BEING A TEACHER IS A DIFFICULT TASK NOWADAYS, SO I DECIDED TO FOLLOW THIS PIECE OF ADVICE BY BRUCE LEE:
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
Tough times to live. Many of our students are still kept confined in their homes either because they have tested Coronavirus positive or just because they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
With our BEATING COVID-19 page in our site and some online classes we are all trying to lessen the effects of this lockdown, but we need our students' effort to overcome this situation successfully.
What's the opposite of the verb 'to lessen'? What word does it come from? What does the expression 'Whatever will be, will be' in Spanish?
Let's start going through some interesting phrases to learn about COVID-19 pandemic:
I came across this old song and I thought it would be quite suitable for the situation we are going through. Just below we have a version with the lyrics. Pay attention to them and make a comment about the message given. Here's my musical hint in its original version (film scene)
Some activities for you to do:
Listening exercise for you to do : Can a woollen hat really keep you warm? (BBC Learning English) Where does 'woolen' come from? Can you give other examples?
Episode 210203 / 03 February 2021 >>> The 100-year-old magic trick - Language related to
'magic'. Need-to-know language: moment, illusion, captured their imagination, glory & landmark.
These are the TOP 10 WORDS OF 2020 (from previous post), most of which make reference to the not-so-good things that happened last year >>> MUTE , CANCEL , STAY SAFE , PLASTIC , SOCIAL DISTANCING , PANDEMIC/PLANDEMIC, FRAUD , MEXIT , COVID-19 (<< Coronavirus + Virus disease, 2019) , LOCKDOWN
As we haven't done things properly, now we have harder laws, bans.... We thought this pandemic was just a joke and now here we are, back to square one (LOCKDOWN II). We have to start all over again to make the figures of infected people and deaths go down. (What does the expression 'back to square one' mean?)
Listen to this song by Survivor and pay attention to the lyrics. RESILIENCE is the key word!!!!
Episode 201028 / 28 October 2020 >>> Camping on a cliff edge - Language related to
'business activities'. Need-to-know language: cooped up, transformed, diversified, saving grace & adapt.
No need to take PCR tests when we have our beloved friends the dogs around. They are believed to be able to track people infected by Covid-19 virus. Just amazing!
Here are some articles for you to read about the issue:
Episode 201014 / 14 October 2020 >>> The dogs sniffing out Coronavirus - Language related to
'smell'. Need-to-know language: sense of smell, olfanction, sniff out, odour & detect.
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:
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
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.
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.).
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.
One of the cities with the highest death rates because of Coronavirus has been New York city and now both there and all over Spain masks are to be worn everywhere to keep safe.
So, if we want to stay healthy, wear a mask everywhere and keep the
social distance. This is not over!! And talking about the conditionals,
here's mmmEnglish doing some English Grammar Practice about First or Second Conditional?
Going on with our revision of 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 first 5 exercises on page 96. Here we use the PRESENT CONTINUOUS to refer to arrangements ('ARRANGEMENTS' son acciones concertadas por varias partes, como si fueran una cita. Por ejemplo, la visita al dentista)
Example: I'm visiting the dentist next Thursday, at 10 a.m. (That means you have already phoned and have already arranged when to meet)
Some special exercises for my bachillerato students to do:
USE OF ENGLISH.Multiple-choice exercise. Choose the appropriate option:
1. Now that the weekend had come, Peter felt like
................... (A
relaxed B to relax
C being relaxed D
relaxing)
2. He .................. hard all week. (A worked
B had been working C
was working D did work)
3. "It's a nice day for a walk," he said to Poosk, ........................
(A the little dog of his B
it's a little dog C his little dog
D the little dog of him)
4. Dogs usually ..................... walks, don't they? (A
like B are liking
C liked D
don't like)
5. Peter is lucky; he lives ........................ (A at the country B
in a country C at the countryside
D in the country)
6. He has only to step outside his door and he is among ..................... hills.(A
gently green B gentle, green
C gentle green D green, gentle)
7. Peter and Poosk walked ............ five miles. (A
at B -
C along D the)
8. ............... Peter grew tired. (A At the latest B At latest C At least D At last)
9. He did something................ heoften enjoyed. (A of which
B what C and that D that)
10. He sat
.................. the grass and began to daydream.(A
onto B in
C down D on)
11. " .......................... a seat," he told Poosk.(A Do you have B Do have C
Have you had D You are having)
12. Poosk didn't need .................... twice.
(A asking B being asked C asked D be asked)
13. She................. down and soon fell asleep. (A lied B lay C laid D lain)
14. She was even ........................ Peter. (A the same tired B more tired than C as tired like D tired as)
15. There were.......... clouds in the sky. (A any
B as many C
a few D every)
16. It was...........
day they had had that summer. (A as warmer a
B the warmest C as a warm D a warmer)
17. ....................... he daydreamed, Peter saw figures in the sky. (A Until
B Since C While D During)
18. He thought he .................... see a rabbit. (A would B
could C must
D did)
19. It looks very realistic,...................... ? (A isn't it
B is it C doesn't it D does it)
20. Peter
................ more comfortable.(A made him
B made himself C made to be D himself made)
Musical hint: You will never "Boxes" by Gavin James
We have to be really careful because the solution to this pandemic hasn't been found yet. Every time we go out or meet other people, it is essential to be sensible and not be foolish as most of the outbreaks now are affecting young people in Spain, Britain...
Here are 2 situations to make comparisons with 2 different structures:
First, you obviously have the comparatives. Here's a quizz: REVISION OF THE COMPARATIVES (for my 4º ESO students)
Secondly, at a more advanced level (for my 1º Bachillerato students) you can also make comparisons by using this structure:English in a Minute: 'As if' vs 'As though'(BBC Learning English)
Let's start going through some interesting phrases to learn about COVID-19 pandemic: 
I came across this old song and I thought it would be quite suitable for the situation we are going through. Just below we have a version with the lyrics. Pay attention to them and make a comment about the message given. Here's my musical hint in its original version (film scene) 
