Do you know what a 'dad joke' is? Can you explain?

You have some examples I found online below:

Six-legged turkey

An industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding to perfect a better turkey.   His family was fond of the leg portion for dinner and there were never enough legs for everyone. After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was relating the results of his efforts to his friends at the general store. "Well, I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!"   They all asked the farmer how it tasted. "Don't know," said the farmer. "Never could catch the darn thing!!!" Questions: Can you explain the meaning of the words below? - industrious - to breed - to relate - darn

Joke

- Can you think of any synonyms for restroom? There are a lot!

- What is a kilt?

- What is tartan?

- Who is Nessie?

Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of ....

Can you finish the sentence above?

A clue for you: it's an English speaking country.

Another clue:

Do you know anything about him?

Less is More: The Magic of a Simple Life

Does this align with your life philosophy?

Who was Epicurus?

If you don't want much, you're never ...................

How would the Buddha act at a buffet?

What is minimalism?

What is the meaning of 'clutter'?

Italian court removes children from off-grid family living in forest

I have a friend who has been living in Italy for around 36 years now and the other day she shared this story with me and another friend.

What is your opinion? Who is right? The family or the authorities?

Personally, I think the parents are right, but I'd like to hear your opinions. Although, it's true maybe I'd need more information  before I make up my mind.

The Story of Thanksgiving Narrated by Plymouth Rock

I imagine you know today it's Thanksgiving and a federal holiday in the States.

To find out more about this day, click on the link below:

Fun facts about Thanksgiving Day

And spare a thought for the poor guy below :).

Ludwig van Beethoven for Children. Great video for elementary or even intermediate students.

Do you enjoy classical music?

Do you have a favourite composer?

When did Beethoven start going deaf?

Where was Beethoven born?

Was he the only musician in his family?

How many instruments could he play?

What does composition mean in this context?

If you had to choose one of the pieces played at the end of the video, which one would you choose?

A STAR IS BORN

I still haven't watched this film even though I've been told it's great because I'm afraid it might be too sad. However, Shallow, is my ringtone. A beautiful song, in my opinion.

There are four official movie versions of A Star Is Born: the 1937 original with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, the 1954 musical with Judy Garland and James Mason, the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, and the 2018 film with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Each remake adapts the story to a different era, focusing on different aspects of the entertainment industry, such as classic Hollywood, musical theater, concert rock, and modern pop. 

Have you seen any of them? Did you like it? If you've seen more than one, which one do you prefer?

How to Pronounce -ed endings in English. Simple past of regular verbs.

I hope this helps, Pili. I think the second video is easier to understand.

This and That

The other day, while talking to Elisa, I realised for the first time ever, how homophobic the word straight is. I mean, if you are heterosexual you are straight, and if you are not, then what?

Luckily, things have changed for the better in the Western world in the last fifty, seventy... years or so, but we still need to make progress.

The trailer of the film above ( a movie I told Gaby about) shows what life was like for many people in the 50s and, unfortunately, what it's still like nowadays in some countries. Even if you were/are gay, you married/marry somebody of the opposite sex because you have to keep up appearances.

If you haven't seen Far From Heaven, I recommend it. It's sad, but very good.

We also talked about Iris, a biopic about Iris Murdoch, the famous writer because when she was at University she experimented with her sexuality, but eventually married a man who loved her very much. When she became ill with Alzheimer's in old age, he refused to take her to a nursing home and looked after her at home to the dismay of social services.

Iris's husband was also a writer, John Bayley, and he wrote a book called Iris about the love of his life.

Ed Sheeran - Photograph (Official Music Video)

Gaby and I have been doing a 'fill-in-the-blanks' exercise with this video. Below you can also see the lyrics video. Why don't you watch the one at the top first and try to understand as much as possible and then watch the other one?

The first one is cute in my opinion, as you can see images from Ed's real life.

Enjoy!

Vegetables

I stole this from an  Instagram  English teacher I told you about recently: John+English. Do you know them all? Remember some vegetables which are common in England cannot be found in Spanish supermarkets (at least that I know of). There are quite a few of the ones you can see below I have never tried myself. Have you? Are they common in your country of origin?

This summer, in Portugal, I had a watercress salad, which you can eat in England, and it made me very happy because I've never seen it here.

I've bought kale a couple of times in Lidl, but although it's supposed to be very healthy, I don't like it very much. I think it's too hard. How about you? Have you tried it? Do you like it?

Okra is an African plant I've heard my Nigerian friends mention. Apparently, now it's grown in Murcia.

As you can see, the second picture shows only root vegetables.

What does 'banter' mean?

Clergy Banter A Jewish Rabbi and a Catholic Priest met at the town's annual summer picnic. Old friends, they began their usual banter.   "This baked ham is really delicious," the priest teased the rabbi. "You really ought to try it. I know it's against your religion, but I can't understand why such a wonderful food should be forbidden! You don't know what you're missing. You just haven't lived until you've tried Mrs. Hall's prized Virginia Baked Ham. Tell me, Rabbi, when are you going to break down and try it?"   The rabbi looked at the priest with a big grin, and said, "At your wedding."

Bourton on the Water, Cotswolds, one of England's prettiest villages

At the beginning of the video, you'll see that there are lots of people in the village (most of them English, but also some tourists), but that only happens in the summer, at weekends and when the weather is good. Besides you're looking at the high street.

For me, it's the most beautiful place in the world and where I'd live if I could choose.

Marilyn Manson. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Brian Hugh Warner, known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer and the only original member remaining of the same-titled band he founded in 1989.

He's playing live in Madrid next week. Would you go to his concert? 

A1 English English Level Test

B2 English English Level Test

The answer to number 5 is wrong. I noticed when doing the exercise with a student this morning. Can you tell me what the correct answer is?

Habits That Change How You Think.

JohnPlusEnglish

"JohnPlusEnglish" is a social media account that teaches English idioms, particularly through themes like tea, food, and animals. Examples of idioms from their content include "spill the tea" (to gossip), "in a pickle" (in a difficult situation), "out of sorts" (feeling irritable), and "like a dog with a bone" (very determined). 

You can follow him on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.

His instagram stories are very interesting. I do recommend them.

If you already know him, what do you think of his short lessons?

9 Japanese Habits That Quietly Keep You Slim (No Gym Needed)

1. Are Japanese genetics different from those of American people?

2. What will you never find at a Japanese school?

3. What are tater tots?

4. What is called environmental design in psychology?

5. Should we eat till we feel full?

6. How many meals do most Japanese people eat?

7. How do Japanese people exercise if most of them don't have a gym membership?

8. Which of the habits mentioned do you already practise?

Some verbs followed by prepositions with examples.

Thanks, Dani Miller,  for sharing this.
 

Why Does “Down Syndrome” Have This Name? A tribute to my brother.

When I was one year old, my parents had a second child. His name was Carlos, after my father's youngest brother. Unfortunately he only lived for 20 days. He had Down Syndrome, heart problems which are often associated with this condition, was deaf...

Even though I cannot remember him, I've seen pictures of his Christening. It looks more like a funeral because my dad and my aunt were extremely sad; I guess Mum was at home. 

Anyway, what I wanted to share is the fact that his short life has left an indelible mark on mine. I even have a tattoo on my arm that says 'Cabe todo mundo no mundo' which is the motto of a Brazilian family who have a child called Marcelinho who has Down Syndrome. I also added a picture of a forget-me-not as a tribute to my brother.

This is the main reason I wanted to share this video with you. Because for me this topic is personal and because I think we owe people with Down Syndrome our empathy and cooperation. They are just people, like the rest of us.

The video below is in Portuguese, but I think it's worth watching and I'm sure you'll understand (most of it has subtitles, also in Portuguese).

Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day? - Shannon Odell

How often do you walk?

Do you do any other type of exercise?

Art

Imagine you are decorating your new flat and you want to buy a painting to hang opposite your bed. 

Which of the ones below are you most likely to choose? 

Which one would you never choose? 

What do you know about these paintings?

Writing An Article

If you click on the link below, you will find a very interesting explanation on how to write an article which includes and example at the end.

And if you find any difficult words, please ask me in the comments. 

BBC Bitesize

Pronunciation Tips With Quiz - Words Ending In -ATE

Please do ask me if you have any questions about this.

Sweet Emily. A 150-word story based on real facts.

 

The wind whistled wildly through the moor, making the few squalid  trees shiver.

 

In the village, the whispers were soft. Groups of old women huddled together, not to be heard.

'They say she's always been crazy.'

'She has to be. Wandering around on her own like that.'

'She's never talked to me, but if she did, I'd run away.That beast of hers is scary.'

'Keeper, his name is.'

While this uncharitable conversation was taking place on one of the  cobbled streets, a family was mourning once again.

Emily drew her last breath as silently as she had lived. She had always 'walked invisible'.

What nobody knew on that inhospitable day, is that the young mind they so carelessly dismissed had given birth to a unique literary miracle. A  love so fervent that it jumped out of the page, grabbed readers by the throat and tore out their bleeding hearts.

Written by Maria Garcia

Notes:

Emily Brontë occupies a special place in the English literary canon. And rightly so: the incomparable Wuthering Heights is a novel that has bewitched us for almost 200 years, and the character of Heathcliff is seen by some as the ultimate romantic heroóand villain. But Emily herself remains an enigmatic figure, often portrayed as awkward, volatile, as a misanthrope, as "no normal being." That's the conventional wisdom on Emily as a person, but is it accurate, is it fair? 

I found this on Amazon a moment ago. Personally, and I have no reason to say this, just what I have read, I think Emily might have been autistic. No judgement here.

Reverend Patrick Bronte survived his wife and his six children, all of whom died extremely young. 

If you ever have the chance to go to Yorkshire, I recommend you go to Haworth and visit the Parsonage where the family used to live.

Keeper was the name of Emily's dog, a bullmastiff crossbreed.

Anne, Charlotte and Emily Bronte published under male names and it wasn't till after her sisters had died that Charlotte revealed the truth, although she didn't like the limelight herself either. She enjoyed being able 'to walk invisible'.

If you want to learn more about the Brontes, an easy start is The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef. It is a book for middle-graders, but it is packed with interesting information.

I consider the above post a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. It's for you to decide. Thanks for reading.

Joke: New Factory Job

A young man applied for a job at a new factory being built in a nearby town. He entered the main office, where the receptionist directed him down the hall to an office where he was to be interviewed by the Personnel Officer.   After several minutes of describing and explaining all about the new factory, the Personnel Officer told the young man, "We need individuals who are totally responsible."   The young man grinned and responded: "Well, I sure qualify. Everywhere I've worked, when something went wrong, I was always responsible!"

Have you ever heard of Mirko and Stjepan Seljan? What can you tell me about them?

 

The 3 best predictors of how well you’ll age. TedEd

TedEd is a great tool for language learning. The videos in this channel are short, but, at the same time, extremely interesting and informative. Besides, the topics are very varied so you can enrich your vocabulary in many different areas of knowledge.

Let's answer some questions about this one:

- What is a narwhal?

- How can you tell a narwhal's age?

- Is telomere length a reliable tool when it comes to determining the future health of a human?

- What is imflammaging?

- What is biological age?

How Reading Rewires Your Brain

We talked about how keeping a diary and writing in general benefits the brain in the previous post (the one below), but reading is also good for our brain: it reduces stress, the danger of dementia...

And of course, if you are learning a new language, books are also going to help you improve. You'll learn new vocabulary, start speaking more naturally and writing better.

Choose a book you like and enjoy!

How writing (by hand) changes your brain

Do you ever write by hand? 

I encourage you to keep a diary. We did it one course and the students thought the activity was quite useful.

British Politeness: The Hidden Insults We All Grew Up With

Can you summarise this video using your own words? 

What did you think of the photos? When do you think they were taken?

Do you know the meaning of the word 'quaint'?

101-year-old who still goes to work 6 days a week shares her life advice

CRESSKILL, New Jersey (WABC) -- A local jeweler is proof of the motto if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. Her sharp business skills and passion for the craft have stood the test of time in more ways than one.

Every week you can find Ann Angeletti on the move buzzing around the Diamond District.

She is always looking out for her customers and she's no stranger to hard work.

As a child, she left school to help her family out at their grocery store in Brooklyn.

Her dad sold ice door to door in a horse-drawn cart, before refrigeration was even invented.

"Don't forget I'm a hundred," Angeletti said.

101 to be exact.

She continues to run her own business, Curiosity Jewelry in Cresskill, with her daughter and granddaughter.

"If I retire, I would die," Angeletti said.

Angeletti hasn't stayed home since her husband went off to fight in World War II. She rolled up her sleeves and went to work at the Navy Yard, then as a waitress.

"I was driving by, the store was for rent and I called the owner and asked him, how much is the rent, and he said $85 a month in 1964."

She hasn't looked back since.

She said her secret to her success is self-care.

"Must get up, you must shower, you must eat, you must take care of yourself. You must exercise," Angeletti said. "If you don't like what you're doing, then change."

Source: Eyewitness News

https://abc7ny.com/post/101-year-old-business-owner-goes-work-6-days-week-shares-life-advice/18008396/