TWAS THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

In 1820, an American professor named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem that redefined the image of Saint Nicholas.

It was called Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas. He did not expect it to be published. He wrote it as a Christmas present for his young children.


This poem combines the traditions of Santa Claus, seasonal decorations and gift-giving that have come to define Christmas in America.



bilingual version                     IN OTHER WORDS


exercises

CHRISTMAS TIME

Can you guess the meaning of this image?

En Japón, para muchos la Navidad es sinónimo de comer pollo frito en la cadena de comida rápida KFC. Fue hace casi 40 años cuando, en medio de una campaña de marketing, el Coronel Sanders invitó a los japoneses a comprar su pollo frito como cena para la Navidad


We are used to celebrate Christmas in just one way.

THE THREE WISE MEN

THE BETHELEM

SEAFOOD PLATE

Do you know how do people in other countries celebrate Christmas?

bizarre traditions

traditional recipes

Christmas cards and celebrations

Christmas trees

RELATIVE CLAUSES

see more illustrations here

In this brief text about the War of the roses you can see some words of the vocabulary of this unit in contex.
This is also a background for the excersise on page 23.
You can have a look at the grammar of the unit in the web links or the videos below.

        One of the most distinctive and unmistakable flowers in England is the Tudor Rose. This specific type of rose is both red (around the outside) and white (in the centre), and has been in use as the country’s plant emblem since the Tudor Era. But there is more to the Tudor Rose than meet the eye. The flower is not just a sight for sore eyes – it is a representation of the merging of two warring houses, and the end of years of conflict


       It was under these circumstances that Richard, Duke of York, a descendant of Edward III’s fourth son, Edmund of Langley,  claimed  the throne. The Duke had a powerful ally in Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, and together with their armies, the two of them marched into London to overthrow the mad King Henry. This was the beginning of a Civil war between the two greatest factions in England – the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

      The years of armed conflict, sometimes known as the Cousins’ War (owing to the fact that both Richard, Duke of York, and King Henry VI were directly descended from Edward III and therefore cousins), are most commonly known as the Wars of the Roses.

Non defining relative clause

The War of the Roses, which/ that lasted 30 years, finally ended in 1485.

Defining relative clause

The family which / that took power in the end was THE TUDOR  FAMILY.


SPANISH EXPLANATION

ENGLISH EXPLANATION


This is the video (Which/ That) we saw in class:

This is the video (which/that) I recommended to you:

This is the exercise 4 on page 23 in your book. Can you do it an practise what you have learnt?

THE WARS OF THE ROSES

The 15th century was a time ........................ members of two families fought for the throne of England.
There were two ambitious leaders .................... fought against each other with the help of their relatives. The two men were the sons of a  king ................. name was Eduard III. 

One of them was the Duke of Lancaster and the oter was the Duke of York. The symbol of the Lancaster family was a red rose, and their enemy was the family................. symbol was a white rose --- the Yorks.

The town ................. first battle took place was  St Albans. This battle was followed by 30 years of wars ....................  people called the Wars of the Roses.
Over these years, there were several kings and leaders ............. ruled the country. The wars finally ended in  1485. The family ...................... took power in the end was the Tudor family. They combined the roses ....................... represented the Yorks and the Lancasters and this combination of flowers became their symbol.

See here to meet someone who lived at that time.

RELATIVE CLAUSES

see more illustrations here

In this brief text about the War of the roses you can see some words of the vocabulary of this unit in contex.
This is also a background for the excersise on page 23.
You can have a look at the grammar of the unit in the web links or the videos below.

        One of the most distinctive and unmistakable flowers in England is the Tudor Rose. This specific type of rose is both red (around the outside) and white (in the centre), and has been in use as the country’s plant emblem since the Tudor Era. But there is more to the Tudor Rose than meet the eye. The flower is not just a sight for sore eyes – it is a representation of the merging of two warring houses, and the end of years of conflict


       It was under these circumstances that Richard, Duke of York, a descendant of Edward III’s fourth son, Edmund of Langley,  claimed  the throne. The Duke had a powerful ally in Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, and together with their armies, the two of them marched into London to overthrow the mad King Henry. This was the beginning of a Civil war between the two greatest factions in England – the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

      The years of armed conflict, sometimes known as the Cousins’ War (owing to the fact that both Richard, Duke of York, and King Henry VI were directly descended from Edward III and therefore cousins), are most commonly known as the Wars of the Roses.

Non defining relative clause

The War of the Roses, which/ that lasted 30 years, finally ended in 1485.

Defining relative clause

The family which / that took power in the end was THE TUDOR  FAMILY.


SPANISH EXPLANATION

ENGLISH EXPLANATION


This is the video (Which/ That) we saw in class:

This is the video (which/that) I recommended to you:

This is the exercise 4 on page 23 in your book. Can you do it an practise what you have learnt?

THE WARS OF THE ROSES

The 15th century was a time ........................ members of two families fought for the throne of England.
There were two ambitious leaders .................... fought against each other with the help of their relatives. The two men were the sons of a  king ................. name was Eduard III. 

One of them was the Duke of Lancaster and the oter was the Duke of York. The symbol of the Lancaster family was a red rose, and their enemy was the family................. symbol was a white rose --- the Yorks.

The town ................. first battle took place was  St Albans. This battle was followed by 30 years of wars ....................  people called the Wars of the Roses.
Over these years, there were several kings and leaders ............. ruled the country. The wars finally ended in  1485. The family ...................... took power in the end was the Tudor family. They combined the roses ....................... represented the Yorks and the Lancasters and this combination of flowers became their symbol.

See here to meet someone who lived at that time.

PRESENT TENSES FOR FUTURE MEANING

THINK ABOUT IT:

Native speakers know the rules without noticing them, but second language learners have to recognise , understand, learn and practise them.
Have you ever noticed that?
Read here for more information


RULES WE DON´T KNOW WE KNEW


Did you know these rules?
what do you think about the article?



Now you can see this video to check if you know the rules:

practise here 

more practise here

ENGLISH LITERATURE XVIII

You may think that I´m completelly nuts uploading this image in conection to XVIII English Literature, but I'm not!

There are many things that you don't probably know about this particular period.

Authors fought popularity and they did it hard.

I want you to search info about two English authors  who fought their popularity during the XVIII century

These two authors are Samuel Richardson and Henry Fielding.

TASK:

Write a brief review about what you have discovered according to the conection between these two authors and the image I have uploaded.
 
The task is NOT MANDATORY
Do it ONLY if you are interested in discovering the story.

UNIT 7. REPORTED SPEECH

Nowadays we are used to live using our social media all the time. When we write in our whatsapp account, most of the time we are using direct speech.

But what about re-tweeting in your twitter or sharing in your facebook?

Imagine your life if you would have to retell everything you re-tweet or share nowadays.

That's indirect speech:


"Mary has bought a new dress,,,, she says it's amazing,,, but the colour doesn't fit her hair!" Laura said.

Can you tell me what has Laura said about her friend Mary?



You can have a look at these web sites BEFORE we deal with Reported Speech in class.


http://www.sherton.com/reporting verbs and more

http://www.shertonenglish.com/reported-speech

http://www.shertonenglish.com/questions

http://www.curso-ingles.com


You can also download, print and paste these charts  in your notebook :

The following day ****

PASSIVE VOICE

When to use the Passive Voice

1. It is used when the person/thing performing the action is unimportant or unknown.
e.g. Our car was stolen last night.

2. It is used when it is obvious who/what is performing the action.
e.g. Cameron was sacked last week.

3. It is used to describe factual information, especially when describing a process.
e.g. The lasagna is baked in an oven for 35 minutes at 250 degrees Celsius.

4. It is used in news reports and to give instructions.
e.g. Five people were arrested at a nightclub last night.

While it is possible to use this structure in a large variety of tenses in English, it is not common to use the passive in Future Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous or Future Perfect Continuous tenses.

Below there are examples of the passive in a range of verb tenses

The butter	is	kept here.	Present Simple
The window	was	broken.	Past Simple
The work	will be	done soon.	Future Simple
The bridge	is being	repaired.	Present Continuous
The cheese	was being	eaten by mice.	Past Continuous
Our work	has been	finished.	Present Perfect
The car	hadn't been	used much.	Past Perfect
The house	will have been	built by then.	Future Perfect
The shelf	can't be	reached.	Modal Verb - Can
The task	must be	done now.	Modal Verb - Must
The lesson	may be	finished.	Modal Verb - May
The car	ought to be	repaired.	Modal Verb

Try this game     BY  Grammar Notes and Games - www.grammar.cl

Verbs with two objects

Some verbs that have two objects can make two different active sentences, and so two different passive sentences too:

Give

• Active: He gave me the book / He gave the book to me.

You can choose either of the two objects to be the subject of the passive sentence.

• Passive: I was given the book (by him)/ The book was given to me (by him).

Other verbs like this are: ask, offer, teach, tell, lend, promise, sell, throw. 

• You can see  HERE a more extended explanation and examples

1ST BACHILLERATO:

• You can start your CONTRAST 1 EXTENSION grammar and vocabulary activities here

EXTRA ACTIVITIES....... APRIL 25TH

Here you have some grammar exercises  from unit 5. You can either download or do them in your notebook. Bring them to me before  April, 25th.

extra grammar and vocabulary UNIT 5

I remind you that you can download some activities and extra listenings here:


BURLINGTON BOOKS ONLINE


If you want to practise your reading, you can also do the reading activity on page 118 on your book.

SPORTS

VOCABULARY AND EXERCISES

REMEMBER THIS SONG???

LET'S TRY TO FIND OUT THE DIFFERENT CONDITIONAL SENTENCES IN THIS SONG

"Locked Away"
(feat. Adam Levine)

[Adam Levine:]
If I got locked away
And we lost it all today...
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?
If I showed you my flaws
If I couldn't be strong
Tell me honestly
Would you still love me the same?

[R. City:]
Right about now...
If a judge for life me...
Would you stay by my side?
Or is ya gonna say good-bye?
Can you tell me right now?
If I couldn't buy you the fancy things in life
Shawty, would it be alright
Come and show me that you are down (ah-ha)

Now tell me would you really ride for me? (would you really ride for me?)
Baby, tell me would you die for me? (tell me would you die for me?)
Would you spend your whole life with me? (what's up?)
Would you be there to always hold me down?
Tell me would you really cry for me? (would you really cry for me?)
Baby, don't lie to me (baby, don't lie to me)
If I didn't have anything... (what's up?)
I wanna know would you stick around?

[Adam Levine:]
If I got locked away
And we lost it all today...
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?
If I showed you my flaws
If I couldn't be strong
Tell me honestly
Would you still love me the same?

[R. City:]
Skiddly-dong-dong-dong dang
All I want is somebody real who don't need much
A gal I know that I can trust...
To be here when money low
If I did not have nothing else to give but love...
Would that even be enough?
Gal, meh need fi know (ah-ha)

Now tell me would you really ride for me? (would you really ride for me?)
Baby, tell me would you die for me? (tell me would you die for me?)
Would you spend your whole life with me? (what's up?)
Would you be there to always hold me down?
Tell me would you really cry for me? (would you really cry for me?)
Baby, don't lie to me (baby, don't lie to me)
If I didn't have anything... (what's up?)
I wanna know would you stick around?

[Adam Levine:]
If I got locked away
And we lost it all today...
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?
If I showed you my flaws
If I couldn't be strong
Tell me honestly
Would you still love me the same?

[R. City:]
Tell me, tell me, would you want me? (want me)
Tell me, tell me, would you call me? (call me)
If you knew I wasn't ballin'
'Cause I need a gal who's always by my side...
Tell me, tell me, do you need me? (need me)
Tell me, tell me, do you love me yea?
Or is ya just tryna play me?
'Cause I need a gal to hold me down for life...

[Adam Levine:]
If I got locked away
And we lost it all today...
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?
If I showed you my flaws
If I couldn't be strong
Tell me honestly
Would you still love me the same?

If I got locked away
And we lost it all today...
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?
If I showed you my flaws
If I couldn't be strong
Tell me honestly...
Would you still love me the same?

Would you still love me the same?

HUNDRED MILES GABRIELA RICHARDSON

Come ................. and visit my world Come .................. and visit my world did the street shining stars our ................. is the only way don't get lost cause I'm waiting ................. feelings are waiting, boy You and me is more than .................. miles you and me is more than the ................ sky you and me is more than lonely ............. it's our time to go ................ with me, one more time You and me is more than ................ miles you and me is more than the .............. sky you and me is more than lonely days it's our time to go, 
................. with me one more time

UNIT 5. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

I told you in class that there was an old entry dealing with conditional sentences,

  To make it easier for you to find it   I 've searched for it.


click right down here :           what happens if...

 

THE ENGLISH WE SPEAK

Read this, If you learn something new and you like the style... why don't you try another one in  the    BBC web page

 THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL

Rob: No! No! Don't pass the ball to him!

Vera: Rob is so loud! That's a lovely drawing, Dominic!

Dominic: Thank you, mummy! This is a balloon and the letter B! And this is…

Vera: And this is a boat, isn't it?

Dominic: No! This is a ball, to play football! Can't you see?!

Vera: Hi. I am Vera and this is Dominic.

Dominic: … and I am five! I'm a big boy now!

Vera: And Rob is over there, watching TV, supporting his team.

Rob: Arrrrghhhh! They're going to lose!

Vera: And Dominic is learning to write…

Rob: Oh nooooo! They've lost another goal! The writing is on the wall now!

Vera: Oh, no, writing on the wall? My nice and clean wall?! Dominic, have you written on the wall? Naughty boy!

Rob: No, no, no - there's nothing written on your wall, Vera! In English, we use the expression 'the writing is on the wall' when we want to say that something bad is going to happen to something or someone and there isn't much you can do about it. Like my football team. If it loses this match it is out of the championship.

Vera: So there is nothing written on the beautiful, clean walls of my brand new apartment?

Rob: No. Here are some examples of how you can use this expression.

• My auntie is really sad because she had to close her shop. To be honest, the writing has been on the wall for her business for a long time.

• You know Mary. She's a party girl that loves the city but I heard her husband is shy and has always wanted to live on a farm. The writing is definitely on the wall for their marriage.

• I haven't studied hard this year and I have been doing badly in exams. My teachers told me if I don't try harder the writing is on the wall.

Vera: So that's what this expression is used for: to indicate that something will end up badly. Well, at least my walls are ok. They are nice and clean! Dominic is still a good boy!

Rob: Gooooooal! Finally!

Rob: Oh, sorry Vera. Your walls are free of writing but your carpet is flooded with wine. Sorry. I've just knocked my glass on the floor by accident and there is a big stain…

Vera: Oh Rob is the bad boy now! My beautiful carpet!

Rob: Red wine, white carpet… The writing was on the wall for this one. Sorry. And bye…

Vera: Bye Rob. Bye carpet.

Dominic: Carpet!? I want to write on the carpet!

EXTRA LISTENINGS

Here you can find your zone at Burlington .com:


CONTRAST 1 MATERIAL

EXTRA LISTENINGS FOLDER



BACHILLERATO ACTIVITIES (DIGITAL BOOK FOR LINUX INSTALL)

Linux: After downloading, right-click the file and select "Open with 'Wine Program Loader'". Two icons will appear on your desktop. You can trash the "lnk" icon. Double-click the "desktop" icon and then click "Mark as Trusted". The icon will change its name to "Bachillerato1". Double-click it to open the activities.

HEALTHY EATING HABITS

here you can take a look at the different food groups and make your own healthy meal


watch this video first:

FOOD PYRAMID

BUILD A MEAL GAME

MODAL VERBS III

Watch this presentation to learn something  more about the modal verbs

Modal Verbs from Carmen Torres

download it here

EXTRA PRACTISE : Over to you 1º bach unit 3


You can download this pdf to have a useful document which you can edit with some examples

modals summary dox

Here you have different entries in this blog to practise your skills on MODAL VERBS:

BRUNO MARS When I was your man

you'd better stop

grammar explanation


LIsten to this song and see how many different MODAL VERBS  you can recognise

MODAL VERBS II

Do you want to practise what we have been talking about today?

here you have some more exercises to do at home as well as a clear Spanish explanation.
But if you need more... try the "aula fácil" in "enlaces de interés"

CAN/ MAY                                                               EXERCISES

CAN / COULD                                                          EXERCISES

MUST / HAVE TO                                                    EXERCISES

SHOULD / MUST /  HAVE TO                               EXERCISES

SOME NIGHTS TASK LYRICS AND OPINIONS

Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights I call it a draw
Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights I wish they'd just fall off

But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for oh
Whoa oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Whoa oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Most nights I don't know anymore...
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh,
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh

This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype
Save that for the black and white
I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked,
But here they come again to jack my style

That's alright (that's alright)
I found a martyr in my bed tonight
She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am
Oh, who am I? Mmm... Mmm...

Well, some nights I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change.
And some nights I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights I always win, I always win...

But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
Whoa oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Whoa oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Most nights I don't know... (oh, come on)

So this is it. I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?

(Come on)

No. When I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on.
Oh, come on. Oh, come on. Oh, come on!

Well, that is it guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home;
Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?

My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called "love"
When I look into my nephew's eyes...
Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from...
Some terrible nights... ah...

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh,
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh

The other night you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me
I called you up but we'd both agree

It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance... Oh...
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance... Oh...

OPINIONS

SAILING TO PHILADELPHIA SOURCES

Thomas Pynchon "Mason Dixon"

This is a historical novel about the famous surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon -- mappers of the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland that also made up part of the dividing line between slave states and free states before the Civil War, and globetrotters on a variety of scientific adventures in the later 1700s.

The tale opens with Mason and Dixon meeting in about 1760 to embark, at the behest of the British Royal Society, on a journey to the Southern Hemisphere to observe the Transit of Venus -- the passage of that planet across the sun. Just as they set sail from England, however, they are attacked by a French frigate and several of the crew members are killed.

In accepting a commission to survey the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland, Mason, the expedition's leader, retreats from the hard science of the Transit of Venus.

Mason and Dixon complete their line in 1767, and spend much of the following year surveying a degree of latitude also contracted to them by the Royal Society. 

more info