Matilde's English Corner

Breast Implants for a seven-year-old girl

2011-12-07T15:00:00.001+01:00

ADVANCED LEVEL

Listen and answer the questions below
Breast implants for a seven-year-old girl

1.-What does the mother compare her birthday present to?

2.-What does she do and how does she describe her family?

3.-What did she say to her child when she gave her her birthday present.?

4.-What’s her family like?

5.-Why does she complain about the people who criticize her?

6.-Why did her 17-year-old daughter have botox?

7.-Why did she teach her daughter to pole dance?

8.-According to Nicky Campbell what do parents who have daughters live in fear of?

9.-What’s her opinion about the sexualization of children?

10.-How much is the cosmetic surgeryshe has had up to now worth?

Now check your answers with the script

INTERVIEW TO MICHELLE OBAMA

2011-11-29T11:48:00.001+01:00

AVANZADO
Watch this interview with Michelle Obama, just before she became Fisrt Lady, talking about family life and complete the sentences below according to what she says. Then you can check the answers with the script.

1.-Michelle wishes her husband wasn’t so ________________________________.

2.- Obama’sfavourite dish is shrimp linguini, a garlicky dish with ________________________________.

3.- Theydon’t think a lot about what they’ve got themselves into because they’re toofocused on their ___________________________ and that consumes all that extraenergy you have to _____________________________ and ponder. .

4.- Theirdaughter, Malia, wants to go to a good school in case her acting career__________________________________ .

5.- Sashais still __________________________________

6.- Eventhough she complains that nothing’s spontaneous these days she reallyappreciated that Barack took __________________________ the campaign drill ontheir anniversary to have dinner with her and gave her a beautiful present.

7.- Insixteen years, she thinks her husband will have served _____________________________________ and their children will be starting their careers.

THIS IS AN EASIER EXERCISE FOR INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
I wish I was___________________________

I wishBarack wasn't so _______________________

True orfalse:

Michellehasn’t cooked much this year.

She’s not avery good cook

Obama’sfavourite dish, _____________ linguini is cooked with onion and tomato.

Is thistrue or false?

They haveno time to think about what they’ve got themselves into because the free timethey have is focused on their children.

Bothdaughters like acting and singing.

On theirlast wedding anniversary Obama took her on a journey .

In sixteen years their children will still bein college.

SCRIPT

Culture Shock.- Intermedio 2

2009-05-18T09:42:00.006+02:00

Watch the video and summarize the lecturer's exprerience in America. Then check your ideas with the script.

Criminal Profiling.- Intermedio 2

2009-05-14T14:19:00.006+02:00

Watch the video and answer the questions below. Then check your answers with the script

When and where did the murders occur?
What kind of people and how many were killed?
Where did the dead bodies appear?
How did this technique, called criminal profiling, start?
What kind of profile did the task force issue?

What evidence did the police have against the murderer?

What was predicted about the following murders?
What made the criminal change his way of acting?
How did the police get in touch with the suspect for the first time?

The Tallest Building in the World

2009-04-17T09:15:00.006+02:00

Complete the sentences below according to the video. Then check your answers with the script

1.- The Burj Dubai still has a little _____________________ to be finished.
2.- The building is located in the United Arab Emirates, within ___________________
3.- A lot of construction work is being done in the city of Dubai and there are eight times more_______________ than permanent residents in the city.
4.- It is the place for the most creative and______________________ in the world to come and have fun by putting their ideas into practice.
5.- According to the project manager, when the building is finished it will be more than __________________________
6.- The building is supported by poles, a hydraulic lift and large bolts connecting it to _________________________ .
7.- The presenter shows his surprise at how they can build this huge structure with _______________________ .
8.- The pyramids used to be the largest man-made structure on the planet until they ________________________ in England about 700 years ago.

Work-Life Balance

2009-03-30T11:22:00.004+02:00

Watch the video and decide is the statements below are true or false according to what you hear. Then check your answers with the script.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE
1.- It is ironical that even though she’s really busy she thinks her work-life balance is adequate for her.
2- She agrees with a report which says that it is impossible for working parents to be good parents.
3.- the key points to achieve a good work-life balance, in her opinion, are time management techniques, putting some things off and accepting that it is not necessary to do things at fixed times and in fixed ways.
4.- The book is called “The See Saw” because of the way she feels depending on what she’s done.
5.- Getting very sick due to her hectic lifestyle made her accept that she couldn’t have everything.
6.- Our present culture makes women feel guilty for trying to do their best
7.- Her husband frequently complains because he has to look after their children
8.- A life coach she met with two or three times a week help her o start thinking practically.
9.- After reassessing the way she worked she became more efficient working.

SCRIPT

Saint Patrick's Day.- Intermedio

2009-03-30T09:42:00.005+02:00

Watch the video and decide whether the statements below are true or false according to what they say. If false try to correct them. Then check your answers with the script.

1. Saint Patrick was an Irish Shepherd who was born in the 5th. Century.
2. He became a priest after a vision he had.
3. He founded several monasteries on the south coast of Ireland.
4. He drove the snakes out of Ireland.
5. He used the shamrock to make people understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
6. The feast of saint Patrick was very well accepted because it allowed people to drink at a time when they could not.
7. The first Saint Patrick’s parade was organised in Dublin.
8. The Irish migrated to America in order to buy potatoes because they had run out of them.
9. The traditional meal for Saint Patrick’s Day in America used to be corned beef and cabbage.
10. It all began 50 years ago.

SCRIPT

Look Inside The Mind.- Intermedio 2

2009-01-31T21:04:00.006+01:00

Watch the video an complete the summary below. Then check your answers with the script.

Complete the blanks with information from the video.

Scientists in Japan have developed new technology that will allow them to [1] ___________________ and reproduce what you’re thinking onto a computer screen.
According to Professor Michio Kaku science fiction is becoming reality.
Previously, scientists have been able to use MRI scans [2] ___________________¬¬¬¬¬___ within a person's brain, and also emotional states. He claims that within ten years, we may have a dictionary of thought. The idea is that certain [3] _____________________ correspond to certain thoughts and they're saying that they show individuals certain images, and then they detect their [4] ___________________¬¬¬____ to see what they're thinking. This is possible because the MRI scan picks up chemicals that are inside the blood...
…so as you think about something, blood concentrates in certain areas and computers can recognize that pattern and tell you what you are thinking.
Some possible uses of this technology include [5] _________________________ without using coercive tactics, reading a person’s brain to decipher lies, emotional states and perhaps even individual ideas.
It is better than a lie detector test because it only [6] ______________________ - that is, sweating of the skin, increased pulse rate, increased breathing rate, which you can fake but thinking is very hard to fake.
A dictionary of thought a one-to-one pattern between certain patterns of the brain corresponding to [7] ________________________. Certain emotional states, certain letters of the alphabet, even certain words and ideas could be deciphered by looking at blood flow in the brain, because it corresponds to [8] _________________________ and thought.
To do so they will have to make better the _________________________ to be able to pick up maybe a hundred neurons per pixel on the screen , since a word like “the” may correspond to a hundred neurons.

Barak Obama's Inaugural Address

2009-01-21T21:31:00.005+01:00

Since we 're living a historical moment I'd like you to enjoy this speech just for pleasure. I've included a glossary and the whole script to help you a little. By the way, don't be cheeky and choose the subtitles in English in the box below the video screen.

White Is In The Winter Night

2008-12-27T18:56:00.008+01:00

Write this Enya christmas carol in English and then check it with the video

Then see if you were right and sing

Song Lyrics | WHITE IS IN THE WINTER NIGHT lyrics ENYA

Christmas Traditions.- Intermedio

2008-12-18T11:04:00.006+01:00

Watch the video and complete the gaps.

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
Fill in the gaps according to the video.

A On Christmas Eve, it’s after Church, afterwards, we pile into the car and________________________ to look at all the lights while listening to Christmas music, it slows us down and we really ____________________ in the car as a family.

B When my boys were younger they would help me put up the Christmas lights, after that and some ____________________, we’d all go in the house and my wife’d make us ______________________. Next we’d decorate the tree and have home-made pizza. Now that the boys are older I have a new tradition of ________________________.

C Each Christmas Eve our family and friends gather _________________ and we all take part in a nativity play, complete with a barn full of sheep, goats, chickens and of course Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. ______________________ and the children are all a-glow as they watch the scene and fool around them.

D As a child, one of my favourite Christmas things to do was to ____________________________________ and stare up through the branches at all the lights and ornaments. I have no idea why this was more appealing to me than looking directly at the tree, but it’s a tradition I now share with my son.

E We _________________________ out of construction paper and take them to a bulletin board, behind each house we put __________________, neighbour or friend, then each day on December we open a house to see which family is behind them and we ________________________ whether it’s to bake cookies, send them a card, just something to let them know we’re thinking of them and praying for them on that day.

F Every Christmas we have a contest to see who’ll be the ____________________________on Christmas morning. You can’t get up before 5 a.m. and you can’t use an alarm clock. The minute five o’clock hits we race around the house waking everyone else up. For some reason we seem to enjoy this tradition _________________________.

Whatever your tradition we hope you have a Merry Christmas and may your traditions include the baby Jesus.
SCRIPT

How to Play Lacrosse.- Intermedio 2

2008-12-18T09:26:00.006+01:00

Watch this video about lacrosse and try to answer the questions below.The check the answers with the script.

What's a lacrosse field like?
How many points does a team score for a goal?
How many players are there in a team? In which positions?
How long does a game last and into how many parts is it divided?
What equipment do you need to play lacrosse?
What is the ball like?
What can a player do when the ball hits the ground?
What is a player never allowed to do?
What other sports is it similar to?

SCRIPT

Manners and Body Language Across Cultures

2008-12-16T13:53:00.004+01:00

Watch the video and answer the questions below.

1.- What does crossing your arms in front of you mean in western cultures? What does it mean in Vietnam?
2.- How do Maori people greet each other?
3.- What happened to one of her students when she went to visit her grandmother in the Philipines? What do they learn from doing so?
4.- When did kissing on both cheeks become popular in the States?
5.- Why was the Afghan student devastated when the teacher tried to let her know with a gesture that she had passed an exam?
6.- What other gesture is considered obscene in Japan?
7.- Why didn't the Mexican girl look the teacher in the eye when she was telling her off?
8.- What is mad-dogging?
9.- How is listening posture different among Africans and African-Americans and western people?

SCRIPT

Interview with Ryan Leach

2008-12-10T11:37:00.007+01:00

Watch this interview and decide if the following statements are true or false. If false try to correct them.

1.- He considers what he does just entertainment.
2.- He started riding bikes just for fun and little by little it turned into his professional career.
3.- He practices six days a week from February to November and usually takes a summer break.
4.- When riding he doesn’t like taking risks.
5.- He’s developed an instinct that tells him when to jump off the bike in order to prevent serious injuries.
6.- He’s soon going to start a series of presentations at schools called “Trials of Life” in which he’ll try to encourage students to take up mountain biking.
7.- At the moment he’s selling two action-packed DVDs about the different styles of mountain biking.
8.- These DVDs are for sale on his website.
SCRIPT
INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN LEACH

Welcome to watchmojo.com, I’m your host Tiffany and today I have the chance to talk to Ryan Leach , the expert in trial mountain-biking.
Tiffany: Ryan, Can you tell us what your title is exactly?
Ryan: Sure, I’m a professional trials mountain bike rider.
Tiffany: And what does that mean? What do you do?
Ryan: I travel around putting on performances, shows, demonstrations, stand shows if you like, and it’s entertainment but it’s a way for me to promote the sport of mountain biking , not trials specifically, which is the discipline that I specialise in , but cycling in general.
Tiffany: Ok. So, when did you start doing this and how did you decide to do this?
Ryan: Sure, it was just for fun, you know? I just started riding, it was a lot of fun and I got hooked on it, I got addicted to riding and I kept practising and practising and one thing led to another and all of a sudden here I am doing it as a career.
Tiffany: And how old were you when you started?
Ryan: I started riding mountain bikes when I was thirteen or fourteen
Tiffany: How many hours a week did you practise and do you practise now?
Ryan: Oh yeah for sure. It really depends on the time of the year, as well. During the winter I usually take time off the bike completely, just to rest and recover a little bit, but from February through November I’m on the bike probably six days a week doing shows, practising or filming or doing some sort of activity related to riding a bike.
Tiffany: So now Richard almost always on your bike.
Ryan: Very much, yeah,
Tiffany: Have you ever got hurt? Any serious injuries?
Ryan: It, it can be dangerous, definitely. Certainly a lot of the other disciplines in mountain biking can be dangerous: downhill, slopestyle riding, when they go over big jumps, you know, it’s pretty wild what people are capable of doing on two wheels. I personally like to keep it safe. The kind of riding I do is all about precision and control. So, since I don’t like to be injured I make sure that I’m aware of all my surroundings and over the years I’ve learnt how to crash, so if I do, if something does go wrong there’s a better chance that I’ll get out of it without injuring myself.
Tiffany: Can you explain this way of crashing that, you know, in which, you know does not promote any serious injuries or as serious injuries.
Ryan: It’s not so much a skill you can teach, it’s something that you naturally adapt to, it’s an instinct, when something goes wrong, you just manage to jump off your bike and land without hurting yourself. It’s hard to explain.
Tiffany: So, in other words you’ve been lucky enough not to have any broken bones at this point in your career.
Ryan: Pretty much, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Tiffany: What are the future plans for you, right now?
Ryan: Well I’m actually, … I started a program called trials of life and it’s… it’s a presentation that I do at schools, which combines my trials show with some inspirational words and a message. So…
Tiffany: These types of messages are targeted for youth?
Ryan: Yeah, primarily for the sort of middle school sort of age range. So…
Tiffany: Oh, that’s very interesting. Oh and may I also now say that I see you’re selling DVDs?. How many DVDs do you have out there?
Ryan: I actually brought three with me to the show, two are self produced, an action one and an instructional DVD and one’s another film that I was featured in recently. It’s an action-packed mountain biking DVD, so full of all, all the styles of mountain biking that you see out there today. It’s pretty fun.
Tiffany: How can we get our hands on these DVDs if we’re interested in buying them?
Ryan: Ah, well, check on my website. I guess that’d probably be the easiest: it’s ryanleach.com.
Tiffany: So ryanleach.com. Thank you very much Ryan.

Three places to go on holidays.- Intermedio

2008-12-10T09:42:00.007+01:00

Answer the questions after each of the videos. Then post a comment about the place you would choose to go an holidays explaining your reasons.

What do these numbers refer to:
1.- 1996
2.- 300,000
3.- 140,000 – 215,000
4.- 15
5.- 8
6.- 1961
7.- 30
8.- 4
9.- 16
10.- 3,540

Complete these sentences:
1.- Thailand is a country which is very popular with ________________.
2.- This country is considered one of the top scuba destinations because of its crystal clear _____________________ and for its great variety of ______________________ .
3.- The majority of Thailand’s _______________________ are located in the north.
4.- It’s _________________ that wild water rafting has become popular.
5.- The best time to experience this thrill is _____________________ , between mid-May and mid-October.

Answer these questions according to what they say on the video
1.- Where is Emerson Inn located?
2.- When was it built?
3.- What’s the name of its most relevant facility ?
3.- Which awards did it win in both 2007and 2008?
4.- Name two other features that the general manager mentions?
5.- What did two of its most famous guests do for a living?
SCRIPT

Remembrance Day/Poppy Day.- Intermedio 1

2008-11-19T12:49:00.009+01:00

Watch the video and decide whether the following statements are true or false:
1.- It was at eleven o'clock on 11th. November that the First World War finished.
2.- Some of the traditions they have around this day come from the politicians and the government.
3.- The two-minute silence held at the eleventh hour came from a suggestion from the Queen.
4.-The cenotaph to honour those who died during the war was built in 1990.
5.- The symbol of the day is the rose.
6.- The idea comes from a poem written on the battlefield.
7.- The money obtained by selling these paper flowers is for children.
8.-The idea is that we should forget and forgive.

Now read the script and check your answers.
SCRIPT:
It was at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 that the guns fell silent around Europe. The legacy of the devastating loss of life in the First World War has shaped the way we remember our dead. Many of the traditions now so familiar come from the determination of one generation not to forget what they’d lived through. The idea of the two-minute silence observed at that eleventh hour came in a letter to a newspaper published in the London Evening News in May 1919, it caught the imagination of King George V. A royal proclamation was issued calling for the silence so that the thoughts of everybody should be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.
At the cenotaph this year memories of the dead are still fresh. The bodies of three black WAD soldiers killed in Iraq arrived in Britain only this week. That there was a public need to remember became obvious when the cenotaph was first unveiled in 1919. Its steps was spontaneously covered in wreaths by members of the public. The temporary wood and plaster monument was rebuilt in stone in recognition of its importance. In the passing years it’s been the focus of each Remembrance Sunday, remembering the dead of each conflict, however controversial.
But it’s the poppy which has become the most enduring symbol of Remembrance Day. It was immortalized in one of the most famous First War poems. In Flanders’ Fields was written by John McCray. He saw the flowers bloom from his makeshift medical station near Ieper in 1915. “In Flanders’ fields the poppies grow between the crosses row on row”, he wrote. The flowers blossomed in the turned up earth of the western front covering the battlefields with their blood-red petals. The annual Poppy Appeal still raises money for soldiers and their families. Last year a record £21.7 million from the sale of the paper flowers went to the Royal British Legion. The Legion gives support to those left disabled through armed service, provides residential care and pensions and helps retrain and resettle those leaving the forces. But for many of us it’s the bravery of those First World War veterans that still prompts us to wear a poppy. Their ranks are dwindling although four did make it to a ceremony at the cenotaph this summer. For new generations the challenge will be to keep the symbol alive as the survivors pass away. It was Lawrence Binyon who later found himself at war, who later wrote the words found on countless war memorials. Just one verse from his Poem for the Fallen, written published in 1914, is recited at commemorative events. Its closing lines a reminder that we should never forget. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.

How to clean your House Without Harming the Environment.- Intermedio 2

2008-11-19T11:51:00.005+01:00

Here is the video we watched in class and the script.

SCRIPT:
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT

Hello and welcome to Videojug. The majority of today’s cleaning products are chemical based. Not only can this be hazardous to pets and children but they’re also harmful to the environment. We’re going to show you how to clean your house using everyday non-toxic products that you may already have in the kitchen cupboard. Safer to use, cheaper to buy and kinder to the planet. What more could you want? These tips are based on advice from Friends of the Earth, one of the world’s leading environmental agencies.
Step One: to clean your house using everyday non-toxic products you can use: lemon juice, salt, baking soda, vinegar and water. You will also need some reusable cloth or towels and newspaper. You will no longer need disposable cloths, bleach or any other kind of harmful chemical cleaners. Remember, as with all cleaning products test in an inconspicuous area before you clean the whole surface.
Step two: freshen rooms. Ditch the air freshener and open a window instead. It’s free, far more effective and doesn’t fill your room with an invisible toxic cloud
Step three: Carpets. To freshen carpets sprinkle some baking soda on them before you vacuum. This will remove odours and may help remove stains.
Step four: surfaces. Clean your surfaces with the magical lemon. Lemons have natural bleaching, deodorizing and antibacterial properties. You can make an effective multi-purpose cleaner by mixing one part lemon juice with three parts water and putting the mixture in a spray bottle. Simply spray it on and wipe off with a cloth.
Step five: the kitchen. Baking soda, or as the Brits say bicarbonate of soda, is a great abrasive cleaner. Use it straight out of the box to clean fridge interiors, ovens and sinks. For baked-on food mix two parts baking soda, one part salt and enough lemon juice to create a paste. Spread it over the stain, leave it for a few minutes and then scrub off. To dispel bad smells from the fridge put half a lemon in and let it absorb the odours.
Step six: the bathroom. Vinegar, with its antibacterial properties, is a great bathroom cleaner. Mix equal parts water and vinegar to make an effective solution for the bathtub, sink, tiles, floor and toilet sitting bowl. For tougher stains a mixture of baking soda and vinegar a tour the force cleaning combination.. To clean the toilet bowl add a cup of vinegar and leave overnight, then scrub with the toilet brush.
Step seven: copper and brass. Rub lemon juice and a little salt on the copper and brass to really make them shine.
Step eight: window and glass. For your windows use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Wipe with an old newspaper and then recycle it.
Step nine: Alternative products. If you don’t have time to make homemade cleaners then stick to eco brands. These are specifically made to cause as little damage to the environment as possible. Check the packaging for good plant-based ingredients instead of chemicals. Avoid phosphates, chlorine and aerosols at all costs. You’ve cleaned the house and your planet. Done!

Can you contribute with any other tips?

Environment and Sustainability.- Intermedio 2

2008-11-05T09:03:00.005+01:00

You can watch a video about how the human being is harming the environment and suggesting alternatives.I'd like to have some comments on it.

Food in the UK.- Intermedio 1

2008-10-24T12:38:00.035+02:00

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-food-revolution.htm
Explain what these traditional British dishes consist of:
Haggis:
Welsh Rarebit:
Yorkshire Pudding:
What’s a curry?
When did the first curry house open in London?
Why did they open curry houses in the north west of England?
What is convenience food?
What kinds of incentives offer the five big chains of food to their customers?
How do small shops compete with big supermarket chains?
2.- http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-food-trends-and-tv.htm
What is fusion cooking?
What is Jamie’s Kitchen?
3.- http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-food-healthy-eating.htm
Read the article and do the activity

4.- listen to this article and then do the comprehension activity.
Download mp3 file or listen on your PC
Now try these idioms: word game: Food & drink idioms.
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/drag_n_drop_games/files/foo-drink-idioms.htlm.

Read a review of a restaurant and fill in the blanks.

How to Play Gaelic Football.- Intermedio 1

2008-10-20T11:26:00.011+02:00

LISTENING EXERCISE
1.- They started playing Gaelic football in __________________________________.
2.- ___________________________ is made up of fifteen players.
3.- They use a ball ______________________________and heavier than a soccer ball.
4.- The ball may be carried but only for________________________ .
5.- Each goal ____________________ three points.
6.- Even though the game is rough and tumble ______________________ or other protective gear are worn.
7.- They typically penalise technical fouls by ______________________________ or throw in.
8.- Players must be quick ______________________ and also mentally agile.

SCRIPT:
HOW TO PLAY GAELIC FOOTBALL

Gaelic football has become one of Ireland’s most popular sports. It was first played in the sixteenth century. However, it has only been within the last century that this sport has been regulated and organized. Gaelic football is a fast-paced field game and can be described as a combination of soccer, basketball and rugby. Each team is made up of fifteen players. A round ball, slightly smaller and heavier than a soccer ball, is used. Each game lasts for one hour and is split into thirty-minute halves. The ball is passed by kicking, hand passing and bouncing the ball. The ball may be carried but only for four steps. On moving down the field the ball must be passed, solo-ed, which is dropping the ball on to the foot and kicking it back into the hand, or bounced every four steps. A goal is scored when the ball goes passed the goalkeeper through the net. Each goal is worth three points. One point is awarded when the ball goes over the crossbar above the goal. The game is rough and tumble, but no helmets or other protective gear are worn. Injuries are common and players have to be resilient. Technical fouls are typically penalized by free kick or throw in. It takes fierce determination and practice to become a skilled Gaelic football player. Once mastering the various moves the players must not only be quick on their feet but also mentally agile. Long practices, training and travelling mean genuine dedication is required to succeed as a football player. Though difficult, the devoted players reap significant rewards from their efforts, team work, competition, discipline and not to mention great calves.

GLOSSARY:
fast-paced: quick
made up: composed of
to last: to continue to happen, exist.
to bounce: (BALL) to hit a surface and then move quickly away, or to make something do this
is awarded: to officially be given something such as a prize or an amount of money
crossbar: a horizontal beam across a pair of goalposts
rough and tumble: Characterized by roughness and disregard for order or rules
gear: equipment
resilient:strong enough to get better quickly after damage, illness, shock, etc
skilled: having the abilities needed to do an activity or job well
devoted: loving or caring very much about someone or something
reap: get something good by working hard for it
calves: (sing. calf): the back of your leg below your knee

Better Communication Skills.- Intermedio 2

2008-10-17T12:28:00.004+02:00

Being a great communicator is important in all areas of our life, whether we’re talking to our partners, our friends or our work colleagues. Being able to inspire other individuals through your communication will allow you to have a more fruitful and enriching life. Here are my top tips to be a great communicator:
Tip 1: Use open-ended questions
In order to get a communication going it’s really useful to use open-ended questions. Open ended questions often star with words such as what, when, how and why. An example of an open-ended question is:
MAN: ‘So what do you like doing in your spare time?’
WOMAN: ‘I love cinema, theatre and sport.’
It’s best to avoid what we call closed questions. An example of a closed question is:
MAN: ’Do you like films?
WOMAN: ‘Yes, I do’
A closed question kills the conversation because it can only be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Therefore using these open-ended questions will ensure that the conversation continues to flow.
Tip 2: Active listening
This is a really useful technique as it tells the other person you’ve really listened to what they’ve been saying , and also, more importantly that you’ve understood.
WOMAN: ‘The hours are quite long, the work really repetitive. My boss doesn’t appreciate me’
MAN: ‘mm.’
If you’ve been listening actively at this point you should now be able to summarize what the individual has just told you.
MAN: ‘It sounds like you aren’t really satisfied with your job and …’
Tip 3: The cocoon
Sometimes when people are talking to us we find it hard to concentrate on what they’re saying. It might be that there’s some background noise or our mind is elsewhere. In order to help you with this visualize a cocoon around the two of you. This will allow you to focus in on every word that they’re saying to you.
Tip 4: Engage with the other person.
If someone is trying to engage you in conversation your body language is really important.
WOMAN: ‘Tom, I need your advice’
MAN: ’aha?’
Don’t continue with the task that you were already doing, don’t shout the answer over your shoulder.
WOMAN: ‘Tom? Tom I need your advice. Ohh!’
Instead, what you need to do is: stop what you’re doing, turn around and face that individual and give them the time they deserve.
WOMAN: ‘Tom, I need your advice’
MAN: ‘Of course, what is it?’
Good communication style is when you really engage with the other individual.
Tip 5: Don’t make assumptions.
Don’t jump to conclusions when you’re having a conversation with someone. Don’t assume you know what they’re thinking or feeling about a particular topic.
MAN: ‘You seem to be alright.’
Instead, ask them if they’re OK with this, if they feel alright about that. You really don’t take into consideration that person’s thoughts and beliefs rather than projecting your own thoughts or feelings on to them.
Tip 6: Avoid antagonistic sentences.
An example of an antagonistic sentence is:
MAN: ‘You’re sitting in my chair!’
An antagonistic sentence can be seen as a form of attack , so it’s much better and much more constructive using instead to use sentences such as :
MAN: ‘ Excuse me, I think you’ve taken my seat!’
This is less confrontational , which will mean you’re life is full of a lot less conflicts.

GLOSSARY:

Cocoon:(n.) a cover that protects some insects as they develop into adults.
To engage:(v.) If you engage someone in conversation, you start a conversation with them. /to engage with sb.: To attract and hold the attention of.
To assume: (v.) to think that something is likely to be true, although you have no proof .
Confrontational: (adj.) intentionally causing fighting or an argument.

The Future of Communication.- Intermedio 2

2008-10-17T10:32:00.003+02:00

I'd like to know your impressions after watching the video. In your opinion, how much of this will become true?Post your comments, please.

Good Eating Habits.- Intermedio 1

2008-10-16T13:29:00.008+02:00

GLOSSARY:

a stomach ache: a pain in your stomach
right away: immediately
to be on time: to arrive with time enoughto spare.
a gulp: A large amount swallowed at one time (vb.To gulp)
a splash: A flying mass of fluid
to gobble(down) : to eat food very quickly
a spoonful: the amount of liquid a spoon can contain.
a bite: the amount of food you put into your mouth in one go.
to be off (to school): to leave
to stand in line: to wait for something standing one after the other .
to be in a hurry: If you are in a hurry, you want or need to do something quickly.
a pop: (also US soda): a sweet drink with bubbles
to poke(at): to quickly push your finger or other pointed object into someone or something
appetite: hunger
to rush: to move quickly
didn't leave room for...: space
to chew: to crush food between your teeth before you swallow it
mother's pleased and proud: happy / feeling very pleased about something you have done, something you own, or someone you know.
thoroughly: very carefully, very much.to swallow:
to taste (good):If food tastes a particular way, it has that flavour.
a bit: a small piece.
mighty hungry: quite
a kite: a toy made of paper or cloth which flies in the air on the end of a long string
(ask) for seconds: ask for another portion of food at a meal

Teens' Healthy Eating Habits.- Intermedio 1

2008-10-15T09:16:00.004+02:00

TEENS’ DIET
Complete this summary with information from the video.

Kids need a lot of nutrients because they_________________________, making lots of bone and lots of muscle.
They may be tempted to starve themselves because they’re also dealing with___________________________.
Because teens are exerting more control than ever _____________________it may be very difficult for you to influence what they eat at all.
A lot of teens skip breakfast because they think that it is a good way ________________________ but people who have breakfast tend to have clearer heads and _____________________ at school.
Teens tend to be busy and overscheduled so having healthy food with them prevents that they _______________________, soda or fast food.
A family meal is an important time to bring your family ___________________.
Teens need plenty of calcium that should come from ______________________ , such as low fat milk, yogurt and cottage cheese.
You should make sure they keep away from fad diets and ______________________ that may be very unhealthy.

SCRIPT

Today we’re gonna talk about a healthy diet for your teenager. The teenagers pose some dietary challenges. Kids are growing fast, making lots of bone, lots of muscle. So they need lots of nutrients for that. At the same time it’s easy for teens to become overscheduled and start relying on unhealthy snacks and fast food to feed their growing appetites.
They also are dealing with body image and they may be tempted to starve themselves, go on fad diets or eat unusual foods to try and build muscle mass.
Lastly teens are exerting even more control than before over their lives and it may be very difficult for you to influence what they eat at all.
The beginning of everyone’s day, including our teenagers, is breakfast. But a lot of teens may get up in a hurry and decide they wanna skip breakfast; they think that’s a good way to lose weight. But the best studies show that eating breakfast is one of the best ways to lose weight. People who stop and have breakfast, any breakfast, are less likely to eat as many calories later on in the day. They also tend to have clearer heads and perform better at school.
Next your teen can prepare for the coming day by preparing some snacks to bring with him or her on various activities. Teens tend to be busy and overscheduled so having healthy food with them keeps them from being tempted to snack of chips, soda or fast food for the rest on the day.
Later on, when they come home, try and preserve some time for a family meal. This is a really important time not only to develop healthy eating habits but to talk about your family’s values, the teens’ day and bring your family close together. I know teens have a lot to do in the evening but do your best to preserve that. It’s gonna be good for you and for them. Be on the lookout for things like fad diets. Teens may be tempted by dietary supplements, medicines that they think they can take to lose weight or gain muscle mass. Very few of these have any validity. Our teens only need a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables and healthy low fat protein sources, just like anyone else. Teens are building lots of bone so they’re gonna need plenty of calcium in their diets. This should come from low fat dairy, such as low fat milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and other dairy products. So, remember, teens are growing fast and it’s a time when they can develop healthy eating habits or very unhealthy eating habits. Be sure they have a low fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, make sure they eat breakfast and keep them away from fad diets and weight-loss programs that may be very unhealthy.
That is feeding your teen!