Let´s Go to The Movies "Singin´ in the Rain"

It is a 1952 American comedy musical film .It is now described as one of the best musicals ever made.

Directors: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Writers: Adolph Green (story), Betty Comden (story)
Stars: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds
Running Time: 103 min.
Release date:  11 April 1953 ( USA )
Music by: Nacio Herb Brown (music)
                Arthur Freed (lyrics)
Storyline

In 1927, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a famous on-screen romantic pair. Lina, however, mistakes the on-screen romance for real love. Don has worked hard to get where he is today, with his former partner Cosmo. When Don and Lina's latest film is transformed into a musical, Don has the perfect voice for the songs. But Lina - well, even with the best efforts of a diction coach, they still decide to dub over her voice. Kathy Selden is brought in, an aspiring actress, and while she is working on the movie, Don falls in love with her. Will Kathy continue to "aspire", or will she get the break she deserves ?  Click on this link
To know more about the film I recommend you this link
Watch the video and read the lyrics

Life was a song
You came along
I lay awake the whole night through
If I should dare
To think you care
This is what I'd say to you
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
Nature fashioned you
And when she was done
You were all those good things
Rolled into one
You're like a plaintive melody
That never lets me be
I'm content the angels must have sent you
And they meant you just for me
You're like a plaintive melody
That never lets me be
I'm content the angels must have sent you
And they meant you just for me
You Were Meant For Me
You were meant for me
I was meant for you!
Nature patterned you, an' when she was done
you were all the sweet things rolled in one!
You're like a plaintive melody
that never lets me free
I'm content, the angels must have sent you
and they meant you just for me!
You were meant for me!
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
with lyrics by Arthur Freed, 1929

2010 Thanksgiving 25th November

Thanksgiving 25th November

In the USA, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

The first Thanksgiving in the USA was a feast in 1621 shared by the Pilgrims (who had recently settled Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts) and the Wampanoag Indians, who shared their corn, squash, and wild turkeys. This first feast was not repeated until over a decade later. Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln.

• Ideas, tips, recipes, family games, food.Fresh ideas for that day.

• Send a Thanksgiving e-card. Cards for family and friends

• Scholastic. Resources, plans,slides and video. Learn how the Pilgrims reached America and lived.

• History Videos. The history through videos

• Plimoth Video. Investigating the first Thanksgiving.

• Enchanted learning,crafts,worksheets. Material on line.

• Filling in the gaps by Isabel Perez. Fill the gaps with the Past Simple or Past Participle.

• Slideshare.The Voyage, the Daily Life,Native Americans,The First Thanksgiving Feast and Thanksgiving Today.

EVELYN GLENNIE and CATHY FREEMAN

Scottish percussionist and composer Evelyn Glennie lost nearby all of her hearing by age 12. Rather than isolating her it has given her a unique connection to her music. 
Evelyn,who gives about 100 performances a year, has played with a long list of top orchestras around the world. She has never considered herself as anything other than normal and prefers people to enjoy her music and forget her deafness.
For further information click here
Watch this video silently


 Cathy Freeman , an Australian Legend, gold-medal winner,Sydney Olympics-2000

CATHY FREEMAN

Sha had to triumph over prejudice to become the first Aboriginal to be selected for the Australian athletic´s team.Then,in 2000, on one incredibley emotional night at the Olympic Games in Sydney she went on to fulfill her lifelong ambition of winning a gold medal.Watch the video                                                                                                                      

TECHNOLOGY - ROBOTS

Robots are not new. As long as 400 BC, the philosopher and mathematician Archytus built a wooden bird that could fly on its own. And in the seventeenth century, Johann Muller created both an iron fly and an artificial eagle that could take to the air by themselves. These days of course robots are everywhere.
But are they a good thing? I sometimes ask myself.
David Hanson´s robots faces look like yours: they recognize and respond to emotion and make expressions of their own. Watch the video



Inventions and their usefulness or importance is a common topic in FCE .One of those inventions nearly  forgotten  but useful is THE UMBRELLA , invented over four thousand years ago.
Who invented the umbella? Do you know? If not, I encourage you to read the following 

FIGHTING AGAINST THE ODDS

Motivation: an incentive or reason for doing something. Willingness of action especially in behaviour.

Look at this photo, Jonathan Gornall rowing. He was highly motivated. He attempted twice to row across the Atlantic. He spent 48 days and 1,100 miles at sea before succumbing to mental and physical pressures.

He is interviewed in the BBC by Peter Sissons

Another example is Erik Weilhenmayer,a blind man. He was motivated by the need to demonstrate to himself that he could do it. Despite great difficulties, he lost his sight at the age of 13, he managed to reach the summit of Everest in May 2001.
He is the only blind person to have climbed  "The Seven Summits", the tallest peak on every continent

ENJOYING YOURSELF - MUSIC

MUSIC

The definition of music is different according to culture and social context. It can be divided into genres. Remember the names of the four young musicians, Jamie Cullum, Michael Bubblé, Katie Melua and Marcella Puppini, and the kind of music genre each one is known for. Have a look at all these links and you will see the difference.

Anyway,music is an importan part of our lives.There are many more artits ,so here are some and enjoy yourself.
Gladys Knight and the Pips were originally formed in 1953 in Atlanta Georgia. Watch the video

                                                                                                                                                       

                                                             If I were your woman and you were my man

You'd have no other woman, you'd be weak as a lamb
If you had the strength to walk out that door
My love would over rule my sense
And I'd call you back for more
If I were your woman (3 )
And you were my man
She tears you down darling says you're nothing at all
But I'll pick you up darling when she lets you fall
You're like a diamond and she treats you like glass
Yet you make it hard to love you
But babe you don't ask
If I were your woman (5)
Here's what I'd do
I'd never no, no, no stop loving you
                                                             Life is so crazy and love is unkind
                                                             Because she came first, darling
                                                             Will she hang on your mind
                                                             You're a part of me
                                                             And you don't even know it
                                                             I'm what you need
                                                             But I'm too afraid to show it

Live performance by The Beatles Hey Jude (with lyrics)

Changeling by Clint Eastwood

Title :CHANGELING
Year:2008
Running Time: 140 minutes
Director: Clint Eastwood

Plot
We have watched the film Changeling produced by Clint Eastwood. It is a tragic true story.  It happened in Los Angeles, 1928 . Christine Collins returns from work to find her young son Walter missing from home.She calls the police to initiate a search for the boy but they don´t seem very concerned about the case and fail to find him. Then five months later, a boy is found who fits Walter´s description and says he is her son. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrange a public reunion of mother and son, and invite all the press in the hope of getting some positive publicity, but she insists he is not her son, causing the police a great embarrasment. They start a campaign against her..........
What exactly is a "Changeling"?
 It is defined as "a baby who is used to take the place of another baby (in stories).In the film we know that it is a story that really happened .
It is a classy thriller, a story of anguish. We also see the desperation of a mother to get her son back, as well as a fierce criticism of the intransigence of authority.
Cast:
Angelina Jolie                
John MalKovich
Jeffrey Donovan
Michael Kelly

Changeling movie trailer

Changeling Soundtrack
 
Look inside the cloud , revise the vocabulary , choose one of the characters you most liked in the film and start writing.

 

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PAST ESO

Some exercises and a reading for you to practise: Present Perfect with yet, already,still, just and Simple Past.
Grammar explanation
Exercise present perfect
Present perfect and past simple here
Choose the right option here
Simple past vs. Present Perfect this link
Grammar exercise on Grand Canyon National Park

 U2 I still haven´t found what I am looking for (lyrics)

The same song is  heard in the film Blown Away starring Tommy Lee Jones and Jeff Bridges.

Past Simple vs Past Continuous. ESO

Past Exercises:Simple and Continuous
I hope you enjoy these exercises

 Exercise 1: Positive Statements in the  Simple Past 
 Exercise 2: Signal Words in the Simple Past
 Exercises 3 and 4: Simple past Past Progressive
 Exercise 5: Irregular Verbs Crossword
 Exercise 6: 34 Easy Questions
 Exercise 7: Simple Past vs Past Continuous

 English - The Past Tense

 Watch this video called "We Dindn´t Start The Fire " by Bill Joel and years of events.