I learned from teaching kindergarten that its more fun to learn (and teach) by singing and movement. Taiwan is KTV country and like teens everywhere, my teen students love to hear new music. Fill in the blanks worksheets (I show on the screen to save paper) are here.
The rock star Prince has died at his home in Minneapolis, aged 57. Last week, he went to
hospital with dehydration and the flu. His death has shocked the
entertainment world. Madonna wrote online: "He changed the world. A true
visionary." Barack Obama called him, "One of the most gifted and
prolific musicians of our time". He said: "Prince…was a virtuoso
instrumentalist…and an electrifying performer."
Prince Rogers Nelson was the son of a jazz
pianist. He became famous in the 1970s. His singing, songs, guitar playing,
and performances changed the music world for four decades. The Washington
Post called him, "one of the most popular, inventive and influential
recording artists of his generation". The music magazine 'Rolling Stone'
put Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
1.solstice /'sol stis/- the 2 times of the year when
the sun is at its greatest distance from the earth's equator
2.equator /'ee kway dr/- the imaginary (not
real) line the divides earth into 2 parts
3.hemisphere /'hem is feer/- hemi means to
divide into two, sphere means a round object like the earth. Hemisphere means
one half of the circle. The northern hemisphere means above the equator or
(middle) of the earth.
4.ancient /'ayn shent/- very old
5.come to pass- happen
6.ceremony
June
21st (or 22nd) is the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere*. Solstice in
Latin means "sun standing still." On that day it seems like the sun
is standing still because there is more daylight than on any other day. It is
the first day of summer and a special day for many groups of people.
Many
ancient cultures had ceremonies on solstice. They celebrated light and fire.
Many people also thought it was a time for love and growth. Nowadays many
places around the world have parades or parties.
The
great English writer, William Shakespeare, said** whatever you dream on this
night will come to pass. Have great dreams on June 21! And if you are in the
northern hemisphere, enjoy the longest day of the year.
* Summer solstice is on December 21 (or 22nd) in the
southern hemisphere. June 21 (or 22nd) is the southern hemisphere's Winter
solstice.
** in his play A Midsummer's Night Dream
There
is a lot of anger on social media because of an advertisement for a Chinese
laundry detergent. Some newspapers are saying it could be the most racist
advert ever made. The commercial was created for the washing detergent
company Qiaobi. In the ad, a young Chinese woman puts a detergent tablet into
the mouth of a black man. She pushes him into a washing machine, closes the
lid and then turns it on. The next scene shows the result of the wash – the
black man has turned into a white Chinese man. The woman looks happy when she
sees the fairer-skinned man. The ad is a month old but went viral 24 hours
ago, after it was shared on social media.
Many
news agencies are attacking the ad because of its racist content. The website
Buzzfeed called it, the "most racist ad of 2016". It said the ad
would make you feel dirty. It wrote: "The commercial will likely leave
you feeling like you need a shower." One blogger complained that:
"Chinese companies fail to understand the sensitivity of racism, which
is a shame, but common in China." Another blogger asked: "How can
these marketing people have no knowledge of racism?" The owner of Qiaobi
told the BBC that he didn't realise the ad was racist until someone pointed
it out. He said: "To be honest, I didn't really pay that much attention
to the advertisement."
TRUE / FALSE:
There
is anger over an advert for a Chinese laundry detergent.
T / F
Some
newspapers say it is the most racist ad ever made.
T / F
The
ad shows a black man having to wash a white woman's clothes. T
/ F
The
ad is more than three weeks old. T / F
The
site Buzzfeed called the ad the most racist in advertising history.
T / F
The
ad showed people in need of a shower. T /
F
A
blogger asked why marketing companies knew so little about racism. T
/F
The
company's boss said he knew the ad was racist when he saw it.
T/F
Answer the questions:
What
is the advertisement for?
Who
is saying the ad could be the most racist ever made?
Where
does a Chinese woman put a black man?
What
does the woman close?
When
did the article go viral?
What
did the website Buzzfeed call the ad?
What
did Buzzfeed say you might need after watching the ad?
Who
questioned why marketing people have no knowledge of racism?
Which
news agency did the company boss talk to?
What
did the boss of the company not pay much of attention to?
ROLE PLAY!
My Role is_______
Think About it:
Why are people racist? Why might countries not understand racism in 2016?
Why does racism hurt society? How are people racist in Taiwan?
Muhammad
Ali, perhaps the world's greatest ever sporting legend, passed away on
Friday, aged 74. Ali had spent the previous few days in hospital in Phoenix,
Arizona with breathing problems. His children flew to Phoenix to join their
father for his final days. Ali is thought to be the best boxer in history. He
was the world heavyweight champion three times. He is widely known by his
nickname – The Greatest. However, many people believe he was the greatest
because of what he did outside the boxing ring, not inside it. He was a civil
rights hero and strong opponent of the Vietnam War in the 1960s. He was an
ambassador for world peace and worked tirelessly for charities for five
decades after.
World
leaders, sporting figures and celebrities have been paying tribute to Ali.
Boxing promoter Bob Arum said: "Ali transformed this country and
impacted the world with his spirit. His legacy will be part of our history
for all time." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Ali for
changing the world. He said Ali used his charm, wit and grace to fight for a
better world, "and used his platform to lift up humanity". The
daughter of Martin Luther King wrote: "You were a champion in so many
ways." Ali once said: "I would like to be remembered as a man who
won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous and who treated
everyone right… As a man…who tried to unite all humankind through faith and
love."
