Wouldn't it be nice to sound like Leonard Cohen?

In 2011, Leonard Cohen received the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature for "a body of literary work that has influenced three generations of people worldwide through his creation of emotional imagery in which poetry and music are fused in an oeuvre of immutable merit". When he came to Oviedo to collect his literary prize, he gave one of the most beautiful speeches I've ever heard in this kind of setting.

His voice is so soft and delightful, his pronunciation so clear and precise, and his tempo so fine-tuned, that I recommend you to listen and repeat his words: if you do so you will certainly make good progress in your pronunciation.

This post is dedicated to Paco for appreciating the good music, and for helping out with the classroom dynamics yesterday. Thanks, Paco!

Leonard Cohen's Prince of Asturias Speech

Write for Rights!

As you may know, December the 10th is the International Human Rights Day, soI'd like to propose to you a somewhat different writing task for this week: This time you will devote your time and energy to writing to real people who are the victims of the violation of most basic international human rights law worldwide. You may also write to the authorities who are permitting all this.

Let me warn you that this is an optional writing task. So you're free to choose. It won't be marked, but I will help you with the grammar if you want to.

Find below the Amnesty International homepage for this campaign, and the toolkit with all the resources you need, including the specific cases they are currently campaigning for, and sample letters.

Amnesty International Write for Rights Campagin: Get started!

Write for Rights Toolkit

By the way, Happy Human Rights Day!

Ladies Please Remove Your Hats...

After watching the very beginnings of the motion pictures industry in class, I'd like to suggest you continue learning about this amazing human enterprise. Movies have been around for several generations now, and have deeply contributed to shaping our understanding of the world surrounding us. Please, watch the following documentary up to minute 12, since you will have to answer to the five questions I pose below. After that, you're free to continue watching the video until the end, maybe you'd like to sit back, relax, and grab some popcorn... Just an idea!

Open Questions:

1.- Who created the well-known American Movie Industry originally?

2.- Who were its first audience? Why?

3.- What was frightening about The Great Train Robbery?

4.- Who's the author of a new film language in the US? With which movie?

5.- How did film making become big business in the US?