Why Hate Ryanair

Hello class. This week we'll be dealing with the topic of Travelling. Amongst other things we are going to watch a TV programme called Why Hate Ryanair and will read a text about the same issue (the original text: http://gospain.about.com/od/ryanair/tp/why_hate_ryanair.htm).
If you want to watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7B7E4AD880FC3B2B

Thomson Airlines video

Next week we're dealing with the topic of travelling in general and air travelling in particular. Please watch this priceless video to "whet your appetite". Thomson Airways, based in London , is the world's largest charter airline, and, the third largest airline in the United Kingdom by total passengers carried. In the video, you will see their cabin crew in action.

One-liners

One Liners Easier

Stress Patterns

Stress Patterns

Reasons why English is Hard to Learn

Reasons Why the English Language is Hard to Learn

Buy Nothing Day

Last Saturday November 24th 2012 was Buy Nothing Day (UK). It's a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to detox from shopping for 24 hours. Can you spend a day without spending? Visit their website (http://www.buynothingday.co.uk/) and find out more, and please post your comments about this very interesting issue of consumerism and overspending, especially on this days before the upcoming Christmas season.

Black Friday

I'm sure you've all heard of Thanksgiving in the USA (which will be celebrated on Thursday 24th november this year), but probably you know nothing about Black Friday. Read this interesting article with some basic facts about this day.

 

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the USA and falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November. It is a busy shopping day as many people do not have to work. Many start shopping for the upcoming Christmas season.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the USA and falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November. It is a busy shopping day as many people do not have to work. Many start shopping for the upcoming Christmas season.

Black Friday is a busy shopping day for many people. ©iStockphoto.com/ zeeyy

What do people do?

Many people have a day off work or choose to take a day from their quota of annual leave on Black Friday. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the Christmas season.
In the United States, it is very popular to start Christmas shopping on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers with very low prices on some goods, particularly on electronics and popular toys. Traditionally, people bought these as Christmas gifts, although now many are re-sold on internet sites. Many stores only have a few of the most popular items at very low prices. This means that some people choose to queue from very early in the morning or even overnight to make sure that they will be at the front of the queue when a particular store opens. Sometimes there are large skirmishes to get to the door when the store opens.

Public life

Black Friday is not a federal holiday. However, many organizations shut for the Thanksgiving weekend. In addition, many people take a day of their annual leave on the day after Thanksgiving. If you will need a particular service on Black Friday, it is wise to check carefully whether the organization or company will be open as normal. Public transit systems may run on their normal schedule or may have changes.
As shopping is a very popular activity on Black Friday and many stores have sales or special bargains, it can be incredibly busy in stores and malls. Some stores have extended opening hours to cope with the extra shoppers. There can also be congestion on roads to popular shopping destinations.

Background

Many people think that Black Friday is the busiest shopping day in the year. It has, for many years, been a popular day for many people visit brick-and-mortar stores. However, it has been said that the day on which most money was spent was usually the Saturday before Christmas.
There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. One theory says that it is because of the extremely heavy traffic on the roads on this day. The wheels of the vehicles left a lot of black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.
The other theory is that it comes from an old-fashioned way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small retail stores, only started making profits in the run up to Christmas. Many hoped that they would start showing a profit, which could be marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving. This theory does not apply to many large corporations, but may be a fact of life for smaller businesses.
The events on Black Friday are often followed closely by the local media. Television shows may show films of people queuing at night and then emerging victoriously from the store with the items they wanted to purchase. The large number of people shopping and the competition to obtain the cheapest goods means that some people now avoid the stores on Black Friday. Some groups organize a "Buy Nothing Day" on Black Friday to protest at the increasing level of consumerism in the USA and Canada.

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Cole

Watch this very likeable clip about some kids and their "fight" for a better world. Please post your comments!

Voice recognition elevator. Hilarious!

I hope you enjoy this brilliant video about Scottish accent. It reminds me of my times in Edinburgh... ha, ha!

The Binge Drinking Brits

The Binge Drinking British

Do you have a drinking problem? Listening comprehension exercise

Do You Have a Drinking Problem Listening Exercise

Do you have a drinking problem?

Daylight Saving Time reading and listening exercises

Daylight Saving Time Anecdotes Selected

Changing Education paradigms

I want to share this great video that Amparo recommended with all of you. It's very enlightening and thought-provoking, esp for people with children, like me. A must-see for all of you! Very easy to follow thatnks to the cartoons and the accompanying texts.

Bishops' Halloween Advice

You can check your answers to the exercise in the original article: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2010/10/13/bishops-halloween-advice-dress-children-up-as-saints-not-witches/

Halloween Advice

Trouble in the in the pumpkin patch

You can check your answer here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/7033413.stm

Trouble in the Pumpkin Patch

Only Stupid Cows Text n Drive

Talking about "shocking campaigns" here you have the video we watched in class. It shows the harsh reality of what can happen if you text and drive. Maybe it's "too harsh" for some of you, sorry! Comments welcome.

Shocking Campaigns!

Here you have the posters we saw in class, but in full colour this time. You can either prepare a short class speech about one of the campaigns or post some comments about the pictures that you liked the most.

Shocking Campaigns

Peace Talks in the Basque Country. Multiple choice reading comprehension.

Peace Talks in Spain Oct 2011

Randy Pausch's last lecture. Listening comprehension.

RANDY PAUSCH the Last Lecture

Randy Pausch's last lecture

Here you have the clip we watched in class, though there are dozens more on youtube. Some of them are over an hour long, so if you liked Randy you can try the longer version. Please post your comments and tell me what you think of the man and his vision of life.

The Kite Runner Written Assignment

Here you are the assignment you have to write about this year's first book, "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. It's a great story that I'm sure you'll love!

The KITE RUNNER Written Assignment

Homer Simpson and King Juan Carlos????

Gap-filling reading comprehension exercise based on a truly funny piece of news I came across some time ago. Pay special attention to adjectives like "bald-headed" or "beer-glugging" and adverbs like "seamlessly"

Homer and Juancar

Steve Jobs' speech

Watch this superb, thought-provoking speech by late Steve Jobs, founder of Apple who passed away yesterday. Rest in peace

BBC news listening comprehension activities

For those of you who missed this lesson, try this gap-filling listening comprehension activity after you watch the two clips I uploaded about the ban of bullfighting in Catalonia and the future of TV. Comments welcome!

Last Bullfight in Barcelona and Tv of the Future

The TV of the future

This is the second piece of news we watched in class about what TVs hold in stock for us:

Idioms galore!

This year we'll be learning a lot of idioms in class. Here you have links to three good idioms websites.
1.- A large collection of idioms listed alphabetically, with brief definitions: http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
2.- A selection of "self-study idiom quizes" with answers: http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html
3.- A website explainig the origins of dozens of popular idioms: http:// www.idiomsite.com/

What does virgin mean?

Sooooo good!

Last bullfight in Catalonia

This is the clip we watched in class about the ban of bullfights in Catalonia. Any comments?

The English Language in 24 accents!

I've found this very funny video in which a guy says (random) things in 24 different accents of English. Sorry about all the swearing!

The Week Magazine

Here you haven a multiple-matching reading comprehension activity about The Week, a fantastic magazine which boasts to include "all you need to know about everything that matters". I strongly encourage you to borrow it from our library. It'll help you boost your English! Guaranteed!

The Week Reading Exercise

The English Language

Read this very interesting about the paradoxes of the English language and then try the vocabulary exercise. You can check your answers, as I've also included the key to the exercise.

English Lang

WELCOME!

Hello class. Welcome everybody to my blog for this school year, where I'll upload most of the activities we do in class (especially the ones I've designed myself). You'll be able to download the copies I give in class (in case you've missed some of the lessons)and post your comments and opinions about whatever you want (your feedback is very useful for me). I'll also include links to interesting things I find on the Net, and I hope you find them useful. My email address is jhyeoiteruel@hotmail.es, where you can send me compositions, suggestions for things to do in class, interesting or funny links you'd like me to include in the blog for your classmates to see, etc.
I hope you enjoy this school year and learn as much English as possible.