Useful expressions but not easily found in English textbooks

Going to the toilet, and expressions related to bodily functions are vocabulary  that students find difficulty in mentioning. In ocassions, due to the lack of terms and expressions they have and the fact that they are not included in the syllabus of their textbooks.

This video is a good and illustrative ocassion to learn and revise them at the same time you have fun.

Travelling: Jet Lag

Jet Lag

Jet Lag is combination of fatigue and other symptons caused by travelling abruptly across different time zones. Travelling to a different time zone disrupts the circadian rhythm. And it can take many days to readjust to the new time zone. In fact, NASA estimates that you´ll need one day for every one-hour time zone crossed to get back to your normal rhythm and energy levels. So a five hour time difference means that you´ll need  five days to get back to normal. There is no cure for jet lag, but its effects (memory lapses, irritability, digestive upsets,...) cen be reduced with careful planning.

Flying east or west makes a difference. Your circadian rhythm (body clock) is less confused if you travel westward. This is because travelling west "prolongs" the body clock´s experience of its normal day-night cycle. Travelling eastwest, however, runs in direct opposition to the body clock.

There is no evidence that popular strategies, such as fasting or eating complicated diets, have any effect.

Suggestions to reduce the impact of jet lag while travelling include avoiding alcohol and caffeinated drinks, eating small meals frequently, choosing lighter foods like fruit and vegetables or wearing loose, comfortable clothing.

Some travellers use alcohol to help them get to sleep, but this actually disrupts the normal sleep cycles and can prolong jet lag. The impact of alcohol on the body is 2-3 times more potent when you´re flying.

Questions

1. Add True or false, quoting the relevant information from the text to justify your answer.

a) On lengthy journeys it is unlikely that any measures will eliminate jet lag.

b) A copious meal before taking a fight is likely to minimize the effect of jet lag.

c) One glass of wine in flight has the effect of 2-3 glasses on the ground.

2. Answer the following questions according to the information given in the text. use your own words.

a) Why is travelling westward less harmful to out circadian rhythm?

b)Is it possible to know how long it will take to readjust to the new time zone?

3. Complete the following sentences. the meaning should be the same as that of the sentence above.

a) You should not use sleeping tablets during a long haul flight.

Sleeping tablets .....................

b) I did not wear an eye mask. I could not sleep during the flight.

If I .......................................

c) "Drink caffeinated drinks in moderation during the day", the doctor said to me.

The doctor advised ...............

d) The dry air aboard your aircraft can give you headaches and dry your skin. For this reason, you should drink water regularly.
Since ...................................

4.Write a composition with the following title: (80-120 words)
Narrate a journey you have been on and the problems that you encountered.

I´m giving you the GREEN LIGHT to understand Idioms

English idioms can´t be translated into other languages literally, you need to understand the meaning of the whole expression, which is not obvious from the individual words. Because of that, students find them difficult to learn and use.

Most of them are interesting and their knowledge and use  make you take part in UK culture. 

Don´t be yellow of Idioms!

Phonetics and Vocabulary

Learning vocabulary and the way words are pronounced are the key to a successful improvement in your English learning. So for a start, you can watch this useful example of how phonetics is the basis of an accurate pronunciation.

Secondly, and trying to learn vocabulary related to Food and Cooking, you can go on watching some other illustrative examples of accuracy in pronunciation.

                                                                  

                                     Vegetables                                             

In the Kitchen



And last but not least...

in case of doubt, use the dictionary, rewatch the videos and help yourself!

Learning Environment vocabulary

Learning lists of vocabulary isn´t useful if you don´t use the terms into context and use them as much as possible.

So, to help you learn Environment--related vocabulary following this practical method in context, visit: 

http://www.dcielts.com/ielts-vocabulary/vocabulary-and-ideas-to-discuss-the-environment/

You can learn about enviromental problems, the natural world,

pollution, energy and take tests to check your knowledge.

For more practice:

http://www.autoenglish.org/vocab/v.environ.i.htm

http://www.autoenglish.org/vocab/v.environment.pdf

http://www.saberingles.com.ar/lists/environment.html

What´s on the menu? Food Idioms.

We can prepare a meal with Idioms. Let´s see what´s on the menu.

for a starter: Egg Idioms

for the main course: Seafood Idioms

       

or perhaps: Meat Idioms

or if you are a vegetarian: Vegetables Idioms



for dessert: Fruit Idioms

And finally: Food Expressions Idioms

ENJOY YOUR MEAL!

The Titanic´s 100th Anniversary

A look back in history: The sinking of the Titanic.

At 11:40 p.m. on 14 April 1912 during the Titanic´s maiden voyage, it hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. The iceberg broke the Titanic´s hull (bottom), letting water come into the ship. The Titanic sank two hours and forty minutes later at 2:20 a.m. on 15 April.

As it sank, the Titanic split in two. It killed more than 1,500 people. Only about 705 people survived. It was one of the worst shipwrecks that was not during a war.

One reason why so many people died was because the ship did not have enough lifeboats. Women and children were allowed on the lifeboats first, and passengers who sailed in first class (which meant that they paid for better rooms on the ship) were allowed on before other passengers.

Another reason so few people survived was that the radio was off on the ship Carpathia closest to the Titanic, and the crew did not hear about the accident.

The Titanic disaster changed shipping laws. It included requiring all ships to carry enough lifeboats for everyone on the ship, and for ships to have someone at the radio all the time.

The story of the sinking has been made into several movies, as everybody knows. The most popular film version is a 1997 film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, called Titanic. It won 11 Academy Awards.

As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking, "tempting fate", a cruise sets sail on 8 April from Southampton. It will follow the Titanic´s original itinerary. 

 Source: Wikipedia

Tasks:

1. Revise the types of boats you know and the different functions they have. Then place a cross (X) in the correct column for the type of boat.  

       TYPE             FUNCTION

	For Work	For travel	For life-saving	For living	For pleasure
Lifeboat
Cruise ship
Model boat
Yacht
Hydrofoil
Catamaran
Ferry

Time for Pau Exam!
Read the text and answer the questions about it.

The Titanic

The great ship Titanic, sailed for New York from Southampton on  April 10th 1912. She was carrying 1, 316 passengers and a crew of 891. Even by modern standards, the 46,000-tons Titanic was a colossal ship. At the time, however, she was not only the largest ship that had ever been time, but was regarded as unsinkable, or She had sixteen watertight compartments, even if two of these were flooded, She would still be able to float, the tragic sinking of this great liner will always be remembered, for She went down on her first voyage with heavy loss of life.

Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was  suddendly spotted by a lookout. After the alarm had been given, the great ship turned sharply to avoid a direct collision. The Titanic turned just in time, narrowingly missing the inmense wall of ice, which rose over 100 feet out of the water beside her. Suddendly, there was a slight trembling sound from below, and the captain went down to see what had happened.

The noise had been so faint that no one thought that the ship had been damaged. Below, the captain realised to his horror that the Titanic was sinking rapidly, for five of the sixteen watertight compartments had already flooded! The order to abandon ship was given and hundreds of people plunged into the icy water. As there was not enough lifeboat for everybody, 1,500 lives were lost.

Questions

1. Add True or False, quoting the relevant evidence from the text.
1. Two of the watertight compartments were flooded. T / F
2. The sound from the bottom of the ship was strong enough to know something serious had happened.T / F

2. Answer the following questions according to the information given in the text. Use your own words.
1. Which were the three decisive factors for the heavy loss of lives?
2. Why did the ship turn sharply?

3. Find synonyms in the text for these words or expressions:
1. hermetic spaces to prevent water entrance. (noun)
2.  inundated. (adj)
3. weak. (adj)
4. watchman. (noun)

4. Rewrite the following sentences, the meaning should be the same as that of the sentence above.
1. It was known that the Titanic was carrying 1,316 passengers and a crew of 891.
The Titanic ...........................................

2. Make a question for this answer:

.................................................................? 1.500 lives were lost.

3. Join the sentences with a relative:

The Titanic sailed for New York from Southampton on April 10th 1912. She was carrying 1.316 passengers and a crew of 891.

The Titanic ................................................

4. The tragic sinking of the Titanic was remembered, because She went down on her first voyage with heavy loss of lives.

If She .............................................................

5. Write a composition (80-120 words) on one of the following topics. Specify your choice.
1. Write a review of the film Titanic.

2. Write about a voyage in a great ship.