This week in class we learned some new expressions and idioms related to the body and watched a short film called Head over heels. For further information about a related topic, check out the non-verbal communication entry previously posted on Shanglish.
Homework
a) Write a short response to the film Head over heels in the comments section below. Answer the following questions:
- What was the main message of the film?
- What does the title of the film have to do with the content and overall message?
- What does the film demonstrate about relationships? age? co-habitation? routines?
- Do any other body idioms from the Body Expressions Worksheet apply to ideas or scenes from this film? Please explain.
- Additional comments / opinions / critiques
b) Choose five expressions from the Body Expressions Worksheet and write your own example or anecdote in the comments section below.
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ReplyDeleteHi! These are my answers and comments :)
Deletea) Write a short response to the film Head over heels in the comments section below. Answer the following questions:
It is a beautiful story that represents a common life situation in an original way.
1. What was the main message of the film?
Sometimes we are victims of routines and let our relationships die without being aware of what we are doing.
2. What does the title of the film have to do with the content and overall message?
The couple literally lived with their head over heels and that made them live separate lives even though they shared the same house. At the beginning, their relationship didn’t show the real meaning of the idiom “head over heels” but at the end they seem to start feeling that way.
3. What does the film demonstrate about relationships? age? co-habitation? routines?
For me, it shows that relationships are very fragile, if you don’t take care of them, you can end far away from the other person even though you live in the same house. In the film, their relationship starts to move to the right side when he fixed her ballet shoes. After that, when she realized what he had done, she also took steps to revive their relationship. This demonstrates routines can be saved by taking steps that avoid a boring life.
4. Do any other body idioms from the Body Expressions Worksheet apply to ideas or scenes from this film? Please explain.
To keep someone at arm’s length – at the beginning they live separately and when he wants to approach her giving her the fixed shoes, she keeps him at arm’s length throwing away the box.
To get someone’s blood up – It is shown when they argue about their picture. They can’t stand having their picture upside down and get each other’s blood up every time they change its position.
To give someone the cold shoulder – She gave him the cold shoulder when she refused to open the box he offered her.
With open arms – at the end, he welcomed her with open arms.
5. Additional comments / opinions / critiques
Though I liked the story and the way it was represented, I think it is a little bit long…
b) Choose five expressions from the Body Expressions Worksheet and write your own example or anecdote in the comments section below.
It gets my blood up when I see Thomas trying to catch Anne’s eye. I shouldn’t make bones about it, and tell him that she has insulted him behind his back. He should keep her at arm’s length if he doesn’t want to get hurt.
Thank you for your response, Elvira, and great examples of other idioms that can be applied here.
DeleteLet´s look more in depth at these sentences: "In the film, their relationship starts to move to the right side when he fixed her ballet shoes. After that, when she realized what he had done, she also took steps to revive their relationship. This demonstrates routines can be saved by taking steps that avoid a boring life."
1) Make sure to differentiate between regular verbs and phrasal verbs, i.e. move to / move away from.
2) To fix means to repair. In this context you may want to use verbs like stick, nail or attach instead.
3) "This demonstrates THAT routines can be AVOIDED by taking steps TO avoid a boring life."
Thank you! :)
Delete1. What was the main message of the film? The film it's about how routines come into our lives and it makes evolve relationships.
ReplyDelete2. What does the title of the film have to do with the content and overall message? Well, the title Head over heels here it's completely literal. Each of them lives upside down even when they're sharing the house.
3. What does the film demonstrate about relationships? age? co-habitation? routines? I think the film demonstrate how relationships evolve with the routines, co-habitation and age. I think when we're younger we're more passionated about things but then we start to let routines lose our illusions and resign ourselves.
4. Do any other body idioms from the Body Expressions Worksheet apply to ideas or scenes from this film? Please explain.
They keep the other one at arm's lenght.
They get each other blood up.
She put her foot in it when she throw the shoe's box.
They give each other the cold shoulder along the film.
He welcomed her with open arms.
5. Additional comments / opinions / critiques
I liked the film because it reminds me to cartoon film calls Up. Even when they both are irrititating, they are adorable.
b) Choose five expressions from the Body Expressions Worksheet and write your own example or anecdote in the comments section below.
I was up to my eyes in work last week. I had to racked my brains to solve a problem with a customer who complained about a wine.
I keep my fingers crossed to win the lottery next Monday.
It gets on my nerves when I'm reading a book on the bus and someone breath down my neck.
Dear "Annonymous", ; )
DeleteYour examples and anecdotes in number six are spot on!
Things to keep in mind:
1) Don´t confuse IS and IT´S: "The film IS about...", "The title IS completely literal..."
2) Watch out for word order: "...it makes relationships EVOLVE."
3) Don´t forget about that "s" in the 3rd person singular: "I think the film demonstrateS...", "...when someone breathS down my neck."
4) Watch out for tenses and phrasal verbs. "She put her foot in it when she THREW AWAY the SHOE box." In this case "shoe" is an adjective.
5) It´s all about the prepositions: "...reminds me OF..."
4) ILLUSION is a false friend, check the meaning and look for the right word
To say something bad, as I read in other comment, I also think that it is a bit long. In my opinion the action gets slightly slow at some points of the film.
ReplyDeleteb) Choose five expressions from the Body Expressions Worksheet and write your own example or anecdote:
To be in someone’s blood: my brother play football, it is in his blood. He is obsessed, every time he can he watch a match on TV, play football video-games or he is with a ball paying football with his friends.
To rack one’s brains: last week I did my oral presentation and it was quite good, but when I had to choose a topic anything came to my mind, I had to rack my brains.
To breathe down someone’s neck: I spend a lot of time travelling by train during the week, so I usually read a book or play some games with my phone. But when I run out of battery, I forget my e-book or maybe both options, I usually breathe down other passengers’ neck just to entertain my mind.
To have something on the tip of one’s tongue: I hate when I'm talking with a friend, he ask me something and, although I know what the answer is, I can’t answer it but I have it on the tip of my tongue. Then I spend a lot time trying to remember the answer and that piss me off.
To be up to the neck in something: I have my final exams in January and I don’t know if I'm going to be able to study everything. I'm up to the neck in notes and class work and I think I don’t have enough time to do it.
Hi everyone! These are my answer :D
ReplyDeletea) Write a short response to the film Head over heels
1. What was the main message of the film?
In my opinion the film wants to explain how long relationships can make you feel that you are in a different world than your partner. This is particularly true when little annoying things appear or when big arguments aren't solved correctly. At the end, those things make keep each other at arm's length.
2. What does the title of the film have to do with the content and overall message?
At the beginning of the film each one live literally head over heels, just like they were in different worlds. Their lives were similar but one of them lived on the floor and the other one upside down on the ceiling. At the end they made up and solved their differences, so they started to live upside down. Then they were in the same side of the house (ceiling) and showed us the real meaning of Head Over Heels.
3. What does the film demonstrate about relationships? Age? Co-habitation? Routines?
The film demonstrates that when you spend a lot of time with other person (as a couple or just living together) you have a lot of things to argue about and maybe there are some things that the other person does that annoy you. It is also related with a routine life together and not doing new plans or activities. But although it is quite common and couples fight for it, they should try to leave the pride behind, make things up and, why not?, try to break the routine and surprise the other every day.
4. Do any other body idioms from the Body Expressions Worksheet apply to ideas or scenes from this film? Please explain.
to keep someone at arm’s length: both of them kept each other at arm’s length, they didn't talk or do anything together.
With open arms: at the end they received each other with open arms, but it seemed to me that maybe the man miss the woman more than the other way around.
to get someone’s blood up: some little things that they did at the beginning get the other’s blood up.
to catch someone’s eye: when she came back to the house the present catch her eye and she open it. Then she saw the ballet shoes repaired by the man.
to turn blind eye to something: she turned blind eye to the present that he tried to give to her.
to give someone the cold shoulder: they gave each other the cold shoulder at the beginning. They didn't talk or have eye contact.
5. Additional comments/opinions/critiques.
I really like this short film. I think that it represents very well what really happens with couples that have lived together for too much years. But it also show us that although there are annoying things in married live you shouldn't take it into account and try to be sensible with the other person.
To say something bad, as I read in other comment, I also think that it is a bit long. In my opinion the action gets slightly slow at some points of the film.
Thanks for your contributions MM&I. Here are a couple tips:
Delete1) in the end (not "at the end")
2) each one liveS
3) be careful with the meanings of verbs when you change prepositions, I.e. fight about vs. fight for
4) too MANY years
5) Overall, very accurate and precise language and grammar, good use of phrasal verbs and interesting intreptation of the film.
This short film is beautiful! I guess this story is about two people who loved each other a lot, but the daily routine breaks their passion and it turns into a lack of interest in both. Suddenly, they argue about a nonsense and it is unleashed an uncomfortable and significant discussion what leads the mother to make a difficult decision. However, she regrets about having broken up with her husband. Fortunately, they have a happy ending and, hopefully, they will live happily ever after.
ReplyDeleteAt first, you may think that the title of the short film has nothing to do with the content of it. Yet, all in all, you realise that it is not referring to the literal meaning of the title but the metaphorical one. Then, it is a shock when you find out that the film demonstrates that a relationship has to be taken care in every detail irrespective of the years you have spent together, your age or your habits.
At the beginning of the story, they keep each other at arm's length. The man tries to fix the situation and, behind his wife's back, he sews his wife's ballet shoes. But she does not care about that old box and they get angry and both get their blood up. As a consequence, they turn a blind eye each other. Finally, she comes back home where her husband waits for her with open arms.
While I was walking along the street, two men coming out of a building caught my eye. They brought something between their hands so I supposed they had taken it because they could have a bone to pick with someone. They seemed to be professional burglars. I could not hold my tongue and rushed to tell the police what I had witnessed. At least, the police men kept their ear to the ground although I did not believe they were going to find them. What was my surprise when I read in the newspaper that the thieves rubbed shoulders with the "Beautiful People" of London!
1) they argue about nonsense (uncountable)
ReplyDelete2) she regrets having (no need to add "about")
3) don't confuse rubbed with robbed
4) I really like that you answered all the questions in an essay and narrative format. Very clear and concise. Good job!
Thank you so much, Shannon! :)
Delete