Homeowork due on December 3rd

 Do activities 2, 3 and 4 on page 30.

Identity

 TASK 1-A

 

TASK 1-B 

 

 TASK 2-A

 

TASK 2-B

 

 

 

American Traditions: Thanksgiving.

 Here you are the videos, questions and answers we dealt with yesterday in our class:  

Click here to watch the video taken from History Channel. 

Video 1 – History Channel: The History of Thanksgiving (traditional perspective)

Questions

1.      What year did the colonists and the Wampanoag tribe hold the three-day feast that is now commonly thought of as the “first Thanksgiving”? The feast was held in 1621

2.      What kinds of food did the text say were likely served at that original harvest feast (rather than today’s typical turkey dinner)? The food likely included roast goose, corn, codfish, and lobster — not the turkey-centric meal we often imagine today

3.      Who campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day in the United States and influenced President Abraham Lincoln to declare one? It was magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, who wrote many letters to politicians urging a national day of thanksgiving.

4.      In what year did President Lincoln declare the last Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving Day? President Abraham Lincoln declared it in 1863.

5.      Name two modern traditions mentioned in the video that became associated with Thanksgiving in the 20th century. Two modern traditions are:

o    The playing of professional football games on Thanksgiving Day.

o    The Thanksgiving parade tradition (such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which began in 1924) and also the linking of Thanksgiving with the start of the Christmas shopping season.

 Click here to watch the video taken from MTV. 

 

Video 2 – MTV Decoded: Everything You Know About Thanksgiving Is WRONG (critical perspective)

1.      At the beginning of the video, what classroom Thanksgiving crafts does Franchesca show, and what does she say about them?
Suggested answer: She shows cute kindergarten Thanksgiving crafts (like Pilgrim and “Indian” decorations) and calls them “adorably wrong,” saying they are based on “half truths and propaganda” that adults have taught children.

2.      How does the video challenge the idea that the Pilgrims and Native Americans were “best friends”?
Suggested answer: It explains that, at best, they were “political allies,” not close friends. By the time the Pilgrims arrived, many Indigenous people had already died from European diseases and slavery, and the settlers were often at war with Native groups and routinely tortured them.

3.      What information does the video give about Squanto that contradicts the usual school story?
Suggested answer: Instead of a friendly Native who simply chose to help the Pilgrims, Squanto is described as someone who had been captured, taken to Europe as a slave, and who learned English in order to escape, which completely changes the context of his later role.

4.      What does the video say about another “Thanksgiving” that took place 16 years later, and why is it disturbing?
Suggested answer: It says that the next “Thanksgiving” was celebrated about sixteen years later to mark the massacre of the Pequot tribe, meaning that the holiday was associated with celebrating the killing of Native families, not peaceful coexistence.

5.      According to the video, when and why did Thanksgiving become a national holiday, and how did the Pilgrim–Indian myth later become part of the national story?
Suggested answer: The video states that Thanksgiving wasn’t a nationwide holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it one in 1863, during the Civil War, to help unite the country. The Pilgrim–Indian friendship myth only became popular in the 1900s, after most Native Americans had been killed, and it was then written into school textbooks as if it were historical fact.

 

Stereotypes

 

Watch this video in which the Simpsons go to Brazil and live a lot of "stereotypical" experiences. 

Click here to watch the video.

 Now, answer these questions: 

Then, answer these questions that you can find in activity 5, page 29: 

Phrasal verbs revision

 Read these sentences and write the missing particle(s) in the column on the right. 

 

Click here to download the activity. 

 

 

Oral mediation: Why sometimes you have to break up with someone you love.

 

 

Oral mediation: Relationships

Your friend Ashley has mixed feelings. On the one hand, she’s elated because she’s been offered a job in Spain and will be moving to Toledo, very close to you. On the other hand, her significant other, Brian, holds an important position at his company. In fact, he’s just been promoted and now has more responsibilities and a higher salary. Ashley feels that their relationship is stuck in a rut. Should they take some time apart?

Yesterday, while flicking through a Spanish newspaper, she came across this article — maybe it’s fate? She read it, but there are a few things she didn’t quite understand. She’s asked for your help. Can you send her an voice message explaining the article to her?

 

Por qué a veces debes dejar a una pareja que amas

Todo parece perfecto hasta que la vida plantea una decisión difícil: una oportunidad laboral, un cambio de ciudad o metas distintas. Entonces surge la pregunta: ¿y si el amor no basta? A veces, separarse puede ser la mejor forma de preservar el cariño y evitar que la relación se deteriore.

Cuando los caminos se separan

Las relaciones se desgastan si hay un constante tira y afloja o si las expectativas divergen. Decisiones importantes, como formar una familia, pueden revelar diferencias profundas. También influyen factores externos: la presión social, las diferencias económicas o familiares pueden hacer que el entorno pese más que el amor.

Los pasos hacia la ruptura

Romper no siempre significa dejar de amar, sino priorizar el bienestar. Los expertos recomiendan comenzar con una introspección sincera: ¿es realmente lo que quiero? Imaginar la vida sin la otra persona puede ayudar a clarificar sentimientos.

Antes de tomar una decisión definitiva, es fundamental dialogar. Buscar acuerdos o compromisos puede salvar la relación, pero si no es posible, lo mejor es despedirse sin resentimientos, reconociendo el amor que existió.

Negociar y aceptar el final

Cerrar bien implica definir los términos de la ruptura. Algunos prefieren mantener el contacto; otros necesitan distancia para superar el duelo. En casos de “ausencia presente” —cuando el otro sigue apareciendo a través de redes o amigos— cortar el vínculo suele ser más saludable.

Finalmente, aceptar el cambio y agradecer lo compartido permite soltar emocionalmente y abrirse a nuevas etapas con serenidad.

Source:  https://elpais.com/elpais/2020/03/16/buenavida/1584340360_096221.html

Homework due on November 12th

Read the grammar information related to the uses of "would" on page 168. Then, do exercises 1 and 2 on page 169. 

Group C: we didn't have time to do the oral mediation activity in class. Read the article "Why sometimes you have to break up with someone you love" and prepare the voice message that you will send to your friend Ashley. 

 

 

Reading: Getting on well.

 Read the text titled: "Getting on well"  and do activities 5, 6, 7 and 8a. 

 Deadline: November 10th. 

 Click here to download the document. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework due on November 5th

 After talking about phrasal verbs, I told you to do exercises 1 and 2 on page 168.

Irregular pronunciation of -ed.

Irregular Pronunciation of -ed:

Normally, the -ed ending in English has three possible pronunciations depending on the final sound of the root word:
    1.    /t/ – after voiceless sounds (e.g. kissed, laughed, worked).
    2.    /d/ – after voiced sounds (e.g. played, cleaned, begged).
    3.    /ɪd/ or /əd/ – after t or d sounds (e.g. wanted, ended).

However, there are exceptions where -ed is pronounced /ɪd/ (or /əd/) even though the base word does not end in /t/ or /d/.

This happens mostly with adjectives (and sometimes with nouns) that are no longer felt as past participles of verbs, but as independent words.

In these cases, the -ed is part of the word’s root pronunciation, not a regular past tense ending.

Examples of Adjectives with Irregular “-ed” Pronunciation (/ɪd/)

Word    Pronunciation    Notes
wicked    /ˈwɪkɪd/    Originally “wicked” = “evil” from wick + -ed (no longer a verb).
naked    /ˈneɪkɪd/    From Old English nacod; not a participle.
crooked    /ˈkrʊkɪd/    From crook; now an adjective meaning “bent” or “dishonest”.
rugged    /ˈrʌɡɪd/    From rug; adjective meaning “rough” or “strong”.
learnèd    /ˈlɜːnɪd/ (formal)    Used as an adjective meaning “scholarly”.
blessed    /ˈblɛsɪd/ (when adjective)    Used in religious or poetic language.
beloved    /bɪˈlʌvɪd/ (adjective)    Means “dearly loved”.
dogged    /ˈdɒɡɪd/    Means “persistent”.
ragged    /ˈræɡɪd/    Means “torn”, “shabby”.
wicked    /ˈwɪkɪd/    Means “evil”, “cool” (slang).



Why This Happens

Historically, these words come from Old or Middle English forms in which -ed was a syllabic suffix used to form adjectives, not just past participles.
Over time, English simplified -ed endings in most cases, but in some fossilized adjectives, the older /ɪd/ pronunciation survived.

In other words:

The “extra syllable” stayed because the word became lexicalized as an adjective, not a verb form.

Contrast with Regular Past Participles

Regular Verb    Past Form    Pronunciation    Example
work → worked    /t/    “He worked late.”    
play → played    /d/    “She played well.”    
want → wanted    /ɪd/    “They wanted help.”    
wick → wicked    /ɪd/    Not a verb form! “He’s a wicked person.”    


Summary Rule

If the word with -ed is an adjective that doesn’t clearly come from a verb or is a set lexical item, you often pronounce the ending /ɪd/ even when the normal rule wouldn’t require it.

These words are exceptions because of historical pronunciation and lexicalization, not grammar.

Personalisty test.

 Click here to download the personality test that we're doing today in class. 

 

 

 

 

How to write a web post.

 

1.     Structure

 

a)     Introduction – Introduce the topic briefly.

b)     Body – Express your opinion and give reasons or examples.

c)      Conclusion – Summarize your point or invite readers to comment.

 

2.     Language & Style

• Use a semi-formal tone (friendly but respectful).
• Write clearly and concisely.
• Use connectors to organise your ideas.

3.     Useful phrases:

• Giving opinion: I believe that… / In my view… / From my perspective…
• Adding ideas: Moreover… / In addition… / Besides that…
• Contrasting: However… / On the other hand…
• Inviting response: What do you think? / Do you agree?

4.     Example Web Post

Is Online Learning the Future?

Online learning has transformed the way we study. In my view, it offers flexibility and accessibility for everyone. Moreover, it allows students to combine work and education more easily. However, I think we still need real interaction to stay motivated. What do you think?

(98 words)

 

5.     Writing Tips

✅   Plan your ideas before writing.
✅   Check grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
✅   Keep your sentences clear and connected.
✅   Respect the word limit (90–100 words).

Written interaction: a web post.

This is the final task after Unit 1: Cities. Follow thte instructions attached to the document below. 

 

Click here to download the document with the instructions.  

Homework due on October 27th.

 

 

 

 

Common Mistakes Spanish Learners Make

 

Here are the typical linguistic issues Spanish-speaking learners have when writing at the upper-intermediate level:

Grammar

·         Wrong article use: saying the staff was very friendly → correct (no article before staff as a group noun).

·         Confusing prepositions: depend of ❌ → depend on ✅

·         Literal translations: I am agree ❌ → I agree ✅

·         Tense confusion: mixing past simple and present perfect incorrectly (I have stayed last summer ❌ → I stayed last summer ✅).

·         Word order errors: very disappointed I was ❌ → I was very disappointed ✅.

Vocabulary and Register

·         Overuse of very good / very bad → instead: excellent / disappointing / unsatisfactory.

·         False friends: sympathetic staff ❌ (means “compasivo”), should be friendly / helpful staff.

·         Overly formal or informal tone: reviews should sound natural, not academic.

Discourse and Cohesion

·         Overuse of and / but / so: replace with however, moreover, although, in contrast.

·         Missing connectors between ideas or paragraphs.

·         Forgetting to include a final opinion or recommendation, essential for task completion.