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.