Sometimes a meal in a restaurant is not what you expected. Maybe the staff weren't efficient. Perhaps the price was too expensive. Or simply it wasn't what you expected.
To remember what we do and say at the restaurant, watch this video and practise.
Now try this activity about problems with a meal. Later you can practise with the video we used in class. I found it on www.youtube.com
In the world of dreams the rules of reality do not work. Sometimes we remember shocking dreams or wake up in the middle of the night after a terrible nightmare, but we are always confused thinking what the dream may mean.
Read these texts about common dreams and get a general idea of their meaning. You can check your answers clicking on comments.
Ready for a video. Watch this one and say which fact is the most surprising for you and why. After that, click on the link below and do the listening activitiy about sleeping (it's a bit difficult; to read the script, click on text page)
These days citizens don't believe in politicians because they often break their promises. However, they always say the same words. For example, "Our nation will change for the better with us" or "You won't pay for your children's education" or "We will help people in need". At the end of the day these promises become lies.
Imagine you are elected the next Prime Minister of Spain. Which promises would you make? You can write your ideas clicking on comments.
Now try the powerpoint presentation we did in class and these activities about WILL and SHALL.
Have a look at this picture. Which glass do you think represents an optimist? And a realist? And a pessimist? What kind of person are you?
Watch this video about Gustav the pessimist. Write down or say aloud all his negative predictions for the future. You can check your answers clicking on comments.
Now try this game and this song to revise structures with WILL. Then you can enjoy the Greenpeace commercial with subtitles in Spanish to help you.
According to wikipedia, Heathrow is the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic and the busiest in the United Kingdom. However, there are more international passengers at Heathrow than any other airport around the globe.
If you are interested, browse the official site of Heathrow airport and note down relevant information.
Now you should be ready to watch this video that shows all the steps a traveller takes before flying.
Finally watch the powerpoint presentation we did in class about plans in the future and timetables. After that, do the activities related to future forms.
This is the book you will read: "British and American Festivities", Black Cat A1 or A2.
Remember you can borrow a free copy from our library. After the first term exams, I will give you more information about how I will test the reading comprehension of this book.
Nowadays there are lots of books about mini sagas and microstories, which are included in a new genre called flash fiction. It all started in 1988 when the Telegraph newspaper organized a mini saga competition. Mini sagas are complete stories in exactly 50 words. Some microstories can be even shorter.
Read these examples of minisagas from students at secondary school which I found on www.talkingpeople.net
By Beatriz (Y5B, 2007-08)
The water is disappearing and I cannot breathe. I am being carried out and the tube is so narrow my bones crack. I am dying. A light blinds me and the noise is deafening. My lungs burst. Somebody beats me in the bottom and I cry. I have been born!
Winter 2006 Mini-saga Project for Y5B and Y5C students
The comfortable room was ready. The clock struck five. She stopped ironing. The same music. She looked at him and waited for his reaction. He invited her to sit down beside him. The same music. Some words. The same music. Brandy again. This time the cyanide would do the rest.
Winter 2006 Mini-saga Project for Y5B and Y5C students
Hello darling! It has been so long time since we last met. Perhaps a year…
Nothing has changed here but coldness.
Wait! If my memory works it was a November 1, like today.
One year, darling!
You don´t have to bring anything!
Why flowers?
Why are you crying?
Darling?
Which story did you like most? Why? You can write your ideas clicking on comments.
Now watch this traditional fairy tale called Little Red Riding Hood. After that you can read it clicking on the link below.
We all have a soundtrack of our life. In other words, songs that remind us of our childhood or special moments, songs that describe stages of our life. Which songs would you include in the soundtrack of your life? Why? You can write your answers clicking on comments.
Let's see how good you are at music. Watch the video and guess the song. You only have 10 seconds.
How many songs did you guess? I was good at good because I got 8/10. Now try these listening activities where people talk about music. Remember you can read the script after doing the activities on www.elllo.org.
Now play this music trivia. After that, watch the video again and write down the eight questions without auxiliary. To check your answers click on comments.
Finally try these activities about questions with and without auxiliaries in English. Before doing the activities you can watch the powerpoint presentations we did in class.
Her eyes captivated the world the moment they appeared on the 1985 National Geographic cover. Soon she became one of the world's most famous faces. Some decades later, the mysterious Afghan girl met the photographer again.
Read the text below to find out the identity of the mysterious Afghan girl and answer the questions below. Click on comments to check your answers.
Now you're ready to watch these video about photo description. After watching it, find a photo about your last holidays and try to describe it using past simple and past continuous. Thanks to Aracena EOI in Huelva.
Travelleres usually look for different experiences when they go on a journey. Some of them want to lie on a beach, others are ready to enjoy their all-inclusive package holidays and some others are only interested in experiencing.
In this last group are included the three short films by the independent director Rick Mereki. Read the information about the short films and answer the questions below.
- Did they experience any inconveniences during their journey?
- How many cameras did they take with them?
- How does the director describe the journey?
Now lounge on your chair and enjoy these short films.
What do you think about this project? Which countries could you see in the video? Which experience did you like the most? You can write your opinion clicking on comments.
Listen to these recording about holidays and do the activities.
To finish this entry, I have selected some links for you to reinforce past simple in English and a video with the pronunciation of irregular past simple.
One of the latest trends among people is to customize T-shirts. In other words, you can make your own T-shirt look personal. So print a definition or message you like on your T-shirt to feel different and fashionable clicking on the link below. Don't forget to choose your style and a good definition.
The German anatomist Gunther von Hagens creates sculptures with preserved human bodies and body parts using a technique called plastination. His work called "Body Worlds " was exhibited in Seville, Spain from 6th February 2009 to 3rd May 2009.
To get more information about it click on the official webpage (exhibitions) and answer the questions below. If you want to, you can write your answers on the chat below or clicking on comments.
Time for listening. First try the human body where you can guess and get additional information about different body parts. After that continue with the interactive activities about physical description and picture description.
As you know, I usually include use of English activities at the end of the entry and here the ones for this unit. I have also included Nina Simone's song with lyrics. Enjoy it.
In this photo you can see characters from the popular series Modern Family. Could you guess their relationship by having a look at the picture? For example, I think the man on the sofa is married to the blonde woman. So they are husband and wife. You can write your ideas clicking on comments.
If you need more practice with the pronunciation of some words or with vocabulary click on the links below.
After watching Lottie's pictures, try this listening activity about Ruth's family. It's a bit difficult. After doing the test, you can click on Text Page on the right to read the script.
In Spain we kiss on both cheeks when we meet someone, but in other countries people act in a different way. Click on the link below to see the powerpoint presentation we did in class about introducing yourself in English.
