What is a you problem?

 

 

Teachers can help students learn to a certain extent since there is a time when these difficulties become 'a you problem' as it is the students' responsability to make the final effort. Teachers try to smooth these hurdles in the learning process, but I'm afraid they cannot go any further. Follow their advice and if you don't, just save your tears for another day!

 

The English We Speak:  A you problem  (BBC Learning English)

Actually, it is not even a good thing when it is too easy for the students. Remember Albert Einstein's words: "I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn."

Anyway, you don't have to learn many things by heart to say "Hey, Albert, see how fluently I can speak English! Eat your heart out!" , but be careful when playing poker not to  wear your heart on your sleeve so that the other people sitting at the table can see how you feel. Here you've been presented with 3 expressions connected with heart. You can check the meaning of each of them just below in the English in a Minute section.

       

  

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

 

• 2022_A pizza for the Queen_Will the machines take control  

 

Solutions to the exam...

1- a  (lines 4-5)  2- d  (lines 10-11)   

3: False (lines 3-4) “Tomato-based pizza was then considered the food of the poor people of Naples and mainly sold by the street vendors.”

4: False (line 5) “People would eat watermelons in summer and pizza throughout the year.”

5: False (line 9) “(The Queen found this pizza absolutely delicious and she is said to have sent a note of appreciation to the pizza maker,) who then named the pizza after the Queen.”

6: True  (line 4) “Now that the former Google executive has a book out titled The Age of Artificial Intelligence (, I made him the same question about Artificial Intelligence (AI): “Friend or enemy?)”

7.1: popularity (lines 4, 10)   7.2: emulate (line 8)    8.1: flag (lines 1, 8)   8.2: appreciation (line 9)

9- d (line 3)   10- c (line 2)

11: True  (line 4) “Now that the former Google executive has a book out titled The Age of Artificial Intelligence (, I made him the same question about Artificial Intelligence (AI): “Friend or enemy?)” 

12: False (lines 5-6) “AI is imprecise, and it can be unreliable as a partner,” he replied.” // “It’s dynamic since it’s changing all the time.” // “It’s emergent and does things you don’t expect.”

13: False (line 7) ““It will be everywhere” (, continues Schmidt).”

14: True (line 12) “(I think that these AI systems are going to think, not like humans, but they’re going to be very smart,) and that we’re going to have to coexist.”

15.1: former (line 4)   15.2: eventually (line 10)   16.1: taste (line 2)  16.2: demon (line 9) 

USE OF ENGLISH

17.1  driving      17.2. didn't attend      18.1  away     18.2 much

19. The headmaster has required all children over the age of six to wear a uniform at my school.

20. The baby is being looked after at day care.

21. When did the court take legal action against the criminal?

22. The most important meeting in 2022 will be held in China, which is an overpopulated Asian country. 

23. We had our new dishwasher installed last Monday.

24. if we take action right now.

25. It was such a comfortable armchair that he ordered two more at the shop.

26. I used to work for the government, but now my job is in the private sector.

27. “The cruise will continue its journey this week,” they announced.

28. The good news is that we still have another chance.

 

 

 

Spain at 'extreme risk' of new wildfires as 14 blazes spread (BBC News)

Wildfires rage in Spain and Portugal amid searing heat (The Guardian)

 

 

 

 

 

  SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities on the SIMPLE PAST for my   students in 1º ESO !!!!

 

58. Read about your parents' routines and think about something strange that happened yesterday using the SIMPLE PAST.

1. My parents usually wake up early, but yesterday morning ___________________________

2. My father usually walks to work, but yesterday __________________________

3. My father is usually early for work, but yesterday ________________________

4. My mother usually has some soup for lunch, but yesterday _____________________

5. My parents usually go out in the evening, but yesterday evening _____________________

6. My mother usually sleeps very well, but last night ________________________

59. First, decide which verb goes in each gap, and then fill in the blanks with the SIMPLE PAST form of the verbs.   

VERBS: BUY (2)  -  HURT  - TEACH  - SPEND  - SELL - THROW - FALL - CATCH  - COST

1. I was hungry, so I ___________ something to eat in the take-away restaurant.

2. My sister __________ the ball to the baby who __________ it in the air.

3. My mother __________ her how to drive when she was 18.

4. Bill _________ down this morning playing football and __________ his arm.

5. We saved some money and two years later we ____________ our car.

6. Ann ________ a lot of money yesterday, so she _________ her bike which _______ £100 .

60. MEDIATION. A friend of yours has just come back from holiday and you ask him questions about it.

1. where / go?   2. food / good   3. how long / stay there?  4. stay in a hotel?   5. go alone  6. how / travel?  7. the weather / fine?   8. what / do in the evenings?   9. meet / any interesting people?

61. SIMPLE PAST NEGATIVE. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate forms.

1. My uncle (not shave) __________ this morning because he (not have) __________ time.

2. We (not eat) ____________ anything because we (not be) __________ hungry.

3. I (not rush) ___________ because I (not be) ____________ in a hurry.

4. She (not be) _________ interested in the book because she (not understand) _________ it. 

 

SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities for my students in 3º ESO:

 

70. Write questions to the following answers.

1. ________________? It was old, grey, large and beautiful.

2. ________________ ? There were few flags in the windows.

3. ________________ ? I heard music.

71. Rewrite the following sentences in REPORTED SPEECH.

1. "If he's red, he will be all right", they said. _____________________________

2. "Don't look at him! He's very angry", he said. __________________________

3. "How can the king be here? It's not possible", Margaret said. ________________________

72. COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. Write sentences using the clues given.

1. Her hair / red / her brother's   _____________________________

2. She / beautiful / girl / Ruritania    __________________________

3. The Old Town / dirty / the New Town ________________________

73. Write sentences using the following words and expressions:

joke    -     I was in a dream   -    belong

74. Rewrite the following sentences using the PASSIVE VOICE.

1. We must do something. _____________________________

2. He is doing too much.  __________________________

3. Nobody has seen him lately.  _____________________ 

75. Rewrite the following sentences using the ACTIVE VOICE.

1. Tom was pushed away. _____________________________

2. A knob was given to Becky by Tom.  __________________________

3. She must be treated gently by her husband.   ________________________

 

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today:  Save your tears by The Weeknd & Ariana Grande. Here's a version with lyrics included for you to sing along.  

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Are plant-based substitutes healthier than meat?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 
  

• 
  

  English in a MINUTE: Phrases with HEART  (BBC Learning English)  

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

• Learning English from the News: Ukraine: Presidents discuss end to war  (BBC Learning English)    

Wangechi's interview - AUSTRALIA - #HUMAN 

 

English with Lucy... Would Rather v Prefer? What’s the difference?   

 

 

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

Learn English with Spiderman -  The Devil wears Prada  - Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway

 

...and also with Peter Pan: You can fly  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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