CD ROMs for practising your English

What a shame nobody came to my computer session this evening.
But just for all you budding computer boffs out there (and I know there are a few of you) we are now prepared to lend out some of our CD ROMS from upstairs. You can only borrow them for a few days, but we have CD ROMS for all levels full of English language exercises and games for you to use on a computer in the schoolor at home. Just ask Jackie if you want to see any of them and how they work.

We also have a new programme installed on the first computer on the left as you go in the computer room. At the moment we only have a single license, so it's only installed on one computer. It's the Advanced Pronunciation In Use CD ROM. It's full of exercises to practise some of the more difficult features of pronunciation like getting the stress right and not over-pronouncing sounds that we tend to swallow in English. You can listen and record yourself too and compare the sound. There's also an interactive phoneme chart that shows you how to make different sounds, with a different graphic for male and female voices (we do sound a bit different from each other!!) Again, if you are not sure how to use it, just ask Jackie for some help.

weather stories

It seems we were incredibly lucky with the weather in Oxford yesterday. Yes, I know it rained and yes Iknow it was pretty miserable for the end of June, but if you look at what it was like around the rest of the country I guess we should be thankful.









Thinking about weather in general made me think about one winter in Istanbul when it snowed really heavily several times over a period of about 3 weeks. At the time I was living on the Asian side of the city and working on the European side out near the airport. It was quite a distance but the journey was relatively easy as there was a catamaran which did the crossing in about 30 minutes - but it only ran if the weather was OK!
Otherwise I had to get a ferry across to the other side and then take a train - a journey of about an hour - or take 2 buses - again about an hour and the buses didn't run as frequently as the ferries or trains. One particular morning it had snowed really heavily in the night and was also rather foggy. This meant that the catamaran wasn't running and neither were the ferries. And also not a bus to be seen! And of course it was a morning when I was teahing at 9 o'clock and really had to get into school. Luckily for me, there were 2 other people heading for the same catamaran and we went together in search of a taxi - rather expensive maybe but at least there were 3 of us. Then of course the taxi driver had no change, and neither did I. All I had was a 50 million lira note (about £20). But this couple were so kind. They paid my taxi fare, took my school address and said they would drop in for the money but they never did. So I got a free ride to school and met some really nice people.

I'm sure you all have stories about things that happened to you because of the weather. Maybe at home or maybe in England. It would be nice to see some of those stories on this blog. I look forward to reading some of them.

this weekend

Don't have anyhting to do this weekend? Well here are some ideas:

The weather isn't expected to be great, so maybe the cinema is a good idea. You could go and see "Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End", "Shrek the Third" or "Ocean's 13" at the Odeon cinema, or if you've already seen these you could try "La Vie En Rose" at the Phoenix Picture house, new out today. It's a biopic of the French singer Edith Piaf. For a review of the film, click here

You may have seen Bernard's notice about an art exhibition on at the North Wall Arts Centre on South Parade - very close for those of you in Dover House. It's an exhibition of paintings by the artist Fuster, also known as Picasso of the Caribbean. If the pictures Bernard put up are anything to go by, they are vibrant and colourful and definitely worth a look. If you want to have apeek online before heading down there, have a look at the online gallery

There's a family fun day at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College on Oxpens Road (opposite the ice rink). There is live music and a barbecue there as well as lots of stalls and things to try out. Click here for more information

Of course if the weather does turn out nice you could go swimming at Hinksey Pool on Lake Street (just up Abingdon Road - a stroll down from the city centre)

Just a couple of ideas. There are plenty of other things going on. Write up here and tell us all what you get up to.

Thanks for jackie

thank you for the yesterday and for the nice night .

And I hope you will do it again .

abdul

Fast Food Restaurants in Oxford

The fast food restaurants in Oxford near Eckersley School are kef , MAC Donald’s which sell good food and cheap if want to eat chicken or beef OR drink , coca cola or eat ice creamer
My favourite is MacDonald’s because you can buy good chicken.

AHAMED ABD ALAZIM ABDALROUF.SUDAN

The Head Of The River

This pub is on Abgington Road.This pub is next to the river.if you want, you can watch the boat race some Saturdays. In this pub, you can drink something and eat food.This pub cooks very delesious steak.If you want go to this pub.You can be relaxed.I think this pub inexpensive.i think you must try.you will be glad.

CAN ATAY :D

Different types of restaurant in Oxford.

There are many types of restaurant in Oxford. If you want different food visit Oxford. The restaurant are in Oxford city centre. The prices are all different.
Here is list of some restaurant in Oxford.

Pub ; All Bar One
Lebaness ; AI – Shami
English ; Copa
Greek ; Greek Taverna
Chinese ; Hang Chow
Spanish ; La Plaza – Tapas Bar
Tandoori ; Moonlight Restaurant
French ; Pierre Victoire Bistrot
Indian ; Qumins / Saffron

I'll visit Copa this weekend because I wonder what English food is like.

A Fantastic Evening

preparing the food



The finished product



Traditional Korean dress









Everyone helped themselves to the food



and then we all tucked in!!!












Thank you everyone for doing such a good job of tidying up



But the biggest thank you of course goes to head chef Mi Sun and all her helpers in the kitchen.

Korean Night menu

In case you are wondering what we are going to eat tonight at the Korean evening, here is the menu:

2 types of kimchi. This is a spicy dish made of fermented vegetables.


















Bibim Bap - a dish made with rice and vegetables, served with a chilli paste.















Galbi - a beef stew. There will also be a vegetarian version of this for people who don't eat meat.













Mandoo - a korean dumpling made with tofu.













potato pancakes but I can't find a picture of these

See you all there and look at this page again tomorrow to see some more photos of what we did

should we charge for museums?

I saw a story in the newspaper today that the conservative party think we should start paying to go in state museums. That would mean that you would have to pay to go in the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Ashmolean for example. They say that the museums are finding it difficult to meet their costs and so should be allowed ro charge an entry fee. However, the article says that since these museums became free 6 years ago, attendance has incrased considerably, in some cases more than doubled. You can read the article on page 2 of The Independent, and maybe it's in the other newspapers too.
What do you think? Do you think it's better for some people to pay so that these museums can provide a better service? Or do you think they should be free for everyone? In some countries I know that big museums are free only on certain days, for example Sundays. What happens in your countries?

HELLO FROM YEMEN

It seems as if you had really good time. I'm very sad because I’m not there and didn’t taste Korean food and Dadi’s spicy noodle dish, but I’m having a good time too with my family and friends. I miss the school and all of you. I hope you have a good time as I do here in Yemen. I've been to many cities in Yemen in a short time with my friends and the weather here is fantastic.
Finally I want to tell you something it could be funny.
When I was with my friends I was holding my friend's hand which is normal here in Yemen and I told him about what they think in England and he was laughing a lot.
Anyway have fun everybody and let's keep in touch.
See you in 2 weeks

Hazem

International Food

yesterday in the school some students cooked food in the kitchen in the school I liked Korean food Dadi cooked beef it was good food Elena made cake I happe with school thankyou to all the students

Ahamed

Yummy Yummy

Wow, what a great taste experience we had yesterday! Although I don't eat meat, I still had a really delicious "meal" of French salad (great dressing!) and Anita's "chips" which I thought were lush. And then of course there was the Russian cake- my boyfriend liked it too!

Thanks so much for your cooking everybody!

Jane

international food

Yesterday we ate international food.I like it because students used spices in all the food.We learned about new food.I had a fun time.Dadi's food was very spicy after some students went to hospital :).....really all the food was delicious...Well done to every


CAN ATAY

Korean Food Night

Tickets are now on sale for the Korean Food Night on Wednesday next week. Only £2.50 per person, but please buy them as soon as possible so we know for sure that you're coming and make enough food. I saw yesterday how hungry you all are!

Mi Sun started the preparations yesterday by making the Kimchi. It has to sit for a week for the taste to develop, so that's what the smell is in the Students' Room.

Some pictures of the preparation just to whet your appetites!

Cooking with Elena

Yesterday afternoon/evening we all had a great time cooking (and then eating!!) with Elena.

Sister Agnes cooked a chicken curry - mild but really tasty.



Anita roasted some pork steaks with vegetables and some potato slices. She thought it was too salty but everybody tucked in.



Justine made a salad with olives and mozzarella cheese. Mmmmmm!



Dadi made a very spicy noodle dish that blew the heads off a few of us!!!



And Elena and her helpers made a fabulous honey cake. So delicious that Jane took a piece home for Neil.


And we mustn't forget Carlo's ice cream, courtesy of Haagen Daasz. By the end he was drinking it out of a mug.



Overall a really delicious spread.



Lots of rush to clear up and get out of school by 5.30.



Thanks all of you - I certainly had a good time. I hope Can didn't get too many cramps at the gym afterwards.

We Love Eckersley

Today in the lesson we talked about our perfect day
Ahmed :go to shopping and go to park in evening go to restaurent and eat Italian food
John: my perfect day i like pub,walk around oxford ,night club and that's all..
Abdual: my perfect day: I like play football and shopping and picnic

Theatre trip

I'm trying to get a group together to go and see "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde at the Burton Taylor Theatre next week. As the Korean food night is on Wednesday(I hope you're all looking forward to that!!) I thought Tuesday night might be the best night to go. Tickets are £8 each and the show starts at 7.30 so we could meet outside school at 7.15.
As an extra incentive, 2 of the cast are willing to come into school and do a workshop, which would help you to follow the play when you go to the theatre and would also be fun in itself.
It actually isn't a hard story to follow. It's a romantic comedy set in England in Victorian times, and revolves around the story of 2 young men who tell lots of lies but keep getting caught out by them in the funniest possible way. There are also 2 beautiful young women who the 2 mean are in love with (of course!!) and a mother (the terrifying Lady Bracknell) looking out for her daughter.
Come and see me if you would like to go and I shall organise some tickets.

Does and should the media present news or opinions?

'Opinion and fact should be clearly divisible. The truth is, a large part of the media today not merely elides the two but does so now as a matter of course. In other words, this is not exceptional. It is routine. The metaphor for this genre of modern journalism is The Independent newspaper. Let me state at the outset it is a well-edited, lively paper and is absolutely entitled to print what it wants, how it wants, on the Middle East or anything else. But it was started as an antidote to the idea of journalism as views, not news. That was why it was called The Independent. Today it is avowedly a viewspaper, not merely a newspaper. The final consequence of all this is that it is rare today to find balance in the media.'
Tony Blair, speaking yesterday as quoted by today's Independent newspaper

You can read the whole story in the paper or online


This is from the front page of today's Independent, which you may have seen in the entrance hall or in class. Tony Blair's view is obviously that the Independent (and maybe other newspapers as well) are presenting their own point of view on things rather than the news itself. He also seems to be suggesting that readers are not able to separate out what is fact (news) and what is just opinion.
I feel that most people know exactly what they are reading and how to understand it, and that the media generally presents a reasonably good mixture of fact and views. I may not always agree with the views of a newspaper but I think I can recognise that it is just the writier's opinion.
What do you think? Should newspapers just print news or should they also print views? Can you recognise when reading a news story in English what is fact and what is just opinion? And do you think the media in your country is similar to in Britian or different? I'm interested to know what you all think.