COFFEE AND PLASTIC, again the key?

Coffee can help you stay awake and it can help you make friends or keep friends. It is always a sign of relax to have discussions over a certain matter, but no arguments. 

Any other utilities you can think of? Have a look at previous posts in this blog  >>>  LABEL: coffee

However, that is not all. Experts say that it could also be the key to lose weight!!!

Here are some articles for you to read about the issue:

• Coffee can help you lose weight (The Independent)

• Could coffee help you lose weight? (CNN)

• Could coffee be the secret to fighting obesity?  (Science Daily)

English with Lucy  >>>  10 Grammar Errors that Drive British People CRAZY 

 

REVISION FOR 1º Bachillerato

132. TENSES. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense. Some are active, some are passive. Then fill in the dotted gaps (....) with appropriate words.

Reuters News Agency

Martin Webb (1)____________ (work) for the Reuters News Agency (a) ............. ten years. He describes the company.

'Reuters is one (b) .............. the world's biggest news agencies. It (2) ____________ (supply) news and stock market prices to media world. It (3) _____________ (start) by Paul Reuter in 1849 - with pigeons! Reuter (4) _______________ (be born) in 1816 in Germany. During the 1840s he (5) _______________ (employ) as a bank clerk in Berlin. German bankers (6)______________ (need) to know the prices on the Paris stock exchange, but the French telegraph system only went as far as Belgium. From there the information (7) _______________ (send) to Germany (c) .............. train. The journey (8) _______________ (take) nine hours. The same information (9) ______________ (carry) by Paul Reuter's pigeons in only two hours!

Reuters (10) _______________ (change) a lot (d) .................. those days. Over the past fifty years, we've opened offices in many different countries - and we (11) ____________ still ____________ (expand). Now, news and stock market prices (12) _________________ (send) all over the world within seconds.'

133. Look at the previous text again and do what you are asked:

1. Define 'pigeons'  ______________________________________________________________

2. Find a word in the text for the following definition: "a person whose job is to do written work or look after records or accounts in an office, bank, court of law, etc.     ____________________

Solutions in the next post    

Plastic is not all that bad, as we can see in the following newspaper reports, video and LINGOHACK section:

10 best brands turning recycled plastic bottles into clothes (The Independent)

The Future of Fashion in One Word: Plastics (Wired)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 190619 / 19 June 2019    >>>  Turning plastic into sportswear:   Language related to 'materials'.  Need-to-know language: thread, yarn, polyester, textiles  & apparel.

Tennis >>>   The Commissioner of Game, Set and Throne" by John McEnroe

Raiders of the Lost... Happiness!!

Summer is here and both students and teachers are really happy after a long tiring school year full of obstacles, but you wouldn't believe who is even happier. 

 

Heavy metal fans are said to be the happiest people on Earth!!!!

 

Let's read some articles related to the issue:

• Death metal music inspires joy not violence - BBC News

• Listening to 'extreme' music makes you calmer, not ... - The Guardian

• Metal fans are happier than everyone else | Music | The Guardian

 

And now let's do this listening exercise: Can death metal bring you joy? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English).

The English We Speak: Have you got the short straw?  

Learn English with Papa:  10 MOST COMMON grammar mistakes English learners make

Tennis >>> "Roger Federer has graced us with his presence" by John McEnroe, The Commissioner of Tennis

SUMMER IS HERE!!!

Classes are over and the summer is here. Time to chill out and recharge our batteries. However, think about doing something during all this long summer. Here are my hints: 

• Summer for 3º ESO students

• SUMMER for 4º ESO students

and I will keep a record of all you do here: 

       SUMMER SCOREBOARD     

So what are your plans for this summer? Here are some articles for you to read:

• 22 Things You Need To Do Before Summer Ends (CountryLiving)

• What are you going to do with the children this summer? (The Guardian)

• 19 best places to travel for the summer of 2019 (CNN)

 

English in a Minute: Maybe vs May be (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

But as the saying tells us: "All work and no play, makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl", so what about the song for the summer? Send me your hints and will make our own hit parade. Meanwhile, here's a playlist I have just come across. I hope you'll enjoy it!!!  

       Summer hits for 2019    

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 190612 / 12 June 2019    >>>  Robot recycling:   Language related to 'technology'.  Need-to-know language: puncture-resistant, sensors, simulated, algorithms  & automation.

Tennis >>>  The Curse Of the Number One by John McEnroes, the Commissioner of Tennis

Female bikers on the road!!!

More and more women are speeding on the roads with their super motorbikes. It is no longer a man's world!

Let's first watch this BBC programme about this Iranian travelling the world and breaking the ban in Iran.

 

The groundbreaking female superbiker travelling the world (BBC News)

Some other articles for you to read about the issue and a listening exercise:

• Ana Carrasco becomes first female rider to win motorbike world title (The Guardian)
• Women shift gears in motorcycle culture: 'It's about being on the front of the bike' (The Guardian)
• Listening exercise: Women and motorbikes (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

English in a minute: 'Go on doing' vs 'Go on to do'   

 

 

 

 

English with Lucy   >>>>>  The 7 most common interview questions and answers (Business) | Lesson 4

 

 

Tennis >>>  John McEnroe, The Commissioner of Tennis: 'Serena's Not a Diva!'

GRANDE RAFA: La douzième à Roland Garros

 

   Rafael Nadal, encore une fois!!!

 

Crazy dreams do come true!!!  (NIKE commercial)

Rafael Nadal's Interview with John McEnroe after the victory at RG 2019

 

One day we will tell our children that once upon a time there was a super-athlete called Rafael Nadal, who used to play tennis amazingly and who won Roland Garros many times and they won't believe it unless we show them these images!!!

 

 

Some articles for you to read in French and English:

Roland-Garros : Rafael Nadal, puissance 12 (L'Équipe)

Rafael Nadal beats Dominic Thiem to win 12th French Open title (The Guardian)

The story of Rafael Nadal's dynasty at the French Open – video report (The Guardian)

Rafael Nadal, Pillar of Roland Garros, Wins the French Open for the 12th Time (The New York Times)

"Nadal Is Not the GOAT, He's the GLOAT!", according to John McEnroe

 

Rafael Nadal - La Decima told by champions | Roland-Garros

 

Apart from tennis, other important things are happening, for instance:

IES Mediterráneo - Salobreña Graduación Curso 2018-2019

And here's a nice video sketch (B & B - Your morning programme) done by our students in 3º and 4º ESO (David Bacas, Abraham Haro, Salvador Pretel and José Miguel Albertus) >>>

Finally, here are some important pieces of news about the new Selectivity exam, EVAU:

• EVAU: una selectividad única en toda España

• The example of Murcia  

And now let's do this listening exercise: Can we trust a smart speaker? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English).

English in a minute: Five ways to say 'bye'  

 

Learn a phrase about people who know it all: Clever clogs (The English We Speak)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 190605 / 05 June 2019    >>>  Ultra-processed food health warning:   Language related to 'food'.  Need-to-know language: industrial processing, diets, nutritional content, additive  & rich in.

 

  

Tennis >>>  McEnroe. The Commissioner of Tennis: Federer vs Nadal - The Great Rivalry? (Eurosport)

Night shoppers, the new trend

Another variable affecting our sleep!!!  Not long ago we were talking about having problems to fall asleep ( Sleep disorders ). Well, now it has been discovered that people even go shopping in the middle of the night!!!

Here's an interesting article to read a listening exercise to do about the issue:

Online shopping sees 30% rise between midnight and 6am, study says (The Guardian)

 

Here's a listening exercise to do: Are you a vampire shopper? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English).

 

 

 

And later you need a coffee break. Here's the coffee break proposed by Jonah Nilsson.

 

 

 

English with Lucy  >>>  Respond to "thank you" PROPERLY!

 

 

 

Tennis >>> Roger Federer, Not Novak Djokovic, Is the Golden Goose of Tennis' by John McEnroe, The Commissioner of Tennis

Happy 700!!!

Incredible, but true!!! This is the post number 700 since we set off on this digital journey 9 years ago, so congratulations to everyone because I keep on working on it since I see that my students use it (more than 10,000 comments have been made) and how useful it is for our teaching-learning process of the English language. Even some of you have created your own blogs and sites, and I feel really proud of you all to participate in this DIGITAL PROJECT!!!

Important piece of news to my students, especially those in 3º ESO  >>>  Here are two Reported Speech exercises, which are similar to the ones you will have to do in the exam.

Rewrite the sentences using REPORTED SPEECH. First, decide which verb to use: ‘said’ or ‘told’

1. The student to the teacher: “I don't think it is made of glass”   

The student ....................... ___________________________________________

2. The children: “We collected lots of cans in this river”. 

They .................. ______________________________

3. Jane to her father: “I have invented a new tyre”.  Jane .................. __________________________

4. The students to the robotics teacher: “We are building a smart house.” 

They .................. _______________________________

5. Maria to her boyfriend: “I’ll help you, Tom”. She ................... ____________________________

6. My parents: “We must save more energy”. They ................... ____________________________

                       

REPORTED SPEECH. Have a look at the sentences, decide the appropriate verb to use ( ask , tell , offer, suggest ) and finish the sentence in REPORTED SPEECH.

“Shall we have a picnic?”   //  “Shall I open the window?”  //  “Bring me the newspaper”  //  “Could I have another biscuit, please?”  //  “Will you drive now?”

1. My friends ______________  _________ing  ______________________

2. The little boy _______________ for _________________________

3. Her boyfriend ______________ her to ____________________________

4. The student _____________  to ______________________________

5. My father ____________ me to ____________________________                         

 

 

English in a minute: "bored vs boring" (BBC Learning English)  >>>  EXERCISE TO DO!!!  

 

 

English with Lucy  >>>  50 Weird & Confusing Facts About British Life & Culture

Do you know how to play cricket?

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 190529 / 29 May 2019    >>>  The 2019 Cricket World Cup:   Language related to 'tournaments'.  Need-to-know language: rivalries, round-robin, favourites, warm-up game  & trophy.