NATIONAL SYMBOLS OF ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES

                   

SYMBOLS

These are the national flowers of some English speaking countries. Can you guess what country they represent?

                      

Try to find other symbols which are associated to these countries. Here you are some clues to start with: the flag, traditional music, the currency, a monument, a popular character (politician, writer, artist, scientist...), a well-known image of the country, a river/lake, a football team, a famous singer/band, a popular sport and an animal.
  

Here you are the names of the different flowers. Can you match them with the pictures?

Maple leaf      Shamrock      King Protea       Thisle      Water-lily    Rose   
       
            Silver Fern        Daffodil        Golden Wattle

Click on the different countries for help.

• UK
• USA
• AUSTRALIA
• CANADA
• IRELAND
• NEW ZEALAND
• SOUTH AFRICA
• INDIA

Note down all this information and get ready to tell to your classmates and teacher in the class. Good luck!

SONGS

Look for your favourite bands and learn English through their songs.  Here's a selection of them. 

Process: Once you've clicked on the song, choose your level: begginer,  intermediate , advanced or expert. Then, start playing the game and HAVE FUN!

You'll have to fill in the missing words in the song.

• ANGELS - Robbie Williams
• EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL - Coldplay
• FIX YOU - Coldplay
• HALL OF FAME - The Script
• HEY, SOUL SISTER - Train
• HO, HEY - The Lumineers
• HOW TO SAVE A LIFE - The Fray
• I'M YOURS - Jason Mraz
• LEAVE OUT ALL THE REST - Linking Park
• LET HER GO - Passenger
• MORE THAN WORDS - Extreme
• PRICE TAG -Jessie J. ¬ B.o.B.
• SOMEONE LIKE YOU - Adele
• VIVA LA VIDA - Coldplay
• WELCOME TO MY LIFE - Simple Plan
• WITH OR WITHOUT YOU - U2
• YESTERDAY - The Beatles
• ZOMBIE - The Cranberries

GENERATION Y

Have a look at the following photograph. What does it suggest you?

• Why do you think it is called 'Generation Y'?
• Discuss the characteristics of these young people. (Click on the link to get information about them).
• Now watch the following video and try to answer the questions on the quiz:

HISTORY LESSON

A VISION OF STUDENTS TODAY

Discuss the following questions in class:

1. If the walls in your classroom could talk, what would they say about  learning today?

2. What's like to be a student today?

3. Do you usually complete your assignments?

4. How many books will you read this year?

5. And web pages?

6. How many profiles on social networking sites will you read?

7. How many e-mails will you write?

8. How many hours a day do you spend on these activities?

• online?
• watching TV?
• listening to music
• on the cell phone?
• eating?
• in class?
• studying?
• sleeping?

9. How many hours a day do they make in total?

10. Do you consider yourself a multi-tasker?

11. Do you think you're one of those lucky students who have almost everything one could wish?

12. Does your future job exist today?

13. Do you agree that technology can save us?

14. What's the message students give in this video? What do they demand? What do they regret?

• Do you feel identified with the Gen Y'ers? In which aspects? Discuss.

THE KING'S SPEECH

PLOT

After the death of his father King George V  and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII , Bertie  who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue. After a rough start, the two look into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill, the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, THE KING'S SPEECH follows the Royal Monarch's quest to find his voice.

MAIN CHARACTERS

• King George VI (Bertie) - Collin Firth
• Queen Elizabeth (future Queen Mother) - Helena Bonham Carter
• Lionel Logue (speech therapist) - Geoffrey Rush
• King George V - Michael Gambon
• King Edward VIII - Guy Pearce
• Winston Churchill - Timothy Spall

TRAILER.

After watching the trailer, click on the link below (warm-up activities) and discuss the questions included there with your classmates and teacher.

USEFUL VOCABULARY

• Royal Family: 'Your Majesty', 'Your Highness' (treatment), abdication, to crown.
• Speech: speech disorder, speech therapy/therapist, to stammer, to stutter, swear, recite, speak in public, audition, voice.
• Radio: broadcast, off the air, on the air, radio-address. 

WARM-UP ACTIVITIES

Now that you've got an idea of what the film is about, get ready to watch the whole film in the class.

SOME MORE INTERESTING INFORMATION:

• Original oral speech by George VI, 1939. 
• Original written speech by George, Sept. 1939 (See the last two pages of the document).

CONJUNCTIONS AND CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Here you are some exercises to practise certain expressions in English. Click on the following links to get started.


1. CONDITION: IF, UNLESS, AS LONG AS.

2. CONDITION: AS LONG AS, PROVIDED THAT, UNLESS.

3. CONJUNCTIONS: AS LONG AS, SO THAT, AS IF, WHILE, UNTIL.

4. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES.

5. a) I WISH.   b) I WISH.   c) I WISH

6. I WISH / IF ONLY