Classes 17-18. Tuesday-Thursday 18-20/11

Hello

This week we finished our topic and did a test. The majority did it very well!



We started a new topic "Eating in or out". 

We revised some food and drinks vocabulary. To practise more the vocabulary check Aula Virtual and also this webpage "Food Activities".

We revised some grammar (countable and uncountable nouns) - Exercises online. 
Also we revised some/any/a lot of and much/many.

Read these grammar rules for "much/many, few/little" here.
Do the online exercises here.
 

Your homework is to practise much/many, some/any and do the exersices in your copies.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD

My neighborhood has all service. there are a school in front of the institute and near of the university, this has two building next to each other, on the right of the institute there is a sports centre, in the sports centre you can play football, tennis go swimming do yoga etc... next to the sports centre there is a park. this park is near the town centre . In the town centre there are a shopping centre, you can shop of the clothes and shoes,also there is a coffe shop you can take a coffe,  on the left of the shopping centre there is a bank opposite there is a townhall, near the townhall there are a pharmacy and the supermarket, in this you can do the shopping, meat, fish,bread, fruit etc,,,, on the left of pharmacy there is a church, near is the residential building, I live in the street Santiago, 3 in a building of six floors, I live in a second floor, opposite residential buildings there are a theatre and a museum, the post office is near of the theatre

San Nicasio is my neighborhood.

San Nicasio is my neighborhood.
It is at the west of Leganes, between the rail train, and the shopping center Leganes Uno and near of Alcorcón city.
It isn't a young neighborhood, it is builded at 70's.The buildings aren't more than four floors and usually don't have elevator.
There are many small family business, near from my home there are two bakeries, four banks, one smoke shop and EIGHT bars, this is spain, but the two more famous business in my neighborhood are the Zubia pastry shop and the Churreria Africa, there are opposite places from Manzanares street, the Zubia pastry shop are next to Somoto square and the Churrería Africa is at the end of the street in front of my pharmacy.
The people usually know the two churches of San Nicasio, but noone know the

third, my little church, and she is the heart of my little neighborhood inside of San Nicasio. She is in the center of the Bermuda's triangle of San Nicasio, four streets at right of the rail train, below the Manzanares street and at left of Duero street, the people only come in when they live inside of this triangle. 
We would happy meet you to take an churro for breakfast :)

Classes 15-16. Tuesday-Wednesday 11-13/11

Hello

Last week we revised some prepositions of place (on the left of, in front of, opposite etc.) and learnt some places in the city (supermarket, grocery shop, bakery, clothes shop etc.).

Let´s practise more! Watch these videos and learn the shops:
Video Shops

Also we listened to some conversations in the shops.
When we want to be polite we use "can" or "could":
Can I help you?
Can I have a bill, please?
Could you bring me a bigger size, please?

Watch a video and practise:
Video Shopping for Clothes

We practised some map reading. Let´s practise a bit more our prepositions of place!
Here´re two videos with prepositions. Watch them and practise:
Video Locations and Directions
Video Prepositions of Place

Also we learnt that Modal Verb "Can" is used not only in polite expressions, but to say about possibility/impossibility of smth:

You can buy fruit there.
You can´t watch a film there.

Mind please the pronunciation!

Your homework is to describe your neighbourhood (or any other you like). Revise everything, prepare for a small test:)

Picasso tower - The white business building

I like the Picasso tower because it is different to another near buildings. It isn't dark building, it was builded in white stone and in mirror glass and it's the most pretty skyscraper in Madrid.
Six years ago, we build another skyscrapers and now Picasso tower is not the most representative business building in the city, but I think that the new building don't have soul.
I like one thing of this building, it is more near of the city center, it is place on the left of Castellana avenue, in front of Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium and next to El Corte Inglés.
On the past tuesday, my partner Roberto tell us that this building have the same construction that the twin towers, and now I like it more.
In this building there are restaurants, a shop center, 6 fast elevators and many business offices, one of this are the Google office in Spain, from this office you can see the Bernabeu grass, but see the players is very difficult.
Near at the Picasso tower you have a urban park where you can see the office workers lunch her home food, this park is between the two skuscrapers and other big buildings and you can't hear the city noise, he has an unexpected calm.
who would not like live in the fourty seven floor of this building? :)

The Monastery of Escorial

The Monastery of Escorial

It is situated in the northwest of the region, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, about 46 kilometers from the city of Madrid.

Northwest: San Lorenzo de El Escorial	North: San Lorenzo de El Escorial	Northeast: Galapagar
West: San Lorenzo de El Escorial		East: Galapagar
Southwest: Zarzalejo y Robledo de Chavela	South: Valdemorillo y Navalagamella	Southeast: Colmenarejo

Visiting Hours.
April to September

Tuesday to Sunday à (10-20hrs)

You can also visit free Wednesday and Thursday from 17-20 hrs.

October to March

Tuesday to Sunday à (10-18hrs)

You can also visit free Wednesday and Thursday from 15-18 hrs.

The Monastery of San Lorenzo The Escorial is a complex that includes a royal palace, a basilica, a cemetery, a library and a monastery. It is located in the town of San Lorenzo The Escorial, in Madrid, Spain, and it was built between 1563 and 1584.

The palace was the residence of the Spanish Royal Family, the basilica is the burial place of the kings of Spain and the monastery (founded by monks jerónimos) is currently occupied by monks of the Order of St. Augustine. It is one of the most unique Renaissance architecture in Spain and Europe. Located in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Occupying an area of 33,327 square meters and has 16 yards, 88 sources, 13 oratorios, 15 cloisters, 86 stairs 9 towers, 1,200 doors and 2,673 windows. The main façade has a length of 207 meters. Among the most important parts of the building include the Pantheon of Kings, the Royal Basilica and the Royal Library. Since the sixteenth century, the Monastery of the Escorial has been rated la octava world wonder.
On november of 1984 in coincidence with the celebration of the fourth centenary of the placing the last stone, the World Heritage Committee of Unesco.

His paintings, sculptures, choir, scrolls, vestments and other luxury items, sacred and courtly make El Escorial is also a museum.

El Escorial is the crystallization of ideas and the will of its creator, Felipe II, a Renaissance prince.

Secciones del edificio.
Library, Palace of Felipe II, Basilica, Crypt, Shrines, convent, Chapterhouses, Hall of Battles, Museum of Architecture, Gardens of the Friars.
Library
The Library has one of the most valuable library collections in the world, not quantity and there are about 50,000 volumes, but by its quality, being especially valuable collections of Arabic, Hebrew and Latin manuscripts
Chapterhouses
In the present day in which the painter Velázquez spoke design, which at the time were used by the monks, and now houses a museum of paintings, with major works by Velázquez, El Greco and Ribera, among others.

Museum of Architecture
It consists of 11 rooms and display tools, cranes and other material used in the construction of the monument.
Gardens of the Friars
It was a true botanical garden, with up to 68 different varieties of flowers, many medicinal plants and some 400 were brought to the New World.
  


Today the monastery of Escorial is also a school.
The higher school Escorial es located in the building of the former compaña sharing a home with Real Centro Universitario Escorial Maria Cristina.
It is attached to the Complutense University of Madrid mixed dorm.
It has 113 single romos with bathroom.
It is an ideal place to combine study and university life full of rich experiences instead.
The Students have library, coffee shop,Chapel, dining room, living room, Reading and entertainment. Somputer romos, screening room: DVD and video
TV room and Sports área: gym, indoor sports center, tennis and racquetball, pool….

MUSEUM DEL PRADO

I going to speack about the Museum Del Prado. The Museum National del Prado was designed in 1785 by Juan de Villanueva.the museum there is 41995 m2 . the museum is in the center of the town.

 the Prado opened his doors for the firts time to the people in 1819. the Prado began with 311 pictures, devoted to spanish painting. All these picture belonged to royalty.
At present the museum has with 7600 pictures, 1000 sculptures 4800 prints and 8200 drawings.
Visit the museum cost money. The museum opens his doors every day.
At presents the museum has 2.000.000 visitors per year.
In the museum are paintings as Las Meninas, El caballero de la mano en el pecho etc...

TOWER OF MADRID

        Tower of Madrid

       Tower of Madrid is a skyscrapers in Madrid (Spain). It measured 142 meters high and it was built between 1954 and 1960.

       It was designed by the brothers Julian and Jose Maria Otamendi. It is located al the end of the Gran Via, an emblematic place of Madrid.

 

       It has 32 floors which are shops, offices and housing. The tower has 12 elevators, the most rapid market. For years, it was the tallest building of concrete in the world. It has been used in many spanish films and the rest of Europe in the 60´s.

       For years it was the financial heart, business center and refuge of bohemian night of Madrid, with nightclubs on rooftops.

       In 2012, it had a major indoor and outdoor rehabilitation. The central and upper part of the tower (floors 15 to 34) are designed for luxury private homes. These homes have surfaces between 120 to 180 square meters and it has a terrace of 170 square meters with private pool.

       Because of it´s high in 1986, a paratrooper named Peter Dickens jump of 32 floor next to the statua of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

                                                                                                        

LINARES PALACE                                                         

The Linares Palace located between Palace of Recoletos and Alcala street, Madrid (Spain),
it's known for its legends surronding fastanmales.

First built in 1990, the first people who lived in the palace were the marquis of Urquijo, Jose de Murga Relois and Raimunda de Osorio Ortega, they bought the land from the city of Madrid and built
the Palace in those lands.

Inside the Palace has many dependencies on four floors (basement, mezzamine, main floor,the third floor and a sub-basement that extends throughout the stables and gardens, on four floors there are kitchens, offices for employees of the palace, rooms service, library, a billiar room, music room, rooms of the marquis, a greenhouse and guest rooms.

It has had several owners since the marquis of Urquijo died, until today after being rehabilitated was opened as home Amrica intended to cultural exchange between Spain and America, and has also served to make music videos and perfomances.

There is a murked legend chasing Jose and Raimunda, it is said that the palace ghost of their original owners and their alleged daughter locked, it is sais that the girl was stanged and buried in the palace and today will continue his spirit wandering the halls of the palace.


                                                                                                                 by Roberto Ramirez Ramirez

Classes 13-14. Tuesday-Thursday 04-06/11

Hello!
 

This week we´ve started a new topic today "Somewhere to live". We were revising some vocabulary (living-room, kitchen, bedroom, furniture, cooker, sofa etc.).
For extra vocabulary practice check please Aula Virtual, there you can find pdf files with the vocabulary.

You can also practise on-line - "Furniture and Rooms Game" .

Look at the picture and compare it with your house/flat. What is there in your house/flat?

We´ve also learnt some grammar - How much...?/How many...?
How much space is there in the flat?
How many chairs are there in the kitchen?
 

We can also use demonstratives in our daily life - when we go shopping:
How much is this newspaper?
How much are those tissues?
How much is that magazine?
How much are those postcards?

You can play a funny game - "How much is this?"and practise the prices in English.

We´ve revised some grammar (there is/there are) and the use of a/some/any.  

To get some more practice watch a video "There is/there are".

There´s some furniture in the living room.
There aren´t any plants in the flat.
Is there any space in the room?

Also we revised the demonstrative adjectives (this/these, that/those):

This is my jacket. These are my glasses.
That dog is my neighbour´s. Those jeans are expensive.

                                                                                                                                              

Watch the video "This, That, These and Those" if you want to practise more.

We were also listening to a conversation between a client and estate attendant.
What is important for you when renting a flat (price, location, space, equipment)? 

 

We´ve done some Role Play on the topic "Renting a Flat", asking questions and giving details about the flat:
Where is the flat?
What floor is it on?
What is there near the house? Is there a supermarket, bus stop, chemist´s nearby?
How many rooms are there?
How much is he rent per month?
Is there any furniture in the flat?

Practising the use of some, any, a, a lot of, much and many - here´s the activity.

Also we´ve learnt some interesting facts about the White House and practised asking questions.

Have a look at this video - the virtual tour to the White House.


Your homework is to do the Project - research about the famous building in your country (palace, house, official building) and prepare the presentation. Write it in the blog as "Nueve Entrada", post the photos or pictures.