Catching Up

Hi everyone,

It's time to catch up. That means it's time to find out what is new. We have been at home since March Break. Life at home is very different now.

You can choose 3 of these questions and write the answers in the comment section below. Write in sentences.

You can write a reply to another persons comments.

1. Are you spending time with family? Who?

2. Do you listen to music? Play an instrument?

3. Do you exercise? How many minutes a day?

4. Do you like to cook? Do you freeze food now?

5. What can you do on the computer? Read? Talk?
Play games? Write messages?

6. Do you watch TV? Read books?

7. What have you stopped doing? Or started doing?

8. What activity do you do more?  Do less?


Go to "Comment" to write some answers.

Follow these steps:

• See "Comment" below. Press it.
• See circle beside "Name". Click the circle
• See Name and box.Type your name in the box.
• See "Leave your comment" and box. Type your message. (Correct sentences and spelling.)
• See "I am not a robot". Click the box
• See "Publish your comment". Press it.
•  Then see your message.

Throwback Thursday -April Showers

Hi Everyone. 

Today is Throwback Thursday. Here is a post from April 3rd, 2012. 

A. New words: 

1. Showers - rain   There are April showers. 

2. Unpredictable winter  - unsure weather    The  temperatures were unpredictable.

3. Unusual - different   The weather was unusual. It wasn't cold. It was mild.

4. Prediction - future maybe   We make weather predictions. I predict a warm spring.

5. Offer - give   "Speaking: The Weather " offers you weather words.

6. Get you down - feel sad   Bad weather can get you down



B. Instructions: 

1. Read the old story about the weather. Then press comments. Write your prediction for spring weather.

2.  Go to "Speaking:  The Weather" and learn the weather words and expressions.



April showers bring May flowers.  Canada and parts of the world have had an unpredictable winter. Canada had an unusually mild winter while some places in Europe were unusually cold. Now spring is here. What is your weather prediction for the spring? Go to comments and write your prediction.

I was looking at some older posts. I thought you might like to see, Speaking: The Weather. Yes, it offers some common words and expressions for talking about weather. Also, it includes a video and on April 9, 2009, Toronto had snow! So enjoy those beautiful spring days because the temperatures can be up or down. And if too many rainy days get you down...... remember, April showers bring May flowers.

Here is a second post or page. Press the purple writing. Read April 2009, Speaking: The Weather 

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields is a poem written by a Canadian, John McCrae. He wrote it during the World War in 1915.  He was sad when he wrote it. He wrote it after a close friend died in the war. John McCrae never returned from the war. He died of pneumonia in France. It was 1918 and the last year of war.

John McCrae wrote the poem by the grave of his friend. His friend and hundreds of other Canadian soldiers are buried in the cemetery, Flanders Fields, in France. He begins the poem,

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row

 I learned In Flanders Fields in school as a young girl. My mother learned it in school as a young girl and my daughter did too. It is a famous poem read for Remembrance Day.

Now you will learn more about Remembrance Day

• First, go to search in the right margin.
• Type the words, Remembrance Day.
• Then choose "Scavenger Hunt".
• Finally, find the answers to the questions.

Hot, Dry Summer

Real Canadian English will be 'on vacation' this summer and will be back with new posts in September. Prepare for a hot, dry summer in Canada. Here is a forecast for the July, August and early September. Also, learn some interesting facts about Canadian weather. Press here.

What would you do for millions of dollars?

This short film, Black Button, has been around for awhile. It's a bit scary, but the message is clear. The young man must make a choice. What choice would you make?





1.  What does the man behind the desk have in the briefcase?




2.  What must the younger man do to receive the briefcase?




3.  What other object does the older man offer?




4.  What does this object do?




5.  What are three questions the younger man asks before making his decision?








6.  Do you like the ending? Why?






7.  Is there anything you would give up for a lot of money?

Valentine's Day

                                           Happy Valentine's Day !

In Canada, many people celebrate Valentine's Day. It is not a paid holiday or a religious holiday.  People go to work or school as usual. It is a day to be romantic. Many couples celebrate Valentine's Day in the evening. Even the young children show their love. They give Valentine cards to their classmates and teacher.

What do you know about Valentine's Day? Try this quiz.

1.   Roses are a) romantic  b) a kind of flower  c) both

2.   Valentine was  a) a Roman Emperor  b)  a god of love  c)  a saint

3.   Cupid is  a)  a kind of flower   b)  a very good person 
       c)  the god of love

4.   What does Cupid shoot at people?  a)  hearts   b)  arrows
       c)  chocolates

5.   In a Leap Year,  how many days does February have?

6.   Canadians send  a)  thousands  b)  millions  c)  billions   of cards

7.   The most popular colour for roses on Valentine's Day is 
       a)  yellow  b)  pink  c)  red

8.   A Valentine's  gift that smells good is .......

9.   Another popular gift tastes sweet and comes in a box.
           Do you know what it is?

10. Do you know this saying?  True love is for  a)  fairy tales
           b)  movies   c) lovers 




Other posts for Valentine's Day: 

• A Love Story
• Winter in Toronto 5
• Film Festivals 3: Signs
• Film Festival 3: Signs Part 2
• Valentine's Day: Free Hugs and Sick Puppies

Toy Story: Andy's Toys

Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 are three popular animation movies. Andy grows up in these movies. He starts as a young boy in Toy Story 1. In the final movie, Andy is getting ready to go to college. Woody and Buzz Lightyear are Andy's favourite toys.

Many children had these toys when they were growing up. Here is a comparison of the old and new Woody and Buzz.  Which do you prefer? The old or new Woody? The old or new Buzz?

Toy Story 1, 2, 3

Did you see all three animation movies? I did and so did my children. My teenage kids grew up on Toy Story. Around fifteen years ago, Toy Story 1 was introduced. In 1995, computer animation was new and exciting. Toy Story 2 came to the theatres in 1999 and the final movie came out in 2010. In the first movie, the main character, Andy, is a young boy and in the last movie, Andy is all grown up and ready to go to college. In real time, the young viewers of the first Toy Story are about college age now.

For many North American children born in the nineties, their childhood memories include Andy's toys. Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 are about the adventures of Andy's toys. In Toy Story 3, the toys are worried because Andy must decide what to do with his childhood toys.

Here is an introduction to Andy's toys. Try this quick quiz on Toy Story.

1. Woody is a cowboy. True/False

2. Buzz Lightyear is an action figure. True/False

3. Buzz and Woody are Andy's favourite toys. True/False

4. Mr Potato Head is married. True/False
5. Rex is a dinosaur and Ham is a pig. True/False

6. Woody's girlfriend is the cowgirl called Jessie. True/False

Was this an easy quiz? I hope so because all the sentences are true!

In this video, you see the people behind Toy Story. They talk about making Toy Story and enjoy being back together for Toy Story 3. Like Andy, they too are a lot older. After you watch this, try the listening quiz below.

1. The director, Lee Unkrich, says

a) Toy Story is a classic.

b) I love these characters.

c) The actors are old now.

2. The producer, Darla Anderson, says

a) Woody and Buzz Lightyear are a great duo.

b) The characters are beloved.

c) Both of the above.

3. The actor, Tom Hanks, says

a) The story is full of misadventure.

b) Toy Story has humour and love.

c) Playing Buzz has been fun.

4. The actor, Tim Allen, says

a) The actors have become friends.

b) The characters are part of the culture.

c) Hanks doesn't know his lines.

5. Woody, Andy's oldest toy, says

a) Some day Andy will finish college.

b) Some day Andy might return home.

c) Some day Andy might have kids.

 

Where's the Snow?

www.nataliedee.com

It's the middle of January and the temperatures are above zero.  What season is it in Toronto?  Winter?  Where is the snow?  Where are the blizzards? Hmmmm.........


Today it rained all day, yet we usually have snow by now. Most years, the first snowfall is in November but it melts. Sometimes, we have fresh white snow for the Christmas holidays. Usually, the snow starts to cover the ground in December or January. We can have snowstorms into March, and there are even blizzards in April some years. Canadian weather is difficult to predict!


Winter 2009, there was lots of snow. Take a look at January, 2009.  Press the two titles below.

Winter in Toronto 2
Winter in Toronto

Music Monday: Christmas Carols

Jingle Bells............... Can you finish the line?   How about this one? Silent night..........  You can sing these Christmas carols this holiday season, or maybe you prefer to listen to recordings of them. Also, it's always a treat to hear choirs singing the Christmas carols.


 Here is my favourite, The Christmas Song, by Nat King Cole. He did several versions of this song from the forties, fifties and the early 1960's. Unfortunately he was a smoker and died young, but his song continues on each Christmas.


I'm not the only person who loves this song. In 2004, The Christmas Song was the most popular holiday song with women age 30 to 49.*  So, why is it my favourite? My father loved to play this song, and I guess the next generation can't help but enjoy this gifted singer's voice and his wonderful song.



Listen again and follow the words. It's full of Christmas tradition.



How much do you know about holiday traditions?
 True=T   False=F


1.   Many people roast nuts called chestnuts in the fireplace.   T/ F


2.   Jack Frost is ice cold, but he is not a real person.   T/F


3.   Goose is more popular than turkey for Christmas dinner.   T/F


4.   The mistletoe plant is hung at a door for people to kiss under.  T/ F


5.   The young children believe in Santa Claus.      T/F


6.   Santa brings toys and candies to the good boys and girls.      T/F


7.  The excited children look in the sky for Santa and Mrs. Claus.   T/F


8.   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are popular greetings.    T/F




* From Edison Media Research: What we learned from testing Christmas music in 2004