MORE PICS!!!

Lunch in Cala Cortina. For the no superstitious: Friday the 13th.
Jose Fayos: I left out two of the pictures, I wonder if it was a kind of revenge. You'd better delete them if you don't want to get into trouble! (Just kidding!).

PICTURES (Dinner 5th June)

Thank you for the pictures Leticia!!!

TIMETABLE.

First of all, thank you very much for organizing dinner last week and for coming (especially those who were very busy or had exams!). I had a wonderful time!

Second, this week my timetable is as follows:

Tuesday 10th of June. I'll be at the EOI from 11.00 to 13.00. (Approximately).

Friday 13th of June.
-Year 4 exams revision from 10.00 to 12.00. Room 5.
-Year 2 exams revision at 12.00. Room 3.

*Your marks will be on the board next to room 5 on the 13th of June.
*Complaints: 23rd and 24th of June from 9.30 to 13.30. (Secretaría).

DINNER TONIGHT!!! 5th of June.

Hi everyone!!!

At last you can feel relieved. You are free, not only from lessons and exams, but also from me!

Tonight we are having dinner at Alameda Tapas at 21.15 to celebrate our wonderful adventure during a whole year, and our survival!!!

I hope many of you join us, so that I can enjoy your delightful company once more.

See you then!

Ana. xxx.

PS: If you would like to have lunch on the 13th of June, we can also organize that. I know you are very busy with your exams, but if you have the time for lunch on that day: write your name on comments for this post and we will talk about it that day.

ORAL EXAMS LIST. 5th of June. Room 5.

9.00-10.00
1.Beatriz Rodríguez González.
2.Mariola Martínez García.
3.Cristina Molina López.
4.Belén garcía Manrubia.
5.Jose León Padilla Alcaraz.


10.00-11.00
1.Jose Fayos Fernández.
2.Ángel Cortés Mora.
3.Fulgencio López Agüera.
4.Cristina Calderón Agredano.
5.Daniel Fernández García.

11.00-12.00
1.Marina Salmerón Sánchez.
2.Leticia Ballesteros Carrasco.
3.Celia Sánchez Serrano.
4.Susana Carbonell Olivares.
5.Marina Forca Rosas.

12.00-13.00
1.Miguel Ángel Giménez Sánchez.
2.Elena López Galiana.
3.MªDolores Martínez Molina.
4.Gabriel Martos Sánchez.

Don't worry about the exam! It will be a nice chat with me!
Take care!

Ana. XXX.

HOT TOPICS.

This is a list of questions about the topics in your book which may appear in the speaking or writing exams. Obviously, these are not the questions in the exam! Just the ones in the Teacher's Book. Sorry!!!

TEST 1 (Files 1 & 2)
1.What is the stereotype of people from your country? To what extent do you personally conform to the stereotype?
2.What ingredients do you think a music group need to be successful?
3.Have people from your country got a good sense of humour? What kind of things make them laugh?
4.What do you think of the national health service in your country? Do you agree with private medicine?
5.What do you think are the most important things to keep yourself young mentally and physically?
6.Do you know any people who are addcited to their work or hobby? Describe them.

TEST 2 (Files 3 & 4).
1.How important do you think reading is in today's world? What is the best way to encourage children to read?
2.Do you consider ... to be dangerous? Why(not)?
a)using mobile phones
b)skiing or sailing
c)travelling on your own
3.What's your favourite period of history? Why?
4.Do you think that the fashion industry has a good or a bad influence on young people today?
5."Even today there are still certain jobs that are better done by just men or women". Do you agree?
6.If you could design your ideal home, what would it be like?

TEST 3 (Files 5 & 6).
1.Do you think people treat animals well in your country? Why(not)?
2.Do you think you have a good memory? Why(not)? Describe one of the happiest memories from your childhood.
3.Are people in your country superstitious? What kind of things do they believe in?
What's your opinion of the following:
a)faith healers b)clairvoyants c)UFOs
4.What kind of crimes have increased in your country in recent years? Why do you think this is?
Have you ever been witness to a crime? What happened?
5.In what circumstances do you think it is justifiable to tell a lie? Why?
6.Are young people in your country addicted to "brand names"? Which ones? Why do you think these brands are so successful?

TEST 4 (Files 1 to 7).
1.Describe a favourite shop or restaurant. What is it about it that makes you want to go back there?
2.In what ways does the American way of life influence your country?
3.Have you ever seen any film or theatre productions of Shakespeare's plays? Which one(s)? Did you enjoy it/them? Why (not)?

Hopefully you find them useful and clarifying.
See you soon! Lots of love,

Ana.

LATEST NEWS!

Dear and lovely students,
first of all I just wanted to remind you that there is no lesson tomorrow (3rd of June). Sorry for the ones who were looking forward to it!
I'll be in the School in the afternoon in case you have any doubts or questions. If you would like to see me, I'll be in the English Department (first floor) from 5 (probably a bit earlier) to 6 o'clock. After that time I have to supervise an exam, so I won't be able to solve your doubts.
Second, regarding dates as you know the exam is on the 4th of June in Room 13. That is for the writing, listening and reading papers.
As for the speaking exam, it will take place on the 5th of June in the morning. I will appoint all of you that morning, 5 people every hour, from 9a.m. to 1p.m. I will let you know your turn and time (exactly) the day of the written exam.
Take care!

Ana. xxx.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 7.

GRAMMAR

1.
1.like; 2.As; 3.as; 4.as; 5.like; 6.as/like

2.
1...smells like chicken.
2(right)
3...sounds as if...
4...tastes delicious.
5(right)
6(right)
7...like a baby's.

3.
1.I was given this necklace by my brother.
2.It was said that the President was/had been murdered.
3.He was asked to come for an interview.
4.It is thought that the Queen is going to retire.
5.I've been told you're getting married.
6.It has been said that he'll never play again.
7.We were invited to the Royal Palace.

4.
1.The book was so long (that) I couldn't finish it.
2. It was such a beautiful day (that) we had lunch in the garden.
3.He drove so fast (that) the police couldn't catch him.
4.It was such good news (that) we decided to celebrate.
5.He's such an interesting person (that) everybody loves listening to him.

VOCABULARY

5.
1.dry; 2.tasteless; 3.dim; 4.sweet; 5. soft; 6.loud; 7.smart; 8.weak.

6.
1.product(the others are all companies).
2.staff(refers to a group of people,the others are all individuals).
3.employee (the others are all words for bosses/employers).
4.profit(the others all refer to losing money).

7.
1.freedom; 2.responsibility; 3.friendship; 4.death; 5.pride; 6.leadership;
7.childhood; 8.choice.

8.
1.like; 2.of; 3.as; 4.on; 5.in.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 6.

GRAMMAR

1.
1-pressing
2-trying/tasting/having/drinking
3-cutting
4-to learn
5-to buy/to get
6-to send
7-leaving
8-to clean

2.
1...to eat any more.
2...to go skiing.
3...for being late.
4...to meet there at 3.30.
5...not to buy it.
6...paying for the meal.
7...stealing/having stolen/that he had stolen their car.

3.
1.h; 2.e; 3.f; 4.j; 5.b; 6.a; 7.d; 8.i; 9.c; 10.g.

VOCABULARY

4.
1.hijacker(the others all steal things).
2.smuggler(the others are all crimes).
3.verdict(the others are all people).
4.guilty( the others are all verbs)
5.fine(the others are all places)

5.
1.truth
2.liar
3.cheated
4.pretending
5.keeping

6.
1.promise
2.threaten
3.remind
4.warn
5.recommend

7.
1.make
2.go
3.do
4.advertise
5.set up

8.
1.music magazine
2.business deal
3.brand name
4.cartoon characters
5.weather forecast

PRESENTATIONS.

Dear students,

on Thursday it's "presentation time"!!! So, you can prepare a five-minute presentation about any topic that you have to study for your exam. This experience will be a good practice for the oral exam. You will have to speak for five minutes and your classmates may ask you questions.

It's an optional task that I highly recommend. You won't regret it!!!

Thanks a lot for your cooperation!

Ana Martínez (for a change!).

P.D.: Remember to hand your formal letters (homework) on Thursday. Otherwise I may have no free time next week to correct them before you sit the exam.

Correction time guys!

Hi again! No, I didn't forget you! As you may pressume I've been busy as a bee and I couldn't post anything for some time. To start with I "owe" you some corrections. Here they are!

TEST 2 (Files 3 and 4):

GRAMMAR

A
1.my car repaired
2.have got lost
3.been waiting for
4.have been at home
5.have told me
6.had tried on
7.not have existed
8.the more money you'll earn
9.would have got to the top
10.you wouldn't phone
B
1...an old brown tracksuit
2...have our kitchen redecorated
3.He can't have forgotten...
4.The sooner you...
5.(Right)
6.People think...
7.(Right)
8...give some advice
9.(Right)
10.I might have left it...
C
1.decided
2.were playing
3.had sent
4.were decorating
5.had been painting
6.realized
7.had stopped
8.rushed
9.were adimiring
10.had just finished

VOCABULARY

A
1.general election
2.soldiers
3.loose
4.slippers
5.bargain
6.immature
7.equal rights
8.fence
9.lock
10.detached

B
1.furious
2.filthy
3.terrified
4.delighted
5.starving

C
1.goes
2.off
3.put
4.over
5.looking

D
1.lost;missed
2.seem;looked
3.robbed;stole
4.mind;matter
5.discuss;arguing

PRONUNCIATION

A
1.gloves
2.lose
3.looks
4.furniture

B
1.immaTURE
2.DIScount
3.deSIGNer
4.discrimiNATion
5.luXURious
6.GOVerment

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 5

GRAMMAR
1
1.have you taken, I've finished
2.Have you been going, I've only had it
3.I've been looking, I haven't found
4.have you been doing, I've been working, I've planted

2
1.everything
2.each
3.every
4.(both are possible)
5.all

3
1.no, anything
2.anywhere
3.none
4.any
5.none

4
1.The friend I'm staying with is very nice.
2.Mark failed his driving test, which was a pity.
3.The hotel we're staying in is very noisy.
4.I can't hear what she's saying.
5.What I hate about the sales is that there are so many people.

VOCABULARY

5
1.bee
2.whale
3.kitten
4.cage
5.hunt
6.environment
7.wing
8.zebra crossing

6
1.unfortunately
2.memorize
3.improvement
4.terrified
5.communication
6.useless
7.adorable

7
1.clairvoyant
2.future
3.horoscope
4.spooky
5.coincidence

8
1.blind
2.match
3.fit
4.lie
5.court

That's all! I hoped you got many of them right!

Ana Martínez.

"Gorillas in the mist"

This film is based on a true story. A sad one. Have you seen it? There is a picture of it in your book (p/74). In this video you can see some of it and listen to some English at the same time. There are longer videos on You tube, all of them waiting for you if you want to find out more!


Could you identify any words related to animals, conservation and environment? Write them down please! I'll ask you in class.

Ana was here!

ANIMAL IDIOMS.

1.These idioms are based on compound nouns related to animals. Match the idioms with their meanings:
A person who...
a)is "a dark horse"
b)is "a lone wolf"
c)is "a cold fish"
d)is/acts "as a guinea pig" /'gini pig/
e)is "a party animal"
f)would love to be "a fly on the wall"

is...
1-someone who acts as a subject in an experiment or trial of something
2-someone who is clever or skilful in a way that no one knew or expected
3-someone who would love to be present to see an important private or secret event
4-someone who loves parties and socialising
5-someone who does not mix socially with other people
6-someone who is not very friendly and does not show their feelings



2.Cats and dogs.Match the situations (idioms used with things, people or impersonal constructions) with their meanings:

a)If something "goes to the dogs"...
b)If you "let the cat out of the bag"...
c)If you "put the cat among the pigeons"...
d)If there is "not (enough) room to swing a cat"...

1-You create a crisis or a problematic situation
2-It goes from a good situation/condition to a bad one
3-There is very little room or space somewhere
4-You accidentally tell people a secret/something you should not tell them



3.Use a dictionary to find the missing words in these animal idioms and make a note of the meanings:

a)Take the bull by the...
b)Kill two birds with one...
c)At a snail's...
d)Like a bear with a sore...
e)A ...'s breakfast.

To be continued...

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 4 (p/69).

GRAMMAR
1.
1-dark curly
2-(right)
3-hideous pink
4-(right)
5-gorgeous 16th century
6-(right)

2.
1-The more tired you are, the more mistakes you make.
2-The angrier she gets, the more she shouts.
3-The nearer the centre you live, the more expensive it is.
4-The sooner we start, the sooner we'll finish.

3.
1-hadn't gone
2-could
3-hadn't told
4-would help/helped
5-would play

4.
1-some
2-is
3-some
4-many
5-some
6-Is

5.
1-have them painted
2-had it repaired
3-having it cut
4-had it cleaned

VOCABULARY
6.
a)
1-dressing-gown(the others are sportswear)
2-cap(the others are material)
3-gloves(the others all kinds of shoes)
4-plain(the others are all types of design)
b)
1-casual
2-bargains
3-designer
4-discount

7.
1-illogical
2-immature
3-unsociable
4-insensitive
5-dishonest
6-irresponsible

8.
1-cosy
2-tap
3-chimney
4-gate
5-dishwasher
6-detached(house)

9.
1-lock
2-get changed/get dressed
3-suits
4-do
5-tidy(up)

Did you get a good score? 50 out of 50? Well, if you didn't this is not "Game over", you keep trying!!! If you did: well done!!!

See you soon!

Ana Martínez. (I don't know why I keep signing, it's always me!);D

MORE NEWS FOR YOU!

As some of you already know, I have the dates for the exam in June. I must remind you that these dates may change, you can always check them again on the EOI website (www.eoicartagena.org) before taking the exam.

These are the dates:

4th of June.
a)Writing. 16.00
b)Listening. 17.15
c)Reading. 18.00

(In rooms 9,10,11,12,13.)

Regarding the oral exam, I don't know the dates yet. I'll let you know a.s.a.p.!

Thanks for your interest!

Ana Martínez.

LISTENING TEST.

Last Tuesday we had a listening test. It was quite interesting and difficult. Only a few students had the chance of doing it. So, if you are interested in taking it... let me know on Tuesday! I can arrange it for tutorial time (Thursday 11.15-12.15).
I marked it, but it is just classroom evaluation.
You don't have to prepare anything to do it. The topic is "Men and Women. Gender Roles" and the level is advanced.

Remember it is optional!

Lots of love,

Ana Martínez.

Design and decoration.

Windsor Castle (picture).
Old-fashioned or antique? In any case, if you are really keen on designing or you want to decorate your house before your husband, wife, mum, dog or whoever gets home... there are a few things you have to learn in English in order to make it tasteful, stylish and original.
Good luck with your Art Deco, Nouveau, Bauhaus...! You may not have a castle, but a Victorian or a Georgian house will do!
Check this out! (Click here).
With lots of love (as usual),
Ana Martínez.

TYPES OF HOUSES.

1.Skyscrapers.
2.Block of flats.
3.Cottage (thatched roof and timber).
4.Bungalow.
5.Terraced houses.
6.Semi-detached houses.
7.Detached house.

IMPORTANT NOTICE. Lesson Monday 7th.

Sorry I had to cancel the lesson last Thursday. Hopefully most of you knew. Sorry again to the ones that turned up.
As some of you already know, we will have this lesson on Monday at 9.15 in room 5 (as usual). You won't have to tick your names on the list, since it was me who had to postpone the lesson.
I hope you all have a good weekend!

Ana Martínez.

PS: I will try to post a few more things on the blog before Monday.

Easter Holidays!

CHOCOLATE, EGGS, EASTER AND…MORE CHOCOLATE: EASTER IN THE UK

For a lot of people in the UK the Christian festival of Easter means the opportunity to eat chocolate eggs.
As soon as 2 January arrives, shops remove the Christmas product lines from their shelves and the Christmas decorations from their windows. What fills the empty spaces? Chocolate Easter eggs, Easter bunnies and Easter chicks, despite the fact that Easter itself doesn’t come along until a few months later. Easter also means we have public holidays, Good Friday and Easter Monday, it’s the longest public holiday after Christmas and people sometimes take the opportunity to take a short break away from work by extending their leave. Cheryl from Liverpool said, ‘I use the Easter break to visit relatives and socialise with friends, the chocolate giving and receiving is a good bonus!’

Easter is a spring festival. In the Christian festival, it celebrates the resurrection of Christ. In the European pre-Christian tradition, it celebrates the return of nature and greenery after the cold, snowy winter. Both the Christian and pagan versions of Easter celebrate life and rebirth. The Easter chick symbolises new life, the rabbit represents fertility and the egg symbolises both. That is why painted eggs or chocolate eggs are given as gifts at Easter.

Chocolate Easter eggs are sold in larger numbers every year in the UK. Confectionery companies make chocolate eggs for every type of chocolate bar available throughout the rest of the year. The British people consume more confectionary than any other country in the world! That's not even per head; that's per country! Of course, it depends on the amount of givers, but the average child in the UK receives 6 – 10 large chocolate eggs and that’s not including the small ones.

Not only are the British eating more and more chocolate, but they are also demanding chocolate of better quality. European Union law means that British chocolate-making companies have to put more cocoa solids in their 'chocolate' than they used to. British companies that fail to do so are not allowed to say they make 'real' chocolate! New chocolate has come onto the market that is slowly educating the British pallet and changing consumer patterns.

Source: http://www.britishcouncil.org/japan-trenduk-easter.htm

Check your progress 3. (Key p/53)

GRAMMAR.

Exercise 1:
1.realized,had been stolen
2.was listening, was talking
3.hadn't heard
4.arrived, had been waiting

Exercise 2:
1.had known, would have phoned
2.wouldn't have married him, had realized
3.hadn't seemed, wouldn't have trusted
4.had invited, would you have gone

Exercise 3:
1.shouldn't have broken
2.should have put on
3.should have bought
4.shouldn't have missed
5.shouldn't have eaten

Exercise 4:
1.I must have left my jacket at the restaurant.
2.They might have got lost.
3.You can't have forgotten it's our anniversary.
4.You can't have seen Simon.
5.She might not have seen you if she didn't have her glasses on.


VOCABULARY

Exercise 5:
1.notice
2.avoid
3.mind
4.reminds
5.arguing
6.expect

Exercise 6:
1.delighted
2.furious
3.terrified
4.freezing
5.brilliant
6.filthy

Exercise 7:
1.civil war
2.defeat
3.reign
4.surrender
5.general election
6.policy
7.Prime Minister

Exercise 8:
1.dictatorship
2.marriage
3.politicians
4.historical
5.accidentally
6.amazing

I hope you got most of them right. In any case, if you have any doubts or questions you know where to find me, don't you? I'm sure you do!

Take care!

Ana Martínez. (As usual)

Oscar Wilde.

This is the key to the exercise in your "Writing Bank" (Textbook p/143):

1.in
2.on
3.when
4.later
5.when/while
6.after
7.for
8.in
9.During
10.after/when
11.on

I wish I had met him! Interesting person indeed! Don't you think so?

Ana Martínez.

Are you a fashion victim?

Dear beloved students,
here you will find plenty of exciting exercises about clothes and fashion. Once you finish them, you will be prepared not only to pass an English exam, but also to have a discussion with Galliano, a nice chat with Giselle Bundchen or design your own Chanel handbags!
Click here: FASHION!

I do hope you enjoy it!

Ana Martínez.

Which wife do you prefer?

This version is more fun than the one in your book!!! It's worth having a look. I hope you like it better!

SURVIVAL SKILLS. (UNIT THREE)

Survival skills are skills that may help everyone to survive dangerous situations (such as storms or earthquakes), in dangerous places (such as the desert, the mountains and the jungle). Useful skills include lighting a fire, finding shelter, making water safe to drink, finding and identifying food, treating injuries, climbing, swimming and using specific or makeshift tools.

Each type of wilderness challenges a person with a different range of dangers (see hazards of outdoor activities). An environment may be dry, wet, hot, cold, high altitude, low altitude, desert, rural, urban, wilderness, subterranean, or an island. There are four basic necessities of life which apply in all of these cases: shelter, water, fire, and food. A fifth one is oxygen for high altitudes and subterranean environments and also specific survival situations, such as drowning and landslide/avalanche.

Survival skills used on a more permanent basis, or as a component of daily life are referred to as bushcraft.

Developments in outdoor equipment and survival techniques may be very useful and absolutely necessary, but there is nothing to replace experience in a survival situation. Those who are most prepared, physically and mentally, stand the greatest chance of survival.

Mental Preparedness

It should not be overlooked what the will to live means in a life and death situation. All the training and tools in the world will prove of little or no use without the desire to live. Stories of heroic feats of survival by regular people with little or no training are not uncommon. Even with a strong understanding of the way we may be mentally affected, even a trained survival expert may feel the crushing effects of psychological strain during duress. In order to overcome these effects, it is important to study stress and how it may affect us.

Studying stress will reveal that stress can have a good and a bad side. It presents a real challenge, and it is a good way to show us how far we can "bend without breaking". Stress sometimes has a nice way of pointing out that things could get much worse. On the other hand, too much stress can be an awful thing. Too much stress can lead to lack of memory, increase mistakes,decrease energy, provoke rage, and carelessness. Survival situations raise strong emotional reactions. There are a few emotions that often accompany this situation.

There are 6 emotions that must be overcome to have the chance to survive:

1. Fear - Once you are in a survival situation, the initial reaction is fear. Although it is a common normal reaction, it should be kept under control. It drastically lessens our ability to make clear decisions.
2. Anxiety – Typically anxiety and fear go hand in hand. It can be easily out of control and it is very difficult to take decisions when experiencing it.
3. Anger – It is inevitable that in a survival situation we will have to face problems. With the endless possibilities of things that can go wrong and probably will anger will only make it worse. So, we should try to relax and think clearly about what to do next, instead of having a fit. Finding other ways to overcome the situation will prove more useful than losing one's temper.
4. Depression – This is a not uncommon feeling. Being alone in the wilderness trying to survive is almost certainly bound to arise depressed mood. Overwhelming depression can lead to shutting down ot the body and you may give up hope. Being positive is one of the best "weapons" you can use to survive.
5. Guilt – This is another feeling that people may experience, especially if they didn't plan the trip properly or if they made some mistake. Even if you feel responsible for it, there's no point in torturing yourself about it. You better think of what you can do right now!
6. Loneliness – This is another "side affect", if you are alone you may feel really sad. You should keep yourself as busy as possible, so that you can think clearly about you next step.

Source: Wikipedia. If you are interested in reading more about survival or want to feel ready for anything...have a look at Wikipedia! you only have to type "Survival skills" and you will be able to survive in the Amazon forest, the Sahara desert or the Himalayas mountains! But yopu have to be very careful with tha language, this encyclopaedia is made by ordinary people and it may contain English mistakes or unreal information. I have just corrected the one above!

Tuesday 19th February

I am very pleased to inform you that we go back to lessons next Tuesday, as usual. We will discuss exams (your beloved pieces of art!) and many more topics coming! So... meanwhile... enjoy your weekend without homework (this won't last!).

Ana Martínez.

INTERESTING BITS AND PIECES!

HISTORY OF ST VALENTINE'S DAY

The story behind the chocolate and flowers...
Contrary to popular belief, Valentine's Day was not one of those days purely invented by the card shops. Valentine's Day goes way back, and guess what, it's all about a man falling for a woman... All together now... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...

That day is fast approaching where you run to your front door upon hearing the post drop on the door mat. You hold your breath thinking that the harder you wish, the more chance there is of a red envelope suddenly appearing among the bills and junk mail.

It may seem like a scam to squeeze more money out of us so soon after Christmas, and of course, some might even feel that there is a hidden agenda of making single people feel alone and unloved!

Actually, there is a long tradition of all of this lovey-dovey stuff in February. St Valentine's Day does have a history, well, several actually, but here are the basics...

Back to basics: a pagan affair
It all started in early Roman times. Mid February was the official beginning of Spring and was seen as a time for renewal and purification.

The Lupercalia festival began at the ides of February (15th) and was a celebration of the God of agriculture. It was essentially a fertility festival and one of the activities was the pairing off of men and women.

Girls' names were put into an urn and young men would pull out names at random. Many of the matches would then result in marriage.

St Valentines
Historical sources say that there were two and maybe even more St Valentines! The traditional line however is that the St Valentine in question died around 270 AD.

Legend has it that Roman Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than married men and he therefore outlawed marriage.

So a priest called Valentine began to help lovelorn couples by secretly marrying them. But when the authorities found out what he was up to, he was thrown into jail.

Before his execution, some stories claim that Valentine himself fell in love with his jailer's daughter. He signed his final note to her, "From Your Valentine": a phrase that has lasted through the centuries.

Sooooo, rather unromantically, it seems that we all celebrate love on the day St Valentine had his head chopped off!!!

PARTS AND TIMINGS FOR THE TEST.

1. READING. 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Cloze test.
- Comprehension.
- Multiple choice (book).

2. LISTENING. 45 minutes.
- Two of them.
- Played three times each one.

3. WRITING. 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Rephrasing.
- Two options to choose only one (300 words).

4. SPEAKING. 10 minutes.
- Preparation.
- Presentation.
- Interaction.

WRITING TEST.

1. An interview. (Students' Book p/142)
- Introductory paragraph: Where and interviewee's description.
- Four or five questions (the last one about the future).
- Answers in different paragraphs.

2. A "for and against" composition. (SB p/142)
- Introduction.
- Reasons for.
- Reasons against.
- Conclusion
(Appropriate linkers, reasons and examples).

3. A) An informal letter. (SB p/143)
- Your address and the date (top right-hand corner).
- Dear + name, (don't forget the comma!).
- Introductory sentence (for ex.: Thanks for your letter!).
- At least three paragraphs.
- "Finishing" sentence (for ex.: Regards! Love! Best wishes!).
- Add a "PS." at the end if you have forgotten something.

B) An informal e-mail. (SB p/143)
- Same rules as for informal letters, except for:
* No address or date.
* You can begin with "Hi+ name" or "Hi", "Hello".

4. A story or anecdote. (SB p/144)
- Opening paragraph: set the scene and describe the situation.
- Events. (two or more paragraphs). Use:
* Narrative tenses (past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous).
* Time expressions (for ex: when, at that moment, suddenly...).
* Adverbs (for ex: fortunately, desperately...).
- Closing paragraph: how the story ends and what happens to the characters.

A FEW TIPS FOR THE EXAM.

Very important aspects, regarding "Speaking" and "Writing":

1. Use a wide variety of STRUCTURES, such as "conditionals", "relative clauses", "reported speech", "passive voice" and so on. In a natural way!

2. Use specific VOCABULARY related to the topic you have to speak or write about. For example, if the topic is "Health" you have to use words like "symptoms", "appointment", "GP", "NHS", "prescription"...

3. Use LINKERS in order to give coherence to your speaking or writing. For instance, if you want to add information you can use "besides", "in addition", "furthermore"...
But do not overuse them!

4. Use an appropriate REGISTER, that is, make it formal or informal depending on the activity.

5. Remember that a good use of ADVERBS make English language sound more vivid and natural!


If you don't have the "Evaluation criteria" photocopy, let me know and I'll give you a copy. I hope you find it useful. Good luck!

Your lovely teacher: Ana Martínez.

Homework. For Tuesday 22nd January 08

1. Check your progress (p/37).
2. Reading (p/38,39).
3. Focus on new language (p/39).

Kate Moss axed over drug scandal.

BNE: The Kate Moss cocaine saga rumbles on. The supermodel, who reputedly earns $15 million a year from lucrative deals with companies including Burberry, Chanel and Christian Dior, is now daily fodder for British tabloids. They have become obsessed with Moss’s lifestyle and antics and have lavished page after page embellishing on the facts and gossip surrounding her documented drug use and sex life. Moss has been in an out of rehab clinics for years and said in an interview with David Bowie two years ago she had kicked her drug habit forever. However, it now emerges police are to investigate allegations that she has taken cocaine. A senior officer ordered the probe following newspaper pictures of Moss allegedly snorting the drug.

Moss, 31, has now been dropped as cover girl for the fashion giants H&M, Chanel and Burberry. H&M’s decision reversed an earlier statement from the company that condemned substance abuse but forgave Moss and gave her a second chance. However, a slew of phone calls from irate customers and negative publicity over the prudence of being associated with a cocaine user, expedited the supermodel’s axing. A company spokesperson explained: “H&M has decided that a campaign with Kate Moss is inconsistent with H&M’s clear dissociation of drugs.” Shoppers were perplexed that as a mother, Moss saw fit to use hard drugs. Burberry and Chanel quickly followed suit in dumping Moss and disassociating themselves with the furor created by her errant behavior.



1 DRUGS: What do you think of the following drugs? Should they all be banned?:

a) Alcohol causes domestic and street violence. It kills thousands on the roads every year. It should be made illegal.
b) Nicotine is one of the world’s biggest killers. Smokers put a huge strain on health services. Cigarettes and other tobacco products should be banned.
c) Marijuana is far less addictive and dangerous than alcohol. It doesn’t make people violent. It should be made legal.
d) Cocaine and heroin are lethal killers. Anyone caught dealing in or using them should go to prison for 25 years.

2. KATE MOSS OPINIONS: How far do you agree with these opinions on Kate Moss?:

a) Kate Moss is being very unfairly attacked. The media should leave her alone.
b) She should set a better example. She should therefore go to prison.
c) Supermodels influence young people. They have a responsibility to avoid drugs.
d) The world has real problems. Kate Moss is a non-deserving nobody.
e) Why the fuss? Hundreds of celebrities, sports stars and politicians take drugs.
f) Irresponsible media coverage of Moss will encourage more people to try cocaine.
g) What has Moss done for the world? Nothing. Let’s focus on useful lives.
h) I really don’t care about her. The whole story is boring.

3. TRUE / FALSE:

a. A supermodel has been decapitated for using cocaine. T / F
b. The British gutter press has become obsessed with the model. T / F
c. The model has regularly frequented drug rehabilitation clinics. T / F
d. Police are not interested in photos of the model snorting cocaine. T / F
e. Three fashion houses have dropped the model as their cover girl. T / F
f. A slew of irate shoppers are angry over the model’s axing. T / F
g. Shoppers were perplexed that the model disrespected her mother. T / F
h. Chanel has dumped the model’s suits following the furor she created.T / F


4. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.saga uproar
b.lucrative sniffing
c.lavished lot
d.embellishing wasted
e.snorting drug
f.substance story
g.slew wisdom
h.prudence wrong
i.furor high-income
j.errant elaborating



ANSWERS
TRUE / FALSE:

a. F
b. T
c. T
d. F
e. T
f. F
g. F
h. F


SYNONYM MATCH:

a.saga story
b.lucrative high-income
c.lavished wasted
d.embellishing elaborating
e.snorting sniffing
f.substance drug
g.slew lot
h.prudence wisdom
i.furor uproar
j.errant wrong

RETIRE LATER TO LIVE LONGER.

Retiring from your job at an early age may not help people to live longer. There is a strong possibility early retirement may even shorten one's life. This is the conclusion of a study published on October 21 by the British Medical Journal. The research followed more than 3,500 employees working for Shell Oil in Texas. The workers retired at 55, 60 or 65 and were monitored for 26 years. Researchers studied the effect their age at retirement had on their lifespan. The team considered factors such as gender and economic status to find out whether retiring early is connected with better survival.

The results were surprising. The life expectancy of employees who retired at 55 was much lower compared with people who retired at 65. The researchers concluded that: “Retiring early at 55 or 60 was not associated with better survival than retiring at 65.” In fact, the study found that people who retired at 55 often died earlier than those who continued working. Leader of the research team Shan Tsai said: “Although some workers retired at 55 because of [bad] health, these results clearly show that early retirement is not associated with increased survival.”


Dear students,

if you missed last week split-up lesson, this is the article we talked about. If you would like to have the exercises as well, you will find everything on www.breakingnewsenglish.com.

Enjoy it!

HOMEWORK. Thursday 14th February.

Just a few things!

- Photocopy handed today. (Future tenses and prepositions)
- Reading p/33 Texbook.
- Writing p/34 "
- Reading p/35 "

Thanks!

EXAM FEBRUARY.

Dear students,

this is the information I've got for you after our meeting on Friday:

- Tuesday 5th February: Reading and Listening.
- Thursday 7th February: Writing.
- Tuesday 12th and Thursday 14th February: Speaking.

The exam of the book ("The curious incident...") will consist of 10 multiple choice questions, with three possible anwers each. Don't worry! No tricky questions, I just want to know if you read the book!

That's all for now! See you tomorrow!

Ana Martínez.

Homework. For Tuesday 15th January 08.

- Write better. (Student's book page 31).
Writing bank (Page 141)

- Build your vocabulary. (P/31)
Vocabulary Builder 6. Science and computers. (P/131)

"Fawlty Towers": A touch of class.

EXAMS:

The exam will be divided into four parts, one for each skill:

- Reading
- Writing
- Listening
- Speaking

There will be three exams:

- February (the mark will not be the definite one for the academic year).
- June (definite exam).
- September (definite mark for those who failed in June)

Compulsory readings:

- "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" Mark Haddon. (February)
- "Minaret" Leila Aboulela. (June).

INTERESTING WEBS:

Dictionaries:
http://www.wordreference.com/
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/

Vocabulary and Grammar:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/

Speaking:
http://www.englishclub.com/
http://www.talkenglish.com/

News:
www.bbc.co.uk
www.guardian.co.uk
www.breakingnewsenglish.com
www.timesonline.co.uk

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!!!!

My e-mail:

anabelen@eoicartagena.org (it will expire at the end of the academic year)
anabelen.martinez6@educarm.es


Tutorial Time:

Thursday 11.15 to 12.15. (you are welcome to come and speak in English, read aloud or just have a chat!)