A blog to help secondary school students improve English. You can find mind maps, worksheets, videos and songs as well as some of the project works and activities done by the students.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
TO MAKE A PRAIRIE BY DICKINSON compared to Pascoli
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee—
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will
do,
If bees are few.
In this brief, five-line poem we can find several
themes central to Dickinson’s work: imagination, nature, and the inner life
of the mind.
Imagination as Creative Force-At
first glance, the poem appears to be a literal recipe for a prairie—requiring
clover and a bee. But Dickinson quickly shifts the focus with the word “revery”
(a dreamlike or meditative state). -FANTASTICHERIA
She’s not talking about physical creation, but imaginative
creation. A single bee and clover can be enough to evoke the vastness of a
prairie in the mind. And if even those aren’t available, revery alone
will do.
This means that imagination is not just powerful, but
sufficient. It suggests the mind’s ability to conjure entire worlds from almost
nothing—one of Dickinson’s most recurring beliefs.
Minimalism and Essence Minimal
language to express complex ideas
Solitude and Self-Sufficiency There’s
also a subtle celebration of solitude here
Meaning
“To make a prairie” is a celebration of the
imagination. Dickinson reminds us that the external world is not the only
source of beauty and meaning—our inner world, through reverie, can be just as
vast and sustaining. It’s a testament to the power of thought, memory, and
poetic vision.
Comparison: Dickinson and Pascoli
1. Use of Nature as Symbol
- Dickinson uses nature—here, a clover and
a bee—as minimal symbols to represent vast imaginative possibilities.
The prairie becomes a metaphor for what the mind can create.
- Pascoli, especially in poems like "L’assiuolo"
or "Il gelsomino notturno", also draws from small natural
images (an owl’s cry, the scent of jasmine) to evoke profound emotional or
existential states.
Both poets see nature not as scenery, but as a
key to inner experience.
2. Power of Imagination and Inner World
- In “To make a prairie”, Dickinson ultimately claims that the
dream alone is enough—imagination is self-sufficient.
- Similarly, Pascoli develops the concept of the “fanciullino”
(the child within), whose pure gaze can transform ordinary reality
into mystery and meaning through poetic imagination.
They both celebrate a kind of mental autonomy,
where external reality is less important than how it is perceived or
imagined.
3.
Simplicity and Symbolism
- Dickinson's poem is incredibly short, almost aphoristic, yet
symbolic and layered.
- Pascoli’s style, though more lyrical and rich in sound patterns,
often hinges on simple, concrete images that open up to symbolic or
metaphysical interpretations.
Example from
Pascoli’s “Il gelsomino notturno”:
E s’aprono i
fiori notturni,
nell’ora che penso ai miei cari.
[...]
È l’alba: si chiudono i petali
un poco gualciti... Here,
the flowers' nocturnal blooming reflects the mystery of love, memory,
and perhaps even death—just as Dickinson's bee and clover reflect a mind
creating vastness from the minimal.
Sunday, May 25, 2025
What's offbeat vocabulary?
Offbeat vocabulary refers to unusual, quirky, unexpected, or unconventional word choices — words that stand out because they are not commonly used in typical speech or writing, or because they are used in an unexpected context.
Characteristics of Offbeat Vocabulary:
-
Rare or archaic words
-
Invented words
-
Playful or whimsical language
-
Surprising metaphors or combinations (e.g., calling hope “the thing with feathers”)
Example from Emily Dickinson:
In “Hope is the thing with feathers,” Dickinson uses offbeat vocabulary in a few ways:
-
Metaphorical phrasing: “Hope is the thing with feathers” – calling hope a bird is imaginative and unconventional.
-
Verb choices: “Perches,” “abash,” “crumb” – not unusual words on their own, but used in unexpected ways or settings.
-
Syntax and punctuation: Her use of dashes and capitalization creates a distinctive, offbeat rhythm and feel.
Why use offbeat vocabulary?
-
To create a memorable image or tone
-
To surprise the reader or subvert expectations
-
To convey complex or abstract ideas in fresh ways
-
To express a unique voice
The word "abash" means to make someone feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
Definition:
-
Verb (used with an object)
-
To destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; to embarrass or humiliate.
Example from Emily Dickinson’s poem "Hope is the thing with feathers":
"That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –"
In this context, "abash" means to discourage, unsettle, or silence the bird (which symbolizes hope). Dickinson is saying that it would take a very strong storm (a metaphor for hardship) to shake or embarrass hope.
Synonyms:
-
Embarrass
-
Humble
-
Fluster
-
Disconcert
What's a slant rhyme?
Slant rhymes are rhyming structures with words that share similar sounds but aren't exactly perfect rhymes. They can be words that have the same consonant sounds with different vowel sounds, or the same vowel sounds with different consonant sounds.
Emily Dickinson is known for using slant rhyme in her poetry. In “Not any higher stands the Grave,” she uses a perfect rhyme with “Men” and “Ten” in the first stanza, then breaks expectations by using a slant rhyme with “Queen” and “Afternoon” in the second.
“Not any higher stands the Grave
For Heroes than for Men –
Not any nearer for the Child
Than numb Three Score and Ten –This latest Leisure equal lulls
The Beggar and his Queen
Propitiate this Democrat
A Summer’s Afternoon –
The children’s nursery rhyme “This Little Piggy” features slant rhyme with the words “home” and “none.”
“This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
And this little piggy cried ‘wee wee wee’ all the way home.”
Examples of Slant Rhyme in the Poem:
Here’s the full first stanza for reference:
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
1. “soul” / “all” (Lines 2 and 4)
-
These words do not rhyme exactly but have similar vowel sounds, making them a slant rhyme.
-
"soul" ends in an "ol" sound and "all" in an "all" sound — not identical, but close enough to create an echo.
Here’s another stanza with potential slant rhymes:
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
2. “heard” / “Bird” (Lines 1 and 3)
This is closer to an imperfect rhyme than a perfect one. While both end in a "rd" sound, the vowels differ slightly.
-
Depending on pronunciation, this could be interpreted as either a slant rhyme or a perfect rhyme. Dickinson often played with sound in this way.
Overall, Dickinson’s use of slant rhyme in this poem contributes to its lyrical quality without being overly predictable, mirroring the elusive and persistent nature of hope itself.
Saturday, May 17, 2025
THE UK SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT VS THE ITALIAN ONE
INSTITUTIONS- The British political system vs The Italian political system


The Italian Chamber of Deputies currently consists of 400 members.
This composition came into effect with the beginning of the 19th Legislature, on October 13, 2022, following the approval of Constitutional Law No. 1/2020 in the 2020 constitutional referendum.
This law reduced the number of deputies from 630 to 400, and the number of senators from 315 to 200.
The reduction in the number of parliamentarians was intended to streamline and improve the efficiency of the legislative assembly. However, it’s important to note that the number of deputies elected abroad remained unchanged at 8, as established by Article 56 of the Italian Constitution.
As of May 2025, the House of Lords in the United Kingdom comprises approximately 804 members.
691 life peers: appointed for their lifetime by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister or the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
88 hereditary peers: remaining from the 1999 reform, who retain their seats through elections within the House.
25 bishops: senior members of the Church of England, known as the Lords Spiritual.
The House of Lords does not have a fixed upper limit on membership, and its size can fluctuate due to new appointments, retirements, or deaths. Recent discussions have focused on reforming the House, including proposals to eliminate all hereditary peers and introduce a mandatory retirement age for members .
Any British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen who is a UK resident and taxpayer over 21 is eligible to be nominated or can apply to become a member.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Monday, May 12, 2025
1. Theme
-
Dickinson:
→ Grief hidden in spring’s renewal
→ Joy and sorrow coexist in memory -
Pascoli:
→ Melancholy rooted in the night
→ Nature as a mirror of existential unease
2. Imagery & Symbolism
-
Dickinson:
→ Birdsong as emotional trigger
→ Symbol of both hope and pain -
Pascoli:
→ The owl’s cry ("chiù") as haunting refrain
→ Garden, moon, and shadows suggest fear and mystery
3. Form & Structure
-
Dickinson:
→ Short, lyric stanzas (quatrains)
→ Irregular rhythm, slant rhyme
→ Compressed and paradoxical -
Pascoli:
→ Longer, flowing lines (hendecasyllables)
→ Repetition of "chiù" creates musical tension
→ Loose, symbolic progression
4. Emotional and Psychological Depth
-
Dickinson:
→ Introspective; feelings shaped by personal memory
→ Paradox: the sweetest sounds hurt most -
Pascoli:
→ Vague, dreamlike sadness
→ Emotions emerge through external, symbolic setting
5. Cultural & Literary Context
-
Dickinson:
→ 19th-century American Romanticism / Proto-Modernism
→ Influenced by Puritan heritage, inner spiritual life -
Pascoli:
→ Late 19th-century Italian Symbolism
→ Rooted in personal trauma and childhood loss
This scheme visually unfolds the core contrasts and parallels in a logical flow, moving from themes to form and finally to cultural context. Would you like this turned into a visual mind map or diagram?
Summary
While both poems deal with melancholy and the emotional power of sound in nature, Dickinson focuses on the interior experience of grief and memory, evoked subtly by bird song, while Pascoli creates a more atmospheric and sensory-rich world filled with nocturnal mystery and quiet dread. Dickinson is introspective and paradoxical; Pascoli is symbolic and immersive.
Would you like a bilingual side-by-side excerpt analysis of the original texts as well?
3. Form and Structure
Aspect | Dickinson | Pascoli |
---|---|---|
Structure | Lyric poem in quatrains, tight and concise. | Traditional Italian structure; loose hendecasyllables. |
Rhyme & Rhythm | Irregular meter and slant rhyme typical of Dickinson. | Musical cadence with internal rhymes and repetitions. |
Use of Repetition | Rare, but uses contrast and paradox for emphasis. | Frequent repetition (“chiù”) to create atmosphere and rhythm. |
Sunday, May 11, 2025
LORD RANDAL E GEORDIE open questions
"Lord Randal" is a traditional Scottish ballad that tells the story
of a young man named Lord Randal who returns home after being poisoned.
Throughout the ballad, Lord Randal answers questions
from his mother about his condition, revealing that he has been betrayed by his
lover, who poisoned him. The ballad’s structure is a dialogue between Lord
Randal and his mother, where he describes how he ate a meal with his lover and
subsequently fell ill.
Ultimately, Lord Randal expresses his sorrow,
especially over the loss of his wealth and the treachery of his lover. The
ballad explores themes of betrayal, death, and the consequences of deceit.
1.
Who
are the main characters in the ballad?
2.
Where
has Lord Randal been?
3.
What
does Lord Randal repeatedly ask his mother to do?
4.
What
did his "true-love" give him to eat?
5.
What
happened to his hawks and hounds?
6.
What
is wrong with Lord Randal?
7.
Who
do we suspect poisoned him?
8.
What
does Lord Randal leave to his true love?
9.
What
are some of the items that Lord Randal leaves to his family?
GEORDIE
1.
What
crime did Geordie commit in the ballad?
2.
What
happens to Geordie because of the crime he committed?
3.
Who
tries to help Geordie in the ballad?
4.
How
does Geordie’s mother or partner feel about his situation?
5.
Does
Geordie get saved in the end?
6.
Why
is Geordie’s story a sad one?
Geordie is
a traditional English folk ballad that tells the tragic story of a man named
Geordie who is sentenced to death. The ballad is centered around his crime,
which involves stealing the king's deer. Geordie is captured and brought to
trial, where despite his pleas for mercy, he is condemned to hang. His mother
and wife both try to plead for his life, but they are unsuccessful. In the end,
Geordie faces his execution, and the ballad ends with a sense of inevitable
tragedy, as Geordie is taken away to be hanged for his actions.
The ballad touches
on themes of justice, punishment, and the helplessness of individuals when
facing the authority of the law, with a focus on the personal loss and grief
experienced by Geordie's family.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Phrasal verbs with take and break
Phrasal Verb Cards
Take
-
Take off – To rise into the air (like a plane).
-
Take up – To begin something new.
-
Take in – To understand or absorb something.
-
Take on – To accept responsibility or challenge.
-
Take after – To resemble someone (usually family).
Break
-
Break up – To end a relationship.
-
Break down – To stop working or malfunction.
-
Break into – To enter without permission (e.g., break into a house).
-
Break out – To escape or suddenly start (e.g., breakout of a disease).
-
Break through – To overcome an obstacle or difficulty.
✍️ Short Story Example Using Phrasal Verbs:
Title: The Big Project Day
It was the day of the school science fair, and everyone was excited. Julia was nervous because she had just taken up a new science project—building a model rocket. She hoped it would take off without a hitch, but things didn’t go as planned.
Right before the presentation, the rocket's launch system broke down due to a small error. Julia was frustrated, but she decided to stay calm. “I can break through this,” she told herself.
While trying to fix the rocket, her friend Lila came over. "Don’t worry! You’re not in this alone," she said. "You take after your mom’s engineering skills. I’m sure you’ll get it working!"
Together, they figured out the problem just in time. The rocket finally launched, and everyone cheered. Julia had taken on a huge challenge, but it worked out in the end.
Phrasal Verbs with "Take":
-
Take off – To ascend (e.g., a plane), or to become successful.
Example: "The plane will take off in 10 minutes." -
Take up – To start doing something as a hobby or activity.
Example: "I decided to take up painting in my free time." -
Take in – To fully understand or absorb information.
Example: "I couldn’t take in all the details during the lecture." -
Take on – To accept responsibility or challenge.
Example: "She decided to take on the leadership role in the project." -
Take after – To resemble or look like someone, especially a family member.
Example: "You really take after your mother with your artistic skills." -
Take over – To gain control or responsibility for something.
Example: "The new manager will take over next week." -
Take down – To write or record something.
Example: "Please take down the notes during the meeting." -
Take off (clothing) – To remove clothes or accessories.
Example: "She took off her coat as she entered the room." -
Take apart – To disassemble something.
Example: "I had to take apart the machine to fix it." -
Take back – To retract something said or to return something.
Example: "I’m sorry, I take back what I said earlier." -
Take to – To begin to like or develop a habit.
Example: "He’s really taken to playing the guitar lately." -
Take in (someone) – To offer shelter or provide accommodation.
Example: "The family took in a stray cat." -
Take it out on – To express frustration or anger towards someone.
Example: "Don’t take it out on me, I’m not the one who caused the issue."
Phrasal Verbs with "Break":
-
Break up – To end a relationship, or to disperse a group.
Example: "They decided to break up after three years together." -
Break down – To stop working, or to explain something in detail.
Example: "My car broke down on the way to work." -
Break into – To enter a place or system illegally, or to start doing something suddenly.
Example: "Someone broke into the house last night." -
Break out – To escape or to start suddenly (like an outbreak or crisis).
Example: "A fire broke out in the building." -
Break through – To overcome an obstacle or barrier.
Example: "She broke through the challenges and finished the project." -
Break off – To stop suddenly, or to separate part of something.
Example: "He broke off the conversation when he saw the time." -
Break in – To enter a place (like breaking into), or to train someone.
Example: "She had to break in the new shoes before the marathon." -
Break down into – To separate or divide into parts.
Example: "We’ll break down the process into three main steps." -
Break away – To escape or to detach from a group.
Example: "She decided to break away from the group and do her own thing." -
Break even – To neither gain nor lose money.
Example: "After selling the tickets, we just broke even." -
Break the news – To inform someone of something important or surprising.
Example: "I had to break the news to her that the event was canceled." -
Break in on – To interrupt a conversation or activity.
Example: "Sorry to break in on your meeting, but I have something urgent to share." -
Break with – To end or change a tradition or relationship.
Example: "He broke with tradition and chose a different career path."
🧑🎓 Dialogue 1: Using "take off" and "take up"
Ava: Hey, Liam, your project really took off! Everyone’s talking about it.
Liam: Thanks! I was surprised too. I just took up digital design a few months ago.
Ava: Seriously? You're a natural at it.
🧑🏫 Dialogue 2: Using "take in" and "take on"
Sarah: I had to read the article three times to take it all in.
Ben: Same here. I think we took on too many readings this week.
Sarah: Next time, we should split them up.
📚 Dialogue 3: Using "break down" and "break into"
Carlos: Did you get the chemistry topic?
Maya: Not at first, but Ms. Patel broke it down step by step. It finally made sense.
Carlos: Yeah, once you break into the basics, it gets easier.
🧘 Dialogue 4: Using "break up" and "take a break"
Nina: We’ve been studying for hours. Let’s take a break.
James: Good idea. My brain’s about to break up from all this math.
Nina: 😂 Okay, five-minute snack break?
James: Deal.
✈️ Dialogue 5: Using "take off" and "break out"
Emma: Are you joining the class trip next week?
Tom: Yeah, can’t wait to take off from school for a bit.
Emma: Same. I hope no flu breaks out before then like last year!