Thank God I'm a country boy!

We have always wondered this big question: What is it better: the countryside or the city? Living in a small village or in a big city? 

 

There are, as always, pros and cons to each option, but if we have a look at countries in Central Europe, we'll see a combination of both options is the best. That is to say, British, German, French... people like living in quiet places and perhaps work in the city if they can't find a good job in the village itself.

City centres are more and more uninhabitated places, especially in the evenings or at weekends. However, it is also true that people prefer going shopping to cities, but big shopping malls near cities. With the improvements in the means of communication, public transport and flexibility in timetables everything is possible.

 

What would be your option?

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Leadership: Being a social entrepreneur  by Charmian Love (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do: Eating bugs: Would you eat insects?    (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak: Don't mind me  (BBC Learning English)

• Leadership and communication:  The war of words  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

   

My musical hint for today: Thank God I'm a country boy! by John Denver.  Here's a live version and another one with the lyrics:

 

 

And this would be the Spanish version Somos Catetos  by El Koala (Don't miss the video, which was filmed at Salobreña and Motril beaches).

 

 

Let's get serious again. Here's an interesting exercise for you to have a look at about PHRASAL VERBS & MISSPELT words (BBC Learning English).

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 220223 / 23 February 2022    >>>   Britain's lost lego   -    Language related to 'the beach and the ocean'.  

Need-to-know language: wash up, shoreline, off the coast, ocean currents  & tide.

 

Our students at work again...

Project about A Foreigner in Britain  by Sergio García (1º Bach A)

 

 

 

 

Project on  All about Ireland  by Andrea Valdés Padial (3º ESO A)

 

 

 

Project on  All about Ireland  by Fco. José Prados Espinosa (3º ESO A)

 

 

 

Project on  All about Ireland  by Javier Rivas López (3º ESO A)

 

 

 

Project about A Foreigner in Britain  by José Adrián González Rodríguez (1º Bach A)

 

 

 

 

How smart animals are!!!

Animals are really intelligent, but how intelligent they are. Probably more than what we think.

 

     Top ten smartest animals    

Here are some articles to read and amazing videos to watch:

• Animals know more than you think (The Guardian)

• Which animals are smartest: Dogs, cats, or ... raccoons? (The Washington Post)

• The octopus: One of Earth's smartest (CNN)

• Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? (The Guardian)

 

A Crow named 007 - Intelligence of animals - BBC Episode 2

And... How does a chimp wash its hands?   &   CNN Amazing Animals Lemurs are incredibly intelligent


José Miguel's contribution (1º Bach A):   How smart are dolphins? by Lori Marino

What is for you the most intelligent animal?

Here's a listening exercise to do: How intelligent is the octopus? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)


Here you can learn phrasal verbs made with GET.   (Exercise to do)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180815 / 15 August 2018    >>>  The AI that spots eye disease   -  Language related to 'surprising changes'.  Need-to-know language: on the brink off, jaw-dropping, gasp, game changer & the advent of.

NO CHEWING GUM, but shoe soles!!!

"No chewing Gum!!!" That would be the classical start of one of our English classes at school. However, this act of throwing it away can turn out to be a green act, as a fantastic way to recycle it has just been discovered so as to make shoe soles and many other items out of this sticky litter we usually come across on the pavements and that are such a nuisance for city councils.

Here are some articles to read about the issue:

• World Hacks: A surprising new afterlife for chewing gum (BBC News)

• Special bins allow chewing gum to be recycled in Cardiff (BBC News)

• Anna Bullus's innovation: chewing gum recycling (The Guardian)

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Apart from talking about chewing gums, can you tell me the different ways of transport you can use to cross the English Channel? Which British cities do you go from and to which European cities can you go to?

Phrasal verbs: put sth/so up (KSA Academy Granada)

    

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180307 / 07 March 2018    >>>  Turning chewing gum into useful objects   -  Language related to 'Recycling'.  Need-to-know language: litter, versatile, to hammer home, new lease of life & eye-catching.

 

A good expression to learn: A taste of your own medicine (The English We Speak)

Whining weaker men when ill, a fake?

Are really men weaker than women regarding suffering from an illness? Or do men pretend they are so ill they can't do anything and they just stay in bed? or just become couch potatoes? The enigma is there for you to solve after doing the listening exercise and reading about the matter.

Here's a listening exercise to do: Is 'man flu' real? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Related articles for you to read   >>>>

• The weaker sex? Science that shows women are stronger than men (The Guardian)

• Do men and women experience flu differently? (BBC)

• The Weaker Sex (The New York Times)

• Man flu: an enigma wrapped in a damp towel (The Guardian)

• Stop accusing men of overreacting – 'man flu' really does exist, doctor claims (The Guardian)

 

But, in my opinion, there's nothing like a Mum!!!

 

Although mums are no longer what they used to be. 

 

My mum, the superwoman: the hours, the sacrifice, the commute, the dog-tiredness (The Guardian)

 

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  You can write about your mother comparing her with your father using comparatives of superiority and inferiority. You can also write about all the vocabulary you have learned about Christmas.

 

Lucy teaches us 10 festive phrasal verbs  >>>>

 

Revision for 2º Bachillerato.

73. MIXED TENSES. Fill in the gaps with appropriate tenses. Note that sometimes you have to use modal verbs.

1. Real Madrid and PSG (play) ___________________________ on St Valentine’s day, 14^th February, in the Champions League. Do you know who (win) ______________________ ?

2. You (get) _____________________ into the car as soon as it (arrive) _____________ .

3. My teacher of English (never, smoke) ______________________________ in his life.

4. It can't be true. You (modal verb of probability + joke) ___________________________ .

5. Some students (modal verb of obligation/advice + cut) ___________________ their hair ________.

6. Where (your mother, work) ________________________ ? She is a teacher in a school in Granada.

74. Put the following sentences into the ACTIVE VOICE.

1. I was given many presents for my birthday.

2. Further information on the comparatives can be found in the book.

75. CONDITIONALS. Put the verbs in brackets into their appropriate tense:

1. I would have gone mad if they (not, turn off) ______________ the radio ____.

2. You (not have) _______________ so many accidents if you drove more slowly.

3. If water (reach) _____________ a temperature of 0ºC, it freezes.                                

76. Put the following sentences into REPORTED SPEECH:

1. 'How much does it cost a bus ticket to Motril?', the tourist to the girl.

2. 'Last weekend I corrected your compositions and they were not too bad', Albert to students.

3. 'Don't go into this room if you are afraid of ghosts', the host to the guests.

77. Insert the second sentences into the first ones by means of RELATIVE CLAUSES :

1. The man was sitting at the desk. I had come to see him.

2. Not many students passed English in the first term. This didn't surprise anybody. 

3. Sherlock Holmes asked the witness for the chair. The suspect had been sitting on the chair. 

 

78. LANGUAGE STUDY. Write a sentence with the following words and expressions:   FEWER   // AS MUCH AS

79. Rewrite these sentences in the PASSIVE VOICE :

1. Did the idea interest you? 

2. I'm sure nobody touched your things while you were out.

3. People say he is a policeman.   

 80. Rewrite the following sentences using the following beginnings:

1. What time is it?     I wonder ........................................................................................

2. Who won the championship in 1998?  I can't remember ..............................................................

3. Have your parents ever been to Britain?

I haven't a clue .................................................................................                                              

81. Translate the following sentences into English :

1. ¿Me podría decir dónde está el Ayuntamiento de Salobreña, por favor?

2. Nunca me he sentido lo suficientemente fuerte como para dejar de fumar. 

3. Se dice que tiene novia. 

4. Yo que tú, estudiaría inglés durante las vacaciones.

5. Me encantan las fiestas. A mí también.

What are you the best at?

 

Have you ever wondered if you are, or have ever been, the best at something?  (Listening exercise: What's your superpower? from 6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Rachel's English (American English)   >>>>  Episode on the phrasal verb PLAY.

What is the 'nanotechnology'?

 

Rewrite these sentences using a different structure by saying the same (the beginnings are given):

1. It is too cold to go swimming today.    >>>>>   It isn't .......
2. It is a long time since he last visited us.    >>>>>   He hasn't .......
3. I'd rather stay at home than go to a bad film.    >>>>>   I prefer .......
4. 'Isn't it a beautiful day?' exclaimed George.    >>>>>   'What .......'
5. Although he felt ill, Jeremy still went to work.    >>>>>   In spite .......
6. The meal was so awful that they refused to pay the bill.    >>>>>   It .......
7. Are you still doing your homework?    >>>>>   Haven't you .......
8. 'Anne, what about staying for dinner?' Jane said.    >>>>>   Jane invited .......
9. Somebody will steal your bicycle unless you lock it.    >>>>>   Your bicycle .......
10. I've never been to a safari park before.    >>>>>   This is the first time .......
11. 'I did not take the money,' said Simon.    >>>>>   Simon denied .......

Solutions to the exercise in the next post

HIROSHIMA: shame, but no apology!

Some articles about the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and the visit of US President to the city:

• Hiroshima to open up its horrors to Barack Obama during historic visit (The Guardian)

• Why President Obama needs to go to Hiroshima (CNN news)
• Watch the CNN video: Obama to make historic Hiroshima visit 
• Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (History Channel)

Highway to Hell!!!

BBC World Service  >>  Canada wildfire advance 'slows' as evacuations finish

PHRASAL VERBS!!!! 

Don't fear the phrasals: three important tips (BBC Learning English) >>  Interesting sessions to learn about the issue.

LINGOHACK: 
Episode 160511 / 11 May 2016   >>>  Expressions presented: highly symbolic, obliterated, inflicted & exoplanets.

And finally, 6 Minute English presents this listening exercise for you to do: Have you got too much stuff?