Tanita Tikaram - Twist in My Sobriety

Hello! I’ve prepared a new listening exercise

for you. This time it’s a song by Tanita Tikaram – “Twist in My Sobriety”.

The song probably doesn’t match the mood of New Year’s Eve, yet, in my opinion, it’s incredibly atmospheric…

Watch the song’s sepia coloured video clip, which, by the way, was set in a rural village in Bolivia, and try to complete the gaps!

All God's children need travelling s………………..
Drive your p……………….. from here
All good people read good b………………..
Now your conscience is clear (I hear you talk girl)

Now your conscience is clear

In the m……………….. when I wipe my brow
Wipe the miles away
I like to t……………….. I can be so willed
And never do what you s……………….. (I’ll never hear you)

And never do what you s………………..

[CHORUS]
Look my e……………….. are just holograms
Look your l……………….. has drawn red from my hands
From my hands you know you'll never b………………..
More than twist in my sobriety

We just poked a little empty pie
For the f……………….. that people have at night
Late at night don't need hostility
The timid s……………….. and pause to free

I don't c……………….. about their different thoughts
Different thoughts are g……………….. for me
Up in arms and chaste and whole
All God's c……………….. took their toll

[CHORUS]

Cup of t……………….. take time to think yeah
Time to risk a life a life a life
Sweet and h……………….. soft and porky
You pig out 'til you've seen the l………………..
Pig out 'til you've seen the l………………..

Tomorrow you’ll get another song exercise, this time about a song to dance, which reminds me of New Year’s Eve parties… Which one? – You have to wait till tomorrow!

New Year's Resolutions - Answers

I hope you have done well!

New Year's Resolutions

Jako, że rok powoli dobiega końca, czas na postanowienia noworoczne! Dziś przygotowałam dla Was ćwiczenia związane z zabawą sylwestrową                     i obietnicami, 

które składamy sobie sami co rok, wierząc, że tym razem ich dotrzymamy... Good luck!

Glossary

resolution - postanowienie

chart - wykres

mark - zaznaczyć

stick to sth - trzymać się czegoś

realize - zdawać sobie sprawę

reasonable - rozsądny

write sth down - zapisać coś

multiply - mnożyć

replace - zastąpić

habit - zwyczaj

celebrate - świętować

achievement - osiągnięcie

finalize - zakończyć

You'll find the answers in my next post.

The images come from :
http://www.decibelmagazine.com/lists/extremely-extreme-new-years-resolutions-2011/
http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/12/getting-smart-about-your-diabetes-new-years-resolutions.html
http://funinread.com/most-un-followed-new-years-resolution/
http://www.toi-health.com/Blog/post/2011/01/13/2011-New-Years-resolution.aspx
http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20153169_20153168_20350405,00.html
http://www.corkchronicles.com/archives/tag/champagne
http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/new-years-eve/new-years-eve-cocktail-party-recipes
http://nightlifedenver.com/articles/123111_downtowndenver
The video comes from :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvzqd4mcTYg

"Home alone" - listening - answers

Here are your answers :

1. Why are the family members shouting for joy at the airport ?

   ….....they are happy as they haven't missed their flight……….

2. According to the speaker, what wrong have the family done when going on vacation ?

   …….....they have forgotten something……….

3. What piece of information is given in the TV news ?

   ……the Tv news informs about two burglars who prowl the neighbourhood. They call themselves 'wet bandits"…

4. As whom one of the burglars passes off to make the boy open the door ?

   …......He passes off as Santa Claus…….

5. The little boy says that it’s his house and he has to ..…defend it…...

6. Why can’t the boy tell the shop assistant his address ?

  …because the shop assistant is a stranger to the boy…

7. What does Kevin’s mum want ?

   …she wants to obtain a flight ticket to get home…….

8. What two questions do the burglars ask each other when they see that they are looking strange ?

   ……they ask each other why one of them doesn't have shoes and why the other have dressed up as a chicken…….

9. According to the speaker “yesterday” the boy “was just a kid”, who is he now ?

   ………he is a home security system……….

10. According to the speaker, this is “a family comedy …"without the family"...


Have you done well?

Glossary

shout for joy - krzyczeć z radości

airport - lotnisko

miss sth - spóżnić się na coś

flight - lot

forget - forgot - forgotten - zapomnieć 

burglar - włamywacz

neighbourhood - okolica

bandit - bandyta

pass off as sb - podawać się za kogoś

defend - bronić

stranger - obcy

obrain - dostać

to be dressed up as - być przebranym za...

home security system - alarm (zainstalowany w domu)

without - bez

"Home alone" - Christmas activity

1. Warm-up.

      Describe the film poster below.

                  

         

      2. Answer the questions :

         1. Have you seen the movie “Home alone”? If yes, when did you see it?

        2. Describe briefly the plot.

      (If you haven’t seen the film, try to imagine what the  film could be about)

        (Answer the questions if you have seen the film) :

        3. Did you like the movie? What did you particularly like about it?

        4. What do you associate this film with?

        5. Who would you recommend it to?

   

    3. Listening.

      1. Think of the words which match the following definitions :

             a person who enters a building illegally in order to Steal - ……………………

             without any other people; lonely  - ………………………..

              a journey made by air, especially in a plane - ………………………………

            the state of feeling safe from danger - ………………………..

             a person who is admired by many people for doing something brave  - …………….

     2. Listen to the film trailer to answer the questions.

The film trailer : 

1. Why are the family members shouting for joy at the airport ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

2. According to the speaker, what wrong have the family done when going on vacation ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

3. What piece of information is given in the TV news ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

4. As whom one of the burglars passes off to make the boy open the door ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

5. The little boy says that it’s his house and he has to ………………………………….

6. Why can’t the boy tell the shop assistant his address ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

7. What does Kevin’s mum want ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

8. What two questions do the burglars ask each other when they see that they are looking strange ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

9. According to the speaker “yesterday” the boy “was just a kid”, who is he now ?

   ……………………………………………………………………………………….

10. According to the speaker, this is “a family comedy …………………………………….. ”

 The answers will be given in my next post! 

    the photo comes from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Alone   

Bravo Teheiura!

Bravo Teheiura!

Je viens de voir le dériere épisode de Kohlanta…Teheiura -      le dernier jaune contre les trois dérniers rouges ... Si il gagne pas l’épreuve d’immunité il va être eliminé au prochain conseil...Martin et Laurent profitent de la récompense de l’épreuve de confort...ils mangent et prennent des forces...   le destin de Teheiura semble scellé..Martin..bien reposé           et boosté, est très performant...tout se joue entre Teheiura   et Martin...la dérniere droite à traverser...et oui !!! C’est Teheiura qui gagne ! Sa place dans le carré final est garantie!...Bravo Teheiura...Le plus meritant est toujour dans le jeux... !

Le logo de koh lanta - le totem d'immunité 

The source of the photo : the Internet

Idioms - letter A - Part 2 - Answers

Here are the answers :)   :

1. Feel … at ease…..! It’s just an exam! You can always resit it!

2. My grandmother was … at death’s door …… when the operation failed.

3. The au pair was …… at fault …… as she didn’t take care of the baby.

4. ....at first glance….the defect was minor, but later 
we found out it was huge.

5. I don’t have my diary …… at hand…… at the moment. I’ll call you back.

6. You should wash your hands … at least... three times a day!

7. The school is finished …… at last ……….! We can enjoy the summer holidays!

8. When I call me children for dinner they come … at once.

9. I've chosen the presents …… at random ……… as anyway I was not sure which gift the children would prefer.

10. He was very stressed as his reputation was … at stake .

11. I have his name … on the tip of my tongue .. I am sure I’ve already heard it!

12. Please hurry up! We will never get to the airport on time …at this rate… !

13. …… at times ……. I would prefer to be an only child…sometimes it’s hard to share things with our siblings.

Idioms - letter A - Part 2

Idioms – A Part 2

at fault    at ease      at this rate       at last         at once     at first glance        at death’s door          at times      at stake       at hand         at random       on the tip of one’s tongue      at least

1. Feel ……………………..! It’s just an exam! You can always resit it!

2. My grandmother was ……………………… when the operation failed.

3. The au pair was ……………………… as she didn't take care of the baby.

4. …………………….. the defect was minor, but later we                                   found out it was huge.

5. I don’t have my diary ……………………… at the moment. I’ll call you back.

6. You should wash your hands …………………….. three times a day!

7. The school is finished …………………….! We can enjoy the summer holidays!

8. When I call me children for dinner they come ……………………..

9. I've chosen the presents ………………… as anyway I was not sure which gift the children would prefer.

10. He was very stressed as his reputation was …………………

11. I have his name …………………….. I am sure I've already heard  it!

12. Please hurry up! We will never get to the airport on time …………………… !

13. ……………….………. I would prefer to be an only child...sometimes it's hard to share things with our siblings.

You'll find the answers in the next post!

Idioms - letter A - answers

Here are the answers concerning the exercise :

The lawyer’s .…ace in the hole …..  was a secret witness who saw the robbery.

We were ……about to………when it started snowing.

It’s …………about time ………….. you stopped complaining and got down to work!

Fluffy always ……acts up………. when the postman comes to the door.

By commenting on her outfit, Tom just ………add fuel to the flame …………

It was a race against the time.. when the doctor tried to save the injured woman.

I knew ……all along……… that he was bluffing!

……all of a sudden……. we heard a sharp noise and the building collapsed.

Go ahead with your story! I am ………all ears …………….

I’ve looked ………all over……… for my keys! They have disappeared!

Teachers ……answer for………. their students’ safety during school trips.

If you think I am well-off you are ………all wet………….!

If you want to buy an apartment in Warsaw, you will pay ……an arm and a leg …… !

The soldiers were ………armed to the teeth………. ! They looked scary!

The warehouse operates ……around the clock….. You don’t need to hurry.

Patrick is determined to succeed in his new job ………at all costs………. He’s already enrolled in three training courses! 

Idioms - letter A

Idioms (letter A)

1. complete the sentences with the words in the box.

Remember about grammatical correctness of your sentences! Good luck J !

against the time       about time        ace in the hole                                     add fuel to the flame       all ears              all of a sudden       about to       an arm and a leg                                    around the clock        act up                all along       all over     at all costs     answer for                                       armed to the teeth       all wet

The lawyer’s ………………………………………..  was a secret witness who saw the robbery.

We were ………………………………… ………… when it started snowing.

It’s …………………………………………….. you stopped complaining and got down to work!

Fluffy always ………………………………………. when the postman comes to the door.

By commenting on her outfit, Tom just …………………………………………………………

It was a race ……………………………….. when the doctor tried to save the injured woman.

I knew ……………………………………………… that he was bluffing!

…………………………………………. we heard a sharp noise and the building collapsed.

Go ahead with your story! I am ……………………………………………….

I’ve looked …………………………………………… for my keys! They have disappeared!

Teachers ……………………………………. their students’ safety during school trips.

If you think I am well-off you are …………………………………………….!

If you want to buy an apartment in Warsaw, you will pay ……………………………………… !

The soldiers were ………………………………………………. ! They looked scary!

The warehouse operates ……………………………….. You don’t need to hurry.

Patrick is determined to succeed in his new job ……………………………. He’s already enrolled in three training courses! 


The answers will be given in my next post!

KOHLANTA

Today I would like to you to get to know the reality show I have adored for a few years - Kohlanta. If you have ever lived in France you must have heard about this TV programme. The idea is simple - there are two groups of people who are to spend 40 days on an remote island. They are deprived of all comfort things - food, toiletries, beds, electricity, etc. They have a sack of rice to eat, they sleep on the floor, or beds made of leaves in a shelter they have built, they warm themselves up close to a firecamp they have made on their own. The two groups compete during various tests, which require stamina, physical and mental strength, intelligence, tactics, cooperation and fair play. There are two types of games - 'comfort games' which enable the team which have won to get some food, matches or a trip, and 'immunity games' which prevent the team from the necessity to eliminate one member of their team.  In each episode one contestant is eliminated. In the middle of the game the two teams are united and since then every member fights for themselves. At the end 3 last members have to face the test of poles (they are to stand on poles in the sea, the poles become smaller and smaller, the last remaining person wins). The person who has won the final test chooses one person he wishes. A group of the people who have been eliminated votes to decide which person deserves more to win the whole game and get a reward of about 10000e. France is currently broadcasing its 10th season of 'Kohlanta', which is a great success again. The game has proved since the very beggining that the most hard-working, adventurous, sporting and fair play people win. 

Take a look at the contestants I have liked most :

Very sporting and pretty Jade 

Freddy participated twice in Kohlanta!
At first a big coincited, later a bit more modest
...very hard-working and friendly!

Kind, intelligent, sporting...Greg!

If you have a chance to see the broadcast, give it a try..it's exciting and full of positive values!

"The King's Speech" - listening exercise - answers

The time has come for the answers! Let's check them, shall we?

1. The woman informs the speech therapist that her husband

is having difficulty in giving speeches. What does he first advise him?                                    .......................to change jobs..................................

2. What is the essential thing the therapist needs to work with a patient?

     ............................he needs total trust.................................
3. What highly personal question, according to the king, has the therapist asked? 
............the therapist asked what was the king's earliest memory.......

4. The queen says that the therapist's methods are ... 
.....unorthodox and controversial.......

5. The therapist expresses his conviction that the king can become a good speaker 
if he is not led by...

    .....................fear.......................

6. Whose chair has the therapist sat on?

    ............................Saint Edward's chair.........................................

7. What does the king think about Hitler's speech?

    ......he doesn't know what he is saying but he is saying it rather well.........

8. What is the biggest challenge George VI has to meet?

    ............a speech broadcast at the beginning of the Second World War.........

9. What is the final piece of advice the therapist gives to the king?

    .............to forget everything else and say the speech to him.................

I hope you have you done really well!

"The King's Speech" - listening exercise

1. Listen carefully to the trailer and answer the questions.

1. The woman informs the speech therapist that her husband

is having difficulty in giving speeches. What does he first advise him?                                    ...................................................................................................

2. What is the essential thing the therapist needs to work with a patient?

     ...................................................................................................

3. What highly personal question, according to the king, has the therapist asked? 

...............................................................

4. The queen says that the therapist's methods are ... ..................................................

5. The therapist expresses his conviction that the king can become a good speaker if he is not led by ...

    .....................................................................................................

6. Whose chair has the therapist sat on?

    .....................................................................................................

7. What does the king think about Hitler's speech?

    .....................................................................................................

8. What is the biggest challenge George VI has to meet?

    .....................................................................................................

9. What is the final piece of advice the therapist gives to the king?

    ....................................................................................................

You'll find my suggested answers in the next post!

"The King's Speech"

"The King's Speech" is a very good film, not only for lovers of British history. The film, which was directed by Tom Hooper, tells the story of George VI, the father of the current Queen of the UK, Elizabeth II. If you are a bit interested in the history of the UK, you must have heard about the story which appalled the British society in the second half of the 1930s. In 1936 Edward VIII became king. As king, he could not get married to his fiancee, Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced twice before. The king decided to abdicate and George VI succeeded to the throne. The king was a very shy man, whose terrible stutter made it impossible for him to give a speech. The film shows the king's trials to overcome his shyness, take control over his voice and become a great convincing speaker. The king seeks help of an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. The film's climax is the king's speech on Britain's declaration of war on Germany in 1939. The film stars Colin Firth in the leading role of king George VI and Helena Bonham Carter, playing the king's wife, Elizabeth. To my mind, one person more definitely must be singled out - an American actor, Geoffrey Rush, who is outstanding in his role of the speech therapist. If you are not convinced yet to see the film, know that the film received 12 Oscar nominations, which was an achievement without precedent. The film got the Academy Award for the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Firth) and Best Original Screenplay (written by David Seidler).
The film, which is really convincing, sometimes funny and moving, amazes with its actors' acting and authenticity of set design. In my view, "The King's Speech" is definitely worth seeing.
Watch the film's trailer to get a glimpse of the extraordinary atmosphere of the movie :

In my next post you will find a listening exercise concerning the trailer.

IDIOMS - COLOURS - Part1

Colour idiomatic expressions are very poplar in English. Let's take a look at some of them :

red as a beetroot/lobster = his face has turned very, very red...

to see sth through pink-coloured spectacles = to see things in a positive way

black sheep, e.g. the black sheep of the family = a person in a family who behaves badly

out of the blue = unexpectedly, without warning

green with envy = very jealous

black and blue = beaten and bruised

to black out = to faint 

black and white = very clear, straightforward

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth = born into a rich family

to catch sb red handed = to catch sb in the act of doing something wrong or illegal

Libertango . . . - answers

The time has come for the answers! Have you done well? Let's check! 

Strange, I've seen that ....face............ before,

Seen him hanging 'round my ....door...........,

Like a hawk stealing for the prey,

Like the night ....waiting.............. for the day,

Strange, he shadows me back ....home...................,

Footsteps echo on the stones,

Rainy ..........nights..............., on Hausmann Boulevard,

Parisian music, drifting from the ....bars.............,

Tu cherches ....quoi..............., rencontrer la mort,

Tu te ......prends............... pour qui, toi aussi tu detestes la ..vie.........,

.......Dance............... in bars and restaurants,

Home with anyone who wants,

Strange he's standing there .......alone....................,

Staring .....eyes.............. chill me to the bone.

Dans sa ....chambre.................., Joel et sa valise,

un regard sur ses fringues,

Sur les murs, des ..photos...........,

Sans regret, sans mélo,

La ........porte............... est claquée, Joel est barré

Hope all your answers were correct!