My Luve is like a Red Red Rose

Here is the poem  RED, RED ROSE by Robert Burns, sung by Andy M. Stewart:

My Luve is like a Red Red Rose


O my Luve's like a red, red rose, ( love)


That's newly sprung in June:


O my Luve's like the melodie, (melody)


That's sweetly play'd in tune. (played)


As fair art thou, my bonie lass, (you are so beautiful my pretty girl )
So deep in luve am I;


And I will luve thee still, my dear, (you)


Till a' the seas gang dry. ( all the seas go dry)


Till a' the seas gang dry , my dear,


And the rocks melt wi' the sun; (with)


And I will luve thee still, my dear,


While the sands o' life shall run. (of)


And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve ! (goodbye)


And fare-thee-weel, a while! ( for a short time)


And I will come again, my Luve,


Tho' t were ten thousand mile! (through)

Sherlock Holmes

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a Scottish author and physician, invented the character of Sherlock Holmes in 1887.

He wrote 60 stories about this famous detective and his friend Dr. Watson.  When he tried to kill Sherlock Holmes  in 1893 in "The Final Problem" his readers protested and he had to bring him back for a new story called " The Hound of The Baskervilles", where he explained Sherlock Holmes had faked his own death.

Everyone recognises Sherlock Holmes because of his deerstalker hat, his magnifying glass and his pipe.

Sherlock Holmes lived in 221 B Baker Street in London. Nowadays you can visit the same house, which is a museum dedicated to the most famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes.

References:

Johnson, S and Myles, J. Timesaver. London! London:Scholastic, 2007



The Amish

Do you think you could live without internet, videogames, TV?

Read about the AMISH people and find out their way of life.

Imagine a world without telephones or television, without cars or electricity. In this world the women wear long dresses. There is no industry. Everyone works on farms and travels by horse or on foot. Where do you think this world is? Europe in the seventeenth century? In fact, it is Pennsylvania in North America in the 21st Century. It is the world of the Amish people.

The Amish people went to America in the eighteenth century and since then their lifestyle has not changed at all. They don’t even speak English among themselves. They speak German as their ancestors did. The Amish are farmers and they base their life on the Bible. There were no tractors or telephones in the Bible and there are no tractors or telephones in the Amish villages today.

Family life is very important for the Amish. They live in large families and everyone helps with the work. The day starts when the sun rises and ends when the sun sets. The men and boys work in the fields and the women and girls work in the house. When something big is needed, such as a new barn, all the neighbours help to build it. While the men and boys cut, lift and hammer the wood, the women and girls prepare the food and look after the children .

Nobody works on Sundays, because everyone goes to church. But life for the Amish is not all work. They have a lot of village parties. They don’t dance or play musical instruments, but they sing hymns and they have a good time.There is no electricity in the world of the Amish. They don’t use chemicals on their farms. The rules are strict. But there is no crime and no pollution. Nobody is poor and nobody is lonely.

In the 1985 film ,Witness, a young Amish boy is witness to a murder....

References:

Hutchinson, T. Hotline. Oxford University Press.

January 2012 Newsletter

© Clever Pants 2011

www.clever-pants.com

Feeling the chill out? Take off your hat and scarf and come in and put your feet up in front of the fire. It’s time to forget about the icy winter air and enjoy the January newsletter!

Knock Knock!

Who’s there?

Ken.

Ken who?

Ken I come in, it’s freezing out here?

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.

Buddy Hackett

Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.

Jim Carrey

Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country.

Steven Wright

I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.

Lily Tomlin

Idioms - It’s raining cats and dogs...

Every language has its strange and wonderful idioms. In this month’s language feature, we’re going to have a look at some of our favourite animal themed idioms in English.

Idiom: (n) an expression, word or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.

Raining cats and dogs

If it's raining cats and dogs it's raining very heavily.

"We can't go to the park today because it's raining cats and dogs."

Ants in one's pants

People who have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about something.

"I wish he'd relax. He's got ants in his pants about something today!"

Have a bee in one's bonnet

A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which constantly occupies their thoughts.

"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."

Kill two birds with one stone.

If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time.
"By studying on the train on the way home every week-end, Claire kills two birds with one stone."

 Like a bear with a sore head

If someone is behaving like a bear with a sore head,they are very irritable and bad-tempered.

"When his team lost the match, Brad was like a bear with a sore head."

Like a bull in a china shop

If someone is behaving like a bull in a china shop they are acting without thinking and without tact, upsetting plans and people.

"I wouldn’t invite him to the party - he’s like a bull in a china shop after a glass of wine!”

Cat's whiskers (also: the cat's pyjamas or the bees’knees)

This expression refers to someone who considers themselves to be better than others in a particular area- beauty, competence, intelligence, sport, etc.

"Ever since she got a promotion, she thinks she's the cat's whiskers!"

Recipe: Pea and Ham Soup

A very traditional English favourite, pea and ham soup is a classic that is extraordinarily tasty and sure to warm you through to your bones on these nippy wintry evenings.

Pea and ham soup has literally been popular forever. It gets a mention in Aristophones’ The Birds, and apparently the Romans went nuts for it, and it was sold by street vendors in winter in Ancient Greece!

Ingredients

200g yellow or green split peas, rinsed and drained

1.5 litres water

1 ham bone (from a cooked ham, or stock if you don’t

have a bone handy)

1 carrot, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

2 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chopped parsley to serve

Method

Put the peas and water in a large pan, bring to the boil and skim off any scum. Meanwhile, cut off any ham from the bone. Dice and set aside. Add the carrot, onion, leek, bay leaf and bone to the peas. Season, cover, return to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes or until the peas are tender. Remove the bone and bay leaf. Purée the soup with a blender. Return to a clean pan, reheat and check the seasoning. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the ham and parsley and serve.

The text was taken from

www.clever-pants.com

English Showcase V

On 16th January we commemorate MARTIN LUTHER KING in USA

Extract from speech I have a dream:

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

On 25th January it is ROBERT BURNS´S DAY in Scotland.

People pay tribute to the national poet of Scotland through the ritual of Burns Supper, a celebration of his life and poetry,which should include Haggis, a traditional Scottish dish.

On 26th January it is AUSTRALIA DAY

Australia is a country and a continent. Most of the country is hot and dry, especially in the middle where there are deserts. Few people live in these areas, but there are large sheep and cattle farms called stations (Australia produces 25 % of the world´s wool – there are around 10 sheep per person). Two-thirds of the Australians live in the large cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The capital is Canberra. Although it is a big country, almost as big as the USA, the population of Australia is only 16 million, compared with 245 million in the USA.

Australia Day is an official holiday in Australia celebrating national pride and culture.

Hogmanay

New Year´s Eve is celebrated around the world in many different ways, but in Scotland they call it Hogmanay and the Scots are very proud of their traditional festivities.

Edinburgh Hogmanay is a three-day festival consisting of live music, DJs, dance, art, bars, cinema, an open air ice rink, a big street party and the world famous Edinburgh Midnight fireworks.

Many of these events are free of charge, yet others require a ticket. Also, the festival begins with a large torch light procession.

One of the main traditions of Hogmanay is Firstfooting (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight). In order to ensure good luck, the first foot should be male and dark- haired – a custom which attempts to capture the time when blond strangers, reminiscent of the Vikings, meant danger. Moreover, the first foot should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt and whisky. Yet, whisky and shortbread are the items that currently remain prevalent.

Lastly, it is important to note that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland so as to provide time to recover from a week of celebration.

After midnight people celebrating Hogmanay sing together the following tune, one of the most well-known songs in the world: Auld Lang Syne.

Days Long Ago (Auld Lang Syne)

Should old acquaintances be forgotten
And never be remembered?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten
and days long ago.

Chorus:
For days long ago, my dear,
For days long ago
We'll drink a cup of kindness yet
For days long ago!

And surely you'll have your pint tankard
And surely I'll have mine.
And we'll drink a cup of kindness yet
For days long ago.

Chorus

We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine
But we've wandered many a weary mile
Since the days long ago.

Chorus

We two have paddled in the stream
From morning sun till dinner-time
But the broad seas have roared between us
Since the days long ago.

Chorus

And here's my hand, my trusty friend,
And give me your hand too,
And we will take an excellent good-will drink
For the days of long ago.

Lyrics by Robert Burns, (1759-1796) the national poet of Scotland.

Happy New Year!

Adventures abroad 2

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The idea came from Jonah L. (“Doane”) Robinson(1856-1946), a lawyer and historian who thought the monument could be a tourist attraction for the state.

Robinson contacted Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who identified Mount Rushmore as a perfect location for a grand monument. Robinson worked with President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) to gain support in Congress for the funding of the monument. It took 14 years to complete Mount Rushmore.

The four presidents carved in the mountain are George Washington(1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865).

Air Force One Flying over Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is part of the National Park Service:

http://www.nps.gov/moru/historyculture/index.htm


Mount Rushmore is the site of a climactic chase in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller, North by Northwest.

I was in Mount Rushmore with my children, in 2004. It was a very long trip by car from Minnesota, but it was worth it.

Learn about the carving of the mountain:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rushmore/sfeature/sf_carving.html

Welcome Winter

Spellbound

The night is darkening round me,

The wild winds coldly blow;

But a tyrant spell has bound me

And I cannot, cannot go.

The giant trees are bending

Their bare boughs weighed with snow.

And the storm is fast descending,

And yet I cannot go.

Clouds beyond clouds above me,

Wastes beyond wastes below;

But nothing dear can move me;

I will not, cannot go.

Emily Brontë

This is the time to decorate your home for Christmas:

A Christmas tree full of decorations

A Christmas wreath

A Garland

 A centerpiece

Listening to Christmas songs

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

A Árvore de Natal

No século XIX, D. Fernando II, um príncipe da família alemã Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha trouxe da Alemanha para Portugal a tradição da árvore de Natal, conforme se pode apreciar através de dois desenhos de sua autoria.

O original de um deles de 1848, representando-se a si próprio como Pai Natal, rodeado de sete crianças (seus filhos e da Rainha de Portugal D. Maria II) pode ser apreciado no Palácio Nacional da Ajuda. Há um outro de 1844, mais calmo e contemplativo, onde se vê um dos príncipes, segurando um cavalinho de brincar, a olhar para uma mesa, sobre a qual está montada uma árvore de Natal muita decorada.

Ainda a propósito do mesmo tema, é interessante notar que, no mesmo ano de 1848, em Inglaterra, uma ilustração com a família real inglesa em Windsor, junto  à árvore de Natal, é publicada no Illustrated London News. Como se passou em Portugal o costume da árvore de Natal foi também popularizado por um príncipe da mesma família alemã, Alberto de Saxe-Coburg Gotha primo de D. Fernando II e marido da rainha Victoria.

A rainha Victoria, retratada em família, assim como o seu primo D. Fernando II, juntamente com os filhos, apresentavam um  ambiente acolhedor . As famílias reais procuravam que fosse transmitida essa imagem de harmonia. Tudo indica que conseguiram. Rapidamente as pessoas consideraram indispensável a árvore de Natal nas comemorações natalícias, até aos dias de hoje.

                                                                                                      

Um pequeno pinheiro de Natal enfeitado com cartões feitos por alunos da EB 2,3 Paula Vicente.



Referência:

Teixeira, José. D. Fernando II Rei - Artista . Fundação da Casa de Bragança. Lisboa, 1986

The Nativity Scene

     

   When St Francis of Assisi made the first Christmas Nativity Scene in Greccio, a small village in Italy, in 1223, crowds came to see it. He made a manger by a rocky cave in the woods and real people acted the parts of Mary and Joseph. A wax doll represented Jesus. He also included animals like an ox and a donkey. Then he delivered Mass.

         Everybody loved it. The service was so moving that people almost believed they were actually in Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Next year the same scene was repeated in other churches and Christmas cribs have become popular ever since. As time went by statues replaced people and also the Three Wise Men, shepherds and angels were added.

         In the XVII century this custom was introduced in churches and in the homes of Christian families.

         Nowadays you can find Christmas cribs made of many different materials and styles.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

December 2011 Newsletter

© Clever Pants 2011

www.clever-pants.com

Christmas quotes

In the festive spirit, this month we’re gifting you some inspirational words about Christmas

It’s not the gift but the thought that counts.

Henry van Dyke

Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home.

 Carol Nelson

I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying “toys not included”.

Bernard Manning

Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

Oren Arnold

Idioms - What a pain in the neck!

© Clever Pants 2011

www.clever-pants.com

This month we’re getting carried away with idioms related to parts of the body!

Idiom: (n). an expression, word or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.

A pain in the neck

An annoying or bothersome person or event.

“Our customer is a pain in the neck and is always complaining about something.”

At each other's throats

Fighting or arguing all the time

“The two boys were at each other's throats when they entered the room.”

Shout at the top of your lungs

Shout with a very loud voice.

“I yelled at the top of my lungs to get the man's attention.”

Difficult to stomach

To be unable to accept someone, to be unable to accept something that you think is unpleasant or wrong.

“It is difficult to stomach my friend when she begins to complain about things.

Eyes bigger than your stomach

Taking more food than one can eat.

“I took an extra helping from the buffet, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach, because I couldn't finish it!”

Give someone the cold shoulder

To be ignored or rejected (by someone).

“I saw Sarah the other day but she gave me the cold shoulder!”

Keep your chin up

To not allow oneself to get depressed or intimidated.

“Don't lose hope! Things will get better. You have to keep your chin up and be positive.”

A shoulder to cry on

Someone who you can tell your problems to and then ask for sympathy and advice.

“I gave my friend a shoulder to cry on when I met him at the coffee shop.”

………..

Did you know..?

In spoken English, especially in the USA and in songs, we use shorter, more informal ways of saying some things.

I am going to     I’m gonna

I don’t have       ain’t got no

I have                   I got / I´ve got

Nina Simone (1933-2003) was a popular U.S. Jazz singer in the 1960s and 1970s who was very involved with the American Civil Rights Movement.

The American Civil Rights Movement was when black people in the USA protested to have equal rights to white people.

Ain’t Got no/I Got Life was a song associated with the Civil Rights

The text was taken from

© Clever Pants 2011

www.clever-pants.com