CONNECTORS

Hi, in these web pages you can learn more about connectors.
http://www.shertonenglish.com/resources/es/connectors.php
http://englishclassunefai.lacoctelera.net/post/2010/07/03/conectores-ingles-uso-y-tipos-ingles-aplicado-la-petro-2
http://elaprendizaje.com/1302-conectores-en-ingles-lista-completa-de-los-conectores-en-ingles-y-ejemplos.html
http://heptagrama.com/glosario-conectores.htm

READINGS FOR LAST SIMULACRUM

text 1:
Imagine if everyone in your street suddenly came out into the road one day and started singing together. Singing teacher Ruth Black believes it would make everyone so friendly that they would never walk past each other again without saying hello.

Singing helps people live in peace together, she says. All over the world people have always
sung together and in most places they still do, but in England it is no longer traditional.

Nowadays, says Ruth, people only sing together in churches and football grounds, although it could be done anywhere. Everyone is able to sing, she says, but most of us either think we can't or have forgotten what we learned as children. However, as with everything musical, you need to practice and the same applies to your voice. Ruth believes that singing itself brings other benefits. It encourages good breathing, for example. Through singing, people often become more confident and also learn to control stress. But more than anything, it brings people together.

When Ruth first started singing, there was little opportunity to sing with others. Then, through a friend, she discovered an excellent singing class and became so keen that she started running her own classes. These are held twice a month for all singers, whatever their level, and are now enormously successful.





text 2:

Easter Island
Easter Island is a small triangle of rock situated in the Pacific Ocean. It’s about 2,000 miles from the nearest city. Easter Island is famous for its statues. Hundreds of these huge, stone faces can be found all over the island. Who made them? How did they move these giant pieces of rock? What happened to the people who lived there? Studies show that people first arrived on the island about 1600 years ago. They had a very advanced culture. They made many objects and they had their own written language. However, the number of people on the island grew and grew until it reached about 10,000 people. Soon there were too many people and there wasn’t enough food to eat. A terrible war started and many of the statues were broken. When western explorers discovered the island on Easter Day in 1722, the huge rock statues were the only sign that a great society had once lived there.



Text 3:
The bicycle is a cheap clean way to travel. The first bicycle was made about one hundred and fifty years ago. At first, bicycles were expensive. Only rich people could buy one. These early bicycles looked very different from the ones we had today.
Later, when bicycles became cheaper, many people bought one. People started riding bicycles to work and in their free time.
Today, people use cars more than bicycles; cars are much faster and you don´t get wet when it rains! But some people still prefer to cycle to work. They said that there are too many cars in town centres and you can´t find anywhere to park!

CONDITIONALS

Zero Conditional - (type 0)
Este condicional refiere a una situación que es siempre verdadera (verdades universales): If you freeze water, it turns into ice.

If clause --------------->Main clause
If + Present tense------->Present tense
If you freeze water------>it turns into ice.
If you freeze water, it turns into ice.

•If you freeze water, it turns into ice.
(Si congelas el agua, se convierte en hielo)
•If I work too much, I get tired.
(Si trabajo demasiado, me canso)


First Conditional - (type I)
Se forma con if + simple present + simple future. Se emplea cuando una situación es real o posible: If it rains today, I'll stay at home.

If clause -------------->Main clause
If + Present tense ----->will / can / may / must + verb
If it rains today--------->I'll stay at home
If it rains today, I'll stay at home

•If it rains today, I'll stay at home.
(Si llueve hoy, me quedaré en casa)
•If he is busy now, I will come back tomorrow.
(Si está ocupado ahora, regresaré mañana)
•If I have time, I'll visit my parents this afternoon.
(Si tengo tiempo, visitaré a mis padres esta tarde)
•If it is warm tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.
(Si está caluroso mañana, iremos a la playa)


Second Conditional - (type II)
Refiere a una situación hipotética y se forma según la estructura if + simple past + simple condicional.

If clause---------------->Main clause
If + Past Simple--------->would / could / might + verb
If I won the lottery------>I would travel around the world.
If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

•If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
(Si ganara la lotería, viajaría por todo el mundo)
•If I were in Brazil, I would go to Rio de Janeiro.
(Si yo estuviese en Brasil, iría a Río de Janeiro)
•If I were you, I would buy that car.(Si yo fuese tú, compraría ese auto)
•If he were in my place, he wouldn't do this.
(Si él estuviese en mi lugar, no haría esto)


Third Conditional - (type III)
Se refiere a una situación hipotética del pasado y se forma según la estructura : if + past perfect + conditional perfect.

If clause--------------------->Main clause
If + Past Perfect tense ------->would/could/might + have + past participle
If I had won the lottery------>I would have traveled around the world.
If I had won the lottery, I would have traveled around the world.

•If I had won the lottery, I would have traveled around the world.
(Si yo hubiera ganado la lotería, habría viajado por todo el mundo)
•If I had seen him, I would have told him about you.
(Si lo hubiese visto, le habría contado acerca de ti)
•If I had known the answer, I would have raised my hand.
(Si hubiese sabido la respuesta, habría levantado mi mano)
•If she had come on Saturday, I would have seen her.
(Si ella hubiese venido el sábado, la habría visto)

English TeleClass # 1 - ICFES English Test

Hi student, in this link you can learn more about the Icfes English Test. Here you can see three videos that explain well the seven parts of the new Icfes English Test.
See the videos:
Teleclase de Inglés # 1
Teleclase de Inglés # 2
Teleclase de Inglés # 3

the link is:
http://vimeo.com/25362175

See you soon!

WEEKEND HOMEWORK 3 FOR 11 GRADE

Text 1:

Deep Sleep

Deep sleep is important for everyone. The actual amount of sleep you need depends on your age. A young child ought to sleep ten to twelve hours, and a teenager about nine hours. Adults differ a lot in their sleeping habits. For most of them, seven to eight hours a night is enough, but some sleep longer, while others manage with only four hours.
For a good night, having a comfortable place to sleep is very important. Also, there should be plenty of fresh air in the room. A warm drink sometimes helps people to sleep although it is not a good idea to drink coffee immediately before going to bed.
If you have to travel a very long distance, try to go to bed earlier than usual the day before the journey. This will help you to fell more rested when you arrive.


Text 2:

Superheroes

A superhero is a fictional character with special powers. Since the first Superman story was written in the USA in 1938, superheroes have appeared in various comic books around the world. But more recently they have become better known as film characters.

Although superhero powers vary widely, superhuman strength and the ability to fly are common. Some superheroes do not have special powers but have developed other important abilities. In order to protect friends and family, a superhero’s identity is normally kept secret, which often means superheroes have a complicated double life.

There have been successful superheroes in countries other than the USA. Examples include Cyber six from Argentina and the heroes of AK Comics from Egypt. Japan is the only country that has created as many superhero characters as the USA. However, most Japanese superheroes are short-lived. While American entertainment companies reinvent superheroes, hoping they will stay popular, Japanese companies frequently introduce new characters.


Text 3:

UNDERWATER RESEARCH
Fourteen-years-old Miguel Diaz talks about and exciting science project.

Last month I got the chance to take part in an underwater research project in an area of the Gulf of Mexico called the Flower Gardens. A team of professional researchers, led by the scientist Dr. Matt Phillips, was trying to learn more about the fish and various creatures that live in this part of the sea. The Flower Gardens are a long way from the shore and we spent three days on a boat.

The team used a piece of underwater equipment called a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to collect information. The ROV could measure water depth and temperature and it also had a camera that sent live film back to the boat. The ROV was great fun. It was controlled by a computer on the boat, and I was allowed to operate it a few times.

However, the thing I enjoyed most was diving into the water. At first, I was quite frightened-mainly because I couldn’t see land in any direction. But as soon as I jumped into the water, I wasn’t afraid anymore. It was amazing to see the colourful fish swimming around and I could see all the way to the Flower Gardens, which are almost 30 metres down.

I will never forget the Flower Gardens. The trip was like a holiday but I also learnt new things about science and research projects. The team was very friendly and everyone was happy to explain what they knew about the sea. It was a great opportunity and it has made me think about my goals in life. The experience will definitely help me work harder to become a scientist.

WEEKEND HOMEWORK 2 FOR 11GRADE

July 29, 2011


Read these three texts and learn the unknown vocabulary.

TEXT 1:


When Europeans first went to North America they found a lot of new animals. One of these animals was the American bison, or buffalo, as it is sometimes called. The Indians hunted buffaloes for food and clothes, but they only killed a few thousand animals each year. We do not exactly know how many buffaloes there were, because people could not count them. But we believe that in 1800 there were sixty million buffaloes in North America. Then men started hunting the buffaloes for profit.

Between 1800 and 1890 the number of animals fell to only five hundred. The buffalo was almost extinct. But the buffalo was lucky. At the beginning of the twentieth century buffalo hunting stopped. Since that time the number of buffaloes has risen to twenty-five thousand.
Will other animals, like the whale, be as lucky as the buffalo?



TEXT 2:

My name’s Hannah and I’m twenty years old. I’ve got a daughter called Nicole. She is nearly three now. I live in a small flat in the city centre. It isn’t a nice place to live. It’s very noisy and dirty and there is nowhere for Nicole to play.

I want to move out of the city and live in the countryside. But it’s very expensive to live there. I will need to earn enough money to buy a house. There aren’t many flats for sale in the small villages near here. I will need to buy a car too.

That’s why I study at college. I’m studying Business. While I am at college, my mum looks after Nicole. My mum really likes spending time with her. In the evening, I work as a cleaner. I clean people’s houses. Nicole comes with me. She plays quietly with her toys while I work.




TEXT 3:

Ainsley Harriott

I’ve always been a bit of entertainer and played the funny man. I was a part-time comedian for years, so I learned how to stand in front of audiences. It made me sure of myself. I like being liked and I love making everyone smile.

I’ve lived in London all my life and have just moved to a larger house with my wife Clare and our two children, Jimmy and Madeleine. We spend a lot of time just singing and dancing around the house. I grew up with music because my dad is the pianist, Chester Harriott – who’s still playing, by the way. My working day is divided between television and writing cook books, though TV takes most of my time. I spend about five days a fortnight working on the cooking programmes I appear in. I eat all sorts of things at home but I only buy quality food. When I’m cooking, I experiment with whatever is in the fridge – it’s good practice for my TV series.

I’m a football fan and enjoy going to matches, but I’m a home-loving person really. I don’t like going to the pub but we do go out to eat about twice a month. There’s nothing better than a night at home playing with the children. I rarely go to bed before midnight. Late evening is when fresh thoughts on cooking usually come to me, so I often write or plan my programmes then. When I eventually get to bed, I have no trouble sleeping!

MODAL VERBS

Hi students, here you can read more information about Modal verbs. I hope it will help you.

Modals are a type of auxiliary verb which express the mood of another verb.
They are used to express ideas such as possibility, prediction, speculation, deduction and necessity.


!Note: The modal auxiliary verbs are always followed by the base form of the verb.

MODALS USES (Usos)
Can
"Can" indica habilidad o posibilidad. En estos casos puede ser traducido como "poder" en español.
Ejemplos:
• I can speak five languages. (Puedo hablar cinco idiomas.)
• We can work late tonight if you need us. (Podemos trabajar hasta tarde esta noche si nos necesitas.)
• Bill and Tom can't help you. (Bill y Tom no pueden ayudarte.)
• The restaurant can be expensive if you drink a lot of wine. (El restaurante puede ser caro si bebes mucho vino.)
• It can be dangerous to drive if you are tired. (Conducir puede ser peligroso si estás cansado.)

En frases interrogativas, el uso de "can" puede solicitar permiso o preguntar sobre posibilidades.
Ejemplos:
• Can I have a glass of water? (¿Puedo tomar un vaso de agua?)
• Can you help me? (¿Puedes ayudarme?)
• Can they work late tonight? (¿Pueden trabajar hasta tarde esta noche?)

Could
"Could" indica posibilidad o habilidad en el pasado.
Ejemplos:
• Joe could speak Spanish when he was young. (Joe podía hablar español cuando era joven.)
• I couldn't sleep last night. (No pude dormir anoche.)
• It could have been worse. (Podría haber sido peor.)
• Could you play an instrument when you were a child? (¿Podrías tocar un instrumento cuando eras un niño?)

También se puede usar "could" para posibilidades en el futuro para condiiocnales.
Ejemplos:
• You could pass the test if you studied. (Podrías pasar el examen si estudiaras.)
• I think it could rain later. (Creo que podría llover más tarde.)

Como "can", en frases interrogativas "could" puede solicitar permiso o preguntar sobre las posibilidades, pero es más formal.
Ejemplos:
• Could you pass the salt please? (¿Podría pasarme la sal por favor?)
• Could you help me? (¿Podrías ayudarme?)
• Could I be wrong? (¿Podría estar equivocado?)

Nota: Se usa "could" en frases condicionales. Ver la lección sobre frases condicionales para más información sobre el uso de "could".

May
Como "could", se usa "may" para indicar posibilidades en el futuro.
Ejemplos:
• I would bring an umbrella, it may rain later. (Llevaría un paraguas, puede llover más tarde.)
• It may be better to finish this now, rather than wait until tomorrow. (Tal vez sea mejor terminar esto ahora, en lugar de esperar hasta mañana.)
• That may be the best way to do it. (esa podría ser la mejor manera de hacerlo)


También se puede utilizar para pedir o dar permisos o instrucciones.
Ejemplos:
• May I leave the table? “No, you may not”
• You may leave if you like. (Puede salir si le gusta.)
• You may use your cell phones now. (Podéis usar sus teléfonos ahora.)

Con sí o no preguntas, el uso de "may" es más educado que "can".

Ejemplos:
• May I have a glass of water? (¿Podría tomar un vaso de agua?)
• May I leave now? (¿Podría salir ahora?)

Might
Se usa "might" para indicar posibilidades en el presente o el futuro. En estos casos, es un sinónimo de "may".
Ejemplos:
• I would bring an umbrella, it might rain later. (Yo llevaría un paraguas, puede llover más tarde.)
• It might be better to finish this now, rather than wait until tomorrow. (Tal vez sea mejor terminar esto ahora, en lugar de esperar hasta mañana.)

También se puede usar como "may" para permisos o peticiones cortesas, pero este uso es mucho más común en el Reino Unido que en los Estados Unidos.


MUST / HAVE TO
Must and have to both express obligation.
However, they are used differently depending on who imposes the obligation.

MUST :The speaker thinks it is necessary (quien habla cree que es necesario).
• I must buy flowers for my mother
(It's her birthday and I decide to do that).

• "You must take more exercise" says the doctor. (The doctor thinks it is necessary).
• I must ask my secretary to book a flight for me. (It is important for me not to forget.)
• "Dogs must be kept on a lead" (Written on a sign in the park = a rule which must be respected)


HAVE TO: Someone else thinks it is necessary (alguien mas cree que es necesario y obligatorio).
• I have to buy flowers for my mother-in-law. (It is not my decision - my husband asked me to do it.)
• I have to take more exercise.(doctor's orders!)
• I have to call the travel agency.(My boss asked me to book a flight.)
• I have to keep my dog on a lead.(That's what the sign tells me to do.)


Should
"Should" indica un obligación como recomendación o consejo. Refleja una opinión sobre lo que es correcto.
Ejemplos:
• I should call my parents more often. (Debería llamar a mis padres más a menudo.)
• You shouldn't work so hard. (No debería trabajar tan duro.)
• They should practice more if they want to win the championship. (Deberían practicar más si quieren ganar el campeonato.)

Se utiliza "should" en frases interrogativas para preguntar si existe una obligación o para pedir una recomendación o consejo.
Ejemplos:
• Should we leave a tip? (¿Deberíamos dejar una propina?)
• Should I have the steak or the chicken? (¿Debería comer el bistec o el pollo?)
• Where should they meet you? (¿Dónde deberían encontrarte?)

Ought to
"Ought to" es un sinónimo de "should", pero nunca se usa "ought to" en frases interrogativas en inglés americano. Es una recomendacion relacionada mas con el deber moral.
Ejemplos:
• You ought to quit smoking. (Deberías dejar de fumar.)
• I ought to call my parents more often. (Debería llamar a mis padres más a menudo.)
• They ought to work less. (Deberían trabajar menos.)