Summer comment 2020: ''Have you ever spilt the tea? ''

''My summer recommendations''

I´m about to finish 1º Bachillerato this year and I must say that I haven´t found it so difficult to get a good final grade in English. Here are some pieces of advice you should take into consideration if you want to pass English with Albert and especially with a good mark.

First of all, I want to make clear that English is a very nice language and it will help you a lot in the future if you want to go to university or search for a job. To be good at English you have to like it and study it every day! Besides, the more you study, the better marks you will get!

Secondly, in order to pass English with Albert, you must follow his pieces of advice from the beginning of the year until the end of the 3rd term. If I were you, I would follow his pieces of advice! He will ask you to do all the exercises from each unit of the textbook, in advance, if possible. The textbook for 1º Bachillerato is ''Get Set 1'' so you can borrow it or buy it this summer and start doing the exercises from each unit. This way you will have more time to prepare for other subjects during the school year. In addition, another thing you should take into consideration is that you should do all the compositions during the school year and make comments on your teacher´s blog, correct them, and then upload them on your blog. In both the 1st and 2nd term you must make 10 comments and in the 3rd one, 5 quality comments. All this will increase your mark at the end of each term! Moreover, you´ll be doing projects, exams and dictations from the readers, so you´d better make time to read every book that the teacher tells you. Other important pieces of advice I can give you are: always participate in class, do the reader sheets every term and don´t miss classes! If you do all that, it will increase your final term mark.

Finally, learning English with Albert isn´t that difficult! You just need to get used to his teaching system and follow his instructions! Listen to me, do everything that your teacher asks you and you will pass English! Otherwise, you will have to study during the summer and you won´t enjoy your vacation at all!

To sum up, English is not so difficult to pass!!! Remember: be honest, work hard, don´t cheat and don´t be a fake student!!! It is in the Selectivity exam where you will see how honest you have been during Bachillerato!

Alberto´s Blog Exercises- Part 1 and Part 2

Blog´s exercises part 1

154. TENSES. Put the verb in brackets into their appropriate form:

1. She went to the optician and (her eyes / tested) had her eyes tested.

2. These shoes need (clean) to be cleaned, because they are rather dirty.

3. I won't know the answer until I (see) see him.

4. She (play) has been playing volleyball for two hours.

5. When he was younger he (play) used to play football, but now he doesn't play anymore.

6. When I (get) got home, smoke (come) was coming out of one of the upstairs windows.

7. My grandfather can remember (go) going to the cinema with my grandmother.

8. Would you like (come) to come to a party on Saturday evening?

9. I'm looking forward (meet) to meeting you again next summer.

10. I (not take) am not going to take that bus because I have a meeting in Granada at 14.00 and I'm afraid I (not arrive) won´t arrive in time if I take that one.

155. Put the following sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE:

1. They are cleaning your house at the moment.

Your house is being cleaned at the moment.

2. We call Lieutenant Columbus only on special occasions.

Lieutenant Columbus is called by us only on special moments.

3. Someone stole all the jewels last night.

All the jewels were stolen last night.

4. Nobody will serve refreshments until the match is over.

Refreshments won´t be served until the match is over.

5. People think they make these artificial flowers of silk.

It is thought that these artificial flowers are made of silk /// These flowers are thought to be made of silk.

156. Put the following sentences into INDIRECT SPEECH:

1. "Bring me the newspaper, please", the father to the son.

The father asked his son politely to bring him the newspaper.

2. "Who put salt in my coffee?", he asked.

He asked who had put salt in his coffee.

3. "I'm going fishing with my mother this afternoon", said the small boy.

The small boy said that he was going fishing with his mother that afternoon.

4. "What was she wearing when you saw her last?”, the policeman asked me.

The policeman asked me what she was wearing when I last saw her.

5. "I'll sit up till she comes in, but I hope she won't be late", said Mrs Pitt.

Mrs Pitt said that she would sit up until she came in, but Mrs Pitt hoped that she wouldn’t be late.

157. Give a piece of advice to each problem:

1. I find it really difficult to get up in the mornings.

You should go to bed earlier /// How about having some hot milk before you go to bed? /// You shouldn´t stay up so late in the night.

2. My car is not going very well lately.

You should take it to the garage so that you can have it repaired /// Why don´t you buy a new one?

Blog´s exercises part 2

158. COMPARATIVES. Fill in the gaps with the comparatives of superiority and the superlatives of the adjectives you are given in brackets:

1. For (far) further information on the passive you should revise the grammar revision.

2. Mick Malone's (old) elder brother came from Ireland to visit him. 

3. This is (bad) the worst football match I've ever watched.

Translate the following sentences into English:

4. Ella no llegó tan tarde como de costumbre.

She didn´t arrive as late as usual. 

5. Cuanto más estudio, menos problemas tengo con el inglés.

The more I study, the less problems I have with English.

6. Los exámenes se van complicando cada vez más.

Exams are getting more and more complicated.

159. Insert the second sentences into the first ones by means of RELATIVE CLAUSES:

1. That is the boy. I borrowed his motorbike last Saturday.

That is the boy whose motorbike I borrowed last Saturday.

2. Southampton is a busy sea port. It is on the south coast of England.

Southampton, which is on the south coast of England, is a busy sea port.

3. Jimmy Connors was once married to Chris Evert. He was a very famous American tennis player.

Jimmy Connors, who was a very famous American tennis player, was once married to Chris Evert.

4. Apollo XI was the spaceship. It took Armstrong and Aldrin to the moon.

Apollo XI was the spaceship that took Armstrong and Aldrin to the moon.

5. Last year I had to read the book. You are looking at it now.

Last year I had to read the book that you are looking at now.

160. CONDITIONALS. Put the verbs in brackets into their correct tense and fill in the gaps (...) with these words: IF / WHEN / PROVIDED THAT / UNLESS / AS LONG AS.

1. I am going to Rome next week. When I (BE) am there, I (SEE) will see the Coliseum.

2. Unless we (GO) go now, we (MISS) will miss the train.

3. I (HELP) will help you as long as I (FINISH) finish first.

4. If she had  (HAVE) a ticket, she (GO) would go to the concert.

5. Albert sr.(PLAY) would play with you tomorrow morning provided that Albert jr. (NOT EAT) didn´t eat every three hours.

Composition 09- A report

Composition 09

The purpose of this report is to look at two different forms of spending our free time as teenagers. This report will compare reading with playing video games.

To begin with, video games have become one of the favourite activities among teenagers. A disadvantage is that you spend a lot of time in the house and you don´t socialize. What´s more, they can be very addictive and, in some cases, they can affect our behavior. However, an advantage is that they teach how to work as a team, they improve our attention, concentration and the ability to solve problems.

On the contrary, reading is a great way for teenagers to spend their free time. In fact, there is plenty of evidence that reading improves our mental and physical health, our concentration and our ability to think clearly. In addition, reading also allows people to relax and reduce stress levels. Although reading has its benefits, we should not spend a  lot of time reading during the day because it can affect our eyes and, as a result, we can get headaches.

All in all, we have seen that reading has a lot more positive effects than gaming. I would absolutely recommend reading because it helps to improve our life style and our knowledge.

5th Quality comment- UBI - Universal Basic Income is demanded!

UBI - Universal Basic Income is demanded!

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, apart from the human loss, a massive negative effect on the worldwide economy is expected. Factories, schools, and lots of businesses have shut down. Recently, a few politicians and even Pope Francis agreed that the UBI (universal basic income) could be the solution against the economic collapse caused by the coronavirus lockdown. But, what is the UBI?

Universal basic income, or UBI, means that everyone gets a set monthly income, without having to work for it. The idea of a state-run basic income is not new. It dates back to the early 16th century when Sir Thomas More's Utopia described a society in which every person receives a guaranteed income. Currently, there are several countries where UBI projects have already been launched, but it has not provided positive results in all of them.

Finland, for example, has become the first country of the EU to start paying jobless people a certain amount of money, but, unfortunately, that did not lead them to find work afterwards. In Western Kenya, adults are being given $22 a month for 12 years, until 2028. In Italy, the government is working on introducing a ¨citizens´income¨. In Spain, a "minimum vital income" will be approved in May and be sent to nearly 100,000 vulnerable single-parent households. However, we should know that a "minimum vital income" is not the same as a universal basic income, which is granted without any conditions to every citizen.

One of the benefits of introducing the UBI is that it can raise people´s living standards because it is aimed at eradicating poverty. What´s more, workers could afford to wait for a better job or better wages.

To sum up, I strongly believe that a Universal Basic Income is needed more than ever! The introduction of an emergency Universal Basic Income could provide some financial security for people and it would help reduce the effects of the expected economical crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cervantes meets Shakespeare - Digital Project

        Cervantes meets Shakespeare- digital project

The story is about an American girl, called Sara, who was very excited about moving from
USA to England. She was a very good student who loved studying History, but she was very sad because no one wanted to include her in their group of friends. One day, her Spanish teacher, David, seeing that Sara was fascinated by Shakespeare´s plays, suggested that she did an independent project researching Cervantes´ life. While she was searching for information for her project, she received the visit of Shakespeare, something that was incredible for her. All the information that she found about Shakespeare´s life was amazing to her. Apart from that, she was participating in the rehearsal of a play at her school. She had a hard time with the cast, but finally, when she acted in the play, the audience enjoyed it a lot and she could not believe her eyes when she saw both Cervantes and Shakespeare standing at the back wall applauding. In the end, both Cervantes and Shakespeare visited Sara in her room giving her a lesson about love.

• Click the link below to enjoy the digital project.

https://prezi.com/view/FQD1alEsmhx102TXh5rE/

The Hound of the Baskervilles- Digital Project

The Hound of the Baskervilles- digital project

The story is about the investigation of the mysterious death of Sir Charles. Dr. Mortimer believes that Sir Charles had died because of a heart attack, and he gives the case to detective Holmes and his best friend Watson. Watson goes to Baskerville Hall and begins his investigation. While he is investigating, he discovers the footprints of a hound, a dog that has supernatural qualities, and he decides to include the dog as a possible cause of Sir Charles's death. Stapleton used the hound to kill Henry, in order to inherit the Baskerville´s lands and fortune. After a long and complicated detective work, the mystery is solved. Sir Charles had definitely died of a heart attack, and not by the hound attack.

• Click the link below and enjoy the digital project.

https://prezi.com/view/75tqtIgjeReXTiOcoMYo/

4th Quality Comment- FACE MASKS: yes or no???

FACE MASKS: yes or no???

Covid-19 is a disease caused by the coronavirus and the first case appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since then, it has spread around the whole world and lots of people have died because of it. Covid-19 symptoms include cough, fever, breathing difficulty, loss of smell and taste, headache and muscle aches. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. This new virus can spread from person to person and one of the indications of the specialists is to wear masks. But, should everyone be wearing masks?

Coronavirus is spread by the drops that remain into the air when infected people talk, cough and sneeze. These can enter the body directly through the eyes, nose and mouth. That is why, recently, face masks have become so common among us. People wear them at work, in public transport and in all public places such as pharmacies, supermarkets, banks, or any other place where it's difficult to avoid close contact with others. Using masks in public may help reduce the spread from people who don't have symptoms.

Some people suggest that masks should be worn, but scientists say that they are not necessary as there is no protection against coronavirus. It is recommended to be worn by doctors and nurses who are treating people with Covid-19. The N95 masks are the most recommended ones for them. In France, the use of a ¨general public¨mask is recommended. Doctors and nurses recommend to wear them in order to differentiate them from the masks used by healthcare workers. Infected people should definitely wear masks, as a measure to avoid infecting other people. Masks should be used, not for personal protection, but to protect others from Covid-19.

To end up, I believe we should all take steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and not to get infected ourselves. It is extremely important that we all practice good hygiene, wear masks and keep a distance of at least one meter between people.

3rd Quality Comment-Once upon a time, 400 years ago, a writer named Cervantes...

          Once upon a time, 400 years ago, a writer named Cervantes...

Once upon a time, 403 years ago, two of the world´s best-known literary pioneers, named Cervantes and Shakespeare, who died on the same day: 23rd April, 1616. As a way to honour them, in 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book Day (or The International Day of the Book) would be celebrated on 23rd April. But how much do we know about Cervantes and Shakespeare ? Let´s learn a few things about them.

To begin with, Cervantes was a Spanish writer, one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language and one of the world´s famous novelists. He was born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, in 1547, and died on 23rd April, 1616, at the age of 68. Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor, one of the greatest writers in the English language and one of the world´s famous dramatist. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564, and died on 23rd April, 1616, at the age of 52. While they both shared the date of death, they didn't die on the same day. Spain was using the Gregorian calendar while England was still using the old Julian calendar. So Cervantes in fact died 10 days ahead of Shakespeare.

Much of Cervantes´ life was spent in poverty and obscurity, as he was born to a deaf surgeon who struggled working in a field that was badly payed at that time. In 1570, he joined the Spanish military and was seriously injured in the Battle of Lepanto (1571). He served as a soldier until 1575, when he was captured by Turkish pirates. After five years in captivity, he was rescued, and returned to Madrid. In contrast with Cervantes, Shakespeare was born into a wealthy family and was the third of eight children to a prominent businessman and official. At the age of 20, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer and playwright.

Cervantes´ first significant novel, titled ¨La Galatea¨, was published in 1585. He achieved fame after publishing the first part of the novel ¨El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha¨, in 1605. The second part of the novel was published in 1615. Don Quijote is described as the first modern novel and the world´s most translated work after the Holy Bible. Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. The first reference to Shakespeare as a playwright came in 1592 as he had written the three parts of Henry VI. Among his most famous plays, there are the tragedies ¨Macbeth¨and ¨King Lear¨, the comedy ¨A Midsummer Night´s Dream¨and the romance ¨Romeo and Juliet¨.

Cervantes is not known so much for enriching Spanish vocabulary, but Shakespeare, instead, had a greater influence in changing the English language. English is frequently referred to as the language of Shakespeare, while Spanish is often called the language of Cervantes, which has changed less than English has since then. One thing they both have in common is that their works have inspired musicals, such as ¨Man of La Mancha¨ -from Don Quijote , and ¨West Side Story¨-from Romeo and Juliet.

In my opinion, both Cervantes and Shakespeare are giants in the world of literature who have had huge influence not only on their own languages but across the world. Even though they didn´t have too much in common, they both deserve the same recognition in the universal literature.

Composition 08- A film series review

Composition 08

Review: ¨The Good Doctor¨ film series

My favourite film series is called ¨The Good Doctor¨, an American medical drama which features Freddie Highmore in the main role of Doctor Shaun Murphy. The plot is about a young autistic surgeon who works at a prestigious hospital in California. The Good Doctor was first realeased in 2015, but the series debuted on 25th September, 2017. Four full seasons of 18 episodes have been made since then.

What I like most about this series are the medical emergencies that the doctors of that hospital have to attend. The star is Doctor Murphy, who is extremely good as a surgeon. He faces lots of surgical challenges struggling to deal with the emotional and social aspects of his profession. Even though he is unable to personally connect with people around him, he does an amazing job giving good diagnoses and saving lives.

To sum up, I personally think this series is a great success as it mixes drama with love. I highly recommend this film series to anyone who likes medical emergencies and drama. Every episode is really fascinating and the series is definitely worth seeing.

2nd Quality Comment- Quarantine: day 1

       Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)is a respiratory illness that can be spread from person to person. It first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. In Spain, the first case appeared at the end of January. About 375,000 people got infected around the world and more than 16,000 have died. Next, I´m going to discuss how the virus is spread, who can it affect more and what are its symptoms?

To begin with, as I said before, the coronavirus is spreading from person to person. For example, being in close contact with an infected person, at less than one meter, who coughs or sneezes, is the easiest way to get it. What´s more, it is possible to get infected if we touch a surface or an object that has the virus on it. To prevent the virus from spreading, it is important to behave responsibly and follow medical recommendations.

Furthermore, symptoms are usually mild and the most serious cases occur on elderly people or those who have previous heart, lung or kidney diseases or immunity problems. Elderly people don´t have such a strong immune system so they are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. The most common symptoms include cough, fever and difficulty on breathing. There are severe complications too, such as pneumonia, multi-organ failure or even death.

At the moment, there is no vaccine or treatment for the COVID-19. In order to avoid the virus from spreading, we should follow some indications, such as: avoid close contact with other people, stay at home, avoid touching your face, your mouth or your nose, wash your hands with water and soap many times a day and if you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with the inside part of your arm. In addition, cleaning and desinfecting your home can help too.

As far as I am concerned, the COVID-19 is a very dangerous virus and the best way to prevent it is taking the preventive actions we have seen above. Although the virus spreads very fast, the best way to solve it is to stay in quarantine during at least 15 days.

Composition 07

Composition 07

                                     Are boot camps a good idea for teenagers?

   The increase of violent behaviour among youth arround the world has led to the implementation of a new rehabilitation method called boot camp. Boot camps are places to send young people who have personal problems and behavioural issues. But, are boot camps a good idea? Personally, I think lots of young people can be helped by boot camps, nowadays. 

On the one hand, boot camps are a good idea because they help to improve teenagers' personal discipline by doing military activities run by former soldiers and experts in outdoor survival. Moreover, boot camps are a good way to keep teenagers away from mobile phones, video consoles and social media.

On the other hand, another advantage of boot camps is that, during their stay, teenagers improve their self- esteem, their confidence and their communication skills. Every evening they discuss values such as honesty, respect, integrity and courage. 

Even if many young people find boot camps quite tough at the beginning, it is clear that it is a good idea for those who need to change their behaviour towards their family and the society. As far as I am concerned, a boot camp is a life- changing experience!