The black cat by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet, critic, and editor. He is known for his short stories, poems, and use of mystery and the macabre. 

Early life: 

• Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809

• Was likely named after a Shakespearean character

• Was an orphan

Career:

• Worked as an editor for the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond 

• Developed a philosophy of poetry that emphasized brevity and beauty 

• Was one of the first critics to focus on the effect of style and structure in literature 

Notable works:

• The Murders in the Rue Morgue: (1841) Considered the first detective fiction story 

• The Raven: (1845) A well-known poem that combines suspense with some of the most famous lines in American poetry 

Legacy: 

• Considered one of the originators of horror and detective fiction

• Many anthologies credit him as the “architect” of the modern short story

• Considered a forerunner to the “art for art's sake” movement

Personal life: 

• Married his first cousin, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, when she was 13 and he was 27

1-Let´s ask questions!

2- Click the link and watch the video about the story.

 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-black-cat-edgar-allen-poe/3714772.html

3- After listening to the story, do the exercises below, please.

1-Choose 2 sentences to describe the narrator’s personality.

2-Choose 2 sentences to describe the narrator’s actions.

3- Choose 2 sentences to describe the narratorr’s thoughts.

4- Choose 2 sentences to describe the narrator’ s relationship with other characters in the story.

5- Can you summarize the story? 

Choose one of these exercises and write three examples, please.

A) True or False

B) Multiple choice

C) Ask questions

D) Match these lists

E) Story line

F) Giving your opinion.

La la land (ending scene)

 Let´s watch this scene!

1.Who are these people?
2-What´s her job?
3-What´s his job?
4-What´s the relationship between them?
5-Are they happy?
6-What do you think happened?

The two wolves

What do you think? 

1-Write down words related to the good wolf. Include the ones in the video and more.
2- Write down words related to the bad wolf. Include the ones in the video and more.
3- What´s the story about? Do you agree? Why? Why not?

Omelette from Madeline Sharafian

 Shall we watch this video?

1-      Complete the sentences with the following words. 
owner- garbage- evening- vegetables- dog- work- pet- cooking- dnner- omelette- sofa- food.

One rainy 1).................a man gets back from2)........................He is exhausted and so hungry that he starts cooking an 3)................................He chops some 4).....................but he is so tired that he is about to hurt himself. The 5)........................sees this, and throws the garbage bin. Because of that, the man stops cooking and picks up the 6).....................His pet takes over the 7)........................He chops, fries and finishes the delicious omelette for his 8).................., who returns to see his meal ready. He is surprised but too hungry so he sits on the 9) ......................to enjoy his 10).............His lovely dog is looking at him suspiciously. He realizes who made his food when he chews a piece of dog 11)...................... He decides to share his tasty feast with his adorable and generous 12)...................

2- Describe the man´s physical appearance and personality. Include at least three adjectives

3- What is the dog like? . Choose the most appropriate adjectives to describe it as a pet. 

playful or serious?
lovely or unfriendly?
cruel or kind?
considerate or inconsiderate?
mean or generous?
friendly or unkind?
cute or ugly?

4- What´s your opinion about the story?
a- It is very unrealistic
b- It is possible. Pets have feelings.
c- It´s impossible. Pets are not human beings. They can´t express emotions.
d- It is realistic. Pets can understand human beings´emotions.

Source: Teacher´s magazine Page 21

 

Jinxy Jenkins, Lucky Lou

 Let´s watch the video and then do the exercises!

1-Choose the correct answer
a- The video is about an unfortunate love story
b- The short film is about how a lucky girl and an unfortunate boy meet
c- The short film is about the adventures of two friends.

2-  Ask them questions
    What´s your........?               Where are ......?
    How old..........?                   What ´s your favorite............?
   Can you......... ?                     Where will you............?
   Do you have…..?                  What will you...............?
   Do you like........?                 Did she………………?
   Did you........?                        Does he………………..?
   Do you.......?                           Will he………………….?
   Will you......?                           Will they……………..?

3- Put the following sequence of events in order
1- He continued walikng and fell into a trolley
2- They shared an ice-cream
3- They moved forward from piano to piano
4- Lou also fell into the trolley, and they went down the road
5- Jenkins and Lou landed on a bridge
6- they jumped over a car crash
7- Jenkins and Lou bumped into each other on the street
8- They flew over the river.

4- Complete these sentences.
a- Jenkins is........................................
b- Lou is............................................
c- Jenkins can...........................but he can´t.......................................
d- Lou likes...............................but she doesn´t like..........................
e- They have  ..................................................................................


5- Imagine what happened next in Jenkins and Lou´s lives.
1- Write a possible ending to this love story that started quite adventurously. What will their life together will be like?Will they be happy for ever and ever?

Source: Teacher´s magazine Pag. 20-21

The astronomical clock of Prague

1- Have you ever heard of this clock?
2- Read some information about it and give your opinion, please  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_astronomical_clock
3- Would you like to visit Prague?
4- Do you believe in the legends associated with this clock? Could you mention the ones you remember?

Lost heirs

1-Have you ever heard of an unsolved mystery?
2-Could you briefly summarize this case?
3-If you could interview anybody in this case what would you ask him/her?
4-Why do you think Charlie did what he did?
5-What do you think of this phrase: " It seems that he was a man who knew everybody but no one really knew Charlie Scheel".

Loyalty and love

Every once in a while a great love story comes along - one that shows the lengths that one one partner will go to in order to maintain the relationship. This is such a story. It is the story of a deeply committed couple, Rodan and Malena.

No distance is too far for Rodan, the lovesick stork.

Making the trip from South Africa to Croatia every spring, the male bird travels 13,000 km to see his beloved female partner, Malena, who is disabled and unable to fly, reports Britain’s Metro.

The loving storks cozy up, mating and raising their new chicks (they have produced 32 offspring so far) and teaching them how to fly. Rodan then departs to spend the winter months in South Africa and returns on exactly the same day, the following spring.

Locals in the small village of Slavonski Brod in Croatia thought crippled Malena would almost certainly die when she was shot by a hunter in 1993, but thanks to the Vokic family, whose roof she lives on and her ever faithful partner, Rodan, she has survived for over 17 years.

Reunited again last week, Rodan was more eager than ever to see his love, arriving two hours earlier than usual. “It was clear they were pleased to see each other,” said one local to the Romanian Times. Stjepan Vokic added, “He knows he needs to return home because Malena is waiting for him.”

The storks have become so famous in the village that it’s not only Malena that waits anxiously for her partner to return, local residents and reporters gather round to welcome the tired bird home every March.

1- What do you think of this real story?

2- Let´s ask questions. These are the answers!

a- Every spring

b. To see his beloved partner

c- in 1993

d- on a roof.

e- I think so!

3.  Have you ever heard of a similar story but related to human beings?

Stories

 Story 1

    In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table.  A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it. " How much is a dish of plain ice cream?" he inquired.  Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient.  "Thirty-five cents," she said brusquely.  The little boy again counted the coints. "I´ll have the plain ice cream, " he said. 
     The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away.  The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed.
     When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw.  There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies-her tip.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE WHO SERVE

Story 2

     Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz, who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.  Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.  The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy, if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.   I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying,  "Yes, I´ll do it, if it will save Liz"
   As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks....Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.  He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, " Will I start to die right away?"

 THE YOUNG BOY HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE DOCTOR; HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE HIS SISTER ALL OF HIS BLOOD.

1- Do these stories have anything in common?
2- Would you do the same if you were the kid?
3- Can generosity be learned?

Let´s read!

1-Read these two fables, please.
2-Design two mind maps in order to show similarites and differences
3- Do you agree with the moral of both fables?
4- Could you give your opinion about the main topic?

A) Title: The Bear And The Two Travelers

Author: Aesop (author of Aesop's Fables)


Two men were traveling together, when a bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree, and concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as he could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other traveler descended from the tree, and, accosting his friend, jocularly inquired "what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear?" His friend replied: "He gave me this advice: Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger."

Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.

B)  Title: The Swallow And The Crow

      Author: Aesop (author of Aesop's Fables)


The Swallow and the Crow had a contention about their plumage. The Crow put an end to the dispute by saying: "Your feathers are all very well in the spring, but mine protect me against the winter."

Fine weather friends are not worth much.