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Friday 30 April 2010

At a department store



To see Harrods home page go to http://www.harrods.com/harrodsstore/experience

We are the champions



I've paid my dues -
Time after time -
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime -
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face -
But I've come through

We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till the end -
We are the champions -
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the world -

I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls -
You brought me fame and fortuen and everything that goes with it
-
I thank you all -

But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise -
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race -
And I ain't gonna lose -

We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till the end -
We are the champions -
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the world -

Tuesday 27 April 2010

What's the best way to ...? LEARN A LANGUAGE

Spending time in cities where people speak the language we are intered in, is the best way to learn it. In those countries you must use the language all the time to communicate. For example, if you want to buy some things you have to ask for it. The same if you want to get somewhere it's necessary to know how to ask for directions.
Mayra - Lucre

Working for a foreign company is the best way to learn a language because you have to speak a lot, write letters and e-mails and so you have to practise very hard.
Rut and Melina

Travelling to an English speaking country you have to use English in all your activities to communicate with people. For example, when you go to the supermarket, the cinema, to shopping malls, etc.
Damián and Nadia

Listening to music in English is the best way to learn because you have to listen many times to the same song to be able to understand the lyrics, also you can search in the internet for the meaning of the words you don't know.
Mariano and Jimena
Reading something that you like, for example sports magazines, books, newspapers. After reading you can talk to your friends about the articles you've read and practise your English.
Martín and Bruno
Practising English pronunciation by repeating words ater the tape or by saying the words in your head. Also, by listening to songs in the radio and watching tv. programmes in English.
Vanesa and Rocío
We believe that meeting native speakers in their countries and reading English newspapers or texts are useful ways too learn.
Gastón and Sofía

Thursday 22 April 2010

Describing where you live

I live in Rosario which is a city in the south of Santa Fe, Argentina. It has a population of 1.000000 inhabitants and it's the second biggest city in Argentina.

It is a commercial city with a lot of restaurants and gastropubs. In fact, there is an area called "La Fluvial" with a little harbour from which people cross the river to the Islands opposite the city by ferry. Rosario is also an industrial city. Several important factories and industries settled in the southern area, like GM and Troyano.

The weather here is wet the whole year. The winter is very cold and it sometimes rains. The summer is very hot in the centre of the city. It's great to enjoy the river!

Rosario has the most beautiful beaches in the Parana river bank. They are very attractive and there are many bars were people enjoy the weekend. Another very important attraction is Colectividades Festival in November. Every immigrant community that lives in the city cooks traditional food and people visit their "stands" to it eat. They also enjoy typical dances.
Rosario is famous for the Flag Memorial, which is the most important historical monument in the area, and it's unique in the world. The biggest tourist attraction, in summer, is the Parana river bank where most people go to the beach, sunbathe and spend their afternoon drinking "mate", and I night go dancing. The Rosario-Victoria bridge connects Rosario to Victoria , it's a magnificent engineering piece.
AR31

Thursday 15 April 2010

Sunday 11 April 2010

The Story of an hour AUDIO

Kate Chopin

Biography.

To read about Kate Chopin click on
KATE CHOPIN

THE STORY OF AN HOUR by Kate Chopin

When was Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" written and published?

It was written on April 19, 1894, and first published in Vogue on December 6, 1894, under the title "The Dream of an Hour." It was reprinted in St. Louis Life on January 5, 1895.


Questions

  1. How does Josephine break the news of Bently's death to his wife? Why?
  2. How did Bently die?
  3. How did Mrs. Mallard react to the news of her husband's death?
  4. In what season does the story take place?
  5. Why do you think the writer chose that season to set his story?
  6. What did Mallard do after she heard the terrible news of her husband's death and after her first reaction to it?
  7. What did Mrs. Mallard do in her room?
  8. Why do you think Mrs. Mallard was so unhappy in her marriage?
  9. Why did Richard try to hide Louise from her husband?
  10. What happened at the end? Is it a good ending? Why?/ Why not?

  1. Josephine broke the bad news softly to Louise, she spoke in broken sentences, because she had a weak heart, and she could die after heard it.
  2. There was a train accident, and Bently was on that train in that moment, he was killed.
  3. After her sister broke the bad news to Louise, she cried loudly in her sister’s arms and suddenly, the tears stopped and she went to her room alone.
  4. This story takes place in spring.
  5. It’s the time of the year when everything in nature rebirth. A time for Josephine to start again, to begin a new life.
  6. She cried loudly in her sister’s arms and suddenly, the tears stopped and she went to her room alone. After that, she thought about her life, and discovered that she was free after her husband died.
  7. In her bedroom, Mrs. Mallard sat down and looked out the window. Outside the window she saw trees, birds and the sky. She thought about her life and her freedom.
  8. Because she had no freedom to express her opinion about different things. Her husband said what she could do or think.
  9. Because Richard thought that Louise would be frightened to see that her husband was opening the door.
  10. At the end of the story, Mrs. Mallard died. This is a good ending because readers never expect this. – She became free of mind and didn’t want to be her husband’s prisoner again so she dies.

The Tallest building in the world - Dubai

Descargas: Visto: 1313660

The Tallest Building in the World

Complete the sentences below according to the video. Then check your answers with the script

1.The Burj Dubai still has a little _____________________ to be finished.

2.The building is located in the United Arab Emirates, within ___________________
3.A lot of construction work is being done in the city of Dubai and there are eight times more_______________ than permanent residents in the city.
4.It is the place for the most creative and______________________ in the world to come and have fun by putting their ideas into practice.
5.According to the project manager, when the building is finished it will be more than __________________________
6.The building is supported by poles, a hydraulic lift and large bolts connecting it to _________________________ .
7.The presenter shows his surprise at how they can build this huge structure with _______________________ .
8.The pyramids used to be the largest man-made structure on the planet until they ________________________ in England about 700 years ago.

Monday 5 April 2010

Divorced Portuguese Men in Internet



File 4B - Workbook

"Divorced Portuguese men get Internet survival guide"

Check this link to see VidaOn

Bye!

Friday 2 April 2010

True Blue - Lyrics





I've had other guys
I've looked into their eyes
But I never knew love before
'Til you walked through my door
I've had other lips
I've sailed a thousand ships
But no matter where I go
You're the one for me baby this I know, 'cause it's

[Chorus:]
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming of
Your heart fits me like a glove
And I'm gonna be true blue baby I love you

I've heard all the lines
I've cried oh so many times
Those tear drops they won't fall again
I'm so excited 'cause you're my best friend
So if you should ever doubt
Wonder what love is all about
Just think back and remember dear
Those words whispered in your ear, I said

[chorus twice]
[Intermediate:]
No more sadness, I kiss it good-bye
The sun is bursting right out of the sky
I searched the whole world for someone like you
Don't you know, don't you know that it's
True love, oh baby, true love, oh baby
True love, oh baby, true love it's
[repeat]
True, so if you should ever doubt
Wonder what love is all about
Just think back and remember dear
Those words whispered in your ear, I said

[intermediate]
[chorus]
'Cause it'sTrue love, oh baby, true love, oh baby
True love, oh baby, true love it's[repeat]

File 4 B Family conflicts


What bothers you about your parents?.... (other members of the family are included)

Students from AI21 express their opinions:

  1. They never knock before entering my bedroom..
  2. they always ask me about what I am doing.
  3. When I ask them for money, they always want to know what it is for.
  4. They always want to have control over me.
  5. They phone me many times during the day to check what I am doing.
  6. I have when my father doesn't listen to me.
  7. He always wants to be right.
  8. I also hates when mother only cooks vegetables for lunch:
  9. My mother often complains and shouts because my bedroom is untidy.
  10. They always complain because they say I am never at home.
  11. They always ask questions about my private life.
  12. They never give me enough money. I need to work all day!
  13. My brother never feeds the dog.
  14. They always have opinions about my friends.
  15. They always listen to the radio early in the morning.
  16. They always ask me to get up early at weekends.
  17. My father never has time to be with us because he works a lot.
  18. My mother always asks me to do housework.
  19. My father always wants to watch football on tv.
  20. They aren't generous when I go shopping.
  21. They always complain about the length of my telephone conversations.
  22. My mother orders me to clean my bedroom on Saturdays.

File 4 A From rags to riches






Clothes. Vocabulary.

If you want to check Zara's site, click: http://www.zara.com/

Zara is the flagship chain store of Inditex Group owned by Spanish tycoon Amancio Ortega, who also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and Bershka. The group is headquartered in LA Coruña, Galicia, Spain, where the first Zara store opened in 1975. It is claimed that Zara needs just two weeks[1] to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared with a six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. Zara has resisted the industry-wide trend towards transferring fast fashion production to low-cost countries. Perhaps its most unusual strategy was its policy of zero advertising; the company preferred to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead.
Zara was described by Louis Vuitton fashion director Daniel Piette as "possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world." Zara has also been described as a "Spanish success story" by CNN.[2]

Company history

A Zara store in the International Finance Centre, Central, Hong Kong.
The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega, opened the first Zara store in 1975 in a central street in La Coruña.[3]
Its first store featured low-priced lookalike products of popular, higher-end clothing fashions. The store proved to be a success, and Ortega started opening more Zara stores in Spain. During the 1980s, Ortega started changing the design, manufacturing and distribution process to reduce lead times and react to new trends in a quicker way, in what he called "instant fashions". The company based its improvements in the use of information technologies and using groups of designers instead of individuals.[4]
In 1980, the company started its international expansion through Porto, Portugal. In 1989 they entered the United States and in 1990 France.
This international expansion was increased in the 1990s, with Mexico (1992), Greece (1993), Belgium and Sweden (1994), etc. until the current presence in over 73 countries.
Zara stores are company-owned, except where local legislation forbids foreigner-owned businesses. In those cases, Zara franchises the stores.
Zara's products
As of 2007 Zara stores have men's clothing and women's clothing, each of these subdivided in Lower Garment, Upper Garment, Shoes, Cosmetics and Complements, as well as children's clothing (Zara Kids). Currently their sizing on women's clothing goes to a US size 12 or a UK size 16 or extra large.
Manufacturing and distribution

The men's department of a typical Zara store. Almere, The Netherlands.
Zara is a vertically integrated retailer. Unlike similar apparel retailers, Zara controls most of the steps on the supply-chain: It designs, produces, and distributes itself.
Regarding the design strategy, an article in Businessworld magazine describes it as follows: "Zara was a fashion imitator. It focused its attention on understanding the fashion items that its customers wanted and then delivering them, rather than on promoting predicted season's trends via fashion shows and similar channels of influence, which the fashion industry traditionally used." 50% of the products Zara sells are manufactured in Spain, 26% in the rest of Europe, and 24% in Asian and African countries and the rest of the world. So while some competitors outsource all production to Asia, Zara makes its most fashionable items -- half of all its merchandise -- at a dozen company-owned factories in Spain and Portugal, particularly in Galicia and northern Portugal where labour is cheaper than most of Western Europe. Clothes with a longer shelf life, such as basic T-shirts, are outsourced to low-cost suppliers, mainly in Asia and Turkey.
Zara can offer considerably more products than similar companies. It produces about 11,000 distinct items annually compared with 2,000 to 4,000 items for its key competitors. The company can design a new product and have finished goods in its stores in four to five weeks; it can modify existing items in as little as two weeks. Shortening the product life cycle means greater success in meeting consumer preferences. If a design doesn't sell well within a week, it is withdrawn from shops, further orders are canceled and a new design is pursued. No design stays on the shop floor for more than four weeks, which encourages Zara fans to make repeat visits. An average high-street store in Spain expects customers to visit three times a year. That goes up to 17 times for Zara. (Wickipedia)

Thursday 1 April 2010

The gift of the Magi



1. Because she knew the chain would make Jim happy. She wanted to cheer him up.
    2. No, they weren’t. I know that because they lived in a poor house and they didn’t have money.
    3. One treasure was Jim’s gold watch and the other was Della’s hair because probably, at that time, the healthy and long hair was not common.
4. She sold her beautiful hair for only twenty dollars in a hair shop down the street from their apartment.
5. He sold his gold watch. He probably inherited the watch from his grand-father and beside to be expensive was valuable in the affective sense.
6. The Magi were three wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents.
7. Because Jim and Della sacrificed for each other their greatest treasures. The writer, O. Henry, wanted to prove that the important things are love and relations but materials things can be important or not too.