WRITING: AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

This third season of Ryan Murphy's soul-searching journey into America's darker side may be the best yet. Set in a witches boarding school in New Orleans, AHS: Coven is as brilliantly filmed, cast- and scary - as the previous miniseries. Like season two it also draws on American history, this time tackling slavery, racism and the persecution of witches from a female perspective. Jessica Lange once again plays a strong-minded woman facing the painful challenge of aging, while the other main characters, all female, together present a complete and nuanced portrait of what it means to be a woman today. 

MAGAZINE: SLIDING HOUSE

British artist and designer Alex Chinneck's latest project looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Using curved brick and windows, Chinneck transformed a derelickt house in southeast England to make it look as if it is sliding into the street. The property has been empty for 11 years and will be reused as housing once the installation has finished. 

3.PLANS FOR A VISIT

Hi, Judit

I’m just writing to check that everything’s OK and ready for your visit. I think you’ll really like Barcelona. For me, it’s one of the prettiest and more interesting cities in the world.

The weather is hot in here so in Saturday morning we’re going to chill on the beach, if it suits you. In the afternoon we could take a bus tour so you can see some of the monuments of the city. Then, as we’ll be free, we’ll probably meet some of my friends and go to the cinema or to a shopping centre. My parents want to meet you, so I’ve invited them to have dinner with us.

On Sunday, we could go to PortAventura, a park with many roller coasters. It’s up to you. We could also get a bus or train somewhere. There are a lot of other cities in Catalunya that are worth to visit like Banyoles, where there is a beautiful lake, or some town in the coast as l’Escala or Platja d’Aro. I’ll get some photos and you can have a look when you arrive.

We’re going to meet you at the airport tomorrow between 5p.m and 6p.m. , OK?

Looking forward to seeing you.

Mònica. 

4.HISTORY OF A PRODUCT

THE STORY OF VANS

Vans is a textil company which got their name because of it's fundator, Paul Van Doren. This company was originally called Van Doren Rubber Company and they only produced clothes and shoes for basketball, bolleiball and wrestling. As they got a great success in 1983 not only with sport player's, they got a big acceptation in the market.

Although, Vans had a problem. They had a 12 milion debt that had to be solved in only three years. Fortunately, they overcame the problem successfully and even with more people interested in wearing Vans. Vans had a huge financial effort when in 1988 the owners sold Vans to McCown DeLeeuw Co., a company with importan investors who expanded Vans worldwide.

Vans became very popular when in 90's new models were sold and some bands like The Offspring, Pennywise, Green Day and Bad Religion used to wear them. They were usually associed with punk-pop or rock. A year later, some models of Vans appeared on Triple Crown Series, a prestigious serie of surf. Thanks to that, Vans became the first brand of skate style.

Nowadays, Vans don't only produce shoes as in the past. They also produce clothes, accessories and even videos with skate triks for skate fans. Vans had become popular all over the world. They are produced in many different colours, designs and styles. 

5-ABOUT ME AND MY VIEW OF THE WORLD

My name is Mònica Nogué and I’m a student in Casa Nostra in Banyoles. I’m really interested in music, literature and dance, especially ballet. I practice ballet twice a week with some of my friends and this makes it more enjoyable. The poepole who I spend most time with are my four best friends Blanca, Mireia, Judit and Marta. The thing which I like best doing is going with them to the cinema or shopping.

I don’t think that the world is a bad place, although I think we would make it better if we focuse only with our things and not with others things. Everyone has to worry about their problems and, in my opinion, nowadays people really like to gossip. There aren’t many things that make me angry, but one thing that annoys me is when people pretend to be who they are not just to impress the others.

As far as the future is concerned, it sometimes worries me that we won’t have enough oil , considering that is one of the most used raw materials today. I’m fairly optimistic about my own future though. In a few years’ time, I see myself studying a career in university and getting good grades.

OPTIONAL: ASK FOR ADVICE ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP

Hi Judit, how are you?

We've been on holiday here in England for a week now and I've just met this guy, Harry. He's absolutely georgeous and simpathetic, I really like him, but I'm not sure how I feel about him. I really need your advice.

I met him on the shopping centre and he invited me to go bowling. Both of us were having a real laugh and then Harry invited me to go with him and his friends to the cinema. When we were there, he basically ignored me and started flirting with an English girl who was at his side. But when I said goodbye, he walked to the bus stop with me and neither of us could stop talking.

I've been thinking about things a lot since then. I'll probably see him later, but I'm not sure what to do if he asks me out. He seems very different when he's with friends and I don't know if he's as interested in me as I am with him. What do you reckon? I need your help!

Mònica. 

NEWS!

CAT CAFÉ
Happy news for cat lovers-London is to get its first cat café after Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium finally secured planning permission. Inspired by Tokyo's popular cat cafés, The Emporium will offer Londoners the chance to play with its resident felines over tea or a latté. The café already has a waiting list of 6,000... and that's before it has any cats!

I don't know exactly what's Cat Café so I can't give an opinion. 

MORE MONEY FOR QUEEN
Thanks to a hot property portfolio, the Queen is to get a 22 per cent pay rise. Over the next two years, Her Majesty will have 38 pounds million to run her household, up from 31 pounds m in 2012-2013. The reason is that her Crown Estate posted a record income of 253 pounds million. The land and building portfolio- owned by the Queen- is worth 8 pounds billion, but its profits all went to the Treasury until a recent agreement.


BANSKY FOR SALE
Beverly Hills, California.
Bansky's "Flower Girl" mural is to be sold at an auction in Beverly Hills this month, along with four earlier works. The piece, which appeared on a Los Angeles gas station wall in 2008, is expected to go for 300,000. The final price, though, could be much more. Another mural by the British artist, "Slave Labour", found behind a shop in London, sold recently for 750,000 dollars.

I love art so I think it's a good way to spent money on. 

CHOOSE ONE ITEM OF NEWS and...
What's the headline? BANSKY FOR SALE
Is there a video/image you can include? Yes, I've included an image.
Can you explain it in your own words? Yes. This new is about a mural which will be sold at an auction.
Add 3 new words you have learnt.
-Auction.
-Along
-Slave LabourWhy is it relevant to you? Because it's about art, and I'm interested in it.
How is this connected with other news that have an impact on our world? I'ts connectet between the money which will be spent on the auction. 

LET THERE BE LIGHTSABERS
Good news for wannabe Jedi Knights: scientist have come a little closer to making George Lucas's famous lightsabers. Physicists from Harvard and MIT say they have found a way to bind photons together to form molecules that behave just like the deadly weapons. Bizarrely, however, they still haven't tried using the technology to build actual lightsaber style devices....

I really like this kind of films so I hope this project will be useful in the future. 

SAVING SPACE
Nasa is to send the first 3D printer to the international space station to help astronauts manufacture spare parts and tools. The space agency hopes to avoid emergencies such as teh one that ocurred on Apollo 13 in 1970. Then, astronauts had to make their own carbon dioxide filter using a plastic bag and duct tape!

I think it's really good to innovate in topics like space. 

VOCABULARY

• Auction: subasta
• Injury: ferida
• Mural: pintura de paret
• Muppet: marioneta