Youth

English Club – June 25, 2011
Task with Partners
Rank the countries in the order you would like to visit them (1-8):
United States: England: India: China:
Brazil:    Kenya:   Cambodia:         Mexico:
Discussion Topic: Youth
“Youth is wasted on the young.”
1.What do you think of this saying? Do you agree or disagree?

2.What was the best time of your childhood? What age would you like to return to?

3.What parts of childhood are you glad are over? What is the most difficult thing about being young?

4.In your opinion, what is the best thing about growing older? In what ways is it better to be older?

Group Contest
Practice with Questions!

Our Schedule
Tuesday, June 28 – Constitution Day – No Club
Thursday, June 30 – No Club
Saturday, July 2 – No Club
Tuesday, July 5 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)
Thursday, July 7 – 1730 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia
English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

Mistakes

English Club – June 23, 2011
Task with Partners
Rank the countries in the order you would like to visit them (1-8):
United States: England: India: China:
Brazil:    Kenya:   Cambodia:         Mexico:

Discussion Topic: Mistakes
1.When you make a mistake, or do something wrong, is it easy for you to admit your mistake?
2.What’s the best way to help another person when they are making a mistake, or are about to make a mistake?

3.Did you ever make a mistake that at the moment seemed bad, but now it is a funny memory?

4.Do you believe that people get better because of their mistakes?

Group Contest

Practice with Questions!

Our Schedule
Saturday, June 25 – 1030 Library
Tuesday, June 28 – Constitution Day – No Club
Thursday, June 30 – No Club
Saturday, July 2 – No Club
Tuesday, July 5 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)
Thursday, July 7 – 1730 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia
English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

Big Decision

English Club – June 18, 2011

Task with Partners

Rank the most beautiful place in Ukraine (1-8):

Kyiv: Lviv: Karpaty: Odessa:

Crimea: Vinnytsia:  Uman:        Kamyanets’-Podilskiy:  

Discussion Topic: Big Decision

1.What do you do when you have to make a big decision? How do you prepare to make the right decision?

2.If you need to make an important decision, do you ask your friends and family for help, or do you like to make decisions on your own?

3.What was one of the biggest decisions of your life? After you made the decision, how did you know if it was the write or wrong one?

4.What was a time when you made a wrong decision? How did you fix the situation?

5.Do you believe in planning your decisions ahead, or do you like to make your decisions in the moment?

Group Contest

If you could have one question answered by the English Club, what would it be?

Our Schedule

Tuesday, June 21 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)

Thursday, June 23 – 1730 Library

Saturday, June 18 – 1030 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia
English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

First Impressions are Forever

  If you could have your dream home, where would it be, and what would it be like?
Discussion Topic: First Impressions are Forever
1.  Do you try to make a good first impression when you first meet someone? How can you do it?
2.  When you meet someone for the first time, what can they do to give you a bad first impression?

3.  Did anyone ever get the wrong idea about you because of a first meeting? Why did they misunderstand you?
4.  What about first dates? What is a good topic for discussion when going on a date with someone for the first time? What is a bad topic?
5.  Do you like to go on Blind dates where you are meeting the person for the veiy first time? Does this situation make you nervous?
Group Activity: Asking Questions
If you could have one question answered by the English Club, what would it be?
Contest
Our Schedule
Saturday, June 18 - 1030 Library
Tuesday, June 21 - 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)
Thursday, June 23 - 1730 Library
Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com - English Club in Vinnytsia
English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

Vinnytsia English Club Speaking On Sales

Questions for Partners

·       What was the funniest dream that you have had that you can remember?

·       Do you have any recurring dreams? What are they?

Discussion Topic: Sales

 1.    Have you had a job where you should sell something? Are you a good sales person? Would you like to have this profession?

2.    What are some different kinds of sales positions? Which one is the best for you?

3.    What can be some problems that can happen to salespeople?

4.    What characteristics make someone a very good salesperson? What kind of person should you be to have success in this field?

5.    What about promotion? Would you like to be the promoter for a restaurant, club or some other type of business? What are the pros and cons of such work?

Group Activity: Asking Questions

Contest

Our Schedule

Tuesday, June 14 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)

Thursday, June 16 – 1730 Library

Saturday, June 18 – 1030 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia

English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

Seeing the Future

English Club – June 9, 2011

Questions for Partners

If you could choose anyone, who would you like to have as your mentor? What would you like to learn from them?

If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?

Discussion Topic: Seeing the Future

1. Do you believe that there are some people who have a special ability to see the future? Where does this ability come from?
2. Do you have a strong intuition? Do you always follow your intuition? What have been the results?
3. Would you want to have someone tell you your future, or would it be better for you if the future was a mystery?
4. Do you think that the future is already determined, or that our actions today will change what happens in the future?

Group Activity: Asking Questions

Contest

Our Schedule

Saturday, June 11 – 1030 Library

Tuesday, June 14 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)

Thursday, June 16 – 1730 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia

English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

Webchat: 5 Myths About the "Information Age" with Robert Darnton

Vinnytsia Information Resource Center "Window on America" was welcome to tune into a video webchat on Wednesday, June 8, presenting Robert Darnton, Director of the University Library at Harvard (CO.NX webchat, hosted at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy).

Confusion about the nature of the so-called information age has led to a state of collective false consciousness. It's no one's fault but everyone's problem, because in trying to get our bearings in cyberspace, we often get things wrong, and the misconceptions spread so rapidly that they go unchallenged.

Robert Darnton answered various questions from all over the world during a conversation about 5 myths of the Information Age. Among the questions discussed at this Chat the following ones were the most intersting and worth to answer in details (Prof. Darnton, do you think one of the various formats for ebooks will become the standard, and that we will eventually head into a single format? Is privacy as we know it a thing of the past? Isn't the ''digital age'' (with websites and technologies dissapearing all the time..) a threat to preserving information for the future generations?...What can be done? Is there a difference in the way the brain takes in or absorbs information when it is presented electronically versus on paper? Does the reading experience change, from retention to comprehension, depending on the medium? Can we consider the social media a part of the information age? What will be the long-term effect of moving from a culture founded on literacy, education, history and philosophy all communicated by books, to a culture that “accesses” pieces of free-floating text? Has the information age and Globalisation reached its zenith and what next? do you agree that IT has widen the digital divide between people of different geographical locations and therefore it reinforces the cultural and scientifical divide between Nort and South and East and West? how can the developing country make use of information age? Do you know of U.S. libraries that lend Kindle e-readers to patrons? How they manage their digital book collections? What do you *honestly* think of Google/Kindle's approach of not licencing ebooks to Libraries? How can a library, which is a non-commercial entity, not be forced by the commercial business deciding what it should make available to the public and what not?).

The participants of this activity from Vinnytsia WOA prepared questions in advance. The answers were detailed and really expressive giving us even info about future of Ukrainian e-books with some data.
*******

Historian, specialist of the 18th Century, graduated from Harvard University and Oxford University, Robert Darnton taught at Princeton until 2007 when he became Director of the University Library at Harvard. Trustee of the New York Public Library and the Oxford University Press, he is the former President of the American Historical Association. Honors: MacArthur Prize Fellowship, National Book Critics Circle Award, French Legion of Honor. One of his latest books is “The Case for Books” (2009).
Enjoy reading articles about Robert Darnton and his ideas about Digital Library (Harvard University Library Director Robert Darnton Asks If We Can Create a National Digital Library in the U.S.) (http://web.resourceshelf.com/go/resourceblog/61021).

America's Last Frontier Alaska

8, June, 2011

Vinnytsia Information Resource Center “Window on America” organized a meeting with participants of English-Speaking Club “Discovery” on the topic “Alaska”. It started with a presentation and a quiz on Alaska (http://www.netstate.com/states/quiz/ak_quiz.htm).

The members watched a movie "America's Last Frontier Alaska" from which they arranged their ideas about this really unique 49 state of the USA. As it has for thousands of years, Alaska continues to be an epic gateway. The largest of all the states is the most thinly populated. 

Gold Rush, Denali National Park, Juneau, Yukon, Forget-me-not, John Muir, Klondike Fields, Seward are among numerous assossiations obtained during this activity. It was a possibility to get to know more about native speakers and settlers of the “Last Frontier”. There were 5 participants who took part in a quiz. The winners were presented with books about the USA (teachers, engineers). 

The meeting started with a quote that became a narrative description of this state: America is looking for answers. She's looking for a new direction; the world is looking for a light. That light can come from America's great North Star; it can come from Alaska (Sarah Palin).

The Southern Buh River

English Club – June 4, 2011

Questions for Partners

If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like, and what would it be for? 

• If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
  Discussion Topic: Our River

1. Do you think that the Southern Buh River is clean? Is it safe to swim in our river?
2. 

   What is your favorite place to relax near the river? What is the dirtiest place?
3. 

   Do you think that our city is better because it is located on a river? What are some other great cities you have visited that are on the banks of a river?
4. 

   Do you think it would be profitable for the city if the river was cleaned up? How would the city change if the river could be made cleaner?

Group Activity: Asking Questions

Contest

Our Schedule

Tuesday, June 7 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)

Thursday, June 9 – 1730 Library

Saturday, June 11 – 1030 Library

Visit Our Group on www.Facebook.com – English Club in Vinnytsia

English Club Blog - www.woavinnitsa.blogspot.com

EXERCISE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LIFE

English Club – June 2, 2011

Questions for Groups

•  Did anyone ever tell you that you look like a certain famous person? Which celebrity would you like to look like?
• What chore do you absolutely hate doing?

Discussion Topic: Exercise

1. How often do you exercise? Is it an important part of your life? What about morning exercises?
2. Do you think that your mood is connected to how much you exercise? How about your self-esteem? How do your mood and self-esteem change when you exercise more?
3. Do you like athletic challenges? What was the most difficult thing you have ever done athletically?
4. 

   Did you enjoy your lessons of Physical Training at school? Why or why not?
5. Do you think that athletic people are more successful in life?

Contest

Vote

Our Schedule

Saturday, June 4 – 1030 Library

Tuesday, June 7 – 1745 Library (Beginners and Intermediate)

Thursday, June 9 – 1730 Library

INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY

DISCOVERY CLUB

INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY

Do you think that it is so important to have such a holiday (International Children's Day)? Do African children and children from Europe have the same problems?

ACTIVITY 1.

Use the following questions to begin a conversation with your partner.

1. Write a list of words which you associate with the word 'childhood'. For example: parents, toys, school … Compare your list with your partner.
2. What is your earliest memory? How old were you at the time?
3. Were you naughty as a child? What's the naughtiest thing you did?

ACTIVITY 2.

Topic: CHILDHOOD (International Day of CHILDREN'S DEFENCE).

• Do you think that childhood is shorter these days than it was in the past?
• Do children grow up too fast nowadays? What are the advantages and disadvantages of it?
• In the book by J.M. Barrie, the character Peter Pan never grew up. Do you think there is a part in all of us whichnever grows up or doesn't want to grow up? What are the advantages and disadvantages being 'young at heart'?
• Do you agree that 'children should be seen and not heard'?

How important is it for families to have regular get-togethers? Do you enjoy family get-togethers?

• Is divorce permitted in your culture? How much does divorce affect the different members of a family?
• What difficulties do you think single parents face? What, if anything, should society do to help single parents?
• In your opinion what are the most difficult things parents have to do? What are the worst mistakes parents can make?

ACTIVITY 3.

Discuss with your partner what the word 'miss' (or 'missing') means in following phrases.

To miss a goal               to miss somebody              Miss Smith               to miss the bus

to miss what somebody said

the missing link missing in action

1. When you were a child, did you ever get separated from your parents in a public place? What happened? How long did it take your parents to find you?
2. What happens in your country when a child goes missing?
3. Do you think child kidnapping/abduction happens more or less than in the past? Are children more at risk than they used to be?
4. What can be done to reduce the risk of a child going missing, being abducted or being kidnapped?
5. If you decided to disappear for a while, where would you go? Why would you choose to go to that place in particular? How long would you stay?