Do you like visiting places off the beaten track? Do you choose for your holidays unusual tourist destinations? Would you choose to visit Alcatraz, the famous penitentiary?
Alcatraz, also called The Rock, is an island and probably the most famous or maybe infamous prison in the world. Located in San Francisco, it is separated from the mainland by 2,5 kilometres of freezing water, strong currents, cold winds, and high waves, which made it impossible to escape.
Gangster and mafia boss Al Capone was one of the best-known residents in Alcatraz. As soon as he set foot in prison, he paid the guards to make his life comfortable while in prison. Below, a picture of his cell.
Would you like to know more about Alcatraz? Watch the video and test your comprehension with the exercise below. (video lasts 2:08)
Before watching the video, you might want to pre-teach the following words
Inmate /ˈɪnmeɪt/= A person living in an institution such as a prison or hospital
Infamous/ˈɪnfəməs/=Well known for some bad quality or deed
While most tourists would rather avoid jail, no trip to San Francisco would be complete without ________________________________________________
Alcatraz is located____________________________________ San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz,the Rock, was America’s premier ______________________________and for 29 years the final stop for the nation’s most ___________________________
Make sure to buy your tickets online and in advance because they _______________
If you schedule your trip for early in the morning, you’ll have more room to _________________________
For a spooky trip, book the ___________________
When you are visiting the prison, you might want to pick up a headset for an ____________________ audio tour.
You’ll hear stories told by _______________________________________
In this engaging series of activities students will discuss different actions that involve taking risks. It aims at developing students’ communicative, listening and writing skills through the acquisition of new vocabulary.
Do a quick survey asking students: Do you enjoy taking risks?
Play the first 55 seconds of the video and pause it. Ask students in pairs to discuss what they would do in this situation. Get feedback. Ask the class as a whole to predict what might happen to the people who decide to run the risk and take the two empty seats.
Class as a whole. Ask students: What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?
Put students in pairs. Tell them you are going to show them different activities that involve taking risks. Ask students to discuss whether they would be willing to try them or not, giving reasons for their choice.
Step 2. Working with vocabulary .
Put students in pairs and ask them to write, in two minutes, words related to taking risks. On the board, write their suggestions.
Give them handout 1. Focus on any new words/expressions.
Tell students they are going to see a video about parkour. Hopefully, students will remember what parkour is, as they came across this word at the beginning of the lesson.
This lesson has been designed as a next-day revision activity for B2 (Intermediate +) students.
Aim: to consolidate the use of Past Simple, Used to and Would for past habits and routines.
Level: B2 (Intermediate+)
In this lesson you will find.
Grammar and exercises
Speaking: Picture discussion in pairs
Speaking: an advert from a popular drink comparing past and present
Writing: a fun writing game
Speaking: bits of your childhood
STEP 1. Grammar.
The use of these three verb forms to express past habits and routines can be a bit confusing for students, so in this class I am aiming at some revision to clarify concepts. Assuming students have already studied formation rules, the focus is now on use.
Display the picture of a family in the past and ask students, in pairs, to discuss the differences they can see and the differences they can guess exist between the family shown in the picture and their own family. Encourage students to use the targeted grammar.
Get feedback
STEP3. The video. Speaking.
Tell students they are going to watch a video. Explain there will be no comprehension questions as there is no dialogue.
Ask students to give you a brief description of what they have seen.
Explain that the advert is called “Grandpa” and it tries to show that the lifestyle enjoyed by our grandparents — moving more, eating well, taking it easy — can be beneficial.
Students will see the video twice more and their task is to write down any differences they can see between the man today and his grandfather.
Once students have completed this task, ask them to work in pairs commenting on the differences they have seen in the video encouraging them,once again,to use the targeted grammar point: the use of simple past, would and used to to talk about past habits and routines.
Encourage discussion of the following points
healthy eating
stress
working conditions
means of transport
relationships
habits
STEP 4. Writing game: I have retired
Target language: Used To, Would and Simple Past Tense to describe past habits, states and routines
Preparation: none
Procedure:
Set the context: tell students they have to imagine they are 70 and retired. They are happier in retirement than when they were working but there are some things that they still miss.
Students, in pairs or in threes, choose the job they used to have.
Students will need to produce four sentences using the targeted language, giving clues for the other groups to guess their job.
sentences can be positive or negative
the first sentence will contain the clue most difficult to guess
the last sentence will contain the easiest clue
The first sentence will be awarded 4 points and the last one 1 point
Each group will name a spokesperson who will read out the clues. It’s important, at this stage, to ask students to speak up and clearly. Some rules:
The spokesperson will read the first sentence and the other groups will raise a hand if they think they know the answer.
Only one guess is allowed for each clue
If the answer is correct, they will be awarded the four points, if it is not, the second clue will be read for three points.
Example
4 points. I would work with a lot of people
3 points. I worked after “work”, mainly at home.
2 points. I used my voice a lot
1 point. I used to work with children
How many clues did you need to hear?? Yes, the answer is TEACHER
STEP 5. Bits of your childhood. Speaking in small groups.
Ask students to think about their life at the age of 10.
Give students a list of things they might want to talk about.
Ask students to think about what they will say and the language they will need. Allow some minutes for preparation.
Where did you use to live?
Did your life use to be very different to how it is now?
Where did you use to go to school? Do you remember any of your teachers? Did you have any favourite teachers?
Did you use to get good marks? Did you have a favourite subject?
What did you use to do after school?
Where did you use to play? Do you remember who your friends were? Did you have a best friend?
Can you remember your favourite game?
At lunchtime, did you use to like the food? Did you use to eat with your parents?
What was your greatest wish? Can you remember?
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“How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart”. William Butler Yeats
I was once kissed by a marquis, or maybe he was a count, but it was in a palace. I cannot remember his rank, but he was old and ugly, at least for me! Nothing to daydream about, believe me, but the fact remains that I was kissed by a nobleman. He was a long way from Prince Charming, but that was ok for me. He was selling. I was buying. That was it!
But the kiss… yes…back to the kiss. First time ever I had been kissed on the hand. I was ready for a handshake so I extended my hand. Instead the marquis suddenly, and in a very quick gesture took my hand, bowed and made the gesture, and I have yet to decide whether he actually kissed my hand or just the air. Now that I know a bit more about the etiquette of hand-kissing I realize he probably never kissed me.
Photo by Tim Rooke/Rex/REX USA
Level: B2
♥DISCUSS:It is not very often that a woman has her hand kissed nowadays. But let’s reflect a bit on how we greet each other in our different countries. Discuss these questions with your partner:
What are the rules for social kissing in your country? Do you always know how you are supposed to greet someone? Have you ever experimented any awkward moments where you didn’t know what you were supposed to do?
When kissing as a form of greeting, do you kiss on one cheek or on both cheeks?
Is it the right or the left cheek you kiss first? Know that you should kiss the right cheek first to avoid awkward situations.
If you don’t like the kissing business, how do you cope with people who want to kiss you as a greeting?
Is it appropriate to kiss in a business setting?
Do you ever hug?
Apart from the handshakes, cheek kissing and hand kissing which are quite common for us, do you know any unusual ways of greeting people ?
♥READ: Have a look at this interesting article about Unusual Ways to Greet People Around the World. When you finish reading , tell your partner which form of greeting you found most unusual.
♥LISTEN: Watch this video about the etiquette of social kissing and answer the following questions:
In Good Morning America, the *anchorwoman describes an awkward moment when you get to a party. Why is it awkward for some people to greet your host or hostess?
The British are described as” buttoned-up”. What do you think it means?
Laura Ford is a British artist. Does she kiss people she doesn’t know? Choose from the options below and justify your answer.
always b. never c. sometimes
According to Hillary Brown, social kissing in France might be getting out of control. Why?
Social Kissing is taught at some schools. Which ones?
What are some of the rules of kissing taught at these schools?
How are Americans and Latins different as regards social kissing?
At the end of the clip, the anchorman apologizes. Why?
*anchorman/anchorwoman = a person who presents and coordinates a live television or radio programme involving other contributors.
♥WRITE: Imagine a foreign student is coming to your school/house on an exchange visit. What advise would you give about your customs. Use the ideas below and the modal verbs should/shouldn’t , could, must/mustn’t.
Introduction: Many countries in the New World and elsewhere officially celebrate as a holiday the anniversary of Christopher Columbus‘ arrival in the Americas, which happened on October 12, 1492. The landing is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, as Discovery Day in the Bahamas, as Día de la Raza (“Day of the Race”) in many countries in Latin America, as Día de las Américas(Day of the Americas) in Belize and Uruguay, as Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural (Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity) in Argentina, as Día de la Hispanidad and Fiesta Nacional in Spain, and as Giornata Nazionale di Cristopher Columbus or Festa Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo in Italy and in the Little Italys around the world. These holidays have been celebrated unofficially since the late 18th century and officially in various areas since the early 20th century. (source Wikipedia)
THE TASK: LISTENING
Level: B2
Watchthe video from newsy.com about Columbus’ Day and answer the questions below:
Unfortunately,newsy.com doesn’t allow embedding so you’ll probably need to open a new window to listen and see the exercises at the same time.
