This is not life, but HELL!!!

Summer holidays finished a month ago and we've already started the school year. All those positive feelings we had about the new school year have disappeared and there are people who are already tired of bachillerato and it's only the beginning! The first day of classes you feel strange because after almost three months of holidays it is hard to restart again. However, after a week I am sure you get used to the routines again. Let's talk about my summer holidays.

These summer holidays I've been very busy. I want to pass my driving exam this year so I've been going the months of July and August to Molvízar almost everyday. In fact, Molvízar has become something like my second town, I know all streets and I talk with many people from there. Nonetheless, I haven't only been in Molvízar, all years my parents, my brother and I go to our cottage in Itrabo. There, we have a big swimming pool and we also have a big country house. That's very pleasant, because there is no noise, traffic jams, pollution,.... it's in the middle of the countryside so you can relax and think about your life calmly.

Talking about my summer holidays, the days I've enjoyed the most were in Carchuna's parties and I'm Molvízar's parties. I stayed at my friend's house during three or four days and we had much fun. Although I went to many parties, I spent most of the summer with only one friend in Itrabo. That's the main reason why not all people you speak to want to be with you in their lives. This sounds a bit sad, but I'm very happy of my summer :).

Concluding, in summer you can do all things you want and you have lot of time for them so I also want to say that I've advanced in this school year doing comments and works for my English teacher because I want to be more relaxed this school year with English.

Joaquín España 2ºBACH 

Teachers are unbeatable!!!

Nowadays, the advance of technology is changing our lives at an incredible pace. In this old post Albert put in his blog, they ask us if computers could replace real teachers at schools and they ask for what things machines can't do, let's talk about this.

First of all, I'm going to talk about some jobs that have been replaced by machines. This is the case of many big shopping malls, where shop assistants have been replaced by cash tills. It has happened in Alcampo in Motril. The worst thing of this advance is that many employees have been laid off their jobs, increasing the number of unemployed.

As far as I'm concerned, there aren't machines that have replaced teachers. For me, a teacher can't be replaced by any machine because a teacher can set you challenges to overcome, if you don't understand something, he can explain it to you by many different ways until you understand it, he can support you with some ideas.... All these things can't be done by machines. From my point of view, technology is like a tool which many teachers use to teach. Nonetheless, technology doesn't teach us.

Composition 2

The moment of truth is right here!!!

Yes, the moment of truth is right here!! This third term will be really short and it is time for students to do their best, especially those in Bachillerato or those preparing for certain exams.

 

Now you have to be flexible and ready to work in a broader range of jobs, so you'll need a university degree, a good level of foreign languages and so many more things. Here are some articles to read about the issue before you do the listening exercise I propose you:

• Guardian Jobs advice on how to write a CV (The Guardian)

• Pros and Cons of Being a Job-Hopper (The Washington Post)

• Is one career enough? (BBC radio programme)

   

  Listening exercise to do: Multiple careers (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

  Learn 'How I learned Spanish! My journey to fluency' with Lucy

  Let's revise some Linking words of PURPOSE with this video >>>

   

Couchsurfing is no picnic

Again it is getting hotter and hotter, but we are getting tired of going to the beach!!! First, this post would like to present these two expressions you can find in the section The English We Speak (BBC Learning English):

 

• No picnic   >>>  What does it mean in Spanish?

• Wet weekend   >>>>  Was last weekend a wet weekend for you?

And here's the solution for those who haven't got much money and feel bored of doing the same things all over again  >>>   COUCH SURFING (Listening exercise, 6 Minute English, BBC Learning English).

Some related articles:

• Couch surfing reaches one million! 

• Best of the net: Couchsurfing - the reality (The Guardian) 

• Why I'd rather take a free couchsurfer than make money from Airbnb  (The Guardian)

 

By the way, do you know what Airbnb is? It comes from two concepts: 'airbed' and 'bed & breakfast'.

Best songs for summer 2017

Summer is a wonderful time to relax, to dance and for music. There will always be songs that bring you unforgettable memories for the rest of your life. Give me some hits of your best songs in English for this summer. Here are some songs that may be popular this summer:

 

English with Lucy: 5 English conversation tips  >>>  How to improve your communication skills. They could be really useful for flirting this summer!!!

 

 

 

Unbearable conditions at our schools

Can teachers really teach and can our students really learn in these weather conditions? Some politicians think we can from their air-conditioned offices!!!!

Teaching in the heatwave: help, my classroom is too hot (The Guardian)

Where does the word 'unbearable' mean? Which verb does it come from?

Some articles to read about the heatwave we have had in Europe and its consequences (for instance, huge fires in Portugal and Spain)   >>>> 

• Weather alerts across western Europe as heatwave sets in (The Guardian)

• Hottest June day since summer of 1976 in heatwave (BBC)

• Portugal forest fires under control after more than 60 deaths (The Guardian)

 

Listening exercise to do: Mindfulness (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Where does the noun 'mindfulness' come from?

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 170621 / 21 June 2017   >>>  Expressions presented: immune system, buzz & mammals.

Anyway, what kind of holidays are you planning to have? Perhaps a busman's holiday (The English We Speak, BBC Learning English)