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CHARLES DICKENS

BIOGRAPHY

Charles Dickens, in full Charles John Huffam Dickens,(born February 7, 1812, Portsmouth, Hampshire (England) and died June 9, 1870 in Gad’s Hill, near Chatham, Kent)

The famed British author was the second of eight children. His father, John Dickens, was a naval clerk who dreamed of become it rich. Charles' mother, Elizabeth Barrow, aspired to be a teacher and school director.

Despite his parents’ best efforts, the family remained poor. Nevertheless, they were happy in the early days. In 1816, they moved to Chatham, Kent, where young Dickens and his siblings were free to travel in the countryside and explore the old castle at Rochester.

In 1822, the Dickens family moved to Camden Town, a poor neighbourhood in London. By then the family’s financial situation had grown dire, as John Dickens had a dangerous habit of living beyond the family’s means. Eventually, John was sent to prison for debt in 1824, when Charles was just 12 years old.

He felt abandoned and betrayed by the adults who were supposed to take care of him. These feelings would later become a recurring theme in his writing.

Much to his relief, Dickens was permitted to go back to school when his father received a family inheritance and used it to pay off his debts. 

He married with Catherine Thomson on 2nd April 1836 he also had 10 children with her, for example Francis Dickens, Edward Dickens etc...

He died at his home suffering a stroke

 

SOCIETY

During the 19th century life was transformed by the Industrial Revolution. At first, it caused many problems but in the late 19th century life became more comfortable for ordinary people. Meanwhile, Britain became the world's first urban society. By 1851 more than half the population lived in towns. The population of Britain boomed during the 1800s. In 1801 it was about 9 million. By 1901 it had risen to about 41 million. This was despite the fact that many people emigrated to North America and Australia to escape poverty.

 Also  the 1800s the factory system gradually replaced the system of people working in their own homes or in small workshops. In England, the textile industry was the first to be transformed. It employed many children. Unfortunately, when children worked in textile factories they often worked for more than 12 hours a day. In the early 19th century parliament passed laws to restrict child labour. However, they all proved to be unenforceable. The first effective law was passed in 1833. It was effective because for the first time factory inspectors were appointed to make sure the law was being obeyed.

STYLE

Dickens uses idealized characters in his books for example in Oliver Twist is an example of one of his idealized characters, during the course of the book Oliver is having many problems including an evil orphanage and a small training center for thieves. Throughout all of this Oliver is an innocent child and his values are never compromised even though he is put in very difficult situations. Seeing the ugly circumstances that Oliver so often occupies, it is no wonder that Dickens chose to idealize Oliver and give the reader something to love completely. If Dickens had not idealized Oliver the book would have been dark with very little joy in it.

BOOKS

1. Christmas Carol :19th December 1843
2. Oliver Twist :1838
3. Our mutual friend :1865
4. Bleak house :1853
5. Little Dorrit :1857

GLOSSARY OF CHRISTMAS CAROL

  Chapter 7-8-9-10

 

Crutches: a stick  that fits under the arm, that you lean on for support if you have difficulty in walking because of a foot or leg injury.

Weak: not physically strong.

Debt: something, especially money, that is owed to someone else, or the state of owing something.

Grave: a place in the ground where a dead person is buried.

Away: somewhere else, or to or in a different place, position, or situation.

Pie: a type of food made with meat, vegetables, or fruit covered in pastry and baked.

Gentle: calm, kind, or soft.

GLOSSARY UNIT 2

 

Leather: animal skin treated in order to preserve it, and used to make shoes, bags, clothes, equipment, etc.:

 Wood: it is a material comes from trees

Wool: it is a thick hair grows on the body of the sheep

Coins: a round piece of metal that is use as money

Tool: a piece of equipment that you use with your hands to make or repair something

Can: a closed metal container in which food.

Cheerful: feel happy or positive

Wreck: a ship that has been destroyed or badly damaged.

Empty: not containing anything

Lifeboat: it is a large boat to save people who are in danger in the water 

 

CHRISTMAS CAROL CHAPTER 5-6

  Chapter 5-6

Change:  something that you are given, without asking for it, on a special ocasion

Husband: the man that you are married

Change: to make or become different

Nightcap: a type of hat made  from soft cloth and worn in bed, specially in the past

Turkey: a large bird grown for its meat on farms

Curly: having curls or a curved shape

Disappear: If people or things disappear, they go somewhere where they cannot be seen  or found

CHRISTMAS CAROL CHAPTER 3-4 GLOSSARY

 Chapter 3-4

Robe: it´s a long dress

Tired: is the same like exhausted

Warehouse: a building where large quantities of goods are stored, especially before they are sent to shops to be sold

Guests a person that you have invited to your house or to a particular event that you are paying for

Light bulb: the glass part that fits into an electric lamp to give light when it is switched on

Childhood the period of someone's life when they are a child

the ghost of Christmas past

CHRISTMAS CAROL CHAPTER 1-2 GLOSSARY

 

Chapter 1-2

Clerk: is who works for the head of a company.

Waste: lose

Kind: types

Striking (the clock): dar la hora

Partner: socio

                                                                                  

GLOSSARY UNIT 1

GLOSSARY UNIT ONE  

Stood: the past of stand

Drop: dejar caer

Pavement: is the part of the street where people walks.

Lonely: alone

2020/21 COURSE

 

SELF ASSESMENT

ü  What can I do that I couldn't do before?

At the end of the grade I can speak in public better with the help of the speaking.

ü  Can I understand information from LISTENINGS?

yes I can because the vocabulary that the speaker says is the same vocabulary and grammar I learnt in the lessons before.

ü  Can I WRITE a brief paragraph?

Yes I can because topic are general for example describe your ideal school and about this topic you can write a lot of details, important information (how many students will be there)

ü Can I SPEAK using vocabulary and grammar learnt this term?

Yes I can because the vocabulary are very easy and useful for example food, adventure vocabulary, extreme sports…

ü  Can I understand information from READINGS?

Yes I can because every day I practice with Cristina´s emails, with her homework for example when she says read the text on page 56 for example.

ü  What do I like most?

I like doing  the terms projects because I enjoy it and I also like working in the blog.

ü  What do I do well?

Probably I do well the readings and the listening.

ü  What am I confused about?

At the end of this course I haven´t any doubt with the grammar or vocabulary I undestand everything.

ü  What do I do in English outside the class?

I watch videos in English, I listen music in English and I also have English lessons

ü  What do I need to improve?

I need to improve my pronunciation but I practice it outside class with English’s teachers help.

ü  What did I learn about culture?

I learnt a lot about culture with Abby for example their schedule of meals, information about street market (important vocabulary, street art, the different things are in there)

BUSKAID CHARITY

BUSKAID´S VISION IS...

ü  That all township children will be given the opportunity to channel their creative energies and talents through learning and playing classical music to the highest international standards.

BUSKAID´S MISSION IS 

ü  to give children from impoverished backgrounds in the township of South Africa the opportunity to learn classical stringed instruments to the highest possible standards.

ü  to encourage the most talented of these students to form their own professional orchestra, unique for its playing style and repertoire.

ü  to train a select number of its students to became professional strings teacher.

ü  to set up and staff its own instrument repair workshop, offering employment opportunities to local youth, with the secondary aim of producing Buskaid´s own hand made violins, violas, cellos and double bass.

 IF YOU CLICK HERE YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT BASKAID CHARITY

MY RECIPE FROM MOROCCO

LAMB TAGINE

RECIPE

  1.     Take the lambs shanks and add it some salt, pepper, raz el Hanout. With the coriander seeds and the cumin, you need a little pestle to crush it when you finish add it to the lamb and pour some olive oil.

  2.     With the kilo of tomatoes you have to slice it then season it with some salt and pepper, then you can add some dried fruit for example apricots, cranberries, blueberries… and dice it

3.     Cut the coriander shalk. Then crush the garlic into a garlic crusher. When you finish mix these ingredients with the tomatoes and dried fruit, then put it into the tagine adding some new potatoes and the lamb shank.

4.    Bring to the boil simmer two hours and a half

5.    To contrast the gravy and the spice take a yoghurt then chop some mint, pour lemon juice and mix with the yoghurt. When you going to serve the dish add some flat bread and couscous on the plate and finally add the lamb with the vegetables, the yoghurt´s mix and a pomegranates on the top.

GREENWICH MARKET

Greenwich market was opened in 1773; there are a lot of different type of stalls; there are a lot of food stalls, for example Bad Brownie, its salted caramel was voted as the best brownie in London (2014).  You can also eat in different restaurants, pubs and bars; if you like the antiques you can also buy in many stalls antiques for example Lifestyle Antiques or Time´s Treasure. You can also buy many clothes for people or for your pet in different parts of the market. You can buy some jewellery, there are 23 stalls for it, and it is for all ages because it  has got many stalls for children, there are 13 stalls for them.Greenwich market website   

EDUARDO kOBRA

Eduardo cobra is Brazilian he was born in 1975, he also begins his career in 1987. He uses bright colours and  bold lines. The technique of repeating squares and triangles to allows him to represent famous people in his images, to do it he uses brushes, airbrush and spray.

MY IDEAL DAY

my hotel

Today is my ideal day, I ´m eating an ice cream with my family and friends in a boat in the Mediterranean Sea in Valencia´s coast. Then I am swimming with them and I am doing scuba diving in a cave and I am discovering a treasure in it. Now I am eating a paella with shellfish and a brownie for dessert in a 5 stars hotel. It is very fun!