Sunday, October 25, 2015

Ellen DeGeneres



Ellen DeGeneres is a popular comedian and talk show host in the U.S. nowadays. Since we've just finished talking about interviews, I thought this interview with Antonio Banderas and comprehension quiz might be a nice way to get a bit more listening practice in. If you have the time I also recommend her parody of Matthew Mconaughey's Lincoln commercial!

Click here for interview and quiz

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Listening Practice


Here is a great website to practice listening for the exam with a wide variety of topics. If you have a bit of free time this weekend, I recommend listening to "Leisure" and answering the comprehension questions. The more you practice the more you'll understand.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Thursday, October 15, 2015

How important is body language?

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.
Click here to watch the video
We will discuss it in class on Tuesday. Have a nice weekend! 

Monday, October 12, 2015

Film Snob


I came across this article in the New York Times and decided to share it with you. Are you a film snob?  What about a beer snob or a wine snob?

According to Urban Dictionary a snob is...


Anyone who thinks they are better than someone else based upon superficial factors.
Paris Hilton 
The Olsen Twins 
Tori Spelling 

Need I say more?

Friday, October 9, 2015

Pronunciation


Here is the full video we saw in class from "I Love Lucy" about English pronunciation and here you can find a short explanation of the pronunciation of those dreadful words with "ough" and  "augh". Have a great long weekend!

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Interview with Ben Affleck


He co-wrote, directed and stars in the Boston bank-heist film The Town. Ben Affleck will now take your questions.

Also...

Nervous about an interview conversations in English

Extra reading: Q & A with Amy Winehouse

Grammarly

I recommend Grammarly as a useful tool to improve your writing. Not only does it check your vocabulary and grammar mistakes, but it also takes context and register into account. It's free and easy to use! Check it out here. 

October Reading

The unbearable Murcian heat has finally decided to leave us. As winter approaches, you will probably be looking for a good excuse to stay indoors and curl up with a good book. As you are surely well aware, reading is one of the best ways to effortlessly improve your English. Try reading at least one chapter, essay, short story or article a day and you will gradually begin to notice great improvements in fluency and in your vocabulary. I will do my best to post a book recommendation every week or two, as well as interesting articles and essays. In return, I do hope that you all take advantage of these posts and read, read, read! 

See you on Tuesday! 

This week's recommendations:

A Modest Proposal, reflections on gay marriage by American author David Sedaris from the New Yorker


The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience. (Goodreads)
By Betty Smith