Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice turns 200 - Celebrating the bicentennial of its publication

Dear students and readers of this blog,

It is a truth universally acknowledged that PRIDE & PREJUDICE, by Jane Austen, is one of the most popular books in the English literature of all time, and one of the most beloved works of this remarkable female writer who, contrary to what we might expect, never married, and got to be an independent woman earning her own living by her pen.

Jane Austen, the seventh of the eight children of Reverend George Austen and Cassandra Leigh, showed an interest in creative writing from her early childhood, which was encouraged by her family. Her favourite brother, Henry, eventually became her agent, and was the one in charge of sending her manuscripts to different editors for publication. Somewhere in 1799, she completed the first draft of a manuscript called FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Little did she know that that story would become her most popular and enduring work, and that it would be researched, commented on, and even have film and TV versions, under the name of PRIDE & PREJUDICE, which was first published on Jan 28, 1813.


P & P tells the story of lively Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest of the five daughters of a modest gentleman, and her difficult relationship with an apparently proud, haughty and extremely unpleasant man called Mr Darcy, marked by her prejudice against him. Both will have to go a long way until they come to understand each other and realise they are perfect for one another.

If you wished to read the full novel, click here. And don't forget to read it with your favourite cup of tea!

Maybe you need some help for the reading. Here's a glossary that will help you.

How much do you know about Pride & Prejudice? Pride and Prejudice quiz: Know your Bingleys from your Bennets?

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To mark the publication of such landmark of the English literature, many interesting events will take place around the world. Here's some of them:

• Pride & Prejudice READATHON:  It took place at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, UK last Monday, 28 Jan 2013. It went on from 11.30 a.m. to 3.15 a.m. GMT (one more hour in Spain), and, despite a few technical problems, it was successfully broadcast and followed all over the world. The book, which regularly tops polls as the nation’s favourite novel, was read in short 10 minute segments by up to 140 celebrities, authors, politicians, musicians, Olympians, school children, competition winners and other personalities. 

• The Jane Austen Festival (Bath, UK): Taking place every September also in Bath, this year it will be devoted to the celebration of P & P. (13th-21st September 2013)

• The Pride and Prejudice Bicentennial challenge. If you are a Jane Austen or a Pride & Prejudice fan, participate in this challenge. There are prizes to win!

• BBC's recreation of the Netherfield Ball: A 90-minute special, recreating a 19th-century ball recreating the famous ball held at Netherfield, Bingley's estate, filmed at Chawton House, where Jane Austen lived.

• The Free Library of Philadelphia will host a day-long celebration including lectures, film screenings & theatrical performances.

• Goucher College in Baltimore (USA), will host the exhibition A Special Collections & Archives Exhibition: “Pride and Prejudice: A 200 Year Affair” from Monday, January 28, through Friday, July 26 at the Goucher College Library.

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Pride and Prejudice's TV, film and free versions:

• BBC 1995 Pride & Prejudice (series): Directed by Andrew Davies, starring Colin Firth & Jennifer Elhe. Probably, the most popular adaptation of the novel. Made Colin Firth a star!!!

• Pride & Prejudice (2005, film): Directed by Joe Wright, starring Keira Knightley & Matthew Macfayden.

• Austenland (film - 2012): A Pride & Prejudice-obsessed woman visits a Jane Austen theme park looking for her own Mr Darcy. 

• Lizzie Bennet's Diaries (series): a 10-minute YouTube video series, modern-day American version. On right now and hugely popular. Don't miss it!

• ITV 2008 Lost in Austen (series): A four-part mini series telling the story of a woman, Amanda, who enters the world of the Bennet family through a portal in her bathroom. Widely followed in the UK.

• Bride & Prejudice (film - 2004), directed by Gurinder Chadha. A Bollywood version featuring popular Indian actress Aishwarya Ray.

• Bridget Jones's Diary (2001 - film) & Bridget Jones's Diary: The Edge of Reason (film - 2004): Follow the adventures of Bridget Jones and her troubles with gorgeous Mark Darcy and dangerous Daniel Cleaver.

Some book sequels, adaptations, spin-offs and rarities:

• Death Comes to Pemberley, by PD James: Elizabeth and Darcy live happily at their estate in Pemberley. Until one day, her disgraced sister Lydia arrives in histerics, saying that her husband, Mr Wickham, has been murdered...

• Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: A parody novel by Seth Graham-Smith combining the classic novel with modern-zombie fiction.

• Second Impressions, by Ava Farmer: Set ten years after Pride & Prejudice, the novel explores the changes to the Darcy family's life, Europe post-Napoleon, and live in late Regency England, written following Austen's style.

• Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding. Bridget Jones trying to survive between her fantasy, Daniel Cleaver, and the man her mother wants to set her up with: top human rights lawyer Mark Darcy.

• Bridget Jones's Diary: The Edge of Reason, by Helen Fielding. A story of very unfortunate misunderstandings between Bridget & her love interest, Mark Darcy.

Enjoy your PRIDE & PREJUDICE YEAR!!!

Class Diary Week 15 (21 - 24 Jan 2013)

Dear students & readers of this blog,

This is what we did the last week before the exam:

2º NB

Contents:

- Talking about the past
- Expressions with go, have & get
- Revision
- Speaking practice: a memorable night and other situations in the past

Students' book:
- p. 55, ex. d and 4 b
- p. 56 - Reading 1 b & c
- p. 136-137, ex. irregular verbs
- p. 57 ex. 3 b & c
- p. 60 ex. 1 a & b
- p. 61 ex. 3 a, b & c

Homework:

None

Photocopies:

- Listening practice

Videos:

None

2º NA

Contents:

- Revision of units 1 & 2

Student's book:

- p. 31, (get) + pp. 141

Videos & interactive games:

None

Photocopies:

- Dictogloss - "Great White Shark"
- Listening practice
- Quicktests

Homework:
None

GOOD LUCK WITH THE EXAMS!!

Oscars 2013 - Time to vote for the BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Dear students & readers of this blog,

In last week's survey, we got a draw. According to voters, Alan Arkin & Tommy Lee Jones are your favourites to win the oscar for the best supporting actor.

Time to vote for your BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

Jessica Chastain
Zero Dark Thirty
(La noche más oscura)

                                                 Jennifer Lawrence
                                                Silver Linings Playbook
                                           (El lado bueno de las cosas)    


                                                                             








Emmanuelle Riva - Amour                                                                        


                                             Quvenzhané Wallis
                                       Beasts of the Southern Wild
                                         (Bestias del sur salvaje)

Naomi Watts - The Impossible

(Lo Imposible)

Stories from Down Under: HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

Dear students & readers of this blog,

Most of the times we talk about the UK or the US. This time, we're going to change the subject a little bit, and we are going to learn about one of the most fascinating English-speaking countries in the world: AUSTRALIA.

(For an interactive map of Australia, go to the sidebar, scroll down until the 'Miscellanea' section, and click on 'Interactive map of Australia')

Today, 26 Jan, AUSSIES (as people from Australia are called), celebrate their National Day. To learn about the history of this day, click here.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN SYMBOLS OF AUSTRALIA?

• The National Anthem

• The golden wattle (national flower)

Australia's national floral emblem is the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha Benth.).

When in flower, the golden wattle displays the national colours, green and gold.

As one species of a large genus of flora growing across Australia, the golden wattle is a symbol of unity. Wattle is ideally suited to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle represents the spirit of the Australian people.

In recent times, the golden wattle has been used as a symbol of remembrance and reflection. On national days of mourning, for example, Australians are invited to wear a sprig of wattle.

The golden wattle has been used in the design of Australian stamps and many awards in the Australian honours system. A single wattle flower is the emblem of the Order of Australia.

• The National Flag

The Australian National Flag is Australia’s foremost national symbol. It was first flown in 1901 and has become an expression of Australian identity and pride.

The Australian National Flag flies over the federal and state parliaments. The flag is paraded by our defence forces and displayed around the country at sporting events and by service organisations, schools, community groups and private citizens.

The Australian National Flag has three elements on a blue background: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross.

The Union Jack in the upper left corner (or canton) acknowledges the history of British settlement. Below the Union Jack is a white Commonwealth or Federation star. It has seven points representing the unity of the six states and the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia. The star is also featured on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

The Southern Cross is shown on the fly of the flag in white. This constellation of five stars can be seen only from the southern hemisphere and is a reminder of Australia’s geography.

• The National Colours: green and gold

The national colours, green and gold, hold a treasured place in the Australian imagination.

Long associated with Australian sporting achievements, the national colours have strong environmental connections. Gold conjures images of Australia’s beaches, mineral wealth, grain harvests and the fleece of Australian wool. Green evokes the forests, eucalyptus trees and pastures of the Australian landscape.

Green and gold are also the colours of Australia’s national floral emblem – the golden wattle.

• Coat of Arms: Click on the picture below for more info.

• The National Gemstone: the opal

Australia's national gemstone is the opal, a stone famous across the world for its brilliant colours. In Indigenous stories, a rainbow created the colours of the opal when it touched the earth.

Opal, also known to Indigenous people as the fire of the desert, is a powerful symbol of Australia's arid interior.

Australia is home to the world's highest quality, precious opal. The most famous is black opal from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales. Black opal has a colour play of red, green, blue, violet, magenta or yellow against a dark background.

Let's learn about Australia. Click here for the AUSSIE CLUE CRACKER. Don't miss it! It's fun, and highly educative!

(source: www.australiaday.or.au)

Some famous Aussies are: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Peter Jackson, Russell Crowe (New Zealand-born, but naturalised), Ian Thorpe...do you know any others?

Australia on film: AUSTRALIA, by Baz Luhrmann (starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman)

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables', from the film soundtrack of Les Misérables

Dear students & readers of this blog,

Last Friday, while revising the past simple tense in class, we listened to a song. It was from the film Les Misérables, based on the famous West End and Broadway musical. Le Mis is currently the talk of the town, because it's on at the cinemas and especially, because it has a few oscar nominations.

The song is called 'Empty chairs at empty tables', and is sung by Marius Pomercy, played in the film by Brisith actor Eddie Redmayne.

The context of the song is as follows: Marius is a young revolutionary who is taking active part in the Revolution of the 1830s in Paris. He has fallen in love with a young woman he saw in the street, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), but he is determined to fight with his comrades for freedom. Unfortunately, the revolution does not succeed, and Marius is the only one to survives, thanks to Cosette's father, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman). Still recovering from his injuries, he goes back to the café where he met with his friends the night before the rising, and sings this deeply moving song. Enjoy!!

Sorry I couldn't find the video of him singing in the film!

Now, fill in the gaps:

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

(from the musical Les Misérables)

MARIUS
There's a grief that ___________ be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are ___________ and ___________.

Here they _____________ of revolution.
Here it __________ they __________ the flame.
Here they ____________ about `tomorrow'
And tomorrow never ____________.

From the table in the corner
They ___________ see a world reborn
And they ___________ with voices ringing
I __________ hear them now!
The very words that they had sung
____________ their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn.

Oh my friends, my friends ____________ me
That I live and you are _____________.
There's a grief that ___________ be ___________.
There's a pain goes on and on.

Phantom faces at the window.
Phantom shadows on the floor.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more.

Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me
What your sacrifice ___________ for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will sing no more.

For the full lyrics, click here.

Oscars 2013 - Now, time to vote for the best actor in a supporting role

Dear students & readers of this blog,

Time to vote for the BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE. And the nominees are:

Alan Arkin - Argo

                          

                           Robert de Niro - Silver Linings Playbook

Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master

                                                                              

                                                                        

                              Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln

Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Don't forget to vote for your favourite Supporting Actor on the sidebar!!!

Classroom Diary week 14 (14-18 Jan)

Dear students & readers of this blog,

This is what we did last week in class:

2º NB

Contents:

- was/were (writing short sentences with 'to be' in the past)

- regular past -ed forms (past tense of most verbs)

- irregular verbs (past forms)

- Vocabulary: past time expressions

- Exam practice: listening comprehension

- Exam practice: speaking

Students' book:

- p. 54, ex. 1 a, b & c (+ p. 103); ex. 2

- pp. 136-137

-p. 55, ex. 2 d, ex. 3 a & b, ex. 4 c

Homework:

None

Photocopies:

- Past simple

- Irregular verb list

Videos:

- Pronunciation of past simple -ed forms.

2º NA

Contents:

- Recommended reading: About a boy

- Exam practice: speaking 

Student's book:

- p. 30 ex. 5 b & e

Videos & interactive games:

- Film: About a boy

Photocopies:

None

Homework:
- Revise & check unit 2

Oscars 2013 - Vote for your favourites

Dear students & readers of this blog,

Once more, Uncle Oscar is visiting us. Next February 24, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of America will celebrate the 85th edition of its annual awards. Along the following weeks, I will be presenting you with the Nominees in the main categories for you to pick your favourite. In the sidebar you will find a weekly survey. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!

This week, the nominees for BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

Amy Adams - The Master

                                                       Sally Field - Lincoln





                                     





Anne Hathaway - Les Misérables

                                                                               
                                             Helen Hunt - The Sessions





                         




 

                                        Jacki Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook

NB 2 - Who were they? Was/were

Dear students & readers of this blog,

We have started the New Year talking about one of the most interesting, yet least known of all of London's Museums: the National Portrait Gallery. 

It is situated just off Trafalgar Square, at a 5-minute walk from the National Gallery. It houses portraits, both paintings and photographs, of outstanding British men and women. Here you have some practical info, just in case you are planning to visit London soon:

IMPORTANT INFO

Address

2 St.Martin's Place

London WC2H 0HE, United Kingdom

Cómo llegar

‎

020 7306 0055

Nearest tube/railway station

Leicester Square (Northern & Picadilly Lines)

Charing Cross (Norther & Bakerloo lines)

Admission

Free

Opening Times

Saturday to Wednesday from 10:00am to 6:00pm 

Thursday and Friday from 10:00am to 9:00pm

                                                                                                      www.npg.org.uk

As we saw in our textbooks, some of the people featured in the museum are:

HRH the Duke of Windsor and the Duchess of Windsor (aka Edward VII & Mrs Wallis Simpson.

Edward VIII was King for just a few months. As he was in love with Mrs Wallis Simpson, an American woman who was divorced, he abdicated, and became the Duke of Windsor. They were together for the rest of their lives.

Click on their names above if you want to read more about their biographies.

The Brontë Sisters: Charlotte, Emily & Anne.

Charlotte, Emily and Anne were born in Yorkshire. They were all remarkable writers, but only Charlotte was famous during her lifetime. They were the authors of some of the most famous novels of English literature: Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily) or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne).

Click on their names above to learn more about their biographies.

Helena Bonham Carter

She was born in London. She is an actress. Her first significant role was in the film A room with a view. Her partner is film director Tim Burton. They have two children.

Click on her name above to learn more about her biography.

Now let's play a game. I'm going to give you five clues about two famous people, and you are going to say who I'm talking about, okay? Let's go:

Celebrity no. 1

1- He was an English writer

2- He was born in the 16th century.

3- He was married with three children

4- He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon

5- He was the author of plays such as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet.

And he is...

William Shakespeare

Celebrity no. 2

1- She was born in Los Angeles in 1926.

2- She was a famous actress.

3- She was blonde and very beautiful.

4- Her real name was Norma Jean Baker.

5- She was married to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller.

And she is...

Marilyn Monroe

Now let's see if you guess this one. These are the clues:

- He was born in a city in south Africa.

- He was an anti-apartheid activist.

- He was in prison for many years.

- He was the 1st president of South Africa.

- He was married three times.

So...who was he? 

WRITE A COMMENT WITH THE ANSWER, IF YOU KNOW IT. ALSO, WRITE A COMMENT WITH THE CLUES YOU WROTE IN CLASS. LET'S SEE IF WE GUESS THEM!!!

For some theory on was / were, click here.

Class Diary Week 13 (8-11 Jan 2013)

Dear students & readers of this blog,

This is what we've done in the very first week after the holidays:

2º NB

Contents:

- New Year's Resolutions

- Revision can/can't

- The past: was/were

- Word formation: -er, -or, -ian, -ist, -ian, -man/-woman

Students' book:

- p. 53, ex. 1 a, b

- pp. 136-137, was/were

- p. 53, ex. 3 a, b & c; ex. 4, a, b; ex. 5 a

Homework:

- pp. 136-137, past simple of regular verb (grammar & exercises)

Photocopies:

- Grammar & speaking activity on can/can't

Videos:

- None

2º NA

Contents:

- New Year's Resolutions

- Vocabulary: expressions with 'get'

- Speaking about love relationships

Student's book:

- p. 30, ex. 5 a, b & c

Videos & interactive games:

Photocopies:

- Expressions with 'get'

Homework:
- p. 141 (use of 'get')