English in Getafe

Avril Lavigne: Sk8er Boi (Skater Boy)

2011-11-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

Avril Lavigne was born in Ontario (Canada). She began her career in 2002 with the album "Let Go", where the song "Sk8er Boi" appeared. Avril reached Nº2 on the Billboard 200 with only 17 years old.

Now, watch the clip, listen to the song and answer to the questions about it; then, listen to the song once more and complete the lyrics. Please, pay attention to Avril's non-verbal language, rhyme, and the bottom glossary, as they may help you to fill in the blank spaces. Leave your comments. Enjoy!!!

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLIP

Describe Avril's physical appearance in the clip (two lines).
Where are Avril and her band playing?
What kind of place is it?
Do they have problems at the end of the clip? How do we know?
What do you think is going to happen next? Make up an alternative ending for the clip in no more than three lines.

"Sk8er Boi" Lyrics

He was a boy

She was a girl

Can I make it anymore 1._____________?

He was a punk.

She did 2.____________.

What more can I say?

He 3.___________ her.

She'd never tell.

Secretly she wanted him as 4.__________.

And all of her friends

Stuck up their 5.__________.

And they had a problem with his 6.___________ clothes.

He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy.

He wasn't good 7.____________ for her.

She had a 8.___________ face but her head was up in space.

She needed to come back down to 9.__________.

Five years from now, she sits at home 10._____________ the baby, she's all alone.

She turns on TV and 11.___________ who she sees?

Skater boy rockin' up MTV.

She calls up her friends.

They 12.___________ know

And they've all got 13.__________ to see his show.

She tags along, stands in the 14.__________.

Looks up at the man that she turned down.

He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy.

He wasn't good 15.___________ for her.

Now he's a superstar

Slammin' on his 16.________

Does your pretty face see what he's 17.___________?

He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy.
He wasn't good 18.__________ for her.
Now he's a superstar
Slammin' on his 19._________
Does your pretty face see what he's 20.___________?

Sorry girl but you missed out.

Well tough luck that boy's 21.__________ now.

We are more than just good friends.

This is how the story 22.__________.

Too bad that you couldn't see...

See the man that boy 23.__________ be.

There is more than meets the eye,

I see the 24._________ that is inside.

He's just a boy, and I'm just a girl.

Can I make it anymore 25.____________?

We are in love.

Haven't you 26._________ how we rock each other's world?

I met the skater boy I said see ya later boy.

I'll be backstage after the 27.___________.

I'll be at the studio singing the song he wrote about a girl he 28.__________ to know

I met the skater boy I said see ya later boy.

I'll be backstage after the 29.___________.

I'll be at the studio singing the song we wrote about a girl he 30.__________ to know

GLOSSARY

tag along: accompany somebody without invitation.

slam on: put into action suddenly or forcefully.

ya: you

tough luck: bad luck.

meet the eye: see at first sight.

miss out: fail to include.

turn down: reject an offer or proposal or someone making one.

From the northern mountains of Madrid...

2011-11-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! "English in Getafe" is coming back this academic year with more activities from IES Alto Jarama,Torrelaguna, a small village located in the northern mountains of Madrid. As usual, everybody's welcome.

Terry Conroy, a Potters legend

2011-05-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

With his flaming ginger hair, Irishman Terry Conroy is one of the most iconic Stoke City players ever. Known affectionately by fans as "White Legs" he was the scorer and supplier of 2 of the most important goals in Potters history.

When Terry Conroy headed Stoke City's first goal in the 1972 league cup final against Chelsea - he achieved a dream he'd had as a young boy. "My aspiration as a kid was to become a professional footballer, play in England, play for my country and score the winning goal at Wembley", he said. "I got the last part wrong because I scored the first goal at Wembley but I made the winner though!"

Conroy joined the Potters from the Irish club, Glentoran F.C. for 10 thousand pounds in March 1967, but if it hadn't been for a spell of bad weather he could've been heading to London. "Fulham had made an offer but had to get parental permission for me to sign because I was under 21. I said to my dad I wanted to get the cup replay (for Glentoran) out of the way before signing, but when I got to Belfast for the match it was snowed off. I then had to catch the train home to Dublin, and told Fulham I would decide in the next 24 hours, but I was still undecided." That was when Stoke made their move - Manager Tony Waddington shared that train ride back to Dublin with him. Waddo convinced me Stoke was the place for me, and I've never regretted the decision."

He went on to make 333 Cup and League appearances for Stoke, scoring 66 goals. He was also capped by the Republic of Ireland 26 times.

He now works in the commercial department at Stoke City, and is the UK welfare officer for all Irish players who play in England and Scotland. His role is to look after youngsters who come over and take academy scholarships. "I know what it's like. I came to Stoke at 20 - I was in digs for 2 years and was very homesick. If I wanted to ring home I had to go out and find a phone box, make sure I had the right change. Youngsters don't have those problems now because of mobile phones and the internet but it can still be difficult. I'm there to help them and make sure they settle in and enjoy their football."

Adapted and abridged from BBC

Say whether the following sentences are True or False. Give evidence from the text.

a. Terry Conroy decided to sign with Stoke City when he was travelling on a train to Dublin.

b. The first two years in Stoke were comfortable and easy for Terry Conroy.

Answer these questions using your own words. Do not copy from the text.

a. Why hadn't Conroy signed for Fulham yet when Stoke City made their move?

b. Explain in your own words the job Terry Conroy has nowadays.

Find a synonym in the text for the following words:

a. representative (paragraph 1):
b. dearly (paragraph 1):
c. duty (paragraph 5):
d. grants (paragraph 5):

Turn into Reported Speech:

-"I got the last part wrong because I only scored the first goal at Wembley", Terry Conroy said.

Turn into Active:

-He was capped by the Republic of Ireland 26 times.

Fill in the blank spaces:

-When Conroy played for Glentoran, he used to travel _________ Dublin ________ Belfast ______train.

-Conroy played finally for Stoke City, although he _____________ (receive) an offer from Fulham before.

-Terry Conroy was ____________ (famous) ____________ other football players.

Reported Speech Review

2011-03-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Click on the links and do the activities:

STATEMENTS

QUESTIONS

COMMANDS & REQUESTS

MIXED

Are you in love? Celebrate St. Valentine's Day with Roxette!

2011-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

In 1991, the Swedish duo Roxette (Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle) released the album Joyride, in which they included the song "Church of your heart".
More information:
Roxette in Wikipedia

Roxette Official Site

Complete the lyrics, enjoy the song and dedicate it to those you love!!!

Roxette - Church of your heart

Can't we 1._________ the world outside
Just for a while? Just for a while?
2._________some time, you and I
Under this bright glorious 3.__________

It's been so long 4.__________ I first saw you
But I still love that 5.____________ in your eyes

Yes it's true, right from the start
I believed in the church of your heart
Yes it's you, that make me part of
And I believe in the church of your heart

Step inside, lay 6.___________ down
Just for a while, rest for a while
I can hear a thundering 7.__________
Beating inside when you're around

It's been so long 8._________ I first met you
Since we made love, you know 9.________ time flies

Yes it's true, right from the start
I believed in the church of your heart
Yes it's you that make me be part of
And I believe in the church of your heart
In the church of your heart

Yes it's true, right from the start
I believed in the church of your heart
Yes it's you that make me be part of
And I believe in the church of your heart

10._______ baby it's true, right from the start
I believed in the church of your heart
Yes it's you that make me be part of
And I believe in the church of your heart
In the church of your heart

Charles Dickens's 199th anniversary

2011-02-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

English people in the 19th century loved novels. Some educated people, especially women, had lots of time to read. There were private libraries, public and lots of bookshops. Long novels came out in cheap episodes, once a month. They were very popular.

The most popular novelist was Charles Dickens. If he were alive, he would be 199 years old today, February 7th. This post just intends to be a small tribute to the greatest novelist in the history of English literature.
His books were funny and exciting, but with a serious message. He described the hard lives of poor people. The rich read his books and began to understand the terrible social problems which existed at that time.

In Oliver Twist we meet a little boy in an orphanage. He is hungry and asks for more food. He gets into serious trouble and that is when his adventures begin.

One of his most famous stories is A Christmas Carol. In it we see the mean employer, Scrooge. Even at Christmas he gives nothing extra to his poor employees. One of them, Bob Cratchitt, has a son who can´t walk, and they have a very hard life. But this is a happy story. In the novel Scrooge meets some ghosts who make him change his ideas. He becomes loving and generous, and gives wonderful Christmas presents to everyone. Today, his name is part of the English language: we often call a mean person a "scrooge".

Source: The World of English by Mark Farrell with Regina Ceriani and Franca Rossi. Longman 1995

Now, say whether the following sentences are TRUE or FALSE. Give evidence from the text:

1. Life was easy for most English people in the 19th century.

2. Scrooge had always been a generous man.

3. Everybody in England used to read Dickens´s novels.

4. Bob Cratchitt and his family used to have difficulties.

Find words in the text that mean:

1. Low in price

2. Chapters

3. Difficult

4. Starving

5. Spirits

6. Gifts

The Black Donnellys - Episode 2 Questions

2011-01-30T13:59:00.000-08:00

QUESTIONS

1. What did Tommy mean when he told Kevin that they both were going "shopping"?

2. What methods did Dokey Farrell use to interrogate people?

3. What had Jimmy done with the corpse of Louie Downtown?

4. What plan did Kevin Donnelly have to make the corpse disappear? Did the plan work?

5. What did Tommy have to do to the corpse in the end? Did Kevin help him?

6. What did Kevin want to do with the ransom money? What did finally Tommy do with it?

7. What did Jenny Reilly see at the cellar of Jimmy's bar? What did she do then?

8. Why was Tommy surprised when he entered Nicky Cottero's bar?

9. What did Nicky Cottero tell Tommy?

10. What happened between Jenny and Tommy that night?

The Black Donnellys - Pilot Episode Questions

2011-01-17T02:35:00.000-08:00

QUESTIONS

1. How many are the Donnelly brothers? Can you name them?

2. What had happened to Jimmy when he was a child? How did it affect him later?

3. How did Joey "Ice Cream" get his nickname?

4. Did the Donnellys have a father? What had happened to him?

5. What things was Tommy good at? What kind of relationship did he maintain with Jenny Reilly?

6. What had Jimmy, Kevin and Séan stolen? What happened then?

7. Why did Jimmy and Kevin kidnap Sal Minetta's nephew?

8. What happened to Séan Donnelly then? Who did it?

9. Did Huey Farrell solve the problem the Donnellys had with Sal Minetta?

10. What things did Tommy do to save Jimmy from death? Who helped him?

Are you interested in watching the whole episode again? You can do it here:

PART 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpE4uJAHnNo

PART 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0rgUc8eeo4

PART 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHrGe1pfkPo

PART 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2rbiuKG2aQ

PART 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ1PArAfX1M

Prank Call - Little Becky from Dublin

2010-12-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

8 year old Becky from a Radio program pranks a demolition company in Newry (Northern Ireland). Just hilarious!!! Have fun!!!

Now, leave your comments and answer the following questions about the phone conversation:

1. What does Becky want the demolition company to do?
2. What does she want them to do with her teachers?
3. What does she think about her teachers? Why?
4. Do the woman and the man at the company take her seriously? How do we know?
5. What different options does the demolition man give to Becky in order to destroy her school?
6. Find at least three words in the conversation which are connected with the concept of "loud noise".
7. Find two expressions that mean "wait for a short period of time".

In Dublin's fair city...

2010-11-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

The English department at Matemático Puig Adam is organising trip to Dublin, the capital city of the Republic of Ireland. We are staying in Dublin from the 20th to the 28th of June. Students will have the chance of learning English in the real environment of a beautiful city, staying with their host families, attending to classes every morning and enjoying afternoon activities.