Próximas convocatorias de Exámenes de Cambridge

Desde este blog os recordamos que el plazo de matrícula para los exámenes PET y KET de 20 de Junio finaliza el próximo viernes 24 de Abril. La convocatoria de examen PET Computer Based del día 27 de Junio permanecerá abierta hasta completar cupo.

En el mes de julio, los exámenes se realizarán los siguientes días:

CAE: 23 de Julio

PET: 28 de Julio

FCE: 29 de Julio

El plazo de matrícula para todos los exámenes de julio finaliza el día 5 de junio.

NOTA: Los que queréis hacer el examen en el mes de junio y se os ha pasado el plazo de matrícula… ¡aún estáis a tiempo! pero debéis abonar un recargo de late entry.

Para más información consultad nuestra web ExamsCadiz 

Os dejamos los siguientes enlaces, donde podéis encontrar modelos de exámenes junto con las respuestas, listas de vocabulario y las normas a seguir durante la realización del examen entre otros temas.

1. KET - Key English Test - A2

2. PET - Preliminary English Test - B1

3. FCE - First Certificate in English - B2

4. CAE - Cambridge Advanced English - C1

¡Buena suerte a todos!

Writing competition at Tenidiomas!

Hello everyone!

Aquí  tenemos a los ganadores del Writing Competition de Tenidiomas. Como sabéis, hay dos grupos divididos según edad. El grupo más joven está compuesto por niños de entre 7 y 11 años, mientras que el segundo grupo está compuesto por adolescentes de entre 12 y 16 años.

La primera ganadora del grupo de los más jóvenes ha sido Julia Zhou Rodríguez Cortés. Aquí podéis ver su excelente redacción.

El ganador del grupo de adolescentes ha sido esta vez Paula Sánchez Cerdá. Su redacción ha sido fantástica tal y como podéis ver.

En Albariza, también hemos realizado nuestro tradicional “Easter Writing Competition”.

De los peques, la que se ha alzado con el primer premio ha sido Kika López Bolós, aquí podéis ver lo bien que lo ha hecho.

Celia López Cuéllar ha resultado la ganadora del segundo grupo. Aquí nos cuenta cómo pasará las vacaciones de Semana Santa.

Happy Easter Holiday to everyone!!

Escala de los exámenes de Cambridge English

Desde el pasado enero 2015, Cambridge English Language Assessment usa una nueva forma de puntuar sus exámenes.

Ahora tus exámenes de KET, PET, FCE, CAE y CPE se puntúan en una escala de 80 a 230, abarcando cada nivel del Marco Común Europeo de Referencia (MCER).

¿Cuáles son las ventajas que nos ofrece esta nueva escala?

Los resultados son más detallados. El candidato recibe una puntuación por cada una de las habilidades en las que ha sido examinado, además de la puntuación total final. El Statement of Results muestra las equivalencias con los niveles del MCER.

     Con este nuevo método más gráfico, el candidato comprende mejor el resultado obtenido.

Si quieres ver un ejemplo de esta nueva escala, puedes encontrarlo en la página web de Cambridge English.

Si te examinaste antes de enero de 2015 y quieres saber cuál sería tu puntuación con la nueva escala, usa el convertidor que encontrarás en el siguiente link.

CURSOS XPRESS marzo 2015 - junio 2015

Plazo de inscripción abierto para los cursos Xpress de marzo

¡Reserva ya tu plaza!

 

Cursos preparatorios de exámenes Cambridge English Language Assessment

KET (A2), PET (B1), FCE (B2)

Los cursos Xpress tienen una duración de 11 semanas para preparar los niveles A2, B1 y B2 del Marco Común Europeo (marzo a junio 2015), y de 18 semanas para el nivel C1 (febrero a junio 2015), con prácticas específicas de cada parte del examen y sesiones adicionales de Speaking Practice y simulacros de examen. El precio del curso incluye los derechos de examen, todo el material y las sesiones adicionales.

¡Aún quedan plazas disponibles!

Comienzo: 18 de marzo

Examen: KET 20 de junio | PET 20 de junio | FCE 27 de junio

Descuentos:

Titulares tarjeta joven, descuento 50% en inscripción.

Padres, hijos o hermanos de alumnos actualmente matriculados en Tenidiomas, descuento 10% en clases.

Alumnos UCA, descuento 10€ en tasas examen.

Fundación Tripartita

(descuentos no acumulables)

Dolphin 'living alone for 30 years in Irish harbour' spotted leaping next to boat

Dolphin nicknamed Fungi, believed to have lived in Irish harbour alone for past 30 years, spotted within touching distance of a boat

A dolphin nicknamed Fungi, thought to have lived alone in an Irish harbour for the past 30 years, was photographed leaping within touching distance of a boat after chasing the vessel.

The image was taken by Mike Murphy, 45, after he managed to whip his iPhone out to capture a shot on the dolphin’s fourth leap in a row next to his boat as he returned from the seaweed farm he runs in Dingle Harbour in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland.

The dolphin is well-known among locals and popular with tourists, with boat tours organised for the sole purpose of spotting Fungi in the bay, where it is believed to have lived alone for 30 years.

David Millard, 45, who was with Mr Murphy when he took the photo on Monday afternoon, said: “The dolphin torpedoed next to us. He’s very playful. He will chase the boats around the harbour.

“There’s quite a tourist industry on the back of him, lots of Fungi boats that take tourists out, and he will follow the fastest boats.

“The most amazing thing is he was circling the boat, he goes at incredible speed.”

Mr Millard, 45, who works for the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, added: “If I had stuck my hand out, I could have touched him.

“I have seen him a couple of dozen times, but never in such close proximity. I have heard he can jump over the top of the boats. It was such an experience.”

More information, here.

Word of the day quiz!

Quiz: Do You Know Zoanthropy from Famulus?

Take our quiz on the words to find out!

Which definition is correct?

A) A mental disorder in which one believes oneself to be an animal

B) The condition of being completely or excessively full

C) The measurement of the size and proportions of the human body.

Which definition is correct?

A) An extremely bad reputation

B) A servant or attendant, especially of a scholar or a magician

C) A complicated and embarrassing state of things 

Good luck everyone. Remember to leave a comment with your answers. All will be revealed tomorrow!!

Pictures of the day: 2 December 2014

Bioluminescence causes the sand to glow on the island of Mjorn, Sweden. Organisms such as fireflies and anglerfish produce a fluorescent glow by releasing the chemical luciferin, which reacts with oxygen to create light.





Tom Cruise is pictured at Piccadilly Underground Station in London, during filming for Mission Impossible 5. Scenes were filmed in central London with no prior warning or publicity, using fixed cameras in shops and on rooftops. The Hollywood star was hardly noticed by the general public.




Brothers Lee and Paul Brailsford began decorating their home 18 years ago starting with a single Christmas tree. Their collection of decorations has grown so rapidly that it now includes tens of thousands of lights. The pair, helped by characters from Disney's Frozen and Aardman animations, last night turned on their phenomenal display, which raises money for Bristol Children's Hospital.






The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is erected. The traditional Norwegian Spruce tree is a gift from the people of Norway for Britain's help during WWII.






American artist Guy Bunn carved this intricate elephant sculpture from an ostrich eggshell.

The Origin of Black Friday

With Thanksgiving feasts come Black Friday sales. While many people believe the term Black Fridayfinds its roots in the sense of black meaning “showing a profit; not showing any losses,” this is not the case.

Historically, black has been associated with days of economic stress as opposed to days of booming commercial success. The first Black Fridayoccurred in 1869 after financier Jay Gould and railway businessman James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market, which ultimately resulted in financial panic and the collapse of the market. In turn, when the stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, marking the onset of the Great Depression, the event was referred to as Black Tuesday.

Following suit with the earlier “black” days, the true origin of the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday lies in the sense of black meaning “marked by disaster or misfortune.” In the 1950s, factory managers first started referring to the Friday after Thanksgiving asBlack Friday because so many of their workers decided to falsely call in sick, thus extending the holiday weekend. About ten years later, Black Friday was used by Philadelphia traffic cops to describe the day after Thanksgiving, when they had to work 12-hour shifts in terrible traffic. Soon the term caught on among shoppers and merchants in Philadelphia, and from there it took off nationwide.

The 1980s brought the mythology of Black Friday so often heard today. While the phrases in the black and in the red are used in the business world to describe profits and losses, this explanation for one of the busiest shopping days of the year only came about in the 1980s, about 20 years after the phrase Black Friday was in regular use.

Word Fact: What’s the Difference Between “A While” and “Awhile”?

 

 

Few word pairs capture the idiosyncrasies of the English language as effectively as a while and awhile. Both of these terms are expressions of time, and both have been in use for over a century, but one is written with a space while the other is one word. What are the differences in meaning between the two? And what are the appropriate uses of each?

 

These two terms represent different parts of speech. The two-word expression a while is a noun phrase, consisting of the article a and the noun while, defined as “a period or interval of time.” The one-word awhile is an adverb that means “for a short time or period.” Although these definitions are similar, and although the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably, there are a few simple rules that prove helpful in keeping them straight.

The noun phrase a while can and often does follow a preposition, such as for or in: “He said he would be home in a while.” The adverb awhile cannot follow a preposition, a rule that makes sense if you revisit the definition of the term and drop it into a sentence such as the one above: “He said he would be home in for a short time or period.” However, if we omit the preposition and rewrite it as “He said he would be home awhile,” the sentence works with a slightly altered meaning.

The base word in both of these expressions, while, is perhaps most commonly used as a conjunction, meaning “during,” “although,” or “throughout the time that,” as in “She ate the cookie dough while he greased the baking sheet.” These senses are separate from the noun and adverbial senses discussed above. While can also be used as a verb meaning “to cause (time) to pass, especially in some easy or pleasant manner,” as in “She whiled away the hours ruminating on the differences between awhile and a while

Today in history for November 20th

Hi everyone, 
      OK, so for today's post I thought I'd show you all some important events that have taken place on November 20th. Here is a video showing highlights of this day in history. The video shows the following events: Nazi war crimes trial begins at Nuremberg; Robert F. Kennedy born; Britain's future Queen Elizabeth II marries; Spain's dictator Francisco Franco dies; Mexican Revolution begins; 'Cabaret' hits Broadway. (Nov. 20).


ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bK-552ZrpU

Today's Crossword!

Hi everyone,
     Here's something for you to have fun with today!

http://www.thesaurus.com/fun/crossword

Word of the day quiz!

Hi everyone,
        Here you have today's word. Have a look and decide which you think is the correct definition. Leave your answer below and we will reveal it tomorrow ;)

Good Luck!!


Which definition is correct?


A) Incapable of being expressed

B) Resembling a duck

C) Allowing light to pass through

Poppy memorial at the Tower of London - by numbers

The Tower of London poppy installation has proved hugely popular, attracting millions of visitors so far, with many more to come. Here are the facts behind the awe-inspiring display

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/11223186/Poppy-memorial-at-the-Tower-of-London-by-numbers.html

In the 98 days since the first of the 888,246 ceramic poppies was planted at the Tower of London, the installation has become a focal point of Britain's remembrance events in this, the 100th anniversary year of the start of the First World War.

The installation, named Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, consists of one poppy for each British and colonial life lost during the conflict.

It was created by the ceramic artist Paul Cummins and stage designer Tom Piper.

An estimated four million people are believed to have visited the display and floodlights were kept on during the nights leading up to Armistice Day to allow more visitors to see the installation.

"We always hoped the installation would capture the public imagination yet we could not predict the level of support we have received," said former army chief General Richard Dannatt, now the Constable of the Tower of London.

      

     

Homemade Toffee Apples

Toffee apples are whole apples covered in a hard toffee or sugar candy coating, with a stick inserted as a handle. These are a common treat at autumn festivals in Western culture in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night) because these festivals fall in the wake of the annual apple harvest.

Ingredients

• 8 Granny Smith apples
• 400g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 4 tbsp golden syrup

Method


1) Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each Apple.




2) Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don’t have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.




3) Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.

 

Remember, remember the fifth of November.....

"Remember, remember,
the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
We see no reason why
Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!"


In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow up
the Houses of Parliament. Among them was
Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor.

After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.
A small group took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. Catesby felt that violent action was warranted. Indeed, the thing to do was to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics. Today these conspirators would be known as extremists, or terrorists.

To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder - and stored them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords.
But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle, to stay away from the Parliament on November 5th. 
The warning letter reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the conspirators.
Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with the 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.
It's unclear if the conspirators would ever have been able to pull off their plan to blow up the Parliament even if they had not been betrayed. Some have suggested that the gunpowder itself was so old as to be useless. Since Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators got caught before trying to ignite the powder, we'll never know for certain.
Even for the period which was notoriously unstable, the Gunpowder Plot struck a very profound chord for the people of England. In fact, even today, the reigning monarch only enters the Parliament once a year, on what is called "the State Opening of Parliament". Prior to the Opening, and according to custom, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster. Nowadays, the Queen and Parliament still observe this tradition.
On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.



                 


                      

                 




 

Ten Language Interview with the UK's Most Multilingual Student

Alex Rawlings was awarded the title of Britain's Most Multilingual Student, having learned 11 languages by age 21. What is his secret?! Alex has answered your questions on his language learning experiences in this video. He has also written an accompanying blog article on his language learning method: http://blogs.transparent.com/language...


Here is the video  http://youtu.be/CESVNaF8bfg


Contact Alex:
Blog: www.rawlangs.com
Twitter: twitter.com/RawLangs_Blog
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/RawLangsBlog

Transparent Language:
www.transparent.com

European Enotourism Day, November 6-9

 

 

Jerez celebrates each year the European Day of Wine Tourism, thus commemorating the importance of Sherry Wine and Brandy for a territory in which the wine presence dates back thousands of years.
The European Tourism Day is a unique opportunity to enjoy unique activities in autumn, to be found in a comprehensive program that allows you to enjoy the cultural traits linked to wine in the city such as the Sherry wine bike path, Sherry and Cadiz wines paired with gourmet products, open days to wineries, museums, and other attractions, gymcatas (tasting gymkhanas), special wine tasting sessions, bike trails, poetry readings, exhibitions, music shows...


http://www.jerez.es/en/especiales/european_wine_city_2014/events/european_enotourism_day/

Website of the week

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/


LearnEnglish Kids has lots of free online games, songs, stories and activities for children to have fun and learn English too.

Kids

You can become a member, make your own cool character and enter competitions. When you are a member you can comment across the site and answer questions in your turn to practise your reading and writing.

Parents and teachers

You can become a member of Learn English Parents to download learning resources. As a member you can also watch video tips and download articles from language learning experts.
Go to our Parents forum to share ideas and ask questions about helping your child learn English.

Why Brits and Americans spell differently

Why did Americans drop the "u" from British words like "humour" and "behaviour"? What about "theater" vs. "theatre?" Siobhan Thompson explains the spelling divide between our nations.

http://youtu.be/ztGYZlI3QYk

Writing Competition Winners!

Hi everyone,
         Here we have the winners of the first writing competition of the year! As you know there are two age groups. The younger group is for 7 - 11 year olds and the older group is for 12 - 16 year olds.
          The first winner of the year for the younger group is Máriam. Here is a photo of Máriam with her teacher.

She was very pleased with her certificate and book. Here is a photo of her looking happy with her teacher and classmates. Well done Máriam!!!

 

 

 

The winner of the older group is María Isabel. Here is a photo of her with her book and classmates. She was also very happy with her certificate and prize!!

 

 

 

A very well done from all of the teachers and students at Tenidiomas.