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Showing posts from June, 2016

Stop sponging off Mum and Dad

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Source: Photo by Artem Makarov on Unsplash Spanish courts challenge law that forces parents to provide financial support to their unemployed adult children The vast majority of young adults in Spain live with their parents In a victory for parents struggling to support burdensome adult children, Spanish courts have upheld appeals against a civil code requiring divorced parents to support their grown-up offspring .  Known as  Ninis , from  ni estudia ni trabaja  (not studying or in work), some older children in Spain  lived extensively off their parents for many years while not studying or searching for a job. As people attempting to claim benefits in Spain must have worked for at least six months, many Ninis are not entitled to them, leaving the burden on their parents.  The country has the second-highest  youth unemployment rate in Europe at 45 per cent, second only to Greece. Like Greece, Spain has been hard-hit by the financial crisis and eighty per cent of

Petrol and diesel free Formentera

Welcome to Formentera, the island that wants all its cars electric The tiny Mediterranean island of Formentera has taken delivery of six electric cars as part of an ambitious plan to be the first island in  Europe   to banish traditional cars from its shores . At 12 miles (19km) from end-to-end and with a population of about 12,000, Formentera is the smallest of Spain’s Balearic Islands. In summer, however, 15,000 cars are in circulation, arriving by ferry or rented on the island. The six e-Mehari cars were donated by Citroën as part of a pilot scheme for transport on the island to be all electric, although no target date has been set . As the distances are short, the e-Mehari’s range of 124 miles is not an issue . The first stage consists of offering hotels and tourist apartments tax incentives to install charging points , as there are only 14 on the island. However, with 16 charging points per million people in the rest of Spain this is much higher than average . O

Muhammad Ali - The Greatest

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Source: Nelson Ndongala on Unsplash Here are some of Muhammad Ali's quotes. Complete them. Think what kind of word is missing - none of them are difficult words.  If you are struggling , at the end of the post I have put the answers (though in the wrong order). And you have to choose between two options. "When will they ever have another fighter who writes poems, predicts rounds, beats everybody, makes people laugh, makes people cry, and is (1) tall and extra pretty (1) me? In the history of the world and from the beginning of time, there’s never been another fighter like me. Eat your words! Eat your words! I am the greatest." "I am the greatest, I (2) that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I (2) it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest."  "I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed (3) the room was dark."  "If you even dream of beating me, you'

May's mistakes

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Source: mohamed_hassan from Pixabay I've been looking through the comments from last month and I've collected together some of the mistakes. Correct the following sentences: A. I had a nice holiday but I didn't enjoy so much this year. Not only he plays rugby but he also runs marathons. The match was called off for the bad weather. He's got the same car that me. I went for a walk by my old neighbourhood. What a surprise! I didn't wait for see you here. I like listening to songs in English for learn new expressions. Hiking to the top of the hill is worthy. The views are fantastic. It wasn't so bad day in the end. I can't listen the radio. Can you turn it up? B. The travel took 8 hours. It would have been quicker by train. What is the best form to improve your English? I don't mind to watch the programme again. They told us don't make a noise. I think it is a good news that they are getting married. I love Italy. I think is a