English in Madrid

Choose A, B, C or D to complete the sentences. 1. ..... the music down? I'm trying to concentrate.      A. Would you mind to turn      B. Could you mind turning      C. Would you mind turning      D. Could you mind to turn  2. Spanish people ..... eat spicy food.           A. tend to not      B. tend don't to      C. don't tend      D. tend not to 3.  She ..... get the job. She doesn't have the right qualifications.      A. likely not to      B. definitely won't      C. won't probably      D. certainly might not 4. I ..... when I ..... from holiday.      A. will call / get back      B. call / will get back      C. ca...

  Source: You Tube (Berikson Sports)  

Choose A, B, C or D to complete the sentence :  1. ..... English in Norway.      A. Everybody speak      B. All people speak      C. All the people speaks      D. Everyone speaks  2. Where ..... your sister .....?      Aberdeen.      A. is / born      B. did / born      C. was / born      D. does / born 3. When I finish work at 6, I usually .....      A. go to house      B. go home      C. go to the home      D. go at house  4. At first I didn't understand ..... he said.      A. nothing      B. none      C. anything      D. any  5. I think that Australia has a high ..... .    ...

Olivenza (Spanish) or Olivença (Portuguese) is a town in the autonomous community of Extremadura, situated on a disputed section of the border between Portugal and Spain. Olivenza is claimed by both countries and is currently administrated by Spain. Olivenza had been under undisputed Portuguese sovereignty since 1297 until it was occupied by the Spanish in 1801, and formally ceded by Portugal, after being invaded and defeated by Spain at the War of the Oranges, later that year by the Treaty of Badajoz. Spain claims the "de jure" sovereignty over Olivenza on the grounds that the Treaty of Badajoz still stands and has never been revoked. Thus, the border between the two countries in the region of Olivenza should be as demarcated by that treaty. Though, the terms of the very Treaty of Badajoz undoubtedly state that if war was ever to again occur between the two countries, then the Treaty would be void. And that happened when Spain itself later invaded Portugal. So...

Queen's message to the nation: Source: ITNnews (You Tube) key words: queen thanks nation Final day of celebrations: Source: ITNnews (You Tube) key words: jubilee tuesday highlights Charles speak at end of concert at Buckingham Palace: Video Source: ITVnews (You Tube)  key words: Prince Charles' speech jubilee concert You can find all you need to know about the Diamond Jubilee celebrations here . Source:BBCnews

Source: Bjorn Laczay (Wikipedia) Madrid's neon knight upstaged by new Apple store Famous Tío Pepe sign faces uncertain future as technology giant moves into building where it has stood for 75 years One of Spain's most iconic images, the huge Tío Pepe neon sign that glows above Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square, has been shoved aside at the same time as a more recent force in global brand names – Apple – moves into the building that houses it. The red and white neon figure of Tío Pepe, a guitar-toting sherry bottle dressed in an Andalucian-style short jacket and sombrero, has blinked at Madrid visitors for three-quarters of a century. Source: Guardian Vocabulary : to upstage - a sign - to face (an uncertain future) - an image - huge (adj) - to glow - to shove aside - a brand name - guitar-toting - to blink - dictatorship (n) - to loom - coy (adj) - a licence - a firm - a landmark - iron (n) - to gut (a ...

Check out this video on Pavement Etiquette . Source: Videojug Image source:Wikipedia (Tomasz Kuran) If you look up into the sky now, you are likely to see lots of birds racing around catching flies for their young. I find it amazing that, despite their speed, they never crash into one another. It's a pity that the humans on the pavements below couldn't be like them. I walk a lot around Madrid and each time I am confronted by a lack of "pavement manners" and basic common sense. Many pavements are narrow and so logically you can't always walk side by side with your friend. You should walk in front of your friend if you see someone coming towards you; otherwise you end up making physical contact with the stranger. Why are people so reluctant to do this? It's the same on wider pavements.  I often meet six people walking side by side and occupying the whole pavement. Wouldn't it make more sense to divide up into smaller groups? I think it's...

El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación ha transmitido al Reino Unido “el disgusto y malestar del Gobierno por la prevista visita” que el príncipe Eduardo, hijo menor de la reina Isabel II, hará a Gibraltar el próximo mes de junio. Source: Michal Mrozek on Unsplash I have seen "el disgusto y malestar" translated in different ways: "disgust and upset", "disgust and unease" and "disgust and concern". I think the best way to translate malestar is unease . It means you are unhappy or uncomfortable with a situation. (adj - uneasy) There is growing unease in the country at the direction taken by the government. There is an uneasy truce in the country but I doubt it'll be long before they start fighting again. I think concern  is more like worry so I'd translate it as preocupación. (adj - concerned, concerning) There is a lot of public concern about the high level of crime in the city. I am a bit concerned that she hasn...

Source: Valery Tenevoy on Unsplash sympathy (n): is a feeling of compassion or of pity for another person's suffering. (compasión) We could only express our sympathy for her loss. I have no sympathy for any bullfighters who are gored. They deserve to suffer in my opinion. to sympathise / sympathize :  is to understand and care about somebody's problems. (compadecerse) I can sympathise with you. I know how hard it is when you lose your job. We sympathize with your situation but we don't see how we can help you. sympathetic (adj): describes someone who shows they care for another's difficult situation. (comprensivo) Her boss was very sympathetic . He allowed her to have time off to look after her sick mother. Everyone I talked to at Telefonica was sympathetic but they couldn't sort out the problem. Notice how you translate the following: simpatía - friendliness The Scots are renowned for their friendliness. simpatizar - to get on ...

Image Source Agencia Brasil Diamond Jubilee: Spain's Queen Sofia cancels visit Queen Sofia of Spain has cancelled a visit to the UK to mark Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee because of disputes over the island of Gibraltar. A Spanish government statement said it was "hardly appropriate" for Queen Sofia, 73, to attend a lunch on Friday.  The UK and Spain have been in dispute over fishing rights off Gibraltar, a UK territory which Spain also claims.  Spain has also protested over a visit to Gibraltar by Queen Elizabeth's son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie.  The prince and the Countess of Wessex are to visit Gibraltar on 11-13 June as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign.  Complaint  Spain continues to claim sovereignty over Gibraltar, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.  Queen Sofia's husband, King Juan Carlos, had already declined his invitation to the lunc...