Homework, Monday 13th March, 2017

The following is an extract from the acceptance speech Barack Obama gave when he was nominated as the Democrat Party's candidate to run in the presidential election in 2008. Read it and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 14th March). 

You can watch the speech here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms&t=52s

I want to congratulate Senator Clinton on a hard-fought victory here in New Hampshire.

A few weeks ago, no-one imagined that we'd have accomplished what we did here tonight. For most of this campaign, we were far behind, and we always knew our climb would be steep.

But in record numbers, you came out and spoke up for change. And with your voices and your votes, you made it clear that at this moment - in this election - there is something happening in America.

There is something happening when men and women in Des Moines and Davenport; in Lebanon and Concord come out in the snows of January to wait in lines that stretch block after block because they believe in what this country can be.

There is something happening when Americans who are young in age and in spirit - who have never before participated in politics - turn out in numbers we've never seen because they know in their hearts that this time must be different.

There is something happening when people vote not just for the party they belong to but the hopes they hold in common - that whether we are rich or poor; black or white; Latino or Asian; whether we hail from Iowa or New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina, we are ready to take this country in a fundamentally new direction. That is what's happening in America right now. Change is what's happening in America.

You can be the new majority who can lead this nation out of a long political darkness - Democrats, Independents and Republicans who are tired of the division and distraction that has clouded Washington; who know that we can disagree without being disagreeable; who understand that if we mobilize our voices to challenge the money and influence that's stood in our way and challenge ourselves to reach for something better, there's no problem we can't solve - no destiny we cannot fulfil.

Questions

1. Who did Barack Obama run against in the election?

2. What did no-one imagine a few weeks ago?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘For most of this campaign, we were far _____________, and we always knew our ______________ would be ___________.’

4. What, according to the third paragraph, did people come out and speak up for?

5. Which three place names are mentioned in the fourth paragraph?

6. What does Barack Obama say in the fifth paragraph instead of ‘turn out in large numbers’?

7. Which particular group of people does Barack Obama mention in the fifth paragraph?

8. What, according to the fifth paragraph, is happening in America right now?

Extension questions:

9. Why do you think Barack Obama congratulates Hilary Clinton at the start, even though he fought against her in the election?

10. In the second paragraph, there is a metaphor. What is it, what image does it put in your mind, and why has it been used?

11. There is an example of alliteration in the third paragraph. Find it and copy it out.

12. In the sixth paragraph, what does Barack Obama do when he talks about ethnic groups and American states, which technique does he use?

13. What does Barack Obama want people to think he represents more than anything else? How does he get this point across?

Homework, 6th March, 2017

Read the three speeches below and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 7th March)

1

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand here before you today to talk to you about a very important issue: food in schools. I think you’ll agree with me when I say that it’s time for a change. For too long we’ve been served unhealthy meals packed full of fat and sugar, and we’ve had enough! Everyday we queue up in the canteen only to have fatty muck splattered onto our plates. Well, I think it’s about time the school started caring about our health and well-being and gave us fruit, vegetables, and low fat options so we can lead healthy lives. So I say to you: no more fat! No more sugar! No more carbs! 

2

Hello everyone. I’ve been thinking that the food in the canteen is quite unhealthy. I think we should probably think about changing and having more stuff like vegetables, bananas, apples, beans ... you know, stuff like that. Healthy stuff basically. So come on, let’s ask if we can get better food. That’s basically all I have to say.

3

Alright? In the canteen, they serve food like chips, burgers, hotdogs, deep fried chocolate bars. The other day I had this hot dog that was covered in cheese, and then for dessert I had another hot dog, but covered in ice cream. Tomorrow, apparently they’re going to have bacon wrapped in more bacon, and there’s no fruit. Anyway, have a nice day.

1. What are all three speeches about?

2. What is the purpose of the first speech?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘For too long we’ve been served unhealthy meals packed full of _______ and ___________, and we’ve had _____________.’

4. What, according to the first speech, do the students have ‘splattered’ onto their plates everyday?

5. What three healthy alternatives are suggested in the first speech?

6. What three things should there be no more of, according to the first speech?

7. Complete the sentence from the second speech: ‘I’ve been thinking that the __________ in the canteen is quite ____________________.’

8. What four things, according to the second speech, should the school canteen probably think about having more of?

9. According to the third speech, what two things were used to cover hot dogs?

10. According to the third speech, what is there none of?

11. In your opinion, which is the best speech and why?

Extension questions – have a go at these if you’re feeling especially brainy:

12. There are three examples of direct address in the first speech. What are they?

13. What is the effect of the use of the term ‘fatty muck’ to describe food in the first speech?

14. The first speech uses a list. Find it and copy it out.

15. Copy out the sentence from the first speech which includes repetition. 

16. One of the speeches contains a rhetorical question. Find it and copy it out.

17. Which particular word in the second speech tells us that it has been written in quite an informal way? 

Homework: Monday, 27th February, 2017

Read the speech below and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due on tomorrow (Tuesday, 28th February). 

You have been asked to talk to a group of elderly people about the benefits of Smartphones. Write down what you would say.

Hello ladies and gentlemen. My name is Wally and I’m here today to tell you all about Smartphones. If, like me, you imagined a future world of flying cars when you were younger, you’re probably disappointed. But actually the future is already here, and it’s a future of Smartphones.

Now, I know most of you are probably not very keen on the idea of Smartphones – they look complicated and fiddly to use, and you’re probably thinking ‘I don’t need one – if I need to call someone, I’ll do it on my home phone.’ Hopefully, though, by the time I’ve finished speaking to you, I’ll have changed your mind.

Smartphones are great, even if you don’t use them to make calls. There is so much you can do on them: you can check your emails, listen to music and even browse the internet. Did you know that? Well, you can, and this opens up a whole world of opportunity. It’s like having the world at your fingertips. Ever wanted to learn a new language? Well, you can with a Smartphone and, because it’s portable, you can even learn while you’re on the bus or train. Want to make something nice for dinner? Well, if you’re in the supermarket and want know what ingredients to buy for, say, a pizza, you can find a recipe online right there, in the palm of your hand! It’s literally the best thing ever!

I mentioned earlier that you can use your Smartphone to listen to music while you’re out and about. That’s right, you can, and your Smartphone can hold hundreds, maybe even thousands of songs! So whatever it is you’re into, whether it’s Frank Sinatra, One Direction or Metallica, you can listen to it on the go using your Smartphone.

Your Smartphone also has loads of other great features that are useful in everyday situations. These are called apps. For example, if you buy something in a shop and you think the cashier might have given you the wrong change, you can whip out your Smartphone and use the calculator. If you’re abroad and you want to convert a foreign currency into Pounds, well, there’s an app for that too! In fact, there’s an app for almost anything you can think of.

I’m not going to bore you any more – the best way to learn about how great Smartphones is use one for yourself. I’ll be sticking around for another few hours, so if you have any questions or want me to show you how to use your own Smartphone, I’m more than happy to do that.

Thanks for listening!

1. What is the name of the person giving the speech?

2. What did he imagine when he was younger?

3. Why do you think he doesn’t think most of the people in the audience will be very keen on the idea of Smartphones?

4. What does he hope the people he is speaking to will have done by the time he’s finished speaking to them?

5. What adjective does he use to describe Smartphones in the first line of the third paragraph?

6. What three things does he say you can do on Smartphones?

7. Where does he say you can find a recipe for pizza?

8. What feature of Smartphones does he mention in the fourth paragraph?

9. What feature, according to the fifth paragraph, is especially useful if you are abroad?

Extension task

Now, if you’re feeling adventurous, write down all the literary techniques that have been underlined and numbered in the speech. One has been done for you as an example.

1.

2. Direct address

3.

4.

5.

6.

Direct address          Strong, clear opening          List Hyperbole          Simile          Rhetorical question

Half term homework, February 2017

Hi, 

This homework is due on Monday, February 20th (the first day back after half term). It is all to do with how writers try and get their point across, so will help you with your reading comprehension skills, but will also help to make you a better writer yourself. 

Have a look at the table below. In the left-hand side column are some examples of techniques which writers use to try and get a point across. Next to each example is the name of the technique.

Example	Technique
Watching this film was like eating a delicious meal.	Simile
The epidemic first hit Canada, then America, then Mexico.	List
Over 6 million people live in the UK.	Fact
It was a million times worse than I could have imagined.	Hyperbole (exaggeration)
Education, education, education.	Repetition
Sharon Starling is fitness fanatic, and now she has written a book.	Example of a specific person
‘It came as shock, I can tell you,’ said Ms. Lampard.	Quote
The storm growled at me.	Personification
I suggest you sit down before reading this.	Direct address (speaking directly to the reader)
Isn’t it about time we realised what is really happening here?	Rhetorical question
It is advisable that you avoid fatty foods.	Advice/recommendation
I think it’s time to try something else.	Personal opinion.

Now look at the table below. You are now going to write down next to each example which technique you think has been used. All the techniques are listed in the table above (the one you have already read through), so you can pick and choose from there. Each technique only appears once.

Example	Technique
His speech was a million times more effective.
Last year, 3.5 million people signed up to Facebook.
No, no, no!
John Campbell, 37 from Worcester, has always loved cheese.
The long, sinewy fingers of the trees reached out towards me.
First Miliband, then Cameron, now Farage.
Has the time not come to end this madness?
You really should think about following her example.
Doctors advise exercising at least three times a week.
Watching this movie is like being slapped in the face with a fish.
‘I couldn’t believe it,’ said Mr Campbell.
I just don’t think people really enjoy it.

Now see if you can come up with your own examples and fill in the table below. If the boxes are too small, you can do this on a separate piece of paper.

Example	Technique

Homework, 6th February, 2017

Hi,

This week I would like you to read the article on pirates and answer the questions that go with it. As always, everything you need is in your homework folder. 

Homework, January 16th, 2017

Read the review below. It is very similar to the one you read last week, but different. Once you have read it, answer the comprehension questions that follow. This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, January 17th). 

Spectre Review

What’s it about?

If you’ve ever seen a Bond movie, then you’ve basically already seen Spectre. In case you’re not sure what I mean, however, I’ll give you a quick recap: he gets his mission from M (which is, predictably, to bring down some evil organisation or other), goes to visit Q to get some snazzy gadgets, including an Aston Martin (surprise, surprise), then there are some fight scenes, some car chases, some explosions and some encounters with beautiful women.

What’s good about it?

If you are a die-hard fan of Bond films, and don’t mind seeing the same thing you’ve already seen a hundred times, then you will enjoy this. It’s well directed, the action sequences are spectacular (especially the opening scene where Bond fights a villain in a helicopter), Daniel Craig is very good as James Bond, and, overall, it keeps you watching.

What could be improved?

Personally, I was expecting something a little more original; a Bond movie that gave me everything I wanted to see in a Bond movie, but that also gave me something new. Perhaps some more information about Bond’s past, or a strong female character who doesn’t fall in love with him and tells him to leave her alone. Essentially, a Bond movie to make me think. Spectre certainly doesn’t do this, except to make me think about how much like all the other movies in the series it is, which ultimately makes it repetitive and predictable.

Overall recommendation

I think I’ve already made it clear that this is a film that will appeal to fans of James Bond who are happy to sit through what is basically just a twenty-first century version of a Bond classic, such as Goldfinger or From Russia With Love. If you want to be made to think, however, and really want to get to know the characters, my advice would be not to bother with Spectre.

1. According to the review, if you have ever seen a Bond movie, then you have basically already what?

2. Who gives Bond his mission?

3. What word is used to describe the gadgets he gets from Q?

4. Who, according to the article, will enjoy the film?

5. What word is used to describe the action sequences?

6. What was the reviewer expecting?

7. What does Spectre certainly not do?

8. What two words are used at the end of the third paragraph to describe the film?

9. Which two other Bond movies are mentioned in the final paragraph?

10. You shouldn’t bother with Spectre if you want to be made to what?

Extension questions.

11. What is the writer’s overall problem with the film?

12. Why do you think the writer includes the words ‘surprise, surprise’ after mentioning the Aston Martin?

13. What does the writer mention that tells us that he/she might think the film is sexist?

Homework, 9th January, 2017

Happy New Year!

This half term you will learn how to write film reviews. We will learn about the main features of review writing over the next few lessons, but to start you off, I would like you to read the example below and answer the comprehension questions that go with it. 

As always, this is due tomorrow (Tuesday). 

Spectre Review

What’s it about?

Daniel Craig returns as the world’s most famous spy in this action adventure which sees James Bond take on the forces of Spectre, a sinister organisation which seeks to rule the world by placing agents in high ranking government and corporate positions around the world. The action lurches from a fight in (and out) of a helicopter in the skies above Mexico City, to a car chase along the streets of Rome, to a plane crash on the side of a mountain in Switzerland, to an escape from a secret desert lair, and finally to a climactic scene at MI6 headquarters in London. This film is aimed very much at adults with a child-like sense of adventure and, obviously, will appeal to fans of previous Bond movies.

What’s good about it?

There is lots to admire in Sam Mendes’s second outing as Bond director, especially the beautiful shots of the various exotic locations. The action is also well-handled, with several edge-of-your seat moments, and the dialogue never slows the movie down. Fans of classic Bond films, such as Dr No and Goldfinger, will also appreciate the reintroduction of many of the elements that were missing from the previous Daniel Craig-era films, including Moneypenny, the Aston Martin, an exploding watch, and lots more besides.

Weaknesses

At two and a half hours, the film is a little long, with the final half an hour in particular dragging. In addition to this, if you are looking for something gritty and realistic, this is certainly not the film for you.

Worth watching?

Overall, I would say yes. It is a classic Bond film, but also stands up well next to other action films. The spectacular action sequences definitely make this one to see in the cinema, so my advice would be to catch it while you can.

 Spectre review comprehension questions

1. Who, according to the review, is returning as the world’s most famous spy?

2. What genre is the movie?

3. What negative adjective is used to describe the organisation Spectre?

4. Complete the sentence: ‘The action ___________ from a flight in (and out) of a helicopter …’

5. What word could have been used instead of it?

6. Why do you think the writer chose to use that particular word instead of an alternative?

7. Who, according to the review, will this film appeal to?

8 .Complete the sentence: ‘There is lots to __________ in Sam Mendes’s second outing as Bond director …’

9. Which of the following sentences do you think makes sense as an alternative?

a)    Sam Mendes has not done a very good job directing this film.

b)   There is lots to get angry about in Sam Mendes’s second outing as Bond director …

c)    This is Sam Mendes’s second Bond film, and it is fair to say he has done a good job as director.  

10. What word is used to describe the locations?

11. Write down the three things that are listed at the end of the second paragraph.

12. What, according to the review is wrong with the final half an hour of the film?

13. What two positive things are mentioned about the film in the second sentence of the final paragraph?

14. Why might you not want to wait for this film to come out on DVD?