Today's Work

• Most of the students from China said that celebrating Mother's Day is a new thing in China. Some started celebrating it by buying their mum a present or taking her to a restaurant, others didn't do anything and a couple feel guilty about it. They say it is because now that they live in Australia, they miss their mother. Olga's comment is very funny, read it. Apparently men have to buy presents for all the women they know, even their wives' friends and their women neighbours! Lily tells us about Father's Day in China. This is what she says:
  
  In China, every year's 8th August is Father's Day. Because the 8th August in Chinese pronunciation is 'ba ba', and papa in Chinese pronunciation is 'ba ba' too. So every year on the 8th August we can think of 'Ah, my dad, where's he?'

1. This week's FORUM: Go to Time4English Intermediate (5D) and listen to the story on Korean women and changes in traditional roles. Is this happening in other countries. Has it happened in your country of origin? What do you think about it? Is it a good thing that women and men's roles are changing in modern society? Tell us your opinion and respond to your clasmates' opinions.
2. Go to Time4English and listen to THIS WEEK'S ODD SPOT. What's the matter with the chimpanzee? How do they say he's trying to give up a bad habit?
3. Go to Upper Intermediate/Advanced (2I) and listen to The Great Wall of China. What type of text is it? Write the answer in your blog.
4. Click on DICTATION (upper right hand corner of Upper Intermediate/Advanced) and do dictation 2F Bad drivers (some of our students are failing their driving tests!)


5. Read an EFL student's description of her mug (a cup for hot drinks) in her blog post, The Story. She talks about passing it on to her children and it reminded me of our conversations about family heritage and artefacts. It also made me think it would be a great idea if you started writing to other students of English in their blogs. (You will find ESL student blog links on the right sidebar of our blog). After you read her story, answer these questions in your blogs:

• Monday's work with Marion: go to Excursion to the Australian Museum if you need to check your group's research on Aboriginal Spirituality, Family. Land and Social Justice or Cultural Heritage.
  
• Visit the post Indigenous Australians for extra information. There is also a very good interactive exercise on how to use a mouse and keyboard.
  

posted by rosa ochoa @ 9:22 PM