Vandalism or true protests?

 

 

After so many street riots and problems, it is time to chill out, relax... We cannot keep going on this way.

  

Learning English from the News:   Gen Z protests  (BBC Learning English)  

More than 1,300 arrested as clashes follow another day of mass protests across France (BBC News)

Art attack: can vandalism be justified to save the planet? (The Guardian)

Cultural monuments targeted by vandals (DW) 

 

 

Christmas is not far and we can notice that on the street lights. We look forward to meeting our relatives and friends on such beloved days, so we have to be sensible. 

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today (an earworm perhaps for you?):    You're beautiful by James Blunt. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.    

 

    

Here are some more activities for my students:

• The Reading Room:  How seasons affect our mood  (BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English:  Talking about BRITISH LANDMARKS   (BBC Learning English)  

• The English We Speak:  Leave to one's own devices    (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Eat for a good night's sleep  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

 

Rasputin  - The man who would not die (English listening practice) 

 

 

 

English in a Minute:   4 meanings of BURN   (BBC Learning English) 

Lucy tells us about this amazing fact... 100 words = 50% of English 

 

 
 

  

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learning English with Tom Hanks -     CAST AWAY   

 

 

THE STORY OF ULI STIELIKE "THE PANZER" (and against Celtic Glasgow)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this world full of problems... an earworm?

 

 

 

In this world full of problems all we need is love, someone to love or care for. It is so simple!

  

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today (an earworm perhaps for you?):    I need you by Jon Batiste. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.    

 

 

 

We just need some goals to achieve, commitment, someone to help and someone who helps us.

 

Earworms: Those songs that get stuck in your head

 

And also we need some time to enjoy ourselves, to go dancing... and perhaps an earworm to cheer us up! What do you reckon about the song proposed in this post? Doesn't it make you feel happy and make your feet move? I hope so.

 

 

Learning English from the News:   Deadly Saudi airport attacks  (BBC Learning English)  

When SAYING NO goes too far...

Buildings set ablaze and more than 1,200 arrested as police clash with protesters across France (The Guardian)

Are student protests being manipulated ahead of France's presidential election? (BBC News)

France protests turn violent nationwide (DW)

 

    

Here are some more activities for my students:

• How we talk about the weather:  How do we talk about snow  (BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English:  Talking about THE CINEMA   (BBC Learning English)  

• The English We Speak:  Try one's patience   (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Why do people buy gold?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

 

 

Leonardo Da Vinci  - The most talented human in history (English listening practice)  

English in a Minute:   4 meanings of LIFT   (BBC Learning English) 

Lucy tells us about the difference between... Went vs Have Gone 

 

 
 

  

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learning English with movies: Notting Hill -     She Walks Into His Bookshop And His Life Changes   &  Will's date is Anna Scott   (Hugh Grant revisits Notting Hill locations)

 

   

   Shanghai 2026 - Rafael Jodar vs Daniil Medvedev   &  Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Alexander Zverev   

Final: R. Jódar vs A. Davidovich  for The Title 🏆 | Shanghai 2026 Final Highlights

 ... and Alejandro Davidovich, the first Spaniard to win in Shanghai!!

 

 

 

Vintage tennis...

He Was Even Better Than Young Nadal... What Happened to the Biggest Prodigy in Tennis?  

 

How to say NO

 

 

On the one hand, there are so many things our rulers do wrong or at least we don't agree with the way the rule our countries. How can we express our disagreement, dissatisfaction, discrepancy, discontent...? (pay attention to the prefix all these words have in common to express something negative)

 

On the other hand, people have to choose the way they express this negative feeling. Some may say by voting, others by camping in the city centre or carrying out street protests. Even there are people who prefer the use of violence or go on strike. What is the best way to do it? Japanese think that working more and strengthening ourselves may give us a possibility to take over the power.

 

France's school protests: what lies behind the anger (BBC News)

Riot police fire teargas as 250,000 take part in schools protests across France (The Guardian)

Hundreds of French schools shut, teen loses hand in protests (DW)

 

 

  

 

Learning English from the News:   French student protests  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today about someone who didn't want to fight in the war and became a mountain man. He escaped into the Rocky Mountains and...    The Ballad of Jeremiah Johnson . Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.    

 

 

The Geography of the Rocky Mountains explained

    

Here are some more activities for my students:

• How we talk about the weather:  Tropical storms: describe the risks  (BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English:  Talking about AIRPORTS   (BBC Learning English)  

• The English We Speak:  Sack something off   (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Are people drinking less alcohol?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

  

History of BEER  - Why drinking beer was safer than drinking water   (The history of root beer)

 

English in a Minute:   4 meanings of SPRING   (BBC Learning English)  

Lucy tells us about... 100 important ANTONYMS in English 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learning English with  -     Sherlock Holmes   

 

 

 

 

 

 

The unsolved housing problem

 

 

Fourteen years ago I published this post onto this blog: The housing problem in Spain

 

and it seems we still haven't managed to find the solution for it.

 

• ‘This can’t go on’: tens of thousands protest against housing crisis in Spain (The Guardian)

• 'Anger in the streets': Tens of thousands protest in Spain over housing crisis (BBC News)

• Can Spain's government survive the housing crisis? | DW News

 

 

 

 

Our society, especially the younger generations, should also make an effort to solve the problem by saving more and not wasting so much, by choosing the right place to live and not only thinking about living in big cities... What other solutions can you think of?

  

 

Learning English from the News:   Young people aren't weak, expert says  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today when you haven't got a home and you have to leave:    Hit the road, Jack! by Ray Charles. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.    

 

    

Here are some more activities for my students:

• How we talk about the weather:  How bad is really British weather?  (BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English:  Talking about DESSERTS   (BBC Learning English)  

• The English We Speak:  In a tizzy   (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Why does heartbreak hurt so much?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

 

 

 

 The sign of the four   Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four | Mystery & Horror | Dominoes Level 3 

 

 

The Entire History of Russia: From Viking Origins to Modern Superpower   

     

 

English in a Minute:   4 meanings of BLOCK   (BBC Learning English)  

Lucy tells us to... NEVER Add "-ING" to These 25 Common Verbs 

 

 

 

  

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learning English with Pirates of the Caribbean -     Jack Sparrow and Elisabeth   

 

   

   Memories of a champion / Gustavo Kuerten | Roland-Garros 

 

Carlos Alcaraz vs Denis Shapovalov Highlights | Tokyo 2026 Quarter-Final, semifinals against Munar and defeating Jiri Lehecka in the final!!

 

 

 

Beware of the future! AI is here!

 

 

We are told to beware of the AI and all the dangers it brings along. Here are some articles for you to read:

• Artificial intelligence could lead to extinction, experts warn (BBC News)  

• AI could kill all humans in next decade, warn experts: but how seriously should we take them? (The Guardian)

• AI could pose ‘extinction-level’ threat to humans and the US must intervene, State Dept.-commissioned report warns  (CNN)   

• What is AI's biggest risk: Speed or autonomy? (DW)

 

Costs and Risks of Artificial Intelligence (Tufts)

 

 

You should always try to do exercises and tasks yourself so as to learn how good you are, to learn about the difficulties of every challenge and because, after all, you will come to a point when you will have just a piece of paper to do your best. 

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

FOR, SINCE, AGO

  

 

Learning English from the News:   AI and trade: Will they agree?  & Could AI kill us all?  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today:    When I was young - The Irish song that brings back every childhood memory. Here's a version with the lyrics by Mikhail Bennet for you to sing along.    

 

   

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• How we talk about the weather:  How can we talk about summer?  (BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English: Talking about AUTUMN  (BBC Learning English)  

• The English We Speak:  Same person, different font   (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Is rejection good for us?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

The Story of Greece and the birth of the West

     

 

English in a Minute:   4 meanings of JAM   (BBC Learning English)  

Lucy tells us to... STOP MISPRONOUNCING THESE WORDS 

 

  

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learning English with      SPIDER-MAN   -  Peter Parker meets Tony Sparks 

 

US Open 1982 - Semi-finals  Lendl vs McEnroe