MY ENGLISH LEARNING by EMMA SAEZ MUÑOZ

THE SINNER (TV SERIES)

esaez22 — 2018-01-08 19:55:01 UTC

A young and apparently "normal" mum of family commits a crime. It happens on a sunny day when Cora comes to the beach with her family. She goes straight to a young man and kills him without thinking. Everybody at the beach was surprised because it seems that Cora didn't know that man. People think that Cora is going crazy but things are not as they seemed... A police who runs the investigation of that crime does his best to know the truth and it is something unexpected... That became very addictive to me because I know that The plot seems very simply buy everything in the whole process to know the truth is really exciting...

Photo: Jessica Biel (main character)

DEBATE (Eoi Activity)

esaez22 — 2018-01-08 19:56:12 UTC

Before Christmas I lived a new experience for me, I participated in a Debate. I enjoyed the way how Graham introduced that activity to us. Our topic for the Debate was “genetic modified food; yes or no”. We were divided into two teams to discuss about it. It was good for me to improve my English and to practice how to be more fluent in my speaking because in a debate you have to think and defend your ideas in a very quick way. Moreover, I was surprised to discover that sometimes it could be easier for you to defend the opposite to what you really believe.

NEW VOCABULARY FOR ME

esaez22 — 2018-01-08 19:56:53 UTC

Awkward, Lanky, Slugs, Damp, Slick, Seek, Abseil, Wires, Stragglers, Disease, get rid, Dregs, Sways, Slopes, Eerie, Soothes, Smashed, Swoop, Guts, Boldness, Lawns, Hunches, Embroidered, Cloak

BLACKMOOR, Edward Hogan (Book)

esaez22 — 2018-01-08 19:57:07 UTC

Just a month ago, a coworker of mine gave me that book as a present. I decided to start it because the “strange Presentation” of the book appealed to me. Beth is an albino, her neighbors in Blackmoor’s village have always thought she was “touched” but by the end of the year she’s dead. A decade later her son Vincent, treated bad by his father George, is living in a pleasant suburb miles from Blackmoor. He’s looking for the secrets of his mother’s life and death in the abandoned village. I have to say that the plot was interesting for me and the beginning but now I got disappointed by that book. Maybe it’s too early to say that because I’m on page 25 now so I’m going to wait until page 40.
Many people say that you have to read the first 40 pages at least to know if you want to go ahead with the book or not.

Photo: The cover of the book

THE HUNGER GAMES (Movie, 1st Part of a trilogy)

esaez22 — 2018-01-08 19:57:37 UTC

That movie is the first part of a trilogy. To be honest, I was not so encouraged to watch it but my cousin strongly recommended it to me. That’s a very strange movie because it has a part of fantasy but not in a exaggerate way. The movie takes place in a town with 12 districts in different states of poverty. Every year, children from the districts are selected to participate in an annual compulsory televised death match called The Hunger Games. Those children have to kill the other participants in order to survive; only one of them (the last survivor) wins.
The truth is that although the plot is a bit cruel, this movie hooks and I'm looking forward to seeing the other two which follow it as soon as I have some free time. What I liked the most was that I was able to understand the character's accent in general and especially of their protagonists Katniss and Peeta.

Photo: Jennifer Lawrence (main character)

MONOLOGUE

esaez22 — 2018-01-22 19:19:51 UTC

After practising at home, last Tuesday I had to represent a monologue in front of the class. That experience allowed me to realize that I've another skill to improve: how to represent a text in a dramatic way. I was listening the monologue many times to prepare it but it was impossible for me to represented it in a more dynamic way. I was more focused on pronunciation than in dramatization. Thanks to this I've realised that something similar could happen with my exam presentation.
I've to start looking at how I say things and not only to what I say. Grammar and dramatization .. there we go!

WORKSHOP WITH EMEER

esaez22 — 2018-01-28 19:08:49 UTC

Last tuesday I was at workshop with Emeer. She is a very nice girl who cames from Ireland to help us with our debate skills. We were at the Library discussing about a very controversial topic; Is 16 years old a suitable age to legalize sex?.
Firstly, we had to expose our opinions and that was a good point to let a spontaneous debate arise. After that, we saw a video where two girls were discussing about that. Emeer asked us to pay attention to the expressions that both girls used during their debate. It was good to review some usefull expressions for debates and to compare our opinion with each other.
What I enjoyed most was the spontaneity with which this debate was presented and the way to analyze it within a more informal and relaxed context.
I definitely recommend you to take workshops into consideraton That's pretty good to help us to increase our confidence in order to speak and debate in a more natual way.

DIFFERENT CLASS

esaez22 — 2018-02-04 16:41:51 UTC

Last tuesday we had a very "fit" class. We had to complete an exercice in groups. We often do that but last day we did a very funny one. A member of the group had to run down the corridor to find a text. Once he or she found that text, that person had to memorize it to dictated the hole text to his/her classmates. It was not easy because we were trying to memorize it at the same time and it was so difficult to getting concentrated in our "part". I found it amazing and useful to make us thinking only in English so when you have to memorize you completely forget about your Spanish language. I copied that excercise and I practised it with my students at class, it was wonderful!

(__ Past tenses __)

EVALUATION WEEK

esaez22 — 2018-02-18 21:43:26 UTC

How to write about feelings? Let’s try it… That has been a heavy week. We had had the second part of exams by “evaluació continuada”. I know for sure that all my classmates are trying to do their best every day and me too but sometimes we have to encourage others to keep up with English work. We spent the whole week working hard for many hours in our jobs, in our personal lives and with English learning activities... That week has been anxious not only for the exams ... every time we are more tired by all the efforts we are doing since October and also because we are getting closer and closer to the final exam.

I think I am lucky to have the classmates that I have. We have formed a very good team that doesn't hesitate to encourage and support each other and that is very very important.

THE BEST OF ROAL DAHL

esaez22 — 2018-02-25 20:41:41 UTC

It's time to start a new book.
When you have been studying for a while you learn to know yourself, to know your way of studying. It's really difficult for me to keep reading a book that doesn't keep my interest alive. That is why I went to the EOI library last week lookinf for a new book and I saw a that one which I'm sure that can't disappoint me: The best of Roal Dahl. I readed many Roal's books when I was a child and I had always been passionate by them. I'm so glad of having made this finding! I know how Roal Dahl writes and I really want to read that collection of short stories for adults.

Photo: Book's cover

C1 "MEET UP"

esaez22 — 2018-03-02 19:12:45 UTC

I had a very nice experience yesterday. It was a meeting with my classmatess. Some of us went for a dinner after the C1 class. Our aim was to speak in english between us and we did it very well! It’s difficult to speak english with the group outside classe because we all are tempeted to speak in Spanish to each other. We spent an amazing time together while we were practising English. It’s nice to know that you are not alone on your way to the exam. We created our particulary ‘meet up’ to improve our speech and it was very usefull for us. I really want to repeat that experience as soon as possible!

THE FEMINIST STRIKE

esaez22 — 2018-03-11 17:51:29 UTC

Is feminism still relevant? we did a class debate about that before women's day. Then, I was pretty sure and now I'm more convinced that feminism movement has to go ahead. After the 8th of March, I realised that we still suffer different kinds of discrimination. Unfortunately, there exist many sexist actions nowadays and we wouldn't be able to stop them unless we work on that day by day. The saddest thing of all is that many people don't realized yet abou that so maybe we have to start letting them know how sexism it affects to women. So women's struggle must continue and men must support it. We all have a lot to do.

MY ORAL PRESENTATION

esaez22 — 2018-03-11 18:11:38 UTC

After practising a lot, yesterday I did my oral presentation. I was so nervous although I knew my audience. I believe that my nervous came from my effort. I mean, I had prepared my presentation so conciously, practising it for awhile so I really wanted to do it perfect. I had the ideas very clear on my mind. The topic was ‘the Reviewable permanent prison’ so in a certain way, I was also calm because I know a bit about this field. I hadn’t included too much data because I wanted to base it on my experience as a teacher in prison since last year. How was it? Well, I’m satisfied in general despite I know that I could do it better if I have to repeated it especially at the beggining. It tooks me just a few seconds or maybe a minute to make the nervous dissapear. I tried to include some expressions and vocabulary that we have been studying during the C1 course so I want to do the same at the final exam. This has been a good train to be aware of what is waiting for us in May.

MY EASTER TRIP

esaez22 — 2018-04-01 01:33:52 UTC

We all know that the best way to practise english is to stay abroad for a while. That’s not possible for me because of my job in Barcelona but sometimes I’ve the oportunity to do that when I visited my mom in the united states. She’s living there so I usually go a few days to be in vacation. That last time, we met each other in Miami and we spent an amazing time together also with some friends. I enjoyed a lot to discover Miami so I’m really keen on that ‘mixed’ between latin and american culture which you can find on florida’s state. I just wanted to practise what I’ve been studied during the C1 course but I could say that It was much better that I had expected. Besides that, I learned some new expressions originals from this area what is popular known as ‘Spanglish’. Also I learned some new English vocabulary and expressions such as ‘I don’t quite not’, ‘It’s peach’, ‘By far so good’... That was a funny and a very nice experience so I want to come back as soon as possible.

MINDFULLNESS

esaez22 — 2018-04-07 21:00:17 UTC

Did you hear about mindfullness? I think that some of us have a very wrong idea about what mindfullness is. I just discovered that ‘technique’ and I couldn’t be more satisfied. The mindfullness aim is to live the present moment without hurries and without thinking in things that we’ve done or that we’ve to do in a future. Nowadays, we’ve lot of things to do at the same time and we’re living in a very stressfull society. This turns into diseases like anxiety or depression so mindfullness it’s a very good way to avoid that. I know that it could sounds ‘idealistic’ but once you’ve tried it you will experience its benefits.

THE LAST MONTH

esaez22 — 2018-04-14 08:43:04 UTC

Only one month left for the C1 test!
It's time to do a final effort. I've to admit that at the beginning of the course I was so obsessed with the final exam but suddenly I realised that the most important thing is just to learn the more, the better. It may sounds typical but having as an only purpose to pass an exam is so stresfull... I prefer to believe that at the end of the course I'll be improved my English getting or not the C1 certificate. That's the aim! no matter if we're going to fail or not. Looking at your progress (or little progress) is better rather than looking at the exam.
The truth is that we would like to pass the test because it would be a kind of reward to all the effort carried out but if it weren't be possible we shouldn't fee frustrated. Now, we are so tired and it's hard to be motivated but we have to try it!

"ECO" THINGS

esaez22 — 2018-04-20 14:50:36 UTC

Did you hear about ecological food? I'm pretty sure that the answer is afiirmative. Currently we all see on tv different advertisements showing eco products while in the past these kind of things weren't so much known. Eco shampoo, eco drinks, eco food... The list is endless. Is this trendy just a business or it has real benefits for our health? We have to take care about that! Ecological products aren't a garantee of being healthy because lot of food are processed. The healthiest thing is just to cook what you want to eat at every moment.

Lost in space

esaez22 — 2018-04-29 14:37:09 UTC

As we all know, netflix is a very useful resource to watch movies or series in English. Recently, I catched up by the original version of ‘Lost in space’. That serie is based in a classical one from the past. The main plot is developed around a family composed by a marriage and their three children. One day, after a hard trainning, the family go to the space in order to follow a very ambitious project. The aim of that project is to discover life far away from our planet. Although everything seem very minuciously planned, something goes wrong and they suffer an accident. Suddenly, they are lost in space and they have to survive while they try to repair their ship. I belived that I’m at the most interesting point of the series and I still have many things to discover.