English in Madrid

Grisly or just country life? The mole photos dividing social media Warning - this story contains images some readers may find distressing For decades, mole catchers in the countryside have hung their carcasses on fences to be counted for payment and as evidence of their trapping prowess . But when hill walker Simon Lucas shared a photograph of the tradition on social media, he was unprepared for the ferocity of the response. "It seemed to really strike a nerve ," he says. Lucas, 61, a musician from Bristol, travels to the Lake District in Cumbria for one week every month and regularly posts pictures of his wanderings . In February, he was returning from a hike on the road which connects Borrowdale to Seathwaite Farm when something caught his eye : a row of moles had been hung by their pink snouts from a barbed wire fence, their outsized front paws groping lifelessly in the air. "I did think it was a bit grisly but I was mostly intrigued," he says. He put h...

Alcohol-free beer and pet grooming used to measure inflation A shift towards healthy living has been reflected in changes to the way inflation is calculated. Alcohol-free beer and houmous are among the items added to the virtual basket of goods and services used by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to chart the rising cost of living. The ONS collects the costs of 760 products and services across different retailers to come up with the monthly inflation figures. The items are reviewed every year and selected on the basis that they are representative of things that consumers typically spend their money on . Motorhomes, dashboard cameras , and pet grooming have also been added in the latest review. "This year, healthier lifestyle choices influence consumer spending, reflected by goods such as houmous and non-alcoholic beer," said Stephen Burgess, the deputy director for prices at the ONS.                       ...

1️⃣ I depend __ my colleague for a lift to work. 🍓 for 🍍 of 🥝 on 🍉 to Augusto: on 👍 Graham: I depend on  my colleague for a lift to work.,😍 If I got a euro.for the amount of times I've heard 'depend of' 😡 , I'd be a very rich man. 🤑 Follow-up Question: How many of these sentences use on ? 🦓 I hope he doesn't let me down. I'm counting __ him. 🐼 The film is based __ a true story. 🐒We agreed __ the plan after a long discussion. 🐢 She insisted __ paying for the meal. 🦊 We rely __ our suppliers to deliver on time. 🐰Please concentrate __ the task at hand. 🐸 I spent too much __ clothes this month. 🦁 He refused to comment __ the rumours Su: I think I could use on in all of them (?) 😅 Graham: You think rightly. Juanmi: 8/8 with on. 👍 2️⃣ Which sentence is right? 💚 I'll be possibly late tonight 💛 I can be late tonight. 💙 I might to be late tonight. 🧡 All 3 sentences 👆🏻are wrong. Su : I'm not sure but I think all wrong. Graham...

Image created with Chat GPT Italy wins claim over name of Spanish restaurant chain The Mafia Sits at the Table After years of court action and complaints , trademark office in Spain rules name is counter to ‘public order and morality’ A Spanish restaurant chain called The Mafia Sits at the Table may soon have to change its name after the country’s patent and trademark office * heeded objections from the Italian government and ruled that the brand ’s nomenclature ran counter to “both public order and morality”. Italy has pursued its claim against the chain – known in Spanish as La Mafia se sienta a la mesa – through various courts and official bodies over the past few years , alleging that the name trivialises both organised crime and efforts to fight it. In 2018, the EU Intellectual Property Office ruled that the name was invalid as it conveyed a “globally positive image” of the mafia. It added that the brand was “ therefore likely to shock or offend not only the victims of...

Image created with Chat GPT 6️⃣ PICK UP ➡️ to  lift or take something from the ground / a surface (🇪🇸 recoger, levantar) ➡️ to learn something - often informally, without studying it in depth (🇪🇸 aprender) ➡️ to improve or increase in speed, ability, or performance (🇪🇸 rejorar, agarrar ritmo) 🌞I dropped my keys, but someone picked them up for me. → Se me cayeron las llaves, pero alguien me las recogió . 🌞Can you pick up that pen from the floor? → ¿Puedes recoger ese bolígrafo del suelo? 🌞 Children pick up languages very quickly. → Los niños aprenden los idiomas muy rápido. 🌞 He picked up some useful skills during his internship. → Aprendió algunas habilidades útiles durante sus prácticas. 🌞 Business usually picks up around Christmas. → El negocio normalmente mejora en Navidad. 🌞 After a slow start, the game picked up in the second half. → Después de un comienzo lento, el partido mejoró en la segunda mitad. 1️⃣ What was the last thing you picked up from...

Image created with Chat GPT Trump threatens to halt trade with Spain over military base access US President Donald Trump has threatened to halt all trade with Spain, after the country barred the US from using its military bases as part of its operation in Iran. In comments at the White House, Trump said Spain had been "terrible" and suggested "we're going to cut off all trade". "We don't want anything to do with Spain," he told reporters. It is unclear whether the Trump administration will follow through on the threat, or how officials would move to block trade with a European Union member state. Trump's comments add to existing tensions between the two countries, including over the Spanish government's resistance to Trump's demand for NATO allies to raise their defence spending . "I could tomorrow - or today, even better - stop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain," Trump said on Tue...

KIND OF  is a common English expression with multiple uses. It can indicate a category , soften a statement, or be used colloquially to mean somewhat or a little bit . It's also used as a way to express uncertainty or hesitation .  🌞 Categorization : It can be used to identify something as belonging to a specific group or type.  🦅 A bald eagle is a kind of bird .  🌞 Softening statements: In more casual conversation, kind of can be used to make a statement less direct or assertive .  🐝Instead of saying I'm busy , one might say, I'm kind of busy . 🌞 Somewhat or A little bit: When used as an adverb, kind of often means somewhat or a little bit.  🫩 I'm kind of tired means I'm a little bit tired .  🌞 Hesitation/Uncertainty: It can also be used to express uncertainty or a lack of full conviction about something.  🌞 Colloquial usage: In informal spoken English, kind of is often shortened to kinda . 🎷 What kind of music do you like? (catego...