(Mid Level) The Big Blender

Bill Nye explains how Jupiter acts as an agent of diffusion in our solar system.

Watch:

The Big Blender

Language exchange

To develop your flexibility and fluency in a language you need to speak with native speakers. If you can find the right person, and they don't need to be a teacher, just speaking with them on a regular basis will help you a lot. Is it possible to do a language swap? Find a native speaker who's at roughly the same level in your language as you are in theirs. Spend half an hour speaking in each language.

Here's a website where you can do exactly that over Skype:

The Mixxer

 But you need something to keep the conversation turning. This website is an index of conversation questions for pairs. There may be a similar website for questions in other languages. If not, you could improvise by translating the questions.

Link to website:

ESL Discussions

(Mid Level) Manifesto

Check the meaning of these words:

to quit, to seize, to hug, to share, a bite

Watch and answer these questions:

What is the manifesto?
What values are mentioned in the manifesto?
Who wrote this manifesto?

 

Go to link

Manifesto

What do you think of the manifesto?
What do you identify with personally?
What do you like about the manifesto?
Is there anything you don’t like?
Is it a good guide for life?
Is it too simplistic?

Task:

Write your own manifesto to promote passionate, creative living. Use the imperative form and inspiring vocabulary and expressions.

(Mid to High Level) Here Be Dragons

Josie Long shares a map of her childhood.

Listen:

Here be dragons

(High Level) Primo Levi's The Periodic Table

 Major dramatisation of Primo Levi's element-themed stories about life, work and matter.

Listen to Episode 1:

The Periodic Table
(Episode 1)


All Episodes (chapters)

Low Rider

 

Listen:

Low Rider

All my friends know the low rider
The low rider is a little higher

Low rider drives a little slower
Low rider is a real goer

Low rider knows every street, yeah
Low rider is the one to meet, yeah

Low rider don't use no gas now
Low rider don't drive too fast

Take a little trip, take a little trip
Take a little trip and see

Take a little trip, take a little trip
Take a little trip with me

(Mid Level) Pull Up To The Bumper

Watch and Listen:

Pull up to the Bumper

Driving down those city streets
Waiting to get down
Won't you take your big machine
Somewhere in this town

Now in the parking lot garage
I found the proper place
Just follow all the written rules
You'll fit into the space

Pull up to my bumper baby
In your long black limousine
Pull up to my bumper baby
And drive it in between

Pull up, to it,
Don't drive, through it
Back it, up twice
Now that fits nice

Operate around the clock,
Slow it if you come in?
I've got lots of space for everyone
One for you my friend?

My lines are short I'll fix you up
So won't you please come on,
Shiny sleek machine you wheeled
I've got to blow your horn.

Pull up to my bumper baby
In your long black limousine,
Pull up to my bumper baby
And drive it in between.

Pull up to it, don't drive through it,
Back it, up twice, now that fits nice,
Grease it, spray it
Let me lubricate it

Pull up to my bumper baby

(Mid to High Level) Pet Shop Sketch (Monty Python)

Customer service at it's best. And a great list of ways to describe something that is dead.

Watch:

Pet Shop Sketch

(Mid to HIgh Level) Out of focus (Woody Allen)

A famous gag from the film Deconstructing Harry (1997).

Watch:

Out of Focus