Silence, I kill you!

Hi
Noel sent me this hilarious video, I hope you enjoy it...

If you want to read something funny and really odd, here's a piece of news about a cat being summoned for jury service! Have a good week!

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING

Would you like to improve your listening without too much effort? 

OK, here's something really awesome: if your browser is Mozilla Firefox, you can download a complement or extension called "Download helper" (absolutely free, as usual). Once installed, it will enable you to download any audio you hear, including podcasts!!!

Whenever there's something playing (or downloadable), these three little balls will start moving in your task bar. Just click on the icon and download the podcast. Try with this podcast from VOANEWS.COM (about learning with songs) or this other one from 6 Minute English  from the BBC: "Tea Drinking in the UK". Just play the "listen" button and watch the icon move, then just save it! If you want to read the script, it's on the right of the page.

A second option for you to practise your listening and your pronunciation, is to listen to songs. Where? You can either go to Youtube (and look for the songs with lyrics) or to goear.com , where some of the songs include the lyrics, like this one which I particularly like, Only Girl (In The World) by Rihanna. 

A third option is to install iTunes in your computer. It allows you to subscribe to your favourite podcasts and it downloads everything for you automatically every time you open it. There are losts of great podcasts you can subscribe to for free. You can download it from this page.

Now all you have to do is keep your podcasts in your iPod or MP3 player and listen to them while you're enjoying a walk along the beach, for example. Nice, isn't it? Enjoy! Please let me know if this helps you.

New Year's resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome back everyone!

Have you made any New Year's resolutions, or not yet? If you want to hear again the recording we listened to in class, visit the BBC page here.

Maybe one of your resolutions is to stop smoking, especially after the new anti-smoking law came into force on Jan 2nd.  This is what the BBC says about it. You can also read this article. This video from videojug proposes some techniques or tips to quit the habit.
What's YOUR OPINION? Please leave a comment (and sign it), speak your mind!

Finally, if you want to revise some narrative tenses, go here, here, here, here or here. This page and this one are also good practice. Good luck!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

For this year's last post, let's look into some interesting facts about Christmas which we read about in class:
- England: mummering. & crackers
- Scotland: Hogmanay  , First Footing & singing "Auld Lang Syne"
- Ireland: midnight mass, St Stephen's Day, Epiphany... and this is a wren

- Australia: the "Swag Man". He spends all winter under Uluru with his merry dingoes (wild dogs) and then at Christmas time, he gets in his huge four-wheel drive and sets off through the red dust to deliver his presents

- Canada: maple syrup            MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Do not forget to watch this video before you have your office Christmas party and have a look this one to survive a family Christmas.     .... ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY!!!!!

COLD OR FLU?

Watch this video from the NHS webpage to find out what the differences are. To do this listening exercise it is important you turn off the subtitles by clicking on the ‘T’ at the bottom of the video. Otherwise you will be practising reading; you can turn on the subtitles after doing the exercise to check what you heard.

Would you like to stay young forever? Then read this. Or would you like to live forever? Then listen to this song by Queen.

IMPORTANT WARNING

There will be NO CLASS tomorrow, Monday 29th November, at EOI Arucas because of the bad weather.

There will probably be class as usual on Tuesday 30th November, but  watch the news or read the press to make sure.

Take advantage of your "free" afternoon and do some extra revision or read your book. Have a good day!
Today TUESDAY 30TH there are lessons as usual.

JORNADAS CULTURALES

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS YEAR'S CULTURAL WEEK (24th-25th November)?

We have some COMPETITIONS for you:

1. BOOKMARKERS: please bring them to the school before Tuesday November 23rd. Don't forget to write your name and group at the back. 

2. PHOTOS FROM ARUCAS. See them in the advanced blog and follow the instructions there.

3. MINISAGAS: write a complete story in EXACTLY 50 words (without the title). People will vote the best ones during the week. Give it to your teacher before Tuesday too!

4. CAKES: have yours ready for Thursday 25th at 5.30 p.m.  Remember to email your teacher the recipe in English. We'll give a booklet with all the recipes to everybody who participates!

5. POEMS: write a poem in less than 55 words
programa
Miércoles  24
16.00  
- Aula 1  Password (básico)
- Aula 3:  ciclo de cortometrajes franceses (cine fórum)  Paris je t’aime
- Aula 4  Theatre Workshop (intermediate)
17.45  Café y té
18.00 
- Salón de Actos   BOLLYWOOD (se requiere ropa cómoda ¡nada de tacones!)
19.00  
- Aula 1  Charla : A  Year’s Turning: Britain and  Ireland Through the Seasons (intermediate & advanced)
- Aula 2  Who wants to be a millionaire? (básico)
- Aula 3: Taller de crêpes

Jueves 25 (mañana)
9.30 
- Aula 1: karaoke/ Who wants to be a millionaire?
- Aula 2: Workshop: Patchwork
- Aula 3:  Theatre Workshop
11.00   Aula 3  Concurso de Tartas

Jueves 25 (tarde)
16.00 
- Aula 1: pub quiz (intermediate & advanced)
- Aula 2 Workshop: Patchwork (básico)
- Aula 3: Concurso sobre cultura francesa
- Aula 4:  Who wants to be a millionaire?
- Aula 6:  Wer wird Millionär?
17.35   Concurso de Tartas. Café y té
- Libros de ocasión de Canary Books. Aprovecha las ofertas!
18.20  Presentación de juegos  malabares
18.45 
- Aula 1:  Password (básico)
- Aula 2:  Taboo (int & adv) Pili y Loli
- Aula 3: Taller de crêpes. Exposición de cultura francesa.
- Aula 6: Taboo. Comida típica alemana

CONDITIONALS

Hi

This is the presentation I used in class to revise CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. 

Conditionals 0 1 2 3
And don't forget to have a look at previous entries in this blog (grammar section) that revise this grammar point, they'll help you practise it.

This is beyoncé's video "If I Were A Boy", a great song and a wonderful example of the second conditional. You can also listen to the songs in the NB2 blog here and here.



 Now the question is... What would you do if you were... God? Please leave your ideas in a comment below!

GUY FAWKES

On November 5th, we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night in Britain.

Watch this video where historians discuss how terrifyingly simple the gunpowder plot was and what a narrow escape the government of 1605 had. 

This is the rest of the story. Notice the use of third conditionals to talk about the hypotheses about what would have happened if the plot had succeeded.

This is the poem that commemorates such a feat:

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot ;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below.
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God's providence he was catch'd,
With a dark lantern and burning match

Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!

Hip hip Hoorah !
Hip hip Hoorah !

A penny loaf to feed ol'Pope,
A farthing cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar,'
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head,
Then we'll say: ol'Pope is dead.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Once again, it's Halloween... if you would like to know a bit more about it, watch this video on Halloween history from esol courses and do the questions below the video, you can do them as you listen.

If you are thinking of throwing a Halloween party this weekend, here are some ideas (mostly for children, but anyway...the video is OK) and, remember, beware trick-or-treating and of pranks!  Have fun!!!