Stronger!

Feeling stressed and a little bit down has become commonplace for many of us in these times. 
We can't avoid worrying about the world around us which seems to be falling apart and we experience a feeling of defeat; but do we realize what are the things that really matter in life? I guess we need to be reminded of. 

When I saw this video filmed at Seattle Children's Hospital, I felt so moved and touched! They are the true heroes, the ones who struggle no matter what life brings them! So this is a tribute to all those who keep putting up a fight with a smile on their faces and teach us a lesson of hope and courage.

"Stronger",by Kelly Clarkson, is not only a heartening song but also a perfect way to practise the weak vowel sound schwa /ə/ that we find in unstressed words (auxiliary verbs, prepositions and articles) and unstressed syllables.
Here are some examples:
He was feeling down                 /wəz/  
I can do much better                /kən/      /ˈbetə/ 
You have to put up a fight       /həv/    /tə/   /əp/     /ə/

Listen to the song and do the gap-fill activity. Click the key to get all the answers. 

If I were a boy...

Have you ever wondered how different your life would be if you were a boy and not a girl or the other way round?

Beyoncé has in this song which I'm going to use to make you think of the variety of sounds that can correspond with the letter 'o' in English. Do you pronounce the 'o' in  'broke' and 'shot' in the same way? If you want to know, see this short presentation before doing the listening task below.

You can check your answers with the key.

Definitely, he's not just handsome!

After hearing George Clooney addressing the Senate over Sudan crisis, I couldn't help feeling relieved to realize that some celebrities  use their popularity not just to get a table at the most exclusive restaurant or a room in the most luxurious hotel for free.
He seems to be aware that, unfortunately, the world will pay more attention to his words than to any activist's, so he's making the most of this fact.
In my view, that turns him into something else than a mere "pretty face".
This is part of an interview he did for the PBS Newshour. Watch it and complete the transcript below by clicking the arrow in each box and choosing the right option to fill in the gap. Then, click "CHECK" at the bottom.

I'm tired of using technology!

I can't deny it! I'm hooked on new technology though I'm not an expert.

Milow whinged "I'm tired of using technology" in his song (do you remember?) but even though I sometimes feel overwhelmed by so many innovations, the wonder of this new world has won me over.

A colleague and friend of mine sent me this killing sketch that makes fun of technology using plays on words (double meanings and homophones). Try to fill in the gaps to complete the transcription and then click in the link above to learn some vocabulary. This is the key with all the answers.

I hope you'll enjoy it!

I wish, I wish...

I must admit I'm not prone to making wishes as I've promised myself to enjoy what I do have and stop dreaming. Wishes make us hopeful, though, and that's why I want you to learn how to make them.

In this song by Pearl Jam you'll learn about all their wishes by filling in the gaps with one word to complete the lyrics. Check your answers here.
Then, if you're interested enough, you can click the link in the upper or lower bar and find an amusing presentation that I hope will help you understand the use of "I wish..." just a little bit better.

Start with yourself

Consonant clusters (a combination of two or three consonant sounds) may be difficult to pronounce, especially if it is a combination that is not common in our language.

Three-consonant clusters at the beginning of words always begin with s, e.g. scream /skriːm/.

Three-consonant clusters at the end of words are often plurals (girls /ɡɜːlz/), third person singular verbs (wants /wɒnts/) or regular past tenses ( asked /ɑːskt/).

To practise this combination of consonant sounds I've chosen a song that reminds us that the real change is inside ourselves, that we can't close our eyes and only see misery and poverty at Christmas time. Listen to it and do the gap-filling exercise while listening. All the missing words  contain a consonant cluster. Then, you can check the answers clicking the link KEY on the activity.

Old Times

"Old times were better", some people think but "not always", I say. However, I must admit I've really enjoyed preparing this activity as watching the video has reminded me of my youth (a loooong time ago!). For some of you, the youngest, this song will just ring a bell, others, the not so young, will probably associate it with their teenage but I hope you all will enjoy doing the fill-in-the-gap activity. You can check the right words with the key. Then revise the pronunciation of regular and irregular past forms by clicking the link on the upper toolbar.

Something is changing around the world

I don't know if the protests that started in Madrid on 15th May will result in a future presence of the protesters in the political arena but, at least, they seem to have awoken the citizens' awareness all around the world. 

To learn something about how these protests have arisen in London, watch this item of news and do the fill-in-the-gap activity. 
You can check your answers clicking the key.