Week beginning Monday 27th September, 2010

In the posts below, you will find little bits of trivia as well as other important matters. Enjoy!

This Week's Idiom

Be on cloud nine

be very happy or elated

"I was on cloud nine when my great nephew was born."

Why "nine"? Find out more here.

This Week's Word

Spinster: an unmarried woman

Las Hilanderas or The Spinners by Diego Velazquez

By the 14th century, a woman whose occupation was spinning thread (hilar) to be woven into cloth was called a "spinster." Over time, the term came to be used for unmarried women of any occupation - many of whom engaged in spinning as a respectable way to earn income. It also began being used in official legal documents to refer to a woman who had never married. Today, to say that a single woman is a "spinster" has very negative connotations, unlike its male equivalent, "bachelor". Is this also the trend in Spanish?

This Week's Homework



To be, or not to be: that is the question.



Using the structure of my letter as a model, (see Page 2 of our handout), send me a similar email about you. Use an informal style. Word length is between 200 - 240 words. Be extremely careful about grammar, punctuation and spelling. Be sure that you have completed the activity about Arnost on Page 8 of our handout before doing this task. Deadline is 2nd October 2010. Thanks.

For Wed 29th / Thurs 30th, please make sure you have done Page 4 Activity 1f and Pages 6 - 7 Activity 4 in your textbook.

This Week's English Speaking Country

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Motto: "Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress"

Capital:  Abuja
Largest city: Lagos
Official language(s): English
Recognised regional languages: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba
Demonym: Nigerian
Government: Presidential Federal republic
President: Goodluck Jonathan
Independence: from the United Kingdom

This Week's Nature Corner

A stag with its magnificient antlers.

This Week's Photo

Lady Gaga's Meat Couture

When the American recording artist, Lady Gaga, took to the stage to receive a trophy at MTV's Music Video Awards last Monday, she was wearing what appeared to be a hat, dress and boots made of  various cuts of raw meat. However, one member of the audience felt that this type of headgear would have made a much more striking alternative. What do you think? Feel free to leave your comments.

This Week's Preposition

OF

She accused me of poisoning her husband.
Are you afraid of spiders?
I often dream of you.

This Week's Art

You can see this exquisite portrait at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. It is by the Florentine artist, Ghirlandaio.

Why do you think the painting was executed? How do you think the sitter lived (and died)? What would a typical day in her life have been like? What would her dreams, ambitions and frustrations have been? How do you think she would have reacted to Lady Gaga's style of dress? Would she be envious of today's European woman? Why? Why not?