HALLOWEEN

HERE IS A VIDEO ON HALLOWEEN HISTORY.

Houdini

Here is a video where we can see

 a brief explanation 

of Houdini´s life 

from the point of view 

of a supposed little Houdini.

FAMOUS FAILURES

"If you´ve never failed

you´ve never tried something new"

Watch the video.

Stop after each description and try to guess 

who they are talking about.

Surprising!

PAU TEST 2011 2012 SEPTEMBER

A. Facebook generation 

suffers from information withdrawal syndrome

Ex. 1
1. a) FALSE: "volunteers... around the world".

b) FALSE: "However, it was abstinence from music... the most difficulty"

Ex. 2
a) The volunteers in the experiment had to spend one day without any electronic device, such as telephones or the internet.

b) Two positive effects have been that...
One positive effect has been that volunteers have improved their facilities for surviving. Another has been that they spent more time outside, walking in the streets, for instance or enjoying nature.

Ex. 3
a) isolated   b) restless   c) rely upon   d) as

Ex. 4. a) developing / highest 
b) an / who
c) until / became d) on // spent / used to spend

B. DAUGHTER OF DAVID ADAMS JOINS ANTARCTIC SKI EXPEDITION

1. a) TRUE: "The latest challenge... his expedition in 1907".

b) FALSE: "However, eating a lot of chocolate... hard for me".

3. a) trek   b) spot   c) apprehensive   d) consume

4. a) have been training

b) which / will be led

c) hadn´t gone / would have been

d) she might not be able to sleep.

she was not sure if she would be able to sleep / could sleep

Hellen Keller

On this day in 1887, Anne Sullivan begins teaching six-year-old Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing after a severe illness at the age of 19 months. Under Sullivan’s tutelage, including her pioneering “touch teaching” techniques, the previously uncontrollable Keller flourished, eventually graduating from college and becoming an international lecturer and activist. Sullivan, later dubbed “the miracle worker,” remained Keller’s interpreter and constant companion until the older woman’s death in 1936.

(...)

Her parents eventually sought the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone and an authority on the deaf. He suggested the Kellers contact the Perkins Institution, which in turn recommended Anne Sullivan as a teacher.

(...)

Helen Keller became a public speaker and author; her first book, “The Story of My Life” was published in 1902. She was also a fundraiser for the American Foundation for the Blind and an advocate for racial and sexual equality, as well as socialism. From 1920 to 1924, Sullivan and Keller even formed a vaudeville act to educate the public and earn money. Helen Keller died on June 1, 1968, at her home in Westport, Connecticut, at age 87, leaving her mark on the world by helping to alter perceptions about the disabled.

(from History)

Alexander Graham Bell

A Scottish scientist and inventor who was one of the leading developers of the telephone.

He also invented teh metal detector.

(from the Burlington Culture Calendar)

More information:

Wikipedia: here you can have records of his voice.

Alexander Graham Bell refused to have a telephone in his study, fearing it would distract him from his scientific work.

(taken from History page)

Quotations:

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.

World Wildlife Day

Official website

1st of March, Saint David´s Day, Patron of Wales

About Saint David, 1´ video (from The Telegraph)


About Wales National celebration (from Independent)

The symbol of Saint David and of Wales is a leek:

PAU 1213 SEPTEMBER A NOMOPHOBIA: MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION

4. a) who 
(relative pronoun, referring to "individuals") / 
than / better (comparative)

b) switching off (suggest + gerund) / driving (preposition + gerund)

c) has grown (present perfect)

d) ... if I had ever slept with my mobile phone.
(reported yes / no question; present perfect = past perfect; your = my)

Next PAU tests

1st P / R

COURSES ONLINE 13 / 14 September B

CELL PHONE JAMMERS 13 / 14 June A

Due to: Wednesday 1st February

THE KEY TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER 13 / 14 June B

Due to: Thursday, 2nd February

1st Q

COURSES ONLINE 13 / 14 September B

CELL PHONE JAMMERS 13 / 14 June A

Due to: Wednesday 1st February

THE KEY TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER 13 / 14 June B

Due to: Friday, 3rd February

NOTE: the corresponding COMPOSITIONS will be collected on each date

PAU 13/14 September A THE DECLINE OF "ONCE UPON A TIME..."

4. a) used to tell / going
b) is considered / between / the better
c) than
d) they appreciated how important it was for parents...

PAU 14/15 Model B CUP OF TEA?

4) a) if / should

b) has become / for

c) making / so (... ) that

d) having some tea

PAU 14/15 Modelo Apción A SOAP OPERAS

2. (examples)

a) It comes from the advertising of soap by companies which even sponsored the programmes, due to the fact of having housewives as the main watchers of them at the beginning.

b) Soap operas usually show events typical from real life but exaggerating everything, being more dramatic to be more entertaining.

3. a) depict b) at the same time c) go on d) take place

4. a) often (How often= ¿con qué frecuencia? / a (=cuatro veces a la semana)
b) who/without 
c) watching (love + gerund) /what

d) leaving (gerund after preposition)
 /had watched (past perfect)

FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY, 25TH JANUARY:
14/15 Modelo B A cup of tea?
13/14 Septiembre A The Decline of "Once Upon a Time..."

Genetic Fingerprinting PAU 2014 2015 June B

The text continues as follows:
As the technique becomes more sophisticated, all this information and more will be available.

4. a) was arrested
 (passive voice, past)/
 commiting (gerund after preposition)
b) had had / would have been ( 3rd conditional)
c)Although / to
d) better / must, should

Next test: Jan. 20th, Soap Operas,
Model 2014 2015

PAU 2015-2015 JUNE A DO ALIENS REALLY EXIST?

4. A) HADN´T BELIEVED / TO

CONDITIONAL SENTENCE TYPE 3 / 

VERB + PRESPOSITION

B) WHOSE / BY

RELATIVE PRONOUN (POSSESSION) / PASSIVE PREPOSITION BEFORE COMPLEMENT

C) MUCH / WAS GIVEN

UNCOUNTABLE HOW MUCH / PASSIVE VOICE, PAST SIMPLE

D) OF / THOUGHT

Next test: 2014-2015 B

Genetic Fingerprinting

Due to: January, 11th