Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Episode 1

Episode 1
Hello again class,

Here are some useful websites for developing your English skills.

For dictionaries, I recommend www.dictionary.reference.com There you can look up vocabulary words, synonyms, and even listen to the pronunciation of words.
Another favorite is www.wordia.com You can search a word and watch different videos of people who define what the word means to them.

For reading international news articles in English while also learning vocabulary words and listening to the story, I suggest www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish.com

Let me know if ther are any websites for English you enjoy

The Importance of a Name

Today's questions is: What does your name mean in your culture? Where does it comes from? What is its significance? How common is it? How do you feel about it?

My Name: Andreea

In English, in Romanian, in Greek, my name means "manly and courageous."
In Italian, 'Andrea' is a male name, the third most popular name in the country. Yest, I am a woman, sufficiently brave, and still a woman.
In Romanian, my native language, 'Andreea' is written with an extra "e" to avoid confusion with the Romanian word "andrea" meaning "knitting needle."
For my family, my name is very popular. According to the Christian Bible, Saint Andrew was one of the earliest disciples of Jesus and one of the twelve apostles. In Romania, we celebrate our holy "name days." Mine, Saint Andrei, falls on the 30th of November, and it is my second most special day following my birthday.
I've had my ups and downs with my name, the many ways it's been pronounced. But all in all, my name is interlaced and meaningfully connected with my culture, my family, and my identity, and for that, I care for it.