I love Scotland

Hi everyone! 

Firstly, I must apologize since I´ve been so busy that I haven´t talked to you for a long time...

Secondly, I am full of energy to continue offering you activities to improve your English and your Knowledge about English-speaking countries.

As some of you might know, I lived in Scotland for some years, that is why I´m in love with this country, especially with Edinburgh, its capital city. I would like to share here today a video about different aspects of the citylife such as history, geography, shopping, culture, etc.

But, before watching it, let´s think a bit about Scotland: 

1- How many countries form the UK? Which ones? Do you know their capital cities?

2-Where is Scotland? North, South, West or East of the UK?

3- What comes to your mind  when you hear Scotland/Scottish?

4- Have you been to Scotland? To Edinburgh?

4.1   If yes, share your experience (you can post your comment on this blog).

4.2   If not, how do you imagine the city?

Now, watch the video following the instructions below:

1- Watch and listen carefully, only.

2- Too difficult? Play it with subtitles.

I will leave you some activities next post...

    

Galician Literature Day or "Día das Letras Galegas"

Hi my dear friends, how are you?

I´m pretty sure some of you might know that today, the 17th of May,  is a celebration day in Galicia, where I´m from. But, many of you perhaps don´t know what is the meaning of this day for a Galician person.

Apart of being a bank holiday in our region, the important part is that we celebrate our pride of being Galician which means having an own language, an own literature, culture and our own identity.

In addition, every year it is devoted to a different Galician writer to remember his or her contributions in different areas such as Literature, Language, History, Education, etc.

I´ve found an interesting article written by Emma Chang, a writer from the Michigan Daily, which summarizes her vision about this celebration while she was living in Santiago de Compostela. Click on the picture to read it (remember to look for the vocabulary you don´t understand in Wordreference online dictionary).

This year, 2020, the day is devoted to Ricardo Carvalho Calero, a Galician intellectual who made exceptional contributions to our culture, have a look at his biography clicking on the picture.

Talking about books

Hi everyone! Today is so nice outside, bright and hot, great to go for a walk!

I hope you have watched the video from Luke Bakik, I found it highly interesting and also agree with him in everything he says.

So now, let´s think about some of the statemens he explains and please leave your comments in the blog, don´t be shy!

1- What is your opinion about this one? 

"Good reades make good writers

Good writers make good communicators

Good communicators make good persuaders

Good persuaders make good societies".

Can you write easily? Can you talk about any topic without any problem?

2- Luke Bakik says people today speak about different things but books, which ones?

3- What series of books does he like reading? Have you read any of them?

4- Where does he like reading?

5- "Reading is love in action", what is the meaning of this expression?

6- "When you have a good book there is nothing better in the universe", do you agree?

7- He says that he is very good at spelling and vocabulary, why?

Finally, I invite you to analyse what kind of reader you are and if not, just reflect why you don´t read.

Now, that I don´t have the time to do it I really miss it. I try to look for any moment to read and immerse myself into a magical world...

If you want more information about the benefits of reading, click on this link: Reading for the joy of it.

                                                                               

I love reading, and you?

Hi! it´s been a while since I haven´t written, sorry! I had a busy week...

Anyway, I would like to remind you the importance of reading, but not only the importance for our mind but also the power of doing it.

When I´m reading I feel like "teletransporting" myself to another world, my imagination works and all my senses are focusing on the story.

I prefer reading at night in my cozy bed, but due to the current circumstances I can´t read at that time, so I tend to do it at any free moment I have.

I would like you to watch very carefully to this TED-TALK from Luke Bakic, a boy who talks about his feelings when reading.

Next post, we will review some things we listen to in the video. Enjoy!

The 5 R´s

Good afternoon!  How are you? I´m not too bad, which means good!

Today, I would like to make you think a bit about the ENVIRONMENT and some actions we can easily take at  home.

So, what is the first word coming to your mind when you listen to the word "environment"? For me is...GREEN, but also ACTION.

And little actions can make a lot for the Earth, for instance the Rule of the 5 R´s, have you heard of it? 

Here you have a video with an easy explanation, but before watching it, look for these words on Wordreference online dictionary:

-Sustainable / Unsustainable

- Lifestyle

- Conscious

- Support

- Purchasing

- Amount

- Purpose

- Able

- Fix

- Fail

Now with this new vocabulary on mind, click on the picture to watch it.

What do you think of the 5 R´s practice? Do you do any of them at home? Leave a comment on this blog with your thoughts!

I do most of them, although sometimes is not easy, but being conscious and acting is what we can do as individuals.

I hope you are commited to this cause and next time we talk we are all into this!!

My travelling essentials

Hello dear friends, how are you today?
I´m thinking of my last Easter holidays... We went to a city in Spain near Madrid, a very beautiful town and freezing too! Can you guess it? I leave you a few minutes to think about it and I´ll let you know later.

Talking about holidays, I always take a small suitcase in my trips, which sometimes causes me a problem, I don´t have enough room for everything I want to take with me!

But, apart from clothes, shoes and toiletries,  there are some essential things I always put into my suitcase, can you make your list? 
(Name 8-10 objects you always take when travelling).

Here it is mine, see if there is any coincidence:

1- Thermometer.
2- Painkillers (Paracetamol, Ibuprofene, etc).
3- Straightener.
4- Nail file.
5- Some cloth bags.
6- Pocket umbrella.
7- Some clothes pegs.
8- Pen and notebook.

And now, can you match the names with the pictures?

And finally...do you know the town where I spent my last Easter holidays?
Segovia, yes! Watch this video to learn about this amazing medieval town.

April Fools´ Day

Hi everyone!

Today I´m going to tell you about a famous day celebrated in many countries such as the UK, France, Poland, Finland,
the USA, etc.
As usual, you can click on the words in bold to learn the meaning.  Let´s get started!

Have you ever been teased? Has anybody played a trick on you?

It´s tradition in the UK that every 1st of April people play jokes on each other.

Here you have a video explaining the origins of this special day.

Can you think of any similar date in your country? In Spain, there is a similar custom on the 28th of December, when people prank family and friends.

As in the UK it´s a well known national day in which social media and celebrities also participate.

Now, your task is to look for the meaning of the next words:

- Pranksters

- Practical jokes

- Switch

- Fail

- Hoaxes

- Gullible

- Hooked

- Spread

- Errand

- Derriere

- Kick

After finding the previous words, read this article about April fools´day origins.

For more information, have a look at this short video:

And now...can you remember anytime when you were teased?

  

We finally got it!

Hi everyone! I´m so happy today because we finally got it!!

Yes, the cake! I´m sure you remember my last post about our inhability to bake a good cake. After researching a little bit we solved the problem with the temperature of the oven, setting it at 220º and it was perfect.

There you have a picture with the ingredients and the steps we followed as said in the previous post:

And the final result! 

 Yummy!

I would like to share it with you for a taste, but is not possible this time.

Anyway, I´m sure you all have tried this recipe out and you have baked a great cake. Enjoy!

It´s not that easy!

Well, well, well... since we have plenty time to spend at home, we have decided to try baking...

How can it be so difficult performing simple recipes? 

We have everything we need: the proper ingredients and all the rest (a whisk for the mixture, a cake pan, an oven for  the baking) and we have followed all the steps... But something has gone wrong...our cakes are undercooked! 😕

Today, we have decided to try it again. I´m pretty sure that it must be something to do with the temperature in the oven, 

let´s see...

Firstly, have a look at this link to learn some more cooking vocabulary.

Secondly, you can have a look at this Yogurt cake recipe 

(which I´m going to do later!).

After reading the recipe, you can watch this video from a Spanish speaker so it will be easier to understand.

Finally, watch  this other video with a similar recipe from Tesco store.

And now...I´m going to bake my cake! What about you? Why don´t you try too?

I´ll show you my results in a while...

Tea cup inspiration

Hi everyone! I was having breakfast this morning when I had a sort of inspiration...

Have a look at my tea cup, please!

                                               ⇩

I started to think of the story of the slogan "Keep calm and carry on". I´m sure you have seen it many times, but do you really know about its origins?

You can click on the poster below to learn about it.

 

You can also watch this very short video with the most important facts of the story.

After reading the article and watching the video, look for any words you don´t understand in Wordreference Online dictionary.

Then, write them down on your notebook and try to read and watch them again.

Hope you liked it!

Watch and listen, let´s go for Monday!

Hi everyone!! how are you doing?
Today is Monday and I believe it´s a great idea to start the week with A GOOD FEELING!

I leave you here some tasks to do after watching this video of Justin Timberlake.

You can click on the picture to watch it, pay attention!

TASKS

1- Now, play it again, can you listen to the next words? 

Lights

Imagine

Dance

Feeling

Stop

City

Home

Sunshine

Feet

Phenomenally

Magical

Control

2- Have you paid attention to the video? How many places in the city can you recognize?

Make a list and check it!

3- Can you describe the people you have seen in the video?

I can think of Justin, he wears a white t-shirt, white trousers and white trainers and I think he also wears a watch. 

Easy!! isn´t it?

If you have any difficulties during listening you can have a look at the lyrics clicking on this link:

Can´t stop the feeling Lyrics

Well, I hope you have enjoyed and now...let´s dance!

Difficult times...

Nowadays, that we are living difficult times, I would like to help you to spend your time at home a bit better(although I´m sure you have plenty to do...)

HOW? 

Improving your English!!

So, from now I will try to update this blog with links and activities you can do at home.

And remember...