HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Click here to watch the video about 'How to Survive a Family Christmas' on the excellent video website videojug.com. You can find all sorts of videos about Christmas on this website by clicking here. And if you particularly want to know how to make Christmas mince pies, click here. Remember 'mincemeat' does not have any meat in it! Of course, you'll have to make it yourself unless you go to one of the English supermarkets down south in Puerto Rico or el Tablero where they sell it.

If you want to find out a bit more about how Christmas is celebrated in the UK, then click here to do a webquest on a fantastic primary school website which tells you all you need to know and more! Feel free to surf the website - it's amazing and you can spend hours following up all its links. Click here to read the first of many pages about a British Christmas. If you want an idea of what Christmas cracker jokes are like, click here.

And finally, if you're in the mood for some singing, then here's the karaoke video to 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town.' Just remember that you have neighbours and close the windows before you hit the first note!

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY YEAR!
Why happy? Because the English lessons start again! Remember the half year proficiency test starts on the week of January 18th!!! See you on the 11th or 12th.

The North Pole and the Marathon des Sables

Here are two videos from 'youtube' about extreme races. You can watch these and do the tasks on the photocopy I gave out in class.

Here is the video about the very cold marathon in the North Pole.

And here is the video about the very hot marathon in the Sahara Desert.



So get training and apply to join the waiting list to compete in the next race!!!

UNIT 3A: Car Stories

Here are a few exercises from Unit 3A. You can practice the narrative past tenses by clicking here. To practise the vocabulary for cars and driving, click here. And to try to reconstruct the two texts about 'Bad Car Journeys', click here.

And finally, if you want to sing along to the song by Madness, 'Driving in My Car', then here is the video of this fun band from the '80s singing this hit.

Are you a perfectionist?

If you want to try to reconstruct the text 'Are you a perfectionist?' from unit 2C, you can do this exercise. Click here. Don't forget, there are two parts: part 1 and 2.

used to/ didn't use to, be used to, usually

Here's some interactive practice on the 'used to, be used to, usually' structures.

Modern Technology

If you like the topic of science and technology, you may be interested in this website about modern inventions such as the female urinal. Well, we try to cater for most tastes.

Eternal Youth

And for those of you who want to recycle to structures and vocabulary from the text in 2B about eternal youth, here's a reconstruction activity. If you like this, you can also change the option to do the same activity for part 2 of the text.

Future perfect and future continuous

Are you still confused about which future verb structure to use? Here's an exercise to help you. Enjoy it!

Science and Computers

Here's another link to the English File website - this time you can practise the computer and science vocabulary in a wordsearch. Have fun!

'Buttered scone Billy?' 'Yeah, and some Coffee, please'

A Short Film about Cowboys and Coffee.The 1950 classic Western 'Winchester 73' - directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart - has been ruthlessly cut down, the sub text removed and its true narrative revealed at last...caffeine addiction.



Ah, this explains a lot, Caffeine addiction and loaded guns, not a good mix.Now Tea is what they should have been drinking, then it wouldn't have been the 'Wild West', it would have been the'Mild West'.

Black Coffee

More than half of Americans drink coffee everyday. That's about 330 million cups a day. Some drink it for the flavor or the warmth, but most drink it for the caffeine.
Caffeine is one of the fastest acting drugs on the body, and many of us are thankful for it in the morning. As we found out, some coffees might be a bit more of a pick-me-up than others. Many of us need a little lift when starting our day. That's where a cup of joe can give you the jolt to get you going.

Thriller as you've never heard it.

If you haven't already been sent this youtube video link, here is Michael Jackson as you have never heard him. I always thought Mary Sánchez was thrilling!

Swine flu - 1976!!!

Ok so you thought swine flu was new, did you? Did you know it was around in 1976 and died out very quickly (rather than killing the entire population as the advert below seemed to suggest would happen). This was part of a major campaign based on fear to get a vaccination (a shot). It makes you think about how irrational fear can sometimes be provoked! Some bloggers think that it was a campaign just to get people to buy the vaccine and so bring profit to the pharmaceutical companies (in the USA anyway, where they don't have a public health service). They also think the same thing is happening again now. What do you think? Leave a comment.

10 Things about a Cold

Here's another text-building activity to revise your knowledge of words and structures from Unit 2A based on part 1 of the text we read: '10 Things about a Cold'. When you've finished, why not try part two of the text? Simply change the text selection title to 'Part 2'. Remember you can choose to omit anything from 25% to 100% of the words and see how long it takes you to reconstruct the text. Obviously it will help you to read the text beforehand. Good luck!

Yet another recipe - Carrot cake

I know, I know - the jornadas culturales are over and we've had our cake and eaten it! But I just couldn't resist sending you this link to a very traditional cake - carrot cake. Look at it and I'm sure you'll agree it looks completely irresistible.

Click here to find out how to make it. By the way, 'to have your cake and eat it' means to have two things which would normally be contradictory e.g. you want to save money and go on a cruise around the world so you want to have your cake and eat it! The idea behind this idiom is that if you have eaten your cake, you don't have it any more, but if you are greedy (or just plain lucky) you can still eat it again even after you've eaten it!!!

How to make perfect Irish scones

An Irish cook shows you how to make perfect Irish scones in less than three minutes
CLICK HERE to see an example of the recipes you can prepare to participate in the Cake Competition. Remember to send your cake recipe (as soon as possible) to arucaseoi@gmail.com and bring your cake on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Yummy!

Jornadas culturales - timetable

Click here to see the timetable of activities for the cultural days next week. Remember, you will be expected to attend in your usual lesson time (apart from the morning class which will all start at 9:30) but you are welcome to come to any other activity. We're looking forward to seeing you and can't wait to try out the cakes, read your mini sagas and join in the fun with you next week.

Ideas for mini sagas

click here for some hints to help you write a mini saga. We are looking forward to reading it. Remember to write exactly 50 words.

JORNADAS CULTURALES

YES!!! We are having some cultural days at the EOI Arucas and you are all invited to come. Activities will be on Tuesday and Wednesday evening and Thursday morning (17th-19th November). Of course you will be expected to come in your lesson time but you are free to come to any of the other activities - more information at the end of the week.

Meanwhile, you can start getting ready by preparing a cake recipe for the cake competition. Send it to arucaseoi.gmail.com and bring your cake to be judged on Wednesday evening (around 5.30) or Thursday morning (around 11am). Mmmmm - my taste buds are coming alive already!

If cooking isn't your thing, then why not take part in the mini saga competition? Write a story of no more than 50 words and hand it in to your teacher in order to compete. Here are two examples:

Nobody's Perfect

At school he had been no good at maths, but outstanding at writing and reading. But who needs arithmetic? He entered the competition with enthusiasm, and produced a brilliant, witty, profound, and paradoxical story. He was inspired. it was an absolute masterpiece. The judges sighed. Another one with 51 words.

Like Mother, like Son

1955

Dear Mummy

I hate this boarding school. Food awful, prefects bully me.

Please take me home.

Love, David.

.

Dear David
Nonsense! Chin up.

Mother

.

1997

Dear David
I hate this home. Food awful, nurses treat me like a child.

Fetch me immediately.
Mother

Dear Mother
Nonsense! Chin up.
David

Listening practice for health and fitness

Feel like doing some extra practice on the topic of health. Try out this interactive exercise about healthy habits and this one about an unfortunate accident. Good luck and happy listening. If you like these, then why not listen to more from the main menu on http://www.esl-lab.com/?

Zero and first conditional, and future time clauses.

Confused when to say 'unless' and 'in case' when referring to the future? Do you keep forgetting to use the present tenses after 'if' and then 'will' in the second half of the sentence? Well, this interactive exercise will help you to sort out a few of your problems. Click here to try it.

Your Local Pharmacy

Watch this video about the local pharmacy in Britain and decide which of the sentences on your photocopy are true. Answers to be given in class. This video comes from the National Health website www.nhs.uk . You can watch many videos about health and medicine to practise your listening skills in this area.

Firework night! 5th November.

5th November is a national celebration of a Catholic man called Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up the British Parliament in the 17th Century. He was caught, tortured and hanged. As a 'celebration', the British build bonfires and let off fireworks. I'm sure it's not a celebration of the death penalty or religious warfare, but is just an excuse for a firework display. In Britain, people aren't as used to fireworks as in Spain so there is always a lot of publicity to prevent accidents. Here is the official video telling people how to be safe. Click here to watch.

Swine flu - British advert

In Britain, the latest flu virus is still called 'swine flu'. 'Swine' is a formal word for 'pig'. Here's the 30 second advert to spread the slogan (and not the virus): 'Catch it, bin it, kill it' . You can watch it with or without the subtitles by clicking on the T to change the option. Click here to watch it.

Health and medicine vocabulary

Click here to practise health and medicine vocabulary from unit 2A.

A Sense of Humour

Can you reconstruct the text for 'A Sense of Humour'? Decide how many words you want taking out. But don't forget to read it beforehand! Click here for PART 1.


Now you've done the first part of the text, perhaps you'd like to try the second. Click on how many words you want taking out before you try to reconstruct the text. Click here to have a go.

Adverb Wordsearch

Can you beat the clock in this wordsearch which helps you to remember all those confusing adverbs? Click here to play.

Adverb Practice

If you still don't know where to put adverbs in a sentence, then click here for extra interactive practice.
Can you beat the clock in this wordsearch which helps you to remember all those confusing adverbs? Click here to play.

How To Get Rid of Halloween's Pumpkin Stuff

30 delicious ways to enjoy pumpkins before, during and after Halloween. And an opportunity to practise before the coming Cultural Week and win our famous Cake Competition. Good luck!

Media Vocabulary

Click here for a crossword to practise the words you have learn about the media.

Cambridge

Here's the link to the website about places to visit in Britain: www.visitbritain.com. Click here to see the page about Cambridge and click on the video to watch it. There is a slightly larger version of the video at the bottom of the page. Don't forget to do the exercise on your photocopy. Why not go to the homepage of the website and find out more about different parts of Britain? It's not a bad place to visit really!

Fame

Well, if you want fame, you'll have to practise... so here's the song!

ABBA text builder

Can you remember the text about Abba? Do this exercise by taking away 25%, 50% or 100% of the words. Type in words that you think go in the text and see if you can complete it. This is good practice for structures and vocabulary. Click here to do the exercise (unit 1B). After you have done part A, see if you can do part B.

The Winner Takes It All

If you are too shy to sing along in class, or just want to sing the song again, here is 'The Winner Takes It All' with photos of Abba.

Question Formation

Here's an exercise to practise question formation (unit 1B). Click here.

British Newspapers

Click here for a link to all the day's front pages of British newspapers. If you want to be redirected to the website for that paper, click on the front page. Can you see the differences between the tabloid and serious press? The front pages look different, don't they? Why not read an article and compare the styles? Which do you find easiest to understand?

There's a Girl in every Port

Do you recognise this place? This is a song from the film 'Wonderful Life' (1964) with the British singer Cliff Richard (he who sang 'Congratulations' in Eurovision). It was filmed in Las Palmas in Santa Catalina and Ciudad Alta in 1963. Enjoy it!

Mark's E-mail Mistake

This is a series from the BBC website for learning English. Click here to listen to phrasal verbs in the context of a mini-series. You can listen to one a day, or one a week and quickly learn how to use more phrasal verbs in conversations. In English we use a lot of phrasal verbs when we talk to one another so here you can see how people do it. Click on 'Audio' and you can listen to the series. Why not download it and listen to it on your MP3 player wherever you are or make up a CD and play it in the car? Copy the rhythm and pronunciation of the speakers.

Phrasal Verbs - Separable or Inseparable?

So you think you know all the phrasal verbs from Unit 1, do you? Well, do you know if they are separable or inseparable? Click here to test your instinct for what is write or wrong in English. Remember - if it is separable and you use an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, we, they), you HAVE TO separate it.


To practise the phrasal verbs from Unit 1, why not try looking for them in this wordsearch? Click here to play, but watch the time!!! Can you do the 3rd level?

Phrasal verbs 'Up, Up, Up'

This is an interesting podcast about phrasal verbs using the particle 'up'. Click here to read the text and listen to it at the same time by pressing the speaker symbol at the bottom of the page. Enjoy it and you'll soon see your level goes UP UP UP!!!

Name Game

Can you remember the texts you have read in Unit 1? Click here to see how much you can remember (unit 1A). Read the text, 'The Name Game Winners' again then choose to see it with 25%, 50% or all of the words missing. Write the words in the space under the text and press 'enter'. The words magically appear in the gaps if you write them correctly. This is excellent practice for your writing skills as you have to structure sentences. You also revise vocabulary and practise for exam gap-filling exercises. Good luck!

If you liked doing that, why not do part 2 of the same text?

Pronunciation BBC

If you want a bit of help with your pronunciation, why not follow the advice on the BBC website for learning English http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/?

Click here to watch the introductory video to the section on pronunciation. Do you know all the phonetic symbols? Do you practise individual sounds? Try practising the BBC lesson on the sounds you find hardest to pronounce.