Intermediate - Languages

Reading comprehension exercise:

Which is the hardest language?

Watch these videos and fill in the gaps:

Learning a Foreign Language -- powered by ehow

1. Many teachers don’t speak the language fluently.
2. You should use a taped system to practice on your own
3. Languages have a lot of different dialects
4. In Texas there were a lot of Spanish speaking people.
5. Your need and willingness to spend the time determines your experience with learning languages

Do you need the transcript?

How to Learn English -- powered by ehow

English students want to immerse themselves in the English language

1. The unfortunate thing is that there are a lot of idioms
2. We are a powerful nation and many countries learn our language
3. Americans don’t know as many languages as other people around the world.

Do you need the transcript?

Is English hard for you?

Answers: They are written in white. Select the sentences above and you'll see them in the blanks.

Advanced - Immigration

Myths about immigration

2nd Intermediate - Plastic Surgery

Watch the video and note down the opinions of all the people you see.

2nd Intermediate - Multiculturalism

Watch the video and say whether the following statements are true or false.



1.Almost everyone speaks English
2.There are more than 50,000 people of Korean origin
3.There are hundreds of inhabitants of Chinese origin
4.China town is the most important shopping area
5.On a Sunday the speaker goes to China town to have breakfast
6.Little Italy got established in 1910s
7.Little Italy is the oldest Italian community
8.The Sicilian woman says she has been there for 15 years

Answers (they are written in white, select these lines to see them): 1T, 2T, 3F, 4F, 5F, 6F, 7T, 8F

Intermediate - Global warming

Watch the video and choose the correct option



1.The earth’s climate
a.has changed and the temperature risen
b.has recently started to change
c.will change and we’ll have another ice age

2. Scientist believe fossil fuels
a. are the most polluting source of energy
b. being burnt could be one of the causes of global warming
c. will endanger human activity

3. 1998
a. has registered the highest levels of CO2
b. was colder than 2005
c. was the hottest year

4. Artic sea ice
a. has decreased 10%
b. has decreased in the last 10 years
c. has decreased in the last 13 years

5. Developing countries
a. are the biggest producers of fossil fuels
b. will consume more fossil fuels
c. will suffer temperature increases

6. Among the consequences of global warming are
a. reduction of fish in costal areas
b. the extinction of rare species
c. weather changes

7. We can help reduce gas emissions
a. driving slower
b. turning off appliances at home
c. using energy efficient bulbs

Select this line to see the answers: 1a, 2b, 3c, 4a, 5b, 6c, 7c

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf

Watch and enjoy.



Remember you can participate in the constest with your translation to Galizian. Find more information in www.eoilugo.com

Avanced - Prepared to travel?

Watch the video and choose the correct answer for the questions below:



1. Before you travel...
a) cancel your newspaper subscriptions
b) talk to your postman
c) take care of your mail

2. You need time before the trip to...
a) get new credit cards
b) make sure you have copies of your prescriptions
c) give your family yhour contact details

3. For international travel you will need to...
a) know the currency of the country
b) get new credit cards
c) get a new phone

4. For the documents needed you must...
a) find your contry's embassy
b) apply for a VISA
c) make sure what identification document you need

5. To drive in another country you must...
a) renew your driver's license
b) get a passport
c) check your insurance

Answers are written in white, select the text to see them: 1c, 2b, 3a, 4c, 5c

Advanced - Music

Enjoy!

Advanced - Understanding the Crisis

Check the script on youtube.

Advanced - Martin Luther King

Listen to his speech



Learn more about him and do a listening exercise.

More tasks about his speech.

Advanced - How is technology affecting our brains

Advanced - How has technology affected our lives?

Watch the following video and fill in the blanks

1. Email is faster than postal.
2. People have more of a voice .
3. We can work on our presentations on the subway.
4. We invent more stuff to fill our time up.
5. Technology has a potential to destroy people.
6. High schoolers post things about classmates to ruin their reputation.
7. Kids film teachers and post on youtube.
8. We have to teach kids about the permanence of what they post.
9. On the Internet anything gets out everywhere.
   

As always, the answers are written in white. Select to see them.
You can also check the script.

Leave a comment: How has technology affected your life?

Advanced - Tales of the Unexpected

Watch the two parts of Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat and answer the following questions:

Part 1
Part 2

1. What did Mrs Bixby bring Mr Bixby at the beginning? Lunch, French fries
2. What did Mr Bixby ask her? He asked her to stop her visits to her aunt
3. What does Mrs Bixby always do when she visits the Colonel? Look out of the window, enjoy the view
4. What was the Colonel's errand? He wanted to have a look at some horses he intended to buy
5. Why does Mrs Bixby not wear the coat? She says it's too warm
6. Why does Mrs Bixby not go with her husband to the pawnshop? She says she can't be seen there
7. What does Mr Bixby say when he gives her the mink scarf? That she won't receive a Christmas present because he had spent more than he intended.

As always the answers are written in white. Select the text to see them.

Advanced - Ecotourism

Watch one of the following videos and prepare a gap exercise for your partner.

Student A: Eco-friendly hotels


More Eco-friendly options.

Student B: World Green Destinations

Leave a comment: How green are your holidays?

Advanced - Housing

Have you ever considered squatting?
Watch this video and see that it is not such a bad option.

Answer the following questions.
1. What was the place like when she first arrived there?
2. Why did she settle for it?
3. Where did they find the building materials?
4. How did she transport them?
5. Where did they get food? And clothes?
6. Why did she decide to live this way?
7. How does she say she pays for her rent?
8. Why did she leave the kitchen wall open?
9. What’s her favourite piece of recycling?
10. How did she avoid confrontation in the house?
11. What are the gardens used for?
12. Where did the plants come from? And the marble for the paths?

The answers are written in white. Select to see them:
1. The place had no doors, windows the cables ripped out
2. She saw potential in it. She chose the house because of the light from the east and west
3. The building material was found in the neighbourhood
4. She used a trolley to bring things
5. She got her food from the Covent Garden market. The clothes came from jumble sales or charity shops
6. She could make a home for herself
7. She paid the rent with her work
8. She left the wall open in the kitchen because she likes the light and she wanted to see the lath, the muscles of the house
9. Her favourite piece of recycling is an 1937 oven
10. To avoid confrontation in the house she built kitchens
11. The gardens were an outlet for their creativity
12. They bring the plants from other peoples gardens. They brought marble from a factory nearby

Stupid Criminals

Read about funny cases here.

Advanced - Plastic Surgery

Watch this video and choose the correct answer:

1. The number of plastic surgery procedures has risen
a) more in teenagers
b) more in adults
c) in general

2. Some teenagers get surgery
a) as a present when they graduate from highs chool
b) before going to the prom
c) before finishing highs chool

3. Plastic surgery is not recommended
a) for teenagers
b) for people minors
c) for people under 21

4. Adults have surgery
a) to attract attention
b) to be thinner
c) to get a better job

5. Most teenagers have surgery to
a) change their noses
b) feel accepted
c) look like their peers

6. Parents
a) usually influence their children
b) have to convince their children
c) shouldn't be the ones to suggest surgery

7. Some insurance companies cover
a) some plastic surgeries
b) no plastic surgery
c) only surgery on adults

8. Teens for whom surgery can be good are
a) realistic
b) intelligent
c) sympathetic

Answers written in white, select o see them: 1.c, 2.b, 3.b, 4.a, 5.b, 6.c, 7.a, 8.a

Advanced - Chinese Health System

Watch the video and complete the blanks

1. The US spends 17% of its GDP on health care
2. The employers contribute 70 to 80% of the premium
3. Employers are mandated to provide insurance program
4. The Urban Resident Insurance Program is run by government
5. People cannot be mandated to enrol the program
6. The rural cooperative insurance program covers farmers
7. The subsidy is 80% of your total premium

The answers are written in white. Select the blanks to see them.

Advanced - International Women's Day

Are we equals?

Advanced - Business news

Listen to this podcast about the world oil crisis. The BBC may remove the podcast in a few days.
For more business and sport news visit the Radio 5 podcast page.

Discrimination

What's de difference between sex discrimination and gender discrimination?
Watch and find the answer

IKEA - Intermediate

IKEA's universe.


Watch up to minute 3.20 and indicate to what these figures refer

1. 500 million customers visit a store each year
2. 300 stores around the world
3. 36 countries
   
4. 42 distribution centres
5. 1,000 suppliers
6. 10,000 item product line
7. 13 million tables, desks and wardrobes
   
8. 3,000 upholster pieces daily
   

You can see the answers selecting the text next to the questions.

Be happy!!

Listen and enjoy. This is ASA.



Now let's learn some English. Try to fill in the blanks.

Woke up early this morning
With a smile on my face
Thought you were next to me
But then i see you walking away
Something ain't right this morning
Is it a sign he's leaving me
So i call on a friend
Who might know better than me

She says:
You worry much about things you don't understand
But don't give up, if it doesn't go with the plan
Why not have some fun
While you're still young and still ok
Cos'life is short
Do what you can today today

Why can't we be happy

What is life about
Did nobody tell you
The reason why i ask
I can see you're so confused

You worry much about things you cannot see
You have it all, with your money you still complain
Why not live this life
While you're still young and still ok
Cos'life is short
Do what you can today today

As always, the answers are written in white. Select the lyrics to see them.
Did you like it? Want some more? Click here.

ADVANCED - Video Curriculums

Watch the first 2 videos and identify the different parts of the CV.





Which of the two do you like most?

Now you can watch a very "interesting" video CV. Would you hire him?

Just the Way You Are

Relax a bit listening to this song.


Now try to fill in the gaps

Oh her eyes, her eyes

Make the stars look like they're not shining

Her hair, her hair

Falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful

And I tell her every day

Yeah I know, I know

When I compliment her

She wont believe me

And its so, its so

Sad to think she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look okay

I say

When I see your face

There's not a thing that I would change

Cause you're amazing

Just the way you are

And when you smile,

The whole world stops and stares for a while

Cause girl you're amazing

Just the way you are

Her nails, her nails

I could kiss them all day if she'd let me

Her laugh, her laugh

She hates but I think its so sexy

She's so beautiful

And I tell her every day

Oh you know, you know, you know

Id never ask you to change

If perfect is what you're searching for

Then just stay the same

So don't even bother asking

If you look okay

You know I say

As always the answers are written in white. Select the gap or line to see them.

Do you know how to do a Gwyneth?

• Click to watch the speech
• Gwyneth doesn't forget anyone in her speech!

Advanced Oral Exam - Monologues

Do you know how to make a short presentation?
How would you start and conclude?
And what about the middle of your speech?

Listen to the following programs to get some ideas:

ALEJANDRO


ISABELLE


FIND MORE useful information in www.splendid-speaking.com and splendidspeaking.podomatic.com.