Summer is here!

Dear students

As we left behind the exam period, I encourage you to indulge in topics that genuinely captivate your interest. It's an ideal opportunity to revive your interest for the English language by engaging with content that resonates with you.

You might consider allocating time to listen to thought-provoking TED Talks or BBC podcasts, which can provide a wealth of knowledge and stimulate engaging discussions. Alternatively, you could channel your creativity into writing reviews of books, TV series, restaurants, or concerts that have left a lasting impression on you.

Revisiting previous posts on pronunciation, grammar or practising shadowing exercises using texts from your textbooks can also be a valuable way to hone your linguistic skills. Moreover, organizing an English Hour with classmates or friends can be a delightful way to maintain momentum, whether you choose to debate current events, share personal anecdotes, or discuss future plans.

If you've been meaning to start reading a book that's been recommended to you, now is the perfect time to embark on that literary journey. Or you might read national, international or local news. The key takeaway is to ensure that your engagement with the language remains consistent, leveraging your interests and hobbies to fuel your reading, viewing, and listening habits.

In the event that you require some extra inspiration, I will resume to provide ideas and suggestions in the remaining days of June and throughout July.

Happy beginning of summer for you all!

News in English EL PAÍS

The voice of opposition to Trump

Dear readers,

In the wake of mass ICE raids in L.A. and the deployment of the military by the Trump administration, California governor Gavin Newsom is emerging as one of the strongest voices within the Democratic Party in his public opposition to the U.S. president.

On the global stage, Israel's decision to carry out direct attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure crosses a red line that threatens to exacerbate the upward spiral in prices, affecting Israel’s traditional partners in the West.

Amid all the turmoil, the public’s view of the elites is rapidly deteriorating due to their growing wealth and influence. And the rebellion against institutions linked to these elites isn’t unique to the United States.

This week we also interviewed cultural journalist Gilbert Cruz, head of The New York Times literary supplement; looked at scientific evidence for what is known as "terminal lucidity" and analyzed the (almost) spotless career of Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney.

We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS USA Edition.

You can also read:

• Spain’s Pedro Sánchez scrambles to hold government coalition together after top aide is implicated in corruption scandal
• Priests defying Putin’s war face persecution in Russia: ‘You can’t kill, period’
• Fake bands and artificial songs are taking over YouTube and Spotify
• Another Starship in flames: Why are Elon Musk’s rockets exploding?
• Intermittent fasting has similar benefits to classic diets based on eating less
• ‘Obesity can kill’: Controversial campaign by Ozempic drugmaker sparks backlash
• ‘Banksying’: The toxic trend of deliberately letting a relationship slowly die

Murcia Today (news from here)

Summer  solstice 2025: This Saturday is the longest day of the year as summer starts in Spain

Two men arrested over electrocution death of toddler at Murcia fairground

Murcia tourism jobs hit record high ahead of sizzling summer season

Santiago de la Ribera and La Manga del Mar Menor tourist information points now open for summer

Explosion at Lo Pagán bar injures 16, two of them left in critical condition

Proposal Sample

3-word Phrases & Expressions with OR & AND

"R"-Controlled Vowels

Of course, when the vowel is stressed (person, perfect, observe, determine, jersey, concern, servant) this vowel sound can NEVER be schwa.

Remember schwa is NEVER stressed.

Verbs you should Know & Use

C1 Final Marks June

Check your marks here.

Inversions

12 Confusing Adjectives (By Lucy)

12 confusing adjectives (pdf format)

Mixed Conditionals

Five sentences using mixed conditionals: 

[Remember: if you can say it in Spanish, you can do it in English as well]

1. If I were more confident, I would have performed better in the interview.
   (I am not confident, so I didn’t perform well in the interview.)

2. If she had studied harder, she would be enjoying her success now.
   (She didn’t study hard, and now she isn’t enjoying success.)

3. If they were more organized, they could have finished the project on time.
   (They are not organized, so they didn’t finish the project on time.)

4. If I hadn’t missed the bus, I would be at work already.
   (I missed the bus, and now I am not at work yet.)

5. If he were a better player, he would have scored the winning goal. ​
   (He is not a good player, so he didn’t score the winning goal.)

Find the infographic in pdf. format here.

Admisión Nuevos alumnos

Admisión Nuevos Alumnos   

        

Words to use more

News in English EL PAÍS

L.A. riots awaken dormant resistance

Dear readers,

Against the backdrop of spreading protests across the U.S. and threats by the Trump administration to roll out more military forces, we interviewed Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz in Madrid, where he said he does not believe a civil war is coming, but does see it as conceivable that "we could lose our democracy."

This week we also spoke with another Nobel winner, this time in the field of medicine: Ardem Patapoutian, who explained what proprioception is and why most of us are unaware that we have it.

We also examined exactly what's in a package of aid delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and followed the trail of accusations that have been hounding Pope Leo XIV since his days as a bishop in Peru.

We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from El PAÍS USA Edition.

You can also read:

• The math gap between boys and girls appears just four months after starting school‘I didn’t understand it at all’: Nine actors who had no idea what they were filming
• Luxury isn’t what it used to be: What’s happening to the world’s most exclusive brands?
• Hyperconnectivity and holographic calls: Telecoms race to meet growing demands
• Immigration checkpoints in Los Angeles: What you need to know
• How the US is turning into a mass techno-surveillance state
• When a robot becomes conscious, how will we know?

Murcia Today (news from here)

From Los Alcázares to Scotland: Two scooterists are finally finishing their epic charity mission

New road signs roll out in Spain next month

No trains between Murcia and Cartagena until June 17

First forest fire of the summer 1,600 square metres of vegetation burn in Albudeite, Murcia

From stray to star: Ray the rescue dog joins Los Alcázares police force

Registration now open for the Vuelta Mar Menor Walking Tour this September

Expressions to use in spoken production/interaction- C English (By Natalialzam)

C1

Choose the expressions you think you will be using, and try to include them in your speech.

C2

Info Matrícula EOI Cartagena: NUEVOS ALUMNOS (Admisión)

Abbreviations (translated into Spanish)

More Synonyms

20 Most Difficult Words in the English Language

 Check them HERE.

Words to Avoid in C Writing

Advanced Conditionals: IF you + Should / Will / Won't / Will or Would

Read it here in pdf format.

How People Express Emotions

C1 Binomials with Synonyms

C2 Advanced Synonyms

Order of Tests

June Test Timetable (pdf format)

Epic Acaraz!!!

Sinner’s mechanical excellence malfunctions against human ingenuity of relentless rival The Guardian

Alcaraz produces another major comeback to win French Open final in five-set thriller against Sinner The Washington Post

Carlos Alcaraz stages epic comeback to win French Open title from Jannik Sinner in all-time classic final: Live updates and reaction The New York Times

Carlos Alcaraz has entered territory that even eluded the ‘big three’ The Telegraph

XIII Congreso Nacional EEOOII Murcia

Admisión Nuevos Alumnos 25-26

Información Admisión 

Nuevos Alumnos

Rhyming Expressions

News in English EL PAÍS

America, a techno-surveillance state

Dear readers,

Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the U.S. government has been stepping up its use of AI tools to monitor thousands of people without judicial authorization. For now the targets are mostly immigrants; experts note that “once this machinery is accepted and operational, it can be used against anyone.”

One of our top stories this week concerns Puerto Rico, where there have been reports of American tourists trying to get their hands on a mysterious spray that allegedly "silences" the sound made by the coquí, an endemic frog that is also a symbol of the island.

Meanwhile, we took apart a Nintendo Switch 2 and used the parts to illustrate how globalization works, and visited a Catalan seaside town whose income is vanishing as fast as its beaches.

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

You can also read:

• Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States
• The best and most surprising images of the Milky Way
• Going to an office and pretending to work: A business that’s booming in China
• US entrepreneur buys abandoned village in Spain, hoping to turn it into a tourist magnet where others have failed
• Bukele maintains his enormous popularity despite his image as a ‘dictator’

Murcia Today News

Solar flare hits Spain, potentially disrupting GPS and power

The "deadliest animal on the planet" takes over Spain this summer

June 9 is the Día de la Región de Murcia: three-day weekend for the Region of Murcia Day holiday next Monday

Experts warn of "inhuman temperatures" throughout Spain from next week

Murcia photo of the month June 2025

Exciting ways to see the wildlife of the Region of Murcia

Do you like AIrt?

Synonyms...

 ... to be used in speech and writing:

Regular Past Forms EXAMPLES

Pronounce them! Aloud!

From left to right, noticing the difference of suffixes in sounds.

World Environment Day (yesterday)

Yes. World Environment Day was yesterday, but we can focus on some issues today.

Beat Plastic Pollution

Did you know?

• Globally, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems each year.
• More than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution through ingestion, entanglement, and other dangers.
• Microplastics in the seas now outnumber stars in our galaxy.
• The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges between US$300 billion and US$600 billion.

Our Planet is Choking on Plastic

Gain, Win, Earn

 Read it in pdf. format HERE.

Alternatives for Common Verbs

Unpredictable Vowels

Be More Descriptive

Slang Words for People

More Slang Words for People and examples

Conditionals in one image

Prueba de Clasificación

Zero Article

80 Common Phrasal Verbs (with meanings)

20 Better Expressions

News in English EL PAÍS

Panic and anger in Florida

Dear readers,

In Florida, where one in five residents is an immigrant, there is a growing sense of fear as ICE steps up its detention of people outside courthouses. (...)

This week we spoke with New York Times commentator Ezra Klein about his new book, Abundance, and about the Democrats' desperate search for ways to reconnect with voters.

We also visited the home of actor Richard Gere, who has moved to Madrid with his wife and kids, and who discussed his career, his life, his social activism and his views on Trump.

Some of our other stories this week focus on how to age well, why the convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein is "not that bad" to some, and how the set of the 1980 movie 'Popeye,' featuring Robin Williams, was awash in cocaine.

We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS US Edition.

You can also read:

• Hyperconnectivity and holographic calls: Telecoms race to meet growing demands
• Scientists on how to age well: ‘Sleep is democratic, universal, cheap, and free, and yet no one sleeps enough’
• Spanish tourism to the US grew in first four months of 2025
• Experimental drug fights lung cancer in nonsmokers: ‘I feel like I did when I was healthy’
• Orwell was right: The dystopia of ‘1984’ is already here

Phrasals you should Know at C1

Learn Faster!

Topics for Composition / Conversation

Have a look at this long list of writing / speaking topics.

I Understand

Quantifiers

Matricula Alumnos Oficiales (25 - 26)

Alumnos APTOS, que PROMOCIONAN o REPITEN 

en las convocatorias Ordinaria y Extraordinaria

Del 30 de JUNIO 

al 14 de JULIO

Expressing Addition