Some food for thought

Step 1: Watch this informative video. You can also activate the English subtitles. Notice the vocabulary which is used. 

Coronavirus: How did it really start and how do we stop it from happening again? 

Step 2: Read these articles and/or other related ones on the web, concerning the recently imposed lockdown and quarantine due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The causes and effects of our current situation could easily be topics of discussion in all the official oral exams in June.

Suggested reading:

Social Distancing? You Might Be Fighting Climate Change, Too

Social distancing accidentally did the hard part for the climate crisis – now it’s up to us to keep going

How to Keep Mentally Healthy During a Quarantine (with a quiz for learners of English at the end)

How to Deal with Coronavirus (Mis)Information Overload 

Additional Measures to Stop Virus Weigh on Economy

A look at cities under lockdown due to the spread of coronavirus

New Reality of Working From Home

Pros and Cons of Teaching Online

I'm a teacher in Italian quarantine, and e-learning is no substitute for the real thing

Reflect on this quote, too.

Step 3: Now answer at least two of the following questions in the comment section below or in your own post on this blog. Click on the image to read the questions.

Typo in question number 5: Have your eating habits...?

Further practice at home or in the computer room

How can I practise at home?

• Free Rice Vocabulary Game
• British Council: Advanced Vocabulary
• Spotify podcasts: Stuff you should know
• CNN 10
• Voice of America: Learning English
• The Guardian
• The Life Scientific Podcasts
• BBC Radio 4
• Scientific American
• TED videos
• Collection on the school's blog

Free Posters Celebrating Mighty Women Role Models

Read the mini biographies of powerful female models and enjoy the posters!

The History of English

The English language spoken today has evolved over a period of approximately 1500 years, or better since the arrival of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes on the shores of England around the 5th century. 

They brought with them various Germanic languages that would gradually evolve into the English we speak today. 

During those 1500 years, the English language has added or ‘borrowed’ words from many other languages to create a rich, complex and sophisticated language. In some cases, an existing English word has been replaced with one from a different language, in other cases the new word has been added as a variation or alternative to the English original. 

English is now a language full of ‘loan words’. 

https://www.sutori.com/story/the-history-of-english

CNN news can be fun!

CNN articles on current affairs with a number of words explained for you.
https://en.news/lesson-browser/lesson-store

You can learn the ropes by clicking here first:
https://en.news/lessonPlayer/19275-zxx-en/learn/1/1/1?disableResume=false

FCE writing and reading tips

Reading strategies

Computer room time: Jobs

1) Read this text https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice/skills-21st-century-workplace and do the two activities under it. What is your score?

2) Now watch this video of "Friends" https://youtu.be/cslyPxzMLWg After that, leave a comment under this post saying what the most important things are when you want to succeed in your job.

You can use http://www.dictionary.com/

Read about the Christmas customs in the UK and do the activities

 

Read a mother's letter to Santa

https://ecpestudents.wikispaces.com/Christmas+Time%21

Online activities: Easy and fun!

Linking phrases:

http://www.flo-joe.com/fce/students/writing/linking/index.htm

 

Different reading activities:

http://www.flo-joe.com/fce/students/tests/

 

Read an article and do a quiz:

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice

INTERVIEW OF OUR FRENCH EPALS ABOUT PARIS TERRORIST ATTACKS

http://markaki-students.blogspot.gr/2015/11/interview-of-our-french-epals-about.html

Material on Educational Technology

http://markaki-reading.wikispaces.com/Educational+Technology

Charles Dickens's biography

                             A very interesting book!

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is one of the most famous writers in Britain. He was born in 1812 near Portsmouth on the south coast of England and he died on 9 June, 1870. As a child, he and his family were living in poor and he didn't have a lot of happy memories. His father was in prison because of the debts that were not paid.
                                           
       His novels

   He has wonderful written skills! By his novels, not only did he present his strong feelings, but he also defended the people who suffered by poverty. He always supported his opinion and his books are controversial. "Christmas Carol", "Oliver Twist", "David Copperfield" and other world-famous mastrerpieces have a very important message for all of us.

My opinion

At first glance, I don't like the idea of reading a biography due to the fact that I think that it might be boring, but we mustn't forgot the phrase: " Don't judge a book by its cover." Then I came round to my teacher's way of thinking. Never had I been fascinated so much by a book! I definitely recommend it! While I was reading this book, I also noticed that there are more to biographies than meets the eye! And I am ready to run a mile in order to read another biography like this. 

Links

Check your reading level:

https://elt.oup.com/student/bookwormsleveltest/?mode=student&cc=gr&selLanguage=en   

The naughtiest cats in the world (to have a small break):

http://www.sunnyskyz.com/blog/79/The-27-Naughtiest-Cats-In-The-World-And-I-Can-t-Stop-Laughing  

Phrasal verbs tricks:

http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/phrasal-verbs-with-up-separated-into-3-main-categories/   

Read about Women's Day!

Do you know how it all started? 

Read about Women's World Day and its connection to the protest against war as described in the UNA-Canada site and find a vast array of information and photos about women's history and achievements in the websites listed here:

http://markaki-students.blogspot.gr/2010/03/8-march-international-womens-day.html

'Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.'

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

1984 activities

Chapters 1-2

Are these sentences about Winston true (/) or false (X)?

1. a  He is a big man with dark hair.
   
2. b  He turns off the telescreen.
   
3. c  He works in the Ministry of Truth.
   
4. d  He joins the Two Minutes Hate.
   
5. e  He throws a dictionary at the telescreen.
   
6. f  He breaks the law.
   
7. g  He organizes evening activities for the Party.
   
8. h  He is hurt by a bomb. 
   

Chapters 3-4

Why:
a does Winston think that Syme will be vaporized?
b does Winston look with disbelief at the telescreen in the
canteen?
c did Winston and his wife separate?

What:
d is the largest department in the Ministry of Truth?
e happens in the underground rooms below the Ministry of
Love?
f does Winston like about the small room above Charrington's
shop?

A present!

A very funny video for you to watch: 

• Extra English Video

And a bonus story for some bedtime reading!

• Sherlock Holmes and the Empty House

Reading comprehension strategies

A Christmas Carol: Read and listen to it.

A Christmas Carol (simplified) from Maria Markaki School of Foreign Languages


Listen to the story (open in a new tab).

Discover the meaning of unknown words by using the Oxford Dictionary gadget in the column on your right. Type the word in the box and click on 'search'.

After you have read the story, answer this question by leaving a comment:

What is the central message of the story? (Focus on the final paragraphs.)