Touluose Lautrec

Impressionism is a term that came to designate the work of a diverse circle of artists who shared a desire for artistic independence and an allegiance to modern expression. Formed in the last quarter of the 19th century, this small, diverse group includedClaude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Paul Cézanne, and Camille Pissarro.

Over the span of 12 years (1874-1886) these artists mounted eight exhibitions, and although they quickly became known as the Impressionists, they never adopted an official name. Their Impressionist styles remained distinctive and diverse, but they shared common goals in their rejection of traditional academic ideals and their support of a modernist vision based on the experience of visual sensations and a personal point of view.

The following links provide rich, colorful images and detailed descriptions of the world's best-known Impressionist paintings. Explore the artwork of the original Impressionist circle, as well as beautiful paintings by Impressionist artists who followed in their footsteps.

The Banks of the Oise by Charles-François Daubigny

Charles-François Daubigny painted this Impressionist landscape in the fresh, open air. See his vision of The Banks of the Oise.

Paintings by Gustave Courbet

Gustave Courbet created Impressionist paintings of his own life experiences rather than images of history or mythology. Take a peek into Gustave Courbet's life and paintings.

The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet

The Gleaners is an Impressionist painting of farm workers laboring in a rural landscape. See how Jean-François Millet's approach was both naturalistic and romantic.

Paintings by Edouard Manet

Impressionist paintings by Edouard Manet created conflict between modernist views and conventional standards. Learn why Edouard Manet's paintings were often misunderstood.

Paintings by Henri Fantin-Latour

Henri Fantin-Latour included images of Impressionist artists in his paintings, such as Edouard Manet and Claude Monet. Explore beautiful images of these paintings here.

Paintings by Frederic Bazille

Frederic Bazille's career as an Impressionist artist was cut short when he was killed in the Franco-Prussian war. Discover Frederic Bazille's unique style in this article.

Paintings by Camille Pissarro

Camille Pissarro began his Impressionist career as a plein air painter. Take a look at paintings by Camille Pissarro and see how his Impressionist style developed over the years.

Paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir had a sharp eye for contemporary detail. Check out colorful images of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's famous Impressionist paintings.

Paintings by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas

Many of the Impressionist paintings by Hilaire-Germaine-Edgar Degas are depictions of urban Paris and young dancers. See how Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas captured life with his paintbrush.

Paintings by Gustave Caillebotte

Gustave Caillebotte provided glimpses of Parisian life with his Impressionist paintings. Get swept away to the streets of Paris through these breathtaking images.

Paintings by Paul Cézanne

Paul Cézanne participated in only two Impressionist exhibits, as he desired to be a more independent artist. Find out how paintings by Paul Cézanne differed from other Impressionist paintings.

Paintings by Georges Seurat

Georges Seurat's paintings took a different approach to Impressionism, pioneering a more structured style known as Neo-Impressionism. View images of Georges Seurat's amazing paintings here.

La Plage de Trouville by Eugene Boudin

Eugene Boudin's La Plage de Trouville is an Impressionist painting that portrays tourists on a beach resort. Catch a glimpse of the seaside through Eugene Boudin's eyes.

Paintings by Berthe Morisot

The Impressionist paintings by Berthe Morisot display her strong command of color. See images of the beautiful artwork by this female Impressionist painter.

Paintings by Alfred Sisley

Alfred Sisley was a dedicated plein air Impressionist painter. In this article, take a look at some of the landscapes painted by Alfred Sisley.

Paintings by Mary Cassatt

Mary Cassatt was the first and only American in the original Impressionist circle. Learn how Mary Cassatt captured the lives of middle-class women in her colorful Impressionist paintings.

Paintings by Paul Gauguin

Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin found his own mode of expression later in his artistic career. Check out images of Impressionist paintings by Paul Gauguin.

Paintings by Paul Signac

Paul Signac combined classic Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in his paintings. Observe his use of both styles in these images of his Impressionist paintings.

Profil de Lumiere by Odilon Redon

Much of Odilon Redon's work in the last Impressionist exhibition was done in charcoal on paper, such as the piece entitled Profil de Lumiere. See this mysterious and stunning piece of art in this article.

The Talisman by Paul Sérusier

Paul Sérusier used color and intense hues in an imaginative way, shown in his Impressionist painting The Talisman. Get inspired by Paul Sérusier's unique approach to Impressionism.

Paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Scenes of Parisian nightlife were often the subject of Impressionist paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Visit Parisian cafés, circuses, and cabarets through these images.

Madeleine in the Bois d'Amour by Emile Bernard

This Impressionist painting by Emile Bernard shows his sister resting by a river. View the scene inMadeleine in the Bois d'Amour.

Banks of the Seine by Stanislas Lepine

Stanislas Lepine painted a serene view of the river in his Impressionist painting Banks of the Seine. Get lost in the relaxing reflections on the water displayed in this painting.

Setting Sun at Ivry by Jean-Baptiste Armand Guillaumin

Jean-Baptiste Armand Guillaumin's Setting Sun at Ivry depicts both nature and industry in an Impressionist style. Check out this article to see his image of a modern landscape.

News of the Engagement

NEWS OF THE ENGAGEMENT

Setting:(time / place)

_ Philip lived in London and visited his mother in Five towns (an industrial town)

_ The action took place in Sarah Land Philip’s house.

_ He returns home for Christmas.

_ His mother brought up him alone because she was a widow.

Mr. Nixon:

_ He was 49 years old.

_ He was large and strong.

_ He was very helpful with Sarah (his mother’s Philip)

Agnes:

_ She was Philip’s fiancé

_ She lived in London with her family.

_ Her family knew him.

……………………………………….

Plot

_ He arrived home.

_ Sarah saw there were three chairs.

_ He thought his mother invited Agnes.

_ He thought his mother and Agnes were planning a surprise for him.

_ Suddenly, somebody knocked at the door. It was Mr. Nixon.

_ Philip was unhappy to see him.

_ They ate but Philip was nervous. He wanted to send a letter to Agnes so he went to the post-office. When he returned Mr. Nixon was still there and told him If he would like him to be his stepfather.

_ He was happy. For the first time he thought about her mother as a woman who wanted to fall in love and start a new life again.

Adverbs

The adverbs and the adjectives in English

Adverbs tell us in what way someone does something. Adverbs can modify verbs (here: drive), adjectives or other adverbs.

Adjectives tell us something about a person or a thing. Adjectives can modify nouns (here: girl) or pronouns (here: she).

Mandy is a careful girl.       Mandy drives carefully.

She is very careful.

Mandy is a careful driver. This sentence is about Mandy, the driver, so use the adjective.

Mandy drives carefully. This sentence is about her way of driving, so use the adverb.

Form

Adjective + -ly

adjective         adverb

dangerous      dangerously

careful             carefully

nice                 nicely

horrible            horribly

easy                easily

electronic       electronically

irregular forms

good                well

fast                   fast

hard                 hard

If the adjective ends in  y, change -y to -i. Then add -ly.

happy -            happily

but: shy -         shyly

If the adjective ends in -ie, the adverb ends in -ly.

Example: terrible - terribly

If the adjective ends in -e, then add -ly.

Example: safe - safely

Tip: Not all words ending in -ly are adverbs.

adjectives ending in -ly: friendly, silly, lonely, ugly

nouns, ending in -ly: ally, bully, Italy, melancholy

verbs, ending in -ly: apply, rely, supply

There is no adverb for an adjective ending in -ly.

Use of adverbs

to modify verbs:  The soccer team played badly last Saturday.

to modify adjectives: It was an extemely bad match.

to modify adverbs: The soccer team played extremely badly last Wednesday.

to modify quantities: There are quite a lot of people here.

to modify sentences: Unfortunately, the flight to Dallas had been cancelled.

Types of adverbs

1) Adverbs of manner

quickly

kindly

2) Adverbs of degree

very

rather

3) Adverbs of frequency

often

sometimes

4) Adverbs of time

now

today

5) Adverbs of place

here

nowhere

How do know whether to use an adjective or an adverb?

John is a careful driver. -> In this sentences we say how John is - careful.

If we want to say that the careful John did not drive the usual way yesterday - we have to use the adverb: John did not drive carefully yesterday.

Here is another example:

I am a slow walker. (How am I? -> slow -> adjective)

I walk slowly. (How do I walk? -> slowly -> adverb)

Would Like to

Click on these links and do the exercises
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4339
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/2g34-like-would-like.php

Mali (superlatives)

Mali, or Republic of Mali, a country of western Africa. It is bounded by Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania. The area is nearly 479,000 square miles (1,240,000 km 2). Maximum dimensions are roughly 1,000 miles (1,610 km) north-south and 1,050 miles (1,690 km) east-west.

 

Facts in brief about Mali

Capital: Bamako.

Official language: French.

Area: 478,841 mi2 (1,240,192 km2). Greatest distances—east-west, 1,150 mi (1,851 km); north-south, 1,000 mi (1,609 km). Coastline—none.

Elevation: Highest—Hombori Tondo, 3,789 ft (1,155 m) above sea level; Lowest—75 ft (23 m) above sea level, at the western border.

Population: Current estimate—14,724,000; density, 31 per mi2 (12 per km2); distribution, 69 percent rural, 31 percent urban. 1998 census—9,790,492.

Chief products: Agriculture—cassava, corn, cotton, livestock, millet, peanuts, rice, sorghum, sugar cane, yams. Fishing—carp, catfish, perch. Manufacturing—food products, leather products, textiles. Mining—salt, gold.

Flag: The flag has three vertical stripes of green, gold, and red (left to right). The stripes symbolize devotion to a republican form of government and the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

National anthem: "A Ton Appel Mali" ("At Your Call Mali").

Money: Basic unit—CFA franc. CFA stands for Communaute Financiere Africaine (African Financial Community).

Physical Geography

Mali is a country in western Africa.

Northern Mali lies largely in the Sahara, the vast desert that spans northern Africa. The central section occupies part of the Sahel, a steppe area bordering the Sahara. Southern Mali is a more humid region of savannas, where most of the people live. Most of Mali is flat. Notable exceptions include the Hombori Mountains, in east-central Mali, and the Adrar des Iforas, a mountainous region in the northeast. The country's highest elevation is 3,789 feet (1,155 m), in the Hombori Mountains.

Mali's chief rivers are the Niger and the Senegal; both are in the south. The Niger is especially important because of productive agricultural land along its course.

Daily high temperatures during the hot season (March through June) often exceed 100° F. (38° C). Daily high temperatures during the cool season (November through February) rarely exceed 85° F. (28° C.).

Little or no rain falls in the Sahara; as much as 55 inches (1,400 mm) a year occurs in the far south, virtually all of it during June through October.

Economy

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its economy is little developed and is based primarily on farming and the raising of livestock. Farming is mostly of the subsistence kind; major crops include millet, sorghum, rice, sugarcane, corn, peanuts, cassava, and cotton. Herding throughout much of the country is nomadic. Devastating droughts periodically occur.

Fishing is carried on extensively in the Niger River. Minerals produced include gold, salt, phosphates, bauxite, copper, iron ore, manganese, and uraniumm. Manufacturing consists mainly of food processing and the production of textiles.

The Niger and Senegal rivers are the chief arteries of transport. A railway links Mali and Senegal. Roads are mainly in the Niger valley. There is local air service, and Bamako has an international airport.

People and Government

The people in the north, which include desert nomads, are mainly Tuareg (a Berber people) and Moors. The people in the south are mainly of black African ancestry; the largest ethnic groups are the Bambara, Fulani, and Senufo. About 80 per cent of the population is Muslim; 18 per cent, animist; and less than 2 per cent, Christian. French is the official language, but indigenous languages predominate.

Primary education begins at age seven and lasts six years. Secondary school lasts six years. There are several institutions of higher learning, but many of Mali's students receive their university education abroad. About 30 per cent of the people are literate.

Bamako, the capital, is Mali's largest city. Other cities include Ségou, Kayes, Mopti, and Sikasso.

Under the constitution of 1992, Mali is a republic headed by a president, who is elected for a five-year term. The president appoints the premier and cabinet. The 147-member legislature is the National Assembly, whose members are elected for five-year terms.

Comparative Adjectives

When we talk about two things, we can "compare" them. We can see if they are the same or different. Perhaps they are the same in some ways and different in other ways. We can use comparative adjectives to describe the differences.

Formation of Comparative Adjectives

There are two ways to make or form a comparative adjective:

• short adjectives: add "-er"
• long adjectives: use "more"

Short adjectives
1-syllable adjectives	old, fast
2-syllable adjectives ending in –y	happy, easy
Normal rule: add "-er"	old → older
Variation: if the adjective ends in -e, just add –r	late → later
Variation: if the adjective ends in consonant, vowel, consonant, double the last consonant	big → bigger
Variation: if the adjective ends in -y, change the y to i	happy → happier
Long adjectives
2-syllable adjectives not ending in –y	modern, pleasant
all adjectives of 3 or more syllables	expensive, intellectual
Normal rule: use "more"	modern → more modern expensive → more expensive

 With some 2-syllable adjectives, we can use '-er' or 'more':

• quiet → quieter/more quiet
• clever → cleverer/more clever
• narrow → narrower/more narrow
• simple → simpler/more simple

Exception
The following adjectives have irregular forms:

• good → better
• well (healthy) → better
• bad → worse
• far → farther/further

Click on the following link and do the exercises

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2070

http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/242.html

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/adjectives_comparison_sentences.htm

Countable and uncountable exercices

Fill in the gaps with some, any or a - an.

1. I’m really thirsty. I need ________ water, please.

2. I went to the library, but I couldn’t find ________ books about art.

3. Can you give me _________ coffee, please?

4. She sent ________ postcards to her friends, but she didn’t make _______ phone calls        when she was in Britain.

5. It’s sunny but there is only _________ child playing in the street.

6. I bought __________ coffee, but I didn’t buy ________ tea.

7. Have you got __________ chocolate biscuits? I’m sorry, there aren’t____________ biscuits left.

8. “Mary, I’m afraid there isn’t __________ juice in the fridge but there’s __________  pineapple.

9.They ate ____________apples and ___________ kiwi, but they didn’t eat ___________ oranges.

10. A: “Would you like ___________ cheese? It’s delicious”.

      B: “Ok, give me__________.”

11. Is there __________ oil in the kitchen? No, there isn’t ___________ but there’s __________ butter. �

Click on these links to find more exercises:

http://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/elementary/a_grammar/file07/?cc=ar&selLanguage=en

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-countable-uncountable-nouns.php

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4716

Food

Food - Meat

Fruit

Vegetables

Nouns - countable and uncountable

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are easy to recognize. They are things that we can count. For example: "pen". We can count pens. We can have one, two, three or more pens. Here are some more countable nouns:

• dog, cat, animal, man, person
• bottle, box, litre
• coin, note, dollar
• cup, plate, fork
• table, chair, suitcase, bag

Countable nouns can be singular or plural:

• My dog is playing.
• My dogs are hungry.

We can use the indefinite article a/an with countable nouns:

• A dog is an animal.

When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word like a/the/my/this with it:

• I want an orange. (not I want orange.)
• Where is my bottle? (not Where is bottle?)

When a countable noun is plural, we can use it alone:

• I like oranges.
• Bottles can break.

We can use some and any with countable nouns:

• I've got some dollars.
• Have you got any pens?

We can use a few and many with countable nouns:

• I've got a few dollars.
• I haven't got many pens.

"People" is countable. "People" is the plural of "person". We can count people:

• There is one person here.
• There are three people here.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate elements. We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannot count "milk". We can count "bottles of milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself. Here are some more uncountable nouns:

• music, art, love, happiness
• advice, information, news
• furniture, luggage
• rice, sugar, butter, water
• electricity, gas, power
• money, currency

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb. For example:

This news is very important.

Your luggage looks heavy.

We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "a music". But we can say a something of:

a piece of news

a bottle of water

a grain of rice

We can use some and any with uncountable nouns:

I've got some money.

Have you got any rice?

We can use a little and much with uncountable nouns:

I've got a little money.

I haven't got much rice.

Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:

Countable       Uncountable

dollar                money

song                 music

suitcase             luggage

table                 furniture

battery              electricity

bottle                wine

report               information

tip                    advice

journey             travel

job                   work

view                 scenery

Nouns that can be Countable and Uncountable »

Drinks (coffee, water, orange juice) are usually uncountable. But if we are thinking of a cup or a glass, we can say (in a restaurant, for example):

"Two teas and one coffee, please." 

10 Myths and Facts About Water

 We all need water to live, but how much do we really know about it?
        From the truth about drinking eight glasses of water per day to refilling  
plastic bottles, here's what you should know about water benefits.

By Wyatt MyersMedically reviewed by Niya Jones MD, MPH

1. Everyone needs to drink eight glasses of water a day.

Myth. Though water is the easiest and most economical fluid to keep you hydrated, the latest Institute of Medicine recommendation is that women should strive for about two liters or eight glasses a day and men should aim for three liters or 12 glasses a day of any fluid, not just water. “No one can figure out where this ‘eight glasses of water’ came from, but I believe it came from the old RDA [recommended daily allowance] for water that matched water requirements to calorie requirements,” notes Georgia Chavent, MS, RD, director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn. “The new requirement from the Institute of Medicine is much more generous and includes recommendations for total beverage consumption, not just water.”

2. Drinking water flushes toxins from your body.

Fact. Though water doesn’t necessarily neutralize toxins, the kidneys do use water to get rid of certain waste products. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys don’t have the amount of fluid they need to do their job properly. “If the body does not have sufficient water, then metabolic wastes will not be removed as efficiently as they should,” explains Amy Hess-Fischl, RD, CDE, of the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. “In essence, the body would be holding in toxins instead of expelling them, as is required for proper health.”

3. Bottled water can cause tooth decay.

Myth. Bottled water in and of itself doesn’t cause the teeth to decay, but it usually doesn’t contain any fluoride, which is added to tap water to help prevent tooth decay. “Fluoride is an important element in the mineralization of bone and teeth,” says Constance Brown-Riggs, RD, CDE, author of The African American Guide To Living Well With Diabetes and a nutritionist and certified diabetes educator in New York City. “With the increased consumption of bottled water, which is not fluoridated, there has been an increase in dental caries [cavities].”

4. Drinking water can help keep your skin moist.

Myth. While it used to be believed that staying properly hydrated led to youthful, vibrant skin, the reality is that the amount of water you drink probably has very little to do with what your skin looks like. “Unless the individual is severely dehydrated, drinking large quantities of water will not prevent dry skin,” Hess-Fischl says. “Basically, the moisture level of skin is not determined by internal factors. Instead, external factors such as skin cleansing, the environment, the number of oil glands, and the functioning of these oil-producing glands determine how dry the skin is or will become. The water that is consumed internally will not reach the epidermis [the top layer of the skin].”

5. Drinking water helps you lose weight.

Fact. Drinking water won’t specifically trigger weight loss, but it can aid in the process. Water replaces other calorie-laden beverages in the diet, causing you to reduce your overall number of calories. Plus, it can make you feel fuller, so you may eat less at each meal. Water, particularly cold water, may even play a role in increasing your metabolism. “A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, owner of Tanya Zuckerbrot Nutrition, LLC, in New York City. “Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates [or the rate at which calories are burned] by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water.”

The Truth About Drinking Water

Is it dangerous to drink too much water? Is yellow urine really a sign of dehydration?

6. Yellow urine is a sign of dehydration.

Myth. It can be, but not all yellow urine is cause for alarm. “Dark yellow urine may be a sign of dehydration,” says Zuckerbrot. “The kidneys filter waste products and reabsorb water and other useful substances from the blood, so they control the volume and concentration of urine output. Dehydration leads to increased urine concentration, turning your urine dark yellow. Ideally your urine should be straw yellow in color.” Other factors, though, such as taking a multivitamin, can also lead to yellow urine.

7. If you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Myth. If you start to feel thirsty, then you are headed in the wrong direction and should grab a drink of water, but thirst doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dehydrated. “Thirst begins when the concentration of [substances in the] blood has risen by less than 2 percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least 5 percent,” notes Hess-Fischl.

8. You need sports drinks, not water, to function at a high level in athletics.

Myth. Sports drinks may have fancier advertising campaigns, but water is really all you need to get the fluid necessary to participate in most athletic endeavors. “Adequate fluid, especially water, is most important for athletes of all ages as it is the single most important way the body has to transport nutrients and energy and remove heat during exercise,” says Chavent. “A sports or vitamin beverage may taste better, but is not necessary for hydration and is expensive.” Keep in mind though that people who run marathons or compete in highly strenuous activites may need to supplement their water intake with sports drinks to offset the salt they lose due to heavy sweating over long periods of time. This doesn’t apply to most people who are simply exercising to get fit at the gym, for instance.

9. It’s possible to drink too much water.

Fact. People with certain health conditions can put themselves at risk of complications if they drink too much water. “People with some heart conditions, high blood pressure, or swelling of the lower legs [edema] need to avoid excess water,” says Hess-Fischl. “If you have a history of kidney problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intake.” Hess-Fischl adds that you shouldn't drink too much water while eating, as it dilutes your stomach acid and can cause digestion problems.

10. You should not reuse plastic water bottles.

Fact. Plastic water bottles can present a couple of risks to people who drink their contents and then fill them up time and again. “These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses,” Hess-Fischl explains. “The bottle, if not properly cleaned, may also harbor bacteria from your mouth.”

Water is essential to survival — use these facts to figure out if you need to increase your intake or feel reassured that you’re drinking enough.

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