Watch this short National Geographic video about stray dogs saved from a certain death in Sochi, Russia, prior to the Winter Olympics. They have travelled to the U.S. and new homes will be found for them.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 How many dogs came from Russia?
2 What is their personality like?
3 How long do dogs usually stay at the shelter?
4 What does Kelly describe the process of bringing the dogs as 'tremendous'?
5 What are the Sochi dogs ambassadors to?
To check your answers you can read the transcript below.
Bob Ramin:
We had a big day. We had some international visitors come. We had 10 dogs from Sochi, Russia arrive at our shelter.
They look like really nice dogs. I think they’ll be very adoptable, very soon.
They’re in the kennels now working with the staff, being really calm. Kind of a reinsurance that these are nice people here, they’re not going to harm them.
The average length of stay at our shelter, you know it could be anywhere from a week to a couple months. And we always want to make sure that we make the good match that will really stick.
Kelly O’Meara:
It’s been a tremendous process. It has been well over a month of back-and-forth leg work, paperwork. These dogs had to get vaccinated, they’ve had to get the health certificates required for transport.
Everyone was aware that when the olympics were happening, there was the highlight of the terrible dog cull that was in place in Sochi, and had been happening for several months beforehand. Humane Society International tried to address it at that point by reaching out to the Sochi government. But we also learned that there were organizations on the ground such as Povodog, who is responsible for these dogs being here today. They were taking in dogs and taking them off the street.
Humane Society International sees these dogs as wonderful ambassadors to the much larger street dog issue that exists around the world.
It’s been over a month since the Olympics and we’re just thrilled to have them here. Povodog is thrilled to finally be able to send them, and we’re all as excited to finally receive them, and we’re thrilled to be able to facilitate it.
lunes, 5 de mayo de 2014
domingo, 4 de mayo de 2014
Extensive listening: The Crusades
In early 2012 BBC Two aired a three-part documentary presented by Dr Thomas Asbridge about the Crusades, the 200-year war between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land.This is the way the BBC introduced the series:
"The story of the Crusades is remembered as a tale of religious fanaticism and unspeakable violence, but now fresh research, eyewitness testimony, and contemporary evidence from both the Christian and Islamic worlds shed new light on how these two great religions waged war in the name of God.
Episode one traces the epic journey of the first crusaders, as they marched 3,000 miles from Europe to recapture the city of Jerusalem from Islam, enduring starvation, disease and bloodthirsty battle to reach their sacred goal, and then unleashed an appalling tide of barbaric violence upon their Muslim enemies. Yet far from being the invincible holy warriors of legend, Dr Asbridge reveals that these crusaders actually considered surrender in the midst of their titanic expedition."
You can read the transcript for the first ten minutes of the documentary here.
"The story of the Crusades is remembered as a tale of religious fanaticism and unspeakable violence, but now fresh research, eyewitness testimony, and contemporary evidence from both the Christian and Islamic worlds shed new light on how these two great religions waged war in the name of God.
Episode one traces the epic journey of the first crusaders, as they marched 3,000 miles from Europe to recapture the city of Jerusalem from Islam, enduring starvation, disease and bloodthirsty battle to reach their sacred goal, and then unleashed an appalling tide of barbaric violence upon their Muslim enemies. Yet far from being the invincible holy warriors of legend, Dr Asbridge reveals that these crusaders actually considered surrender in the midst of their titanic expedition."
You can read the transcript for the first ten minutes of the documentary here.
sábado, 3 de mayo de 2014
Reading, vocabulary and grammar development in ELC Study Zone
A few months ago Leonardo Links informed about ELC Study Zone.
ELC Study Zone is a project run by the University of Victoria's English Language Centre (Canada).
It offers lessons and interactive activities in five levels (Upper Beginner, Lower Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced).
There are four or five reading exercises per level and a grammar index about the most important points of English grammar.
The site has been designed for adult learners.
ELC Study Zone is a project run by the University of Victoria's English Language Centre (Canada).
It offers lessons and interactive activities in five levels (Upper Beginner, Lower Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced).
There are four or five reading exercises per level and a grammar index about the most important points of English grammar.
The site has been designed for adult learners.
viernes, 2 de mayo de 2014
Mother's Day
4th May (the first Sunday of May) is Mother's Day in Spain
Thank you Mum is a video which Michael Marantz filmed for Mother's Day and which I heard about through Larry Ferlazzo.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
Thank You Mom from Michael Marantz on Vimeo.
You’re ready? Standby, focusing, initiating, sound speeds. Thanks mum. You did a lot of good work. Here we is
Thank you mum for lying for me to get me out of trouble when I (1)... . I (1) ... .
Thank you mummy for making my (2) ... .
Thank you for teaching me to eat (3) ... .
Thank you mum for giving me (4) ... .
Thank you for helping me with my (5) ... .
For making me (6) ... in front of your friends.
For showing me (7) ... when I was young.
For my first (8) ... camera
Thank you for buying me this (9)... .
For keeping me out of (10) ... and thank you for taking care of me when I was in (10) ... .
Thank you for being a nut-job and dancing spontaneously and (11)... .
Thank you for teaching me how to (12) ... .
For never getting on to me about the (13) ... .
For getting me out of trouble when I burnt down a (14) ... .
For teaching me the (15) ... .
For letting me (16) ... you.
For helping me (17) ... the little things.
For standing by me no matter how many stupid (18) ... I made.
For always making me (19) ... .
For teaching me how to (20) ... .
For (21) ... my whole life.
For not giving up on me when I (22) ... .
For teaching me how to make (23) ... .
For always being the (24) ... to cry on when I need you.
For being my (25) ... .
Thank you mum.
Thanks mum.
Thank you. I love you.
Key:
1shoplifted 2 breakfast 3 fruit and vegetables 4 good looks 5 homework 6 dance 7 punk music 8 SLR 9 t-shirt 10 jail 11 having fun 12 laugh 13 beard 14 forest 15 tune of life 16 love 17 appreciate 18 choices 19 feel better 20 love 21 taking care of me 22 ran away 23 mistakes 24 shoulder 25 rock
Thank you Mum is a video which Michael Marantz filmed for Mother's Day and which I heard about through Larry Ferlazzo.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
Thank You Mom from Michael Marantz on Vimeo.
You’re ready? Standby, focusing, initiating, sound speeds. Thanks mum. You did a lot of good work. Here we is
Thank you mum for lying for me to get me out of trouble when I (1)... . I (1) ... .
Thank you mummy for making my (2) ... .
Thank you for teaching me to eat (3) ... .
Thank you mum for giving me (4) ... .
Thank you for helping me with my (5) ... .
For making me (6) ... in front of your friends.
For showing me (7) ... when I was young.
For my first (8) ... camera
Thank you for buying me this (9)... .
For keeping me out of (10) ... and thank you for taking care of me when I was in (10) ... .
Thank you for being a nut-job and dancing spontaneously and (11)... .
Thank you for teaching me how to (12) ... .
For never getting on to me about the (13) ... .
For getting me out of trouble when I burnt down a (14) ... .
For teaching me the (15) ... .
For letting me (16) ... you.
For helping me (17) ... the little things.
For standing by me no matter how many stupid (18) ... I made.
For always making me (19) ... .
For teaching me how to (20) ... .
For (21) ... my whole life.
For not giving up on me when I (22) ... .
For teaching me how to make (23) ... .
For always being the (24) ... to cry on when I need you.
For being my (25) ... .
Thank you mum.
Thanks mum.
Thank you. I love you.
Key:
1shoplifted 2 breakfast 3 fruit and vegetables 4 good looks 5 homework 6 dance 7 punk music 8 SLR 9 t-shirt 10 jail 11 having fun 12 laugh 13 beard 14 forest 15 tune of life 16 love 17 appreciate 18 choices 19 feel better 20 love 21 taking care of me 22 ran away 23 mistakes 24 shoulder 25 rock
jueves, 1 de mayo de 2014
Labour Day
Today we celebrate in Spain and in some other European countries Labour [Labor in American English] Day. The same holiday is observed in the US on the first Monday in September.
Self-study activity:
Watch this three-minute History Channel video clip about the history of Labour Day in US and Canada and answer the questions below about it.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 What was imposed in the work place in Canada and US in the 19th century?
2 Why was 1872 important for unions?
3 Why was September 5th chosen to celebrate a workers parade in New York City?
4 What activities did workers do on September 5th 1882 in Reservoir Park?
5 What did workers have to choose when the parade was moved to the first Monday in September?
6 What happened in 1887?
7 What happened in 1894?
8 What three things happened in the second half of the 20th century?
9 What significance does Labour Day have in US today?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
The Industrial Revolution modernized the United States and Canada during the 19th century. As people enjoyed steady employment, they compromised their rights in the work place. Longer work hours and pay cuts were imposed. US labour groups began protecting themselves by unionising. In Canada unions were illegal until 1872 when thousands of autolabourers marched to Prime Minister John McDonalds’ home. That year Canada wiped the entire Union Law from its books, and the march became an annual Canadian tradition.
In 1882 Toronto labour officials invited an American union leader Peter G. McGuire to Toronto’s Labour celebrations. McGuire was so impressed that he suggested a workers parade in New York City Central Labour Union. He chose September 5th as the date because it filled a long void between July 4th and Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, that same year a machinist from Patternson New Jersey, Matthew McGuire also proposed a labourers celebration. On Tuesday September 5th 1882 thousands of New York City labourers marched from City Hall to Union Square. They gathered in Reservoir Park for an afternoon of picnics, concerts and speeches, rallying for an eight-hour work day.
Two years later the Central Labour Union moved the parade to the first Monday in September. They also encouraged all US cities to follow New York’s lead and marched for the working men’s holiday. For many the choice was to either spend the day at work or march without pay. That began to change when Oregon became the first state to legalise the Labour Day holiday in 1887. Other states, including New York, soon followed.
It took a political disaster to put Labour Day on the national calendar. In 1894 railway workers in Pullman, Illinois, went on strike to protest wage cuts. President Grover Cleveland faced pressure to end the demonstrations and sent 12,000 federal troops to break the strike. Violence erupted. Two strikers were killed and Cleveland’s harsh methods made headlines. In an attempt to appease the nation’s workers he signed a bill to make Labour Day a federal holiday. Cleveland still lost that year’s election.
American workers continued to gain power through the 1950’s when over a third of all labour forces were unionized. Labour Day had become a time to rally workers for safer conditions, fair pay and benefits. But in the second half of the 20th century the US labour force diminished, many factories closed, jobs were outsourced to other countries.
Today, workers still parade through blue-coloured neighborhoods on Labour Day and speeches unite the ever dwindling labour force. But the day’s true call has quietened. For now most Americans leisurely enjoy the holiday as summer’s last bow.
Self-study activity:
Watch this three-minute History Channel video clip about the history of Labour Day in US and Canada and answer the questions below about it.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 What was imposed in the work place in Canada and US in the 19th century?
2 Why was 1872 important for unions?
3 Why was September 5th chosen to celebrate a workers parade in New York City?
4 What activities did workers do on September 5th 1882 in Reservoir Park?
5 What did workers have to choose when the parade was moved to the first Monday in September?
6 What happened in 1887?
7 What happened in 1894?
8 What three things happened in the second half of the 20th century?
9 What significance does Labour Day have in US today?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
The Industrial Revolution modernized the United States and Canada during the 19th century. As people enjoyed steady employment, they compromised their rights in the work place. Longer work hours and pay cuts were imposed. US labour groups began protecting themselves by unionising. In Canada unions were illegal until 1872 when thousands of autolabourers marched to Prime Minister John McDonalds’ home. That year Canada wiped the entire Union Law from its books, and the march became an annual Canadian tradition.
In 1882 Toronto labour officials invited an American union leader Peter G. McGuire to Toronto’s Labour celebrations. McGuire was so impressed that he suggested a workers parade in New York City Central Labour Union. He chose September 5th as the date because it filled a long void between July 4th and Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, that same year a machinist from Patternson New Jersey, Matthew McGuire also proposed a labourers celebration. On Tuesday September 5th 1882 thousands of New York City labourers marched from City Hall to Union Square. They gathered in Reservoir Park for an afternoon of picnics, concerts and speeches, rallying for an eight-hour work day.
Two years later the Central Labour Union moved the parade to the first Monday in September. They also encouraged all US cities to follow New York’s lead and marched for the working men’s holiday. For many the choice was to either spend the day at work or march without pay. That began to change when Oregon became the first state to legalise the Labour Day holiday in 1887. Other states, including New York, soon followed.
It took a political disaster to put Labour Day on the national calendar. In 1894 railway workers in Pullman, Illinois, went on strike to protest wage cuts. President Grover Cleveland faced pressure to end the demonstrations and sent 12,000 federal troops to break the strike. Violence erupted. Two strikers were killed and Cleveland’s harsh methods made headlines. In an attempt to appease the nation’s workers he signed a bill to make Labour Day a federal holiday. Cleveland still lost that year’s election.
American workers continued to gain power through the 1950’s when over a third of all labour forces were unionized. Labour Day had become a time to rally workers for safer conditions, fair pay and benefits. But in the second half of the 20th century the US labour force diminished, many factories closed, jobs were outsourced to other countries.
Today, workers still parade through blue-coloured neighborhoods on Labour Day and speeches unite the ever dwindling labour force. But the day’s true call has quietened. For now most Americans leisurely enjoy the holiday as summer’s last bow.
miércoles, 30 de abril de 2014
Talking point: Buildings
In today's talking point we are dealing with buildings. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below and think about the answers. That way, ideas will flow more smoothly when you get together with your friends and you'll be able to work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
What famous buildings do you know?
Have you ever visited a famous building? Which one? What was it like?
Are there any special buildings where you live? What are they?
Are you interested in architecture? Why/Why not?
Do you think it is more important for a building to look nice or be functional? Why?
What kind of building do you live in? Describe it.
Would you like to live in a skyscraper? Why/Why not?
What do you know about the following famous buildings:
The Alhambra - The Taj Mahal - The Sydney Opera House - The Eiffel Tower
To illustrate the topic, you can watch the New York Times video Living at the top.
Bronx right, so you’re seeing deep into the Bronx…
This is Alexei Barrionuevo, I cover the world of high and real estate for The New York Times.
It took six minutes in the construction elevator to reach the 85th floor of New York’s tallest residential building. Standing in the living room of this four-floor apartment, 850 feet from the ground Central Park lays out like a giant green carpet. For now it’s just bare walls and concrete on the inside, but by early 2014 the owners of apartment 85 will stand in their master bathroom with his/her showers and stare out giant windows at the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building.
Already several of the world’s billionaires have signed up to live here, including some from the United States as well as China, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Rising to just over 1,000 feet at the top, 157 was built with them in mind. The French architect Christian de Portzamparc designed the shimmering outside. The Danish designer Thomas Johanson is doing the apartment finishes.
Even as the global economy struggles to recover, there seems to be no shortage of millionaires and billionaires willing to pay upwards of 95 million dollars for a chance to live here.
157 once seemed a risky prospect in the dark days after Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008 but now it is set off a tall-building’s arms race.
157 will hold on to the title of tallest residential building in the city for about three years, when another building at 432 Park Avenue it is expected to soar almost 400 feet higher, but will it have views like this?
What famous buildings do you know?
Have you ever visited a famous building? Which one? What was it like?
Are there any special buildings where you live? What are they?
Are you interested in architecture? Why/Why not?
Do you think it is more important for a building to look nice or be functional? Why?
What kind of building do you live in? Describe it.
Would you like to live in a skyscraper? Why/Why not?
What do you know about the following famous buildings:
The Alhambra - The Taj Mahal - The Sydney Opera House - The Eiffel Tower
To illustrate the topic, you can watch the New York Times video Living at the top.
Bronx right, so you’re seeing deep into the Bronx…
This is Alexei Barrionuevo, I cover the world of high and real estate for The New York Times.
It took six minutes in the construction elevator to reach the 85th floor of New York’s tallest residential building. Standing in the living room of this four-floor apartment, 850 feet from the ground Central Park lays out like a giant green carpet. For now it’s just bare walls and concrete on the inside, but by early 2014 the owners of apartment 85 will stand in their master bathroom with his/her showers and stare out giant windows at the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building.
Already several of the world’s billionaires have signed up to live here, including some from the United States as well as China, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Rising to just over 1,000 feet at the top, 157 was built with them in mind. The French architect Christian de Portzamparc designed the shimmering outside. The Danish designer Thomas Johanson is doing the apartment finishes.
Even as the global economy struggles to recover, there seems to be no shortage of millionaires and billionaires willing to pay upwards of 95 million dollars for a chance to live here.
157 once seemed a risky prospect in the dark days after Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008 but now it is set off a tall-building’s arms race.
157 will hold on to the title of tallest residential building in the city for about three years, when another building at 432 Park Avenue it is expected to soar almost 400 feet higher, but will it have views like this?
martes, 29 de abril de 2014
Madrid Teacher series: How My Parents Met
In today's Madrid Teacher video Laura tells us the story of how her parents met.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
My mom lived in a little town about (1) ... an hour from the city where my dad (2) ... ... . And… it’s in the same educational district, so a lot of times the high school sports teams will play each other. And… my dad was a baseball player. He was… he’s always loved to (3) ... things, and so when he was in high school, he played… he was a pitcher for the baseball team. And he was a crazy pitcher. He had a little (4) ... controlling his arm and his throws. Sometimes his throws went a little wild, and they were very fast. So… one day, high school, baseball (5) ... . My mom’s high school baseball team and my dad’s high school baseball team have a (6) ... . And my mom is a scorekeeper for her school’s team. So she’s sitting on the side, taking notes… if someone’s out, if someone gets a home run, I don’t know. I don’t know what scorekeepers in baseball do. And my dad, it’s time for him to pitch, and one of my mom’s players is up to bat. And my dad lets loose one of his crazy pitches and nails my mom’s friend in the (7) ... with the baseball, and leaves, like… he leaves the imprint of the… of the ball… you could see the stitches of the ball in… in this guy’s (8) ...! And all the mothers from my mom’s high school… they were in shock, they were yelling, they were so (9) ... , they were, like, “That boy! Get him out of here! He (10) ... our child!” Or, whatever mothers yell when their children get hit with balls. And… so yeah, the first time my parents met, my dad… hurt one of my mom’s friends. But they didn’t know it until much, much later, so it didn’t hurt their relationship at all.
Key:
1 half 2 grew up 3 throw 4 trouble 5 season 6 game 7 shoulder 8 skin 9 upset 10 hurt
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
My mom lived in a little town about (1) ... an hour from the city where my dad (2) ... ... . And… it’s in the same educational district, so a lot of times the high school sports teams will play each other. And… my dad was a baseball player. He was… he’s always loved to (3) ... things, and so when he was in high school, he played… he was a pitcher for the baseball team. And he was a crazy pitcher. He had a little (4) ... controlling his arm and his throws. Sometimes his throws went a little wild, and they were very fast. So… one day, high school, baseball (5) ... . My mom’s high school baseball team and my dad’s high school baseball team have a (6) ... . And my mom is a scorekeeper for her school’s team. So she’s sitting on the side, taking notes… if someone’s out, if someone gets a home run, I don’t know. I don’t know what scorekeepers in baseball do. And my dad, it’s time for him to pitch, and one of my mom’s players is up to bat. And my dad lets loose one of his crazy pitches and nails my mom’s friend in the (7) ... with the baseball, and leaves, like… he leaves the imprint of the… of the ball… you could see the stitches of the ball in… in this guy’s (8) ...! And all the mothers from my mom’s high school… they were in shock, they were yelling, they were so (9) ... , they were, like, “That boy! Get him out of here! He (10) ... our child!” Or, whatever mothers yell when their children get hit with balls. And… so yeah, the first time my parents met, my dad… hurt one of my mom’s friends. But they didn’t know it until much, much later, so it didn’t hurt their relationship at all.
Key:
1 half 2 grew up 3 throw 4 trouble 5 season 6 game 7 shoulder 8 skin 9 upset 10 hurt
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