THE SIMPSON'S FAMILY (Family members vocabulary)

FAMILY VOCABULARY:
FEMALE (women/girls):
mother (mum/mammy) / sister / daughter / aunt / niece / wife / grandmother (grandma) / granddaughter
MALE (men/boys):
father (dad/daddy) / brother / son / uncle / nephew / husband / grandfather (grandad) / grandson
BOTH SEXES:
cousin / child(ren) - siblings
COLLECTIVES:
parents / grandparents / relatives
After getting married, a family gets new members who are the -in-laws:
mother/father-in-law, son/daughter-in-law, brother/sister-in-law
Exercise: Who's who in the Simpson family? Write correct sentences about 6 of them.
Video "FAMILY MEMBERS":

WHAT TIME IS IT? (Telling the time in English)

Link: TELLING THE TIME IN ENGLISH ORDINARY SPEECH, THE 12 HOUR CLOCK IS USED.

Use o'clock only at the full hour. Example: 7:00 - seven o'clock (but 7:10 - ten past seven)For times around midnight or midday you can use the expressions midnight or midday / noon instead of the number 12. 00:00 - midnight 12:00 - midday or noonTo make clear (where necessary) whether you mean a time before 12 o'clock noon or after, you can use in the morning before 12 o'clock noon, after 12 o'clock noon use in the afternoon. When to change to in the evening, at night depends on your sense of time.
Example: 3:15 - a quarter past three in the morning OR a quarter past three at nightMore formal expressions to indicate whether a time is before noon or after are a.m. (also: am - ante meridiem, before noon) and p.m. (also: pm - post meridiem, after noon). Use these expression only with the formal way of telling the time. Example: 3:15 - three fifteen a.m.It is not usual to use a.m. and p.m. with past/to. Example: 3:15 - fifteen minutes past three OR a quarter past three[American English
Beside past Americans often use after. Example: 06:10 - ten past/after six
But in time expressions with half past it is not usual to replace past by after.
Beside to Americans often use before, of or till. Example: 05:50 - ten to/before/of/till six]

TIMETABLES USUALLY USE THE 24 HOUR CLOCK. SPOKEN ENGLISH ONLY USES THE 24 HOUR CLOCK IN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS (AIRPORTS, TRAIN OR BUS STATIONS...) NOT IN ORDINARY SPEECH.

Formal but easier way
Say the hours first and then the minutes. Example: 7:45 - seven forty-fiveFor minutes 01 through 09, you can pronounce the '0' as oh. Example: 11:06 - eleven (oh) sixMore popular way
Say the minutes first and then the hours. Use past and the preceding hour for minutes 01 through 30. Use to and the forthcoming hour for minutes 31 through 59, but .
Example: 7.15 - fifteen minutes past seven
Example: 7.45 - fifteen minutes to eightAnother possibility of saying '15 minutes past' is: a quarter past
Another possibility of saying '15 minutes to' is: a quarter to
Another possibility of saying '30 minutes past' is: half past
Example: 5:30 - half past five

- Practice with these clocks: What time is it in each one?


- Link to more practice on telling the time

SPEAKING ENGLISH IN THE ENGLISH CLASS (&2)

Here are the images I've used in class to show and teach you some of the typical classroom expressions in an English class. For a more complete list of expressions look at a previous post in this blog from one year ago (Monday 20th September 2010) or under the label Speaking.

WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR 2011-2012

Having done the presentations last Friday, tomorrow Monday is the day we start the new school year 2011-2012, so we open up the blog once again. Welcome back, hope you come with lots of interest, willing to learn and to enjoy. Good luck!

9/11: 10TH ANNIVERSARY

No need for more words: REFLECT.

CREATE YOUR OWN STORY WITH "MY STORYMAKER"

Do you want to be the main character of your own story?

Go to My StoryMaker and you will choose your own story’s characters, settings and objects. You start by writing your name, then choosing your main character, the general theme of story (love, making friends, travel…) and a third variable (who the main character falls in love with, what the main character wants to find, etc.). It's great fun and a good way of learning, too. Have a try: write your own story!

SUMMER 2011 NEWS UPDATES: 23rd JULY- AMY WINEHOUSE DIED

Amy Winehouse was found dead in her house in Camden, London on Saturday, July 23rd. Here is how the news was covered at the BBC.

[From Wikipedia]

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins and made Winehouse the first British female to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
On 14 February 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album. She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for "Stronger Than Me", one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for "Rehab", and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game", among other distinctions. The album is the biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom. Winehouse is credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music.
Winehouse was found dead on 23 July 2011, at her home in London. Police have said that the cause of her death is "as yet unexplained" and that the death was "non-suspicious". Winehouse's family and friends attended her funeral on 26 July 2011. In August 2011 her album Back to Black became the UK's best selling album of the 21st century.
Winehouse's final recording, a duet entitled "Body and Soul" with Tony Bennett, was released on 14 September 2011 to commemorate what would have been her 28th birthday. Proceeds from the song will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation "to support charitable activities in both the UK and abroad that provide help, support or care for young people, especially those who are in need by reason of ill health, disability, financial disadvantage or addiction".

Video "BACK TO BLACK", Amy Winehouse:

"Back to black" lyrics:
He left no time to regret
Kept his d*ck wet
With his same old safe bet
Me and my head high
And my tears dry
Get on without my guy
You went back to what you knew
So far removed from all that we went through
And I tread a troubled track
My odds are stacked
I'll go back to black

We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to.....

I go back to us

I love you much
It's not enough
You love blow and I love puff
And life is like a pipe
And I'm a tiny penny rolling up the walls inside

We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to

We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to

Black, black, black, black, black, black, black,
I go back to
I go back to

We only said good-bye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to

We only said good-bye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black

Video "REHAB", Amy Winehouse:

"Rehab" lyrics:
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

I'd rather be at home with Ray
I ain't got seventy days
Cause there's nothing
There's nothing you can teach me
That I can't learn from Mr Hathaway

I didn't get a lot in class
But I know it don't come in a shot glass

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

The man said 'why do you think you're here'
I said 'I got no idea
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near'
He said 'I just think you're depressed,
this me, yeah baby, and the rest'

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know

I don't ever wanna drink again
I just ooh I just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I'm on the mend

It's not just my pride
It's just 'til these tears have dried

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

COURSE 2010-2011: THE END

IT'S THE END.

HAPPY SUMMER.

THIS BLOG CLOSES DOWN UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

MONDAYS ARE ALWAYS BAD DAYS, BUT THIS IS OUR LAST ONE THIS COURSE ["MANIC MONDAY", THE BANGLES]

The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade. Susanna Hoffs joined sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson and Annette Zilinskas to form a band in Los Angeles in December, 1980. The band was part of the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene, which featured groups that played a mixture of 1960s-influenced folk-rock and jangle pop with a more modern punk–ish/garage band undertone. All this went some way to attracting the attention of Prince, who later wrote "Manic Monday" for the group. "Manic Monday" went on to become a #2 hit in the US, the UK and Germany.

Video "MANIC MONDAY", The Bangles:

Audio "MANIC MONDAY", The Bangles+lyrics:

"LIFELINES": ANDREA CORR'S SECOND SOLO-ALBUM

Andrea Corr, one of the siblings which made up Irish successful 90s pop-group The Corrs, is just back with her second solo-album of cover versions "LIFELINES". In it, she collects songs by Lennon, Roy Orbison, Velvet Underground, Kirsty McColl, Harry Nilsson, Ron Sexsmith, Nick Drake & The Blue Nile. Songs and artists which have meant something to her in her life. Here's her video and a promotional interview from BBC1.

Video interview from BBC1:

Video "TINSELTOWN IN THE RAIN" (single):

Lyrics:
Why did we ever come so far ?
I knew I'd seen it all before
Tall building reach up in vain
Tinseltown is in the rain
I know now love was so exciting

Tinseltown in the rain
Oh men and women
Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm

One day this love will all blow over
Time for leaving the parade
Is there a place in this city
A place to always feel this way
And hey, there's a red car in the fountain

Tinseltown in the rain
Oh men and women
Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm

Do I love you ? Yes I love you
Will we always be happy go lucky ?
Do I love you ? Yes I love you
But it's easy come, and it's easy go
All this talking is only bravado yeah

Oh, Tinseltown

Tinseltown in the rain
Oh men and women
Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm
Tinseltown in the rain
Oh men and women
Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm
Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Do I love you ? Yes I love you
Will we always be happy go lucky ?
Do I love you ? Yes I love you
But it's easy come, and it's easy go
All this talking, talking is only bravado

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain
Tinseltown is in the rain

100 YEARS WITH IBM

International Business Machines (IBM) is an American multinational technology and consulting firm headquartered in Armonk, New York. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology.
The company was founded in 1911 as the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation through a merger of four companies and adopted the name International Business Machines in 1924.
In 2011, Fortune ranked IBM the 18th largest firm in the U.S., as well as the 7th most profitable. Globally, the company was ranked the 31st largest firm by Forbes for 2011. Other rankings for 2010 include #1 company for leaders, #2 best global brand, #3 green company, #15 most admired company, and #18 most innovative company. IBM employs more than 425,000 employees(sometimes referred to as "IBMers")in over 200 countries, with occupations including scientists, engineers, consultants, and sales professionals.
IBM holds more patents than any other U.S.-based technology company and has nine research laboratories worldwide. Its employees have garnered five Nobel Prizes, five National Medals of Science, among many others. The company has undergone several organizational changes since its inception, acquiring some companies and spinning off companies like Lexmark (1991).

Video on IBM's Centennial:

ESO & BAC STUDENTS MUST MOVE OUT OF IES PASEO DAS PONTES

Photos by Victor Echave

As you can see in these photographs, ESO & BAC Students from IES "Paseo das Pontes" de A Coruña protested this morning in front of their school, against the news of the closing down of these study levels there. The Galician education authorities have decided, without any notice, that this school together with another six throughout Galicia will be turned into schools where only Professional Training studies will be taught. This change implies that all the secondary school students and teachers will be diverted to others nearby. In the case of the IES "Paseo das Pontes" in A Coruña, students and teachers will have our school, IES "Rafael Dieste", and IES "Salvador de Madariaga" as the official ones to receive them, although some may want to go to other schools.
Students and teachers are against the way and the time that this change has been introduced, without knowing or being able to give any possible opinions or different solutions to it. Students have to decide in 24 hours where they want to study during the next course. Teachers will have to wait to see where they will be able to teach.

LET'S READ FOR INSPIRATION

Where did this little boy get the inspiration to write this?

"How tired I am of this unbearable distance between us. How I long for the toll of the recess bell. Have you forgotten me? Grown mindless of me? Tell me I am not writing into an abyss. Or that is what will become of my heart."

From reading! Why don't you?

Video "READING INSPIRES CHILDREN":

SIXTH ROLAND GARROS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR RAFA NADAL

For the sixth time in seven years, Spanish tennis-player has won the French Roland Garros Championship. Rafael Nadal equalled Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles after defeating Roger Federer 7-5 7-6 5-7 6-1 in a hard-hitting final at Roland Garros.
The world number one brushed off an early injury concern to move into a commanding two-set lead and seemed to be heading for an easy win.
Some inspired play from Federer caused Nadal to wobble at the end of the third set but the Swiss player could not keep mistakes out of his game and any hopes of an unlikely comeback were soon killed off by the clay court master.
Nadal raced away from his great rival in the fourth set to move level with Borg as the man with the most French Open titles since the tournament became an international event in 1925.

Video Rafa Nadal Clay Tennis King:

CHAMPION LEAGUE FINAL 2011: BARÇA BEATS MANCHESTER UNITED AT LONDON'S WEMBLEY STADIUM

Barça Football Club won last night their fourth Champion League Final against Manchester United at London's Wembley Stadium. Here's how British media have reported the news:

[guardian.co.uk]

Champions League press reaction: 'This Barça is the best team in the world'
• Spanish press places Barcelona in the pantheon of greats.

The Spanish press were united in hailing Barcelona's victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final as a landmark for the club and for European football. As they groped for superlatives nearly all the newspapers found space for a headline containing Sir Alex Ferguson's quote: "No one has given us such a hiding."
The notoriously madridista Marca saluted the victors as "A dream Barça", with all its echoes of Johan Cruyff's Dream Team of the 1990s. Indeed the paper referred to the "Pep Team" after their coach, Pep Guardiola, and described their football as "excellent".

La Vanguardia did not stint on the hyperbole with the headline: "Barcelona enters Olympus with the gods."

El País proclaimed: "Wembley falls in love with Barça." Recalling the club's first European Cup victory at the same stadium in 1992, the paper observed: "From Wembley to Wembley Barcelona has undergone an extraordinary process of maturing ... There is no better defence of an idea than victories, but there is no better victory than the fact that the stability of a club does not depend exclusively on a final result, but on a route map. That is the greatness of this Barça, which, make no mistake, will also be the principles that will enable them to vaccinate themselves in defeat."

The already pro-Barcelona Mundo Deportivo was beside itself and felt the best way to express its enthusiasm was by placing four exclamation marks after the word "Champions" (in English).

The celebrating Barcelona fans, the culés, have taken up José Mourinho's pointed question – with its suggestion of skulduggery – of "why?" do Barcelona keep winning as a chant: "por qué?". El Mundo Deportivo produced a long list of reasons why, including Guardiola's brilliance, David Villa's conclusive third goal, Eric Abidal's return from life-threatening surgery, etc...

In Barcelona 132 people, including 37 local police, were injured in disturbances as up to 50,000 people celebrated the victory on the streets. Police made 84 arrests for public order offences around Plaça de Catalunya, Las Ramblas and the Arc de Triomf which come in the wake of weeks of unrelated street protests in the Catalan capital.

Videos from Euronews:

TONIGHT'S FAREWELL PARTY FOR RAFAEL DIESTE 2011 2nd BAC STUDENTS

Foto taken before Farewell Party (Friday 27th May, 8:30h)

2-BAC A

2-BAC B

Another year has already gone by and, once again, we'll be celebrating a farewell party at Rafael Dieste Secondary School. Once again a group of students, who have spent their last six years with us, will move on to the beginning of a new stage in their lives. Here are the photos taken at the beginning of Friday's party and the official photos shot a month ago in front of the school as a souvenir of their stay here. Good luck to them all!

GRIMSVÖTN: ANOTHER ICELANDIC VOLCANO DISRUPTS EUROPEAN SKIES A YEAR AFTER

Here's information on Iceland's 2011 volcano, which threats to close down European skies:

[bbc.co.uk]
Iceland has closed its main international airport and cancelled domestic flights after its most active volcano, Grimsvotn, began erupting.
A plume of smoke has risen 20km (12 miles) into the sky from the volcano.
But Iceland's Meteorological Office says the eruption should not cause widespread disruption to air traffic.
Last year, ash clouds from another Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokul, led to the closure of a large section of European airspace.
Governments feared that ash particles could cause aircraft engines to fail, and the closure caused chaos to air travellers.
Different ash
Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman for the Isavia civil aviation authority said: "We have closed the area until we know better what effect the ash will have."
The authority said Keflavik airport, the country's main hub, would remain shut for the rest of Sunday.
But officials say the eruption is unlikely to have the same impact as Eyjafjallajokul in 2010.
University of Iceland geophysicist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson said this was Grimsvotn's largest eruption for 100 years, "much bigger and more intensive than Eyjafjallajokull".
He added: "There is a very large area in south-east Iceland where there is almost total darkness and heavy fall of ash. But it is not spreading nearly as much. The winds are not as strong as they were in Eyjafjallajokull."
He said this ash was coarser than last year's eruption, falling to the ground more quickly instead of floating long distances.

Video from ITN News:

Video from Channel 4 News:

SPAIN'S LOCAL & REGIONAL ELECTION RESULTS

Once again, we've looked at the British media to see how the news of Spain's local and regional elections has been covered:

[From bbc.co.uk]

Spain's governing Socialist party has suffered heavy losses in local and regional elections.
Amid anger at the failing economy, the centre-right Popular Party (PP) won 37% of the vote to the Socialists' 28%, and nearly all the 13 regions up for grabs.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero conceded defeat but ruled out early general elections.
There was a shock result in the Basque country, where a new radical separatist alliance beat the Socialists.
The new grouping, Bildu, which was nearly banned by the courts for members' alleged links to the armed group ETA, won more than 25% of the council election vote.
That put it second behind the moderate Basque Nationalist Party, which won about 30%, and pushed the Socialists, with 16%, into third.

Voting took place amid mass protests against high unemployment and the government's handling of the economy.
Young demonstrators holding sit-ins in Madrid and other cities said rallies would continue for another week.
Mr Zapatero said three years of economic crisis had taken their toll.
"It destroyed thousands of jobs. It is a crisis that had profound effects on citizens' morale. I know that many Spaniards suffer great hardship and fear for their futures," he said.
"Today, without doubt, they expressed their discontent," he added.
However, he vowed to pursue job-creating reforms until the end of his mandate. A general election must be held by March of next year. He has already said he will not stand for re-election.Bastions fall
Jubilant PP supporters celebrated outside their party headquarters in Madrid as the final votes were being counted.
The party seized power in several regions, including Castilla-La Mancha where the Socialists have always held power.
In municipal elections, the PP won by about two million votes, compared to its victory margin of 150,000 in 2007.

The Socialist party also lost bastions such as the town halls in Barcelona and Seville.
Prime Minister Zapatero's government has been struggling to overcome recession and create jobs.
Spain's overall jobless rate soared to 21% in the first quarter of this year, the highest in the industrialised world. Youth unemployment stands at 45%.
Meanwhile, thousands of young protesters remain camped out in squares across the country.
What began as a sit-in in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square a week ago has turned into a national protest movement popularly known as 15-M.
About 30,000 people were estimated to have occupied the central square in the run-up to the vote.
The protests, which have also taken place in cities including Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Bilbao, have so far been peaceful.
Demonstrators defied a government ban on political protests on the eve of the election.
On Sunday, protesters in Puerta del Sol voted to stay in the square until at least 29 May.

Video from Euronews:

TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION...

"Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution'" is the second single from African American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman. The politically aware song was released in August 1988. Internationally, this single was a big hit, reaching the Top 40 in several countries, including France and New Zealand, becoming a classic in Chapman's song repertoire. The song received heavy radio play in Tunisia in 2011 during the Tunisian Revolution and it appears here as a possible soundtrack to these days Spanish Revolution sit-ins on our streets, as the lyrics show a situation of crisis and unemployment. Here's the video with lyrics.

Video "TALKIN' 'BOUT A REVOLUTION", Tracey Chapman:

SPANISH TAKE THE STREETS ON PROTEST BEFORE SUNDAY'S LOCAL ELECTIONS

The 2011 May Spanish protests, also referred to as the 15-M Movement, Spanish revolution or Indignados (Spanish for outraged) are a series of demonstrations in Spain whose origin can be traced to social networks and the ¡Democracia Real Ya! (True Democracy Right Now!) civilian digital platform, along with 200 other small associations.

Starting on 15 May 2011 with an initial call in 58 Spanish cities,the series of peaceful protests demand a radical change in Spanish politics, as protesters don't consider themselves to be represented by any party nor favoured by the measures approved by politicians. The protests have been staged close to the municipal elections, to be held on May 22. The press has related them to the economic crisis, Stéphane Hessel's Time for Outrage!,the NEET troubled generation and current protests in the Middle East and North Africa, Greek, as well as the Icelandic protest and riots.
Even though protesters form a heterogeneous and ambiguous group, they share a strong rejection against Spanish politicians, the current two-party system in Spain between PSOE and PP and political corruption and a firm support for basic rights: home, work, culture, health, education.
A protester in Madrid with the hashtag #spanishrevolution in his banner. Social networks have played a decisive role in these demonstrations, but Twitter has been the most important by far, with hundreds of tweets per minute in critical moments and some hashtags becoming rapidly global trending topic, such as #DemocraciaRealYa, #NoLesVotes, #AcampadaSol or #NoNosVamos.
These protests have also appeared in a critical situation: Spanish youths are academically more prepared than ever before but they're facing a 50% youth unemployment, and 89% of Spaniards think political parties only care about themselves, according to Metroscopia. Protesters' purpose is to camp in cities' main squares until May 22.
There have also been several protests outside Spain: Braga, Coimbra, Faro, Lisboa and Porto in Portugal, Dublin in Ireland, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Paris in France and London in the United Kingdom.

Video from Euronews: