"The Spanish Revolution"

Demonstrators gather and shout slogans in Madrid's famous landmark Puerta del Sol, against politicians, bankers and authorities' handling of the economic crisis May 18, 2011. The demonstrations began on Sunday May 15, when thousands of people gathered in several cities in Spain to demand what they called 'real democracy' and protesters have vowed to occupy central squares in several Spanish cities until the May 22 local elections.
(photo taken from the front page of The Washington Post, 19 May)

Read an article about the Spanish demonstrations.

Watch this video and answer the questions. (key in "comments")

1. How have the protesters been dubbed?
2. What have thousands of them defy? Why?
3. How do they describe the camp?
4. Is the rally taking place only in Madrid?
5. Protesters are showing their frustation at _____________ and at the economic crisis that ________________________.
6. What is a major issue?
7. What does the young girl say?
8. What does the young boy say?
9. What does Egypt's Tahrir Square seem to be for them?
10. What do the protesters want?
11. Why do thousands of people go there?

Talking about a friend!

Watch Layla talking about her friend Michelle and answer these questions. You can do something similar if you're asked to talk about a friend in the oral exam.
(answers in "comments")
1. When and where did they meet?
2. Why did they become friends?
3. How are they different?
4. Why does she say Michelle is “flaky”?
5. How are they similar?
6. Have they ever argued?
7. How often do they see each other? Why?
8. When was the last time they saw each other?
9. Why couldn’t they go to Banksy’s exhibition?
10. Where did they go instead?
11. What do they both have now?

TEXT TYPES!

- Here you have a simple classification of some texts types with some examples.
- A further complicated explanation on text types can also be found here. Also related to this, find HERE a brief different explanation on text types.

Twitter

Listen to the first part of this radio programme where they explain what Twitter is and take some notes. Then listen and read the script to check your notes.

Home

A well-known image from Arthus-Bertrand's "Earth from Above" series, the grand prismatic hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States.

"Home": Watch this environmentally conscious documentary produced by Luc Besson, and narrated by Glenn Close. It presents the many wonders of planet Earth from an entirely aerial perspective and poses the prospect that unless we act quickly, we risk losing the only home we may ever have. (Unfortunately there are no subtitles, but the images are just wonderful and I don't think it's too difficult to follow).

Here's the Spanish version if you want to check what you've understood.

May Listening Handout

I. Tapping the power of wind (1’43”)
http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,82090420001_1986203,00.html

II. NEWSPAPERS http://www.elllo.org/english/Mixer/42-NewsPart.html

III. MEDIA BLACKOUT (6’)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/11/101104_6min_media_blackout_page.shtml

IV. International Internet Sites now allowed in China (3’16”)
http://www.manythings.org/b/e/367

V. MEGACITIES (3’25”)
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/prof_mp3/city-population.mp3 (recording)
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/prof_mp3/city-population.pdf (exercise and script)

VI. Sandquist (2’36”)
http://www.podcast.tv/video-podcasts/frontlineshop-com-streetfashion-im-web-62094.html

VII. Fashion
http://www.elllo.org/english/Mixer/09Fashion.html

Obama's speech about Bin Laden's death

Watch Obama’s speech and take notes.
Then read these ideas from his speech and try to order them using your notes. Watch it again and check the order. (answers in “comments”)


You have the whole text here.

a) Obama announces the operation conducted in Pakistan that has ended with the death of Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda.



b) The war is not against muslims but against terrorists. American cooperation with Pakistan has led to the killing of Bin Laden and Pakistan and the US will continue to fight Al-Qaeda together.



c) Al-Qaeda openly declared the war on the US. They went to war against them to protect their citizens, friends and allies.



d) Obama tells American families that lost loved ones on September 11 that they’ll never forget it and they will do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on their shores.



e) Last August Obama was informed that Bin Laden had been located in a compound in Pakistan.
f) Obama describes September 11 as the worst attack ever and speaks about the nearly 3,000 citizens taken from them.



g) Obama says that American people didn’t want the war but as a country they couldn’t tolerate their security to be threatened. He says they have to be true to their values and states that justice has been done.



h) Obama knows this is not the end of Al-Qaeda and assures they must and will remain vigilant.



i) In the last ten years the Americans have disrupted terrorist attacks and have captured and killed terrrorists (even some involved in September attack). However, Bin Laden had managed to avoid capture and had escaped to Pakistan.



j) When September 11 took place the Americans showed they were united and didn’t pay attention to their different countries, Gods, races or ethnics. They helped each other and were determined to protect their nation and bring the responsible ones to justice.



k) Obama thanks everyone who carried out the operation and achieved this.



l) Today (1st May), under Obama’s direction, they launched a targeted operation in which no Americans were hurt, civilian casualties were avoided. There was a firefight and they killed Bin Laden and took custody of his body.



m) Obama says that today’s achievement shows the greatness of the USA and the determination of American people. He says that the USA can protect the world because they are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.




n) Obama says that shortly after taking office he made the killing or capture of Bin Ladent the top priority on their war against Al-Qaeda.



o) Obama describes Bin Laden’s death as the most significant achievement in their effort to defeat Al-Qaeda