How long would you like to live?

Advances in medicine are so incredible that humans live longer and longer, but do we really want to live so long? In my opinion, the desire to live must always be connected with a good quality of life.

Listening exercise to do: Life expectancy (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

Read articles related to the issue:

• Life expectancy forecast to exceed 90 years in coming decades (The Guardian)

• Life expectancy to break 90 barrier by 2030 (BBC News)

• U.S. life expectancy declines for the first time since 1993 (The Washington Post)

 

Learn about what the SCHWA sound is with Lucy  >>

 

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 170301 / 01 March 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: upside, catching their breath & dexterity.

Exercise (BBC Learning English):

Use one of the words or phrases from Lingohack to complete each of these sentences. Note that you may have to change the form of a word or phrase to complete the sentence correctly.

upside / catching their breath / dexterity

1. You can continue your jogging. I will stop here for a minute to ______. I'm not very fit.
2. On the ______, the fall of the pound has boosted exports as goods are now far cheaper on foreign markets.
3. The discovery of an ancient bone at a burial site in Kenya puts the origin of human hand ______ at more than half a million years earlier than previously thought.

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

Finish the second sentence without changing the meaning.

1. 'Is Mary having a party on Friday?', he asked.  He asked.....
2. 'Why didn't you make an appointment earlier?', the doctor asked.  The doctor asked her....
3. Do they allow you to smoke in British cinemas?    Is.......?
4. 'I have made a mistake,' he said.     He admitted....
5. Please, don't play your music so loudly.    Would you mind.....?
6. Alcohol is bad for you and so are cigarettes.     Neither.........
7. 'How many times have you been to Spain?', they asked me.    They asked me......
8. I'm going to take the car this evening, all right?     You don't mind if .............................?
9. Do you mind if I open the window?    Would it ................?
10. 'Please, bring me another cup of coffee,' I said to the waiter.    I asked........


Solutions in the next post

Congrats to our team in the First Lego League in Granada!!!

Congrats to our team in the First Lego League in Granada!!!

Just a few months ago our teachers José Luis (Maths), Gustavo (Maths) and J. Luis (Philosophy) started an exciting project with our IES Mediterraneo students on Robotics and here they are participating in the First Lego League held in Granada today.

What is ROBOTICS?

La 'First Lego League' estimulará el interés de los escolares por la ciencia y la tecnología (IDEAL)

Papparazzi, a fair job?

What is the singular form of the word 'papparazzi'? Read this article about the origins of this kind of journalism and tell me.  

In Your Face: Paparazzi take root in Washington (The Washington Post)

Other related articles  >>>>

• Paris, love, proposals … and your own pack of paparazzi (The Guardian)

• Paparazzi avoidance and self defence taught to trainee nannies (BBC)

 

And here's a Selectivity exam you can do connected with the issue: Celebrity news (June 2015)

You can do this crossword on NEWSPAPERS 


Watch this interesting TED talk   >>>   Does the media have a "duty of care"?




SOLUTIONS to the B2 exercise in the previous post:  1. A   2. D    3. C    4. D     5. A    6. B    7. D  8. D   9. B   10. C   11. D  12. B   13. B   14. B   15. A   16. C  17. A   18. C   19. B   20. B   21. D   22. D   23. A   24. D   25. B  

To infinity and beyond!!!

What a great film Toy Story was!!! Did you ever watch it?

Is there life outside the Earth? This is a question that scientists have been trying to answer for decades. Their latest discovery is this:

• Exoplanet discovery: seven Earth-sized planets found orbiting nearby star (The Guardian)

• Seven exoplanets discovered in another solar system (BBC)

• 7 Earth-Size Planets Orbit Dwarf Star, NASA and European Astronomers Say (The New York Times)

Exploring our solar system (watch this video)

Listening exercise to do: Gun control without guns (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

 

Multiple-choice exercise on VOCABULARY. Choose the appropriate option:

1. David always ................... over to my house after he had done his homework.   (A  came    B   went   C  gone   D   passed)

2. If you want to have a pet, you must be ready to look .................. it for several years.    (A  at    B   for   C  over   D   after)

3. I am ........................ to come to the meeting on Monday evening. Please apologize for my absence.  (A  capable    B   excused   C  unable   D   disliked)

4. My younger sister is very ..................... and so she loves going out, but I am much quieter and prefer to stay at home.     (A  enjoyable    B   funny   C  pleasing   D   lively)

5. There was nothing to ........................ with the burglary until the police found a gold ring in his car.   (A  link    B   fix   C  place   D  join)

6. We have arranged special insurance to cover medical ..................... in the event of an accident.      (A  prices    B   expenses   C  accounts   D   money)

7. At the hospital I was told that ............ I gave up smoking immediately my illness would get much worse.     (A  except    B   until   C  without   D   unless)

8. The ................ were told to fasten their seat belts as the plane began its descent.        (A  customers      B   riders   C  flyers   D   passengers)

9. All Mike's friends felt sorry ................... him when he had to give up playing football.   (A  with     B  for   C  about   D   at)

10. How .................. you manage to get here so quickly?     (A  used     B   had   C  did   D  have)

11. Ever .......................... he was in junior school Nicholas has wanted to become a doctor.        (A  after    B   always   C  next   D   since)

12. The bank manager .................... me to open a deposit account as soon as possible.  (A  warned   B   advised   C  suggested   D   approved)

13. It will ................. rain later so we should go and have our picnic now.   (A  preferably    B   probably   C  likely   D   usually)

14. I'm afraid that we don't have any ........................ sizes in stock, madam.         (A  higher    B   larger   C  greater   D   taller)

15. They have ............ the old castle and it is now a luxury hotel.   (A  transformed    B   undone   C  remade   D   constructed)

16. ............ each school year all the children were given copies of the school rules.   (A  At first    B   Immediately   C  At the beginning of   D   To start with)

17. I ....................... seeing John tomorrow so I will give him your message.    (A  will be    B   may be   C  would be   D   could be)

18. I can ..................... with most things, but I cannot stand noisy children.   (A  put aside    B   put on   C  put up   D   put off)

19. Clearing the weeds from the churchyard was a much harder ...................... than the children had imagined it would be.           (A  deed    B   task   C  service   D   work)

20. Is there ................ bread for all the sandwiches we have to make?     (A  correct    B   enough   C  plenty   D   equal)

21. There was nothing ............. to eat in the refrigerator or in the cupboard.  (A  at last    B   at least   C  at once   D   at all)

22. Could you please ........................ exactly what you saw?      (A  inform    B   point   C  advise   D  describe)

23. Last summer was so hot that the ....................... in the wood actually dried up.           (A  pond    B   bath   C  bowl   D   flood)

24. The new secretary in the sales department is a fast typist, but her letters are full of spelling  ......... .   (A  wrongs    B   faults   C  tricks   D   mistakes)

25. Membership of the club, ................ costs £10.00 a year, is only open to people over the age of 60.    (A  what    B   which   C  that   D   this)

Solutions will be given in next post.

SOLUTIONS to the USE OF ENGLISH exercise in the previous post: 

1. flat   2. wake  3. failure   4. deny  5. admit   6. cover up  7. awake  

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170222 / 22 February 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: visually impaired, engineered & heading out.

Love is not all you need

Teenagers must be very careful when having a relationship in order to avoid any kind of abuse. Some interesting articles to read:

• #ThatsNotLove: Helping teens spot signs of relationship abuse (CNN)

• Love is not all you need in a marriage (The Guardian)

 

Modal verbs: MAY, MIGHT & COULD  >>>  you can revise them here.

 

Listening exercise to do: How romance ruined love (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)  

 

Will it be plain sailing for Phil? Another episode in our latest drama series from BBC Learning English  >>>   The Race (episode 2)

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

VOCABULARY. Which is the word or phrase in each group that does not belong?

1. steep   -   flat   -   high   -   tall    ................... 
2. sleep     -   nap  -   wake  -   dream    .................. 
3. success    -   power   -   wealth   -   failure   ..................... 
4. deny  -   admit   -    confess    -   reveal    ..................... 
5. deny   -   admit   -  cover up   -   hide   ........................ 
6. find out  -  discover  -  learn  -  cover up  ................... 
7. exhausted   -   tired   -   awake   -   sleepy   ..................

Solutions in the next post

SOLUTIONS to the USE OF ENGLISH exercise in the previous post: 


1. He hasn’t visited us for a long time.   2. It isn’t warm enough to ...    3. I prefer to stay...
4. What a beautiful day!    5. In spite of feeling ill, ...   6. It was such an awful meal that ...
7. Haven’t you finished your homework yet?     8. Jane invited Anne to stay for dinner.
9. Your bicycle will get stolen.     10. This is the first time I've been to a safari.   11. Simon denied taking the money.

GAME OF THRONES, a hacked story?

It seems to be that this famous series is really based on historical facts (Game of Thrones):

• How Game of Thrones drew on the Wars of the Roses (The Guardian)

• Family feuds, war and bloodshed – England’s medieval Game of Thrones (The Guardian)

• Game of Thrones has hacked our history (The Guardian)

Well, two years ago this was the topic of a Selectivity exam. Have a look at it and try to do it and you'll see how important it is to read regularly authentic English in the press or whereever>>>>

WHO INSPIRED THE ‘GAMES OF THRONES’ CREATOR?

You can do this crossword on MILITARY WORDS 

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT  >>>>  Instructions to the English exam in the New Selectivity exam in Andalucia.

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

Rewrite these sentences using the beginnings given.

1. It is a long time since he last visited us.    He hasn’t...
2. It is too cold to go swimming today.    It isn’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 ....’ exclaimed George.
5. Although he felt ill, Jeremy still went to school.    In spite ...
6. The meal was so awful that they refused to pay the bill.    It was ...
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 in the next post 

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 170215 / 15 February 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: fall from grace, rip-off goods & a range of.
SOLUTIONS to the VOCABULARY exercises in the previous post: 
1.room  2. make 3. brand  4. heavy  5. ruins 6. fit   7. hard  8. desire  9. average  10. seriously  11. discover

MAKE...a mistake, a decision, trouble, progress, money, the beds, a noise, a cake
DO....  harm, the washing-up, well, the cooking, the housework, homework, someone a favour

Car-free cities in the future?

What will our future cities be like?

Will we ever get a truly car-free city? (The Guardian)

Articles to read related to the topic:

• The end of the car age... (The Guardian)

• 10 Techniques for Making Cities More Walkable (The Citylab)

• Pedestrian power to shape future cities (BBC)

Listening exercise to do: Can you trust your own eyes? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

And here's the latest drama series from BBC Learning English  >>>   The Race (episode 1)

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170208 / 08 February 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: relics, comprehensive & sorted.

 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

VOCABULARY. Word combinations. Choose the correct responses.

1. Your marks are OK, but there is still ................... for improvement.   (A  area    B   room   C  space   D   place)

2. The course was so difficult that I didn't .................. any progress at all.    (A  make    B   do   C  create   D   produce)

3. The manufacturers are advertising a new ........................ of soap powder.  (A  mark    B   brand   C  pack   D   box)

4. Caring for her younger brothers is a  ..................... burden for her, but she never complains.     (A  sour    B   bitter   C  large   D   heavy)

5. I'm tired of looking at ancient ........................ Let's go somewhere modern.   (A  foundations    B   remnants   C  ruins   D   constructions)

6. I've put on so much weight that my clothes don't ..................... me any more.      (A  match    B   suit   C  agree with   D   fit)

7. Getting divorced was a ............ decision for us to make, but I'm sure it was the right one.     (A  hard    B   firm   C  strong   D   large)

8. He has a very strong ................ to see his country again.        (A  desire      B   want   C  liking   D   feeling)

9. The ................... age of the population in most western countries is rising fast.   (A  medium    B   general   C  average   D   middle)

10. Several soldiers were .................. wounded in the battle. They needed a lot of help.     (A  completely     B   hardly   C  seriously   D   utterly)

11. Scientists everywhere are trying to .......................... a cure for AIDS.        (A  conclude    B   invent   C  discover   D   make)

MAKE OR DO?

__________ harm     _________ a mistake    _________ the washing-up    __________ a decision
__________ trouble     _________ progress    _________ well    __________ money
__________ the beds     _________ the cooking    _________ a noise    __________ a cake
__________ the housework     _________ homework    _________ someone a favour 

Solutions in the next post

Highway to... B2 in English

HIGHWAY TO... B2 in English >>  link to my site  

I will be accumulating in my site all the links to posts in this blog where you can find exercises preparing for the B2 or any other interesting information about the topic:

• Improving your English with Sites Maps!!!

• Chinese on the move!!!!

• Roger & Rafa, the old rockers are back!!

• Hi, Duck!! What is your most prized possession?

• What are you the best at?

• Petrol crisis in Mexico and learning how to pronounce English

• NO DRIVING LICENCE REQUIRED IN THE FUTURE?

• Tennis and swimming, the key to a longer and healthier life.

• Not long ago when the magic was on court...

• Historical achievement by our non-bilingual IES Mediterraneo students!!!!

• The only thing Casillas wanted to say is....

• Formal letter writing

• Time to register for the B1 and B2 exams as freelance students at the EOI

• New That's English has just been completed!!!!

Watch this video about LINKING WORDS OF CONDITION (English Grammar Lesson, Anglolink):

You can also watch this episode:  CONDITIONALS    

SOLUTIONS to the USE OF ENGLISH exercise in the previous post: 
1. guilty    2. to   3. complaining   4. which    5. failed   6. unable   7. accompanied  8. about  9. being  10. made  11. from   12. such    13. except   14. had   15. way   16. rather   17. client  18. whole  9. income  20. food

Improving your English with Sites Maps!!!

Here's a new section in BBC Learning English where you can search for a grammatical, lexical... aspect of the English language, according to your level of English:

 

FIND THE GRAMMAR POINT YOU WANT WITH OUR NEW SITE MAPS

 

For example, if you want to work with suffixes in English, here's a very interesting link: SUFFIXES 

 

 

 

Listening exercise to do: Why do cities make us rude? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) and why does the countryside help you relax? Do you prefer the countryside or the big city? a village or a city?

 

Related BBC World Service podcast  >>>  Why do cities make us rude? 

 

The Why Factor (BBC World Service)  (good site to listen to podcasts about interesting topics)

 

Learn about how to ask natives anything!! with Lucy  >>>

 

 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

USE OF ENGLISH. Fill in the numbered gaps with appropriate words. Here are 10 of the missing words:  way ,  client ,  from ,  to  ,  complaining ,  accompanied  ,   made  ,   food  ,  about  ,  except

A 72-year-old widow, Mrs Frances Smith, pleaded (1) ______________ yesterday to causing unnecessary suffering (2) _______________ seventeen of the forty-four poodles which she kept in her small three-bedroomed house in the village of Wheatley.

 The court was told that Mrs Smith's neighbours began (3) ______________ to her more than six months ago about the dogs and the conditions in (4) ______________ they were kept. However, she (5) ______________ to do anything about it. Finally, one of the neighbours,  (6) ______________ to put up with the noise of the dogs barking all night, called in the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

An RSPCA inspector, (7) ______________ by a police officer, called on Mrs Smith last month and told her (8) ______________  the complaints. She claimed that she had only thirty dogs and they were all  (9) ______________  looked after very well. However, when a search was (10) ______________, it turned out that she had forty-four dogs, all of whom were in very poor condition, suffering (11) ______________ neglect and malnutrition.

The RSPCA inspector, Mr Tom Watson, told the court that seventeen of the dogs were in (12) ______________ a poor state that they had to be destroyed. All the others (13) ______________  one were found good homes. Mr James Douglas, defending Mrs Smith, said that she (14) ______________ never intended to harm the animals in any (15) ______________ . 'This case calls for understanding (16) ______________ than punishment. My (17) ______________  is a lonely confused old woman (18) ______________ only companions were her dogs. Her only (19) ______________  was a small pension, almost all of which she used to purchase (20) ______________ for them,' he said. 

Solutions in the next post

SOLUTIONS to the exercises in the previous post: 
Passive sentence into the active voice: Authorities expect hundreds of millions of people to be on the move this week.
A>> 1. of    2. to, about    3.to   4. from     5. for   6. from   7. with  8. for  9. about  10. in
B>> 1. complaints    2. barking    3.neighbourhood   4. defence     5. cruelty   6. intention   7. understanding  8. guilty  9. permission  10. decision 

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 170201 / 01 February 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: outrageous, looking into & hermit.

Chinese on the move!!!!

Why are there so many Chinese people travelling? Because they are heading home for the Chinese New Year. It is the Year of the Rooster.

Here are some articles to read about the issue:

• Chinese Lunar New Year: The billions of journeys (BBC)

• Chinese New Year 2017, year of the Rooster! What's your zodiac animal? (The Telegraph)

   

How would you transform this passive sentence into the active voice?

Hundreds of millions of people are expected to be on the move this week.

Listening exercise to do: Family history (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Rachel's English (American English) episode is dealing this time with the phrasal verbs we can form with the verb HOLD.

 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

A. VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS. Complete these sentences with the correct preposition.

1. Mrs Smith was accused ...... treating her dogs badly.
2. Many of her neighbours had complained ....... her ...... this.
3. The forty-four dogs all belonged ....... her.
4. The dogs suffered ....... malnutrition.
5. Her neighbours blamed her ...... the poor condition of the dogs.
6. They wanted to prevent her  ....... getting any more.
7. In court, she was charged ...... causing the dogs unnecessary suffering.
8. Sometimes people are fined large sums of money ....... this.
9. The court has not yet decided ...... her case.
10. The judge, however,  has said that he does not believe .......... punishment in cases like this.

B. VOCABULARY. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the word in CAPITALS.

1. She had ignored her neighbours' ..............         COMPLAIN
2. They had been disturbed by the dog's ............         BARK
3. It could be heard all over the  ..............         NEIGHBOUR
4. Her lawyer said in her ....... that she was lonely and confused.      DEFEND
5. He said this was not a case of deliberate ......    CRUEL
6. In other words, she had no  ....... of causing any suffering.      INTEND
7. He said he hoped the court would show some .......... of her condition.      UNDERSTAND
8. However, the court found her  .......      GUILT
9. The judge gave her ........  to keep only one dog for ten years.     PERMIT
10. Do you agree with this .......... ?   DECIDE


Solutions in the next post

SOLUTIONS to the Vocabulary exercise in the previous post: 
1. unexpectedly    2. informative    3.action   4. lengthens     5. suitable

Extremely important piece of news for our students in

Bachillerato (New Selectivity Exam)  >>

       Nota informativa de la Junta de Andalucía

Roger & Rafa, the old rockers are back!!

And both of them reached the final after beating Wawrinka and Dimitrov. The final was a great 5-set match where Federer managed to overcome a 1-3 in the final set and defeat Nadal. Thanks to both of them for such incredible tennis moments!!!

 

Federer and Nadal are already in the semi-finals in the Australian Open, so we may have another final between them.

Articles to read:

Roger Federer into Australian Open semis after win over Mischa Zverev (The Guardian)

Rafael Nadal revival rolls on with win over Milos Raonic at Australian Open (The Guardian)

VOCABULARY  >>>>  The word in capitals at the end of each of the following sentences can be used to form a word that fits suitably in the blank space. Fill each blank in this way.

Example: My teacher ................ me to take this examination.  COURAGE   (solution: encouraged)

1. We always have a bed ready in the spare room in case visitors arrive .............  EXPECT
2. The book does not say much about the prices, but is very ............ about everything else.  INFORM
3. The government is expected to take ........... against the level of unemployment.   ACT
4. They have added three new songs to the show, which ........... it by about fifteen minutes.    LONG
5. I am looking for a ........... gift for an old lady.    SUIT

Solutions in the next post   


SOLUTIONS to the WISHES AND REGRETS exercise in the previous post: 

1. I wish it had snowed in Salobreña yesterday.    2. If only I had a lot of money.
3. I wish I knew the answer to that question.      4. If only I didn't have to work in this terrible place.
5. I wish I could help you.    6. If only I were rich.  7. Don't you wish you could drive?
8. I wish I could speak English perfectly.  

LINGOHACK  >>>

Episode 170125 / 25 January 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: premature, wholesome & obesity.