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18/02/2011

Health in the UK

Watch this video about the health system in the UK and fill in the gaps below:

As well as health care, ____(1)____ and ____(2)____ are important.
When you're ill, you go and see your ____(3)____, which stands for ____(4)____ (2 words).
One third of family doctors in Britain are ____(5)____.
The doctor writes a ____(6)____ when you need medicine, and then you go to the ____(7)____ or ____(8)____.
You don't have to pay for the medicine if you are a ____(9)____, ____(10)____, or ____(11)____.
You'll have to go to a hospital if you need to see a ____(12)____ doctor or ____(13)____ an operation.
The ____(14)____ provides free treatment for everyone in Britain.
Britain has one of the highest levels of ____(15)____ (2 words) in the world.
The system costs almost ____(16)____.
Alternative types of medicine include ____(17)____, ____(18)____, and ____(19)____.
Medicine helps people ____(20)____ (2 words).
Better diets have raised ____(21)____ (2 words).

You can find the answers in the "comments". But check them only when you have tried several times!!! ;-)


16/02/2011

Speaking practice

Hi there!

Here's a very good page I found for you to practise dialogues. Here you can listen to short dialogues on everyday situations. And here you can practise the part that you would do as a user of English in real life situations (similar to the first task of the oral exam, where you do a role-play with the examiner).

Hope it helps!

15/02/2011

Happy Valentine!


Although a bit late, here's my Valentine greetings and some related English practice:


Can't wait to read your love poems later today! ;-)

03/02/2011

Truths and Lies

Hello everybody!

Here's the announcement of a performance directed by one of my ex-students here at Embajadores. I once saw them play thatre and enjoyed it very much. Hope you can see them in action. I'm sure you'll love them!

Poster LAGRADA

25/01/2011

Nothing stupid

Hi there! Here's a performance of Mercedes' (NB2 19:30) niece of a song called "Something Stupid". Congratulations to aunty and niece! You see, how songs can help you to pronounce really well?

Winning and shortlisted mini-sagas

Shortlisted_minisagas_2010

The text for the prize ceremony was written by Laura Romero Chust

Thanks very much to all of those who participated and congratulations to the winners and shortlisted writers! (Several have been or are in my classes, and I'm proud of you! ;-) )

20/01/2011

Tongue Stories Competition

Here's a link to a competition you can participate in.

The European Day of Languages 2010 marks the launch of the competition Tongue Stories. Organised by the European Commission, the competition aims to demonstrate, through interesting and amusing anecdotes, how many different ways people can benefit from foreign language knowledge, and to inspire people to learn foreign languages. Citizens over 18 living in 31 European countries are invited to share their stories on the advantages of knowing languages.

Interested in knowing more about languages in Europe? News, information on language policy, initiatives and much more are available on the Multilingualism website of the European Commission.

More on the competition in the terms and conditions.

23/12/2010

Merry Christmas!

This is becoming a classic, wishing you Merry Christmas and all the best for 2011 with "Baby, please come home" There are many versions, but I think this one's still my favourite.



Thanks for your messages and e-mails. Hope to see you all in January, completely recovered!
Big hug!

Cristina

It’s Christmas

Baby, please come home

The snow’s coming down

I’m watching it fall

Watching the people around

Baby please come home

The church bells in town

They’re ringing a song

What a happy sound

Baby please come home

They’re singing deck the halls

But it’s not like Christmas at all

I remember when you were here

And all the fun we had last year

Pretty lights on the tree

I’m watching ‘em shine

You should be here with me

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

They’re singing deck the halls

But it’s not like Christmas at all

I remember when you were here

And all the fun we had last year

If there was a way

I’d hold back these tears

But it’s Christmas day

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

Baby please come home

05/12/2010

Sick leave :-(

Dear All,

this is just to let you know that I've been on sick leave since last Thursday. I'm getting better everyday, and I hope to be able to be back in class soon.

Here's the information you need to participate in the short story contest to be celebrated on the "Cultural Day" (21 December) at EOI Embajadores. I hope to encourage you all to display your creativity, originality, and, above all, to have fun while writing and reading the stories.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Cristina

Bases Concurso Micro-relatos

12/11/2010

Teachers TV - On bullying girls

I've just added a new link on the right column, under "Good links to check." It's a link to "Teachers TV", a web page that many of my students this year will like, since so many of you are teachers. To give you an example of how the web page can be used, (and to give you some extra listening comprehension practice) let me pose the following questions to the video you can find here (You can react to the programme by writing a comment):

A. Before you listen:
1. What is "bullying"? If you don't know, look it up in the dictionary. Words related to the topic are: the bully; the bullied boy / girl. Do you understand these terms?
2. Is bullying a problem in the school you teach? Or, if you're not a teacher, was bullying a problem in the school you studied in?
3. What vocabulary do you expect to hear in the programme?

B. While you listen:
4. The Director of Kidscape (an anti-bullying charity), Michelle Elliot, says that now the effects of bullying on girls can be __________.
5. The work that Valerie Besag does involves helping girls __________ that they're being bullied.
6. The expressions "It tears me apart" and "It rips me up" are used when somebody says something __________ to another person.
7. When bullying others, boys simply want to __________ their power.
8. Why is bullying different among boys and among girls?

C. After you listen:
9. Do you agree with the experts that bullying is even worse when it's between girls?
10. What measures can be taken to prevent children / teenagers from bullying others? ("para evitar que los niños / adolescentes acosen a otros")