You're simply the best!!

 

As with my students in 2º Bachillerato, I have always said that the best thing of all is my students, and this time I mean my students in 1º Bachillerato. You don't know how much this little present you gave to me today means to me. That is really what I have always worked for, as a teacher. You know you will always have me to help you at any time and I'll try with my blog and site to provide you with all the necessary information  for your Selectivity exam next year.

 

As a little sample of my gratitude, here's a Selectivity exam for you to do. In the next post I will give you some possible answers.

Here's the text to read...

 

  

And here are the activities to do...

A. COMPREHENSION. Answer the questions using your own words.

1. Why was Stuart Pike alone on the plane?

2. Why was it the best trip in his life?

3. Did Stuart Pike watch any films? Justify your answer.

B. LEXICON. 

4. Give one synonym of 'COMPLETE' (verb)  (line 8)

5. Give one opposite of 'LANDING'  (noun)   (line 13)

6. Find one synonym in the text for 'SATISFY'  (verb)

7. Find int the text the WORD which has the following definition:  "to promote a person to a higher rank or position"

C. GRAMMAR. 

8. Put the following sentence into INDIRECT SPEECH:    

                          Mr Pike said: "It is the most pleasant flight I've ever had"

9. Put the following sentence into DIRECT SPEECH:

                         He was invited by the captain to sit with him and watch the landing.

10. Put the following sentence into the PASSIVE VOICE:

                         The flight attendants gave him everything he wanted.

11. Complete the following sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets:

                       He could (GO) .................. to sleep on one of the 14 beds if he wanted to.

D. PRODUCTION. 

12.   a) Describe an interesting journey that you have made.

        b) What is your favourite method of travel?

    

CONGRATULATIONS to our students at the IES Mediterráneo (Salobreña) for their good results in the PEvAU exams (Selectivity). All of them have passed it and they have obtained a mean of 6.7 in English.

 

   

Here's my musical hint dedicated to all my students, especially those in Bachillerato, because THEY ARE SIMPLY THE BEST: The Best by Tina Turner. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

Some activities for you to do:

• Bus: Part 1: Learn how to catch a bus  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Island life: Is it paradise? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• What do you say when you forget something? The English We Speak: It escapes me  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Google engineer: AI has feelings  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

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

Mind Your Language - The most funny* English class        

* They are not using here "the funniest" so as to make an emphasis.

 

Unlike our students, we live in a fake society, we have a fake educational system... we can even have the biggest fake in tennis!!!

 

 

 

 

Cow juice ;-))))

What do your think 'cow juice' really means?

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

Mind Your Language - Where do we get milk from?        

How to Milk a Cow By Hand (or goat)

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Ten words you are probably mispronuncing  (mmmEnglish)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:  The technology of translation (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• And talking about new experiences, this is what happens you start a new job  >> The English We Speak: Onboarding  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Boris Johnson survives non-confidence vote  (BBC Learning English)

 

   

Our 2nd Bachillerato are done with their selectivity exams and so are the rest of our students at school, so here's my dancing musical hint for today: Blame it on the Boogie by The Jacksons 5. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing and dance along!!

 

 

 

 

Rafael Nadal: Top 5 shots | Roland Garros | Eurosport Tennis

 

 

 

... and his 22 Best Points of 22 Grand Slams Won 

 

 

Here's the Selectivity exam they have set this year in Selectivity: It's not easy to be green & Men earn more money than women in every country   (June 2022)  

Valhalla awaits Rachnar!!

Like everything in life, all comes to an end. We are not inmortal. Rachnar went to Valhalla, Nadal will soon stop playing tennis and this year has been the last one your damned English teacher has taught in Bachillerato. Younger and stronger generations are to come and take the lead, as the normal process we find in any generational replacement. This is the so-called Circle of Life, which they referred to in The Lion King.

 

Years have been tough and I'm proud of the students I have had. I know everybody, students and me, could have done much better, but at least me, I tried my best. It is time just to fight smaller battles at ESO level, which are not so demanding, but perhaps more rewarding.  

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Friday phrase: One in a million  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:  The world of Agatha Christie (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• Mind your Language: Television  (Comedy)

• News Review:  Great Barrier Reef in danger  (BBC Learning English)

   

 

Ragnar Lothbrok: Odin awaits me in the halls of Valhalla!

Next week our students are facing the Selectivity exams and I would like to present you some articles, among many others, about the current situation, what is said and what is likely to come... 

• EBAU. El modelo de examen por la COVID dispara las notas de corte: "Meterse en una universidad pública es imposible" (RTVE) 

• Las facilidades disparan un 13% los aprobados en la Selectividad y un 85% los sobresalientes (El Mundo)

• El aumento de sobresalientes en selectividad incrementa las desigualdades entre CC.AA. (El Debate)

• Las peores regiones en PISA lideran los sobresalientes en Bachillerato y EBAU (La Gaceta de Salamanca)
  

 

 

I do hope our students do their best, but we all know we haven't been fair and the marks some have do not really reflect the reality. I guess it happens everywhere, but it is a situation I cannot cope with any longer. That is why I quit the bachillerato level for ever.

 

I MUST KEEP GOING - Powerful Motivational Speech on PERSPECTIVE (Featuring Marcus Elevation Taylor)

 

 

 

   

Like Christina Perri in her song I Believe (the film version), I do believe that one day we will all discover this great fake. Don't worry about me because, as it is said in the song, "this is not the end for me, this is the beginning". This is also how Nadal has overcome all the difficulties in life and his injuries!!! Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

As well, this is not the end for you, either. It is just the beginning of new stage in your life and I wish you all the best. It's been a pleasure to work with you these long 6 years!!!

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 220511 / 11 May 2022    >>>   Pigs on patrol   -    Language related to 'farming'.  

Need-to-know language: scarecrow, harvest, crop, soil  & fertile.

 

WHY WE LOVE Rafael Nadal - The G.O.A.T Tribute (21 Grand Slams Special | Thank you, Rafa!)

 

John McEnroe tells us the true story behind the legend of Rafa Nadal!!

14 Roland Garros - How Rafael Nadal BROKE a Grand Slam (all French Open winners of the Open Era)

 

Our students at work...

Project about The Hound of the Baskervilles  by Sergio García (1º Bach A)

Project about  Cervantes Meets Shakespeare  by Raquel Peinado (1º Bach A)

Victory belongs to the most tenacious

 

 

"Victory belongs to the most persevering." A quote attributed to Napoleon I and one which Roland Garros made his own... so much so that he inscribed it on his planes' propellers.

 

 

Here are two documents about this pioneer Roland Garros in English and in French. You'll discover an amazing story. 

 

 

On the whole, our students should never give up. They should keep working in a tenacious (synonym: 'persevering') way so as to achieve their goals in life.

 

 

KEEP FIGHTING - Motivational Speech

 

 

   

My encouraging song to help you keep fighting: Keep Singing by Rick Astley. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Learning about past habits: USED TO, BE USED TO, GET USED TO  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:  People who can taste words (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• Detective work: Part 10: Getting a confession  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Monkeypox: New disease spreads  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

 

 

 

Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic in battle of the GOATS | Eurosport Tennis

 

 

Other interesting videos to watch: Eurosport highlights ,  highlights , Zverev vs. Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal vs Casper Ruud - Final Highlights I Roland-Garros 2022

 

Rafael Nadal's Interview after winning 14th Roland-Garros | Roland Garros 2022 | Eurosport Tennis

 

 

John McEnroe makes his pick for Roland-Garros 2022 | Eurosport Tennis

 

Sculptures to mark the tournament’s history I Roland-Garros 2021   ( 1 & 2 )

 

 

Another example of tenacity is Jaycee Carroll., the American basketball player who has played for Real Madrid for so many years. Actually, he is the foreign player with the most matches played for this team.

 

CBS News >>> Rafael Nadal on record 22nd Grand Slam title, 14th French Open victory

 

Rafael Nadal - ALL 22 Grand Slam Championship Points (2005-2022 | The G.O.A.T)

 

How Rafael Nadal set the best tennis record of all time (all French Open winners of the Open Era)

 

 

 

Activities for my students:

• 1º ESO - Talking about routines (Unit 3). Interview Rafa Nadal about his daily routines?

  Example: What time do you get up? When do you have breakfast?

• 1º ESO - Describe Rafa Nadal physically (Unit 1). What does he look like?
  

Example: What does he look like? He's quite tall. He's got short brown hair.

• 1º ESO - A friend of yours wants to become a professional tennis player (Unit 5. Exercise 8). Using the modal verbs MUST, CAN, SHOULD in the affirmative and the negative give him/her some advice and think about possible questions she/he can ask you.

  Example: You must have a tennis racket. You can play in Salobreña. You shouldn't eat too much before a match. 

  Can you play when it rains? Must I wear shorts? Should you have some classes before a match?