Open Cloze Test. B2

Click on the link below to do an open cloze test. How many correct answers did you have? Let me know if there's anything you don't understand.

Cloze Test

Mary Oliver

 

Do you know who Mary Oliver was? What can you tell me about her?

How the Grinch stole Christmas Audiobook Read Aloud

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch, a grouchy, solitary creature who attempts to put an end to Christmas by stealing Christmas-themed items from the homes of the nearby town Whoville on Christmas Eve. Despite his efforts, Whoville's inhabitants still celebrate the holiday, so the Grinch returns everything that he stole and is the guest of honor at the Whos' Christmas dinner.

The story was published as a book by Random House in 1957, and at approximately the same time in an issue of Redbook. The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named it one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". In 2012, it was ranked number 61 among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published by School Library Journal – the fourth of five Dr. Seuss books on the list.

The book was adapted as a Christmas special three times, a 1966 animated TV movie starring Boris Karloff as both the narrator and the voice of the Grinch, a 2000 live-action feature film starring Jim Carrey, and a 2018 CGI animated film adaptation.

Souce: Fandom https://seuss.fandom.com/wiki/How_the_Grinch_Stole_Christmas!_(book)

Do you understand this idiom?

out of the blue

Prayer & Fire

A tale is told about a small town that had historically been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a tavern.

 

A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene.

 

It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.

 

The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible.

 

The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated that "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not."

 

Questions:

What is the meaning of dry in this context?

How was the tavern destroyed?

What is the meaning of the verb to sue?

What did the judge say? Tell me in your own words.

Free resources

Luckily for those of us who study or teach English there are lots of free resources online.

I'm sharing some links with you below, but there are a lot more:

https://www.esl-lounge.com/student/

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/

https://www.rong-chang.com/

And, of course, you have YouTube, where you'll be able to find all kinds of materials: stories, listening comprehension and reading comprehension exercises, quizzes, documentaries....

Can You Solve These Spot the Difference Puzzles?

How easy was this for you?

Let's revise verb tenses.

A Typical British Christmas 🎄 | English Listening Practice 🇬🇧

Do you think Hannah likes Christmas?

What does she mean when she says she has a sweet tooth?

What is Secret Santa?

When does Hannah buy her Christmas gifts?

What Christmassy film does she mention?

What is a mince pie?

Which one is British: 'Happy Christmas' or 'Merry Christmas'?

Which alcoholic drink is an ingredient of Christmas pudding?

What is a Christmas cracker?

The day after Christmas Day is ... 

Why did it get that name?

What's a hangover? 

What does tipsy mean?

Hannah admits Christmas has its flaws. Which ones?

Vocabulary

Which of these adjectives would you choose to describe yourself if you could only choose three?

English grammar is super simple. I guess the problem is ... well, everything else.

I moved to Spain, these 31 things are totally normal here.

Do you agree with everything Bruce says in the video?

Do you think he's happy in Spain?

Is there anything you think he misses?

Vocabulary

Stolen from @englishingeneral.

Can you write a few sentences using the expressions above?

I know it seems very simple, but I want to make sure you use the write preposition, the article only when necessary...

Sean Connery reads Ithaka. A powerful Life Poem by C.P.Cavafy

First of all, I want to thank Carlos for bringing this poem and this poet to my attention.

Below you have some information about the poet:

C.P. Cavafy (Constantine P. Cavafy, 1863-1933) was a highly influential, renowned Greek poet from Alexandria, Egypt, considered one of the 20th century's most important poets, known for his historical, erotic, and philosophical verses that explored memory, desire, and identity, often referencing Hellenistic and Byzantine eras with a unique, modern voice, despite publishing very little during his lifetime. 

Key Aspects of His Life & Work:

• Birth & Background: Born in Alexandria to Greek parents, he spent formative years in Liverpool and London, gaining fluency in English and exposure to English literature.
• Career: He worked as a civil servant and journalist in Alexandria, a city that deeply influenced his poetry, which often features its vibrant, multicultural life.
• Poetic Style: Cavafy used a distinctive, direct, and often melancholic style, frequently revisiting historical figures and moments, blending the ancient with the modern.
• Themes: His poems explored personal integrity, the fleeting nature of love, memory, the Greek past, and the complexities of urban life.
• Legacy: Though largely obscure in his lifetime, his work gained international fame after his death through translations, particularly championed by figures like E.M. Forster, making him a central figure in modern Greek and world literature, says the Poetry Archive. 

Question:

What do you think the poem means?

Improve Your English by Reading (Even if you HATE reading!)

1. Does Ronnie like reading?

2. Why does she say it's important to read?

3. What other advice does she share?

Psychologist On Affirmations: When And How Positive Affirmations Can Work

1. Have you ever heard of positive affirmations?

2. Do you think they help? What does the lady in the video say?

3. Why is change scary?

Iconic pictures

This must be one of the most iconic pictures ever taken. 

It is the classic photo of construction workers having lunch on the cross beam during a break from building 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, New York City.

Do you know anything about it? How would you describe it? What does it make you think about?

Oops!

Self Serve Christmas A kindly 90-year-old grandmother found buying presents for family and friends a bit much one Christmas, so she wrote out checks for all of them to put in their Christmas cards.   In each card she wrote, "Buy your own present" and then sent them off.   After the Christmas festivities were over, she found the checks in her desk!   Everyone had gotten a Christmas card from her with "Buy your own present" written inside, but without the checks!

Christmas Vocabulary

 

Source: Instagram. JohnplusEnglish

The Ultimate GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Quiz (50 Questions)