EXCLAMATIONS

Translate the following sentences into English

1. ¡Qué pérdida de tiempo!
2. ¡Qué ridículo!
3. ¡Qué lata!
4. ¡Qué vergüenza!
5. ¡Bobadas!
6. ¡Qué pena!
7. ¡Qué suerte!
8. ¡Qué mala suerte!
9. ¡Qué rabia!
10. ¡Qué gracia!
11. ¡Qué risa!

KEY

1. What a waste of time!
2. How ridiculous!
3. What a nuisance!
4. What a shame!
5. Nonsense!
6. What a pity!
7. How lucky!
8. How very unlucky!
9. How annoying!
10. How funny!
11. How very funny! What a joke!

Extinction Rebellion protesters float ‘sinking house’ down the river Thames

This video has three parts. The first one is a warm-up. In the second part we can see a woman talking about the project and in the third part it is a man who talks.

Watch the video and answer the questions:

First part:

1.- What can you see?

Second part:

2.- Where did they take it out?

3.- What kind of house is it?

4.- Why did they do it?

5.- What won’t be enough?

6.- What do we need?

Third part:

7.- Why did they choose the place?

8.- What does the house look like?

9.- What do they want to see through this action?

KEY

First part:

1.- What can you see?

The sinking house

Second part:

2.- Where did they take it out?

To the Thames, near Tower Bridge

3.- What kind of house is it?

A middle England house, a standard house

4.- Why did they do it?

To make people face the fact of the rising sea levels, the increased storms… due to the changing climate.

5.- What won’t be enough?

To build high walls as flood defense.

6.- What do we need?

Deep adaptation within our policies ; a real deep change.

Third part:

7.- Why did they choose the place?

To bring attention right to the place where decisions are made. To raise and bring awareness of the climate crisis.

8.- What does the house look like?

A boat sinking

9.- What do they want to see through this action?

A deep adaptation to deal with the problem at source; massive emissions.

Eating on public transport should ‘be banned’ says chief medical officer

     The government will fail to meet its target of halving childhood obesity unless eating on public transport is banned and the sugar tax is extended. Professor Dame Sally Davies used her final report to demand tougher action from ministers, including tighter regulation of food companies seeking to manipulate youngsters. She called for the successful sugar tax to be expanded to cover milk drinks laden with added sugar, such as milkshakes, and for MPs to consider plain packaging for unhealthy food. The outgoing chief medical officer for England also said more needs to be done to stop children being ‘dazzled’ by junk food companies, adding that kids are ‘drowning in a flood of unhealthy food and drink options’. Her report puts her at odds with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who cautioned against ‘sin taxes’ and ‘the continuing creep of the nanny state’.

     In her review, Dame Sally said ‘excess weight has slowly crept up on us all and is now often accepted as normal’. More than one million children are now clinically obese, with some suffering Type 2 diabetes, asthma and musculoskeletal pain, as well as mental health problems, such as depression, she said. As many as 120,000 cases of asthma in children may be caused by obesity, while as many as 650,000 are thought to have fatty liver disease caused by being overweight. Increasing portion sizes and the ready availability of junk food means children now, on average, consume three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, containing seven teaspoons of sugar.

     In 2017, more than £300 million was spent on advertising soft drinks, sweet and sweet and savoury snacks, compared with £16 million spent on advertising fruit and vegetables. ‘Adverts are everywhere, from bus stops to our mobile phones.

     Dame Sally said weight-loss programmes and treatments were all being undermined by environments that promote unhealthy food. She added: ‘Politicians, I call on all of you across the political spectrum to come together and take action. The health of our children is in your hands.’

Question 1. Indicate whether the following statements are True or False and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

      

        a. There is already a law that forbids eating on trains and buses.

        b. A lot of products that are available to children contain a great amount of sugar.

        c. The author of the report absolutely agrees with the Prime Minister on this issue.

        d. There is more interest in promoting unhealthy food than in publicizing food which is convenient.

Question 2 . Answer the following questions in your own words.

      

        a. What should be done in order to reduce obesity in children?

        b. What consequences does excess of weight have for children?

Question 3. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

        a.     full of (p.1)

        b.     in disagreement (p.1)

        c.     warn (p.1)

        d.     easy access (p.2)

        e.     threaten (p.4)

KEY

Question 1

      a.     False "The government will fail to meet its target of halving childhood obesity unless eating on public transport is banned and the sugar tax is extended."

      b.     True. "Increasing portion sizes and the ready availability of junk food means children now, on average, consume three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, containing seven teaspoons of sugar."

      c.     False. "Her report puts her at odds with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who cautioned against ‘sin taxes’ and ‘the continuing creep of the nanny state’."

      d.     True. "In 2017, more than £300 million was spent on advertising soft drinks, sweet and sweet and savoury snacks, compared with £16 million spent on advertising fruit and vegetables."

Question 2

   a.     People in authority should be stricter when regulating companies that control and influence the way young people eat. They should also extend taxes on other sugary products and control the packaging and advertising of harmful food.

     b.     Obese children are exposed to several diseases such as diabetes, breathing disorders, pain in their bones and muscles and even depression.

Question 3

    a.     laden

    b.     at odds

    c.     cautioned / to caution

    d.     availability

    e.     undermined / to undermine

PERFECT TENSES

Rewrite the sentences with the time expressions in brackets. Use the Present Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect Simple. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.

     

1. Your mother called a few minutes ago. (just)

        

Your mother ..............................................................................................  .

      

2. The students finished solving the problem. Then the bell rang. (when)

       

The students .............................................................................................  .

      

3. The boys cleaned the garage. It took them two hours. (for)

       

The boys ...................................................................................................  .

     

4. The train left at two o’clock. We got to the station late. (after)

      

We ...........................................................................................................  .

      

5. The champion began playing tennis when she was four years old. (since)

       

The champion ...........................................................................................  .

KEY

    1. has just called

    2. had finished solving the problem when the
bell rang

    3. had been cleaning the garage for two hours

    4. got to the station after the train had left

    5. has been playing tennis since she was four
years old

PHRASAL VERBS

Complete the sentences with the phrasal verbs below. Make any necessary changes.

set off • watch out • take off • turn back • give up • run out of

1. The class …………………………… on the school trip at 7.00 this morning.

2. Dad sent me to the shops because we …………………………… sugar.

3. I …………………………… ! I don’t understand this homework.

4. Jerry didn’t want to …………………………… , but he was too tired to continue walking.

5. The weather was bad so our plane …………………………… two hours late.

6. …………………………… for hot pots while you are cooking. You may get burnt.

KEY

      1. set off                  4. turn back

      2. had run out of      5. took off

      3. give up                 6. Watch out

Understanding the meaning

     Choose the correct continuation.

1. This room is crowded.
a. There are very few people here.
b. There are too many people here.

2. Jean is a very lively girl.
a. She talks a lot.
b. She is very quiet.

3. Young people like to live in an urban area.
a. They want to live in the city.
b. They want to live in the country.

4. Be careful of that hostile dog.
a. It likes to be with people.
b. It likes to bite.

     5.   The band’s performance was impressive.
         a. I thought the band played very well.
         b. I thought they were terrible.

KEY

1.  b    2.  a 3.  a   4.  b    5.  a

HISTORY of THANKSGIVING

1    Answer the following questions:

1.   Which winter killed almost half of the pilgrims?

2.  What did the native Indians teach the colonists about?

3.   When was the first Thanksgiving feast?

4.  How many colonies were there in 1777?

5.  When did Abraham Lincoln declare the last Thursday of November Thanksgiving day?

2    Complete the sentences

1. In the __________________ The National _______________ League was formed.

2. Department stores saw the value of parades as the kick off to the _________________

_____________________  ______________________ .

3. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade began in ________________.

4. Most of all, Thanksgiving is about _____________________.

5.Thanksgiving gives us a day to reconnect with the ______________  _________.

KEY

1.

1. The 1620 winter.

2. They taught them about fishing, hunting and planting.

3. In 1621.

4. There 13.

5. In 1863.

2.

1. 1920s   /   Football

2. Christmas shopping season

3. 1924

4. Family

5. Loved ones