5+N+2014-2015

**FEBRUARY 2015**

JANUARY 2015
Oscar Wilde : The Picture of Dorian Gray

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 * Monday 26th: Reading**


 * Utilitarianism** is a big name, but it's got an easy definition. The whole thing boils down to asking one question to make decisions: "What will make the most people the most happy?"

Seems simple, until you try to get through a day of using it to determine everything you do. Sure, choose that hamburger for lunch, if that's what will make you happy. But what about after school—should you watch TV because it makes //you// happy, or should you volunteer at the community center because you'll maybe improve //other kids'// days? Or should you make your own family happy and go home to bake cookies?

Not surprisingly, this philosophy was super attractive to some people (Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill were big proponents). But others found it limiting and soulless: can we really reason our way into being happy? And what about the people who aren't in the majority? Is it okay to sacrifice the happiness of a couple of people if it makes a whole crowd happy? (It's another version of the classic ethical dilemma: would you kill one person to save four?) And how are we supposed to get beyond playing favorites, and just making our loved ones and ourselves happy?

Victorians and their literature were asking ethical questions in a lot of different ways, but utilitarianism was one popular lens through which to do it. The philosophy relies on math and stats—it's hyper-rational and logical. But some writers, like Gaskell and Dickens, wanted to show the other side: what happens to the "few" who get sacrificed for the happiness of the many?

//Hard Times// is, somehow, Dickens's manifesto against Utilitarianism. What do you make of the Gradgrind philosophy vs. the circus philosophy?

(from //__ []) __//


 * PRACTICE FOR NEXT FRIDAY'S TEST !!!**




 * HAVE A NICE PRACTICE! (and a nice weekend!)**

__** Cross-curricular approach to literary themes: madness in Victorian literature, madness in Victorian **** times **__

A) To begin with, start reading this very clear "prezi" (sort of "animated" power point application) on the topic

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Did you like the "prezi" presentation on madness? This is just the beginning ... b) Now download the document (madness) below but read __pages 411 and 412 ONLY__!



c) Click on the following link
//__ [] __//

d) But the most challenging document is surely this one. It's also the most illuminating of all:
//__ [] __//


 * //That's all folks. See you next Monday,then!//**

DECEMBER 2014
Homework for the students who were not at school on Monday 22nd:

[[file:5NJaneEyreTest2.odt]]
Homework for the class: Read the extract p. 218-222 + es. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 pp.218-223

THE BRONTE SISTERS
For those who find it difficult to learn about the characters, here's a nice video that can help you ...

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[[file:WutheringHeightsQuestions.odt]]
if you can't open the file, try this one



[[file:Useful phrases for text analysis and literary appreciation.doc]]

 * CHARLOTTE BRONTE: JANE EYRE **

from Franco Zeffirelli's film, enjoy the famous "fire scene"
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NOVEMBER 2014

 * Module 2 : The Victorian Age (an introduction) **


 * Problems with your text analysis? Download the file below :-) **



For the ones who are going to take the FCE...

[[file:Surviving the FCE.odt]]
P.B. Shelley- A few questions ...

1) How does Shelley’s treatment of nature differ from that of the earlier Romantic poets? Read again Ode to the west Wind before answering this question. 2) How and why does Shelley believe poetry to be an instrument of moral good? What impact does this belief have on his poems, if any?

3) How might we apply Shelley's theories in "Defence of Poetry" about inspiration, expression, and poetry's value, to the poems we have analysed?

4) In Shelley’s poetry, the figure of the poet (and, to some extent, the figure of Shelley himself) is not simply a talented entertainer or even a perceptive moralist. Who is the poet, then?

OCTOBER 2014
Romantic Poets : the 2nd generation

Percy Bysshe Shelley ODE TO THE WEST WIND media type="custom" key="26771294"

click[| here] for the Italian translation

A SONG: MEN OF ENGLAND



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Jane Austen

Homework for Thurs. 16th October- Answer these (very easy) questions :

1) P//ride and Prejudice// was first titled //“First Impressions//”. How do both titles embody the themes of the novel? 2) Discuss the importance of social class in the novel, especially as it impacts the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy. 3) //Pride and Prejudice// is a novel about women who feel they have to marry to be happy. Taking Charlotte Lucas as an example, do you think the author is making a social criticism of her era’s view of marriage?

Here's below the handout you were given last week (in case some of you have lost it!!)



For the ones who still think they have missed the happy ending ...

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Mary Shelley A "couple" of questions about Frankenstein :-))
 * SEPTEMBER 2014 **



If you like, you can watch a clip from the famous film directed and interpreted by Kenneth Branagh

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Let's begin with some revision work!
 * SEPTEMBER 2014 **



For the students who want to try some FCE tests, here are some links:

http://englishaula.com/en/use-of-english-part-3-word-formation-exercise-exam-2-fce-cambridge-first-certificate-english.html http://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_grammar.htm

Have a nice school year!!!

SUMMER READING, at last! ATTENZIONE! Alcuni di voi hanno avuto problemi a reperire i testi (quelli in lingua inglese) consigliati per l'estate. Mi dispiace moltissimo per l'inconveniente. Nonostante il prezzo sia un po' più alto (ma sempre abordabile), vi consiglio le seguenti edizioni: - "Frankenstein" Edizione Eli - "Jane Eyre" Edizione CIDEB, collana " Black Cat" See you in September, P.N.


 * Download and save to your desktop the file **** below: **



IN CASE OF NEED, EMAIL ME.


 * HAVE A SUPER SUMMER, SWEETIES !!! **

**a.s. 2013/2014**

PART 2- Short summary Soon after killing the albatross, something terrible happened: suddenly the wind and mist ceased, and the ship was stagnant on the ocean. The other sailors alternately blamed the Ancient Mariner for making the wind die and praised him for making the strange mist disappear. Then things began to go awry. The sun became blindingly hot, and there was no drinkable water amidst the salty ocean, which tossed with terrifying creatures. The sailors went dumb from their thirst and sunburned lips. They hung the Albatross around the Ancient Mariner's neck as a symbol of his sin. Now, download the files below (Part 2a.pdf and Part2bpdf ) and read them. Then, answer these questions (Wed 21st) :
 * May **
 * S. T. Coleridge "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" **

1) In which direction did the ship start moving? How can you say that?

2) Why does the Mariner say that "//no sweet bird did follow//"?

3) How did the other mariners behave towards the Ancient Mariner at first? How many times did they change their mind about the Ancient Mariner? What does this tell us about their character?

4) How did the sailing conditions change after the ship had moved out of "the land of mist and snow"? What or who did the mariners blame for this change?

5) How does the Mariner describe the fact that they were completely motionless in the middle of the sea?

6) What is the irony in the 9th stanza? Explain it.

7) What is the narrator trying to convey through the description of the situation in the 10th and the 11th stanza?

8) What or who did the mariners feel was responsible for their suffering?

9) Describe the condition of the mariners as expressed in the 13th stanza.

10) Why did the mariners hang the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner?






 * W. Wordsworth **
 * You can download the poem "My heart leaps up" **
 * along with the questions (homework) for Monday 12th: **

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 * if you want to listen to it, open the video below **


 * April **

Here's the file about "London", by William Blake

Mock test- It is about "Clarissa", but the test could be on "Tom Jones"...



**and ... HAPPY EASTER** to everyone!


 * March **
 * A promise is a promise... **
 * Ecco l'estratto dal romanzo "Tom Jones" di Henry Fielding **
 * (da portare dopo lo stage a Valencia, of course!) **
 * Nel secondo file, troverete anche le attività da svolgere (comprehension, analysis, etc.). **


 * Buon lavoro e arrivederci in aprile :-( **

Prepararsi al test di domani 18 marzo... Scaricate l'allegato qui sotto e leggetelo con molta attenzione:



Esempi di quesiti: **Do you believe that Macbeth is a complete villain, or does he have some heroic qualities?** The quality of a tragic hero in Macbeth is portrayed first by his position in society and his establishment of greatness. Macbeth is appreciated as a noble character and endures a high rank in the country of Scotland but his qualities change throughout the play. After Duncan's death, Macbeth's nobleness and loyal aspects of his character vanish as his ambition turns him into an evil, greedy, mad man with excessive pride. This hubris eventually leads him to his downfall. At the end Macbeth's life has been shattered by bloodshed and hatred. He accepts the fact that he is going to be defeated in the end (//Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player// )
 * Quesiti tipologia "B" (something you must have heard of...) **

**What is the purpose of King Hamlet's ghost?**

Through the ghost's character, who is the spirit of Hamlet's dead father, Hamlet along with the audience becomes able to know that Claudius is the villain. It is because of the spirit thatHamlet feels a sense of responsibility to take revenge of his father’s murder by Claudius. The ghost makes Hamlet feel confused, and leads his mind to a struggle between morality and duty. Shakespeare's Hamlet does not represent the ghost of the dead king as a mere illusion or reflection of Hamlet's inner conscience. It appears to be a real spirit and a significant role-player in the play.

__** Materiale Corso di Recupero **__
 * February **


 * 1° Incontro - 13 Feb. dalle 14.45 alle 16.45 **
 * 2° Incontro - 20 Feb. dalle 14.45 alle 16.45 **



The Rise of the Novel
 * "//Teatro Delle Due"// company presents "MACBETH" **
 * and here's the script of the tragedy : **
 * January **
 * Samuel Richardson **
 * from //Clarissa// **
 * //download the .pdf files and follow the teacher's instructions before printing them:// **

//** December 2013 **// //** Not only literature... **// //** November 2013 **// //**Elizabethan Poetry **// //** Edmund Spenser: **** One Day I Wrote Her Name... **//

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//** -- **// //** Elizabethan Poetry **// //** William Shakespeare : Sonnet XVIII **// media type="custom" key="24398492"

//** October 2013 **// //** TRANSLATED TEXTS, AT LAST... **// // Hope you can download the translations of the most challenging literary texts (extracts from HAMLET included) // // It took me more than I expected, probably because is a "heavy" file, as you will see. I advise you not to print it (it's a waste of paper!). Save the file to your desktop and open it in case of need :-) //



//**__ Preparazione alla verifica di Ottobre 2013 __**//


 * // Ecco alcuni link ad esercizi online su REPORTED SPEECH: //

// [] //

// [] //

// [] //


 * // Qui sotto potete scaricare esercizi sul ripasso dei tempi passati e sulle ipotetiche. Ci sono anche le soluzioni, su fle separati :-) //





// le soluzioni: //





// Buon lavoro! //

//** __Homework__ (September, 4th week). Download and print the file **// //** below **// //** REPORTED SPEECH - Revision and expansion (more reporting verbs) **//

//** If you want, you can also download this file (same list, but there is a grid/chart if you want to visualize the structures : verb + infinitive, verb + gerund, etc) **//



//** a.s. 2012/2013 **// //** NEW! Per gli studenti con sospensione di giudizio **// //** SUMMER READING **//

//** a) READING FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE (social sciences) **// //Ecco finalmente le letture "speciali" in preparazione a quella parte di programma del 4° anno che tratterà argomenti legati alle materie di indirizzo. Sono per lo più "reading comprehensions" con quesiti a risposta multipla o T/F (le soluzioni con sempre disponibili a fine pagina)//

// [|How to be a good citizen?] // // [|Stereotypes] // // [|Brain drain] // // [|Education] // // [|Youth] // // [|Obesity] //

//** b) LOVE IN SHAKESPEARE **// //Cinque opere di Shakespeare incentrate sul tema dell’amore. In The Taming of the Shrew, Katharina impara ad amare Petruccio dopo aver imparato ad essere una moglie obbediente. L’amore di Romeo e Giulietta è destinato a finire in tragedia. In Twelfth Night, l’amore è romantico ma anche doloroso, mentre in Othello l’amore si trasforma in gelosia. E infine, l’amore appassionato di Antonio e Cleopatra.//

//**Dossier**:// //The Life of William Shakespeare// //Courtship and Marriage in Elizabethan Times//

//978-88-530-1097-1// //Book (112 p.) + CD// //Prezzo 9,80 €// //** March/April 2013 **//

// **links below for more practice** **on the reported speech** //
// **(remember the proverb: practice makes perfect** //

===// [|reported commands] //=== ===// [|reported commands](negative) //=== ===// [|how to report simple statements] //=== ===// [|how to report statements] (with time adverbials) //=== ===// [|how to report questions] //=== ===// [|how to report questions] (a bit more challenging than the previous one) //===

//** February 2013 **// // Supplementary exercises: past tenses (revision), // // after the Elections... // //[]//

//[]//

//** Don't forget to do the activities (Edward, a ballad) **// //** for next Tuesday (19th Feb) **// //** January 2013 **// // __Homework__ scheduled for __Jan. 16th__ // // Here's a worksheet for you aimed at revising all the if-clauses // // studied so far: if-clause "0" type, type "1" and "2" but. You will also // // find examples about "unless", "as soon as", "until", etc. //

// Download the file below. You can either edit the file // // (=completare il file usando Word) or print it and // // do the exercise by writing on it with your pen. // // (=oppure stampare e coniugare i verbi a penna) //



//** December 2012 **// //** __COLLOCATIONS:__ how to survive next week's test :-)) **// //** The supplementary material on DO / MAKE, BRING / TAKE **// //** SAY / TELL can be downloaded here below: **//



//** BREAK A LEG!!! **// //** November 2012 **//

//** CIVILISATION : **__ Schools in Britain __//

//** 1- Before watching the video, click on [|this link] **** and try the quiz ! **// media type="custom" key="21384862"

//** October 2012 **// // A promise is a promise... // // Here below you can find the material about our first project: literature (Module 1) and creative writing. // // Download the documents below and print them for next Friday :-) //



// This is the short version of the famous story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe: //



// The assignment and the worksheet are here below: //





//** Summer work **//

//** To begin with, download this file ** ://



// And buy this text: //

// **THE CANTERBURY TALES** by G. Chaucer // // (Ed. CIDEB, collana Black Cat) //



//codice : 978-88-530-0638-7// //Book + CD// //pp. 112// //prezzo: 9,80 €//

//** Per prepararvi alla 3° prova (forse è prematuro, ma voi siete bravi!) **// //** scaricate il file che vi ho fatto vedere la settimana scorsa: **// //** ecco il file per la preparazione al test ! **// //** Waiting for a real picture ... **//



//Badalamenti Valentina//

//Brosco Ilenia //

//Carbonelli Giorgia//

//Canzonieri Alessia//

//Cavallini Alice//

//Covizzi Sebastiano//

//D'Amico Valentina//

//El Mansouri Mariam//

//Esposito Alessandra//

//Facchini Anna//

//Fanini Margherita//

//Fratoni Elena//

//Gelli Susanna//

//Giammarco Lorenzo//

//Marata Beatrice//

//Massi Martina//

//Matteuzzi Nga//

//Morotti Chiara//

//Ouzir Sonia//

//Paggi Elena//

//Perla Valentina//

//Roveri Carlotta//

//Roversi Martina//

//Scaranari Federica//

//Stanzani Simone//

//Venia Giulia//

//Verardi Martina//

//Vrijoni Zhulia//