Lezione 5

Corso Inglese 2019/20 📚 🇬🇧
#LearnEnglishWithUS
#NoiEx1920
2012/2019
Lesson 5
Presidente Ex Prof. Maurizio Righi
TESTI:
• Felicity O’Dell “Total Pet” Student’s book”, Black Cat.
• Felicity O’Dell “Total Pet “Vocabulary Maximizer” , Black Cat

Check your Homework:
Read this abridged article (articolo ridotto) taken from “Green left weekly” https://www.greenleft.org.au/:
Do you agree with it? Fill in the chart below after reading it?

I agree on this/these statement/s (affermazione/i):
Most of the students agree on this statement: “Italy needs a new left-wing but the sardines don’t analyse the causes that gave rise to this phenomenon and don’t take a politically clear stand against it”

I don’t agree on this/these statement/s:
Only a very small group of students don’t agree on this statement: “they are an empty vessel without a concrete political proposal”

Can the Italian ‘sardines’ movement put an end to right-wing hegemony?

About 15,000 people gathered in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, on November 14, for a flash mob to countermobilise contromobilitazione) against right-wing politician Matteo Salvini’s assembly nearby.The mobilisation (mobilitazione) was indisputably a big success, so much so, that in the next few days, similar initiatives were organised in other Italian cities and towns, giving life to a fully-fledged movement (movimento a pieno titolo)
The protesters call themselves “sardines”, both as a statement that they are able to pack the squares “like sardines”, and to metaphorically oppose the violent and aggressive language of the right.
Italy needs a new left-wing but the sardines’ movement seems unable to build an effective alternative to right-wing ideology.
The sardines’ movement is not a viable (praticabile) political alternative, and their opposition to Salvini runs the risk of becoming unsuccessful.
In this sense, the movement has been correctly accused by the radical left of being an empty vessel without a concrete political proposal.
In response to these accusations, the sardines have released a manifesto and a 10-point “Charter of values”, which shows the movement’s weakness and lack of content.
The sardines have targeted populism as their main political enemy and appointed themselves as promoters of love and empathy against racism and intolerance.
These are just and noble causes, but they are completely ineffective if they don’t go hand in hand with a radical criticism of the current system.
For instance, in their “Charter of Values” the sardines never mention the European Union’s austerity policies, which are undoubtedly the main cause of people’s discontent and, consequently, of the rise of right-wing populism and nationalism.
Similarly, there is no mention of social and civil rights, nor the rise in poverty and unemployment.
Moreover, the sardines claim to be apolitical and have banned party flags from their flash mobs in the name of “inclusivity”. However, this is a strategic mistake, since it is not possible to oppose a political tendency, such as right-wing populism, without analysing the causes that gave rise to this phenomenon and without taking a strong, definite and politically clear stand against it.
As things stand now, the sardines’ movement is a mild and politically neutral opposition, made up of empty rhetoric and ephemeral (effimere) good intentions.
What is lacking in the sardines’ movement is exactly this: a critical understanding of the causes of the rise of populism, nationalism and people’s discontent.
The fight against racism and right-wing populism cannot be neutral and apolitical otherwise it will inevitably end up being ineffective and reinforcing its enemy.
Being “apolitical” and banning party flags within an unfair political system does not cause any harm to it, and may even legitimize that system.
Racism, hatred and intolerance will only be defeated through the parallel elimination of the injustices and inequalities of the current capitalist system.

Michael Jackson – Thriller [Short Version] (time 4.28)

Michael Jackson – Thriller (Lyrics)

Text
It’s close to midnight
And something evil’s lurking (in agguato) in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream (gridare)
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze (congelare)
As horror looks you right between the eyes
You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about to strike (che sta per colpire)
You know it’s thriller, thriller night
You’re fighting for your life inside a killer thriller tonight, yeah
Oh oh oh
You hear the door slam (sbattere)
And realize there’s nowhere left to run (che non è rimasto altro posto dove correre)
You feel the cold hand
And wonder (ask yourself) if you’ll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while (tutto il tempo)
You hear the creature creepin’ up behind (strisciare dietro)
You’re out of time (fuori dal tempo)
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night

There ain’t (isn’t) no second chance (possibility) against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night

You’re fighting for your life inside a killer thriller tonight
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade (farsa)
There’s no escapin’ the jaws (fauci) of the alien this time (they’re open wide)
This is the end of your life, oh
They’re out to get you (catch you)
There’s demons closing (getting close/approaching) in on every side
They will possess you
Unless you change that number on your dial (quadrante)
Now is the time
For you and I to cuddle (coccolarci) close together, yeah
All through the night
I’ll save you from the terrors on the screen
I’ll make you see
That it’s a thriller, thriller night
‘Cause I can thrill you (farti emozionare) more than any ghost would ever dare try (oserebbe mai provare)
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share (condividi) a killer, thriller
Chiller (refrigerator), thriller here tonight
‘Cause it’s a thriller, thriller night (notte emozionante)
Girl, I can thrill (emozionarti) you more than any ghost would ever dare try (non oserebbe mai provare)
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller
I’m gonna thrill (ti emozionerò) you tonight
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand (vicina)
Creatures crawl (strisciano) in the search of blood
To terrorize y’awl’s (Yawaw) neighborhood (vicinato/quartiere)
And whosoever shall be found (chiunque sarà trovato)
Without the soul for getting down (per scendere)
Must stand and face the hounds of hell (stare in piedi e affrontare i cani dell’inferno)
And rot (marcire) inside a corpse’s shell (guscio di un cadaver)
‘m gonna thrill you (ti emozionerò) tonight
Thriller, ohh baby (Thriller)
I’m gonna thrill you tonight (Thriller night)
Thriller, all night, oh baby
I’m gonna thrill you tonight
Thriller, thriller night (oh baby)
I’m gonna thrill you tonight
Thriller, all night (oh baby)
Thriller night (Thriller night)
The foulest stench (la puzza/fetore/più ripugnante) is in the air
The funk (puzza/depression) of forty thousand (40.000) years
And grizzly (orsi) ghouls (demoni/mostri) from every tomb
Are closing in to seal (sigillare) your doom (destino/sventura)
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver (tremare)
For (poichè) no mere (semplice) mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

The seventies: now and then….
https://ilreporter.it/…/cat-stevens-yusuf-lucca-summer-202…/

Father and Son – Cat Stevens [lyrics]

Father And Son – Cat Stevens (Original Video)

Text
It’s not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy (calmati)
You’re still young, that’s your fault (colpa)
There’s so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy
I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy
To be calm when you’ve found something going on
But take your time, think a lot
Why, think of everything you’ve got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
How can I try to explain? ‘Cause when I do he turns away again (volta lo sguardo/scappa)
It’s always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go

It’s not time to make a change
Just sit down, take it slowly
You’re still young, that’s your fault
There’s so much you have to go through
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside
It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it
If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s them they know not me
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go

Celine Dion Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

HOMEWORK: listen and enjoy your Christmas!

Katy Perry – Cozy Little Christmas

Text
Everybody’s in a hurry, in a flurry (turbinio)
Shopping ‘til they’re droppin’ in the snow
Kids are cryin’, dogs are barkin’
Catching up (recuperare/riunirsi a) with folks we barely (a malapena) know
Sure it’s madness, but it’s magic
As soon as you hang up the mistletoe (appendi il vischio)
‘Cause you’re the reason for the season
No, we don’t need to keep up (stare al passo) with the Jones*
Our love is something priceless
I don’t need diamonds, no sparkly things (no, oh, oh, oh, oh)
‘Cause you can’t buy this a-feeling (no, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Nothing lights my fire or wraps me up (mi avvolge), baby, like you do
Just want a cozy (intimo/accogliente), a cozy little Christmas here with you
So, Mr. Santa (Mr. Santa)
Take the day off (take the day off) (prendi il giorno libero)
Get a massage (get a massage) (fai un massaggio)
‘Cause we’ve got this one all under control
A little whiskey (a little whiskey)
We’re getting frisky (vivaci/pieni di vita) (ooh!)
And slow dancing to Nat King Cole (Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist)
No, we ain’t stressin’ (we ain’t stressin’)
Just caressin’ (mm-hmm)
Warming up our popsicle toes (alluci gelati)
Nothing’s missin’ (nothing’s missin’)
‘Cause you’re a blessin’ (‘cause you’re the blessin’) (benedizione)
Yet, you’re the only one I’m wishing for
Our love is something priceless
I don’t need diamonds, no sparkly things (No, oh, oh, oh, oh)
‘Cause you can’t buy this a-feeling (No, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Nothing lights my fire or wraps me up, baby, like you do
Just want a cozy, a cozy little Christmas here with you
I don’t need anything
Take back all the Cartier, and the Tiffany’s and the Chanel
Well, can I keep that Chanel?
Please?
No, no, no, no
I don’t need diamonds, no sparkly things (No, oh, oh, oh, oh)
‘Cause you can’t buy this a-feeling (No, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Nothing lights my fire or wraps me up, baby, like you do
Just want a cozy, a cozy little Christmas here with you
Just you and me, under a tree
(Fa la la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la)
A cozy little Christmas here with you

***keep up with the Jones *Keeping up with the Joneses is an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one’s neighbor as a benchmark (punto di riferimento) for social class or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to “keep up with the Joneses” is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority. The phrase originated in a comic strip of the same name. Click here for the picture https://ww2.kqed.org/…/war-of-watts-neighbors-com…/joneses1/

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