Sunday, February 19, 2012
Cause --> Effect
Watch the video and write a paragraph. What are the effects of poor pronunciation? Have you ever had a similar experience?
Friday, February 10, 2012
Travel Stories
Tell a story about an unusual, dangerous, or exciting experience you've had while traveling.
When I was a college student, I studied in the south of France. This was an amazing experience, and something very unusual happened to me while I was there. The students at the university were upset about possible tuition increases. They did not want to pay more money to attend the school. So, one day, they planned to go on strike. Strikes in France are very different from strikes in the United States, so I was very surprised by what I experienced over the next few months. A few days later, a friend of mine was in class when some French students came to their class and asked them all to leave because they were closing the school down. In fact, the students barricaded the doors of all the classrooms and the main entrances of the university. To barricade something means to block it with some object (in this case, desks and chairs). So, no one could enter or exit the university unless they wanted to climb over small hills of chairs! The strike lasted for 6 weeks, which meant I wasn't allowed to attend class for all that time! Instead of class, my friends and I traveled, went shopping and had picnics, so it wasn't so bad. It was a very interesting experience, and I learned so much from it!
Tell us your story! Then comment on two classmates' posts.
When I was a college student, I studied in the south of France. This was an amazing experience, and something very unusual happened to me while I was there. The students at the university were upset about possible tuition increases. They did not want to pay more money to attend the school. So, one day, they planned to go on strike. Strikes in France are very different from strikes in the United States, so I was very surprised by what I experienced over the next few months. A few days later, a friend of mine was in class when some French students came to their class and asked them all to leave because they were closing the school down. In fact, the students barricaded the doors of all the classrooms and the main entrances of the university. To barricade something means to block it with some object (in this case, desks and chairs). So, no one could enter or exit the university unless they wanted to climb over small hills of chairs! The strike lasted for 6 weeks, which meant I wasn't allowed to attend class for all that time! Instead of class, my friends and I traveled, went shopping and had picnics, so it wasn't so bad. It was a very interesting experience, and I learned so much from it!
Tell us your story! Then comment on two classmates' posts.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Products across Cultures
Describe a product that is found in your home country and the U.S. How are they similar and how are they different? Why do you think they are different in the two cultures? Think about geography, demography (the people who live there), history, and other factors that might influence their differences.
The product I will discuss is bread in France and the United States. Bread is a common product in both countries, but serves a much more important purpose in French culture. Bread is viewed as an important part of the meal. It is eaten with every meal and is sometimes used in a similar way as a fork or spoon. On the other hand, bread is seen as a side dish in U.S. culture, which means it is infrequently served. Although, bread is commonly used for sandwiches.
The appearance of bread in the two cultures is very different. French bread usually comes in a loaf with a hard crust. In France, it is the shape and texture of the bread that determines the type of bread, whereas in America, the type of bread is determined by the flavor. France has a long history with bread, and it has not changed a lot in recent years. The hard crust makes it easy to use as a utensil while eating.
In contrast, American bread is usually soft and sliced. The slicing of the bread is very important because it makes eating bread clean, easy, and convenient. There is an American saying that highlights the importance of the sliced nature of the bread. When something is exciting, new, or very innovative, a person will exclaim: "This is the best thing since sliced bread!" Americans love their soft, sliced bread loaves because Americans love convenience.
The cost of the bread also differs. French bread is usually very affordable since there is high demand (many people want it every day), and because the product does not last very long. Typically, French bread is only edible for 1-2 days. After 1 or 2 days, it becomes very hard and difficult, even painful, to eat. Because of its short lifespan, bread usually only costs about a euro. However, American bread is rather expensive. High quality bread could cost $4-5 dollars, but it will last 1-2 weeks. Americans appreciate value. Value sometimes means getting a lot of use out of a product without it going bad. In contrast, French people appreciate quality. It is very important for them to eat fresh food each day.
Despite these differences, it is clear that bread is an important part of both cultures, even though it is used and produced in different ways.
Instructions: Choose a product found in your culture and in U.S. culture and write a short essay about the differences between the two. Give reasons to explain the differences. Write it in Word (include pictures!), print it, and give it to me. Then, post it on the blog. When you are finished, reply to two classmates' blog posts with a question or comment.
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The product I will discuss is bread in France and the United States. Bread is a common product in both countries, but serves a much more important purpose in French culture. Bread is viewed as an important part of the meal. It is eaten with every meal and is sometimes used in a similar way as a fork or spoon. On the other hand, bread is seen as a side dish in U.S. culture, which means it is infrequently served. Although, bread is commonly used for sandwiches.
The appearance of bread in the two cultures is very different. French bread usually comes in a loaf with a hard crust. In France, it is the shape and texture of the bread that determines the type of bread, whereas in America, the type of bread is determined by the flavor. France has a long history with bread, and it has not changed a lot in recent years. The hard crust makes it easy to use as a utensil while eating.
In contrast, American bread is usually soft and sliced. The slicing of the bread is very important because it makes eating bread clean, easy, and convenient. There is an American saying that highlights the importance of the sliced nature of the bread. When something is exciting, new, or very innovative, a person will exclaim: "This is the best thing since sliced bread!" Americans love their soft, sliced bread loaves because Americans love convenience.
The cost of the bread also differs. French bread is usually very affordable since there is high demand (many people want it every day), and because the product does not last very long. Typically, French bread is only edible for 1-2 days. After 1 or 2 days, it becomes very hard and difficult, even painful, to eat. Because of its short lifespan, bread usually only costs about a euro. However, American bread is rather expensive. High quality bread could cost $4-5 dollars, but it will last 1-2 weeks. Americans appreciate value. Value sometimes means getting a lot of use out of a product without it going bad. In contrast, French people appreciate quality. It is very important for them to eat fresh food each day.
Despite these differences, it is clear that bread is an important part of both cultures, even though it is used and produced in different ways.
Instructions: Choose a product found in your culture and in U.S. culture and write a short essay about the differences between the two. Give reasons to explain the differences. Write it in Word (include pictures!), print it, and give it to me. Then, post it on the blog. When you are finished, reply to two classmates' blog posts with a question or comment.
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