Top five regrets of the dying

What do you think will wish had been different in your life when you see your life coming to an end? Apparently, most of the dying regret similar things. Read this article by a palliative care nurse and find out what they are.

 Top Five Regrets of the Dying

Somebody that I used to know - a song

This song will help you revise and add up new expressions to your vocabulary on relationships. Listen to the song while you fill in the gaps, and then find their synonyms among the words and expressions provided in the column on the right. I hope you enjoy it!

Somebody that I used to know

by Gotye

First fill in the gaps ___________ I think of when we were together Like when you said you felt so ______ you could die I told myself  that you were right for me But felt so lonely in your company But that was love and it's __________ I still remember. You can get addicted to a certain __________ of sadness Like resignation to the end, always the end So when we _______ that we could not make sense Well you said that we would still be friends But I'll admit that I was glad that it was ______ But you didn't have to __________ Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing I don't even need your love, but you treat me like a _______ And that feels so rough No, you didn't have to stoop so low Have your friends _______  your records And then change your number Guess that I don't need that, though Now you're just somebody that I used to know Now you're just somebody that I used to know Now you're just somebody that I used to know ________________ I think of all the times you screwed me over But had me believing it was always something that I'd done But I don't wanna live that way Reading into every word you say You said that you could let it go And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know-oh-oh But you didn't have __________ Make it like it never happened and that we were nothing (oh) I don't even need your love,  but you treat me like a ________ and that feels so rough (oh) No, you didn't have to stoop so low Have your friends _______  your records And then change your number Guess that I don't need that, though Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Then match these synonyms to the words you wrote in the gaps. A pain The relationship had ended Pick up Sometimes Discovered Someone that you don’t know Pleased Stop our friendship Type of

 

Family & Friendship Listening Practice

Recording 10a. Listen to four people talking about a frienndship. How well do they know the person they are talking about?

Recording 10b. Listen to a student talking about family and friends. She will answer the following questions:

Who are the most important people in your life?

Do you and your friends share the same ideas?

Who is your best friend? What is he/ she like?

Recording 10c. You will hear five different people talking about a family party. Choose one statement from A to F that matches each speaker 1 to 5. There is one extra statement that you don't need to use.

SPEAKER 1 ___   SPEAKER 2 ___   SPEAKER 3 ___  SPEAKER 4 ___   SPEAKER 5 ___  

A The arrangements were unclear.

B It was less formal that expected.

C The quality of the food was poor.

D There wasn't enough for the children to do.

E The location was unsuitable for some people.

F The wasn't enough space.

In your eyes

This is the introduction to our next topic, Love & Relationships. We will use this
song by Kiss & Drive, which is actually an adaptation of a song by Kylie Minogue. However, this version appeals to me as so much gentler and nicer.

Fill in the gaps while you listen.

What on earth am I ............. to do

In this ............. place there is only you
Was gonna leave now I have to stay
You have .......... my .......... away

Is the world still .............. around
I don't ..........  ...........  coming down

It's in your eyes
I can ...........  what you're thinking
My heart is ............ too
It's no surprise
I've been ............. you lately
I want to ............ it with you

................  has a funny way
When it comes and takes all your cares away
I can't think of a single thing
Other than what a beautiful ............ I'm ..........

Is the world still ............. around
I don't ..........  ...........  coming down

[Repeat x3]
It's in your eyes
I can ........... what you're thinking
My heart is ............ too
It's no surprise
I've been ............. you lately
I want to ............ it with you

And here's the original video by Kylie Minogue, for those who are more into disco pop.

Describing people

This is a listening describing two different people. It corresponds to track number 8 from the photocopy I last gave you about physical description and personality.

And in this presentation you can revise vocabulary to describe people.

A love story

Love idioms

Family - Idiomatic Expressions

Here are some idioms to talk about your relatives:

We're as different as chalk and cheese.
We're like two peas in a pod.
We get on like a house on fire.
She's the spitting image of her mother.
I have little to do with her.
You just can't tell them apart.

And do you know...  

What's the difference between stepsister and half-sister?
What's a godfather? And a great-uncle?
What's the difference between immediate and extended family?

Interaction Sample

Toya & Emmi met some years ago while studying in England with an Erasmus grant. By chance, they come across each other on the streets of Murcia. What a coincidence!!!

Emmi

You are in Murcia working as a Language Assistant at a Language School. You've also taken the chance to do a course on Spanish that actually involves IT. Ask Toya about life, work and studies.

Toya

You're a teacher at a Language School, and you've also started studying French in your free time. Ask Emmi about life, work and studies. You start the conversation.  

This is what came out:

The Logical Song - Supertramp

This is the story of all of us, who go from the wonder of discovering the world through our own eyes, to being told by teachers, relatives and adults in general, that actually the world 'is' this or that way, and you'll be discarded as a radical, childish, illogical and liberal, to say the least, if you take another view of the world. 

Do you relate to this song?

Listen to the Song and fill in the Gaps

The Logical Song by Supertramp

When I was young, it seemed that life was so __________,

a _________, it was beautiful, _________
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,

__________, ___________, watching me
But then they send me away to teach me how to be ___________,

__________, responsible, _________
And they showed me a world where I could be so ___________,

__________, intellectual, __________

There are times when all the world's ________
The questions run too ______ for _______________ (3 words) man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've __________
I know it sounds absurd but please tell me who I am

I said now, __________ what you say,

now we're calling you a ________,

a _________, fanatical, _________

Won't you sign up your name,

we'd like to feel you're ____________,

____________, presentable, ___________

But at night, when all the world's __________
The questions run so _________ for ________________ (3 words) man
Won't you please (Won't you tell me),

(You can tell me what) please tell me what we've _______ (Can you hear me?)
I know it ________ absurd, (Won't you help me) please tell me who I am,

who I am, who I am, who I am
But I'm thinking so _________
Did you call, one two three four
It's getting ___________

And this other version if you didn't manage to understand the words. It's a bit slower, so easier to catch the gaps.

The Best Job in the World

This is a video that tells the story of a Job Ad that went round the world looking for applicants.

1.   What’s the job? Where is it?

2.   What are some of the job duties?

3.   Does this person have to rent a house?

4.   What’s the purpose of offering this job?

5.   What do applicants have to do?

6.   How are they going to select the best candidate?

Glossary:
off the coast
overwhelming
plunge pool
take the plunge
there's no catch

Classic job interview questions

Watch this video giving tips on how to succeed at a job interview. 

Useful vocabulary:

to do well
to trip up
a dreaded question
to handle
to redress
on no account
where your major strengths lie
state your achievements
ethos
to relish
never utter the phrase...
innocuous
to throw you off guard 
a good balanced answer vs a well balanced answer
an overview
roughly

Now answer the questions below. 

Which two answers shouldn't you give to the first question?

Which phrase should you never utter as an answer to the third question?

Which of these things does she recommend for question number four?

tell your life history

give an overview of highest qualifications

go into as much detail as you can

run through the jobs you've had so far

avoid same structure as in your CV

give examples of things you've succeeded at

What can you focus on if it's your first job?