Merry Christmas !

We've had a good time today at the EOI's  X-mas party, so thanks for coming! The only thing left to say now  is ...
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Be happy!

Are you a good liar?

Are you good at lying? Or... Are you good at spotting a liar? Learn the telltale signs.

 

What is a white lie?

This is a more complete version

.

And if you go to TED LESSONS, you'll find some multiple choice quetions and further reading.

(By the way, I discovered the other day with 3A that I'm not bad at lying ;-)

Snakes in a cafe

The "BBC Learning English has a section called "words in the news" where you can find videos like  this.

You can watch the video twice, the second time with subtitles.
CLICK HERE to see the content on the BBC site and you'll find the script and some vocabulary work (the link on the video gives an error message).
Slow and easy!

NASA wants you

NASA is on a journey to Mars, so it's on the lookout for the next generation of space pioneers.



He wants the best and the brightest.
Do you have to be an engineer? Do you have to be a pilot? Do you need perfect eyesight?


It look like it's not really necessary

•  NASA : Read the requirements

Hey, but you'll need to speak English, that's for sure.
Applications will be accepted from Dec.14 through mid-February. NASA is expected to announce its newest astronaut candidates in 2017. Do you have what it takes to be an astronaut?

Rosa Parks

The other day we watched a video on some icons of our time in L3. This is a mini biography of Rosa Parks, a civil rights activitst. Today is the 60th anniversary of the day she decided not to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery.

• This is another VIDEO and some reading

 L2 are also reading about this, so here's an easier video

Black Friday

This Friday is  Black Friday. What is Black Friday? Black Fridayis  the day that signals the start of the shopping season in the USA,




and that can be as dangerous as this:

• WATCH THE VIDEO
• The truth: Facts that will make you skip Black Friday

Do you'd better come and do the Book test this Friday!

Scottish Dancing

We had a good time yesterday  with  Scottish dancing!

.

 I ran out of battery after this, so I took more photos and video with somebody else's phone. 

Sorry I can't upload them here because it is against the law -I'd need your permission and consent firsrt- so let me know if you want them.

Speaky.com

Do you want to have some practice in speaking English ? Speaky.com is a platform that allows you to speak with people from all over the world.

My mother tongue is .... and I'd like to speak English.  And then the sytem will find lots of people willing to talk to you. It's fun, it's free, and you only have to register, Just give it a try!

What are they like?

And what are the British like? you can check it out HERE (No subtitles)

Remember:
What are they like? Clever
What do they look like? Tall and elegant
What do they like? Music

Taste the translation

ELAN languages is a translation company.  But some people don't know the quality of ELAN because they use automatic translation (like  Google Translate, for example). 

To prove that ELAN offers a better translation we translated a Japanese recipe, one with ELAN, and one with Google translate. Then a chef cooked the two translated recipes. And we served the two dishes to passers-by. 

 Would you eat the google translation?

So what now?

Exams are over, so just to remind you that on June 26th, 12:00, your marks will be posted:

 - Online:  Go to your 'preinscripció' page through a link at the EOI Garraf's website. If you have problems with your login or  password,  please ask Secretaria.  You'll only see '(no)apte/a', NP, NQ, but, not your scores for each skill (I think...  it's  different every year, sorry). Be patient with technology since the system tends to crash when everybody tries to log in at the same time.  Or ...

- EOI's notice board: you'll see your scores for the five skills and your final mark.

So what now?
FAQs (Frequently asked questions):

 - "I got 65 (or more) and I'm very happy." Congratulations! I knew you would!" Try to read a little in summer or watch movies, or listen to podcasts, speak, cook, sing ...do whatever you can in English so that you don't forget it all!

 - "I got 65 but I didn't really mean it! I don't think I'm prepared for the next level!" Oh, well, too bad, too late, so sorry. Good luck next year!

 - "Oh, no ! I didn't get the f*#`* 65! It would be suicidal to get to the next level. Language learning is a difficult equation, certainly more complex than divisions into levels/years. Take it easy, take your time, try once more and you'll end up with a much better chance of passing and, most important, improving your English. Please remember that the 'matricula online' is on specific days in July. Please check the EOI webpage or ask Secretaria if you have any doubts or questions on this and make sure you get your 'matricula' in order if you want to continue studying English next year.

And finally, I'd like to wish you a well deserved summer break!

 OOOps, and a final recommendation: Speaking is essential. Remember that at http://www.gospeaky.com/ you have a host of English speakers impatiently waiting for you ! So, speak, speak, speak .... and sing, sing, sing


enjoy your summer ...and hope to see you next September!

That's all folks!

Classes are over, so time has come to give you some final advice ...
and how could I resist the temptation of watching, once again, Mr. Bean taking an exam?

• Get plenty of sleep the night before, and don't eat too much on the exam day.
• Make sure you arrive with time to spare so that you can chat with your friends and go in calmly rather than in a frantic rush.
• It may sound stupid, but don't forget to read the instructions of every exercise, and make sure you know what you have to do.
• It may sound even more stupid but, as we've said so many times,  in the oral/written exam, use what you know,  NOT what you don't know. SHOW what you know, not what you don't know!
• Write slowly, don't translate, KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) connect your ideas, use words/structures that you've leant.
• In the oral exam, relax and be ready to have a nice conversation with your partner (L3 remember to play tennis!). L2-L3: Don't worry about the words you don't know and concentrate on the things you know (L2)

• Leave your mobile phone at home, don't forget your pens, your ID, just  relax, concentrate, keep the right dose of adrenaline ready for action and ...
...enjoy it!

Thanks for your attention and your patience all through the year and...
I wish you all the best!

WWF Footprint Calculator

 How important is the environment for you? Do you know what the ecological  footprint is?



Take this test a to calculate your carbon footprint and see how much of the world’s resources you require to survive and how much you contribute to global warming.In other words, how many 'earths' (in terms of resources) would be needed if everyone lived like you (By the way, my result is  2.3!)

• WWF  FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR

 Is there anything you could do to reduce your footprint?

So long BB King

And if you need the script, just click HERE

Speaky.com

 

Speaky.com is a language community where you can find native English speakers willing to exchange English for your native tongue. There are many many language combinations, and it looks esasy to use. It's free and you only have to register, so you could give it a try!

Books and Roses

"What's in a name? 
That which we call a rose  
By any other word would smell as sweet. "   
William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet (1564 – 23 April 1616)
 

"Roses are Red   
Violets are Blue  
Sugar is Sweet  
And so are You"  
English Nursery Rhyme  (traditional  short poems for children)  

And the sunlight clasps the earth,

And the moonbeams kiss the sea;

What are all these kissings worth,

If thou kiss not me?

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 -1822)


"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses."  Ovid, Roman poet born 43 BC.  

***And... don't miss this  poem by Olivia McMahon: Learning a Language

Happy St. Jordi's day!
Enjoy your books and roses,
Enjoy yourselves,
have a good time,
Have fun! 

What would life be like...?

What would life be like in another country?

Click 

HERE

World Health Day

Today, April 7th is WORLD HEALTH DAY

World Health Day, celebrated every year on April 7th, was created to raise awareness about key global health issues.  This year's theme is FOOD SAFETY and the importance of keeping food free from harmful chemicals, microbes and viruses.

How to prevent food contamination? 
 

Enjoy your meal!

Gmail Motion

Just update your browser to the newest version and you can have this amazing feature:

....or could  that just  be one of these ?
uh? What's that ? 
... tricks, pranks, and jokes!

ESL VIDEO

Some of you asked me if there was any site with videos + questions on the video. There aren't many, but
ESL VIDEO.COM
is a website that provides videos +  test questions for students to improve their listening skills. The videos are organised in different levels, so it's quite convenient for students (don't go for less than 'intermediate!)
It's a good page, but please note that this is a page where people share their materials and resources, so the quality of the videos and/or test questions may vary.
Getting used to listening regularly is mandatory if you want to improve your listening skills. The more you listen, the more you'll understand and the more confident you'll feel.
Remember also that in the 'VIDEO BITS' section of this page you have some good links to video sites of important news channels (with and without scripts).

Super Moon and Super Eclipse

Look up in the sky  because different thigns will be happening:

- TONIGHT: A Supermoon:

• What's a Supermoon ?

- Tomorrow Friday:  a Solar Eclipse

• BBC VIDEO : How to watch the Solar ECLIPSE

Tie the knot

Maybe Level 2 would like to try to tie the knot again ?

By the way, 'to tie the knot' is an idiom (expression) which means THIS

Are you afraid of flying?

Would you like to fly in a solar powdered plane?



Transcript HERE if you need it .

On the other hand, Harrison Ford wanted to fly one of the old WWII planes in California and this is what happened

World News Videos | US News Videos
READ the article HERE

He can't help being Indiana Jones!

Unbelievable but true

Do you remember that terrible tsunami in Southeast Asia on December 26th 2004?

READ THE STORY HERE

The year of the sheep

The Chinese New year started on February 19th


Are you sheep? (in some calendars they call it a goat)
 I'm a water tiger. Find your sign HERE 

So happy year of the wood sheep/goat! 

Happy Valentine's day

We have a wonderful day, St. Jordi, to celebrate love, but Anglo-Saxon countries celebrate it today, Feb 14th.
Watch this video to know about the origin:

And ANSWER some Listening comprehension questions if you want

 Sometimes it's pòssible, sometimes it's not, sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not...What is love?
Thanks Joan for the link!

Addicted to your smartphone?

Do you think you are addicted to your smartphone?
 L2 Offtime is an applet that helps you disconnect:
READ the details HERE
L3: a more challenging video

Take the test:  ARE YOU A SMARTPHONE ADDICT ?

or READ THE 23 SIGNS that you are addicted to your smartphone

Nanobots

Do you know what a 'nanobot' is? It's a little robot that gets into your brain through the bloodstream. What is it for? To learn things. English for example!
Nicholas Negroponte predicts that nanobots injected in your brain could be the future of learning.

 You can get the tanscript HERE

Nicholas Negroponte is a graduate of MIT (Massachussets Institute of Technology) and  the co-founder of the MIT Media Lab (1985), which he directed for its first 20 years. He was a pioneer in the field of computer-aided design and has been a member of the MIT faculty since 1966.

Wow! I'll have to get a new job then!

Paris

Not exactly a good start in Paris -and in Europe and the whole world in general. This is today's demonstration


 If you need the script, you can have it at NEWSY, a very good site with news from different agencies ( script always included).

The story of New Year

Did you know that New Year's has not always been celebrated on January 1st? Get the full story.
Some Key Words: a fresh start, BC= Before Christ, AD= Anno Domine (that is, after Christ) Jewish, Fall = Autumn. 
 OK, and what about your New Year's resolutions? What are you going to do this year? Are you going to study 10 minutes every day? Are you going to do your workbook? Are you going to watch videos in English regularly? What are your intentions?