NEW YORK CITY - "A" IS FOR ASTORIA. Nueva York - "A" es de Astoria.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to know a bit more about ASTORIA, a place situated in the New York borough of Queens and more and more fasionable nowadays.

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a saber un poquito más sobre  ASTORIA, lugar situado en el distrito de Queens de Nueva York y que cada vez está más de moda hoy en día.


Info: Speak Up magazine.
Photos:  grazia.es  /  wikipedia.org 

NEW YORK CITY:   "A"  IS FOR "ASTORIA"

Astoria is a neighborhood in the New York Borough of Queens.  It's only 20-minute subway ride from Manhattan and this makes it popular with people who work in Manhattan but who can't afford to live there. 

It's on the western shore or the western coast of Queens, which means that it touches the East River,  which separates Queens from Manhattan, so there are some properties, some of them are residential, there are some factories, some parks that have great views of Manhattan and in some cases it's really spectacular, especially at night when all the lights are on from the Midtown.


Astoria is considered "suburban", even if it's actually very close to Manhattan.  It is the westernmost part of the borough of Queens which is on Long Island) and is just across the East River from Manhattan's exclusive Upper East Side.

Astoria is also considered the place for people who can't afford to live in Manhattan. Here you can find single-room apartments larger than the "shoeboxes" that are available for rent in Manhattan. And seeing as Astoria is only a 20-minute subway ride from Manhattan, it's almost as good as -if not better than- living there.

A MELTING POT

Astoria is named in honour of John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant who, in the nineteenth century, became the wealthiest man in America.  By using the name Astoria, developers hoped that Astor would invest in the place. In actual fact he invested very little and he never even went there, but the name stuck. In the twentieth century Astoria became associated with other immigrant groups.


GREEK INFLUENCE

In the 1950s, there was a huge economic problem in Greece and a lot of Greeks moved to the United States and settled in Astoria.  So it's sort of traditionally people think Astoria, they think Greek. There's a lot of truth to that, there are all kinds of Greek restaurants. Greek night clubs and of course, Greek people.

Whenever there is an independence day, a Greek independece day or a Greek soccer team wins, people are always in the street, partying and having fun. Along with the Greeks, there's always been a large Italian population, or Italian-American population.  When you walk by te street and you see grapes growing in a front yard, it usually means that it's an Italian person who's making wine.

Not surprisingly, Astoria is enjoying a boom!  Properties have doubled in value in the last five years. Another thing that has attracted people to Astoria is its park, which offers a great view of Manhattan.  People also like Astoria's "ethnic"  feel.

Astoria has had a large Greek community since the 1950s.  Needless to say, there are some wonderful Greek restaurants where the fish is delicious.  In many cases there isn't even a menu:  you choose the fish on display and they grill it for you.  And whereas Manhattan residents live in large partment buildings, Astoria has many two-and three-story houses.  They have tiny front yards that often feature statues of the Virgin Mary. For this we have to thank Astoria's Italian community.

MULTICULTURAL

Astoria's population has changed in recent years, however and there has been a tremedous influx of people from everywhere in the world.  There's a Bangladeshi street where there are a row of Bangladeshi stores where you can buy all their spices and their saris and their clothes.  There is a Brazilian section where you can get Brazilian food and you can buy clothes and stuff from Brazil.  There is a part that they call Little Egypt, there's a Cairo Steakhouse, a couple of Egyptian restaurants and there are hookah bars, as well. 
There's a great Chilean restaurant, and Japanese, Korean, a Lebanese place so there's a great mix of really just about everywhere, every continent you could ask for.

                                            *****************************

VOCABULARY OF THE TEXT.

-SHOEBOX: caja de zapatos.
-SEEING AS:  ya que.
-THREE-STORY: de tres pisos.
-TINY: diminuto.
-FACTORY: fábrica.
-TO STICK:  quedar.
-TO GROW: cultivar.
-YARD: jardín.
-STEAKHOUSE:  asador.
-HOOKAH BAR: bar donde se fuma narguilé o shisha (pipas de agua)
-CHILEAN: chileno.



EXERCISE
CHOOSE THE QUANTIFIER FROM THE LIST TO FILL THE GAPS.

a lot  /  all kinds  /  a bunch  /  all  /  a couple  /  some

a) Of the properties in Astoria, ________are residential while others are factories.
b) In the 1950s, _______ of Greeks moved to the US and settled in AStoria.
c) There are ______ of Greek places now, like restaurants and night clubs.
d) On the Bangladeshi street, you can buy ______ their spices and clothes.
e) There are ______ of Egyptian restaurants in the part known as Little Egypt.
f) There are also ________ of hookah bars in the northern part of Astoria.


HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS
SEE YOU!!!


SOLUTION TO THE EXERCISE.
a) some  b) a lot  c) al kinds  d) all  e) a couple  f) a bunch.

AREA 51 - NEVADA - A CENTER OF UFO ACTIVITY / Area 51, Nevada - Centro de Actividad Ovni.

Hi my dear friends, have you ever seen a UFO? Do you believe in extraterrestrial activity? Have you ever visited Area 51 in Nevada, USA? In my case I have always been interested in UFO activity and I have seen plenty of TV programmes, films and reports about it, in USA, in Spain and all over the world. I started to be interested in UFOs when I was 8 years old and I had a personal experience about that: One morning, I saw outside my school with the rest of pupils and teachers, on the ground, the "burnt tracks of a strutcture" of what  it might be  "a UFO".  It had got a round shape and it was enormous! Immediately, militaries and the police arrived and surrounded the zone and  we all were said not to tell anybody what we had seen there.  Since then, I have been looking for real proofs of  UFOs and aliens' existence and I have already got my own conclusion!

Hola mis queridos amigos, ¿habéis visto alguna vez un OVNI? ¿Creéis en la posible existencia extraterrestre? ¿Habéis visitado alguna vez el Área 51 en Nevada, Estados Unidos? En mi caso siempre he estado interesada en los OVNIS y he visto cantidad de programas de televisión, películas e informes sobre esto, en Estados Unidos, España y en el resto del mundo. 
Empecé a interesarme por los OVNIS cuando tenía 8 años y tuve una experiencia personal sobre ello: Una mañana, en el exterior de mi colegio, vi,  con el resto de alumnos y profesores, en el suelo, "las huellas quemadas de una estructura" de lo que "podría ser un OVNI".  ¡Tenía forma circular y era enorme! Inmediatamente, llegaron militares y policías,  rodearon la zona y  nos dijeron que no le contásemos a nadie lo que habíamos visto allí. ¡Desde entonces he estado buscando pruebas de la existencia de OVNIS y alienígenas y he llegado a mi propia conclusión!

AREA 51 - NEVADA     /     A CENTER OF UFO ACTIVITY

It is late in the evening when we arrive at the top-secret military base known as Area 51.  To reach the base means a drive along the Extraterrestrial Highway,  which was given its name in 1996 because of the area's association with UFO activity.  There have been more sightings of UFOS reported around Area 51 than anywhere else in the US.

Our bus tour is organized by MUFON (the Mutual UFO Network).  Founded in 1969, it is one of the world's oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the investigation of UFO sightings.  The Area 51 Tour is the final event of a four-day annual MUFON symposium that was held in Las Vegas, Nevada  and that focused on classified space programs possibly run by the US government.

SECRET TESTING

The tour takes us 150 miles north of Las Vegas through desert terrain where few people live, at least of the human kind!  We stop at an alien-themed complex called Little A'le Inn in the   city of Rachel, before arriving at the "back gate" of Area 51. This is an entrance to the base that is constantly monitored and secured with a barrier, warning signs, motion detectors and sensors, security cameras, all kinds of guards, helicopters and even F16s!

Area 51 is a United States Air Force facility that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) established in 1955 and located within the Nevada Test and Training Range near Groom Lake.  The range was created for the development of the Lockheed U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, but the CIA did not publicly acknowledge the existence of Area 51 until 2013, and has never revealed its primary purpose today.


ALIEN DEBRIS

Most people believe that the facility is centered on the development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems, yet some are convinced that it is also dedicated to studying UFO and alien-related activity and technology.  One of the tasks of its military personnel, they believe, is the replication of extraterrestrial aircraft that have been found crash-landed on Earth. Tours are strictly forbidden inside the base. The security of Area 51 is paramount. There's not really any place in the world that rivals the security out of Area 51.

Lots and lots of movies, books and things have Area 51 in them due to the number of unidentified sighting of objects that have been seen out there and the sightings have been of craft that are not conventional by means of what the public knows.

If there are aliens among us, now it could be the time to tell us but the people in general may not be ready to know this information and so governments avoid communicating it and they prefer to keep the secret only for themselves!

If you want to go on a tour near Area 51, you can contact : www.topsecrettours.com a company whose founder is Tony Cisneros a historian and a UFO expert that organizes informative visits to the area.


                                                ******************************

VOCABULARY ABOUT THE TEXT

-A DRIVE ALONG: un viaje en coche a lo largo de...
-SIGHTING: avistamiento.
-FACILITY: instalación.
-RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT: avión de reconocimiento.
-TO ACKNOWLEDGE: reconocer.
-WEAPON: arma.
-TO CRASH-LAND:  estrellarse.
-PARAMOUNT: de vital importancia.
-DEBRIS: restos.


EXERCISES

1.- CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION.
a) Area 51 is located in a remote part of the Nevada  deset/mountains.
b) Area 51/MUFON  is dedicated to investigating UFO sightings and encounters.
c) The 2017 annual MUFON symposium was held in the city of Las Vegas/Rachel.
d) Some people think that Area 51 has to do with the replication of  alien/enemy aircraft.
e) Area 51 is located  within/next to the Nevada Test and Training Range.
f) At the entrance of the base there are  welcoming/warning  signs and security cameras.

2.- DECIDE WHETHER THESE STATEMENTS ARE  TRUE OR FALSE.
a) Around Area 51 there have been many UFO sightings reported. ____
b) The base was established in the 1970s by the CIA ____
c) The CIA publicly acknowledged the existence of Area 51 in 1996 ____
d) Area 51 security includes motion sensors and detectors, helicopters and F-16s ____
e) Tony Cisneros is a historian and a UFO expert ____
f) Alpventures Top Secret Tours is a company that organizes visits inside Area 51 ____

3.- MATCH THE WORDS ON THE LEFT WITH THEIR SYNONYMS ON THE RIGHT.

a) perimeter                              1 entrance
b) sighting                                2 soil
c) security                                3 border
d) gate                                      4 observation
e) dirt                                       5 team
f) crew                                     6 protection

                                      ************************

INFO:  Speak Up  magazine.
Photos:  nowtheendbegins.com  /  area51.org  /  activerain.com


SOLUTIONS TO THE EXERCISES.

Exercise 1 >  a) desert  b) MUFON  c) Las Vegas  d) alien  e) within  f) warning
Exercise 2 >  a) True  b) False  c) False  d) True  e) True  f) False
Exercise 3 >  a) 3  /  b) 4  /  c) 6  /  d) 1  /  e) 2  /  f) 5




AND NOW THE QUESTION IS FOR YOU: DO YOU BELIEVE IN ALIENS???

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

REINVENTING COMIC CULTURE - SCOTT McCLOUD / Reinventando la cultura del cómic.

Hi my dear friends, do you like comics? Today we are going to know more about comics but through Scott McCloud, the comic expert who has reinvented comic culture! I hope you'll like it!


Hola mis queridos amigos ¿os gustan los comics? Hoy vamos a saber más sobre los cómics pero a través de Scott McCloud, el experto en comics ¡que ha reinventado la cultura del cómic! Espero que os guste.

Info:  Speak Up magazine.
Photos:  rtve.es  /  amazon.es  /  siguealconejoblanco.es  /  eldiario.es



REINVENTING COMIC CULTURE  BY SCOTT McCLOUD

Scott McCloud has been called "the Aristotle of Comics" even though he says he finds that embarrassing. He is, however, an expert on the subject, having written such books -in comic form- as "Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics".  His latest production is less theoretical: it's his first graphic novel and it's called "The Sculptor".

Being asked about comics' changing readership he says that in North America there are now more young readers who are girls than boys. Comics is changing...the gender balance in comics is changing enormously, too. This is partially because of the Manga explosion: Japanese comics jumped the pond in a big way about 15 years ago and a lot of those Japanese comics readers, Manga readers, they're growing up and they're making comics of their own now.

He also says that comics audience is largely a female audience. McCloud thinks that such a big demographic time bomb may have more women and girls reading comics, and making comics, in 10 years than men and boys.  A kind of storytelling  that has been missing in comics for many years, is being rediscovered and it's all to the best! 

SUPERMAN!

So why have comics traditionally had a male readership? 

Scott McCloud says that we have these competing philosophies of history, the movements in history. Some go with "the great man" theory, that a single person can have this outsized effect on societies and even world history and some think that there's a kind of cultural inevitability in the movement of cultures. The same thing is true with art. There is a debate between those who think a single artist can have a tremendous effect on a culture, and those who think that, that culture's trajectory was predetermined by the nature of that culture. I'm on "the great man" side of that. I've seen how, one artist  can influence a culture. Osama Tezuka in Japan completely rewired the way the Japanese thought about comics as did Hergé in Europe, and both of them led to different results.

Well, so did Siegel and Shuster. So did the two kids from Cleveland who created Superman back in the United States. And what we see is that success breeds success!

AN INTERNATIONAL MARKET 

But the popularity of comics seems to vary from country to country.

Scott McCloud says about this that when it comes to one's own chosen art form, of course, the grass is always greener on the other side of the street and in America we've always been very envious of Europe generally because of the Franco-Belgian tradition and then Europe-wide, there's been a different attitude about comics but each country is different. In Italy, for instance, there are conflicting trends and conflicting currents.

Scott declares that there's certainly a great appreciation for some of the great art comics of the last 50 years or so, but there are also come prejudices that are similar to North America as well. The same is true of Japan, in fact. The same is true even of France which has the reputation of being a haven for comics lovers everywhere.

VOCABULARY

-READERASHIP: lectores, público.
-GENDER: género.
-JUMPED THE POND: cruzar el charco, el océano.
-OUTSIZED: desmesurado.
-TO REWIRE: transformar.
-TO BREED: generar.
-TO PLUCK OUT: extraer.
-HAVEN: paraíso.


EXERCISES

1 Choose the correct option.

a) Scott McCloud is an internationally recognised expert  ON/ OF  the subject of comic books.
b) The readership gender balance has changed because  ON / OF  Manga.
c) Tezuka changed the way the Japanese thought AROUND /ABOUT  comics.
d) The grass is always greener  ON / AT the other side of the street.
e) There is a great appreciation ON / FOR the art comics of the last 50 years.
f) France has the reputation OF/ ON being a haven for comics lovers.


2 Match the nouns used in the text to their synonyms.

PHILOSOPHY
DEBATE
MOVEMENT

a) belief   /  b) drive  /  c/ argument  /  d) discussion  /  e) push  /  f) thrust  /  g) concept  /  h) deliberation  /  i) idea


                                                  *********************************

SOLUTIONS TO THE EXERCISES.

1.- a) on  b) of  c) about  d) on  e) for  f) of

2.- Philosophy> a, g, i  /  Debate:  c, d, h  /  Movement: b, e, f



THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE!!!

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

OROPESA DEL MAR (Castellón) Mi playa / My beach!

Buenos días mis queridos amigos, la publicación de hoy la quiero dedicar a un lugar al que voy desde que era una niña para pasar mis vacaciones de sol y playa. No es otro que Oropesa del Mar en la provincia de Castellón. Mucho ha cambiado desde que me llevaban mis padres pero para mí sigue siendo "mi playa" "mi casa cerca del Mar Mediterráneo" porque después de recorrer infinidad de playas de  mi querida España que hasta pudieran ser más interesantes o incluso más bonitas, al final siempre vuelvo a Oropesa. Por su clima, por sus aguas limpias y cristalinas que están a la  temperatura ideal. Por su gente, su gastronomía, por la belleza de sus acantilados y porque como me conoce mucha gente,  me hacen sentir "como en casa".

Good morning my dear friends, today I want to dedicate this post to show you the place where I have spent my beach holiday since I was a child. This place is Oropesa del Mar in Castellón. The village and the beach have changed a lot since my parents have taken me there for the first time but I  still consider it "my beach" "my house near the Mediterranean Sea".  I have been to plenty of beaches in my dear Spain, which may be more interesting or more beautiful for others, however,  I always come back to Oropesa. Because of its climate, its crystalline waters with a perfect temperature. Because of its people, its gastronomy, the beauty of its cliffs and because, as almost everybody knows me, they make me feel "like home".

                         

DEDICADO A ENCARNA, la dueña del Hotel Neptuno de Oropesa del Mar que nos dejó hace un mes,  porque eres la persona que me ha hecho sentir como en casa durante más de 25 años. ¡Te echaremos mucho de menos!

DEDICATED TO ENCARNA, the Hotel Neptuno's owner in Oropesa del Mar  who left us a month ago because you are the person who has made me feel like home for more than 25 years! We'll miss you so much!!!


                             

OROPESA DEL MAR (Castellón) España.

Oropesa del Mar es un municipio perteneciente a la Comunidad Valenciana, España, situado en la provincia de Castellón, en la comarca de la Plana Alta y junto al Mar Mediterráneo que cuenta con numerosas playas y pequeñas calas naturales.  También podemos disfrutar de los senderos cercanos a la Sierra de Oropesa con sus campos de naranjos enmarcados por el mar.  En la Sierra podemos ver parajes naturales que contrastan con el paisaje marino. El Monte del Bobalar cae directamente sobre el mar y el puerto deportivo desde donde en días despejados se pueden ver claramente las Islas Columbretes,  lugar declarado Parque Natural.

HISTORIA

La historia de Oropesa del Mar por su situación estratégica, ha sido foco de atracción de múltiples culturas existiendo vestigios del Paleolítico y de los Iberos.

En 1233, Jaime I de Aragón conquistó su castillo que corona la parte alta de la población.  En 1259 pasó a manos de Fernando Pérez de Pinas, en cuya familia se mantiene hasta finales del siglo.  En 1296 pasa a pertenecer a Berenguer Dalmau, de quien la hereda su hijo Guillermo.  Hacia 1330 pasó a Guillermo Javier, en 1350 a Pere de Tous y en 1497 fue comprada por Joan de Cervelló.  En 1589 se le concedió Carta Puebla para mejorar la situación de los vecinos y otra nueva en 1609.

Población de cristianos, fue lugar de frecuentes ataques de piratas berberiscos;  por esto, en el siglo XV se construyó la Torre del Rey con objeto de vigilar la costa.

Durante los siblos XIX y XX su población experimentó un continuo crecimiento.

El sector turístico le ha dado un fuerte impulso demográfico durante los últimos años aunque también es responsable del desarrollo urbanístico de principios de los 70 que tanto daño hizo a nuestra Costa de Levante estéticamente hablando. En Oropesa podemos encontrar alguna de "esas torres altas de apartamentos de esa época que tanto afean el paisaje" pero también "villas y casas de altura pequeña" sobre todo en la Playa de la Concha, que alguno de los alcaldes autorizó prohibiendo las grandes alturas sobre todo cerca de la playa en un intento de frenar esas construcciones.

Entre la Sierra y el litoral se abre una franja de tierras cultivadas por naranjos y hortalizas.  Abunda el almendro, el olivo y la vid cuyas uvas se utilizan para elaborar el vino moscatel.

La localidad cuenta con una estación ferroviaria en la que efectúan parada trenes de Larga y Media distancia.

Entre los monumentos destacados se encuentra la Iglesia de la Virgen de la Paciencia en la que se conservan muestras de azulejería del siglo XVIII y una imagen del siglo XVI de la Patrona.

El Castillo de Oropesa. Es de origen musulmán y está situado en lo alto del Casco Antiguo del municipio.

La Torre del Rey, construida en el siglo XV para defensa de los ataques de los piratas.

El Casco Antiguo tiene trazado medieval con calles estrechas y empinadas, murallas y rincones típicos.


PLAYAS

-La Playa de la Concha, bahía perfecta delimitada por el Cabo de Oropesa con aguas cristalinas a  una temperatura ideal, arena blanca y muy fina con la Sierra justamente detrás lo que hace que las noches sean frescas y muy agradables.

-La Renegá y las Playetas de Bellver.  Calas entre acantilados, rodeadas de pinos y vegetación típica mediterránea. En dirección
 a Benicassim.

-Playa de Les Amplaries y Morro de Gos. Al otro lado de la Playa de la Concha en dirección a Cabanes. Estas playas son  más abiertas aunque también gozan de arena blanca y fina.

TORRE DEL REY

La Torre del Rey es una torre de vigilancia situada en el Cabo de Oropesa, cerca del faro. Fernando I de Aragón autoriza su construcción en 1413 a petición de la población para defenderse de los ataques de los piratas. Cuenta con planta baja, principal y planta alta o azotea. El edificio fue construido con sillares muy trabajados a la parte exterior para realizar las aperturas defensivas.

FARO

El Faro de Oropesa está situado en el Cabo del mismo nombre y divide en dos la costa de la provincia de Castellón. Se encuentra junto a la Torre del Rey y se inauguró en 1857 utilizando como combustible aceite de oliva, parafina y después petróleo. En 1924 se electrificó.




FIESTAS

-San Antonio Abad. Conocido como "Sant Antonio del Porquet" se celebra el sábado siguiente al día de San Antonio Abad o el mismo día si coincide en sábado. Se hace una hoguera y con las brasas se suele asar carne para cenar. Por la noche se procede a la bendición de animales y al desfile de la gente con sus mascotas. La noche acaba con una verbena y al día siguiente por la mañana se realiza la carrera de caballos por la Playa de Morro de Gos.

-Las hogueras de San Juan. En la noche del 23 al 24 de Junio. Se quema una hoguera de leña a la orilla del mar con verbena posterior y espectáculo pirotécnico.

-Fiestas de San Jaime. Se celebran el 25 de julio en honor al patrón de la población.

-Virgen de la Paciencia. Fiestas Patronales. Se inician el sábado anterior al primer domingo de octubre. Se festejan con Procesiones, ofrenda floral a la Virgen, verbenas y conciertos.

GASTRONOMÍA

Oropesa ofrece una gastronomía que une los productos del mar con los de su extensa huerta así que los platos típicos son los arroces en todas sus variedades: paella, arroz negro, arroz caldoso, "Arrosejat" y arroz al horno, así como la fideuá, la caragolada. De dulces podemos disfrutar de "las oropesinas"  que son unos dulces típicos hechos a base de almendras.

Ahora ya sabéis por qué me encanta mi Oropesa del Mar a la que seguiré volviendo siempre que pueda.



¡Que tengáis un buen día!

HAVE A NICE DAY! 

Photos: turismodecastellón.com

THE ARCHWAY PROJECT - HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE / Projecto Archway - Ayudando a la gente joven.

Hi my dear friends, projects for helping people are always wonderful projects so today we're going to know a bit more about one of them "The Archway Project London". I hope you'll like the information and that  it will be interesting to you, too!

Hola mis queridos amigos, los proyectos para ayudar a la gente son siempre maravillosos así que hoy vamos a conocer un poco más sobre uno de ellos "El Proyecto Archway Londres". Espero que os guste la información y que sea interesante para vosotros también.

*Info: from Speak Up magazine.
*Photos: young_greenwich.org.uk  /  archwayproject.org  /  secure.thebiggive.org.uk

*Special thanks to Alison Harper and Glyn Farrow of the Archway Project for their help in writing this article.



THE ARCHWAY PROJECT   /   HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE.

Some children may have learning difficulties like dyslexia or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Other kids come from deprived backgrounds and have more serious family problems.  All of these factors often lead to poor performance at school. One brilliant solution to these problems comes in the form of the Archway Project, in Thamesmead in south east London, one of the poorest areas of London, where around sixty per cent of kids live in social housing.  The Archway Project was set up there in 1982 to help kids from age eleven upwards, who for one reason or another, had fallen through the school system.

The Archway Project in London offers a range of educational workshops and recreational activities to young people who are disadvantaged or have difficulties at school.  Girls and boys can take a course in motorcycle mechanics and go on an off-road riding trip.

THE MISSION

The Project's mission was to minimise social exclusion, empower young people at risk and provide meaningful qualifications.  Their approach was very simple: they asked young people involved in anti-social behaviour what they would like to do.  

The answer was off-road motorcycling.  Members of the team knew that the young people coming to the Archway centre had little self-esteem and few aspirations.  They would never have had the confidence to study for a diploma in engineering.  So the organisers developed a bespoke accredited course in motorcycle mechanics, and, with a real touch of genius, they included off-road riding trips in the summer as an incentive. When offered the chance to fix bikes and go off-road biking, participants readily accepted.


LEARNING SKILLS

Although the participants did badly at school, once they join the Archway Project they start achieving.  According to the team who work there, this is because they are given real responsibility as they have to handle tools such as welding equipment.  They really get their hands dirty and learn skills that could lead to paid employment.

A PERFECT FIT

The first thing you notice when you walk through the front door is the atmosphere.  Downstairs there is  a large, bright workshop holding many motorbikes lined up in neat rows, tools and equipment and all the other bits and pieces that you would find in any garage across the country.

People are learning from their tutors by actually doing repairs and servicing the very bikes that they will ride off-road.  They gain a specialist work-related qualification in mechanics.  Very often they surprise themselves by what they have achieved and are inspired to learn more.

The Archway Project provides similar help to young people with mental and physical disabilities.  They realised, for example, that the unique skills and thinking modes of people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder are perfectly suited to a career in computer programming.  With this in mind they developed a computer programming course for children with ASD in May 2014, with spectacular results.

Teamwork is an essential ingredient, as is a focus on healthy eating. The kids come in and start cooking their own food from scratch with fresh ingredients.  They work together and eat what they have prepared themselves.  This gives them a healthy diet, as well as a sense of achievement.

As well as servicing and riding motorbikes and IT (informática), the Project also offers recreational courses such as mountain.biking, fishing, gardening and canoeing -the perfect ingredients for inspiring young people to do well.

For more info:  www.archwayproject.org



VOCABULARY OF THE TEXT

-DEPRIVED BACKGROUND: entornos desfavorecidos.
-SOCIAL HOUSING: viviendas sociales / de protección oficial.
-BESPOKE ACCREDITED COURSE: curso oficial específico.
-OFF-ROAD RIDING TRIPS: excursiones de motocross.
-FIX: arreglar.
-WELDING:  soldar.
-FROM SCRATCH:  desde cero.
-IT: informática (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES)


GOOD IDEAS ARE ALWAYS WELL RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED!

SEE YOU MY FRIENDS!!!

KILT AND TARTAN / HOW TO BE A TRUE SCOTSMAN - FALDAS ESCOCESAS ¡Cómo ser un buen escocés!

Hi my dear friends. Do you know what a kilt is? Scotsmen know it for sure! It's their traditional tartan skirt and this is what we are going to speak about today: KILTS! Here we go!

Hola mis queridos amigos. ¿Sabéis lo que es un kilt? ¡Los  hombres escoceses lo saben seguro! Es su falda escocesa tradicional y de esto es de lo que vamos a hablar hoy: ¡FALDAS ESCOCESAS! ¡Allá vamos!

Info: Speak up magazine.
Photos: pinterest  /  ebay.es (2)  /  buenavibra.es



HOW TO BE A TRUE SCOTSMAN   /   KILT AND TARTAN

Kilts are the traditional tartan skirts that Scotsmen wear on formal occasions, such as weddings and the Highland Games.  Do you remember the film "Four Weddings and a Funeral?"  One of the weddings is in Scotland and the guests wear tartan.

A QUESTION OF TASTE

Traditionally, the true Scostman did not wear anything under his kilt, but times have changed. Not wearing underwear is now considered "unhygienic", childish and "indecent" says the Scottish Tartans Authority (STA), a Scottish-based society that documents all things tartan.

The kilt is  basically a skirt for men made from colourful checked fabric with pleats in the back.  It originated in the 16th century but the "modern" version of the kilt didn't appear until the late 17th or early 18th century.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT

Kilts were once part of the military uniform for the Scottish army, the fabric indicating the region or clan (family) you came from. As the kilt has no pockets, the sporan, made from leather or fur, served as a container for personal items, a bit like a "fanny pack" or "bum bag" today.

In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie, a Stuart, led a rebellion against the Hanoverian King, George II.  Many Scottish clans, whose members wore tartan, supported the rebellion, but the English army massacred them at the Battle of Culloden Moor in Scotland in 1746.  The same year the London government banned tartan with the "Dress Act", but tartan became popular again in the 19th century.

The Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott was a big fan, so were Queen Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert.  They fell in love with the romantic Highlands and built a castle there called Balmoral.  Albert designed several tartans and Balmoral was decorated in tartan from floor to curtain.  Queen Victoria started a trend for tartan.  New tartans were created as well as tartanware, everyday objects, such as jewellery boxes and tableware, in tartan.

POP AND PUNK

Today  there are up to 7,000 different tartans and about 150 new designs are created each year.  Love it or hate it, tartan, and more specifically, the kilt, will stand out in a crowd.  The avant-garde fashion designers Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Wetswood have incorporated tartan into their designs.  In the 1970s, tartan was popular in the music world.  Rod Stewart wore tartan and so did kitsch Scottish group, The Bay City Rollers.  Punk rockers also often wore tartan!

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

These days the Scots see the kilt as their national dress and save it for special occasions.  Tennis player Andy Murray revealed that he'd wear a kilt when he got married to Kim Sears, in April, 2015. He even said he may go commando, that is, without underwear!  On this wedding day, Murray didn't disappoint and did indeed wear a kilt, although we can't confirm if he wore anything underneath it!!!



 VOCABULARY

-KILT: falda escocesa.
-TARTAN: tela de cuadros escoceses.
-UNDERWEAR: ropa interior.
-CHILDISH:  infantil.
-CHECKED:  de cuadros.
-FABRIC: tela.
-PLEAT: pliegue.
-SPORRAN: morral.
-FANNY PACK / BUM BAG: riñonera.
-CURTAIN: cortina.
-TARTANWARE: productos con diseño de cuadros.
-TABLEWARE: vajilla.
-TO STAND OUT:  destacar.
-TO GO COMMANDO: ir sin ropa interior.

HAVE A NICE DAY

SEE YOU!

COFFEE - MORE THAN A DRINK / EL CAFÉ - MÁS QUE UNA BEBIDA.

Hi my dear friends, do you like coffee?  Do you usually drink coffee? Do you think coffee is healthy? Just now, we are going to know a bit more about this delicious drink that, either you love it or you hate it! In my case, I love coffee but only at breakfast and sometimes, after lunch and I must confess that coffee is healthy and good to me!

Hola mis queridos amigos, ¿os gusta el café? ¿Soléis tomar café? ¿Pensáis que el café es saludable? Ahora mismo, vamos a saber un poquito más sobre esta deliciosa bebida ¡que o te encanta o la odias! En mi caso, me encanta el café pero solo en el desayuno y a veces después de comer y debo confesar que ¡el café es saludable y  bueno para mí!

Info: Speak Up magazine.
Photos: radiofelicidad.mx  / muyinteresante.es (2)  /  planetadellibro.es  /



ADDICTED TO COFFEE

Coffee is probably the most widely consumed drink in the world. For this reason it has been the subject of many scientific studies that have tried to determine whether it is healthy or harmful.  There are many articles claiming that coffee is bad for our health.  There is a research that links it with an increased risk of heart disease and even diabetes.  But is this really true?

CONFUSING

The general problem with some of these studies is that they can lead to confusing conclusions.  Moderate consumption of coffee by healthy adults reduces the sensation of physical exhaustion and mental fatigue, increases concentration and improves short-term, memory and coordination.

Nevertheless, people who metabolize caffeine slowly may be at increased risk of a heart problem if they drink more than four cups of coffee a day.



MAKING A CHOICE

Moreover, not all kinds of coffee have the same health effects.  Coffee that's roasted at low temperatures (known as natural roasting) and without sugar has a lower concentration of toxins and carcinogens than "torrefacto" -which is quite common in Spain and Italy.

Other factors to take into account when choosing your coffee is that Arabica variety has less caffeine than the Robusta variety.

Finally, we must not forget that from a societal point of view, and if possible,  it is important that the coffee we buy is from fair trade sources.


CHOLESTEROL

According to recent studies, while more than six cups of coffee a day increases overall cholesterol levels, when coffee is filtered, the compounds that cause this increase are removed.  If coffee is consumed regularly, addiction symptons may appear such as headaches and anxiety.

A NICE CUP OF TEA

Decaffeinated coffee is definitely the right choice for pregnant women, nursing mothers and people who have difficulty sleeping.  Normal coffee can increase heartburn and acid reflux, but decaffeinated coffees and teas do not.  If you do opt for decaf, though, choose the one made "with water only" or made "with carbon dioxide".

Anyway, if after reading this article you decide to drink less coffee, tea is a good alternative.  It also contains caffeine but it is healthier.

Tea consumption is linked to the strengthening of bones and the cardiovascular system.  What's more, tea improves blood flow and does not cause acid reflux.


DECISION

Coffee and tea are both healthy drinks but we must always have them in moderation!

Now, you choose, coffee or tea? Or both?

                                                          *******************************


VOCABULARY

-SHORT-TERM MEMORY: memoria a corto plazo.
-NEVERTHELESS: sin embargo.
-MOREOVER: además.
-TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT:  tener en cuenta.
-SOCIETAL POINT OF VIEW:  desde un punto de vista social.
-NURSING MOTHER: madre lactante.
-FAIR TRADE:  comercio justo.
-HEARTBURN:  ardor de estómago.
-ACID REFLUX: reflujo gástrico.
-IF YOU DO OPT:  si te decantas...
-BLOOD FLOW:  circulación sanguínea.

                                                    ***********************************



EXERCISES

1 Match these adjectives with their antonyms.

a) fair                                      1 harmful
b) right                                    2 unusual
c) common                              3 exaggerated
d) moderate                             4 reduced
e) healthy                                5 unjust
f) increased                             6 wrong


  2 Decide whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.

a) High consumption of coffee reduces mental fatigue     _______
b) The Robusta variety has more caffeine than the Arabica variety _______
c) Drinking more than two cups of coffee a day increases cholesterol levels ______
d) Drinking caffeine regularly can cause mild physical dependence ______
e) Not only coffee, tea also contains caffeine ______

                                     ************************************

SOLUTIONS

1 a) 5   /   b) 6   /  c) 2   /   d) 3  /  e) 1  /  f) 4

2 a) FALSE  /  b) TRUE  c) FALSE  d) TRUE  /  e) TRUE


HAVE A NICE DAY!

TRINITY ISE II - MULTI-TEXT EXERCISE / TRINITY ISE II Exámen - B2.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to continue with our Trinity College Tests. We're doing one of the reading and writing tasks of Trinity ISE II (B2) examination, the MULTI-TEXT part. At the end of the test, you'll find the solutions. 

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a continuar con nuestros Tests del Trinity College. Vamos a hacer una de las pruebas del  examen escrito del Trinity ISE II (B2), el Multi-Text. Al final del test, encontraréis las soluciones. 

TRINITY ISE II (B2)

MULTI-TEXT EXERCISE.  Task 2.  Read the following texts about "The bad Roman influence" and answer the questions.


TEXT A
The title of Peter Jones' book "Vote for a Caesar", how the ancient Greeks and Romans solved the problems of today", is itself explanatory. He believes that if we study the Greeks and Romans, we can be great like them.  Greek and Latin are often cited as the best languages:  they are more complete and accurate than modern languages. These claims are nonsense.

TEXT B
The Romans and Greeks had as many problems as we do. They were greedy, genocidal and cruel to animals. Perhaps that is why we like them: their errors, as well as their achievements, are familiar. Empires come and go, but it was the Romans who deveoped the systematic exploitation of colonies. Their phenomenal military machine enslaved natives, extracted resources and generated taxes.

TEXT C
The Romans gained luxuries: cheap food, wine, bathing and sanitation. Slaves provided labour, skills and entertainment (gladiatorial and sexual)  This model of empire led to European colonization;  the slave trade, exploitation of Africa and the Americas.  The US cotton industry and the Industrial Revolution.  At the opening of the Colosseum, 5,000 animals were killed. In one hunting spectacle, they massacred hundreds of lions, leopards and bears and thousands of ostriches, deer and wild boars.

TEXT D
The Romans invented sporting celebrities. We may not allow gladiatorial fights, but today's boxing and Formula One echo that fatal thrill.  Danger was not enough. The Romans turned Greek sports into gambling extravaganzas. Fortunes were won and lost at the Circus Maximus, as in horse racing today. We don't kill people on TV, but Big Brother has something in common with the voyeurism of throwing Christians to the lions.


QUESTIONS 1-5.  Read the following statements and decide which text each title refers to.

1 The Latin Touch                        _____
2 Games and gambling                 _____
3 Animals pushed to extinction    _____
4 A terrible human exploitation    _____
5 Romans are similar to us            _____

QUESTIONS 6-10.  Choose five TRUE statements from A-H.

6 _____     A   No influence can be found from Romans in our society.
7 _____     B   Romans bet at the time, huge amounts of money.
8 _____     C   The most accurate languages ever are Latin and Greek.
9 _____     D   Romans and Greeks weren't cruel at all.
10_____    E   Such a cruelty against animals is unthinkable nowadays.
                  F   Romans didn't have any colonies to exploit.
                  G   Romans invented and promoted slavery.
                  H   Some programmes on TV today can be compared with the Roman Circus.

QUESTIONS 11-15.  Find a suitable word or phrase in the texts to complete the missing information, Use no more than 3 words.

11  If we study the Greeks and Romans we can become ______________ like them.
12  Colonies were totally exploited by ____________.
13  More than _______________ were massacred at the Colloseum.
14  Sports like __________remain the gladiator fights.
15  Labour was provided by _________.


                                           ***********************************

SOLUTIONS

1 A  2 D  3 C  4 B  5 D

6 B  7 C  8 G  9 E  10 H

11 great  / 12 Romans / 13 5,000 / 14 boxing and F1 / 15 slaves


HAVE A NICE DAY! 

MUSIC AND ENERGY / MÚSICA Y ENERGÍA.

Hi my dear friends, are you fond of running or doing any exercise? Do you like listening to music while jogging or  running? Today we are going to know more about Running and Music.  I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos, ¿sois aficionados a correr o a hacer ejercicio? ¿Os gusta escuchar música mientras camináis o corréis? Hoy vamos a saber más sobre  Música y Correr . ¿Espero que os guste! 

Info: Speak Up magazine.
Photos: tone.and.tighten.com  /  buy.garmin.com  /  fr.wikipedia.org

GET FIT IN RHYTHM!       /     MUSIC AND ENERGY

Many runners and gym members feel that music makes exercise more enjoyable.  However, they might not know that scientists have found some kinds of music can improve people's energy by 15 per cent.  This was discovered by Dr. Costas Karageorghis at Brunel University's School of Sport and Education.  Karageorghis has worked with organisations such as Nike and with many champion athletes.  In the study,  thirty people listened to inspiring music by Queen, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Madonna.  They did exercise at the same time.


NERVE COMMUNICATION "STOPPED"

When they were doing exercise in time with the music, people showed higher energy levels.  Even when they were positive about how they felt.  When people are doing exercise, their nerves send messages saying that their body is getting tired. However, when they are listening to music at the same time,these messages are blocked. Karageorghis thinks this is because the music causes part of the brain to send different messages to the body that make it feel happy and relaxed.



DIFFERENT EFFECTS

Karageorghis' work shows that different types of music can have different effects on different people. The effect of some music can also depend on how tiring the exercise is. People who have extrovert personalities prefer faster and louder kinds of music compared to people who have a reserved personality.  This is because, for the music to have an effect, the brains of extrovert people need more stimulation than the brains of reserved people.  Reserved people want to feel less worried and so have better results when the music makes them feel relaxed.

The doctor was asked to provide music for the "Run to the Beat" half marathon in the UK, and which has also now started in other countries. "I also have lots of other exciting projects that I am working on," says Karageorghis.

One of these is to find out if the speed of the music we listen to has an effect on our heart rate while we exercise.

                                              ***********************

VOCABULARY

-ENJOYABLE: placentero.
-TO PROVIDE: suministrar.
-HEART RATE: ritmo cardíaco.
-HOT: picante
-TIRING : cansado.


EXERCISE.  Write the correct word in the gaps. The first letter and a description are given to help you.

a) Many athletes feel that music makes exercise more  e______________(pleasant)
b) Scientists have  p___________(demonstrated) that music has a positive effect on energy levels.
c) Music has a direct  e_______ (influence) on the brain.
d) People with different  a________ (dispositions) need different kinds of music.
e) Reserved people need to listen to slower and more  p_______ (soothing) music.
f) Dr Karageorghis was asked to  p________ (supply) music for the half marathon in the UK.


                                                ************************************

SOLUTIONS
a) enjoyable   b) proved  c) effect  d) attitudes  e) peaceful  f) provide


HAVE A NICE DAY!

LIFE STORIES / MY CAT SAVED MY LIFE / HISTORIAS DE VIDA - MI GATA ME SALVÓ LA VIDA.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to read  about a "life story" and a cat. Pets are very important to us and to our lives. It's demonstrated that a life with a pet is a "better life".  I hope you'll like this story! 
Dedicated to cats' lovers!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a leer sobre una "historia de vida" y una gata. Las mascotas son muy importantes para nosotros y nuestras vidas. Está demostrado que la vida con una mascota es "una vida mejor".  ¡Espero que os guste la historia! 
¡Dedicado a los amantes de los gatos!


Info: from Speak Up magazine.
Photos: royalcanin.es/ gatodomestico.com / veterinatiogatos.com

MY CAT SAVED ME FROM A FIRE  by Claire Hopkinson.

Early one morning last February, my cat Tink jumped onto my legs. I was fast asleep and she woke me up, which had never happened before. It was completely uncharacteristic:  she sleeps downstairs and never comes into the bedroom.

As she insisted and insisted, I sat up feeling groggy because I'd been out the night before, but I soon realized something was very wrong. The room was half-filled with white smoke, hanging in the air about one metre deep like a bank of white cloud.


PANIC!

I woke up my partner, Russ, in a panic and we jumped out of bed. As we made our way through the thick smoke, I was still trying to process exactly what was going on, and the danger only really hit me when I went out on to the landing.

Our son Jake, 19, had woken up, and as he opened his brother Scott's door, black smoke came out.  The smoke from Scott's room went up to the ceiling;  it was only then that the smoke alarm was triggered.  Scott, 22, emerged, shouting above the noise that he was struggling to breathe. I phoned the fire brigade, who told us to leave the house as quickly as we could.


NEIGHBOURS

Obviously we didn't want to leave our belongings behind and we dind't want to leave Tink behind,  but we couldn't find her and what was even worse, we knew we had no choice. We had to get out of the house!  We assumed Tink had slipped out of the house, too.

Within minutes, six fire engines arrived. As I stood in the road, I looked at our house and realised that the source of the fire was actually our next-door neighbours -flames were licking the front of her house. She had also managed to get out and was later taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. I couldn't even imagine what was happening in our house as the smoke poured out of the windows. I couldn't bear to look.

WHERE'S TINK?

For half an hour, our two houses were sprayed with water until the firefighters were satisfied that the fire was out. By now, however, our assumption that Tink was safe began to falter. We assumed she had managed to escape, but there was no sign of her. Russ told a firefighter and, even though he wasn't meant to, he went back into our house to look for her.


A MIRACLE

After a few moments he emerged with Tink over his arm. She was completely limp. She wasn't breathing and her tongue was hanging out. He had found her behind a cupboard in Jake's room. We assumed she was dead, and I felt heartbroken; she had saved us but died in the process. Then the firefighter put an oxygen mask on her and incredibly she took a breath and coughed. She was alive!  Groggy and stinking of smoke, but alive! Thanks to the firefighter, she was alive!!!!


A SENSE OF LOSS

As our house was totally wet and smoke-damaged, we had nowhere to live, so Tink went to my daughter Lesley's while we stayed in a hotel for a month.  It took weeks to recover from the trauma of what had happened. One corner of our house had been burnt and all our belongings were ruined. I was especially devastated to lose all my photographs and couldn't bear to open a cupboard to see what was salvageable. It all felt dreadful, but at least we were alive.

SIXTH SENSE

When we went to visit my daughter, it was clear that Tink had been traumatized, too. She was timid, refusing to leave my lap when I tried to get up. We have moved into rented accomodation while our house is renovated and Tink has finally come back to us.

The source of the fire was electrical. The firefighters told us we would have had six minutes to get out before we died in the fire, so Tink's sixth sense saved us!  She could have deserted us, but she came up to the most dangerous smoke-filled area to warn us. Generally, it is said that cats aren't known for their altruism but Tink seems to be the exception!!! Or, simply, cats are as altruistic as other animals!


VOCABULARY

-I COULDN'T BEAR: no pude soportar.
-TO FALTER: flaquear.
-LIMP: sin fuerzas.
-TO COUGH:  toser.
-TO STINK: apestar.
-LAP: regazo.


HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!
SEE YOU!

READING / A SHORT STORY /COINCIDENCES - LECTURA / UN RELATO CORTO/ COINCIDENCIAS.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to read a short story. Coincidences! I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a leer un relato corto. ¡Coincidencias! ¡Espero que os guste!


From:  Speak Up magazine.
Photos: news.bbc.uk

COINCIDENCES by Rachel Roberts. (When Jenny met Richard on a train, a series of coincidences made their meeting seem predestinated...)


The train came to a stop not long after we left Paddington station. I didn't notice at first because I was on the phone to my new assistant Bethan, carefully going over her instructions one more time. She was very young, and not the sharpest knife in the drawer!

I finished the call and realised we'd stopped moving. Then I heard the announcement. "This is the 15.52 London Paddington to Oxford train. We apologise for the delay to this train which is due to circumstances beyond our control."

I groaned aloud and the man sitting next to me made a similar noise. We looked at each other and smiled.
-You know this is so awesome!" My neighbour had a soft American accent.
-"What? The delay?"
- "No, this coincidence. I just read that exact same announcement in this book;  word for word!"

He was holding a Colin Dexter novel about Inspector Morse, an Oxford-based detective. It wasn't that much of a coincidence, but my neighbour had that fun, enthusiastic expression typical of Americans, so I laughed.

-"That's really funny!"

He stretched out his arm and looked at his wristwatch. "Do you think we'll be stuck here long?"

The watch caught my attention. The face showed a picture of Chairman Mao waving to the people. His arm moved to and fro in time to the seconds. I had bought an identical one years ago in Hong Kong. "I have a wristwatch just like that one," I said. "I think they're quite rare."
-"Really?"  Again he was happily enthusiastic. "My wife bought this for me in 1997 in Hong Kong. A shop called Shanghai Tang."

-"Yeah? That's where mine came from!" I was glad he'd mentioned his wife. It made me feel more relaxed about talking to him.
-"I wasn't even supposed to be on this train." the American went on. "I wanted to go earlier and now I'll definitely be late for my appointment. My assistant booked it for me and he's hot -what is it you Brits say? - he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer."
I looked at him. That phrase!

I had thought those very words about my own assistant only minutes before.  I began to feel intrigued. With a series of coincidences like this, maybe there was a reason for our meeting.

-"I'm an acupuncturist!" I said, wondering if maybe he did the same job.
-"Yeah?" he smiled. "I'm a computer systems analyst."  No links there, then. "Oh, and I'm Richard, by the way."

We shook hands. "Really? That's my brother's name. I'm Jennifer, Jenny."
-Nice to meet you." I began to feel inadequate.  All the coincidences were coming from him.
-"I don't even know how long it'll take me to get to my appointment from the station," said Richard. "I'm going to the China Centre. It's part of Oxford Univeristy. They're having problems with their new computers."

This was too much. "You're not going to believe this!" said Richard. "You know I'm beginning to think there must be a reason for us meeting!"

Me too. In fact I had thought those very words just seconds previously. "I don't suppose you're staying at the Linton Lodge Hotel, by any chance?"
-"Oh no. I'm going straight back right after the meeting."

Damn! Why did I never come up with any coincidences?

Richard looked a little embarrased. Maybe my mentioning hotels had made it seem like I wanted to meet up later. We fell silent and a few minutes later the train moved off. Richard went out of the window, still wishing I could have found the link between myself and this likeable American.

We arrived in Oxford only 20 minutes behind schedule and walked out of the station together. The front of the building was covered in scaffolding because of renovation work and I helped Richard find the taxi rank. He offered to share a taxi with me. My meeting was much later and I wanted to do some sightseeing first, but I didn't want to let him go. Not yet.

-"Richard, come and have a quick coffee."
His hand was on the door handle of the taxi.He hesitated and checked his Mao watch. "I'm kind of late."
-"Oh, go on. Maybe you have a message for me," I said.
He smiled. "OK, just a couple of minutes."

We walked away from the taxi and some other passengers climbed in. We had just turned around to look for the closest coffee shop, when we heard an immense crash followed by screams and cries of alarm.  Spinning round, we saw to our horror that part of the scaffolding had collapsed right on top of the taxi, burying it in twisted metal and brickwork. Things didn't look good for the people inside.

-"Oh my God," said Richard, "if you hadn't stopped me, I'd have been there!" We looked at each other, in shock. "Wow", said Richard, "so that was why we met!"


                                                   ******************************
VOCABULARY
-NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER: no es un lumbreras.
-TO GROAN: quejarse.
-ALOUD: en voz alta.
-AWESOME: increíble.
-STUCK: parado.
-CHAIRMAN: presidente.
-TO AND FRO: de un lado para otro.
-THOSE VERY WORDS: las mismísimas palabras.
-LIKEABLE: agradable.
-SCAFFOLDING: andamios.
-I'M KIND OF LATE:  tengo un poco de prisa.
-TO SPIN ROUND: girarse.
-TO COLLPASE: derrumbarse.
-TO BURY: enterrar.
-TWISTED: retorcido.
-BRICKWORK: enladrillado.

SEE YOU MY FRIENDS!