READING / A FICTION STORY/ "JOANNA" /LECTURA /UNA HISTORIA DE FICCIÓN/ JOANNA.

Hi my dear friends, today here you can see a "fiction story" for you to read! I hope you'll like it!


Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy aquí tenéis  "una historia de ficción" para que leáis. ¡Espero que os guste!



From Speak Up magazine.

"JOANNA"  by  Nicola  Mabbot.

On paper, Robert was a dating agency's dream -he had a good stable job, he wasn't bad-looking and, of course, he was single.

And single was a word that haunted Robert.  Despite being successful in his career, he didn't seem to have much luck with women.  He suspected that the women he had dated we

re only inerested in him because he was rich and successful.  None of them ever had anything in common with him.  He was shy with women and tired of embarrasing silences, so he had almost given up on finding his Ms. Right.

One Friday two colleagues, Jake and Johnny, invited Robert to go for a drink in a pub in the town centre after work.  Robert didn't usually go out with them but that night, when they had asked him if he was coming, he found himself answering, "Why not?"

Later on they were drinking cold beer outside the King's Arms.  It was a pleasant summer evening around mid-July.  It had been a very hot day and the breeze was still warm.  But Robert wasn't really enjoying himself and was beginning to regret having agreed to come out.  On the other hand, Jake and Johnny were having a good time.  They had all had plenty to drink and his two colleagues were chatting to two girls.  But Robert didn't think much of the girl he was talking to.  In fact, he was quite bored and trying to think of an excuse to leave.

Just then another group of girls walked past their table.  As they stopped nearby one of the girls caught Robert's eye.  The wind gently blew her hair off her face.  She shone like a single star in the sky on a dark night.  He couldn't take his eyes off her.  Suddenly she looked down and caught him gazing at her.  He realized that he had been looking at her for too long and looked away quickley.

Somehow the group of girls got talking to Robert and his colleagues, and Robert found himself face to face with the girl, who introduced herself as Joanna.

"I haven't seen you here before.  Do you work at the hospital with Jake and Johnny?"  she asked.
"Yes, I'm a cardiologist,"  he replied. "What about you?"
"I'm a science teacher".

She was so easy to talk to, so unlike any other girl that Robert knew.  As she left, she gave him her mobile phone number.

Over the next few days Robert kept catching himself daydreaming about Joanna.  He hoped to see her again, but didn't want to appear too interested, so he decided to wait for Jake and Johnny to organise another night out at the King's Arms after work.

The opportunity arose the following Friday night.  Robert sent Joanna a text telling her he would be in the King's Arms if she wanted to join him.
"Yes, I'll see you at 8", was the answer.

This time it was a cold night.  A chilling wind had forced the drinkers inside the pub.  Joanna was in the pub when they walked in.  She was wearing the same black dress as the week before and she was with the same two friends.  He looked across the pub at her, anticipating a smile as she saw him.
But that night, being with Joanna just wasn't the same.
The look in her eyes was cold and unwelcoming, and the conversation was difficult.
Robert felt like ke'd just been woken up from a wonderful dream.  He thought that he must have only imagined the way Joanna's face had lit up when they were speaking the week before.  He left early, feeling very downhearted.

A week later, when his friends asked him if he was going out, Robert made an excuse and turned down their offer.  He went straight home from work.  His house seemed so big and empty.  As he was eating his microwave meal for one and feeling very sorry for himself, he received a message on his phone.
"The girl you met two weeks ago is here and asking about you! .Jake.

He hesitated for a minute before calling a taxi to take him to the King's Arms.  He was trying not to think about the strange experience the week before.  He wanted to make sure that he hadn't only imagined the girl from their first meeting.

Jake and Johnny were sitting outside and with them were the girls.  Joanna smiled radiantly as she saw him.
"Hello", he said.
She seemed to read his mind and laughed as she began, "You were here last Friday..."
He looked at her, puzzled.
"You saw Jessie."
"Who?"  he asked.
"Jessica.  She's my twin sister.  We're identical."
"I'm sorry,"  she went on, "please let me explain."

"The problem is that I haven't been on a date for two years...  You see, I had a terrible experience with my ex.  After a few weeks he started to scare me a bit. So I finished with him, but then he started stalking me."
There was still one thing that Robert didn't understand.
"So why did you send your sister?"  he asked.

"Well, I didn't want to lose the chance of getting to know you.  The first time my sister met my ex, she realizad immediately that something was wrong.  So I thought I would feel more comfortable if she met you and gave you the OK.  Can you forgive me?"


VOCABULARY

-DATING AGENCY:  agencia de citas.
-TO HAUNT:  perseguir.
-SHY: tímido.
-EMBARRASING:  embarazoso, violento.
-TO REGRET:  lamentar.
-TO CHAT:  conversar.
-TO SHINE:  brillar.
-TO GAZE: mirar.
-TO LOOK AWAY:  apartar la mirada.
-TO DAYDREAM:  soñar despierto.
-CHILLING:  helado.
-TO LIGHT UP:  iluminarse.
-TO TURN DOWN:  rechazar.
-TO HESITATE:  dudar.
-PUZZLED:  confundido.
-TWIN SISTER:  hermana gemela.
-TO STALK:  acosar.
-TO FORGIVE:  perdonar.


HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

SEE SOU!!!

ENGLISH LANGUAGE / ORDERING THINGS IN A RESTAURANT, A PUB OR A CAFÉ / Inglés / Pedir cosas en un restaurante, pub o café.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to look at the way "we order things" in English but not in a "formal" way. I hope you'll like it and use it!


Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a ver la forma en la que pedimos las cosas en Inglés pero no de una manera "formal".  ¡Espero que os guste y que os sea útil!

ENGLISH  LANGUAGE    /    ORDERING THINGS

You know that the polite way to ask for something in English is "I would like", or better "I'd like" but we hardly ever use this expression when we order things in a restaurant or café.

Even in the most formal of situations, a restaurant with waiter service, British people almost never say "I'd like".  Although it's very important to be polite, the phrase we use most is "I'll have", for example:  "I'll have the steak with a salad, please".  This may sound more like an order, but it is the accepted formula.  What you should never forget to say is "please" at the end!

KEEP IT BRIEF

If you need anything during your meal, you should say: "Can I have some more wine, or the bill, please?"  Don't say "could or may because although you have studied them, they sound old-fashioned and unfriendly.

If you are queuing up for food in a self-service tea shop or coffee bar, the politest thing to do is to remember that there are other people waiting behind you and that the person serving is very busy.  So keep it short and give your order nice and clearly, for example:  "Two teas and a slice of carrot cake, please."  A friendly smile will make up for any lack of formal or polite language in your request.

Any more detailed questions you may have should also be kept very concise, such as:  "Have you got any Tabasco?"  or  "Can I have some extra mayonnaise with that?"


LOUD AND CLEAR

Remember that British people hate fuss and so your aim should always be to make things easy for the people around you.  Speak loudly and clearly, so the person serving you can hear you above a noisy coffee machine.  Then, once you have your order, move out of the way quickly, so someone else can have their turn.

WHAT, NO QUEUE?

This approach is even more important in a pub, especially when it's busy, and here things become a little more complicated.  First of all, the bar of a pub is the only place where people do not form a queue.  But beware, just because you can't see one doesn't mean it isn't there.  There will certainly be an invisible queue and both the people standing in it and the bar staff will usually know whose turn it is.

THE SUBTLE APPROACH

Of course when it's very busy it can be difficult for the bar staff to keep track of customers, so you may need to attract their attention.  Under no circumstances shoud you attempt to do this by saying something like "Hello, I'm here". "I'd like to order a drink", or even "Who is the last in the queue?"

DISCREET

At the bar of a pub, there is a strict etiquette of non-verbal communication, and that doesn't mean vigorous hand gestures, or waving your glass about.  What you need to do is to make eye contact with the person serving behind the bar.  Once he or she has seen you, you can lift your eyebrows or raise your chin quickly, perhaps with a hopeful smile.  This is the code for: "hello, I'm here".

When the bartender responds with a nod or smile, that is the code for "I have seen you and noted your position in the queue,"

NEXT PLEASE

When your turn comes, the correct way to order a beer is to say :"Pint of bitter/lager, please."
For a half-pint, you should say: "half a bitter/lager."
If you want a particular brand of draught beer or real ale, you should say: "Pint of ..." or "half of ..., please".
Only one of your group should give these orders and pay, with at most one friend to helpe you carry the drinks.  The golden rule is always to be quick, clear and then to get out of the way!




VOCABULARY

-TO QUEUE UP:  hacer cola.
-SLICE:  trozo, porción.
-TO MAKE UP FOR:  compensar.
-FUSS:  revuelo.
-TO KEEP TRACK:  llevar la cuenta.
-TO WAVE ABOUT:  agitar.
-TO LIFT:  alzar.
-EYEBROWS:  cejas.
-TO RAISE:  levantar.
-CHIN:  barbilla.
-BARTENDER:  barman.
-NOD:  asentir con la cabeza.
-DRAUGHT BEER:  cerveza de barril.
-REAL ALE:  cerveza artesana.
-TO GET OUT OF THE WAY:  retirarse de la barra del bar.



HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!!!

SEE YOU SOON!!!

NEW YORK CITY / AT THE TOP OF THE ROCK /NUEVA YORK/ EN LA CIMA DEL ROCKEFELLER.

Hi my dear friends,  are you thinking of  holidays? New York is always a wonderful option. Would you like to see the city from "the top of the rock?   I love New York!


Hola mis queridos amigos, ¿pensando en las vacaciones ? Nueva York es siempre una maravillosa opción. ¿Queréis ver la ciudad desde la "cima del  Rockefeller"?
¡Me encanta Nueva York!

AT THE TOP OF THE ROCK
NEW YORK CITY


If you want to get a great view of the New York Skyline, you should go to the "Top of the Rock".  The Rock in this case is an abbreviation of the "Rockefeller Center".  It opened in 1933, during the Great Depression and when it did, John  D  Rockefeller followed the example of another New York skyscraper of that era, the Empire State Building.

The Top of the Rock closed in 1986, but reopened in 2005 and it still offers spectacular views.

You can enjoy the view both during the day and at night, but if you go at night, you might want to consider the amazing Rainbow Room which is  an incredible ballroom where you must go very well dressed!!! You don't need to be formal but you have to look good!  This ballroom closed in 2008 and it reopened late 2014. It's one of those exquisite ...65 floors up with views of the city!



The Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan is world-famous.  This large cultural complex was built by one of the United States' richest dynasties, the Rockefellers, and here you can find Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Plaza.


Less well known, perhaps, is the Art Deco skyscraper at 30 Rockefeller Plaza (where the Rockefeller family still have offices).  It is well worth visiting, not least because the observation deck at the top, the "Top of the Rock" , offers spectacular views of the New York skyline.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

When it first opened in 1933 it was given the name the RCA Building, in honour of its most important tenant, the Radio Corporation of America.  RCA was in fact part of a larger corportarion, General Electric, and this could explain why the name changed to the "GE Building" in the 1980s.


This year its name will change once again when it becomes the "Comcast Building".  But many people just call it "30 Rock", which was also the title of a popular TV series that was set there.  And the best part of "the Rock" is the "Top of the Rock!"



VOCABULARY

-SKYSCRAPER:  rascacielos.
-IT IS WELL WORTH VISITING:  vale la pena visitarlo.
-SKYLINE:  silueta.
-TENANT:  arrendatario.
-BALLROOM:  salón de baile.
-TO LOOK GOOD:  ir bien vestido.
-65 FLOORS UP:  en el piso 65.



HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!!!

SEE YOU IN NEW YORK!!!