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.
Monday, December 15, 2025
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)
Saturday, December 13, 2025
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.
Friday, December 12, 2025
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:
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....
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?
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
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
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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...
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
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?
Monday, December 8, 2025
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?
Sunday, December 7, 2025
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 ChristmasA 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!  |
Friday, December 5, 2025
Thursday, December 4, 2025
UK General Knowledge Quiz - 25 Questions about the United Kingdom
Don't worry if you cannot answer them all, there are some I don't know myself, and one or two of them aren't true anymore.
Anyway, I think it's a fun way to learn.
SABATON - Christmas Truce
If you know me, you know I love Sabaton. My husband just tolerates them, but he likes this song.
As Christmas is fast approaching, I thought this would be an appropriate video. Like all Sabaton songs, it is based on real events.
The animated story video for Sabaton's song "Christmas Truce" begins with a spoken intro. The narration describes soldiers on Christmas Eve laying down their arms, embracing their enemies, and experiencing a moment of silence and peace after months of violence on the battlefield. This intro leads into the song's lyrics about the historical Christmas Truce of 1914.
At the end of the video there is also a narrated conclusion.
You can watch it with subtitles or try without subtitles first and use it as a Listening Comprehension.
If you do the latter, I have some questions for you:
- Year:
- Exact date:
- How long ago did the war start?
- What does to be over mean?
- How do you say trinchera in English? You'll hear it in the video.
- Who was Pope at the time?
- What did he ask the governments involved in the conflict?
- What surprised the French and the English soldiers?
- Can you think of a synonym for ruse? They use this word in the video.
- What did the Scottish man remember?
- What did they shout?
- What sign of peace did the German soldiers use?
- What did the soldiers sing?
- You have seen these two things in the video: barbed wire, bagpipes. Can you tell me what they are?
Below you can see a live video of the same song:
10 WARNING SIGNS OF DEMENTIA
1. Is it easier for people closer to the patient to notice early warning signs of dementia or for those who don't live with them?
2. Do you know anyone who suffers from dementia?
3. Does this illness worry you or do you prefer to live in the present and not think about it?
4. Are there things we can do in our everyday life to put off the onset of dementia?
Note. Only question one is about the video
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
New English teacher! ( Comic Relief - BBC)
- What is Comic Relief?
- Who plays the new English teacher?
- Why English? They are native speakers... So what do they study in this subject? What is the equivalent here in Spain?
- Who is the Bard?
- Where is the teacher from?
- Why does the student think the new teacher is not qualified to teach them English?
- Why does he know her name?
Rebecca (1940)
The film above (complete) is based on a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier. To find out more about it go to:
Below you can see the trailer of a much more modern version (2020, if I remember correctly).
Evanescence will be singing in Spain at Palacio Vista Alegre on October 2nd, 2026.
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody in Little Rock, Arkansas. After releasing independent EPs and a demo CD as a duo in the late 1990s, Evanescence released their debut studio album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003.
For more info check Wikipedia or other internet sources.
Do you know them? Do you like their music?
Below you can listen to two covers of the same song which I think are excellent.
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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 u...
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Some years ago, a student told me about a book he had read and enjoyed very much. This is a Ted Talk by the writer of that book, Eddie Jaku....
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She sighed, adding another red cross to the tattered sheet of paper. Surely by the law of averages, Toby should get at least half the words ... -
Once upon a time an evil king captured a virgin princess and held her captive in his high tower. Though she was very beautiful he forced her...
