Reading practice: Facebook and Apple pay women employees to freeze their eggs **WITH KEY!!**

If you are interested in the news, you may probably know about Facebook and Apple's initiative to pay for their women employees' egg-freezing treatments. It has been quite a controversial topic, so if you want to know more, check this out or read the document below.

Other views on this issue may be found here and here. They may be useful for your upcoming pros/cons writing.


Have a nice weekend. Enjoy. Have some rest. Stay out of jail.

KEY:

Edufilms - Paperman

"Every morning on my way to work I would go through Grand Central Station ... and sometimes you’d meet eye to eye with people, just strangers, like a pretty girl or something, and you’d think is there a connection? You feel that connection for a split second and wonder who that person was. That’s the core idea of it – what if two people were really perfect for each other, and they had that chance meeting? And what if they were separated – how would those two people get back together again? And how could a little bit of magic and fate intervene to bring them back together?" 

***

The quotation above belongs to John Kahrs, the brains behind Paperman. This computer animated romantic comedy comes in handy to celebrate St Valentine's Day -careful with spelling- while improving your English. If you are detail-oriented, you may write a narrative or a summary about the story. If you feel creative, you can write a dialogue -I 'forgot' to say the characters don't talk... much. Of course, you may state your opinion as well: Is the story realistic? Do you believe in love at first sight? Do you think people are aware of what happens around them, or are we too focused on our daily grind to notice? Am I asking too many questions? Should I stop?

Here's all you need to know about the video. Did you know it was awarded an Oscar in 2013? Click on the link if you want to know more. You'll be surprised.

Oral Project: My Time Capsule

Have you ever created a time capsule?

This year we are going to create individual time capsules. To do this, students will submit videos in which they talk about their experience throughout ESO and Bachillerato. The rules are quite simple:

- Videos will be at least five minutes long.
- Students must appear on video every time they are speaking: don't read information, the idea is being as natural as possible.
- Make sure your video format is not an issue. AVI or MPEG videos will do.
- Remember that your ideas will never be judged. Your maturity -both linguistic and mental- will be assessed, not your opinions.

Here are some questions that may come in handy:

• What will you miss the most about school?
• What will you miss the least?
• What is your funniest memory?
• Do you have any regrets or is there anything you wish you had done differently?
• How have you changed since you started at IES El Espinillo?
• What was your favourite lesson? Why?
• What was your least favourite lesson? Why?
• What will you take away with you from your experiences at school?
• What would be your advice to someone starting ESO / starting Bachillerato?
• What has been your favourite extra-curricular activity that you have got involved with?
• What was your favourite school trip? Why?
• Would you study different subjects if you could choose again? 
• What do you hope to do next?
• Has your time here gone quickly or slowly?
• Describe your experience here in three words / in a quotation of your own.

Modals and Modal Perfects: notes and exercises **WITH KEY!!**

Today I'm sharing with you some notes about modal perfects as well as exercises on modal verbs and modal perfects combined. Given that this topic is quite complex and confusing, you can practice with the LINKS provided in this blog.

As always, try and have fun. But don't die trying, please.

The answers are included.

Edufilms - The Most Beautiful Thing

Language -both verbal and non-verbal- is a gift that brings us together. Today I'm offering you a video that may make you think and reflect about reality and yourself. Give yourself the chance of learning not just English. Let the video below humanise you a bit more. Keep an open mind and... enjoy.

I'm sorry but I couldn't help challenging you. If you are curious enough, or you like being immersed in deep thought, or if you just have a lot of time to kill, have a look at the following questions and try to come up with interesting conclusions.

- How can communication bring people together?

- What strategies do you have to overcome communication breakdowns?

- How do you react towards unexpected circumstances?

- What do you think about the quotation? 

Exercises on Passive Sentences **WITH KEY!!**

In the document below you will find some practice on passive sentences, including causatives and impersonal types. The key is included.

Click on these links to practice transformation from active to passive. The key is included.

Practice 1          Practice 2          Practice 3          Practice 4

Reading practice: Spain's new penal code **WITH KEY!!**

Here's the first of -I hope- a set of reading comprehension worksheets to get ready for PAU. Notice that neither grammar nor composition exercises are included.

Thanks to thelocal.es for giving us so many opportunities to improve our English. 

Here's the KEY: