It is what it is

 

There are many situations in our everyday life where the only response we've got is "It is what it is" (BBC Learning English)  >>> To say that we must accept the reality of a difficult situation you can say this.

Examples:

You tried your best, but you still failed the exam. It is what it is.

Me and Tan just don't like each other. It's difficult, but it is what it is.

 

US President Donald Trump and Michelle Obama using the same idiom: "It is what it is"

 

Do you know who Michelle Obama is?....

From Michelle Obama's humble Chicago upbringing to the White House: Part 1 & Part 2  

Another critic situation nowadays is climate change. We have to accept it and face it as well as we can. Here are some interesting articles for you to read about the issue:

• Climate change: Arctic ice melt makes permafrost vulnerable (BBC News)

  

• The poisons released by melting Arctic ice (BBC News - Future)

• Sweaty tropical nights may soon be common in UK warn climate scientists - BBC News   

 

Today we'll be revising the modal verb MUST (obligations) & MUSTN'T (prohibitions) with our 1º ESO students:

                                                            SPORTS TIME

(Cambridge University Press)  You will do the exercises  on pages 87-88.

 

 

And now some exercises for my 4º ESO & 1º Bachillerato students for the preparation for the B1 & B2 exams >>>

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

USE OF ENGLISH. Multiple-choice exercise. Choose the appropriate option:

21. He will probably ................... for the newspapers.   (A  take his picture    B   having his picture taken   C  have his picture taken   D   had taken his picture)

22. He is certainly going to arrive home  ..................    (A  late    B   lately   C  more late   D   latest)

23. Larry's horse ........................ eat the grass.  (A  couldn't    B   wouldn't   C  shouldn't   D   mightn't)

24. Eric and Bill are having ............ trouble.     (A  many    B   few   C  a lot of   D   plenty)

25.  Eric says to Bill, "Let's try a bit harder, .................... ?".   (A  will we    B   shall we  C  do we   D  are we)

26. The horse was put ............... by the high fence.     (A  off    B   over   C  away   D   down)

27. Larry was very shocked when he found ............ on the ground.     (A  him    B   to himself   C  his self    D   himself)

28. I think he .................. up.     (A  needs cheer up     B   needs cheering up   C  needs to    D  is needing to)

29. It's time someone ................... to help him.   (A  is going    B  goes   C  went   D   has gone)

30. ................ up, someone will send for an ambulance.        (A  Until he gets      B   Whether he gets   C  If he does get   D   Unless he gets)

31. No doubt he will soon .......................... .        (A  get his accident over    B   get on with his accident   C  get out of his accident   D  get over his accident)

32. Eric and Bill are tired so they'll soon stop .................... a rest.  (A  for have   B  for having   C  to have   D  for to have)

33. Larry .............. better choose a bigger horse next time.   (A would   B  does  C  had    D  should)

34. Eric didn't want to miss his drink. ..................... did Bill.         (A  Either    B   Whether   C  Neither  D  No)

35. But they have to work,  ........ ? (A oughtn't they   B  mustn't they   C won't they  D  don't they)

36. The horse will not move even if three people ........... it.   (A  had pushed    B   pushing   C  will push   D  push)

37. It .............. every time the fence is too high.   (A  stop   B  will stop   C shall stop   D  stopping)

38. "We aren't going to move this horse,", said Eric.

"I'm afraid .................... ," replied Bill.   (A  not    B   yes   C  no   D   that)

39. The harder they tried ...................... they got.    (A  the more hotter    B  hotter   C  the hotter   D   hotly)

40. Larry still doesn't really know ................ has happened.    (A  whether    B   how  C  what   D   if)

Solutions to USE OF ENGLISH exercise in the previous post:

1.  B   2. C  3. C   4. D   5. D   6. D   7. B  8. A  9. D  10. C   11. A  12. C  13. C  14. D   15.  D   16.  B   17.  D   18.  C   19. C   20. B

 

 

 

 JP Cooper - September Song (with lyrics)

Coldplay - Everyday Life (Official Video)

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• English in a Minute:   NEXT / THE NEXT / NEAREST   (BBC Learning English)

  

• The English We Speak (Language to talk about Coronavirus): Flatten the curve (BBC Learning English) 

  
  

• A listening exercise for you to do: Do companies need bosses? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• News Review : Belarus: protests spread (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)
  

MmmEnglish talking about Slang & Phrases for English Conversation 💰 Wealth & Money   >>>

 

 

 

 

 

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

Fawlty Towers - Top 10 moments 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 200805 / 05 August 2020    >>>  Tourism trouble in Egypt -    Language related to 'economic problems'.  Need-to-know language: killed off, a blow, turmoil, on a mission & counting on.

 

We'll do it OUR WAY!!

Very shortly, we'll be coming back to school, or at least try to do it. Something is for sure, with effort and willingness you can succeed, as all those you have made such a great job making comments in this blog, writing compositions, preparing for your B1 & B2 exams, reading the compulsory books and doing the digital projects... during this summer, as you can see in our SUMMER SCOREBOARD. We'll do it our way!!

 

 Aloe Blacc - My Way (Official Lyrics Video)

 

 

And here's an older version by Frank Sinatra: the famous I did it MY WAY.

Revising the PAST TENSES with our 1º ESO students:

            SPORTS TIME

(Cambridge University Press)  You will do the exercises  on pages 85-86.

And now some exercises for my 4º ESO & 1º Bachillerato students for the preparation for the B1 & B2 exams >>>

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

USE OF ENGLISH. Multiple-choice exercise. Choose the appropriate option:

1. By the time the horse finishes eating, the race ...................    (A  will finish    B   will have finished   C  is finished   D   has been finished)

2. The rider on the ground wishes he  .................. at home.    (A  stayed    B   has to stay   C  had stayed   D   stays)

3. The crowd ........................ the races since one o'clock.  (A  will be watching    B   have watched   C  have been watching   D   are watching)

4. Larry ..................... off his horse a few seconds ago.     (A  has fallen    B   is falling   C  has been falling   D   fell)

5. The horse started eating the grass after it ........................ its rider.   (A  was losing    B   had been losing  C  having lost   D  had lost)

6. The crowd ............... very worried, do they?     (A  looking    B   do look   C  looks   D   don't look)

7. Some of them can't stop laughing, ............ ?     (A  cannot they?    B   can they?   C  can't they    D   do they)

8. Fortunately, Larry .................. .     (A  hasn't been injured     B   isn't injure   C  hasn't injure   D  had not injured)

9. If he hadn't fallen off, he ................... the race.   (A  won     B  won't win   C  might win   D   might have won)

10. The people ................ laugh at Harry.        (A  oughtn't      B   couldn't   C  shouldn't   D   wouldn't)

11. When Larry was a little boy, he .......................... like riding.        (A  used to    B   was used to   C  did use   D  used)

12. It's no use .................... him if he still likes it.  (A  to ask him   B  to have asked   C  asking   D  ask)

13. It's time Eric and Bill ................. the horse to move.   (A  persuade    B   have persuaded   C  persuaded    D  are persuading)

14. They would sooner ........................ for a drink.         (A  going    B   be go   C  to go  D  go)

15. By the time Larry fell off, three other riders .......... thrown off their horses.   (A  were being    B   have been   C  been   D   had been)

16. Eric and Bill are trying to make the horse ........... eating.   (A  stopped    B   stop   C  stopping   D   to stop)

17. They are counting .................. helped by Harry.   (A  to be   B  being   C that they are   D  on being)

18. Poor Larry can't help them. He doesn't even remember .................... off.   (A  to fall    B   have fallen   C  falling   D   fallen)

19. He ...................... feel very dizzy.       (A  must have    B   ought   C  must   D   must be)

20. Everyone was surprised when they saw him ................ through the air.     (A  to fly    B   fly  C  flown   D   who flying)

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• English in a Minute:   Ways to say 'SORRY' - Part 2 (Formal apologies)   (BBC Learning English)

• Take an English class: The causative form and talking about services (BBC Learning English)

• A quizz on the Passives (BBC Learning English)

• Here's a listening exercise for you to do : How do pandemics change cities? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)
  

Stories for Children >>> Best job in the world (BBC Learning English)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 200819 / 19 August 2020    >>>  Famous London museum reopens -    Language related to 'museums'.  Need-to-know language: airy, galleries, exploring & extensive.

Are school exam results always fair?

 

I'm sure nobody will ever agree on this issue as there are so many variables affecting. However, this is not a matter that only affects our students, but everywhere in the world, as you may learn from the two following pieces of news affecting British students:

 

• Row over “unfair” school exam results brewing across UK - BBC News

• A-Levels: Anger rises over 'unfair' exam results as grades lower than predicted - BBC Newsnight

Here's a listening exercise for you to do : Who can you trust? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

 

Some articles for you to read about the issue:

• Were this year’s A-level results fair? (Financial Times)
  

• The UK's exam results farce only deepens the inequality between private and state pupils (The Guardian)
  

• GCSEs and A-level exams: Teacher estimates to be used for Welsh grades (BBC News) 

• Wales makes A-level grades pledge to students amid lowered grades controversy (Wales Online)
  

• Controversial exams algorithm to set 97% of GCSE results (The Guardian) 

Revising the FUTURE TENSES with our 1º ESO students:

            WE 💗 HOLIDAYS !!! 

(Click here to have access to the digital book: Cambridge University Press)  You will do the REVIEW on page 102.

Once we have finished Unit 9, we will begin a revision of PAST TENSES doing the exercises in Unit 8. Let's start revising some vocabulary concerning SPORT (Click on the link to have access to the digital book). You will do exercises 1-4 on page 84.

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• English in a Minute:  How to say 'NO' politely (like a Brit)   (BBC Learning English)

• Learners' questions: 5 expressions with TAKE (BBC Learning English)  >>>   take for granted, take your hat off to someone, take something on the chin, take something out on someone, take someone's breath away
  

• A quizz on the Second Conditional (Hypothetical) (BBC Learning English)

Here's an interesting article about cybersecurity and your data on the web: 

How Data Discovery and Classification Can Help Secure PII   (Nightfall)

 

 Coldplay - Everyday Life (Official Video)

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 200812 / 12 August 2020    >>>  The worldwide plastic problem -    Language related to 'size'.  Need-to-know language: scale, staggering, unimaginable, estimated & daunting.

Bubión on fire, but...

 

 

BREAKING NEWS from las Alpujarras >>>> At around midday we were playing tennis in Pampaneira when we saw some blazes up in the ravin between Bubión and Capileira. The fire has affected mainly Capileira because of the wind, but thanks to the helicopters, planes, firefighters and people helping, it seems it is beginning to be controlled after nearly ten hours (now it is 9 p.m.).

 

Some activities for you to do:

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

• Listening exercise: How many white blood cells do you need? (The Medicine of Coronavirus)   (6 Minute English; BBC Learning English)   

• News Review: Teenager blinded by chips and junk food diet   (BBC Learning English)

 

And an article for you to read about the issue:

Teenager 'blind' from living off crisps and chips (BBC News)

mmmEnglish presenting... Confusing English Words! | HOMONYMS | Fix Common Vocabulary Mistakes & Errors

 

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 200729 / 29 July 2020    >>>  The Woman leading UAE's Mars Mission -    Language related to 'new space exploration'.  Need-to-know language: a big deal, destined, comprehensive, Martian mystery & space race.

On the road again... I'm afraid not.

 

I'm afraid this year it is not a good time to travel, but we may be on the road to reach many goals (sometimes it is a rocky road like the one in The Kings of Connaught - The Rocky Road to Dublin) : a solution to this pandemic, but also to a new school year or to success at the September exams or your B1, B2, C1... exams at the Official Language School. So be ready!!!

 

Every summer I take my car and travel far from home. This summer I cannot do it and I miss it so much. here's a fantastic song to have in your car when travelling:

Cody Francis - Honey Ta

ke My Hand (lyrics)

 

Any good song you recommend me when travelling? Here's a playlist:

Road Trip 🚐 Best Songs Ever .

Breaking news   >>>> This is the timetable for all the exams (B1, B2, C1...) at the Official Language School (EOI) in Motril.

 

 

Here I present you the Project about A Foreigner in Britain by Francisco González (1º Bach A)

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• English in a Minute:  Ways to say 'SORRY' - Part 1   (BBC Learning English)

  

• Listening exercise: Food made in space (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• Take an English class: Modals in the past (BBC Learning English)

• A quizz on the Reflexive pronouns (BBC Learning English)

Revising the FUTURE TENSES with our 1º ESO students:

            WE 💗 HOLIDAYS !!! 

(Click here to have access to the digital book: Cambridge University Press)  You will do page 101 and you can send me the writing exercise (an email to a friend about a holiday). You can write the email as a comment to this entry.

mmmEnglish presents us some confusing pairs of words in English:

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 200722 / 22 July 2020    >>>  London unlocked -    Language related to 'change'.  Need-to-know language: a new normal, make the most of it, liberating, weather (the) storm & reshape.

Tennis  >>>

Navratilova vs Evert | 1984 US Open | Full Match

FOMO, the syndrome striking people these days

Why can't people help doing things that should not be done these days like large gatherings, going to discos, meeting loads of relatives at the same time...? FOMO could be the cause!!!, that is to say, the Fear Of Missing Out something (which is actually the topic of one of the options in this Selectivity exam: The extraordinary life of Nikola Tesla   &   FOMO . Do you have a fear of missing out?  )

We may have the feeling that this summer we are missing out loads of things, but the most important of all is LIFE and the wellness of our relatives, firends and all the people that surround us. So, for sure not going to parties, or to the beach, or on holiday abroad is not such a big deal!!!

Some related articles for you to read about the issue:

• Never heard of Fomo? You're so missing out (The Guardian)

• Fomo haunted me for years – but the coronavirus pandemic cured me (The Guardian)

  

• Why you should embrace the joy of missing out (BBC News)

• How to deal with FOMO in the time of coronavirus (Daily Sabah)

• From Fear to Joy of Missing Out: FoMo VS YoMo  (Youth Time Family) What does 'YOMO' stand for?
  

• How to Beat F.O.B.O., From the Expert Who Coined It (The New York Times)

Revising the FUTURE TENSES with our 1º ESO students:

            WE 💗 HOLIDAYS !!! 

(Click here to have access to the digital book: Cambridge University Press)  You will do pages 99 (exercises 1-3) and 100 (exercises 1-2). You can also watch the video about Alaska.

News Review: What is a zootonic disease? UN warns of new diseases (BBC Learning English) 

Learn the new meaning of 'CANCELLED' in The English We Speak (BBC Learning English) 

mmmEnglish teaches us How to use GERUNDS and INFINITIVES | Confusing English Grammar  >>> 

Solutions to USE OF ENGLISH exercises in the previous post.

21.  a   22. c  23. a   24. c   25. a   26. d   27. d  28. c  29. d  30. b   31. d  32. b  33. a  34. d   35.  a   36.  c   37.  b   38.  a   39. c   40. c

Tennis  >>>

Boris Becker vs Ivan Lendl | Wimbledon 1989 Semi-final | Full Match