NAME____________________________________

PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIESFOR STUDENTS

LINGUA INGLESE III

CP

*Il seguente portfolio è concepito unicamente per gli studenti frequentanti

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WEEK 1.

Activity 1: Watch the video and answer the following questions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZI1EjxxXKw

1) When does a language become a global language?

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2) Is there any intrinsic feature making a language, a global language? Explain

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3) What does power mean?

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4) What types of power are mentioned? In relation to which century/-ies?

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Activity 2: Translate the following passage from Robert Phillipson Linguistic Imperialism into Italian

[I]mperialism theory provides a conceptual framework within which English linguistic imperialism, the dominance of English worldwide, and efforts to promote the language can be understood. Scientific imperialism, media imperialism, and educational imperialism are all sub-types of cultural imperialism. So is linguistic imperialism. Linguistic imperialism also permeates all the other types of imperialism, since language is the means used to mediate and express them. Each is a theoretical construct forming part of imperialism as a global theory which is concerned with the structural relations between rich and poor countries and the mechanisms by which the inequality between them is maintained. Each type overlaps and interweaves with the others and must be seen as aspect of imperialism as an over-arching world structure.

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Now search the web and explain what Phillipson means by linguicism using in between 60 and 70 words

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Phonetics and Phonology

Phonetics and phonology are two subfields of linguistics which study the sounds in language. Phonetics is the study and classification of speech sounds; it is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds. Basically, phonetics studies how sounds 1. _____ produced, transmitted and received. It deals 2. _____ the physical properties of speech sounds, 3. ______ their physiological production, acoustic properties, and auditory perception. Based 4. ______ these three primary functions, phonetics can be classified 5. ______ three subcategories: articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, and auditory phonetics. Articulatory phonetics studies the production of speech sounds by the articulatory and vocal 6. ______ of the speaker. Acoustic phonetics studies the physical transmission of speech sounds from the speaker to the 7. ______ whereas auditory phonetics studies the reception and perception of speech sounds 8. _______ the listener.Phonology is the system of contrastive relationships 9. ______ the speech sounds that constitute the fundamental components of a language. In 10. ______words, phonology is the study of sounds, especially different patterns of sounds in different languages. It studies how sounds are combined 11. ______ to form words and how sounds alternate in different languages. Phonology also studies the inventory of sounds and their features in a language and the pragmatics rules which specify how sounds interact with 12. ______ other. Phonology is also involved in the history and theory of sound changes in a language or in two or more related languages.

1. ___________________________ 7. ___________________________2. ___________________________ 8. ___________________________3. ___________________________ 9. ___________________________4. ___________________________ 10. ___________________________5. ___________________________ 11. ___________________________6. ___________________________ 12. ___________________________

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WEEK 2.

Activity 1: Write an example for each type of code-switching you know using the foreign languages you study and explain them.

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Activity 2: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Dialect and Accent

A dialect can be distinguished from another dialect of a given language 1. ______ lexical, grammatical and/or phonological terms. Dialects are language varieties used by regional or social groups. These groups define 2. ______ or are defined by others by different extra-linguistic factors 3. _____ as age, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status. Whereas dialect denotes regional variation, the language varieties 4. ______ of different social groups are more correctly referred to 5. _______ social dialects or sociolects, namely varieties shaped by the social background of the speaker. Upper-class speech in the UK and youth language are examples of sociolects. While dialect implies lexical, grammatical and/or pronunciation differences, accent is restricted to pronunciation features 6. _______ . An accent affects only the phonological level of a linguistic variety. When we say that 7. ______ speaks with an accent (e.g. a foreign accent, a working-class accent, a regional accent), we refer to the person’s individual 8. ______ of pronouncing language. When we say, however, that a person uses a dialect, we refer not 9. ______ to his or her pronunciation but also to this person’s use of grammar and vocabulary. Within linguistics, ‘dialect’ is used as a neutral term to denote the lexical, grammatical and phonological differences between two or 10. ______ linguistic varieties. However, 11. ______ linguistics, i.e. in non-academic contexts, this is different. Dialects often carry negative connotations and are perceived as vulgar forms of speech with 12. _____ status and prestige.

1. ___________________________ 7. ___________________________

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3. ___________________________ 9. ___________________________

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Activity 3: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Na4UvRIhu4

1) What’s the difference between code-switching and diglossia?

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2) How are two languages involved in code-switching usually distinguished?

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3) Complete the following chart on the main reasons for code-switching

DIRECTIVE FUNCTION

TO INCLUDE OR EXCLUDE OTHER PEOPLE FROM CONVERSATION

EXPRESSIVE FUNCTION

REFERENTIAL LANGUAGE

PHATIC FUNCTION

METALINGUISTIC FUNCTION

POETIC FUNCTION

4) Which examples of code-switching are mentioned in the video?

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Activity 4: Language RevivalHow the Manx language came back from the dead

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In 2009 the Manx language was declared extinct. Today Isle of Man residents are using Twitter, music and schooling to help revive their ancestors’ mother tongue. “I often go to my local pub The Albert to speak Manx to friends, which is strange to think, given that years ago this could have ended up with me being asked to leave a pub,” said Adrian Cain. The Albert is a local watering hole in Port St Mary on the south coast of the Isle of Man where, according to Cain, drinkers can now be heard conversing over their pint glasses in a language declared extinct by Unesco in 2009. Cain, Manx Gaelic development officer at the Manx Heritage Foundation, is one of the thousands of speakers of Manx, a Goidelic language, closely related to Irish and Scottish Gaelic. After centuries of lying dormant the language is now experiencing an unexpected revival. “The Manx language is a wonderful comeback story,” says David Harrison, a lecturer who has spent the past 20 years studying endangered languages around the world. “It impressed me so much because it was a language that defied the odds against survival,” he says.

The decline of ManxDuring the 19th century the native language of Manx became increasingly overshadowed by English. Islanders began raising their children in English with the view that Manx would soon become useless. Evidence of this can be seen as far back as 1872 in a letter published in the Manx newspaper Mona’s Herald, where Reverend J T Clarke lamented the decline of his mother tongue: “In order to be able to deal in the English markets, it is English, and only English, Manx people must learn to speak.” By 1901 only 9.1% of the population claimed to speak Manx and over the next two decades this figure quickly dropped to 1.1%, according to official census figures.Poverty on the island during a recession in the mid-19th century cemented an association between the language and economic decline. “As with many endangered languages, the Manx people have been made to think their language is worthless,” said Harrison. “These negative attitudes get internalised by communities, which causes them to let go of their language. They had to reverse this mentality.” Yet throughout the decline there have been many people fighting to preserve the language. Evidence of support can be found as early as 1897 in a notice in the local paper in Peel. It invited people with an interest in the Manx language to attend a meeting, marking the beginnings of the Manx Language Society, which was officially founded two years later.

The last speakersOne of the biggest pioneers in the revival is Brian Stowell, who decided to learn the Manx language in 1953 after reading an article about a man called Douglas Faragher, who was lamenting the rapid decline of his mother tongue. Stowell joined Faragher, and along with several other people, they spent the following weekends driving around the island in a van listening to old Manx tape recordings. “Initially I was seen to be a bit of a nut job,” said Stowell. “But it became clear that beneath the surface there was huge support for the language from many people.” Stowell believes one of the biggest obstacles has been the old Manx speakers themselves. “Manx to a large extent dumped their own language. There was a strong fear of the language and many people thought it to be backward and associated it with poverty,” said Stowell. A common saying among the old Manx speakers was Cha jean oo cosney ping lesh y Ghailck, meaning: “You will not earn a penny with Manx.” Ned Maddrell was the last native speaker of Manx who, unlike others, did not want to see his language disappear. A decade before Ned’s death in 1964, Stowell made some tape recordings of him talking, which can now be heard on YouTube.

A new generation of native speakersAccording to Cain, more than 1,800 people claim to speak, read and write Manx today, although this may not necessarily illustrate actual fluency.Last December, Harrison visited the Isle of Man to film a documentary about Manx and see for himself how a language recently declared dead was brought back to life. “It is extraordinary to think that they have produced a generation of ‘new native speakers’,” said Harrison, commenting on how

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far the revival movement has come. Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, a primary school that teaches almost entirely in the Manx language, has been key to the revival. Established 14 years ago and located in St Johns in the centre of the island, there are 70 pupils attending the school. Apart from a weekly English class, every lesson is taught in Manx. “Our pupils have helped bring Manx back from the brink,” said headteacher Julie Matthews. Pupils have also started writing to penpals from schools in Glasgow that can read and write in Scottish Gaelic, a language closely related to Manx. This is not the first time the pupils have used letters to reach out in their language. In response to the 2009 edition of Unesco’s Atlas of World Languages in Danger, where Manx was listed as effectively dead, several children from Bunscoill Ghaelgagh school wrote letters asking the organisation: “If our language is extinct then what language are we writing in?” The classification has since been changed to “critically endangered”. There is evidence that the language is skipping back a generation. “More and more parents of pupils are learning Manx because their children can speak it. It’s a good idea to know what your children are talking about,” Matthews said.

The role of technologyAccording to Harrison, embracing the support of technology has been key to the success of today’s Manx revival. Adrian Cain has pioneered the use of Manx in YouTube videos and podcasts and is a keen Manx tweeter. Cain has also recently produced a Manx app for smartphones, which has been downloaded by thousands of learners. “My role is outside the education system and we are encouraging more adults to learn the language,” says Cain, who added that using new technologies make learning Manx much more accessible. The language has become present in many aspects of everyday life and culture. “I was really struck by how absolutely devoted and passionate people were about the language,” said Harrison. “I saw and heard it used in all kinds of settings – texting, video subtitling, social media – I even saw a Christmas church service in the language.” The Manx revival has also been echoed through music and, according to the Manx music development officer Dr Breesha Maddrell, islanders are increasingly choosing to listen to music performed in Manx by bands such as Barrule. Maddrell herself performs in several Manx bands. “The Manx people have always been natural storytellers and as we don’t have strong literature, music has always been a way of communicating our culture and language,” she said. Reflecting on his time on the island exploring the language, Harrison said: “The X factor for reviving languages is really pride and love for the language. The revival on the Isle of Man is a clear example of this.” While methods of communication have changed in ways that original Manx speakers might never have imagined, this pride has been constant through each step of the revival: from letters, Church meetings, old tape recordings to apps and tweets or, to use a recently coined Manx word: tweetal.

(Sarah Whitehead, The Guardian, 2nd April, 2015)

Underline in each paragraph the lines expressing the main idea and then rewrite them in your own words so as to make a summary.

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Sapporo Snow Festival For one week every year, Sapporo hosts a giant festival of snow and ice. 1. ____________ the core of the festival are hundreds of snow and ice sculptures, but there are many other activities, 2. ____________ from snowboarding to a beauty contest. The festival 3. ____________ place on three sites. Odori Park and Susukino are close together in central Sapporo, while the third, Tsudome, is a 4. ____________ kilometres away. The festival provides a great opportunity to immerse 5. ____________ in a fantasy world of glistening beauty and pure-white fun. The festival’s main venue, Odori Park, stretches along the centre of a wide avenue right at the heart of the city. It is where you can see the giant snow sculptures for 6. ____________ the festival is world-famous. Sapporo snow festival began in 1950, when some local high school students built six snow sculptures in Odori Park, and it has been held every year 7. ____________ then. The Winter Olympics, held in Sapporo in 1972, lifted the event from national to international fame, and it has thrived 8. ____________ since. Now it is attended by well 9. ____________ two million people each year – quite an achievement given Sapporo’s relatively small size, and 10. ____________ huge distance from Japan’s biggest cities.

1. ___________________________ 6. ___________________________2. ___________________________ 7. ___________________________3. ___________________________ 8. ___________________________4. ___________________________ 9. ___________________________5. ___________________________ 10. ___________________________

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WEEK 3.

Activity 1: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGg-2MQVReQ

1) What point does the quote by H.C. Wilde show?

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2) What are some of the words or expressions that people use to refer to dialects?

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3) What defines ‘standard English’?

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4) How many people possibly speak it in the world? Why do people think it is universal?

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Activity 2: (Modals of speculation/deduction) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1. I’m sure that Mrs Smith didn’t leave home. (can’t)

Mrs Smith ________________________________ home.

2. Perhaps she’s gone to stay with her mother. (might)

She ________________________________ to stay with her mother.

3. It’s possible that Mr Smith committed a crime. (may)

Mr Smith ________________________________ a crime.

4. I’m certain that he buried something in the garden. (must)

He ________________________________ in the garden.

5. Perhaps he won the lottery. (could)

He ________________________________ the lottery.

6. I’m sure he bought a new car. (must)

He ________________________________ a new car.

6. Perhaps Mr Smith murdered his wife. (might)

Mr Smith ________________________________ his wife.

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7. Adam is so loud now that I’m sure he wasn’t a quiet child! (been)

Adam ________________________ a quiet child because he’s so loud.

8. She is so scared of dogs, that maybe a dog bit her when she was little. (bitten)

She is so scared of dogs that she _____________________a dog when she was little.

9. I know he wasn’t in London on Saturday because I saw him in Newcastle. (been)

He _____________________in London on Saturday because I saw him in Newcastle.

10. She was so happy on Monday morning that I’m sure she had a good weekend.

(had)

She was so happy on Monday morning that ___________________ a good weekend.

11. She was probably in a hurry because she forgot to buy a birthday present for her

friend (might)

She forgot to buy a birthday present for her friend and that ___________________

she was in a hurry.

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Qingming FestivalQingming Festival, also 1. ____________ as Tomb-sweeping Day, which falls on either April 4th or 5th of the Gregorian calendar, is one of the Chinese Twenty-four Solar Terms. From that date everything in nature takes 2. ____________ a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly, indicating that it is the crucial time for plowing and sowing. The festival therefore has a 3. ____________ relationship with agriculture. However, it is also a day of paying 4. ____________ to the dead and other activities. Qingming Festival is 5. ____________ a time of many different activities, 6. ____________ which the main ones are tomb sweeping, taking a spring outing, and flying kites. It is said that the Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man living in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC) 7. ____________ Jie Zitui, who cut a piece of meat from his 8. ____________ leg in order to save his hungry lord who had been forced to go 9. ____________ exile when his crown was in jeopardy. When the Lord came back to his position, he ordered to set the mountain where Jie had blocked 10. ____________ up with his mother on fire to find him but later Jie was found dead and the lord established that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival – the day that only cold food could be eaten.

1. ___________________________ 6. ___________________________2. ___________________________ 7. ___________________________3. ___________________________ 8. ___________________________4. ___________________________ 9. ___________________________5. ___________________________ 10. ___________________________

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WEEK 4.

Activity 1: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqJI7SdS9Gg

What do pidgins and creoles have in common?

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What are the main feature of pidgins?

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When/how do pidgins generally arise?

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When does a pidgin evolve into a creole?

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What does the speaker mean by ‘extended pidgin’?

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Which examples are mentioned?

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What do pidgins and creoles prove about the nature of languages?

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Activity 2: (The Passive Voice) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1) The government is debating that question now (DISCUSSED)

The question ___________________________ the government now.

2) It was necessary to warn people about the risks. (HAD)

People___________________________ the risks.

3) By the time I got there, someone had taken a bag of cans to the recycling depot.

(BEEN)

A bag of cans _______________________the recycling depot by the time I got there

4) My hair was too long so the hairdresser cut it. (HAD)

I ___________________________ by the hairdresser.

5) A decorator has repainted our house. (HAD)

We ___________________________ by a decorator.

6) My car broke down. They are repairing it at the garage. (REPAIRED)

I ___________________________ at the garage.

7) They think that the children are in bed. (THOUGHT)

The children ___________________________ in bed.

8) People believe that she is a good swimmer. (BE)

She is ___________________________ a good swimmer.

9) People believe that the robber has worked in the bank. (HAVE)

The robber is ___________________________ in the bank.

10) People say that the company invested fifty million pounds last week. (SAID)

The company ___________________________ fifty million pounds.

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Activity 3: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC8nM75AqUk

1) What is Singlish?

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2) How/when is it used?

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3) Can foreigners use Singlish?

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4) How have Chinese languages influenced Singlish? Give an example and supply

the explanation.

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5) Why is Singlish a ‘rather monotonous language’? What do you call this in

linguistics?

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6) Which examples of words used differently in Singlish compared to Standard

Englishes are discussed? Explain.

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7) What was the ‘Speak Good English’ campaign?

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WEEK 5.Reading ComprehensionRead the following passage carefully and then answer the questions.

France's poisoned legacy in the Central African RepublicIt was named Operation Sangaris, after a butterfly with a tiny lifespan native to central Africa. France hoped that its peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) would be similarly short-lived. “The situation in the Central African Republic has become alarming, and even terrifying,” the French president, François Hollande, said in December 2013, ordering the deployment of 1,200 troops to reinforce the 400 already stationed there. “This operation will be short.” Some say France, with its long imperial history in Africa, is still motivated by guilt after its failure to halt the 1994 Rwandan genocide. More recently, it has launched armed interventions in former colonies including Ivory Coast and Mali. Its continued political, economic and military presence meant it was better placed than any other major power to intervene in the CAR, one of the most failed and forgotten states on the continent (Par. 1).The poisoned legacy of French colonialism in the CAR has been half a century that saw five coups, a self-declared emperor whose lavish coronation was inspired by Napoleon, and barely functional infrastructure and institutions. Its natural wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium has attracted warlords such as the cult-leader-like Joseph Kony. The latest debacle was triggered in March 2013 when president François Bozizé, mired in corruption, fled by helicopter after being ousted by an unwieldy coalition of rebels, bandits and guns for hire known as the Séléka. One of its leaders, Michel Djotodia, declared himself president, becoming the first Muslim to rule the majority-Christian nation of 4.6 million people. Médecins sans Frontières described it as “a crisis on top of a crisis”, which only deepened a few months later when Djotodia tried to disband and disarm the Séléka. The rebels span further out of control, killing, looting and burning villages. Predominantly Muslim, they were joined by mercenaries from neighbouring Chad and the dreaded Janjaweed from Sudan’s Darfur region (Par. 2).In retaliation, some Christians took up arms in vigilante militias known as “anti-balaka” — meaning anti-machete — and launched counterattacks against the Séléka and perceived Muslim collaborators. They perpetrated atrocities of their own, giving the Séléka a pretext for yet more aggression. With all its troubles, the CAR had not previously suffered sectarian conflict and the world was slow to respond as the death toll ran into thousands. Warning that the CAR stood “on the verge of genocide”, France ordered the deployment of 1,200 additional soldiers, following a call for help from the interim government and a UN security council resolution. They joined 3,500 soldiers from a central African support mission (Par 3).At the start of 2014, a quarter of the country’s entire population was internally displaced. International pressure forced Djotodia to step down, and soon the Séléka were retreating north, where they continued to target Christians. But as the anti-balaka made inroads elsewhere, villages emptied of their Muslim populations, with homes looted and mosques torched. In the capital, Bangui, the Muslim population dropped from up to 145,000 to just 900. Amnesty International called it ethnic cleansing and warned of a Muslim exodus of historic proportions. Many Muslims were left feeling resentful towards French peacekeepers and the new president, Catherine Samba-Panza, a Christian who studied in France and has two of her three children living there (Par. 4)The cycle of violence swept up thousands of child soldiers. The number of child soldiers in the Central African Republic (CAR) has more than doubled – and possibly quadrupled – since sectarian conflict erupted last year, putting them at risk of long-term psychological damage, Save the Children warns. A report by Save the Children published on Thursday warns that children as young as eight continue to be recruited by both sides. Some are forcibly conscripted while others are motivated to join out of poverty and a desire to avenge the deaths of loved ones. They are often victims of physical, mental and sexual abuse by militants and can be ordered to kill or commit other

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acts of violence. The report says that, having witnessed or committed killings and other acts of extreme violence, children associated with armed groups are highly likely to suffer fear, anxiety, depression, grief and insecurity, and many require specialised psychological support (Par. 5).

(Adapted from David Smith, The Guardian, 18 December 2014)

Activity 1: Answer the following questions related to the text above:

Par 1. According to the author of the article, France called its mission “Operation Sangaris” because:a. it wanted to use the name of a local

animalb. it hoped that the operation would end

quicklyc. the alarming situation necessitated swift

interventiond. it wanted to reinforce troops quickly

Par 1. France’s political, economic and military presence meant that the French:

a. didn’t have enough influence to intervene in the region

b. needed to place their power in the regionc. were very keen to intervene in the region d. were in the best position to intervene in

the region

Par 2. The Seleka:a.  played a key role when Francois Bozize was ousted.b.  is a predominantly Christian group.c.  is the only group known to have committed atrocities in the CAR.d.  refused to allow mercenaries from other countries to join them.

Par 5. Sectarian conflict has led to:a.  the killing of child soldiers.b.  the exploitation of children, used as soldiers, by both sides.c.  an increase in the number of child soldiers, which was blamed solely on the use of conscription.d. a drop in the number of older children who are recruited as soldiers.

1. Why is France’s legacy “poisoned” according to the author of the article (Par. 2)?

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2. Why did France declare that CAR was “on the verge of genocide” (Par. 3)?

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Activity 2: Translate into Italian the parts in bold in the above Reading Comprehension.

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Maslenitsa

As with 1. ____________ ancient holidays, Maslenitsa has a dual ancestry: pagan and Christian. On the pagan side, Maslenitsa was celebrated 2. ____________ the vernal equinox day to mark the welcoming of spring. Originally, the pagan festivities were 3. ____________ to honour the pagan deity Veles (or Volos), the patron of cattle and farming. People associated him with a bear, or leshy (wood-goblin), therefore, the bear was a sacred animal possessing magical healing 4. ____________. Indeed, dancing like a bear around the house was supposed to protect it 5. ____________ burning down. Such behaviour was condemned by the Church which tried to uproot the tradition but, confronted with the all-embracing popularity of the Veles character, it capitulated 6. ____________ shifting the focus of the celebration from the pagan God to the Christian saint Vlasiy. Nowadays it is customary for devout Christians to bring pancakes to 7. ____________ icon during Maslenitsa to please him and assure plentiful crops and healthy livestock in the coming summer. The name of the holiday – Maslenitsa (from maslo which 8. ____________ butter or oil in Russian) – owes its existence to the tradition of baking blini (pancakes) which are essential to its celebration. At Maslenitsa pancakes are cooked in 9. ____________ large quantities to be used in almost every ritual, they are given to friends and family throughout the week. Pancakes are served with caviar, mushrooms, jam, sour cream, and of course, 10. ____________ of butter.

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WEEK 6.'Th' sound to vanish from English language by 2066 because of multiculturalism, say linguists

Visitors expecting to hear the Queen’s English spoken on the streets of London in 50 years may need to "fink" again. By 2066, linguists are predicting that the "th" sound will vanish completely in the capital because there are so many foreigners who struggle to pronounce interdental consonants - the term for a sound created by pushing the tongue against the upper teeth. Already Estuary English – a hybrid of Cockney and received pronunciation (RP) which is prevalent in the South East – is being replaced by Multicultural London English (MLE) which is heavily influenced by Caribbean, West African and Asian Communities. But within the next few decades immigration will have fundamentally altered the language, according to experts at the University of York. We can expect to see significant changes between now and the middle of the century. The "th" sound – also called the voiced dental nonsibliant fricative – is likely to change to be replaced an "f", "d", or "v" meaning "mother" will be pronounced "muvver" and "thick" will be voiced as "fick". However the ‘h’ that fell silent in Cockney dialect is set to return allowing ‘ere’ to become ‘here’ once more. Dr Dominic Watt, a sociolinguistics expert from the University of York, said: “Given the status of London as the linguistically most influential city in the English-speaking world, we can expect to see significant changes between now and the middle of the century. The major changes in the way we speak over the next 50 years will involve a simplification of the sound structure of words, they’ll become shorter probably. By looking at how English has changed over the last 50 years we can identify patterns that seem to repeat. British accents seem to be less based on class these days. Languages also change when they come into contact with one another. English has borrowed thousands of words from other languages: mainly French, Latin and Greek, but there are ‘loan words’ from dozens of other languages in the mix.” The Sounds of The Future report was produced from a study involving analysis of recordings from the last 50 years as well as social media language use. Other changes likely to become widespread by 2066 include a habit known as "yod dropping" in which the "u" sound is replaced with an "oo". It means that "duke" becomes "dook", "news" is pronounced "nooze" and "beauty" changes to "booty". Consonant "smushing" is also predicted where two sounds collapse together completely so that "wed" and "red" will soon be indistinguishable.  Likewise the "l" at the end of words will be dropped so that the words "Paul", "paw" and "pool" all sound the same. Similiarly, "text" will lose the final "t" to become "tex". And, the glottal stop pronunciation of "t" – a brief catch in the throat when the tongue tip closed against the roof of the mouth – will be the default pronunciation. Brendan Gunn, a voice coach who is currently working with Pierce Brosnan on his new US series said: “The younger generation always wants to be different from the older generation and that process will continue throughout history. Text speak which is a form of shortening will become ordinary speak, so you may end up saying ‘tagLOL’ or ‘toteschill’ which means hashtag laugh out loud or totally chilled. Even in the Royal family it is probable that Prince George will speak much differently to the Queen. In London I think we will see the ‘th’ becoming an ‘f’ all the time.” Technology will also change the way people speak, and the experts predict that as artificial intelligence emerges the, computers could begin to invent new words. Dr Watt added: “It is conceivable that some of the words that will come into English in the next 50 years will have been invented by computers because as computers become more intelligent it may be they start creating words of their own and feeding the, back to us. Already we’re seeing text words phrases coming into respected dictionaries. As time goes on we’re going to see more and more of that kind of thing. The traditional dialects will die out and others will morph into the speech of large urban centres.”The Sounds of the Future report was commissioned by HSBC to coincide with the launch of its new voice ID, which is currently being rolled out to 15 million users. 

(Sarah Knapton, SCIENCE EDITOR, 29 SEPTEMBER 2016

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Activity 1: Summarize the content of the text in no more than 150-80 words

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Activity 2: Translate into Italian the part in bold in the above Reading Comprehension

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

Qingming Festival

Qingming Festival, also 1. ____________ as Tomb-sweeping Day, which falls on either April 4th or 5th of the Gregorian calendar, is one of the Chinese Twenty-four Solar Terms. From that date everything in nature takes 2. ____________ a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly, indicating that it is the crucial time for plowing and sowing. The festival therefore has a 3. ____________ relationship with agriculture. However, it is also a day of paying 4. ____________ to the dead and other activities. Qingming Festival is 5. ____________ a time of many different activities, 6. ____________ which the main ones are tomb sweeping, taking a spring outing, and flying kites. It is said that the Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man living in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC) 7. ____________ Jie Zitui, who cut a piece of meat from his 8. ____________ leg in order to save his hungry lord who had been forced to go 9. ____________ exile when his crown was in jeopardy. When the Lord came back to his position, he ordered to set the mountain where Jie had blocked 10. ____________ up with his mother on fire to find him but later Jie was found dead and the lord established that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival – the day that only cold food could be eaten.

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Activity 3: (Inversion) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1) He’s very good at speaking English but he can speak German too. (only)Not ______________________________ English very well but he can speak German too.

2) We did not understand what had happened immediately (later) Only ______________________________ what had happened.

3) Artists are rarely appreciated while they are still alive. (little)While they are still alive, ______________________________ appreciated.

4) He has deceived the public, but he has also deceived himself. (only)Not ______________________________ the public, but he has deceived himself as well.

5) I don’t want anything to do with this project (way)In ______________________________ to be associated with this project

6) They had just eaten when the ceiling crashed onto the dining table (sooner)No ______________________________ the ceiling crashed onto the dining table

7) The children should not go there on their own for any reason (account) On ______________________________ go there on their own.

8) This door must never be left open. (circumstances)Under ______________________________ be left open.

9) He announced his discovery to the world when he was certain. (did)Only after ______________________________ his discovery to the world.

10) As soon as the meeting began, fighting broke out in the audience. (sooner)No ______________________________ than fighting broke out in the audience.

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WEEK 7.Talking to In-laws Can Be Hard. In Some Languages, It’s Impossible.

In-laws may be universally intimidating, but in some cultures, the deference paid them rises to a whole new level, at least linguistically.

A geographically widespread practice known as avoidance speech, or “mother-in-law languages,” imposes strict rules on how one speaks — or doesn’t — to the parents of a spouse, with daughters-in-law typically bearing the brunt of such limits.

In parts of Africa, Australia and India, some societies restrict the words a person can say after marriage. Some cultures have even barred all direct communication with parents-in-law.

Some married women who speak the Kambaata language of Ethiopia follow ballishsha, a rule that forbids them from using words that begin with the same syllable as the name of their father-in-law or mother-in-law. This rule can complicate a conversation, but there are workarounds. Certain basic words in the vocabulary come in synonymous pairs. “One is the normal term, used by everybody; one is the term used by women who are not allowed to say that word,” said Yvonne Treis, a linguist at a French research institute, Languages and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. Euphemisms are another frequent solution: If the word “ox” is taboo for a wife to say, she may refer to “the one that plows” instead. The Kambaata language also has a word akin to “whatchamacallit” in English, useful in a pinch as either a noun or verb when no other alternative is available.

Avoidance speech is also practiced by speakers of some of the Bantu languages of southern Africa, including Xhosa and Zulu. Married women are forbidden from using their father-in-law’s name, or any word that has the same root or similar sound. Bantu speakers often get around this restriction by borrowing synonyms from other languages spoken nearby. Some linguists think that is how click consonants found their way into Bantu speech: in words borrowed from Khoisan languages, which use clicks extensively.

In parts of India, a daughter-in-law is not allowed to use words that begin with the same letters as her in-laws’ names, requiring her to use a parallel vocabulary.

Avoidance speech was a common feature of many aboriginal languages in Australia. The custom has largely faded in some areas, but it is still widely practiced in the Western Desert region and Arnhem Land, according to Claire Bowern, a professor of linguistics at Yale. Avoidance speech can be more of a two-way street in Australia, with restrictions applying across genders and generations. There are aboriginal cultures where a man and his mother-in-law are forbidden to directly address each other. “In my experience, the taboos between a man and a mother-in-law are a lot stronger than between a woman and her mother-in-law,” Professor Bowern said.

As in Africa and India, there are a number of rules in Australian languages about which words one can say in the presence of “tabooed kin,” Professor Bowern said. For example, in the Dyirbal language, spoken in northeast Queensland, water is “bana” in the everyday language but “jujama” in avoidance speech.

Of course, there isn’t a second word for everything, and one avoidance word often has to suffice for many related ordinary words. In the Guugu Yimithirr tongue, spoken in the far north of Queensland, the verb “bali-l,” meaning to travel, is the all-purpose substitute for more specific words like walk, crawl, limp, paddle or float.

Why did the custom of avoidance speech arise? Some experts on its use in Africa and India see it as a way to reinforce the inferior status of daughters-in-law. In Australia, the prohibitions might have been intended to reduce the chance of sexual relations between in-laws.

(Bryant Rousseau, NEW YORK TIMES, 09 JANUARY 2017)

Activity 1: Summarize the content of the text in no more than 150-60 words

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Activity 2: Translate into Italian the part in bold in the above Reading Comprehension

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Activity 3: (Phrasal verbs with PUT) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1) In case of a grease fire, do not use water to exstinguish it. (put) Water must not __________ a grease fire.

2) They postponed the show because it was raining hard. (put) The show __________ the heavy rain

3) Will you let me stay in your house while I am in town? (put) Will you __________ while I am in town?

4) My sister is not going to tolerate your smoking in her house. (put) My sister will __________ your smoking in her house.

5) Could I speak to the manager if he is in, please? (putting) Would you mind __________ the manager if he is in, please?

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WEEK 8.Activity 1: Watch the video and answer the following questionshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NxQO2ZZjjE

1) What is cockney rhyming slang?

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2) List at least 10 examples from the videos. Make sure you also choose verbs and adjectives.

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Activity 2: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_C4PDSfQJA

1) List five examples ‘in context’ of words/expressions used in Liverpool English, and write their Standard British English equivalents

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2) What are the most relevant features of Liverpool English/Scouse accent as regards some consonant sounds?

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Activity 3: (Phrasal verbs with LOOK) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1) The school’s management are investigating allegations of teacher brutality. (looked)Allegations of teacher brutality _______________ the school’s management

2) I could not take care of my little sister because I was away. (look)I wasn’t _______________ my little sister because I was away.

3) I had my composition checked quickly by my teacher before I gave it in. (looked)My teacher ______________ quickly before I gave it in.

4) He was eagerly waiting to work with the new Prime Minister (forward)He ______________ with the new Prime Minister.

5) It was wrong of you to undervalue them because they did not have a degree. (looked)You ______________ them because they did not have a degree

6) Why don’t you find the word in the dictionary if you don’t know its meaning? (looking)What ______________ the word in the dictionary if you don’t know its meaning?

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WEEK 9.

Activity 1: Watch the video and explain the main differences between American English pronunciation and British English pronunciation as regards consonant sounds mentioned in the video and give examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nAnT3PASak&feature=iv&src_vid=LIZ78RwhSPc&annotation_id=annotation_988600

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Activity 2: Watch the video and explain the main differences between American English pronunciation and British English pronunciation as regards vowel sounds mentioned in the video and give examples.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIZ78RwhSPc

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Activity 3: Rewrite the first text in American English and the second in British English

a) David (York, England)I live in a flat with my mum, my dad and my two older sisters. My hobbies are playing football and watching films on TV, and my favourite food is burger with chips. There’s a good film on TV at the weekend, Titanic, but I don’t think I’ll watch it because I’ve already seen it.

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b) David (New York, United States) I’d say New York is my favorite city in the States, and I have a nice apartment here. However because my job is so busy, the only time I can do stuff like go out to watch a movie, or even just watch a soccer game on TV, is on the weekend. Some days I don’t even have time to eat properly – I just get chicken and fries from the place next door. I’d like to move back to Florida to be closer to mom and my brother. I already visited them twice this year, but it’s not enough.

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Activity 4: Complete the chartBRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN

1. trousers p _ nts 11. mobile phone _ _ ll phone

2. pavement side _ _ lk 12. chemist’s dr _ _ store

3. grey gr _ y 13. aeroplane _ _ _ plane

4. autumn f _ ll 14. cheque ch _ _ k

5. queue li _ _ 15. programme progr _ _

6. rubbish ga _ b _ ge 16. sweets c _ _ dy

7. maths m _ _ _ 17. trainers sn _ _ k _ _ s

8. petrol g _ so _ i _e 18. metre met _ _

9. holiday v _ _ _ _ ion 19. lift el _ _ a _ _ r

10. railway rail _ _ _ d 20. nappy diap _ _

Activity 5: Look each of the sentences below and decide whether they are written in British English (B), American English (A), or if they would be the same in both types of English (AB). Then change the British English sentences into American English, and the American English sentences into British English.

1. My mom said she’s not going to buy me new sneakers. _____

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2. Summers there are quite warm, but in the autumn it starts getting cold. . _____

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3. Don’t eat too much candy – it’s bad for your teeth. . _____

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4. Gray is such a sad color – I prefer yellow or orange. . _____

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5. Eating lots of sugar isn’t good for you. . _____

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6. You can pay by cheque or credit card. . _____

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7. The hotel’s up there on the left, about a hundred meters past that drugstore. . _____

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8. The price of petrol is increasing. . _____

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9. He knows what’s happening tonight because I already spoke to him. . _____

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10. Lots of railways were built in the United States in the nineteenth century. . _____

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11. Paris is a smaller city than London or New York. . _____

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12. You shouldn’t really ride your bicycle on the pavement, you know. . _____

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13. Do you go to the theatre very often? . _____

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14. I don’t know what I’d do without my computer. . _____

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15. I don’t know what I’d do without my mobile phone. . _____

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16. If you’ve got a baby you’re going to have to buy a lot of nappies. . _____

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17. I missed my favorite TV program last night. . _____

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18. My worst subject at school was math. . _____

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19. There was a queue of about twenty people, all waiting to get in the lift. . _____

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20. It’s a really dirty town, with garbage all over the streets. _____

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WEEK 10.Activity 1: (Phrasal verbs with DO) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1) We couldn’t use any telephone on the island because there was none (do)We had ____________________ any telephone on the island because there was none.

2) You’d better fasten your coat because it’s freezing cold outside.(do)If I were you, I ___________________ because it’s freezing cold outside.

3) You didn’t do your work right the first time, that’s why you had to do it again (do)If you had done your work right the first time, you wouldn’t have _______________

4) It’s a lovely cottage but it must be renovated a bit though. (up)It’s a lovely cottage but it needs ___________________ though.

5) The death penalty in the UK was abolished in 1965. (did)The United Kingdom ____________________________ the death penalty in 1965.

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Activity 2: Rewrite this short passage from one of the transcribed interviews of the Slave Narrative project into Standard English.

I was thirty-one years ole when de surrender come. Dat makes me sho nuff ole. Near bout a hundred an' three years done passed over dis here white head of mine. I'se been here, I mean I'se been here. 'Spects I'se de oldest nigger in Durham. I'se been here so long dat I done forgot near 'bout as much as dese here new generation knows or ever gwine know. My white fo'ks lived in Chatham County. Dey was Marse George an‘ Mis' Betsy Herndon. Mis Betsy was a Snipes befo' she married MarseGeorge. Dey had a big plantation an‘ raised cawn, wheat, cotton an‘ 'bacca. I don't know how many field niggers Marse George had, but he had a mess of dem, an' he had hosses too, an' cows, hogs an‘ sheeps. He raised sheeps an' sold de wool, an' dey used de wool at de big house too. Dey was a big weavin' room whare de blankets waswove, an' dey wove de cloth for de winter clothes too. Linda Hernton an' Milla Edwards was de head weavers, dey looked after de weavin‘ of da fancy blankets.

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WEEK 11.Activity 1: Rewrite this passage from The Color Purple by Alice Walker into Standard English. Dear God,Mr. ______ finally come right out an ast for Nettie hand in marriage. But He won't let her go. He say she too young, no experience. Say Mr. ______ got too many children already. Plus What about the scandal his wife cause when somebody kill her? And what about all this stuff he hear bout Shug Avery? What bout that?I ast our new mammy bout Shug Avery. What it is? I ast. She don't know but she say she gon fine out.She do more then that. She git a picture. The first one of a real person I ever seen. She say Mr. ______ was taking somethin out his billfold to show Pa an it fell out an slid under the table. Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten thousand times more prettier then me. I see her there in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair like somethin tail. She grinning with her foot up on somebody motocar. Her eyes serious tho. Sad some.I ast her to give me the picture. An all night long I stare at it. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery. She be dress to kill, whirling and laughing.

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Activity 2: Identify in the text as many features as possible of AAVE.

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Activity 3: Listen to the song, read the text carefully and identify as many features as possible of AAVE.

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"Never Let Me Down"(feat. Jay-Z, J-Ivy)

[Intro:]Yeah Grandmama

Told you I won't let you downTold you I won't let this rap game change me, right?

[Chorus:]When it comes to being true, at least true to me

One thing I found, one thing I foundOh no you'll never let me down,

Get up I get(down)Get up I get(down)Get up I get(down)Get up I get(down)Get up I get(down)Get up I get(down)

[Jay-Z:]Yo, yo first I snatched the street then I snatched the charts,

First had they ear now I hav their heart,Rappers came and went,

I've been hear from the start,I’ve seen them put it together

Watch them take it apart,Seen the Rovers roll up wit ribbons

I seen them re-po’d, re-sold and re-drivenSo when I reload, he holds number 1 positions

When you hot I'm hotAnd when your feet cold, mines is sizzelin’

It's plain to seeNiggas can't f*** with me

‘Cause I’ma be that nigga for lifeThis is not a imageThis is God givenThis is hard livin’

Mixed with Cristal sippin’It's the most consistent

HovGive you the most hits you can fit inside a whole disc and

Nigga, I'm home on these charts, y'all niggas visitin’It's Hov tradition, Jeff Gordan of rap

I'm back to claim pole position, holla at ya boy

[Chorus]

[Kanye West:]I get down for my grandfather who [xu:] took my mama

Made her sit in that seat where white folks ain't want us to eatAt the tender age of 6 she was arrested for the sit-ins

With that in my blood I was born to be differentNow niggas can't make it to ballots to choose leadership

But we can make it to Jacob’s and to the dealershipThat's why I hear new musicAnd I just don't be feeling it

Racism’s still alive they just be concealing itBut I know they ain’t want me in the damn club

They even made me show I.D to get inside of Sam's clubI done did dirt and went to church to get my hands scrubbed

Swear I've been baptised at least 3 or 4 timesBut in the land where niggas praise

Yo: from Old English ġēa (yes)Used among Italian Americans and later African American living in Philadelphia. Used in hip hop music starting from late 20th century.At the beginning of a sentence it can be used to get attention and/or as a form of greeting [Hey!]Yo can also imply/be used as an exclamation of excitement, warning (often repeated)In military slang = Present! Here!Re-poed: resulted from zero derivation and clippingRepossession = repo (n)repoed (v.)f*** with me: mess around or joke around withI’ma: triple elision (the only in the English Language) = I am going tonigga: according to Tupacnigger- a black man with a slavery chain around his neck.nigga- a black man with a gold chain on his neck.Tupac defined the wordCristal: very expensive champagne (image of exclusivity)Hov: another name of rapper Jay-Z [also J-Hova because he considers himself the messiah of hip hop music]Jeff Gordon: famous American professional stock car racing driver.Holla at ya boy: lit. “Holler (yell) at your boy” but in hip hop and rap music the meaning is generally different as it means call me/call me back. The

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Yukons and getting paidIt gon' take a lot more than coupons to get us saved

Like it take a lot more than do-rags to get your wavesNoting sadder than that day my girl father passed away

So I promised to Mr Rainey I'm gonna marry your daughterAnd you know I gotta thank you for they way that she was

brought upAnd I know that you were smiling when you seen that car I

bought herAnd you sent tears from heaven when you seen my car get

balled upBut I can't complaint what the accident did to my Left Eye

Cuz look what a accident did to Left EyeFirst Aaliyah, now Romeo must die

I know I got angels watching me from the other side

[Chorus x2]

[J.Ivy:]We are all here for a reason on a particular path

You don't need a curriculum to know that you are part of the math

Cats think I'm delirious, but I'm so damn seriousThat's why I expose my soul to the globe, the world

I'm trying to make it better for these little boys and girlsI'm not just another individual, my spirit is a part of this

That's why I get spiritual,but I get my hymns from Him

So it's not me, it's He that's lyricalI'm not a miracle, I'm a heaven-sent instrument

My rhythmatic regiment navigates melodic notes for your soul and your mental

That's why I'm instrumentalVibrations is what I'm into

Yeah, I need my loot by rent dayBut that ain’t what gives me the heart of Kunte Kinte

I'm trying to give us "us free" like CinqueI can't stop, that's why I'm hot

Determination, dedication, motivationI'm talking to you of my many inspirations

When I say I can't let you or self downIf I were of the highest cliff, on the highest riff

And you slipped off the side and clinched on to your life in my grip

I would never, ever let you downAnd when these words are found

Let it be known that God's penmanship has been signed with a language called love

That's why my breath is felt by the deafAnd why my words are heard and confined to the ears of the

blindI, too, dream in color and in rhyme

So I guess I'm one of a kind in a full house‘Cause whenever I open my heart, my soul, or my mouth

A touch of God reigns outTake ‘em to church

[Chorus]

[Jay-Z (Kanye West)]Who else you know been hot this long,

(Oh Ya, you know we ain't finished)

speaker in this case refers to himself in the 3rd person (“your boy”)Jacob’s (jewellery): Jacob is a famous jeweler located in the diamond district of New York. He is famous because he supplies famous rappers with diamonds (cf. bling)Yukon: territory between Alaska and Northwest Territories famous for gold (site of the Klondike gold rush in the 1890s)Left Eye: Lisa Nicole Lopes better known as Left Eye was an American rapper, singer, dancer, musician, and songwriter. She was killed in a car accident in 2002.Aaliyah: Aaliyah Dana Haughton was an American singer, dancer, actress, and model who was killed in a plane crash In 2000, she appeared in her first film, Romeo Must Die. She con-tributed to the film's sound-trackCats: friends, fellowsKunte Kinte: an African-American that lived in the 1700s. As a teenager, Kinte was captured in Africa by white slavers, taken across the Middle Passage and sold into slavery in Virginia. K K’s story was told in the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Americanwriter Alex Haley and later figured in Roots, a TV miniseries. K.K fought to maintain a sense of freedom and cultural identity during his enslavement. His story, which became wildly popular upon its release, opened the eyes of the public to the horrors of slavery and encouraged investigation

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Started from nothing but he got this strong,(The ROC is in the building)

Built the ROC from a pebble, pedalled rock before I met you,Pedalled bikes, got my nephews pedal bikes because they

special,Let you tell that man I'm falling,

Well somebody must've caught him,‘Cause every fourth quarter, I like to Mike Jordan 'em,

Number one albums, what I got, like four o’ them,More o’ them on the way,

The Eight Wonder on the way,Clear the way, I'm here to stay,

Y'all can save the chitter chat, this and that, this and Jay,This is Jay, dissin’ Jay get you mased,

When I start spitting them lyrics, niggas get very religious,Six Hail Maries, please Father forgive us,

Young, the Archbishop, the Pope John Paul of y'all niggas,The way y'all all follow Jigga,

Hov's a living legend and I tell you why,Everybody wanna be Hov and Hov still alive.

and preservation of both African and African American culture.Cinqué: Joseph Cinqué was an African man who led a revolt of fellow slaves on the Spanish slave ship, Amistad. As a consequence he was tried for killing the captain and other officers but the Court eventual- ly decided that C. and his friends had rightfully defended themselves from being enslaved through the illegal Atlantic slave trade and were freed. Americans helped raise money for their return to Africa.ROC: Roc Nation, the label Jay-Z founded in 2008 as part of a $150 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation.Racist of Color. A subset of Folks who categorized themselves as "of color" -- meaning non-white, never mind that white is, in fact, a color -- who have no qualms about being racist and holding ugly prejudices against others of another shade of color, or, most typically, against the white color. Sharpton, Jay-z, La Raza, & many Social Justice Warriors are but a few examples.Mike Jordan: an American former professional basketball player, possibly the best basketball player of all timesJigga: 1)originated as "jiggaboo", an insult or racial slur applied to black people who were just a little wilder than the rest2)later on, like the 80's, only certain blacks, and maybe even other races, were

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referred to as jigga(boos), usually pimps or others who had a wild style3)a person, place, thing that is jiggy, fly, fresh (when jiggaboo style came to be appreciated and hip-hop culture started to evolve)4) one who has nice jewelry or clothing... jayZ calls himself jigga for a reason!

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WEEK 12.Children's books still have a long way to go before they are truly diverse

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Malorie Blackman has vowed that "hell will freeze over before I let racists and haters silence me" after facing an outpouring of racist abuse following her call for more diversity in children's books. The attacks began after the award-winning author spoke to Sky News about diversity in children's literature, saying that although "you want to escape into fiction … and read about other people, other cultures, other lives, other planets", there is "a very significant message that goes out when you cannot see yourself at all in the books you are reading. I think it is saying 'well, you may be here, but do you really belong?'" Blackman told Sky. The piece was given an inaccurate headline claiming that Blackman had said that children's books "Have Too Many White Faces", and, later in the piece, that the author "believes there are too many white faces in books and fears the lack of diversity stops children from reading and pursuing the arts". The piece prompted a wave of racist attacks both on Sky's website and directed personally at Blackman on Twitter.Blackman told her almost 14,000 followers on Twitter that "not once did the phrase in the banner headline pass my lips because I don't think in those terms". She complained to Sky, and the headline was changed to "Call For More Ethnic Diversity In Kids' Books". But what Blackman described on Twitter as "hatred, threats and vitriol" continued.Support for Blackman, the UK's first black children's laureate, was immediate from both her fellow writers and from her readers. Carnegie medal winner Patrick Ness tweeted: "I adore @malorieblackman. I think she's a brilliant Laureate. I'm seething. Why have we agreed we're OK with this? I'm bloody well not." The novelist Matt Haig announced he was "disgusted that the wonderful @malorieblackman, one of the great forces for good, has had to come off Twitter because of racist abuse". Blackman returned to Twitter on Tuesday morning to say how she was "so overwhelmed and humbled by the messages of support and love I've received since I posted my last tweet", adding: "I only meant to take a few days' break to write an article about this whole issue. Racists and haters will never make me run away. Ever!". Blackman said that "hell will freeze over before I let racists and haters silence me. In fact, they just proved to me that I was right to speak out. So thanks so much everyone for your support. I can't tell you how much it means to me. I walk hand in hand with you”. Earlier this week, she made the call on Twitter for "diversity and inclusion. More books featuring kids/YA with disabilities, LGBT, people of colour, travellers, different cultures, religions please", a sentiment which was echoed by others. "Hey, guess what? Diversity in children's books helps all of us. Everyone," wrote Ness. "How can you write a story about real life and NOT have it be diverse? It's what the world is, unstoppably. I don't write books with diversity to 'instruct'. I write them because not to do so would be a lie. As a gay kid, I had NO SINGLE BOOK that told me I wasn't alone. Never again. Not if I've got anything to do with it. And guess what? All of us, who don't mind diversity, who in fact rather like it? We're gonna win. Yep. Yes, we are."Ness and Blackman were both referencing a wider social media campaign, #weneeddiversebooks, launched by authors including Ellen Oh and Chelsea Pitcher in response to the all-white, all-male group of children's authors who had been brought together for an event in May at BookCon in the US. The organisers cite American statistics which show the "dearth" of diverse children's literature: according to  the Cooperative Children's Book Centre at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 2003, 171 of 3,200 US children's books received by the centre were about black people. In 2013, 93 of 3,200 books were about black people. Tracking of this kind has not been carried out in the UK, but the lack of people of colour in British children's books has been described as a "huge problem" by experts.

Activity 1: Answer the following questions related to the text above:1. Why did Malorie Blackman receive many racist comments?

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2. Why did Melorie Blackman ask Sky to change the headline of the article about her?

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3. What does Melorie Blackman mean by "hell will freeze over before I let racists and haters silence me”?

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4. Why do children books need diversity according to Ness?

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5. How are children represented in children literature in the USA and UK according to the article?

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Activity 2: Translate into Italian the part in bold in the above Reading Comprehension

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Activity 3: Fill in the blanks and insert the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.

The death of the High Street46

It is often the case that the principal street of an English town or city is called the High Street, and in the past it 1. ____________ have been there that people used to meet, do business and go shopping. However, 2. ____________ the last few decades, Britain, like other developed countries, has seen “giant” supermarkets and major new shopping centres springing 3. ____________ on the outskirts of urban areas or in locations which are easily reached by car and which have ample parking. The appearance of these new temples of retailing is 4. ____________ the result and the cause of the phenomenon known as the “death of the High Street”, a consequence of the fact that town or city centres had become ever 5. ____________ inconvenient both for the retailers themselves and for their customers. 6. ____________ offered an alternative, shoppers and motorists were quick to flock to more modern and better-designed suburban shopping facilities, taking their business with them and so inevitably accelerating the closure of many of the smaller and most traditional shops, such as butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers. These 7. ____________ then replaced by the ubiquitous “charity shops”, small retail outlets 8. ____________ by non-profit organisations selling second-hand items given free by their supporters. These shops occupy 9. ____________ were formerly prime locations in the High Street, but may only pay a minimal rent, and are staffed by volunteers to maximise the income 10. ____________ the sale of old clothes, shoes, books or ornaments which fill their shelves.

1. ___________________________ 6. ___________________________2. ___________________________ 7. ___________________________3. ___________________________ 8. ___________________________4. ___________________________ 9. ___________________________5. ___________________________ 10. ___________________________

WEEK 13.Activity 1: Watch the video and answer the following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhaaGjUPxd4

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1) How many people speak English in India?

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2) What type(s) of English do Indian people speak

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3) What is the most important peculiarity of different English dialects spoken in India?…………………………………………………………….……………………………

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4) Is Indian English going to impact on World English as a whole?

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Activity 2: Watch the video and answer the following questions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBCq5WM-V1o

1) What does professor Daya Kishan teach? Where?

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2) How does he define Hinglish?

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3) What other Indian languages which can mix with English does he mention?

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4) Why is this linguistic phenomenon on the rise, in his opinion?

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5) Who does this type of English address?

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6) What’s the difference in the clip from an interview to Shara (?) Khan(?) ?

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7) What’s professor Daya Kishan’s idea about code-switching?

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WEEK 14.Activity 1: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

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1) The shoes I bought are really uncomfortable (wish) I _____________________ uncomfortable shoes

2) What a pity! I don’t know how to dance. (wish) I _____________________ how to dance.

3) My teacher suggested that we spent our summer in England (advised) My teacher _____________________ the summer in England.

4) Looking back, I think I was right to study mathematics at university. (regret) Looking back, I _____________________ mathematics at university.

5) ‘What about going for a swim?’ said John to me. (should) John _____________________ for a swim.

6) I saw the film although I don’t like thrillers at all. (despite) I saw the film _____________________ of thrillers

7) I don’t find it difficult to get up early any more. (used) I have _____________________ early.

8) He locked the gate so that the dog wouldn’t escape. (prevent) He locked the gate _____________________ escaping.

9) They did not like to pay extra taxes. (objected) They _____________________ extra taxes

10) Perhaps Peter’s working late. (be) Peter _____________________ late.

11) Without your help, I would never have managed. (you) If _____________________, I would never have managed.

12) You were late, so you missed the match. (wouldn’t) If you hadn’t been late, _____________________ the match.

13) I wonder if I can borrow something to wear tonight. (mind) Would you _____________________ me something to wear tonight?14) My mother doesn’t like us to stay out late. (approve) My mother doesn’t _____________________ out late.

15) They could not understand what she said. (difficulty) They _____________________ what she said.

16) “Don’t open it!” Ada said. (warned)50

Ada _____________________ it.

17) She caught the early bus so that she would not be late for work. (avoid) She caught the early bus _____________________ late for work.

18) He managed to get into the house although he didn’t have the key (getting) He _____________________ into the house despite not having the key.

19) She told them she was sorry she had broken the window. (apologised) She_____________________ the window.

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