My favourite painting (articles)

What's your favourite painting? Who painted it? What does it show? How does it make you feel? Write it in an article.

Girl Before a Mirror

Teodora Stankov VIII1

The painting is from 1932. It was painted by Pablo Picasso. 

Ever since I first saw the painting, it left a strong impression on me. So, please let me describe this great piece of art and explain to you why I like it so much!

The painting is really colourful. There is a woman, but she is not realistic. The young woman is looking at herself in the mirror. 

Most people think that this painting represents the day and the night. One half of the face of the young woman is the sun. She is very beautiful. But, when she looks at the mirror, she sees the night. Her reflection in the mirror mostly contains blue and purple colours. That represents the night. Some deep thinkers and philosophers might say - maturity. 

We can all look at the painting and see how one single painting represents darkness and light, a young woman and mature one, day and night, the moon and the sun.

Teodora Stankov, VIII1

Dragana Komlenić VIII1

The Scream

You know how I make you wanna scream? Well, my favourite piece of art is The Scream! It was painted by a Norwegian artist called Edward Munch.

The painting was brought to life somewhere between 1893 and 1910.

There are four versions of The Scream. The one from 1893 is in the National Gallery of Oslo. The Munch Museum holds the one from 1910 and one pastel, while the one from 1895, in pastel as well, is owned by a Norwegian businessman.

For me, the one from 1893 is the best. I like it ‘coz it’s so cool. All those splashy colours, they just amaze me. And the sky… I especially love the blood red sky. This painting is so unordinary and I love the stuff that no one does like!

Occasionally, this painting is called The Cry or The Scream of Nature.

Edward Munch explained his inspiration for The Scream in his diary, "I was walking along a path with two friends – the sun was setting – suddenly the sky turned blood red – I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence – there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city – my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety – and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature."

The moment I saw the painting in a CN cartoon called “Courage, the cowardly dog” years ago, I was amazed by this piece of art!

To some people, it’s creepy and they don’t know the meaning of this painting. But, I just love it.

Dragana Komlenić, VIII1

Endangered species (project work)

Aleksa Rosić VIII2

Dunja David VIII2

Doroteja, Ana, Jelena & Anastazija VIII2

My favourite animal (notes)

A snake has a long body, small eyes and a small nose. It is from Africa. Snakes are very clever animals. They eat insects, but they don't eat cheese! Snakes like small mice very much.

Anđela Tomić, IV5, March 2012

Lions are my favourite animals. They've got an orange body, a small nose and ears. They eat meat. They've got short legs and a tail. Lions are very fast animals.

Miona Vujošević, IV5

Mina Vidović IV1

My favourite animal is a panda. It eats bamboo. It is beautiful and it can climb trees. There are black and white and red pandas. Pandas live in China.

Mina Vidović, IV1

Adam Petrov IV1

My favourite animal is a rabbit. It eats carrots. It has got a short tail but long ears. Rabbits have got four legs. They are sweet animals.

Adam Petrov, IV1

Igor Zagorac IV1

Jovana Kljajić IV2

My favourite animal is a giraffe. Giraffes live in Africa. They are the tallest animals. They have got a long neck and a short tail. Giraffes are orange with brown points. They don't eat meat. They eat the leaves of trees.

Jovana Kljajić, IV2

Kristian Balaž IV2

My favourite animal is a giant panda. Pandas live in China. They have black and white fur. They have got a big round body and a short tail. Pandas eat any of the twenty-five bamboo species in the wild.

Kristian Balaž, IV2

Milan Jakšić IV2

My favourite animal is an elephant. It has got big ears and a big body. It has got big tusks. It has got a long tail and small eyes. It can hear very well. It looks like a mammoth. An elephant hasn't got a nose. It has got a trunk. I like elephants very much.

Milan Jakšić, IV2

Tijana Varađanin IV2

Dolphins are sea animals. They're grey and they have flippers. Dolphins are very clever. They eat fish. They can swim very fast.

Tijana Varađanin IV2

Tijana Varađanin IV2

Parrots are birds. They live in jungles. They eat seeds. Parrots have got two legs, a beak and colourful feathers. They can fly very fast.

Tijana Varađanin IV2 

Poetry Corner

FADE TO BLACK

So far from me
thousands of miles away
yet, you couldn't be closer to my heart,
Together we will rise above
please, return me, return me my faith in love!

Without hope, with desperate tears in my eyes,
alone in my sadness, no one to hear my cries.
Holding on to promise
bleeding drop by drop.

Hours passing by,
I can hear my heartbeats for you non-stop.
I hear how my soul screams for hope,
an open embrace, darkness pull me in.
Lonely, yet drawn to you,
while moonlight bathes my skin.

Now, I hear the silence,
suicidal feeling,
Lorning me to disaster,
but because of you,
my heart fights and beats faster.


Teodora Stankov, VIII1, March 2012

My pet (notes)

My pet is a dog. His name's Wolf. He's brown and black. He's got a long tail and ears. My dog's got a small black nose. He eats meat, but hates cats. He's a very, very good pet.

Dušan Bačkuljin, IV1, March 2012

My pet is a dog. His name is Đole. He is white with brown spots. Đole likes to play with a tennis ball. He also likes to hide shoes in the yard. He likes to eat bones and candies. He is a very clean dog, but he doesn't like to take water. He always runs and jumps when he sees that I am going to the yard.

Strahinja Jesić, IV1

My pet is a fish. His name's Edward. His race is named warrior. He's small and dark red. He hates males of his race. He likes to eat insects. He can swim. His tail is long. He's the king of waters in my room.

Kristian Balaž, IV2

My cat's name is Elina. Her body is small. Her tail is long. She doesn't like water, vegetables and fruit. She likes  cats.

Nevena Milovanov, IV5

Some dogs are small. Some dogs are big. They can be black, white and brown.

My dog is very happy. His tail is long. He runs fast. He eats meat.

Vanja Basaraba, IV5

My cat is called Tutti. He has a long tail and small ears. He is yellow and white. He is very fast and loves mice. I love my cat a lot. He loves the company of other cats.

Marko Mijić, IV5

My dog's name is Gina. She is strong and she has big ears. She has a long tail. She likes meat and bones. Gina likes to play with me. When she sees a stranger, she barks loudly.

Slobodan Bakić, IV5;

Tijana Varađanin IV2

A Chance to the Forest

Čaba Kurunci VIII5

MIGHTY FORESTS

Forests… Many have fallen to greed and only a few real ones stand in their full glory; spreading their knotted arms to the Sun and bewitching people with their smell of indescribable beauty.

Forests are providing us with plenty of resources and oxygen, so without them there is no life. Every tree offers a home to about a dozen of species that would disappear without it. 

Forests help us. But, what do we do in return? 

We destroy and burn them! 

Every time a forest disappears, hundreds of species disappear too. 

Still, there are some solutions. 

It would be a good idea to plant a new tree on the place of the one that was cut down. In this way, forests could be restored. 

We could also create new forests by planting the artificially prepared seeds that grow faster. Then, we would never have to worry about the lack of oxygen or resources. 

Finally, consider this. In every fairy tale there is a forest. So, where would the wolf live without its home? Where would the seven dwarfs live? What would happen to the elfish castles? What would happen to the witches’ home? And, in the end, how would it be possible for any kind of life to exist without the forests? 

We must take action now, before it becomes too late!

Rastko Zamurović, VIII2

Save the... (essays)

… pandas

People know which animals are endangered, so they can help protect them. Forests must not be cut down by the people because the animals should not have a place to live. 

Some of the most endangered animals are pandas. They only live in central China and their food is bamboo which grows up every 100 years. Every year 15% of pandas die because they do not have enough food. If this continued for 50 years, pandas would disappear.

The animals must be saved because otherwise death would threaten the humans too. Unless humans see the mistake in what they are doing, everything will die out.

People must be conscious of their work and we must all protect what we have before it becomes too late!

Dejan Škorić, VIII1, March 2012

... clouded leopards

The clouded leopard is relatively a new species, but it is in a big danger because of the deforestation and people who hunt endangered animals.

One way to save clouded leopards is to stop deforestation of rainforests, where clouded leopards live. Also, people should stop hunting clouded leopards for their beautiful fur. By doing this, rainforests would not be destroyed and clouded leopards would have a place to live. Also, if we stopped hunting them, they would not die out, just because some people like wearing coats of their fur, want to be fancy and show the others how much money thay have.

Another way to solve this problem would be to boost security in the areas where clouded leopards live. In this way, cutting down trees and animal hunting would not be available and people could not do harm to rainforests and clouded leopards. They would survive.

All in all, we must wake up and look out for the world and what the other people are doing with it. They have already destroyed the habitats of many endangered species, and if we do not do anything soon, clouded leopards will disappear.

Teodora Plavšić, VIII1

... rainforests

Čaba Kurunci, Andrea Kiš & Sintia Gabor, VIII5

Municipal Foreign Languages Competition 2012

Municipal Foreign Languages Competition took place on 10 March 2012. Three of my oldest students tried their best in completing the grammar test and good results followed.

This time, the competitors were asked to:
- circle the correct option to complete the text,
- fill in the blanks by using the given word,
- find and correct the mistakes in sentences,
- use the active or passive voice of the verbs in brackets to complete the text,
- fill in the blanks with suitable words and
- make meaningful sentences. 

The competition was traditionally organised by the Ministry of Education and Foreign Language and Literature Association of Serbia.

Essays making suggestions

Think about a global problem. Write an essay presenting your suggestions, as well as the results of these suggestions. Use the following ideas to write your essay:
P1: State the problem
P2: First suggestion and results
P3: Second suggestion and results
P4: Summarise your opinion
Don't forget to use some of the linking words to organise your ideas:
- to introduce suggestions: To begin/start with, One way, Firstly/Secondly...
- to express effect: Therefore, As a result/consequence...
- to conclude: All in all, To sum up/conclude...
 

The problem of the homeless people is one of the most serious problems in the world. However, we can do something to help them after all.

In my opinion, people can do at least three things to help them.

The first one is to donate money to charities. In this way, the homeless will get the basic necessities such as food, clean water, hygenic products, clothes, shoes and so on. They would also get the financial aid, so they could live a normal life.

The second suggestion is to offer the homeless some job training. In this way, they would learn how to do a job and it would enable them to find work and get their life in order.

The third suggestion is to provide healthcare. By doing this, the homeless would always have health protection. They would feel safer in that way.

As a result of these actions, there would be fewer homeless people in the cities, more of them would work and the countries would benefit if they worked.

Dimitrije Bačkuljin, VIII2, March 2012

Letters to pen-friends

Dear Maite,

My name's Anja. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and green eyes. 

I like swimming and playing volleyball. I like dogs and cats very much. I've got a white dog and three black and white cats. My dog's name is Bonita and my cats' names are Tigar, Gavrilo and Mitar. 

I like eating pizza and pancakes, but I don't like beans, do you? 

Best wishes,

Anja  

Anja Berić, IV2, March 2012

Dear Nevena,
My name's Anja. I'm ten years old. I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes.
I like listening to music and dancing. I like horses!
I like eating pizza and ice cream but I don't like cooking, do you?
Write and tell me what you like!
Best wishes,

Anja

Anja Vučić, IV2

Dear Vlada,
My name's Ivana. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes.
I like playing volleyball and dancing. I like horse riding, too! I like dogs very much. I've got a dog. Her name is Luna.
I like eating ice cream and chicken.
Write and tell me what you like!
Best wishes,

Ivana

Ivana Varađanin, IV2

Dear Eva,
My name's Tijana. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes.
I like playing table tennis and dancing. I like watching films, too!
I like cats very much. I've got a cat! His name's Garry.
I like eating ice cream but I don't like peas, do you?
Write and tell me what you like!

Tijana

Tijana Varađanin, IV2  

Dear Nikola,
My name's Milan. I'm eleven years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes.
I like doing homework and horse riding. I like dogs very much. I've got a dog. Her name is Tea.
I like eating pizza and burgers, but I don't like gardening, do you?
Write and tell me what you like.
Best wishes,

Milan

Milan Jakšić, IV2

Dear Adele,

My name's Elena. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. 

I like eating ice cream and chicken. I like drinking lemonade and orange juice, do you?

Write and tell me what you like.

Best wishes,

Elena

Elena Brkanlić, IV2

Dear Jennifer,

My name's Milica. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes. 

I like listening to music and dancing. I like planting flowers, too! I like cats very much. I've got a cat! His name is Garry!

I like eating pizza and ice cream, but I don't like running, do you?

Write and tell me what you like.

Best wishes,

Milica

Milica Vesin, IV2

Dear Pato,
My name's Luka. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and brown eyes.
I like swimming and playing soccer. I like riding my bike.
I like eating burgers and French fries, but I son't like skiing.
Best wishes,

Luka

Luka Važić, IV2

Dear Novak,
My name's Kristian. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got brown hair and green eyes.
I like playing computer games and surfing the Internet. I like reading, too! I like flowers very much. I've got a plant!
I like eating sausages and ice cream but I don't like sleeping, do you?
Write and tell me what you like!
Best wishes,

Kristian

Kristian Balaž, IV2

Dear Mario,
My name's Strahinja. I'm ten years old and I'm from Kikinda. I've got blonde hair and blue eyes.
I like playing soccer and swimming. I like dogs very much. I've got a dog! His name is Bear.
I like eating pizza and ice cream, but I don't like to go to the shop, do you?
Write and tell me what you like!
Best wishes,

Strahinja

Strahinja Jesić, IV1