Spain Ecstatic at Euro 2008 Win

Thousands of euphoric Spanish fans are celebrating in Madrid after their football team won Euro 2008, beating Germany 1-0 in the final.
Fernando Torres' goal gave Spain its first major trophy in 44 years.
The capital is awash with the red and gold national colours, as fans draped in flags dance and sing in the streets.

Have a look at the photos of the final or watch and listen to Torres in an interview.

Learn more about Spanish team with BBC: about its legend, highlights, manager, weakness and many other things thought 'before' the championship started.

London's Great Fire

Explore the Great Fire, the most famous disaster in London's history, and find out how it shaped the city we know today. Hear the real stories of how Londoners lived through this tragedy. What was it like to live through the terror of having your home and livelihood destroyed? How did people cope? And why did a fire which claimed less than a dozen lives end up changing London's cityscape forever? Be transported back to September 1666, with interactive displays and a wide range of objects, including archaeological finds and 17th century fire-fighting equipment and see the Great Fire through the eyes of those who survived it.
Also! Help fight the fire and play the Great Fire of London game!

Translation?

Japanese text: "Do not throw garbage"

Brighton's Hidden Gems

From Edwardian seaside destination and health resort to cool bohemia, Brighton has always been more than a city by the sea. Simon Calder discovered when he went to look for some of its hidden gems sent in by users of the Enjoy England website.

Watch the first episode about Brighton and have a look on EnjoyEngland Youtube Channel for the rest.

Listening to Jokes: The Chicken and the Frog

Drag and drop the lines to solve the story before listening to it.

One morning a chicken walked into a library.
It went up to the desk and said “Book! Book!”
The librarian give the chicken two books, and it left.
Half an hour later the chicken returned.
Once more it approached the desk and said “Book! Book!”
This time the curious librarian followed the chicken.
She followed it through the streets to the park.
It went into the park and down to the lake.
It gave the books to a big fat frog.
The frog opened a book and looked at it.
Then it said “Read it!” and threw the book into the water!

The Often Misunderstood Great White Shark

The natural born killers are not so dangerous as many people used to think about.
Some recent studies have shown them as intelligent and although they are still considered to be the ultimate sea monster, the terror doesn't exist, except in the minds of people.

Watch this video from the Smithsonian Magazine and learn about them.
Try to guess some facts, choose from the different options:
Few creatures can match its size of...

1. 35 feet long and 300 pounds weight
2. 25 feet long and 3000 pounds weight
3. 25 feet long and 6300 pounds weight

In the past ...

1. 150 years only 74 failed attacks on humans have been recorded
2. 200 years only 64 failed attacks on humans have been recorded
3. 100 years only 74 failed attacks on humans have been recorded

Remember, swimmers in the water have better chance of being hit by lightning than killed by a whilte shark!

Key in ....September

'English is All Around' in Santander

Dear students, this week I'll be sharing OUR experience in developing new and exciting means of learning language and culture with new technologies in Santander.
Here I'll learn what other teachers are doing in traditional or even cyber classes, not only in ESL but also in music, physical education, physics...
You can enter the Congreso Internet en el Aula web site to attend the workships in Madrid, Granada, Barcelona apart from Santander.

Don't miss me too much! and remember to visit this page every week!

London for Backpackers

For those who are thinking on travelling to London this way...

Click on the mini image and the full size will appear.

Bond is Back

Fans of James Bond have been thrilled with the release of the new Bond book Devil May Care, which was published on 28th May 2008. Ian Fleming was the creator of the fictional character James Bond 007 and wrote 14 Bond books during his lifetime, including some of the very well-known ones, such as Casino Royale, Diamonds are Forever and Goldfinger...

If you want to go on listening about this secret agent click below before reading the BBC tapescrip and, if you are interested enough, continue with some practice crosswords and other exercises...

Play the game "Are you a super-spy like James Bond?" and learn more about this fictional character:

Science of James Bond (Martini and girls, shaken not stirred...)
Life at the fast lane
007's gadgets
Villains' master plans
Villains' gadgets

Bob Dylan´s Career

From folk music to rock, Bob Dylan has always followed his own path, but how many things do you know about this singer? Do you know he has got the Pulitzer Prize?
You can enter his own personal web page or listen to this VOA 2nd article about his life, and if you want more enter to get the first one about his musical roots, and his education in Greenwich Village.

Tapescript

boomp3.com

How to Write a Self-Evaluation

In June our students have to cope with their marks at school. Are they conscious that they get what they deserve?



Click on the image to enlarge.

"Basic Instructions" is a comic strip. Any advice contained herein is intended as humor, and should not be followed as actual instructions or advice.

Aerosmith's Crazy

Garden Resting

A Present from one of my Students

Thanks Iria, little grasshopper.

Juvenes Translatores 2008

Next November our students could take part in Juvenes Translatores 2008.

If you were born in 1991, if you are interested in languages, if you enjoy new challenges, don’t miss this chance to experiment being a translator in the European Union.The schools have to sign in between 1st September and 20th October.
The task involves to translate a text to any of the official 23 languages in the Union.

Listening to Jokes: The Parrot

Before reading the joke drag and drop to order the lines while you listen to the story.

A man went into a pet shop one day.
“I’d like a parrot that talks”, he said.
“I’m sorry sir, but you have to teach your parrot to speak.”
So he chose a parrot and took it home with him.
Two weeks later he returned to the pet shop.
“My parrot still doesn’t speak”, he said.
“That’s a shame. Buy this mirror. He’ll look at himself, and talk.”
The man bought the mirror and went away.
Two weeks later he returned a final time.
“My parrot is dead”, he said.
“I’m sorry, sir – but tell me, before he died, did he say anything?”
“Yes he did. But only one word.”
“Really? Which word was that?”
“Foooooooood!”

How to Enjoy Daytime TV

Click on the image to enlarge.
"Basic Instructions" is a comic strip. Any advice contained herein is intended as humor, and should not be followed as actual instructions or advice.

How to Make a Bird House Pop Up Art

This is a great greeting card to give to bird watchers, and it can also make for simple decorations or kids' projects to mark the presence of spring. Make as many pop up bird houses as you like, each in different colors and designs. To turn it into an educational project, borrow or buy a book about birds to learn about the different colors, plumage, their history and where they are located. Using your newfound knowledge, color the birds in the pop up cards accordingly and use designs to indicate the plumage. Use the inside of the card to write notes about the particular bird you have colored. Once you have completed several of these, they can be framed or hung in your room.

From Wikihow

Superstitious?

Do you get out of bed on the same side that you get in?
Did you know that the sound of bells drives away demons because they're afraid of the loud noise?
Do you wear a blue bean to protect yourself from witches?
Did you know that if you say good-bye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see each other again?
What do you do if you see an ambulance?
Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.

Touch your toes
Touch your nose
Never go in one of those
Until you see a dog.

Learn more about them in this page... and have a funny but terrorific moment!

Listening to Jokes: The Firing Squad

Drag and drop the lines to reorder the story before reading below.

Two men were traveling together in a foreign country.
One night they heard gun-shots and lots of shouting.
Next morning they
were told that a revolution had broken out.
They were arrested and accused
of being spies.
They were sentenced to death by firing squad.
The first
man faced the guns … “Ready! Aim! …”
“Earthquake!” he yelled, and the gunmen
panicked.
In the confusion he made his escape.
The second man faced the
guns … “Ready! Aim! …”
“Fire!” he yelled!

Doubts in Indirect Questions?

BBC's Grammar Challenge offers Massa's speech about indirect questions. You can try two quizzes and a grammar explanation after listening to the radio programme or download it.

There's more than one way to ask a question. Indirect questions are more polite and don't need a change in word order in the main question.

Our challenger is Masa from Japan who plays the role of a Tour Rep passing on questions from a rude tourist in a more polite form to a hotel receptionist

Can You Live Without your Mobile Phone?

Today Doug and Jackie talk about mobile phones. Is having a mobile phone important? Could you live without your mobile?

This week's question: In Britain we call it a mobile phone. In Canada and the United States they call it a different name. Which of these names is not a name for a mobile phone?

a) cell phone
b) cellular phone
c) c phone

Listen to the programme for the answer before reading the tapescript.

boomp3.com

Vocabulary from the programme
mobile
a small phone that you can take anywhere
Example: I'm always on my mobile. I take it everywhere I go.
Another meaning: If something is mobile, it can be moved easily
I couldn't live without...
use this expression to talk about something or someone that is very important to you
Example: I couldn't live without my secretary. He does everything in the office.
private life
the things you do away from work, e.g. at home
Example: Some film stars don't like answering questions about their private lives. It's personal!
a text message
a way to communicate with a mobile phone without making a phone call -
you write a message and send it to people to read on their phone
Example: Send me a text message when you get to the station.
'Text' is usually a noun
Example: Did you understand the text I sent you?
Nowadays 'text' is a verb as well - to text
Example: Text me!

The language of text messages:
If you want to write a message quickly, you can send shorter words.
Examples:
Where r u? = Where are you?
Pls = please
2 = to or too

OK?!

Click to enlarge

U2's Where the streets have no name

How Long Can You Expect to Live?

How long can you expect to live? With the Longevity Game you can have a peek into your future by identifying the factors that can lead to a healthier, more productive life.

Through the game, you have a look insight into your daily lifestyle—plus tips in order to make some positive changes.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to identify a person, object, place, time, reason or situation from others, as we've learnt in class. If you want to get more information about this topic, in English Grammar Online you'll find:
1.- An introduction
2.- Reference about defining relative clauses
3.- Prepositions in relative clauses
4.- Reference about non defining relative clauses

Now some funny words, can you identify the missing pronouns?

Women have their faults, Men have only two:
Everything they say, Everything they do.

And ... of course...some practice:

level 1, level 2, level 3, level 4, 

I hope you enjoy it!!

A Day Out in England

England is certainly a beautiful country with lots for the tourist to visit. I went for a day out. Where did I go and what was it like?
Find out by doing these four exercises:
Exercise one: Pre-listening
Exercise two Click on the words you hear
Exercise three Is this exactly what you've heard?
Exercise four Complete and check

Fashion Mourns for Yves Saint Laurent

One of the legendary names of the world of fashion, Yves Saint Laurent, has died. His clothes were worn by the rich and famous - but they also helped revolutionise what every woman wears today. He was 71. This report from BBC by Razia Iqbal:

Yves Saint Laurent had a precocious talent; at the age of eighteen he won a dress design competition, which brought him to the notice of Christian Dior. Within three years, Dior had died and Yves St Laurent had taken his place.
He made clothes that were elegant and sexy, reflecting women's more confident role in society. He took the world by storm with his tuxedo, ethnic prints and designs inspired by the art world.

Taunted as a schoolboy because of his homosexuality, he suffered mental and physical ill-health for much of his life and rarely appeared in public. But his influence will last for years to come - France has lost not only its greatest fashion designer but also a cultural icon.

Listen to the story

Tapescript and vocabulary

DO not Put any PERSON in this Washer!