Happy New Year Everyone!!

Pedro, Elena and myself wish you a very Happy New Year and we dedicate this nice singing and dancing act to you!!

=]

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Writing Samples: A Nightmare Journey

Hello again!

I decided a while back that I would publish here some of your best pieces of writing. However, I never did!

Well, here they are. I picked these two, although I could have picked some others as well, but I will when you get a new assignment. I think if you read them you can really learn from them.

Enjoy!

1. A Nightmare Journey

I had a nightmare journey two years ago, when I was going to Madrid on holiday by car with my sister. We chose that city because our uncle worked there and he invited us to spend some days with him. It was the third of August and it was boiling! 

I drove and my sister gave me the directions, but suddenly we realized that we had got lost! We were in the middle of nowhere, no road signs, and no people. At least, we had food, drink, and the air conditioning worked! I drove for one more hour but it didn’t help. Moreover, we started to sweat, the air conditioning stopped working! My sister, who is asthmatic, couldn’t breathe well. I was driving nervously when I finally saw a road sign that said: Madrid 30 kilometres.  

We arrived in Madrid twenty minutes later. We were safe and sound, but exhausted! In spite of the journey, we had a good time there!

Pili Oller

2. A NIGHTMARE JOURNEY

I remember the event as if it had happened yesterday. My nightmare started when I arrived at Moscow airport.

My idea was to enjoy a fantastic holiday week in Russia but I could not.

The problem began at customs where two policemen stopped me. They asked me for my passport and, after some verification, they took me to a small room close to the gate.

I don’t know if I looked suspicious because of my casual outfit, but the thing is they arrested me and they didn’t stop asking me many questions in very bad English.

At that moment I started thinking about many Cold War films and a small smile was reflected on my face. The policemen saw the smile and thought I was laughing at them and then, they got very angry and took me to prison. I stayed in jail for three days in a tiny room shared with four more people.

Finally, the Spanish Embassy got me out and I came back to Spain.

Francisco J. Payá García

Wrap Rage

Hello there!

Now that it's Christmas time and the Three Wise Men day is nearing we'll get to open a few presents, won't we? Then we may experience wrap rage. Have you ever heard of it? Well, if you haven't and are interested in finding out, click on the links below to download a nice article about it and the audio so that you can listen to it while you read.

Wrap Rage Reading

Wrap Rage Audio

Auld Lang Syne

Hi there again!

Since not a lot of you came to the Christmas party (ehem... ehem...), I wanted to share here with you this popular song  people in English-speaking countries sing traditionally on New Year's Eve right after the clock strikes midnight. I think it has a nice message since it talks about old friendships. Its lyrics come from a poem by Scottish writer Robert Burns. If you want to find out more about it, just google it and do some research!

Its melody is famous everywhere too, since it's been used for TV ads and such.

Does it ring a bell?

I hope you like it!

  
And here's an extended and "more serious" version.

Sorry about the spelling mistake in the word families though!! :(

Test Dates and Lost!

Hi Christmassy folks!

How are things? I hope you're having a great Christmas and that you'll have a great New Year's Eve too.

I wanted to remind you of the test dates. They are as follows:

1- 25^th January: Reading + Listening

2- 27^th January: Writing + Speaking

3- 1^st February: Speaking

I don't know if we'll need one more day for your speaking tests, but we'll see in January when everybody signs up. On those days we DO NOT have classes. They are entirely devoted to the tests (I think that's more than enough, isn't it?). If you have any questions or doubts, please, use the comments section below so that I can give you an answer for everyone else to see.
I also wanted to apologise for not being able to play Viva la Vida on our last day, but I swear I'll play it first thing after the break! lol I'll also try to fix the problem with playing videos. 
But, on a brighter note, here you have another song that I love from their last album. It's called Lost!

Enjoy!!

Just because I'm losing

Doesn't mean I'm lost

Doesn't mean I'll stop

Doesn't mean I would cross

Just because I'm hurting

Doesn't mean I'm hurt

Doesn't mean I didn't get

What I deserved

No better and no worse

I just got lost

Every river that I tried to cross

Every door I ever tried was locked

Ohhh and I'm...

Just waiting 'til the shine wears off

You might be a big fish

In a little pond

Doesn't mean you've won

'Cause along may come

A bigger one

And you'll be lost

Every river that you tried to cross

Every gun you ever held went off

Ohhh and I'm...

Just waiting until the firing stopped

Ohhh and I'm...

Just waiting 'til the shine wears off (x3)

Grammy Nominees

Hi there again!

I'm ecstatic because the new Grammy Nominees in the category of Best Rock Album include three of my all-time favourites: Dave Matthews Band, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood and U2!!! How great is that? I'm really hoping one of them will get the coveted award! Anyway, I thought I'd post here two videos for you to enjoy their music too. 

But first, here's the list of nominees:

Best Rock Album
(Vocal or Instrumental. 
Includes Hard Rock and Metal.)

• Black Ice
  AC/DC
  [Columbia]
  
• Live From Madison Square Garden
  Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
  [Reprise/Duck]
  
• 21st Century Breakdown
  Green Day
  [Reprise]
  
• Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King
  Dave Matthews Band
  [RCA Records / Bama Rags Recordings, LLC.]
• 
  
  No Line On The Horizon
  
  U2
  [Interscope]
  

My heart is really with Dave Matthews Band, but anyone can make it!! 

Last summer I was lucky enough to attend one of their concerts in Lisbon. I totally loved it. They're huge in Portugal, by the way. That was a bit weird to me, since they're not famous in Spain at all. Here's the video for their uplifting song Shake me like a monkey. It always gets me in a great mood. 

I was there somewhere cheering in the crowd...

I also got to go to one of Steve Winwood's concerts, in San Javier this time. It was great. He's got such a gorgeous voice.

This video here is for the song Can't find my way home with my beloved Eric Slowhand Clapton.

You can't get any better than his, can you? =]

So, what do you think? Who's your favourite? What artists do you listen to?

Go ahead and leave your comments, this blog is only useful if you collaborate!!

One More NI1 Blog for You

Hi there!

I wanted to post here the link to the blog of one of my ex colleagues (but current friend). His name is Enrique Carrillo and he's working in Murcia now. You'll love it!

Enjoy! =]

Small Talk

Hi there everyone!

I'm posting here a link for you to download a copy of the pdf called Making Small Talk. It's really useful, although you must already know many of the sentences there. But anyway, it's good for you.

Enjoy!

Checking into a Hotel

Hi there!

I've selected a dialogue about checking into a hotel for my NB2s, but I think it can come in very handy to you too. It also comes with a pdf with very useful vocabulary and expressions that you can use for practice at home at your own pace. 

Click here to download the pdf.

Click here for the audio.

(For the dialogue you need to listen from min. 2:20 approx.)

 I hope you like it and use those expressions when you travel!!

Roads Crossword and More

Hi there!

Why don't you try your knowledge about roads by doing this great BBC crossword?

I'm sure you'll learn new words!

Then, when you're finished, you can learn new phrasals about travel and holidays. Just click on the links. It's easy but useful!

Enjoy!!

Black Friday: Shop 'til you drop

Hi there students!

Do you know what Black Friday is? If you don't, click on the following link to listen to Randall, a teacher from the US, telling you about it (click play when you're on his site).

It's interesting!

You can also do the activities he proposes.

Enjoy!

Lucky Turkey: Courage

Check this out! =]

After 10 months in office, President Barack Obama granted his first pardon — to "Courage," a turkey spared the Thanksgiving table.

The president said, "Thanks to the intervention of Malia and Sasha, because I was planning to eat this sucker, Courage will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate."

He said Courage was pardoned "before I change my mind" and will get to live out his life in Disneyland.

The First Thanksgiving

Hi there folks!

Below is the video I played today in class about the history of Thanksgiving. You can watch it again or for the first time if you didn't attend class today. You can ask me for the handout with the activities next week.

I hope you now know a bit more about the history of this big American family holiday.

Enjoy!!!

BBC RAW: Skills for Everyday Life

Hi there folks!

I've just had a tip from one of my colleagues in Mazarrón, Mª Carmen Cascales, for a new website by the BBC where you can practise your listening skills and learn vocabulary about the topics we deal with in class in a new and fun way!  

Click here to visit it and listen to Phil telling you about  how to use the site.

Click here for an example of a listening about shopping: Shop 'til you drop.

It's really cool!

Besides, if you click on the S button on the lower right-hand side, you can activate the subtitles.

You can't miss it! 

Enjoy! =]

Wonderful Website with Lots of Resources

Hi there again!

I've found a really comprehensive and useful website called Using English for learners (and teachers) of English and I think it can be of great interest to you, so I'm posting here the link for you to visit it and use it as a complement to our lessons. 

Check it out and enjoy!!!

Click here to find handouts to practise your grammar and more. (Yours is intermediate level).

For example you might be interested in practising your present perfect or even your phrasal verbs (although we haven't seen them in class yet, but we will).

Click here to find help for students.

Click here for intermediate reading comprehension (I recommend the readings about culture & travel, health, environment and nature and entertainment).

I hope you use it!!

Dog Auditioning for Turkey Role

Hi there!

Thanksgiving is almost here again and I found this funny video about an acting dog auditioning* for the role of a turkey.

Can you understand the main ideas? I hope you do! It's American English.

*Audition: perform to get a role in a film or play.

Shops and Shopping Handout Keys

Hi there!

You can now check your answers to the Shops and Shopping photocopy I gave you last week.

62.1 2. clothes / clothing

3. vegetables /'vedʒtəbəl/ 

4. furniture 

5. electrical appliances

6. jewellery 

7. toys

8. stationery

62.2 Butcher's: chicken, beef, pork.

Newsagent's: notebook, envelopes, newspapers (or papers), cigarettes.

Chemist: aspirin, paracetamol, plasters.

Supermarket: Grapes, bananas, carrots, bread, ketchup, toothbrush, shampoo.

Department store: gloves, armchair, suitcase, books.

62.3 1. butcher's

2. shopping centre (mall in AmE)

3. shop/ sales assistant

4. changing / fitting room

5. till / cash desk

6. window shopping

7. off-licence

8. chemist's / chemist / pharmacy

62.4 1. looking for

2. size

3. being served,

4. changing room

5. take it.

Money, Money by ABBA

Hi there again!

Last week your classmate Lola gave me the tip for one more song about money. It's Money, Money by Swedish group ABBA. 

Here it is together with the lyrics!

I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad?
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world

A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind
Ain't it sad?
And if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me
That's too bad
So I must leave, I'll have to go
To Las Vegas or Monaco
And win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world (x2)

Listening: Shopaholics

Hi there everyone!

I'm posting here a link to the listening I played in class about shopaholics. Remember it's taken from 6 Minute English, so it's six-minute long, but I only played the first 2:10 minutes. 

Click here to listen to it again and read the transcript. You can download both the audio and the script from the To take away box on the upper right-hand side of the site. 

 

Enjoy!

Money in pop music

Hi everyone!

We're dealing with money matters in class and we watched the video for Ka-chin  by Shania Twain in class, remember? Well, now I'm posting here three music videos whose songs talk about money and spending. The first one is an all-time classic by the great Beatles (although the song isn't theirs this time), the second is an 80's classic by Madonna and the last one is a more recent song I really enjoy by The Offspring. 

Different times but same issues...

They all have interesting lyrics, so check them out!!

Hope you like them! If you want to recommend any other song, feel free to do so. 

 The best things in life are free
But you can keep them for the birds and bees

Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want

You're lovin' gives me a thrill
But you're lovin' don't pay my bills
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want

Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want, wah

Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want

Well now give me money
A lot of money
Wow, yeah, I wanna be free
Oh I want money
That's what I want
That's what I want, well
Now give me money
A lot of money
Wow, yeah, you need money
now, give me money
That's what I want, yeah
that's what I want

 

Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me
I think they’re o.k.
If they don’t give me proper credit
I just walk away

They can beg and they can plead
But they can’t see the light, that’s right
’cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always mister right, ’cause we are

Chorus:
Living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl

end of chorus

Some boys romance, some boys slow dance
That’s all right with me
If they can’t raise my interest then I
Have to let them be

Some boys try and some boys lie but
I don’t let them play
Only boys who save their pennies
Make my rainy day, ’cause they are

(chorus)

Living in a material world [material]
Living in a material world
(repeat)

Boys may come and boys may go
And that’s all right you see
Experience has made me rich
And now they’re after me, ’cause everybody’s

(chorus)

A material, a material, a material, a material world,

Living in a material world [material]
Living in a material world

First Written Assignment Due 11th November

Hi there,

This is just a reminder for you to e-mail me or hand in to me your first writing. It's the assignment on page 17 in your student's book.

You need to write about 150 words and the deadline is Wednesday, 11^th November.

Remember to revise your work carefully once it's finished looking for grammar, spelling, punctuation and even coherence mistakes and follow the instructions I gave you in class.

See you!

Irregular Verbs

Hello again!

Here's one more document for you! 

Click here to download a copy of the irregular verbs list classified into different groups so that you can memorize them more easily (or so I hope). 

As you can imagine, the fourth column which is left blank is for you to write the Spanish equivalents, if you need to do so.

You can always make your own poster with them and put it up on your bedroom walls, for instance. It works. =]

I will also give a hard copy to Fran and it can go round the class.

Oh, and if you spot a mistake, let me know. I did it last year kind of in a hurry and I've revised it, but these things happen.

Enjoy!!

NI1 Objectives, Contents and Bibliography (09/10)

Hi there everyone,

Here's the document I showed you in class with this year's NI1 objectives, contents and bibliography. Remember to print out your copy or make a photocopy with the one I gave Fran.

This is important!

Click here for the document.

BBC Podcasts

Hi there!
Do you remember I told you about podcasts in class and how incrediby useful they can be to you? Well, here's a reminder for you to visit the BBC website with hundreds of free podcasts ready to go!
Download them and play them in your MP3, MP4 or computer. It's as easy as pie!

Now, if you feel they're still too difficult for you... don't worry! There are some of them especially created for students of English. =]
Click on the links below to see and download them. You'll love them!!

Talk about English

Improve your English vocabulary, grammar, and listening skills using everyday informal English. Updated every Thursday.

6 Minute English

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations. Published every Wednesday.

Grammar Challenge

Improve your English grammar. Available every Friday. 

Just as an example, last week's podcast (30th October) dealt with talking about future plans. This is the summary:

We learn more about using 'going to' and the present continuous to talk about our future plans - and about the differences between them.

I hope you follow my advice!!

EOIS' Claims

Hi there!

Here's one more article recently published in El País dealing with a hot issue regarding Official Schools of Languages and I thought it can be of great interest to you, students, and us, teachers.

It's obviously in Spanish, but please leave your comments or feelings about it in the comments section in English =]

I'd like to know your point of view!

Escuelas de Idiomas en pie de guerra

Murcian Mules Rule

Hi everyone!

I hope you're enjoying your Halloween weekend as much as you can, but don't forget we have a class on Monday, as usual!

Now, a colleague from the school in Lorca, Conchita Díez de Revenga, has sent me a very interesting link with an article published a few days ago in the British paper The Guardian about... Murcian mules!! Yes, I was surprised too.

Whoever could imagine that NATO* soldiers love them...? Well, click on the link below and read it. If you have questions, just let me know and I'll be glad to explain.

 New recruit destined for Nato force in Balkans: the Murcian mule

 * NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Sports: Skiing

Hi there!!

Some people really enjoy skiing (not me, though :P) and since we've been talking about sports for some days now, I'd like to share with you here a pdf document with vocabulary related to skiing (from the Hot English magazine).Click here to download your copy and here to download the mp3 file that goes with it so that you can listen to the conversation (it's AmE).

Enjoy!!!

History of Halloween: The Haunted History of All Hallows' Eve

Hi there folks!

Halloween is round the corner, as you already know. We'll do something about it on Thursday, so make sure to come to class. You won't regret it! =]

Now, just to get you in the mood and also to learn about the history behind the holiday, here's a very interesting listening activity I created last year with a great video I found on www.history.com.

Click on the links below for the file with the exercises and the video. 

 History of Halloween Video

 Listening Activities

 

When you're done with the activities, you can leave your answers in the comments section.

I hope you like it and learn from it!!

Oh, and it's American English!! 

Websites for Listening Practice

Hi there!!

I know EFL (or ESL) students often struggle with listening. I understand it can be quite trying, so I'm posting here a link for you to download a document with a sample list of some of the most famous websites for listening practice.
This document was created by American teacher Randall Davis and I couldn't thank him enough for letting other people use, edit and download it! 

I've edited it slightly and I hope it can be useful to you!!!

Oh, and I will tell you about podcasts in class in due time!

And, needless to say, if you know of yet more useful websites for listening practice, don't hesitate to tell me!

Very useful site to supplement your Student's Book

Hi again!

I've found a 
very useful site to supplement your student's book. It was created by Eugenia Ortega at Educantabria. Don't forget to check it out!! They might restrain the access to the site in the future, so make sure you don't miss it now.

Cheers!!

Silent Letters

Hi there!!

Today we'll do some pronunciation practice on silent letters in words related to food, so I'm leaving you here a link for you to download a sheet dealing with this. Make sure to print it, read it and keep it for future reference. It might be a good idea too to highlight those words that are more common for everyday use.

Once you have the sheet, you may want to visit the BBC Skillswise site to take a quiz, play a game, etc, about silent letters by clicking here.

Enjoy!! :)