AN ECCENTRIC CITY

Many of the largest hotels, casinos and resort properties in the world are located on Las Vegas Strip. 

The Strip is an approximately 6,8 km  stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard. Nineteen of the world's 25 largest  hotels by room count are on the Strip, with a total of over 67,000 rooms. There are most 60,000m2 of gaming space. 

All of hotels pick up a different theme. For example the theme's Luxor is antic Egypt and the Venetian is Venice.

 Orlane and Elora.

Julie wanted to talk about them. But she didn't have the time to write a long article:

The Simpsons is an American television series of animation created by Matt Groening. 

(He was born on February 15^th, 1954.)

There are 5 main characters : Homer.J Simpson, Marge Simpson, Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson and Maggy Simpson.

It doesn't matter Julie, I'll help you to finish your article:

Actually I came across the Simpsons in London last week !

How to explain facebook's popularity?

     For a few years, the most famous social network has been Facebook with 700 millions subscribers. This is the most visited website in the world by the younger people as well as the older ones.

There are a few reasons to explain that:

     First of all, people need gratitude. It means that they want to be recognized.

     Then, it is very simple to meet people and talk with them, which allows to have new relations, more or less close friends.

     People are also very curious and in that social network everyone can know and see everything about the other ones' life.

      To finish, people are able to publish photos, videos, songs etc.. so as to protect their memories with their friends and families.

http://media.paperblog.fr/i/365/3656806/createur-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-riche-bill--L-1.jpeg

Clément and Trung.

THE TEACHER'S POINT OF VIEW !

Publishing photos may help to keep them in a safe place. But there are a lot of other protected sites where you can store your photos. And one must keep in mind that once your photos have been published on one of these sites, they belong to them. Moreover teenagers should be cautious and sensible concerning what they write on Facebook. Your friends' friends are not always your friends. Therefore you never know who might see what you publish. So take my word and use facebook with moderation.

Due to some kind of Cjristmas disruption the publication of some posts written by my students has been delayed. I hope you will forgive me and come back and read this blog daily as I'm going to do my best to publish a note a day.

The following article was written before the holidays, and can now be read in the past tense to sound accurate !

Christmas in Reims

During the Christmas season in Reims, the city celebrates. There are lots of funny entertainments. It will begin on the 25^th of November and the end will be on the 31^st of December.

For example, you can go and watch

the sight of lights on the cathedral

«Rêve de Couleurs» at night.

It lasts 15 minutes and it often begins at 6 PM. 

 You can also ice skate, there is  an ice rink on the Forum.

Credits: l'Hebdo du Vendredi.com

On the place d'Erlon, there is a Christmas market, which includes 125 chalets.

Credits : tourmagazine.fr

Shops are specially open on the 3 Sundays before Christmas. It is very interesting to do your Christmas' presents.

Gaëlle et Claire.

All this happened as planned and we hope you took advantage of everything and enjoyed the Christmas Season in Reims !

It isn't exactly like karaoke. But it's fun too. And it can help you revise and enrich your vocabulary as well as improve your skills at oral comprehension.

Go there: http://www.lyricstraining.com/index.php

Choose an artist, a song, and the level that is yours.

Expert: You listen to the song, but not even a word is given to you ! You've got to hear and type ALL the lyrics.

Intermediate: You've got to recognize one words out of five.

Beginner : One word out of eight or nine.

And for teachers it's a good way to be aware of what the students listen to !

That's how I discovered her : http://www.lyricstraining.com/play/6799/adele/someone_like_you

If you've only got one minute and need to know who Hadrian was, where Hexham is or what Benjamin Franklin invented, then, try this : 

You may need to listen to the explanations several times, but the subtitles can help you too.

A good way to memorize useful information and impress the crowd!

SORRY IT DOESN'T WORK ANY LONGER !

http://qwiki.stanford.edu/

Your teacher keeps telling you you should enrich your vocabulary. But you don't know how to. Well, here is a link to a website providing you with many games that will help you. I've selected the one entitled The Vocabulary Quiz. It isn't too difficult. Enough to check you can find a word rapidly. That's what you need when you are writing an essay in class.

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/word-play/vocabulary-quiz/

Once you've revised your vocabulary thanks to this quiz, try this one. There are three levels and you can try until you've increased you score.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flash/wordmaster/

An illustration found in a blog where you can find many other useful ideas:

http://lewebpedagogique.com/mindthegap/category/vocabulary/

 (The title is a quote by Baltasar Gracián )

I wouldn't want you to be bored on this rainy Tuesday. So, here is a website that offers you lots of quizzes on many topics. I'm sure you'll find one that you like. Why not start with assessing your knowledge of lyrics. Whatever your age you can play. There are even lyrics from old times !

http://www.funtrivia.com/search2_act.cfm?type=quizzes&searchstring=lyrics

* Robert Merrill

Looking for some illustration for this article, I've come across an excellent blog entitled "Just wondering why". http://jesswanderin.wordpress.com/ I've borrowed this cartoon from there:

I hope you'll enjoy all these extremely relevant and funny questions Jess Wanderin is asking. And if the author doesn't mind, this cartoon will remain here.

Remember !

Last year we studied a long poem entitled "A Wonderful Internet" that I had found in a textbook. The author's name could not be found anywhere. But I've found a video adapted from this text. Or is it the other way round ?

For those who read the poem with me and will enjoy a pang of nostalgia, as well as for those who will hear the story for the first time, here is the video :

 EDIT NOVEMBER 23RD: Sorry, the vido has been deleted by its author...

It's high time this blog came to life again ! But we've had such a busy and sunny September that I haven't been able to come and talk to you since we came back to school.

In ten days or so we'll be on holidays again. If you feel like sending us an article, please do! The address is still the same:

easyaspiechagall@yahoo.fr

If you were a faithful reader last year you are aware that this is a movie-friendly blog. Let's talk about The Artist !

It's on at the OPERA cinema and at The Multiplexe Gaumont. Of course it seems it doesn't matter whether you see it in its original version or not this time. But nevertheless it has some link with English-speaking culture:

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2011/10/hollywood-film-festival-honors-carey-mulligan-berenice-bejo-jean-dujardin-elle-fanning-amber-heard-andrea-riseborough-shailene-woodley-anton-yelchin/

This article announces that Jean Dujardin as well as Bérénice Béjo will be among those being about to receive Hollywood Spotlight Award at the next Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony. Who would have thought that Loulou would become a Hollywood star ????

(The Hollywood Spotlight Awards : Spotlighting excellence on exciting talent that deserves recognition this year.)