TWO UNIQUE PLACES IN GREAT BRITAIN

Click HERE and you will listen to information about two unique places in Britain. Stratford-upon-Avon and Stonehenge. Fill in the sentences with the missing words and then check the KEY below.

STRATFORD -UPON-AVON

1. It is famous because William Shakespeare ___________ there.
2. People visit the house where he was born in __________
3. There are _________ other houses connected with him: where he lived when he was older, where his wife lived before they got married, where his sister lived and where his mother lived.
4. John Harvard also  _________ there.
5. John Harvard went to America in ________ and he started Harvard University.

STONEHENGE

1. Stonehenge is a giant circle of huge _________
2. It was started in  _________ B C. (= Before Christ)
3. Some stones weigh _________ kilogrammes each. ( weigh= pesar )
4. It was probably a __________ or a kind of ________
5. It took _________ of people and many years to build.

KEY

Stratford:
1. lived
2. 1564
3. 4
4. lived
5. 1637

Stonehenge:
1. stones
2. 5,000
3. 50,000
4. temple    calendar
5. thousands

A VACATION ALL OVER EUROPE

Click HERE , listen to the conversation and fill in the gaps with the missing verbs ( PAST TENSE). Regular and irregular verbs are required. 
You have the complete conversation below to check if you got the correct verbs.
The verbs you have to use in the past tense are these:

BE  CATCH  SEE  STAY  START  SPEND  TAKE and VISIT

Henrietta: Hey Alan, is that you?
Alan: Oh, hi Henrietta. What a surprise to see you! Are you going to work?
Henrietta: Yes, and you? Why are you on this train?
Alan: I'm finishing my vacation. Today's my last day. I went all over Europe. Twenty-four days, seven countries.
Henrietta: That sounds incredible! Tell me all about it. I really want to see the rest of Europe.
Alan: I ___________   in Amsterdam. I met my Dutch friend Rita there.
Henrietta: How do you know her?
Alan: We went to college together. I ________ in Amsterdam for three days. The weather  __________ rainy and windy and really cold, but I had a great time. It's a very cosmopolitan, international city.
Henrietta: What  did you do there? Did you see all the canals?
Alan: Yes, they were so beautiful. We also ________ two huge art galleries. They had exhibitions of the old Dutch painters like Vermeer and Rembrandt. After leaving Amsterdam, I ________  some time in Brussels with Rita and then I went to Munich.
Henrietta: I really want to go to Germany!
Alan: It's a very interesting place. Very historical. I _________ one house in Munich that was 800 years old. It was incredible.
Henrietta: That's so old!
Alan: It was a very clean house too! The weather in Munich was warm so I was happy. I  __________ so many photos of the city.
Henrietta: Did you spend a lot of money on hotels?
Alan: No, not really. I had a very good guide book with me, very informative. And it had information about all the good, cheap places. In Munich, I  _________  in a hostel for about 20 euros a night.
Henrietta: Wow, that is cheap! What did you eat in Germany? I hear the food is delicious.
Alan: They have these huge sausages and you eat them with a long piece of bread - very tasty.
Henrietta: Did you go to Italy, Alan?
Alan: Yes, after a few days in Munich, I ___________ the train south to Italy and stayed two days in Milan.
Henrietta: You really  __________  everything. I'm so jealous. I was here in London in the rain!
Alan: Oh, what a pity! This is my station. I have so many things to tell you. Listen, tonight I'll phone you.
Henrietta: Great, and this weekend, we can go out and eat German sausage!
Alan: OK, speak to you tonight. Bye!

Now check the KEY below

Full text to check your answers.

Henrietta: Hey Alan, is that you?

Alan: Oh, hi Henrietta. What a surprise to see you! Are you going to work?

Henrietta: Yes, and you? Why are you on this train?

Alan: I'm finishing my vacation. Today's my last day. I went all over Europe. Twenty-four days, seven countries.

Henrietta: That sounds incredible! Tell me all about it. I really want to see the rest of Europe.

Alan: I started in Amsterdam. I met my Dutch friend Rita there.

Henrietta: How do you know her?

Alan: We went to college together. I stayed in Amsterdam for three days. The weather was rainy and windy and really cold, but I had a great time. It's a very cosmopolitan, international city.

Henrietta: What did you do there? Did you see all the canals?

Alan: Yes, they were so beautiful. We also visited two huge art galleries. They had exhibitions of the old Dutch painters like Vermeer and Rembrandt. After leaving Amsterdam, I spent some time in Brussels with Rita and then I went to Munich.

Henrietta: I really want to go to Germany!

Alan: It's a very interesting place. Very historical. I visited one house in Munich that was 800 years old. It was incredible.

Henrietta: That's so old!

Alan: It was a very clean house too! The weather in Munich was warm so I was happy. I took so many photos of the city.

Henrietta: Did you spend a lot of money on hotels?

Alan: No, not really. I had a very good guide book with me, very informative. And it had information about all the good, cheap places. In Munich, I stayed in a hostel for about 20 euros a night.

Henrietta: Wow, that is cheap! What did you eat in Germany? I hear the food is delicious.

Alan: They have these huge sausages and you eat them with a long piece of bread - very tasty.

Henrietta: Did you go to Italy, Alan?

Alan: Yes, after a few days in Munich, I caught the train south to Italy and stayed two days in Milan.

Henrietta: You really saw everything. I'm so jealous. I was here in London in the rain!

Alan: Oh, what a pity! This is my station. I have so many things to tell you. Listen, tonight I'll phone you.

Henrietta: Great, and this weekend, we can go out and eat German sausage!

Alan: OK, speak to you tonight. Bye!

ROALD DAHL

Before watching a short video about the magnificent writer Roald Dahl, read a summary of his biography and decide if the statements underneath are TRUE or FALSE. Then check the KEY below.

ROALD DAHL’S BIOGRAPHY

"If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books"

Roald Dahl was born in Wales on 13th September 1916. His parents were from Norway and  they named him after the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. His father died when he was 3 years old and he lived with his mother and sisters. He had an unhappy time at boarding school, which provided some of the inspiration for his stories.

After leaving school he worked for the Shell Oil Company based in Africa until the start of World War II, when he became a pilot for the Royal Air Force. Unfortunately he was injured in action and returned home as an invalid. He was then sent to Washington DC to work as a diplomat and there, almost by accident, he started his writing career.

In 1943 he wrote his first children’s book, The Gremlins, which was originally intended to become an animated film by Walt Disney. The film was not made and Dahl turned to writing adult fiction.

In the 1960s he was a father himself and started inventing stories to entertain his own children. He wrote 21 children’s books including Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach The BFG, Matilda, and The Witches, all of which were made into successful films. All his books were illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Roald Dahl died at home on 23rd November 1990, at the age of 74 and fifteen years later a museum was opened in Great Missenden to remember his life and his work.

Boarding school = internado

TRUE or FALSE?

1.    He was Norwegian.

2.    His father was an explorer.

3.    He didn’t like school.

4.    His first job was in Africa.

5.    He could fly planes.

6.    He was injured in Washington.

7.    The Gremlins became one of Walt Disney’s films.

8.    He wrote for children again when he had his own children.

9.    His museum opened before his death

Now watch the video and then fill in the blanks in the sentences underneath.

1. He wrote his books in a ______ at the bottom of his _______
2. He always used  ________ and _________ paper.
3. He wrote more than ________ children's classics.
4. Sir Quentin Blake made the drawings for Roald Dahl's _______.
5. Charlie and the chocolate factory and Matilda were turned into huge bolckbuster ________.

Blockbuster = big box office hit = gran éxito de taquilla


KEY:

True False:
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. False

FILL IN
1. hut     garden
2. pencil     yellow
3. 20
4. books
5. movies

MICROFLATS

Click HERE to listen to two people speaking about one's microflat. Do the tasks and then check the KEY below.

A. Who are the two people?
B. Number the rooms in the order they talk about them:

dining room     bathroom    balcony   bedroom    kitchen     living room

C. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE?

1.    She brought a present for him

2.    There’s a lot of furniture in the dining room

3.    There’s a separate living room

4.    He sleeps on the sofa

5.    There aren’t any shelves

6.    There’s a wardrobe

7.    There isn’t a toilet

8.    There’s a balcony

KEY:

A. A mother and her son

B. dining room 1    bathroom 5   balcony6   bedroom4    kitchen 3    living room2

C. 1.True   2. False   3. False   4. False   5. True   6. True   7. False   8. True

Williamsberg, New York

Watch the video to get a general idea.

Watch the video again and fill in the blanks with the missing words.Then check the KEY below.

        New York is the number 1 city to visit in the United States.

1-      When we think of New York, we think of The Empire State­­___________, Central __________and Times __________.

2-      Many visitors to N Y spend all __________time in Manhattan but N Y is __________    5 different boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, The Bronx and Brooklyn.

Welcome to Williamsberg , my neighbourhood in New York.

3-      It is __________the East River in Brooklyn.

4-      It is __________to many different communities from __________world.

5-      It is a very fashionable part of N Y because a lot of __________and __________live in the neighbourhood so houses and apartments are very expensive.

6-      Bedford Avenue is the __________street and has many fashionable shops and restaurants.

7-      Tourists go to visit the shops, restaurants and __________stores.

Streets artists are painting a mural.

8-      Beacon’s closet is a store full of ___________clothes.

9-      Young people buy __________vintage clothes because they are very fashionable.

10-   New buildings are going __________all the time and apartments are now so expensive that many people are __________back across the East River to Manhattan.

KEY

        New York is the number 1 city to visit in the United States.

1-      When we think of New York, we think of The Empire State Building, Central Park and Times Square .

2-      Many visitors to N Y spend all their time in Manhattan but N Y is actually 5 different boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, The Bronx and Brooklyn.

Welcome to Williamsberg , my neighbourhood in New York.

3-      It is across the East River in Brooklyn.

4-      It is home to many different communities from all over the world.

5-      It is a very fashionable part of N Y because a lot of artists and musicians live in the neighbourhood so houses and apartments are very expensive.

6-      Bedford Avenue is the main street and has many fashionable shops and restaurants.

7-      Tourists go to visit the shops, restaurants and street stores.

Streets artists are painting a mural.

8-      Beacon’s closet is a store full of second-hand clothes.

9-      Young people buy these vintage clothes because they are very fashionable.

10-   New buildings are going up all the time and apartments are now so expensive that many people are moving back across the East River to Manhattan.

RISE- ARISE- RAISE- AROUSE

RISE    ROSE   RISEN  intransitive verb. It means Get higher, come or go up. 

                                            Prices keep rising

                                            What time does the sun rise?

ARISE  AROSE  ARISEN intransitive verb. It means. Begin, appear, come to one`s notice. Mostly used with abstract nouns as subjects such as situation, difficulty, problem,question, opportunity.

                                         A discussion arose about the best way to pay.

                                         A new difficulty has arisen

RAISE   RAISED   RAISED transitive verb. It means Move something up, lift up. 

                                         He raised his glass to his lips

AROUSE   AROUSED   AROUSED transitive verb.It means Awaken, cause to become active. Often used with abstract nouns as objects such as interest, attention,suspicion, sympathy,feelings.

                                          His behaviour aroused our suspicion.

It can also be used with a sexual meaning: to be sexually excited.

                                          He was aroused by the picture of a naked woman

Click  HERE to get some practice on RISE and RAISE
Click   HERE to get some practice on RISE, RAISE and ARISE ( advanced level)

LIE- LAY

LIE   LAY   LAIN (LYING) intransitive verb.It means To be flat on a horizontal surface or in a resting position.            

                          He lay on the grass enjoying the sunshine

LAY   LAID   LAID (LAYING) tansitive verb.It means To put or place

                          He laid his hand on my shoulder

LIE   LIED   LIED (LYING) intransitive verb. It means Make a statement that one konws to be untrue

                          She lied to me

Click HERE  to get some practice.

VERB + OBJECT +INFINITIVE

The following verbs are followed by an infinitive construction in English while they are followed by a subordinate clause with subjunctive in Spanish.

ASK EXPECT TELL NEED WANT ORDER ENCOURAGE PREFER WOULD LIKE

Someone (noun/noun phrase/object pronoun)

TO DO something

Examples:

He asked his girlfriend to marry him on a desert beach under the stars. How romantic!

The teacher expects us to finish the writing task in less than forty minutes.

When I was a child my mother told me not to speak to strangers.

If you need me to help you, don’t hesitate to let me know.

My boss wants me to attend a business conference in Milan.

The headmaster ordered the pupils to stand in line because of the queen’s visit.

Our teacher is always encouraging us to use English in class even if we make mistakes.

I prefer you not to tell her about it. Please keep it a secret.

My girlfriend would like me to go on holiday with her family this summer.

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

There are three types of conditionals or  if-clauses.

type	condition
I	condition possible to fulfill
II	condition in theory possible to fulfill
III	condition not possible to fulfill (too late)

Form

type	if clause	main clause
I	Simple Present	will-future (or Modal + infinitive)
II	Simple Past	would + infinitive *
III	Past Perfect	would + have + past participle *

Examples (if-clause at the beginning)

type	if clause	main clause
I	If I study,	I will pass the exam.
II	If I studied,	I would pass the exam.
III	If I had studied,	I would have passed the exam.

Examples (if-clause at the end)

type	main clause	if-clause
I	I will pass the exam	if I study.
II	I would pass the exam	if I studied.
III	I would have passed the exam	if I had studied.

Examples (affirmative and negative sentences)

type		Examples
		long forms	short/contracted forms
I	+	If I study, I will pass the exam.	If I study, I'll pass the exam.
	-	If I study, I will not fail the exam. If I do not study, I will fail the exam.	If I study, I won't fail the exam. If I don't study, I'll fail the exam.
II	+	If I studied, I would pass the exam.	If I studied, I'd pass the exam.
	-	If I studied, I would not fail the exam. If I did not study, I would fail the exam.	If I studied, I wouldn't fail the exam. If I didn't study, I'd fail the exam.
III	+	If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.	If I'd studied, I'd have passed the exam.
	-	If I had studied, I would not have failed the exam. If I had not studied, I would have failed the exam.	If I'd studied, I wouldn't have failed the exam. If I hadn't studied, I'd have failed the exam.

* We can substitute could or might for would (should, may or must are sometimes possible, too).

I would pass the exam.

I could pass the exam.

I might pass the exam.

I may pass the exam.

I should pass the exam.

I must pass the exam.