mardi 26 octobre 2010

IT'S HALLOWEEN TIME AGAIN !!!



it’s Halloween …

It’s scary, fun … and big business!

It’s nearly 31st October. The shops are full of pumpkins, creepy costumes and chocolate ghosts. It’s Halloween.

Halloween is more than 2,000 years old. Then, it was called ‘Samhain’. The people living in Britain then were Celts, and they were afraid of evil spirits. They believed that ghosts walked on earth, so they put on scary costumes to frighten them away.

Halloween is still very popular in Britain. Children and teenagers dress up in scary costumes and go ‘trick or treating’. They go out in groups after dark and knock on doors. The people in the house give the children sweets or chocolate. But if the people in the house say trick – the children can play a trick on them. They throw eggs or flour at the house.

Some people have Halloween parties too where they play Halloween games like ‘apple bobbing’. You have to pick up an apple from a bowl of water. Sounds easy? It isn’t! You have to do it with your teeth!

Halloween is big business too. According to Britain’s biggest supermarket, Tesco, Halloween is the third biggest event in the UK (Christmas and Easter are first and second). Tesco expects to sell 1.4 million pumpkins, 2 million toffee apples* and 1.5 million scary costumes this week.

But not everybody is looking forward to Halloween. Many old people feel anxious. Others feel it’s an evil tradition and some schools have even banned it!

  • A toffee apple is an apple on a stick covered in caramel.

Do you celebrate Halloween? How?

Is Halloween ‘big business’ in your country? What about other traditions like Christmas? Do you think these traditions have become just another way for shops to make money?

Should Halloween be banned?

dimanche 10 octobre 2010

WHO IS MARK ZUCKERBERG ?

Businessman, co-founder of Facebook.
Born on May 14, 1984, in Dobbs Ferry, New YOrk. With the sociel networking website Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has helped revolutionnize the way people interact and connect with each other online. He comes from a comfortazble, well-educated background.His father ran a dental practice at the family home. His mother Karen worked as a psychiatrist before the birth of the couple's four children.
Zuckerberg developed an interest in computers at an early age, creating a messaging programme to be used at his father's dental office.Together with his friends, he also created computer programmes just for fun.Later, Zuckerberg studied in New Hampshire. He remained fascinated by computers and continued to work on developping new programs. He became known for his talent for writing software.
Zuckerberg went to Harvard University in 2002.He started working on a social networking site called Harvard Connection. However, before long, Zuckerberg dropped the project to work on his own social network, which later became known as Facebook.The creators of Harvard Connection have claimed that Zuckerberg stoile their idea while Zuckerberg has maintained that these were two very different types of social networks.
Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook with Dustin Moscovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin.The site allowed users post profiles and photos and communicate with other users.The group ran the site - first called thefacebook.com- out of a dorm room at Harvard until 2004. Then, Zuckerberg dropped out of college to devote himself to Facebook full time, moving the company to California. By the end of 2004, Facebook had a million users. In December 2005, Facebook had more than 5.5 million users.Lots of companies offered to buy the successful social hub but Zuckerberg has always refused to sell. Today, there are more than 500 million users on Facebook.
The story of Facebook now serves as the central plot of the feature film "The Social Network". The movie doesn't portray the young entrereneur in the most favourable light.
Accroding to a magazine, Zuckerberg is worth approximately 6.9 billion dollars, surpassing Apple founder Steve Jobs.

OCTOBER, 12th- COLUMBUS DAY

THE FREEDOM WRITER'S DIARY - the movie

John Lennon Biography - Biography.com

John Lennon Biography - Biography.com

lundi 13 septembre 2010

Robert Pattinson is a twenty-four-year old British actor. He was born on May, 13th 1986 in London where he still lives; but he also lives in Los Angeles part of the year because of his job as an actor.
His parents are married and both of them work, but in different fields. His father is a car salesman and his mother works for a modeling agency .
He has got two older sisters, so he is the youngest child of the family. The eldest child, Victoria is twenty-seven and Rob has also got a twenty-six-year-old sister whose name is Lizzy.
Rob is an actor, a musician and a model as well. He is keen on music, playing darts and pool. So, he's rather artistic and musical, but not very sporty. He can't stand baseball, by the way.
The last movie he played in was "Eclipse", in the Twilight series, which was released last summer.

jeudi 9 septembre 2010

BACK TO SCHOOL - SEPTEMBER 2010


Hi everybody ! After a year of absence, the Cassignol Writers are back !! We're all ready to share lots of news with our readers and we're looking forward to getting your comments and contributions. You will find all kinds of messages on this blog, ranging from movie reviews to students' essays or news articles. You will also find extra historical or cultural information that may be useful for your English lessons. Above all, we hope you'll have fun and will visit our site regularly !

dimanche 22 février 2009

A DAY IN ABBEY ROAD


Remember this famous photo of the Beatles ? Well, now watch the video to see how tourists imitate the Beatles every day in Abbey Road (London) and how this affects the traffic.

IMAGINE THAT YOU ATTENDED BARACK OBAMA's INAUGURATION. Write a letter to a friend to describe the events and what it felt like to be there.

Dear friend ,

Today was one of the most emotional day of my life. Indeed, it was Inauguration Day of President Obama and I was there !
I woke up at six in the morning to be in the first row but I didn't expect so many people would have the same idea as me ! Later, I realized that we were going to be really an enormous crowd, so i was among the first, so to speak.
A thousand people were in front of me, one million or more behind me, and it was really an amazing sensation ! Some people fainted but the majority of the most sensitive people cried when they saw Barack Obama at ten, in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. He was listening to the groups that were performing in honour of his inauguration, just like us. One hour and half later, Diane Feinstein gave a really beautiful welcoming speech for the President and Vice-President who was sworn into office a little while later.
At twelve o'clock, Barack Obama took the Oath of Office on the Bible that served Washington too, and then he said his inaugural address to the crowd and the world (because cameras from all over the world were filming him). And people were more touched than ever. To put it briefly, he remade his electoral promises. But it was really touching and I shed a tear because of all the general atmosphere.
Subsequently, George W. Bush's departure ceremony took place and Obama and Joe Biden had lunch. I followed the parade that they led through Pennsylvania Avenue with the million other people atround me. As soon as I came back to my house, I wrotye this letter to you. I hope you have enjoyed it !

Love,
ANNE MONTALDO


Dear Ben,

Today is January 21st and yesterday was January was January 20th. It was a very important day for the United-States because it was the Inauguration Day of Barack Obama.
At the beginning of his inauguration, at 10 am, three groups performed. Then, at 11.30 am, the Vice-President elect, Joe Biden, was sworn into office. This moment was already great ! At noon, the President-elect Barack Obama, took the Oath of Office. It was a very important moment for all of the United-States, all the more so as there were millions of people in Washington DC.
A little while later, President Obama gave his Inaugural Address. This moment was the most moving and the most ineresting ! I suppose you saw this moment on television.
In the afternoon, President Obama attended the departure ceremony of President George W. Bush. Subsequently, Obama and Biden led a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the US Capitol to the White House. Nevertheless, there were lots of security around Obama.
To put it briefly, it was very moving and an unforgettable moment.

Love from,
FANNY DULONG



Dear Bongnwi,

I went to the USA for the Inauguration Day. I was very excited because I had never seen that ! It was a long day and I had to wake up early to have good places. There were so many people !
I was very impatient because it was the first time I could see a president for real. I waited for nearly five hours so as to see President Obama. He was with his family. How pretty Michele Obama is ! I think she is very fashionable, trendy, I like her style.
When they appeared, everybody was happy, impressed and so was I ! Even if I like this couple, I think they show their daughters too much. apart from this, I found the Oath of Office of Obama interesting, he found good words. All the same, it was very long and I was tired, that's why I was bored in the end. However, the parade was exceptional ! There was such a crowd ! Wasn't the Inauguration Day exceptional, great and super ! There was music, it was very lively.
To put it briefly, it was interesting, exceptional, modern, I loved it, all the more so as the weather was sunny although it was freezing cold ...

Love from,
JULIE HOSTYN


Dear friend ,

What's up ? I went to the Inauguration last Tuesday. Yes, I did it !
It was amazing ! Just like a dream ! I've never seen something like that ! There was a huge, an enormous crowd. Of course, it was a little bit boring in the middle of the Inauguration, but when Aretha Franklin sang, it was so great !
There were too many people and I was at a very bad place. I couldn't see Obama and his family.... As I could listen to him, I did it. I was really moved. I'm proud of our new president of the United-States ! What a generous person !
The parade was great but quite boring. To my mind, Aretha Franklin's performance was the greatest moment of all the inauguration !

See you soon ,
HUGO AUGIER


Dear Gloria,

During my journey in the States, I attended the Inauguration. At first, I was at Obama's Inaugural speech. However, I'm not bilingual, so I didn't understand all that he said.

All the people were moved and, in the meantime, I was trying to translate the speech. I think some people laughed at me.

A little while later, Obama went to the presidential procession, so I ran to the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue in order to wait until the parade began? It was such a great parade ! People were screaming and cheering Obama while I was watching the parade.

Unfortunately, I didn't go to the events because I had to go back to France on the next morning.

Love from,

KEVIN MEYER




Dear Sam,

Today, I went to the Inauguration Day. Barack Obama took the Oath of office. I have faith in him for leading America with seriuosness, integrity, intelligence and ability to solve problems. He looks hon,est, smart, bossy, in short: a good president.
I have the schedule of this day in front of my eyes and I see that in a little while, there will be a luncheon at the US CApitol. It's a good opportunity, for since this morning, I haven't eaten anything. I'm so hungry !
Soon after, Obama and Bidden ( his vice-president who looks like my grand-father ) will lead a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. It will be fantastic !
Being here today is amazing. It's very ceremonious and just a little pompous. When I saw Obama I did like the other people, I applauded him. He's more beautiful in reality than on TV. The day isn't finished yet but this letter is. I hope that Obama will bring happiness and peace to America.
Goodbye Sam,
MARITXU.


Dear Louisiane ,

On Tuesday, January 20th, it was the Inauguration Day. I had the chance to be there ! It was so fantastic !
First, at about 10 a.m., Diane Feinstein gave welcoming remarks and the Vice-President elect, Joe Biden, was sworn into office.
Later, at 12.05 p.m., the new president Obama gave his inaugural address. What a magnificent Inaugural address ! How spectacular !
After the Inaugural Address, Elizabeth Alexander read a poem. It was beautiful ! And the US Navy Band Sea Charters Chorus performed the National anthem. It was really beautiful too !
In the afternoon, President Obama attended the departure ceremony of President George Bush. He and Vice President Biden attended a luncheon at the Us Capitol. And they led a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, from the US Capitol to the White House.
Eventually, in the evening, ten inaugural balls or parties took place in Washington DC. I was astonished. everything was fantastic ! It was really a new experience for me and I liked it so much !
Bye,
VALENTINE BROCHET


Dear Camille,

On Tuesday, January 20th 2009, I went to the Inauguration of the new president. How crowded it was ! We could count people in thousands ! You can't imagine how fabulous it was ! At first, three groups performed. Even if there was a lot of people, I could hear. Their songs were so beautiful !
Then, at noon, President Obama took the Oath of office at the west front of the US Capitol Building. Unfortunately, my little sister didn't see him because a very tall man blocked the view from her. What a stupid person ! If he had moved up, she would have been able to admire this such beautiful show ! However, the most fantastic event was the parade ! It was so extraordinary ! Eventually, I have lived an unforgettable day !
Finally, ten inaugural balls or parties took place in Washington DC but it wasn't my favourite moment.
Love from EMMA GAUTHERON.


Dear Charlotte,

On January 20th 2009 I was in Washington for the Inauguration Day. There were lots of people ! Maybe one or two million people therefore it was very difficult to see anything. But what a marvelous atmosphere ! The Americans were so happy. Because for them, Barack Obama represents change for he's the first African-American president of the United-States of America.
It started at 10 a.m. with three groups that performed. The 3 groups were the "US Marine Corps Band", the "San Francisco Boys Chorus" and the "San Francisco Girls Chorus". Secondly, the Senator Diane Feinstein gave welcoming remarks.
At 12.05 Obama gave his inaugural address and the US navy Band Sea Charters Chorus performed the national Anthem.
After this, President Obama attended the departure ceremony of George W. Bush and he ate with Joe Biden, the Vice President.
Eventually, Obama and Biden led a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, from the US Capitol to the White House.
This day was a fabulous day !
Love from ZOE FELTESSE

mardi 20 janvier 2009

INAUGURATION DAY

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INAUGURATION DAY -BARACK OBAMA



Today, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United-States, and a new family will make the White House their home.

- The White House has been the home of every U.S. President except Washington, who semected the site for the building.

- The White House has been called "Executive Mansion", the "President's Palace" and "the President's House". Its current name was made official in 1901 by Theodore Roosevelt.

- The White House has 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, but at most, only 15 rooms have ever ben set aside for the First Family, according to the White House Historical Association.

TODAY, Obama will stand on the steps of the Capitol building and place his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration. The Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts Jr., will administer the oath of office. The 44th President will promise to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
After President Obama gives his Inaugural Address, poet Elizabeth Alexander and the Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery will speak. Then the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters will perform the national anthem.First Days
On Wednesday, after the speeches, the parade and 10 formal parties (the Inaugural balls), Obama will begin the hard task of leading the nation. He told TIME magazine that he has a long list of goals: helping the economy recover, creating jobs, revitalizing public schools and working with other governments to solve problems. "Two years from now," said Obama, "I want the American people to be able to say, 'I feel like the government's working for me.' "

In the United States, the oath of office for the President of the United States is specified in the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 1):


" I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.


The oath may be sworn or affirmed. Although not present in the text of the Constitution, it has become a standard practice for modern presidents to add "so help me God" at the end of the oath.





JF KENNEDY'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS

lundi 19 janvier 2009

MARTIN LUTHER KING'S DAY -19 JANUARY

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.
On January 19, America honors one of history's most important civil rights leaders
On January 19, the USA will pause to remember civil rights hero with a national holiday. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential and respected civil rights leaders of the 1950s and 60s. King inspired the world and helped bring about laws that ensure fairness and equality for all Americans. A firm supporter of bringing about change with nonviolent protest, King's own life ended violently when he was shot on April 4, 1968.

All across the country, people will remember King's efforts and honor his legacy. In addition to public ceremonies and commemorative marches, thousands will participate in service projects. Throughout his life, King advocated lifting up the less fortunate and empowering the voiceless by attending to their basic needs: providing food and shelter, teaching them to read. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, individuals and service groups will conduct food drives, community clean-ups, literacy workshops and more.

US AIRWAYS PLANE CRASH INTO HUDSON RIVER, NYC



A passenger plane has crashed into the Hudson River in New York City. According to the live pictures on MSNBC, passengers, some wearing life jackets, are being rescued from the chilly waters.
According to the TV reports, Flight 1549 was en route from La Guardia to Charlotte, North Carolina, carrying 148 passengers and 5 crew members. Prior to going down in the water the pilot reported a bird strike after hitting a flock of geese. The plane was in the air for just six minutes after take-off.
Temperatures in New York are in the low 20s. Within minutes of hitting the water, the jet was nearly completely submerged. Still, there have been no reports of fatalities as a flotilla of boats — many of them water taxis — converged on the plane to rescue the passengers and crew.

vendredi 26 décembre 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!


CHRISTMAS - HANUKKAH - KWANZAA

The Holidays are Here!
Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are celebrated in December

Each December, many people around the world celebrate holidays and traditions that are special to their culture and religion. Christmas is celebrated on December 25. This year, the first night of Hanukkah is on December 21. Kwanzaa begins on December 26.



CHRISTMAS : A CHRISTIAN TRADITION :

On Christmas, Christians honor the birth of Jesus Christ. They celebrate the day with prayers, gifts and stories. In one Christmas tradition, a jolly, bearded man named Santa Claus brings gifts to good children on Christmas Eve. Each country has its own traditions for Christmas celebrations. In the sixteenth century, Germans started the Christmas-tree tradition as we now know it. They brought trees into their homes and decorated them with fruits, nuts, lighted candles and paper roses.



HANUKKAH : A JEWISH TRADITION :


A boy plays the dreidel game, a Hanukkah tradition.
This year, Jews began celebrating Hanukkah at sunset on December 4. The holiday lasts eight days and nights. This year, it ended at sunset on December 12. In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication." Hanukkah honors a struggle that dates back to 165 B.C., when Jews defeated an invading army and regained the Temple at Jerusalem. According to legend, Jews found a lamp inside the temple with just enough oil to light their holy lamps for one night. By some miracle, the legend goes, it burned for eight nights. Today, Jews celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a candle in a menorah for each of the eight nights.



KWANZAA : AFRICAN-AMERICAN TRADITIONS
Many African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa to honor their cultural roots in Africa. Kwanzaa is modeled after a series of cultural principles called Kawaida. According to Kawaida, African Americans can improve their lives by getting back in touch with their cultural roots. The holiday lasts seven days and nights, each marked by the lighting of a candle that represents a principle of family and community.
Families celebrate the principles of African-American culture during Kwanzaa.


PEACE ON EARTH :
People of many backgrounds and belief systems spend time in December reflecting on the year that is coming to an end, then setting goals and making plans for the new year to come. The beginning of the dark, chilly winter seems a good time to gather loved ones around a fire or a candlelit table and celebrate the new beginning that we all share at the end of every December.


mardi 23 décembre 2008

ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE-NEW YORK

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is an annual tradition in New York City's Rockefeller Center, and is lighted in early December or late-November, an event broadcast in recent years on the NBC television network in the United States as well as internationally.

The tree, usually a
Norway spruce 75 to 90 feet (23 to 27 m) tall, has been put up every year since 1931. In 2008, the tree was lighted on December 3 and will remain illuminated until January 9, 2009.

mercredi 10 décembre 2008

CREATIVE WRITING

A MAN IS ARRIVING IN HEAVEN AND TELLING HIS NEW FRIEND WHAT HIS LIFE ON EARTH USED TO BE LIKE.

KEVIN MEYER (3°4)
- This is the last vestige of my former self ( the man was showing his tie).
- Although you're in Heaven now, you had a life on Earth, right ? How did you die ?
- I was driving to work when an animal crossed the road. My car skidded and I crashed into a tree, and yet I used to be a very vareful driver !
- I died in exactly the same way ! Nevertheless, I didn't use to be careful.
-......
- Can I ask you something ? Did you use to be married ?
- Yes. However, I'm no longer.
- Despite my kindness, I never got married.
- While I was married, I was the happiest man in the world.
- Don't worry, in Heaven , you'll be happy forever !


ELIE VRIGNAUD (3°4)
- My tie is the only thing I kept before coming here !
- You're very lucky. I wanted to keep something, but I was sleeping when I died.
- You konw, I used to work in a big building and everyday, I put it on before going to work. I really miss my life on Earth and I would like to be still with my wife and my children, to be watching TV and havind dinner with them at this precise moment.
- Yes, I see....Many people who have just arrived here say that they would like to be on Earth. And now they are benefiting from Heaven's advantages. But despite all the things that you can do here, there are a few things you can't do in Paradise.
- Yes, like being with my family.
- Nevertheless, I don't thing you'll get bored with living in Paradise, and you're very lucky to be here because many people are sent to the Underworld and they usually are much busier than us. They spend their time working and working.
-Yes, but I still think I would prefer to be on Earth than here... I was so young...
- Don't be impatient... Your family will join us in a few years .....


DIMITRI BAKACH (3°4)
- Ouch, my head !! Stupid reckless driver !! But ... where am I ?
- You're in Heaven.
- What the ... ?!?! Who are you and what am I doing here ?
- Don't be rude ! Here, I'm tyhe guardian of Heaven's door. You're dead now and before you go through this door, you have to tell me what you used to do on Earth while you were alive.
- Dead ! I'm dead ! But ... my wife is waitnig for me for dinner.
- It doesn't matter now. It's over. So, tell me about your life !
- Okay. So, my name is Franck Smith. I used to be a genius in robotics and as soon as I could, I started my own business. I quickly became rich and as soon as I was 25 years old, I was the youngest billionaire ion the world. However, I tried to lead a simple life. I got married to Isabella ans she gave me to daughters (sobs).
- What about the last day of your life ?
- I was walikng back home and the last picture I have is of a taxi which was driving right into me.
- That(s sad because you're only 40 years old. Therefore, I will be good with you. I will send you back to Earth, but just for that time !
- Oh , thank you ever so much !!
...................
- (his wife ) Are you okay darling ? You've certainly had a nightmare ...


FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT, A YOUNG MAN HAS BECOME AMNESIC. HE IS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HIS PARENTS AND TRYING TO RECOLLECT HIS FORMER LIFE.

ANNE MONTALDO (3°4)

- Did I use to visit you before my accident ?
- Yes, you were very thoughtful to us and you used to come home every sunday for lunch, n spite of all the work you had to do. You always brought a little present to make us laugh.
- And what did my job consist in ?
- You used to sell houses to people in need. You used to help several families that were really poor to find a cheap house and you managed to convince lots of owners to sell houses or flats below their real price. You used to have a great sense of business.
- Did I use to have close friends or a girlfriend ?
- Yes, uou used to have plenty of friends and a lot of girlfriendzs too and you always introduced them to us. However, you don't have any giorlfriend currently because you broke up with the last one you were with last week. You didn't use to like very long stories.
- How long did I go out with her ?
- For three months. You told us you didn't really feel it between you and her. But I think you didn't do the right choice with leaving her. She used to be very smart and polite. These are the kind of qualities we no longer find everyday in the same girl !
- I would like to see her again. Where does she live ?
- In Gardy street. That's not very far from here.
- Okay, I want to go and see her now.
- Wait ! You still have a borken leg !
- I brushed against death, you know, so I'll no longer miss an opportunity to have a wonderful life !

dimanche 30 novembre 2008

GOODNIGHT Mr TOM - Alfred Chambolle (4°4)



I would like to recommend to you an English book entitled "Goodnight Mr Tom" by Michelle Magorian, which I found really interesting and relatively simple to read.

The book is about a young boy called Willie who is evacuated from London to the country side at the beginning of the Second World War. He went to stay with an old man called Mr Tom. When Willie arrived at Mr Tom's house he was covered with painful scars as a result of violent beatings by his mother as she doesn't love him.
At the beginning of his time with Mr Tom, Willie was really misstrusting as he had never experienced affection nor had he ever come across other people and therefore didn’t know how to react to the situation.However. after a period of time he began to feel more comfortable and friendly with Mr Tom and really enjoyed his time with him. Sadly, after the war , his mother demanded that he came back to stay with her . Consequently Mr Tom allowed Willie to return to his mother. However on reflection he was really worried about the well being of Willie and so decided to travel to london to save him from his mother. When he arrived Mr Tom was horrifed with what he found…
Did Mr Tom manage to save willie ??
Read and find out !

mercredi 26 novembre 2008

ONE LUCKY TURKEY-HAPPY THANKSGIVING !



A turkey named Pumpkin gave thanks to President Bush for saving his life on the day before Thanksgiving. Honoring a 61-year-old tradition, the President pardoned the bird on Thanksgiving eve.

"This is my final Thanksgiving as the President," Bush said during a special ceremony at the White House. "Over the past eight years I have been given many reasons to be thankful," he said. "Most of all I thank the American people for the tremendous privilege of serving as the President."

A Turkey Tradition

The tradition of a turkey pardon at Thanksgiving began with President Truman in 1947. Pumpkin comes from Ellsworth, Iowa. The name Pumpkin was chosen by voters who took part in a poll posted on the White House website. The lucky turkey squatted on the lawn of the Rose Garden and posed for the cameras at the presidential podium.

The History Behind the Holiday
The feast that has become known as the First Thanksgiving was actually a harvest festival celebrated in December of 1621. That's when English settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, gave thanks for the progress they had made after a harsh winter in their new country.

As America grew, Thanksgiving customs also spread and expanded. George Washington proclaimed that the first national Thanksgiving would be on November 26, 1789. In the decades to follow, however, people celebrated Thanksgiving locally, with no official date.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863 as a national day of Thanksgiving. It stayed that way until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it one week earlier. He wanted to lengthen the shopping period before Christmas to encourage gift-buyers and to help businesses. So Congress ruled that, after 1941, Thanksgiving would be an official federal holiday falling each year on the fourth Thursday of November.

This year we celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27. Millions of Americans will get together to give thanks with friends and family. The lucky turkey, Pumpkin, will be one of them. After his pardon, Pumpkin and another turkey, Pecan, will fly first class to Disneyland Resort in California, where Pumpkin will be the grand marshal of Disney's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

dimanche 23 novembre 2008

TWILIGHT OFFICIAL TRAILER ( ZOE FELTESSE-TAPINOS -3°5)


Coming soon!!!!
Adapted from Fascination by Stephenie Meyer. The film will be released on January seventh next year.
You musnt't miss it!!!
The plot is both fantastic and romantic!

vendredi 14 novembre 2008

PRINCE CHARLES' 6O th BIRTHDAY



As Prince Charles releases an official portrait to mark his 60th birthday, here are a few facts about the Prince Of Wales' life, loves and hobbies.

Prince Charles' 60th birthday portrait
1. He was born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace.
2. He is the eldest child of the then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.
3.On the death of his grandfather George VI, his mother succeeded to the throne on February 6, 1952.
4. He was created Prince of Wales on July 26, 1958.
5.In October 1967 he went up to Cambridge University to read archaeology and anthropology at Trinity College, later switching to history.
6. On February 24, 1981, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of the Prince, 32, to Lady Diana Spencer, the 19-year-old daughter of Earl Spencer and his former wife, Mrs Frances Shand Kydd.
28. Their wedding at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981 was the first wedding of a Prince of Wales since 1863.
29. In the autumn of 1981 the couple moved in to Highgrove House, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in the Cotswolds.
30.They kept a London apartment at Kensington Palace.
31. Prince William, their first son, was born on June 21, 1982.
32. Prince Harry's birth followed on September 15, 1984.
33. As early as 1985 there were rumours that Charles and Diana's marriage was in trouble.
34. In 1992 it was announced they were separating.
35. In 1996 Charles and Diana were divorced.
38. The following year, Diana died in a Paris car crash.
39. In 1999, Charles and Camilla appeared together in public.
40. In 2005 they became engaged and announced an April 8 wedding date.
41. The royal couple eventually married on April 9.

mercredi 12 novembre 2008

HOW WELL DO YOU GET ON WITH YOUR FRIENDS ?



GERMAIN TRUONG-LOI (4°4)

I've got plenty of friends but some of them are closer to me than others.
One of my best friends is Corentin. who is in the same class as me. I know I can rely on him, he's got a sense of humour and he likes joking, just like me ! Corentin isn't a spoilt boy and he isn't submissive either. With his parents, he is obedient.
In the class, I get on well with everybody except X who is a bit selfish and stupid.
Another of my best friends, called Paul-Adrien, is fond of music. He's got a nickname: "Pauled". He's got a rock band too called "Les Tulipes Noires", but I don't like it much. He's one of my best friends, even if he's three years older than me, because I've knowm him since we were children.
A perfect friend should be funny, but not too much, a bit crazy but brainy, obedient andnot spoilt. But the perfect friend doesn't exist !

THIBAUT VERCKEN (4°4)

I have just one close friend, Hugues.
Hugues and me get on with everybody. Whenever I'm depressed, Hugues cheers me up by making me laugh or by telling me jokes.
Hugues and me are both short and we have the same tastes. whenever I argue with my parents, we rely on each other because he is reliable and understanding.
Hugues is a good mixer, he's outgoing and he has got plenty of friends. He's got a sense of humour and he is good-tempered, but he doesn't only have qualities...
There are people I really don't like because they are big-headed, narrow-minded and bad-tempered. They keep boasting, so they get on my nerves.


MATHILDE LANDREAU (4°5)

I have got plenty of friends but I prefer five exceptional girls.
Nina is absent-minded but I rely on her all the time.
Adriana is hardworking but with her I laugh a lot.
Chloe is touchy but she has got a big heart.
Alix is open-minded, generous and sociable.
Sarah is excited and she is lazy. She's very talkative with Chloe.
There'zs a girl I hate. She's not frank and she is always depressed.
Nobody's perfect but a friend who is reliable, generous and frank is a very good friend.


MAEVA GONFOND (4°5)

I've got a lot of friends but they live in Paris. I've got two close friends, Cyrielle and Dellali, who live in Paris.
Cyrielle is as funny as Dellali, and both of them cheer me up when I'm sad. Cyrielle, contrary to to dellali, is very narcissic, but it makes me laugh. I can spend a lot of time with them on the phone.
Like me Dellali is very greedy, but unlike me, she's very slim.
Both of thses friends are loyal, gentle and very generous, that's why I love them.
There are Michelle, Orianne, Clémentine, Vincent, Kylian, Rami, Nathan, Valentin and plenty of others with whom I really, really get on well.
Now, in Bordeaux, I have a few friends... Agathe, for example. I think she could get on well with Cyrielle and Dellali, but they have never met.
I forgot. I wanna say that Cyrielle can be a real cow and a big mouth with people who get on her erves. And like me, dellali is very touchy.
I've got friends who are older than me. Melissa, for example, is 21. But she's really friendly and I get on well with her .
To talk about people I hate, I can talk about X. I met her last year and she's a real cow with everybody. She gets on mpy nerves and she's a big traitor ! I can't stand her ! Usually, I'm OK with everybody nut she's too selfish ( I think). I hate this girl. That's all.
I miss all my friends from Paris and I'll see them soon.
The perfect friend ? : my friends. I think they're all generous, friendly, and party-goers. I love them. They're so important for me.


ALISTER FAUDEMER (4°5)

I've got some friends in our comprehensive school. and plenty of friends outside school.
I've got some close friends. They're all nice with me, they are understanding, unlike someone that I can't understand in the class.
This person is a real boaster and I can't bear him, he's always complaining about what I'm talking about.
For me, the perfect friend is someons who is polite, nice, a good laugh. He needs to be a gamer and a great player. He needs to like video-games, card games and sports.
I've got a best friend and he is from Tahiti. He's the same height as me. He's fun and he has got all the qualities to be my best friend. I've got another friend who's much taller than me.


LOUIS LEBRUN (4°5)

I've got a few friends. They are here when I'm sad.
A. is a good laugh but a bit nasty. Esther is extremely reliable and she understands me. A. is brutal and extremely rude. Juliette is intelligent but touchy when she is angry. Lorelei is talkative but she keeps complaining. Felix is like Alister, he's a good laugh. Alex, my best friend has got one defect: he keeps getting bad marks.
I don't like X because he's big-headed. He thinks I don't exist. For him, I'm like a ghost and I don't like him.
A good friend is someone who is reliable, a good laugh and a brainy person. A pezrson who doesn't abuse others.


FELIX OURGAUT (4°5)

I think I'm sociable because I've got a lot of friends.
Of course, there's someone I really like. His neme is Aymeric. He was in my school in CM2 but he goes to another comprehensive school. We have the same tastes and he cheers me up when I'm sad or something else. He's very intelligent and so funny. But we keep in touch.
I don't like X very much because he's a boaster and he is a bag of nerves. He's a real cow and he does really bad jokes.
For me, a perfect friend is a good laugh and someone who is nice with everybody.


CLARA LECROISEY (4°5)

I've got a few friends, particularly in my class. We're closest in age. I like them because they are always funny, generous, nice, and they have a sense of humour.
Whenever I'm ill, I can rely on them. I can confide my problems in them and they cheer me up by making me laugh.
I can't stand stubborn people or bad-tempered people because they complain about everything. They always say they're more intelligent than the others.
For me, the perfect friend is a person who is outgoing and generous. A good friend must help us when we have an argumpent with someone.

vendredi 7 novembre 2008

MY HOPES FOR THE FUTURE - Mrs C., American teacher


Dear students,

I really wished you were here today to witness this great historical moment in US history. Wednesday, when I went to school it was as if the mood of the entire nation had been lifted after a long, winding road to nowhere.
Finally, we have someone in the White House who can not only deliver a great speech, but also has a vision of where this nation should be going. I am proud of America today.
I am proud of Americans, because they were able to mobilize en masse to the polls on Tuesday, and show politicians who treat the public as if they were less than bright, that the people elect them and without their constituents, they would not exist and their job would be meaningless. It was a very strong message from the masses.
We will not stand by anymore and do nothing about 8 years of failed policies that have brought nothing but grievance to the majority of households. We will not stand by and watch how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer without doing anything about it. Finally, we can be proud of our leader again when we present him to other nations abroad.I, for one, will be quite happy not to hear or see Mr. Bush's face any more in the front page of major newspapers and on TVs. He was a disgrace of a president and it was a great mistake to let him and his team have the privilege to sit in the oval office for even one day.I am glad to soon see the back of him!I welcome change and I will be delighted for once to hear intelligent interviews and hear intelligent conversations coming out of the oval office.
I trust that Obama will make informed decisions and will act with the people in mind.I am delighted to announce that a new era in American politics has officially started. I am also proud of the way McCain has responded to the newly elected president. I hope that he truly and gracefully will help Obama to succeed in achieving certain goals.
I hope that all politicians, red or blue, will finally set partisanship aside and start working for the sake of the nation and not only for the sake of certain interest groups.That is my sincere hope for the next four years.I also hope that politicians from now on will be more mindful of their actions and the way they are perceived by the public.They are public servants. They are elected to work for the sake of the people. Too many forget that those votes who put them in a position of power can also take it away from them.

jeudi 30 octobre 2008

WHO IS BARACK OBAMA ?

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Born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961, Obama was the son of a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya who left to study economics at Harvard, and then returned to Kenya, seeing his son just once afterwards.
Obama was raised by his mother's parents. In 2006, he visited his father's mother in Kenya.

Obama's mother remarried and moved to Indonesia, where he lived from age 6 to 10. But he mostly grew up inj Hawaii with his grand-parents, Stanley Dunham, a furniture salesman an Grandma "Foot", who worked in a bank.

Obama attended the Punahou School , an elite prep school in Honolulu. Two pages from his 1978 Senior Class yearbook show his playing basketball and going by the name of Barry. He later insisted on the name on his birth certificate (Barack, which was also his father's name), which means "blessed" in Arabic.

Obama went on to graduate from Columbia university. After graduating from college, Obama worked for 3 years, first in Harlem and then in Chicago as a community organizer.

He then attended Harvard Law School, where he was elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.
Upon graduating, he returned to Chicago working as a Civil Rights lawyer and lecturing on the Constitutionnal law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Obama married Michele Robinson, a fellow Harvard Law School graduate whom he had met in Chicago, on October 18, 1992. The Obamas have two daughters, malia, born in 1999, and Natasha, born in 2001. Four years after they married, Obama won a seat in the Illinois State Legislature, sponsoring legislation on the death penalty and racial profiling.

mardi 7 octobre 2008

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MEET FOR SECOND DEBATE TODAY


The debate spotlight is back on the presidential candidates tonight as Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama meet for the second of three debates. Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, is the site for the second showdown. Most major networks and cable news channels will broadcast the debate live, 9:00 pm-10:30 pm Eastern Time.
Undecided voters will ask questions to both candidates. The topics of the questions can be domestic or foreign policy.
The candidates will have two minutes to answer each question, with one minute of follow-up discussion.
With fewer than 30 days to go before Election Day, most polls show Obama as the likely winner of these elections.
Both campaigns are getting more aggressive. McCain and Obama have released negative television ads questioning the other's record and experience.
Recently, McCain called into question Obama's experience and leadership skills.
Obama responded by redirecting attention back to the current economic crisis. "I cannot imagine anything more important to talk about than the economic crisis," Obama told reporters. The aggressive approaches on the campaign trail could lead to a clash tonight.

dimanche 5 octobre 2008

SWEENEY TODD - Johanna - ANNE CHABAT + CHLOE MAILLARD (3°7)

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of fleet Street is Tim Burton's last movie with johnny Depp in the main role;It's a bloodie movie in which a barber slits his customers'throat to take his revenge on them. It's also a musical. Listen to this !

dimanche 28 septembre 2008

THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES -MARIE JACACHOURY (3°7)

















JOE BIDEN - OBAMA'S RUNNING MATE - DEMOCRAT



The Us senator from Delaware ran for president himself before joining Obama's campaign.

Biden wants to find new energy sources. He believes action must be taken on global warming.He wants to improve American economic competitiveness.



SARAH PALIN - Mc CAIN'S RUNNING MATE- REPUBLICAN









The Governor of Alaska is the first woman ever to run on the Republican Presidential ticket.



The conservative Sarah Palin, aged 44, chosen on Friday 29th as fellow candidate of the Republican candidate for the White House John Mc Cain, has been Gouverneure of Alaska since 2006.


She has got a diploma in communication and journalism.


She is married and the mother of five children.


She is against abortion and member of the NRA ( National Rifle Association), the powerful American lobby of firearms. A sportswoman, she is also very keen on hunting and fishing.


She has centered her campaign on the questions of transport, education and security.

A PRESENTATION OF THE USA - ADRIEN BRUMONT (3°7)

The United States are a constitutional republic with a presidential regime , and a federal state of North America.

Constituted of fifty states, the USA are located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean from East to West, then bordered in the North by Canada and in the South by Mexico. The state of Alaska is situated to the West of Canada while Hawaii is an island state located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Besides, the country is composed of 14 island territories disseminated in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific. The federal capital town of Washington is situated in the District of Columbia (DC), a federal district out of the fifty states.

In 2008, the USA count more than 302 million inhabitants and constitute the third most populated country in the world, after China and India.
The USA cover an area of 9,4 million km2, which makes it the fourth largest country in the world, after Russia, Canada and China. Immigration to the USA is very abundant and the population is one of the most diverse in the world.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America was proclaimed on July 4th 1776 by the thirteen colonies in North America. However, the United States really acquired their independence from England in 1783 following the war of American Independence. Then , they adopted the Constitution of the United States of America in 1787 during the Philadelphia Convention. The Declaration of Rights (United States Bill of Rights) was signed by the first American Congress in 1791.

The development of the territory was mostly achieved in the 19th century with the conquest of the Wild West and Indian wars, but also thanks to alliances with other European and North American nations.

In 1865, the Civil War ends to the advantage of the Northern States which were protectionist and egalitarian and which disagreed with the Southern States, in favour of free trade and slavery. The Spanish-American War of 1898 and The First World War later confirmed the military potency of the country. Since the Second world War, the hegemony of the United States is that of a superpower, notably during the Cold War.

lundi 22 septembre 2008

OUR FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL



BAO MAI PHAM (3°5)

Today, it's the first day back to school. I'm afraid of being late all the time and I'm very nervous when I'm in fronty of the school... now, I'm in the playground. I'm looking for my friends because I haven't sen them for a long time. Therefore, I look at the board where there are the pupils' names and their new classes.
I only think about my name and nothing else because I'm extremely stressed. Then , the bell rings and all the schoolboys and schoolgirls line up where they are supposed to stand. The headmaster walks in the playground with all the form teachers and when they find their class, they begin to call the register. Then , the form teacher goes to the classroom and we must follow him.
My friends aren't in my class but my classmates look likeable. I don't mind being with self-centered, generous or gothic people, whites, blacks, Asians or Hispanics. I like everyone and I don't care when they don't like me because you can't be appreciated by everybody.
Like every year, the teacher begins to talk about the school and the staff and the students are bored to death. But we are very lucky because the bell rings earlier than usually and everybody runs to the exit. Now, we can leave the school, I can calm down and then, have fun with my friends. Finally, I come back home and start writing...


EMMA GAUTHERON (3°5)

This year, my first day back to school wasn't perfect. At first, I believed I could be in my best friend's class. I was very confident but a bit apprehensive about that. Unlike what I thought, I wasn't with my friends, whereas my sister was with hers again. That's why I was very disappointed and quite dejected and so were my friends.
Ok, I know, I'm supposed to make friends easily, but I'm shy and my best friends are irreplaceable: whenever I'm down, they cheer me up by making me laugh. So, when I didn't see my name on the list of the 3°3, I wasn't very cheerful !
However, after my classmates and me settled in a classroom, my form teacher who I like very much, delivered us our timetable, and I realized I was very lucky about my teachers : modt of them are very nice, kind, helpful and pleasant, like my English teacher, my Spanish teacher, my biology teacher....
Concerning my schedule, I wasn't very surprised because I knew it was going to be very busy and I wasn't wrong. Then , when the bell rang, I just hoped the year would take place as best as possible, otherwise it would be a disaster.


THEO CHASSAIGNE (3°5)

Today is the start of the new school year and it isn't good because it means it's the end of the holidays.
The class is cool and looks good at school. Our form teacher is our biology teacher too and she's very nice, but we chat a lot and she gets very angry because nobody listens to her and the other teachers don't let ussit where we want.
Some pupils are good at school but aren't serious at all and get on the teachers'nerves with their comments.
This year, I'm very disappointed because I'm not with my friends: they have Spanish lessons whereas I take Italian. Because of that my first day wasn't that good. I hope the next days will be better....


NOEMIE PELOILE (3°5)

I'm sitting at the back of the classroom. My schedule is cool and the people of my class too. The counsellor has changed. His name is Mr Guantaoui. He looks nice, like Mr Bono. I don't konw him, but he looks cool.
I'm happy that my best friend is in the same class as me. all my teachers are cool but the maths teacher doesn't like me. I don't like her either. My music teacher used to be my French teacher. I like him. The history teacher is Mrs Moncla. She's fun. Well, that's all for today ....


ANTOINE BAUDEL (3°4)

This year, I'm in a new school and it is so different from the other one that I'm feeling lost. That's why I'm mistaken, I go to the wrong classroom.
I arrive later in the right room. During the break, I meet my fellows. They ate really nice with me, they welcome me. Today, I will eat in my school with my new friends.


JULIE HOSTYN (3°4)

When I arrive in this new junior high school, I'm scared of being alone during the first week. I'm also scared not to be accepted because the other students have known one another for a long time.
But on this first day, I get on well with Margaux. She is in the same situation as me. On the contrary, my class is distant with me : I have to talk to them to attract their attention and I do the same thing with Manon, Charlotte, Juliette and Fanny.
I feel good in this class, the atmosphere is pleasant and the pupils look nice and funny.
This junior high is bigger than my former school, but the playground is smaller than mine and the buildings look old. Perhaps I will disappear since it's so big!
I'm surprised because in the playground, there are groups. They aren't based on race, just on tastes or appearance and nobody changes groups. But when you are new, you can go with who you want !
Sometimes, I miss my friends from my former school but I can see them, so it's good and I will see them at the senior high.


ANNE MONTALDO (3°4)

This foirst day back to school was a joyful one because I discovered that most of my friends were in my class. Even if I didn't know everybody, this class seemed cool and friendly ( and quit serious too: that's the reason why I was wondering a bit about this long and sutdious year ahead of me). I had never had Mr Lescorce as a form teacher as well as a physics teacher, but some of my schoolmates who were in his class last year told me he was nice. He delivered us our new timetables which could have been worse. I read and saw new teachers'names like Mr Cokelaere, who was writing his name and those of his colleagues on the board. He looked strict but patient and I have already noticed that these were two good qualities to teach efficiently.
AT that precise moment, I was thinking that it would not be that hard to be successful at the exams with all these positive elements.


KEVIN MEYER (3°4)

Today, I started a new school year. I was anxious about the composition of my new class, but now I'm reassured because I'm in my friends' class.
I was sitting in the front row of the class, where I met a boy whose name is Antoine. He's new in this school. We talked a little as it was boring to write ans stick papers.
Our teachers finally gave us our schedule. I was surprised when I saw I had only teacher that I had never had sofar, except my English teacher and my Spanish teacher.
I met two of my new teachers who were nice. I hope the other teachers are nice too, but I will see that for myself tomorrow.


RODOLPHE LOSPIED (3°4)

I spent a nice day today ! It was the start of the new school year and I was both happy and anxious to see if I would be with my friends in the same class.
I left home at half past nine and picked up my two best friends, Elie and Kevin to go together to our junior high school. When we arrived, we immediately mlooked at the boards to see in which class we were. Great ! We were together and with other pupils I already knew. There were also new pupils who seem to be nice. We met our headteacher, the physics teacher, who gave us our timetable, the names of our different teachers and many papers and documents to fill in.
I think the timetable is rather busy, especially on tuesdays and thursdays where I leave school at 5.30.
I think we'll have much homework as all the teachers told us they would test us at tyhe beginning of each lesson.
The class atmosphere sems rather cool. Some pupils are talkative and others seems to be funny.
I hope it will be a nice year ! I'll do my best to pass my exam, the "Brevet des collèges" !


YELENA N'DIAYE (3°4)

I remember that day, september 3rd. After two months of holidays, it was the first day back to school. Like evey year, I'm very scared and impatient as well. I go to school at ten, more nervous more and more nervous every second;When I arrive, I see my friend and I join them.We talk a long time until the school gates open.
This year is different from the others because our names are hung on a wall, unlike the previous years when the headmaster called us one by one. After several minutes, Mr Ardellier, the Head, asks us to go to our classroom. I feel vey happy because a lot of my friends are in my class.
We're waitning for oir form teacher, Mr Lescorce. We're going to a classroom for the introductions. Our new history and form teachers introduce themselves, give us a lot of papers and talk about a lot of things. I discover my new timetable and my new teachers. I understand the importance of this year because of the "Brevet", the exam we have to take. I notice that we begin school at 8 every day. That will be difficult but we have to work. I hope I'll have good marks.


DAVID SOYE (3°4)

Today is the first day back to school. As I'm a new pupil; I'm going to meet many people;I will have new teachers too.
I must get to know my new class and will learn different subjects and perhaps thazt outside school we can gather up together to go to the cinema and also sometimes do sport or maybe start a group of music...
The first days are always exciting because every day, you meet new pupils.
The teacher shows us the curriculumof this year : some things are more interesting than others.
What is enjoyable is to be able to work in a group, to learn the lessons together for the "Brevet" for example.


CHARLOTTE CHAGNEAU (3°4)

My alarm clock rings. Joséphine gets up first, then I get up with less enthusiasm than yesterday. So, I have to eat my breakfast and get dressed too. Joséphine is ready before me. We must go and fetch Anna and Audrey to go to school.
We are now in front of the gate and we're waiting.
When the doors open, everybody runs to the lists where our names and classes are written. I'm disappointed and happy at the same time, because I'm not with my girlfriends, but it's not that bad. We will not be so close but we'll have more things to tell one another when meet.