Tesla - The Forgotten Genius

Perhaps inventors like Thomas Edison got all the credit for inventing the ubiquitous light bulb, but did you know that the electric currents that run through our homes and workplaces are based on the work of another, more obscure, inventor? His name was Nikola Tesla. His persona was revived a couple of years ago in the film 'The Prestige.' The are two distinct stories that have come down to us over the years about Telsa: one tells the tale of a visionary genius, whose inventions were so unbelievable and ahead of their time that many of them have yet to be put into practice; the other story is one of envy and greed, which motivated his competitor, Thomas Edison, to discredit his work in the eyes of the public. Here are two short videos that tell these two stories (answer the questions that follow): First, a scene from 'The Prestige': And here, a home-made mini-documentary put together in a humourous fashion: Questions: 1. What characteristics about Tesla do both videos emphasize? 2. (First video): What question does 'The Great Danton' (the character played by Hugh Jackman) ask Tesla? What is Tesla's reply? 3. (Questions 3-10 are all about the second videoclip): What three adjectives are used to describe Tesla's childhood personality? 4. Why did Tesla have to abort his junebug experiment? 5. What was Tesla trying to accomplish with the two cats? 6. What 'misunderstanding' was there between Tesla and his employer, Edison? 7. What kind of efforts did Edison make to discredit Tesla? 8. What were the limitations of Edison's direct current? 9. How many patents did Tesla have? 10. What was the cause of Tesla's death? Did he die a wealthy man?

Do you know who she is? No? Well, let's get to know Noomi Rapace. Watch this interview and answer the questions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZZy6R97c0o
1. How did Rapace prepare for the role of Lisbeth Salander? Why did she feel these preparations were necessary?
2. Is Rapace's English perfect? Can you detect any errors? Do they impede communication?
3. What do critics say about Rapace's performance?
4. What kind of life did Rapace lead as a teenager?
5. What did Rapace not want to do in the violent scenes of the film?
6. What do we know about Rapace's taste in film? Would she accept a role in a Hollywood film? Do you believe her? (sorry, that's me being cynical again).
7. Do you think Millennium is a "mainstream" novel and film (according the video it is not)? What does mainstream mean, anyway? Examples?
Discussion questions:
1. Have you read any of the Millennium books? If so, why so, and if not why not?
2. Do you think Millennium is a mainstream phenomenon or a fringe cult series?
3. How many books do you read per year? How many movies do you see per year? Why do we tend to see more movies than read books? What's more satisfying? Why?

Facebook feud

Meet the real Winklevoss twins, depicted in the film 'The Social Network.'. These are the guys who sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and eventually won a settlement for $65 million. Watch the video and answer the questions below. Before watching this video, you might want to get some background on the story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Winklevoss 1. According to the assumption made in this interview, whose original idea was it to start a social network which eventually went on to become Facebook? 2. How did the Winklevosses feel when they first discovered that their idea had been stolen, and what did this feeling involve into? 3. How successful were the Winklevosses in 'righting the wrong' committed by Zuckerberg? 4. How straightforward are the Winklevosses about the money they have been awarded by the courts? 5. What is the motto of Harvard and why is it being cited? *************************************************************************************** And in case you haven't seen the film, here's a clip of actor Armie Hammer, who plays dual roles as both twins:

When fiction becomes reality

If you thought this kind of thing only happens in trashy best-seller fiction of the Dan Brown variety, think again! Here's a true story of high-stakes Vatican intrigue unfolding before our very eyes which points to corruption at the highest levels of the Holy See. Watch the short news clip by clicking on the link (embedding was not allowed for this video), and answer the questions: http://youtu.be/CqjGbYK3LLQ......................................................................... Comprehension Questions: 1. What are two functions of the Pope's butler cited in the beginning of the report? 2. What type of behaviour is being exposed at the Vatican? 3. What is the 'papal punchline,' and what genre of fiction is this a reference to? (How would you categorize the tone of the reporter at this stage?) 4. The butler is accused of __________________________ the Pope. (What is the noun form of this verb? (Used in the expression 'an act of ____________') 5. What is the incriminating evidence which has placed the butler under suspicion? 6. How did the butler supposedly benefit from stealing the documents? 7. What sort of intrigues do the documents expose? 8. Where is the butler now? ........................................................................... Discussion Questions: 1. Do you think the scandal goes deeper than the butler? Why/why not? 2. Can you trust butlers? Why do butlers get such a bad rap? 3. Do you think the Vatican is held to a higher standard than other institutions, i.e., do we expect Vatican officials to be less corruptible than politicians?

Don't be a scaredy-cat!

(Embedding was not allowed for this video, so I have provided the link instead, below) The content of this video is astounding. It relates the efforts of two men who are attempting to raise awareness of the plight of the African lion and gather support for their protection. The astounding part is how they go about doing this. Watch the video http://youtu.be/MNQcogZAMAY *********************************************************************************** Comprehension questions: 1. What is the main difference between the two groups (aka prides)of lions? (you need to watch to whole video to answer this question) 2. In the beginning of the clip (in the studio) what does Jay Schadler (the reporter - the guy with the grey hair) cite as reasons why viewers are going to like this story? (give at least three) 3. What unlikely species of animal is sleeping among the lions in the first scene? (What synonym does Schadler use for sleeping?) 4. How does Richardson achieve this up-close relationship with the lions? 5. According to Richardson, what has happened to the lion population in the last decade (what adjective does he use before the word 'amount'), and what is the popular misconception about Africa? 6. What is Dave Salmoni trying to accomplish with the wild lions in Namibia? Why are these particular lions in danger? 7. What kind of dangerous game is Salmoni playing? ('a game of _______ and ______') 8. Back at the studio, what does Schadler say is the final objective of Salmoni's project? ********************************************************************************* Discussion questions. 1. Human beings are capable of some pretty amazing things. In the beginning of the clip (in the studio) Schadler says these two men are 'treading a very, very thin line between courage and hubris.' Which of these two attributes do you think best describes their behaviour. 2. Salmoni seems to suggest that the survival of lions is closely linked to eco-tourism. Do you agree? 3. If Richardson accompanied you, would you walk up to the lions and pet them? Why or why not?

Sane or insane?

The following video is an excerpt from a BBC documentary series called 'The Trap,' created by BBC investigative journalist, Adam Curtis. The documentary explores the concept of freedom in our society, and this particular clip discusses a psychological experiment conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan back in the 1970s. I found it astounding - and quite disturbing. Before watching the clip, read these notes, which will help you to understand the context of the experiment explained in the video._________________________________________________________________________________ Notes: The year was 1973. The US government was not only losing the war in Vietnam, but was also losing popular support at home. Protests and riots broke out regularly in major cities and on college campuses. Interestingly, during this period, there was also an increase in the number of people being detained and admitted as 'insane' in psychiatric hospitals. From this atmosphere of social upheaval emerged voices from within the fields of psychology and psychiatry who denounced the use of psychiatry as a form of political control of the masses. The most prominent of these was R. D. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist who was living in the US (this is the man you see in the very beginning of the video). Another professional in the field, David Rosenhan, attended one of his talks and was inspired to do an experiment. This video is about the experiment.________________________________________________________________ _______________________________Questions 1. What kind of science is psychiatry, according to Laing? 2. What was the key question about psychiatry that inspired David Rosenhan? 3. Where did the eight participants in the experiment go to conduct the experiment? 4. What 'lie' did each of the participants tell the psychiatrist on duty in their corresponding hospital, and how did they behave otherwise during the interview? 5. How many of the participants were admitted into the psychiatric hospitals? What was their diagnosis and treatment? 6. How long was Rosenhan detained at the hospital and how did he get out? 7. What was the reaction of the psychiatric community when they discovered what Rosenhan had done? 8. What challenge did one of the hospitals make to Rosenhan in order to prove their legitimacy, and what were the results of this challenge? Discussion question: 9. The presenter Adam Curtis says the effect of the Rosenhan experiment was a disaster for the credibility of psychiatry. Do you think a similar experiment conducted today would have similar results? 10. Is there a clear boundary between the categories 'sane' and 'insane,' or do you think the they are arbitrary lables?___________________________________________________ For fun, you can watch this related scene from the film '12 Monkeys' starring Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis: http://youtu.be/EOA3aYRSy_k

On the use of the term 'negro'

As a follow-up to the subject that came up in class, and as a preview to the Martin Luther King interview (see previous blog entry), I thought it would be interesting for you to read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negro

Martin Luther King defends his views on 1960s talk show

*** The more things change, the more they stay the same. Forty-five years years later, the moral issues being discussed here with Martin Luther King are still relevant today.*** Questions: 1. In his introduction, what two adjectives does Mike Douglas use to describe Martin Luther King? 2. Why does King say that his view on the first question has been distorted? 3. What five adjectives does King use to describe the war in Vietnam? 4. What does King say about black soldiers dying in Vietnam? 5. What is King's view about loyalty to the country? 6. In King's opinion, what would be a good way to get out of the war? (And what historical example does he give?) 7. What is King's view on the role of power? Which type of power does the US need to demonstrate it has? 8. What does King say about 'Caucasian' (white) followers potentially disassociating themselves from his civil rights movements on account of his anti-war views?

Child prodigy

Have you ever met a child prodigy? If not, it's my pleasure to introduce Emily Bear, who some are calling the next Mozart. Watch this short video and answer the questions below in your notepads. Feel free to post a comment saying whether you think this a hoax or if it's for real.

1. In what prestigious venue did Emily have the honour of performing?
2. Where is Emily from? (city and state, country)
3. What does Emily do in addition to performing music?
4. Where does Emily's music come from (according to her)? What word does her family not like to use to describe her talent?
5. Who "discovered" Emily? When Emily was two years her grandmother heard her playing a ___________. (fill in the blank) What does Emily's grandma do for a living? Who did grandma contact when she discovered Emily's prestigious talent? What piece is she practicing now and for what concert?
7. Who wrote Emily's favourite song? Who was this song written for?
8. Why is the stuffed animal that Emily is holding her favourite?
9. What does Emily want people to think about her? What does Emily want to be when she grows up?
Discussion questions:
1. Do you think Emily was born with this gift, as the reporter says, or was she simply a product of her environment? Justify your answer.
2. Do you think it's possible to learn to play the piano like Emily as an adult? Why or why not?

Nice resource for self-study

Here's a good website if you want to study a bit in advance for the CAE (those of you who might be interested in doing it next year). I'll make a few suggestions on how to use it to your advantage in our next lesson http://www.flo-joe.com/cae/students/wordbank/wform.htm

David Beckham 'hangs out' with google

David Beckham is arguably football's most international ambassador. In a nation where football (or soccer, as they call it) is historically not the most popular sport, Beckham has brought it to spotlight. Watch this short interview and 'hang out' with David Beckham. There are some questions for you to answer below. 1. Why is David Beckham pleased to be given an offer from the LA Galaxy? 2. Why did Beckham choose to stay with Galaxy and not accept an offer elsewhere? 3. What is the first question made to Beckham about his team (from the woman standing at the microphone), and how does he respond? Is he serious? 4. What is one of Beckham's biggest passions? What country does he talk about and what does he have to say about the children there? 5. What was Victoria Beckham's concern about the royal wedding? How does Beckham pronounce 'sitting?' 6. What joke does Beckham make about his underwear campaign and what three-letter word does he use to make a joke about the interviewer's comments? 7. What country has Beckham not visited yet? He says it would be 'exciting' to visit this country - how does he pronounce this word? (Remember what we discussed in class about the way British people pronounce the 't' when they are feeling relaxed and unguarded). 8. Who does all the google searches in Beckham's family and what does he search for?

A taste of the Cambridge Advanced Speaking exam

Those of you interested in doing the CAE next year might find it useful to check out some of the sample speaking exam videos available on youtube, such as this one. We'll talk more about this in class.

Confession from an Arizona governor

Here's something you don't see very often: a former politician risking ridicule by being honest. In class I'll give you an activity to accompany this video. For now just try to understand what the former governor is confessing to, and listen to the video several times until you feel comfortable with the language used.
Here's some vocabulary that comes up that might help:
1. astounded - amazed, very surprised
2. 'stir the pot' - expression meaning make things worse by causing a controversy
3. chief of staff - a person in charge of day-to-day affairs of a office-holding politician
And here's one question to think about: why did Mr. Symington take so long to make his confession?

Di Caprio and Page interview each other

Questions

1. The actors seem a bit nervous at times during this interview. How is this format different from other interview programs?
2. What word is used in the first question to describe the rapport or mutual attraction among the actors?
3. In answering the second question, what does Di Caprio say about the acting profession?
4. What are the two "unscripted" questions Page asks Di Caprio? (What does unscripted mean?)
5. What unscripted question does Di Caprio ask Page?

New Bond flick - interview with director Sam Mendes

Bond is back! And Bardem is playing guess who? You guessed it - the bad guy!
Watch this interview with director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and answer the questions below:

1. How does Mendes describe his personal relationship with Bond? (How far back does it go?)
2. How did Mendes feel about 'Casino Royale?' 3. What compelled Mendes to accept the challenge of directing a Bond film? What are his goals for the film? What three adjectives does he use to describe the type of Bond film he thinks it is possible to make?
4. According to Mendes, what's the only way to make a Bond film? What will happen if you try to make it too quickly?
5. What does Mendes find ironic about making this movie in Britain? What does he say about his 'American years?'

De Niro as Capone

This week we're taking a look at a couple of 'bad guys' (be sure to see the other video) in cinema. Here's another scene from 'The Untouchables' (we saw one a few lessons ago with Sean Connery and Kevin Costner). In class I'll be giving you a little worksheet, but for now I'm just asking you to watch the scene and study the language used (there's British and American accents in the scene, which is a nice mix). In the meantime, here's a couple of broad questions about the context of the scene, and on Capone's opinion about the law which enables him to do 'business':
1. What controversial law was in effect in Chicago (and in the whole USA) during the 'reign' of Al Capone?
2. What interesting observation does Capone make about laughter?
3. How does Capone view his role in the 'illegal' sale of alcoholic beverages?
4. In what way in Capone being less than honest with the British journalist about his business practices?

The coin toss

Here's a couple of expressions that will come in handy before watching the video:
1. 'toss a coin' (also 'flip a coin') - in a situation involving two possible outcomes, to toss a coin is to throw it in the air in order to determine the outcome; the side of the coin facing upwards ('heads' or 'tails') is the determining factor.
2. 'call it' - to choose 'heads' or 'tails' before a coin toss
3. 'put up' - in gambling (dice, poker, etc.), what one stands to keep or lose.

Now watch the video and answer the questions that follow


Comprehension questions:
1. What question does Javier Bardem ask the gas station attendant in the beginning of the video? How does the man reply?
2. What metaphysical observation does Bardem make about the coin?
3. What does the man stand to win, according to Bardem? (What do you think he stands to win?)

Discussion questions:
1. I find this scene disturbing, to say the least, no doubt because the role played by Bardem is so creepy. Some film critics have put him on their list of the best villains of all time. What do you think are the ingredients of a 'good villain,' and does Bardem embody them in this scene?
2. In what ways is Bardem's role as the creepy Anton Chigurh different from De Niro's bad-guy role (see other video) as Al Capone? Who is the 'badder' guy?
3. Do you find Bardem easier to understand because he's Spanish? How's his English, in your opinion?
4. Have you seen the film? If not, what do you think is gonna happen to the poor fellah in the gas station? (And if you have seen it, did you think the poor guy was going to survive while you were watching?).
5. Who directed this film? Yes, ok the Coen brothers. Have you seen any other films by them? How is this one similar/different to the others?

This is an interview with Obama before he became president. Before watching it, go this link and read the brief article about the relationship between President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2007/10/16/4426031-cheney-and-obama-cousins



Questions (You only need to watch the video until minute 4:30).
1. What does Obama say about Cheney's role in the family?
2. Why does Ellen joke about going hunting with Cheney? (You might have to do some research on this - google 'Cheney hunting accident').
3. Referring to genealogy, Obama says that when you look into your family history you end up discovering that you're related to some _________________.
4. Obama says Ellen 'makes a good Elvis,' and especially which part of the Elvis costume? What is Ellen's response to this?
5. What compliments does Ellen pay Obama about his personality?
6. What word does Obama use to explain his background? Where were his mother and father from? What is different about his sister?
7. What motivated Obama to get involved in public service? Who is he 'real sympathetic' towards?
8. Why did Obama go to Chicago? What type of programs did he help to set up?
9. What word does Obama use to describe himself (referring to his background and his name, for instance) - he says he's an 'under_______' - What does this mean?
10. According to Obama, part of the reason people may not pay attention to politics is because it's ________________________ and it doesn't seem like politicians get ______________________________.

The science of love

Can what we call 'love' simply be traced to a chemical reaction inside the brain? Watch the video and answer the questions:

1. What are the three distinct brain systems associated with love, according to Dr. Fisher?
2. What is Dr. Fisher's profession?
3. What procedure did Dr. Fisher and her colleagues perform on people who were 'madly in love?'
Fill in blanks:
4. Dopamine is a natural ___________________________.
5. Dopamine is sent to many different brain regions which creates all kinds of feelings associated with intense romantic love, such as (list at least six): _____________________________ _____________________________________________.
6. What is life's greatest prize, according to Dr. Fisher?
Fill in the blanks:
7. What are the physiological responses associated with romantic love? (list two) ____________________________________________________________________________________.
8. Dopamine and norepinephrine are chemically different by only ________________________.

Unlocking the secrets to long life

Why do some people live so long? Is it their diet? Lifestyle? Watch this video and answer the questions below

1. Who told Eberhart he would live to be 120 years old? Has the prediction come true? (What expression is used in the video to convey this meaning?)
2. What does Eberhart attribute his long life to?
3. In the video we see Eberhart getting into a car. Where is he going?
4. Who's sponsoring the study on long life? What other ambitious project have they organized (for this question, you'll need to do a little bit of research - the full answer is not in the video)
5. How does Eberhart refer to the age of his wife?
6. What does Dr. Perls say about the influence of 'protective genes?'
7, According to Mr. Weiss, what is the goal of this study?

More moon missions? Or just a bunch of rhetoric?

Watch the video below and answer these questions in your notepads:
1. True to his profession, Gingrich is making a campaign pledge (promise) which he may have difficulty keeping. Compare this little speech with Kennedy's half a century earlier. Kennedy actually kept his promise (incredibly). Do you think Gingrich will, too?
2. Some might say to appreciate rhetoric like this, you have to be American. In what ways does this speech appeal to Americans' sense of patriotism (give three examples)?
3. Watch the beginning of the video again. When does Gingrich say he will make this project a reality? In what way is this presumptuous?
4. Is this guy a true visionary like Kennedy or is he just full of hot air?

Kennedy's ambitious dream

Here's a brief excerpt of Kennedy's famous moon speech, as well as footage of the moonwalk, in which you will hear the most famous phrase ever uttered by an astronaut. See if you can make it out.
Also, fill in the blanks in Kennedy's speech (below):

"I believe this nation should ____________ itself to achieving the goal, before this ___________ is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to _____________, or more important for the __________________ exploration of space, and none will be so difficult or expensive to ________________."
President John F. Kennedy, speech to U.S. Congress, May 25, 1961.
Discussion questions:
1. Can you find two instances in Kennedy's speech of politically incorrect language, by today's standards?
2. What percentage of the population do you think believed this was an achievable goal?
3. Can this be compared to a world leader today announcing his country's intention to send a manned mission to Mars? Or is Mars a much more ambitious and unachievable goal?

I don't know what to do with this video, pedagogically speaking, since there is no audio apart from the subtle music. But it's original, so I thought I'd post it for your viewing pleasure.

Your secret from Jean-Sebastien Monzani on Vimeo.

Here's a little public domain video, which I thought you mind find interesting to watch. Times have obviously changed...but perhaps not that much, depending on the country. Watch and answer the questions that follow. And don't worry if you think the video is a bit odd -- I do, too!

1. In what country do you think this film was produced and released? What clues are there?
2. In the beginning of the video, the narrator uses three verbs beginning with the letter "b" to describe the different phases of marriage. What are they?
3. What is the message or purpose of the video?
4. What organization do you think sponsored this video? Do you think it was a successful campaign? Were there (or are there today) similar campaigns in your country (Spain) or other country you have visited?
5. What are some of the challenges married couples face, according to the video?
6. In what ways would one say the video is "politically incorrect," by today's standards?
7. What clues are there in the video that the country in which it was produced follows a Judeo-Christian tradition? (What is the last thing the narrator says?)

The sky is NOT the limit

Here's a glimpse at what has to be Richard Branson's most ambitious project to date. This one goes beyond mere entrepreneurship, don't you think? I'll add some questions later on.


1. With what phrase does Faye Barker begin her report? What world-changing event is this a reference to?
2. Fill in the blank – ‘The world’s first passenger __________________ _________________ California
3. How does Branson describe his own aircraft?
4. What was Branson’s dream for many years?
5. How will the aircraft reach space?
6. What unique experience will passengers enjoy on their voyage?
7. Who will be among the first passengers?
8. What is the name of the craft, and why?
9. Fill in the blank – ‘Deep space needs ____________ ____________________¡
10. How much will a trip cost?
11. How is the title of this post being used?

Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson

In our most recent lesson we saw the word 'entrepreneur,' applied to the late Steven Jobs (what does 'late' mean here?).
Here's a short interview with 'Sir' Richard Branson, considered by many to be the entrepreneur par excellence, due to his ability to break into diverse markets successfully. His flamboyant air (by business standards), and extracurricular activities as world explorer extraordinaire, have also made him somewhat of a celebrity. Here he is in a promo event for Virgin, which will be sponsoring the London Marathon. Watch the video and answer the questions that follow (I am only interested in the second part of the video, starting when the interviewer asks him 'Do you have any advice for budding entrepreneurs?'):

1. Does Branson believe there are opportunities for budding entrepreneurs in this time of crisis? Why or why not? (He doesn't use the term crisis, by the way - what term does he use instead?)
2. What does Branson believe to be a sensible tax system? Why?
3. Will Branson be running the London marathon? Has he got much experience running?

Steve Jobs tells us a secret

Watch this video and answer the questions below:

1a. What 'secret' does Jobs disclose? Are you surprised? Why do you think this was secret?
1b. What expression (which we learned in class!) does Jobs use when he says he's going to reveal a secret?
2. What feature of the traditional computer did Jobs want to change? What expression does he use when referring to the keyboard?
3. What did Jobs do with the tablet project when he decided to work on a phone? Why?
4. Who made the first steps towards developing the iphone (apart from Jobs)?
5. How long did he and his team work on the iphone? When did he start working on the tablet?
Discussion Qs
1. Jobs has fetched a lot of praise, much of it posthumously. Do you think he is more worthy of praise than other computer industry entrepreneurs, such as Bill Gates? Why/why not?
2. Have you got a tablet? If so, what brand? Do you think tablets will eventually replace traditional computers with physical keyboards?

Blue pill or red pill?

Perhaps the most famous movie scene of the last two decades. Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) speaks clearly and is refreshingly easy to follow, provided you know the vocabulary. This clip has subtitles in English, so that should make things easier for you - try to watch the scene without looking at the subtitles first. Then watch it with the subtitles and make sure you understand everything - I will give you a task to do relating to the scene on Saturday.

When Harry met Sally...

Former NBA player comes out

Watch this video and answer the questions that follow in your notepads (feel free to post a comment):

1. What "first" has Amaechi achieved in the sports world?
2. What type of product is he endorsing? (What is an "endorsement," by the way?)
3. Why does Amaechi think HeadBlade thought of him to pitch their product?
4. What did former NBA star Hardaway have to say about having a gay teammmate?
5. What adjective does Amaechi use to describe Hardaway's words?
6. Was Amaechi openly gay while he was playing? Why or why not?
7. Have any active NBA players commented on Amaechi's "coming out?"
8. Why does Amaechi consider Anne Coulter's comments more dangerous than Hardaway's (what adjective does he use to describe her).
9. What advice does Amaechi have for public figures when giving opinions?
10. Who does Amaechi feel responsible for?

My blackberry's not working!

Watch this video and complete the gaps in the dialogue below:

Customer: I bought something from you last week, and I’m very _____________________.

Shopkeeper: Oh yeah? What’s the problem?

C: Yeah, well, my blackberry is not working.

S: What’s the matter? Did it ____________________ juice?

C: No no, it’s completely __________________!

S: Oh yeah, I can see that! I tell you what, let’s ______ on Orange.

C: It’s got a few black ____________.

S: Yeah yeah, sorry about that.

C: Where-is-umm, can you ____ my blackberry working?

S: Well, it could be an application ___________. Where do you __________ that blackberry?

C: Well, it’s on my ______________.

S: Well, you could try using a mouse - to _______ the blackberry - into the trash. And after you’ve done that, you might want to ____________ the Blackberry from the desktop

C: Well, I’ve already tried that a few times. And all it did was _______________________ up windows.

S: It might ____________________ waiting a couple of weeks: they’ve got the latest blackberries coming in then.

C: Could you give me a date?

S: Certainly.

C: Let me put that date in my diary.

S: Anything else I can help you ___________?

C: Yes, yes. I’ve also got a problem, to be honest, with my apple.

S: Oooh, dear oh dear. That is an old apple, isn’t it? When did you buy that?

C: Last week.

S: Last week? They’ve ___________ two new apples since then!
What’s the problem with it?

C: Well, I tried to put my ___________ in it. But it won’t _____.

S: Oh yeah?! And how big’s your _______________?

C: I don’t know much about these things, but my wife’s seen a few ______ in her time, and she says it’s a little bit on the small side.

S: Well I'm afraid there’s not a lot I can do about that. Tell you what, let me try ____________ it. Oh, it’s crashed. Anything else I can help you with?

C: Well, funnily enough, yes. It’s my grandson’s birthday soon, you see, and he’s already got an apple, and a blackberry; _________, have you got anything else that he might just like?

S: Ooh they’re doing a special offer on these. __________, I can’t make __________________ of them. The kids seem to like them: Eggs Box. Three sixty.

Bono interviews Clooney

Listen to U2 singer interview superstar George Clooney and answer the questions below:

1. What is the mistaken idea, according to Bono, that people have of celebrities?
2. What does Bono admire about George Clooney?
3. What other famous person does Clooney refer to in his family? Did she remain successful?
4. What helped Clooney handle the pressure of fame?
5. According to Clooney, what can famous people not do anymore, and why not?

Giant tunnel connects NYC and London

Before you watch this video answer this question:
Do you think there might actually be a giant tunnel connecting London and NYC? Or do you have to be really gullible to believe a thing like that? I dare you to post a comment before watching the video! Who's willing to go out on a limb?
OK, now watch the short video and answer the questions below (get those notepads out!):

1. So, is it a real tunnel or not?
2. Whose idea was it? What was the inspiration for the idea? (What synonym for "idea" does the reporter use?)
3. Who provided the technology to make the idea possible?
4. What games do people play across the tunnel?
5. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?
6. If you could introduce this idea in Madrid, what city would like to connect with?
7. What joke did the people in England play on the people in NYC?
8. What is the name of the news service that presents this report? Have you ever heard of them? Do they sound like native speakers?

Can music induce violent behaviour?

Listen to this brief video and answer the following questions in your notepad. Feel free to post a comment, BTW (you just need to become a follower on the blog and then you can post your comment). I think this is a really interesting topic to discuss.
1. In the video, can you identify at least five things and people that are held responsible for violent behaviour?
2. Why did Marilyn Manson like listening to music as a child?
3. The young man at the end of the video with the blue shirt makes a case for why he believes some Marilyn Manson fans may be induced to violent behaviour. What is his argument? Do you agree?

Transportation of the future?

Listen to this brief discussion with Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist and popularizer of space-age science (heir to Carl Sagan). Answer the questions that follow:

Comprehension questions:
1. What is teleportation?
2. What is the record distance for teleportation?
3. What are scientists actually able to teleport at this stage?
4. What does Dr. Kaku believe we will be able to teleport in the foreseeable future?
5. Why would human beings be so difficult to teleport?
6. Many references are made to Captain Kirk. Who is he?
Discussion:
1. Did you know that scientists were teleporting atoms today? Are you surprised?
2. What applications do you see in teleportation?
3. Would you like to be the first human being to be teleported?