A Matter of Taste

Conversation & role play activity
Look at the images and discuss the questions below.

·       Are these pieces art?

Compare and contrast. Give your opinion and fundament your views.

Is graffitti art? What about crafts?  
Do you enjoy taking photographs? Do you consider photography an art form?
Do you think of cartoons and comics as art?
Are movies a form of art?
Is fashion design a form of art? What about architecture?

Role play
 

Role-plays are one of the ways for using English in lifelike situations and practice your conversational skills.  You take on a different role or personality. For example, you may be asked to take on the role of "an angry neighbor" which may be out of character for you.

STEPS:

• Get together with a partner.
• Decide who will be A and who will be B.
• Read your role card and your partner’s.
• Pay special attention to the language structures/ vocabulary suggested.
• Start a conversation with your partner based on the situation given.
• Try to both ask and answer questions so that no one dominates the dialog.
• Speak as much as possible, and remember to round off the conversation naturally.
• Finally, exchange role cards and take on the other side of the dialog.

A You are at a an Art Store with a friend , looking at some prints. Your friend has a taste for Fine Arts and will help you choose the right reproductions for your apartment. You are a young vibrant person who loves  modern things in decoration, architecture, etc. Suggested language: This painting is sort of… I think/ believe/I’m (not) into… I’m (not) really crazy about… Do  you think…? To each his own.

B You have a taste for Fine Arts. You  are at an Art Store with a friend of yours who needs help to get the right reproduction to decorate his/her apartment. You just found a great print of Michelangelo. Nothing compares to classic art. Suggested language: Don’t you think/like/ find…? …was painted by… Just look at … I love/hate… To each his own.

Is it OK for Teachers to Carry Guns?

Video, discussion and roleplay activity

CBS News  - 3.28 min    -   Link:  http://youtu.be/ZuTF9DkQ5Rw

Watch the clip and answer the following comprehesion questions.

1. What state is Harrold School in? Texas   -   Houston   -   Austin 2. Harrold school is close to the border with another state. Which one? Arkansas   -  Oklahoma   -  Dakota 3. Why did David Thweat decide to allow teachers to carry guns in class? Because he thought about the shootings in Columbine and Pennsylvania. Because he found installing the toughest security in the school was not enough. Because he thought some students might be dangerous. 4. What are the two reasons that David Thweat gives for allowing teachers to carry guns into the classroom? Because Harrold school is a dangerous place. Because Harrold school is far from a highway and from the Sheriff's office. Because Harrold school is close to a highway, but far from the Sheriff's office. 5. How will teachers carry the guns at school? Teachers will show the students the gun when they go into class. The guns will be concealed (=hidden) and teachers won't show them to the students. The guns will be locked in the teachers's office and used only in case of emergency. 6. What do the teachers who are going to carry guns have to do? They just need to get a gun license. They need to show they know how to use a gun in emergencies. They need to be approved by the school board and go through a lot of training. 7. How did Ms Fallon react the first time she heard the news that teachers would be allowed to carry guns in school? She didn't believe it at all.    -      She believed it, but didn't like it.    - She didn't consider it. 8. What would Ms Fallon and her colleagues do if teachers were allowed to carry guns in schools in Houston? They would elect a new schoolboard. They would accept it. They would disagree completely, but they wouldn't do anything else other than complain. 9. What does Ms Fallon think about this new law on teachers carrying guns? That it's not going to be reinforced. That it's going to be reinforced. That it'll have to be voted again, because there's disagreement.

Discussion segment:

• What’s your opinion on this case?
• What would you do if you were Mr Thweat?
• What would you do if you were a member of the schoolboard?

Roleplay for Pairs :   Take the role of Mr Thweat and Ms Fallon, or a teacher in favor and a teacher against carrying guns. Talk about the school case.

Useful language

When you agree with an idea, you can say … I’m for/ in favor of         I agree.        I think so.   If you disagree, you can say … I’m against      I disagree/ I don’t agree.     I don’t think so.  If you want to be more emphatic, you can add other words : Absolutely               Totally                       Definitely                         For example : I’m absolutely in favor of that. We totally disagree.

Answers here!