ENGLISH / GRAMMAR EXERCISES / EJERCICIOS DE GRAMÁTICA.

Hi everybody, today we're going to see a mix of grammar exercises.

Hola a todo el mundo, hoy vamos a ver una mezcla de ejercicios de gramática.

1.- MATCH EACH WORD WITH EACH ANTONYM.

Long            wide
narrow         sad
Wet              hard
soft               thin
fat                dry
happy           short


2.- WRITE THE COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE OF THESE ADJECTIVES.

BRAVE >
HOT >
BIG >
THIN >
DIFFICULT >
BORING >
GOOD >
BAD >

3.- COMPLETE WITH THE COMPARATIVE OR SUPERLATIVE OF THE ADJECTIVE IN BRACKETS.

a) He is ___________(good-looking) than his father.
b) She is _______(pretty)  than me.
c) Spain is _______(large)  than England.
d) The ________(bad)  student in the class is Paul.
e) That was the ________(funny)  film of the festival.
f) My football team is the _______(good)
g) This book is _____(boring)  than that one.
h) Rocío is ______(short)  than David.

4.- WRITE IN ENGLISH.

a) El pelo de Lizzie no es tan corto como el de Dan.
b) ¿Va bien si salgo mañana por la noche?
c) Los dos son bastante delgados.
d) ¿Qué vais a hacer este fin de semana?
e) Las dos tienen el pelo rubio.
f) Sí, por supuesto que puedes.
g) No, lo siento, me temo que no puedes.
h) No creo que eso sea correcto.
i) Estaba estudiando cuando el teléfono sonó.
j) Mientras (yo) estaba viendo la tele, entró mi hermana.
k) El niño rompió el cristal así que su madre le castigó.
l) Asegúrate de que el periquito siempre tenga suficiente agua.

5.- A JOKE. (ENGLISH HUMOUR)    AT THE RESTAURANT.

A man and a woman were having a romantic dinner in a fine restaurant.  They were smiling at each other and holding hands.  Their waitress then noticed the man slides slowly down in his chair and disappears under the table.  His partner didn't react and she carried on eating calmly.  After a few moments the waitress began to think that the lady hadn't noticed.  So she went over to the table and said:  "Excuse me, madam, but I think your husband just slid under the table."  The woman calmly looked up at her and said:  "No, he didn't.  He just walked in the door!"

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

THE SOLUTIONS

1.- MATCH EACH WORD WITH EACH ANTONYM.

Long >  short
Narrow >  wide
Wet > dry
Soft > hard
Fat > thin
Happy > sad

2.- WRITE THE COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE.

BRAVE  >    braver ... than     /   the bravest.
HOT >   hotter...than   /   the hottest.
BIG >   bigger... than   /   the biggest.
THIN >   thinner ... than   /   the thinnest.
DIFFICULT>  more difficult... than    /   the most difficult.
BORING >  more boring ... than   /   the most boring.
GOOD >  better... than   /   the best.
BAD >  worse... than  /  the worst.

3.- COMPLETE WITH THE COMPARATIVE OR SUPERLATIVE.

a) more good looking
b) prettier
c) larger
d) worst
e) funniest
f) best
g) more boring
h) shorter

4.- WRITE IN ENGLISH.

a) Lizzie's hair isn't as short as Dan's.
b) Is it OK if I go out tomorrow evening?
c) They're both thin.
d) What are you going to do this weekend?
e) They have both got fair hair.
f) Yes, of course, you can.
g) No, I'm sorry, I'm afraid you can't.
h) No, I don't think that's right.
i) I was studying when the phone rang.
j) While I was watching TV, my sister entered.
k) The boy broke the glass so his mother punished him.
l) Make sure the budgie always has  enough water.



HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

SEE YOU!!!

"HOY POESÍA"

Buenos días queridos amigos y seguidores, hoy haremos un guiño a la poesía. ¡Tan bonita, tan dulce y tan difícil de hacer!

Los poemas que vamos a leer a continuación son del autor Angel Luis Romo, de su libro "Se diría que nadie" de ediciones Vitruvio.

¡Espero que os gusten!

CREAR HOY ESTOS VERSOS

Crear hoy estos versos de la nada.
¿De dónde me vendrán inspiraciones?
¿De sonidos de voces, de oraciones,
de murmullos...?  Serán agua pasada
si no son más que notas disgregadas,
el átomo imposible de electrones
que no pueden unirse, huecos sones
de palabras si acaso bien rimadas.
Sentado en la terraza de este bar,
soledad entre mesas y entre sillas,
¿a quién debo el poema dedicar?
¿A un plato y a una taza que hacen juego,
al mendigo de verso en octavilla,
o a la mujer que fuma y pide fuego?

Podría dedicarlo al camarero
que maneja el platel con artificio,
o quizás al espléndido edificio
de la esquina.  Escribir de lo primero
que me venga a la mente.  Nada, cero
será lo que así surja, simple oficio
del que junta vocablos con el vicio
de mesurar las sílabas certero.
Crear hoy estos versos de la nada.
¿De dónde me vendrán inspiraciones?
¿De ver irse las horas de pasada
jugando con la pluma entre los dedos?
Expresar de la nada sensaciones
vacías  es lo único que puedo.


¿QUÉ ES POESÍA?

                     Adorno: "... es la magia liberada de la grande mentira de ser cierto"

Poesía es la magia del espíritu,
el único refugio que le queda
a la esencia en esta vida de ferias
donde solo se venden objetivos.
Es la voz que se agita desde dentro.
Poeta es condición, estado de ánimo,
observar más allá de realidades,
dejar que el sentimiento, inevitable,
fluya sin rémora.  La poesía
revela los secretos del que escribe
desde su adentro:  mundos, mecanismos,
naturalezas, síntesis de imágenes,
se narran con extraña sutileza.
Poesía es jugar con la palabra,
hacer que se transforme, liberarla,
dejar que la mentira sea cierta.


MUSGO Y PIEDRA

En la piedra busqué serenidades,
y en el musgo las risas de los rostros.
Y crecieron las risas de los rostros
en las serenidades.


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

¡NI UN DÍA SIN POESÍA!

THE GRAMMAR CORNER -STILL, YET, ALREADY

Good morning everybody, first of all I'd like to send  my best wishes to Lorca's people because of the yesterday earthquake. 

Buenos días a todo el mundo, lo primero me gustaría enviar mis mejores deseos para la gente de Lorca por el terremoto de ayer.

As you can see and as we have read on the pages of this blog  about natural disasters, we never know when it's going to happen a thing like that.

Como podeis ver y   hemos leído en las páginas de este blog sobre desastres naturals, nunca sabemos cuándo va a suceder algo así.



Today our Grammar Corner is dedicated to the words STILL, YET AND ALREADY.

Hoy nuestra Esquina de la Gramática está dedicada a las palabas STILL, YET y ALREADY.



The most  important thing about this is to know the translation and the way of using these words.

Lo más importante sobre esto es saber la traducción y la forma de utilizar estas palabras.



**STILL: todavía (se usa en frases afirmativas).

**YET : todavía  (se usa en frases negativas e interrogativas) Va siempre el último.

**ALREADY:  ya (se usa indistintamente en afirmativas e interrogativas).



SIEMPRE DEBEMOS UTILIZAR ESTAS PALABRAS CON ESTOS SIGNIFICADOS Y "NO" CON OTROS.



Examples:

- John is still in bed:  John está todavía en la cama.

- The baby hasn't woken up yet:  el bebé no se ha despertado todavía.

- The train has already arrived:  el tren ha llegado ya.

- Is Susan already dressed?:  ¿Está Susan vestida ya?



WRITE IN ENGLISH / PHRASES.

- Lucas está todavía estudiando.

- ¿Has fregado ya los platos?.

- No he terminado todavía los deberes.

- Mis amigos todavía no han comido.

- ¿Ha venido ya Esther?.

- Mi hija todavía no se ha levantado.

- Mi perro está todavía enfermo.



AND NOW, A FUNNY LITTLE STORY

Y AHORA UNA PEQUEÑA Y DIVERTIDA HISTORIA.



A FORTUNE TELLER  (una adivina)

Hundreds of years ago a king went to see a fortune teller to know what she could predict about his future.

The fortune teller told the king that one of his wives would die (moriría)  that year but the king didn't believe (creer)  her and left laughing ( riéndose).

Unfortunately, that year one of his wives died and he remembered the fortune teller's words and at that very moment, he thought that she had caused the death of his wife. So, he decided that the woman had to die too.



He ordered to call the woman and when she was before him he asked:  "Some months ago you told me that one of my wives would die this year and that has happened so you are a fortune teller, tell me right now : when will you die? 

At once ( en seguida) , the fortune teller realised (se dio cuenta)  that the king was planning to kill (matar)  her and answer him:  "I will die three days before you do, your majesty".


SOLUTIONS  /WRITE IN ENGLISH

-Lucas is still studying.
-Have you already done the washing up?
-I haven't finished my homework yet.
-My friends haven't had lunch yet.
-Has Esther already come?
-My daughter hasn't got up yet.
-My dog is still ill.




HAVE A NICE DAY!

A FICTION STORY / DREAMDATE.COM / Una historia de ficción.

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

Hola mis queridos amigos,  aquí os dejo para leer una historia de ficción.  Espero que os guste.


From Speak Up magazine.

DREAMDATE.COM  by Charlotte Booth.


Antonella was unlucky with men.  She hoped Simon would be different.  She met him on dreamdate.com  six months ago and she was about to meet him for the first time.  She was very nervous as she had heard internet horror stories about people not being what they seem, giving false information, 20-year-old photographs, being generally creepy, or even dangerous.  She was hoping he would be as charming as he came across online, but she was expecting a creepy, solitary weirdo.  If he was not, then that would be a bonus.

She arrived at the agreed tube station early so, she could see him arrive and decide whether to go through with the date.

When she saw him, exactly on time, she took her breath away.  He was beautiful.  He was tall, over 6 feet, with jet-black hair that curled slightly over his ears.  His skin was paler than it appeared in this dreamdate  profile picture, but it had an almost ethereal glow.  She knew he was the same age as her, but somehow he looked ageless.  She couldn't stop looking at him, and she watched, trance-like, as he approached.  She could feel the blush rise to her face, as Simon leant forward to kiss her cheek.  She felt an electric charge as his lips touched her cheek.  Her hand involuntarily went to the spot where his lips had touched.  She gave herself a mental telling-off : "Yes, he's attractive, but that doesn't mean he isn't an axe-murdering weirdo!"

They walked to the local pub, where Antonella ordered a bottle of Chianti with two glasses.  The barman gave her a strange look, and she assumed he was an old-fashioned type who believed the man should buy the drinks on a date.  She gave him the money and a nasty look before returning to their table.

Conversation flowed easily and Simon was exactly the same in person as he was online:  funny, intelligent, and he listened to her, a big change for Antonella, who always ended up on dates with guys that dominated the conversation.

They were getting to the bottom of their bottle of wine, so they ordered another, and a barbecue platter for two.  The barman totally ignored Simon, and spoke only to Antonella.  Maybe she looked hotter than she thought.

The pub was going to close soon and they had to leave.  At the station they were reluctant to say goodbye and they kissed.  It was unlike any other kiss Antonella had ever experienced.  His lips and breath were cool against hers, but the kiss was so powerful it lasted for both a minute and eternity.  It was literally breathtaking.  She walked through the ticket barriers, turning to wave a final goodbye but Simon was gone.

For the next few days Antonella was extraordinarily happy.  Simon was handsome, funny, intelligent, realiable and sensible.

However, after five days, she still hadn't heard from him.  She wondered what she had done to put him off.  Did she drink too much?  Did he find her boring?  With hindsight she didn't remember seeing Simon drink or eat very much at all.  That must be it!  She drank all the wine and ate all the food.  She kicked herself for being so stupid!

She logged onto the dreamdate.com  website, hoping he had sent a message.  Her heart leapt.  She saw the most beautiful words in the English language:  SIMON  SENT  YOU A MESSAGE.

She opened the message with anticipation, nerves and excitement, but she wasn't ready for the news it held:

"I'm Simon's brother, and I have some sad news about Simon.  Last Thursday he was in a car accident and died from his injuries on Friday morning.  He told me he had planned to meet you.  He would have hated for you to be kept waiting, as he was always so reliable.  He was looking forward to meeting you".

Antonella read the message again, but the information did not register.  There was something wrong with the timing.

"If he died on Friday morning, we couldn't have met on Friday evening," she reasoned.
Slowly, things started to fall into place.  The ethereal appearance, the strange looks all night, the strange physical sensations.  To everyone else she had sat talking to herself, eating and drinking for two.
The only conclusion was that, despite dying, Simon had kept their date.  Now, that was a reliable guy!

While she was growing up, Antonella's mother had always said to her: "The only reliable man is a dead one!"  She hadn't wanted to believe it, but it seemed she was right!!!!


                                                                 THE  END
Did you like the story?
What do you think about?

VOCABULARY

-ABOUT TO:  a punto de.
-CREEPY:  inquietante.
-TO COME ACROSS:  dar la impresión.
-WEIRDO:  bicho raro.
-TO GO THROUGH WITH:  seguir adelante.
-6  FEET:  1,82 m.
-GLOW:  resplandor.
-TRACE-LIKE:  como en trance.
-BLUSH:  rubor.
-TO LEAN FORWARD:  inclinarse hacia delante.
-TELLING-OFF:  bronca.
-REALIABLE:  de confianza.
-TO PUT OFF:  desanimar.
-WITH HINDSIGHT:  en retrospectiva.
-TO LOG ONTO:  entrar, acceder.
-TO LEAP:  brincar.


HAVE A NICE DAY !!!!

NEWS / FUTURE SHOCK / Noticias chocantes.

Hi my dear friends, once again I'm here to show you today some "special news" that can be considered as a future schock or not, you will tell me after, I hope.

Hola mis queridos amigos, una vez más estoy aquí para enseñaros hoy algunas "noticias especiales" que pueden considerarse como chocantes y del futuro o no, ya me contaréis, ¡o eso espero!

From Speak Up magazine.

A HISTORY OF SOUND

These days everybody seems to have their own website or blog, many of which seem to be pointless. Yet,  there are some that while appearing to be useless are actually very interesting and important!
The Museum of Endangered Sounds  www.savethesounds.info  is a website dedicated to saving those sounds from your youth that are now about to become obsolete:  sounds such as a typewriter, a fax machine, or the hiss between songs on a cassette tape, that you may have once hated but that you now feel nostalgic for.

Marina di Pisa - Pisa (Italia)

A SAFETY NET FOR FISH

The fishing industry has often come under attack for cathing smaller fish in deep-sea fishing nets when they are only after much bigger ones.

Now, a new award-winning UK invention called "The Safety Net"  offers an escape route for small unmarketable fish by using LED  lights to light up a pathway to small rings in the net, and to sea freedom for "small fry"


3D  LEAP FORWARD

Silicon Valley based company LEAP MOTION  has just launched a 3D-gesture-sensor device that could mean that the days of the computer mouse are numbered.  The "Leap"  creates a 3D interaction space in front of the computer screen,  in which the tiniest gesture can be sensed.



RECYCLING SHOWER

If you have problems getting out of the shower, here's an invention that will make you feel better about the wasted water and energy!
Briton, Peter Brewin has invented a shower that recycles water while it purifies it.  The shower is set for use in drought prone zones.


VOCABULARY

-POINTLESS:  sin sentido.
-USELESS:  inútil.
-ENDANGERED:  en peligro.
-TO COME UNDER ATTACK:  ser el blanco de las críticas.
-SMALL FRY:  pececitos.
-LEAP  FORWARD:  un salto más allá.
-DEVICE:  dispositivo, aparato.
-DROUGHT:  sequía.
-PRONE: propenso.
-HISS: silbido.


HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!

AND BE HAPPY!!!

INSTAGRAM, THE PHOTO APP / Instagram, la aplicación de fotos.

Hi my dear friends, today we'll look at an app, a very famous  photo app : "INSTAGRAM" , its origins and curiosities.

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy hablaremos de una aplicación, una aplicación  fotográfica muy famosa : "INSTAGRAM", sus orígenes y curiosidades.


From Speak Up magazine

INSTAGRAM

Instagram is an "app".  App is the abbreviation for the word application.  An application is a programme which you can install onto your smartphone.  Instagram is a programme which permits you to take pictures, apply some special effects to them, share them with the other Instagram users and receive somments on them.

Instagram is also a social network, like Facebook or Twiter.  You can have friends, you can follow people, and people can follow you.




REGULATIONS AND RULES

Instagram was originally for Apple phones and devices such as iPods and iPads, but it is now possible to have this programme on Android phones, too.  There are Terms of Use that users must follow.  For example:  You must be 13 years old or older.  You can't post nude, partially nude, or sexually suggestive photos.  You must be responsible for your own account and all its activity.




INSTAGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Instagram development began when Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger started working on a project on mobile photography.  In January 2011, Instagram added hashtags to help users discover pictures they could find interesting, and discover other users with similar tastes and insterests.  In February 2011, Instagram's value was $25 million.

FACEBOOK

In April 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion.  In contrast to many other programmes and social networks, Instagram does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video or any other materials that users post.



TOP INSTAGRAMERS

Liz Eswein studied media, culture and communication at New York University.  She has over 400,000 followers, more than Lady Gaga or Madonna.  Her address is simply @newyorkcity.  She documents iconic scenes in New York.


Anthony Danielle, or @takinyerphoto on Instagram, is very popular for taking pictures of fashionably conscious New Yorkers.  He is now considered one of the "15 Stylish People to Follow on Instagram"  by Complex Magazine and has had photos featured in the Huffington Post and Mashable.com



VOCABULARY

-TO TAKE A PICTURE: sacar una foto.
-TO APPLY: aplicar.
-TO SHARE: compartir.
-TO FOLLOW: seguir.
-DEVICE: aparato.
-SUCH AS:  tal como.
-SUGGESTIVE:  insinuante.
-HASHTAG:  almohadilla.
-TO CLAIM: reclamar.
-FASHIONABLY CONSCIOUS: personas que van a la última moda.


HAVE A NICE DAY !!!!

AND TAKE PHOTOS!!!

THE MUSEUM OF EVERYTHING - LONDON .

Hi my dear friends, today we are going to know a bit more about these London's Hidden Museums such as "The Museum of Everything, The Hunterian Museum and The Cinema Museum. It's sure we haven't heard about them but they are very curious and interesting, too.
I hope you'll like it!


Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a saber un poco más sobre estos Museos Escondidos de Londres  de los que seguramente no hemos oído hablar y que son muy curiosos e  interesantes también  como El Museo de Todo, el Museo Hunterian y el Museo del Cine.
¡Espero que os gusten!


From: Speak Up magazine.

**THE MUSEUM OF EVERYTHING

Expect the unexpected at the Museum of Everything.  This is a place of secret art, created by outsiders. Their first exhibition in 2009 was so successful that it went on an European tour!

There are three exhibitions on show.  One of the most recent was curated by Sir Peter Blake, the godfather of British Pop Art.

INFO
-Address:  Corner of Regents Park Road and Sharples Hall St, Camden.
-Entry:  Free, Wed to Sun, 11 am - 6 pm. Shows include drawings, paintings and sculptures.
-Nearest Underground station:  CHALK FARM.


**THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM

John Hunter was  a famous surgeon in the 18th century in London.  He collected hundreds of animal specimens, including exotic lizards and kangaroos.  Today, his collection forms the basis of the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons.  You might need a strong stomach to visit the Hunterian.  Its macabre exhibits include countless rows of animal heads bones and teeth preserved in glass jars, alongside surgical instruments, wax anatomical models and human skeletons.

INFO
-Address:  Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields.
-Entry:  Free, Tues-Sat, 10 am- 5 pm. There is a free guided tour every Wednesday at 1 pm.
-Nearest underground station:  HOLBORN.
-Online:  www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums

**THE CINEMA MUSEUM

The Cinema Museum will take you back to a time when "picture palaces"  offered pure escapism.  Its corridors are full of movie memorabilia, from old film posters to cinema seats, Art Deco carpets and doors, light fittings and usher's uniforms.

The museum is the result of one man's obsession, Ronal Grant fell in love with the movies as a child growing up in Scotland.  As a teenager he trained to be a projectionist and began collecting anything to do with film.

By the 1980s he had amassed so much material that he needed somewhere to display it!  Finally, the collection moved to the old Lambeth Workhouse in South London, where it is now open to the public. Charlie Chaplin stayed here as a child.

INFO
-Address:  The Master's House, 2 Dugard Way.
-Entry:  Adult 7 pounds, Fri-Mon.
-Nearest underground station:   Kensington or Elephant and Castle (10 minutes walk)
-Online:  www.cinemamuseum.org.uk


                              *******************************************
VOCABULARY 

-GODFATHER: padrino.
-STUFFED: disecado.
-SURGEON: cirujano.
-LIZARD: lagarto.
-ROW: fila.
-LIGHT FITTING: instalación eléctrica.
-USHER: acomodador.

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

HAVE A NICE DAY!!! 

AT THE VENICE CARNIVAL - A short tale / EN EL CARNAVAL DE VENECIA -Cuento corto.

Hi my dear friends, Venice is one of the best places in the world  to spend  Carnival !!!  So,   here you can read a short tale which is taking place in Venice and at Carnival!  A fiction story that  I hope you'll like it!  Enjoy it! and ...be careful!


Hola queridos amigos. Venecia es uno de los mejores sitios del mundo para pasar el Carnaval. así que aquí tenéis un cuento corto que tiene lugar en Venecia y en Carnaval.  Una historia de ficción que espero  os guste.  ¡Que la disfrutéis! y...¡tened cuidado!

From Speak-Up magazine. 

NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW  by Charlotte Booth

Considering what I was planning to do, I was strangely calm.  No sweaty palms, no butterflies in my stomach, no heart palpitations.  No doubts.  I was doing the right thing, of that I was sure.

I had decided to travel by train even though it was three hours from Milan.  I was in no rush, and by travelling this way, I could guarantee I would be relaxed when I arrived.
When the day finally came I dressed carefully, all in black.  This was normal for me anyway, but it also added to the elegance and the mystery of the occasion.  I wore a long black woollen dress with a flared skirt, and my favourite leather boots with a 10 centimetre heel.

This was all I was prepared to wear on the train journey.  Anything else would draw attention to me. However, once I arrived at the final station, I popped into the public toilets to finishing dressing.  I put on long black satin gloves and adorned my fingers with large sparkling rings.
I covered my blonde hair with a large black Marie-Antoinette wig, with ringlets falling about my face. The look was almost complete.

The final addition was a full-face plastic mask with small holes for the eyes and nostrils.  The mask itself was  decorated with feathers and red and silver glitter.  To cover the join of my mask and my neck, I wrapped an enormous scarf of black and red tulle around it.  I looked perfect.

I put my entire reason for being there into my sleeve and secured it with a ribbon.  I left the toilets and started walking through the streets to the main square.  Along the way I was continually photographed and looked at, but that was all part of my plan.  To be anonymous in public.  The closer we got to the square  the more crowded it became and the more people stopped me to take a photograph.
At the square it took some time before I saw him, standing by the cathedral with HER.  The woman he had left me for.  She was laughing and joking and holding him so tightly, it was as if she couldn't stand unaided.  I walked casually towards them, stopping to have my photo taken by dozens more tourists.  She spotted me and whispered something to him.  He nodded in response as she came towards me and asked if she could be photographed with me.  Perfect!

As we posed for the camera I discreetly pulled my dagger from my sleeve and quickly stabbed her in the side.  As quickly and discreetly I slipped it back up my sleeve.  I had practised this move hundreds of times before getting here and it was perfect.  Her blood didn't show on my black clothes. No one seemed to notice anything was wrong as she stumbled back to him.  The crowd quickly swallowed them and me up.
Five minutes later, after a quick adjustment of my outfit, removing the scarf, wig and mask, I was a different person.  I was sorry I couldn't stay and watch her die, but it would have been too dangerous, so I continued enjoying the festivities until I was ready to catch the train back to Milan.

Later that evening, while watching the news, I realised my plan had been a successful one.  The newsreader announced seriously to the camera:  "Today there was a fatal stabbing at the Venice Carnival.  People are holding the victim's boyfriend in connection with the incident.  They are not considering any other suspects at this time."

                                                       

EXERCISE

Choose the word from the list that best fits the gap.

spotted  /  rush  /  sweaty  /  stumbled  /  newsreader  /  glitter  /  outfit /  suspect

a) We were running out of petrol when we ________  a petrol station in the distance.
b) I always choose my ______ the night before I have to wear it.
c) The bright sparkles from the coloured _______ on her face dazzled the crowd.
d) When he announced the death of the esteeemed politician, the ______ seemed upset.
e) In his _____ to get to work, Sam forgot to turn off the oven and had to go back.
f) The children always come back to the classroom _____ after gym class.
g) After a very quick glass of champagne during the intermission, I _____ back to my seat.
h) There was no obvious _____ for the murder, as he or she had left no clues at all!


VOCABULARY FROM THE TEXT.

-SWEATY:  sudoroso.
-RUSH: prisa.
-WOOLLEN: de lana.
-FLARED SKIRT: falda acampanada.
-HEEL: tacón.
-TO POP INTO: entrar un momento.
-SPARKLING: brillante.
-WIG: peluca.
-RINGLET: rizo, bucle.
-NOSTRIL: orificio nasal.
-GLITTER: purpurina.
-SLEEVE: manga.
-RIBBON: lazo.
-TO SPOT: avistar, divisar.
-TO WHISPER: susurrar.
-TO  NOD:  asentir.
-DAGGER: puñal.
-TO  STAB: apuñalar.
-TO STUMBLE BACK: volver tambaleándose.
-OUTFIT:  atuendo, ropa.
-NEWSREADER: presentador del telediario.

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EXERCISE SOLUTION.

a) spotted.
b) outfit.
c) glitter.
d) newsreader.
e) rush.
f) sweaty.
g) stumbled.
h) suspect.

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HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!!!!


AND TAKE CARE !!!!  Mainly at Carnival!!!

DIVERS / SUBMARINISTAS.

Hi my dear friends, once again here I am, today we'll look at "divers" . Our oceans are wonderful  and people who are able to dive and get into contact with the sea world, I think, are special!
In my personal opinion, I'm sure that we  know only  a minimum part of our  seas and oceans  which are essential for the Planet life . We must take care of our seas to preserve the Earth! 
Let's go and know more about these brave "divers".


Hola mis queridos amigos, una vez más aquí estoy.  Hoy hablaremos de  los "submarinistas". Nuestros océanos son maravillosos y la gente que es capaz de bucear y ponerse en contacto con la vida marina, yo  creo que es especial.  En mi opinión personal, estoy segura de que sabemos solo una mínima parte acerca de nuestros mares y océanos, los cuales son básicos para la vida del Planeta. ¡Debemos cuidar nuestros mares para conservar la Tierra!
¡Vamos a saber más sobre estos valientes submarinistas!


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photo of my own

D I V E R S

For thousands of years men have lived under water to look for shells and fish.  About 2,300 years ago men were using breathing tubes to stay under the water for a long time.  Without a tube. most people can stay under water not more than two minutes.

Today, on any beach, you can see people using breathing tubes, called "snorkels".  They also wear a mask to help them to see better under water.  On their feet there are rubber "fins" or "flippers" to help them to swim along easily and quickly.
Using these things anyone can swim along with his head under the water for a long time.  When you see something interesting, you can dive down to look at it, and then come to the top again and continue the swim.  Perhaps you have done this!

If you want to go deeper into the water, and stay there for a while, you need something more, a tank of air.  A diver puts this tank on his back.

Divers have the same face mask and fins but now they are carrying air on their backs.  They breath it through a tube.  Divers like this are called "scuba-divers".
There are two difficulties, however.  The first is that a scubar-diver cannot stay under the water for a very long time.  The longest time is about two hours.
The second difficulty is that they can't go very deep.  Scuba-divers seldom go as deep as 50 metres- A diver who doesn't carry a tank of air can also go to about 60 metres and can stay there for long periods.  The air that they receive is pumped to them through a tube.  Also they don't get as cold as a scuba-diver because their suits keep them warm

All divers have to face one big problem -the weight of the water pressing down on them.  To go deeper than 60 metres a diver must wear a very strong suit.  If he wants to go very deep. he has to go inside a kind of container, a chamber or little submarine.  It is very strong but the diver cannot move about.

Some people have gone to the botton of very deep sea in a kind of steel ball called a diving bell and they have seen very strange creatures!

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

QUESTIONS

1.- When did divers first begin using breathing tubes?
2.- How long can most people stay under water without a tube?
3.- What is another name for a breathing tube?
4.- What can you do if you are wearing a snorkel tube, flippers and a mask?
5.- What is a scuba-diver?
6.- What are the two problems with scuba-diving?
7.- How do some divers stay under water for a long time?
8.- Why do divers who go very deep need a very strong suit?

SOME ADVICES TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

-Look at your question well.
-Always anwer in the same tense of the verb of the question.
-It's better to repeat some words from your question and complete.
-Answer correctly.

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ANSWERS
1.- Divers first began using breathing tubes about 2,300 years ago.
2.- People can stay  most under water without a tube not more than two minutes.
3.- A breathing tube is also named "snorkel".
4.- I can go scuba-diving.
5.- A scuba-diver is a diver with a tank of air on his back to be able to breathe.
6.- The first problem is that a scuba-diver can't stay for a long time under the water and the second problem is that he cannot go very deep.
7.- Divers can stay under the water for a long time if they don't carry any tank of air and can breathe through a tube connected to them from the surface.
8.- Divers need a very strong suit if they go very deep because it's very cold under the sea.


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HAVE A NICE DIVING!!!

SEE YOU !!!

LONDON'S HIDDEN MUSEUMS / THE MAGIC CIRCLE MUSEUM / Museos escondidos de Londres/ El Museo del Círculo Mágico.

Hi my dear friends, here again and today to look at one of these hidden museums in London which are so interesting!  the Magic Circle Museum, one of the places I suggest you to visit if you go to this marvellous city.
Let's go !


Hola mis queridos amigos, otra vez aquí y hoy para mirar hacia uno de estos museos escondidos de Londres que son ¡tan interesantes! el Museo del Círculo Mágico, uno  de los lugares que os sugiero visitar si vais a esta maravillosa ciudad.
¡Allá vamos!

photo: of my own

                                              A MAGICAL MYSTERY  TOUR 

                                              THE MAGIC CIRCLE MUSEUM



The Magic Circle was formed in London in 1905 by a group of magicians who wanted to protect their secrets.

Over 100 years later it is the most famous magic society in the world, with members including David Copperfield and Prince Charles.

Today, their hidden headquarters are in a small cobbled street in central London.  A series of magnificent rooms, including a thatre, library and The Magic Circle Museum, show the history of magic and illusion.

But don't expect to learn all the tricks of the trade.  The Magic Circle's motto is "INDOCILIS PRIVATA LOQUI", meaning "not apt to disclose secrets".



FAMOUS EXHIBITS

**Houdini handcuffs.

The famous escapologist Harry Houdini first came to London in 1900.
After escaping from Scotland Yard's strongest manacles, he became known as the "Handcuff King".

**Prince Charles's cups and balls.  To become a member of The Magic Circle, you need to show your skills as a magician.  Prince Charles performed the old "cups and balls"  routine when he joined in 1975.


**Maurice Fogel's rifles.

The bullet catch trick is perhaps the most dangerous in magic.  While most magicians are happy to catch one bullet, Fogel would catch six!!!

**Robert Harbin's Zig Zag Lady.

One of magic's most famous illusions.  A woman steps into a cabinet and appears to be sliced into three parts by a blade, only to emerge unharmed.


VISITING INFO

**ADDRESS:  12 Stephenson Way, London NW1  2 HD

**ENTRY:  by appointment only.  Two evenings a month you can explore the building, including a tour of the museum, presentation on the history of magic and stage show in The Magic Circle Theatre.

**NEAREST UNDERGROUND STATION:  Euston Square.

**ONLINE:  website:   www.magiccirclevenue.co.uk


VOCABULARY OF THE TEXT

-COBBLED STREET:   calle adoquinada.
-TRICK:  truco.
-TRADE:  oficio.
-HANDCUFFS:  esposas.
-TO MANACLE:  esposar.
-TO SLICE:  cortar en rebanadas.
-BLADE:  cuchilla.
-MOTTO:  lema
-TO DISCLOSE:  revelar

Information from the magazine Speak Up.

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HAVE A NICE DAY!

SEE YOU!!