Take it or leave it

Hello everybody,

You know we started a discussion about technology on Friday, but we could not have enough time to end it.

You can tell your arguments here about the same question.

"Does technology create a hell or heaven?"

See you in class on Monday.

UNIT 5

Hello everybody,

It's been so long. I hope you are having good time.

Please do not forget to bring your homework to the class on Monday.

This is your holiday task.

What is "biodiversity hotspot"?

- Where are they?
- Why are they in danger?
- What will happen if they are not protected?

Please write your answers in the comments.

By the way, look up the meanings of the following vocabulary before our lesson:

biodiversity,

ecosystem,

endangered species,

endemic,

hotspot,

human impact,

terrestrial,

vegetation,

vertebrate

See you in class on Monday :)

UNIT 3 Dying for their Beliefs

Hello everybody,

I hope this coming year will bring you happiness and joy!! Happy new year!

During your holiday, please find time to watch this film (Lorenzo'nun Yağı). It is mostly about the things we discussed in unit 3.

After you watch the film, please answer the following questions.

1- What are the conventional or nonconventional methods they used? Were these methods successful?

2- Did you like the film? Why or why not?

Journal Topic

Hello friends,

This week for your journal topic,

I am asking a very simple question.

Please write your answers in the "comments" part. Do not forget to write your name under your comment please. You don't need to write it in your journal notebook.

The question is:

WHO ARE YOU?

(I don't ask your name, surname, title, your job etc. Just write who you are in life, and define yourself.)

Here is my answer:

"I am just a dream of God, and I am a dreamer. I am only a drop of water in the ocean :)"

Unit 2 Vocabulary Exercise

Answers of Unit 1: 1-b 2-a 3-b 4-c 5-a 6-c 7-c 8-c 9-a 10-b

Unit 2- Dreams Never Die

Choose the correct answer.

1. He _______________ his family. His wife and children never saw or heard from him again.
a. abandoned b. yearned for c. traveled with

2. The tennis player didn’t win a game this season. He was always ____________.
a. dilapidated b. tormented c. defeated

3. The old house was falling apart. It was ____________.
a. dilapidated b. defeated c. tormented

4. He could not sleep. His ______________ dreams woke him in a terror every night.
a. meager b. tormented c. light

5. There is very little food in the house. We will have a ____________ dinner tonight.
a. meager b. sordid c. tormented

6. The young girl believed that life was miserable and that there was no possibility for a better life. She lived in ______________.
a. hiding b. shame c. hopelessness

7. The father’s alcoholism brought ______________ on the family name. People in the town talked about how drunk and irresponsible he was.
a. misery b. shame c. hopelessness

8. The young boy was in terrible physical and emotional pain. He was in ______________ .
a. misery b. shame c. hopelessness

9. When their father spent all their money on alcohol, the family had to live in _______________. They had no money to buy food or pay their electricity bill.
a. misery b. poverty c. shame

10. The young woman wanted to return to her home in Ireland. She ______________ her family and village.
a. yearned for b. hoped for c. defeated


NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 2 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Taste

Château Branaire-Ducru notes:

Appellation : Saint-Julien

Classification : Quatrième grand cru classé

Second wine : Château Duluc

Surface area : 50 hectares

Grape varieties : 70 % of Cabernet Sauvignon, 22 % of Merlot,
5 % of Cabernet Franc and 3 % of Petit Verdot

This week you will read the story "Taste" written by Roald Dahl. The wine bottle on the picture is the focus point of the story, which creates discussion among the characters.

Please answer the questions below and write your comments.

1. What is your reaction to how Mike Schofield treats his wife and daughter?

2. What do you think Richard Pratt will say and do to get out of the situation at the end of the story?

3. How will Mike react? What will he do? How will the evening end?

Discussion

Hello friends,
In our lesson we discussed about obstacles we have in life and the ways some people overcame them. You were supposed to watch the films above. Please answer the questions below.

1- What kinds of obstacles do the characters have? Do they find a way to overcome them?
2- Do these films have similarities?
3- Which film did you like more? Why?

UNIT 1 VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Choose the correct answer.
1. A(n) ______________ presents news stories and interviews expert guests on a TV news show.
a. editor b. anchor c. celebrity
2. A ______________ writes opinions about news events for newspapers and magazines.
a. columnist b. correspondent c. politician
3. A(n) ______________ travels around the world and reports back news stories.
a. anchor b. correspondent c. celebrity
4. A(n) ______________ reviews all the news stories, decides which stories are included, and makes language corrections.
a. reporter b. journalist c. editor
5. A(n) ______________ is any person who is famous.
a. celebrity b. journalist c. politician
6. People vote for the ______________________ who will best represent their interests in
government.
a. editor b. affiliate c. politician
7. A(n) ______________ writes articles for newspapers and magazines.
a. editor b. anchor c. journalist
8. The small local radio station was a(n) ______________ of a large media corporation.
a. tabloid b. network c. affiliate
9. A(n) ________________ covers news stories for print media, radio, or television.
a. reporter b. columnist c. editor
10. A ________________ is a newspaper that focuses on sensational news with lots of photographs
and short articles.
a. affiliate b. tabloid c. network

NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 1 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Marionettes Inc.

Hello friends, this week you were supposed to read "Marionettes, Inc." written by Ray Bradbury. It is a stunning story as you might think.

Please answer my questions below about the story and write your comments.

1- How might this story continue?

2- Would you prefer to duplicate yourself or a friend of yours? Why / Why not?

Journal Topic 1

Hello friends,

I hope you are having a good time on holiday.

This will be your first journal topic. Please write your comments in your journal notebook and bring in the class on Wednesday.

* Do you think the famous people have an easy life? Which aspects of their lives are easy, which are not?

WELCOME

Hello friends,
You are all welcome. I hope we will have a great year together.
I design this blog page in order to create discussions, share our ideas, and to practice vocabulary etc. As this is Reading&Writing course you will be reading the materials published by me and also writing comments for the questions and discussions.
During the term I can make some of the announcements via this blog page, so please check here frequently.

I wish you all a good and successful year!

Emel ŞENTUNA

The Right to Read

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

This week we talked about the censorship and the right to read.

Now, you are supposed to find two Turkish books which were banned, and tell me why they were banned.

Journal Topic

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

As we studied about adjectives and descriptive language in our lesson, now it is time to use them.

This week, you are going to create your own poem.

Let's see how we can do it. There are some simple steps to follow:

Write a 5-line poem in the following constructive manner.
1- On the first line write a noun of your choice.
2- On the second line write two adjectives joined by and to describe this noun.
3- On the third line write a verb and an adverb to describe this noun in action
4- Start the fourth line with "like or as" followed by a comparison.
5- Start the final line with "if only" followed by a wish.

Here are some examples of a few well-known poets:

Life
Terrible and wonderful
Going fast
Like a train
If I only knew where it goes and when it stops.
(by Marielle Gustafsson)

Wind
Light and cunning
Flying everywhere
Like a naughty boy
If only I had the patience to catch him.
(by Candace)


The sky
Blue and deep
Waiting patiently
Like eternity
If only I can fly to it.
(by Francisco Ramirez Alvarado)

Please write your poems and publish them in the comments. I believe yours will be better than the examples given above :))

Journal Topic

Ladies and gentlemen,

This week you are supposed to find three military terms and explain what they are in English with your own words.

Please write these terms in the comments.

Vocabulary

Ladies and gentlemen, for this blog entry, you are supposed to write 2 fill-in-the-blank style questions using the words you learned in the vocabulary activity we finished today. Just write two sentences in the comments part, but do not give the answers please. :)

P/S: We are going to discuss the ELT journal article on Thursday. Please come prepared.

Journal Topic

Hello friends this week for your journal topic I am asking a very simple question :))

Please write your answers in the "comments" part.

The question is:

WHO ARE YOU?

(I don't ask your name, surname, title, your job. Just explain who you are in life)

Here is my answer to the question: I can write a composition to answer it but simply...

"I am just a dream of God and I am a dreamer. I am a drop of water in the ocean" E.S.

Note: For Tuesday you are supposed to read the ELT journal chapter 4. Please do not forget it and inform your friends who don't have a chance to read my reminder.

Journal Topic

Hello friends,

This week please write about the following topic in your notebook for the dialogue journal.

"Have you ever been misunderstood? What was the situation? Why do you think you were misunderstood in that situation? Please explain in detail"

If you haven't been misunderstood, please explain in general why people are misunderstood. What are the reasons of that?

Please bring your notebooks on Tuesday.
Take care

ELT Journal

"You've Got mail": A film workshop

Hello friends, I think most of you have watched this film. The article we are going to discuss is about it as you know. Thus, please check out the following questions, read the article and if necessary watch the film again more critically.

1- The article states that using films as teaching materials brings many advantages. But what could be the disadvanatages ? Please write your opinions.

2- The researcher used films in the lesson called "Media Studies" and created an indepth analyses of films together with students. As a candidate teacher, in which lesson would you like to use films and why?

3-I used the film "You've got mail" to teach vocabulary in my reading class. After the students watched the film, I gave them a short summary of the plot and students were supposed to fill in the blanks with the required vocabulary such as "competition, chain store, family-owned business etc." So, think about an activity related with this film that you could use in your language class. What sort of activites could you give to your students about this film? Please write in details.

Journal Topic

Hello friends,

I hope you are enjoying your holiday. Have a good rest and please do the assignments until you come back to school.

Here you go. The first one.

Write your comments about the following question. There is no correct answer as you might guess. Just write what you think.

Why do we call a pencil "pencil"?

JOURNAL TOPIC

Hello everybody,
Sorry for the delay about the post that you are going to write in your dialogue journal.
This week please visit the the following website and take the quiz:

http://www.colorquiz.com/

In your journal please write :

1- How did the color quiz results describe you? (Explain briefly)
2- How accurate do you think the quiz was in describing you?
3-Do you believe the quiz is a reliable tool for assessing someone's personality?

4-Do you believe there is a connection between color preference and personality?

ELT Journal Chapter 9

The Role of NLP in Teachers' Classroom Discourse

Hi everybody,

This week we learned about NLP and discussed about some key points of it. Here are some questions for you. Please write your answers in the comment part. Do not forget to write your name.

1- Do you think your teachers are aware of NLP techniques?

2- How would language learners and teachers benefit from NLP?

3- Do you think you can use this technique in your own teaching? Are there any disadvantages?

Journal Topic for Thursday: I guess I forgot to tell you the journal topic in our last class. For Thursday, please write your comments in your journal notebook about the following topic:

How can people become successful in life? How do you define "success in life"?

UNIT 2 - A SEASON IN UTOPIA

Hello friends, this week we are going to discuss about utopias and perfect societies. Please answer the following questions after you read the text on page 26.



1- What is the aim of Brook Farm society?

2- What are the incomes of this society?

3- Is it money which dominates this society?

4- What do you think is the most utopic practice of this society?

5- Are there social classes in this society?

6-Would you like to live in Brook Farm?

7-Do you think it is possible today to create such a society? Why or why not?

ELT Journal Chapter 10

Dear friends,
Below you will see the questions I wrote on the board today. Please answer the first few questions at the beginning of this post. You don't have to answer the rest but consider them please.

a)Do you think the language learning situation in Taiwan and the students have some similarities with Turkish context? If there are some similarities, what are they?

b) Would it be possible to use this technique in language classes in Turkey? Would it be beneficial to use this technique in ELT departments? If so how?

c) Would you personally like to use this technique in order to develop your speaking ability? Why /why not?


1- What is an audio-taped journal?
2-What are the benefits of dialogue journals?
3- What are the benefits of audio-taped journals?
4- How did the researcher colloect data and analyze them? What is the method of the study?
5- How were the journal entries evaluated?
6- Why is the teacher response so important in dialogue journal exchanges?
7- What are the principles the teacher followed for the success of audio-taped journals?
8- What were the advantages of the audio-taped journals for the teacher at the end of the process?
9- What are the limitations of audio-taped journals?

UNIT 1 VOCABULARY ACTIVITY

Choose the best answer and write your answers in the comments part.
The answer will be announced here later this week.

1. The teacher was ____________. Her students had to work very hard in her class, but they learned a lot.
a. depressed b. tough c. interesting

2. After the divorce, she felt tired, sad, and uninterested in her work. She was in a ________________.
a. marriage b. depression c. episode

3. When the baby died, her mother could not eat or speak for days. She was _______________ .
a. sober b. proud c. devastated

4. The man ____________ his behavior on alcohol. He said alcohol had made him crazy.
a. instructed b. blamed c. avoided

5. His father died of Hodgkin’s disease and now, at the age of 38, John has the same disease.
The disease is ______________
a. hereditary b. learned c. determined

6. When the young actress received her award, she wiped away a tear and said “thank you.”
She was so ______________ she couldn’t say more.
a. controversial b. choked up c. famous

7. Every afternoon the baseball coach ___________ the players on how to hit and throw the ball.
a. instructs b. chokes up c. prioritizes

8. In his final years, Mickey Mantle did not drink alcohol. He stayed ____________.
a. sober b. sick c. choked up

9. “Diamonds are forever” is a successful ____________ the DeBeer diamond company used in various advertisements to sell their diamonds.
a. piece of jewelry b. slogan c. television commercial

10. Some people do not like noise. They _____________ parties, popular restaurants, and other crowded places.
a. go to b. like c. avoid


NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, Advanced: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 1 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

ELT Journal Chapter 11

Hello friends,
You all welcome to the Advanced Reading and Writing Course. With the help of this blog page, we are going to discuss about the chapters in ELT Journal, practice vocabulary, share ideas about the units in your course book, and sometimes publish the written texts.

This week please answer the following questions given below about Chapter 11 in ELT Journal. You can respond them by simply clicking on the "comment" button. Do not forget to write your name under the comments.

See you in class.

Training in brainstorming and developing writing skills
1- Why is writing considered as an important skill?
2- What is the learning perspective of cognitive theory?
3- Why is it important for students to interact with each other?
4- What is the aim of the study?
5- What were the reactions of students in experimental group towards the brainstorming strategy?

Unit 7: Homing in on Education

Circle the correct answer.

1. The effectiveness of home schooling is ___________. Some people believe it provides children with a superior education but others think it is too limiting.
a. debatable b. challenging c. isolated

2. There are many different ways to ___________a student’s learning. Students may take tests, write essays, or complete projects to show what they have learned.
a. ensure b. assess c. isolate

3. The government tries to ____________all children receive a basic education, so it has standards that all schools, even home schools, must meet.
a. ensure b. debate c. state

4. Most children attend ____________schools which have teachers and large classrooms.
a. mainstream b. home c. private

5. Home schools are on the edge of community life, but their __________role may change dramatically in the next twenty years.
a. debatable b. mainstream c. marginal

6. Children in home schools ____________group-learning experiences that other children get in classrooms and on school sports teams.
a. ensure b. miss out on c. assess

7. Some critics say that home schooled children are ___________other children because they spend so much time at home with their parents.
a. busy with b. bullying c. isolated from

8. Teenagers often do dangerous things because they want to be accepted by their group. They make decisions based on __________and not their own good judgment.
a. peer pressure b. bullying c. resources

9. When children hurt, intimidate, or force weaker children to do things, they are ___________.
a. applying peer pressure b. bullying c. curious

10. Many home schools ___________in the past twenty years. It is expected even more will form over the next twenty years.
a. have disappeared b. have emerged c. have been isolated

NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 7 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Unit 6: Give and Learn

Choose the correct answer.

1. Many people __________Justin Lebo for working so hard to build bicycles for poor children.
a. admire b. challenge c. think about

2. It can be ___________to volunteer because it requires commitment, skills, energy, and time.
a. exciting b. challenging c. fun

3. I was ____________to meet the President at the Volunteers of America dinner. I was so excited I could hardly speak!
a. thrilled b. determined c. pleased

4. It is not easy to complete volunteer projects. You must be _________to get the work done.
a. determined b. thrilled c. battered

5. Mother Theresa ____________her life to her religion and to the poor of Calcutta.
a. donated b. devoted c. challenged

6. The high school students didn’t have money to give to the children’s home. Instead they_________ books, toys, and school supplies.
a. donated b. devoted c. battered

7. One good volunteer can _____________many other people to give their time and money to community projects.
a. inspire b. determine c . ask

8. You must have good ___________to make the right decisions.
a. proposals b. intentions c. judgment

9. The church committee presented a ____________for a new children’s program, but church members didn’t like the idea and said no.
a. proposal b. judgment c. commitment

10. Many volunteers get great ______________from helping others. It makes them feels good about themselves and their communities.
a. donations b. satisfaction c. proposals

NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 6 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

It was one of Bozüyük's usual windy and silent winter nights.there was a bit different disturbing atmosphere in a small dormitory established onfeet of a tiny mountain.Dorm's corridors were a bit cold like a corpse.Before half an hour,dinner ceramony was overand all guys had a rest in their rooms.They were waiting for etude time.Some guys were listening an heavy song , another guys were talking angrily with their close friends.The day could be usual for guys who wouldn't know the tension which would happen later.I was having a rest on my bed by drinking my special cocktail.I wasn't happy in the dorm.The wallsseemed me like a ghost waiting for capturing my spirit.It was so unlovely that I could go home by running even under theseweather conditions.I exited from the room to walk in corridor for a while.

Noise came from the ground floor.But I ignored it and went upstairs to play ping pong.After half an hour, during an excited matchthe door was opened.My friend,Yasin said “ The school manager was looking for you.”He seemed a bit confused.He hardly walked along the corridorWhen I came in , a high tension atmosphere was waiting for me.Manager shouted at me by saying " open your wardrobe " .Un fortunately I forgot my keys at home.Secretly I took one of my friend's key and opened it.He searched it to find some bad things to beat me up.But he wasn't succeed in.He was highly drunk.He leaned forward and realized a suitcase on the corner of the room.He said that it wasn't the place of that suitcase.As soon as Alper openedmouth to answer,He suffered from a slap.After five seconds,he threw up the shoes to another friend.Finally he exited from our room and passed next room.Violation continued in the next room.Before I came , he had tried to open my wardrobe.When he couldn't open,He asked Yasin who was this wardrobe’s owner.Yasin said he was in upground.He slapped Yasin and said to call me.Our manager who we all were having high respect for him turned into a monster at that night.

Because it was our first month in dorm.,we were shocked.We all decided to leave dorm but family pressure blocked us from leaving.This event has been one of the most dramatical events in my childhood.

Written by: Selim Kapancı

The explosion was the most terrifying event for me when ı was 8 in Kırıkkale.It was so effective on me that ı stiill remember it well.It was a warmish,pretty day.Weather was utterly still like silence before storm.There were children and bird voices.My friends and me were playing game in my friends home.

Suddenly,window frame fell down with huge bang.It was so harsh that my ears were aching.I went to home and it went on exploiding.We felt like an eartquake was happening while bombs were exploiding.Then,it was anounced that we had to go farther places because there was explosion in armory.This armory had a lot of bombs,weapons,gunpowders and such as combustible materials,so it was very dangerous.Polices began to empty city.My family and me went to my uncle’s garden in Yahişhan which is the Kırıkkale’s county.We could see fumes which were arising from factory in there.There were stil small explosions,but again suddenly a big explosion happened and a vast boiling cloud of dust began to arise to sky.Sky was mixture of grey,scarlet fever,and it smelled so choky.Fire couldn’t be stopped and if this went on,Kırıkkale and even half of the Ankara would vanish,so my family and me went to Ankara.

Finally,fire was stopped with difficulty.we returned to our homes a few days later,but our home’s Windows were broken and walls were craced.Everywhere was sooty.This event had happened again years ago and we though that this wasn’t last one.

Written by: Sevda Yumus

SCHOLL'S BALL

It was an exciting monday morning.I woke up early and I was very excited.That day was very special for me because it was our school's ball.At first,my best friend and I went to hairdresser.After my hair was made,it seemed very elegant.During making-up,we noticed that our hair and make-up were in harmony.Finally,we were ready for the excellent night.

That night started with a pleasant meal.While we were eating our delicious meal,our teachers made speeches and then cap ceremony was made.It was time to dance.Everybody waited for music so when music played,everybody stood up and started to dance.All of us seemed very enthusiastic.I was very sure that nobody wanted to finish this brillant night.It lasted until 3.00 a.m. and all of us were still very eager for dancing but unfortunately the night finished.

I finally came home with my best friends.We talked about the night and interesting events and then slept.That night was unforgettable for each of us.

Written by: Berna ÖZKAN

UNFORGETABLE NIGHT

It was a weird april night,everthing was abnormal.I woke up to go school.There was wiilingness,but ı had to go.When ı went to school ı realized that something awful would be lived.One of my intimate friends whom ı hadn’t spoken for a long time told me that’’ I am sorry for everthing ,ı apologise you.’’It was really astonishing because we argued and both of us especially he was so determined to not make peace,but we did.After school time,although he insisted on me staying school yard,ı went home..I did so because the wheather was too cold in spite of being spring season..I was unawere of the danger how ı could ı know that there was only 10 hours to earthquake which was last 17 seconds and made me lost my best friend.ıt was the most dreadful time ı have ever had.

It was hard to sleep because of the sound of wind.I bounced from bed with the noisy of brick which fell down to root and made unbeareble sound.Suddenly ı realized that the bed was shaking.there was no one except me in the room.I tried to walk but ı couldn’t.I fell,screamed ‘’ mother mother’’ she didn’t do anything because she had already fainted.Also my father head was bleeding.With the help of our neighbour we were removed from home.The time was 3:45, the eartquake started at 3.27 and lasted 17 seconds.With the initial light of morning,we realized the covering of dust cloud,there was also callopsed buildings both of them made hard to breath.When my mother came round she said to us to go my aunt home.She was living high building which was also close to my friend’s home.We went there to look my aunt but when we arrived ı shocked,petrified.the building which my friend was living callopsed,7 floor apartment became as if 1 floor.I cried,yelled,shouted.I felt myself as if ı were in hell.I was afraid but words didnt mean anything.The view which ı faced made me depressed.There was no differences between me and corpse for days.We waited only to come to know what was happen to him and aproximately a few days later we learnt that he died.

Thank to this event, ı learnt there there was nothing significant than human.If human exist,he can do whatever he want.Life is someting that make you learn everything is ephemeral except death..I lived that 17 seconds it finished, passed but my friend didnt turn back again so live what you want at time,dont miss even one minute of life.

Written by: Merve Caf

My Turning Point

It was 2008 and June.I was in very complicated emotions.I was unhappy,hopeless and disappointed.My exams were dreadfully.I was thinking that I have worse upshot at my exam than at previous year.Due to the fact that I stayed for university exams once more for nothing.However,there wasn't anything to do anymore.We would just wait.The first geat day came and I learned my upshot after this stressful,nervous,inquisitive expectation.The days which more stressful and with difficult searches began with a bit chagrin.The decision was crucial for me which I would make.It was turning point of my life.Consequently,I finished my preference list and delivered it,and again nervous,anxious,stressful,hopeless expectation.Yes,hopeless,because I want to be an English Language Teacher by study in Anadolu University,but unfortunately I hadn't enough point.The day before results announcment,I couldn't sleep.When I thought about this,I fell asleep.Although I slept considerably late,I woke up early with curiousity,opened my computer instantly,joined the web site.I was impatience.There was still 45 minutes,and 30 minutes,and 20 minutes,and 10...When there was still ten minutes,I enter my identification number and page opened.I said ''No!It's impossible.It must be joke.There is still ten minutes..It can't open!'' Whereas the page was in front of me.It was written Eskişehir Anadolu University,English Language Teacher.I couldn't believe it.I screamed willy-nilly and ran to the other room for inform my parents.They were scared,there were bewildered look in their faces.I stood aghast,I was shiviring and smiling,but at the same time I was crying.I understood what the tear of happiness mean at that time.I was utterly still for a moment and suddenly I regained consciousness.The thing has happened which I yearned in my life.My dreams came true.It wasn't only the most unforgettable,proudest day of my life,but also my family's undoubtfully.

Written by: Sinem Kale

The Nightmare Day

1st December 2007.The day me grandfahter closed his eyes to the world was the worst day of my life. I and my family were gathered around my grandfather's deadbed. There was a grave slience while everybody was keeping their head down and praying sliently. However, I could feel the heart-torning screams coming from deep insidetheir soul.The only sound in the room was my grandfather's painful mourning which was killing us withhim.

Suddenly, The voice disappeared and left its place to a dead slience.Everbody stood up with worry.I runned check my grandfather's pulse ,but when I toched him, I felt nothing but the cold body of him.The moment I broke into tears, everybody felt the weight of the world on their shoulders.The slience was ceasedby the outcries like a thunder that felt in the middle of the house.With the dead of beloved husband, father, grandfather,every sense but sorrow died.We unclothed him and put a white sheet on him. Under the sheet he seemed like a sleepingangel which was about to oped his wide wings and fly to the heaven.With the sun-rise, it was time for us to prepare him for funeral ceremony.We washed him gently as if he had been stiil alive. We were still avoiding to hurt him.His body was as cold as ice ,and his skin was as soft as silk.Then, I combed his hair as though I was preparinghim for the most important meeting.Then we put him in his coffin which was like a steel cage from which there was no escape.We took my grandfather to the mosque where he lied sliently like a sleeping baby for his funeral ceremony. After the ceremony, we took him to the graveyard to bury him ,and in order to do our last service for him.The graveyard was full of agony ,andeverybody felt the coldness of this agony deep in their heart.While we were burying him, the rain was washing our tears as ifit was trying to console us, but it didn't help us to stop our cries.

After the burial, we went back to home, but there was something missing.We had left my grandfather alone.I felt like running till his grave to bring back even though I knew there was no way of it as he had come to the end.When we were servedmeals, nobody touched them.They all tasted bland.My grandfahter's dead had influenced us terribly.Although i don't cry anymore, one part of my heart still misses him desperately.

Görkem KÜÇÜKOĞLU

MY WORST DAY

It was a still and uneventful June morning,with deep darkness.It was very frightening when my cousin knocked the window.It was the morning of 11 June 2003 Wednesday.we were sleeping when he came,and then all of us woke suddenly after the noise made by my cousin.My mother opened the window and asked my cousin,who knocked the window and was shocked,"What happened?" He came to our house in a hurry because there was a person who had a heart-attack and died.Unfortunately,he was my father.

It was unbelievable that my father has died.I was shocked when I heard this because we left him only five months ago because of some unendurable and insistent problems.I haven't seen my frantic father since we left him and our house.I was shocked and was feeling like a stone.I thought ıt was a joke or a nightmare.I wanted to wake up as if it was a morning like every morning.I heard suddenly that my mother was crying.When I heard this,I realized that everything was real,and my father had died.After being shocked by the news of his death it looked as if I saw his frantic face and his white hair which was like snow.Then we went to our own house where my father had died.When I walked towards our house,I could hear a deathly silence.It seemed like the end of the world and my life.I didn't realize that he had died until Isaw his coffin.He was in coffin and was sleeping like a child,who sleeps in peace.Unfortunately,he started out his last travel.It seemed to me that he will come back,but he never came back and will never come back.

His death was the beginning of a new life,without him.It has affected me very much and will affect me until the end of my life.He was very important for me,and he will be.He died five years ago,but I never forget that day.That day is the nightmare of my life.I think,I never wake up from this nightmare.

Written by: Ayşe Şermin Kertis

THE TERRIFYING FLOOD

The flood in Çakırlar where is the district of Antalya was the most terrifying and unforgettable event I kept in my mind since it was occured.

It was a rainy and stormy December morning,I was at home then I turned the TV.I heard some awful news.Storms and heavy rain paralayzed daily life in Antalya and also they resulted in the death of eight people.

In Çakırlar which is situated between mountains,was the most damaged place in Antalya.Many houses were flooded, bridges were collapsed and the electricity wires were fallen down onto streets,so homes were remained n darkness for long periods.Many people were unable to leave their homes they were waiting help desperately.They were really frightened. Goventment sent vehicles to rescue people and volunteers help them,too.Vehicles were barely taking people from their home,because flood hindered to them.Scarcely bulldozer took a boy when it fell down.Unfortunately,the boy and driver died. At that time,I heard the irritating and painful screams from residents.It was so unbearable voice I had ever heard.

Finally,after a day storm abated.However exhausted they were,they started to search their relatives or nighbours and their possessions eleborately.They suffered from adversely.Flood undermined their homes and dreams.Ofcourse it was an enviromental event,however people could take precaution for disasters.

Written by: Ezgi Yavuz

1999 The Most Frightening Year

The 1999 Earthquake was the most dreadful event I kept in my mind since my childhood.17 August night,we wanted to go out since the air was very sweltering.As we were wandering,we saw a terrifying sight.The sky was scarlet like sunset.In the sky,there were some lights as if they had been stars.Some dogs were barking bleakly.

At 03:05,there was a horrifying roar.everywhere was white as light as a day time.Our building was shaking as if it had sprung to air and fallen on place. While the earthquake occured.the electricity cut off.The earthquake continued 45 minute but we felt as if it took many minutes.

After earthquake.everything changed and occured as usual.Everybody in our quarter wennt out with dread.Everywhere was so full that nowhere was empty.There were lots of people like doomsday.All people tried to phone their relatives but that wasn't easy.That day influenced me so much that I couldn't forget.

Written by: Burcu Çavdar

My Worst Day

My leaving from home was the most upset moment I kept in my mind since I was child.It was pretty November morning with adunny sky and open air.At first,when I woke up,everything was OK.Even I was so joyful because I would go to Eskişehir .I would be free and have no my family and relations.I thought that was a wonderful thing.I still recall it well.Even as a young ,the memory is so uncovered in my mind.When I prepared everything,my family and relations were so anxiety for my leaving .I was so joyful for my going because I was fed up with my hometown.

As long as I went out , my family began to cry.That moment I noticed something changed.Deep sensations surrounded me.I felt so exhausted but in my heart left so little happiness.Then we arrived at the station where is full large,luxurious and comfortable buses.When my bus came, all joy in my heart ended.I was completely worried.The instant I got on my bus , all ropes broke out.my family were crying out.The moment ı saw them while crying ,I burst into tears.Then I perceived what happened.I didn't want to go to Eskişehir.Anymore,I left alone.

I finally dozed off to sleep.When I awoke, my bus came to Eskişehir.I was aware of everything and there would be the only Betül.Then I understood my family are valuable and the most priceless existence in the world for me.

Written by: Betül Atalay

DREADFUL FIRE 28/01/2009

The Fire was the most horrifying event I kept in my mind since my childhood.It was a pretty March night, with dark sky but there was unendurable heavy rain.My sister and I were at home.My parents visited my uncle.While we were playing cards ,we were drinking something.It was very enjoyable.My sister and I wanted to drink tea, so my sister put some water on the cooker.Our curtain was near the cooker.My sister opened the window because the kitchen was stifling.There was a harsh storm outside.Curtain blowed about towards the cooker.We go to sit in the livingroom.We were watching tv.We had been slepless the day before yesterday.We had watched a lot of films, so we dozed on the sofa.We forgot tea. We woke up with disgusting scent.We couldn’t breath clearly,we were coughing constantly.We ran the kitchenThe fire was expanding as if it would cover everwhere.It was becoming bigger and bigger.First, we shocked and we couldn’t anything.Then, we tried to put out it by carrying water with small buckets.Everywhere was covered with stifling smoke.My neighbour came , and she said that she phoned the fire-fighter.After that, we phoned my parents, and they came.Fire fighter put out the terrible fire.Our some furnitures were burned.There was ashes everywhere ,and a disgusting,incredible scent. After the dreadful fiıre, we sat and talked about the event.We realized that curtain catched fire from the cooker.I and my sister deposed the police.We were exhausted.We felt as if we would guilty.I never forget this dreadful event.This fire taught me:”People always must be attentive.”

Written by: Duygu YILMAZ

THE 1999 EARTHQUAKE

It was the only terrifiying Sunday that I never want to remember for all my life.It was a roasting August Sunday,with the sun glowing over us like a fire and the boundless sky with its sapphire blue like the colassal,bottomless oceans.We were living our typical Sunday without the conscious of the fortcoming catastrophe.The atmosphere was like a hell with its burning hot.When it became dark,instead of its vivacious nights,İstanbul was as still as a sleeping baby.This made me scared and I felt coldness of a melting ıce in my heart and shaked.My mother and my father were looking helpless and upset as if they were informed beforehand about the disaster.They were pale like a death rose.With the anxiety of the night,we went to our beds at 12 o’clock being unaware of the fact that the earthquake was waiting for 3 o’clock to take lifes’ of millions like the angel of the death.

When I put my head on my pillow,I wanted to sleep as fast as possible to escape from the dissatisfaction of that night.However,it didnt take a long time and after three hours, I got up with the trembling of my bed.As I was sleepy,I didnt take into consideration it,but when the speed of vibrations increased,my life went through in front of my eyes like a film band, and I felt the scent of death going through my nasal passages.I got up immediately and tried to find my parents.However,the door had been locked and the electricity had gone.So, I screamed and began to weep bitter tears.All of the furnitures fell down with an incredible roar that I almost never want to hear again.I curled beside my bed putting my hands over my head.After a couple of minute,my father broke the door and took me out of the room.We found a lantern and got out of the house in the speed of light.It was keeping on shaking with an increasing velocity.We gathered with our neighbours in the empty field across our buildings.Everybody was crying like a child and seeing their deadly pale faces made me faint.

When I opened my eyes,the new day dawned as if nothing had happened.My mother and father were beside me,but they had some wounds on their bodies.My father had injured his left leg,and my mother’s soft skin turned into a tough iron because of the stressful and painful night..I tought that ıt was our luck that make us rescue with small wounds from an earthquake with 7.4 strength after I heard the balance sheet.17.840 people had died during the earthquake and 43.953 people had injured due to the uninvited guest..Morever,thousands of corpes and living bodies had waited under wreckages to be found for many days.So,it was the worst weekend I have ever had during my life.

Written by: BURCU CENDEK

AN ECCENTRİC DAY

It was a sweltering July evening with a restful air and hundreds of stars were shining overhead like a brilliant.It was stifling at home.I opened the windows and suddenly ı felt the fresh air coming from outside.I took a deep breath.There was nothing to do at home.I was so bored.It was the most stressful day of my life that the result of the university exam would be explained the other day.

In the morning ı woke up so early.I could sleep no more than 3 hours.My hands were trembling continuously and ı was so frantic that ı was talking sharply with everyone.I couldn't have breakfast because there was nothing about it that was attractive.I felt as if ı couldn't pass and in fact ı had no expectation.The time was 09.30.It wasn't passing.Each 5 minutes felt me like 5 years.At home nobody was talking with each other that it was a painful silence.Then ı noticed that my phone was ringing.My brother was calling me.He said that ı couldn't pass and ''you must study harder this year more than last year!!!''I was about to cry then he began to laughed and said ''ı'm kidding:)''This time ı began to cry because of happiness..

After ı learned the result,that day became the cornerstone of my life.I was so happy.I shared this news with my family.They were happy,too.I will never forget that day because it is a tedious and wondrous day day for me!!!

Written by: NURAY GÜRLEROL

VOCABULARY EXERCISE UNITS 3 & 4

NORTHSTAR 2e Reading and Writing, High Intermediate
Vocabulary Exercises
Unit 3 and 4

Choose the correct answer.
1. Another word for “lawyer” is _____________.
a. accuser b. attorney c. physician

2. Another word for “medical doctor” is _____________.
a. prosecutor b. attorney c. physician

3. The state ___________________ said the Hermanson family broke the law. He took them to court.
a. physician b. practitioner c. prosecutor

4. The Hermansons had to ________________ for the murder of their daughter even though they never meant for her to die.
a. shed weight b. stand trial c. return

5. It was very hard for the Hermansons to lose their daughter. The criminal trial made them ____________ even more.
a. heal b. suffer c. feel

6. A(n) _____________ is done on a dead body when the cause of the death is not certain.
a. trail b. check-up c. autopsy

7. The Christian Scientists believe that medical _____________ can be treated with prayer.
a. ailments b. practices c. exercise

8. Alex cannot find a pair of pants big enough for him. He needs to _____________________.
a. suffer b. shed weight c. grow

9. After a long trial, the court _____________ Pamela Smart of murder. She will be in prison for many years.
a. convicted b. concentrated c. convinced

10. If you _______________, the police will probably catch you and take you to court.
a. commit a crime b. lie c. stand trial

Complete the sentences. Choose the correct answer from the words in the box.

bleakly boiling boughs dread stifling strayed
sweltering swiftly trigger utterly still

One hot evening a storm approached my house as I was in the garden. The air was _________ (1). I could hardly breathe. The heat was intense. It had been a _______ (2) day. There was no movement in the air. It was _________ (3). The _________ (4) of the trees did not move. I felt ___________ (5) grow in my heart. I knew there was nothing I could do to escape the approaching storm.
The sunlight was strangely dark. Its yellow-green light shined _________(6) on the land. The clouds began to bubble up and move like water that is ___________ (7). The storm __________ (8) moved in. I had no time to get back to the house. The wind blew sand and dirt into my mouth and eyes.
I wanted return to the shelter of the house, but I couldn’t see. I ran for several minutes,
but realized that I had run in the wrong direction. I had __________ (9) too far from the house. I survived that storm. But now the sound of a strong wind will ________ (10) my memory of that storm and I feel a sudden rush of fear come over me.

UNIT 3

Amy Hermanson, 7, died in 1986 in Sarasota, Florida. Hermansons were Christian Scientists and some people assumed the parents were not providing medical treatment as they believed that the only healer is God.

Do you think praying and alternative or nonconventional methods are useful in treating health problems?

DELT READING-WRITING - Fullscreen

UNIT 2 VOCABULARY EXERCISE

NORTHSTAR 2e Reading and Writing, High Intermediate Vocabulary Exercises
Unit 2: Dreams Never Die

Choose the correct answers and write them in the comment section.

1. He _______________ his family. His wife and children never saw or heard from him again.
a. abandoned b. yearned for c. traveled with

2. The tennis player didn’t win a game this season. He was always ____________.
a. dilapidated b. tormented c. defeated

3. The old house was falling apart. It was ____________.
a. dilapidated b. defeated c. tormented

4. He could not sleep. His ______________ dreams woke him in a terror every night.
a. meager b. tormented c. light

5. There is very little food in the house. We will have a ____________ dinner tonight.
a. meager b. sordid c. tormented

6. The young girl believed that life was miserable and that there was no possibility for a better life.
She lived in ______________.
a. hiding b. shame c. hopelessness

7. The father’s alcoholism brought ______________ on the family name. People in the town talked
about how drunk and irresponsible he was.
a. misery b. shame c. hopelessness

8. The young boy was in terrible physical and emotional pain. He was in ______________ .
a. misery b. shame c. hopelessness

9. When their father spent all their money on alcohol, the family had to live in _______________.
They had no money to buy food or pay their electricity bill.
a. misery b. poverty c. shame

10. The young woman wanted to return to her home in Ireland. She ______________ her family
and village.
a. yearned for b. hoped for c. defeated

NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 2 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Unit 1- Media

Ladies and gentlemen,
In our unit we have discussed about the media and news reports. Please watch CNN Live or click on the links of news websites below. Choose one piece of news and answer the following questions.
http://edition.cnn.com/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world
http://www.nytimes.com/

1-What is the TITLE of the news?
2-WHO or WHAT is the news about?

3-WHAT happened?

4-WHERE? WHEN?

UNIT 1 Vocabulary Exercise

Vocabulary Exercises
Unit 1: Untruth and Consequences
Circle the correct answer.

1. A(n) ______________ presents news stories and interviews expert guests on a TV news show.
a. editor b. anchor c. celebrity

2. A ______________ writes opinions about news events for newspapers and magazines.

a. columnist b. correspondent c. politician

3. A(n) ______________ travels around the world and reports back news stories.

a. anchor b. correspondent c. celebrity

4. A(n) ______________ reviews all the news stories, decides which stories are included, and makes language corrections.

a. reporter b. journalist c. editor

5. A(n) ______________ is any person who is famous.

a. celebrity b. journalist c. politician

6. People vote for the ______________________ who will best represent their interests in
government.

a. editor b. affiliate c. politician

7. A(n) ______________ writes articles for newspapers and magazines.

a. editor b. anchor c. journalist

8. The small local radio station was a(n) ______________ of a large media corporation.

a. tabloid b. network c. affiliate

9. A(n) ________________ covers news stories for print media, radio, or television.

a. reporter b. columnist c. editor

10. A ________________ is a newspaper that focuses on sensational news with lots of photographs and short articles.

a. affiliate b. tabloid c. network

NorthStar, Second Edition, Reading/Writing, High Intermediate: Vocabulary Exercise, Unit 1 Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

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