February 2016 - Platform for students and teachers of English language

U.S. presidential elections will start in less than 9 months on November 8th, 2016, however both the electoral campaign and the media hype have already picked up a lot of momentum. The reason behind this is that in the U.S. it is not only the Election Day, but rather the entire Election Year that matters. With 2016 obviously being a significant year for the American politics, we would like to once more briefly remind how the United States elections work.

As already mentioned, the entire year matters and the reason for that are the primaries that take place in the beginning of the year. The purpose of the primaries is to decide which of many Democrat and Republican candidates will become nominees for U.S. presidency. The way primaries are organized may vary from one state to another. In some of them all voters get to have a vote, in others only the members of the parties can decide. The dates of the primaries are also fixed by each state individually. Despite that, one day, known as “super Tuesday” is special. It is a Tuesday in February or March, when the biggest number of states get to elect a candidate. This year it is the 1st of March, with 11 states voting. The current candidates racing for the seat of the president are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, both representing the Democrat party, with poll numbers having a difference only in few percent, which means they are similarly popular amongst the U.S. citizens. On the opposing side, which is the Republicans, we have Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Ben Carson. Trump currently being the most popular Republican candidate, having ⅓ of all polls and the rest being divided between the remaining candidates.

However, candidates are not elected directly; voters only elect delegates who are obliged to vote for a particular person. The candidate that gets more than a half of all delegates’ votes wins the primaries and becomes the party’s official nominee for the Presidential election. If none of the candidates win a majority, the party holds an inner negotiation where some of the candidates may withdraw. After that, a second round of voting is held, but this time delegates are not bound to a certain candidate and may vote as they wish. This continues until someone finally gets more than 50% of all votes. The number of delegates required to become a nominee for the position of U.S. president for the Democrats is 2,383. Clinton currently has been able to win 502 delegates and Bernie Sanders is left with a handful of 70. On the Republican side only 1,237 delegates are required for nomination, but considering the amount of candidates it seems reasonable. Trump is currently leading with 67, Cruz being second with 11, Rubio staying not so far behind with 10, Kasich moving slowly with 5 and Carson being last with 3.

Finally, when all the primaries are over and parties have chosen their Presidential candidates, the final Election Day comes (this year November 8th). This time however, once again citizens do not get a direct vote, but choose the electors, who are once again obliged to vote for a certain candidate. The number of electors varies in different states, depending on the state’s population. When the votes have been counted and it becomes clear, which candidate won in which state, “the winner takes it all principle” is applied. Electors are not directly assigned to the candidate. Instead, the candidate that wins in a certain state gets the votes of all the electors of that state. The only exception from this rule is Nebraska and Maine that use a different method – one elector is selected in every congressional district of these states, while two remaining ones are selected by a statewide popular vote.

This is the reason why campaigns in certain states are much denser than in the others, since winning in a big state (Florida, California, Texas) is a lot more beneficial.

All in all, the election system into the U.S. presidency is very elaborate, has many steps and a wide range of candidates. And even though certain candidates have already shown some popularity spikes, the picture of the winner is still vague.

Saturday
Parabolic dunes are the old Curonian Spit landscape’s element. 5 thousand years ago when Curonian Spit was just emerging, first low sandy dunes started to appear on the western part of the land. Under the influence of western winds small washouts were formed, and the piles of sand were moved into the land, gradually turning into horseshoe-shaped formations called parabolic dunes. In time they got covered by grass and wood. Their height was up to 30-50 m, but in 16 – 18 centuries mass lumbering opened sand to the wind, resulting in the destruction of the parabolic dunes in many places.

The “Hill of Witches” is made of parabolic dunes

Grey dunes (or Dead dunes) in Nagliai Nature’s Reserve

We rent a house near the Curonian lagoon.

Sunday

: The Vecekrugas dune

: Lithuania’s gold – amber! collecting

William Shakespeare, was born in 1564 (April 26th), and passed away in 1616 (April 23rd). We celebrated his birthday just two years ago! He is now 450 years old. A little old, right?
However, his spent life time is very important to England and every other in the world. He introduced us to beautiful plays like dramas, tragedies and comedies, introduced us to his beautiful poems, books, and as I’m saying, have you ever read or heard “a Shakespeare”? He wrote lots of good things, no matter his parents were illiterate. William Shakespeare is believed to have influenced the English language more than any other writer in history. It’s interesting that he is also credited with inventing the names Olivia, Miranda, Jessica and Cordelia as well as others.
The most popular William Shakespeare play is the “Hamlet”, it’s longest play and the play responsible for the immortal lines “To be or not to be: that is the question”. The other one is “Macbeth” and “Romeo and Juliet”. And did you know, that Shakespeare invented the saying “Knock, knock! Who’s there?”
He was 18 when he married happily with a 26 year old woman, who in fact, was pregnant from him for 3 months. A baby girl was born, then the twins – a boy and a girl. But nobody knows what he did between 1585 and 1592, and those are happen to be called “the lost years”.
But in this year, In 2016, the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death, celebrations will commence in the United Kingdom and across the world to honor Shakespeare and his work.

Before Valentines day our class watched a film in English called “Big hero 6”! The main character in the film is a boy Hiro. He has a brother Tadashi who is studying in science laboratories. Both boys live with their aunt Cass.Hiro made a robot and his name was Megabot. The boy is going to robot fights and usually wins because the Megabot is made from special material created by Hiro. The robot is controlled by thoughts but you have to have a special ribbon on the head to control it.One day Hiro’s brother takes Hiro to his lab and introduces to his friends: Go Go Tomago, Honey Lemon, Fred and Wasabi. Then Hiro sees the robot made by his brother for the first time. Robot’s name is Beymax and he is created to care for people.After some time Hiro’s brother dies in the laboratory in a fire. Tadashi tries to help one of his professors but is not able to save him and he dies.Hiro is so upset that he forgets the Beymax. One day Hiro sees Beymax in his brother’s room. Beiymax is a smart robot and he can talk to people. Hiro teaches Beymax to fight. One time Hiro finds out that someone steals his megabots idea. And then Hiro, Beymax and Tadashi’s friends start to look for a thief. The thief appears to be a professor for whom Tadashi sacrificed his life.
The professor has a daughter who tried out a mechanism made by another professor.That mechanism could transfer a person from one place to another. But the transfer is unsuccessful and professor’s daughter is lost in time. Hiro and Beymax go to her and help her to get back, but then Beymax gives his life to sent Hiro and professor’s daughter home.When all things become clear, Hiro finds a card which can restore Beymax. And it works!

You have to watch this film!

Please comment !!!! Did you like the movie???

Hello, fellow students from Vilnius Jonas Basanavičius! Our school’s newspaper got a letter from the U.S. Embassy, that offered some special things for us. Today, we will go over what those things are.
The U.S. Embassy is very interested in our project and that our articles directly relate to the themes of their mission.

Because of that, they have several suggestions for our team:

1. They would like to offer to pay for any events that they organize\present, for example – they are currently organizing a tour of street dance group Soul Street Dance from Houston, U.S. who will perform in LOFTAS on March 23 (this performance is free). They welcome us to this event, and will inform us more when it’s time for the group’s visit, as well as other projects that might interest us.

2. A SPECIAL CONTEST!
Our newspaper’s writers or their English studying friends, who don’t necessarily write everyday, would make an article about the climate change and environmental protection, dedicated to the Earth Day, April 22. People who decide to contribute to this project should link\make a reference of some kind to Lithuania. The U.S. Embassy will read their articles, select three best ones, which they would also publish on their social media!!! 😀 😉 😀

Let US know what you think of their projects, as well as if you’re going to enter the contest!

Summed up, on or around April 22, they would be happy to invite all the writers from The VOICE, as well other students who write from J. Basanavičius (max 30 people), to visit the Embassy, where the authors of three best articles would be awarded with books and special Embassy prizes.

Finally, they also wondered if our team would be interested in teaming up with another school, who have a similar newspaper or planning to get one. They are looking forward to working with us more!

Good luck from the U.S. Embassy, The VOICE!

Their Contacts

Akmenų g. 7, 03106 Vilnius, Lietuva
, FB:

Many know J. R. R. Tolkien as the writer of “The Lord of the Rings”. Do all know that he did not begin, nor stop with this novel? Many don’t bother to wander that maybe there is more of the Middle-Earth they learned to love so much just waiting to be discovered. “The Lord of the Rings” was written in 17 years. Tolkien polished his story relentlessly so it would fit his grand design. What is even more remarkable is that the action of the novel takes place at the end of the Third Age of Middle-Earth history. By the way – ages in Tolkien’s writing are periods of time defined by major events such as cataclysms or great shifts of political power. So, how about the Ages that come before? What about those that come after? These would be very good questions to ask. And Tolkien answers. He answers with the totality of all of his life’s work. He gives you “The Silmarillion”. It is a collection of stories that were published after his death in 1977 by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Tolkien, the elder, began writing the stories that would later become “The Silmarillion” back in 1914. He intended them to become an English mythology that would explain the origins of English history and culture. As a scholar of mythopoeic literature he wanted to give his people something that he thought they, as a nation, were deprived of. Although “The Silmarillion” was rejected by publishers over and over again, Tolkien never gave up. As relentlessly as he cared for every detail in his works, so too, he wrote to editors and publishers seeking those that would take “The Silmarillion” out into the world. Encouraged by the success of “The Hobbit” he tried once more, but it was not yet his time. After this last attempt he returned to puffing his pipe and polishing the philosophy and the theology of Middle-Earth to the very end of his life. Several years after Tolkien’s passing, his son, Christopher, edited and compiled the narrative that is now known as “The Silmarillion”. Finnaly in the fall of 1977 the greatest work of J. R. R. Tolkien was published.

“The Silmarillion” is compiled of five parts:

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: 1.Ainulindale (The Music of the Ainur) and Valaquenta– speaks about the creation of the Middle- Earth (A.) and accounts all of the Valar, the Gods of Middle-Earth (V.);

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: 2.Quenta Silmarillion – the history of the Silmarils and the war of the Noldor (elves) against Morgoth (The First Enemy);

: 2.1 Of Beren and Luthien – the greatest love story Middle-Earth has ever seen;

: 2.2 Turin Turambar – the legend also known as “The Children of Hurin”. One of the saddest tragedies written by Tolkien;

: 2.3 Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin – the story of the hidden city of Gondolin and its fate;

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: 2.4 Of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath – the last story of the First age of Middle-Earth;

: 3.Alkallabeth (The Downfallen) – talks about the Second Age and the kingdom of Numenor;

4. Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age – or “The Lord of the Rings”.
After the end of the Third Age comes the Fourth Age or the Age of Man, where the Middle-Earth gradually becomes more and more like our Earth, but Tolkien never wrote down more than an obscure definition of the Ages to come. Instead, he left us with “The Silmarillion”. A grand adventure spanning over thousands of years “The Silmarillion” accounts for the fall of the Melkor, the First Enemy, the downfall of Numenor, the greatest kingdom of Men, the retreat of the Elves and the Valar from the everyday lives of men.

I have given you, dear reader, a glimpse of what Tolkien worked on, his entire life. Short and clouded as it may have been, still you might have caught the idea or should I say the reason why I write about this man. What he has accomplished surpasses many of his peers, not to mention followers. Single handedly this man has created a mythological background, languages, cultures, histories that encompass as much as some of our own, real world traditions. One man, in ~60 years has done something that nations work on for centuries. And we have the opportunity to see it, read it for ourselves. Isn’t that amazing? With this in mind, I invite you to journey through the First and Second Ages of Middle-Earth in the next series of articles. I will talk about each of the legends separately and the themes that join them thus forming the underlying base of values and beliefs upon which Middle-Earth is built.

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Words… Without them, we couldn’t do anything… We couldn’t go shopping, eating, all of us couldn’t read a book. Almost everything contains them (except math, duh L… Or maybe… the Petras bought 50 watermelons…),but anyways, here are some of the words, that you need to truly understand the meaning of before using them properly. J

1. Ultimate
What you think it means: The one, the only. The best.
What it really means: The last item of a list.

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“At the store we will need milk, eggs, cheese, and ultimately, butter!”

2. Nauseous
What you think it means: To feel ill.
What it really means: To cause feelings of illness.

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The object made you ill is nauseous.

3. Enormity
What you think it means: Huge, enormous.

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What it really means: Immoral or evil.
Simply, it means really evil.

4. Terrific
What you think it means: Fantastic, good.
What it really means: Horrific, to inspire fear.

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For example, you see a terrific monster, which inspires you fear.

5. Effect
What you think it means: To cause something to change.

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What it really means: An event that causes a change.

6. Disinterested
What you think it means: Bored.
What it really means: Neutral.

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Being disinterested is stating that you don’t care about something.

7. Fortuitous
What you think it means: Lucky.

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What it really means: By chance.
It can be good or bad things that happen by chance.

8. Literally
What you think it means: Figuratively.

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What it really means: Actually.

So let’s imagine you say: “My head literally exploded back then”, then why are you here to tell us that? I mean, your head exploded, like, you shouldn’t even have it on you right now! 😀 🙄

Or, another example: “I literally got your back, bro”.
So, you’re saying this: “I possess your spine, bro”.
I would suggest on remembering this one.
9. Can
What you think it means: What is permissible.
What it really means: What is possible.
10. Bemused
What you think it means: Amused.
What it really means: Confused.
If you are bemused, then you are actually confused.

EXTRA SPELLING WORD! :DDDD

You’re spelling it like this – supposeBly, but that is WRONG.
Spell it like this – supposeDly.
Now, since you’re a pro, go out and impress people with your talking skills!! 😀

Introduction to U.S. Presidential Elections by Armantas Stankevičius and Anton Achremov

My first trip to Curonian Spit

William Shakespeare. By Jogailė Čojūtė

Big Hero 6 review

Announcement from the U.S. Embassy shortened by Juta Kvederaitė 7B

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here!“ by Tomas Aleknavičius

Get smarter?! with Vakarė Kuklytė “10 Words You Probably Get Wrong”