The Origins of Halloween

How much do you know about this tradition?

Do the quizz and find out!

The Fascinating History of Cemeteries

Spindly trees, rusted gates, crumbling stone, a solitary mourner: these things come to mind when we think of cemeteries. But not long ago, many burial grounds were lively places, with gardens and crowds of people -- and for much of human history, we didn’t bury our dead at all. 

How did cemeteries become what they are today? 

Grammar Doubts: so/such

 

Have a look to test.english.com and you will find some exercises to practice.

Papa English: 5 Everyday British English Phrases You Didn’t Learn in School

In this video, you'll learn 5 essential British English phrases that are commonly used in everyday conversations but are often not taught in the classroom. These phrases will help you sound more natural and confident when speaking to native speakers, especially in casual situations. Plus, there's a fun quiz at the end to test your knowledge!

British vs. American Accent Challenge

Do you prefer British or American accents? How do you pronounce words like 'vitamin' and 'water'? Join Sophia and Natasha to learn about some of the differences.

Punctuation Marks

click on the image to enlarge and read the examples

You know punctuation is essential not only in Spanish but also in English. Hace a look at the infographic and read a bit more in:

• EF web
• Paper True
• 7 ESL

Digital Wellbeing

Digital technology enables connection, gives us the freedom to explore, and so much more. But it can also distract us from the things that we care about, sometimes making us feel a lack of control.  Hear personal stories that shed light on our paradoxical relationships with technology. 

Visit wellbeing.google for tips and tools that help you achieve a balance with technology that feels right for you.

Do or Make... that's the question!!

 

What’s the difference between DO and MAKE? It can be hard to decide when to use 'make' or 'do' in English. Here's some help.

1: We use 'make' when we create or construct something. For example:

• She made a cake.
• I've made us some coffee.
• Did you really make those trousers?

2: We use 'do' for general activities. In this case, 'do' is often used with 'something', 'nothing', 'anything' or 'everything':

• What did you do at the weekend?
• She's fed up with doing everything herself. She needs some help.
• Are you doing anything interesting during the holidays?

NOTE: 'What do you do?' means 'what's your job?'

3: There are many, many fixed expressions with 'make' and 'do'. Unfortunately, they don't really follow any useful rules, so you have to learn them by heart. 

Glastonbury

Glastonbury was a small music festival when it started in the 1970s. Nowadays thousands of people attend, and that means there's a lot of waste! Watch the video to find out how the organisers are dealing with this issue. 

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercises.

The Biggest Mistakes in Mapmaking History

For thousands of years, people made both functional maps and what are known as cosmographies, illustrating the earth and its position in the cosmos, often including constellations, gods, and mythic locations. These maps were meant to depict the world's geography, but weren't necessarily useful for navigation and contained some glaring mistakes. 

Like most other technologies, map-making has improved over time. This lesson shows just a handful of some of the most fun mapmaking bloopers over time. Here are some links for how to learn more.

• You can take an interactive 3D virtual tour of the mappae mundi here and zoom in on some of the more fantastical details!
• Stanford University has a whole exhibit of all the maps of California as an island and you can check it out virtually here.
• Curious about how one of history’s most renowned mapmakers could draw such an incorrect map with a magical rock at the north pole? Here’s an article that digs into Mercator’s North Pole map a bit more.

Plural Matcher Games

We have just known Robert Burn's poem about a louse, but did you know its plural?

Revise how many of them you remember.

Rude Hand Gestures from around the World

 

Click here to enlarge.

Hoodies

 

A hoodie is a casual type of jumper which has a hood to cover your head. How has this sporty item of clothing become so popular all around the world?

Black Holes

 

 What do you know about black holes? 

What would happen if you fell into one? 

Could you escape?

 

Banksy's Artwork

Imagine looking out of your window and seeing a painting by a famous artist in your garden! 

Watch the video to find out about an artwork by street-artist Banksy.

The Last Tourist

The film The Last Tourist is about problems with the tourism industry.

Watch the trailer to find out more about it.