Shopping Around the Clock

Do you enjoy shopping? If so, you might feel happy to be able to share your ideas on this blog post. To help we created this presentation in class  where we gathered most of the expressions, vocabulary and useful phrases we’ll need when shopping.

Shopping Habits

What are your favourite kind of shops? Do you like shopping for clothes? Why or why not? If you are interested in the topic you might like to watch the video below that features some important shopping areas in London. Have you ever been there?

Safe Shopping

Are there any dangers associated to shopping? What should we be aware of? Is it safer or not to buy online?  Share your advice and ideas either on this blog o tweet your recommendations using #occeoic or to @oneclickcloser

Around the clock is an idiomatic expression. You can click here to find out what it means.

 

 

Learning Languages with Famous Quotes

Reading and listening to famous quotes is a fantastic way of learning languages. They are evocative and meaningful on their own. They don’t need a context, but still make perfect sense. That’s probably why they are so popular in social media: short bits of language, with clear messages and that we can easily relate to.

As we are approaching the Oscars, you are likely to come across many movie quotes like the ones in these images.

(You can click here for extra reading about the Oscars)

So, what can you learn in famous movie quotes?

• Collocations
• Verb patterns (like worth +ing / it’s supposed to be …)
• Conditional sentences
• Adjectives describing character.

• Inversions for emphasis and other similar structures.
• Comparisons
• The different functions of modal verbs

 

Can you spot the superlative adjectives in these #quotes? #efl #esl #learnenglish pic.twitter.com/xcWHYAIOJv

— One Click Closer (@oneclickcloser) 10 April 2015

 

Learning comparatives with #Einstein. Can you spot the comparative adjective in these #quotes? #esl #learnenglish pic.twitter.com/3248cgmOA3

— One Click Closer (@oneclickcloser) 10 April 2015

 

These are just some examples. Don’t miss this opportunity to revise some English with famous quotes: language learning and some everyday inspiration.

Which are your favourite movie quotes? Would you like to share some of your own?

 

Me, Myself and My Selfie

Language is a human production. And humans evolve and change. We have the power of transforming ourselves and our environment. Sometimes for the good, and unfortunately sometimes, for the bad. But almost everything has the power of transformation. In fact,  I once heard that the only one thing which remains unmoved in life is change. So, I can only but welcome changes in language, too.

There are many new words that enter language that bring about controversy and debate. An example of this is the word selfie Definition. Macmillan Dictionary which has just been accepted as the new word of the year due to its drastic climb in usage.  If you are interested in the topic, I recommend reading  Oxford Dictionary blog where the question How do you decide whether a new word should be included in an Oxford dictionary? is answered.

Also, the following articles might be a good read:

The origin of the word selfie explained in CNN Living. 

Taking selfies and its popularity in Daily Mail

If you would like to test your listening skills try with this comprehension exercise with available on PDF: Me, Myself and My Selfie LC

Related articles

• Oxford Dictionaries name ‘selfie’ as 2013’s word of the year (express.co.uk)
• “Selfie” declared 2013 word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries (cbsnews.com)
• What do the words ‘chav’, ‘omnishambles’ and ‘selfie’ have in common? (oisebristol.me)

Florida Student Expelled

Florida Student expelled for carrying out an experiment, which resulted in smoke and a bang. For some it was a firecracking noise plus smoke, for others it seemed mor elike an explosion.

Reading comprehension and vocabulary worksheet http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/02/florida-science-experiment-charges

florida student expelled

Scam Awareness Month

I have always associated the month of May to flowers and bees and longer days..Now, I’ve just found out that it has become Scam Awareness Month.  Here is a list of the most usual scams.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/may/02/27-common-scams-to-avoid

Worksheet available on vocabulary and comprehension: scam awareness month

Science for boys, pink for girls?

Robot toys! (Photo credit: clio1789)

As a mother of two, boy and girl, this is an issue that I’m really concerned about. I’m not too sure we’ve reached equality yet, I can see it in many ways. Could it be true that advertising  and markets are still reluctant to change? Perhaps they still get more profit by promoting traditional gender roles?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2013/may/01/boots-labels-science-toys-boys-pink-girls

 

Related articles

• Boots removes gender signs for toys (guardian.co.uk)
• Meet: Boys vs. Girls (jessicavealitzek.com)
• Feminist lens (women are like boys) (mandyxxcutieblog.wordpress.com)

Earthships

Another alternative to traditional building: Earthships. There are some very good things about building an earthship: recycled materials, self-sufficient, etc.  Watch the videos. Can you think of any downsides?  What do you think?

There is an activity worksheet.earthships