Revising 1st Term Exam

2nd Bachillerato2010-11

jamescullen.blogspot.comMonday 22 November 2010

This morning I got a mail that really touched me. I was just having a look at my gmail inbox, full of colleagues’ messages, student’s papers, and video links sent by my daddy, when I came across Christine’ nick name (sunflowers). I felt a stir and clicked to open it. There is something magic about every mail, isn’t there? Mails, or phone messages, are usually short and abbreviated, but they have a tremendous power on us. It is awesome how just a few lines can make me feel sunny on a rainy Monday

I have been an English teacher in Venice for the last twenty-five years. I have had many students since I settled down here, but Christine Krasovsky has undoubtedly been my blue-eyed one. I distinctly remember the day I met her. It was my first day as a university teacher. I was puzzled as I entered that fourth course’s classroom, full of silent future doctors. All students were like at a standstill, staring at that beautiful dark-haired girl who was trembling, tears welling her eyes and hysterically shouting at me “I WANT MR O’SULLIVAN BACK”. That was a blow. I walked on towards the teacher’s table, sat down, switched on the microphone, and started teaching, pretending to be feeling as cool as a cucumber though I was actually terrified.

Mr O’Sullivan had been teaching English for Medicine during three years to that group of students, and so it was clear from my very beginning that I was the only “new” one in that class. Mr O’ Sullivan was on his seventies and had moved back to Dublin. He was said to have an appealing Irish accent, a tender look from his old blue eyes and a sympathetic attitude towards all his students (no failure, no exam, no homework). What a change! I was 27, had a Scottish accent and began every lesson collecting essays. Things weren’t easy at the beginning. Lessons seemed interminably long and I kept looking at my watch to verify every minute that went by, as nobody spoke, just me. Few students handed essays in, and most of them frequently played truant. But nothing disturbed me most than Christine’s attitude: she spent all lessons gazing at me, scrutinizing all my gestures, accusing me silently for replacing her dear Mr O’Sullivan.

I got to know later that Christine had run away from communist Ukraine. Being an orphan, she was brought up by an old uncle whose death left her alone at just 16. A shot for her. So, she took the decision to emigrate and chose Venice because it started with V, her favourite letter as it reminded her of uncle Vladimir. She therefore asked for asylum in Italy, wrote her name for A levels and succeeded to enter into Medicine (a degree with a strict quota in Venice University). Christine was a survivor, she was intelligent, brave and strong. She was a fighter. Her classmates looked up to her, she was a top notch landmark in that class and I knew I had to turn her defy into trust. She would be my key to that group.

I did crazy things to gain Christine’s support. I couldn’t explain them now, there wouldn’t be enough space on today’s post. But the fact is we eventually became good friends and now that she is a neurosurgeon in Rome, I am proud to say she taught me about the importance of real friendship. Sunflowers was including this Chinese proverb on her mail to me this morning:” An invisible red thread[1] connects those who are destined to meet regardless[2] of time, place or circumstance, the thread may stretch or tangle[3] but it will never break”. It was probably raining in Rome this morn and she wanted to cheer me up

[1] Thread: a thin string of cotton, wool, silk…[2] Regardless of: Paying no attention to[3] To tangle: to twist, to be messy or in disorder

Questions

Trusting on … Ana

Why does the author of the text want to get on well with Christine?

He wants to get on well with Christine because she is a top notch landmark in that class, she is an important person with a very hard attitude and he knows that if he has got a good friendship with her, he will gain their support because she is the key to that group.

In which way were Mr O’Sullivan and James Cullen different?

Mr O’Sullivan and James Cullen were different in many things. Mr O’Sullivan was on his seventies and James Cullen was 27. Mr O’Sullivan had got an appealing Irish accent and James Cullen had got a Scottish accent. Mr O’Sullivan never did exams or assign homework, and James Cullen collected essays every day.

Where did Christine study?

Christine studied in Venice University, because she asked for asylum in Italy, wrote her name for A levels and succeeded in entering at Medicine.

What kind of mail does the author of the text receive?

He receives collegues’ messages, students’ papers and video links sent by his daddy.

Trusting on Inés

What was Mr O’Sullivan like?

Mr O’Sullivan was an Irish man who was seventy years old more or less, he looked tender and was very nice with his students.

Why was Christine important for her classmates?

Christine was important for her classmates because she was a survivor and a fighter, brave and clever, her classmates admired her, she was like their pillar.

How did James Cullen react on his fist day at class?

James Cullen on his first day at class was shocked and scared. Students stared at him as if he were a stranger and they wanted their old teacher back. It was a blow for him but he pretended to be calm

Why does Christine send that proverb to her old teacher?

Christine sends that Chinese proverb to her old teacher because it probably was a grey day and she wanted to motivate him.

True/ False

Laura

Christine’s class mates admired her.

This is true because the text says that “her class mates looked up to her”

Janira

A lot of James Cullen’s students didn’t go to class when he started being a techer.

This sentence is true because the text says “Few students handed essays in, and most

of them frequently played truant.

Laura

Mr O’Sullivan doesn’t live in Rome.

This is true because the text says that “Mr O’Sullivan was on his seventies and had moved back to Dublin”.

True/False

This statement/sentence is True/False

as the text says/affirms/quotes/states…

due to the fact that the text says…

as, according to the text, ….

Synonyms

Endlessly interminablyFavourite blue-eyedA shock a blowHigh quality top notchFinally eventuallyPositive, happy sunnyObserving gazingShocking trembling

Writing a title!

Friendship makes the world go better by Cristina

Friendship and Friends enrich our lives by Sandra S.

Writing a title

Friendship is …by María S.

Friendship, What do I understand with it? by Claudia O.

Writing a title

Friendship is important for everyone by Marta

THE BEST FRIENDby Laura

Are we alone in the world? by Inés

Writing a title

Are friends important in our life? by Sandra FM

What is friendship for you? by Alejandra

Could you guess who wrote these lines?

These are the names

Cris AleMarta LeireClaudia O. LauraCarol Sandra S.Ziortza AnaAmaia Sandra FMLucía María S. Inés

We are starting…

Ready? Steady?

GO!!!

1. I create my own music and lyrics, and I have to admit that without inspiration I can’t write anything. All my songs are about love and distance. I am a little bit romantic and it is difficult for me to express my feelings in a song.

When I do concerts for my friends, family… I must be as cool as a cucumber, why?. The only reason is that I am nervous I can’t sing very well because my voice starts trembling.

2. Okey, for me, to have a friendship is like to have a world. I Think it is as important as having a good health in this life. A friend is the person who helps you and loves you in all moments, and in every aspect. As all things, having a friend also has many advantages. I’m sure that if he/she is a good friend, he/she is going to help you in all things that he/she could.

But all that glitters is not gold. Sometimes you can get angry and furious with your friend…

3. Friendship is a very important relation in our lives. Friends are the family that we choose, like my father says.

In a friendship, you have to give your friends all that they give you: attention, love, smiles, help, You have to protect your friends because like the proverb of the text says “… the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break”.

4. People who compose lyrics express their feelings in black and white. This is an amazing experience but it isn’t a piece of cake. You must be very concentrated.

5. …without friends, your life feels empty, devoid and boring…

… mines are the best in the world, they are nice, sunny, intelligent, honest, they like talking and dancing, playing sports and listening to music, they are just awesome, people that make me feel proud.

6. Everybody need at least one friend, a sunny, smiley, confident, sociable one, a shoulder to cry on and make you days less hard.

But what is a good firend like? A good friend is like a brother/sister, someone that’s always there. Someone you would rather go with him/her everywhere, and he/she is also someone who is there when everything is falling down or when your life s a complete disaster. That’s a friend!

7. Music is really important in our lives , more than we could ever imagine!

In fact we live in music times…you can appear in TV and be as cool as a cucumber because a lot of people are making their dreams come true. Therefore, you won’t feel as a fish out of water.

Music really changes us and helps us in difficult situations where friends can be off the beaten track for different reasons.

8. Some people say we are born, live and die alone. Do you agree with that? I absolutely don’t. Well, I think I understand what they mean more or less. Everything that we do and every choice we make we do it on our own. Yeah, right, very philosophical, maybe Plato would have agreed, but I’m still not.

9. Music makes us cry, laugh, love, hate and live, it is crucial for the society not to be at a standstill. It is essential for the economy, too, because it represents part of it.

In conclusion, music makes us feel better, supported and motivated, and helps us enjoy the life we are living. If you want to think about the things you are doing, go to the beatten track with your MP3 and listen to your blue-eyed song.

10. Friends enrich your life because you can share, play, talk, or just have fun with them. Besides, they support you in bad moments, the famous proverb says that “a friend in need is a friend indeed” and I completely agree with it.

I think it is very difficult to find the perfect friend, but we should start trying to improve ourselves, being that friend that we would like to have.

11. I am a very sunny, outgoing and talkative girl and I need having friends. I’m nothing without my friends, and that’s why if I have problems with them, I try to solve everything having a coffee, a coke or going for a walk.

I wish everyone had the good luck I have had and if you aren’t like me and you can’t start a fluent conversation with someone that you have just met, I just recommend you one thing: just TRY IT!

12. I can say that I’m very proud of all my friends. We are only seven but we all love each other, but the friendship I most appreciate is the one I have with Sarah, she is my best friend and she brings and teaches me lots of good things. She is confident and I know I can call her anytime when I have a problem.

I want to encourage people to look for real friends instead of looking for lots of people that in fact don’t enrich your life.

13. Friendship is not only to get on well with anyone that you know, the fact is that you can know a lot of people and get on well with them but, are they true friends? … When it gets to live-lasting friendship, it is better, in my opinion, to have just the right ones.

14. Although sometimes, we think that some people are real friends, they aren’t. All that glitters is not gold. Since I was born I have met a pile of great friends, they are funny, smiley, trustworthy and sincere.

15. People that have friends in their lives are happier than people who are alone. If you have people in your life that you know that are going to stay with you in good and bad moments, it helps you to advance, and develop day by day.

Solutions: 1. Amaia 9. Leire2. Lucía 10. Laura3. Ale 11.Marta4. Ziortza 12.Claudia O. 5. Carol 13. María S.6. Sandra FM 14. Sandra S.7. Ana 15. Cris8. Inés

lucila@arangoya.org