Video Games

What is your relationship with video games ?

Do you play video games (or rather, did you, before having too much work to do anything else) ? If so, as a casual gamer or as a hardcore gamer ? And if not, why ?

What would be your evaluation of this media ? (what controversies have you heard of, and what are your opinions about them ? Do you think it can be considered as an art form ?)

Reading Advice : Harry Potter and the Methods Of Rationality

So, I thought that one of the most enjoyable ways to practice your English during the holidays would be to read this.

It is a very famous (and really well-written) Harry Potter fanfiction. Of course, it is more easily appreciated by people who have already read the original work, but if you haven't, you can still either go ahead with the fanfic, or go buy the original Harry Potter books in English.

Remember what you found out about  HUMOUR ? 

Now it is time to CHECK your answers...

1.

amusing in a clever way	witty
strange,surprising or puzzling	funny
foolish , stupid or childish	silly
very foolish or  being made fun of	ridiculous
entertaining or making you laugh or  smile	amusing

2.humorous :  amusing , witty.

3. « comic » (adj.)

NB : What is  a comic (N.) ? 

a) an entertainer who tells jokes in order to make you laugh

b) a magazine that contains stories told in pictures ( a comic ,Br..or a comic book,US)

Derived word ?

comical (adj.) : used to refer to something or someone that makes you want to laugh because it seems funny or silly.

4. a comedy ( a play, a film, a TV programme)

*tragic ? tragedy ?

tragic (adj.)

Something that is tragic is extremely sad, usually because it involves death or suffering.

tragedy (N.)

a) an extremely sad event or situation

b) a type of serious drama , usually ending in the death of the main character.

5. Providing comic relief / highlighting the tragic or the comical situation / ice-breaking effect, breaking the monotony or gloom = providing twists and turns = preventing linear , boring progress into a narrative .

Providing detachment while conveying  empathy at the same time / avoiding pathos / making the reader reflectt upon facts , characters or words   in a relaxed but still clever way.

Ethics and Animals

Breeding conditions can sometimes be extremely revolting :
Young female chicken are grinded, the males are mutilated, and will be force-fed.
In slaughterhouses, animals are killed while still counscious, or are left agonizing.
Hens can never in their lives deply their wings, and upon death are left to rot amongst the other living hens.

What concrete measures should we, us students, take ?

Based on this website. (warning : some videos have a very shocking content)

"The Boleyn Inheritance" by Philippa Gregory

Share your opinions and work.

the Music Question #3 : Role of the Player

Today, I wish to discuss the role of the Player, and the status of an Interpretation or of a Cover of a musical work. I am giving more precisions inside.

Ethics and profits

What is the link between ethics and profits?