English in Madrid

Traditional New Year resolutions shunned in favour of reading and saving money New technology and healthier lifestyles mean three quarters of Britons have scrapped "old fashioned" vows relating to smoking, alcohol and exercise. Current top resolutions are reading more books and saving money, the poll of 2,000 people found. The third biggest aim is losing weight while redecorating the house came fourth. In fifth place was taking better photographs on iPhones or iPads. Quitting smoking and drinking less were only ranked as the 22nd and 26th most popular resolutions for 2013. Other modern resolutions included reducing the amount of time spent on social networking sites and simply leaving work on time more often. The research, which was commissioned by private gym chain LA fitness, found other modern resolutions include upgrading the car, topping up our wardrobe regularly and making more time for friends and family. Now technology plays a huge part in...

Only two of the following sentences are correct. Can you correct the others? I never came to class the last week. What did I miss? She's thinking to look for a new job. She isn't happy where she is. I feel much quieter now that the interview is over. I was so nervous before it. Do you know who will be our new teacher? I don't know where are the keys. I hope I haven't lost them. I think is the best film I've seen this year. A: Did you enjoy the party?       B: Yeah, I liked a lot. I met some interesting people. I'm so nervous. I have to make a presentation tomorrow and the boss will be there. I don't like phoning him when he is in the job. Do you know to change the wheel of a car? A: What does she do for a living?          B: I think she works as a lawyer. A: What's it about?          B: It's a moving story about a couple who fall in love during the war. ...

Source: Yatharth (Wikipedia) A–C She hung a shiny bauble on the Christmas tree. The church bells rang loudly on Christmas morning. We visit our cousins on Boxing Day . 26th December is Boxing Day: https://t.co/4o68oI7D7d — English in Madrid (@madteacher72) December 26, 2016 A candle glowed softly in the window. Santa, baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring I don't mean on the phone Santa, baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight Hurry down the chimney tonight Hurry, tonight                                                           Source: You Tube (Streetwalker) Key Words: Santa Baby Eartha We sent Christmas cards to our friends. The choir sang Christmas carols in the town square. #OnThisDay 1970: It’s Christmas Eve. On Tomorrow’s World, it’s time for Christmas carols and robots that appear to have sprun...

Source: Associated Press (You Tube) One lump or poo: World's most expensive coffee at £30 a cup made using beans digested and, er, flavoured by elephants Black Ivory is produced in northern Thailand costing $1,100 (£685) per kg Elephants are fed the coffee and beans are taken from the dung Unique coffee only sold in Thailand, the Maldives and Abu Dhabi Forget robusta and arabica - this is the world's most expensive coffee, given its unique flavour by...an elephant's digestive tract. The thought of a coffee bean passing through an elephant's internal organs might not leave coffee-lovers overly enthused. But the unique coffee, created in the hills of northern Thailand, is now the world's most expensive variety. The elephant dung coffee is created when the animals have eaten and digested the beans, with a gut reaction inside the animals said to be responsible for the unique flavouring. Attendants scurry to collect the huge animal...

Source: Sarah777 (Wikipedia)  It's a puente for some this weekend and many people will be driving somewhere. I wonder how many times I've been asked how to say puente in English. un día festivo   = a holiday If the holiday lands on a Friday or a Monday, then we can say it's a long weekend . If, like now, the holiday is on a Thursday, we can take Friday off . Otherwise , it's a normal, working day . So really puente doesn't exist in English - we just have a day off . Did you go away this weekend? What was the journey like? Here is an A-M list of driving vocabulary. You can also refresh your memory by reading N-Z . to accelerate - acelerar He likes to accelerate quickly when the light turns green. the accelerator - el acelerador Press the accelerator gently to start moving the car. an accident - un accidente There was an accident on the main road this morning. an airbag - un airbag The airbag deployed during the collision, saving her life. th...

Adverbs of manner tell how stg is done. Most adverbs of manner end in -ly . Notice the change from adjective to adverb: She's a carefu l driver.                                     She drives carefu lly . (How does she drive?) Her Spanish is perfect.                                   She speaks Spanish perfect ly . (How does she speak?) It was an eas y win.                                         They won eas ily . (How did they win?) ...

Only two of the following sentences are correct. Can you correct the others? I borned in Valencia. We moved to Madrid when I was about six. I am interested in collecting stamps since I was a teenager. He studied medicine in the university. I started work in a law firm not long after I finished my career. How long do you know your boyfriend? She hopes to work abroad for one or two years. I need to improve my English for getting a better job. I'm doing the FCE because is a useful qualification to have. They've been married since over ten years. We've got the same teacher like last year. I didn't understand nothing. Can you say that again? What does he do in his spare time?

Source:  Presetbase Lightroom Presets en Unsplash Today is Saint Andrew's Day . St Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland. So here is a quiz to test your knowledge of Scotland. 1. Which is the biggest city in Scotland? A. Inverness B. Aberdeen C. Glasgow D. Edinburgh 2. Scotland's population grew to its highest ever in mid 2011. How many people live in Scotland? A. 2,550,690 B. 5,254,800 C. 10,320, 400 D. 18,000,150 3. Sean Connery is Scotland's most famous actor. Which of the following didn't he do before choosing acting as a career? A. He polished coffins. B. He was a milkman. (he delivered milk) C. He taught English to immigrants. D. He worked as a nude model for students. 4. What's the lowest recorded temperature in Scotland? A. - 5.9 ºC B. - 16.7 ºC C. - 27.2 ºC D. - 32 ºC 5. Which of the following wasn't created by a Scot? A. Peter Pan B. Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde C. Sherlock Holmes D. Robinson Crusoe 6. What is the S...

New York Good Cop Lauded For Act Of Kindness The image of Officer Larry DePrimo buying boots for a barefooted homeless man earns wide praise for his random act of kindness. It was meant to be a private gesture, but the New York policeman who bought a homeless man a $100 (£62) pair of boots has won international and official praise. Officer Larry DePrimo appeared before throngs of reporters and cameras on Thursday after being awarded a pair of cufflinks by his boss, NYPD Commisioner Ray Kelly. The 25-year-old explained that he had been inspired by his grandfather to buy the anonymous barefoot man a pair of shoes, after encountering him during his beat near Times Square on a cold evening in early November. "He told me when I was much younger, 'If you are going to do something, do it 100%. And do it, or don't do it at all,'" Officer DePrimo said.  "I didn't really think anything of it at the time," he added. "What sticks out in my m...

  Source: You Tube (dulwich gallery) Key words: masterpiece clark percy Do you recognise the painting? Listen to the guide. Complete the following extracts. I'm going to talk to you about this painting: Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy by David Hockney. It's on loan from Tate Gallery. It's a portrait of Ossie Clarke and Celia Birtwell. Ossie Clarke was a ___ ___ and Celia Birtwell... The couple, independently moved down to London, to Notting Hill and they ___ married in 1969. David Hockney was t he best man at their ___. ... you can tell that he spent a rather long time work ing on it. and they had to pose for him for a very long time. He also ___ photographs to work from in his studio... He said he wanted to capture the tension within their ___ but they actually chose to pose for him in this particular way with Celia standing and Ossie seated. Usually, you would have the man standing in the position of ___ and the woman bei...