Telling stories

Telling stories is an art. In the following weeks we are going to learn how to tell a story. What are the characteristics of a good story?

Here are some ideas than can help you with your story:
• Intriguing opening paragraph
• Interesting characters
• Evocative description or setting
• Humour
• A strong plot
• An unexpected ending
• Original use of language
• Effective use of dialogue
• Love interest
• An imaginatice stuation
• Tension
• Message about... the human condition

What are the stages in a story?
• Initial situation
• Conflict
• Development of action
• Outcome
• Final situation

Well, now you can try and start getting ideas for a cool story.

If yopu need inspiration, you can read Patricia Highsmith (1921 - 1995), a great Amercian writer of thrillers, whose short stories Little Tales of Misogyny (1974)you are sure to enjoy.

Interviews

Have you ever read an interview?
I am sure you have.
What are the elements of a good interview?
It has to be intersting.
Well. This is your opportunity. Become a journalist for one day.
Think about somebody you like. It has to be somebody famous or well known in some circles.
Find a partner. Distribute roles.
A: journalist from... (People Magazine, The Guardian Newspaper, etc.)
B: somebody you know who can be of interest to other people in the group.

Plan your interview. You'll need an introduction to establish a context for the interview, such as the personality's house (give a description of the place). Give a quick impression of the character. Start the interview.

Key words.
Language you need: wh questions such as when, where, what, how, why; Questions with auxiliaries such as are, have, did, do; Statements of past facts about the character's biography that you want to focus on for him to comment (about three sentences long); Doublle questions; question tags, combination of statement and question that follows it.
End your interview.



Check with a teacher or another student for content and form.

Rehearse.

Be brave!

New Year's Resolutions

It's time to look forward to the coming year and reflect on the changes we want to make and resolve to follow through.

Some popular resolutions are:
1.Do regular exercise to keep feet and be more healthy.
2.Lose weight to have more energy. Set reasonable goals and stay focused. Stick to a weight loss programme.
3. Quit smoking even if it is not the first time you try. It gets an average of four times eyou quit for good. Give yourself another opportunity.Try nocotine replacement therapy. Think about the advantages it has: save money, get your taste back, breath better, have more energy, etc.
4. Enjoy life more. Bring balance to your body, mind and soul. Try a different lifestyle. Do things more slowly and try to do less, even if that means putting a limit to your family demands on you. Take up a new hobby!
5. Get out of debt. Handle your own finances. Be more realistic to make ends meet. Don't use a credit card, taht may be the first step. Don't buy a house, that is one of the sources of unhappiness, even if some people say the opposite.
6. Learn how to use a computer or an i-pod to develop your language skills. Devote more time to enjoy yourself while learning English.
7. Help others.Volunteerism can take many forms, you don't have to go to Africa to do it. Help the lady next door with her shopping or babysit for your monoparental neighbour. Get involved in a project that suits your timetable.
8. Get organized. If you can'y manage, get help from a professional organizer. It saves time, energy and avoids stress.

Now, you can reorganize these resolutions according to your needs, or add a few more to this list to inspire others.