In Hard Times…Is Glamorous Optimism the Answer?

 Opinion essay

History shows that in times of trouble, humans turn to sparkle and shine. Liane Wiggins, head of womens wear at Matches Fashion said,” high shine and metallics exemplify what fashion is all about: dressing up, having fun and lifting the spirits."

Does such exuberance feel out of place? We all know how wasteful the fashion industry is!

It’s important not to confuse consumerism with creative optimism," Francesca Muston, vice president of fashion at WGSN explains. "People are likely to express their reaction to global developments in different ways: there are those who will focus on simplicity and minimalism, and those who seek a release via creative expression," she continues.

 

In Hard Times…Is Glamorous Optimism the Answer?

1.     Decide whether you agree or not.

2.     Introduction.

Are we in times of trouble? Why? Do we need to lift the spirits? What do some people do to feel better in hard times?

3.     1st paragraph.

First of all, I think that………In my opinión, ……

What do you think about dressing up as a means of cheering up ? Does it work? Do you feel better when you are clean and well groomed? Can the clothes and accessories you wear reduce your anxiety?

4.     2nd paragraph

In addition……………………………. Some people think ……

Is fashion a way to express people´s creativity? Can it be a form of art? Are people´s clothes and accessories a way to express their reaction to global developments? What can a glamorous dress mean?

5.     Conclusion

To sum up, I belive that glamour and style………

Formal e-mail. B2

 https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/upper-intermediate-b2-writing/more-formal-email

https://www.wallstreetenglish.com/blog/how-to-write-formal-emails-in-english

https://www.inenglishwithlove.com/blog/how-to-write-an-email-in-english

https://oxfordhousebcn.com/en/how-to-write-a-b2-first-formal-email-letter/

https://teacherphill.com/fce-how-to-write-an-email-letter/

B2 Writing

 https://ejemplos.net/5-ejemplos-de-opinion-essay/

https://kseacademy.com/cambridge/b2-first-fce/writing/articulo/

https://vibenglish.com/como-hacer-un-writing-del-first-certificate-paso-a-paso/

https://es.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/Writing/Writing_b2_article_db1455647fm

For and against essay

 https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/against-essay

Opinion essay

 https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/opinion-essay

A blog Post

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/upper-intermediate-b2-writing/blog-x-games

A Blog Post

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/blog

A problem in your town

Work in pairs.Think about a problem in your town.

• Describe the problem
• Give some details about it
• Make some proposals to solve the situation
• Mention some advantages for the town if the problem is solved

Take notes to tell the class about the problem.

Letter to the editor . Questions

HIGHWAY NO WAY
 
Read the letter to the editor and answer:
How old is the writer? How do you know?
Who is he writing to?
What is he complaining about?
Why is he so worried?
What is his proposal?What is he asking for?
Is this a formal or an informal letter? How do you know?

Take note of the words and expressions used in a formal letter to the editor:
Opening remarks
Closing remarks
Other useful expressions


 LETTER OF PROTEST
  Read the letter of protest  and answer:
How old is the writer? How do you know?
Who is he writing to?
What is he complaining about?
Why is he so worried?
What is his proposal?What is he asking for?
Is this a formal or an informal letter? How do you know?

Take note of the words and expressions used in a formal letter of protest:
Opening remarks
Closing remarks
Other useful expressions

JOBS. e-mail

1. Answer the questions
• Why would Nadine be good for the job?
• What would she learn from the job?
• What previous experience does she have?

2.Find the following expressions in the e-mail and  match them with the definitions and the examples.
1. pick someone’s brain
2. think on your feet
3. What you don't know won't hurt you.
4. run smoothly.
5. hands-on experience
6. hold back
7. see/catch you later!
 

a) to ask someone's advice about a subject the person knows a lot about:
b) knowledge or skill that someone gets from doing something rather than just reading about it or seeing it being done.
c) to not do something, often because of fear or because you do not want to make a bad situation worse
d) a way of saying goodbye
e) If you do not know about a problem or a misdeed, you will not be able to make yourself unhappy by worrying about it. (Often used to justify not telling someone about a problem or misdeed.)
f) to make a quick decision or give an answer quickly
g) operating in a flowing and effective manner, without difficulties or obstructions


A. They will participate in workshops and get hands-on experience leading classes.
B. He always said he learned more about newspapers from hands-on experience than he did in the classroom.
C. I'd never heard about the company before, so I had to think on my feet.
D. Can I pick your brain about how you got rid of those weeds?
E. Ellen: What a beautiful diamond necklace! Thank you! But how on earth did you get the money to pay for it? Fred: What you don't know won't hurt you.
F. He held back, terrified of going into the dark room.
G. "Bye." "See you later."

2. Writing.
Last week you saw a job advertisement on the Internet. You realized it was be a great opportunity to do what you had always dreamt of doing. This meant leaving your current stable job, but you really needed a change in your life and decided to take the risk and wrote a letter of application.
Now write an email to your best friend and tell him/her about your decision, explain why you think you are a good candidate, why you really need a change in your life, in what ways this could affect your future and ask him/her what he/she thinks about it.

The Illustrated Story of Creuza Oliveira

http://learningplatform.pathwaysofempowerment.org/resources/the-illustrated-story-of-creuza-oliveira/comic

MAKE IT HAPPEN

http://www.pathwaysofempowerment.org/news_items/make-it-happen-international-women-s-day-2015

http://learningplatform.pathwaysofempowerment.org/units/empowerment-and-women-s-work/case_studies/workers-rights-and-social-movements

MY BEST FRIEND´S WEDDING

https://youtu.be/kU0EC5xXuqY


Write an e-mail to a friend in between  80 and 100 words following the instructions below. 
Last week you were at David's wedding. The following week you received an email
from a good friend asking you to tell him/her everything about the wedding. Write back
to him and tell him:
· who the bride was.
· where was the marriage ceremony and the party.
· what the guests were like.
· what the party was like.
· about a mutual friend you hadn't seen for a long time.


http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/whats-the-most-fun-wedding-youve-ever-been-to/


http://www.ielts-mentor.com/cue-card-sample/849-ielts-cue-card-sample-120-describe-a-wedding-you-attended


http://www.dcielts.com/blog/wedding/


http://www.targeticse.co.in/articles/icse-sample-essays/a-wedding-ceremony-in-the-family

HIGHWAY NO WAY

Where 

Letter of protest

Tyrone G. Mathis
US11Morningview Lane
Garner, IA 50438 

Dear Counselor Mathis
I am writing this letter to protest the recent decision the city council made about raising the taxes on all non-recyclable water bottles manufactured within the township.
I truly think this is a bad idea. Water bottle production is one of the economic powerhouses in this region, and if we place a tax on it, water bottle manufacturing companies may decide to relocate, leaving many locals out of jobs.
Please reconsider your decision and the effects it will have on the local population.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen

Edinburgh E-mail

Edinburgh email from gabriela sanchez

Descibing yourself in a job interview.

http://languagelearningbase.com/86914/how-to-describe-yourself-in-a-job-interview

Two peas in a pod

Dear You,

It’s been almost a month since you threw me out of your life. You boarded that train without giving me a second glance. I stood on the platform for hours, crying, until an old woman asked if I was okay and persuaded me to go for a coffee with her. She listened to me more that day than you had for the previous six weeks.

Now we’re four hundred miles apart and I want you to know that, as much as I’m hurting, I still love you with all the pieces of my broken heart. I drove down your street tonight for the first time since you left and remembered all the fun times we shared there with your family. You used to say “we are two peas in a pod”, now I realise we couldn't be more different.

The truth is, every day since you left has been a blur. I miss you but as the days pass I will think of you less. I wish you well, although I will never fully understand why you had to go.

Love,
Me

Unrequited Love Letters/E-mails

Dear Pizza-Ears,
I don’t get it. I call your name and you ignore me, staring blankly not even tilting your head in acknowledgement. Then I walk towards and you look at me like I might hurt you, as if, being near me is painful. All I ever do is kiss your pizza ears and snuggle you, yet you prefer others unless no one is around. Then you snuggle with me and don’t nip at my ears or stand on my head. But as soon as someone else comes home you jump off of me and run to greet them with the same happy greeting you give me. I love you so much with your little face and pizza ears!
I love that you sleep at the foot of my bed at night, after I bring you there. Maybe you do love me, but I feel ignored and then sometimes trotted on literally. Please cute little pizza ears just come when I call. I want to keep you safe.
http://unrequitedloveletters.tumblr.com/

Dear heartbreaker,

I had to get over you. For months now, a stone had been sitting on my heart. I'd shed a lot of tears over you, lost a lot of sleep, eaten a lot of cake batter.Somehow, I had to move on.Life would be hell if I didn't shake loose from the grip you had on my heart. I most definitely didn't want to keep feeling this way, alone in a love affair meant for two. Even if you'd felt like The One. Even if I'd always thought we'd end up together. Even if you still had a choke chain on my heart.

Adapted from  Kristan Higgins, All I Ever Wanted

Summercat love e-mail

I kissed you good bye at the airport.
I held you so close to me.
I said 'So here we are now and I can't stop from crying Lilly'.
And you said 'Hey hey hoo, you know this is the way to go
You will forget about me when I'm on that plane.
Forget about me when I'm on that plane. '

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

The plane took off and my love went with it.
The chilly wind whipped my both cheeks hard.
And the man next to me said 'Everything is gonna be alright'.
I said 'Nothing is gonna be alright, but thank you anyway'.
And then I saw your face in the airplane window.
I waved my hands and I shouted to you:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight

I wore a T-shirt and my worn out hat.
Abandoned as a summer cat.
And as I stood there as a broken hearted I realized you got the car keys still.
So I broke into my own old car.
I fell asleep on the passenger seat.
I dreamed of summer s** with you and you whispered in my ear:

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight
Why can't you leave me tomorrow instead?
Why can't you leave me tomorrow instead?

And above the clouds she said to her self 'i can't believe how naive a man can be.
That's why I love you so and that's why I can't be with you... '

Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you Tonight tonight tonight tonight
I wanna be with you tonight