Year of challenges

 Any New Year is full of challenges, but probably this one is even more (included the recovery from this amazing snowstorm all over Spain), especially for those students of mine in the level of Bachillerato.

 

What are your challenges for this year? Getting the highest marks, passing your B2, doing the university degree in the university you wish, getting over the pandemic....???? 

Or just eating healthier. Here's a listening exercise for you to do: Why can't we resist comfort food? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

My personal challenges are, among others, making my students' academic challenges become a reality and going back to our old days' normality!!!!

English in a Minute:   4 uses of 'AS'   (BBC Learning English)

 

And here's another challenge for our country:

• Spain paralyzed by snowstorm, sends out vaccine, food convoys (CNN)
  

• At least three people die in Spain's worst snowstorm in 50 years  (The Guardian)
  

• Historic snowfall buries Madrid as storm slams Spain (The Washington Post)

 

Weather Events 2021 - Snowstorm - heavy snow & risk of flooding (Spain) - BBC News- 10th January 2021

 

Storm Filomena: Spain sees 'exceptional' snowfall (BBC News)

News Review: Record-breaking snow storm hits Spain  (BBC Learning English)

Talking about THE ENVIRONMENT  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 210106 / 06 January 2021    >>>  Fruit fashion -    Language related to 'design'.  Need-to-know language: standards, sewed, vision & ran with it.

Further into fashion!!!

 

As it is said in one the articles below, "We regret to inform you that 'scumbro'  is now officially a thing"

 

Here's a listening exercise to do: 'Scumbro' fashion (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Related articles you can read about the issue:

Reign of the scumbro: the meaning of Justin Bieber’s ugly style (The Guardian)

Are You A ‘Scumbro’? – The Fashion Style Justin Bieber Is Currently Championing   (2 Oceans Vibe News)

Something about future tenses: What is the difference between the GOING TO future and the Present Continuous with future meaning? Here's an interesting presentation: Be going to vs Present Continuous 

HIGHWAY TO B1.....

Part four. Choose the correct option: 

31. You don't have to wear them in England,  .... ?   (A  must you   B  need you  C do you   D  can you)

32. I think everyone should wear them. Yes, ........  .    (A  so do I    B  I think   C   I wear   D   I do either)

33. Have you ever ........ in a car accident?  (A  being involved    B   be involve   C  been involved   D  involved)

34. The old lady needs ........... after her shock.    (A  to comfort    B   be comforted   C  comforting  D  comforted) 

35. She thought she .... her dog.    (A  was going to lose    B  was losing   C  lost   D   would have lost) 
36. She'll soon have to look ........ someone    (A  after    B  over   C  for   D  through) 
37. ......... her catch her dog.  (A  helping    B   to help   C  helped   D   who helping) 
38. She will go home without the dog unless she ............. someone.     (A  finds    B  will find   C  would find   D  found) 
39. Old ladies really .... have such big dogs.    (A  oughtn't    B   shouldn't   C  mightn't   D  shan't) 
40. But it's no use ........ her that.     (A  telling   B   you told   C  to tell   D  to telling)

Solutions to PART THREE in the previous post.

21. c    22. b    23. a    24. b    25. c   26. a   27. a   28. c  29. a   30. d

Be SUPER CAREFUL with these "ORDINARY" WORDS   >>>  English with Lucy

What is a homophone? (Give examples)
What is a homograph? (Give examples)
What is a homonym? (Give examples)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 181010 / 10 October 2018    >>>  New hope for brain cancer patients -  Language related to 'medicine'.  Need-to-know language: vaccine, treatment, tumour, immune system & cells.

Fashions!!!!

Are you a fashion fan or fashion slave? (News about Britain, BBC Learning English)   >>>   News about Britain: what to wear?   Here I present you some articles for you to read and some stories for you to listen about the world of fashion.

 

Here's a listening exercise to do: Street food: Why is it becoming so popular? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Related articles you can read:

• Street food: the latest rage (The Guardian)

• 10 of the world's best street food stalls: readers’ travel tips (The Guardian)

HIGHWAY TO B1.....

Part one. Choose the correct option: 

1. If the cars hadn't stopped, there .... a nasty accident.    (A  will be    B   won't have been   C  had been   D   would have been)

2. The old lady ........  worry. Her dog is quite sage.    (A  needn't    B   oughtn't   C  don't   D   shouldn't to)

3. The dog wanted .......... the cat.  (A  catch    B   to catch   C  to catching   D   catching)

4. She  ............. the dog for a walk when it saw the cat.     (A  was taken    B   has taken   C  had been taking  D   taking) 

5. The dog oughtn't to .... into the road.    (A  running    B  had run   C  ran   D   have run) 
6. Dogs are ........  cats.    (A  used to chasing    B   used to chase   C  used chase   D   use chasing) 
7. The car drivers are ......... what has happened.  (A  annoying in    B   annoyed in   C  annoyed at   D   annoying at) 
8. The dog made them  ............. sharply.     (A  braking    B   brake   C  to brake   D   to braking) 
9. The old lady wishes she .... such a big dog.    (A  didn't buy    B   had bought   C  hadn't bought   D  bought) 
10. The cat will not ........      (A  get down from the tree.    B   get the tree down.   C  get from the tree.   D   get the tree down from) 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180919 / 19 September 2018    >>>  End of the line for the VW Beetle?   -  Language related to 'design'.  Need-to-know language: incarnations, iconic version, rear-engine model, archaic & outmoded.

FASHION OR SCIENCE: Wearable tech

Do you know any gadget you can wear? Here is an example:  COMPUTER GLASSES  and an article to read: WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY  (pay attention to the adjective used).



ACRONYMS: Do you know what CES stand for? 

The Consumers Electronic Show conference is Las Vegas  (CES 2014) is being held these days and here are some of the latest gadgets presented there. Read the articles and you will find some amazing facts:

• 

  Curved Screens, Wearable Technology Dominate Consumer Electronic Show

• CES 2014: Vergence combines wearable tech and drones

• Two big trends kick off CES: Wearable tech, connected homes

And finally here are some activities for fun: CROSSWORD ON ROBOTS ,  CROSSWORD ON SCIENCE &  QUIZNET.

Cool fashion: T-shirts

The T-shirt got its name from the shape of the letter T.

A T-shirt (T shirt or tee) is a style of shirt. A T-shirt's defining characteristic is the T shape made with the body and sleeves. It is normally associated with short sleeves, a round neck line, and no collar. However, it may also include long sleeves, buttons, collars, or v-necks.

Do you like T-shirts? Have a look at other cool clothes in my site and make any comments you wish.

And now read the lyrics while you are listening to this song by Shontelle.

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