Lola's Blog

Photo by Petr Kratochvil. Public domain Do you like tea? Do you think that the British drink a lot of tea? And how about the Spanish? Are the British falling out of love with tea? How much do you know about it? Is coffee culture strong in the UK and Ireland? Can you name three main coffee chains in the UK and Ireland? Click here to find out more. What is happening in Dublin at the moment? Click here to find out. Lola la Torre. Own work The tea-drinking queen Catherine of Braganza, who was Portuguese, married King Charles II in 1662. It is said that when she arrived in England, she brought with her a chest of tea, the favourite drink at the Portuguese court. Queen Catherine  invited her friends to her chamber to drink tea and that is how drinking tea in aristocratic circles started to be fashionable. Click on her image to find out more. Queen Catherine of Braganza. Wikimedia Etiquette and history of the Afternoon Tea Party The British have...

PublicDomainPictures.net Has technology ruined childhood? That is the title of the opinion essay you were asked to write in class last Monday. The topic generates a lot of debate and can be viewed from different angles. You can now download the handout with some tips on how to improve your writing.  I hope you find it useful.

Do you have one of these? Why do you think children, and adults alike, love teddy bears? What kind of toys did you play with when you were a child? Do you still keep them? Did your parents pass down any toys or games? What kind of toys have stood the test of time ? Toys  and games Can you name any of these toys and games? All images Public domain You will find in this museum a really interesting collection. Reading. Toys today and then According to the text: How many toys do children get these days?  How many did you get? How many did your parents get? and your grandparents? 1) Read this article from The Guardian and answer the questions above. 2) Now read the following statement from the text "(Children) get overwhelmed and over-stimulated and cannot concentrate on any one thing long enough to learn from it so they just shut down. Too many toys means they are not learning to play imaginatively e...

Dear students I have updated the C1 exam practice section. You will find Writing, Reading and Listening exams. You can download the audiofiles from EOI Tudela. I hope you find the exams useful.

Click on Roald Dahl's photo to learn about his life. Watch this interview and take notes about what Dahl says regarding writing children's books his work as a "spy" in America   the story about the war of Independence and a British captain  his definition of a horror story   BBC Radio 4 Great Lives: Roald Dahl Did you know that Roald Dahl was interested in medicine? Listen to Professor Tom Solom, a neurologist, talking about Dahl. You can download this radio programme.

What words do you associate with seaside ? When was the last time you went to the beach? Did you have a good time? Did anything wrong or unusual happen? Has anyone or anything ever spoilt your holiday at the seaside? You are going to read an extract from Bill Bryson's book Notes from a Big Country . Reading Read "A day at the seaside" and explain why Bryson had a hell of a time. Vocabulary  Click here to download a works heet with vocabulary from the text above. Reporting verbs When we report or paraphrase a message or what someone said, we use reporting verbs such as tell, say, advise, convice, claim, sugge st, recommend, etc. Reporting verbs follow different patterns: verb + direct object (hearer) + to-infinitive Jenny asked me to come to the party verb + direct object (hearer) + that clause I convi nced myself that I was doing the right thing verb + to-infinitive I refuse to tell you the truth verb + that clause  Claire recommend s ...

Watts Riots 1965 Reading John Ball's novel In the heat of the night provided students with an opportunity to research a topic and present it in class. Congratulations to all the participants. I would like to thank you for putting so much work into it. Now it's time for you to write about the novel. You have four choices. Choose one of the following and write about 250-280 words: 1) Write a book review of In the heat of the night 2) Compare the book and the film 3) Sam Wood is the real hero in In the heat of the night . Discuss. 4) Racial prejudice and injustice: In the heat of the night . Writing a book or film review We discussed this in class . A review is not just a summary of the plot but also a commentary of the book or film. There are different ways in which you can write your review . You can follow the basic four-paragraph essay (introduction, main characters, plot or storyline, personal opinion)  or a more complex three-paragr...