Bla, bla, bla...

 

 

Bla, bla, bla... Everybody is always telling everybody what to do, but most of the times they are the ones who do not follow their own advice, instructions, recommendations... So beware of those people!!

 

We must practise what we preach, leaders must lead by example and teachers must also teach by example, by good example, obviously. Hence, when I say "Let's get going! Let's get cracking!" I am the first one to make a move.

 

Speeches and speeches, promises and promises at the COP29 conference taken place in Baku, Azerbaijan... and at the end of the day the only thing we do is make nature angry, furious (Nature is speaking).

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: Mother Earth by Karliene. It's already a version with the lyrics for you to really understand the message!

 

Here are some articles for you to read and come to a conclusion or think about possible solutions:

• At Cop29, we must treat the climate crisis with the same urgency as Covid (The Guardian)

• Oil and gas are a 'gift of God', says COP29 host (BBC News)

• Fact check: Suspicious accounts influencing COP29 debates (DW)

   

   
  

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam).....

Use of English

7. GIVE AN ADJECTIVE WITH THE SAME ROOT AS “prediction” (noun).

8. CHOOSE THE CORRECT PREPOSITION “My grandad was pleased…... his birthday cake” with/ for/ about/ of.

9. WHICH WORD DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANING?: feature / trait / characteristic/ habit

10. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: The Queen sends birthday telegrams to many people. Many people…

11. JOIN THE SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY.
The new shop sells fruit and vegetables. It opened last week.

12. REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY. When did he came home last night?

13. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED       Nobody arrived in time since the flight was delayed. Because of…

14. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: There are about 10,000 centenarians in the UK.

15. FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS: Her speech made me ____ (cry)

16. What is the VERB that comes from the noun 'speech'? Can you think of an ADJECTIVE?

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Learning English from the News:   Laos: Six dead from possible methanol poisoning  (BBC Learning English)
  

• Real Easy English: Talking about hobbies  (BBC Learning English)

• Ask BBC Learning English: How can I stop tranlating when speaking English  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:   The bond between sisters  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

  

  
  

  
  

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

A. /  B.  

1.Travelling by car is (MUCH) CHEAPER ...._ than by train, but travelling by airplane is even (FAR) MORE EXPENSIVE. What is (expensive) THE MOST EXPENSIVE.... THE CHEAPEST?   2. The exercise was (SLIGHTLY) MORE DIFFICULT...., but (A LOT) EASIER     3. German cars are THE MOST RELIABLE...   FAR FASTER    4. It could be (A LOT)  WORSE, but a (MUCH) BETTER    5. Granada is (MUCH) FARTHER/FURTHER    6. Can you read this text (A LITTLE) MORE QUIETLY     7. Who is THE WEALTHIEST    ,   FAR MORE CONCERNED  , THE POOREST .    8. For FURTHER     9. THE MOST CROWDED      10. The journey takes (SLIGHTLY) LONGER

C.

1. I can't wait any longer.    2. My grandfather's illness is much more serious than what doctors thought.  3. I'm afraid the problem is a bit more complicated to solve / sort out than what Albert thinks.   4. I can't walk any more/farther because I am most tired.   5. My uncle is slightly older than my aunt, although he looks much younger.   6. Finding a well-paid job is getting more and more difficult.    7. I became more and more nercous when I was waiting for my turn.    8. The earlier we get up, the sooner we will get to the summit.   9. The older we get, the wiser we are, like owls.    10. The more goods are sold, the richer the shop owners will become.   11. My elder/eldest brother brought me a gift from Dublin. It is the same CD as yours.    12. There were fewer people in the classroom than in the corridor. There weren't so many people in the classroom as in the corridor.   13. My elder/eldest cousin works abroad, which is most hard/tough (aunque tenga una sola sílaba está permitido y se suele sustituir por 'extremely hard') for him and his family.   14. Sevilla is the hottest city that I know.   15. Reading Albert's blog is most interesting because there are a lot of pieces of news about the world.   16. I prefer The Hound of the Baskervilles rather than / to a A Foreigner in Britain because it is much more exciting.

D. Comparative of equality (___) & inferiority (....)

1. as tall as, less tall   2. less, as much   3. as fast, less    4. as crowded   

 

 

Quizz: Fill the gap (BBC Learning English)

 

English with Lucy: SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK | The easy way to learn and remember when to use these verbs.  

 

 

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

Learn English with Disney's The princess diaries

 

 

Tourism, solution or problem?

 

Some time ago I posted this:

 Talking about tourism, all that glitters is not gold.

 

and it sounded a bit bizarre. Nowadays, nobody can deny that tourism, the way it has become, is a big problem to sort out because it has some negative consequences on the people who live in these places tourists invade at any time of the year.

 

Here are some articles for you to read and come to a conclusion or think about possible solutions:

• Third of people in Spain say local area has too many foreign tourists (The Guardian)
  

• 'We are in danger' - Spanish anti-tourism spills into winter season (BBC News)
  

• Protests over mass tourism could spread beyond Spain, says Unesco official (The Guardian)
  

• Spain: Thousands protest for affordable housing (DW)
  

 

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: This is the right time by Lisa Stansfield. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to check!

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Real Easy English:   Talking about FASHION  (BBC Learning English)
  

• Learning English from the News: Donald Trump wins US election  (BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute: Verbs to use with BUSINESS  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Learning a new food culture  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

  
  

  

  
  

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam).....

Use of English

A. Complete these sentences with the comparative of superiority or the superlative form of the adjectives given in brackets.

1.Travelling by car is (cheap) _______________________ than by train, but travelling by airplane is even (expensive) ________________________. What is (expensive) __________________ means of transport for you? And (cheap) _________________ ?

2. The exercise was (difficult) _________________ than we expected, but (easy) ___________________ than the one we did in the final exams in June.

3. German cars are (reliable) ________________ cars I have ever driven, but Japanese cars are (fast) ________________ than them.

4. The economic situation is not good. It could be (bad) _____________________, but you can find a (good) ____________________ job if you work abroad.

5. Granada is (far) ________________ from Salobreña than Itrabo.

6. Can you read this text (quietly) _________________ ? There are other people trying to study in the library.

7. Who is (wealthy) ___________________ person in the world? I don’t really know and I don’t really care as I am (concerned) ______________________ about (poor) __________________ people in our society.

8. For (far) _______________ information on the comparatives you can visit my page NOTES ON GRAMMATICAL ISSUES (2º Bach).

9. (crowded) ____________________ beach I’ve been to is the one in Torrenueva.

10. The journey takes (long) ________________ by car than by train.

 

B. When possible, rewrite the sentences in Exercise A using quantifiers such as: much, a lot, far, a bit, a little, slightly

 

C. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Ya no puedo esperar más tiempo.

2. La enfermedad de mi abuelo es mucho más grave de lo que los doctores pensaban.

3. Me temo que el problema es un poco más complicado de resolver de lo que piensa Alberto.

4. Ya no puedo andar más porque estoy cansadísimo.

5. Mi tío es ligeramente mayor que mi tía, aunque parezca mucho más joven.

6. Se está poniendo cada vez más difícil encontrar un trabajo bien pagado.

7. Me puse cada vez más nervioso cuando esperaba mi turno.

8. Cuanto más temprano nos levantemos, más pronto llegaremos a la cima.

9. Cuanto mayor nos hacemos, más sabios somos, como los búhos.

10. Cuanto más mercancías se vendan, más ricos se harán los propietarios de tiendas.

11. Mi hermano mayor me trajo un regalo de Dublín. Es el mismo CD que el tuyo.

12. Había menos gente en la clase que en el pasillo. No había tanta gente en clase como en el pasillo.

13. Mi primo mayor trabaja en el extranjero, lo cual es durísimo para él y su familia.

14. Sevilla es la ciudad española más calurosa que yo conozca.

15. Leer el blog de Alberto es interesantísimo porque hay muchas noticias sobre el mundo.

16. Prefiero The Hound of the Baskervilles a A Foreigner in Britain porque es mucho más emocionante.

 

D. Comparative of equality (___) & inferiority (....)

1. My father is not (tall) _______________________ as you, so he is (tall) ................................... than you.

2. The house cost .............................. than we paid for our previous one, but not (much) __________________ as they paid for that house by the beach.

3. I’ll be there (fast) _____________________ as I can, probably in ..................... than five minutes.

4. The city centre was not (crowded) _________________ as they had told us.

 

 

 

 

Quizz: Complete the expression (BBC Learning English)

Weather tracker: ‘Cold drop’ to cause heavy rain in Spain (The Guardian)

 

Floods in Spain: The impact of DANA explained | REUTERS

Nature Is Speaking – Julia Roberts is Mother Nature | Conservation International (CI)

 

 

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

Learn English with Emma Watson interview - Difficult words explained

 

 

Would you believe it?  >>>  What are the best countries for Americans to retire in 2024?   

What a long, winding, steep road!

 

 Life is such a long, winding road that sometimes becomes so steep that it is very hard to go on, but we have to keep struggling even if we feel really lonely with the loss of a dear colleague, teacher, relative, friend!! We will never forget you and your memory will push us forward.

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: The Long Winding Road by The Beatles. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along! 

 

 

 

Actually, learning English is a long, winding, steep road so hard to climb up...

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Business jargon:   Jargon for organising  (BBC Learning English)
  

• Learning English from the News: Pakistan's worst ever smog  (BBC Learning English)

• 

  English in a Minute: Verbs to use with NAME  (BBC Learning English)

• Georgie teaches us some  Phrasal verbs for climate change  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

Solutions to the exercises in the previous post

Use of English

9.1. up  9.2.  away   10.1. has been singing / has sung     10.2. became 

11. The new iPhone is so expensive that I decided not to buy it.
12. How long does it take her to have it ready?

13. Jason told her not to be late to his party the next day. 

14. “If only women GOT EQUAL opportunities in today’s world.”

 

 

The London to Edinburgh challenge: Episode 10: Look back (BBC Learning English)

Our Environment: Learn about climate change language with these programmes:

• What does 'net zero' mean?    

• Real Easy English: Talking about the environment   

• Listening exercise: Does climate change make you anxious?  
  

 

 

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

Learn English with Nicole Kidman - The perfect couple

 

 

English with Lucy: 600 English Words for Everyday Life | English Vocabulary Masterclass  

People calling out your name...

 

That is the time when you've reached the summit, but if they keep on doing that for years, that means that you've become a legend and you'll never die as you will stay in the people's hearts for ever.

As our Spanish writer Garcilaso de la Vega said, it is not just a matter of becoming a legend, but of not being forgotten by your kin and people around you when you pass away.

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: Calling out your name by Rich Mullins. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to check!

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Real Easy English:   Talking about music  (BBC Learning English) 
  

• Learning English from the News: Lost Maya city found in Mexico  (BBC Learning English)

• Job applications: Your first day  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Why you need a good night's sleep  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam).....

Use of English

9. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:
9.1. “I waited for him for two hours but he didn’t turn…” up / over / down / off
9.2. “He passed… peacefully after a long illness.” over / back / down / away
 

10. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS:
10.1. “Ed Sheeran… since he was a little boy.” (sing)
10.2. “She… a sales manager three years ago.” (become)
 

11. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: “The new iPhone is very expensive, so I
decided not to buy it.” The new iPhone is so …
 

12. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: “It takes her less than two hours to have it ready.”
 

13. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO INDIRECT SPEECH: “Jason told her, ‘Don’t be late to my party tomorrow.’”
 

14. THERE ARE TWO MISTAKES IN THIS SENTENCE. FIND THE MISTAKES AND REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY. 

“If only women get equals opportunities in today’s world.”

SOLUTIONS TO THE RELATIVE CLAUSES EXERCISE IN THE PREVIOUS POST

1. Lindsay is the eldest child who has has to look after the other children.

2. The King, who had a whisky everyday, lived for a long time.(king is written with a capital letter so it is considered a non-defining relative clause. If it hadn't, it would have been a defining one without commas)

3. He was reading the book whose characters were zombies.

4. Nowadays new kinds of sport, which seldom appear on television, attract more and more people.

5. John Bloom, whose novel..... film, died recently.

6. He used a sexist word whose meaning was pejorative for women.

7. He received an e-mail, whose content was spam.

8. That man, who has more.... a politician, talks a lot.

9. Michael, whose family....ago, has been attending Italian lessons.

10. Clark Kent worked for a newspaper that was called ‘The Daily Planet’.

11. Johnny Depp, whose portrait.... superb, is starring in Finding Neverland.

12. I could not move my car, which had no petrol.

13. Nikki, who is against the ban, sells cinema tickets.

14. Occidental observers are against the veiling of women in Arabia, which is ..... segregation.

15. Van Gogh, whose works.... millions, only sold one painting during his lifetime. 

16. Every year lots of tourists visit that old building, which is one of the major attractions in London.

17. John, who was a heavy smoker, has given up smoking.

18. The man, whose sister .... Liverpool, fell off his bike and was taken to hospital.

19. Jane Halifax, who does not... the proposal, is the president of the committee.

20. The dog whose name was Laika was sent into space in 1957.

21. This is the computer I bought last month.

22. MTV, whose influence..... rapidly, reaches millions of households.

23. Is this the place where they sell disks for the CD Rom?

24. The boy I sold a videgame to last week is very satisfied.

25. This is the computer game everyone is talking about.

26. Elisabeth, who Thomas invited to his premiere, is a prestigious writer. 

27. Those books, which I have been waiting for three months, are no longer published in England. (I have been waiting for these books since August)

28. Mars, which businessmen are investing their money in, is expecting visitors in the short term. (investment , shortly)

29. We interviewed that young man, who they hired, last week.

30. The actor the police was looking for was a criminal.

 

 

The London to Edinburgh challenge: Episode 9: Race to the castle (BBC Learning English)

LearnEnglish with Lucy... What is your English vocabulary level? Take this test.

Ask BBC Learning English: How can I speak English more fluently?

Latest News on the flash floods in Valencia >>>

• Trapped in cars and garages: Why Valencia floods proved so deadly (BBC News)

• Dead bodies found after torrential rain brings flash flooding to Spain (CNN News)

Our dear colleague and teacher Mª Luisa passed away last Saturday, 9th November. So sad!!  But remember, students and colleagues will always call out her name... and I'm sure she will hear us from up above.