22/12/2009

Intermedio 1 and Avanzado 1 - Homework for Christmas


Intermedio 1
  • prepare your presentation based on the points on page 43
  • revise modules 3 and 4
  • work with your CD-ROM to help you study
Avanzado 1
  • download Tea (see post below) and read it by 14th January
  • revise unit 3 and do the review and practice section of unit 3 (answers on a post below)
Enjoy the festive season and see you in 2010!

Intermedio 1 Answer keys

This is the answer to the exercise on page 44, Wordspot: they all mean the same except 3, 5 and 9.

These are the answers to the consolidation section on pages 46 and 47:

A. a Do you speak any other languages?
b How long have you been here?
c What are you doing at the moment?
d Did you have a good holiday?
e So where were you born?
f How often do you go swimming?
g Where are you staying while you're here?
h Have you got any brothers or sisters?

B. 1 voted 2 was having 3 later 4 has grown 5 came 6 stands 7 has only been 8 since 9 leave 10 was 11 wait 12 once missed 13 was playing 14 is becoming 15 still come 16 have been 17 died

C and D We'll do these activities in class.

E A acquaintance B border C colleague D determined E engaged F fail G gambling H hardworking I industrial J jellyfish K keep L local mother-in-law N niece O old-fashioned P prize R recognise S stepmother T twins W waves

Avanzado 1 Review and Practice Unit 3

Here are the answers:
1. 1 We had been walking for twenty minutes when it started to rain.
2 Did you remember to bring that book yesterday?
3 When I got to the party, Jack had already gone home.
5 While Cristina was sitting on the bus, someone stole her wallet.
7 Someone finally answered the phone after I'd been waiting for ten minutes.

2. 1 has been working/ wasn't necessary; 2 were you doing/was; 3 got/ had been stolen; 4 was doing; 5 arrived/had wrapped; 6 Had you been learning

3. 1 It's not far from the post office. 2 People say that the British are reserved. 3... an architect... 4 The sun is very strong today. 6 We stayed at a very nice hotel in Barcelona. 7 That was one of the best books I've read for ages. 8 Shall we sit in the garden for a while?

4. 1a badly b bad; 2a careful b carefully; 3a perfect b perfectly

5. 1 enormous 2 incredibly 3 quickly 4 completely 5 surprisingly 6 certain

6. 1 itchy (not stretchy) 2 breath (not head) 3 fashion (not trendy) 4 of (not in) 5 while (not suring) 6 time (not hand) 7 on (not in) 8 that (not then)

07/12/2009

All - Problems with English

Have a look at this video (thanks, Cris). Don't you find it very funny?

30/11/2009

Intermedio 1 Mini-check Module 3

Here are the answers:

1 further/ farther 2 worst 3 tall 4 better than 5 least expensive 6 less 7 recommend 8 as 9 the second best 10 exactly 11 the 12 to 13 more 14 in 15 for 16 on 17 border 18 seeing 19 flight 20 view

24/11/2009

Avanzado 1 Review and Practice Unit 2

Here are the answers - pay attention to the expressions in bold in the email:
1. 1 'm going to watch 2 'll have 3 's going to 4 'll go and get 5 'm meeting 6 'll be 7 're going to have 8 'm playing
2. Hi Antonio,
I can hardly believe it- but by next Driday afternoon, I'll have finished all my exams! Until then, I'm completely up to my eyes in revision. I'll be revising for my exams the whole of this weekend and then every spare minute I get next week. I really can't wait to get them all out of the way.
I'm really excited though, because I've booked a holiday for immediately after. In fact, this time next week, I'll be waiting for my flight to Crete. I'm going with Daniel - we've both been there before and loved it. After this holiday, we'll have been there four times! Anyway, that's why I'm writing really. I just wanted to know if you'll have left your job by then. If you have, why don't you come with us? I know it's short notice, but it would be great if you could come.
Let me know as soon as you can. Either email me or phone anytime. I won't be going to bed early tonight because I've got so much to do. Really hope you can come.
Gianni
3. 1 detail 2 retirement 3 initiative 4 quality 5 surgeon 6 voluntary 7 redundant deadlines
4. 1 complains about 2 worried about 3 succeed in 4 depends on 5 prepared for 6 modest about

23/11/2009

Intermedio 1 - Workbook exercise page 13 - answer key

Here are the answers:

a. Laura responds to Charlotte's news first, then gives hers.

b. 2. It was great to hear all your news.
3. How lucky you are to live in Australia.
4. Congratulations on getting married next April.
5. I was so sorry to hear about your gran dying.
6. I was amazed to hear about Anthony.
7. It's funny you should mention Simon.

c. 1. I was so pleased to get the photos of your new baby.
2. How lucky you are to have a swimming pool.
3. Congratulations on passing your driving test.
4. I was so sorry to hear about your brother losing his job.

16/11/2009

Intermedio 1 - How to show interest

Here ¡s the page I was telling you about last week. You can listen to the programme, download the script - if you need to - and do the vocabulary quiz afterwards.

Intermedio 1 Mini-check Module 2

Here are the answers:

1 saw 2 were playing 3 were arguing 4 walked 5 stopped 6 lasted 7 me 8 was 9 am 10 are 11 at 12 how 13 any 14 in 15 of 16 about 17 were 18 recognise 19 used 20 when

04/11/2009

Avanzado 1 Review and Practice Unit 1

1. 1f 2h 3g 4a 5d 6e 7b 8c
2. 1 not correct: any idea 2 correct 3 correct 4 not correct: any help 5 correct 6 not correct: everyone 10 not correct: is nothing/isn't anything
3. 1 might 2 must 3 can't 4 may 5 must 6 might 7 could 8 must
4. 1 going 2 ex-wife 3 responsibility 4 fiancée 5 barking 6 takes 7 snores 8 colleague
5. 1 Her brother's name is Iván, isn't it?
2 Let's go for a swim this afternoon, shall we?
3 He never eats meat, does he?
4 Please, make yourself comfortable, won't you?
5 Nobody told him we were having a party, did they?
6 I'm in time for the start of the film, aren't I?
7 Nothing was taken out of her bag, was it?
9 She can't sing very well, can't she?

01/11/2009

Intermedio 1 Mini-check Module 1

Here are the answers:

1 sense 2 Were 3 full-time 4 keeping 5 How 6 Take 7 have 8 gets 9 Do 10 after 11 correct 12 does 13 is getting 14 correct 15 think 16 three of my cousins 17 relatives 18 an acquaintance 19 my mother-in-law 20 is having

25/10/2009

Avanzado 1 - sisters

Hi there!

We've been talking about family birth order, being an only child and friendship. Here's an interesting report on the relationship between sisters. Watch
the video and write a comment answering these questions:

1. Do you think sisters always move between closeness and competition?
2. The report films the reconciliation between sisters Sandra and Diana. Do you think it will last?
3. Is the relationship between brothers different?

21/10/2009

Intermedio 1 - agreement with auxiliaries

Do you remember the game we played last week using auxiliaries?

If you click here you can practise a bit more by doing quizzes 1 & 2 (on the left of the page).

13/10/2009

Intermedio 1 & Avanzado 1 EOI San Blas

Dear students,

Welcome to this blog! I hope you will find lots of useful resources to help you in your learning process. You can start by
  • having a look at the links on the right hand side of the page
  • clicking on the labels you're interested in (a label is a word that categorises each post according to content and level)
  • searching in the archive section
To be continued soon...

06/06/2009

All - Oral Exam

Here are some tips to prepare for your oral exam. Thanks, Cris, for letting me post them.

Remember the following important aspects:
  • Include all the points you're given, even if you organize them in the order you wish.
  • Try to build your monologue around some kind of structure (temporal development, advantages and disadvantages, comparison and/or contrast, etc.)
  • Link the different sections of your monologue with connectors.
  • In the dialogue, remember that you should be able to make suggestions, agree and disagree with people, and to reach some kind of conclusion, even if you cannot reach agreement.
  • Forget about the presence of the examiners, we will be just virtual shapes and ears in the room.
  • Try the best of your pronunciation, please.

    Check conversation strategies here.

02/06/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - consolidation modules 9-12

Here are the answers:

1 a what it would be like to have missed in a vital penalty shoot-out
b being in prison for a crime they didn't commit
c they were one of the first astronauts in space, back in the 1960s
d they (or the people they know) have won the lottery
e they were one of the first astronauts in space, back in the 1960s
f they (or the people they know) have won the lottery

2 a 1 must feel 2 should/could have hit 3 had put 4 might not/wouldn't have been able
b 5 must be 6 would get 7 could/might/ may even go
c 8 must have been 9 could/might have been 10 would/might/could have been blown
d 11 must be 12 must feel 13 must/would change 14 could/might end up
e 15 had been 16 would have been 17 would have felt
f 18 happened 19 could/might/would be 20 might/could get 21 might/could feel 22 would/might/could happen

Vocabulary

a appointment b biased c chat show d disease e entertaining f fits g Guests h house warming i influential j justification k Live l mind m Neighbours n put o resemble p stain q traffic report r unresolved s vaccination t Weird

25/05/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - reading tasks

Here are the answers to the reading comprehension tasks I gave you last week:

Driving in bad weather:1B 2E 3C 4C 5A 6D 7B 8E 9D 10A 11D 12E

Really?: 1F, 2D, 3E, 4I, 5H, 6C

Tourist attractions: 1 a 22-storey building, 2 the Met, 3 Statue Cruises, 4 35%, 5 a refund 6 at the box office of each of the attractions included in the program

21/05/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - Mini check - module 11

Here are the answers:

1 had known 2 could 3 would be 4 made 5 would hurry up 6 would be watching 7 To be 8 be found 9 to get married 10 said 11 On 12 from 13 have 14 for 15 on 16 had 17 doubtful 18 concerned 19 poverty 20 conclusion

20/05/2009

All - education and creativity

Dear students,

Here is a very interesting talk that you should watch if
- you work in education
- you're interested in education
- you want to do some listening practice
- you love hearing beautiful accents
- you'd like to have a good laugh.

Enjoy part one and part two (10 minutes each)!

06/05/2009

ALLIGATORS - REVIEW & PRACTICE - UNIT 7

Here are the answers:

1 One great problem for prison inmates, who spend most of their time locked up, is how to develop self-esteem and find a purpose to their days. One idea, which has been piloted at a prison in Washington, US, is to get the inmates to train dogs that will eventually help disabled people. The project has been a great success. The realionship between the inmates and the warders who work at the prison has improved considerably. Many of the inmates, when they leave the prison, go on to work with animals.
In another scheme, Pilot Dogs, a company which trains dogs for the blind in Ohio, US, put five dogs intothe hands of prison inmates, who trained the dogs succesfully.

2 1 I tried on ten pairs of shoes, of which one pair fitted me perfectly.
2 She called her classmates, none of whom had done the homework.
3 We founfd two good candidates, either of whom could have done the job.
4 wer test-drove six cars, all of which cost over $20,000.
5 Sixteen people came camping with us in 2006, some of whom returned the following year.
6 I worked with the two children, neither of whom spoke any English.

3 1 to say 2 to think 3 speaking 4 to lock 5 to tell 6 to talk 7 drinking 8 to become

4 1 as 2 large 3 deal 4 approximately 5 virtually 6 precisely 7 maximum 8 well 9 much 10 none

angels, eagles & flamingos - Mini check - Module 10

Here are the answers:

1 tries 2 will have finished 3 will be flying 4 gets 5 'm taking 6 to get 7 working 8 to talk 9 fallen 10 stops 11 meeting 12 alive 13 date 14 faint 15 certain 16 guests 17 through 18 on 19 on 20 up

30/04/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - exercise 1, p. 101

I'm not sure if we have corrected this exercise in class with every group. Here are the answers, just in case:

b The doctor must have sent a letter with Eleanor when she went to his surgery.
c The British embassy should have checked this.
d Eleanor might have had to wait for a long time at the doctor's surgery.
e Eleanir managed to get back to the hotel with the medicine successfully eventually.
f They can't have removed Mrs Redwood's signature from the hotel register.
g They might not have taken Eleanor back to room 342 when she returned to the hotel. It might/could have been a different room.
h It is a shame that Eleanor didn't manage to persuade embassy officials to believe her.
i The authorities shouldn't have put a young girl like Eleanor in a mental asylum.
j Eleanor might/could have invented the whole story.

Questions welcome!

22/04/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - Mini check - Module 9

Here are the answers:

1 up 2 with 3 something 4 scratched 5 fit 6 You don't have 7 He can't be 8 Can I 9 You mustn't/can't 10 You shouldn't 11 could 12 need 13 must 14 could 15 should 16 have 17 disappearance 18 suspicious 19 mysterious 20 explanation

15/04/2009

ALL - Book Club

This is just to let you know that we are already preparing our third book club session (tertulia literaria). We'll get together at Café Aromas (downstairs) on Wednesday 13th May at 20:00.
The book we'll be talking about this time is The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne. I'm sure some of you have read it and it would be great to exchange opinions about it.
I hope to see you!

02/04/2009

All - See you on 14th / 15th April...

Dear all,
I'd like you to do a bit of work during the holiday break.

Angels, eagles and flamingos: please, revise the last units - use the CD-ROM and the workbook.

Alligators: read A bit of singing and dancing.

Everyone: work a bit on the blog - you can have a look at the entries, choose some of them and do what you're asked to.

Good wishes for a very happy Easter!

27/03/2009

ALLIGATORS - REVIEW & PRACTICE - UNIT 6

Here are the answers:

Vocabulary - fashion and fads (ex.3, p. 79)
1 e 2 a 3 c 4 g 5 f 6 h 7 d 8 b

Review and practice (p. 88)
1 This 492 m high building consists of two elements that correspond to the Chinese concept of the Earth as a square and the sky as a circle. The hole in the top also has a practical use - to relieve the pressure of the wind on the building. The glassy tower is being built just blocks away from the 420 m Jinmao tower in a district of Shangai that has been designated the Asian centre for international banking. The tower's lower levels will be used for offices, and its upper levels for a hotel, an art museum and restaurants.
2 1 wherever; 2 whatever; 3 whichever/whatever; 4 whenever; 5 whoever; 6 However
3 1 keep up with; 2 kicked off; 3 catch on; 4 is in; 5 came about; 6 homing in on
4 (we've skipped this one)
5 This is the corrected version, with the unnecessary words deleted. I find it quite funny, actually:
An hour with the Body Earth Power Group was enough for me. No sooner had Carin Brook entered than everyone became silent. Much as I tried to keep my mind open - and despite the fact that I have been known to do a bit of tree-hugging myself - I couldn't help thinking that this was going to be a waste of time. Brook, even though she is tiny, had a charismatic presence. we started stretching in order to 'feel the Earth's rhythm' but it didn't last long. I'd hardly lifted my hands up when she told us all to sit down, close our eyes and 'revisualise ourselves from above'. Hard though I tried, I just couldn't imagine what the top of my head looked like, and in spite of her promptings to relax, the hard floor was geting very uncomfortable. Thankfully 4.00 pm came, by which time I was desperate for a nice soft chair and a cup of tea.

Don't hesitate to ask me in class if you have any doubts. Have a nice weekend!

14/03/2009

angels, eagles and flamingos - in the public eye

Hi there,
I've come across this web page which you may find useful to work on on your own while having a nice cup of tea. We've been devoting some time to talking about celebrities and in this site you can read and listen to famous people's biographies and then do different exercises based on them.
Feel free to post a comment with your impressions.

12/03/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - short story

The next story we're going to read is The Landlady by Roald Dahl. You can download it here. I'm also giving a printed copy to the delegado/a of each group.

We'll work on it on 1st/2nd April.

I hope you enjoy it!

10/03/2009

alligators - impressive architecture in Spain

Hi alligators,

I've neglected you lately, sorry about that! While we're on the subject of impressive buildings, here is an article on La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia. Quite a few interesting words in it, by the way!

09/03/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - Mini check - Module 7

Oops, I forgot to post these answers last week. Here they are:

1 whose 2 which 3 where 4 which 5 when (or no relative pronoun) 6 which 7 made 8 place 9 waving 10 absolutely 11 terrifying 12 starving 13 exhausted 14 tiny 15 a bit of 16 very few 17 a bit of 18 much/plenty 19 no 20 any

27/02/2009

angels, eagles & flamingos - next written assignment



Hi everyone,

These are the instructions for the next written assignment. We've just finished the unit on big events and I'd like you to do the following:

1. Watch this video of Take That's latest album. Click here if you can't watch it.
2. Imagine you're one of the people in it. You may want to be one of the members of the band on stage or someone watching their show.
3. Write an article for the local newspaper describing the performance from that point of view. For example, if you were the singer you could start like this: Being used to singing in big stadiums, it was very refreshing to perform in my home town... If you're someone in the audience: I couldn't believe Take That was coming to town... The whole neighbourhood got involved in the preparations.
There are plenty of things to talk about: the setting, the food, what people are doing, certain characters, the atmosphere, the music,...
4. Hand the assignment in before 19th March. Write about 180-200 words.
Enjoy!

15/02/2009

all - article on the crisis

You may find this article interesting. It's from the British newspaper The Guardian and it talks about the impact of the crisis in Spain using the example of Zaragoza - which seemed to be so prosperous thanks to the Expo just a few months ago. Any comments or questions are welcome, as usual.

09/02/2009

angels, eagles & alligators - Mini check - Module 6

Here are the answers:
A 1 the 2 the 3 an 4 - 5 a

B 6 did 7 of booking 8 to practise 9 to doing 10 were

C 11 a 12 not 13 on 14 in

D 15 such 16 about 17 What 18 If 19 It 20 the

Let me remind you once more that you also have your workbook and CD-ROM to revise grammar and vocabulary.

04/02/2009

ALLIGATORS - REVIEW & PRACTICE - UNIT 4

Here are the answers:

1 1 There is a good chance the weather will improve in the coming months.
There is a distinct possibility that the weather will improve in the coming months.
The weather could well improve in the coming months.

2 There is a remote chance that they will succeed in contacting us.
They probably won’t succeed in contacting us.
There is a slim possibility that they will succeed in contacting us.

3 There is every likelihood that we will move house in the spring.
There is a good chance that we will move house in the spring.
We’re bound to move house in the spring.

4 He doesn’t have a hope of being offered the job.
He doesn’t stand a chance of being offered the job.
There’s a distinct possibility he won’t be offered the job.

5 Presumably attendance will be high this year
There is bound to be a high attendance this year
There is a strong possibility that attendance will be high this year.

6 It is almost inconceivable that Thompson will score.
The odds are against Thompson scoring a goal.
Thompson could possibly score a goal.

2 retires/’ll be looking; 2 coming; 3 ‘ll be,4 be seeing; 5 ‘m going to work 6 ‘ll make/say

3 1b 2c 3b 4c 5c

4 1 longer 2 only 3 have 4 not 5 did 6 on 7 account 8 never 9 been

5 1 in a blue moon 2 bits and pieces 3 at a lose end 4 up to 5 more or less 6 cropped up 7 time to time 8 put my feet up 9 snowed under 10 fell through

6 1 genetic 2 pains 3 tissue 4 microchips 5 scan 6 once 7 antibiotics/drugs 8 viruses 9 regulations 10 cloning

03/02/2009

angels,eagles & flamingos - help for your TV ad


Hi there,

This video may help you to prepare your TV ad (thank you, Blanca). It gives advice on how to succeed at a speed dating event - a fast way to meet a new partner where around twenty men and twenty women have just three minutes to talk to each person.

1.Watch the video and answer these questions:

What does the woman say about the way you should act? dress? use body language?

What questions should you ask?

Why is it important to take notes?


2. Get ideas for your presentation.

30/01/2009

use and non-use of articles

Although you did really well in class, for those of you who think need more practice, here are several gap-fill exercises.

Book Club


This is just to let you know that we are already preparing our second book club session (tertulia literaria). We'll get together at Café Aromas (downstairs) on Wednesday 11th March at 20:00.
The book we'll be talking about this time is The right attitude to rain by Alexander McCall Smith. The book will be in the EOI library next week or, if you want to buy it, at Librería Internacional Pasajes (Génova 3, Madrid).
I hope to see you!

21/01/2009

alligators - future tenses

If you need some more help with future forms, this page gives a clear explanation of the differences between them

angels, eagles & flamingos - Minicheck - Module 5

Here are the answers:

A 1 made 2 take 3 won 4 raise 5 set

B 6 hasn't rained 7 had been sitting 8 has been working 9 had learnt 10 will have lived 11 had made up

C 12 I've left 13 have you finished 14 He's been trying 15 I've written 16 I've never seen

D 17 at 18 with 19 of 20 in

09/01/2009

New year's resolutions


Dear students,
We've talked about your resolutions for 2009. Here's an article which suggests that it may not be such a good idea to make these promises to change in the coming year. What do you think about it?

07/01/2009

ALLIGATORS - REVIEW & PRACTICE - UNIT 3

These are the answers to the exercises (except ex.4 which we haven't seen in class)

1. ... decided that life at the magazine
the article claimed that ...
the company hadn't yet become...
the site had received over a thousand hits
... which included a number of bizarre questions
the magazine was preparing to forget...

2. 1 Doing things for other people is life's biggest pleasure.
2 Anyone wishing to take the exam must register in June.
3 Most of the dead animals found after the earthquake were domestic pets.
4 Feeling sleepy, Luisa went to bed.
5 When swimming, it is compulsory that you wear a bathing cap.
6 Having been famous for years, he finally wanted some peace and quiet.
7 Banned from exhibiting their paintings in the exhibition, they decided to set up their own.
8 Waking up early as usual, David looked out of the window.

3. 1 avid 2 page-turner 3 black humour 4 hooked 5 readable 6 one-dimensional 7 based 8 gripping 9 couldn't put it down 10 bestseller 11 puns 12 irony 13 moving 14 fictionalised 15 depict 16 surreal