SWITCHED AT BIRTH

This is the video we have seen in class related to the article about the women who were switched at birth. Who needs a DNA test with this similarity?

Watch the news items, then answer the questions below:

True or False?

1)    They were switched at the hospital where they were born

2)   It was the midwife who made the mistake

3)   Dee Ann Angel and Kay Rene Reed went to the same school

4)   They lived 30 miles apart

5)   Neither them nor their mothers had any suspicions about their origins

minute 0:25

Answer these questions

2)   Where were they born?

3)   When were they switched?

4)   What did one of the mothers say?

5)   What is Dee Ann Angel like? And her family?

6)   Who did Dee Ann Angel express her doubts to?

7)   What is Kay Rene like? And her family?

8)   When did Kay Rene start to feel different?

9)   Did the mothers find out the truth before they died?

minute 1:54

Finish watching the news and answer these questions

1)    Why is Dee Ann sad?

3)   Where did Kay Rene live? What connection does this fact have with Dee Ann?

5)   What kind of feeling did Dee Ann have from time to time?

6)   Who knew about the doubts that Kay Rene’s mum had about her daughter?

7)   What didn’t exist at the time of their birth so as to scientifically check their origin?

8)   How were the mothers at the hospital after giving birth?

9)   Where did they all find out the truth?

10) Who’s Juanita?

11)  What did they say when Kay Rene and Juanita met for the first time?

Europe's statistics

Interesting webpage with interactive information about Europe: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/14/new-europe-statistics-interactive

People's names

Fill in the gaps and do the rest of the exercises about weird people's names.

PEOPLE’S NAMES

 

From http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com/1002/100228-peoples_names.html

 

Put these words in the spaces in the text:

 

 

birth              choosing         curious            especially introduce       realize           name              study               spokesperson  website

 

 

A website in Britain has just released a (1)…………………into the strange names some people have. TheBabyWebsite.com created a list called „The Most Unfortunate Names in Britain‟. Some of the names have been with people from (2) …………………….; others got the names after they married. The bizarre, unlucky names include Barb Dwyer, Hazel Nutt, Jo King, Justin Case, Barry Cade and Mary Christmas. A (3)……………………. for the website gave one reason for why people have these names, saying: “When the parents of some of those people named their children, many probably didn't even (4) …………………….. the implications at the time.” He added: "Parents really do need to think carefully though when (5)………………………….. names for their children.” The list is a wake-up call for today‟s parents to think more carefully about the names they give to their children. It is very common to (6) ………………………… babies after pop stars and actors. Popular names for children today include Miley, Britney and Brad. TheBabyWebsite explained how difficult life must be with a strange name: “There must be tremendous embarrassment every time they have to (7)………………………. themselves to anyone, (8)………………………. to a crowd. Even their teachers must have had to hold back their smiles sometimes.” Americans also have some (9)………………………….. names, such as Carrie Oakey and Bill Board. We found the best married-couple names on the BBC‟s (10)…………………..; Mr and Mrs Mee – Rob‟s a banker and Sue‟s a lawyer.

 

MATCH THE WORDS

 

1.	released	a.	strange
2	unfortunate	b.	warning
3.	bizarre	c.	well-liked
4.	realized	d.	consequences
5.	implications	e.	made public
6.	wake-up call	f.	fantastic
7.	popular	g.	peculiar
8.	tremendous	h.	unlucky
9.	hold back	i.	understood
10.	curious	j.	contain

KEY

 

1.       Study    2. Birth                 3. Spokesperson             4. Realize            5.choosing          6.name                                7. Introduce                               8.especially        9.curious             10.website

Synonym match

1.	released	a.	made public
2	unfortunate	b.	unlucky
3.	bizarre	c.	strange
4.	realized	d.	understood
5.	implications	e.	consequences
6.	wake-up call	f.	warning
7.	popular	g.	well-liked
8.	tremendous	h.	fantastic
9.	hold back	i.	contain
10.	curious	j.	peculiar

Doctor Martin Series 1 Episode 1

Here is the first episode of the series "Doc Martin" about this stroppy ex-cardiovascular surgeon who goes to live and work in Portwenn, a tiny village in a remote place in Cornwall, in the South West of England. These series have been going on for some years in Britain now and were the inspiration to do the Spanish counterpart, "Doctor Mateo" (the British were first, though)


Watch the first episode and write a review of it, including a brief summary of the plot, describing at least 2 of the main characters (choose from the list), where and when it is set, the strong points and the weaknesses of it, the atmosphere, the English lifestyle portrayed and finally give your personal opinion about it.

Here is the list of the main characters:
Dr Martin Elligham
Louisa Glasson, the teacher
PC Mark Mylow, the police officer
Bert Large, the plumber (father)
Al Large, the plumber (son)
Joan Norton. Doc's aunt
Elaine Denham, the receptionist
Coronel Gilbert Spencer, the patient

The best country in Europe

Some people saying which country they think is the best In Europe; Do you agree with what they say?

They also have to say what they ate last night and tell a joke (I'll give you a hand with the jokes as they are not extremely funny):

By the way, the joke goes like this: "There goes a snail skidding" (Va un caracol y derrapa, hahaha)

Fill in the gaps with the missing words or expressions

“Hello. We have chosen Spain because it’s (1)………………………………………………… and we wouldn’t live in any other place. Firstly we have to talk about the (2)…………………………………………... You can enjoy a beach day in the Canary (3)………………………….. and (4)……………………………………….. in Granada. Everybody knows that Spanish food is delicious and also very (5)……………………………………... It’s not expensive to enjoy a great meal with Spanish (6)……………………….., (7)………………………….., and (8)……………………………….. You can have fun in many different local parties and meet a lot of people. We are very kind and we think everybody must visit Spain (9) ………………………………………….. For dinner yesterday I had pasta with tomato sauce. And I had a (10) …………………………………. and a salad. And the joke: ” There goes a snail skidding”. Bye”.

 And another one, an English expat who's lived in Spain for 20 years

Her joke is: A father puts a name to two of his sons, Jose A and Jose B (jous e and jous b, as an English person would pronounce it, hahaha)

“I think the best country in Europe is Spain. I love for a (1)………………………. different reasons, something I see in everyday life here which is great is their (2)…………………………………….. attitude to rules. What I mean by that is that nobody gets angry or in a twist if you are a (3)………………………………………… late or if you double part for a few minutes or push a (4)……………………………………, that kind of thing. Obviously if you are in the receiving end of it, if you are the one waiting or the one whose car is blocked in, it can be really (5)………………………………….. And my husband is really going to laugh when he sees this because he says I’m the first to (6)………………………………………. but I do think that it’s more a (7)………………………………………. trade than a negative one. And the (8)………………………….. tend to be quite uptight about those things. What did I have for dinner last night? I can’t remember exactly but something gluten (9)…………………………………… because I’m a coeliac. And the joke: “What did then Spanish (10)…………………………… call his twin sons? Hose A and Hose B”

And finally one about England, why not? Do you agree with him?

His joke is : Son: "Dad, when I grow up I want to be a musician"

Father: "Son, you can't have it both ways" (meaning, you can't be a musician and a grown up at the same time, hahaha)

ANSWERS

TWO SPANISH KIDS

Hello. We have chosen Spain because it’s our country and we wouldn’t live in any other place. Firstly we have to talk about the fantastic weather. You can enjoy a beach day in the Canary Islands and skiing in Granada. Everybody knows that Spanish food is delicious and also very healthy. It’s not expensive to enjoy a great meal with Spanish ham, wine and tapas. You can have fun in many different local parties and meet a lot of people. We are very kind and we think everybody must visit Spain at least once. For dinner yesterday I had pasta with tomato sauce. An I had a sandwich and a salad. And the joke” there goes a snail skidding”. Bye.

“I think the best country in Europe is Spain. I love for a 100 different reasons, something I see in everyday life here which is great is their flexible attitude to rules. What I mean by that is that nobody gets angry or in a twist if you are a few minutes late or if you double part for a few minutes or push a queue, that kind of thing. Obviously if you are in the receiving end of it, if you are the one waiting or the one whose car is blocked in, it can be really annoying. And my husband is really going to laugh when he sees this because he says I’m the first to complain but I do think that it’s more a positive trade than a negative one. And the British tend to be quite uptight about those things. What did I have for dinner last night’ I can’t remember exactly but something gluten free because I’m a coeliac. And the joke: “What did then Spanish fireman call his twin sons? Hose A and Hose B”

voice recognition technology

Hi everyone,

Welcome to this new year. I hope you'll enjoy yourselves and learn loads of stuff. To begin with, a short but hilarious video clip on the Scottish accent and its consequences. Just in case you find it a bit hard to follow (I wouldn't be surprised) I have included the scrip for a bit of help. Have fun!!!

-Where’s the buttons?

- Oh, no, they’ve installed voice recognition technology in this lift to help us.

-Voice recognition technology? In a lift? In Scotland? (Have) you ever tried voice recognition technology?

-No

-They don’t do Scottish accents

-Eleven

-Could you please repeat that?

-Eleven, eleven

-Eleven,

- Could you please repeat that?

-Eleven

-Whose idea was this? You need to try an American accent. Eleven, eleven

-That sounds Irish, not American

-It does, doesn’t’ it? Eleven

-Where in America is that? Dublin?

-I’m sorry, Could you please repeat that?

-Try an English accent, right? Eleven, eleven

-You are from the same part of England as Dick Van Dyke?

-Use yours then, smart arse.

-Please speak slowly and clearly

-Smart arse

-Eleven

-I’m sorry, could you please repeat that?

-Eleven. If you don’t understand the lingo away back came to your own country

-Is that talk now is it away back to your own country

-Oh, don’t start, Mr bleeding Haho, how can you be racist to a lift?

-Please speak slowly and clearly

-Eleven, eleven, eleven, eleven

-You are just saying it the same way!!!!

-I’m going to keep saying it until it understands Scottish, all right?

-Eleven eleven, eleven, eleven

-Well, just take us anywhere, you cow, just open the doors!!!

-This is a voice activated elevator. Please state which floor you would like to go to in a clear and calm manner

-Calm, calm. Where’s that coming from? Why is it telling people to be calm?

-Because if they knew they´d be selling it to Scottish people they would be going on for nuts at it!!!

-You have not selected a floor

-Aye, we have, eleven!!!!!!

-If you would like to get out of the elevator without selecting a floor, simply say: “Open the doors, please”

-Please, please, suck my willy

- Maybe you should just say please?

-I’m not begging that for nothing

-Open the doors, please

-Please. Pathetic

-Please, remain calm.

-Wait until I get up there. Just wait for it to speak

-You have not selected a floor.

-Up yours, you cow!!!!. You don’t want to turn these doors? I’m gonna come to America, I’m gonna find wherever desperate actress gave you a voice and I’m gonna go in an electric chair for you!!!

-Scotland, you bastards!!!!!!

_Scotland, Scotland, Scotland, Freedom, freedom…..Going up?