Homework for Christmas

In these two weeks without classes, you should spend a bit of time studying English. Remember you can revise what we've studied so far by working on the MultiROM, the student's website and the workbook. I would also like you to do some writing: Click here for the instructions (© Christmas corner. Oxford University Press).

Intermedio 1: If you haven't done your presentation yet, it's a good time to prepare it.

Avanzado 1: You should prepare a presentation on something you know how to do, you're good at or you're very keen on. We'll devote the first weeks of the new year to listening to you at the end of the classes.

Merry Christmas everyone!

... y olé

Avanzado 1 - Revise & Check Unit 2

Here are the answers: GRAMMAR a. 1 I used to have/ I had 2 The boss appeared to have 3 Did you really use to wear 4 √ 5 I need to get my passport renewed 6 √ 7 √ 8 √ 9 Could you get your brother to have a look 10 she was wearing trousers b. 1 (that) I had made a big mistake 2 seems to have 3 you get the tap fixed 4 is expected to resign 5 According to the Daily Mail 6 it will get broken 7 There are said to be 8 They don't usually get to the airport 9 the dog had been sleeping on my bed all night VOCABULARY a 1 friendship 2 freedom 3 neighbourhood 4 fear 5 shame 6 poverty b 1 take 2 spare 3 get 4 cope 5 left 6 know c 1 lost 2 pushed 3 life 4 nerves 5 message 6 way 7 out d 1 by 2 at 3 before 4 off 5 down 6 away 7 out 8 over

All - recording your voice

Here's a great online voice recorder. It's very easy to use. You can practise pronunciation, improve your fluency and rehearse your presentations. Here are a few ideas:

• Listen to a track from the workbook and then read the transcript aloud. Then listen to yourself.
• Choose some of the questions from the speaking sections of the textbook. Prepare your answers, record them and then listen to yourself and assess your performance.
• Listen to those words that are more difficult for you to pronounce - you can use an online dictionary to hear how they sound - and then repeat them several times. Listen to your pronunciation and compare it with the original.

I hope it helps!

All - Christmas party

Dear students,

As I've already told you, on Thursday 20th we will have a Christmas party at the school. We are holding a writing competition. Here are the instructions and the document you have to send to my e-mail address.

We are also preparing a short pantomime so if you're interested in taking part let me know by next Monday. Here's the script.

Have a good weekend!

Avanzado 1 - Proverbs related to time

Here are the proverbs we saw in class:

The early bird catches the worm Somebody who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain an advantage over others

A stitch in time saves nine If you act quickly when something goes wrong, it will save time later, because the problem will get worse if you leave it.

A watched pot never boils When you’re impatient for something to happen it seems to take longer

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it We’ll deal with the problem when and if it arises, rather than worry about it beforehand

Strike while the iron is hot Make use of an opportunity immediately as soon as it occurs

Here are some others. Can you provide a definition?

It's no use crying over spilt milk.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
Make hay while the sun shines.
When the cat's away the mice will play.

Intermedio 1 - comments and responses

Here's the exercise we did in class with some of your responses to the comments given.

Christmas pantomime

If you're interested in going to a play in English, The Madrid Players put on a Christmas pantomime every year.

All - evictions in Spain

and the transcript is on the right-hand side of this page.

Avanzado 1 - News about Spain

Here's an interesting listening from npr.org on the economy of the Basque country. You can listen to it first and then read the transcript. Feel free to write a comment with your opinion about it.

Avanzado 1 - vocabulary answer key

Here are the answers to the vocabulary section on pages 14, 15 and 19 of your Student's Book:

Language terminology:
1 an idiom     2 collocation    3 register    4 a phrasal verb    5 slang    6 colloquial   7 a synonym    8 a metaphor

Language quiz:

1 Idioms
1 refuse to change your mind about something even when other people are trying to convince you that you are wrong
2 say exactly what you think in a very direct way
3 were determined to continue despite the difficult circumstances
4 don't agree with each other
5 is the dominant partner

2 Phrasal verbs
1 catch up    2 put off    3 take after    4 bring up    5 grow up

3 Synonyms and register
1 E (one is more formal)
2 D (consequently)
3 F (owing to)
4 B (benefits)
5 H (omit)
6 C (however)
7 A (adhere to)
8 G (require)

4 Collocation
1 completely   2  hurt   3 close   4 distant   5 security

Revise & check:

a 1 teeth   2 mind    3 run    4 trousers   5 guns   6 terms
b 1 career   2 part-time   3 alike   4 half-sisters   5 take after   6 synonym
c 1 off  2 off, up   3 up   4 off  5 in   6 with, on
d 1 challenging   2 competitive   3 unsuccessful    4 rebellious    5 enjoyable   6 repetitive

All - Stative verbs

Here's a list of stative verbs. You'll find it useful on many occasions.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com



 

 

Intermedio 1 - Entry Checker answer key

Here are the answers to the entry checker which comes with your New English File student's pack. I encourage you to do those exercises because they're a good way to revise the grammar points of the previous levels.

Avanzado 1 - Boomerang children

Listen to a mother and a son talking about living together after he's finished university (from The Listening Project BBC Radio 4).

He's not a conventional young man, is he? In what ways? Write a comment.

Intermedio 1 - a story and an e-mail

Here is the story of Ralph and the guitar case and a model of an e-mail to an old friend.

© New Cutting Edge Intermediate, Pearson

... and these are the answers to the reading exercises on page 11 of the book:

b. Most sportspeople find it difficult to retire.
c.  1F, 2E, 3C, 4B, 5A, 6D
d.  glamour, loss, recognition, failure, retirement

Intermedio 1 - Past perfect

Here's the explanation and exercise we did in class. I hope it's useful.

Intermedio 1 - Brad Pitt and Chanel No 5

...and here's Brad Pitt advertising a women's fragrance. See if you can fill in the blanks. To check the answers, click on the 'comments'.

It's not a journey
every journey ends but we go ________ (1)
the ____________  (2) turns and we turn with it
_________ (3) disappear
___________ (4) take over
but wherever I  go,  ____________ (5) you are
my luck, my fate, my __________ (6)
Chanel No 5, inevitable

Avanzado 1 - interview with George Clooney

 

adapted from www.npr.org

 

Here's the interview with George Clooney if you want to listen to it again and the transcript.

 





 

Avanzado 1 - connectors

You can download the exercise we did the other day in class by clicking here. If you can come up with any other answers, share them using the comments section.

ALL - working at home

Dear students,

Remember that personal work outside the classroom is essential to learn a language. 

As I told you in class, apart from the set homework, you can revise what we do in class in several ways:





- doing the exercises in the workbook
- working on the Multi-Rom which includes video and audio exercises too
- using the student's website
- looking at the useful links (on the right-hand side of this page) regularly

Apart from the diagnostic test we're taking in class, you can also do this one online to get some feedback on your grammar.

 

Academic year 2012-2013

Welcome to this blog, Intermedio 1 and Avanzado 1 groups!

Here are some documents you will find useful this year:

calendar

school information and regulations

speaking and writing - assessment criteria

how to do a written assignment

News on Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas

I think you should know about this. Click on the links for more information:

higher fees for EOI students

the transfer of EOI teachers to Secondary School

Intermedio 2 - September exam

Congratulations to those who have passed their exam in June!

Those of you who have to sit the exam in September, please open this document and read the information. For reasons beyond my control, the date of the oral exam for one group has changed.

Have a great summer!

Intermedio 2 - exam revision

Although this information is posted on the noticeboard and was given to you the day of the written exam, this is a reminder of the date and time you can come and look at your exam:

Tuesday 26th June at 19:00 in our classroom

In addition, please note that in September the oral exams will take place before the written exam. At the end of June the dates and times for your oral performance will be posted on this blog.

Intermedio 2 - Information about the exam

Dear NI2s,

Here's the timetable for the exam on 14th June:

15:45 Arrival of candidates
16:00 Reading Comprehension     70 minutes
17:10 Listening Comprehension   40 minutes approx.
17:50 Break                                   20 minutes
18:10 Compositions                      75 minutes
19.25 End

Don't forget your ID card and a blue or black pen!

Avanzado 1 - speaking test practice

Here are some cards for those of you who have to take the oral test.

You can use them to rehearse your performance.

Give yourselves 5 minutes to prepare and then 4 minutes to speak.

Intermedio 2 - Useful expressions for the oral exam

Here are two documents you can download which contain useful expressions for

monologues

interactions

Avanzado 1 - answer key to the cloze test

Here are the answers to the last reading test: Take years off your face

Intermedio 2 - Past perfect

Here are the links to the exercises:
exercise 1
exercise 2
exercise 3

All - Little Britain

We've been discussing health, medicine and births recently. I think this sketch from the comedy  show Little Britain USA (thanx, Josu) just fits like a glove. I find it hilarious!

Avanzado 1 - Revise & Check Unit 5

Here are the answers:

GRAMMAR
a 1 to apologize/ to have apologized   b being told    3 to have seen   4 to be going out    5 to sit down    6 go    7 phoning    8 to be seen   9 to use    10 bring

b 1 right    2 I can hear   3 right    4 You should have listened    5 is not permitted    6 right   7 tastes like   8 don't need to   9 I needn't have taken    10 as if

VOCABULARY
a 1 under   2 plaster    3 log    4 blister    5 scribbled    6 mule    7 osteopath   8 along   9 glanced   10 post

b 1 self-portrait   2 blink   3 installation   4 acupuncture   5 tremble   6 hypnotherapy   7 doodle  

c 1 misunderstood   2 demotivated   3 outnumbered   4 overrrated   5 anti-war   6 undercharged   7 pre-paid   8 rearranged

d 1 out   2 up   3 out   4 out of   5 down   6 in

ALL - CLASS LIBRARY

This is just to remind you that you should return the books and films that you have borrowed before the classes finish.

In addition, the following are missing:

• The book Staying Together
• The booklet of the Speak Up DVD Slumdog Millionaire
• The DVD Up in the Air
• CDs 2 and 3 of the book All I want

If you have ever borrowed any of these items, please check if you have them at home.

While on the subject of books, check the link 'free books' on the right if you're interested in downloading audio books. Thanks, Ana, for letting me know about it.

Intermedio 2 - Determiners

Here are the links to the exercises on determiners we did in class.

exercise 1

exercise 2

Intermedio 2 - Transport and travel

As we're working on the topic of transport and travel, why not try

this listening - answer the questions and then read the transcript

a quiz on the differences between journey, travel and trip

another quiz on phrasal verbs related to travelling

the phrasal verbs we discussed in class?

All - Happy St Patrick's Day!

Here's a taste of Irish music and scenery ...




... and a bit of Irish poetry, written by Nobel Prize winner W.B. Yeats and here recited by actor Colin Farrell. Enjoy it!

Avanzado 1 - Revise & Check Unit 4

Here are the answers:

GRAMMAR
a 1b 2a 3a 4b 5c 6a 7c 8a 9c 10c

b 1 to learn 2 would have enjoyed 3 travelling 4 pay 5 doesn't mind 6 would win 7 hadn't been wearing 8 to attend 9 Had... told 10 catching 11 wouldn't be living 12 have seen

VOCABULARY
a 1 landline 2 casualties 3 ceasefire 4 voicemail 5 minded 6 enquiries 7 sighted 8 siege 9 worn 10 arrows 11 retreat 12 refugees

b 1 broken 2 get 3 up 4 blow 5 out 6 up

c 1 of 2 on 3with 4 on 5 on

ALL - Becas para la participación en un programa intensivo de inmersión lingüística en inglés en España

Some of you may be interested in these. Make sure you meet the requirements.

Intermedio 2 - Animal fair in India

You can download the transcript and the track of the gap-filling task in the exam.

Avanzado 1 - Verb patterns

Click here if you want to download the list of verbs that are followed by gerund or infinitive.

Intermedio 2 - Conditionals

Click here if you want to do some rephrasing exercises on conditional sentences.

Choose Conditionals 1 on the left-hand side of the page. There are four exercises, click on next activity when you've finished each of them to go on.

Avanzado 1 -Listening on money matters

This listening exercise is good practice and also teaches you some more expressions related to money such as:
• strapped for cash (idiom): have no money available

• pinch pennies (idiom): be careful with money

• in the hole (idiom): in debt

• pay through the nose (idiom): pay an excessive amount of money

• blow (verb): spend thoughtlessly or wastefully; throw away

Click here to do the activity. You can also read the transcript afterwards.

Intermedio 2 - Grammar Review page 62

Here are the answers:

A 1a 2a 3c 4c 5c 6b 7a 8c

B 1 I had my passport stolen while I was on holiday. 2 She can't have heard you. 3 They might be waiting outside. 4 Advertising aimed at children should be banned.

C 1 was sitting 2 opened 3 looked 4 was 5 had caught 6 saw 7 were doing 8 ran off 9 chased 10 had to

Avanzado 1 - Revise & Check Unit 3

Here are the answers:

GRAMMAR
a 1 Not only did we see the sights 2 I think he might have got lost 3 correct 4 The waiter probably didn't notice 5 it's time you went to bed 6 correct 7 correct 8 must be making 9 correct 10 I'd rather you came

b 1 to arrive 2 were we 3 to have heard 4 had they got/ did they get 5 hadn't bought 6 be trying 7 started 8 had I seen 9 work 10 you didn't park

VOCABULARY
a 1 bite my tongue 2 beyond her means 3 behind my back 4 cost a fortune 5 spends money like water 6 can't make ends meet
b 1 slammed 2 whispered 3 whistled 4 sighed 5 rattled 6 screeched
c 1 buzz 2 drip 3 small talk 4 thought-provoking 5 bland 6 fare 7 shares 8 budget 9 fee 10 intriguing
d 1 wealthy 2 implausible 3 tight-fisted 4 penniless 5 vast 6 adhere to 7 profoundly 8 vast

ALL - College student drops social media

In case you want to give it a thought:



More information here

Write your opinion in the comments.

Avanzado 1 - Inversion answer key

Here are the answers to the exercise on inversion.

Intermedio 2 - Narrative tenses and world weather forecast

Click on these exercises if you want to revise narrative sentences:

exercise 1 (the one we did in class)

exercise 2

exercise 3

This is the track we listened to in class: world weather forecast

Avanzado 1 - Julian Treasure

Here's a talk by Julian Treasure, the acoustician we listened to in class.

Intermedio 2 - Summer camps

You can listen to this track again here.

If you didn't come to class, download the worksheet.

ALL - grants for English courses at Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo

If you're interested, here's some information on English courses at Universidad Ménendez Pelayo. Make sure you read it carefully to know whether you're eligible.

Avanzado 1 - Revise & Check Unit 2

Here are the answers:

GRAMMAR
a. 1 I used to have/ I had 2 The boss appeared to have 3 Did you really use to wear 4 right 5 I need to get my passport renewed 6 7 8 right 9 Could you get your brother to have a look 10 she was wearing trousers

b. 1 (that) I had made a big mistake 2 seems to have 3 you get the tap fixed 4 is expected to resign 5 According to the Daily Mail 6 it will get broken 7 There are said to be 8 They don't usually get to the airport 9 the dog had been sleeping on my bed all night

VOCABULARY
a 1 friendship 2 Freedom 3 neighbourhood 4 fear 5 shame 6 poverty
b 1 take 2 spare 3 get 4 cope 5 left 6 know
c 1 lost 2 pushed 3 life 4 nerves 5 message 6 way 7 out
d 1 By 2 at 3 before 4 off 5 down 6 away 7 out 8 over