These are the bare facts

 

 

 

Facts are facts, and you cannot disguise them. We see it everyday in our lives. Countries attack other countries and they say it is on behalf of the freedom of the other country's citizens. Nonsense! 

 

Some articles for you to read about the issue: 

• US and Israel strike Iran as Netanyahu says ‘many signs’ Khamenei ‘no longer alive’ (The Guardian)

• What we know so far about the US-Israel attacks and Iran's retaliation (BBC News)

• Attacks on Iran trigger global Shiite protests (DW News)

 

 

It is said that there are different types of English teachers, some better than the others, but the bare facts are that there is only one English language and that at the end of the road you will have the same control for every student in our secondary schools. And that will the moment when we will learn what we have really learned.

 

My congratulations to our student Martín Toledo (4º ESO A) for having just passed his B1 in English (Cambridge) obtaining excellent results in certain skills (he even got a B2 level in the Reading skill). Facts are facts!!!

 

🔊FULL EPISODE: Bubblevicious/The Bare Facts | Powerpuff Girls | Cartoon Network

 

 

The English We Speak:   Go through a rough patch  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

 

Beating Speaking Anxiety:   I'm scared I won't forget the joke  (BBC Learning English)   >>>>  How to show your funny side in English     

 

Learning English from the News:   Violence after Mexican drug leader killed  (BBC Learning English) 

 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today:    Riding with the King by BB King & Eric Clapton. And here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

 

Learning English Grammar (I was thinking..., Let's not..., Might I suggest...):   Making suggestions  (BBC Learning English) 

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• Listening exercise for you to do:   Dreaming of being a chef  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)  

• 
  

  Real Easy English: Talking about BIRTHDAYS  (BBC Learning English) 

  
  

• Office English: Do you always follow the rules?  (BBC Learning English) 

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

     

English with Lucy: If you laugh, you are fluent  

 

 

 

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

Learning English with  SUITS   -  Rachel discovers Mike's secrets

 

 

 

Old stories about Nadal:

Nadal vs Wawrinka  - Full Match Nadal vs Wawrinka 2017 Men's final | Roland-Garros

 

 

I told you!

 Yes, I told you that the way you sit in class can affect your health and the way you learn. I have told you so many things so as to learn more and better, again not because I'm incredibly smart, but because I've got the experience of so many years teaching and I have behaved like an old wise owl!

 

 

By the way, do you know the story of the old wise owl? Listen to the song (nursery rhyme) and discover:

 

 

And you can also read the story about it.

 

Going back to the way we sit, here's an interesting listening exercise for you to do: Why sitting is bad for health (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Here are some activities for you to do:   

 

• English in a Minute: How to use SITUATION   (BBC Learning English)

• Office English:   Bad news  (BBC Learning English)

• Georgie talking about TENSES: When and How to use the PAST CONTINUOUS  (BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak:   In on it  (BBC Learning English)

 

News Review: Israel protests   (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Food charity demands independent inquiry into Israeli killing of aid staff  (The Guardian)

 

 

 

 

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

• 2023_ANIME: A GLOBAL POP CULTURE PHENOMENON  //  THIS JOB IS A PIECE OF CAKE!      
  

Some other interesting aspects to note in the exam: 

Text A

The origin of anime can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century.

It wasn' until 1958 that Hiroshi Okawa....   >>>  Example of cleft sentences (visit this post to check: The only thing Casillas wanted to say is....  )

Two phrasal verbs with the verb TURN: turn it into the "Disney of East" (Text A) = convertir //  It turns out...  (Text B) = resultar (ser)

His efforts were worth it (sus esfuerzos valieron la pena) 

What is the plural of  'phenomenon'?

Translate: "In order to understand how significant this phenomenon is...."

"One reason why anime gained such popularity internationally..."

"The second trait, the huge eyes..."  Can you give me a synonym of 'trait'?

"Big eyes make it easier for animators to express emotions powerfully by concentrating on just one body part."

"Audiences are positively drawn to big round eyes"

SINCE in line 12 as a synonym of BECAUSE

"Anime has stayed hugely successful worldwide"

"The emotional soundtracks and eye-catching colours keep hooking fans today." 

Text B

"for a living"

"The job can be remote" (you can work from home)

monthly

must reside = live

the chief candy officer will also undergo "extensive palate training"

So far

inquiries on the job are so numerous that the company...

the daily calorie intake = consumo diario de calorías

 

 

 

English with Lucy >>>> Telephone English: Speak English clearly on the phone and understand everything!  

 

 

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

 Learn English with movies:  Pirates of the Caribbean

Lucía Petrut and Nerea Sánchez presenting Motril  (2º ESO B)

 

 

Shorter attention span, a problem for our students?

Lately, teachers are always complaining of how difficult it is to keep students' attention in class to what is being done. Here may be the cause.

 

Listening exercise to do: Goldfish, brain and phones (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Some articles to read about the issue >>> 

• Say it quick, say it well – the attention span of a modern internet consumer (The Guardian)

• Is technology and the internet reducing pupils' attention spans? (The Guardian)

• You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish (Neuroscience, Time Health)

• Humans have shorter attention span than goldfish, thanks to smartphones (The Telegraph)

And talking about another problem that affects us these days, here we have some articles concerning attacks that we have suffered:

• Ransomware cyber-attack threat escalating - Europol (BBC)

• Manchester attack: What we know so far (BBC News)

What does 'foyer' mean? Which language does it come from? Can you give me a synonym?

REVISION EXERCISE for 1º Bachillerato  >>>   

Rewrite the following sentences so that they do not change the meaning of the original sentences.

 

1. I can't come because I have to look after my neighbour's children.

- If I .....................................................................................................................................................

2."I wouldn't go swimming on a day like this, if I were you , Tom" -

Brian advised........................................................................................................................................

3. I haven't been to the dentist for two years.

- It is ..............................................................................................................................................

4. People say that he has been all over the world.

- He is ..............................................................................................................................................

5. I have to write letters , but I hate it.

- I hate..................................................................................................................................................

6.We went out in spite of the heavy rain.

- Although ..........................................................................................................................................

7. It's nearly twenty years since my father saw his brother.

- My father.......................................................................................................................................

8."You stole the money, Joe, didn't you!" said the inspector.

- The inspector accused.....................................................................................................................

9.Although I admire Shakespeare's comedies, I cannot agree that they are any superior to his tragedies.

-In spite of.........................................................................................................................................

10.He gave me a lift to the station and I didn’t miss the train.

- If.................................................................................................................................

11.When was America first discovered, Peter?" Mary asked.

- Mary asked..................................................................................................................................

12.If he doesn't start work right away, he 'll never finish it.

- Unless..................................................................................................................................... .

13.The last time I played tennis was in 1990.

-I haven't................................................................................................................................ .

14. “Have you seen my brother recently?” he asked me..

- He asked me ................................................................................................................... .

15.“Could you wait in the reception, please?” she asked me.

- She asked me ................................................................................................................................ .

16. Terry will get over his illness. Then his work will be improved.

-Once..................................................................................................................................... .

17.There will be someone to meet you on arrival.

- When ........................................................................................................................................... .

18. She read this letter and burst into tears.

-As soon as................................................................................................................................... .

19.I didn’t know about John’s departure.

- I didn’t know when ................................................................................................................................ .

20.When you phoned me, it was my lunch time.

-When you phoned me, I.......................................................................................................................... .

21. I started working for the company three years ago and now I’m still working here.

- I’ve ................................................................................................................................................... .

22.David went home before we arrived.

-When we................................................................................................................................................ .

23.I’ve only recently started wearing glasses.

-I didn’t …………………………………………………………………............................................. .

24.I haven’t been to the cinema for two years.

-The last time ………………………………………………………………......................................... .

25.How long have Helen and Robert been married?

-When ………………………………………………………………….................................... .

26.My responsibility is to take out the garbage every day.

- I am ........................................................................................................................................ .

27.The misunderstanding was my fault., so I apologize.

- I apologized .............................................................................................................................

28.She won the tournament, so I congratulated her.

-I congratulated her .........................................................................................................................

How are the people from Manchester called? What is the local newspaper? What TV studios are there in Manchester?

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170524 / 24 May 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: grieving, overdrive & coordinated.