Tattoo Torment

Dear NI2, 
here's the audio file we listened to last week, in case you want to listen to it again or you didn't come to class and want to do the exercise. Ask me for the handout in class ;-)

Psycho

Dear NB2,
I'm sorry I forgot to post the Psycho trailer we watched in class on Thursday. Here it is in case you want to see it again. Remember that you were supposed to describe the house and its decoration (for revision of vocabulary related to houses), and the type of family that could live in such a house (how many members does it have, what do they do, how do they get on, etc.). I don't mind if you write it, but the most important thing is that you can do the description orally, without reading.

You can find the transcript here

Book Day

Happy Book Day to everyone!

"When I read a book I seem to read it with my eyes only, but now and then I come across a passage, perhaps only a phrase, which has a meaning for me, and it becomes part of me." 
(W. Shakespeare)

Are you a bookworm?

Treble Clef

In case Irene (NI2) wants to have her tattoo made in an English-speaking country, "Treble Clef" is what she'd have to say for "Clave de Sol" ;-)

(Image by Chema Madoz)

Exams and Education

Dear All, 
here's a video I "stole" from a friend's blog which I found very pertinent to publish, since we had a debate (NB2) on the topic not long ago. You can play it with subtitles in English.

I put the post under "Music", but in fact the performance's a type of poetry called "Spoken Word". 
Hope you like it! Have a nice weekend!

Hungry Planet

Dear NB2, 
here are the images I told you about yesterday:

Some years ago, the photographer Peter Menzel decided to travel around the world and take photographs of 30 families from 24 countries. The idea was to photograph the families, and the food they would eat that week, as well as taking note of the money each family would spend.
The book Menzel published is called Hungry Planet. I’d like you to pay attention to the differences between the families and the food they eat. Try to enumerate / describe what you see; stop the video with each of the slides. At the same time that you revise vocabulary, you’ll become aware of tremendous social differences.

Third type conditionals

Dear NI2, 
here's a very timely example of the third type conditional, which we have recently studied:

I don't need to tell you who the possessive "her" refers to, do I?

Going to the movies

Seen on Twitter:

Kinépolis Madrid. Precio día del espectador en películas V.O. para alumnos y profesores de las EOIs presentando el carnet de lunes a domingo
— ctrueba (@ctrueba) 16 de abril de 2013

Weak form of "have"

So that you practise the weak pronunciation of "have" in these modal forms: Should've been, Could've been... with Moloko

NI2 - Arguments

Dear NI2,
here's the audio file for exercise 4 on page 58. As I told you, listen once and tick the tips the psychologist mentioned. The second time you listen, complete the gaps in sentences 1-8. The key will be in the comment section tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend!

Learn English while on holiday

Hi everybody!
I'm posting this as a suggestion from one of my last year students. Francisco (now in NA2, Mo&Wed 19:00 - Room 7, in case you want to talk to him) has already had the holiday-practising English experience that you can find in this link. You may find it interesting as well. 
Actually, I'm thinking of going to that part of Britain next summer ;-)

Extr@

Dear NB2,
here's the first episode of a youtube series for English learners that you may want to follow. It might be a bit easy for you, but you can watch it without reading the subtitles ;-)

Thanks for the recommendation, Mirko!

NB2 - One Week Job

Dear NB2,
here's the video we saw yesterday in class, so that you can listen to it again in the comfort of your home ;-)
I know it is difficult, but the questions I gave you were the easiest ones I could make. Don't despair...

Going to the Movies

“UPSIDE DOWN” (UN AMOR ENTRE DOS MUNDOS) RELEASE ON FRIDAY, 5TH APRIL, IN ORIGINAL VERSION WITHOUT SUBTITLES. EXCLUSIVELY AT CINES VERDI MADRID.

Next Friday 5th April we will release the Canadian film Upside Down directed by Juan Solanas and starring Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturges. The film will be release IN ENGLISH at Cines Verdi Madrid. “Upside Down” will be screened in English without subtitles.
The story happens in two opposite planets that are one on top of the other, these worlds have opposite gravities that alter the usual order of things. The fantastic frame, the unique setting and the audacious visual has made difficult to insert subtitles the usual way.Written and directed by filmmaker Juan Solanas (“Nordeste”) and set in twinned worlds with opposite gravities, the film puts an eye-popping, original twist on the classic tale of forbidden love.
A long time ago, two planets came so close to each other that they are almost touching. Instead of the skyline all its inhabitants see the terrain of another planet. Each planet has its own gravity laws and natural conditions. These parallel universes connect but this proximity and the two gravities involve a lot of complexity.
Adam (British actor Jim Sturgess, “Across the Universe” and “The Way Back”) is a seemingly ordinary guy in a very extraordinary universe. He lives humbly trying to make ends meet, but his romantic spirit holds on to the memory of a girl he loved once upon a time from another world, an inverted affluent world with its own gravity, directly above but beyond reach... a girl named Eden ((Kirsten Dunst, 'Spider-Man' y 'Melancolía'). Their childhood flirtation becomes an impossible love. But when he catches a glimpse of grownup Eden on television, nothing will stop him to get her back. In a desperate attempt to find her, he quickly sets about infiltrating the upper-world. And so, begins a quest fraught with dangers and challenges.
“Upside Down” is a visually stunning romantic adventure that asks the question: What if love was stronger than gravity?

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

“This is a fairy tale, so love cannot die(...)Upside Down's spectacular gravity-defying Inception-style trickery will come into play. Prepare yourself for something special”. -Stuart Heritage, The Guardian -

“The look of the film is great, particularly when we get to situations where the two worlds try to coexist. (...) It's a wonderful visual shock — seeing two planes of action, with people walking upside down across the screen while other people cross it "normally." - Stephen Whitty, New Jersey On-line -

”The sci-fi love story “Upside Down” features a Romeo and Juliet separated not by a family feud, but by gravity.There are some really pretty special effects, too, such as rain that falls up and the cinematography, which renders everything in a cool, blue pallor, is simply gorgeous”. - Michael O'Sullivan, The Washigton Post -

UPSIDE DOWN (UN AMOR ENTRE DOS MUNDOS) HD

ORIGINAL VERSION IN ENGLISH WITHOUT SUBTITLES

16:00 H 18:05 H 20:15 H 22:25 H

CINES VERDI MADRID

Bravo Murillo 28,

28015

Madrid

(Metros Canal y Quevedo)

http://www.cines-verdi.com/madrid/noticias-verdi/upside-down-exclusive-release-on-friday-5th-april

http://upsidedown-movie.com