False impressions

We sometimes may get wrong impressions when we see certain behaviours. Here's an example:

Listening exercise to do: Having a row or asking for directions (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

 

Certain people may look nice at a first impression (remember this post in this blog: Do you trust first impressions?), but they may turn out to be evil. For example, we all thought Selectivity exams were so difficult, but when we did one we found out they weren't 'that' difficult (pay attention to the colloquial use of 'that' instead of 'so').

 

I don't like politics at all. Actually, I hate it, as they only try to manipulate people. However, I think it is important to read something about the referendum in Catalonia regarding the possibility of including this topic in the Selectivity exams. Here are some articles to read about the issue:

• Catalan government says millions will turn out for referendum (The Guardian)

• Spain’s looming showdown over Catalonia (The Washington Post)

• Colm Tóibín: ‘Catalonia is a region in the process of reimagining itself’ (The Guardian)

 

And here are some tasks to do with this old selectivity exam:

ENGLISH: THE LANGUAGE OF THE 21ST CENTURY

By the year 2000, a quarter of the world's population will speak English. For some 400 million people English will be their first language. But for another 1,100 million, English will be a second or third language of choice for business, science and popular culture. Three quarters of the world's mail, for example, is currently written in English.

But why is English rising so far above the world's other languages? There are no clear linguistic reasons for the global dominance of English. The grammar is complicated, the pronunciation eccentric, and the spelling peculiar. But a language becomes powerful when a nation becomes powerful. This power may be military or cultural or economic, as is the case of the U.S.A. Another key factor is flexibility. English has borrowed vocabulary from more than 150 languages.

However, as the language spreads among non-native speakers, it will invariably be transformed to suit regional needs: Local vocabulary and pronunciation will replace existing British and American usages. Dictionaries of Asian, American, Caribbean and South African English have already been published. We may soon experience the emergence of a neutral conversational English for international use, with each nation retaining its national variations.

LEXICON

1. Find one synonym in the text for NOWADAYS (adverb)

2. Find one opposite in the text for WEAK (adjective)

3. Find one synonym in the text for SUBSTITUTE (verb)

4. Find one synonym in the text for RISE (noun)

GRAMMAR

1. Give a question to this answer:     Three quarters of the world's mail is written in English.

2. Put the following sentence into the active voice: Many dictionaries have already been published.

3. Join the following sentences with a relative pronoun:

There is no reason for the dominance of English. Its grammar is very complicated.

4. Put the following sentence into reported speech:

"Each nation must retain its own national variations," linguists said in 1980.

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170913 / 13 September 2017    >>>  Expressions presented: therapist, anxiety & depression (language related to 'mental health').

Related article to read about the issue:

Health and wellbeing    >>>   How to beat depression – without drugs (The Guardian)

We are getting excited: Cambridge, Easter 2018???

NEXT MISSION: CAMBRIDGE 18

SO FAR WE ARE 9!!!   >>  David Chaves, Marta Chaves, Antonio Pérez Ramón, Pablo Postigo López, Joel Martín Lozano, Zaira Haro, Cristian Ramón, Mª Esperanza Ramón, Sofía Morea.

After our zero meeting last May, we will be having our first meeting next Thursday, 28th September, in the Language Department during the break. We will see if there are enough people interested to form a group.

Everybody is welcomed even if they decide not to come in the end!!!

By the way, who's the character in the picture and why is he connected with our possible trip?

 

 Have a look at the information about CAMBRIDGE 2018 (PROPOSAL) and in my blog. Then, if you are interested, fill in this form as soon as you can because we need to do everything very quickly to buy our flights cheaper. You must also bear in mind that if you fill in the form and you don't want to participate later, it is no problem as we will really know if we are going when you make the first payment and that will be in October.

 

Our seventh experience?????

There's also another possible destination:  York  (have a look at the flyer)

Learn 10 ways to say you are EXCITED in English with Lucy

And, as we are talking about the future, here's another interesting video talking about FUTURE TENSES.

INCREDIBLE SUMMER 2017

BREAKING NEWS:

I just learned this morning that there are several students that passed their Cambridge exams this summer in the level of 1º Bachillerato: Aurelio Espinosa (B2), Selena Gómez (B1), Zaira Mª Haro (B1), Antonio Pérez (B1) y Pablo Postigo (B1). 

Excellent results of our IES Mediterraneo students in their B1 and B2 exams:

• Andrea Gutiérrez and Alex España have passed their B2 at the Official Language School in Motril, and so have three of our old students (Noelia Fernández, Miguel Román and Salvador Ortega) and Irene Ramón (Cambridge exams). 

• Theo Burell, Lucía López, Daniel Martín and Pablo Ramos (3º ESO) have also passed their B1 exams (Cambridge).

Congratulations to all of them and we are still waiting for the results of those who want to take the Cambridge exams shortly!!!!

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY STUDENTS, but especially to my 1º Bachillerato students, for all the comments, projects, compositions... they have done during the summer to keep and improve their level of English. 👍👍👍

 

This is the final summer scoreboard and some of the works they have done. Actually, I have corrected around 500 pieces of work (comments, compositions, projects, emails, exercises...)

 

Five compositions by Joaquín García (1º Bach A) level B2:

• Writing 1 FCE

• Writing 2 FCE

• Writing 3 FCE

• Writing 4 FCE

• Writing 5 FCE

Some compositions, among many others:

• Terrorism & My weekend by Alba Arenas (1º Bach A)

• Winning a million euros , My favourite programme ,  Boot camps & Banning smoking by Patricia Rodríguez (1º Bach A)

Some projects on the readers:

School year 2017-2018:

• A Foreigner in New York by Joaquín García (2º Bach A)
• Jane Eyre by Joaquín García (2º Bach A)
• A Foreigner in New York by Nicolás Benítez (2º Bach A)
• Jane Eyre by Nicolás Benítez García (2º Bach A)
• Jane Eyre by Andrea Gutiérrez (2º Bach A)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Joaquín García (2º Bach A) 
• A Foreigner in New York by Eduardo Pérez (2º Bach A)
• Jane Eyre by Eduardo Pérez (2º Bach A)
• A Foreigner in New York by Andrea Gutiérrez (2º Bach A)

School year 2017-2018:

• Digital project on The Wrong Trousers by Johana Gutiérrez (2º ESO)
• Digital project on The Evil Painting by Johana Gutiérrez (2º ESO)
• Digital project on 47 Ronin by Johana Gutiérrez (2º ESO)

Our mission is coming to an end

Our mission is coming to an end, and so is Cassini space mission. Six years ago we began a long journey full of hurdles and difficulties and some of our friends were left behind. I wish you the best for this last year, but let's read about Cassini space mission, which is also dealt in today's lingohack programme:

•  Cassini's swan song: 13-year Saturn mission ends Friday (CNN)

• Nasa's Cassini spacecraft poised to begin mission-ending dive into Saturn (The Guardian)

• The Cassini spacecraft crashed into Saturn, ending a successful 20-year mission (The Washington Post)

 

 

Breaking news: Spanish national basketball team has just defeated Russian in their match for the bronze medal in the European basketball championship in the last match Juan Carlos Navarro has played for the national team. CONGRATULATIONS once again!!!!

Listening exercise to do: Uniforms (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Highway to Selectivity

Read the text and answer the questions about LEXICON.

COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOMS

The world of language learning is being transformed by rapid advances in information technology, giving students greater freedom in the way they study. Computers allow learners to choose what, when and how they study. It means that they can cut costs by staying at home to study instead of taking an expensive course, including accommodation and travel expenses. But educationists say that multimedia should only be seen as complementary to classroom teaching, not as substitute. An evidence suggests that, in saying that, teachers are not just being protective about their jobs. As ever, human contact is vital when learning a second language.

Many language schools across Europe now  have these technologies installed as a complement to classroom activities. Students can book the computer room for an hour or so and practise parts of the course that they are finding particularly difficult. "Computer allow students to consolidate language points in their own time," said one teacher of French. "People who are shy about speaking a foreign language in public in the early stages can practise without anyone hearing."

The younger generations are so familiar with the technology that they have come to expect it in any school. As time goes on and prices fall, computers will become an established part of educational process.

1. Find one synonym in the text for CHANGE

2. Find one synonym in the text for IMPROVEMENT

3. Find in the text the word that has the following definition:   "Make a reservation"

4. Find one opposite in the text for INCREASE

5. Give me the adjective that comes from 'generation'

6. Give me the opposite of 'familiar' 

7. Give me the noun that comes from 'expensive'

   

REVISION EXERCISE for 1º Bachillerato  >>>   

122. Write the following sentences into REPORTED SPEECH :

1. "Other people have been here to see this flat", the landlady said.

 2. "Did you smoke a lot yesterday, sir?", the doctor said.

 3. "Is there enough milk here?", I wondered.

 4. "How far is the new market going to be ?", my mother said to us.

 5. "I must redecorate my house this year", she said.

 6. "Don't have so many pills if you're ill. I think you should see and ask your doctor about it", my friend said.

 *7. "Let's have a beer", I said to my mates.

 8. "What about visiting our cousins the day after tomorrow?", my sister said.

123. Write suitable questions for these answers :

   1. ______ ?      No, I'm sorry, I can't. I've got to do my homework tonight.

    2. ______ ?      No, I can't. I'm a bit afraid of the water.

    3. ______ ?      She is tall with long fair hair and big blue eyes.

    4. ______ ?      If I were you, I would take them back to the shop.

    5. ______ ?      That's all right, but try not to be late again.

    6. ______ ?      I'm sorry, she isn't at home. Can I take a message?

    7. ______ ?     Yes, I went to France last year.

Proposed solutions to exercises 120 & 121 in the previous post

Ex120   >>>   
1. She told me    2. Correct        3. said         4. How long have you been...       5. has lived
6. gave it to her        7. it may be for me   8. If you knew Peter

Ex121   (you can have other possibilities) >>>>    
1. may - might      2. needn't       3. Shall       4. Would    5. must     6. mustn't    7. cannot
 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170906 / 06 September 2017    >>>  Expressions presented: Saturn, ring system, aurora, probe & atmosphere.

Laughing or not laughing? That is the question.

Laughing is supposed to be positive in most of the cases, but have a look at these newspaper articles and then do the listening exercise and you will discover that it is all that glitters is not gold >>>>>

• Laughter therapy (The Guardian)

• The science of laughter (BBC)

• Who Says Laughter’s the Best Medicine? (The New York Times)

• Listening exercise to do: Laughing could kill you (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

  

REVISION EXERCISE for 1º Bachillerato  >>>   

120. Correct the mistakes in these sentences (one in each sentence) :

    1. She said me that she was going home.

    2. The teacher asked me if I was listening to the lesson.

    3. The same teacher told we had done our homework very badly.

    4. How long you have been learning English?

    5. She's living in Paris since 1987.

    6. She asked to borrow my book and I gave to her.

    7. I'll answer the phone ‑ it can be for me.

    8. I promise I give it to you tomorrow.

    9. If you would know Peter, you would like him.

121. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modal verb ( MAY  MIGHT  NEED  MUST  SHALL  SHOULD  WOULD  CAN ) :

     1. He __________ come tomorrow. I'm not sure; his sister ________ also come later, but it hardly ever happens.

    2. You __________ not cook today if you don't want to. We can go to a restaurant.

    3. __________ I pick your son up for you if you're tired?

    4. __________ you like another cup of tea? Yes, please.

    5. I think you __________ read more if you want to improve your English.

    6. No, sorry, you aren't allowed to. You _______ feed the animals.

    7. It's impossible! She ________ not drive better in all her life.

  

 

Proposed solutions to exercises 117, 118 & 119 in the previous post

Ex117   >>>   
1. have just heard  -   is not   -   'd like to   -  am   -    will be    -    go    -   is
2. was having   -    rang   -   woke        3. is taking         4. 'll go       5. is happening
6. still lives    -     has lived

Ex118   >>>>    
1. come  -  can introduce      2. didn't come   -   had come   -   would have introduced     
3. were   -   would go       4. don't look after   -   are   -   will have   -   get
 
Ex 119  >>>

1. The children have done the work.              2. The race was won by his horse. 

3. Children playing at home were breaking many things.           4. Many things had been said.  

5. The job will be done by my colleague.               6. That company might be bought by the government.

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170830 / 30 August 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: penetrate, ponder, notorious & blanket ban.