Watch this video and learn some language about planning a vacation.
A new video with travelling vocabulary
This last video is also about travelling problems:
12.23.2009
A Christmas Song: Let It Snow
Listen to this catchy Xmas song and fill in the gaps. Look at "comments" to check your answers.
Oh, the __________outside is frightful,
but the __________is so delightful.
And since we've no __________to go,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
It doesn't show signs of __________,
and I __________some corn for popping.
The __________are turned way down low,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
When we finally __________goodnight,
how I'll hate going out in the __________!
But if you'll really hold me __________,
all the way home I'll be __________.
The __________is slowly dying,and,
my __________, we're still goodbyeing.
But as long as you __________me so,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Oh, the __________outside is frightful,
but the __________is so delightful.
And since we've no __________to go,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
It doesn't show signs of __________,
and I __________some corn for popping.
The __________are turned way down low,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
When we finally __________goodnight,
how I'll hate going out in the __________!
But if you'll really hold me __________,
all the way home I'll be __________.
The __________is slowly dying,and,
my __________, we're still goodbyeing.
But as long as you __________me so,
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Gedolf and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984.
In late 1984, a BBC report by Michael Buerk was aired highlighting the famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. Irish singer Bob Geldof saw the report and wanted to raise money. He called Midge Ure from Ultravox and together they quickly co-wrote the song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
Geldof kept a November appointment with BBC Radio 1 DJ Richard Skinner to appear on his show, but instead of discussing his new album (the original reason for his booking), he used his airtime to publicise the idea for the charity single, so by the time the musicians were recruited there was intense media interest in the subject.
Geldof put together a group called Band Aid, consisting of leading Irish and British musicians who were among the most popular of the era. The 1984 original became the biggest selling single in UK singles chart history, selling a million copies in the first week alone. It stayed at Number 1 for five weeks and ultimately sold more than 3.5 million copies domestically. It remained the largest selling single in UK chart history until 1997, when Elton John's"Candle in the Wind 1997" was released in tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, which sold almost 5 million copies in Britain.
- Watch the video and do the activity from the handout I gave you in class (you can check your answers in "comments")
In late 1984, a BBC report by Michael Buerk was aired highlighting the famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. Irish singer Bob Geldof saw the report and wanted to raise money. He called Midge Ure from Ultravox and together they quickly co-wrote the song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
Geldof kept a November appointment with BBC Radio 1 DJ Richard Skinner to appear on his show, but instead of discussing his new album (the original reason for his booking), he used his airtime to publicise the idea for the charity single, so by the time the musicians were recruited there was intense media interest in the subject.
Geldof put together a group called Band Aid, consisting of leading Irish and British musicians who were among the most popular of the era. The 1984 original became the biggest selling single in UK singles chart history, selling a million copies in the first week alone. It stayed at Number 1 for five weeks and ultimately sold more than 3.5 million copies domestically. It remained the largest selling single in UK chart history until 1997, when Elton John's"Candle in the Wind 1997" was released in tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, which sold almost 5 million copies in Britain.
- Watch the video and do the activity from the handout I gave you in class (you can check your answers in "comments")
Some Xmas activities
A. Listen to this short conversation about Christmas and choose the right answer. You can do the vocabulary activities and then you can listen and read the quiz script.B. Watch this video in which a woman speaks about Christmas and answer the questions (Answers in "comments"):
1. What does she like about Xmas?
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2. Why did she feel so upset when she was a child?
3. What did she tell the lady she was staying with?
4. What did the woman keep doing? What did she think of it?
5. What happened in the end?
C. How do people celebrate New Year? Watch the video and take some notes, and then play the game (comprehension activity: fill in the gaps in the script).
D. Listen and watch this podcast about New Year's Resolutions to improve your English. Take notes and then play the game.
12.13.2009
My e-mail address
Some of you told me you had problems to contact me on the e-mail address that appears on the school website. You can try this one: lumiort@yahoo.co.uk
12.12.2009
Copenhagen Climate Change Talks
Have a look at this website and the free lesson about the Copenhagen Climate Change Talks. It has great activities.
12.10.2009
Obama receives Peace Nobel Prize
Watch the
video from the BBC in which Obama expresses his gratitude and talks about the controversy about this prize stating that probably many others deserve it more than him.You can read the whole speech here.
-Did you know that many people learn English using Obama's speeches? (You can listen and repeat, watch a video and look up new words).
12.08.2009
Climate Summit in Copenhagen
"The People's Orb", a 20cm (7.9 inches) silver sphere containing 350 gigabyte multimedia collected around the world to inspire action on climate change in Copenhagen.
Apart from suggestions from individuals, The People’s Orb also contains key climate change reports from the world’s most eminent scientists; representation from the world’s great thinkers on the need for action on climate change and representation from the leaders of the world’s cities calling for action on climate change. 
Listen to this short news report about the summit.
A Canadian girl, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, spoke to the United Nations and left them completely silent and speechless for five minutes. Her speech was given at a U.N. assembly at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, in 1992, when she was twelve years old. She had raised all the money to travel to the delegation, five thousand miles from her home, herself.
How much is still relevant today? All of it. And the more important question is: How much has been changed, accomplished, since Severn spoke that day?
Years later, Severn wrote a piece for Time magazine in which she said: “I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken…In the 10 years since Rio, I have learned that addressing our leaders is not enough. As Gandhi said many years ago, ‘We must become the change we want to see.’ I know change is possible.”
How much is still relevant today? All of it. And the more important question is: How much has been changed, accomplished, since Severn spoke that day?
Years later, Severn wrote a piece for Time magazine in which she said: “I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken…In the 10 years since Rio, I have learned that addressing our leaders is not enough. As Gandhi said many years ago, ‘We must become the change we want to see.’ I know change is possible.”
Watch the video and answer the questions or finish the sentences. (Answers in "comments")
1. Why has she gone there?
2. What is she fighting for?
3. She is speaking on behalf of ___________________________ and animals that don’t have where to go.
4. She’s afraid to go out in the sun because of the ___________________________ and she ‘s afraid to ___________________________ because she doesn’t know what chemicals are in it.
5. She used to go fishing in Vancouver until they found __________________________________________.
6. Now we hear of ___________________________ going extinct, vanishing forever.
7. What does she ask them?
8. If you don’t know how to fix things…
9. She says we are all in this together and that we only buy and throw away and we are afraid ___________________________.
10. She says that she lives a privileged life in Canada and that a child living in the streets in Brazil told her: I wish I was rich. And if I were, I would give all the street children______________, ______________, ______________, shelter, ______________and affection.’ She doesn’t understand why we are so greedy.
11. What makes a tremendous difference?
12. Although she’s just a child, she knows that if all the money spent ___________________________ was spent on finding environmental answers, ___________________________, and finding treaties – what a ___________________________ this earth would be.”
13. At school you teach us ____________________________________________, so why …?
14. She challenges them:
12.03.2009
An example of an oral exam
Watch Lester taking an oral test. You can also see the script and some notes (the notes are really useful because they explain the good points and mistakes in his performance). Part two is similar to what you will do in the oral exam ( a bit shorter).
Sleep Science
This website allows you to watch a video, read the transcript and some vocabulary and grammar notes about what you're watching. There are many stories in its archives. This one is about a treatment to stop people from snoring. Try it!
12.02.2009
12.01.2009
Extra Listening Handout for December
1. A healthy lifestyle (1'18"): http://www.esl-lab.com/health/healrd1.htm
2. Air Rage (2'):
http://www.cdlponline.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=activity1&topicID=10&storyID=128
3. Kangaroo Island (3'52"): http://www.eslpodcards.com/australia/kangaroo.php
4. November news: http://www.englishclub.com/~newsfeed/
5. Debbie (11'):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_private_archive.shtml
2. Air Rage (2'):
http://www.cdlponline.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=activity1&topicID=10&storyID=128
3. Kangaroo Island (3'52"): http://www.eslpodcards.com/australia/kangaroo.php
4. November news: http://www.englishclub.com/~newsfeed/
5. Debbie (11'):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_private_archive.shtml
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