Around the world 1

Around the world

The palace. Ep 2

The palace

About writers

Writers and miners have something in common, I think. Daily we search for and hope to find the rich seams we need. Some writers discover a seam so productive that they simply keep digging the way the seam leads them. My problem is that I am too easily bored. I find a rich seam, dig like crazy, and then move on to a new seam, a different seam. I may return to the old one later, I often do.

This somewhat impatient and immature way of mining for my stories is reflected in this collection of tales. And there is a good reason for it, a good excuse, anyway. All of these stories, except one, have been written at the behest of someone else, a friend or an editor. So I’ve been digging away contentedly in my seam when some story mining expert (editor) comes up with a proposal that I might write a short story about such and such. ‘Stop your digging there,’ she says. ‘Look over there and follow that seam. It looks promising.’ Whether I do as I’m told entirely depends upon who’s doing the telling.

It was Miriam Hodgson who so often came up with proposals that I should explore new areas. That is why this book is dedicated to her – one of the truly great stories mining experts. She knows where the gold runs deep and true, how a writer gets at it, and she’s good on the smelting too. She likes these stories, which makes me hope and believe that you will too.

Michael Morpurgo

June 2000

PS    ‘From Hereabout Hill’ was written by a dear friend and wonderful poet, Seàn Rafferty, who lived in a cottage on the farm until his death in 1993. The ‘Hereabout Hill’ he writes of was his hill and is my hill, the place I live, the place I write my stories.

Vocabulary

wobble
cold feet
bugger off
no way
crazier
splash
deny
impeller
spike
be meant to
cock up
at the stake
stuck
shave
risky
handle
joke
bring
brief
dig up
mock
lousy
to be supposed to
regain
flay
broadcast
wish
whether
own
behaviour
figurehead
get involved
untrue
upset
lead
trip up
proud
betrayal

Easter customs

Easter is upon us! Easter Week began this past weekend with Palm Sunday and culminates in weekend commemorations of Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, and in some countries Easter Monday. Around the world, different cultures, countries, communities, and sects have their own traditions to celebrate the Easter holiday.

As Catholics and Protestants gather in churches across the globe to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, people everywhere are celebrating in their own ways by eating chocolate bunnies, going on Easter egg hunts and flying kites. 

1) BERMUDA: Bermudians celebrate Good Friday by flying home-made kites, eating codfish cakes, and eating hot cross buns. According to Bermuda-Online.org, the tradition is said to have begun when a local teacher from the British Army had difficulty explaining Christ’s ascension to Heaven to his Sunday school class. He made a kite, traditionally shaped like a cross, to illustrate the Ascension. The traditional Bermuda kites are made with colorful tissue paper, long tails, wood, metal, and string.

2) NORWAY: Norwegians have an interesting tradition for the season known for “Easter-Crime” or Paaskekrim. At this time of year, many around the country read mystery books or watch the televised crime detective series on national television, according to The Norway Post. Many families escape up to the mountains for the vacation week beginning the Friday before Palm Sunday and ending the Tuesday after Easter Monday. When spending time in a ski cabin in the mountains, a popular past time is playing Yahtzee, according to About.com. The image below shows Norwegian mystery novels in display during the Easter holiday.

3) EUROPE: In parts of Northwestern Europe large bonfires, called Easter Fires, are lit on Easter Sunday and Monday. While there are various explanations for the origin of the Easter Fires, the most common Saxon tale is that Easter is a time when spring becomes victorious over winter and the fires were to chase the darkness of winter away. Today, however, the meaning of the fires is simply to bring communities together. The nights are festive with heavy consumption of gin, lager, and snacks.

the palace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xluNriWk0ko&list=PLBSPv-sNk8aZEQAHRFUjbtFjiuQnwK_Mj

speaking 1

Retelling and conversation
The Palace
 What are they doing ?028
Bishop 
What does the expression stone deaf mean for you?
Why does he say his body might be allergic to opera?
lure
What does the woman say about the house of innocents?
Why do you think she says: I was born to shirk your responsibilities?
What does pledge fidelity mean?
What can you say about what's he's feeling when he sees the empty King's chair?
Could you catch the meaning of bear the allegiance, heirs, mourn?
What does the Queen say in this part?10.22
What're people doing? 11
Would she ever do anything to hurt his brother?
Hang on  Marshalls
What does he mean when he says: You're touching his stuff?

Tourism 1

1.        Three people are going to visit São Paulo city. Look at their descriptions and give suggestions from the text or your own ideas using can or should.

a)     Theresa: I am going to visit São Paulo city on my next vacation with 2 friends. We like to go out at night to dance and to have fun in nice restaurants. Where should we go?

	b)      Brian: I'll visit São Paulo next weekend. I like quiet places. I don't like big crowds. I like to go for a walk and have contact with nature. Where should I go?

 

	c)      Diana: I'm going to visit São Paulo next month. My mom lives there. I like to go shopping and buy different things. I like to know about culture and learn different things.

 

	d)     Kelly: I’m going to be in S.P. for two weeks and I’m still having lots doubts about what should I bring with me. I mean what kinds of clothing and objects? Should I bring a camera? Should I bring lots of Money? And what kinds of transportation should I use to make my tour easier and comfortable?

	e)

William: I’m so excited! I’m going to travel to São Paulo City next weekend. But my friends told me that it’s a very dangerous place, especially at night. So I’m wondering… what kind of precautions should I take?

Tourism 2

How important is tourism in your country?

What is the biggest tourist destination in your country?

What are the benefits of international tourism? Are there any drawbacks?

Do you prefer tourism package tours or do you prefer to plan your own vacations? Why?

Is it better to go to popular tourist destinations or lesser known tourist destinations? Why?

Should a government try to improve domestic tourism or try to attract international tourists instead? Why?

What’s the best way to travel when you visit a country? Train, car, bicycle, bus, some other way? Why?

If you could create a tourism slogan for your country, what would it be?

What’s the best way for a country to bring in more tourists?

How do you feel about tourists who visit your country?

Tourism

Speaking

letters

Dear Sir/Madam,

On [date] I stayed at your hotel for [number of nights] in room [number]. As I mentioned to your receptionist at the time, the accommodation was unsatisfactory in the following ways [describe].

When I asked to be moved to another room, I was told that this was not possible; nor were the problems rectified.

I have contracted with you to provide me with [details]. 

These were not provided with reasonable care and skill because [give details of the problem].

It was an implied term of our contract that the accommodation provided would be of a standard of cleanliness and quality reasonably to be expected from this type and price of the hotel.

It's also an implied term that the service provided would be done so with reasonable care and skill as required by the Consumer Rights   

Therefore, you are in breach of contract.

As such, I am legally entitled to receive compensation from you. In consequence, I am claiming the sum of [£xx set out the amount and how it was calculated].

I require your response to this letter within 14 days

Yours sincerely,

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sumners,

I’m the General Manager here at The Gimmel Resort & Spa. It has been brought to my attention that your recent visit with us was not up to par. As you may know providing the highest level of hospitality is our number one priority and hearing we have fallen below that standard is something we like to address immediately.

I can imagine that our inability to accommodate you with the two bedroom suite you booked started your stay with us on the wrong foot. But I hope you and your family did understand that we had a water pipe break in that section of the building and was unable to put anyone there while the repairs were done which unfortunately took longer than we anticipated. That meant closing that portion of the building for 24 hours.

I hope you can forgive this inconvenience and not let it stop you from staying with us in the future. In fact I would like to offer you and your family a free night on your next stay at Gimmel.

Sincerely,

Howard Brothers

Paraphrasing

reading c tenses

John (travel)................... already a lot. In fact, when he (be)....................... only two years old when he first (fly).............................. to the US. His mother (be)................ Italian and his father(be)..........................American. John (be born)....................................... in France, but his parents (meet)................................ in Cologne, Germany after they (live)..............................there for five years. They (meet)...............................one day while John's father (read)..........................a book in the library and his mother (sit)........................down beside him.

            John always (travel)........................................ a lot because his parents also (travel)....................................... a lot.

As a matter of fact, John (visit)................................ his parents in France at the moment. He (live)........................... in New York now, but(visit)................................ his parents for the past few weeks. He really (enjoy).............................living in New York, but he also (love)..................................... coming to visit his parents at least once a year.

    This year he (fly)................................ over 50,000 miles for his job. He (work).............................................for Jackson & Co. for almost two years now. He’s pretty sure that he (work).................................for them next year as well. His job (require)............................ a lot of travel. In fact, by the end of this year, he (travel)..........................over 120,000 miles! His next journey (be)........................ to Australia. He really (not like).....................going to Australia because it is so far. This time he (go)................................... to fly from Paris after a meeting with the company's French partner. 

            John (talk).................................... with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from New York (phone)........................ to let him know that Jackson & Co.(decide)............................. to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies (negotiate)............................. for the past month. Of course, this means that John (have)..................... to catch the next plane back to New York. He(meet).............................. with his boss at this time tomorrow.

Passive voice increasing practice

Write in the passive

1. Peter bought the house

2. Mary will bring the wine

3. My friends are repairing the car

4. Most students speak English in this class

5. An elderly couple sheltered her

6. A policeman helped him

7. She finished her work by nine o'clock

8. Nobody can repair this broken chair

9. They carried him into the hospital

10.Are they typing the letters?

Write in the active
1.    We are taught grammar by Ms Sullivan.
2.    He was praised by the teacher.
3.    The injured were taken to the hospital by the firemen.
4.    The town was destroyed by an earthquake.
5.    The teacher was pleased with the boy’s work.
6.    The building was damaged by the fire.

. Complete the sentences with a passive construction, using the verbs given in the form suggested.

1. Much of London (destroy) _________ by fire in the seventeenth century. (Past Simple)

2. The man who (bite)____________________ by a snake was given a serum. (Past Perfect)

3. A leader should be a man who can (respect)____________________. (Infinitive)

4. Many slums (demolish) ___________ to make way for new buildings. (Present Continuous.)

5. The police (instruct) ___________ to take firm action against hooligans. (Present Perfect)

6. He (save)______________ from bankruptcy by the kindness of a friend. (Past Simple)

7. A cease-fire (expect) ____________________ (declare) ____________________ later this week. (Present Simple, Infinitive)

Complete the sentences with a passive construction after deciding the tense, using the verbs given

1. In 1987, an emergency decisión ___________________after the oilspill. (take)
2. This morning, aerosol sprays __________from the perfume department. (remove)
3. Next month this river ___________________. (clean up)
4. The 'hole' in the ozone layer___________________by scientists for 30 years. ( notice)
5. If cars ___________________from the area, we will soon suffer from respiratory illnesses. (not ban)
6. If a nuclear bomb exploded, the earth___________________. (destroy)
7. Scientists say that the ozone layer___________________by chemicals. (destroy)

Rewrite the sentences in the passive, making the words in italics the subject of the sentence or clause in which they appear.

1. They gave the oldest councilor the freedom of the city.

2. They denied access to the secret documents to all but a few.

3. Someone showed the child how to use the telephone.

4. They declared him persona non grata and allowed him only forty-eight hours to leave the

country.

5. They gave him artificial respiration.

6. Why didn't they offer him the job?

7. Didn't they promise you a rise in salary at the beginning of the year?

8. Someone left him a legacy of 10.000.

9. When he looked at the stamps, he found they had sold him forgeries.

10. What did they pay you for doing the job?

personal and impersonal Passive voice

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).