Friday, 19 June 2026
Thursday, 18 June 2026
Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Monday, 15 June 2026
Saturday, 13 June 2026
Advice for C1 Oral Exam
This is in response to one of my students’ email asking for advice about the oral exam.I also recommend having a look at the assessment tables used for both Oral Expression (Monologue & Interaction) and Oral Mediation. They are extremely useful tools to help you understand exactly what you are being assessed on.
EL PAÍS (News in English)
The World Cup coach with the hardest mission of all
Dear readers,
We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS USA Edition.
You can also read:
Dear readers,
As the World Cup finally kicks off, politics occupies an increasingly oppressive sphere in the United States, and the national team cannot escape it. After two decades of disappointment, the host team of the biggest World Cup in history faces the dual challenge of winning over a tense country and competing successfully on a historically unfavorable stage. Leading the operation is Mauricio Pochettino, arguably the national team coach with the most complex mission of all. We spoke with him about how he sees it all.
Also this week we looked at Pope Leo XIV, who was in Spain for a week-long visit during which he made a point of defending immigrants even as anti-immigrant sentiment appears on the rise in many places. Robert Prevost has gone from being an enigma, someone who seemed timid, to becoming a revelation in just two months. What is this pope thinking, and why has he been so disconcerting?
We also examined Bolivia's failed economic system based on natural gas reserves that were not quite as large as advertised, talked to the head of the Metropolitan opera about his efforts to raise much-needed funds, and analyzed why magical thinking appears to be on the rise everywhere.
You can also read:
- How the far right stirs up protests against immigration in Britain
- Andrew Stanton, director of ‘Toy Story 5’: Children should play at imagining, rather than have a screen explain the world to them
- ‘Enshittification’ reaches social media: ‘For Zuckerberg and Musk, your ‘friends’ are a burden. They just want you to see ads’
- Zapatero, a decade on the edge in Venezuela
- Violence erupts against immigrants in Belfast following attempted beheading: ‘Burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice’
Friday, 12 June 2026
Thursday, 11 June 2026
Soccer Slang Quiz: Do You Know the Words Behind the Game? (By Dictionary.com)
Think you know soccer? Test your knowledge of popular soccer slang used by fans, players, and commentators around the world. From match-day commentary to locker-room lingo, see how well you know the inside language of the game.
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
C2 Spanish Political & Corruption Terminology
While this blog usually focuses on broader language topics and everyday vocabulary, it only very occasionally ventures into the specialized world of political discourse. For that reason, the terms gathered here represent a glimpse into a more formal and often complex register of Spanish—one shaped by institutional language, legal nuances, and current affairs. Whether you’re reading the news, following debates, or simply expanding your linguistic range, this brief guide aims to clarify some of the expressions that, although not commonly featured here, can be essential for understanding contemporary discussions in Spanish-speaking contexts.
Saturday, 6 June 2026
Children’s vocabulary shrinking as reading loses out to screen time KEY
Find the answers to the activities HERE.
Article on May 4th
EL PAÍS (News in English)
“It feels like a mockery”
Dear readers,
Justo Betancourt and his family became symbols of the resistance to Trump's immigration crackdown during the more than six months he spent in ICE detention centers, where he suffered serious health problems and was twice nearly deported to Mexico. Released after his daughter Arianne led a campaign in his favor, he says that Trump's post on Truth Social apparently celebrating his newfound freedom sounds "like a mockery."
Trump this week also endorsed the winner of the first round of Colombia's presidential election, Abelardo de la Espriella. The far-right candidate has made the most of growing polarization, has used misogynistic and homophobic language, admires Milei and Bukele, and wants to reopen debates over abortion and child adoption rights.
This week we also bring you an interview with U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, who is torn between another comeback or definitive retirement from the elite: "I hate exercise, after doing it for so long, I deserve a break."
We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS USA Edition.
Dear readers,
Justo Betancourt and his family became symbols of the resistance to Trump's immigration crackdown during the more than six months he spent in ICE detention centers, where he suffered serious health problems and was twice nearly deported to Mexico. Released after his daughter Arianne led a campaign in his favor, he says that Trump's post on Truth Social apparently celebrating his newfound freedom sounds "like a mockery."
Trump this week also endorsed the winner of the first round of Colombia's presidential election, Abelardo de la Espriella. The far-right candidate has made the most of growing polarization, has used misogynistic and homophobic language, admires Milei and Bukele, and wants to reopen debates over abortion and child adoption rights.
This week we also bring you an interview with U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, who is torn between another comeback or definitive retirement from the elite: "I hate exercise, after doing it for so long, I deserve a break."
We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS USA Edition.
You can also read:
- The microbes of Ötzi the Iceman awaken thousands of years after his death
- Ndaba Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson: ‘As a child I wanted to live in a prison, like my grandfather’
- Trump, mayor (and emperor) of Washington
- AI will consume as much water in 2030 as 1.3 billion people
- Faustino Oro: The second-youngest chess grandmaster in history
Friday, 5 June 2026
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