Queen Elizabeth's birthday

Elizabeth II has seen her birthday be celebrated several times this year. Do you know why? Check out this video, it explains why she has had no less than THREE celebrations this year: Queen Elizabeth's three celebrations

There have been massive celebrations around the world, not just in London or all around the UK, remember she is also the Head of the Commonwealth. Does that sound familiar?Check it out if it is something you have never heard of before.

I really recommend you to watch the following video, too. It shows how still at 90, Queen Elizabeth is in excellent shape. You can listen and watch the Queen deliver a very short speech (1 minute). Make sure you watch it until the end, there's a joke there. 
Enjoy her pronunciation, there sure is a reason why the 'standard' (meaning posh) variety of English is called the 'Queen's English'.

Here is the transcript if you want to read along:

'To everyone here today, and to those holding street parties elsewhere, I would like to say thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you continue to give me.

I hope these happy celebrations will remind us of the many benefits that can flow when people come together for a common purpose, as families, friends, or neighbours.  And I pay tribute to the commitment, selfless devotion and generosity-of-spirit shown by the hundreds of charities and voluntary organisations represented here today.  You are an example to us all.

I much appreciate the kindness of all your birthday wishes, and have been delighted and moved by the many cards and messages I have received.  How I will feel if people are still singing Happy Birthday to me in December, remains to be seen!'

How well do you treat your pet?

Do you have any pets at home? Let me guess...most of you I'm sure have a dog or a cat. Am I right? Lots of people are very fond of having animals at home. 

Have a look at the following pictures, did you know these celebrity pets?

Freddie Mercury and his cat Tiffany 

 Salvador Dalí and his cat Babou

Cara Delevingne and her dog Leo

And what about Queen Elizabeth II? It is known that Queen Elizabeth II absolutely LOVES Corgis. All the dogs she has had are descendants of the first one which was given to her as a gift many, many years ago:

 

Her Majesty with Holly and Willow

 

The Queen and more Welsh Corgis

Official Corgi handlers (what a job!)

How well do you think the Queen treats her dogs? I bet you can't even imagine! Have a look at the following article: Daily Mail Article Link. The title is:

Who made a dog's dinner of cooking supper for one's corgis? Queen's shock as beloved dogs are fed reheated meals instead of freshly cooked

It is known she once said about the dogs 'they are family'. 

If you like the article take a look at the comments, many people approving and disapproving in an equally intense manner!

Once you have a look, tell me: how well do YOU treat your pets? Do you know anyone who treats their pets similarly? Have you heard about any celebrity who does this? Let me know!!

I have to admit that if I could, I maybe would do the same as she does :)

Could YOU have answered this question?

There is some strong debate on education going on right now in the UK. 

Watch what happens when Caroline Lucas asks David Cameron to define some grammar terms. The video starts 'For the benefit of the house and for 10 and 11-year olds up and down the country...'

Click HERE for the full article. 

Could you have answered the question?

Scams Reading

This is an -very short- optional reading about different kind of scams: click here for the text

Did you know any of them? 

Did you know...?

Did you know that The Lion King and Hamlet have got a parallel narrative thread?

Shakespeare Lives celebrations

The British Council is celebrating Shakespeare's 400th anniversary, and one of the ways they are doing so is by re-adapting Shakespeare's plays. I have particularly liked the one they've made using Julius Caesar, so here it is for you to watch (it only lasts for a couple of minutes): 

When using subtitles with this video: select 'English (United Kingdom)' subtitles for subtitles in modern English, and 'English' subtitles for the original text.

If you want to explore the rest of the videos, the full playlist can be found here: Playlist with more modern adaptations. They will post a new one every month.

Here is the web in which you can read all about these things they are doing to celebrate Shakespeare's life and works: Shakespeare Lives

I have found quite fun this app they have created, in which you can fill in verses, quotes and sonnets with emojis. Look at the example they have used :) 

 Find more information about the FREE app HERE.

Have a nice weekend!

Homework GAD April 23rd

Your homework is to read the following text and answer the questions below.
Also, Nathan has posted a new entry in his blog, go and check it out and see what is he asking for this time.

Night Shift

Many people have jobs that are not very interesting, but a lot of people have to work at night, and this is very difficult. When everybody else is getting ready to go out, they have to go to work, and this outs a lot of psychological stress on them. It is also not very healthy because the human body is designed to be active in the day and to rest in the dark. If this cycle is reversed it can have a bad effect on a person's health. So, why do people do night shifts?

Nowadays, many businesses have to offer a 24 hour service, like hotels, delivery companies, some supermarkets open all night and all day, call centres and hospitals. It is true that some people only need a few hours to sleep at night, but the majority need eight hours. Humans are most active in the middle of the day, and the time when they are least able to concentrate and be efficient is between 2am and 4 am.

This is the worst time to drive, or to do anything that needs concentration. The body finds it very difficult to adapt to the opposite cycle. Things are not likely to get better in the future because more and more companies are working 24 hour cycles to keep in step with our 24 hour society.  

1. What is the writer's main aim in writing the text?
a. To describe the importance of work.
b. To say how working at night can be harmful.
c. To help people change their way of life.
d. To advise people to sleep more. 

2. What does the writer say about night jobs?
a. You get better working conditions.
b. There is a variety of them.
c. It is easier than working during the day.
d. Many people refuse to work at night. 

3. What would a reader learn about sleep from the text?
a. Everybody needs the same amount.
b. It's difficult to change your sleeping needs. 
c. People sleep better in the early morning.
d. Many people need more than 11 hours' sleep.

4. What does the writer say about the future?
a. Fewer people will work during the day.
b. People will demand fewer services.
c. People will work longer hours.
d. Some jobs will always be done at night.

5. Which of the following could also be a title for this text?
a. Society is changing but our bodies are not!
b. A good night's sleep can change your life!
c. A worker that sleeps more, works more!
d. The loneliest jobs in the world!

The following image shows the effects of night shifts on one's health. Have you ever worked the night shift? 

Aaand here's a sonnet for you to read

Im pleased to introduce you to Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. Shakespeare is mainly famous for having written plays which have been represented non-stop since the moment they were written... and that's quite a long time ago! 

Shakespeare's sonnets are also greatly appreciated, so have a taste of them by having a look at the one below. Be sure that you will read something very different to what you are used to!

Read through it carefully, once, twice, as many times as you need to get a general understanding of what he's expressing. 

It is a love poem, but... can you tell why is it different to the love poems we normally read? What makes it different? Would you be able to rephrase it in your own words? I would be impressed if anyone tried to explain it in their own words! 

We will talk about it more in depth on Friday- also about Shakespeare and his times. Any comments before Friday about this are welcome below.

1      My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
        Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
        If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
        If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
5      I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
        But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
        And in some perfumes is there more delight
        Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
        I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
10    That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
        I grant I never saw a goddess go;
        My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.
             And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
             As any she belied with false compare.

line 1 my mistress: my loved one

l.3 dun: grey/brown colour.

l.5 damasked: a pattern of both colours (red and white). 

l.8 reeks: smells strongly and unpleasantly.

l.10 hath: has

l.12 treads: steps heavily

l.14 belied: to show to be false

Bored? Try one of these!

Remember Oscar Wilde? We talked about him on St.Patrick's day, he was an Irish author famous for writing The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Importance of Being Earnest, among others. 


Find in this link some of his short stories, some of them as short as 4 pages. Have a look and see if you like any of them: http://www.wilde-online.info/short-stories.htm

I particularly enjoy The Selfish Giant and The Nightingale and the Rose.


The Importance of Being Ernest is a play, and it has been adapted to cinema several times. Have any of you seen it? It is really fun, I highly recommend you to watch it! It belongs to the genre called 'comedy of manners', which basically means that Oscar Wilde makes fun of the habits and the way the people from the upper class behave and their love life.Have a look at the trailer:

These are some of his most famous quotes, have you heard any of them before?

Enjoy!!

Late trains in Japan

American and British English

Homework AYF February 20th Present Perfect

Inverness on a map

Winter time in Fort Augustus

Inverness High Street

Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a lake between the Scottish towns of Inverness and Fort Augustus. The word loch is Scottish for lake. Loch Ness is about 37 km long and extremely deep, the deepest part is 226 m.

Loch Ness is famous for its friendly monster, Nessie. Most people think that this is only a legend, but every year tourists from all over the world come to Loch Ness and hope that they will see the monster.

For more information on Inverness have a look at its tourist site: http://www.inverness-scotland.com/visit-inverness.php

1. Use the Present Perfect to fill in the blanks.

a) Tourists from all over the world (be) _____ to Loch Ness.

b) Most of them (see / not) _____ Nessie, however.

c) Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster (appear) _____ in front of them.

d) Even scientists (come) _____ to Loch Ness to find the monster.

e) And the boss of the Guinness brewery (promise) _____ to pay 500,000 Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.    

2. Use Present Perfect to complete these sentences.

a) I (not / work) _____ today.

b) We (buy) _____ a new lamp.

c) We (not / plan) _____ our holiday yet.

d) Where (be / you) _____?

e) He (write) _____ five letters.

f) She (not / see) _____ him for a long time.

g) (be / you) _____ at school today?

h) School (not / start) _______ yet.

i) (speak / he) _______ to his boss?

j) No, he (have / not) _______ the time yet.

Keep this in mind for next week: 

Use the Past Simple: for an action that happened in the past and is finished.

                                   with definite time expression in the past.

I went to the shop yesterday

I went to Wales last year

Use the Present Perfect: for an action that started in the Past but it is still true today. 

                                         with undefined time expressions.

I have lost my keys 

I have gone to Wales three times

British Chefs

Meet Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, two very famous British celebrity chefs.

Jamie Oliver is famous for cooking healthy recipes and raising awareness about the dangers of eating too much sugar and fast food. He has also published some cookbooks, all of them being a huge success. Two of his most popular books are the ones which include instructions to cook a wonderful dishes in 30 minutes and another one which beats that time, describing how to cook amazing recipes in just 15 minutes. 

 Gordon Ramsay is not just famous for having won Michelin stars, but also for having a strong personality which he shows in his successful TV show Kitchen Nightmares. In each episode of this program, he visits a different restaurant. All of them are sunk in debt or have huge problems, so he helps them by changing the menu, redecorating the place, etc.  If you ever thought that Chicote was too hard at some points with restaurant owners and employees in the Spanish version...check out this video. Click here for some of Gordon's serious shouting (warning: strong language).
He has also publish a lot of books on British pub food, healthy recipes, home cooked meals, etc.

Both of them have got their own youtube videos, have a look at them! They have some very tasty recipes and they are quite easy to follow. These are some suggestions:

Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad by Jamie Oliver

Gordon Ramsay's Scrambled Eggs on Toast


http://www.jamieoliver.com/

https://www.gordonramsay.com/

Enjoy!

It is right under your nose!

What type of nose have you got? Do you have the 'aquiline'? Or 'the Nixon'? Or maybe 'the Roman'?

Scientists have created a classification to describe different shapes and sizes of noses, and they have established 14 different categories.  

Click here for an article from the Daily Mail to find out what kind your nose is! 

Victorian Christmas cards

In Great Britain, as well as in Spain, there is a great tradition of sending cards to your loved ones during the Christmas season. Nowadays, we are used to sweet pictures of children throwing snowballs, carefully decorated Christmas trees, happy families opening presents, religious motifs and many other clichés.

Cards have been sent for a couple hundred years now, but the pictures and drawings that appear on them have changed significantly. Check out this newspaper article where you can find a very interesting gallery of Christmas greeting cards which were popular during Victorian times (19th century). 

Click here to see the images in the Daily Mail

These are only some of them. Weird!

  

Respect

Here you will see Cristiano Ronaldo taking part in a promotional event in Japan. 

Watch the video before you continue reading:

One Japanese child tried to speak Portuguese to Ronaldo, and as he nervously reads his words, some of the people begin to laugh.

Ronaldo, though, was clearly touched and impressed with the kid's effort and asked his translator, "Why they smile? Why? He speaks good Portuguese! Very good. They should be happy because he tries very hard!"

Ronaldo's action made the crowd applaud, and probably left them all a little embarrassed.

Never laugh at someone who is trying to speak another language, respect and admire them instead. 

The importance of frequency adverbs

How tired are you?

AYF Homework 11 December

Read about the WTO and the incident with banana trade. Answer the questions below. 

The WTO

The World Trade Organization, known as the WTO, was established in 1995. It is a Geneva-based organization that aims to ensure that global trade flows as smoothly and freely as possible. One of its functions is to settle trade disputes. Member countries agree to reduce the trade barriers between them in a series of trade negotiations, known as 'rounds'. These rounds (for example, the Uruguay Round) have made trade freer. 

Here you can see a map of the member countries: 

The Banana War

It is perhaps strange that a fruit should be at the centre of what was almost a trade war between the USA and the European Union. France and Britain wanted to protect the interests of banana producers in their ex-colonies, especially  in the West Indies, against US companies operating out of Central America. The USA claimed that this was against the rules of international competition and free trade. The WTO decided in favour of the USA, but the Europeans refused to recognize the decision. It was following a second WTO judgement against the EU, and the USA's imposition of huge tariffs on unrelated goods, that they finally agreed to obey the decision. It remains to be seen how well banana growers in the West Indies can survive as Central American countries have a comparative advantage in climate, land and labour costs. 

Answer using your own words:

1. What was the cause of the disagreement between the USA and the EU?

2. How did the USA punish the EU for refusing to accept the decision of the WTO?

3. What is the future likely to be for West Indian producers? Why?

Christmas Commercials in UK

As you might have noticed already, the TV commercials are starting to aim at our Christmas shopping: perfumes, watches, and many other objects considered to be 'typical' Christmas gifts. 

During my time in England, I observed that an unequivocal indicator which meant that Christmas was just around the bend was the appearance of Christmas TV commercials. Especially those for different shopping centres or supermarkets, such as Tesco or Sainsbury. I liked them a lot, and did some research of those aired previous years. 

I found them to be quite heartwarming, carefully done and original (British advertising is excellent in general), so here you have three of them that belong to this Christmas. Hope you like them!

Tesco commercial (there is a play on words with the adjective 'bright', see if you get it):

Aldi Telescope Christmas commercial. There is also a play on words, this time involving an IDIOM. Let's see if you can spot it!:

 Anchor Christmas commercial. This is a commercial for a dairy spreadable (sort of butter). In my opinion, one of the best ads: