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Showing posts from May, 2019

THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF THE FAKIR

On the lookout for a non-mainstream film in English? This is the film I saw yesterday at Renoir Princesa (V.O.S.) which is an adaptation from the book The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe by French writer, Romain Puértolas .  The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (original title) is a colourful, feel-good movie, the perfect fit for those who want to practise English with little stress. A delightful crowdpleaser!

LAST-MINUTE RESOURCES AND TIPS FOR C1 ENGLISH TESTS

Are you only days away from taking a B2/C1 English test? These links, tips and resources might help you make the most of your last-minute revision time: Last-minute resources and tips for C1 English tests

AT YOUR DESK OR ON THE MOVE

Down below are some podcasts you might like to listen to while you enjoy your jog in the park or your leisurely stroll down Calle Mayor on your way to your favourite place to savour a nice cup of café con leche. Take your pick: one or two are rather exam focused, but the others pivot around English in a more or less light-hearted way. Hope you enjoy them! (tip from C1 evening teacher, Martín) The English We Speak Better At English Luke's English Podcast Splendid Speaking Podomatic VOA Learning English Podcast More Podcasts

A NEW TWIST ON A CLASSIC TALE

On Friday, you asked me why all English teachers love Jane Austen. Why, indeed? " … the peculiar brilliance of Austen lies partly in what she focuses on, and what she ignores." (Times Insider). It’s no wonder. She’s among the most revered authors writing in English. Her novels take a critical and often humorous look at life in the late 1700s. The tales of life, and love, are filled with irony, and a sense of realism about the era and the characters she wrote about. Besides, her work remains relevant. As the Jane Austen Society claims, "[Austen] is very pertinent even today". https://www.digitalausten.org/node/50 Jane Austen in modern-day India. What do you make of it? Surprisingly delicious! This is Gurinder Chadha's all-singing, all-dancing new Bollywood-Austen spin. She is an English film director of Kenyan Asian origin. She is best known for the films Bend it like Beckham (2002) in which we can see a very young Keira Knighley a...

INTERESTING STORIES AWAIT!

Here you have a list of novels in English from different English-speaking countries  (mostly UK and US, though). Take your pick and see you tomorrow! Weird and offbeat: The Libreria Acqua Alta Bookstore in Venice

JUST A REMINDER - EXAMS

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Madrid's first anglophone poetry festival

The Unamuno Author Series Festival at Desperate Literature To whet your appetite, one of my favourite poems: A Short Analysis of William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’ William Blake Documentary William Blake's radicalism   (The British Library) And one of his most famous poems: London by William Blake

MUM'S THE WORD

Mum's the word (idiom) Mother's Day Spain: First Sunday of May, i.e. TODAY. Happy Mother's Day!!! Mother's Day UK : Fourth Sunday in Lent Mother's Day US : Second Sunday of May (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as well) Why does Mothering Sunday’s date change every year and differ in other countries? Mother's Day: Dates around the word 15 Fun Things to Do With Mom That Aren’t Mother’s Day Brunch "If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?" and other favourite mum's sayings we've all heard and... used! Recommended TV series about motherhood:  Better Things (HBO) An actress raises her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. On my to-watch list but I've been told it's absolutely brilliant. Better Things Season 3 Trailer Gilmore Girls (Netflix) A dramedy centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething s...