How much do we really know about the UK? If you still feel uncertain about the following terms: British, English, United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, etc, take a few minutes to complete this crossword from BBC Learning English, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. After that you can read these notes I prepared for you.
It has always been one of my favourite songs by Simon and Garfunkel. I still quite often find myself humming the tune or singing the words. It's hard to describe what I feel when I hear this song, but it's a feeling I like and I long for. So many emotions described in just a few lines. Art Garfunkel said about this song: "I consider it one of the sweetest poems about time." Here are the lyrics:
To be or not to be? Or shall we better say "to be or being?" One of the most common difficulties for foreign learners of English is when to choose an infinitive or a gerund; and it is not an easy choice indeed. In these notes I have prepared for you you will find lots of information to help you make a correct choice. However the best way is to practise and listen to your inner voice advising you whether to opt for an infinitive or a gerund. If you want to practise a bit more click here.
On the Internet you can find lots of useful materials illustrating the use of gerund vs infinitive. I found this video quite useful and clear. Have a look at it.
April Fools' Day is celebrated on April 1st. On This day you play hoaxes or other practical jokes on other people to make them look silly or stupid. It's an old tradition of a dubious origin. In the wikipedia you can find a list of some well known pranks which in the last few years appeared on radio, TV, magazines, papers and the Internet; some of them are really curious and funny.
Here is a video with some easy ideas you can use to tease your friends. Which one is your favourite?
By the way don't forget that this year's Easter holidays will last three weeks instead of one!!
A warning to our students visiting the Guinness Storehouse on your next visit to Dublin: have a look at the transformation I suffered after a few pints of Guinness!!
How old is "old"? Is there anything we can do to avoid getting old? What factors does getting old depend on? Why are people so reluctant to accept they're getting old? Which country has the highest life expectancy? This and much more in this 6-minute listening from BBC. If you want to have a look at the script click here.
Once you have finished maybe you want to share with us your attitude towards ageing: which is for you the best and the worst about getting old?
I'm sure we have all climbed a tree some time or other in our childhood. The excitement of being high above the ground, the feeling of the breathtaking view from the top, the risk of the height... But some people have gone much further and have ended up making a hobby, even a sport out of this 'childish activity'. Competitive tree climbing for adults is becoming popular across the world and nowadays there are even tree climbing championships.
The BBC has dedicated a couple of their programmes "6 Minute English" to tree climbing. In session 1 you will learn a lot of new vocabulary about the world of trees. In session 2 you will find out about the tallest and oldest trees in the world and also about what is like to spend the night up on a tree.
Give it a go (I mean to the listening, not the climbing), you'll enjoy yourself very much. (Remember you can download the transcripts if you have any difficulties understanding the recordings).
One of the annual consequences of the arrival of spring is the changing of time, the so called Summer Daylight Saving. Every year, the last Sunday in March we set our clocks one hour forward, remember: "Spring forward, fall back." So in spring, an hour forward, in autumn or fall we go an hour back. Pay a visit to this pretty website to find more information.
Listen to this podcast explaining the origins of the tradition. Is everybody happy with this decision? What did the Romans use to do way back in the old times? Here you can read the transcript of the recording if you have any doubts.
After listening to the podcast watch this BBC video about the possibility of having BST (British Summer Time) all year round, is it a popular idea?
On March 17th Irish people all over the world celebrate St Patrick's Day (Patron Saint of Ireland). Here you can find information about St Patrick's Day 2010.
Our dear friend Ana, from Estepona, has sent us a PPS with plenty of interesting things about this special day. Enjoy it.
And of course a video, this time recommended by our colleague Tim, a true Irishman. Hard to follow? Have a look at the lyrics here. Don't forget to pay a visit to Tim's blog where you'll find the "real Irish thing". (Thanks Tim. Happy St Patrick's Day! We'll miss last year's concert!)
Definitely one of the most beautiful passages I've ever read. The compassionate love of a father towards his lost son. The parable of the prodigal son breaks through time and religions. A breathtaking story of forgiveness in this modern world which makes us pay for every single mistake we make.
If you want to analyze this writing in depth click here.
International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. Visit the official website for this annual event and read about the programme for this year 2010.
This link will take you to the Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of International Women's Day.
In the video below you will find some impressive facts about the importance of women's role in the world today.
What do you think about this celebration? Post a comment with your opinion. What does WFP stand for? Do you know about their activities?
I found this really interesting website from where you can have access to nearly any newspaper in the world. You can try different English speaking countries (Spanish papers too).
We know reading newspapers in a foreign language can be quite difficult, but why not give it a try? You can browse through one of them and maybe find an article worthwhile sharing with classmates. Come on! Have a go!
Where is the strangest place you've ever eaten a meal?
A new restaurant has opened in Britain. Find out what is so special about it. What's the name of the restaurant? Can anyone visit it? Who are the waiters and chefs working there? Do you think you would like to have dinner at this new restaurant? Leave a comment after listening to this interesting BBC recording.
Like articles, quantifiers are words that precede and modify nouns. They tell us how many or how much. Selecting the correct quantifier depends on the distinction between Count and Non-Count Nouns. See a representative list of quantifiers.
Click here to read a bit more about quantifiers and do some exercises.
I've just learnt about a new website Lyricstraining.com where you can practise your English using song lyrics. It's interactive and quite amusing. You can choose the level of difficulty too. Have a go at it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Make sure you read the instructions (help) before you use it. Choose your level and go. Click here to try an example.
To express regret means to feel sorry or repentant about something you have done that you wish you had not done or you shouldn't have done or about something you haven't done that you now feel you should/could have done. I guess we all have things we regret if we look back in our lives, don't we?
We can see examples of regret in a context in this beautiful song by Elvis Presley: "Always on my mind".
How much do we really know about the UK? If you still feel uncertain about the following terms: British, English, United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, etc, take a few minutes to complete this crossword from BBC Learning English, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. After that you can read these notes I prepared for you.
What are quantifiers?
I've just learnt about a new website Lyricstraining.com where you can practise your English using song lyrics. It's interactive and quite amusing. You can choose the level of difficulty too. Have a go at it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Make sure you read the instructions (help) before you use it. Choose your level and go. Click here to try an example.
