Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
About Me
- Anthony
- My name is Anthony Prato and I teach English as a Second Language at The City University of New York (http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/clip/) and Columbia University (http://ce.columbia.edu/node/295). I have been an ESL teacher for 6 years, and a teacher or trainer for 10 years.
25 comments:
title:gattaca
lenght:1:50
the movie is about the future and how people are identified in the future, instead of having a id card, you have machines that collect your blood, hair, urine, or any material of your body, and by that check you DNA.
kids are not conceived naturally, but in a lab, by artificial insemination, and the parents choose who is going to be their kid using a lab exam, that shows waht diseases the kid would have, hair and eye color, height, weight, ect.
vincent wasn't conceived that way, and has a heart problem, his parents feel really guilt about it, and their next son is a "lab " kid, perfect.
because of his heart problem vincent can't do anything. so he starts to pretending he is someone else, gerome, to be able to achieve his dream, but is a painful processes that includes lots of tricks.
after someone commits a crime the police is all over and things get hard for vincent/gerome.
reaction:
usually i don't like science fiction, but the movie kept my attention. the future that the movie shows is kind of crazy but its not hard to see that the humanity might get there.
title:
tudors
lenght 50 min
henry, the kind of england now is married to anne Boleyn, they had a girl and she had a miscarried, it was a boy, but the baby had deformations.
someone was trying to make the king's mind that anne was being unfaithful with him. the king and his assistants starts to interrogate people to find out if that was truth or not.
he starts arresting people, even anne's brother, and father.
vocabulary:
beheading: cutting someones hear off.
in this episode it starts to have lots of violent scenes, what i don't like at all, but besides that the show is really interesting.
tudors
lenght:50 min
this is the last episode of the second season.
anne begs the kind to believe her, that all that isn't truth.
after arresting anne, his wife, and many men that the king believes had something with the queen, he ordered that all of them should die, should be decapitated, as the queen.
even though all that is not truth they all die. on her last confession anne says she didn't do anything.
eager: to be ready for something, to have a strong interest on something.
to violent for me, not really cool to see people waiting to be decapitated and to see them dieing.
title: vicky cristina barcelona
vicky and cristina are best friends, but have different opinions about love.
cristina is a conservative person, is about to get married to a rich man that totally loves her, while vicky is wild and likes to enjoy life, she is looking for something different
cristina has friends in barcelona, and the two of them decide to spend the summer there.
they met an artist juan antonio, mysterious, charming guy. he invites them to spend a weekend with him in a village by the sea called oviedo.
the movie is beautiful, barcelona is beautiful, i really like wood allen movies.
vicky cristina barcelona
lenght:1:36
Title:
Obama's Debates
Length:
90 minutes
Summary:
I watched many debates for Obama vs other candidates. I agree with many things that Obama said. The debates were about the Iraq war, gay marriage and Health care. The videos concluded that Obama doesn’t want the Iraq war to continue and he said that bush and McCain’s policy in the Middle East apparently didn’t work. Also, he said that he believes that the marriage is between man and woman, but that doesn’t mean gays and lesbians shouldn’t have rights.
Reaction:
I don’t know much about McCain and Obama, but I like Obama and I hope he wins.
Vocabulary:
Demand: request.
Obligation: things which are required
Inconceivable: unthinkable or unbelievable.
Lena Yasmina Sakaly
Title rendition
Length 2hr 02 min
Summary
Suspected of being a terrorist, Egyptian born anwar el ibrahimi “vanishes” from Washington international airport and was taken to a secret prison. At the same time, his wife tries desperately to uncover his mysterious disappearance. While she was looking for answers, CIA analyst Douglas objected to the interrogation practices used on El ibrahim and helped him to escape and rejoin the US
Reaction
The movie was dramatic and asked for question because we don’t really how the different American agencies determine the profile of potentials terrorist and sometimes incriminate innocent just because of their race or religious belief.
New word
Vanish: to disappear completely
To put forward: to advance something
Vapid: insipid, uninteresting
Lena Yasmina Sakaly
Title city of men
Length 1hr 50 min
Summary
Two best friends Ace and Laranjinha lived in a favella of Rio de Janeiro. They are struggling to come to terms with the pressures of manhood in the midst a bloody neighborhood gang war. Ace found out that laran’s father killed his dad.
Fortunately their friendship survived this shocking revelation
Reaction
This was a brutally realistic and heartbreaking expose on life in the mean streets of Rio de Janeiro. It drew the gang war in the favella and the totally absence of the police in these neighborhoods.
New word
To keep one’s head: to be calm, to come down
Sentry: someone who stationed to keep guard
Title:
V for Vendetta
Length:
2:15
Summary:
Im totalitarian state Britan, Evey is rescued by "V". "V" is working on enlightening public to free them from corrupted government. At the same time "V" is planning for a vendetta against tyrannical figures who are blame for tragedy of "V". He designs very special Guy Fawkes day with assistant of Evey. It is his idea to revive the plan of Guy Fawkes-blowing up the parliament. Though he dies, citizens of Britain all rise up against the government and Evey successfully carries on making his dream come true.
Reaction:
It was fun to watch since it had many explicit and hidden implications. Though the film contained political ideas, it wasn't difficult to understand since the message was quite obvious.
Vocabulary:
vendetta: a bitter feud in which the family of a murdered person takes revenge by killing the murderer or one of their relatives.
treason: disloyalty to or betrayal of one's country, sovereign or government.
1. Title : Coyote Ugly
2. Length: 100 min.
3. Summary
: It is a story about a girl name Violet who wants to be a song-writer. At first, reaction of record was just cold-hearted. She incidentally got an opportunity to work at the bar named Coyote Ugly. At the bar, she found her hidden talents and made her own song better and better. Finally, she succeeded in making her song famous as a song writer. And there were many helps of her father, friends, colleagues of Coyote Ugly and Kevin.
4.Reaction
: I like Original Sound Track of this movie. It was sung by Lean Rymes-Can't fight the moonligt.
First, I realized that I can't ignore people's advice. Like main character of this movie, by hearing people's advice, I can be stronger and think one more carefully.
Second, have a confidence and make sure that I can make it. The main character Violet was lack of confidence. She always afraid of reporting her song in public. But after overcoming of the fear, she became a successful song-writer. I hope I could become like her.
5. New words and Phrase
1) I'm physically challenged.
:My physical condition is not good
2) pay off old debts
: reward for your last favors for me.
Title/ pursuit of happiness
• Length of listening/ two hours
Summary/ Will Smith is eminent character in this movie. He lives with his son in NYC. He suffers from life because he had looked for a job and he don't find it. He studies business and starts training in company, but without money.
It depends on your style to persuade customers to join the company. He strives to make relation with any merchant. One day he calls one business man, and he makes an appointment with him. Because of traffic in New York, he loses an appointment. On the other hand, he has many terrible in his life, such as debits and to take care of his son. One night, he comes late to his apartment and he finds his staff threw front his apartment, because he don't pay due rent. Then he go with his son to subway station, and they sleep in restroom. Finally, the company which he is training in finds a job for him.
Opinion of listening/ it was exciting movie and wonderful emotions at the end. Also, It was very attractive movie and because I really wanted to know what is going to happen with him. The movie mentioned that how did the life is expensive in New York, and how was difficult to find a nice job. How Will Smith suffer to find a job and be happy?
1.Title: Beautiful Mind
2. Length: 135min.
3. Summary:
There was a really intellectual mathematician John. He entered after school of Princeton University without any test. He had a prominet brain and talent of math but he was an awkward guy. He used his window of dorm as a note for solving problems of math and just pay attention to solving and proving the math. After that, he proved 'theory of balance' and became a professor of MIT. One day, because of his talent, he got a secret chance to participate the project of analyzing a password(pass code) of Sobiet. But, during the period, he became crazy and had a feeling of pain. Then, thanks to the help of his wife, healing from hospital and inward power of his mind, he overcome his mental disability.
4. Reaction:
I think 'John' is really geniusl because math was the subject I hate the most. I don't have any good memory of math. I realized that people can go crazy when they are totally wrapped in their own work.
5. New words and phrases
1) savor : flavor of food
2) tenancy: use that you have of land or property belonging to someone else, for which you pay rent
Title:
The lecture of Environment in Yale University
from iTune U
Length:
Less 50 min
Summary:
The professor showed the outline of the global warming. Before the global warming came up, there had been changing the weather. Many scientists considered that those changes were not big deal, and they didn't have an evidence. After a few decade, the global warming came up among scientists, and they started to use "greenhouse gas" that are some kinds of gases that would affect global warming.
Reaction:
Although the topic was interesting, it was quite boring, because I already knew this problem. The professor mentioned that George. W. Bush rejected "Kyoto protocol". I think that was a big mistake. Now, many countries are trying to reduce greenhouse gas. In my country, the average temperature in office is 28℃（82.4°F) in summer, because the government recommends that. So the library is too cold to study!
New word:
"protocol" it is kind of law among countries
"come about" happen
Title: Seinfeld.
Length: 30 minutes.
Summary:
Seinfeld had a statue and he put it in his apartment. Then the statue disappeared and he suspected that his neighbor stole his statue. However, Seinfeld’s friend went to the neighbor room and pretended to be a cop. Then he stole the statue from the neighbor’s room. At the end, Seinfeld was happy because he got his statue back. Unfortunately, the statue fell from his hand and was broken.
Reaction:
It wasn’t very funny episode. I think this show has funnier ones.
Vocabulary:
Crook; thief.
Sneakers; sports shoes.
Title;
Soccer game
Length;
93 minutes
Summary;
The game was on ESPN and it was between Brazil and Colombia. Brazil is one of the strongest soccer teams in the world. Of course, Brazil won the game. There were 4 goals on the match. In soccer, 4 goal games considered as good game because it has many goals. Different than other sports such as basketball, where there is dozens of goals.
Reaction;
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, but it is not popular in USA. I don’t watch too much soccer because there is no channels show it. It was good to see one.
Vocabulary;
18 yards line; the small box in front of the goal keeper.
Goalless draw; game without goals.
Players’ bench; the place where the players set.
Title: Exiled.
Length: 1hr
Summary: America rich gay spend lots of money, so his parents exiled him. For a week, he was in morocco in Africa to experience another life. At there, he lived in poor house, and worked for earning money. Through these experiences, he felt about his obsessive spending money for shopping and he realized how he was happy person.
Reaction: It was interesting TV show. First time, when he left the U.S.A, he said that I would be died in morocco. However, after one week, he was changed as a totally different person.
New word: 1. exiled: If someone is living in exile, they are living in a foreign country because they cannot live in their own country, usually for political reasons.
2. dune: A dune is a hill of sand near the sea or in a desert.
T
Title: Parental control
Length: 30 min
Summary: The boy parent doesn’t like his girl friend. When she eats something, she eats sexually, and sleeps wherever she wants to sleep even on the street. Therefore, the parents found other girls for him. They dated with him. However, the man choose original girlfriend.
Reaction: I felt all things are acting. Maybe, they just follow the script.
New word: 1. Hangout : If a place is a hangout for a particular group of people, they spend a lot of time there because they can relax and meet other people there.
2. Sexually: Sexual feelings or activities are connected with the act of sex or with people's desire for sex.
Title:
The lecture about south India from iTune U
Length:
23 min
Summary:
The topic was "what is distinctive about south India?" The professor explained the differences between north India and south India. He said that the 2 biggest differences are the color of skin and languages. There are several different languages in south part of India. He mentioned religions. In south, you can see churches because Christians came from the sea.
Summary:
In comparison with UNCG's lectures, the pace was more quickly. I understand the outline of the lecture but details, especially its history. I knew that there are differences between north and south in India, so I could expect what the professor was going to talk about.
New word:
"in terms of" by means of
Title: Butterfly effect
Length: about 2 hours
Summary: Evan had terrible experience when he was young. He had been writing diary from young. When he was college student, he found some ability. He could go his past through his diary. He tired to change his terrible past. However, if he changed something, unexpected another thing was changed more badly. In the end he chose not meeting his lover in his past, so, his life was changed to normal.
Reaction: Really interesting movie! The ending is so sad, because he cannot achieve his love.
New word: 1. Chaos: Chaos is a state of complete disorder and confusion.
2. Bullshit: If you say that something is bullshit, you are saying that it is nonsense or completely untrue
Title:
the lecture about the environment of the ocean.
Length:
70 min
Summary:
The professor said that the environment of the ocean became better than before. He explained why the ocean was not beautiful and its causes, and how it was changed.
Reaction:
Again, I tried a lecture from iTune U.I thought that I need to become familiar with lectures.
New word:
"crummy" unpleasant, bad
Title:
Burn After Reading
Length:
107 min
Summary:
A man, works for the government, was fired because of alcohol problem. His wife wanted to divorce, and copied her husband's personal information into CD. A woman, works in a gym and is looking for a boyfriend on the Internet, found the CD and started to figure out the information with her coworker. The woman found a good boyfriend. The story went along these four people - the man, the woman, her colleague, and her boyfriend.
Reaction:
I really don't understand the story. It was really confusing. It was a comedy, but I couldn't laugh at all. It was not only because of English.
New word:
I couldn't find it...
Title
The movie- King Kong
Length - 3 hours
summary
the movie producer whose name is Kal met a attractive lady in the street ann and they went to the bone island to make a movie with author Jack. The island was not on the map.
Finally, they arrived the island and they met King Kong waht they have never seen before.
Fortunately or not, King Kong felt in love with ann first sight. seddenly dinosaur who lived in the islan appeared and attacked her, but King Kong fought with dinosaur with bleeding finally, he kept her in safe.
However, the movie producer wanted to make lot of money, so he kidnapped King Kong and brought it to New York. King Kong destroyed several huge buildings and fought with human to keep her, but he died sadly.
Reaction
it was exciting, , but there was a little conversation waht i really need to. I felt that i have to take another stuff to improve my listening stuff.
Title
Radio - 101.1
Length - 1 hour
summary
They talked about Balack Obama's policy and the MC received the call from several listeners.Moreover they talked about the was in middle east countries what held by Bush.
Someone said that they have to keep their honor and they have to keep the war, but the MC said his opinion that it is crazy mind. they was could kill your family even if it appered another country
Reaction
It was hard to focus in it, because when i was listening it they were shouting and criticize each other. but i though that some Americans are thinking that we need the war
Title/ first head-to-head debate- between Obama and McCain
• Length of listening/1 : 30
Summary/ The debate started by many question from the moderator of the debate. Both presidents argued each other and completely have different opinions and plan. They criticized each other in different issues. First of all, Obama criticized John in different issues. One of these issues is Iraq and Afghanistan war. Obama criticized that Bush didn't reach to his goal or any benefits in these war. He just lost a lot of Americans troops and Budget. He didn't catch Osama Bin Laden or kill him. On the other hand John completely doesn't agree that Bush lost Iraq war. John said we won in Iraq war and I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy. In addition, both candidates mentioned their plan the US. Obama would grow and support a health care system, energy independence, competing in education, and economy. McCain would decrease tax, drilling for oil and eliminate ethanol subsidies.
• Opinion of listening/ It was the first debate I watched in my life between two presidents in the US. I was enthusiastic when I watched it. In my opinion, Obama points are very clear, convincing, having strong evidence. In contrary, John McCain just has to say this statement "Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy". I think Obama reserve to win in the first debate.
• Vocabulary/
Swift (adj): happening or moving very quickly:
Verdict (n) : an official decision that is made by a jury in a court of law about whether someone is guilty or not guilty of a crime.
Tactic(n): system or rules or the way for soldiers are arrange in a battle.
Title: America’s Toughest Jobs
Length: 30 min – 4 episodes
Summary:
America’s Toughest Jobs is a reality TV show where 14 people compete with each other. In every episode these 14 people work completely different and dangerous jobs such as gold digging, crabs fishing, truck driving and so on. Judges determine who the best ones and the worst ones are. The worst four have to compete again to determine who has to go home.
Title: Man vs. Wild
Length: 30 min – 4 episodes
Summary:
Man vs. Wild is a reality TV show. Bread Grylls and his crew go to most dangerous places in the world. He shows how people can survive in the wild life without food and water. He takes with him only some survival stuff like a knife and a backpack. Sometimes he takes a fire starter and a mug.
Title: Made in Spain
Length: 30 min
Summary
That is a cooking show. The chef is from Spain and he shows how to make different Spanish cuisines. In the episode I saw, he made a dessert with apples and wine. He also cooked a Spanish appetizer with potatoes and sausages.
Title: Lidia’s Italy
Length: 30 min
Summary
This is a cooking show. The chef is from Italy but she lives in USA. In the episode I watched, she made a peach pie with almonds. Her guest was a very famous chef from New York and he showed her how to cook risotto with cheese and cabbage.
Post a Comment