Schedule for February 2018

Argo

“Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipro (Ukraine) the film Argo was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.
Argo is a 2012 American historical drama film directed by Ben Affleck.
Plot: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
The film received seven nominations at the 85th Academy Awards and won three, for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.

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Speed English: “Good Manners”

The English Learners (at Window on America center Dnipro, Ukraine) were engaged into conversation in pairs or small groups. The topic was bad manners that annoy us in different situations.
Participants number – 28 persons.

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Importance of manners

The session of the Gabfest Club (at Window on America center Dnipro, Ukraine) started with a warm-up activity – to read and translate popular phrases about the importance of “Good Manners”.
The group was introduced to the cross-cultural aspect of manners. We have focused on the TripAdvisor’s article about politeness in the USA. Some other sources were offered with info about appropriate behavior for visitors in the USA.
 

The topic was illustrated with a video about the love story of the US actress Meghan Markle and the British Prince Harry. The group was impressed with the difference in manners among the English-speaking countries.
The session was educational for all generations of Club members.
Participants number – 32 persons.

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Information Day for Ukrainian ESL Teachers

The staff of  “Window on America” Dnipro Center took part in the Information Day for Ukrainian ESL teachers that was arranged at the DOUNB Library.
Twelve ESL teachers from Dnipro oblast are having   a training at the Oblast Institute for Teachers’ Skills Up-grading. They were invited to the DOUNB library to familiarize themselves with the new trends in the ESL teaching methodology described in teachers’ periodicals.
 S. Usenko, the head of WOA Dnipro, presented the Center’s resources and offered several variants for cooperation with Dnipro oblast schools. The ESL teachers learnt about the DOUNB Library web-site, WOA Dnipro’s blog and Facebook page.  Ms. Usenko presented free resources for improving English language skills: the web site and the FB page “American English at State” and the educational game set “Activate”.
 

A selection of electronic documents, links and videos was also provided for English language events with students on topics: academic integrity, media literacy, anti-corruption.
WOA Dnipro’s staff member T. Gavryliuk   shared with the ESL teachers the WOA’s practices to engage English learners into cross-cultural communication in English via topics about local history, outstanding personalities, culture and traditions.
The ESL teachers received WOA’s promotional materials and plan to cooperate with the Center in the future. We invited them to cooperate in social networks and via the video-conferencing.
The teachers were invited to have a coffee break at WOA Dnipro’s office. They were talking shop and enjoying hot drinks from our new equipment.
Participants number – 12 persons.

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

“Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipro (Ukraine) the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a 1998 American black comedy road film adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's novel of the same name. It was co-written and directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo. The two embark on an initially assigned journey with journalistic purpose which turns out to be an exploration of the Las Vegas setting under the effect of psychoactive substances.
Though a critical and financial failure, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has since become a cult film due in large part to its release on DVD, including a Special Edition released by The Criterion Collection.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.
Number of participants – 11.
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Clay Day

This afternoon the Gabfest Club members (at Window on America center Dnipro, Ukraine) were offered a topic about clay and its use in our everyday life. The Club members shared the ways they use clay. Our American guest Mr. Jason was told that clay was used as a building material in traditional Ukrainian village houses. But our focus was on the esthetical use of clay in porcelain production. The group was asked to memorize several idiomatic phrases with the word “clay” (feet of clay, breaking clay, etc.).
 

Clays exhibit plasticity when mixed with water in certain proportions, it becomes firm and when fired in a kiln it becomes a ceramic material. The group was offered several illustrative videos that introduced the fine bone china tableware invented by Chinese artisans, the process of making a porcelain teapot. The highlight was a video about Lenox dinnerware. It is used in the White House. Lenox is a company that is the only major manufacturer of bone china in the United States.
In the second part of the session the group had a Q&A session with our US guest Mr. Jason. He told the group a few fun facts about his home state Indiana. The Ukrainian club members recommended him places to visit in Dnipro and the best buy for souvenirs from Ukraine.
After the session the IT students had a private conversation with Mr. Jason about the US IT jobs market checking their own chances to work in the USA.
Participants number – 29 persons.

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The Truman Show

“Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipro (Ukraine) the film The Truman Show was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.
The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical science fiction film directed by Peter Weir.
The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, adopted and raised by a corporation inside a simulated television show revolving around his life, until he discovers it and decides to escape.
The film was a financial success, debuting to critical acclaim, and earned numerous nominations at the 71st Academy Awards, 56th Golden Globe Awards, 52nd British Academy Film Awards and The Saturn Awards. The Truman Show has been analyzed as a thesis on Christianity, metaphilosophy, simulated reality, existentialism and reality television.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.

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Book display “Outstanding Americans”

Information and Resource Center "Window to America" Dnipro invites everyone to learn more about the prominent personalities  of the United States. On the displayed book covers and pages, the center’s patrons will see the portraits of the first US presidents and their wives, politicians, poets and writers, athletes, musicians, cinema figures. All of these people are revered by the American people. Ordinary Americans love them and are delighted with their achievements.
All materials are donated to the DOUNB library by the US Embassy in Ukraine and the Saber-Світло Foundation (USA) within 25 years of friendship between Ukrainian and American people.