5 Idioms in English

 

Yes, I know you know most of them. Highlight the new ones... and the ones you're not very sure. Make true sentences for you with them

Israel -Palestine Conflict

 Let’s Talk About the Israel-Palestine Conflict | The Daily Show (12 may 2021)

‘AI is neither Artificial nor Intelligent’

Read this interesting interview to Microsoft’s Kate Crawford by Zoë Corbyn on The Guardian

‘AI is neither artificial nor intelligent’

Spanish New in English

Dear readers,

This week the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a plan to bring down the soaring cost of electricity bills by reducing the “extraordinary profits” of energy companies and redirect these to consumers. The measure has outraged the industry, which has threatened to take legal action.

In coronavirus news, the incidence rate has dropped below 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for the first time since June 25. The improving situation has led some regional governments to relax remaining restrictions on social life and business opening hours.

And finally, authorities have warned of a possible volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma. The warning comes after more than 4,200 tremors were recorded in the area near Teneguía volcano.

We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.

Thanks for reading.
MELISSA KITSON

Time to enrol at the EOI

You can enrol at C1, C2.1 or C2.2, or C2 intensive (depending on your marks, and circumstances) for next year 21-22 from today to 21st Sep.

Fifteen Beautiful Words

Learn them here. Try to remember (use and practise) the ones you didn't know! Do the QUIZ at the end!

Tiny Habits to Improve your Life

 

Idioms that describe difficult situations

Out of your depth 

What teenagers in 12 countries were taught about 9/11

Read the article By The New York Times

Spanish News in English EL PAÍS

Dear readers,

There was good news regarding the coronavirus pandemic in Spain this week. As the cumulative incidence of the virus continues to fall, the country moved out of the "high risk" level for the first time in two months. However, experts remain cautious and will be watching the figures carefully in the coming weeks given the start of the new school year and the return to the workplace for many employees.

Elsewhere, there was tragedy in Málaga province, after a firefighter lost his life during efforts this week to extinguish a blaze that may have been started deliberately.

And there was a highly controversial case of an alleged homophobic attack, which saw a young gay man have an offensive slur carved into one of his buttocks with a knife. It later emerged, however, that the supposed victim had invented the story in order to conceal an infidelity from his partner.

We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.

Thanks for reading.
 SIMON HUNTER Editor El País English Edition

Have a Great Summer

How to reduce your food waste footprint

How to reduce your food waste footprint

Advanced English

Adverb Position

 

How to Sound British: 4 Important Sounds

 

Spanish News in English EL PAÍS

Dear readers,

While rising coronavirus cases in Spain, particularly among young people, continue to be of concern, there was good news this week about the country's vaccination campaign. The government target of 25 million people with full protection was met this week, while earlier the barrier of 50% of the population fully vaccinated was also broken.

Meanwhile, Spain's regions continued to ramp up restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, with territories such as Catalonia particularly suffering from high incidence rates.

And finally, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was in the United States this week, where he met with banking executives and fund managers, in a bid to calm concerns about housing and labor laws.

We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.

Thanks for reading.
SIMON HUNTER Editor El País English Edition

Compete for Linguistic Gold with these ...

 ... Olympics Words  

The Olympics, formally known as the Olympic Games, are an international athletic competition featuring multiple sporting events between athletes representing their country. They typically happen every four years. This year, the Summer Olympics are being held in the city of Tokyo, Japan, after being postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee also officially recognizes two related sporting competitions run by other organizations: the Paralympics, which are held around the same time and feature competition between athletes with disabilities, and the Special Olympics, which feature competition between child and adult athletes with intellectual or physical disabilities. All three competitions feature some of the same events.

Join us as we explain how the shot got put in shot put, which boxing weight class is named after a chicken, which martial art’s name translates as “kick fist way,” and why there’s a horse in pommel horse but no horses in steeplechase or water polo. We’ll even discuss the discus! 

From dictionary.com 

Trying to lose weight or get a flatter stomach in midlife? Here's everything you need to know

We’ve put your fitness queries to our experts, who have all the answers for keeping fit and healthy in middle age By Alice Barraclough 5 July 2021 • 12:32pm

Sentence Stress & Intonation

C1 Advanced Transforrmations

Do some practice with these transformations, though you won't find this type of activity in EOI exams.
Key at the end (Don't cheat!)

[Those of you at C2 can give it a try and see whether you can get 10 out of 10.]

No es lo que decimos, es cómo lo decimos: la importancia de la entonación en otro idioma

Although I don't usually post articles in Spanish on the blog, I think this one is interesting enough to be read.

Spanish News in English EL PAÍS

Dear readers,

As the summer season progresses, the news about the coronavirus in Spain is increasingly concerning. Infections are continuing to rise, in particular among young people, and this pressure is now starting to be felt in the country's hospitals.

Meanwhile, there was also a surprising ruling this week from the Constitutional Court, which decided that the state of alarm implemented last year at the outset of the pandemic was unconstitutional. This means that fines imposed by the police during the lockdown may have to be repaid to citizens.

And finally, EL PAÍS spoke to teachers who are supporters of the bilingual system in Spanish schools, moving on a debate that has sparked a great deal of interest among our readers on social media.

We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.

Thanks for reading.

SIMON HUNTER Editor El País English Edition

Murcia Today

Read Murcia news in English

Improve...

Undergraduate vs Graduate

Learn the difference  

57 Cleaning & Cooking Verbs and Phrases

 

C1 Improve your Listening Skills

 Try these activities on this website.

Spanish News on EL PAÍS

Dear readers,

Protests erupted across Spain this week over the alleged homophobic killing of Samuel Luiz in Galicia. Four people have so far been arrested in connection with the murder of the 24-year-old nurse, who was brutally beaten to death by what police have called a "human pack."

In coronavirus news, cases continue to surge among young people, with the cumulative incidence rate for the 20-29 age group now at 911 cases per 100,000 inhabitants – three times the national average. The situation has prompted several regions to reintroduce measures aimed at curbing contagions.

Meanwhile in Spain, the Spanish Cabinet greenlighted a sweeping bill – popularly known as the "Only Yes Means Yes" law – to provide comprehensive protection and assistance to victims of sexual violence.

And finally, we looked at the story behind the Spanish hit song 'Macarena,' which shot to the US charts in 1996 and stayed there for 14 week.

We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.

Thanks for reading.
MELISSA KITSON

C2 Exam Practice

Do the test (Key at the end).