story.

Plot

The central theme and sequence of events in a story.

Foreshadowing

The use of clues to hint at what is going to happen later in the story.

Setting

The time and place in which the action of a story takes place.

Imagery

The mental image that you create about certain things or actions described in a text.

Comparative Analysis: "Cat in the Rain" and "Thank You M'am"

Similarities in these stories lie in the context of acceptance and the need to feel valued. Both characters (the American woman and the child) project their feelings onto a subject: the woman onto the cat, and the child onto the shoes.

Literary Analysis of Specific Stories

"Cat in the Rain"

Setting

The setting of this story is... Continue reading "Literary Elements & Short Story Interpretations" »

Chapter 6

Helen's Discovery

When Helen came home from school, she could tell something unusual was happening. Gregory's class teacher and the headmistress were talking with her parents.

Gregory's Progress

Gregory's teacher was happy with his progress because he was learning quickly and had a good influence on the class.

School Improvements

If the school wanted to take more children with problems, they would have to adapt the building. This included installing ramps for wheelchairs, lifts, different toilets, and wider doors.

The Headmistress's Suggestion

The headmistress suggested that Helen and her friends organize a fundraising event to raise money. The winning team would win a trip to Paris.

Chapter 7

Fundraising Ideas

There were many different ideas... Continue reading "The Fundraising Challenge" »

LOMCE-Madrid Decree 89/2014 and English Language

Treatment of Content and Skills

The Primary curriculum emphasizes grammar within language systems over skills development.

EFL Unit Planning with Royal Decree 5958/2010

Royal Decree 5958/2010 helps with EFL unit planning by setting specific, realistic skills in language development classes.

Integrating Skills Work in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

In CLT, skills work is often integrated into language development classes (focused on language systems) through:

• Restricted Exposure: Aural or written texts introduce the target language in a rich context (e.g., Hi Five 5, lessons 1 and 2).
• Target Language Practice: Primarily fluency speaking, sometimes extended writing.

Breaking Down Macro Skills in

Mastering Advanced English Vocabulary

Acquisitive - greedy / Acquit - find not guilty / Adduce - bring as proof / Allegiance - loyalty / Allot - assign / Altercation - heated fight / Anathema - something loathed / Anterior - situated in front / Annex - to add / Apparition - ghostly object / Appellation - a name / Apprise - inform / Armistice - truce / Arraign - to accuse / Arrant - bad (arrant fool) / Arrears - state of being in debt / Articulate - pronounce clearly / Ascribe - determine with certainty / Aspersion - slandering remark / Assail - attack vigorously / Astringent - severe / Atone - make amends / Augur - to be an omen / Auspices - support / Aversion - dislike / Barrage - concentrated attack / Bauble - inexpensive ornament / Behest... Continue reading "Vocabulary Building: Mastering Advanced English Words" »

Participants in the Tourism Industry

• Visitors: Individuals with motivations for travel.
• The Destination: The host community.
• Government: Plays a crucial role in tourism development and promotion.
• Local People: View tourism as a factor for cultural exchange and employment.
• Travel Trade Intermediaries and Suppliers: Businesses providing tourist goods and services.
  • Travel Agents: Organize personal travel and accommodation for travelers. They offer services like hotels, cruise lines, railways, and package tour operators.
  • Wholesale Tour Operators: Develop and market package tours, often through travel agencies.
  • Tour Guides and Couriers: Travel with tourists and work to ensure travelers' needs are met.
  • Hotel Booking Agencies.
  • Destination Management Company

Jim Nolan's Journey in 'In Dubious Battle'

From Despair to Purpose

Jim Nolan, a young man disillusioned with life, finds a sense of purpose in joining the Communist Party. He believes that working for a cause greater than himself will re-energize him.

The Power of Purpose

Jim's decision to join the Party is a rejection of the purposeless existence he has witnessed among the working poor. He seeks a life of meaning and worth.

Loss of Identity

Jim's transformation into a Party man comes at a cost. He willingly surrenders his individuality to become one with the cause. This loss of identity is symbolized by his facial wound, which robs him of his most personal feature.

Beyond Humanity

By giving up his personal identity, Jim becomes something beyond human.... Continue reading "Jim Nolan's Transformation: From Despair to Purpose in 'In Dubious Battle'" »

Analysis of Blake's "Nurse's Song"

Structure and Versification

The poem comprises four quatrains with an ABCB rhyme scheme. The first two stanzas incorporate internal rhymes in the third line, enhancing the song's calm, rhythmic quality, further amplified by the rolling anapaestic meter. The third stanza, representing the children's voices, features internal rhymes in the first and third lines, perhaps mirroring the repetitive nature of pleading. They mimic the adult's syntax but:

• Counter the authoritative "Come, come" with "No, no."
• Substitute "leave" (stop) with "let" (allow).
• Transform "away" into "play."

In the fourth stanza, the internal rhyme shifts to the first line, as if the Nurse echoes the children, highlighting their symbiotic relationship.... Continue reading "Analysis of Blake's "Nurse's Song": Symbolism, Imagery, and Themes" »

The Enduring Legacy of Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes served as a soldier in Spain before being captured and enslaved by pirates for five years. After he returned home, he found himself struggling to make a living and eventually landing in debtor's prison. In 1605, after 25 years of failures, Miguel de Cervantes found fame with Don Quixote. Written to parody both romances and romantic ideals, the book's inspired use of irony and realistic details changed the way novels were written. Today Don Quixote is one of the most widely published books in the world.

Vocabulary

• Resurrect: To bring back to life
• Fictitious: Created by the imagination
• Affable: Warm and friendly
• Burnish: To polish
• Incongruous: Incompatible, unsuitable
• Emnity: Hostility and ill will
• Hapless:

Quality in Stories

How Do We Assess a Story's Value?

If a story captivates children, it can be a powerful language teaching tool. While enjoyment is key, not all good stories align with teaching objectives.

Choosing a New Story

• Values and Attitudes: Ensure appropriateness for students.
• Structure: Prototypical story structures enhance understanding.
• Dialogue/Narrative: Narratives offer grammar patterns; dialogue aids conversational skills.
• Language Use: Vocabulary repetition is beneficial. Use stories with familiar or new vocabulary.

New Language Considerations

• Previously learned language for recycling.
• New language for active processing.
• Optional new language based on interest.

Reading Tips

• Select stories based on quality and children's interest.
• Pre-teach

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Passenger security Regulations:

-Each passenger is Restricted to one item