Extremadura: staying in Spain's Paradors

Thanks to María Martínez Candela, fellow teacher and dearest friend, for sending this link. Don't miss it. We'll probably be working with it in class.

Down on my knees

Thanks to a dear friend, Leticia, for sending me this link to a beautiful song. I just wanted to share it with you folks!

For 4º B students (Tuesdays and Thursdays 18.00-19.40)

We are meeting for drinks on Wednesday 30 April, at 23.30 in the Plaza de España El Juli Kiosk, the one closest to Telepizza. As the old English saying goes, "The more, the merrier", so I'll see you there.

Spain's "Mum" minister takes critics by storm

With thanks to Concha Lana, again, who always supplies me with interesting material. Click here to read the article and print the activities below to do the exercises.

Spain’s “Mum” minister takes critics by storm

Vocabulary

As you read the article, match the following vocabulary with the most suitable translation:

1. Take sth / s.o by storm	a) Admisiblemente, por cierto
2. Stand to attention	b) (Mil.) Cuadrarse
3. Hastily	c) A toda prisa
4. Admittedly,	d) Albergar pensamientos machistas
5. Harbour machista thoughts	e) (Mil.) Asaltar / (fig.) Cautivar
6. Aim	f) Apuntar
7. Authoritative	g) Autorizadas, con autoridad
8. Smock	h) Blusón pre-mamá/baby
9. Sneer at	i) Burlarse de
10. Command	j) Comandar
11. Cabinet	k) Consejo de Ministros
12. Convene	l) Convocar
13. Summit	m) Cumbre
14. Fulfil	n) Cumplir
15. They had better …keep them to themselves	o) Es mejor que se los guarden
16. Stopover	p) Escala
17. Stampede	q) Estampida
18. Be delighted with	r) Estar encantado con
19. Affect	s) Fingir
20. Make some criticism	t) Hacer críticas
21. Attempt	u) Intento
22. Derision	v) Irrisión, risa
23. Coupled with	w) Junto con
24. Emergency measures	x) Medidas de emergencia
25. Seamstresses	y) Modistillas
26. Unaffected	z) Natural, sin fingimientos
27. Appoint	aa) Nombrar
28. Peacekeeping operations	bb) Operaciones de paz
29. Review	cc) Pasar revista
30. Chair	dd) Presidir
31. Parched	ee) Secas
32. Loose	ff) Suelto, holgado
33. Radio discussion	gg) Tertulia
34. Panel	hh) Tertulia (grupo de tertulianos)
35. Transfer	ii) Trasbordo
36. Notoriously	jj) Tristemente célebre

Now answer the following questions:

1. Why is Chacón’s trip controversial?
2. What do you think of the fact that the cabinet is mostly female?
3. What’s ABC’s position with respect to Zapatero’s appointments? What do you think about it?
4. What is Elizabeth Nash’s opinion about the whole thing?

If you, like me, like House, check this one out!

Hugh Laurie, very popular English comedian and actor, interviewed by Dave Letterman. Funny.

More about inventions

What do you think of this invention? You have the text and the audio. And then you can comment on what you think of it. Come on, don't be shy, post you comments!!!.

Great ideas from around the world

Thanks to Concha Lana I'm posting a new link to interesting podcasts from Reader's Digest. This time, American English. Click on this link; it will lead you to the podcasts page of RD, then click on the link with the title Great ideas from around the world and download the podcast. Here is an exercise you can do to help you understand:

World’s Great Ideas

Discuss:

· Think of inventions in the past that you consider great ideas because they have made our life easier.

· Now use you imagination to think of future inventions that will improve our lives.

We are going to listen to a programme called Great Ideas. Before listening, look at the vocabulary below, make sure that you understand it and try to predict what they are going to say about it:

• Owning a football team
• Soccer team
• Sneakers
• Germ detecting wipes
• Bio hazards
• Plantic
• Food packaging
• Biodegradable
• Corn starch
• Faucet
• Sustainable dance club
• Eco-friendly
• Hopping around
• Self-sustainable
• Toilets that flush with rain water
• ATM (Automated-Teller-Machine) for books.

Now listen and check your answers.

Good luck with it. If you need to use the dictionary, click here.

New link to a more than interesting resource. Short videos subtitiled in English and Spanish

An ex-student of mine, Pedro Colmenero, sends me through Jorge Gozalo, present PALE student, this interesting link. With so much on the internet, if you don't learn English it is because you don't have the time, or the interest.

Talking about stereotypes....

Well, you remember the other day we talked about the stereotype of blondes....Mª José, year 4 student - thank you, dear- sends this as an example of the stereotype. Incredibly incoherent speech. Have fun.

BBC - Radio - Podcasts - The Archers

BBC - Radio - Podcasts - The Archers: "Contemporary drama in a rural setting from the world’s longest running radio soap opera. Follow the lives of the residents of the fictional farming community of Ambridge" With thanks to José Ignacio, Portuguese teacher at the School, for recommending it.

If you want to learn a litle more about Scott's expedition

Thanks to Fernando Viñuelas, Year 4 student, you can see pictures of Scott's tent and supplies. Check it out, it's interesting.

Do you want to improve your pronunciation?

Thanks to Concha Lana, again, who keeps me posted on anything fascinating on the web. Click here, write any word you don't know how to pronounce, click "say it", and they'll say it for you. If you run the mouse over the picture, they'll follow it with their eyes. It is trully amazing. You can even choose the speaker. Try it. It's great!

Blanca Ayuso on the digital newspaper

This is for her and for those Year 4 students who had the good fortune of sharing the class with her. Click here to see how she's doing. Blanca, my dear, I miss you. And thank you, Concha, for sending me the link.

Films in original version: Europa S. XXI and II Festival de Cine Posible

Hi, folks. As some of you may know The School is collaborating with the Filmoteca de Extremadura and together we are going to show a few films in original version. This is the programme:

• Thursday 3 April. Vier minuten (Germany)
• Thursday 17 April. Le goût des autres (France)
• Thursday 24 April. This is England (United Kingdom)

The films start at 20.30 at the Centro Cultural Alcazaba.
Tickets: 1,00 € (if you have Carnet Joven: 0,50)

I recommend the II Festival de Cine Posible: you'll see short movies from different countries at the Centro Cultural Alcazaba , always at 20.30 from 8-10 April. If you like the cinema and you enjoy knowing different cultures, different realities, don't miss it.