Egon Schiele: Women – review

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/may/16/egon-schiele-women-review

Egon Schiele is one of the most important figurative painter of the early 20th century. He pictured the human body eroticised without sentiment or excuses. His works are grotesque, erotic and focused on sex, death and discovery.
I would be in London to visit the exibition that collects nearly 50 masterpieces!


Vocabulary

• To gather on _ radunarsi, raccogliere
• Escapism _ evasione
• Misleading _ fuorviante, ingannevole
• To lap up _ credere ciecamente (?)
• Daring _ audace
• Eagerly _ avidamente

How I met your mother

Over the previous next months I've watched an American sitcom called "How I met your mother". The main character, Ted, tells his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting with their mother. Other main characters are Lilly and her husband Marshall, Robin and Barney. There are lots of quick transitions and flashbacks. One of the most important features is the characterizazion that makes the sitcom so amusing. I love it!

Vocabulary and expressions

• To set the mood _ creare l'atmosfera
• I've been craving this... all day! 
• It can't hurt! _ non sarebbe male!
• Implied _ sottinteso
• Weird _ strano
• Overdue _ in ritardo
• Just to make it sure
• speechless _ senza parole
• Who cares?
• Something must be wrong with...
• I'll give you some advice
• I'll take your advice
• Travel safe! _ buon viaggio
• Better late that never
• Go easy on
• Landmark _ punto di riferimento

Police buy software to map suspects' digital movements

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/11/police-software-maps-digital-movements

Vocabulary

• Lawfulness _ legittimità
• To retain _ conservare
• To throw up _ lasciare, tirare fuori, esporre

Japan nuclear power expansion plans abandoned

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/11/japan-nuclear-power-expansion-plans-abandoned

Vocabulary

• Start from scratch _ ripartire da zero
• To envisage _ immaginare
• Handling _ gestione
• Markedly _ nettamente
• Weak _ debole
• To bear _ addossarsi, sostenere
• Goggles _ occhiali di protezione
• To vow _ promettere
• Shutdown _ chiusura
• Undamaged _ intatto
• To plammet _ precipitare

Thoughts on my own performance

I think I had a good performance. I prepared my presentation well thanks to Sean's advices. I practiced out load  and so I was comfortable delivering my presentation. During the presentation I was quite confident but one of my  colleague told me that I spoke in a low voice and I moved my hands too much! I tried to speak slowly and clearly and to emphasize key words. In my opinion my presentation was well organized and it had a clear logical structure but my introduction was a bit lacking in details. I made some mistakes in pronunciation, for example "measures" /ˈmeʒə(r)/. 

Helen Mirren winning an Oscar® for "The Queen"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZunOOuJwY7E

Listening Practice


Watch the winner’s speech and answer the following questions:

(a)   What is she carrying?

      She has her purse in one hand and her hearring in the other.

(b)   What does she say the award is similar to?

      She says that the award is a gold star.

     

(c)   What does she say about her fellow nominees?

      She says that her fellow nominees are brilliant actresses.

(d)   What qualities does she say the woman she played possesses?

      She says that The Queen has maintained her dignity and her sense of duty (and her hair style!). She appreciates her courage and consistency.

(e)   Fill in the missing words – It is a conditional sentence containing 13 words in total (contractions, e.g. wasn’t, count as 2 words).

     If it wasn't for her I most would not be here.

The Royal Wedding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pncLockdQrc&feature=related

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, gives a lesson in English! It's a good listening exercise!