Disneyland

Disneyland Parks

There are two Disneyland Parks in the USA. They are theme parks located in California and in Florida. They are  owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company.

The concept of amusement park, as currently understood, was born in the United States with Disneyland Los Angeles in 1951.

The Orlando Walt Disney World Resorts in Florida is a complex of four big theme parks:

Magic Kindgom Park,

Epcot Center,

 Disney's Hollywood Studios

 and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

There are also two water parks, six golf courses, more than twenty hotels and various shopping arears and entertainment. It was opened in 1971. It is the largest complex of theme parks in the world. Orlando is in Florida.

There are many other amusement parks in the USA, but the first Disneyland Park near Los Angeles is the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself.

By Giulia Ferronato and Maria Vittoria Scabello, II LSB  :)

Snow in November

Friday November 26^th, 2010

Hello teacher,

I'm Giada of class 1LSA.

Today it snows and this already makes me think about CHRISTMAS TIME.

I have found in Internet the text of the song  "WHITE CHRISTMAS":

White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white.

Irving Berlin, 1942

By Giada Bordignon, I LSA

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park 

Yellowstone is the first national park of the U.S.A.

There are 100 geysers, the most famous one is the Old Faithful.

In Yellowstone Park there are many animals:

the grizzly bear,

the grey wolf,

the moose

and the elk.  

Two very famous cartoon characters who live in Yellowstone Park are Yoghi and Boo Boo.

You can go to the cinema next December 2010 and see a new 3D movie about them.

Watch the trailer:

http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/

By Francesco Basso, II LSA

English pronunciation

Watch this video in Italian to improve (migliorare) your English pronunciation!

The "TH" Pronunciation - important!

This is an EXTREMELY useful video to learn how to pronounce the "TH" sound correctly.

Please Please Please use it and practice your "th" in front of a mirror!!!

Present Continuous - Year 1

Il Present Continuous Tense


Quando si usa

USE 1: Now

Si usa il Present Continuous con verbi normali (verbi che descrivono azioni in cui si vede qualcuno che fa qualcosa) per esprimere l'idea che qualcosa sta accadendo adesso, in questo preciso momento.

Esempi:

• You are learning English now.
• You are not swimming now.
• Are you sleeping?
• I am sitting.
• I am not standing.
• Is he sitting or standing?
• They are reading their books.
• They are not watching television.
• What are you doing?
• Why aren't you doing your homework?

USE 2: Longer Actions in Progress Now

In inglese, "adesso" (now) può significare: in questo secondo, oggi, in questo mese, in quest'anno, in questo secolo, e così via.
A volte si usa il Present Continuous per dire che siamo nel corso di un'azione di una certa durata che è in via di attuazione anche in questo momento, anche se non la stiamo eseguendo proprio in questo secondo.


Esempi: (tutte queste frasi potrebbero essere dette durante una cena ad un ristorante.)

• I am studying to become a doctor.
• I am not studying to become a dentist.
• I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
• I am not reading any books right now.
• Are you working on any special projects at work?
• Aren't you teaching at the university now?

USE 3: Near Future

A volte si può usare il Present Continuous per indicare che qualcosa avverrà o non avverrà in un futuro prossimo. Nella frase però ci deve essere un'indicazione di tempo (per esempio tomorrow, next month, in an hour) che ci faccia capire che l'azione accadrà in futuro.

Esempi:

• I am meeting some friends after work.
• I am not going to the party tonight.
• Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
• Isn't he coming with us tonight?

RICORDA: Non-Continuous Verbs

I non-continuous verbs non possono essere usati al present continuous.


Questi verbi descrivono qualcosa che non può essere visto fare a qualcuno. Includono:


Verbi astratti
to be (essere), to want (volere), to cost (costare), to seem (sembrare), to need (necessitare), to contain (contenere), to exist (esistere)...


Verbi di possesso
to possess (possedere), to belong (appartenere)...


Verbi di emozioni
to like (piacere), to love (amare), to hate (odiare), to fear (aver paura), to envy (invidiare)...

Esempi:

• He is needing help now. Not Correct
• He needs help now. Correct

• He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct
• He wants a drink now. Correct

Riassumendo:

Il Present Continuous si usa per esprimere un’azione presente quando si verifica una delle seguenti circostanze:

Circostanza	Esempio
1. Now: Il verbo esprime un’azione che si sta svolgendo nel momento in cui si parla	Che cosa fai? Scrivo una lettera. (Sto scrivendo in questo momento)
2. Around now: Il verbo esprime un’azione che si svolge nel limitato periodo di tempo di cui si parla, anche se non necessariamente nel momento in cui si parla	Che cosa fai in questi giorni ? Studio inglese, perché fra un mese avrò l’esame. ( Non sto studiando in questo momento, ma in questo periodo)
3. Future plan: Il verbo esprime un programma preciso per il futuro	Partirò domani alle 15.45.

Come si costruisce

Il Present Continuous, come tutti i tempi progressivi, è un tempo composto.

Utilizza l’ausiliare to be al Simple Present e la forma in -ing del verbo della frase.


Se il verbo deve essere messo in forma negativa o interrogativa, si fa la forma negativa o interrogativa del verbo to be, mentre il verbo nella -ing form rimane invariato al suo posto.

Forma	Costruzione	Esempio
forma affermativa	soggetto + to be al Simple Present +  verbo-ing	I am writing a letter
forma negativa	soggetto + to be al Simple Present + NOT + verbo-ing	I am not writing a letter
forma interrogativa	to be al Simple Present +                     soggetto + verbo-ing	Are you writing a letter ?

Practice:

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_progressive_auxiliaries.htm

http://www.eclecticenglish.com/grammar/PresentContinuous1F.html

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/present_cont_1.htm

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/present_cont_2.htm

http://www.istitutopessina.it/self-made/present_continuous.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/pcont1.htm

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form02

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form03

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form04

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form05

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-continuous-exercise-6.html

http://www.english-4u.de/pres_prog_ex1.htm
http://www.english-4u.de/pres_prog_ex2.htm

http://www.english-4u.de/pres_prog_ex1.htm

The First Thanksgiving

They spent two months at sea to reach a strange new world, and barely survived once they got there.

Learn how the Pilgrims reached America and lived to celebrate the first Thanksgiving.