INSTRUCTIONS TO WORK ON THE VIDEO :

Light, bright, and cheerful. It's some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music. It's been featured in uncounted films and television commercials, but what is it and why does it sound that way?

This is the opening of "Spring" from "The Four Seasons," by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. "The Four Seasons" are famous in part because they are a delight to the ear. However, even more notable is the fact that they have stories to tell. At the time of their publication in Amsterdam in 1725, they were accompanied by poems describing exactly what feature of that season Vivaldi intended to capture in musical terms. In providing specific plot content for instrumental music, Vivaldi was generations ahead of his time. 

If one were to read the poems simultaneously to hearing the music, one would find the poetic scenes synchronizing nicely with the musical imagery. We are told that the birds welcome spring with happy song, and here they are doing exactly that. Soon, however, a thunderstorm breaks out. Not only is there musical thunder and lightning, there are also more birds, wet, frightened, and unhappy.

In "Summer," the turtle dove sings her name "tortorella" in Italian, before a hail storm flattens the fields. "Autumn" brings eager hunters dashing out in pursuit of their prey. 

The "Winter" concerto begins with teeth chattering in the cold before one takes refuge by a crackling fire. Then it's back out into the storm where there'll be slips and falls on the ice. In these first weeks of winter, the old year is coming to a close, and so does Vivaldi's musical exploration of the seasons. 

Not until the early 19th century would such expressive instrumental program music, as it was known, become popular. By then, larger, more varied ensembles were the rule with woodwinds, brass, and percussion to help tell the tale. But Vivaldi pulled it off with just one violin, strings, and a harpsichord. Unlike his contemporary Bach, Vivaldi wasn't much interested in complicated fugues. He preferred to offer readily accessible entertainment to his listeners with melodies that pop back up later in a piece to remind us of where we've been. So the first movement of the "Spring" concerto begins with a theme for spring and ends with it, too, slightly varied from when it was last heard. 

It was an inspired way to attract listeners, and Vivaldi, considered one of the most electrifying violinists of the early 18th century, understood the value of attracting audiences. Such concerts might feature himself as the star violinist. Others presented the young musicians of the Pietà, a Venetian girls' school where Vivaldi was Director of Music. Most of the students were orphans. Music training was intended not only as social skills suitable for young ladies but also as potential careers for those who might fail to make good marriages. 

Even in the composer's own time, Vivaldi's music served as diversion for all, not just for the wealthy aristocrats. 300 years later, it's an approach that still works, and Vivaldi's music still sounds like trotting horses on the move.

According to the video, are these statements true or false?

1. The four season from Vivaldi is extremely pleasant to ear.
2. The first publication of the music was in the Netherlands in the 18^th century.
3. Vivaldi provided an undefined interrelated sequence for the instrumental music.
4. The four season follow each phase of each season.
5. This type of expressive music was widespread right away.
6. The music of Vivaldi has a “method” that captures people’s attention and interest.
7. Vivaldi’s music was meant for rich people who could afford it.

1. T
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F

Take a look at the following sentence from the text:

Even in the composer's own time, Vivaldi's music served as diversion for all.

Can you understand how own is being used?

The information below will help you understand and give you more detailed information.

Own

Own is a determiner and a pronoun.

Own emphasises that a thing belongs to a particular person, or was done by them. We always use a possessive form before own.

Own as a determiner

We can use own as a determiner after a possessive determiner (e.g. my, her, our) or after a possessive noun phrase with ’s:

-I never sleep well in hotels. I always sleep best in my own bed at home.

-That garden wall is all Jason’s own work. He spent several weekends building it.

Own as a pronoun

We can use own as a pronoun after a possessive determiner (e.g. my, his, their). We often use it in the pattern noun + of + possessive determiner + own:

-This is my wife’s laptop. My own is being repaired.

-Did you have a flat of your own when you were a student, or did you share?

Own: very own

We can emphasise own by using very:

-When I was eight, we moved to a bigger house and I got my very own room and didn’t have to share with my sister any more.

Own: on my own

On my own, on your own, on our own, etc. mean ‘alone’ or ‘without help from another person’. They are less formal than alone. We can emphasise them by using all:

-She lives on her own in a tiny flat. (alone)

-Nobody helped him build his boat. He did it all on his own. (without help from anyone)

Typical error

We don’t use articles (a/an, the) before own:

-As soon as teenagers reach the age of seventeen, they want their own car. They don’t want to depend on mum and dad any more.

Not: … they want the own car. or … they want an own car.

-Never confuse own, the determiner and possessive, with the verb to own, which means to have possession over something.

Exercise:

As you saw above own has different usages and it doesn’t always apply to a sentence. Based on that, try to complete this sentences the best way you can, using either own or a possessive:

1. Did you go on holiday on ____________?
2. I'm glad I live with other people. I wouldn't like to live on ____________.
3. The box was too heavy to lift by ____________.
4. 'Who was Tom with when you saw him?' ' Nobody. He was by ____________.
5. Very young children should not go swimming by ____________.
6. I don't think she knows many people. When I see her, she is always by ____________.
7. I don't like strawberries with cream.I like them on ____________.
8. Do you like working with other people or do you prefer working by ____________?
9. We had no help decorating the flat. We did it completely on____________.
10. I went out with Sally because she didn't want to go on ____________.

Answers:

1. Did you go on holiday on your own?
2.  I'm glad I live with other people. I wouldn't like to live on my own.
3. The box was too heavy to lift by myself.
4.  'Who was Tom with when you saw him?' ' Nobody. He was by himself.
5.  Very young children should not go swimming by themselves.
6.  I don't think she knows many people. When I see her, she is always by herself.
7.  I don't like strawberries with cream.I like them on their own.
8.  Do you like working with other people or do you prefer working by yourself?
9.  We had no help decorating the flat. We did it completely on our own.
10.  I went out with Sally because she didn't want to go on her own.

Traduire les phrases suivantes en anglais, issues du texte, puis retrouver ces phrases dans les paragraphs deux et trois du texte en anglais:

1.En incorporant un developpement spefific à la musique instrumental, Vivaldi avait des generations d'avances sur ses contemporains.

2. Si on lisais les poême tout en écoutant la musique, on se rendrait compte que les scene poetique se synchronisent avec l'imagerie musicale..

Essential Grammar in use p 151-152

unit 72 The ... (name of places)

Put the when necessary. if the sentence is already correct write ok.

1. Kevin lives in Newton Street ....
2. We went to see a play at National Theatre ...
3. Have you ever been to China ?...
4. Have you been to Phillippines ?...
5. Have you been to south of France ?...
6. Can you tell me where Regal Cinema is ?...
7. Can you tell me where Merrion Street is ?...
8. Can you tell me where Museum of Modern Arts is ?...
9. Europe is bigger than Australia ...
10. Belgium is smaller than Netherlands....
11. Which river is longer - Mississippi or Nile ? ....
12. Did you go to National Gallery when you were in London ? ...
13. 'Where did you stay ?'  'At Park Hotel in Hudson Road'. ...
14. How far is it from Trafalgar Square to Victoria Station (in London) ? ...
15. Rocky Mountains are in North America.
16. Texas is famous for oil and cowboys.
17. Panama Canal joins Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. ...
18. I hope to go to United States next year. ...
19. Mary comes from a small town in west of Ireland. ...
20. Alan studied physics at Manchester University. ...

1. Ok
2.  the National Theatre.
3. Ok
4. the Philippines.
5. the south of france.
6. the Regal Cinema.
7. Ok
8. the Museum of Modern Arts.
9. Ok
10. than the Netherlands.
11. the Mississippi ... the Nile.
12. the National Gallery.
13. the Park Hotel in Hudson Road.
14. Ok
15. The rocky Mountains
16. Ok
17. The Panama canal ... the Atlantic Ocean ... the Pacific Ocean
18. the United States.
19. the west of Ireland.
20. Ok

Vocabulary:

(please note that this definitions are according to the context)

Peseshet is a doctor and a teacher. The video describes a typical day of her life.

Now it is you turn. Write a text :

- Present yourself.

- Describe your profession.

- Tell what you did to get this job.

- Describe a typical day of your life : what usually happens when you are at work?

You can book a one to one class with a teacher who will correct your writing exercise.  One to one classes can be online, with a video call, anytime of the day. 

This gives you full flexibility for your timetable.

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