English in Madrid

The other day I went to see Darkest Hour. I have just read some of the reviews just now. I wouldn't rate it as highly as the majority do. When you see a film (even one in Spanish), you could read some of the reviews. I recommend Rotten Tomatoes . Movie Info During the early days of World War II, with the fall of France imminent, Britain faces its darkest hour as the threat of invasion looms . As the seemingly unstoppable Nazi forces advance, and with the Allied army cornered on the beaches of Dunkirk, the fate of Western Europe hangs on the leadership of the newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman). While manoeuvring his political rivals, he must confront the ultimate choice: negotiate with Hitler and save the British people at a terrible cost or rally the nation and fight on against incredible odds . Directed by Joe Wright, DARKEST HOUR is the dramatic and inspiring story of four weeks in 1940 during which Churchill...

Source:  Sergio Arze on Unsplash Macron: French baguettes should be Unesco-listed treasures The French baguette should be listed as a Unesco cultural treasure, says France's President Emmanuel Macron. "The baguette is the envy of the whole world," he said, in support of a national bakers' association that is promoting the application. The bakers have been inspired by the success of Italy's Naples pizza, which was protected by the UN's cultural body last year. Unesco's list aims to save traditions from globalisation. The Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage meets annually to evaluate nominations from around the world. Why do the French think this is necessary? The bakers say it is not just the name and shape , but the recipe and ingredients that need to be enshrined . "Excellence and expertise must be preserved, and that is why it should be heritage-listed," President Macron told French radio ...

Source:  Kajetan Sumila on Unsplash   How to drive safely in snow and ice  Driving in snow and ice is tricky to master – but here are some tips that should help  With more ice and snow forecast , it's time for many of us to revisit the skills and precautions required for safe winter driving. Driving in such extreme wintry conditions is fraught with inherent risk , so it should always be avoided. But if you really have to venture out , there are a few things you can do and techniques you can use to make sure you stay as safe as you possibly can.  So if you’re daunted by the idea of driving when the snow lays thick and even , have a read through our advice guide – it might make you feel a little more at ease . Drive only if it’s necessary Yes, you’ve heard it on the weather forecast all the time, but people say it for a reason. Put simply , if you don’t go out, you can’t come to any harm on the road. Is your journey really that urgent or ...

Source:  Mika Baumeister on Unsplash Spanish court ruling gives parents permission to read their children’s WhatsApp messages  The mother argued that her ex-husband had breached Spain's privacy laws by checking his nine-year-old's messages  A father who was sued by his ex-wife for reading his two children’s WhatsApp conversations has been cleared by a court in northern Spain. The mother claimed at a court in Pontevedra on 26 December that her daughter’s privacy had been breached by her ex-husband, after he ordered his children to hand over their mobile phones so he could read their WhatsApp messages. The unnamed woman told Spanish daily newspaper El Español: “Both children told me that their father put them in a room and went through his daughter's conversations on her mobile phone. When he asked his son to give him his mobile, he said no.” The father allegedly threatened his son with the police if he did not give up his password. An earlier lower...