sho 'nuff: 2015

Yet again...I can't believe all this is free of charge.

Crashcourses (15 min presentations with pretty accurate closed captions available)
https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse

Full semesters organized by subject (Higher learning. Verbatim closed captions available)
http://oyc.yale.edu/courses
https://www.youtube.com/user/YaleCourses/playlists

Short clips organized by topic. (clowny approach)
https://www.youtube.com/user/OUlearn

In-depth documentaries (full transcripts available)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/topics/

In-depths investigative reports (full transcripts available)
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/episodes/

Debate sites (Closed captions available)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdfcR-8hEY
https://www.youtube.com/user/IntelligenceSquared

Short clips on a variety of topics (closed captions in several languages available)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7IcJI8PUf5Z3zKxnZvTBog

Animated interviews with 20th century personalities.
https://www.youtube.com/user/blankonblank

Long articles on a variety of issues available as downloadable audio files
https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-long-read

Podcast dealing with different aspects of global development (full transcripts available)
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/series/global-development-podcast

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Opinions, views, angles, takes, outlooks, pennies for thoughts...

https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-the-government-end-welfare-in-the-us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7M3NgURs54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkWvx1QQ76c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sD5DMopx6E

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Challenge of the week: time to sound like a film star...put on their accents, imitate their mannerisms, be them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjwWY-goyZQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-gwnsxBFO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSfnlBkUr8A

Friday, May 15, 2015

The C1 speaking tests for groups A and B will be held on June 3.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Vocab mushrooming!

collocations
http://oxforddictionary.so8848.com/search1?word=service

specific vocab
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/elections/absentee-ballot
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/committing_crime
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/diet

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Loads of sample letters and templates.
http://www.writeexpress.com/complaint.htm
http://www.writeexpress.com

Friday, April 17, 2015

A2 oral tasks

Oral exam tasks.

https://es.scribd.com/doc/262144293/oral-interaction
https://es.scribd.com/doc/262143748/oral-production
https://es.scribd.com/doc/255220247/2mar12oral-Production
https://es.scribd.com/doc/255220074/2mar12oral-Interaction

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Free sample tests!
http://exams.richmondelt.com/index.php?practice_tests_pet_en
http://olpt.s3.amazonaws.com/online-practice-pet/index.html
http://eslcommunity.org/cambridge/pet-tests/pet-for-schools-practice-test/
https://sites.google.com/site/programabeda/home/alumnos/pet/pet-materials
https://clilcolonna.wikispaces.com/PET+Listening+Practice

C1 videos organised by topic

7C. Humour.

Stand-up masters' views on comedy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKY6BGcx37k
(subtitled in Spanish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fke5w8gmLhc

Mock the Week

(subtitled in Spanish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VODW3QMrgyQ

Russell Peters
(subtitled in ENGLISH!!!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlRmUzEatFw

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

C1 videos organised by topic

7A
Indian recipes.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AUQvYn6wRn8&feature=youtube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GITftnBiIBg&feature=youtu.be

7B sport on trial
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/22/3740178.htm

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

C1 videos organized by topic

6C The Promised Land???

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2011/10/20/3344543.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/04/28/3991401.htm

6C The promised land

Somalia via the UK: Nuruddin Farah and Nadifa Mohamed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rv5VBF54mI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-XInmu-Ebs

Sunday, March 08, 2015

Some refreshingly inspiring lives, quite a few movingly sad facts. Quite a few spicy hot dialects, some accents from clear-as-a-blue-sky-shire.

https://vimeo.com/24927115
https://vimeo.com/39656751
https://vimeo.com/25040923

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/audioslideshow/2013/dec/30/photographer-ed-alcock-hobbledehoy-audio-slideshow
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/audioslideshow/2014/jul/25/scotland-stories-scottish-independence-audio-slideshow
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audioslideshow/2014/oct/13/millers-point-eviction-sydney-australia-slideshow
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/audioslideshow/2014/may/28/scotland-stories-phil-robertson-building-viking-longship
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/audioslideshow/2014/aug/27/scotland-stories

Monday, February 23, 2015

C1 videos organized by topic

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Here's a platinum vocab list taken from the transcript of ABC Four Corners: Being me
https://es.scribd.com/doc/256033901/Being-Me-Vocab

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Looking forward to hearing your impressions and activating all those fantastic expressions the transcript is packed with.

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/11/17/4127631.htm

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Listen to this brilliantly fresh slice of London (minutes 1:00 to 7:20) and make a list of questions you'd ask the author and another list of dodgy questions for your classmates.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/audio/2013/jul/26/zadie-smith-nw-london-podcast

Monday, February 09, 2015

A2 speaking test tasks

http://es.scribd.com/doc/255220247/2mar12oral-Production
http://es.scribd.com/doc/255220074/2mar12oral-Interaction

Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Videos for C1 organized by topic

5a. Nanny state (minute 18:30 onwards)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f5DpjeCxjk

Thursday, January 29, 2015

The missive in English...

Dear Manuel,

Having not heard whether the vendors were in agreeance regarding the sale at 12:30 on the 17^th of this month, I contacted Javier who sent me the below emails and texts. I must admit to being at a loss as to why it has taken so long to be able to arrange this, and I still do not have a clear confirmation. Of course, I will not be ordering the transfer of the funds from Australia until the attendance of the vendors has been assured. Consequently, there will now be further unavoidable delays.

I have informed Javier on numerous occasions that I need sufficient prior notice to make the transfer and I am now not confident that I can pledge that I will have the funds in time for the 17^th. As I write there is only one bank trading day left before this week is over in Australia and with the next two days being the weekend, the chances of the transfer clearing to Spain and me being able to organize a bank cheque by Tuesday to bring on Wednesday are now as good as zero, even if I was to have a confirmation today, and there were to be no complications with the transfer.

As I do not know how long the process to complete the sale will take, I cannot guess if there is a possibility of completing the sale (and associated payments of taxes, connecting the water etc.) with sufficient time prior to my leaving for London (as I detailed previously) - without there being issues hanging over until my return in January. I would be pleased to know if you can say that these things can be done. If not, I believe we will need to put off the sale until January.

On another note, I have to say that I have become increasingly exasperated with Javier’s communications (when they exist) and was wondering if you could advise me whether I could simply put myself in contact directly with Antonio ? I have only a verbal agreement with Javier that he is acting as in intermediary between myself and Antonio on Antonio’s behalf. On this point I also hope that I can ask your advice; have you dealt with Antonio before and know him to be a reputable lawyer? I ask this as his written Spanish in his communication with Javier is strange, and hardly confidence inspiring.

On a final point, I would also like to ask, is it usual that the purchaser of a property pays the abogado of the vendors? This is what Javier is asking me to do (2% of the total purchase price). I would have thought that the vendors would pay Antonio for his services, would that be correct? As I have not signed anything to such an end, I am wondering if I am obliged to pay it?

I very much look forward to hearing from you soon, and that you may include your charges, and a copy of the escritura (which is now extremely urgent) so that I may have good time to check these prior to needing to make the transfer from Australia.

Kind regards

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Let us have a go at translating a few paragraphs!

Dear Manuel,

Por otra parte, he de decir que los mensajes de Javier, cuando se digna a mandármelos, han colmado mi paciencia últimamente, por lo que me preguntaba si, a su juicio, sería aconsejable que en adelante me dirigiera directamente a Antonio. Entre nosotros solo media un acuerdo verbal por virtud del cual Javier actúa como intermediario entre Antonio y yo. En cuanto a Antonio, le ruego que me permita pedirle su opinión acerca de la calidad de sus servicios ya que Javier me mando uno de los correos electrónicos que Antonio le había remitido y el cual le adjunto. Al final de dicha comunicación, su uso del español es cuanto menos agramatical e improcedente y no se si me equivoco al juzgar que no es propio viniendo de un abogado.

Por ultimo quería preguntarle si es común que el comprador de una vivienda pague al abogado de los vendedores. Esto es lo que Javier parece estar pidiéndome que haga (dos por ciento del precio de la venta). Yo daba por hecho que los vendedores serían los que pagaran los honorarios de su abogado. Puesto que no he firmado ningún documento a tal efecto me preguntaba si estoy de alguna forma obligado a pagar dicho porcentaje.

Aprovecho para desearle lo mejor y rogarle que me haga llegar cuanto antes un documento en el que especifique la cuantía de sus honorarios y una copia de las escrituras de forma que tenga tiempo para revisarlas antes de hacer efectiva la trasferencia desde Australia.

Atentamente,

Friday, January 16, 2015

Videos for C1 organized by topic

4b self-help???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BpUFpncXFM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EaIkSNAsWU

4c phone addiction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_KqCLfrdyc
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2010/s3054156.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20101101/telco/

sho 'nuff

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Monday, November 30, 2015

Friday, November 27, 2015

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Monday, September 21, 2015

C1.1 VIDEOS ORGANIZED BY SEMANTIC FIELDS

Self-study resources

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Friday, May 15, 2015

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Friday, April 17, 2015

A2 oral tasks

Saturday, April 11, 2015

C1 videos organised by topic

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

C1 videos organised by topic

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

C1 videos organized by topic

Sunday, March 08, 2015

Monday, February 23, 2015

C1 videos organized by topic

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Monday, February 09, 2015

Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Videos for C1 organized by topic

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Friday, January 16, 2015

Videos for C1 organized by topic

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