Fechas Pruebas Acceso Universidad (PAU) 2015/2016

Junio 2016: 7, 8,  9 y 10 para coincidencias.

Septiembre 2016: 13, 14, 15 y 16 para coincidencias.

Global Classroom Mock Conference 3rd A, 3rd B, 3rd C. 18th 2015

The Shakespearean corner

http://www.shakespearelives.org/learn/learning-materials-students?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc-teachingenglish

CHAMELEON THEATRE

This week all English classes in ESO and Bachillerato are enjoying performances by Chamaleon Theatre in the school. Click to view the gallery. 

Common similes in English

http://www.fluentland.com/groups/learn-english/forum/topic/common-similes-in-english-as-as/

The Tell Tale Heart by Poe

http://m.learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tell-tale-hear-edgar-allan-poe/2972675.html

Libro de inglés de 1 ESO-SECCIÓN. My English Lab

Durante estas primeras semanas de curso hemos comprobado que algunos alumnos de 1º de ESO/sección han adquirido el libro Gold Experience B1 sin acceso a la plataforma en línea llamada My English Lab. Esta plataforma contiene el libro de ejercicios del método y es importante que todos los alumnos dispongan de acceso a la misma. Para ello se debe hacer uso de una clave, que en el caso de los libros usados, pertenece al primer proprietario del libro.

La editorial nos ha confirmado que se puede adquirir la clave para una nueva licencia digital a My English Lab a través de su tienda virtual haciendo click en el siguiente enlace. Gold Experience.

Importante: tanto si se compra en esta tienda como si se hace en cualquier otra (Amazon, casadellibro, etc.) hay que fijarse bien que el producto adquirido sea Gold Experience B1 (de color rojo similar al libro de texto) y que especifique que incluye MyEnglishLab.

Let's do research! Global classroom

"I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD" by William Wordsworth.

"I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD"

          I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
          That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
          When all at once I saw a crowd,
          A host, of golden daffodils;
          Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
          Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

          Continuous as the stars that shine
          And twinkle on the milky way,
          They stretched in never-ending line
          Along the margin of a bay:                                  10
          Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
          Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

          The waves beside them danced; but they
          Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
          A poet could not but be gay,
          In such a jocund company:
          I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
          What wealth the show to me had brought:

          For oft, when on my couch I lie
          In vacant or in pensive mood,                               20
          They flash upon that inward eye
          Which is the bliss of solitude;
          And then my heart with pleasure fills,
          And dances with the daffodils.
                                                              1804.

By William Wordsworth - Romanticism.

Useful Web: http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/authors?page=2 

To do: 

Read the poem.

Make a summary.

Express the main topic / idea.

Analyse the form and the content. 

Classicism versus Romanticism

http://es.slideshare.net/mobile/AbdulQadir52/classicism-vs-romanticism

Romanticism in art and literature. English and American literature.

http://es.slideshare.net/mobile/darkyla/american-romanticism-movement?qid=69b5c765-f490-48cb-ad16-fedfca8a3079&v=qf1&b=&from_search=3

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-romanticism-through-poetry-1142.html?tab=3#tabs 

 

The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault's.

William Wordsworth:

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802

 

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

The history of English language

https://youtu.be/SfKhlJIAhew

Medieval Literature (c. 350 – c. 1475)

Medieval Literature (c. 350 – c. 1475)

The Medieval period runs from the end of Late Antiquity in the fourth century to the English Renaissance of the late fifteenth century.

The early portion of the Medieval period in England is dominated by Anglo-Saxons, whose language is incomprehensible to today's speakers of English. That early portion is known as the Old English period. (It is covered in a separate section of this website.) The Old English period came to an end with the Norman Invasion of 1066. Normans spoke a dialect of French later called Anglo-Norman.

Alongside Anglo-Norman, Old English developed into Middle English. Middle English is a distinct variety of English, influenced in large part by Anglo-Norman French. For example, Old English speakers did not distinguish between /f/ and /v/. Just like speakers of Modern German, OE speakers would use both sounds ([f] and [v]) for the letter <f>. "Aefre" was pronounced [ever]. But French speakers do distinguish these two sounds. (Vouz means "you" and fou means "crazy.") After the Conquest, English people had to distinguish between, for example, veal and feel. So, new sounds, new words, new syntax—all contribute to a significant change in the English language. And to a new literature.

The Invasion put French-speaking people at the highest levels of society. Families that ruled England also ruled and held land in France. William the Conquerer was also Duke of Normandy, and the English King continued to hold that office and its lands until the thirteenth century. Only a handful of Anglo-Saxon families remained in any postions of power. In England, French was the language of education and literature. It was not an obvious choice for Chaucer to write his Canterbury Tales in English. Consequently, the High Middle Ages in England were characterized culturally by their close relation to French and Italian arts. This will change in the late thirteenth century as England and France come to loggerheads.

Literary selections from various centuries will give you a very rough idea of the wide variety of literature circulating in Medieval England.

12th Century

In the twelfth century, perhaps the most accomplished vernacular writer was an English woman named Marie de France. She wrote in Anglo-Norman. (We will read her in an English translation.) Marie was one of the main forces behind the stories of King Arthur and the Round Table. In France, Chretien de Troyes was writing Arthurian romances for Marie of Champagne. Other Anglo-Norman writers are described in our authors page.

The works of Aristotle and other Greeks became widely available in the twelfth century. Translated into Latin for the first time, they fueled a renaissance. Universities in Bologna, Padua, Paris, Oxford, and Cambridge took up the teaching of logic and science. Most reading was done by cloistered clerics or by French aristocracy. There was almost no social cachet in being an author or in owning books.

13th Century

The thirteenth century marks the flowering of Latin literature in England. The reign of King John (1167–1216) is characterized in part by an increasingly deep cultural separation between France and England. Anti-papal attitudes (Oxford professor Robert Grosseteste called Pope Innocent IV the Antichrist) and a growing sense of nationalism helped to fuel native literary talent. English literature comes into its own. Still, very little survives, and most of it is in Latin.

The "preaching orders" of monks came into existence: the Dominicans and the Franciscans. Scholar A.G. Rigg says, "They formed a new kind of intellectual elite....Their evangelical fervour and commitment to academic training contributed to the rise of the English universities." Their squabbling and venal excesses do not become objects of widespread literary satire until the fourteenth century. In this century, they help to increase literacy and the stock of books in England.

14th Century

During the fourteenth century English literature comes into its own. This is the century of John Gower, Geoffrey Chaucer, and William Langland. We also have a number of surviving vernacular romances such as Sir Orfeo, as well as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. (We will read these in the original Middle English.)

The Battle of Bannockburn (1314) and the defeat of the English by the Glorious Scots is only one of many upheavals and revolutions during this tumultuous century. Other calamitous events include the Black Death (or Plague) in the middle of the century; thePeasants' Revolt of 1381; and the Hundred Years' War.

Perhaps the single most important development for our purposes is the wholesale replacement of the French language in government and law by the English language. Anti-French attitudes (due to the war, among other things) helped displace French from polite society and from literature. John Gower, Chaucer's friend, wrote one of his major poems in Latin, another in French, and a third in English.

15th Century

1422 marks the death of Henry IV and a subtle shift from medieval to humanistic themes in literature. For our purposes, one of the interesting developments concerns the Mystery Plays. (Mysteries were unions or guilds.) These plays were performed in a number of towns and involved much of the working population. They retell the story of the Bible, sometimes humorously.

Another remarkable literary phenomena of the early fifteenth century is Scottish interest in Chaucer. Like today's "fan fiction," Scots authors copied Chaucer's style so well that for centuries some of their stories were thought to be Chaucer's own.

At the end of the century, a German silversmith named Johannes Gutenberg invented moveable type. Theprinting revolution made books cheaper and more widely accessible. The first successful printer in England was William Caxton. He printed self-help books and romances, including the tales of King Arthur. He also printed a book on chess.

Medieval literature

http://m.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-life/medieval-literature.htm

Drama

http://www.artsalive.ca/en/eth/

Plays by Shakespeare

http://www.speak-the-speech.org/readings.htm

Speaking Practice - British Council

http://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/learners/skills/speaking-0?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc-learnenglish

GUIDE TO LANGUAGE LEVELS: WHAT LEVEL OF ENGLISH DO YOU HAVE?

Here you have the explanation to the official levels of language learning with examples of each level.

http://easyenglisharticles.com/2015/04/what-level-of-english-do-you-have/

There is also a link to a quick test you can do to see what your real level of English is.

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-your-english/

The Canterville Ghost (1988 Animation)

Gerund or Infinitive?

Verb + TO-infinitive

Verbs followed by the to-infinitive
afford agree aim appear arrange ask attempt be be dying beg begin can't bear can't stand can't wait	care cease choose claim come continue dare decide demand deserve dread expect fail forget	grow guarantee happen hate have hesitate hope intend learn like long love manage need	neglect offer omit plan prefer prepare pretend promise propose refuse regret remember seek seem	start swear tend threaten train try turn out used vow wait want wish would like yearn

I can't afford to own a car.
We all agreed to cancel next week's meeting.
He will attempt to break the national record for the 1,500 metres.
Why did you choose to study arts?
In a recent poll, 31% of the female workers claimed to have been harassed at work.
She decided to set out at once.
I demand to know the truth.
Tony has failed to show up at work on time again.
I hope to see you soon.
We managed to cross the valley.
Ben offered to take me home.
Preparing to die is present in most spiritual paths and traditions.
He promised to change his behaviour, but I knew he wouldn't.
Jack refused to fight in such an immoral war.
The owner threatened to sue us for trespassing.
I can't wait to be with you again.

Verb + object + TO-infinitive

Verbs followed by an object and the to-infinitive
advise allow ask beg cause choose	command convince enable encourage expect force	hire instruct invite need order permit	persuade prepare promise remind require tell	threaten urge want warn wish would like

My GP advised me to see a specialist.
Could you ask her to copy this letter for me?
She begged him not to leave her.
The colonel commanded his men to charge.
How can we encourage a baby to use the toilet rather than his potty?
Do you expect me to believe you?
The teacher instructed the students to line up in pairs.
I've invited Jill to come to dinner on Saturday.
After days of pointless fighting, the general ordered the marines to withdraw.
I tried to persuade them to stay, but they said they were too tired.
I reminded Andy to bring a bottle of wine and some snacks.
The doctor told me to give up smoking.
The opposition urged the government to take action immediately.
The professor warned us to be diligent with our weekly assignments.

Verbs followed by an object and a to-infinitive can also be passive:

The students were instructed to line up in pairs.
After days of pointless fighting, the marines were ordered to withdraw.

I was told to give up smoking.

HAVE, GET, LET, MAKE + object + infinitive

Have, let and make are followed by an object + bare infinitive:

I'll have her copy the document right away. (I'll ask/tell her to copy the document right away.)
In the end, the terrorists let the hostages go. (The terrorists allowed the hostages to go.)
The teacher made Jack rewrite the composition. (The teacher forced Jack to rewrite the composition.)

Get is followed by a to-infinitive:

Finally, we got a mechanic to repair the elevator.

In the passive, make takes a to-infinitive:

Jack was made to rewrite the composition.

But let takes a bare infinitive:

In the end, the hostages were let go.

APPEAR, HAPPEN, PROVE, SEEM, TEND, TURN OUT + TO-infinitive

These verbs are followed by a to-infinitive:

I appear to have lost my keys.I happened to be passing your house, and I saw that the door was open.
Our predictions proved to be accurate.She seems to understand most of what we say.
The library tends to be crowded during the exam period.
The concert turned out to be much better than we had expected.

SEE, WATCH, HEAR, LISTEN, FEEL, SMELL, NOTICE, OBSERVE + object + bare infinitive

After verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, listen, feel, smell, notice, observe etc.), the infinitive expresses a completed action:

I felt the ground shake once. (I felt it as the ground shook once.)
I saw the burglar climb over the fence and break into the house. (I saw that the burglar climbed over the fence and broke into the house.)
I have never heard them play that song before. (I have never heard that song played by them before.)

In the passive voice, we use a to-infinitive:

The burglar was seen to climb over the fence.

A present participle after these verbs refers to an action continuing over a period of time:

I felt the ground shaking for about half a minute. (I felt that the ground was shaking.)

DO, DOES, DID + bare infinitive

The auxiliary verbs do, does and did are followed by the bare infinitive to form negative and interrogative sentences in the past simple and present simple tenses:

Do you take any vitamins?
He doesn't live here any more.
Did you ask the shop assistant?

Do, does and did can also be used in affirmative sentences to express emphasis:

I do know what you mean.
He does travel a lot.
I did want to write, but I forgot.

The infinitive of purpose

A to-infinitive can be used to express purpose:

I'm calling to place an order for delivery.
Diya went to the door to open it.
To pass this test, you need to achieve a score of 60% or more.

In order and so as can be used before a to-infinitive for emphasis in more formal styles:

He took a book with him in order to have something to read on the train.
The parties started negotiations so as to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
In order to attract a wider audience, we need to rethink our marketing strategy.

The negative is always in order not + to-infinitive or so as not + to-infinitive:

He tiptoed through the hall so as not to be heard.
In order not to lose time, we must act at once.

The infinitive of purpose can only be used if the doer of the action expressed by the infinitive is the same as the subject of the main clause. If the subjects are different, we can use so + that-clause with the present simple tense or with the modal verbs may, can, will, might, could or would:

Jerry works hard so that his family has everything they need.
I'll leave the door open so that you can come in.
Tina gave me a shopping list so that I wouldn't forget anything.

In order + that-clause is also possible in this case; however, it is more formal and less common. In the that-clause, we can use the modal verbs may, shall, might or should:

Our company does everything in order that all complaints may be dealt with fairly and effectively.

With the verbs come and go, we can use the infinitive of purpose in any present or past tense or if these verbs are used as gerunds:

I'm just coming to help.
We went to talk to a lawyer.
Have you thought of going to see a doctor?

But if come and go are used as infinitives or as imperatives, we use and instead of to:

I must go and check the heater.
He will come and dance with you.
Go and fetch a glass.

The infinitive of result

A to-infinitive can be used to express result, however, this use is more common in literary styles:

Do you want to live to be a hundred?
She arrived home to receive a letter from her bank.

Only + to-infinitive can express a disappointing result of an action:

I went back to the shop only to find that it had closed for good.
He got his car fixed only to damage it again.

Verb + gerund

Verbs followed by a gerund
admit advise allow anticipate appreciate avoid begin can't bear can't help can't stand cease consider continue defend	delay deny despise discuss dislike don't mind dread encourage enjoy escape excuse fancy finish forget	forgive hate imagine involve justify keep like love mean mention mind miss need neglect	permit postpone practice prefer prevent propose quit recall recollect recommend regret remember report require	resent resist risk save start stop suggest tolerate try understand urge

After being stopped by the police, George admitted having drunk two pints of beer.
We anticipated having difficulty in finding candidates with the right qualifications.
We do appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to come to Berlin.
He tried to avoid meeting her eyes.How can you stand living so far away from your home country?
The next morning I was really tired, so I delayed getting up as long as possible.
The man denied stealing the camera.
We have already discussed moving to the countryside.
I dislike being treated like a child.
The two sons left the country to escape being conscripted into the army.
What do you fancy eating?
Finish washing up and then you can use the computer.
Forgive my saying so, but your attitude to work has changed for the worse.
Leadership involves setting an example that others want to follow.
Why do you keep teasing me?
You mentioned going to Italy last summer. How was it?
Take your time, I don't mind waiting.
I really miss taking photos with an analogue camera.
We had to postpone flying to Thailand.
In this course, we will practise writing formal letters, among other things.
I wanted to prevent ending up in the same situation again.
Why did she quit working as a nurse?
The witness said he couldn't recall seeing that car before.
Do you recollect borrowing money from her?
One in five workers in the country reported being very or extremely stressed by their work.
Tim resented having been taken advantage of.
I couldn't resist eating another cinnamon bun.
So as not to risk being fired, the workers ended the strike.
Register your profile in our customer database to save filling out your shipping information each time you order.
The guide suggested visiting the Royal Palace.
Could you tolerate being alone for an entire week?
I can't understand people behaving like that.

As a gerund clause serves as a noun, it can be used after prepositions:

After watching the movie, I wanted to read the book.
Andrey's parents were against his joining the water polo team.
He stayed at home instead of going to school.
What about going out tonight?
He rushed out of the room without saying a word.

A gerund clause can also be the object of a preposition after a verb, adjective or noun:

Would you prefer eating out to staying in?
They charged him with exceeding the speed limit.

I am sorry for being late.
Sarah is very talented at playing the piano. 

Is there any other way of solving this problem?
I had difficulty in understanding her accent.

When to is a preposition, it can be followed by a noun or a gerund:

I'm looking forward to our trip.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

I'm used to cold showers.
I'm used to walking long distances.

But when to is part of a to-infinitive, it is followed by an infinitive:

I wish to make a complaint.

He used to smoke.

Verb + preposition + gerund

Verbs followed by a preposition and a gerund
(dis)agree with (dis)approve of admit to agree with aim at apologise for believe in benefit from	boast about care for complain about concentrate on confess to cope with count on decide against	depend on dream about/of feel like get on with get used to give up insist on laugh about	look forward to object to pay for put off put up with rely on resort to specialize in	succeed in talk about/of think about/of vote for worry about

After being stopped by the police, George admitted to having drunk two pints of beer.
She apologised for not introducing herself sooner.
He is always boasting about having met the president.
The students complained about being made to wear a uniform to school.
The suspect never confessed to killing his wife.Could you give up smoking?
Nick insisted on calling an ambulance.
We laughed about having to do such silly things.
I objected to him calling me a liar.Do you put off going to the dentist?
My sister is always talking about having her hair dyed.
Do you ever think about getting married and having children?

The "subject" of the gerund

The doer of the action expressed by the gerund can be:

• the subject of the sentence:

  I like getting up early in summer.
  He apologised for not writing for so long.
  I am looking forward to hearing from you.
  My mom insisted on tidying my room.
  Would you mind opening the window?

• the noun/pronoun or possessive preceding the gerund:

  Irina doesn't like people telling her what to do.
  Sally's constant arguing is getting on my nerves.
  I objected to him/his calling me a liar.
  My mom insisted on me/my tidying my room.
  Would you mind me/my opening the window?

  (The possessive is more formal, and it is less common in everyday conversation.)
• an indefinite or generalised subject (you, one, we, people etc.):

  In those days, being a student meant spending long hours in the library.

• unexpressed and understood only from the context:

  Going home seemed to be the best idea.

The gerund used in compound nouns

In compound structures, a gerund is often used before a noun to modify it:

drinking water (water for drinking) 
a reading lamp (a lamp for reading)
a swimming cap (a cap for swimming)

Other expressions followed by the gerund

It's no use crying over spilt milk.It would be worth giving it a try.There's no point in arguing.

I had problems starting the car this morning.
You will have no problem finding a job.
We all had a good time dancing last night.
She is having a hard/difficult time adapting to her new circumstances.
Mike was so tired that he had difficulty staying awake.
I had no difficulty passing the exam.
The children have a lot of fun playing together.

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with little to no change in meaning:

Example: It started to rain. / It started raining.

• begin
• can’t bear
• can’t stand
• continue
• hate
• like
• love
• prefer
• propose
• start

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:

forget	I forgot to meet him. (I didn’t meet him because I forgot to do it.)
	I forgot meeting him. (I don’t have the memory of meeting him before.)
go on	He went on to learn English and French. (He ended one period of time before this.)
	He went on learning English and French. (He continued learning the languages.)
quit	She quit to work here. (She quit another job in order to work here.)
	She quit working here. (She quit her job here. She doesn’t work here anymore.)
regret	I regret promising to help you. (I’m sorry that I made the promise.)
	I regret to tell you that we can't hire you. (I’m telling you now, and I’m sorry.)
remember	She remembered to visit her grandmother. (She didn’t forget to visit.)
	She remembered visiting her grandmother. (She had memories of this time.)
stop	I stopped to call you. (I interrupted another action in order to call you.)
	I stopped calling you. (I stopped this activity. Maybe we had a fight.)
try	I tried to open the window. (I attempted this action but didn’t succeed.)
	I tried opening the window. (This was one option I sampled. Maybe the room was hot.)