Week 6 Listening - The most wonderful time of the year

This week we have a Halloween story. Enjoy the podcast, have a good weekend, eat lots of Halloween candy and I'll see you all on Monday.

The podcast to listen to is here:

( http://thememorypalace.us/2011/10/mary-mary-and-mercy/ )

1 When did George Brown's wife die? How old was she?

2 What did the neighbours think had killed George's wife and daughters?

3 What really killed George's family?

4 What did the neighbours recommend to save the rest of his family?

5 What year was it when George Brown and his neighbours tried to save Edwin? Name one thing that was special about that year.

Bonus

What was the proof that Mercy was the cause of the problem?

Week 5 Listening Exercise

This week you have a review of a movie to listen to. The movie that is being reviewed is a new adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing by Joss Whedon, who recently directed The Avengers. Please watch the trailer for Much Ado About Nothing before listening to the review.

Now, listen to the review (June 14, Joss Whedon and Henry Cavill)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/kermode/all (Please listen from 52:52 - 57:50)

The same clip on Youtube

1 What kind of movie is it (two qualities)?

2 How long did it take to make the movie?

3 Is the movie easy to understand? 

4 How long does it take to get used to the Shakespearean language?

5 Does the reviewer like the movie? Give two reasons why.

Bonus: What did the reviewer mean when he called the movie "a palate cleanser"?

Good luck and have a good weekend.

Week 3 Listening Exercise

This week you can choose either one of the following clips. Only do one clip, and you can choose between them. The first clip is the easier passage: the second clip is for people who want an extra challenge.

Regular Question:

This is a presentation at TED. Listen to the presentation and then answer the questions. 

Click here to watch the presentation.

1 How long will it be before neurological diseases become an epidemic?

2 How many people will have Parkinson's disease in the United States by 2050?

3 What causes Alzheimer's disease?

4 Are governments or private organizations doing the most to research treatments for neurological diseases?

5 What is one thing you can do to help avoid Parkinson's disease? What is one thing you can do to lessen the chances of Alzheimer's disease?

Bonus Question: What does it mean to "drop the ball"?

Challenge Question: This is an interview with three people: the host, Astronomer Neil DeGrasse Tyson, co-host Chuck Nice, and journalist and infectious disease expert Laurie Garrett. Chuck reads a question, and then Laurie talks about her experiences with the black plague. Listen to it here.

 (Listen from 6:47 - 9:09)

1 When and where did Laurie experience a black plague epidemic?

2 What did the officials in the city do? How many doctors were there in the city?

3 What did the national minister of health claim he had cured his cancer?

4 What did the hosts think was the biggest problem in how people reacted to the plague?

5 How should an epidemic of the black plague be treated?

Good luck, and the answers are due on Monday in class.