EL PAÍS Spanish News in English

• Rafa Nadal stakes further claim to GOAT title after epic Melbourne comeback
• Controversial hotel project in Spain’s Cabo de Gata natural park gets new push
• Spain approves longer waiting period for booster shots after Covid-19 
• Spain’s Catholic Church agrees to return around 1,000 properties irregularly listed to its 
• In Spain’s Lanzarote island, political bickering keeps 400 migrants in cramped conditions
• Fake Covid passports and PCR tests: The scams behind the lucrative business
• Spain’s Infanta Cristina and Iñaki Urdangarin announce ‘interruption of marriage’

... and much more on El País English Edition

Epic Nadal

Rafael Nadal beats Medvedev in epic Australian Open final for 21st slam title The Guardian

Rafael Nadal storms back to win epic Australian Open final and capture men’s Grand Slam record The Washington Post

Rafael Nadal Wins the Australian Open, His 21st Grand Slam Title The New York Times

It's Worth ...

Check uses of WORTH

Register (key)

Check your register activity here.

Difficult English Vocabulary Quiz

Dear readers,

This week Spain's coronavirus incidence rate fell for the first time in two and a half months. The data point, however, quickly shot back up on Friday, which has raised doubts about when the peak of the sixth wave will arrive.

Although the daily cases remain high, some regions are starting to consider easing restrictions. Catalonia has lifted its nighttime curfew, and in Cantabria, residents no longer need to present the Covid certificate at restaurants. Other regions are weighing up whether to extend existing measures or to let them expire.

Meanwhile, Spain's emeritus king Juan Carlos I was in the news again this week after Interpol asked authorities in Abu Dhabi to detain Spanish-Lebanese arms dealer Abdul Rahman El Assir, who has been seen in the former monarch's company.

And finally, best-selling author Isabel Allende spoke to EL PAÍS about her marriages and relationships, of the death of her daughter Paula and the fear of love she sees in her grandchildren’s generation.

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

Thanks for reading and please stay safe.
MELISSA KITSON

C1 & C2 Club de Lectura

 

Lamb to the Slaughter By Roald Dahl (Just 7 pages!) A gripping / compelling / engrossing / worthwhile  read for anyone!!!

Find the link on Aula Virtual 

C1 New Year Resolutions Listening Transcript

New Year Resolutions Transcript (Activity in Aula Virtual)

C2: Developing Confident Communicators for the Real World WEBINAR

Riveting John Hughes' webinar on communicating skills. You may start from minute 9.30. It's 50 min interesting talk and info.

Capitalization

C1: Check the use of capital letters here. From Grammarly Blog

C2: Check the use of capital letters here. From European Commission’s English Style Guide

Register

On Register

KEY next week

British Informal Expressions II

British Informal Expressions (2)

Discover These 9 Powerful Words From Martin Luther King Jr.

Every year since 1986, the United States has observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday in January. The national holiday honors a man who not only was an inspirational civil rights activist during the 1960s, but also one of the greatest orators of our time. (From Dictionary.com)

This evening at 7 we'll be able to listen to Wesley talking about him. But before, we can discover some facts and ideas from him knowing some of his words and quotes.

Spanish News in English

Dear readers,

Spain is continuing to report record-high numbers of new coronavirus cases, while the country's health system is struggling to cope with the strain. Intensive care units in 26 provinces are now at high-risk levels, and in five regions, hospital admissions are now the highest they have been since the vaccination drive began a year ago. That said, up to 40% of the Covid-19 patients included in the figures are being treated for other illnesses.

As infections keep rising, identifying and reporting each case is becoming increasingly difficult. To address this problem, Spain is finalizing a new surveillance strategy that would monitor the virus like any other respiratory illness. The government has also approved booster shots for the over-18 population and set a €2.94 price cap on antigen tests.

Meanwhile in political news, Spain's Minister of Consumer Affairs Alberto Garzón found himself in the midst of controversy for comments he made about so-called "macro pig farms" in The Guardian. Opposition parties have accused the minister of damaging the reputation of the Spanish meat industry, while his supporters say the debate has been whipped up to win votes ahead of the regional election in Castilla y León.

And finally, we looked at the incredible story of a retired Spanish couple who found themselves unwittingly living with a "former KGB spy."

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

Thanks for reading and please stay safe.
MELISSA KITSON

C1 Suggest & Recommend

How to use SUGGEST & RECOMMEND

Covid Vocabulary

If you read last Monday's EL PAÍS English Edition on the blog entry, you will be able to find the articles from which this Covid vocabulary sheet was taken. (With translations into Spanish).

...and you can see more related words here.

20 Informal British Expressions

20 Informal British Expressions Look up the ones from the picture that don't appear in the document! Another 25 coming soon!

Phrases with New

It's as good as new + more.

Spanish News in English

Dear readers,

Coronavirus cases continued to rise this week in Spain, where some regional officials warned about healthcare staffing shortages due to infections that are keeping many workers at home. Hospitals said they are treating more patients than during the fourth and fifth waves, although the growth in admissions has slowed down.

The economy provided better news as Spain returned to pre-pandemic employment levels through the creation of 776,000 jobs last year. And thanks to a legal change, some young migrants without legal papers are now able to apply for work permits, get jobs and carve out a future for themselves.

Another inspirational story involves an effort to restore ancient irrigation channels built during the days of Al-Andalus to help rural communities and support sustainable agriculture.

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

Thanks for reading and please stay safe.
SUSANA URRA

Punctuation

 

Check Punctuation rules. 

Read at the end: Symbols and typographic conventions

Remember These Classic Toys? Discover Where Their Names Come From!

See Toy history origins of Yo-yo, Barbie, Dice, Kaleidoscope, Lego, Jenga and many more...

Reset Those Study Skills With 10 New Year’s Resolutions For Students

As you get ready to turn the page in your planners and welcome a new year, you’re probably thinking about some of the ways you’d like to better yourself and the things you’d like to accomplish in 2022. New Year’s resolutions are popular because the new year represents a time of renewal... By Ashley Austrew on Dictionary.com

We'll be talking about this the first week of the year.

22 Motivational Words Read the artcle... determined: Determined means “to give direction or tendency to; impel.” As a theme for the year, it can indicate your intention to approach everything you do with excitement, drive, and a sense of purpose.

focus. ...    clarity. ...    presence. ...    accomplish. ...    courage. ...    belief. ...    gratitude.    

Spanish News in English

Dear readers,

Coronavirus cases continued to grow exponentially in Spain this week, with indicators such as new infections and the 14-day cumulative incidence breaking new records. However, at the time of writing hospital admissions were rising but were still far from the highs seen during previous waves of the pandemic, before the vaccines had been rolled out.

Scientists continue to seek evidence as to the severity or otherwise of the omicron variant, while the Spanish authorities are starting to tweak protocols regarding testing and contact tracing given the flood of new infections these past weeks.

Elsewhere there was good news for residents of La Palma, as the volcanic eruption on the Canary Island was officially declared over. Concerns remain, however, among residents, who now face the massive challenge of rebuilding their island and their lives.

And finally, we took a look at the plot line of the Netflix smash hit "Don't Look Up," asking just what would happen in the real world if a planet-killing comet was detected on its way to Earth.

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

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!
SIMON HUNTER

Isn't it AMAZING?

 

Yes, I understand you know most of them, but not all! Select the new ones for you and make true sentences for you with them:

This blog is an engrossing read and it's got wondrous effects on its readers as well!!!

But there are even more yet ... (from wordhippo.com)

premium   splendid   stellar   super   terrific   wicked   A-1   bang-up   mean   out of this world   rockin   smashing   top-notch   top-shelf   world-class   chur   fab   groovy   striking   arresting   tremendous   primo   amazeballs   gilt-edged   grand   divine   fantabulous   sterling   cracking   heavenly   neat   topping   nifty   corking   crackerjack   slick   dope   phat   wizard   ...

Click on any of them and you may find: synonyms, antonyms, definitions, rhymes, sentences, translations and pronunciations.