English in Madrid

Here are six sentences that use either the first or second conditional. Write the sentences that you hear. Use the pause button and listen as many times as you like.

* Source: tigerpride (You Tube)   K ey words christian lion befriends *Video is no longer available so can you guess the missing words. The answers are in  the comments, Collocations are underlined.   In 2008 a lion named Christian became an international sensation, thanks to the internet.    “I think it’s absolutely wonderful how it has (1) the imagination of a whole new generation of people.” Christian’s amazing journey began in 1969. Two young Australians, Ace Bourke and John Rendall were soaking up the (2) and sounds of London. Around Christmas they wandered into Harrods department store and discovered a lion cub for sale in a (3). It is a practice that would shock most people today. Ace and John bought the lion and called him Christian. Christian was a friendly, outgoing cub. John and Ace took him all over London. The two men kept him in the furniture shop in which they worked. Christian needed plen...

Nurses wear the trousers in Spain Nurses who have been told they can wear trousers are still facing disciplinary action for getting rid of their skirts. Following a three year battle over uniforms the Spanish Constitutional Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to force nurses at a private clinic in Cadiz to wear skirts. However the San Raphael Clinic has ignored the ruling and has since sent letters to five nurses who have started to wear trousers. In the letter the clinic warns the nurses they face new sanctions if they do not observe the company's strict dress code which includes a skirt, apron and nurses cap. And despite the Constitutional Court consider ing the uniform policy to be "discriminatory" and "belonging to another time", the clinic claims they can still appeal the ruling. It comes after the earlier decision by the High Court which found in favour of the clinic, defending their right to impose a uniform, was overturned . The u...

Source: You Tube (Jordi Salvia) Key Words: I ndignats Desallotjament Plaça Catalunya Spanish police clash with protesters over clean-up  Violence breaks out around Barcelona's Plaça de Catalunya, the first trouble after 12 days of protests Riot police clashed for the first time on Friday with protesters who have camped out in Spanish squares for the past 12 days after authorities dismantled a camp in the centre of Barcelona.  Police and clean-up trucks moved into the Plaça de Catalunya, with about 200 protesters being corralled peacefully in the centre of the square.  Protesters were told they were not being evicted and would be allowed back, but municipal workers took away tents, mattresses, tarpaulins, computers and materials used to build the camp.  Trouble erupted when thousands of supporters arrived and blocked access roads. Police cleared routes out of the square by using batons, reportedly injuring 99 people and arresting two.  Video footage filmed in th...

Source:  Marco Chilese en Unsplash   Jailed burglar Wayne Bishop freed to care for children A burglar from Nottingham has been freed from jail on appeal so he can care for his five children. Wayne Bishop, 33, was jailed for eight months for breaking into a rugby club and crashing into a police car. He argued the judgement breached his human rights and the Court of Appeal agreed not enough attention was paid to the effect on his children. Mick Taylor of Nottinghamshire Police Federation said he felt Bishop had been "let off" by the court. Bishop, of Southchurch Drive, Clifton, who raided Mansfield Rugby Club along with three other men in September 2010, apologised to his victims after being released from Ranby Prison. 'Erred in law' The court heard that after taking only some chocolate, Bishop and one of his accomplices had escaped in a Ford Transit van before clipping a police vehicle, driving through red lights and becoming trapped in a dead-end street. He was sente...

Correct the following sentences that have mistakes: He has just gone out for to buy some bread. I would like going to Cuba this summer. It's lovely to see you again. I hope to find a better job soon. I don't mind to get up early. I am thinking to join a gym after the summer holidays. Swimming is the best sport to keep fit. He hasn't to wear a suit on Fridays; he can go casual. You must to take off your hat when you enter a church. The mouse ran across the floor and out the kitchen.

Zapatero's Socialists defeated by People's party in regional elections Results seen as protest vote against Spain's José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's handling of economy since 2008 The PSOE socialist party of Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is licking its wounds after defeat by the conservative opposition People's party (PP) in municipal and regional elections. Source: Guardian Vocabulary : to defeat: to handle: to lick your wounds: aware (adj): widely (adv) : to eject: a drubbing: a backdrop: sluggish (adj): to struggle: spoilt ballots: overall turnout: mainstream (adj): to blame: to plunge: a U-turn: to pledge: to stick to (a plan): a bond (finance): a share (finance): to urge: to call an election: a snap general election: to be due: left-wing (adj): opinion polls: to hang on: to set (timetable): regarded as: ...

Source: Andrea Ferrario on Unsplash Spanish protesters head for standoff with police in Madrid square Thousands of anti-government protesters in Madrid and other cities refuse to leave as interior minister warns of intervention Thousands of protesters who are camped out in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square and in dozens more Spanish cities have pledged to defy an order to pack up their tent cities and leave. As the country's electoral authorities ordered them to move by midnight on Friday, claiming they would disturb Sunday's municipal and regional elections, organisers called a special silent protest for first thing on Saturday morning.  A tense standoff between police and protesters looked inevitable as interior minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba warned that authorities would uphold the law.  "Police know exactly what they have to do," he said, without specifying. "Their actions will depend on what happens."  "We are expecting some kind o...

Youths defiant at 'Spanish revolution' camp in Madrid  Thousands of Spaniards in central Madrid have defied a ban on their protest camp and continued their open-air sit-in .  Spain's electoral board had ruled that the gathering could not continue into the weekend.  It argued the protest could unduly influence voters taking part in local and regional elections across the country on Sunday.  The decision - and the deadline - were met with jeers in Puerta del Sol, where thousands gather every evening - and hundreds have been camping out for a week now.  Dubbed the "Spanish revolution", the protest began with a march through Madrid on Sunday, led by young Spaniards angry at mass unemployment, austerity measures and political corruption.  It turned into a spontaneous sit-in on the square in Sol, which organisers say has now been mirrored in 57 other cities.  Independent of any trade union or political party, the protesters' ranks have been ...

Spain website encouraging wives to have affairs angers husbands Madrid advertisements prompt city's males to post angry comments on site's Facebook wall An advertising campaign inviting married women to sign on to a website that will allow them to find men they can have affairs with has provoked an angry reaction in the Spanish capital Madrid. The posters from the victoriamilan.es company on street advertising boards in Madrid invite women to "Relive your passion. Have an affair!" They are accompanied by a photograph of a smiling woman with her arms around an illicit lover.  "You should be ashamed of promoting infidelity," one angry contributor, Diego Gascón, wrote on the Spanish website's Facebook page.  "This site makes me sick . What kind of morality are you trying to promote?" wrote another contributor, Loles Falkner Falgueras, a digital marketing director, on the same wall. "I hope this sort of business does not pros...

Source: Wikipedia ( http://fotograccion.org/ ) Spanish youth rally in Madrid echoes Egypt protests About 2,000 young people angry over high unemployment have spent the night camping in a famous square in Madrid as a political protest there grows. A big canvas roof was stretched across Puerta del Sol square, protesters brought mattresses and sleeping bags and volunteers distributed food. The nature of the peaceful protest, including Twitter messages to alert supporters, echoed the pro-democracy rallies that revolutionised Egypt.  The Madrid protests began on Sunday.  On the first evening, police dispersed the protesters, but on Tuesday they let them stay overnight.  Spain's 21.3% unemployment rate is the highest in the EU - a record 4.9 million are jobless, many of them young people.  Spanish media say the protesters are attacking the country's political establishment with slogans such as "violence is earning 600 euros", "if you don't let us dream...

One of the most celebrated holidays of Madrid is held on May 15, the Feast Day of San Isidro who is the city's patron saint as well as the patron saint of farmers. The traditional festival and feast are held in an open-air area known as the Pradera del Santo. San Isidro was born in Madrid in 1082 and died in 1172. Legend has it that while the saint was praying, two angels ploughed the land for him. Amongst the miracles attributed to him, hagiographers say that once when he was building a well , his son fell in; but through his mediation he was miraculously brought back to the parapet when the water level rose causing the child to float. Source: gomadrid.com Vocabulary : to hold (an event): as well as: to plough: a well: to float: a spring (water): to gush: legend has it...: to bang:   a spot (place): to date back to: thronging (adj): to play host to: a peak: to bless: to spring up: to shrink: a bank (river): a shrine: to gather: remains: clay: to li...

It's that time of year again. But it's not what it was. Here are a couple of songs from my childhood that came out tops in the contest. A winner from 1982, I remember singing this on stage at school: Source: You Tube (evscevsc) Key Words: Nicole Eurovision Peace A Little Peace - Nicole Just like a flower when winter begins Just like a candle blown out in the wind Just like a bird that can no longer fly I'm feeling that way some times But then as I'm falling, weighed down by the load I picture a light at the end of the road And closing my eyes I can see through the dark The dream that is in my heart A little lovin', a little givin' To build a dream for the world we live in A little patience and understandin' For our tomorrow, a little peace A little sunshine, a sea of gladness To wash away all the tears of sadness A little hopin', a little prayin, For our tomorrow, a little peace I feel I'm a leaf in the mound on t...

Princess Beatrice's royal wedding hat placed on eBay The elaborate hat worn by Princess Beatrice at Prince William's wedding has gone on sale on eBay to raise money for charity.  The Philip Treacy design is billed as a "unique sculptural celebratory headpiece".  The starting bid was £5,000 from entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne of Dragon's Den fame who said that, for once, he wouldn't mind losing. Proceeds from the sale will be shared between Unicef and Children in Crisis.  After the wedding, the hat was compared to a pretzel and a lavatory seat. A Facebook page set up in its honour attracted a following of more than 5,000 people.  Princess Beatrice defended her choice of hat in a recent magazine interview, saying it was "wonderful that it's had such a reaction".  'Delighted'   In a statement announcing the online auction she said: "I've been amazed by the amount of attention the hat has attracted. It's a wonderf...

Spain earthquake: Thousands in Lorca sleep out in fear Residents in the Spanish town of Lorca are assessing the damage from quakes that killed nine people and forced thousands to spend the night outdoors. The mayor of the historic town, with a population of 90,000, said: "Almost no-one slept in their homes". Some 20,000 buildings are believed to have been damaged in what was Spain's worst earthquake for 50 years. The magnitude 5.2 tremor hit early on Wednesday evening, around two hours after a quake measuring 4.4. Those who died - including at least one pregnant woman and a child - were killed by falling masonry in the second tremor. Regional officials say at least 130 people have been injured, with several in a serious condition. 'Very scared' Lorca's Mayor Francisco Jodar said most of the town's population had spent the night sheltering in their cars, streets, public squares or other towns. Some camped out in an outdoor basket ball court, and others us...