Dulce's blog

Friday, 24 December 2010

Friday, 17 December 2010

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

Dulce

Tuesday, 23 November 2010

Consumerism

The Lonely Man and the Myth of Ownership

Pretend you were the only person on earth. You were born from unknown origins and have always lived alone. Let’s say that you are also completely self-sufficient and can survive complete isolation..

Now tell me, what would you own?

You wouldn’t be able to answer that because the concept doesn’t make sense to you. Without other people to compare, trade, boast and compete with ownership is an illusion. There is no stuff that is yours and not yours, just the world.

This is why forsaking all goods doesn’t free you from the tight chains of consumerism. You are falling for the myth of ownership and fighting against it. But the person truly free of this grasp will realize you can’t fight something that doesn’t exist. Canceling the dualistic reasoning of mine and not mine, is the first step...

ACTIVITY:
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I Shop Therefore...

(Answers in Comment 1) ;-)

Tuesday, 16 November 2010

CULTURAL WEEK!

Are you ready to enjoy this year's CULTURAL WEEK ?

24th-25th November

We have A FEW FUN COMPETITIONS for you:

1. BOOKMARKERS: please bring them to the school before Tuesday
November 23rd. Don't forget to write your name and group at the back.

2. PHOTOS FROM ARUCAS. See them in the advanced blog and follow the instructions there.
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3. POEMS: write a poem in no more no less than 55 words...People will vote the best ones during the week.
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4. CAKES: have yours ready for Thursday 25th at

5.30 p.m. Remember to email your teacher the

recipe in English. We'll give a booklet with all the recipes to

everybody who participates!
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5. MINISAGAS: write a complete story in

EXACTLY 50 words (without the title). People

will vote the best ones during the week. Give it

to your teacher before Tuesday too!

AND... Theatre workshops,
Celtic Music Concert,
Bollywood Dance...and MORE!

ENJOY IT! ;-)

EOI ARUCAS

Friday, 5 November 2010

SLANG English

Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's dialect or language. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo (euphemism). It is often used to identify with one's peers and, although it may be common among young people, it is used by people of all ages and social groups.

PRACTICE

Click the button to see the meaning.

He's an ace reporter.

My sister's boyfriend is a real airhead.

Your ideas about politics are all wet.

I almost fell asleep during the test after an all-nighter.

This town is really an armpit.

What an awesome sunset.

Wow, that was really a bad movie.

After working all day I am really beat.

The movie was a bomb.

This is a really cool place to work.

How did you get the road sign? I copped it.

He is a couch potato.

Doing homework on the weekend is a drag.

His older sister is a fox.

It takes a lot of guts to give the boss your true opinion.

I am glad you got yourself out of that jam.

I think that he is a nut.

You are completely nuts if you think I will go with you.

When did you hit the sack last night?

I want you to give me a straight answer.

Don't be a sucker.

______________________________________SOURCE: http://www.manythings.org/slang/slang5.html

*NOTE TO EOI NA2 STUDENTS : Please let me know if you are visiting this blog and taking advantage of it...and, if so,write a comment! (Ideas and suggestions accepted).

Thank you!

Dulce

Monday, 1 November 2010

Bonfire Night...

For 400 years, bonfires have burned

on November 5th to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot.

The tradition of Guy Fawkes-related bonfires actually began the very same year as the failed coup. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate.

Soon, people began placing effigies onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations. Effigies of Guy Fawkes, and sometimes those of the Pope, graced the pyres. Still today, some communities throw dummies of both Guy Fawkes and the Pope on the bonfire (and even those of a contemporary politician or two), although the gesture is seen by most as a quirky tradition, rather than an expression of hostility towards the Pope.

Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations include making a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called "the Guy". Some children even keep up an old tradition of walking in the streets, carrying "the Guy" they have just made, and beg passersby for "a penny for the Guy." The kids use the money to buy fireworks for the evening festivities.

On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight; and fireworks displays fill the sky.

The extent of the celebrations and the size of the bonfire varies from one community to the next. Lewes, in the South East of England, is famous for its Bonfire Night festivities and consistently attracts thousands of people each year to participate.

Bonfire Night is not only celebrated in Britain. The tradition crossed the oceans and established itself in the British colonies during the centuries. It was actively celebrated in New England as "Pope Day" as late as the 18th century. Today, November 5th bonfires still light up in far out places like New Zealand and Newfoundland in Canada.

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SOURCE: http://www.bonfirenight.net/bonfire.php

Monday, 25 October 2010

Halloween Customs and Traditions

A Brief History of Halloween

Halloween has its origins in the ancient Samhain festival celebrated by the Celts to signify the end of summer. Many of today’s Halloween customs can be traced back to Celtic times. Halloween is also known as All Saint’s Day. The Roman Catholic Church created this name to celebrate saints without their own specific days during the rest of the year.

European Halloween Customs

Bonfires are often lit in Ireland on October 31st. This tradition dates back to the Celts, who used fire to ward off evil spirits. The Celts also dressed in animal skins on Halloween, and believed that the dead returned to earth disguised as various creatures.

One of these creatures was a black cat, which remains a familiar symbol of Halloween.

Apples also have strong ties to Halloween. Some believe the fruit can be used to predict future partners. Another Halloween custom involves bobbing for apples in water. In Scotland this is referred to as “dooking.”

Jack o’ Lanterns are a familiar site at Halloween. There are several theories about where they originate from. An 18th century Irish folk tale features a character called Jack, who is refused entry to both heaven and hell upon his death. The Devil shows him pity and presents Jack with a lump of coal. Jack then places the coal inside a hollowed out turnip, lights it and uses I to illuminate his path.

Other explanations include references to the will o’ the wisp phenomena, when peculiar lights are seen to form over peat bogs. Night watchmen were sometimes referred to as Jack o’ Lanterns, providing yet another possible origin for today’s pumpkin carving.

Halloween in America

Halloween did not become a major festival in America until the early 19th century, when it was popularised by the huge number of Irish immigrants arriving. Nowadays it is the second largest festival in the country, after Christmas. European customs such as trick or treating and wearing fancy dress are widespread.

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