PROBLEMS WITH YOUR LANGUAGE? MEET THE CONCORDANCER!

Do you have problems with grammar, collocation, or frequency of use? Have you ever wondered what a certain word collocates with? What preposition it goes with? Today I´d like to show you how to use the Internet to find solutions to these difficulties. Here are several videos about online tools you can use.
The first one is about how to use the Concordancer. Do you recognize the voice? I hope you find it useful!

The next video contains more information about the Concordancer…

…and the last is about how to google words or expressions to find concordances. You can find it in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxYEYAck3o4.

For more tools of the same kind, look through the related videos in youtube.

And, as I always ask you to give an opinion: have you found these videos useful? Leave a comment about how you have used them and what you have learnt with this information.

Welcome, and a new topic!

To all our students this year, welcome! I hope you like this blog, and you find it useful for your studies.
In a short while we will be updating our slideshow with photos of you, so dress smartly for our next class!

Well, and now, the new topic. Here it goes:

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Are you more like this …

… or like this?

Let´s begin the year by analysing this saying. Do you know what it means? (Find out if you don´t!) More personally, how do you interpret it? What does it mean, in your opinion?

Is it true that we can only get what we want by making efforts? Does this idea apply to life? To your studies? How?

violence

We all live surrounded by some degree of violence. Who has never been an innocent victim of it? But, perhaps, as we see it everyday, many common people have also become more aggressive than before to some extent.
This video shows widespread forms of violence, which frequently involve young people. Does what it shows also happen in our country? In the same way? What are the reasons for this, in your opinion?
And, on the other hand: do prevention campaigns work? A few days ago Juanes organised a concert for peace - not his first - and he was threatened because of that. Is it any use to ask violent people to reflect on their behaviour and change?

Wow!

I am not going to say much this time. Please click here and then here, and simply read. Did you know about the existence of this movement?
In your opinion, should it be taken seriously? What do you think about it? I´m looking forward to your reactions.

our wonder of nature

Two years ago, in July 2007, a new series of wonders of the world were established. They were voted online by people everywhere.
Now, a new selection is being carried out: we can vote for the seven natural wonders of the world.
The first stage of the selection has already finished, and one magnificent place shared by Argentina and Brazil has been shortlisted: the Iguazú falls!! Did you know? If you would like them to be elected as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, you can vote for it in http://www.new7wonders.com/.
Do you think it would be good to have one of the seven wonders in our country? Think of it in terms of the number of tourists that would come and the revenue this would yield. In any case, are we prepared to receive them? But, on the other hand, would it be good for the environment? Besides those, can you think of other consequences, both good and bad, for our country?
In any case, have you been there? If you haven´t, believe me, you must!

gossip!

A second topic, as promised. Why not participate in this one too?

We have talked about college rumours in class. Sometimes, you ask me questions that begin more or less like this: "There´s a rumour going round - you know what it´s like. Is it true that next class ...?" Let´s analyse this. Click here to find out more about the meaning of the word "gossip", and here for "rumour".
But rumours and gossip are a lot more widespread: they can be used for fun (like in gossip columns) or even to destroy reputations.
How do you feel about this? Do you gossip? (Come on, be honest, you´re using a nick after all!) Do you pay attention to rumours? Do you spread them? If your answer is no, how do you feel about people who do all, or some of these things?

holiday activities!!

Hello everybody!
I hope you´re all healthy. Let´s take advantage of this compulsory recess to discuss some more topics, in order to simplify our work in the second term. I´m planning to upload another topic after this one, so that you have a wider choice. Besides this, you will soon get some more work to prepare for the third tp, so wait for it in the infoblog and the webpage.

So here is the first topic: we are all getting a lot of information about influenza A H1N1. Here is some more info in English, plus a fun video teaching us how to sneeze and cough according to the new etiquette:

Now, I´d like to ask you some questions: do you pay attention to all this information? To what extent? Are you taking precautions? Do you/would you wear a mask in public if it was necessary? Don´t answer what is politically correct, answer the truth!