Free Conversation Club for Advanced level

As I've already told you, we are quite lucky to have two language assisstants to take up the gap created by Dave. Now, two Americans are joining the school. Steven will take care of morning classes and Anthony will come in the evenings. I'll supply details about their schedule in class.

Then, as a free, extra issue, there'll be a English Coffee Hour (well, two hours, in fact). You can join in the Pit (the core gap in the heart of the school) in the tables next to the Cafeteria, and have a drink or eat a snack as you relax and spend some time talking in English with Steven, with your classmates or with other NA students. The idea is to talk about current events or topics of your own interest in a pleasant, friendly environment.

This English Coffee Hour will take place every other week, starting on Tuesday, January 17, from 11:30 to 13:30. I understand that holding this event in the morning could make it difficult for those of you who work in the morning. Unfortunately, the range of hours to choose from was very limited and that was all I could make of it.

Have a try. It's just a late morning coffee... with a zest of English practice!!

The Way Things Sound

There are many words  in English to express the way things sound. Fortunately, we are not going to use them all. Again, I'm offering you a vocabulary map to revise what you already know, to present new issues and to make room for any other areas of interest you may want to add. Feel free to work on the map os, if you don't feel like it, just go through and revise!

HO: The Way Things Sound

Writing an article

There are many ways to write an article and many ways to train and get ready to write one. If you go Googling about it, you'll find a lot of tips on the topic. If you don't  won't to bother much, here's a handout with the key facts you should consider before writing you article.

HO: WRITING AN ARTICLE

The many meanings of GET

GET is by far the commonest verb in the English language (let aside BE, of course). It is present in every level of register, whether formal or informal, oral or written. You are already used to many of its meanings, but no doubt there will be other  still unknown. I hope this chart helps you get a general view of it.

HO: The meanings of GET

Keys for Unit 2C

For those who skipped classes last week, here's a handout with the keys to unit 2C (Breaking up). Try to go through all sections on unit 2C on your own; once done and revised, check the keys to contrast your degree of success. 

HO: keys to 2C

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

There are 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Written after Paul Simon's divorce from first wife Peggy Harper (1975), this song is a mistress's humorous advice to a husband on ways to end a relationship: Just slip out the back, Jack/Make a new plan, Stan... You can consider what the message really is... if there's a message in the song. Either way, just listen and enjoy. The rhythm is good for a song written +35 years ago.

Paul Simon - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

"The problem is all inside your head", she said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover

She said it's really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
But I'll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover

You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

Ooo slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
Don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
Get yourself free

She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again
I said I appreciate that and would you please explain
About the fifty ways

She said why don't we both just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover

You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Oh you hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

Slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
You just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

Angry Break Up Songs

Download pdf (see below)

Talking 'bout the end of love

Thanks Rocío for sending the links to these two songs dealing with a break up crisis... Before listening (if you do listen to them), it could prove to be interesting to learn about the context and background.

Wikipedia: Eamon

Wikipedia: The song"F**k You"

Wikipedia: Frankee

Wikipedia: FURB 

Warning: The lyrics are both expletive and explicit. 

Singer: Eamon

Song: F**k You (I Don't Want You Back)

YouTube Videoclip

YouTube Sing-AlongVideoclip (lyrics on)

Singer: Frankee

Song: F.U.R.B. (F*ck You Right Back)

YouTube Videoclip

YouTube Sing-Along Videoclip (lyrics on)

Download both lyrics on a pdf file: Angry Break Up Songs

Like to visit Dublin for free?

In Dublin's Fair City. Win a magic night at 4-star hotel o'Callagham (Dublin, Ireland) and an Aer Lingus  round trip flight to Dublin for two and a night out at Fitzgeralds Irish Pub in Murcia (Plaza Cetina).  

Entering the contest. All you have to do is a short composition in the range of 15 to 20 lines on the topic "Dublin and Me". Once ready, nuts hand it on or mail it to me, neatly identified, including student's name + teacher's name + language + contact phone. It handed in on paper, a small envelope is welcome. Deadline for this is December 1.  

Choosing the winner. On December 16, from 9:30pm, the EOI at Murcia has arranged a gathering for students and teachers alike. The aim is having a chitchat gathering for friends, music and (for those who can) a drink. All informal, that's to say, no talking about class business, no oh-damn-my-English-is-so… and the like. During this night out, at about 10:30, a raffle will be drawn, a piece of writing extracted from the box of participants and the winner will be summoned; if they fail to show up, a second piece of writing will be drawn and the author's name called to stand up and claim the prize, and so until the lucky one shows up and grabs the weekend pack. All the rest, unfortunate ones, can then go back to mind their beer, I mean, to go on with their small talk. There will be minor prizes (no more Dublin weekends) for the 20 first to arrive. There will be a nice out for all the rest. 

Key fact. Don't forget, you just need 10 minutes to write a 20-line-long text in English… More or less the same you need to drink up a pint of Guinness.

Time Bandits

Extended reading: Time Bandits

If you feel like it, you can read two articles with advice on how to deal with time bandits in daily and professional life (ARTICLE 1 - ARTICLE 2)

By the way, TIME BANDITS is a hillarious (and very imaginative) Monthy Python's 1981 film (you surely know Brian's Life and other films), featuring Sean Connery, Michel Palin and other well known stars. If you have the chance, get the film and... enjoy! Check the OFFICIAL TRAILER.

Are women better at multitasking?

Multitasking can really drive us mad, if not properly controlled. Just have a look at the statistics about surfing the Net while driving. Now it's... Don't drive and surf!

Anyway, the point was to see if a gender excelled the other at multitasking, and it seems to be so... According to the Telegraph, scientists prove that women are better at multitasking than men. The Telegraph - Multitasking 1 - Multitasking 2

Anyway, whatever said in the press, men definitely prove to be better multitaskers... See the sketch.

Word Formation: Abstract nouns

In this map you will find the most frequent endings (suffixes) used to form abstract nouns from verbs and adjectives, including those we presented in class. If you have the time (and the will) try to add some others of your choice.

Narrative text: WOULD

One clear example of would as used in a narrative mode can be found in the following extract from Audrey Niffenegger's last novel, "Her Fearful Symmetry". In all four instances, would is used to describe the daily routine with a nostalgic, affective hue.

Key > Unit 1 Revise & Check

Revise & check - Unit 1

Grammar A

1. though
2. their
3. got
4. there
5. one
6. as
7. herself
8. so
9. have/get
10. because

Grammar B

1. to have them mended
2. If one learns a few phrases,
3. despite the heavy traffic / despite the traffic being heavy / despite the fact that the traffic was heavy
4. was cancelled due to the fog
5. see each other
6. by themselves
7. haven’t seen him since
8. so as not to be recognized
9. we won’t have to do the washing up
10. hasn’t got any pictures yet

Vocabulary A

1. teeth
2. mind
3. run
4. trousers
5. guns
6. terms

Vocabulary B

1. career
2. part-time
3. alike
4. half-sisters
5. take after
6. synonym

Vocabulary C

1. of
2. off, up
3. up
4. off
5. in
6. with, on

Vocabulary D

1. challenging
2. competitive
3. unsuccessful
4. rebellious
5. enjoyable
6. repetitive

Correction Key

I won’t be swamping your written work with red ink, and will specially avoid re-writing. Common, standard mistakes will be pointed out using the following correction code symbols. Once you get your written work back, you’ll have to go through it, identify the area causing a problem, reflect and do something to solve it. In case you can’t improve it, I’ll be glad to help you.

HO CORRECTION KEY