пятница, 18 ноября 2022 г.
omniscient-narrator
суббота, 12 ноября 2022 г.
No water, power or internet – only euphoria in newly liberated Kherson
No water, power or internet – only euphoria in newly liberated Kherson
By Nic Robertson, Amy Woodyatt, Kareem Khadder, Clayton
Nagel and Kosta Gak, CNN
Updated 9:25
AM EST, Sat November 12, 2022
Kherson, Ukraine (CNN) — For eight months, residents of
the Ukrainian city of Kherson have been living under brutal Russian occupation. But on Friday, Ukrainian
forces swept into the city and Russian
troops retreated to the east. The residents have no water, no internet connection and little power. But
as a CNN crew entered the city on Saturday, the mood was euphoric.
As the crew filmed live in
Kherson’s central square, some in the crowd of locals sang the national anthem while others shouted “Slava Ukrayini!” –
glory to Ukraine, a patriotic greeting. “We feel free, we are not slaves, we
are Ukrainians,” resident Olga told CNN.
Locals have also been climbing
onto the tops of the buildings, including the cinema, in the square to erect Ukrainian flags. Soldiers
driving through are greeted with cheers and asked to sign autographs on flags.
Back when Russian troops rolled in at the beginning of
the war, this was a city that tried to resist: people were taken away, tortured, disappeared, residents said. “We were
terrified by [the] Russian army, we were terrified by soldiers that can come
any moment in our house, in our home – just open the door, like they are living
here, and steal, kidnap, torture,” Olga said.
But now, people flock to the central square in the
newly liberated city, wrapped in
Ukrainian flags, singing and chanting “Freedom for Ukraine.” “Everyone here is
out celebrating in the square here. People are wearing the Ukrainian flag,
they’re hugging the soldiers, they’ve come out to see what it’s like to have
freedom,” Robertson said.
A Ukrainian Special
Forces soldier, who gave his name only as Daniel, told CNN how his unit was the
first to arrive in Kherson. “My commander put the flag on the top of the
building,” he said.
“It was a real blast for us, finally. Before
the 11th [of November], it was five days of hard work, real hard work.
Ukrainian soldiers, as always, just confirmed again that they are stronger than
the Russians.”
The CNN team appeared
to be the first international journalists to reach Kherson city center since it
changed hands in the past 48 hours.
On Friday, Russia
announced it had withdrawn from the
west bank of the Dnipro River in the strategic
southern region of Kherson, leaving the regional capital of the same name
and surrounding areas to the Ukrainians.
The retreat
represents a major blow for Putin’s war effort in Ukraine. Kherson was the only
Ukrainian regional capital that Russian forces had captured since February’s
invasion. Their withdrawal east across the Dnipro cedes large swathes of land
that Russia has occupied since the early days of the war, and that Putin had
formally declared as Russian territory just five weeks ago.
Speaking Saturday on
the next steps for the Ukrainian military, CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton
said: “This is going to be a major urban operation. What you are going to see
is a methodical operation to clear
buildings of potential booby traps and mines.
On Friday evening,
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a nighttime video of celebrations
in the city, where a crowd was waving flags and chanting “ZSU,” the Ukrainian
acronym for the armed forces.
Earlier that day, the
Ukrainian military’s southern operational command said Russian forces had been
“urgently loading into boats that seem suitable for crossing and trying to
escape” across the river.
It was unclear whether
all Russian troops had left Kherson and the wider region. Serhiy Khlan, a
member of Ukraine’s Kherson regional
council, said the city was “almost under
the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” but cautioned that some Russian troops might have remained behind
in civilian clothing.
1. Read the article "Biden again says US would
defend Taiwan if China attacks"
2. Write out words in bold and translate them in written form.
3. Make
up 5 questions to the article.
4. Go through the link and watch the video. Be ready to comment on it. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/12/europe/kherson-city-ukraine-russia-intl/index.html
вторник, 1 ноября 2022 г.
Sunak’s wealth and right-wing politics mean he is far from representative, British Asians say
Go through thre link to watch the video
Who is Britain's next prime minister?
Sunak’s
wealth and right-wing politics mean he is far from representative, British
Asians say
By Sana Noor Haq, CNN
Updated 11:04 AM EDT, Fri October 28, 2022
London CNN —
Orange and pink fireworks colored the skies over
south London on Monday, as members of the local South Asian community
celebrated Diwali.
This year, the holiday aligned with Rishi Sunak, 42, becoming
Britain’s first prime minister of Indian descent, as Hindus like him
celebrated the festival of lights.
Sunak’s rise to power has split opinion among
South Asians in the UK. Some believe his historic appointment is a moment of
pride and sign of social progress in Britain, while others point to his immense
wealth, privately educated background and adoption of hard right-wing
policies.
Evidence of this wide range of views was clear
when CNN spoke to South Asians in the London neighborhood of Tooting – home
to a bustling migrant community within the British capital.
Flamboyant fabric shops, places of worship and food vendors offering
syrupy Indian desserts alongside fresh fruits and vegetables line the streets,
with family-run convenience stores dotting nearly every corner.
The London suburb is steeped in
the richly diverse heritage of its residents, where people of color comprise
over half of the population, according to the 2011 UK census.
The same data found that nearly
30% of people in Tooting identify as “Asian” or “Asian British,” and after
English, Urdu and Gujarati are among the most common languages spoken.
“It is a sign of progress, but only at the
top. Rishi Sunak comes from a very privileged background,” the 58-year-old
solicitor said, his glasses tucked behind his bright orange turban.
Singh said he believed Sunak’s
ascent is a sign that only South Asian politicians with immense social and
economic privilege can “break the glass ceiling.”
Earlier this year, Sunak and his
wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of an Indian billionaire, appeared on
the Sunday Times Rich List of the UK’s 250 wealthiest people. The newspaper estimated their joint
net worth at £730 million ($826 million).
Outside the capital, Sanjay
Chandarana, who heads a Hindu temple in Southampton, southern England,
co-founded by Sunak’s grandparents in 1971, told CNN that
Sunak’s elevation was “a Barack Obama moment” for the UK, in a nod to America’s
first Black president.
“I think it’s something of
importance to the South Asian community … seeing that he is the first South
Asian prime minister of the UK. It’s something that I think all South Asians
should be proud of,” Irtaza Nasir, a 24-year-old restaurant director in
Tooting, said. “I never thought this day would come.”
Sunak’s premiership has sparked
a debate among many British Asians that lies at the intersection of race,
class and politics.
The new prime minister has
entered Downing Street as one of its richest ever occupants, yet he has the
task of leading a country where marginalized communities are falling deeper into poverty in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
During his time as chancellor
of the exchequer, Sunak was criticized for proposing a negligible 1% pay
rise to staff for Britain’s National Health Service, despite the institution crumbling under government cuts
and staff shortages.
Sunak may be the first British
prime minister with Indian heritage, but his race alone does not qualify him to
represent the diverse and nuanced views of the 4.2 million people with South Asian heritage who live in Britain today.
“Seeing someone brown becoming
prime minister is something to be proud of, and yet it is also possible to
vehemently disagree with the politics or the individual,” Jasvir Singh, a
barrister and co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month, wrote by email.
“Politics is much, much more than
just about color and race.”
Do the tasks below
1. Read the
article "Biden again says US would defend Taiwan if China attacks"
2. Write out words in bold and translate them in written form.
3. Make up 5 questions to the article.
среда, 26 октября 2022 г.
USEFUL CLICHES
YOU SHOULD START YOUR MONOLOGUE MENTIONING THE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
First... In the first place... To begin with...First
of all... I'd like to start by giving my opinion on the impact of tourism on
the environment (it's a good idea to rephrase the issue)
To start with... let me express my view on the pros
and cons of working as a teacher (use synonyms whenever possible)
Then.... In the second place... Besides, I'll move on
to the issue of whether video games are dangerous... (Use an indirect question)
I'd also like to answer / deal with the question of
how new technologies have changed our daily life in the past ten years. (Use an
indirect question)
EFFECTIVE OPENINGS
In order to grab
the attention of the audience you may employ one or two of the following
devices:
- Rhetorical questions:
Can crime really be prevented? Has the role of
teachers changed in the past years?
- Interesting facts:
According to an article I read recently,... Did you
know that...?
I’d like to share an amazing fact / figure with you.
Have you ever heard of...?
- Starting with an anecdote:
Let me tell you what happened to me.
- Problems to think about: (use conditional type 2 or
3)
Suppose / Supposing you wanted to... Imagine you had
to...
Have you ever wondered what would happen / would have
happened if...?
- Quoting a well-known person
As X once said,... To quote a well-known writer,... To
put it in the words of...
INTRODUCING A POINT
When delivering
a monologue on a particular subject it is important to introduce the key points
first.
You may use one
of the following phrases:
First of all I'd like to point out... The main problem
is... The fact is that...
The question of... Speaking of...
OR YOU MAY BEGIN BY STATING
SOMETHING AS A FACT
As everyone knows... It is generally accepted that...
There can be no doubt that...
It is a fact that... Nobody will deny that...
ENUMERATION OF POINTS
If you want to
provide several reasons, factors or arguments in a row, you have to organize
them in the
logical way. In
order to structure your answer properly enumerate the main points using one of
the
suggested
phrases:
First of all... In the first place... To begin
with...To start with... I'd like to say / to mention that...
Second... Secondly... In the second place... In
addition to that... Apart from that... Besides...
Moreover,... Furthermore,... Another example of this
is...
Finally,... Lastly... Finally, and perhaps most
importantly,...
In conclusion... All in all... All things
considered...
MOVING TO THE NEXT POINT
This leads directly to my next point. This brings us
to the next question.
Let’s now move on / turn to... After examining this
point, let’s turn to...
Let’s now take a look at...
GOING BACK
As I said / mentioned / pointed out earlier,... Let me
come back to what I said before...
Let’s go back to what we were discussing earlier... As
I’ve already explained...
GIVING YOUR OPINION
• I think / feel / believe that... • As far as I'm
concerned.... • As I see it...
• To my mind... • In my view / opinion... • From my
point of view...
• I tend to think that... • It seems to me that... •
To my knowledge
• I have the impression that... • I
reckon...(informal) • For my part...
GIVING A STRONG OPINION
• I'm absolutely convinced that... • To tell you the
truth / to be honest / frank
• I strongly believe that... • I have no doubt that...
• There's no doubt that...
• My own view is that... • I'm absolutely certain
that... • I'm sure that...
• If you want my honest opinion...
EXPRESSING UNCERTAINTY
• I definitely doubt if that... • I'm uncertain / not
sure that... • As far as I know...
• It is very doubtful whether... • I don’t know about
you, but I ...
GIVING OPINIONS USING IMPERSONAL LANGUAGE
It is vital that more is done to prevent the illegal
trade in wild animals.
◇
(Compare: We have to do more to stop people trading wild animals illegally.)
Journalists play a vital/crucial/essential role in
educating the public.
The ability to write well is essential for any
journalist.
The Internet has become an indispensable /ˌɪndɪˈspensəbl/
tool for reporters.
In journalism, accuracy is paramount. / ...is of
paramount importance.
It is imperative that journalists maintain the highest
possible standards of reporting.
This case emphasizes/highlights the importance of
honest communication between managers and employees.
It should be noted that / It is important to remember
that / An important point to remember is that ...
I would like to draw attention to the role of
listening in effective communication.
GIVING REASONS AND MAKING A POINT
There are several reasons why I think that... The
reason for this is that / why I say that is....
I base my argument on... I tell you all this
because... What I'm basically saying is...
The point I'm trying to make is that... Let me put it
this way:...
INDICATING THE END OF YOUR MONOLOGUE
Well, this brings me to the end of what I wanted to
say about ....
That covers just about everything I wanted to say
about...
As a final point I'd like to say / add that...
Finally, I'd like to highlight one final / key issue.
My final comments concern.... I would like to finish
by mentioning...
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMING UP
The obvious conclusion is... Last but not least... The
only possible solution / conclusion is....
In conclusion I can / would like to say that... To cut
a long story short...
All things considered... Let me summarize by saying...
Briefly said,...
In short,... To recap what I've said so far... To sum
up,...
вторник, 25 октября 2022 г.
вторник, 18 октября 2022 г.
Example of a complaint letter
Example of a complaint letter
Look at this example complaint
letter for ideas on how you should approach writing a letter of complaint. Pay
attention to the complaint letter format, the voice, and the use of language.
My Name
My Address
Date
Recipient
Name and Title
Company Name
Company Address
To
Whom It May Concern:
I am writing today to complain of the poor service I
received from your company on June 12, 2022. I
was visited by a representative of That Awful Company, Mr. Madman, at my home
that day.
Firstly, Mr. Madman was one hour late for his
appointment and offered nothing by way of apology when he arrived at noon. Your representative did not remove
his muddy shoes upon entering my house and consequently left a trail of dirt in
the hallway. Mr. Madman then proceeded to present a range of products to me
that I had specifically told his assistant by telephone that I was not
interested in. I repeatedly tried to ask your representative about the products
that were of interest to me, but he refused to deal with my questions. We ended
our meeting after 25 minutes without either of us having accomplished anything.
Secondly,I am most annoyed that I wasted a morning
(and half a day's vacation) waiting for Mr. Madman to show up. My impression of That Awful Company
has been tarnished, and I am now concerned about how my existing business is
being managed by your firm. Furthermore, Mr. Madman's inability to remove his
muddy shoes has meant that I have had to engage the services, and incur the
expense, of a professional carpet cleaner.
Finally,I trust this is not the way That Awful Company
wishes to conduct business with valued customers — I have been with you since
the company was founded and have never encountered such treatment before. I would welcome the opportunity to
discuss matters further and to learn how you propose to prevent a similar
situation from recurring. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Signature
Name
