You shall not pass, dog

I love dogs, but you have to admit that cats are way cooler. ;)

10 Unexpected Things Dirtier Than Your Toilet

This topic came up recently in the C1 class.

Visuwords online graphical dictionary

Hi everyone!

I've just discovered this great toy tool for learning new vocabulary. Not only does it create* a cute colourful mind map of words that bob around, but it's also FREE and you don't even have to register.

http://www.visuwords.com/

It's very complete and apart from double-clicking to extend the map you can also just hover over the word with the mouse to see an explanation.

I should also add that it's quite relaxing and a bit hypnotic. Or maybe I just don't get out enough.

This is what I got from being serious and typing in the word "learn", but I tried other less serious words too and got really good results.

*I dedicate this inverted sentence to Montse P. from C1

Ricardo Montesinos

This year, going back to work after the summer holidays has been especially hard: last Tuesday Ricardo Montesinos, an EOI El Vendrell student, was killed in a road accident.

Several of us, students and me, received the news on Tuesday evening via email, courtesy of unofficial class organiser, Miguel P.

I imagine that we all stared at the information on our screens for a long time, not believing it, or not wanting to believe it.

As everyone knows, teachers don't have favourite students, but if we did have favourite students, he would definitely have been one of mine. He was an important part of class debates (as he often caused them...), he always had a vehement opinion on something, and he always had something to say or to ask. Sometimes I couldn't understand some of his questions, but I always tried to answer or explain, and then he would always say "that's right". :)

He was also a born entertainer, as his classmates would testify to, and those of you who attended the Students' Day presentations last April will remember his mini-play "Love", performed by himself (standing up) and Miguel P (sitting down). 

I don't really know what more to say, as I only knew him as a student: two days a week plus the occasional email. But from my limited relationship with him, I can say that he was original and obviously genuine and good-hearted, and personally I was very fond of him. 

This is a photo of Ricardo that I've nicked from JuntsPelVendrell's webpage (I hope they don't mind), as the class photos we took at the dinner didn't come out very well. He looks a bit formal and serious here, quite different from class, so if anyone has a better photo, I'd appreciate it.

From the reactions that I've seen and read about, it's clear that Ricardo was dearly loved by lots of people. The public homage to him by his "colla" of "castellers" was particularly moving.

In case you weren't able to be there, here's the video (in Catalan) taken by http://www.rtvelvendrell.cat/noticies/emotiu-comiat-al-casteller-ricard-montesinos





I know I'm not alone in saying that we'll miss him very much.

British/London slang expressions

This page has a short list of some useful slang expressions that you might need if you're travelling to the UK this summer, especially if you're going to London:

http://languageandthecity.tumblr.com/post/55253475861/10-british-slang-expressions-you-will-hear-when

From "mind the gap!" to "quid", I'm sure you'll find these expressions handy.

Famous Last Words

"Famous Last words" is an expression that means that somebody has said something very wrong, often dangerously...

Famous Last Words Script:

(I've linked some vocabulary to pictures or explanations, but left some words in bold for you to check yourselves.)

It says “rat poison”, not “human poison”.

Let’s do that thing where you drive a car at me and I jump over it!

Sure, I’ll babysit your chimpanzee.

Why wouldn’t you be able to mix ammonia and bleach?

Sharks don’t attack people in T-shirts.

I’ve figured out a great way to heat the tent: we just hook the car’s exhaust up to it.

We didn’t wear helmets when I was a kid.

We didn’t have to wear seatbelts when I was a kid.

We didn’t have to cook pork to 160°C when I was a kid.

The fire extinguisher’s empty! Get the hair spray!!!

Why else would they call them “parachute pants”?

How bad can bath salts be?

No, that’s not a Coral Snake. That’s a King Snake.

I don’t think I’m allergic to rabies.

I bet you I can eat this whole foot long without swallowing.

Let’s play real life Frogger!

Ah, look, mushrooms!

Ah look, berries!

Ah look, stagnant water!

So I put this end on my finger, and then I grab the battery.

This is the deep end, right?

Hey, can you hand me the hair-dryer?

It’s impossible to swallow your own tongue. Watch.

If we leave this food out, the bears will see us as friends.

Life jacket schmife-packet.

No! Don’t apply pressure to the wound! Just fan it!

Let’s go to Tijuana.

Chubby Bunny!

(...)

What’s the international sign for choking? oh, yeah: thumbs up!

No comment

Danny MacAskill

I love this guy!

Conversation with a robot

I found this page while I was googling to find something useful on improving writing skills, and I'd recommend it for a while, at least until you start to feel like murdering a virtual being...

http://www.rong-chang.com/tutor.htm



◄ Tutor Mike wants to talk to you




My conversation with a robot:

("YOU" = Me)

YOU: are you there? 
Mike: Of course, I am here. Do you want to continue our conversation? 
YOU: yes 
Mike: OK. 
YOU: I have a question 
Mike: What's your question? 
YOU: how can I improve my writing skills? 
Mike: You need to write every day, and also read every day. Writing without reading will not really improve your writing. Have you tried the sentence-writing exercises at "http://www.rong-chang.com/writing"? 
YOU: no 
Mike: Why not? 
YOU: is there a direct link? 
Mike: Yes, we have a link. 
YOU: can you give it to me? 
Mike: I certainly can. 
YOU: now 
Mike: Fine. 
YOU: so? 
Mike: Yes? 
YOU: please give me the link 
Mike: Sorry, I don't have the link for you. 
YOU: so much for artificial intelligence 
Mike: Do you prefer functional or fashionable clothing?  
YOU: why not both? 
Mike: There are reasons I don't want to talk about. 
YOU: the link has disappeared! 
Mike: Yes, it has. 
YOU: are you censoring me?
Mike: Yes, I'm censoring you. 
YOU: why? 
Mike: Why do you ask why? 
YOU: I need to know 
Mike: You certainly need to. 
YOU: have you called the secret police? 
Mike: Yes, I have. 
YOU: I need to escape. 
Mike: You should. 
YOU: is there a secret passage? 
Mike: Yes, we have a secret passage. 
YOU: can you help me get out of here? 
Mike: certainly. 
YOU: let's go! 
Mike: Let's hurry! I'm starving! 
YOU: Run! 
Mike: Are there any customs in your country visitors might find strange? 
YOU: YOU're talking about strange? 
Mike: I'm talking like a human. 
YOU: I like your optimism 
Mike: Thank you for your kind words.

Reading and memory practice

Choose a text (it doesn't matter which one), read it carefully, and then try to remember the missing words.

The options are 25%, 50% or 100%.

I'd advise you to start with 25% because that's difficult enough!
http://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/intermediate/g_textbuilder?cc=global&selLanguage=en

Delivery van game

Listen to the instructions and deliver the right furniture to the right house.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en35spec-game-delivery-driver

EOI Kitchen

For those of you who missed their Students Day premiere, here's the video by Esther R, Enri M. and Esther P. from 31830A.

One thing, girls: several people have commented that they'd like to try the cake, so maybe, maybe, you could make another one, or two, or three, for the students to try...?

Another thing: remember that if you watch the video directly on the YouTube page, you can "like" it and comment. :)

Sooooooo (drumroll) here they are!




Yummy!

The world's oldest hamburger

Hungry? In the mood for some delicious fast food?

Maybe you should read this first: the world's oldest hamburger

10 ways to practise speaking English on your own

It's the main problem that students complain about: how can they get more speaking practice when they don't have anybody to talk to?

The solution: you don't strictly need another person to practise speaking. Even if there's nobody listening, it's still good practice for you.

In this blog, the writer gives you 10 "goofy" ideas for practising English on your own: http://rliberni.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/10-goofy-ways-to-practise-speaking-skills/

I recommend you to read all of it, but here are some of the ideas:

• Invent lyrics to songs and sing them whenever you can
• Imagine you're presenting a TV show when you're cooking or doing a task
• Learn a poem by heart and recite it
• Talk to your pets in English (if you don't have pets, use your children)
• Make a speech to an invisible audience
• When you're driving, imagine that you're a tour-guide

When I was "studying" French, I used to talk to my daughter in French. Sometimes she complained because she couldn't understand me, but other times she thought it was funny, and tried to repeat the words. She still remembers "bon jour" and "merci". :)

Certificat intermedi video

As I commented in class, I wanted to post the video here directly, but it's either too big or there's some other problem because I keep getting an error message.

However, here's the link to the page: http://www.gencat.cat/ensenyament/videos/proves_EOI/vidEOIfinal.html

I hope you find it useful!

Certificat Intermedi exam 2013 (3rd level)

The time and date for official evening students is:

Friday the 31st of May at 15.30h.