Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Glitter Graphics

Carrot cake recipe

Ingredients:
Sponge cake

300 grs carrots
2 eggs
50 ml butter
125 gr flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
150 gr sugar
30 gr walnuts
30 gr raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
nutmeg
aniseed
1/2 grated lemon rind + 1/2 grated orange rind

Cream Cheese Frosting

200 gr cream cheese

50 gr butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

200 gr cream

1/2 grated lemon rind + 1/2 grated orange rind

1/4 orange juice

Cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 180 celsius. Grate carrots in your Thermomix, speed 4. Add walnuts and raisins and grate a few seconds, speed 4. Place eggs, butter and grated lemon and orange rind and mix using speed 3 1/2.

In a bowl, place flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg and aniseed and beat them for a few minutes. Then, place this mixture to the Thermomix glass and mix a few seconds, speed 6.

Pour into a greased recipient and bake for over 40-45 mins. Once you've got the sponge cake, cut it into two pieces and fill it with cream cheese frosting. Cover it and spread your cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

Whip the cream, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix a few seconds using speed 4.

I did it with the Thermomix, but you can also do it without it. It is delicious, I promise. Do you want to try it?

All I want for Christmas is you

"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff, and recorded for Carey's fifth album Merry Christmas (1994). Its protagonist declares that she does not care about Christmas presents or lights; all she wants for Christmas is to be with her lover. It is unrelated to the 1989 Christmas hit single by novelty act Vince Vance and the Valiants. It was released as the album's first single in December 1994 (see 1994 in music) and reached the top ten in several countries. (Source: Wikipedia)

I want to wish all of you (my students, colleagues, friends and visitors in general) a Merry Christmas and a very joyful New Year!!!
Lots of love,
Marisa.


Lyrics | Christmas Songs lyrics - All I Want For Christmas Is You lyrics

Last Christmas, Wham!

It's Christmas time!

Hello everybody!

Christmas is approaching so I wanted to give my blog a special appearance for this time of the year. I hope you like it. I got it from this blog: El escaparate de rosa. Thank you, Rosa, your blog is really useful.

Merry Christmas!!!

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it's a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. Thanksgiving is a North American holiday with the dates and whereabouts of the first Thanksgiving celebration a topic of modest contention. It has generally become a national secular holiday with religious origins. Though the earliest attested Thanksgiving celebration was on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida, the traditional "first Thanksgiving" is venerated as having occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members. (From Wikipedia)

Related to Thanksgiving:

Vocabulary

Activities

Did you know?

History

Recipes

Crafts

Games

More games

Send eCards here or here

25th November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

On 20 December 1993 the General Assembly adopted Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104).

Click here for the source.

Funny adverts

Gomaespuminglish VIII

Phrasal verbs

What is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes the meaning; 'give up' is a phrasal verb that means 'stop doing' something, which is very different from 'give'. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under the name particle. Phrasal verbs are widely used in both written and spoken English.

Phrasal verbs can be divided into different groups:

Intransitive verbs: These don't take an object.

They had an argument, but they've made up now.

Inseparable verbs: The object must come after the particle.

They are looking after their grandchildren.

Separable verbs: With some separable verbs, the object must come between the verb and the particle.

The quality of their work sets them apart from their rivals.

With some separable verbs, the object can before or after the particle, though when a pronoun is used it comes before the particle.

Turn the TV off.Turn off the TV.Turn it off.

Phrasal verbs list.
Phrasal verbs quizzes.
Search phrasal verbs.
Quiz.
Another quiz.
Explanation and activities.

Main source: Usingenglish.com

Used to, Be used to, Get used to.

'Used to' is different from 'be used to' and 'get used to'. Let's see:

• We use "used to" + the base form of the verb:

- For something that happened regularly in the past but no longer happens:

Affirmative: I used to go to the park with my friends every day.
Negative: I didn't use to go to the park with my friends every day.
Interrogative: Did you use to go to the park with your friends every day?

- For something that was true but no longer is:

There used to be a theatre in this town but now there isn't.

• We use " be used to" + the present participle of a verb (-ing form):
  

- To say that something is normal, not unusual:

I am used to living on my own. I've done it for quite a long time.

• We use " get used to" + the present participle of a verb (-ing form):
  

- To talk about the process of something becoming normal for us.

I have always lived in the country but now I'm beginning to get used to living in the city.

Activities:
- Exercise 1
- Exercise 2
- Exercise 3
- Exercise 4
- Exercise 5

Source: English Grammar Secrets.

Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night, 5th November

Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night, Cracker Night, Fireworks Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November 1605 in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, England.

It is primarily marked in the United Kingdom where it was compulsory, by Royal Decree, to celebrate the deliverance of the King until 1859, but also in former British colonies including New Zealand, parts of Canada, and parts of the British Caribbean. Festivities are centred on the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires.

(From Wikipedia)

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Reading comprehension.

Listening comprehension.

Test your knowledge on Guy Fawkes.

Guy Fawkes Day (treasure hunt).

Guy Fawkes Quizz.

Gunpowder Plot Game.

"Change, we can believe in"

Finally, Barack Obama could do it, he is the new President-Elect of the United States. Obama will assume office in January 2009.

"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you."

Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

This is a fragment of Obama's speech after winning the presidential election. To read and watch the video of the full speech, click on this link.

United States Presidential Election 2008

The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4, 2008, will be the 56th consecutive quadrennial United States presidential election and will select the President and the Vice President of the United States.

The Republican Party has chosen John McCain, the senior United States Senator from Arizona as its nominee; the Democratic Party has chosen Barack Obama, the junior United States Senator from Illinois, as its nominee. The Libertarian Party has nominated former Congressman Bob Barr, the Constitution Party has nominated pastor and radio talk show host Chuck Baldwin, and the Green Party has nominated former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Ralph Nader declined to seek the Green Party nomination and is running as an independent candidate.

The 2008 election is particularly notable because it is the first time in U.S. history that two sitting senators will run against each other for president, and because it is the first time an African American is a presidential nominee for a major party, as well as the first time both major candidates were born outside the continental United States—Hawaii for Obama and the Panama Canal Zone for McCain. Since the Republican nominee for vice-president is a woman, Governor Sarah Heath Palin, the eventual winning ticket is very likely to be historic, as neither an African American nor a female has achieved either office. In addition, the Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, would be the oldest first-term president and the Democratic nominee for vice-president, Senator Joseph Biden, would be the first Roman Catholic vice president.

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Source and more information: Wikipedia.

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How much do you know about the 2008 US Presidential Election? Check your knowledge with this QUIZ.

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Happy Halloween!

Hallowe'en (derived from "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the day before All Saints day) is celebrated on the night of October 31, usually by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets.

Here you have a series of activities related to Halloween:
History.
Vocabulary.
Games: Haunted House, Haunted House II, Costumes, Matching Game, Paint It!, Spelloween.
Quizzes: Quiz I, Quiz II,
Trivia.

This is Halloween: The Night Before Christmas.



Main source: British Council.

Perceptual ambiguity

What do you see in this picture?

Do you see an old woman or a young woman in this illustration? They are both present, but you will not be able to see both of them simultaneously. Once you perceive both figures, see if you can get them to fluctuate back and forth between the two interpretations.

What's going on here? For an explanation and the history of this illustration, click on this link.

This is another version of the figure illustrated above:

Gomaespuminglish VII

Family

Family is very important. Let me tell you about my family. What are my children like?

Find out by doing these four exercises:

Exercise one: Pre-listening: Vocabulary.

Exercise two: Click on the words you hear.

Exercise three: Complete the text.

Exercise four: Listen and match up the expressions.

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Source: Caroline Brown Listening Lessons.

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Every breath you take, The Police

If you like this song, you can practise your listening skills by clicking on this link. You will find the song lyrics and you'll have to fill in the blanks with the words you hear. Subingles.com is a very useful site for learning English with songs.

English is all around

Why is English all around? Let's see:

English is an Indo-European, West Germanic language originating in England, and is the first language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Anglophone Caribbean. It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language throughout the world, especially in Commonwealth countries and in many international organizations. (Wikipedia).

This map shows the countries in which English is an official or de facto official language (red areas). Click here to see a detailed listing.

For more information, click on this link and on the Wikipedia.

This link also offers interesting and detailed information about the countries where English is spoken.

Finally, take this quiz: Where did the English language come from?

Test your level of English

If you want to test your level of English, click on this link.
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Paul Newman

Hollywood has been mourning the death of Oscar-winning film legend Paul Newman (Jan 26, 1925 - Sep 26, 2008), who died of cancer aged 83. Tributes have been pouring in for him:

Robert Redford, said: "I have lost a real friend" while Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey said Newman was a "great humble giant".

Former actor, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, called him "a generous but modest philanthropist".

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Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary described him as "an American icon, philanthropist and champion for children," in a statement.

The star's five daughters praised their father's "selfless humility and generosity" in a statement released to the press:
"Paul Newman played many unforgettable roles," they said.
"But the ones for which he was proudest never had top billing on the marquee: Devoted husband, loving father, adoring grandfather, dedicated philanthropist."

The actor starred in some 60 films in a career that spanned five decades.
He was nominated for an Academy Award 10 times - but it took him 33 years to win one, picking up the best actor trophy for The Color Of Money in 1987.
In May 2007, Newman said he was giving up acting because he could no longer perform to the best of his ability.
"I'm not able to work any more... at the level that I would want to," he told US broadcaster ABC.
"You start to lose your memory, you start to lose your confidence, you start to lose your invention."

In addition to his Academy Award for best actor, he was given an honorary Oscar in 1986 "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft".

In 1994, he picked up a third Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for his charitable work.
His philanthropic efforts included the establishment of summer camps for children who suffered from life-threatening illnesses.
He also donated profits from his Newman's Own food range to a number of charitable organisations.

Source: BBC News.

I'd like to be remembered as a guy who tried — tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being. Someone who isn't complacent, who doesn't cop out.

Pronunciation quiz

Everybody knows that there are many easily confused words in English as regards pronunciation. But don't panic, we are here to help you! Click on this link to do a pronunciation quiz. There are ten questions to test you and help you learn about English pronunciation.

Source: BBC Learning English.

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Lunch in the pub in Britain

We all have an image of other nationalities, and for the British, it is very traditional with London and pubs. Are British people as traditional as we all think? What do they do for lunch on Sunday?Find out by doing these four listening exercises:

Exercise one: Pre-listening: Vocabulary.

Exercise two: Click on the words you hear.

Exercise three: Is this exactly what you hear?

Exercise four: Complete the text.

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Aerosmith, "I don't wanna miss a thing"

And we start the new school year with music. Listen to this fantastic song by Aerosmith which is part of Armageddon's soundtrack. You've got the lyrics in English and Spanish.

Welcome back!

Hi students!

I hope your holidays were fantastic and you have a lot of energy for the new course which starts next Monday. You know that you will have the blog available this year again and we will try to use it as much as possible in order to improve your English.

See you on Monday!

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Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, most of which are former British colonies, or dependencies of these colonies (the exceptions being the United Kingdom itself and Mozambique).

No single government in the Commonwealth, British or otherwise, exercises power over the others, as in a political union. Rather, the relationship is one of an international organisation through which countries with diverse social, political, and economic backgrounds are regarded as equal in status, and co-operate within a framework of common values and goals. These include the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance, the rule of law, individual liberty, egalitarianism, free trade, multilateralism, and world peace, and are carried out through multilateral projects and meetings, as well as the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.

The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II, known for this purpose as Head of the Commonwealth. This position, however, does not imbue her with any political or executive power over any Commonwealth member states; the position is purely symbolic, and it is the Commonwealth Secretary-General who is the chief executive of the organization. Elizabeth II is also the Head of State, separately, of sixteen members of the Commonwealth, collectively called the Commonwealth realms.

Adapted from the Wikipedia.

More information: Commonwealth Home Page.

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Teenagers and Chores

Click on the image to enlarge.
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A job interview

Have you been for an interview for a job? Did you enjoy it or were you very nervous? What does this person find difficult?

Find out by doing these four exercises:

Exercise one: Pre-listening: Vocabulary.

Exercise two: Click on the words you hear.

Exercise three: What are the problems?

Exercise four: Listen and match up the expressions.

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Terrible Plane Crash in Spain

More Than 150 Killed in Spain Plane Crash.

The deadliest plane crash in Spain in more than 20 years has taken the lives of at least 153 people and injured 19. As the Canary Islands-bound plane made its second attempt to take off from the Madrid airport, it careened off course, crashed in a nearby gully, and burst into flames. On a first take-off attempt, the pilot reported a mechanical problem and returned for repairs, delaying the flight by about an hour. A number of the crash survivors were flung into a nearby stream that protected them from more severe burns. An investigation will be launched in order to determine the cause of the terrible accident.

Source: In the News provided by The Free Dictionary.

With this post I want to show my condolences to the victims and their relatives of this terrible accident.

A day out in England

England is certainly a beautiful country with lots of things and places 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: vocabulary.

Exercise two: Click on the words you hear.

Exercise three: Is this exactly what you've heard?

Exercise four: Complete and check.

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Gomaespuminglish VI

We are back again with another Gomaespuminglish lesson. I hope you like it, but do not forget that these lessons are just for fun. Do not speak English like that!

DO or MAKE

The two verbs 'do' and 'make' are often confused. The meanings are similar, but there are differences.

'Do' for Activities
Use the verb 'do' to express daily activities or jobs. Notice that these are usually activities that produce no physical object.
do homework - do housework - do the ironing - do the dishes - do a job

'Do' for General Ideas
Use the verb 'do' when speaking about things in general. In other words, when we do not exactly name an activity. This form is often used with the words 'something, nothing, anything, everything, etc.'
I'm not doing anything today. He does everything for his mother. She's doing nothing at the moment.

Important Expressions with 'Do'

There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'do'. These are standard collocations (verb + noun combinations) that are used in English.
do one's best - do good - do harm - do a favour - do business

'Make' for Constructing, Building, Creating
Use 'make' to express an activity that creates something that you can touch.
make food - make a cup of tea / coffee - make a mess

Important Expressions with 'Make'
There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'make'. In a number of cases the verb 'do' seems more appropriate. These are standard collocations (verb + noun combinations) that are used in English.
make plans - make an exception - make arrangements - make a telephone call - make a decision - make a mistake - make noise - make money - make an excuse - make an effort

Next, take the quiz testing 'do' or 'make'.

Source: About.com English as 2nd Language by Kenneth Beare.

Now you can practise what you have learnt playing this game.
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The Description Detective Game

Are you a good detective? Find out by playing this game.

The Description Detective

You are a police officer. When you press start, you will see an investigation. Read the description of the wanted person carefully. Then wait, and you will go to the playground, the airport, a restaurant, and the park . If you see the person in the description, click the person with your mouse.

Click here or on the picture to play The Description Detective Game. Have fun!

Source and more games: http://www.english-online.org.uk/games/gamezone2.htm

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

"One World One Dream" fully reflects the essence and the universal values of the Olympic spirit -- Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream. It expresses the common wishes of people all over the world, inspired by the Olympic ideals, to strive for a bright future of Mankind. In spite of the differences in colors, languages and races, we share the charm and joy of the Olympic Games, and together we seek for the ideal of Mankind for peace. We belong to the same world and we share the same aspirations and dreams.

"One World One Dream" is a profound manifestation of the core concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games. It reflects the values of harmony connoted in the concept of "People's Olympics", the core and soul of the three concepts -- "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics". While "Harmony of Man with Nature" and "Peace Enjoys Priority" are the philosophies and ideals of the Chinese people since ancient times in their pursuit of the harmony between Man and Nature and the harmony among people, building up a harmonious society and achieving harmonious development are the dream and aspirations of ours. It is our belief that peace and progress, harmonious development, living in amity, cooperation and mutual benefit, and enjoying a happy life are the common ideals of the people throughout the world.

"One World, One Dream" is simple in expressions, but profound in meaning. It is of China, and also of the world. It conveys the lofty ideal of the people in Beijing as well as in China to share the global community and civilization and to create a bright future hand in hand with the people from the rest of the world. It expresses the firm belief of a great nation, with a long history of 5,000 years and on its way towards modernization, that is committed to peaceful development, harmonious society and people's happiness. It voices the aspirations of 1.3 billion Chinese people to contribute to the establishment of a peaceful and bright world.
The English translation of the slogan is distinctive in sentence structure. The two "One's are perfectly used in parallel, and the words "World" and "Dream" form a good match. The slogan is simple, meaningful, inspiring, and easy to remember, read and spread.

In Chinese, the word "tongyi", which means "the same", is used for the English word "One". It highlights the theme of "the whole Mankind lives in the same world and seeks for the same dream and ideal".

Source: The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Now, you can listen to the theme song for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games "We Are Ready". Watch the video and enjoy China's beautiful places, buildings and landscapes.



If you want to, you can play these official Olympic Mini-Games. Have fun!

Travelling pets

Pets coming into Britain have to go into quarantine. What's it like and what happens when it's finished? Find out by doing these four exercises:

Exercise one: Pre-listening task: Vocabulary.

Exercise two: Click on the words you hear.

Exercise three: Complete and listen.

Exercise four: Reorder the sentences.

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A picnic without walnuts?

Summer Holiday World Geography Quiz

Do you like travelling? Have you ever been abroad? Summer is a great time for going to foreign places. Test your general knowledge on Geography by doing these quizzes. They are graded in different levels of difficulty.

Holiday Geography Quiz (easy)
Holiday Geography Quiz (easy) Long Timer
Holiday Geography Quiz (tricky)
Holiday Geography Quiz (tricky) Long Timer
Holiday Geography Quiz (fiendish)
Holiday Geography Quiz (fiendish) Long Timer

Source: http://yacapaca.com

Some Famous English Quotes I

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
Aldous Huxley

Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.
John Keats

A day without laughter is a day wasted.
Charlie Chaplin

I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.
Oscar Wilde

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Neighbours

The Reason - Hoobastank

In this video, you have the original lyrics and the Spanish translation. I have recently discovered a site where you can learn English with songs. You can listen to a wide variety of songs, read their lyrics and do some exercises. It is very interesting and helpful. Click on this link to go to the site: Subinglés.

Double-click any word in the blog for its meaning

There is a new tool in the blog whereby you can double-click any word on the site and you will get its definition, pronunciation, synonyms and translation to Spanish, French, German and Italian. This tool is provided by "The Free Dictionary" (Farlex).

So, now there is no problem for you to keep on reading and understanding my blog entries!!!

Jokes in English

Jokes are also interesting to learn a language since you can laugh and learn at the same time.

Read these jokes and have fun!

Teacher: If I had nine apples in one hand and eight oranges in the other, what would I have?

Student: Big hands!

Wife: Do you want dinner, dear?

Husband: Sure! What are my choices?

Wife: Yes and no.

Teacher: Thomas, give me a sentence starting with 'I'.

Thomas: I is...

Teacher: No, Thomas. We say, 'I am...'

Student: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'

- What a strange pair of socks you are wearing today! One is brown and the other one is green!

- Yes, that is really strange. I've got another pair at home that are exactly the same.

Source and more jokes here.

Actual School Excuses...

Actual School Excuses...
The following are real school excuses, explaining the reason behind the absence of students. Enjoy! :-)

1. Please excuse my son for being absent yesterday, because there is a river in our house.

2. Dear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and also 33.

3. Please excuse Roland from P.E. for a few days. He fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.

4. John has been absent because he had two teeth taken out of his face.

5. Chris will not be in shcool cus he has an acre in his side.

6. Please excuse Ray Friday from school. He has very loose vowels.

7. Please excuse Tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrheea and his boots leak.

8. Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we fouind it Monday, we thought it was Sunday.

Adapted from Aha Jokes.

Pronunciation

I have just found two helpful tools to practise your English pronunciation.

Click on the picture on the left, then write a word or sentence and your virtual teacher will tell you the correct pronunciation. It is very easy. An English teacher at hand!

The second tool is very similar to this one, but with the difference that you can chat with your virtual teacher, Alice. Click on the picture on the right and talk to Alice!

I hope you have fun while you are improving your English pronunciation!!!

If looks could kill ...

The Lion King and The Calling: "Wherever you will go"

- The Calling Lyrics

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base. Today, Gibraltar is known colloquially as Gib or The Rock.

If you want to know more about Gibraltar and its history, click here.

Government of Gibraltar, Information Service.

Try this quiz to check how much you know about The Rock.

For A Virtual Travel to Gibraltar, click on this link.

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Gomaespuminglish V

Gomaespuminglish Lesson 5. Remember, don't speak English like that!!! These lessons are just for fun!!!

Population

Is this the quietest village in the world?

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Nadal wins Wimbledon

Congratulations Nadal for the impressive match and victory last Sunday!

Nadal's epic five-set win over Roger Federer in Sunday's Wimbledon final saw him become the first Spaniard since 1966 to win the title.

Federer was gracious in defeat, but admitted that the fact he had played in what is already being spoken of as possibly the greatest final in Wimbledon history was little consolation for the pain of losing.

Former three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker said Nadal's win confirmed his status as the world's best player. "Whoever wins the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year for me is the number one in the world," he said. This year's final was the longest in history, beating the record set by John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors in 1982, and McEnroe said it was "the greatest match I have ever seen." And Wimbledon legend Bjorn Borg was also lavish in his praise. "I have just witnessed the greatest match I have ever seen. The drama, the quality and the way it ended when it seemed as though no more tennis could possibly be played was remarkable, to put it mildly."

For more information, read here. Click on this link if you want to listen to Nadal's interview after the match.

Nadal's championship-winning moment, here.

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Loch Ness Monster

The Loch Ness Monster (Nessiteras rhombopteryx) is an alleged animal, identified neither as to a family or species, purportedly inhabiting Scotland's Loch Ness. The Loch Ness Monster is one of the best-known animals studied by cryptozoology. Popular belief and interest in the animal have waxed and waned over the years since it came to the world's attention in 1933. Evidence of its existence is largely anecdotal, with minimal, and much disputed, photographic material and sonar readings: there has not been any physical evidence (skeletal remains, capture of a live animal, definitive tissue samples or spoor) uncovered as of 2008. Local people, and later many around the world, have affectionately referred to the animal by the diminutive Nessie (Scottish Gaelic: "Niseag") since the 1950s. Wikipedia.

Loch Ness and its monster are both found in northern Scotland.

Loch Ness is part of the Great Glen, an enormous fissure in the earth that just about splits Scotland into two. There are a series of lochs, rivers and canals that link the Atlantic with the North Sea. this is the most eastern of these.
It is the largest freshwater lake in the Britain. It is twenty four miles long and a maximum of one and a half miles wide. Its maximum depth is around 750 feet and its average depth 450 feet. Because the waters are very cold, and also very cloudy it is difficult to see underwater more than a few feet. So there is a lot of murky water in which Nessie could hide.

For more information, click here.

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Now, it is time for some English practice, click on this link and do this exercise on The Loch Ness Monster.

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One Republic Ft. Timbaland: "Apologize"

Some English-speaking places

Spain wins the Euro 2008

Congratulations Spain!!!
Spain claimed their first major title for 44 years after winning Euro 2008 with a deserved victory over Germany.
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was Spain's goal hero, striking after 33 minutes when he cleverly lifted Xavi's pass over Germany keeper Jens Lehmann.
Spain dominated the final throughout, with Torres heading against the post and Marcos Senna almost adding a second from close range after 80 minutes.
Spain have long had a reputation as under-achievers on the big occasions, but this was a richly-merited victory for veteran coach Luis Aragones and a team that played outstanding football throughout the tournament.

TRIVIA

Spain have won the European Championship for the second time. In 1964, they also lifted the trophy after beating the Soviet Union 2-1 in the final. In 1984, they also reached the final but lost 2-0 against France.
Just as Greece four years ago, Spain have kept clean sheets in all three knock-out rounds after the group phase.
As well as winning the European Championship three times (1972, 1980, 1996), Germany have now also lost three European Championship finals (1976, 1992, 2008).
With four goals, David Villa has become top scorer at Euro 2008 without having played in the final. That is the fewest goals for a European Championship top scorer since 1992, when Dennis Bergkamp, Tomas Brolin, Henrik Larsen and Karl-Heinz Riedle all scored three goals.
At the age of 38 years and 232 days, Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became the oldest player ever to appear in the European Championship final, breaking the record set by Arnold Muhren (37 years, 23 days) in 1988.
At the age of 69 years and 337 days, winning coach Luis Aragones has become the oldest coach ever to appear in the final of a European Championship. Aragones is more than four years older than Otto Rehhagel (65 years, 327 days) was four years ago when Greece beat Portugal in the Euro 2004 final.

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Thank you!

Hello everybody: students, colleagues and friends,

The school year is over and now I want to evaluate the results. I don't know if I will be with you the next year again, but anyway I would like to thank you for many things.

It has been a hard but wonderful year and you have contributed to make it so special.

My dear students, thanks for your attention in class, for your behaviour, for the support you gave me when I was feeling down after my accident. Thank you, my colleagues and friends, for those experiences and coffees you have shared with me this year, and for being always there when I needed it.

In short, thank you all for making me want to be a better person and teacher.

Have a nice summer!!!

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