Ladies and gentlemen,
I hope you had a good Christmas. Now is the time to get ready for New Year's Eve. You will find my wish on:
http://www.hallmark.nl/card.aspx?t=b&k=GS96mcJVbLmSicMAg36CWQ%3d%3d%3d
By the way: be careful with the fireworks, and don't eat and drink too much. See you on Monday the fourth.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Monday, 7 December 2009
Bleach :)
Hey :)
I doubt anybody will watch it, but as we are supposed to post sites that can help you improve your English I will post it anyway xD
I'm currently watching a series called Bleach (yeah the name doesn't make sense.. I know xD), it is a Japanese anime about a boy (Ichigo) who meets a girl (Rukia). Rukia is a Soul Reaper, she seeks Hollows (souls who have turned into monsters) and sends them back to the Soul Society (a place from where the souls can return to earth). Ichigo gets her powers and becomes a Soul Reaper as well, and discovers that his powers are exraordinary high. It's a really cool series, with lots of humour, you can watch it either in Japanese or in English. There are 250 episodes, so you'll never be bored again haha ^^
This is the site:
http://4bleach.com/
(Btw: Subbed means Japanese with English subtitles and Dubbed means English without subtitles. There are different sources, so you can watch movies from megavideo.com or from jwplayer. That way every computer can play the videos. If you scroll down, you'll see 'Bleach Episode 1-10' etc, if you click on it you must scroll down to click in Episode 1.)
Well, have fun ^^ I'm watching Episode 22 now (so I still have a long way to go xD)
Yours,
Evy
I doubt anybody will watch it, but as we are supposed to post sites that can help you improve your English I will post it anyway xD
I'm currently watching a series called Bleach (yeah the name doesn't make sense.. I know xD), it is a Japanese anime about a boy (Ichigo) who meets a girl (Rukia). Rukia is a Soul Reaper, she seeks Hollows (souls who have turned into monsters) and sends them back to the Soul Society (a place from where the souls can return to earth). Ichigo gets her powers and becomes a Soul Reaper as well, and discovers that his powers are exraordinary high. It's a really cool series, with lots of humour, you can watch it either in Japanese or in English. There are 250 episodes, so you'll never be bored again haha ^^
This is the site:
http://4bleach.com/
(Btw: Subbed means Japanese with English subtitles and Dubbed means English without subtitles. There are different sources, so you can watch movies from megavideo.com or from jwplayer. That way every computer can play the videos. If you scroll down, you'll see 'Bleach Episode 1-10' etc, if you click on it you must scroll down to click in Episode 1.)
Well, have fun ^^ I'm watching Episode 22 now (so I still have a long way to go xD)
Yours,
Evy
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Set texts for the Cambridge Advanced 2010
One of the options for the Cambridge Advanced Exam (paper: writing) deals with a set text. The two choices for next year are:
John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Donna Leon, Through a Glass, Darkly
John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Donna Leon, Through a Glass, Darkly
Saturday, 21 November 2009
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Story
Well I had to write a story for today which as you all know I forgot, but I've got a good reason I think, because I had a long day of school and then I had judo. So I'm going to write about what we did with judo.
Well we started a bit different than usual, because we started with 3 "randori ne waza"s instead of a warming-up. I know you're wondering what the hell a randori ne waza is, well it's a judo match in which you may only use techniques on the ground so no standing. It kinda looks like this (you might want to turn on some music, because the sound makes no sense):
And then we started learning a new technique step-by-step, which was both usefull and boring. I forgot the name already but it was a "ma-sutemi". This a technique that's quite risky, because if you mess it up you're on your back and your opponent gets a point.
After learning this technique we did one normal randori. After the randori we had to put all the mats (?) on the carts, so we could put them in my teacher's trailer. I did something stupid then, because I tried to stop on of the carts by putting my foot in front of a wheel and that hurt a lot.
This is my story I hope you didn't fall asleep whilst reading it...
Well we started a bit different than usual, because we started with 3 "randori ne waza"s instead of a warming-up. I know you're wondering what the hell a randori ne waza is, well it's a judo match in which you may only use techniques on the ground so no standing. It kinda looks like this (you might want to turn on some music, because the sound makes no sense):
And then we started learning a new technique step-by-step, which was both usefull and boring. I forgot the name already but it was a "ma-sutemi". This a technique that's quite risky, because if you mess it up you're on your back and your opponent gets a point.
After learning this technique we did one normal randori. After the randori we had to put all the mats (?) on the carts, so we could put them in my teacher's trailer. I did something stupid then, because I tried to stop on of the carts by putting my foot in front of a wheel and that hurt a lot.
This is my story I hope you didn't fall asleep whilst reading it...
Hey
So, as you are about to find out, I am not that inspired either..
Well, not that you care, but yesterday I had my first training that I could endure until the end. Because I have been ill for more than a week, I have to take it easy. But yesterday, it went really well and I completed the whole training.
And finally I have a question for you. What is your favorite sport?
I know this message is not really interesting or something, but I can't think of something better.
And I had to write a story so here it is.. :P
Well, not that you care, but yesterday I had my first training that I could endure until the end. Because I have been ill for more than a week, I have to take it easy. But yesterday, it went really well and I completed the whole training.
And finally I have a question for you. What is your favorite sport?
I know this message is not really interesting or something, but I can't think of something better.
And I had to write a story so here it is.. :P
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Music
Hello,
We were supposed to write a story or sth.
But I haven't got any inspiration and it's really late.
So I'm sorry but I would like to sleep:P
I couldn't write this sooner because I got home and had to go again.
Maybe you would like to tell me your favorite song because I like music so much?
Or your favorite movie?
See you later at school.
(Sorry by the way for this stupid message but ok...)
Miriam
We were supposed to write a story or sth.
But I haven't got any inspiration and it's really late.
So I'm sorry but I would like to sleep:P
I couldn't write this sooner because I got home and had to go again.
Maybe you would like to tell me your favorite song because I like music so much?
Or your favorite movie?
See you later at school.
(Sorry by the way for this stupid message but ok...)
Miriam
What I had for breakfast
This morning I took a bread slice out of the bread sack and laid it on my plate. Then I put some butter on it and I shouted out loud:"kanker mongolen zooi!" because my knife fell on the floor with some butter on it, which I had to clean up. After that I picked what I wanted on my bread and smeared in on my bread. When I took the first bite, I tasted floor. I hadn't cleaned my knife. So I again said "mongol kanker wat is dit nou op deze ochtend" so I took a new knife out of the knife drawer and made a new sandwich. This was my morning.
ANW
I really don't know what I've to post on the weblog.
So here is a story about ANW!
On monday we always make some assignments about very boring stuff like the temperature on earth and stuff like that. On wednesday we always watch a movie in class about the climate or something like that. That is very boring and some children almost fell asleep during the movies, but our teacher still thinks that we do like it to watch the movies.
I'm sorry about my very boring story!
So here is a story about ANW!
On monday we always make some assignments about very boring stuff like the temperature on earth and stuff like that. On wednesday we always watch a movie in class about the climate or something like that. That is very boring and some children almost fell asleep during the movies, but our teacher still thinks that we do like it to watch the movies.
I'm sorry about my very boring story!
My breakfast
This morning I woke up and went downstairs. When I was downstairs I took a slice of bread and put it on my plate. Then I grabbed the butter and smeared it on my bread. After that I smeared chocolate spread on it and cut the bread in half, then I put chocolate milk in the microwave and started eating my bread. After 3 minutes the chocolate milk was done and I drank my chocolate milk. This was my breakfast!
My new dress ^^
Hey ^^
Well, it happened a while ago, but I'm just so happy with it I want to share it :D
As some of you may know, I wear a certain type of clothing (only in weekends xD) called Lolita. It's a fashion from Japan, and almost all of the clothes are made there (maybe that's why they are so expensive..). A typical lolita outfit exists of a dress, a blouse, knee-high socks, cute shoes and sometimes even a headdress (a ribbon or minihat). For an example:
http://www.lolitafashion.org/anatomy.php
Also, lolita is very rare and expensive, so it's not easy to buy a dress. Luckily, we do have 1 shop in the Netherlands, located in Bilthoven (near Utrecht), which I visited in the vacation. There I saw the dress I had always wanted... It's from 'Baby, The Stars Shine Bright' (a lolita brand from Japan) and was designed by my favorite band: 'Versailles Philharmonic Quintet'. When I saw it between all the other dresses, I was so happy I immediately went to get some money and after trying it on for half an hour I bought it :D Here's the picture:
Now it's hanging in my closet ^^ I just can't stop staring at it!
Also, if you want to look at the BTSSB site:
http://www.babyssb.co.jp/
My dress is from the sub-brand Alice and the Pirates (the link is on the left, a little black box)
Well I think I've annoyed you enough with this story, so byebye ^^
Well, it happened a while ago, but I'm just so happy with it I want to share it :D
As some of you may know, I wear a certain type of clothing (only in weekends xD) called Lolita. It's a fashion from Japan, and almost all of the clothes are made there (maybe that's why they are so expensive..). A typical lolita outfit exists of a dress, a blouse, knee-high socks, cute shoes and sometimes even a headdress (a ribbon or minihat). For an example:
http://www.lolitafashion.org/anatomy.php
Also, lolita is very rare and expensive, so it's not easy to buy a dress. Luckily, we do have 1 shop in the Netherlands, located in Bilthoven (near Utrecht), which I visited in the vacation. There I saw the dress I had always wanted... It's from 'Baby, The Stars Shine Bright' (a lolita brand from Japan) and was designed by my favorite band: 'Versailles Philharmonic Quintet'. When I saw it between all the other dresses, I was so happy I immediately went to get some money and after trying it on for half an hour I bought it :D Here's the picture:
Now it's hanging in my closet ^^ I just can't stop staring at it!Also, if you want to look at the BTSSB site:
http://www.babyssb.co.jp/
My dress is from the sub-brand Alice and the Pirates (the link is on the left, a little black box)
Well I think I've annoyed you enough with this story, so byebye ^^
I got a guinea pig
We have a rabbit called Plusie, (original name, isn't it?) But because we go to school it seemed to us that she was very lonely. So we went to the pet shop and searched for a friend, but they told us that rabbits will always fight other rabbits they encounter (yes, this is true!) so we looked at the guinea pigs. There were some very young ones and, after arguing for quite a time, we bought a small female. It took us two days to give her her name, Boeba.
At first, Pluisie was reluctant to her new housemate, so Boeba had to sleep in her own cage at the beginning, but eventually Pluisie accepted her and now they are happy together (I hope).
At first, Pluisie was reluctant to her new housemate, so Boeba had to sleep in her own cage at the beginning, but eventually Pluisie accepted her and now they are happy together (I hope).
The dutch movie: 'Terug naar de Kust'
I am going to tell you something about a movie.
Last saturday I went to the cinema. I had heard about a new movie and I really wanted to see it. The dutch movie was called: ‘Terug naar de Kust’. The cinema was very crowded, so we were delighted by having a seat. The movie began.I saw a young woman, singing in a band. Her name was Maria. She looked happily, but after a few minutes I noticed that she wasn’t happy at all. Her boyfriend was an alcoholic and was having an affair with another lady. She left him, although she knew she was pregnant. She didn’t want to keep the baby, because she and her boyfriend Geert were separated. Gerrit was very sad about this, but he had accepted it, Maria thought. Four days later, Maria received a threatening letter. She didn’t know who had written it and thought it was a stupid joke. Unfortunately, the threats didn’t stop. That was the moment Maria went to the police office and informed the police. The police told her that is was safer for Maria to go to a relative and go into hiding. Maria went to her sister Ans. After a few days, Maria was feeling better, but she was perplexed when she heard that her house was burned down. Everyone blamed Maria and she thought she was going crazy. The police didn’t believe her either, so she was going to do the investigation by herself. She searched for directions and when she found out that her sister was responsible for all these happenings, she wanted to escape her sister’s house as soon as possible. Hopefully it was not too late …I’m not going to tell you the end of the story, because I think it’s no fun to watch it anymore. You really have to see it!
Last saturday I went to the cinema. I had heard about a new movie and I really wanted to see it. The dutch movie was called: ‘Terug naar de Kust’. The cinema was very crowded, so we were delighted by having a seat. The movie began.I saw a young woman, singing in a band. Her name was Maria. She looked happily, but after a few minutes I noticed that she wasn’t happy at all. Her boyfriend was an alcoholic and was having an affair with another lady. She left him, although she knew she was pregnant. She didn’t want to keep the baby, because she and her boyfriend Geert were separated. Gerrit was very sad about this, but he had accepted it, Maria thought. Four days later, Maria received a threatening letter. She didn’t know who had written it and thought it was a stupid joke. Unfortunately, the threats didn’t stop. That was the moment Maria went to the police office and informed the police. The police told her that is was safer for Maria to go to a relative and go into hiding. Maria went to her sister Ans. After a few days, Maria was feeling better, but she was perplexed when she heard that her house was burned down. Everyone blamed Maria and she thought she was going crazy. The police didn’t believe her either, so she was going to do the investigation by herself. She searched for directions and when she found out that her sister was responsible for all these happenings, she wanted to escape her sister’s house as soon as possible. Hopefully it was not too late …I’m not going to tell you the end of the story, because I think it’s no fun to watch it anymore. You really have to see it!
Bored
I had to write a story even though I couldn't think of a good one. I don't don't have any inspiration for my story it has to be done before tomorrow and I can't do it tonight because then I've got to Judo, so I'm doing it now.
Makes sense?
No, it doesn't make any sense to me either. So yeah this is my story so far. It's about as confusing as the book we have to read for english...
Makes sense?
No, it doesn't make any sense to me either. So yeah this is my story so far. It's about as confusing as the book we have to read for english...
A story
Hi, let me tell you a story..
Once there was a guy called Marc. He was addicted to a game, dedicated to the devil himself.
Today, we know this game as WoW, a.k.a. World of Warcraft.
His life was ruined big time by this game of pure evilness. His life was spammed with the ideas of the devil.
He was never going to escape from this dark and devilish game of hell.
He's spent over a week of complete game-time on this game. The week after the game-week, he was drowsy and talked on and on and on about the devil and his ideas. He was addicted forever...
This was the sad story of Marc van Deuren, also known as "devil's right hand"....
Once there was a guy called Marc. He was addicted to a game, dedicated to the devil himself.
Today, we know this game as WoW, a.k.a. World of Warcraft.
His life was ruined big time by this game of pure evilness. His life was spammed with the ideas of the devil.
He was never going to escape from this dark and devilish game of hell.
He's spent over a week of complete game-time on this game. The week after the game-week, he was drowsy and talked on and on and on about the devil and his ideas. He was addicted forever...
This was the sad story of Marc van Deuren, also known as "devil's right hand"....
Monday, 16 November 2009
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
The happiest day ever.
Anna had a very special reason for getting up early the next day, so she set the alarm for 5 am. She felt excited all night and couldn’t sleep at all, until finally the alarm went off. She immediately turned it off and jumped out of bed. Having breakfast, her father came in. He was just as nervous as she was.
Still feeling a bit anxious, she got on her bike. When she arrived at the hospital, she quickly got inside. Walking through the corridors, she began to feel more and more nervous. Seeing the right room, she took a deep breath and entered it. She just sat down beside her mother, when a nurse arrived. Anna asked her if everything was going to be alright with her mother. She answered: ‘We will do whatever we can, but her situation is still critical. I’m going to take her to the doctor now, so could you wait in the waiting room, please?’ Anna went there immediately. Sitting in the waiting room, she felt terribly lost. It felt like she had been waiting for hours, when finally the nurse came. She said Anna was allowed to go and see her mother. Anna got to the room as quickly as possible and what she saw there was unforgettable.
Her father, mother and her newborn brother were sitting on the hospital bed. She had never felt happier in her whole life. She was so glad everything turned out so well that she cried and embraced her father. How could this day ever get better?
word count: 260 words (I know there are too much, but I couldn't make it a shorter story because then it would be rubbish and without any coherence :P)
Still feeling a bit anxious, she got on her bike. When she arrived at the hospital, she quickly got inside. Walking through the corridors, she began to feel more and more nervous. Seeing the right room, she took a deep breath and entered it. She just sat down beside her mother, when a nurse arrived. Anna asked her if everything was going to be alright with her mother. She answered: ‘We will do whatever we can, but her situation is still critical. I’m going to take her to the doctor now, so could you wait in the waiting room, please?’ Anna went there immediately. Sitting in the waiting room, she felt terribly lost. It felt like she had been waiting for hours, when finally the nurse came. She said Anna was allowed to go and see her mother. Anna got to the room as quickly as possible and what she saw there was unforgettable.
Her father, mother and her newborn brother were sitting on the hospital bed. She had never felt happier in her whole life. She was so glad everything turned out so well that she cried and embraced her father. How could this day ever get better?
word count: 260 words (I know there are too much, but I couldn't make it a shorter story because then it would be rubbish and without any coherence :P)
Monday, 19 October 2009
Education
Our school scores well on the first point. Everyone accepts the fact that everyone is different, and because of this, there aren’t many fights going on regarding religion, culture or sexual orientation.
I’m not completely satisfied with the way the school listens to the young people. I’ve never been asked my opinion regarding changes to the school. They could improve on this by having student councils discuss with the staff.
Cultural diversity. I don’t really know what to say because everyone (or almost everyone) has the same culture and we’re not actually learning stuff about the diversity between cultures.
The sharing of experiences is good and so is the range of languages being taught at school.
The way on which the mentors are chosen and the way they help you with all kinds of stuff is good. It seems like they can help you with about everything. They also send you a lot of mails (sometimes too much) and they also help a lot.
The staff can deal with most of the problems regarding students or teachers. Some teachers however aren’t this good at handling trouble, and they will freak out.
Bob van Haren
Words: 194 (I know there are too much, but I hate going through the story again to see what I can leave out.)
I’m not completely satisfied with the way the school listens to the young people. I’ve never been asked my opinion regarding changes to the school. They could improve on this by having student councils discuss with the staff.
Cultural diversity. I don’t really know what to say because everyone (or almost everyone) has the same culture and we’re not actually learning stuff about the diversity between cultures.
The sharing of experiences is good and so is the range of languages being taught at school.
The way on which the mentors are chosen and the way they help you with all kinds of stuff is good. It seems like they can help you with about everything. They also send you a lot of mails (sometimes too much) and they also help a lot.
The staff can deal with most of the problems regarding students or teachers. Some teachers however aren’t this good at handling trouble, and they will freak out.
Bob van Haren
Words: 194 (I know there are too much, but I hate going through the story again to see what I can leave out.)
Friday, 16 October 2009
Anna goes for the title!
Anna had a very special reason for getting up early the next day, so she set the alarm for 5 am. Tomorrow she takes part in the British Championships tennis. She will stay a whole week if she makes it to the final. If she wins the title she may take part in the European Championships from 2010 in Ahoy Rotterdam, Holland.
Anna lives in London and she has to go to Glasgow, Scotland for the tournament. So when she woke up, she immediately went downstairs and took breakfast. When she was ready she went with her mum and dad to the train station. The train was exactly on time and at 10 am she arrived in Glasgow. At 7 pm she has to play her first match. We all hope she will win the title and when she makes it to the European Championships we will abreast you.
Sjoerd Jacobs
Anna had a very special reason for getting up early the next day, so she set the alarm for 5 am. Tomorrow she takes part in the British Championships tennis. She will stay a whole week if she makes it to the final. If she wins the title she may take part in the European Championships from 2010 in Ahoy Rotterdam, Holland.
Anna lives in London and she has to go to Glasgow, Scotland for the tournament. So when she woke up, she immediately went downstairs and took breakfast. When she was ready she went with her mum and dad to the train station. The train was exactly on time and at 10 am she arrived in Glasgow. At 7 pm she has to play her first match. We all hope she will win the title and when she makes it to the European Championships we will abreast you.
Sjoerd Jacobs
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
HW assignment number 4
Anna had a very special reason for getting up early the next day, so she set the alarm for 5 am. Tomorrow she had to go to Amsterdam and make an exam in English. If she passed this exam, she would get a certificate which is internationally recognised and will help her get a job.
When Anna woke up, she immediately left the house and got on the train. The train had a delay of 5 minutes, but in Utrecht her next train left 3 minutes after her last train, which had now got a delay. She didn’t make it to Amsterdam in time, but arrived before the writing exam started. She made the exam and passed with a pass grade.
The next day, she got her certificate and realised that she had been very lucky to pass, because she had missed her listening exam. Her teacher was happy, Anna was happy and her friends were happy for her too.
Bob van Haren
improved tenses
When Anna woke up, she immediately left the house and got on the train. The train had a delay of 5 minutes, but in Utrecht her next train left 3 minutes after her last train, which had now got a delay. She didn’t make it to Amsterdam in time, but arrived before the writing exam started. She made the exam and passed with a pass grade.
The next day, she got her certificate and realised that she had been very lucky to pass, because she had missed her listening exam. Her teacher was happy, Anna was happy and her friends were happy for her too.
Bob van Haren
improved tenses
Monday, 12 October 2009
Good afternoon, lads and lasses,
Of course you may already know this; I did not and that is why I want to share my newly gained knowledge with those who did not know either. As you know, the writing assignments for Cambridge must have a certain length. For this reason you must do a word count. The programme "Word" has made this extremely easy for us: if you go to "extra", the computer offers to do a word count for you. It can't be any simpler than that, can it?
Of course you may already know this; I did not and that is why I want to share my newly gained knowledge with those who did not know either. As you know, the writing assignments for Cambridge must have a certain length. For this reason you must do a word count. The programme "Word" has made this extremely easy for us: if you go to "extra", the computer offers to do a word count for you. It can't be any simpler than that, can it?
Sunday, 11 October 2009
tip to practice your pronunciation
Hello everyone,
I found a very nice site with lots of tongue twisters: http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/en.htm
This is really good to practice your pronunciation, so have a look at it!
See you,
Kim
I found a very nice site with lots of tongue twisters: http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/en.htm
This is really good to practice your pronunciation, so have a look at it!
See you,
Kim
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Tip of the day
Good morning, class.
The tip of the day si a reference to two websites with phonetic charts. The first one gives the symbols and you can hear the sounds that go with them: http://www.stuff.co.uk/calcul_nd.htm
The second one gives a nice clean sheet with words that have that particular sound: http://www.gymnasiumbreda.nl/userfiles/Phoneticsymbolsclass1.doc
Good luck with your pronumnciation
Good morning, class.
The tip of the day si a reference to two websites with phonetic charts. The first one gives the symbols and you can hear the sounds that go with them: http://www.stuff.co.uk/calcul_nd.htm
The second one gives a nice clean sheet with words that have that particular sound: http://www.gymnasiumbreda.nl/userfiles/Phoneticsymbolsclass1.doc
Good luck with your pronumnciation
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Restaurant opening
Hello Sara,
Congratulations on starting your own new restaurant! I’m very happy for you because I know you have always wanted this.
I would very much like you coming to my country and I will do whatever I can to help you get some ideas. The best time to come would be May 23rd, or the week after that. You can stay at my place for a week if you’d like so you can also find out what we cook at home. We also have a very good restaurant here in the neighbourhood, so I will definitely take you there. It’s called ‘t Heertje and they serve delicious traditional food. As for the opening of your restaurant, I am very sorry to tell you I can’t make it. I am going to do a work placement in June and July in America. I’m sorry; I would have loved to be there at the opening.
See you soon,
Cyril
Congratulations on starting your own new restaurant! I’m very happy for you because I know you have always wanted this.
I would very much like you coming to my country and I will do whatever I can to help you get some ideas. The best time to come would be May 23rd, or the week after that. You can stay at my place for a week if you’d like so you can also find out what we cook at home. We also have a very good restaurant here in the neighbourhood, so I will definitely take you there. It’s called ‘t Heertje and they serve delicious traditional food. As for the opening of your restaurant, I am very sorry to tell you I can’t make it. I am going to do a work placement in June and July in America. I’m sorry; I would have loved to be there at the opening.
See you soon,
Cyril
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
RE: Restaurant
Hello Sara,
So you're starting a restaurant? Good for you! You can come to my country anytime, but I’m not always home. If you come on the 22nd of December I'll be home and ready for your arrival. If you cannot come on the 22nd, please e-mail me again so I can look up another date on which you can come.
For the cooking at home every day part, I suggest you should stay with me for a week or with other people. If you do this I think you'll get the best impression of what people eat from day to day. I also know some traditional restaurants near our town, they're called Holla’s and Bubba Food.
I'm sorry but I won't be able to come to the grand opening of your restaurant, I'm busy working myself already, so...
See you,
Bob
RE: Restaurant
Hello Sara,
So you're starting a restaurant? Good for you! You can come to my country anytime, but I’m not always home. If you come on the 22nd of December I'll be home and ready for your arrival. If you cannot come on the 22nd, please e-mail me again so I can look up another date on which you can come.
For the cooking at home every day part, I suggest you should stay with me for a week or with other people. If you do this I think you'll get the best impression of what people eat from day to day. I also know some traditional restaurants near our town, they're called Holla’s and Bubba Food.
I'm sorry but I won't be able to come to the grand opening of your restaurant, I'm busy working myself already, so...
See you,
Bob
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Review of my favorite film of the year
This review is about 'The Iliad' by Niki Caro
'The Iliad', the poster said. It had immediatly drawn my attention. I always liked the tale of the Trojan war, but Wolfgang Petersen's Troy had disappointed me with it's lack of a good story. Was this movie going to be any better?
Luckily, it is better than Troy. The film starts in the tenth year of the Trojan war, just like in the original poem, but it isn't hard to follow at all. It doesn't dwell in fighting and war scenes and the ones shown are very dramatically filmed, giving the viewer a sample of the horrors of warfare. Holding on to Homer's poem, Caro manages to portray the characters and their motives well.
However, by depending completely on the poem, Caro has spoiled some of the story's best moments, including the ending. It wasn't rubbish, no way! The film finishes before the war ends. Sure, the tale of the Trojan horse was written down later than the Iliad, but we do know it, so why would it be excluded from a film version?
For those who are interested in Greek myths, go and check this one out. It is a masterpiece.
Word count: Between 195 and 200 words
'The Iliad', the poster said. It had immediatly drawn my attention. I always liked the tale of the Trojan war, but Wolfgang Petersen's Troy had disappointed me with it's lack of a good story. Was this movie going to be any better?
Luckily, it is better than Troy. The film starts in the tenth year of the Trojan war, just like in the original poem, but it isn't hard to follow at all. It doesn't dwell in fighting and war scenes and the ones shown are very dramatically filmed, giving the viewer a sample of the horrors of warfare. Holding on to Homer's poem, Caro manages to portray the characters and their motives well.
However, by depending completely on the poem, Caro has spoiled some of the story's best moments, including the ending. It wasn't rubbish, no way! The film finishes before the war ends. Sure, the tale of the Trojan horse was written down later than the Iliad, but we do know it, so why would it be excluded from a film version?
For those who are interested in Greek myths, go and check this one out. It is a masterpiece.
Word count: Between 195 and 200 words
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Review of my favorite film of the year
Review of my favorite film of the year: Inglourious Basterds
The advertisement said: 'The new film by Quentin Tarantino'. For some this means that this film has something special. For others it means that the film sucks and that they have to spam the internet with stupid notes on “the copier”.
Why I liked the film? It has the best director ever and Brad Pitt has the main roll. It shows some history (maybe a little twisted, but ok..) and it’s also quite funny. I’ve never seen a film that mixes these two as good as this one.
However, Sometimes they go too far. Everything explodes, they have way too much guns and everything the Nazi’s try, fails. Brad Pitt blows 10.000 holes in a guy with a huge machine gun. That’s just not funny to watch.
Overall this film rocks, but not everything is great. If I had to recommend this film to my friends, I would sure say they had to go and watch it!
Bob van Haren
The advertisement said: 'The new film by Quentin Tarantino'. For some this means that this film has something special. For others it means that the film sucks and that they have to spam the internet with stupid notes on “the copier”.
Why I liked the film? It has the best director ever and Brad Pitt has the main roll. It shows some history (maybe a little twisted, but ok..) and it’s also quite funny. I’ve never seen a film that mixes these two as good as this one.
However, Sometimes they go too far. Everything explodes, they have way too much guns and everything the Nazi’s try, fails. Brad Pitt blows 10.000 holes in a guy with a huge machine gun. That’s just not funny to watch.
Overall this film rocks, but not everything is great. If I had to recommend this film to my friends, I would sure say they had to go and watch it!
Bob van Haren
Monday, 28 September 2009
Writing an essay
Your assignment for today was to write an essay on the pros and cons of mobile phones. There are two ways to do this: either you contrast an argument for to an argument against in each paragraph OR you write one paragraph summing up the advantages and one paragraph summing up the disadvantages. Of course your essay should state your opinion clearly and it should have an introduction and a conclusion. Perhaps it is a good idea to think of words/phrases that you could use in an essay.
In this week's assignment I will ask you to write a review of your favourite film of the year. What information do you think it should include? We will talk about that in class.
In this week's assignment I will ask you to write a review of your favourite film of the year. What information do you think it should include? We will talk about that in class.
Homework assignment
I forgot to print my homework assignment for this week, can I also hand it in like this?
Mobile phones.
I think there are lots of advantages on having a mobile phone. But are there any concealed disadvantages?
The best and most common advantage is being online all the time. However, this can also be a disadvantage, e.g. you are on a holiday and want some rest. People keep calling you when you need your rest. I can imagine that this is very annoying.
I still think there are more advantages, but I’m still young and this opinion can change when you grow older. I like texting now, but maybe, in a decade or so, I won’t like it as much as I do now.
This story of a girl damaging her hands with a mobile phone is of course a serious case, but I think you shouldn’t even own a cell phone at this age. She also said that if she would quit texting it would ruin her social life, at the age of 8. What goes on in the mind of her mother or father?
Bob van Haren
Mobile phones.
I think there are lots of advantages on having a mobile phone. But are there any concealed disadvantages?
The best and most common advantage is being online all the time. However, this can also be a disadvantage, e.g. you are on a holiday and want some rest. People keep calling you when you need your rest. I can imagine that this is very annoying.
I still think there are more advantages, but I’m still young and this opinion can change when you grow older. I like texting now, but maybe, in a decade or so, I won’t like it as much as I do now.
This story of a girl damaging her hands with a mobile phone is of course a serious case, but I think you shouldn’t even own a cell phone at this age. She also said that if she would quit texting it would ruin her social life, at the age of 8. What goes on in the mind of her mother or father?
Bob van Haren
Sunday, 27 September 2009
The advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones
In this essay I'm going to create a list of advantages and disadvantages on mobile phones.
Advantages:
-You're easy to reach everywhere in the world, aswell as you can reach people
-If you're stuck somewhere, or an accident has happened, you can call for help
-Mobile phones aren't very expensive
-You can listen music on it
-It can be used as a navigator
-Most phones have a web browser
-You can play games on it
Disadvantages:
-You can damage your hands
-They're small and thereby easy to loose
-You have to pay extra money for your credit/subscription-Their battery can run out
-Mobile phones aren't water proof
-If you drop it, it will break
My conclusion is that a mobile phone is very important to have with you.
Advantages:
-You're easy to reach everywhere in the world, aswell as you can reach people
-If you're stuck somewhere, or an accident has happened, you can call for help
-Mobile phones aren't very expensive
-You can listen music on it
-It can be used as a navigator
-Most phones have a web browser
-You can play games on it
Disadvantages:
-You can damage your hands
-They're small and thereby easy to loose
-You have to pay extra money for your credit/subscription-Their battery can run out
-Mobile phones aren't water proof
-If you drop it, it will break
My conclusion is that a mobile phone is very important to have with you.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Tip of the Day - websites
Today's tip:
Make studying English more fun by finding some English websites about your hobby/sport. It also helps you when you want to share your hobby with others; then you simply need the vocab related to your hobby.
These are for Milou; they are about show jumping. Here is the first one: www.bsja.co.uk - it is the official website of the British Show Jumping Association. The second one is: www.horseandhound.co.uk - the Horse and Hound is the number one magazine in Britain about horses.
I am curious to know which websites about your hobby took your fancy. Keep the Cambridge team posted!
Make studying English more fun by finding some English websites about your hobby/sport. It also helps you when you want to share your hobby with others; then you simply need the vocab related to your hobby.
These are for Milou; they are about show jumping. Here is the first one: www.bsja.co.uk - it is the official website of the British Show Jumping Association. The second one is: www.horseandhound.co.uk - the Horse and Hound is the number one magazine in Britain about horses.
I am curious to know which websites about your hobby took your fancy. Keep the Cambridge team posted!
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
The holiday of a lifetime
note: I have more homework to do, so here's a short story I made in 10 minutes...
The holiday of a lifetime
It was a holiday I will never forget. I was laying on the back of a boat when my father arrived and told me we had to go somewhere. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but I thought we were going to the beach of Zandvoort. He said we were nearly there, and yes, we were heading towards Zandvoort.
He stepped out of the car and said to me that I had to stay in the car, so I did. When he came back, he said he’d arranged a surfing class for me, but I couldn’t quite get why I had to stay in the car.
When we arrived at the school, he picked up a board and a sail and said we were going out doing some windsurfing.
Well, the windsurfing was great and I enjoyed it, so we went home and I dropped dead on the couch. My mom came to me and said I had to eat something but I already fell asleap.
Bob van Haren, 16-9-2009, Elzendaalcollege Boxmeer
The holiday of a lifetime
It was a holiday I will never forget. I was laying on the back of a boat when my father arrived and told me we had to go somewhere. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but I thought we were going to the beach of Zandvoort. He said we were nearly there, and yes, we were heading towards Zandvoort.
He stepped out of the car and said to me that I had to stay in the car, so I did. When he came back, he said he’d arranged a surfing class for me, but I couldn’t quite get why I had to stay in the car.
When we arrived at the school, he picked up a board and a sail and said we were going out doing some windsurfing.
Well, the windsurfing was great and I enjoyed it, so we went home and I dropped dead on the couch. My mom came to me and said I had to eat something but I already fell asleap.
Bob van Haren, 16-9-2009, Elzendaalcollege Boxmeer
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Letter of application
Dear Mrs. Sykes,
I am writing to apply for the position of Activity Co-ordinator at your Children’s Club, of which I saw the advertisement in our local youth centre, because I think I satisfy the required abilities for the job.
I possess the ability of dealing with young children. I have also got a lot of experience with taking care of and looking after young children because I have 3 little brothers and 1 little sister and I always look after them. So I think that this part already makes me a very suitable candidate for this job.
I also have lots of energy, because I train for about 6 times a week. I also cycle a lot in my spare time. So also at this aspect I satisfy the required abilities for the job.
With a certificate in lifesaving, I can, if necessary, help the children to get out of the water and take care of them if something is not right. I have also won many awards for swimming, so I am a very competent swimmer. The children are completely safe with me. I can express myself in a way that younger children can understand very well, so the teaching won’t be a problem for me at all.
The other strengths that I possess for success in this position include:
* I am in the possession of a First Aid certificate (in case of accidents) and a driving licence (for taking children out on trips)
* I strive for continued excellence and I never give up.
* I am a very strong person, so the children won’t wear me down very easily.
* I have a very gentle character and children like me very quickly
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you about this employment opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Cyril Landstra
I am writing to apply for the position of Activity Co-ordinator at your Children’s Club, of which I saw the advertisement in our local youth centre, because I think I satisfy the required abilities for the job.
I possess the ability of dealing with young children. I have also got a lot of experience with taking care of and looking after young children because I have 3 little brothers and 1 little sister and I always look after them. So I think that this part already makes me a very suitable candidate for this job.
I also have lots of energy, because I train for about 6 times a week. I also cycle a lot in my spare time. So also at this aspect I satisfy the required abilities for the job.
With a certificate in lifesaving, I can, if necessary, help the children to get out of the water and take care of them if something is not right. I have also won many awards for swimming, so I am a very competent swimmer. The children are completely safe with me. I can express myself in a way that younger children can understand very well, so the teaching won’t be a problem for me at all.
The other strengths that I possess for success in this position include:
* I am in the possession of a First Aid certificate (in case of accidents) and a driving licence (for taking children out on trips)
* I strive for continued excellence and I never give up.
* I am a very strong person, so the children won’t wear me down very easily.
* I have a very gentle character and children like me very quickly
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you about this employment opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Cyril Landstra
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Tip of the day:
There are moments when you want to use a certain English word, but you are not really certain about how to use it. In such cases an English --> English dictionary can come in very handy. I have used the following:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
And I think it works very well.
So that is my tip of the day.
There are moments when you want to use a certain English word, but you are not really certain about how to use it. In such cases an English --> English dictionary can come in very handy. I have used the following:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
And I think it works very well.
So that is my tip of the day.
Monday, 31 August 2009
How to write a blogpost
If you want to know how to write a blogpost in Blogger, take a look at this YouTube video!
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Welcome!
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our English weblog.
The idea behind this blog is that you are going to be the authors and fill it with information, opinions, tips and all kinds of other things to help you improve your English and to help others improve their English. Our goal for this year is the Cambridge exam (First Certificate or maybe even Advanced English).
Of course, you want to know how to work in this weblog. And here you can find all the relevant information.
I wish you loads of success and not unimportant: lots of fun while weblogging!
Your English teacher
The idea behind this blog is that you are going to be the authors and fill it with information, opinions, tips and all kinds of other things to help you improve your English and to help others improve their English. Our goal for this year is the Cambridge exam (First Certificate or maybe even Advanced English).
Of course, you want to know how to work in this weblog. And here you can find all the relevant information.
I wish you loads of success and not unimportant: lots of fun while weblogging!
Your English teacher
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