Lola's Blog

F.A Leyendecker Public Domain It's party time! Look at the photo of a flapper in the 1922 Life magazine cover. The word flapper refers to a woman. Click here to check its meaning. The origin of the word is uncertain, but it seems to be related to an early use to describe a teenage girl whose hair is not yet put up. If you would like to learn more about this, visit the Wikipedia page on flapper . What is clear is that flappers loved partying! Actress Norma Talmadge   The Great Gatsby soundtrack Do you remember the soundtrack in The Great Gatsby movie? Apart from jazz music proper, the film features hip-hop music, like A Little Party Never Killed Nobody by Fergie. I hope you enjoy it.  Have a great time partying or not partying!

Image by The Good News. CC-BY. Wikipedia This post is a tribute to Nelson Mandela, a great leader who has recently passed away. How much do you know about Mandela? How old was he? Where was he from? What was his real name? How long did he spend in prison? Why? What is his legacy? In this post you will find the answer to the above questions and much more. You will learn about his life, his legacy and the turbulent times in which he lived in his native South Africa. Apartheid Read the following sign. Can you identify the language below the English message? Public Domain How much do you know about apartheid? Watch the following video and find out. A video about Mandela's life   Listen to Obituary: The Life of Nelson Mandela This is a BBC radio recording . It's 25 minutes long! Listen as much as you like. If you would like to learn more about Nelson Mandela through listening, visit this BBC page . You will find hours of listening practice....

The Blind Beggar by Jules Bastien Lepage - What can you see in this picture? - Do you know anybody who is blind or partially-sighted? - What other senses do you have to rely on when you are blind? - Can you use the Internet if you are blind? - Can you get money out of cash-machine if you are blind? - What other things can't you do that sighted people normally do? - Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you were blind? This post is about how technology can help the blind.   Before you watch this video Think of gadgets or inventions that may help a partially-sighted or blind person  if they wanted to get money out of a cash-machine to use the Internet to do sport to read a document or even a book Watch this video and answer the questions listed above. As you watch, bear in mind the following: Watch the video first to try to get the gist of the information. Watch a second time to answer the questions. Watch a third time if you need to. ...

The Sun by NASA. Public domain What can you see in this picture? What word or words can you use to describe it?  Would you use the word "glowing", dazzling", or perhaps "harsh"? You are going to learn how to describe light in a painting. You will also learn expressions with the word "light".  Task 1. Here you have three famous paintings. Your task is to guess the name of the painting and the painter. Click on the link to check your answers. Picture 1   Picture 2  Picture 3 These are the answers: Picture 1: Jan Vermeer, Kuchenmagd Picture 2: Vincent van Gogh, Terrace of the Café on the Place du Forum in Arles Picture 3: Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas Task 2. Look at the list of adjectives to describe light. Grade them from really bright to not so bright. dim, warm, soft, bright, cold, dazzling, deep, faint, rich, harsh You can click on the Merriam-Webster dictionary to check.

Jolly Harbour. D avid Stanley CC-BY Look at this photo. It was taken somewhere in the Caribbean. The name of the island means "ancient". Can you guess now? OK, it's Antigua, which together with Barbuda form a twin-island nation. The British ruled these islands from  1632 to 1981. The islands became independent in 1981 and today they belong to the Commonwealth. More Caribbean countries where English is spoken Look at this map and have a go at guessing where they speak English. If you would like to see a larger version of the map, click on the image. Click on this Wikipedia link to see a list of countries. Learn about the English spoken in the Caribbean. Have you ever listened to Jamaican English? How about Trinidadian? Would you like to learn how English evolved on these islands? You can visit the British Library page and learn about the phonological features of Caribbean English. If you scroll down the page, you will be able to listen to sound fi...

Sintra (Portugal). © Lola la Torre This is going to be a review lesson on holiday activities. You are going to review vocabulary and practise your speaking skills. Speaking 1 - What words do you associate with the words "beach"? - When was the last time you went to the beach? - Where did you go?  How long for? - Was it a good place for a holiday? Why/Why not? - Have you been back to the same place?   Vocabulary related to holidays 1) Types of holiday   How many different types of holidays can you think of?  Choose one type of holiday you are interested in and note down 3-4 things you can do on your holiday. 2) Types of accommodation   How many types of accommodation can you remember? How do you say "con baño incluido" ? Visit this page and make a list. Choose five types of accommodation you are interested in and write what the equivalent in Spanish might be. Are you a student? Can you afford a hotel? Why don't you visit the Univers...

Image by Itenney1225 CC BY NC. Flickr.com Look at this photo. Yes, of course you guessed right. It's Leonardo di Caprio, but my question is not about him. My question is about the title of his latest film. Have you seen it? What did you make of it? The film is based on a famous novel. Have you read The Great Gatsby ? Who wrote it? Who are the main characters? Where and when is the novel set? Would you like to find out? Then keep on reading. A video about the author Watch this short video about the author of The Great Gatsby and check the following: his full name his personal life his early career the era in which he lived why he went to Hollywood why he is a great American writer Another great American writer Do you know who wrote The Color Purple ? Click here to find out. There is only one more question and I don't think you'll find it difficult to guess. Who directed the film The Color Purple ? Read this Wikipedia article and find out. W...

Keith Edkins. CC-BY-SA In the post titled "Choosing a book to read", I asked you whether you could think of a book similar to the one written by Bram Stoker. Well, I don't think you'll find it difficult to guess the title of another book by just looking at the photo on your left. Of course, it had to be Frankenstein . But do you know who wrote it? Do you know why Dracula and Frankenstein are called Gothic novels ? What do they have in common? Why do people love these kind of books? Do you like Gothic novels? Check t he meaning of Gothic novel here. Look at the slideshow below and see whether you can guess the author and any famous books written by them. All photos are from Wikimedia Commons. Not bad! You guessed most of them, I'm sure. The best Gothic novels (1764-1937) Would you like to find out what the top 100 Gothic novels are? Visit the goodreads page and do the following tasks: Tick the books you have already read, in English, ...

Bodleian Library by Remi Mathis. Wikimedia Do you like reading books in English? Do you usually borrow books from the library? Are you a bookworm ? If I asked you to suggest titles or authors in English, what would you recommend? This post is one of a series in which we'll be exploring great literature. To begin with, here you have a link to the Open University 20th century British authors page. The interactive guide is a great tool. Choose an author and you will see his or her connection with other authors. Well, I hope you enjoy exploring British writers. If you like a particular author or a title, let me know!

© Blenheim Palace. Image byLola la Torre Hello everyone! I hope you had a nice summer and managed to relax.  I'd like to share with you how I spent my summer holiday, but, you'll have to guess rather than me telling you!  Guess the pictures 1) Look at this picture and guess what this building is: a) a hotel      b) a language school    c) a palace Click here to find out. 2) Do you know the man represented in the picture? What is his connection with the building in the photo above? Click on the image below to find out.   Image from Wikimedia Video Watch the video below about Winston Churchill. Several people talk about him and how he influenced politics during and after his death. As you watch take notes on the following: What is Churchill's impact in today's politics? What personal traits made him successful? What talents did he have? Things you can do around Blenheim Palace Once again, I'd like you to guess w...

Bob Marley. Wikimedia What kind of music do you like? Do you like reggae? What do you know about Bob Marley? Do you know any of his songs? Perhaps you would like to know more about his life. He led a fascinating lifestyle until his death. Did you know that he had 11 children by different women? Some of his children are musicians too. Go to his official website   to learn about his life and music. Get up, stand up   Listen to this song and fill in the gaps. Some gaps are prepositions but I have also included some challenging words. This song provides food for thought. I hope you enjoy it. Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up! Don't give _____ the fight! Preacherman, don't tell me, Heaven is ______ the earth. I know you don't know, What life is really worth. It's not all that glitters is gold, Half the story has never been to...

Image by Lola la Torre. Tagxedo This post is to clarify some doubts concerning the difference between an article and an essay .  As you know, one of the tasks in the Writing Paper may include an article to be published in a magazine or a newspaper. Remember to read the instructions for the task carefully and ask yourself these two questions: What is the aim of the task? Who is going to read my article?  What is an article? An article is a piece of writing intended for publication in a magazine, a journal or a newspaper.  An article is another label for an essay. It can be formal or informal, depending on the target audience. How many different types of article or essay are there? There are very many different types depending on the purpose (to entertain, to inform, to persuade....) and the audience (general public, specialised audience, children, young people...). Depending on the purpose an article can present an opinion (opinion essay) compare an...

Public domain Are you a cat lover? What animals do you think of when you hear someone say "BIG CATS"? Yes, you are right, there are many different types of big cats and they include, cats, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, lions, pumas, tigers an other large carnivore and predatory cats. Can you guess the name of the big cat represented in the image on the left? Is it a lynx or is it a bobcat ?  Which species is threatened? Where do they live? If you would like to find out, first click on lynx and then on bobcat . Their habitat (lynx and bobcat) Lynx and bobcat range. Wikimedia   Another big cat Photo by Bas Lammers. CC-BY Do you know the name of this big cat? Where does it live? Click here to find out. The British are well-known for their love of cats. But what kind of big cats can you find in the wild in the UK? Do you think that a lynx or a puma could live in the UK? Read this and draw your own conclusions.  For a long report, read this ...

Live Life Happy. Flickr.com We live in a fast-paced world, too fast for a lot of us. It is worth stopping and reflecting about ways to improve our lives before we get a heart attack! I find the quote on the left very inspiring, do you? I'm writing this post for those of you who would like to practise writing your opinion or writing an argument. There is a model of how to write an opinion essay in your book Global , Unit 7 pages 88-89. I think you will find it useful. Writing an article In the exam you will probably be asked to write an article . What it means is that you will be required to express your opinion or present an argument on an issue. It is essential that you understand the task in order to decide what kind of argumentative essay you have to write (cause and effect, problem and solution, for and against, advantages and disadvantages). In this task you will be required to present a strong position on a particular topic. Your purpose is to persuade the reader ...

Bundesarchiv. Wikimedia Do you like tennis? What is the oldest and the most famous tennis tournament in the world? Is it still played on grass? When does it take place? To check your answers click here . Current champions and records                The American tennis player, Serena Williams holds an incredible number of Wimbledon titles. Do you know how many? Serena Williams by Rob Young. Wikimedia      How about Roger Federer? Some claim he is the best tennis player in the world.  Or perhaps it is Rafael Nadal. What is your opinion? How many Wimbledon championships has Federer won? And Nadal?                                               ...

Boby Dimitrov. Wikimedia Commons Do you know why Spain has made headlines this week? When someone is involved in an argument that affects a lot of people that person is said to be in the eye of the storm . Reading Task 1. Read the article Brussels takes action against Spain for refusing EU cards   and answer the following questions: Why is the European Commission launching legal action against Spain? What have Spanish doctors been doing wrong? What can Brussels force Spain to do? Video Task 1. Check this vocabulary before you watch : to break the law     to fix the system     infringement procedure     EHIC card Task 2. Watch the video and answer these questions. Watch this BBC video about Spanish hospitals' rejection of EU health card . What happened to Ray Burton in Spain? What other two cases are mentioned? What other country is breaking the law? Why? For more tasks (fill-in the gaps, c...

Bohol Tarsier by mtoz. Wikimedia Surely this little tarsier is the symbol of a beautiful country, the Philippines. Not only did we learn lots of facts about the Philippines, but also tried delicious food cooked by the presenter! Thanks so much from all of us. It was a memorable day. I hope you enjoy exploring the Philippines. Most links have been provided by Elizabeth. Tourist attractions  Mount Pinatubo. Image by Jean-Marie Hullot. Flickr.com History and much more The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands. With a population of more than 97 million people, the Philippines is the 12th most populated country in the world. Click here to find out more about its history and the connection with Spain the 1898 war geography and administrative divisions ethnicity and language

Gold ingots. Public domain Do you agree that the price of gold always rises in moments of crisis?  Throughout history, gold has symbolised wealth and power. It is an obsession in some cultures. For example India, where more than 50% of the population lives in poverty, still is the world largest consumer of gold. Not only is gold the best gift a husband can give to his future wife, but also the best investment for the future. Watch this video about an Indian man who had a gold shirt made to order. Why would a person buy such a shirt? Extend your vocabulary What is the difference between gold and golden ? Which words collocate with gold and which with golden ? Use an online dictionary.                           age          beach            dream      j...

Photo from Wikimedia Commons Today we are having an oral presentation about the Spanish judiciary system. But what do you know about the judiciary system in England and Wales? Click here to see a diagram of the courts. Task 1.  Your task is to draw a similar diagran of the Spanish courts and compare both systems. Task 2. Legal English is a minefield; it is full of false friends . Click here to see a compilation of frequent false friends . A word of caution: there are more than 4000 false friends and false cognates (Spanish-English). Task 3. Video. In this video four district judges talk about the most difficutl decisions they have to make. Before you watch Check the meaning of the following words: bailiff      eviction Watch the video and write down what the four judges say about the most difficult decisions they have to make. Judge 1 Judge 2 Judge 3 Judge 4 Watch again . There is a link below the video to a transcript if you find this...

Photo by Ben Spark. Flickr.com We celebrated Book Day today with a workshop on Children's Books. Here is a photo of Paddington Bear. You can guess why the author of the book called this delightful bear, Paddington! Here is a link to the Paddington Bear official website . Read the Then and Now icon and find out some interesting facts about the book and its author. You can browse the website. I'm sure you'll love it.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons Big day for book lovers on 23 April this year. To celebrate bring your favourite book to class for discussion. You will give a short presentation of your book. Tell us the title, some interesting facts about the author, the plot -but not all. We want to read the book! Is your book listed on this page ? You'll be surprised what books are favourites among English readers.  Go back to the same page. Look at the first 52 titles. There are 11 children's books "hidden". Can you spot them? Have you read any of them? We'll talk about a selection of them on 23 April in class.