WRITING: MY LAST HOLIDAY (MODEL)

This is a model of a composition about a HOLIDAY published as a blog entry.
Different pieces of information have been written on different colours so that you can see the structure.
-GREETINGS: Hi!, Hello everyone!, What's up?
-WHEN did I go?: Last summer, Last week, Last year, Last month...
-WHO did I go with?: with my parents, with my family, with my friends, with my boyfriend/ girlfriend, with my classmates
-WHERE did I go?: to the beach, to Italy, to the mountain, to the countryside, to Madrid
-THE WEATHER: The weather was fantastic, sunny and warm, terrible, very cold, rainy and cloudy, awful
-WHERE DID I STAY?: in a hotel, in a camping, in a youth hostel, at a friend's house, at my aunt's house
-HOW LONG did I stay?: for a month, for the weekend, for the summer, for a couple of days
-PLACES I VISITED: monuments, towns, cities, bridges,
-THINGS I LIKED and I DIDN'T LIKE: I loved, I really enjoyed, I didn't like, ...was boring, ...was really funny, ...was so beautiful.

HALLOWEEN STORIES: THE HAUNTED HOUSE

1. LISTEN TO A STORY ABOUT SOME CHILDREN AND THEIR DOG IN A SCARY HALLOWEEN NIGHT. PLAY

2.NOW ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
  a. What does the house look like?
  b. What rooms do you go in?
  c. What do you see?
  d. Are there any strange creatures in the house?
  e. What happens when you leave the house? 

HALLOWEEN GAMES: VOCABULARY

1. CAN YOU MATCH THE HALLOWEEN SPOOKY WORDS AND CREATURES? GO
2. FIND THE THINGS YOU NEED FOR A MAGIC SPELL. GO
3.CONGRATULATIONS! GO TO LEVEL 2
 

MODAL VERBS IN SONGS

Modal verbs very often appear in songs. There are some examples you may find useful in learning these structures:

1.MIGHT: We might as well be strangers (Podríamos ser dos desconocidos también)






2.MUST: Show must go on (El espectáculo debe continuar)






3.SHOULD: Should I stay or should I go? (¿Debería quedarme o irme?)






4.COULD (probabilidad): You could be happy (Podrías ser feliz)





5.CAN (Ability, Request -petición): Can you meet me halfway? (¿Podemos quedar en la mitad del camino?)

I USED TO RULE THE WORLD (SOLÍA GOBERNAR EL MUNDO)

Usamos used to para hablar de algo que solíamos hacer en el pasado, pero que ahora ya no hacemos.

Haz doble click sobre el siguiente enlace para ver su pronunciación, explicación en español y varios ejemplos: USED TO + INFINITIVE (solía...)

A continuación, vas a escuchar una canción de Coldplay titulada Viva la Vida. Habla de un rey que solía gobernar el mundo con su ejército y la ayuda de la Iglesia, pero que un día perdió su poder y ahora vaga por las calles como un hombre cualquiera.

Observa que sólo usa used to cuando habla de su pasado, mientras que para hablar de ahora (now), emplea el Presente Simple.




Now, answer the following questions without reading the lyrics:
-What things did he use to do when he was a king? (He used to...)
-What does he do at present? (He + Present Simple)

1. own the streets.
2. sweep the streets.
3. feel the fear in his enemies' eyes
4. hear the crowd sing 'Long live the king!'
5. not/ listen an honest word.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS:
Long live [liv] the King!: ¡Viva el Rey!
RULE [rul]: gobernar
OWN [on]: poseer
crowd [kraud]: muchedumbre, multitud

DECLINING OFFERS

Though saying no may be sometimes difficult, you can learn some expressions to refuse an offer or disagree with other people without being rude. Watch the video and read the script below.



RED M&M- So, Lord Vader, this dark-chocolate M&Ms are a good idea, but we decided not to join the dark side.

YELLOW M&M- I'll start on Monday.

Other expressions used for declining offers or disagreeing:
- I see your point, but... [ai sii ior point bat] : Entiendo tu postura, pero...
- You may be right but [iu mei bi rait bat]: Puede que tengas razón, pero...
- I'm sorry but I'd rather not [aim sorri bat aid rader not]: Lo siento, pero prefiero...

MAKING OFFERS

RUSSELL- Good afternoon! My name is Russell and I am a Wilderness Explorer in tribe 54. We're lodge 12. Are you in need of any assistance today, sir?
CARL- No.
RUSSELL-I could help you cross the street.
CARL- No.
RUSSELL- I could help you cross your yard?
CARL- No.
RUSSELL- I could help you cross ... your porch.
CARL- No.
RUSSELL- Well, I have to help you cross something.
CARL- No, I'm doing fine.

(Carl closes the door)

RUSSELL- Good afternoon! My name is Russell and I am a Wilderness Explorer in Tribe 54. We're lodge 12...
CARL- Kid...
RUSSELL- Are you in need of any assistance...?
CARL- Thank you, but I don't need any help.

RUSSELL- Auch!
CARL- Proceed...
RUSSELL- Good afternoon...
CARL- Skip to the end!!
RUSSELL- See these? These are my Wilderness Explorer badges. You may notice one is missing. It's my assisting-the-elderly badge. If I get it, I will become a Senior Wilderness Explorer. The Wilderness must be explored!!! Go, go...GRRR!
It's gonna be great! There's a big ceremony... and all the dads come and we're pinned on our badges...
CARL- So you want to assist an old person?
RUSSELL-Yep! Then I'll be a Senior Wilderness Explorer.
CARL- Have you ever heard of a 'snipe'?
RUSSELL- Snipe?
CARL- Bird. Beady eyes. Every night he sneaks in my yard and gobbles my poor dahlias. I'm elderly and infirm. I can't catch it. If there was only someone who could help me...
RUSSELL- Me, me! I'll do it!
CARL- Oh, I don't know... It's awfully crafty. You have to clap your hands three times to look birdy.
RUSSELL- I'll find it, Mr Fredicksen.
CARL- I think it goes two blocks down.
RUSSELL- Sniiiiipe! Here, snipy, snipy!