English in Madrid

Source: Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash I have been on Twitter for four and a half years now. If you haven't signed up, why not do so? I think it is an entertaining way to help you along the learning path. Take a  look at some of the tweets from Novembers past. You can click on them and give a like to show me that you have read it or you can tweet a comment. Not only that, you can write a comment in the blog about any of the stories below. 2011 I have been living in my flat since November 2011. I will have to move again in a year's time when the contract runs out . The thing about tweets is that you are limited to 140 characters so you have to omit words.  For example in the first tweet here, I'd normally say: I am very happy in my new home and neighbourhood . I am still hard at work opening boxes and arranging things but the end is in sight . Very happy in my new home and NEIGHBOURHOOD. Still hard at work opening boxes and arranging things but the end is ...

Source: You Tube  (AFP News Agency) Key Words: Mr. Ugly Zimbabwe Uproar as Zimbabwe's Mister Ugly winner deemed 'too handsome' Crowd favourite claims the man who beat him to the title only won because he has missing teeth and is not ‘naturally ugly’ Judges have crowned a new winner of Zimbabwe’s 4th annual Mister Ugly contest, upsetting supporters of the crowd favourite and prompting violence at the event. Judges on Saturday chose 42-year-old Mison Sere , citing his numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque facial expressions, over William Masvinu, who had held the title since 2012. Masvinu and his supporters mobbed the judges upon hear ing their decision, claiming that Sere was “too handsome” to win and his ugliness wasn’t natural since it was based on missing teeth. “I am naturally ugly. He is not. He is ugly only when he opens his mouth,” maintained Masvinu, gesturing at his rival . “Do we have to lose our teeth to win? This ...

Source: Wikipedia   On This Day 1975: Spanish dictator Franco dies General Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain with an authoritarian hand for 39 years, has died at the age of 82. He had been ill for five weeks and died early this morning at La Paz hospital, Madrid. Doctors said the cause of death was heart failure aggravated by peritonitis. Flags all around the country are at half-mast and the general's body is now lying in state at the El Pardo Palace. Franco, also known as the Generalissimo, will be buried next week at the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum. Forgiveness The Prime Minister, Carlos Arias Navarro, his voice trembling with emotion , announced the death at 1000 local time on radio.  He said that on his deathbed General Franco had asked his enemies to forgive him. "I ask pardon of all my enemies, as I pardon with all my heart all those who declared themselves my enemy, although I did not consider them to be so ," the general had said. ...

Source:  Emilio Garcia en Unsplash Madrid completely car-free following anti-pollution parking ban MADRID'S radical anti-pollution plan means the city streets resemble a Sunday afternoon rather than a working day, locals report – parking has been banned within the M-30 ring road , or the central 'oval' of the city, except for residents and the disabled . Mixed feelings have been provoked by the sudden parking ban, which carries a €90 fine if ignored.   Those who live in the city are delighted with the extra parking spaces suddenly available to them, and traffic jams have disappeared literally overnight .   Getting from A to B in taxi or bus is much quicker and easier, and the whole city has a more relaxed feel about it, say workers, tourists and residents.   But the downside has been that all public transport routes are now packed .   The frequency of metro trains has not increased, and when they arrive, it is often impossible even...

Binge-watch is Collins' dictionary's Word of the Year Collins English Dictionary has chosen binge-watch as its 2015 Word of the Year. Meaning "to watch a large number of television programmes (especially all the shows from one series) in succession", it reflects a marked change in viewing habits, due to subscription services like Netflix. Lexicographers noticed that its usage was up 200% on 2014. Other entries include dadbod, ghosting and clean eating. Helen Newstead, Head of Language Content at Collins, said: "The rise in usage of 'binge-watch' is clearly linked to the biggest sea change in our viewing habits since the advent of the video recorder nearly 40 years ago. "It's not uncommon for viewers to binge-watch a whole season of programmes such as House of Cards or Breaking Bad in just a couple of evenings - something that, in the past, would have taken months - then discuss their binge-watching on social media." Those partaking i...

Source: Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash 14 things successful people do before breakfast Do you do 14 things before work? This report from the World Economic Forum spells out how to make the most of your mornings Many people think that squeezing in breakfast before work is a feat in itself. However, research from the World Economic Forum states that successful people make the most of their mornings. They have released a list of 14 things that successful people do in the mornings before the first meal of the day. It includes exercising, spending quality time with the family, networking over coffee and working on a personal-passion project. The WEF states: "Those among us who have managed to find professional success and eke out a life actively embrace this philosophy. They must set aside their first hours of the day to invest in their top-priority activities before other people’s priorities come rushing in."  This is backed up by science - Laura Vanderkam, a ti...