Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Va por vosotros

Esto va por mi querido alumnado de 4ºA. 
Estamos a punto de terminar el curso y, aunque suene un poco rara la frase, creo que os voy a echar de menos durante el verano.
Durante estos meses he intentado que aprendáis inglés, como es lógico, pero también es verdad que, más de una vez, he terminado la clase con la sensación confusa de no saber exactamente a qué me dedico. Entre relativos y estilo indirecto se colaban temas de actualidad, discusiones éticas, morales, etc. que, por lo que he podido ver, os han calado más de lo que yo podía imaginar. Y lo más curioso de todo es que sé que son esos los momentos en los que más habéis aprendido. Lo mejor de todo es que, como me decís, habéis aprendido sobre vosotros mismos. Y una de las cosas más bonitas que me decís es que habéis aprendido a pensar de manera diferente, a saliros del redil. ¡Qué orgullo!
Después de comentarios como los que me habéis dedicado, creo que merece la pena levantarse a las seis de la mañana para venir a estar con gente como vosotros. Os aseguro que ha sido un honor poder compartir estos meses llenos de sonrisas, alegrías, nervios, algunas lágrimas, y explicaciones de inglés, como no.
Decía Raquel que, mientras que la recordásemos en un rinconcito de nuestras mentes, ella seguiría estando con nosotros. Yo os digo que, mientras os sigáis acordando de esos momentos compartidos durante este curso, seguirá viva la llama que he intentado encender en vosotros. Yo, por mi parte, os seguiré recordando por siempre.
Tal vez el curso que viene volvamos a coincidir, quién sabe. Lo que sí me encantaría es que, cuando os vayáis definitivamente del instituto, no os olvidéis de este año. Y que, de vez en cuando, vengáis por aquí para contarme sobre vuestros progresos, vuestras alegrías, incertidumbres, sobre vuestra vida en definitiva. ¡A los profes nos encanta que lo hagáis! 
Un abrazo de vuestro profe Joaquín, que hoy os escribe en castellano, para que nadie diga que no se ha enterado. De todo corazón, os deseo lo mejor.
Aquí hay mucho futuro...

Monday, June 2, 2014

Some cartoons on passive voice!


A little homage to Beatriz

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Passive and spring



People think spring is the most beautiful season. Water fills the rivers, you may hear bees in the fields, and flowers give you their sweetest smell. Life is everywhere, and you will feel it wherever you go. Beautiful, isn't it? Now try saying it this way:
Spring is thought to be the most beautiful season. Rivers are filled with water, bees can be heard in the fields and you are given by flowers their sweetest smell. Life is everywhere and it will be felt wherever you go.
This is the passive voice. It's just another way to express the same thing, but focusing your attention on a different aspect. Try watching this video and see how the passive voice is used on TV series. 
Here you are a few exercises on the passive voice. Try them and think of spring, flowers, bees, and think of the upcoming summer. It isn't that far away!


Now a couple of witty quotes from intelligent people:



Nothing ever is done in this world until men are prepared to kill one another if it is not done.
George Bernard Shaw, Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)
 
Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.
Sir Winston Churchill, British politician (1874 - 1965)  



Here is a link to Dylan's Union Sundown. Hope it works! And do you remember These Days by Foo Fighters? There are a few examples of passive sentences. Try changing them into the active voice.

Monday, May 5, 2014

some-, any- and no- compounds

Can anybody find me somebody to love? This is what Freddy Mercury sang a few years ago. He was using any- and some- compounds. He could also have said "Can anyone find me someone to love?"
Here is a link to the song and the lyrics

Do you know Jeremy? He's a not-so-special guy your age who has a not-so-special relationship with his mom. Click on the picture and you'll see more of his comic strips


Let's have a go with some exercises on some-, any- and no- compounds:


And also on -ing/-ed adjectives:
Do you know Mark Twain? He said things so interesting and witty as this:



A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.
Mark TwainSpeech in New York, Nov. 20, 1900
US humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 - 1910)

Have a good week!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Written in these walls...

A few months ago a famous boy band said: Written on these walls are the stories that I can' explain. This is a relative clause. They could have ommitted that, or used which instead. The Beatles decided to elicit the relative pronoun when they said All you need is love.
Now read this excerpt from "Torn", by Natalia Imbruglia:
 Well you couldn't be that man I adored
You don't seem to know, don't seem to care
What your heart is for

In the first line she chose not to say ...who/that I adored. And then she used what. Why? Well, when there's no antecedent to refer to,  what must be used.
In the same song she says: There's nohing where we used to lie. Where is the relative from which must be used when we refer to a place. 
Michael Jackson asks: Do you remember the time when we fell in love? When is used when referring to time. Easy, isn't it? 
- exercise 1
- exercise 2
- exércise 3
- exercise 4
- exercise 5

See you in class!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A mythical creature!



Hi guys! You may find this picture a bit scary. It was taken deep in the forest, and the man who took it needed psychological aid because he said he would never get over so terrifying an experience!





Leprechauns are wonderful creatures, and if you don't believe it, just have a look at this old picture on the right. It was taken in the very heart of Dublin. And here you are a few exercises on relative clauses. Do them and anjoy yourselves, or else the Leprechaun will get angry and... who knows?


Now a quote on the subject:
In never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe.
Leo Rosten (1908 -  1997), Polish-American teacher and humorist


More in a few days!


Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Cockney rhyming slang

Hi guys. These people are wearing a costume associated with Cokneys. It's called the Pearly King (or Queen).

Cockney rhyming slang is not a language but a collection of phrases used by Cockneys and other Londoners. But, what is a Cokney? A true Cockney is someone born within the sound of Bow Bells. (St Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London).

Here you are some examples of Cockney slang. What do you think they mean?
  • Can you Adam and Eve it?
  • I got kicked in the Albert Halls!
  • See you alligator
  • She's got a beautiful garden with nice April showers
  • Got any Persians on you mate?
Here are some more examples of Cokney, this time they are excerpts from Bible stories (lemon curd means word):

You can click here and see more for yourselves.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Reported questions and commands

Hi kids! A few exercises on reported questions. Hope you enjoy them!


Now this week's quote:



My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people.
Orson Welles
US actor & director (1915 - 1985)

And now a song that might ring the bell... Just click here.

Have a nice weekend and enjoy the good weather! And don't forget to do the other exercises on statements as well.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Reported statements

Hi kids! Did you have a good time in Lisbon? Sure you did! Now you can tell your friends about your experiences.
Now we're learning to say what other people told us some time ago. There is something vital that we've got to bear in mind: reported speech in statements in English is exactly the same as in Spanish.


 
So, let's practise!
Here's a quote by Indira Gandhi (1917-84), Prime Minister of India who got assassinated:

My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.

I'll post some exercises on questions and commands soon, so check out the blog now and then.
Be good!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

The sooner, the better!

Hi kids! Here's what I promised this very morning. But before you do the exercises, have a look at this video. It's got really good explanations on the topic and some exercises as well:

And now a few exercises:
And last, a few sentences which are, indeed, food for thought:


The more I know, the more I worry.
The less they have to say, the more they talk.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The earlier you start, the better chance you have of being successful.
The bigger the risk, the bigger the payout.
The less said, the better.
See you on Thursday!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

American vs British English

Hi kids. Some days ago we could listen to Corey speaking about the differences between British and American English. This long weekend you can watch the interview to Hugh Laurie (Dr. House). As you could learn, he is a British actor who performs in an American tv series.



Or listen to this silly video   Miniatura

Now try listening to genuine Scottish accent. Is it difficult to understand? People in Scotland pronounce differently from what is usually considered the standard British accent.


3d model mini flags scottish english - Mini scottish US english british welsh union jack flag... by antjames 

There's also Gibraltarian English...

Now, a couple of links to websites with lots of British and American words. Some of them are everyday words, some are not that usual. If you click on the picture on the right you'll get access to one which contains more basic words.
                 


Here's also a link to a website with lots of kitchen vocabulary. You can look up any word you wish, and you'll probably find it here! Besides, on this site you'll find almost all the vocabulary you can think of.
Ok guys, have a nice long weekend, enjoy yourselves and be as good as possible.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Comparing things

Hi kids! Did you have a nice weekend? Was it better than last? Maybe it was worse? Never mind, the weekend after next will be better for sure!
Now, what about doing some exercises on comparative and superlative adjectives? Here you have a few ones:

And here's 'Fighter' by Christina Aguilera. Enjoy it!


And a quotation for today:

I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.
Marlene Dietrich, German actress and singer (1901 - 1992)

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Love, love, love...

Hi kids. Next Friday 14 is Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day). It is the traditional day on which people express their love for each other by sending Valentines cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. Here is some information I found on the internet:
Valentine iconWho is St. Valentine?
There were many Christians names Valentine. According to the Catholic Encyclopaedia, at least three Saint Valentines are mentioned who are associated with 14 February. One is described as a priest at Rome, another as a Bishop of Interamna (now Terni in Italy) and the other lived and died in Africa. 
The Valentine that most experts believe is the actual one remembered on St. Valentine's Day was a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.
What happens on Valentines day in Britain?
Each year in Britain, they spend around £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine's Day. Traditionally these were sent anonymously, but nowadays we often make it clear who is sending each 'Valentine'.
Valentine's Day Superstitions & Traditions
Traditionally, spring begins on St Valentine's Day (February 14th), the day on which birds chose their mates. In parts of Sussex Valentines Day was called 'the Birds' Wedding Day'.
There are many other traditions and superstitions associated with romance activities on Valentine's day including:

  • the first man an unmarried woman saw on 14th February would be her future husband;
  • if the names of all a girl's suitors were written on paper and wrapped in clay and the clay put into water, the piece that rose to the surface first would contain the name of her husband-to-be.
  • if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a rich person.
  • In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week.
  • In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"
Now try listening to "Love", by John Lennon. Nice and easy to understand. Just click on the picture and dream...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjVvIrE17rI


And last, here you are a few quotations related to love:

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”Saint-Exupery

“True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.”La Rochefoucauld

“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”Iris Murdoch

“Love is a promise; love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.”John Lennon

“The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved.”Victor Hugo

“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”Friedrich Nietzsche

"It's so easy to love your job as a teacher when you feel your students are learning more than just simple knowledge"
Joaquín R.

See you guys.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Modals

Hi kids! Did you have a good weekend? Alright, now it's time to work again. Here are a few exercises on modal verbs. Enjoy them!
Somewhere on this globe, every ten seconds, there is a woman giving birth to a child. She must be found and stopped.
Sam Levenson (1911-1980), Amerrican humorist, writer, teacher, television host and journalist.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Conditionals

Hi again! Here you are a few exercises on conditional sentences for you to practice:
And a couple of songs in which the second conditional is used:
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
If I were a boy - Beyonce





Now, if you feel like it, you can have a look a some of Escher's most recognised artwork. Click on the picture and you'll see some amazing work by him.

Enjoy yourselves and be good.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Optical illusions!


Do you see a musician or a girl's face?

Hi kids! What do you see in this image? A girl's face or a musician playing the sax?










Moving Circles
Now stare at the cross and quickly move your head forward and backward, towards and away from the screen. The circles will appear to be moving.They are optical illusions: visually perceived images that differ from objective reality. The information gathered by the eye is processed in the brain to give a percept that does not tally with a physical measurement of the stimulus source.




There are three main types:
  • literal optical illusions, which create images that are different from the objects that make them,
  • physiological illusions, which are the effects on the eyes and brain of excessive stimulation of a specific type (brightness, tilt, color, movement), and
  • cognitive illusions, where the eye and brain make unconscious inferences. They can also be known as "mind games".
Now have a look a this picture. The horizontal lines are parallel, even if they seem otherwise.


In the picture below the two circles seem to move when the viewer's head is moving forward and backward while looking at the black dot. Interesting, isn't it?


And now, a portrait of Don Quixote. Look closely and you'll be amazed!

How many faces can you find? 

As Jenna Marble (US entertainer and Youtube personality says:
"There's no cure for ugly, but you can make yourself into a human optical illusion".

See you!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Jamie Cullum

Hi kids! I hope you had nice Christmas holidays, and I also hope you made a lot of  New Year's resolutions.
Do you know Jamie Cullum? I bet you know Everything you didn't do, but you may not know Next Year Baby, which is full of New Year's resolutions. Listen to it and try to understand as much as you can (otherwise, you can always look for the lyrics on th internet) and remember: GONNA = GOING TO

 

Now, a couple of funny cartoons on the topic. Hope you ALL understand them!











Now, have a look at this video in which a native teacher of English explains he difference between using the present continuous and BE GOING TO to talk about the future (click on the picture).


After watching it, read this explanation and try these exercises:

See you on Monday!