Chinese activist silenced by corrupt  Chinese authorities
(Level: Intermedite to Upper-Intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

You are going to watch a Sky News report focusing on human rights activist Xu Zhiyong who has been sentenced to four years in jail simply because he wanted to speak out against the Chinese authorities.

Mr Xu Zhiyong
Photo credit: BBC

Before watching


The following words could be useful:
a trial: a formal examination of evidence by a judge in court, typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.            procès 
to disrupt: interrupt (an event, an activity...) by causing a disturbance or problem    perturber / troubler
allegedly: used when one wants to convey that something is claimed to be the case although there is no evidence for it    prétendument
shameful: causing shame or disgrace     honteux / choquant



While watching


Complete the notes (facts) in French about Mr Zhiyong.

Mr Zhiyong?	-     -
A trial: why? (For which crime?)
Reactions from the international community?

http://news.sky.com/story/1201129/china-jails-lawyer-xu-zhiyong-for-four-years

When you are finished, check your answers!

Mr Zhiyong?	Personnage très en vue en Chine / Avocat et professeur à l’Université de Pékin. Chef d’un mouvement citoyen visant à dénoncer la corruption au sein du régime chinois (tant au niveau local qu’au niveau national)…
A trial: why? (For which crime?)	Un procès qui n’a duré qu’un seul jour (et une condamnation) pour rassemblement illégal visant à perturber l'ordre public. C’est sous ce motif que les autorités chinoises ont une fois de plus muselé une voix dissidente et particulièrement inquiétante pour elles…
Reactions from the international community?	Le gouvernement américain a fait savoir qu’il se sent concerné par cette histoire, du moins par la sentence prononcée ; il a fait part de ses inquiétudes…     Amnesty International a déclaré que le verdict qui est tombé est choquant et était malheureusement prévisible dans un pays qui opte pour le règne de la peur plutôt que pour un état de droit.

You can also watch the following Sky News report.

You will see Sky's reporter Mark Stone being jostled by Chinese officials as he is trying to report on Mr Xu Zhiyong's trial outside the court and on how people wanting to speak out against the Chinese authorities are just taken away and detained.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geen hackers thuis!
(Niveau: Intermediair tot gevorderd / B1 tot B2 / ** tot ***)

Er zijn gevallen geweest waarbij hackers via de webcam thuis bij de internetters binnen kunnen kijken. En afpersing is ook een gewone praktijk geworden.

 

Je zal naar een VTM-journaalfragment kijken dat betrekking heeft op dat fenomeen en hoe het probleem aangepakt kan worden.

 

Voordat je bekijkt:


De volgende woorden zouden nuttig kunnen zijn:
opggestoken haar: haar dat omhooggebracht is     cheveux relevés
Dat is een koud kunstje: een gemakkelijk trucje    Ce n'est pas sorcier!
iets voor de kick doen:  het voor de lol doen      faire quelque chose pour se marrer
het straf vinden dat...: het streng vinden dat...    trouver sévère que...
iemand lastigvallen:    plagen          harceler / importuner ...

Photo credit: techtudo.com

Terwijl je bekijkt:


Beantwoord de volgende vragen in het Frans:

1. Wat is Veerle Vonckx overkomen?
2. Wat zijn de bedoelingen van de hackers?
3. Wat wordt aangeraden te doen om geen slachtoffer te worden?

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/3824/Binnenland/video/detail/1775654/Plak-je-webcam-af-met-post-it.dhtml

Als je beantwoord hebt, kun je je antwoorden checken!

(Suggestions de réponses)

1

Veerle V. était chez elle, dans son living, dans son fauteuil, en pyjama, les cheveux relevés et surfait sur internet. Elle reçut ensuite un SMS et pendant qu'elle consultait son GSM, une photo d'elle (dans ce même fauteuil, en pyjama etc.) est apparue sur l'écran de son ordinateur ainsi qu'un commentaire lui signifiant qu'elle s'était rendue sur des sites interdits. La photo venait soi-disant de la police qui lui réclamait le paiement d'une amende de 200 euros! 

 

2

Activation à distance de la webcam et capture d'images à son insu:

 

- ...pour s'amuser; voir ce que la personne observée dit ou fait chez elle; curiosité malsaine;

- ...pour faire chanter la personne qui était par exemple dévêtue devant sa webcam;

-...

 

3

- Coller un post-it par exemple devant l'œil de la webcam car ce phénomène d'espionnage ne pourra qu'aller crescendo; rester prudent lors de l'utilisation de tout appareil numérique (pas uniquement ordinateur mais aussi tablette; Smartphone...)

- Signaler à la police dès qu'on est victime de telles pratiques.

- ...

 

 

 

Liefde op de eerste muisklik
(Niveau: Intermediair / B1 / ** tot ***)

Meer en meer mensen gaan nu een partner zoeken via het internet. Het is nu de normaalste zaak ter wereld geworden terwijl het een paar jaar geleden nog taboe was. 

 

Je gaat nu een VTM-journaalfragment bekijken dat betrekking heeft op het online-daten.

 

Picture credit: techgig.com

 

 

 

 

 Voordat je bekijkt

Het volgende woord zou nuttig kunnen zijn:

een hype  ( /haip/ - Engelse uitspraak): een plotselinge rage rond een feit bijvoorbeeld of een feit dat plots overdreven veel aandacht krijgt in de media of op het Internet    engouement /  frénésie / enthousiasme ... 

 

 

 

 

 

Terwijl je bekijkt

 

 

 

Beantwoord de volgende vraag in het Frans:

 

- Toon met feiten aan hoe belangrijk online daten is geworden!

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/3824/Binnenland/video/detail/1774216/Online-daten-geen-taboe-meer.dhtml

 

 

 

 

 

Als je beantwoord hebt, kun je je antwoorden checken!

 

(Suggestions de réponses)

 

- Les sites de rencontres sur internet... 

 

= nouvelles agences de rencontres

= big business / une industrie qui rapporte des millions d'euros

= se comptent par dizaines en Belgique

= des centaines de milliers de Flamands qui y recherchent l'amour de leur vie

 

+  des femmes se concertent parfois et font des recherches ensemble sur ces sites et analysent les profils...     Plus question de tabou!

 

+ Chez les jeunes: faire des rencontres en ligne = tout à fait normal 

 

+ Des applications comme Flirt-App ont la cote!

  

 

Steeds meer dronken jongeren op spoeddiensten
(Niveau: Intermediair / B1 tot B2 /**)

Je zal een VTM-journaalfragment bekijken dat betrekking heeft op het steeds groter aantal jonge tieners die op spoeddiensten binnengebracht worden omdat ze te veel hebben gedronken.


Voordat je bekijkt


De volgende woorden zouden nuttig kunnen zijn:
zorgwekkend: iets wat de aanleiding kan geven tot bezorgdheid / verontrustend    inquiétant
de genotmiddelen: middelen die euforie kunnen veroorzaken(alcohol; drugs; verdovende middelen...)      stupéfiants  /stimulants 





Terwijl je bekijkt


Beantwoord de volgende vragen in het Frans:
1. Wat is bij spoeddiensten geconstateerd, wat de jongeren betreft?
2. Welk risico lopen de jongeren die telkens te diep in het glas kijken?
3. Hoe zou dat probleem (gedeeltelijk) opgelost kunnen worden?


http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/3824/Binnenland/video/detail/1766692/Comazuipers-almaar-jonger.dhtml

Als je bekeken en beluisterd hebt, kun je je antwoorden checken!

1
De plus en plus de jeunes adolescents (14 - 15 ans) sont admis dans les services d'urgence pour consommation abusive d'alcool alors qu'avant c'étaient plutôt les jeunes d'une vingtaine d'années qui étaient concernés! 

2
Ils risquent des dommages irréversibles au cerveau suite à la destruction progressive des cellules cérébrales: à chaque fois qu'ils sont ivres, des cellules sont détruites.
Ils peuvent aussi devenir alcooliques.

3
Les parents devraient conscientiser leurs enfants des risques liés à l'alcool...  
  

Extreme weather conditions
(Level: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

You are going to watch three news reports, all focusing on extreme weather conditions but in different parts of the world, i.e. respectively in the USA, in the UK and in Australia.

Report 1  (Sky News / Situation on 3 January 2014)

Extreme weather claimed several lives in the USA as wind chill reached up to -26°C in parts of the north-east.



Photo credit: BBC



Photo credit: BBC

 Before watching:

The following words could be useful:
to heed...: to take... into account    prendre... en compte
outreach teams: teams which provide services to people who would not otherwise have access to those services; such teams are mobile and aims at meting those who are in need
équipes de proximité / équipes mobiles ... 
to be sworn in:to be bound / pledged (by an oath)    être assermenté / avoir prêté serment...   
slick: slippery     glissant
bone-chilling: intensely cold  glacial / d'un froid intense
a plough (US: plow): vehicle for clearing snow    chasse-neige


While watching:

Answer the following questions in French:

• What are the weather conditions like in the north-east of the USA?
• What are the consequences? (Give 5)

 

For an update (5 January), you can also watch this:
http://news.sky.com/story/1189937/us-weather-16-dead-as-snow-batters-eastern-us




Report 2 (BBC / Situation on 4 January 2014)

The ferocious weather has caused chaos in many parts of the UK.

A dangerous combination of high tides and strong winds led to flooding in areas already affected over Christmas while coastal towns were being severely battered with huge waves. 

 

Photo credit: BBC

Photo credit: BBC

Photo credit: BBC

Before watching:

The following words could be useful:

a tidal surge: tidal wave / unusual, often destructive rise of water along the seashore   raz-de-marée
inland: relating to the interior part of a region e.g.   à l'intérieur des terres
While watching:


Answer the following questions in French:

• What happened to Harry martin? Where was he? What was he doing there?
• What was the situation like in Aberystwyth, Wales?
• Why aren’t people really happy in the Somerset Levels in spite of the pumps that were installed there? What does Mrs sadler fear?



the Somerset Levels
map credit: commons.wikimedia.org

 

 

Aberystwyth, Wales
Map credit: postcode-info.co.uk

For more information  (Sky News report - 4 January 2014)

http://news.sky.com/story/1190085/weather-dozens-join-search-for-missing-teen



Report 3  (Sky News / Situation on 3 January 2014)

January 2013 saw Australia's hottest year on record.
2014 begins there with another heatwave.



Before watching:

The following words could be useful:
the outback: the remote, arid part of Australia      région éloignée / fin fond / brousse / l'outback australien
soaring: getting to a level markedly higher than the usual     (for temperatures e.g.) en forte hausse / exceptionnellement élevé(es) 
drought:  the absence or shortage of water / rainfall for a (very) long period      sécheresse
to slaughter: to kill a large number (of...)       abattre 
the livestock: cattle      bétail

Birdsville, Queensland, Australia
Map credit: outback track tours



Photo credit: The Guardian

Photo credit: The Guardian

Photo credit: The Guardian

While watching:

Answer the following question in French:

• What were the devastating effects of the 2013 heat wave in Australia?

 

 

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1189976/australia-records-hottest-year-ever-in-2013






 



Grammar (6): The Simple Past
(Level: Elementary to Pre-Intermediate / A2 to B1 / * to **)


Form:
Two types of verbs

1. Regular verbs

       + ED (to the infinitive)        

   work  ----  worked          answer --- answered           ask --- asked


        + D (to the infinitive ending in -e)

   love ---- loved                like  ---- liked

 

The rules about doubling the final consonant when adding -ing also apply when adding -ed (if the consonant is preceded by a short vowel)                          


   stop ----  stopped          chat ----  chatted          
  travel --- travelled (in British English) /  traveled (in American English)
  admit --- admitted (double 't' because stress on second syllable)
  BUT: happen --- happened (one 'n' because stress on first syllable)




The verbs ending in -y following a consonant change the y into i before -ed

    carry -----  carried           bury  -----  buried

  BUT : obey ---- obeyed          survey – surveyed          enjoy --- enjoyed

Example of a regular verb (to work) in the simple past
Note the use of DID + S + infinitive (questions) and DID NOT / DIDN'T + infinitive (negations)!

positive	negative	negative  (contractions)	interrogative
I worked You worked He / She  worked We worked You worked They worked	I did not work You did not work He / She did not work We did not work You did not work They did not work	I didn’t work You didn’t work He / She didn’t work We didn’t work You didn’t work They didn’t work	Did I work? Did you work? Did he / she work? Did we work? Did you work? Did they work?

The -ed (or -d) form is used only in positive sentences!


2. Irregular verbs

a) Auxiliaries and among them...

-BE

positive	negative	negative (contractions)	Interrogative
I was You were He / She was We were You were They were	I was not You were not He / She was not We were not You were not They were not	I wasn’t You weren’t He / She wasn’t We weren’t You weren’t They weren’t	Was I? Were you? Was he / she? Were we? Were you? Were they?

-CAN

Present +	Present -	Idem (contr.)	Present ?	Past +	Past -	Idem (contr.)	Past ?
I  / You / He / She / We / You / They  can	I  / You / He / She / We / You / They cannot	I  / You / He / She / We / You / They   can’t	Can I? Can you? Can he? Can we? Can you? Can they?	I  / you / he / she / we / you / they could	I  / you / he / she / we / you / they could  not	I  / You / He / She / We / You / They  couldn’t	Could I Could you? Could he? Could we? Could you? Could they?

 
b) the strong verbs

speak ----- spoke     eat ---- ate       have ---- had       see ----saw  

positive	negative	negative (contractions)	interrogative
I spoke          You spoke     He spoke       We spoke      You spoke     They spoke	I did not speak You did not speak He did not speak We did not speak You did not speak They did not speak	I didn’t speak You didn’t speak He didn’t speak We didn’t speak You didn’t speak They didn’t speak	Did I speak? Did you speak? Did he speak? Did we speak? Did you speak? Did they speak?

The irregular simple past forms of strong verbs are used only in positive sentences!
In negative sentences, you need DID NOT / DIDN'T  + infinitive
In interrogative sentences, you need to use the structure DID + S + infinitive

BUT not for the auxiliaries: see CAN and BE above!

Here is two lists of irregular / strong verbs including archaic forms.
It may be time for you to have a good recap!

http://jiel.b.free.fr/languages_doc/englishstrongverbs.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_irregular_verbs



Use:

The Simple Past is used when two conditions are systematically fulfilled:

a)      The action (or event) is finished
b)      You know exactly when the action (or event) took place

 

She phoned me one hour ago.
When did you see her?  / I saw her yesterday.
I met them last night.
How long ago did you write your essay?  I wrote it two days ago.
When did you have your car repaired?  I had it repaired last week.
When did you last go to the cinema?   I last went to the cinema last month.
When did she meet her boyfriend?  She met him when she was a student.
They got married in 1995.
I didn’t see my friends last weekend when I went to the football match.
He didn’t see his parents for four years. 
How long were you a student?   I was a student for four years, between 1983 and 1987.




 

Past time phrases
Prepositions

at
- for points of time in the past

What did you do at six o'clock?
She was in the office at 10.30.
I went shopping at the end of last week.
She saw her parents at the end of last month.

on
- for days and dates in the past

What did you do on Monday / on 15th May / on Wednesday 3rd June?
I phoned her on Tuesday / I moved out  on 2 September.

in
- for other periods of time (in the past)

She was on holiday in July.
The accident happened in 2009.



No prepositions

- with last

They phoned us last month / last week / last weekend / last Friday ...

- with time adverbials / phrases yesterday / the day before yesterday

 I saw her yesterday.

- ago (used to measure time back from now)

I met my best friends 26 years ago.
 

 

          I met my best friends 30 years ago               NOW  ( = 2013)              

                                (in 1983)

          ......................ò...........................................................ò.........

                                       

         
                    

Pronunciation of final -ed:

Pronunciation of final –ed: /t/; /d/ or /Id/

                            

Verb ending	Pronunciation	Examples
- Voiced consonants /b/; /g /; /m/ ; /n/ ; / dʒ / ...   - Vowels   - Diphthongs	/d/	played cleaned breathed phoned showed begged saved
- Voiceless consonants  /p/; /s/; /k/; /ʃ/; ...	/t/	stopped missed rushed asked fetched
- Final /t/ or /d/	/Id/	wanted demanded

 




























DRILLS (+ SEE FURTHER: Additional exercises)

1
Find the Simple Past form of the following regular verbs and write the way the ending is pronounced. Make sure you know how to pronounce the infinitive!

match 
kiss
breathe
delete
fetch
delay
dub
listen
look
rush
telephone
download
repair
fell
walk
pack
dim
deploy
call
cough
laugh
grasp
recover
rip
clean

2
Find the Simple past form (affirmative)

1.      He (answer)                                       the question. 

2.      They (be) ________________ elsewhere yesterday.

3.      You (ask)                                 a stupid question.

4.      They (call)                                us.

5.      We (leave)                               at 10pm.

6.      She (come)                                        to see you.

7.      They (go)                                 home late.

8.      She (forget)                                       her name.

9.      I (know)                                   why she didn’t want to see me.

10.    The police (catch) __________________ the murderer before he (can)

          _________________ kill again.

11.     He (see) ____________ me and (recognise) _________________ me at once.

 

3
Make negative sentences

1.      They collected postcards.                                                       

2.      You jumped high.                                                                  

3.      Fiona visited her grandma.                                                    

4.      You were thirsty.                                                                   

5.      I bought bread.                                                                     

6.      You saw the house.                                                               

7.      He caught the ball.                                                                

8.      She wrote short stories. _______________________________

9.      They drove all day long. _______________________________

10.     I got lost. __________________________________________

11.     She downloaded lots of films. __________________________

 

12.     I met an old friend of mine. ____________________________


4

Make questions

1.         She pushed her trolley.

                                                                                                                     

2.         She carried a suitcase.

                                                                                                                      

3.         We waited in the car park.

                                                                                                                     

4.         The police arrested the murderer.

                                                                                                                      

5.         We ate fish and chips.

                                                                                                                      

6.         She watched a film last weekend.

                                                                                                                      

7.         She asked her mum because she wanted to know how to use the machine.

                                                                                                                      

8.         I opened the window.

                                                                                                                      

9.         His dad was operated on last week. 

                                                                                                                      

10.       She wanted a  car.

                                                                                                                     



Answer keys: see further





Additional exercises

Here are a few interesting sites to go to so as to practise the Simple Past (regular and irregular verbs). Have fun!


Simple Past of to be
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?03

Simple Past - Positive sentences
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?04

Simple Past - answering questions
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?02

Simple Past - Negative sentences
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?05

Simple Past - Questions
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?06

Simple Past - Questions
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?07

Simple Past - Mixed exercise
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises


Strong / Irregular verbs - Mixed exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/irregular-verbs




Language game to practise your irregular verbs: Verb Dash
Have fun!

http://games.wordreference.com/language-games/verb-dash







Answer keys

1
matched     /t/
kissed     /t/
breathed     /d/
deleted     /Id/
fetched     /t/
delayed     /d/
dubbed     /d/
listened     /d/
looked     /t/
rushed     /t/
telephoned     /d/
downloaded     /Id/
repaired     /d/
felled     /d/
walked     /t/
packed     /t/
dimmed     /d/
deployed     /d/
called     /d/
coughed     /t/
laughed     /t/
grasped     /t/
recovered     /d/
ripped     /t/
cleaned     /d/


2
1.      He answered the question. 

2.      They were elsewhere yesterday.

3.      You asked a stupid question.

4.      They called us.

5.      We left at 10pm.

6.      She came to see you.

7.      They went home late.

8.      She forgot her name.

9.      I knew why she didn’t want to see me.

10.    The police caught the murderer before he could kill again.

11.     He saw me and recognised me at once.

3

1.      They collected postcards.    They didn't collect postcards.

2.      You jumped high.    You didn't jump high.

3.      Fiona visited her grandma.     Fiona didn't visit her grandma.

4.      You were thirsty.      You weren't thirsty.

5.      I bought bread.        I didn't buy bread.

6.      You saw the house.  You didn't see the house.

7.      He caught the ball.  He didn't catch the ball.

8.      She wrote short stories.  She didn't write short stories.

9.      They drove all day long.  They didn't drive all day long.

10.     I got lost.  I didn't get lost.

11.     She downloaded lots of films.  She didn't download lots of films.

 

12.     I met an old friend of mine.  I didn't meet any old friend of mine.


4

1.         What did she push?

2.         What did she carry?

3.         Where did you wait?

4.         Who did the police arrest?

5.         What did you eat?

6.         When did she watch the match?

7.         Why did she ask her mum?

8.         What did you open?

9.          Who was operated on last week?

10.        What did she want?