Language tip of the week: access | Macmillan

I thought you might well benefit from the advice given on confusing words used in context. The example here is on access used as a verb without preposition: I could't access my account when abroad. and the use of "to" when used as a noun: We had access to the sauna area.

Language tip of the week: access | Macmillan

Language tip of the week: advice

Books

These are some recommendations for the Advanced Level:

• English Collocations in Use, Advanced. Cambridge University Press, 2008
• Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use. CUP
• Martin Hewins, Advanced Grammar in Use. Second Edition. Cambridge University Press.

Official Schools in Danger of Extinction

Dear all,

As you already know, the quality of language teaching is being threatened. If you want to vote against the bill that allows the transfer of Official School Teachers to Secondary School and tell your contacts as well, you can do it in this link through facebook.

http://www.change.org/es/peticiones/salvemos-la-ense%C3%B1anza-p%C3%BAblica-de-idiomas

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

And now, the schools

Dear all,

As you may already know, students' taxes next school year will be higher, between 250 and 280 euros. All civil servants will see their salary reduced AGAIN. What's more, there is a Royal Decree in project which says that teachers from the official schools will be liable to be transferred to Secondary Schools, baccalaureate or vocational training. 

You may not know that doing courses and improving our knowledge as teachers is a must and a right as well. But in the last 4 years there haven't been many courses to improve our teaching practice. 

I'm afraid that these tendencies are all heading to eliminate the Official Schools of Languages. I suppose the plan is to offer foreign language teaching to private business. 

I just feel we need to be informed. 

September Exams

Dear all,

These are the dates for the examinations in September:

NI1

Written Exam-> Tuesday, Sept 4th at 15:45

Groups E, I -> Room 1
Group H -> Room 2
Speaking-> Friday, Sept 7th in room 12!!

NI2
Written Exam   -> Tuesday, Sept 18th in room 1 at 15:45
Speaking Exam -> Friday, Sept 21st in room 1

See you again in September and
I hope you have a blast this summer!

Suggested readers

Dear NI1 students,

As some of you have asked, I'll suggest a few books for you to read during this summer:

•  In and Around London. Book + CD. Blackcat Publishing (Vicensvives) Book sample
•  Classic Detective Stories. Conan Doyle, Dickens. Book + cd. Blackcat Publishing.  Audio sample
•  Othello. Book + CD. Blackcat Publishing (Vicensvives) Book sample
•  Wicked and Humorous Tales Book + cd. Vicensvives) Book sample
•  A Love for Life (Cambridge University Press)

 UNABRIDGED:

•  The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by Tom Boyne (unabridged)
•  The curious incident of the dog in the night time (unabridged). Mark Haddon

I hope you enjoy these readings. If you read any of these, don't forget to drop you opinion about it. Other students may want to read them as well!

Graded dictations

Dear all,

I suggest you check up this page called Graded Dictations. You can practice dictations at home which will also help you to improve your listening skills. Follow these steps:

• Choose your level
• Click on the diction you wish
• Listen to it different times.
• Write down your version on a piece of paper
• Eventually, you'll be able to compare your text with the written version!

NI2 Grades

Dear NI2G students,


As promised, you can see your grades here. Congratulations to those who passed! and sorry to those who didn't. You have another chance in September!
Pluck up courage for it!

As a reminder, you can check your exams on Wednesday 27th at 8pm.

The First Family Redefined

This is video about a very common issue among American families. They are very into knowing their roots. In this case, the story gets complicated by affecting the First Lady of the USA. She is related to a white family from South Carolina. 

If you want to know more, read the following article from the New York Times. As you can see, slavery is a very touchy issue in America. Some of those relatives didn't want to show up so that their names wouldn't be messed up with slavery. 

Call for NI2G students

This is the call for the students in group G to do their speaking exam on Friday 22nd. 

Good luck to you all!

Call for NI2F students

This is your schedule for the speaking exam today June 19th!

I know it's easier said than done, but don't get too nervours!

Good luck! :-)

Using mobiles to pay

Dear NI2 students,

Why don't you read this text from the BBC on the use of mobile phones and cards to pay? 
Match the following words with their definitions:

a. hurdle (paragraph 3)              to stay of fall behind

b. wave (paragraph 6)                barrier, obstacle

c. lag behind (paragraph 12)       use for gain, exploit

d. leverage (paragraph 15)         to swing (something) back and forth or up and down 

What does a virtual wallet in paragraph 43 mean? Can you explain with your own words?

AND HOW HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you still use cash to pay? How do you envision its future? Are there any drawbacks to the use of phones to pay? Could cash finally be on its way out?

For extra listening practice, watch this videofrom the BBC

NI2 Exam

Dear NI2 students,

As you already know, the exam on Thursday will start at 15:45 and we'll follow this timing: 

• Reading (70 minutes)
• Listening (40 minutes approx)
• Break (20')
• Writing (75 minutes)

Good luck!
PS The written exam in September will take place on Tuesday 18th at 15:45.

Key to the last worksheets

Dear NI2 students,

Find the key to the latest worksheets I gave you the last day in class:

- Link

- News and Money Vocabulary 

Finding Comfort in Euphemisms

This is an interesting listening about Euphemisms retrieved from VOA English. 

BTW 1. What are euphemisms?

2. What does the expression Feral pig depredation in process mean? 

3. Can you associate these common words with their familiar meaning? You can drop your answers in the "comentarios"

1. going canoeing                            a. private parts

2. consumption                                b. leverage

3. junk                                            c. 'assets,' 'liquid assets'

4. bear                                           d. the brown one

5. money                                        e. US: first rate [best quality] UK, pornography

6. borrowing against their homes      f. tuberculosis

7. 'borrow' money                            g. having sex

8. top shelf                                     h. second mortgages

                                       

Feral: existing in a wild state, especially describing an animal that was previously kept by people, feral dogs/cats

Chaperon: (especially in the past) an older person, especially a woman, who goes with and takes care of a younger woman who is not married when she is in public

For the trasncript, click here!

Movies

Have a look at the movies for this week: Prometheus, Dark Horse or Lola Versus. What are these movies about? ? Which one do you find more appealing? Which one would you like to watch?

Hotel Reservation

Dear NI1 students,

How about practicing some listening in esl-lab.com?

Hotel Reservation

Sentence and Vocabulary matching

Text Competition Quiz

• Travel Arragenments
• Matching Exercise
• Text Completition Quiz

Grandparents' answering machine

How about a joke for today? Don't yout think it's really funny?
 
Good morning. . . . At present we are not at home but, please leave your

message after you hear the beep.. beeeeeppp .... 
 

If you are one of our children, dial 1 and then select the option from 1 to 5

in order of "arrival" so we know who it is.
If you need us to stay with the children, press 2
If you want to borrow the car, press 3
If you want us to wash your clothes and ironing, press 4
If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5
If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6
If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered to your home, press 7
If you want to come to eat here, press 8
If you need money, dial 9
If you are going to invite us to dinner, or, taking us to the theatre start talking we are listening !!!!!!!!!!!"

Spanish stereotypes: statistics tell us they have Mondays, too

The sun, the beach and the noisy fiesta were commodities exploited to attract tourists – in real life, Spaniards work longer hours than most Europeans, writes Carmen Morán.

• Carmen Morán, El País
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 January 2012 13.32 GMT 

Read this text about Spanish Sterotypes and  express your opinion. Do you agree with the article? Are you surprised by the idea other European countries have about us? What do you think about the different regions and variety in Spain?

Kenyan Runners

Dear students,

I find this video on Kenyan runners really interesting. It was retrieved from Learning English.

And how about you? are you a resilient person? Make a sentence using "resilient"

You may download the worksheet and practice vocabulary a bit more!