Round 1 almost over!!

Our first term is coming to an end. Fortunately we have had all our classes face to face (in-person clases), at least those groups I teach. Despite all these tough times with the pandemic, we are all making a tremendous effort complying with all the security mesures at school and so far no cases have been reported to have anything to do with what happens inside our school premises.

However, we cannot be happy at all as we live locked down most of the time. At the moment we have to stay in our own local town and we are not allowed to meet any relatives or friends living outside our hometown. Times of solitude, loneliness. But, as the song below says "let's be lonely together!"

 

Here's a listening exercise for you to do about this issue:

6 Minute English:  Loneliness (BBC Learning English)

How many words do you know related to 'loneliness'?

Avicii - Lonely Together ft. Rita Ora (official video)

 

Some other activities for you to do: 

• 6 Minute Grammar:  Verb patters: LIKE, LOVE, PREFER or HATE   (BBC Learning English)

• Upgrade your vocabulary:  Stop saying VERY   (mmmEnglish)  >>  EXTREME ADJECTIVES
  

• English in a Minute:  4 English word pairs   (BBC Learning English)
  

LINGOHACK  >>>

• 
  Episode 201125 / 25 November 2020    >>>  Ban on new petrol and diesel cars in UK from 20230 -    Language related to 'cars'.  Need-to-know language: performance, top end, range, charge points & museum pieces.

 

 

For what it's worth

 

Do you know what "For What It's Worth" means? It is also the title of a song by the Buffalo Springfield and it has always been an anti-war protest song. Actually, it wasn't in the beginning. It was a consequence of a curfew, like the one we have nowadays due to the pandemic.

 

Here's the real story for you to read it:

‘For What It’s Worth’: Inside Buffalo Springfield’s Classic Protest Song (Rolling Stone Magazine)

For What It's Worth by the Buffalo Springfield (Music Video with lyrics & another one with lyrics both in English and Spanish). 

 

 

 And it was also part of the soundtrack of the film Forrest Gump (the best scene in the film)

Why the race to find Covid-19 vaccines is far from over (The Guardian)

 

In a few days' time we are coming to our deadline to hand in compositions/writing exercises, making comments... so pay attention to the listening exercise I propose and the other activities: 

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Let's talk about lateness   (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• News Review: Calls for ban on 'anti-vax' social media (BBC Learning English)

• Very useful for you:  22 ‘LOOK’ Expressions & Phrasal Verbs: look up to, look back on, look as though + MORE!   (mmmEnglish)
  

• English in a Minute:  4 verbs to use instead of 'walk'   (BBC Learning English)
  

• Learners' Questions: 'LIE' , 'LIE' or 'LAY' (BBC Learning English)
  

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201118 / 18 November 2020    >>>  Polar bear moves house! -    Language related to 'animal conservation'.  Need-to-know language: captured hearts, baby steps, bring into the world, fingers crossed & settling into.

 

No matter how...

No matter how tough the situation becomes, we will face it and defeat it. Watch this commercial and pay attention to the vocabulary used.

 

 

Viruses will never defeat humans - Seegene

 

How Hard I Try by Filous ft. James Hersey (Official Music Video).

Some other activities for you to do: 

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Could you be victim of online fraud?   (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• News Review: Kamala Harris: First female US vice-president (BBC Learning English)

• Learn about time expressions:  15 Time expressions   (English with Lucy)
  

• English in a Minute:  4 ways to exaggerate like a Brit   (BBC Learning English)
  

•  Learners' Questions: Using 'FOR' & 'TO' for reasons WHY (BBC Learning English)
  

 

Some articles for you to read about US elections:

• US election results 2020: Joe Biden wins presidency, defeating Donald Trump (The Guardian)
  

• Biden overtakes Trump to win presidency (BBC News)
  

• Biden begins transition plans as Trump refuses to concede (CNN)
  

• Trump's refusal to accept loss puts transition work on hold as inner circle remains split (CNN)
  

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201111 / 11 November 2020    >>>  Koalas return to the wild -    Language related to 'wildlife'.  Need-to-know language: survive, ecology, raise, joey & thrive.

On the right way!!

 

On the right way... Yes, on the right way to SUCCESS!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to our students at the IES Mediterráneo (Salobreña) for their good results in their B1 and B2 exams at the Official Language School: Ana Muñoz (2º Bachillerato) has passed her B2 exams and these students in 1º Bachillerato have passed their B1 exams at the Official Language School: Nuria Díaz, Lucía Espinosa, Susana Pérez. As you can see, taking into account all those who passed a month ago ( Can flowers make bees smile?  ), we have a total of 11 students in the level of 1º Bachilleratoand 9 students in 2º Bachillerato that have already got their B1 and so have 8 students in 2º Bachillerato, four of whom have also got their B2. 

And latest wonderful news: Sofía has just got her C1 (Cambridge)!!!!

 

 

However, that does not mean we are at the end of the road. This is just the beginning of a road: THE ROAD TO SUCCESS!!! as we have many other goals ahead: having the best of marks both at school (  English in a Minute:  'At school' or 'At the school' (BBC Learning English)  ) and in Selectivity, and getting their B2 (especially those students in 1º Bachillerato) next June. That's the way our great Rafa Nadal faces life so as to get such incredible results in life. 

 

 

 

'Could that potentially be the   turning point' in your lives as it happened in the 1000th Rafa's victory when playing against Feliciano López? This was Nadal when he was just 16!!!

 

 

Rafa Nadal in Challenger (16 years old) - 2003

 

 

Some other activities for you to do: 

• A listening exercise for you to do about CLIMATE CHANGE:  Melting ice sheet: Is it too late?   (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• News Review: US election day 2020 (BBC Learning English)

• Learn about time expressions:  15 Time expressions   (English with Lucy)
  

• Learners' questions:  Using FOR & TO for reasons why (BBC Learning English)

 

Some newspaper articles and pieces of news on the US elections:

• Joe Biden narrowly ahead of Donald Trump as count continues (The Guardian)
  

• US Election: How can America reunite after this race? - BBC Newsnight

• US Election 2020: Trump claims 'historic election interference' - BBC News

 

 

LIVE CBS Special Report 2020 presidential election (BROADCASTING RIGHT NOW)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201104 / 11 November 2020    >>>  Restoring an English cathedral -    Language related to 'restoration'.  Need-to-know language: spire, parapets, stonemasons, forebears & artisans.

Eating less meat could save 45,000 lives a year, experts claim

Some articles to read about the issue:

• WHO links processed meat consumption to cancer (Aljazeera)

• Processed meats rank alongside smoking as cancer causes – WHO (The Guardian)

However, read about the reactions in Argentina:

• 
  Argentinians react to report linking meat to cancer: 'I'd rather die than give it up' (The Guardian)

What does WHO stand for? 

And some time ago we posted this in this blog:

• Eating less meat could save 45,000 lives a year, experts claim.

Joint of honey roast ham

 Read the article and write a comment about your eating habits or anything about the issue.

And finally. LINGOHACK:   Episode 151028 / 28 Oct 2015 

What will happen in the future? Here's an exercise on the FUTURE PERFECT tense.

   

"Shaken, not stirred"

That's the way Sean Connery used to ask for his Martinis when he played the role of James Bond. 

 

Interesting fact: Connery was a keen footballer, having played for Bonnyrigg Rose in his younger days. He was offered a trial with East Fife. While on tour with South Pacific, Connery played in a football match against a local team that Matt Busby, manager of Manchester United, happened to be scouting. According to reports, Busby was impressed with his physical prowess and offered Connery a contract worth £25 a week (equivalent to £703 in 2019) immediately after the game. Connery admits that he was tempted to accept, but he recalls, "I realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and I was already 23. I decided to become an actor and it turned out to be one of my more intelligent moves."

 

However, we are actually SHAKEN by the terrible piece of news about the death of this famous Scottish actor (former football player and member of the Royal Navy) and which has been broadcasted  all around the world. Watch the news as given in different channels:

• Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90 (BBC News)
  

• Sean Connery dies, iconic “James Bond” actor passes away at 90 (CBS)
  

• This Is Why We Never See Sean Connery Anymore    by Nicki Swift
  

• Sir Sean Connery, Scottish actor who brought James Bond to the big screen, dies aged 90 (Euro News)
  

Apart from the James Bond films in which he participated, here are some of the films in which he played important roles:

 

Indiana Jones: Harrison Ford Reveals Why Sean Connery Was Perfect Casting

 

(RIP Sean Connery) We Recap His Amazing Life!   

 

INTERESTING NEWS FOR YOU!!!!

As you may have noticed, Sean Connery had problems losing his hair, that is to say, he was becoming bald. Hair implants are the best solution to offset the effects of baldness. Here's a most revealing document about a Spanish company which carries out these treatments and whose semantic field may be useful for you: 

Hair transplants by Centro Med   (Centro Med Transplante Capilar)

Top 10 Sean Connery Performances

 

 

He was from Edinburgh and very proud of being Scottish, as we can see in the following documents:

• Homecoming Scotland 2009 (feat. Sean Connery)

  

• Sean Connery's Edinburgh (1982) - extract | BFI National Archive

• Sean Connery and the History of the Kilt on CBS Sunday Morning

 

By the way, have you noticed the way 'Sean' is pronounced (check here)? And what is the name in English?

Stay strong, stay healthy!!!

As we haven't done things properly, now we have harder laws, bans.... We thought this pandemic was just a joke and now here we are, back to square one (LOCKDOWN II). We have to start all over again to make the figures of infected people and deaths go down. (What does the expression 'back to square one' mean?)

Listen to this song by Survivor and pay attention to the lyrics. RESILIENCE is the key word!!!!

   Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (Official Music Video and the one with images from the film Rocky III).

 

 

Let's start with some activities for you to do: 

• Listening exercise:  Coronavirus: Dealing with mass unemployment  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

• Another listening exercise: WALKMAN: The music player revolution (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

• English in a Minute:  When to use 'the' to talk about places (BBC Learning English)

• MmmEnglish tells us how to say and use:  English Abbreviations such as ASAP, FOMO...     

   

   

Some articles for you to read about 'mass unemployment':

• 'What am I supposed to do?': Covid-19 sparks mass unemployment across US (The Guardian)
  

• 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the last four weeks (CNN)
  

• Unemployment rate: How many people are out of work? (BBC News)
  

News Review: China's Covid Economic Recovery   (BBC Learning English)

A good piece of advice to stay strong is to watch News Review and see if 'Running can help you live longer"  

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201028 / 28 October 2020    >>>  Camping on a cliff edge -    Language related to 'business activities'.  Need-to-know language: cooped up, transformed, diversified, saving grace & adapt.

Dreaming

Do we need a 'dreamcatcher' to make our dreams become a reality? Maybe not. Here are two examples:

• Could humans live in underwater cities? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• Plans to land first woman on the Moon (Lingohack)

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201021 / 21 October 2020    >>>  Plans to land first woman on the Moon -    Language related to 'exploration'.  Need-to-know language: sustainable, conduct, collaboration, a giant step & discoveries.

 

 

Some articles for you to read about the issues:

• Who’d like to live under the sea? (The Guardian)

• Podcast on BBC News: Could humans live in underwater cities? 
  

• 

  Nasa unveils spacesuits to be worn by first woman on the moon (The Guardian)
  

• NASA outlines $28 billion plan to land the first woman on the Moon by 2024 (CNN) and the same piece of news on the BBC News.
  

   Dreamer by Supertramp (Music Video with lyrics).

I do hope that by the end of the year your dreams come true and that the pandemic is over, we are all safe and sound, and that you get the best possible mark!!!  

What are your dreams (if you have any)?

And some other activities for you to do: 

• Listening exercise:  Grandma therapy in Zimbabwe  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

• 6 Minute Grammar: The Present Perfect Continuous (BBC Learning English) 

• English in a Minute:   WILL vs BE GOING TO   (BBC Learning English) 

• The English We Speak:  Do you like Chinese food?    (BBC Learning English)

English with Lucy  >>>  AVOID repeating 'SAID' - 50 best alternatives through STORY!

 

 

Tennis  >>>

  Rafael Nadal: Best Point of Every 20 Grand Slams Won 

 

Dogs tracking COVID-19

 

No need to take PCR tests when we have our beloved friends the dogs around. They are believed to be able to track people infected by Covid-19 virus. Just amazing!

 

Here are some articles for you to read about the issue:

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• 
  Episode 201014 / 14 October 2020    >>>  The dogs sniffing out Coronavirus -    Language related to 'smell'.  Need-to-know language: sense of smell, olfanction, sniff out, odour & detect.

 

• Researchers trained dogs to sniff out COVID-19 infections in just a few days (CBS News)
  

• Coronavirus: Trial begins to see if dogs can 'sniff out' virus (BBC News)
  

• Covid-19: training dogs to sniff out the virus (The Guardian)

 

Maroon 5 - Girls Like You ft. Cardi B (Official Music Video)

Some activities for you to do: 

• Listening exercise:  Hacking help for US elections  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute: WOULD RATHER for preferences  (BBC Learning English)

• Take an English Class:  The First Conditional   (BBC Learning English)

• 6 Minute Grammar:  The bucket list (PRESENT PERFECT)   (BBC Learning English)

American English:  Understanding the US Elections 2020  // US presidential election: can you trust polls?   

 

Here are some Easy Daily Study Routine to Improve English - DO THIS DAILY for FAST results!  (English with Lucy)

 

mmmEnglish revising English Auxiliary Verbs | BE, DO & HAVE    

Tennis  >>>

  Top Reactions of Tennis Commentators on Nadal 

 

He'll still be there, as usual!

I mean Rafael Nadal will be again in Paris for his 13^th final at Roland Garros. Apart from Roger Federer, he will be facing his most challenging rival: Novak Djokovic.

 

 

This guy is relentless, UNBELIEVABLE!!!!  "He is unstoppable on clay". I wish him the best of lucks and I hope you can enjoy a great match.

And he did it for the 13th time!!!

 

Rafael Nadal | Best Plays | Roland Garros 2020 | Eurosport

 

Kia and Rafael Nadal #TakeOn20 (Highlight) | Kia

 

Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic | Roland Garros 2020 | Final Highlights | Eurosport

 

 

Roland Garros the perfect venue for Nadal to be level best with Federer (The Guardian)

Rafael Nadal demolishes Novak Djokovic to win 13th French Open title (The Guardian)

 

 What Roger Federer wrote on Twitter after Nadal's win:

“I have always had the utmost respect for my friend Rafa as a person and as a champion. As my greatest rival over many years, I believe we have pushed each other to become better players. Therefore, it is a true honour for me to congratulate him on his 20th Grand Slam victory.”

 

Rafael Nadal - Most emotional crying moments

 

 

 

Rafael Nadal - Unbelievable Points 

 

Djokovic's gift to unsettle threatens Rafael Nadal's kingdom (The Guardian)

It’s Djokovic-Nadal Yet Again. But This French Open Duel Is Not Like the Others. (New York Times)

 

News Review: Nadal wins 20th Grand Slam (BBC Learning English)

 

Changing topics, this year we have in 2º Bachillerato the reader A Foreigner in New York and we will be revising some American English, so here's an activity to revise some American English:

U.S. election vocabulary (BBC Learning English)

 

And some other activities for you to do: 

• Listening exercise:  Do chimps have the same emotions as us?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

• Take an English class: The Present Perfect Continuous (BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute:  FORGET TO DO vs FORGET DOING   (BBC Learning English)

• 2 REVISION ACTIVITIES:  Do you like Chinese food?   &  FREQUENCY ADVERBS (BBC Learning English)

 

  Van Halen - Jump (Official Music Video). This guitarist has just passed away and we'll always remember him for these songs.

 

 

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 201007 / 07 October 2020    >>>  Jet pack medics to the rescue -    Language related to 'Medical emergencies'.  Need-to-know language: critically ill, paramedic, rapid response, cardiac arrest & defib (defibrillator).

 

Rafael Nadal - Never give up no matter the result!!!

 

 

Top 5 Rafael Nadal's Matches - Roland-Garros and what some people have said about him: McEnroe, Nico Almagro...

 

Thank You Rafael Nadal | Emotional Tribute  

Project on A Foreigner in New York by Desirée Rodríguez (2º Bach A)