Սովորողների բլոգներ
Լևոն Ավետիսյան 9
Էմիլ Դանիելյան
Նարեկ Գրիգորյան 9
Արտյոմ Զաքարյան
Գրիգոր Ստեփանյան 9
Վիկտորյա Հովհաննիսյան
Դավիթ Մուրադյան 9
Էմմի Մարտիրոսյան
Աստղիկ Բալյան
Ասյա Բեկլարյան
Օլգա Ալեքսանյան
Դավիթ Բլեյան
Գոռ Գրիգորյան 9
Ալեքսանդր Երանոսյան
Ալվինա Խարազյան
Մարիա Խանյան 9
Տոգրաամաջյան Աշոտ
Տոգրամաջյան Դավիթ
Տոգրամաջյան Ռուզան
Արեն Կարսեցյան
Էլեն Շահվերդյան
Ալեքս Շահվերդյան
Արամ Մինասսյան
Գալեչյան Դանիել
Homework is one of the least interesting tasks for students. They tend to avoid writing homework assignments because they are repetitive and boring. Exams are less stressful because they come occasionally and remain for a week or so. Home tasks are repetitive and monotonous. Students hate to attempt these assignments because they do not have enough time to give to each subject and assignment.
From a student’s point of view, home tasks are unnecessary. From a teacher’s point of view, these tasks are important to help the students revise the concepts taught in class and perform better at the subject.
This article talks about the advantages and disadvantages of home assignments for students. Everything has good and bad things about it. Home tasks have their good and bad sides as well. Research shows that students should have two hours of studying at home after the school assignments during high school. The amount of home tasks has increased greatly since the past two decades. This makes it difficult for students to cope up with. Average amount of home tasks is perfectly fine for the students.
Below are the pros and cons of home task assignments
- It helps the students improve their understanding of the subject. They can develop a better understanding of the subject and its applications when they attempt assignments on their own
- Students who have trouble in grabbing the concepts will learn better when they attempt the assignment
- It will help them revise the concepts they read in school
- It motivates them to take initiative and carry out research to attempt the home task
- It is a good way to prepare for exams and tests. They will practice the assignment and get prepared for the exam
Even though there are many advantages of home tasks, but they can have some drawbacks as well if in excess amount
- Students cannot take time out to dedicate to each assignment
- They do not find time for their other activities and extracurricular tasks
- They do not have enough free time to learn and develop their personal skills
- Students who have excess home work may feel anxiety and stress if they cannot complete the paper on time
- It can be challenging for parents to sit with students and help them out in their academic tasks
- It may make the student hate the subject itself
There is a longstanding tradition of instructors assigning homework to students as a means to further their education. It is generally accepted that homework helps students improve their grades and pass courses based on the measured improvement that comes from homework assignments. But for many decades there have been a growing number of detractors who say homework as a tool for learning is outdated and may actually be causing more harm than good. Here are some of the pros and cons:
Homework is viewed as especially helpful to students who have trouble with lessons in class. The additional work supplements their learning and increases their chances of passing standardized tests, where before their success would be measured only by their performance in class.
Those who insist school homework is harmful believe that there are some factors that aren’t considered. For one, parents and families are asked to be active when it comes to student homework, but for some families this simply isn’t an option. Another factor that isn’t considered is that some students don’t have resources such as internet or computer access to complete some assignments. In both these cases, it is common for students to fall behind in class.
There is also the danger that students will often grow tired of seemingly meaningless work and will eventually ignore assignments and fall behind. Students who find homework assignments too difficult are also in danger of failing since they are often discouraged from taking initiative and seeking help.
Lastly, school homework is rarely corrected quickly enough to reinforce classroom lessons. Because of this, students actually start losing interest and take assignments less seriously.
After hearing the pros and cons of assigning students homework, the issue may seem even more complicated than before. Perhaps the solution rests somewhere in the middle. Educators could take a more balanced approach, where the time spent on homework aligns with the student’s grade level or age. But this approach also requires that the assignments be relevant to the core concepts learned in class. No matter which direction we go, it is clear the debate will go on for years to come.
Football
Vocabulary exercises to help learn football words. If you’re a football fan you can find more football activities on our Premier Skills English website. Check it out!
Instructions
Start with the image matching exercise. Then choose one or more of the other exercises to try.
https://gamedata.britishcouncil.org/lep25_embed/MTI5NTE=/teensShowCheck your vocabulary: multiple choiceShowCheck your vocabulary: gap fill
Worksheets and downloads
Discussion
Are you a football fan? Tell us about your favourite team.
STORY The Washington Post won a Pulitzer Prize for their story about this experiment.
October 19, 2016
Read the story, translate it.
A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Read the rest of this entry »
Oxford Word Skills, pages 30-35
Parts of the Body
Sunny
Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain
Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain
The dark days are gone
And the bright days are here
My sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny one so true, I love you
Sunny, thank you for the sunshine bouquet
Sunny, thank you for the love you brought my way
You gave to me your all and all
Now I feel ten feet tall
Sunny one so true, I love you
Sunny, thank you for the truth you let me see
Sunny, thank you for the facts from A to Z
My life was torn like a windblown sand
And the rock was formed when you held my hand
Sunny one so true, I love you
Sunny
Sunny, thank you for the smile upon your face
Sunny, thank you for the gleam that shows its grace
You’re my spark of nature’s fire
You’re my sweet complete desire
Sunny one so true, I love you
Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain
Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain
The dark days are gone
And the bright days are here
My sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny one so true, I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
Перевести на русский
Do you celebrate Easter? If so, what do you do? What’s your favourite part of the Easter holiday? If not, what do you know about this holiday.
Easter | LearnEnglish Kids
Play some word games to learn and practise Easter vocabulary. … the worksheet about Easter and complete the exercises to help you practise your English!
Check your progress
Ex. 1: Be, Do, Have, Will
Choose the most appropriate answer.
1. there by six o’clock. Be Do Have Will
2. What you do? – I’m an engineer. And you? be do have will
3. I probably stay home tonight. am do have will
4. I didn’t go to the meeting because I a headache. did had was would
5. What they doing? are do have will
6. you help him to carry it, please? It is heavy. Are Do Have Will
7. He leaving next week. does has is will
8. She can’t talk with you now because she have time. She has to go to work now. doesn’t hasn’t isn’t won’t
9. Can you call me a little later? We dinner now. are being were doing are having will be
10. I writing letters all morning. have been have done have had would have
Present or Future
Choose the most appropriate answer.
1. Can I speak to Tom, please? – Sorry, he is out. I think he back after three. is has been will be will have been
2. If he you, don’t tell him about our plan. calls has called will call will be calling
3. I’ll wait here until he his work. has finished will finish will be finishing will have finished
4. Did you ask Tom to bring my books? – Oh, I’m sorry. I completely forgot about it. I him right away. am going to call have called will call will have called
5. I’m going to clean the garage after I my car. wash am washing will wash will have washed
6. I don’t know whether we there. We haven’t decided yet. go have gone will go will have gone
7. Billy missed his classes again. – OK, I to him before I leave. talk have talked will talk
8. Have you made plans for tonight? – Yes. I my sister after work. We need to discuss some family matters. am going to visit have visited will visit will have visited
9. When does the train for Boston leave, please? – It at 8:30 p.m. every day. leaves has left has been leaving will have left
10. I will ask her about it when she back. comes is going to come will come will be coming
Why do we need to save water? Practise your reading in English with this text.
Help
Preparation
Reading text
Saving water
We need it to drink, wash, cook and flush the toilet. Farmers need it to grow our food. Factories need it to make the products (and their packaging) that we buy. Power stations need it to produce the energy we use. Yes – it’s water! And we use a lot.
That’s OK – there’s a lot of water on our planet!
True! But did you know that we can’t use most of it? That’s because it’s salt water (in seas and oceans) or freshwater which is ice or in the ground. In total, we can use less than 1 per cent of all the water on the planet!
So why is it a problem now?
Well, the world’s population is increasing really fast, so more and more people are using water, and more and more water’s being used to make food, products and energy for those people! And we mustn’t forget that things like climate change and pollution are also bad for our water supply. We’re starting to use more water than our planet can give us – which means one day, we might not have enough. So let’s start saving water now!
Did you know?
- Up to 2,700 litres of water are needed to produce one cotton T-shirt, and up to 12,760 litres for one smartphone!
- Coal, gas and nuclear power plants all use water to produce our energy.
- By 2050, the amount of water we use is predicted to be 55 per cent more than in 2000!
Seven ways to save water
- Turn off the tap. Don’t leave the water running when you’re not using it, for example when you’re brushing your teeth.
- Don’t play with water. It’s fun but it wastes a lot of water.
- Take a shower instead of a bath. Baths use more water than showers. But try not to spend more than five minutes in the shower!
- Water plants carefully. Don’t water them when the sun is strong. Morning or evening’s better.
- Don’t waste food. If you make a meal, don’t make too much, or eat the rest the next day!
- Don’t waste products. Reduce, reuse, recycle instead! Reduce the number of plastic bags you get. Reuse things like boxes and bottles. Recycle instead of throwing in the bin!
- Don’t waste energy. For example, turn off lights when you leave a room.
What other ways can you think of?
Game
Game
Discussion
How do you, your friends and family save water? Tell us some more ways to save water!
Read the short story about this important principle.
DO NOT STEAL
Ken is sitting by himself on a bench in the park. He is not very happy. He does not have a laptop, and he really needs one. He has an old, slow computer that does not work very well for all his university projects. He is frustrated because he does not have enough money to buy himself a laptop.
He stands up and starts to walk through the park, feeling unhappy. Soon he sees an old lady sitting on another bench. She has a beautiful new laptop next to her purse on the bench. Ken looks at her. “Now, why does she need a laptop?” he thinks to himself. “She is an old lady. She does not need it for anything important.”
Ken thinks about all his important college work. He really needs that laptop. He knows he can just grab it and walk away. The old lady will probably not even notice. Suddenly, a dog starts barking loudly. The old lady looks to see what is happening. Ken takes this perfect chance – he grabs the laptop and quickly walks away.
The next day, Ken tries to use the laptop for a project, but he feels terrible. He cannot even open it because he feels so bad about stealing it. He uses his old computer, but there is the laptop on the desk next to him. He cannot even look at it because he feels so guilty.
When his friend comes over that afternoon, Ken tries to hide the laptop. He does not want anyone to know that he stole it. He feels guilty and embarrassed. As the days pass, Ken becomes grumpy. He is always in a bad mood, and he does not work hard on his university projects.
Ken finally decides he cannot take it anymore. He goes back to the park hoping to find the old lady and return her laptop. He waits and waits, but of course she does not arrive. On the way home, he donates the laptop to a community center for children. He even gives them some of his old books.
Ken realizes that stealing the laptop was not worth it. When you steal something, it loses its value. Only the rightful owner can use their things happily. A thief cannot. Ken knows he cannot steal and be happy.
AND NOW, PRACTICE:
EXERCISES
VOCABULARY QUESTIONS
1. What does “steal” mean?
a) to borrow
b) to ask someone for something
c) to take something that belongs to someone else
d) to use something and then give it back
2. What does “grumpy” mean?
a) in a bad mood
b) tired
c) bored
d) happy
3. What does “thief” mean?
a) a person who knows a lot
b) a person who steals things
c) a person who is rude to other people
d) a person who does not talk to other people
Famous Players
Pele
Edison Arantes do Nascimento, or Pele, is rated by many as the greatest footballer of all time. The Brazilian champion was given the title of Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and jointly named FIFA Player of the Century with Diego Maradona. He was part of three World Cup winning teams, and was known for his brilliant passing, his speed, his strong heading of the ball, as well as for his brilliance at shooting for and scoring goals.
Pelé dribbling past a defender while playing for Brazil in Sweden, May 1960
Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona is one of the most well-known footballers of all time. He played in four World Cups for his country Argentina, and led them to their victory over West Germany in 1986. He also won many trophies with Boca Juniors in Argentina, FC Barcelona in Spain and SSC Napoli in Italy. Together with Pele, he was named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000. Maradona had a stocky build and his strength and speed made him a difficult opponent for defenders. He had great ball-control and passing abilities, and was often able to create goal scoring opportunities for his teammates. He also scored many goals himself, including 34 goals for Argentina in international competitions.
Football Vocabulary List
| word | example sentence | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| assistant referee | Assistant referees used to be called ‘linesmen’, but the term was changed in 1996. | official who runs one of two touchlines and advises the referee, esp. on offside decisions |
| corner kick | The referee awarded a corner kick after the goalkeeper tipped the ball over the bar. | a free kick taken from one of the corners of the pitch |
| defender | Defenders include left backs, right backs and central defenders. | a player whose main role is to prevent the opposition from scoring |
| dive | Many people see diving as a form of cheating and think players who dive should be sent off. | to deliberately fall over when tackled in order to deceive the referee into awarding a free kick |
| draw | The game ended in a draw, with each team having scored two goals. | finish a game with an even score; tie |
| extra time | We won the game by scoring the only goal in extra time. | two periods of 15 minutes each played when a game ends in a draw after normal time |
| foul | The referee blew his whistle and gave a penalty kick for a foul in the penalty area. | an illegal action punishable by a free kick |
| goal | Manchester United beat Chelsea by three goals to one. | an instance of kicking or heading the ball into the goal |
| goalkeeper | The goalkeeper tried to stop the penalty kick by diving to his left, but the penalty taker kicked the ball past him and scored. | player whose role is to stop the ball from entering the goal, and the only player who can handle the ball in general play |
| goal line | The referee thought a defender was the last player to touch the ball before it went over the goal line, and awarded a corner kick. | the two shorter boundaries, one at each end of the pitch, on which the goals are placed |
| handball | The ball hit Mark on the arm and the referee awarded a free kick to his opponents for handball. | a foul committed by touching the ball with a hand or an arm |
| league | The Spanish Football League, known as ‘La Liga’, includes famous clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona. | a group of sports clubs that play each other over a period for a championship e.g. English Premiership League |
| offside | The assistant referee raised his flag to indicate to the referee that one of the forward players was in an offside position. | law requiring at least two defenders to be between an attacker and the goal line when the ball is passed to the attacker |
| pass | David saw a teammate and passed the ball to him. | to kick or head the ball to another player on one’s own team. |
| penalty | Our defender tackled their striker in the penalty box, but the referee thought it was a foul and gave them a penalty. | a free kick from the penalty spot; see also penalty kick |
| penalty area | The tackle was just outside the penalty area, but the referee thought it was inside the area and gave them a penalty. | area near each goal in which the goalkeeper may handle the ball, and a foul is punished by a penalty kick (also; penalty box) |
| penalty kick | Their best striker took the penalty kick, but our goalkeeper blocked his shot and they didn’t score the goal. | a direct free kick taken from the penalty spot, awarded for a foul committed in the penalty area |
| penalty shootout | Our team won the penalty shootout by four goals to three, and we were the new champions. | a best-of-five penalty kick contest held to find a winner when a game is still tied after extra time |
| penalty spot | I felt very nervous as I put the ball on the penalty spot and stepped back to take the kick. | a white mark in the penalty area from which penalty kicks are taken |
| pitch | It had rained all morning, so the pitch was soft and muddy and difficult to run on. | the playing field |
| professional | David Beckham became a professional player at 17 when he signed a contract with Manchester United. | doing something, like playing sport or music, as a career or occupation |
| red card | The referee had already given Lee a yellow card, so when he committed another foul he was given a red card and sent off. | the most severe punishment given by a referee, in which the player is sent off the pitch |
| shoot | Ronaldo took the free kick and scored a great goal by shooting over the wall. | to try to score a goal |
| striker | We’re not scoring enough goals, so our manager wants to get a new striker. | a player whose role is to score goals |
| substitute | They were losing by a goal with ten minutes to go, so the manager decided to substitute one of his defenders with a forward. | to replace one player with another player; also a player used to replace another |
| tackle | One of the defenders tackled David and kicked the ball out of play. | to challenge a player for the ball |
| tactical | They were losing, so the manager made tactical substitutions and replaced two defenders with more attacking players. | relating to a carefully planned strategy to win |
| throw in | After Joe kicked the ball out, one of the other team’s players threw it in with a long throw into the penalty box. | to put the ball back into play after it has crossed the touchline by throwing it, usually to a teammate |
| touchline | The manager stood on the touchline shouting instructions to his players. | the two long boundaries along each side of the pitch; also sideline |
| wall | The defenders formed a wall to block the free kick, and the referee pushed them back ten metres. | a line of players forming a barrier to block a free kick taken near the penalty area |
| yellow card | If Jose gets another yellow card, he’ll miss the next match. | a warning issued to a player for a serious foul, two of which result in a red card and sending off |
March 17
Principle number 1 is “Take Care of Yourself.”
Read the short story about this important principle.
Take Care of Yourself
Valerie studies at a big university. At the same time, she maintains a full-time job so that she can pay for her tuition and her living expenses. So Valerie spends most of the day at the office, then goes to class three days a week. She also stays up late at night to study for her classes.
Valerie does not do any physical exercise. Between work and university, she is so busy that she thinks she does not have time for any physical activity.
Sadly, she rarely eats home-made meals. She usually just grabs a bag of chips or a hamburger as she leaves her office to take the bus to university. Since she is convinced that she does not have time to make a healthy dinner when she gets home, she eats lots of pizzas that she orders over the phone.
After dinner, she starts studying and preparing her assignments. Valerie does not sleep very much because of it. She feels grumpy when she wakes up early in the morning, and she is irritable at work. After her long day, she feels tired in class, and it is hard for her to concentrate.
To make matters even worse, Valerie keeps getting sick. This makes her miss work and class. She is miserable! She just wants to feel good. Her grades start to go down because of her illnesses. As she thinks about her whole life situation, she gets so frustrated that she does not even want to study anymore.
During her mid-year break, Valerie decides to make some big changes. First, she learns how to make some easy, healthy recipes. She actually finds that she saves a lot of money by preparing her food herself, and the food tastes much better too! After an early dinner and some quiet reading, Valerie goes to bed early every night. Now she really feels refreshed in the morning.
Then she decides to give something else a try. Her office is not really so far from her university, so one day after work she tries walking there. As she walks down the street, looking at all the people, the shops, and the movement in the city, she remembers how much she hates being stuck on the bus in traffic. In fact, she finds that she can get to class almost as fast by walking. And she is so much happier when she arrives!
When the semester begins, Valerie maintains her healthy habits. She sets time aside on the weekends to study and do her assignments. Because she is sleeping and eating better now, she can finally concentrate and needs to spend much less time studying.
It is a huge improvement. Valerie saves money on food and transportation, she has much more energy, she feels less stressed, and her grades are better. She is glad she finally started to take care of herself. Now she finally enjoys all of her different activities and feels happy about her life.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does “tuition” mean?
a) the money you pay to live in an apartment
b) the money someone pays you to work for them
c) the money you pay to a university to study there
d) the money a university gives you to help you study
2. What does “grumpy” mean?
a) upset and irritable
b) confused
c) energetic
d) tired
3. What does “healthy” mean?
a) good for your body
b) good for your emotional state
c) good for your mental state
d) all of the above
Grammar Questions
1. She decides ________ to class.
a) to walk
b) walking
c) walk
d) walked
2. Valerie keeps ________ sick.
a) having
b) getting
c) being
d) doing
3. She is so much ________ when she arrives.
a) happy
b) happiest
c) more happy
d) happier
Comprehension Questions
1. Why does Valerie always feel frustrated and irritable?
2. What healthy changes does Valerie make in her life?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to take care of yourself?
Moral Stories
Moral Story Number 1: Take Care of Yourself
Moral Story Number 2: Be Temperate
Moral Story Number 3: Do Not Be Promiscuous
Moral Story Number 4: Love and Help Children
Moral Story Number 5: Honor and Help Your Parents
Moral Story Number 6: Set a Good Example
Moral Story Number 7: Seek to Live With the Truth
Moral Story Number 8: Do Not Murder
Moral Story Number 9: Don’t Do Anything Illegal
Moral Story Number 10: Support a Government Designed and Run for All the People
Moral Story Number 11: Do Not Harm a Person of Good Will
Moral Story Number 12: Safeguard and Improve Your Environment
Moral Story Number 13: Do Not Steal
Moral Story Number 14: Be Worthy of Trust
March 7-11
Mother’s Day
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day, also sometimes called ‘Mothering Sunday’, in the United Kingdom. For many mothers and their children it is a very special day and one day of the year when we all remember to thank our mums for looking after us and we celebrate their lives.
Most countries in the world celebrate Mother’s Day around the middle of May but in the UK we normally celebrate it in March – officially it is celebrated the Sunday three weeks before Easter.
Father’s Day seems to have been created quite recently by businesses that wanted to make a lot of money by selling cards and gifts for the occasion. It is, as a result, often described as being a very commercial holiday. Mothering Sunday, however, is a much older tradition. The Greeks and the Romans celebrated Mother’s Day and some say that it comes from the Bible.
In many families it is traditional to give a present to our mother on Mother’s Day. Very often children give their mothers a bouquet of flowers or a small box of chocolates. Young children are encouraged to make something – a small craftwork or painting – to give as a present. With older children and adults, it can be nice to take your mother out for lunch, or to have a day out together. This is good not just because you are thanking her but because you are showing your thanks by spending time with your mother.
Whatever its origins and however we celebrate this day, what is most important is that we do celebrate it. So many of us spend a lot of time fighting with our mothers – and other members of our families – but it is very rare that we pause and tell them how much we appreciate and love them.
We should celebrate and be thankful to our mothers every day of the year but, unfortunately, we often forget in our busy and fast-paced lives. This is one day of the year when we must not. This is one day of the year when we must all say to our mothers, ‘Thank you for everything.’
Language level:
Topics:
Discussion
Is Mother’s Day an important day in your country? How do you celebrate Mother’s Day in your family?
February 23-26
Hovhannes Tumanyan
Biography
1869 – 1923
Hovhannes Tumanyan was born on February 19, 1869 in Dsegh, one of the villages of Lori. His father was the local parish priest. Later Tumanyan would write: “The most precious and the best thing that I had in life was my father. He was honest and the most noble man. Extremely altruistic and generous, witty, cheerful, sociable, at the same time he always maintained an air of deep seriousness.” The future writer inherited a priceless legacy from his father
Tumanyan began his education in Lori, and then attended one of the best Armenian schools of the time, the Nersisyan School from which he, unfortunately, had to leave when his father took ill and died. At age 16, two years before graduation, he ended his formal education and returned to Dsegh to care for his family. At age 19 Tumanyan married and eventually fathered ten children. In need of finances to support his family, he was obliged to do work not fitting to his talents and intellect where the atmosphere stifled him to the point where he later remembered those days as “hell.” In the mid 1890s Tumanyan left that ‘hell’ in order to focus all his time to writing.
Tumanyan started writing when he was 10-11 years old, but only became known as a poet in 1890, when his first poetry collection was published. Even in this early book one can clearly see all the freshness that Tumanyan brought to Armenian literature with his poetry.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Tumanyan had rewritten and developed his earlier works and had written new poetry and prose. He emerged as an accomplished artist, who brought a fresh spirit and quality to Armenian literature.
IN THE COTTAGE.
THE little children wept and wailed;
Heart-rending were the tears they shed.
“Mamma, mamma, we want our food!
Get up, mamma, and give us bread!”
With bitter sorrow in her heart
Groaned the sick mother from her bed:
“We have no bread, my little ones;
Papa has gone to get you bread.”
I want my mummy
February 10-17
READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME AND YOU GET SICK?
Living abroad more often than not means living in a completely new and unknown place as well. Normally this is fine, you get to meet a load of fun new people, live with exciting new friends or try out the experience of living alone. You are never really tempted to stay in and laze about on the internet as there is too much to do and see. It is exciting. But there are times where this does become a problem, at least for me, this is when I am sick.
In Mexico, travellers’ sickness happens to everyone at one point or another. (An interesting fact: In Mexico travellers’ sickness is affectionately known as Montezuma’s revenge. Supposedly it is the revenge that the last Aztec emperor who was at power during the time of the Spanish conquest exacts on European visitors) I am lucky in that I lasted 2 and half months before I succumbed.
It hasn’t been all bad, many of my friends and colleagues have been helping me taking me to the doctor and the pharmacy, helping me to get medicines and explain all the weirdSpanish medical words that I don’t understand, however none of this makes up for the fact that I am sick and my mum is 1000s of miles away and unable to look after me. It is quite sad and pathetic, I know. I am meant to be a strong independent woman who can live wherever she wants and adapt to anything. But when I get sick I regress to the childlike state of wanting my mum to bring me cut up apples, take my temperature and generally look after me. All while telling me that everything will be alright and I will get better soon. It is wonderful to realise that I have many friends who care and worry about me, but none of them can even come close to taking the place of my mum when I am sick.
Discussion
What do you do when you are away from home and you get sick?
Meeting other students
Listen to a group of new students meeting for the first time to practise and improve your listening skills.
Discussion
What subjects do you like to study?
CINDERELLA
CHARACTERS:
NARRATOR Narek, NaNA
QUEEN Olga
KING Gor
STEPMOTHER Elen
LATISHA Anahit
NICOLE Lina
FAIRY GODMOTHER Sofi
MAIDEN 1 Artom
MAIDEN 2 Alex
PRINCE Davit
SERVANT Davit M
SCRIPT:
NARRATOR: In a beautiful palace, surrounded by a beautiful garden, there lived the King and Queen with her only daughter. One day the Queen said. N
QUEEN: Oh, look at our beautiful daughter!. Olga
KING: She looks just like you. Her hair is like gold, and her eyes like a blue lake. Gor
NARRATOR: But one day the Queen got sick and she died. After a few months the King married a new woman, cruel and proud, and who had two ugly daughters, whose names were Latisha and Nicole. One day the King suffered a terrible accident, and died. And so the little princess knew that she would never be happy again. One day her stepmother was in the garden and said. Nane
STEPMOTHER: Little girl, come here!. I see that you are having a good time!. Very well, beautiful, this is over now!. I need maids, everything is very expensive, so I have decided that from now on you will serve me, Latisha and Nicole. Go inside the palace and put on a maid dress, and start cleaning every chimney, all of them are very dirty.When you finish come to me again, you need to do more things!. Go now, get to work!. Elen
NARRATOR: So the princess cleaned every chimney in the palace, and when she finished she went back to her stepmother. Narek
STEPMOTHER: Good, good, so you have finished. I see what you have been doing, you have ash even in your nose!.
LATISHA: Ha, ha, ha, ha this is funny!. Cinderella, Cinderella, that is how we will call you. Anahit
NICOLE: Cinderella, ha, ha, ha, ha. Lina
STEPMOTHER: Shhh, quiet!. Cinderella, is a perfect name for a maid. Since today is prince`s Rupert ball, you are going to iron our dresses. We have been invited, and you too, but don`t dream about going, you have a lot of things to do. You need to polish all the silverware, comb our hair, and help us get dressed…. quick…. Latisha and Nicole you have to look very pretty, they say that the prince is looking for a wife… you… Cinderella… get to work!. Artiom
CINDERELLA: Yes, mam. Asya
NARRATOR: The little princess ironed the dresses and then she helped them get dressed. Nane
STEPMOTHER: Cinderella, give me my necklace!… No, not that one, the one that has diamonds, I look better with it…. Perfect! Elen
CINDERELLA: Yes, mam.
NICOLE: Cinderella, bring me my shoes and comb my hair!. Lina
LATISHA: Cinderella, bring me my hat!. Anahit
STEPMOTHER: Cinderella, bring me my purse, the white one, not the blue one!. Elen
CINDERELLA: Yes, mam.
STEPMOTHER: Hurry up, we can`t be late for the ball. Artiom
CINDERELLA: Here`s your mirror, Nicole. And here`s your purse Latisha. Asya
NARRATOR: Cinderella did everything she was told to do. Finally, they left in a beautiful pink carriage, and Cinderella sat down in the floor watching them leave, while crying sadly. NaREK
CINDERELLA: Oh, I wish I could go, too.
NARRATOR: Then she heard a sweet voice. nANE
FAIRY GODMOTHER: Good evening.Sofi
CINDERELLA: Who are you?.
FAIRY GODMOTHER: I am your Fairy Godmother, and I have come today because I think that you need my help.
CINDERELLA: Oh, Fairy Godmother.
FAIRY GODMOTHER: I can`t stand seeing you so sad and so unfairly treated. Let`s see what my magic wand can do today!. Magic wand, I want the most beautiful dress in the world, the most precious jewelry, a coach, six horses, a coachman, and a groom. Oh and a pair of glass slippers.
NARRATOR: Suddenly a white sparkling dust covered Cinderella from head to toe, and when it disappeared, she looked wonderful. nAREK
CINDERELLA: Oh, Fairy Godmother, how beautiful dress! And how lovely glass slippers!.
FAIRY GODMOTHER: Now, you are ready for the ball. But there is one thing you must know. The magic will last only till the last stroke of midnight. At twelve o´clock everything will disappear, except for the glass slippers, which I give them to you, so try to be at home by that time. Artiom
CINDERELLA: Oh, I will remember that. Thank you so much. You make me very happy.
FAIRY GODMOTHER: Now, go to the ball, and have fun. And remember… at twelve.
NARRATOR: And the Fairy Godmother disappeared. Then Cinderella went inside the carriage. The carriage was going so fast that it seemed to go flying. When she arrived to the palace, she entered the ball room, and everybody turned around to look at her. NANE
MAIDEN 1: Who is she?.
MAIDEN 2: I don`t know.
NARRATOR: Even the King and Queen couldn`t stop looking at her. Narek
KING: Who is she?.
QUEEN: She`s so beautiful!.
NARRATOR: The prince looked at her astonished by her beauty, and immediately he fell in love with her. Then he asked her to dance. NANE
PRINCE: Would you like to dance?. Davit
CINDERELLA: Oh, yes, your highness.
NARRATOR: While they were dancing, her stepmother and stepsisters kept looking at the couple .Narek
STEPMOTHER: Who is she?.
LATISHA: I have never seen her before.
NICOLE: Look at him!. He looks happy!.
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, the prince told Cinderella. Nane
PRINCE: Thank you for the dance. Davit
CINDERELLA: You are welcome, your highness.
NARRATOR: Then she heard the clock. Narek
CINDERELLA: I must go.
PRINCE: But, you have just arrived. Davit
CINDERELLA: Good bye!. I must go!.
NARRATOR: And she started running.
PRINCE: No!. Stop!.
NARRATOR: While Cinderella was still running the magic disappeared, and her dress turned to rags and the coach, horses, coachman, and groom disappeared. The prince followed her, until he lost her. Narek
PRINCE: I lost her!. How will I see her again if I don`t even know her name.
NARRATOR: Then he saw something in the floor.
PRINCE: What is this?. Oh, it`s one of her glass slippers. I will look for her throughout the kingdom.
NARRATOR: And he did. He tried the shoe in every maiden there was in the kingdom. Some of them fit into the shoe, but they didn`t have the other one. Then one day he arrived to Cinderella`s palace. As soon as he arrived Latasha and Nicole tried on the shoe, but their feet were very big, so it was useless. NAREK
PRINCE: Are there other young maidens here?.Davit
STEPMOTHER: No.
NARRATOR: As the prince was getting ready to leave, one of his servants saw that Cinderella was watching them behind the stairs. NANE
SERVANT: Come here, young girl, and try on this shoe. D< M>
LATISHA: But… she can`t… she didn`t even go to the ball.
NICOLE: Besides, she is our maid. The prince would not want her.
SERVANT: Come here, girl, try it on.
NARRATOR: Then Cinderella tried on the shoe, which fit her perfectly. NAREK
PRINCE: You will be my bride!. Let`s go to my palace.
CINDERELLA: Oh, yes, your highness.
NARRATOR: They went to the palace where they got married, and were happy for many, many, many years. NANE
THE END
November 29- December 3
Oxford Word Skills, pages 23, 24
Holidays in December
Sun Child 10th International Environmental Festival
The Sun Child 10th IEF will take place from 14th to 18th of November 2021, screening around 30 environmental films from different countries.
Our planet is on the brink of a severe environmental crisis. To confront the challenges, the planet and our communities face we need to increase the active participation and partnership with young people. Youth voice will result in a tremendous impact on changes towards environmental issues, thus we choose youth as our main target for the SunChild IEFF to increase awareness on wildlife conservation and environmental issues. Only with educated and competent young generation the future of our environment can be in good hands.
My favorite things.
What are your favorite things?
It is often said that the best things in life are free, I, for one, fully agree with the statement. To me, best does not imply the most beautiful or glamorous, or the most indulgent or heavenly, but it is those things which I held to be the most valuable and precious in my life. Most people would choose to write about their role model (usually their mother), or the sunset, or even the rain. Some would write about food, others about clothes.
I, on the other hand, have favourite things of a very different kind. It might sound strange, but my favourite things are: my eyes, my nose, my mouth, my ears, and my hands. Although they are nothing out of the ordinary (no unfortunately I havent been blessed with aquamarine eyes, or perfectly pouting lips), these features are my favourite things because of their ability to evoke in me experience of pure, unadulterated bliss.
Take my eyes, for instance. People say that ones eyes are the window to ones soul. Then I must have a fairly bleak, run-of-the mill type of soul, for what you will see when you look at my eyes are two dark-brown, round buttons. They do not exude any magnetism; neither do they give off an aura of mystery and melodrama. But, they have been the rolls with which I have been able to witness many a beautiful sunset. The sun spreads its mosaic of colour on the horizon, amidst wisps of drifting clouds, as hues of russet pink and violet glisten across the sapphire sky. Then, darkness tears the sky asunder, as day slips into night, providing a canvas for the vast constellation of stars that sparkle majestically, illuminated by the glow of the moon. Serenity fills my souls and soothes my mind as the magnificence and splendour of the sunset captives me.
My next favourite thing is my nose, a feature that quite dominant on my visage, conspiracy exhibiting its own sense of prominence. I assume that it could serve as a rather good model to demonstrate inclined planes in a Physics practical or even gradient in Analytical Geometry. However, I hold my nose in high esteem for the many delectable scents that it allows me to smell: the subtle scent of a delicate flower that tickles the nostrils like a gentle breeze; a calming perfume that comforts my heart; a beautiful fragrance that is soft yet intense; subtle powerful, aromatic blends that engulf the nostrils with sweet smell.
Not much can be said about my mouth. Although my upper lip is a perfectly shaped Cupids bow, my lower lip seems to have natural Botox. I would also have preferred my lips to be more of a rosy-plink colour, rather than the dull mauve that they are. However, all disappointments disappear when I consider the heavenly taste of chocolate mousse that has passed through these same lips- the feeling of pleasure and contentment that engulfs my entire being as the rich taste intoxicates my sense, is unmatchable. The sensation of sweetness soaks into my taste buds, as it slowly oozes down my throat and into my oesophagus.
The last of my favourite things are my hands, which are preceded by skinny elongated arms, both of which could be used rather effectively in a Geography lesson to teach the concept of a river and its many tributaries, due to the map of the deep-blue veins that run their course along the inside of my arms. Yet, this ghostly sight is forgotten when I remember the soothing feeling of a long, hot bath and the silky sensation of warm soap bubbles against my skin. All stress and tension drains away into the soapy water and my body feels rejuvenated and invigorated, the mind floating upwards like a soap bubble, into another realm.
So these are my favourite things. Of course, they come with their own imperfection but I am nevertheless extremely grateful for hem. My favourite things bring me feelings of joy, love, and achievements, success, giving, and caring, all of which cannot be seen or even touched. They can only be felt with the heart.
Football
Football is a game that millions of people around the world play and love. It can be called a universal game because every small and big nation plays it.
Moreover, it’s a great relaxer, stress reliever, teacher of discipline and teamwork. Apart from that, it keeps the body and mind fit and healthy. It’s a team game that makes it a more enjoyable game as it teaches people the importance of sportsmanship. Leadership, and unity.
History of Football
The history of football can be traced back to the ancient times of the Greeks. Everyone knows that the Greeks were great sportsmen and have invented many games.
Football happens to one of them. A similar game like football is played in many countries but the latest version of football that we knew originates in England. Likewise, England formulated the first rule of the game. From that day onwards the football has progressed in ways we can’t imagine.
Importance of Football
Football is an important game from the point of view of the spectator as well as the player. This 90 minutes game is full of excitement and thrill.
Moreover, it keeps the player mentally and physically healthy, and disciplined. And this ninety-minute game tests their sportsmanship, patience, and tolerance.
Besides, all this you make new friends and develop your talent. Above all, it’s a global game that promotes peace among countries.
How to Learn Football
Learning any game is not an easy task. It requires dedication and hard work. Besides, all this the sport test your patience and insistence towards it. Moreover, with every new skill that you learn your game also improves. Above all, learning is a never-ending process so to learn football you have to be paying attention to every minute details that you forget to count or missed.
Football in India
If we look at the scenarios of a few years back then we can say that football was not a popular game in except West Bengal. Also, Indians do not take much interest in playing football. Likewise, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has some limited resources and limited support from the government.
But, now the scenario has completely changed. At this time football matches the level of cricket in the country. Apart from that, the country organizes various football tournaments every year.
Above all, due to the unpopularity of football people do not know that we have under-17 and under-23, as well as a football team.
Football Tournaments
The biggest tournament of Football is the FIFA world cup which occurs every 4 years. Apart from that, there are various other tournaments like UEFA cup, Asian Cup (AFC), African completions (CAF) and many more.
To conclude, we can say that football is very interesting that with every minute takes the viewer’s breath away. Besides, you can’t predict what’s going to happen the next second or minute in football. Apart from all this football keeps the one playing it fit and healthy. Above all, it can be a medium of spreading the message of peace in the world as it is a global game.
A request from your boss
Listen to some requests from a manager to practice and improve your listening skills.
Discussion
Do you sometimes help other people with their work? What do you do for them?
Qualities of a Good Teacher
What are three important qualities of a teacher?
What are three important qualities of a teacher?
Teaching is a difficult occupation. Teachers play an important part in training children, teenagers… So, a good teacher must have some special qualities. They are: knowledge, creation, confidence, empathy, sense of humor and passion.
Imagine you are dreaming being a teacher, you must accept that there are no doubt that knowledge is the first quality of a good teacher. A good teacher need to enlarge his/her general knowledge on culture, society, biology, geography… to provide students what they want to know. Beside, a good teacher must be a person who are open to change. He/she must know “the only real constant in life is change”. There is a place not only for tradition but also for new ways,…show more content…
However, a good teacher need to believe that he/she can solve those problems. A teacher is a window through which many young people will see their future, so he/she has to be a fine role model. He/she need to show his/her confidence with the future, thereby teacher can teach student how to believe in themselves.
Empathy is the third quality. A teacher must have the ability to bond with the students, to understand and resonate with their feelings and emotions. He/she need to put his/herself in students’ situation to understand and solve students’ problem. A good teacher must know that the aggression, negative attitudes that he/she can see in some students have a root cause. He/she know that they are really scared young people who have come through some bed experiences in life. This will keep a teacher calm and have control. If a teacher can do this, he/she will gain more than love from his/her students.
As we know, sense of humor is a key to surviving as a teacher. A teacher who is humorous and funny can reduces barriers and lighten the atmosphere especially during heavy period. By telling funny stories, joking with the students, a teacher can makes class more enjoyable and makes students pay attention to the lessons. An ability to make students laugh will carry a teacher far and gain he/she more respect.
September 30
A study timetable
Read a study timetable for a week in summer school in England to practise and improve your reading skills.
Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
Preparation
Reading text
Monday to Wednesday
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.00 | English level test | Vocabulary | Whole day excursion to London or Oxford |
| 10.00 | English skills: Speaking | English skills: Reading | |
| 11.00 | Preparation for excursion | Preparation for excursion | |
| 12.00 | Lunch | Lunch | |
| 13.00 | Project class | Project class | |
| 15.00 | Art | Basketball | |
| 17.00 | Free time | Free time | |
| 18.00 | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner |
| 19.00 | Swimming | Football tournament | Cinema |
| 21.00 | Free time | Free time | Free time |
Thursday to Sunday
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.00 | Grammar | Vocabulary | Grammar | Late breakfast |
| 10.00 | English skills: Speaking | English skills: Listening | Progress test | English skills: Writing |
| 11.00 | Games with English | Drama | Drama | Preparation for excursion |
| 12.00 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 13.00 | Project class | Project class | Theatre trip | Excursion to local castle or museum |
| 15.00 | Circus skills | Mountain biking | ||
| 17.00 | Free time | Free time | ||
| 18.00 | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner |
| 19.00 | Bowling | Talent show | Disco | Free time / packing |
| 21.00 | Free time | Free time | Free time | Free time / packing |
Task 1
Task 2
Discussion
Would you like to go to a school like this? Why or why not?
September 23
Listen to a voicemail message and answer the questions to practise your listening skills.See more
Holiday home adverts
Read two adverts for places to stay on holiday to practise and improve your reading skills.
Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
Preparation
City flat
Beautiful two-bedroom city flat five minutes’ walk from the cathedral. Fully equipped kitchen, living room with a large sofa and chairs, big TV and balcony. The balcony has space for four people to sit and gets the sun in the mornings, and the flat is light and warm. It has Wi-Fi and fast internet. The upstairs bedroom sleeps four people, with two double beds; the downstairs bedroom sleeps two in single beds. The flat is perfect for families and is near shops, bars and restaurants.
Farmhouse
Four-bedroom farmhouse in the countryside. All of the four double bedrooms are en suite with luxury shower and bath. Farm kitchen with barbecue, tables and chairs outside. Great for groups of friends. The supermarket is half an hour by car and you can take a train from the village into the city. Escape from normal life for a few days as we have … NO INTERNET and you can only use mobile phones at the bottom of the garden!
Task 1
Task 2
Discussion
Which place would you choose for a holiday?
“Would you rather…”
- Live in the mountains or on the beach?
- Be a top student, a talented athlete, or an accomplished artist?
- Have the ability to read minds or be invisible?
- Spend the day at an amusement park or the mall?
- Have a private jet or a fancy sports car?
- Live somewhere that is always warm and sunny, or somewhere that is always cold and snowy?
Get to know my students and help them get to know each other with the classic icebreaker game “Two Truths and a Lie.” Tell the students to share two true facts and one made-up fact about themselves. After a student shares their facts, the other students should guess which statement is a lie.
I would like to start the game by sharing two truths and a lie about myself, then go around the room until each student gets a turn.
Read an email about plans for the weekend to practise and improve your reading skills
«Մխիթար Սեբաստացի» կրթահամալիր Անահիտ Մելքոնյան 