Can you tell if a picture is taken with a Digital Camera or a Cellphone? English conversation Lesson

Ever since I had a Nokia Smart Music Phone, I have been taking pictures and putting them up on the Internet.  I had a Canon Snap Shot camera, but now my Galaxy Note 2 gets much better pictures and videos.   Here is an article that pits both types of cameras against each other.  Can you tell the difference?


http://arts.nationalpost.com/2014/11/20/snap-happy-if-you-bring-the-right-smartphone-you-can-leave-the-big-camera-kit-at-home/

 Key Terms
trusty
blue-footed boobies 
 frigatebirds
finches
 magnificent
 lagoon
panorama
 elephant pudenda
 jaunts
grim-faced pack mule
 inadequacy
trekked
aforementioned gear
ore out-of-way 
 once-in-a-lifetime 
lugging around
noble instinct
pursuits
photocentric trips
Aperture shows
two visual anchors
tripod
monopod
getting the better of
big rig
het up


Questions
What equipment did the author take with him on his latest trip? 
Which was the most useful for him? 
What advice did Reid give the author?
How were the cellphone pictures received by the audience at the show on the boat?
How much money did the author spend on extra lenses and equipment? 
Does he feel that it was worth it? 
What type of photography do you do? 
Which equipment do you use? 
How often do you take pictures? 

Here is a link to my photo blog of Jerusalem http://jerusalemscenes.blogspot.co.il/


Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher

The Battle over a Smartphone kill switch IT English lesson

What would you do if your phone got stolen?  Most of us would call our phone carrier and report it stolen.  But the phone itself would probably be sold on the 2nd hand market and the thief would profit from the sale.  What if there were a simple way to render the phone useless?  Wouldn't that stop thieves? Well there is a solution, but the major Cellphone carriers don't want to do it. 

Read this article and discuss it with your English teacher or colleague.  http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/20/tech/mobile/smartphone-kill-switch/

Key Terms
the ultimate justice
worthless rectangular paperweight
 plummet
 a kill switch
 handsets 
 triggered
Proponents
reversible
reactivation
coalition 
 violent
 major obstacle.
third-party solution
moneymaker
insurance plan 
Resold
 policymakers 
proactive, multifaceted approach
global database
dictate 
navigating

Questions
According to the article, what is the most popular device that gets stolen? 
How would you trigger the kill switch? 
Would you use it? 
Why do the US Carriers want to block this feature? 
Do you buy the anti-theft insurance?  Why or why not? 
Have you ever lost a phone?  What did you do?  
Did you buy a new one from the company or 2nd hand? 
What anti-theft actions does the CTIA-The Wireless Association want to happen? 
Why can Apple put this kill switch on its phone and other manufacturers can't?
What do you do to protect your smartphone? 
Do you text or talk on the phone while walking down the street? 
Do you feel that this is risky?
What do you use the cellphone for?





Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher

Supermarkets could show you where to walk in the store - English lesson

When I go to the store, I always have my list: milk, bread, apples, eggs you know, the basics.  But supermarkets are always hoping that the customer will spend more and more every time they go to the store.  In the United States supermarkets are using more personalized tools, like sending coupons to smartphones and Rfid tags, to tap into the consumer mindset. 

Read this article  and be ready to discuss it with your teacher: http://www.forb
es.com/sites/tomvanriper/2014/07/08/supermarkets-could-soon-control-where-you-walk/

Key terms: 
manipulate
what the heck
routine
host of other items
perimeter
the ultimate impulse buy
like rats through a maze
the basic staples
pays heed
RFID tags
nitty-gritty details
idiosyncratic 
coupons
off the beaten path
differentiating from
Increase that basket size

Questions 
What is the problem that supermarkets want to solve?
What is the customers' usual behavior when they go to a supermarket? 
Where are the basic staples located in the local supermarket?
Where are the promotional items?
What do shoppers do when they have a coupon? 
According to the article, how much more money did shoppers spend if they got a coupon on their phone that was near to the path they usually walked?  
How much money did they spend if they walked further? 
How do you shop? 
Do you shop using coupons? 
Does your store send coupons to your cellphone? 
Do you look more for bargains, or quality? 
When you go shopping how do you choose between different brands of the same product?