Food and war!!!

What connection can food have with war? Apart from the difficulties in finding food when a country is at war...

 

 

Learning English from the News:   Iran war puts global food production at risk, says fertiliser boss  (BBC Learning English)  

 

In the Middle Ages armies would set siege on castles or even entire towns so as to make them surrender because of the lack of food supplies or just water. Now with the Strait of Hormuz blocked we are actually having problems with petrol, but also with certain fertilisers and... food!

 

Road towards success in the Selectivity exam.....

(and here's the rubric to evaluate the composition) 

• 2025_Monsieur Tan-Tan  

Solutions to the exam...

A1- d  (line 3: "in conjunction with quite varied intonation and expressive gestures.")  A2- b  (lines 16-18)  

A3: FALSE (lines 3-4). “He spent the rest of his life hospitalized.”

A4: FALSE (lines 9-10). “Auburtin was attempting to support the hypothesis that the brain did not work as a homogenous mass, at least when it came to higher functions such as language.”

A5: TRUE (line 13). “He could count (and understand time).”

A6: FALSE (lines 19-20) “Although not all of Broca’s colleagues accepted his conclusions (, the road to studying the biological basis of language had already been taken).”

A7.1: unusual (line 2)   A7.2: meeting (line 7)    A8.1: nickname(d) (line 3)   A8.2: attempt(ing) (line 9)

USE OF ENGLISH 

B1- Julia’s performance was more impressive than Adriana’s.   

B2- If Mike did (some) exercise, he wouldn’t be so unfit / he would be fit(ter).

B3- I am having / going to have lunch with Joyce today.

B4- The babysitter looks after Tommy in the afternoon.

B5- The house was being painted while we were away on holiday. // We were having/getting our house painted while we were away on holiday.

B6- The person whom you have been laughing at is / was Sam’s little brother.

B7- Karen said that she had to hide Jane’s birthday present before she got home.

B8- John hasn’t got any brothers (or sisters) / siblings.

B9- It was such a heavy microwave that I needed help to carry it.

B10- The six o’clock train to Brighton couldn’t leave due to a storm // Due to a storm, the six o’clock train to Brighton couldn’t leave.

B11- They might not have heard the good news last night.

B12. People believed that Houdini was a fabulous magician. 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today:    American Pie by Don McLean. And here are the lyrics for you to sing along.  

 

 

 

Easy English Conversations:   How's the weather?  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• English in a Minute:  Phrases with SPEAK  (BBC Learning English)

• 
  

  Office English: Career development  (BBC Learning English) 

• The English We Speak:  A hunch  (BBC Learning English)

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Should we eat ultra-processed food?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

     

Solutions to the exercise in the previous post (4º ESO) 

D. Rewrite the following sentences either using the passive voice or the causative have

1. I will be sent new books this term. 2. I am having my news shirt cleaned at the moment.

3. Bread is usually baked for me in the morning by my mother.   / I usually have my bread baked in the morning by my mother.

4. I had the old pipes replaced in my bathroom.

5. A new app has been installed on my laptop. / I have had a new app installed on my laptop.

6. You must have your motorbike fixed as soom as possible.   /  Your motorbike must be fixed as soom as possible.

7. My granny had her fence painted last week.

8. I should have my videos edited, it takes me ages!   / My videos should be edited by someone who knows, it takes me ages!

9. I didn't have my hair cut during the lockdown.   

10. Her new album was being recorded yesterday by a producer.

11. I have had my blood tested this afternoon.  

How would say in English:

Mi madre suele ir a la peluquería los sábados por la mañana.    

(2 possibilities)

Learning English Grammar (makes me..., about to, on the verge of) >>>   EMOTIONS  (BBC Learning English) 

 

 

English with Lucy... STOP COMMITTING THESE MISTAKES!! 

 

 

 

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

Learning English with  Ed Sheeran  - funny story  

 

 

 History of COFFEE  

 

Still in the clay season and just before Roland Garros, with Jannik Sinner seeded number 1, Carlos Álcaraz out of that race for the moment being because of his wrist injury, but with the emerging new Spanish champ Rafa Jódar, here we are in Rome, just before Roland Garros.

 

Once upon a time there was a great (tennis) emperor who ruled all over clay courts named RAFA NADAL ( L'imperatore di Roma  ,  NADAL: l'imperatore è tornato a Roma!!! ). We all thought "there ain't no sunshine when he's gone", but life goes on. So, I wonder now who will the be the next (tennis) emperor in Rome.

 

Another Spanish promising star: Martín Landaluce (a lucky loser) vs Medjedovic   -  Rome 2026  

 

The only player who refused to respect Rafael Nadal: The Soderling Rivalry