English in Madrid

Source:  Jude Beck on Unsplash Rise in stay-at-home fathers fuelled by growing numbers of female breadwinners The number of stay-at-home fathers reached a record high last year, new figures show, as families saw a rise in female breadwinners. Men now make up nearly 10 per cent of those who care for children while their partner goes out to work, official employment statistics revealed today. There were 227,000 men staying at home to look after family between September and November last year, a rise of 19,000 compared to the same period in 2011 and the highest increase since figures began in 1993. Experts suggested that the shift was down to men losing their jobs in the recession and either failing to find new employment or deciding that it did not make financial sense for them to return to work if their partner was a high earner.   Source: Daily Telegraph      Vocabulary :   to fuel -   a breadwinner - el sostén ...

Alcohol-fuelled sleep 'less satisfying' A tipple before bedtime may get you off to sleep faster but it can disrupt your night's slumber, say researchers who have reviewed the evidence. The London Sleep Centre team says studies show alcohol upsets our normal sleep cycles. While it cuts the time it takes to first nod off and sends us into a deep sleep, it also robs us of one of our most satisfying types of sleep, where dreams occur. Used too often, it can cause insomnia. Many advocate a nightcap - nursing homes and hospital wards have even been known to serve alcohol - but Dr Irshaad Ebrahim and his team advise against it. Fragmented sleep  Dr Ebrahim, medical director at the London Sleep Centre and co-author of the latest review, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, said: "We should be very cautious about drinking on a regular basis. "One or two glasses might be nice in the short term, but if you continue to us...

Source: Thomas Teo(You Tube)   Key Words: Kate Nash Nicest Thing     Kate Nash - The Nicest Thing   All I know is that you're so nice You're the nicest thing I've seen I wish that we could (1) it a go See if we could be something I wish I (2) your favourite girl I wish you (3) I was the reason you are in the world I wish my smile (4) your favourite kind of smile I wish the way that I (5) was your favourite kind of style I wish you couldn't (6) me out But you always wanna know what I was about I wish you'd  (7) my hand When I was upset I wish you'd never (8) The look on my face when we first met I wish you  (9) a favourite beauty spot That you loved secretly 'Cause it was on a hidden bit That nobody else could see Basically, I wish that you (10) me I wish that you (11) me I wish that you (12) when I said two sugars, Actually I meant three I wish that without me your heart would (...

Source: ja ma on Unsplash I am planning to become a vegetarian. I know it'll be difficult but I'm going to give it a go. I went to a vegetarian restaurant yesterday to see if I could get any ideas for recipes. I wasn't really impressed. Vegetarian meals, on the whole, don't look very appetising. Here is a list of idioms that contain fruit or vegetables. Can you guess the meanings? (a) His youngest daughter was the apple of his eye . (b) I don't want to upset the apple cart now by asking you to change the date of the meeting. (c)  One bad apple spoils the barrel . Now we all have to suffer because of what he did. (d) Your Dad is going to go bananas when he sees this mess. (e) They're nice kids but they are so fu ll of beans that it gets a bit tiring. (f) Why did they suddenly break up? Come on! Spill the beans ! (g) He went beetroot/ went as red as a beetroot  when he realized that he had said something stupid. (h) Somet...

Part 2 is Open Cloze - a gap filling exercise. The missing word is usually a grammatical one, so they are all simple words. However, many students find this a tricky exercise (and if I'm honest, I am puzzled occasionally too). Among the twelve possible points, there could be examples of: Linkers : as well as, unless, even though , in spite of... Prepositions : afraid of flying, for ten years, arrive at the station... Articles : he's a teacher, I loved the film... Quantifiers : much, no, some, few... Personal Pronouns : it, you, them, us... Indefinite Pronouns : anyone, everywhere, whatever... Relative Pronouns / Question Words : who, why, which, where... Auxiliary Verbs : is, were, have, has, being, having... Comparatives / Superlatives : as, less, than, most... Multi-Word / Phrasal Verbs : take part in, give up smoking... Other determiners : one, both, either, this, these... The problem is that there are many possibilities but if you do...

Part 3 is Word Formation. Most students find this the easiest part of the Use of English. However, you could lose valuable points by making *silly mistakes. First you should determine what kind of word you need. Among the 10 possible points, there may be: · conversions from VERB to NOUN (achieve to achievement) · conversions from NOUN to ADJECTIVE (danger to dangerous) · conversions  from ADJECTIVE to ADVERB (easy to easily) · conversions from NOUN to VERB (courage to encourage) · conversions from ADJECTIVE to NOUN (popular to popularity) · conversions from VERB to ADJECTIVE  (impress to impressive) · conversions from a POSTIVE MEANING to a NEGATIVE MEANING (able to unable) · an internal change (ch oos e to ch oic e) Sometimes there are two nouns: · survive (v) to survivor (n) or survival (n) Sometimes there are two adjectives: · amaze (v) to amazed (adj) or amazing (adj) Sometimes you need to add a prefix and a s...

Translate the following character adjectives and complete the sentences with one from the list. Then write some sentences of your own that demonstrate the meaning. Source:  Alec Favale on Unsplash a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - cariñoso b _ _ _ _ _ - listo c _ _ _ _ _ - torpe d _ _ _ - soso e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - despreocupado / relajado f _ _ _ _ - quisquilloso / exigente Source: Ryan Franco on Unsplash g _ _ _ _ _ - gruñon h _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - trabajador i _ _ _ _ i _ _ - maleducado j _ _ _ _ _ _ - envidioso k _ _ _ - amable l _ _ _ _ _ l _ - agradable m _ _ _ _ - de humor variable n _ _ _ _ _ _ - travieso o _ _ _ o _ _ _ - extrovertido p _ _ _ _ - orgulloso q _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - temperamental r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - fiable s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - testarudo t _ _ _ _ _ t _ _ _ - considerado u _ _ _ _ _ - desordenado v _ _ _ - presumido Source:  James Lee on Unsplash w _ _ _ - sabio _ _ _ _x _ _ _ _ - inso...

Source: fer gomez on Unsplash a balancing act - un acto de equilibrio / una situación difícil cuando intentas lograr diferentes cosas al mismo tiempo. She had to perform a balancing act between work and family. a cage - una jaula The lion was kept in a cage for safety. (to do) a cartwheel - hacer una voltereta lateral The children showed off their gymnastic skills by doing cartwheels in the park. a clown - un payaso The circus clown entertained the audience with his funny antics. a custard pie - una tarta de crema pastelera / arrojada a la cara de un payaso para hacer reír a la gente The comedian received a custard pie in the face to make people laugh. (to do) a handstand - hacer un pino (solo las manos tocan el suelo) The gymnast impressed everyone by doing a perfect handstand. (to do) a headstand - hacer un pino (la cabeza toca el suelo) She challenged herself to do a headstand during yoga class. a hoop - un aro The acrobat gracefully jumped through the hoop. to juggle / a juggler -...