Articles written by Liz Allen - Page 5

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About me - Liz Allen

Hello, I am Helium Site Steward for the French Language Sub-sub-channel, within Arts and Humanities. My love of languages encompasses my experience of teaching English, my fluency in French, and also my ability to speak colloquial Arabic.

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Arts & Humanities > French Language Essential French culinary terms that every cook should understand: 2 of 5
So many French words have infiltrated the English language (and vice versa); considering France's reputation for excellent cuisine, it is hardly surprising that many of our culinary terms are actually French. We are all familiar with words such as cafe, restaurant and menu, and we may have come across hors d'oeuvres (starter... More..
Arts & Humanities > Children's Literature Great children's books for stimulating the imagination: 6 of 14
I remember as a child how much my imagination was stimulated by C. S. Lewis's 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe': the idea of walking through the back of a wardrobe into a fantasy world where you met fauns and had to fight against a wicked Queen was enough to relieve the boredom of any school holiday. As my sons were gro... More..
Education > Homework & Testing Great read-aloud books for the elementary school classroom: 4 of 9
Although my experience of reading books aloud centres mainly around four-year-old children at a kindergarten, I am sure the stories we read would appeal equally well to pupils at elementary school. During school vacations we often have children up to the age of eight attending, and they enjoy listening to these books being r... More..
Autos > Cars Living without a car: 10 of 22
I should have written this review yesterday, but instead I took a trip to a neighboring town, sitting at the front on the top deck of a double-decker bus, watching swathes of black clouds bringing sleet and flurries of snow over the south of England, seeing patches of blue sky in the distance, and realising that life without... More..
Arts & Humanities > Poets & Poetry Figures of speech in poetry: 1 of 2
Anyone studying English Language and Literature has to be able to analyse poetry, and recognising figures of speech and being able to quote them and comment on them will make any essay more impressive. There again, actually using them yourself in creative writing or descriptive writing brings your work alive and gives it an ... More..
Food & Drink > Ethnic & International Foods Egyptian food and what it has to offer: 1 of 2
Having lived in Egypt for over twenty years, Egyptian cuisine has played a significant part in my life. For the first few years I lived with my in-laws, and it wasn't exactly a typical household as my mother-in-law was a French Jewess, but I believe she had begun life in Turkey and moved to Cairo at the age of about three. S... More..
Food & Drink > Restaurant Reviews Restaurant reviews: Wagamama Chain, UK: 1 of 2
Living in Southsea I have plenty of restaurants on my doorstep, but one of my sons decided he'd had enough of the place and was offered a job in Bristol, so off he went. Having given him three weeks to settle in, I thought it was about time I went for a visit. It's a city I was until now totally unfamiliar with, but it seems... More..
Travel > United Kingdom Travel experiences Southsea, England: 1 of 2
I was born just a stone's throw from Southsea seafront and lived there until I was nineteen, returning to visit my parents most summers and some Christmases after that. Following many years abroad I came back to live in Southsea in 1999, first in South Street and then in a flat in Festing Road, funnily enough just a few door... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: The Page Turner: 1 of 2
The young Melanie Prouvost is a girl who takes her piano playing very seriously and has high ambitions for the future. During an examination recital, however, her concentration is disturbed when Ariane Fouchecourt, a famous concert pianist and head of the panel of examiners, allows an admirer to enter the room to request an ... More..
Education > Reading & Writing Skills Book review: Understanding English 3 - Spelling, by Carol Matchett: 1 of 2
I have often been asked if I can suggest strategies to help young children improve their spelling, but the English language has so many idiosyncracies that it is no easy task to cover all the rules involving letter strings, vowel sounds, doubling of consonants and so on. Discovering a workbook devoted to spelling and address... More..