Essay topics for Tuesday, 1 March

Tuesday, 1 March you will write an in-class essay on the novel (Un)arranged Marriage that we have read.

You are allowed to bring the novel and a dictionary (I will bring some dictionaries for you to use). You are also allowed to bring 20 key words to help you. You may use your laptop if you like.

Here are the topics: 

1. Ten years later: Write a letter from Manjit to his parents OR from his parents to Manjit and explain what happened during the ten years that have passed.

2. Culture and religion: Write a text where you discuss the different aspects of culture and religion that Manjit has to deal with. Could this have happened in another culture as well? Would he have the same thoughts about personal freedom if he had grown up in India?

3. Manjit's life and my own: Compare and contrast Manjit's life to your own. What are the similarities and the differences? What would you have done in his situation?

4. The ending: Write your own ending to the story.

5. Topic of your choice: If none of the topics above appeal to you, you may write a text about a topic of your choice. However, your topic needs to have relevance to the novel.

Suggested essay topics

In groups of three, write down at least three ideas for essay topics on the novel (Un)arranged Marriage. Make sure your topics are possible to develop into an essay.

Class 16 February

Translate the following words and expressions into Swedish, or, if you prefer, explain them in English:

Once the new day had dawned, I shot out of bed.

I was going to make it a priority to get a solid month or two of lie-ins.

The family wouldn't immediately notice my absence.

I creased up with laughter.

Looks like there's some kind of delay.

We had swapped addresses.

I picked up my bag and stumbled down the aisle.

They thought everything was hunky-dory.

He was the spitting image of his dad.

Ady said we should broaden our horizons musically.

Sunday nights became the regular overtime slot for me at work.

How lucky we were to be such a well-off family.

He just wanted to get it off his chest.

They thought that I had caved in to all the pressure.

The women congregated in another room, gossiping.

There was a volcano erupting inside me.

Let the game commence.

I needed to go to the loo.

They treated me like some kind of private possession and not as another human being.

I should be able to get some sort of funding. 

Room swap tomorrow 17 February

Please note: Thursday's English class will be in room B102.

Class Tuesday 15 February

Please answer the following questions individually:

1. Summarize what you find most important in this novel in a few sentences.
   
   
2. Manjit chooses his personal freedom before his parents' wishes. Do you think he did the right thing? Explain!
   
   
3. Is it possible to have your personal freedom and please your parents at the same time, do you think? Give reasons for your answer.
   
   
4. Do you think Manjit could have had any other options? Explain!
   
   
5. What's your overall impression/opinion of this book?

Homework for Tuesday 15 February

For Tuesday 15 Feb your homework is to finish reading the novel (Un)arranged Marriage. Bring your laptops too for that class, please.

BBC Wordmaster

Here you can find the word game that we played in class yesterday.

Page 156 – 210 Words and expressions

Work in pairs (or individually, if you prefer) and find 10 sentences on p 156 – 210 that you think are important to know the meaning of. Make sure you know how to translate/explain the sentences. Write your sentences + the page reference down. Tomorrow someone in the class will receive your sentences to explain and translate.

You can choose to post your sentences in the comments section below this post or use a handout that I will provide in class today. 

Page 156 - 210, 3 quotes

Individual work:

Please find three quotes/sentences that you find interesting/important on page 156 - 210 in the novel (Un)arranged Marriage.

Type the three quotes and explain why you chose each quote in the comments section below this post.

Homework for tomorrow February 8

Read up to page 210 and bring your laptops for tomorrow's class, please. See you then!

Words and expressions page 106-155

Explain, or translate, if you prefer, the following words and expressions:

unsupervized/unsupervised (Am E)

loads of grief

Harry had been made redundant from work

portable TV

a youth detention centre (center Am E)

a dead-end job

a child having a sulk

grinding his teeth

a fit of rage

I suppose you're wondering why I relented

it was my decision at the end of the day

my voice was thick with sarcasm

an envelope

I tore it open

I didn't have a clue what to think

the customs area

the queues (lines, line-ups Am E)

the arrivals area

a trolley

my boredom survival kit

my escape route

toddlers

a huge bloke

in a daze

shabby

surface

two storeys high

an advert

a smirk

exaggerate

occasionally

hand-me-downs

on a daily basis

dehydrated

the urban jungle

they nodded in unison

a few migrant families

an alleyway

a hypocrite

it finally dawned on me

daily chores

cheeky

a hand scythe

Homework for Tuesday February 8

Please finish reading up to page 210 for Tuesday, 8 February.

Today's class

Today I let you write down three questions (on page 106 - 155) per group. I typed the questions on the blog and let another group respond to them.

I think you did a good job however at times during class your focus is a bit off. Try to push yourselves a bit when it comes to thinking and writing. You will be rewarded for that, trust me.

The questions and the responses by the different groups can be read in the posts below.

Questions group 7

1. Manny doesn't want to go to India. If you were in his position, what would you do?
2. Jas tries to talk to Manny about his situation. How does that make him feel?
3. What would you do if your passports disappeared and you were stuck against your will?

Questions group 6

1. Do you think that Manny is going to marry the indian girl?

2. How would you handle the situation that Manny is in?

3. Do you think it´s common in the traditional families?



Grupp 6

Questions group 2

grupp 2

1. Do you think that Mannys parents will leave him in India, explain your answear.

2. why doesn't Harry react when he and Manny are arguing?

3. How would you react if you recieved that letter from Lisa? (look at page 113)

Questions group 4

Grupp 4.

1.why can't his familiy have their passports?
2.Why isn't he fighting for Lisa?
3.What do you think his parents would do if they found out that he is smoking ?

Questions group 3

1. Why do you think that Manny's parents re so hard on him?
2. What would you do if you were in Manny's position?
3. Do you think the people in the book are too judgmental? Why? Why not?

Questions group 5

1. Do you think it's a coincidence that the passports and tickets were lost? Why? Why not?
2. Is your real home the place you come from or where you live?
3. What would you have done if you were in Lisa's situation?

Questions group 8

1. Would you have gone to India if you had been in Manny's situation?
2. How would you react if you walked out from the airport and saw the poor people in the streets?
3. What do you think about Manny's dad's description of India? Do you think it's correct? And why do you think Manny's dad thinks of India like that?

Questions group no 1

1. What do you really think happened to the passports?
2. Is India as good, non-criminal and perfect as Manny's father says? Give examples.
3. Do you think Manjit prefers England or India? Why do you think so?

Questions page 106-155

Today I want you to work in groups of three. Write three questions/group that you find interesting to discuss (page 106 - 155). Hand your questions to me.

Open up the blog and respond to another group's questions. I will assign you a group number to make sure all questions are answered.