Inglés en la Escuela Oficial de Idiomas

VOCABULARY: Vague Language (C1)

2017-10-21T02:25:00.004+01:00

To sound as natural as native speakers there are certain expressions and phrases we can use as fillers to gain time to think and to be vague, in case we need to.

Have a look at all the possibilities the language holds for us.

Vague Language by LauGalindo on Scribd

VOCABULARY: Personality Idioms (C1)

2017-10-21T02:18:00.001+01:00

VOCABULARY: Personality Idioms (C1) by LauGalindo on Scribd

GRAMMAR: Past Continuous (A2)

2017-10-07T10:59:00.000+01:00

Watch the video from the British Council and go through the notes. After studying the grammar, do the activities.

Past Continuous

What were your family doing on Sunday at six o'clock in the evening?

Make correct sentences to answer the question.

1. My mum / cook dinner
2. My dad / watch football
3. My grandmother / water the plants
4. My grandfather / read the newspaper & smoke a cigar
5. My sister / have a shower
6. My two little brothers / play computer games
7. My cat / sleep
8. I / study English & listen to music

What about YOUR family?

What were they doing on Sunday at six pm?

ANSWER KEY:

1. My mum was cooking dinner
2. My dad was watching football
3. My grandmother was watering the plants
4. My grandfather was reading the newspaper and smoking a cigar
5. My sister was having a shower
6. My two little brothers were playing computer games
7. My cat was sleeping
8. I was studying English and listening to music

GRAMMAR: Narrative Tenses (B1+ / B2)

2017-10-07T10:52:00.000+01:00

Read the grammar theory and do the activity below.

Narrative Tenses

NARRATIVE TENSES

Fill the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets.

James Bond 1. (need) a drink. The fight in the carpark with the dwarf 2. (make) him thirsty. He walked quickly along 46th Street in search of an air-conditioned bar where he could get out of the heat and think.

He 3. (walk) for only a few minutes, when it suddenly 4. (occur) to him that somebody 5. (follow) him. There was no evidence for it except for a slight itchy feeling on the top of his head. But he had faith in his sixth sense. It 6. (never / fail) him. He 7. (stop) in front of the shop window he 8. (pass) and 9. (look) casually back along the street. He 10. (examine) the Swiss watches in the window and then 11. (turn) and walked on.

After a few yards he turned into a shop doorway where a man 12. (look) at Japanese cameras. As he did so, something grabbed his right arm and a voice snarled, 'All right, Limey*. Take it easy unless you want lead for lunch', He 13. (feel) something press into his back just above his kidneys. Bond 14. (try) to swing his arm to hit whoever it was that 15. (hold) him, but a strong hand 16. (catch) his fist**. An amused voice , 17. (say) "No good, James. The angels have got you."

He turned his head to find himself looking into the grinning hawk-like*** face of Felix Leiter. A face he last 18. ( see) covered in bandages in a hospital bed in Cairo nine months earlier. The face of the American secret agent with whom he 19. (share) so many adventures.

* limey - an old fashioned American slang expression for an British person.

** fist - the shape of your hand when you hold your fingers and thumb tightly together when you want to hit someone.

*** hawk-like - like a hawk, a kind of hunting bird.

SOURCE: www.eltbase.com

ANSWER KEY:

1. needed 2. had made 3. had been walking 4. occurred 5. was following 6. had never failed 7. stopped 8. was passing 9. looked 10. examined 11. turned 12. was looking 13. felt 14. tried 15. was holding 16. caught 17. said 18. saw 19. had shared

VOCABULARY: Personality Adjectives (B2)

2017-10-07T10:44:00.000+01:00

Personality Adjectives

What do yo call a person who...?

doesn't say what they really think
feels sure about their ability to do things
keeps their head in a crisis
acts without thinking
thinks is better and more important than others
has a lot of knowledge because their experience
never changes their opinion even when they are wrong
is determined to be successful
takes care to do things carefully and correctly
is different and unusual
has a great sense of humour
is always in a bad mood
is emotionally in control
is not very good at expressing their feelings or opinions
is fairly relaxed about things

ANSWER KEY:

insincere, hypocrite
confident, secure
calm
impulsive
arrogant
wise
stubborn
ambitious
conscientious
eccentric
funny
bad-tempered, moody
well-balanced
reserved, shy
easy-going, laid-back

PRONUNCIATION: -ed ending for the past simple

2017-10-07T10:19:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone!

Here is a very home-made video about the pronunciation of -ed, it's not big thing but I hope it will help you practise at home.

Unable to display content. Adobe Flash is required.

GRAMMAR: Past Simple (A1 / A2)

2017-10-07T10:18:00.001+01:00

We all like talking about what we did last weekend, yesterday, last summer or when we were children. To be able to talk about our past we need the past simple tense.

The past simple tense in English needs studying since there are many irregular verbs. Take your time, go through the notes, watch the video and study the irregular verbs. Then do the activity and check your answers with the list of verbs.

Past Simple

Irregular Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the past simple of the verbs in bold.

1.     Did you have a nice trip? Yes, I ________ a very nice trip, thanks.
2.     What time did you leave the house? I ________ at 8.30.
3.     Did you fly from Heathrow? No, we ________ from Gatwick.
4.     Did you see the Jacksons? Yes, we ________ them last week.
5.     Did you think about me? Of course I ________ about you.
6.     Did you take a coat? No, but I ________ a sweater.
7.     Did you give her my address? Yes, and I ________ her your telephone number.
8.     Where did you go on holidays? We ________ to Italy.
9.     What time did you wake up? I ________ at 8.00 a.m.
10. Did you get up early yesterday? No, I ________ at 11 o’clock.
11. When did they come back? They ________ back two days ago.
12. What did you eat for breakfast? I ________ cornflakes.
13. Would you like to drink something? No, thanks, I ________ some coffee earlier.
14. Did you write the report? Yes, I ________ it yesterday.
15. Did you read the newspaper? No, I just ________ a magazine.
16. Where did you put the tickets? I ________ in my bag.
17. He always loses his car keys, once he almost ________ his car!
18. He doesn’t speak English, so he ________ to me in Chinese.
19. What did you say? I ________ his name.
20. I don’t usually run, but I ________ 5 kilometres yesterday.
21. Did I tell you about my holidays? Yes, you ________ me yesterday.
22. Did you buy a new suit? No, I just ________ a new tie.
23. I don’t often break plates, but yesterday I ________ two.
24. Why did you fall down the stairs? Because you ________ (push) me!
25. Why did you hit me? I ________ you because I was angry.
26. Where did you sit? We ________ at the front.
27. Did you have to stand on the train? Yes, I ________ near the doors.
28. What did you wear last night? I ________ a black dress.
29. How did you tear your jeans? I ________ them on my car door.
30. Did you draw that picture? No, my son ________ it.

GRAMMAR: Describing Habits (C1)

2017-09-30T12:54:00.000+01:00

Have a look at the notes below and check all the structures you can use to talk about your habits either in the present or in the past.

Note that you can also talk about someone else's habits and you can even express your annoyance.

GRAMMAR: Describing Habits (C1) by LauGalindo on Scribd

Now complete the sentences with ONE word.

1. I have a _____________ to forget people's birthdays.

2. As a child I _____________ to be very mischievous.

3. As a _____________, I never make arrangements for Sunday morning because we like to sleep in.

4. I _____________ to panic if I don't feel I'll be able to hand in the projects by the deadline.

5. She _____________ talk incessantly for hours and tell you all about her husband and kids.

6. He _____________ on making the same mistakes, he's a lost cause.

7. After school, I _____________ get home, have something to eat and do my homework.

8. She _____________ always texting me silly things. I'm fed up!

9. He had always been _____________ to headaches, even as a child.

10. Nine _____________ out of ten, she would get it wrong. She can't be trusted!

ANSWER KEY
1. tendency
2. used
3. rule
4. tend
5. will
6. keeps
7. would
8. is
9. prone
10. times

GRAMMAR: Infinitive of purpose (A2)

2016-02-17T22:07:00.003+00:00

Infinitive of Purpose

We use to + infinitive to say why you do something:

I came to this school to learn English

NOT ~~for learn English~~

Now match the two halves to make correct sentences.

1. I drive

2. I'm on a diet

3. He's working

4. He's learning German

5. I'm calling you

a. to loose some kilos

b. to move abroad and look for a job

c. to forget my problems

d. to wish you good-bye

e. to save money and study in the USA

ANSWER KEY:

1. C

2. A

3. E

4. B

5. D

VOCABULARY: Phrasal Verbs with "look" (B2/C1)

2016-02-17T21:43:00.001+00:00

1. Match the phrasal verbs with the definitions.

1. Look for
2. Look after
3. Look forward to
4. Look up
5. Look up to
6. Look down on
7. Look like
8. Look into

A. to regard with a feeling of superiority
B. to investigate
C. to resemble OR to be probable
D. to take care of
E. to look for information in a reference book
F. to regard with admiration or respect
G. to seek
H. to wait or hope for something with excitement

ANSWER KEY:
1.G
2.D
3.H
4.E
5.F
6.A
7.C
8.B

2. Now complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb. Put the verbs in the correct form.

1. I'm __________ to my holidays, I've already made all the necessary arrangements.
2. I don't want to have children, but I don't mind __________ my nephew.
3. I can't be bothered to __________ the new words when I'm watching my favourite TV series in English.
4. Thank you for the present! It's exactly what I was __________.
5. It __________ it's gonna rain tomorrow.
6. He's so arrogant I can't stand him. He's the kind of person who's always __________ others.
7. You should be proud of your achievements, a lot of people __________ you!

8. I can't come up with an answer now, but I'll __________ it and I'll call you back later.

ANSWER KEY:
1. I'm looking forward to my holidays, I've already made all the necessary arrangements.
2. I don't want to have children, but I don't mind looking after my nephew.
3. I can't be bothered to look up the new words when I'm watching my favourite TV series in English.
4. Thank you for the present! It's exactly what I was looking for.
5. It looks like it's gonna rain tomorrow.
6. He's so arrogant I can't stand him. He's the kind of person who's always looking down on others.
7. You should be proud of your achievements, a lot of people look up to you!
8. I can't come up with an answer now, but I'll look into it and I'll call you back later.

GRAMMAR: PRESENT PERFECT FOR THE RECENT PAST

2015-12-16T12:56:00.003+00:00

Present Perfect

Watch the video from the British Council, it will help you understand the use of the present perfect.

Analyse the following sentences and decide where can you put the words yet, already and just.

1. I have done the washing-up.
2. Have you finished your breakfast?
3. I have seen your sister.
4. She hasn't tidied up her clothes.
5. Have you lain the table?
6. We've cleaned all the house.
7. They've made the beds.
8. You haven't picked up your clothes.
9. Has he taken out the rubbish?
10. Have you made your homework?

ANSWER KEY:

1. I've already/just done the washing-up.
2. Have you finished your breakfast yet?
3. I have already/just seen your sister.
4. She hasn't tidied up her clothes yet.
5. Have you lain the table yet?
6. We've just/already cleaned the house.
7. They just/already made the beds.
8. You haven't picked up your clothes yet.
9. Has he taken out the rubbish yet?
10. Have you made your homework yet.

VOCABULARY : Idioms (B1)

2015-11-28T10:32:00.000+00:00

Now complete the sentences with the idioms. In some cases you will need to put the verb in the correct form.

A. hold your breath
B. kiss someone goodbye
C. hit the roof
D. think twice (about something)
E. kick the habit

F. drop someone a line

1. The best way to stop hiccups is to _____________________ and count to ten.
2. My parents _____________________ when I said I'd been to an all-night party.
3. I've tried so many times to stop biting my nails, but I just can't ______________________.
4. I almost bought a new sports car, but then I _______________________ about it and realised it wasn't such a great idea.
5. A: I lost my purse with 2000$ in it.
B: Well you can _________ that money ________!
6. _______ me ___________ when you know what time you're coming, and I'll meet you at the station.

ANSWER KEY:
1. A
2. C
3. E
4. D
5. B
6. F

LISTENING: Hurricane - Bob Dylan (A2 / B1)

2015-11-23T14:12:00.002+00:00

Listen to the song and put the verbs in the correct verb tense past simple or past continuous.

Bob Dylan - Hurricane

Pistols shots ring out in the barroom night

Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall

She sees the bartender in a pool of blood

Cries out "My God they killed them all"

Here comes the story of the Hurricane

The man the authorities (1)__________ to blame (COME)

For something that he never done

(2)__________ him in a prison cell but one time he could-a been (PUT)

The champion of the world.

Three bodies lying there does Patty see

And another man named Bello moving around mysteriously

"I didn't do it" he says and he throws up his hands

"I (3)__________ only the register I hope you understand (ROB)

I (4)__________ them leaving" he says and he stops (SEE)

"One of us had better call up the cops"

And so Patty calls the cops

And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashing

In the hot New Jersey night.

Meanwhile far away in another part of town

Rubin Carter and a couple of friends are driving around

Number one contender for the middleweight crown

(5)__________ no idea what kind of shit was about to go down (HAVE)

When a cop pulled him over to the side of the road

Just like the time before and the time before that

In Patterson that's just the way things go

If you're black you might as well not shown up on the street

'Less you wanna draw the heat.

Alfred Bello had a partner and he had a rap for the corps

Him and Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowling around

He (6)__________ "I saw two men running out they looked like middleweights (SAY)

They (7)__________ into a white car with out-of-state plates" (JUMP)

And Miss Patty Valentine just nodded her head

Cop said "Wait a minute boys this one's not dead"

So they (8)__________ him to the infirmary (TAKE)

And though this man could hardly see

They told him that he could identify the guilty men.

Four in the morning and they haul Rubin in

Take him to the hospital and they bring him upstairs

The wounded man looks up through his one dying eye

Says "What do you bring him in here for ? He ain't the guy !"

Yes here comes the story of the Hurricane

The man the authorities (9)__________ to blame (COME)

For something that he never done

(10)__________ in a prison cell but one time he could-a been (PUT)

The champion of the world.

Four months later the ghettos are in flame

Rubin's in South America fighting for his name

While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game

And the cops are putting the screws to him looking for somebody to blame

"Remember that murder that (11)__________ in a bar ?" (HAPPEN)

"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?"

"You think you'd like to play ball with the law ?"

"Think it might-a been that fighter you (12)__________ running that night ?" (SEE)

"Don't forget that you are white".

Arthur Dexter Bradley said "I'm really not sure"

Cops said "A boy like you (13)__________ use a break (CAN)

We got you for the motel job and we're talking to your friend Bello

Now you don't want to have to go back to jail be a nice fellow

You'll be doing society a favour

That son of a bitch is brave and getting braver

We want to put his ass in stir

We want to pin this triple murder on him

He ain't no Gentleman Jim".

Rubin could take a man out with just one punch

But he never (14)__________ like to talk about it all that much (DO)

It's my work he'd say and I do it for pay

And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way

Up to some paradise

Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice

And ride a horse along a trail

But then they (15)__________ him to the jailhouse (TAKE)

Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.

All of Rubin's cards (16)__________ marked in advance (BE)

The trial was a pig-circus he never had a chance

The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums

To the white folks who (17)__________ he was a revolutionary bum (WATCH)

And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger

No one doubted that he pulled the trigger

And though they could not produce the gun

The DA said he was the one who did the deed

And the all-white jury agreed.

Rubin Carter was falsely tried

The crime was murder 'one' guess who testified

Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied

And the newspapers they all (18)__________ along for the ride (GO)

How can the life of such a man

Be in the palm of some fool's hand?

To see him obviously framed

Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land

Where justice is a game.

Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties

Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise

While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell

An innocent man in a living hell

That's the story of the Hurricane

But it won't be over till they clear his name

And give him back the time he's done

Put him in a prison cell but one time he could-a been

The champion of the world

ANSWER KEY:

1. came 2. put 3. was (only) robbing 4. saw 5. had 6. said 7. jumped 8. took 9. came 10. put 11. happened 12. saw 13. could 14. did 15. took 16. were 17. watched 18. went

Strategies for Learning Vocabulary

2015-11-23T12:44:00.001+00:00

Put the words and their definitions and a picture on individual cards

Say the words aloud or write them over and over again as you study

Compose sentences with the words you are studying

Read a series of texts on a related topic to see the new words in different contexts

Try to guess the meaning of words from context

Record the words and their definition and listen to the recording over and over again as you study

Colour-code words by parts of speech

nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions

Group words by grammar class

nouns: husband, wife

verbs: get married, divorce

Use rhyming

door > floor

Use alliteration

what, when, where

Associate words with the physical world

cat >

Associate words with the context in which it is used

Associate words with their functions

sofa, chair, armchair > they are used for sitting

Associate opposites

tall - short

Learn classes or families of words

vegetables: carrot, lettuce, tomato…

Learn related words

white, whiten, whitish

Back up the word into components

revalidator > re-validat-or

Rubin & Thompson (1994: 79-82)

LISTENING: The Royal Baby (A2 / B1)

2015-11-13T21:11:00.000+00:00

Listen to the podcast about the royal baby George Alexander Louis, The Duke and Duchess' of Cambridge son, and decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F):

1. The baby's full name is George Alexander Lucy.

2. He was born 21 July 2013.

3. The queen is great-grandmother.

4 .Only the British are interested in the new baby.

5. The sex of the baby was a surprise.

6. The baby was expected 30 July so it was early.

7. The name was decided 2 days after the birth.

8. Prince William's name was decided immediately.

9. Prince Charles' name was decided 4 weeks after his birth.

10. George is a traditional name.

11. George is the king of 7 names in the past.

12. George VI was really called Albert

13. After Elizabeth II Prince Charles will be king.

14. Prince William cannot change his name to Georfe.

15. Jackie wants George to be a king one day.

Look at the photos below. Kate is holding George and Diana is holding William. What do they look like?

ANSWER KEY:

1. F
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
6. F
7. T
8. F
9. T
10. T
11. T
12. F
13. F
14. T
15. T

GRAMMAR: Auxiliary Verbs (B2)

2015-11-13T20:42:00.000+00:00

Read the grammar notes and do the activities.

Auxiliary Verbs

1. Read the conversation.

A: You've never been to England, (1) have you?

B: No, (2) I haven't.

A: (3) Haven't you? . (4) I have. And I'm sure you'd love it!

B: (5) Would I? I'm not that sure...

A: (6) I am. You would love it and (7) so would your husband.

B: In that case, I have to start planning my next trip.

A: (8) So have I!

2. Can you find the following...

A. An echo question
B. A question tag
C. A short answer.

3. Which auxiliary is used to...

a. to show surprise
b. to disagree
c. to check information
d. to avoid repetition.
e. to agree.

4. Now read the sentences and write correct echo questions for them.

I don’t like chocolate.
I’ve never been abroad.
I always go swimming in the morning.
I went shopping last night.
I’ll never come back.
I’d like to see her again.
I was sick yesterday.
I’m staying at home tonight.
She hasn’t come to class.
They are visiting us next weekend.

5. This time write questions tags for these sentences.

You don’t like getting up early.
She never exercises.
He usually does his homework at night.
They didn’t go to work yesterday.
She will tell us next week.
He’d like to meet us again.
She wasn’t at home last week.
You are going to buy a new car.
You have never seen her.
They are staying at home this weekend.

ANSWER KEY:

A. 3, 5 B. 1 C. 2

a. 3, 5 b. 4, 6 c. 1 d. 7 e. 8

1. don't you?

2. haven't you?

3. do you?

4. did you?

5. won't you?

6. would you?

7. were you?

8. are you?

9. hasn't she?

10. are they?

1. do you?

2. does she?

3. doesn't he?

4. did they?

5. won't she?

6. wouldn't he?

7. was she?

8. aren't you?

9. have you?

10 aren't they?

Personality idiomatic expressions (C2)

2015-11-13T20:22:00.000+00:00

In English there are many colourful idioms connected with aspects of people's personality such as a couch potato (a lazy person who spends very long time on the sofa watching television).

Match the expressions with their explanations.

1. a new broom

2. a wet blanket

3. a stuffed shirt

4. a party pooper

5. an armchair critic

6. a fair weather friend

7. a nosy parker

8. a rolling stone

A. someone who expresses opinions about things they know very little about

B. someone who doesn't like to stay in one place

C. a pompous, self-opinionated person

D. a gossip who wants to know everything that happens to other people

E. someone who stands by you only when things are going well

F. someone who spoils other people's enjoyment

G. a new person in charge who makes changes

H. a person whose low spirits or lack of enthusiasm have a depressing effect on others

ANSWER KEY:
1. G
2. H
3. C
4. F
5. A
6. E
7. D
8. B

LISTENING: Hello - Adele (A1)

2015-11-04T21:23:00.002+00:00

Listen to the song twice and complete the blanks with the missing sentences.

Hello from the outside (x3) Hello, it’s me Hello, can you hear me?

Hello from the other side (x3) I hope you are well Hello, how are you?

(1). ___________________
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet
To go over everything
They say that time's supposed to heal yah, but I ain't done much healing

(2). ___________________
I'm in California dreaming of who we used to be
When we were younger and free
I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet

There's such a difference between us
and a million miles

(3). ___________________
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home

(4). ___________________
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

(5). ___________________
It's so typical of me to talk about myself, I'm sorry
(6). ___________________
Did you ever make it out of that town where nothing ever happened?

It's no secret that the both of us
are running out of time

(7). ___________________
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home

(8). ___________________
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, anymore

(9). ___________________
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home

(10). ___________________
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

Now check your answers in this video.

READING: Single-sex schools are more likely to produce high-flying career girls (B2 / C1)

2015-11-03T14:00:00.000+00:00

Read the newspaper article and fill in the blanks with ONE suitable word.

There are five words you do not need to use.

Single-sex schools are more likely to produce high-flying career girls

A study claims pupils educated within an all-female environment are much more likely to take chances than their coed peers

Jamie Doward

The Observer, Sunday 8 January 2012

If you want your daughter to be a high-flying businesswoman or banker, send her to a single-sex school. This is the startling conclusion drawn from new research charting the complex relationship between gender and risk-taking.

Next month's edition of the Economic Journal (1)__________ the results of an experiment by two economists at the University of Essex. Alison Booth and Patrick Nolen devised a series of questions for 260 male and female pupils that were designed to (2)__________ their appetite for risk. The pupils, from eight state single-sex and coeducational schools in Essex and Suffolk, were asked to choose between a real-stakes lottery and a sure (3)__________ . Option 1 guaranteed they won £5, while option 2 entered them in a lottery in which they would flip a coin and receive £11 if the coin came up heads or £2 tails.

The economists found that, on average, girls were 16% less likely than boys to (4)__________ for the lottery. But significantly, they found that girls in coed schools were 36% less likely to select the lottery than their male peers. The findings appear to confirm the (5)__________ view that males have a greater appetite for risk than females and go some way to indicating that this may be down to the environment in which a young person grows up.

Girls at single-sex schools were also (6)__________ to invest more in a hypothetical risky investment than coed female and all-male pupils.

The findings have important (7)__________ for the emerging field of experimental economics, which examines why there is an under-representation of women in the City. The economists write: "If the majority of remuneration in (8)__________ jobs is tied to bonuses based on a company's performance... women may choose not to take these jobs because of the (9)__________ ."

Anecdotal evidence suggests the economists may be on to something. Some of the City's most (10)__________ businesswomen went to all-girls' schools. Alison Cooper, chief executive of FTSE 100 company Imperial Tobacco, was a pupil at Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston upon Thames; fund manager Nicola Horlick and financier Baroness Vadera both (11)__________ single-sex – albeit private – institutions.

The economists admit they have (12)__________ to explain their findings fully. However, they suggest that "adolescent females... may be… inhibited by culturally driven norms and beliefs about the appropriate mode of female behaviour – (13)__________ risk." Once they are placed in an all-female environment, (14)__________ , they say, this inhibition is reduced. As Booth and Nolen conclude: "No longer reminded of their own gender identity and society's norms, they find it easier to make riskier choices than women who are (15)__________ in a coed class."

1. assisted	2. attended	3. avoiding	4. bet	5. carries
6. choose	7. despite	8. focuses	9. high-paying	10. however
11.implications	12. long-held	13. measure	14. opt	15. placed
16. succeed	17. successful	18. uncertainty	19. willing	20. yet

ANSWER KEY: 1. carries 2. measure 3. bet 4. opt 5. long-held 6. willing 7. implications 8. high-paying 9. uncertainty 10. successful 11. attended 12. yet 13. avoiding 14. however 15. placed.

LISTENING: Women in the Arab World (B1)

2015-11-02T21:00:00.000+00:00

Women in the Arab World

Below I propose you do a listening activity on stereotypes. Before you watch the video, think about the following questions:

What is your idea about Arab women?
Does Queen Rania of Jordan stick the idea of the typical Arab woman?

Now watch the video and complete the questions below. Do not use more than three words.

People frequently ask Queen Rania the following questions:

Do all Arabs (1) ________ Americans?

Can Arab women (2) ________?

Are there any "you tubers" (3) ___________?

She thinks YouTube is a (4) ________ for dialogue.

She hopes to receive from Youtubers the (5) ___________ that they have and the (6) ___________ that they hear about the Arab world.

Queen Rania wants people to know the (7)____________.

What do you think of Queen Rania's iniciative? Do you think it can help to break down stereotypes?

ANSWER KEY:

1. hate 2. work 3. in Jordan 4. great platform 5. questions 6. common stereotypes 7. real Arab world.

VOCABULARY: Personality Adjectives (B1 / B2)

2015-10-28T21:58:00.000+00:00

Have a look at the adjectives to describe personality.

What do yo call a person who...?

doesn't say what they really think

feels sure about their ability to do things

keeps their head in a crisis

acts without thinking

thinks is better and more important than others

has a lot of knowledge because their experience

never changes their opinion even when they are wrong

is determined to be successful

takes care to do things carefully and correctly

is different and unusual

has a great sense of humour

is always in a bad mood

is emotionally in control

is not very good at expressing their feelings or opinions

is fairly relaxed about things

ANSWER KEY:

1. insincere
2. self-confident
3. calm
4. impulsive
5. arrogant
6. wise
7. stubborn
8. ambitious
9. conscientious
10. eccentric
11. funny
12. bad-tempered
13. well-balanced
14. reserved
15. easy-going

VOCABULARY: Crime and Punishment (B2 / C1)

2015-10-28T21:34:00.000+00:00

Below you will find a mindmap with the most common vocabulary related with the topic of "Crime and Punishment". Have a look at all the words there and do the activity below.

1. Match the crimes with the examples.

1. BLACKMAIL

2. BRIBERY

3. BURGLARY

4. DRUG DEALING

5. FRAUD

6. HIJACKING

7. KIDNAPPING

8. MUGGING

9. MURDER

10. RAPE

11. ROBBERY

12. SMUGGLING

13. TERRORISM

14. THEFT

15. VANDALISM

A. A gang took a rich man's son and asked the family for money.

B. She went to her ex-husband's house and shot him dead.

C. A passenger on a flight made the pilot land in the desert.

D. After the party the man made the woman have sex against her will.

E. We came home from holiday and found that our TV had gone.

F. Someone tried to sell me some marijuana during a concert.

G. When the border police searched his car, it was full of cigarettes.

H. Someone threw pain on the statue in the park.

I. He said he'd send the photos to a newspaper if the actress didn't pay him a lot of money.

J. An armed man walked into a bank and shouted, "Hands up!"

K. A man transferred company money into his own bank account.

L. A builder offered the mayor a free flat in return for a favour.

M. Two men left a bomb in the supermarket car park.

N. Somebody stole my car last night outside my house.

O. A man held out a knife and make me give him my wallet.

2. Read the following text and choose the correct alternative in each pair.

Last year my house was broken into and 1 robbed/stolen. I immediately informed the police. A police officer came to the house and asked me to make a list of what had been 2 robbed/stolen. I told him my neighbours had seen someone suspicious at the time of the 3 forgery/burglary, so they had to go to the police station and 4 make/do a statement. About a month later the police contacted me to say they had arrested a 5 defendant/suspect. When the case came to court, I went to 6 give/tell evidence. Of course, the man 7 admitted/pleaded not guilty. The 8 jury/lawyer decided there was not enough proof to 9 try/convict him,and he was 10 let off/let go.

ANSWER KEY:

1)
1.I
2.L
3.E
4.F
5.K
6.C
7.A
8.O
9.B
10.D
11.J
12.G
13.M
14.N
15.H

2)

1. robbed

2. stolen

3. burglary

4. make

5. suspect

6. give

7. pleaded

8. jury

9. convict

10. let off

GRAMMAR: Possessive Adjectives (A1 / A2)

2015-10-26T13:00:00.000+00:00

Go through the notes and do the activities below.

Possessive Adjectives

1. Complete the sentences with the correct possessive adjective.

1. Do you like .............. job?

2. I know Mr Watson, but I don't know .............. wife.

3. Alice and Tom live in London. .............. son lives in Australia.

4. We're going to have a party. We're going to invite all .............. friends.

5. Anna is going out with .............. friends this evening.

6. I like tennis. It's .............. favorite sport.

7. "Is that .............. car?" "No, I haven't got a car".

8. I want to phone Maria. Do you know .............. phone number?

9. Do you think most people are happy in .............. jobs?

10. I'm going to wash .............. hair before I go out.

11. This is a beautiful tree. .............. leaves are of a beautiful colour.

12. John has a brother and a sister. .............. brother is 25, and .............. sister is 21.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct possessive adjective.

1. She's goes to the gym with me. .............. name is Jane.

2. We're in room 5. .............. teacher is Michael.

3. New York is famous for .............. theatres.

4. How do you spell .............. name, Ricardo?

5. My friends are from Italy. .............. are Tito and Micaela.

6. This is my husband. .............. name is Steve.

7. I live in Oxford. .............. adress is 1 Ross House, Southcote Road.

8. Rita is in my class, but .............. husband is in a different class.

9. Italy is famous for .............. ice-creams.

10. We are neighbours. .............. house is next to your house.

ANSWERS:
1) 1. your 2. his 3. their 4. our 5. her 6. my 7. your 8. her 9. their 10. my 11. its 12. his / his.
2) 1. her 2. our 3. its 4. your 5. their 6. his 7. my 8. her 9. its 10. our

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VOCABULARY: Weather Idioms (C1 / C2)

2015-10-26T12:00:00.000+00:00

Match the idioms with their definitions:

1. A: Why does she have a face like thunder??

B: She’s very upset because she didn’t get the promotion.

2. It’s so unfair! It never rains, but it pours! I didn’t get the promotion and what is more I didn’t even get a pay rise!!

3. A: I think I’m chasing rainbows. I will never get that promotion…

B: Oh! Don’t be so pessimistic!

4. A: I just don’t know what I can do… I think I’m going to quit my job!

B: Don’t be silly! That all sounds like a storm in a teacup to me.

5. Don’t forget he told you he was pleased with your job and gave you the afternoon off. Every cloud has a silver lining!

A. To make your problems sound worse than what they really are

B. To be very angry

C. Even bad situations have positive aspects

D. To wait for something that will never happen

E. To have very big problems.

ANSWER KEY: 1. B , 2. E, 3. D, 4. A, 5. C

LISTENING: Haven't met you yet - Michael Bublé (A2 / B1)

2015-10-24T13:00:00.000+01:00

Listen to the song in the blanks with a correct verb.
The verbs can be in the present simple, past simple, present perfect or in the future form with “going to”.

I'm not surprised
Not everything lasts
I(1) __________ my heart so many times,
I (2) __________ keeping track.
Talk myself in
I talk myself out
I get all worked up
Then I let myself down.

I (3) __________ so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I (4) __________ someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid, that I'll give so much more than I get
I just (5) __________ you yet

I might have to wait
I'll never give up
I (6) __________ it's half timing
And the other half's luck
Wherever you are
Whenever it's right
You (7) __________ out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And baby your love is (8) __________ me
And now I can see every possibility

But somehow I know that will all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They (9) __________ all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right
And we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is (10) __________ me
And now I can see every single possibility

Mmm

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work, to work it out
Promise you kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh you know it will all turn out
And you'll make me work, so we can work, to work it out
And I promise you kid, to give so much more than I get
Yeah I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh promise you kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love, love, love, love
I just haven't met you yet
Love, love, love, love, love, love
I just haven't met you you

Now watch the video with the lyrics and check your answers.

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