Reading comprehension: Scientific issues.

  Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos. 

Comenzamos una serie de ejercicios dedicados a revisar los puntos principales del programa del curso.

Hoy toca: Scientific issues.

Nota: Los textos están seleccionados tanto del programa CREA como de otras fuentes, a quienes doy las gracias y cito, pero todos tienen el nivel del curso.

http://nudoss.com/barco/norwegian-star/barco-cruceros-norwegian-star-sala-videojuegos-arcade/

Texto nº 1

                                            Gamelab

Spain, where there are approximately 15 million video game players, is in fourth place inthe European market in video games and  sixth  in the world. 

 

That´s the reason why Gamelab Barcelona, the main showcase of the sector, which comprises more than 200 firms and 3,000 professionals, is held annually. The participants include companies such as Playstation, Microsoft, Nintendo, EA, Konami, Playfish and Pixar, among others. 

 

But there are also a great number of students, who usually come from technical and creative university degrees, in search for an opportunity  to work for big companies and collaborate for them. 

 

Ian Livingston, whose creation Tomb Raider had a worldwide reputation, is one of the several major professionals who come to Gamelab every year. He enjoys participating in Gamelab, and thinks that video games also bring new business opportunities for other digital contents, which are not really found in other international events. 

So if you like video games and you are good at designing them, this is the place- don´t miss it!

Texto nº 2:

HACKERS

"Hacker" is a word which was first coined in the 1960´s, when a person could solve software-related problems. 

 

The typical hacker is a young person (19-30) who identifies with technology. Also, they are believed to be  intelligent, self-confident, highly motivated and willing to take up challenges. 

However, the notion of "hacker" has been recently reversed, in a society where data security and the stability of the infrastructure of companies and governments have become major concerns. 

Today, the hacker is the perfect concept of an enemy, whose goals are, among others, fighting against censorship, security cryptography and creating systems, tools and applications that can be used by everybody.

https://androidphoria.com/novedades/error-whatsapp-expulsa-gente-grupos

Texto nº 3:

The History Of WhatsApp

Whatsapp’s history needs to be heard as it is not like any usual startup story where the founders had an idea that made them drop out from their colleges, build a team, and get pre-seed funding from a giant like Facebook or Google. WhatsApp was conceptualised not by college students but by people who were in their thirties and had a stable job with a renowned company.

The internet messaging application was conceptualised because of an actual need (democratising phone-based communications), and it succeeded because it was able to capitalise on almost every emerging trend like push notifications and need like encryption.

The best part?

Even after ten years of existence, the company still boasts its no ads, no games, and no gimmicks principle while making millions in revenue.

Here’s a brief history of WhatsApp explaining its conceptualisation, the initial WhatsApp business model, and the new WhatsApp business model after Facebook bought it.

Who Founded WhatsApp?

Brian Acton and Jan Koum founded WhatsApp in 2009 after they left their job at Yahoo!.

The startup story began when they left their job to travel around the world. But soon, their savings started to sink, and they had to apply for a job on Facebook, which didn’t work out as planned as well. They were quite disappointed, but this failure led them to start a new life journey – WhatsApp.

Saludos y nos veremos la semana que viene, Dios mediante.

Reading comprehension: Natural world, going green.

Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos.

Comenzamos una serie de ejercicios dedicados a revisar los puntos principales del programa del curso.

Hoy toca: Natural world, going green.

Nota: Los textos están seleccionados tanto del programa CREA como de otras fuentes, a quienes doy las gracias y cito, pero todos tienen el nivel del curso.

https://pxhere.com/es/photo/982282

CÓDIGOS DE COLORES:

AZUL: Traducciones.

ROJO: Aspectos gramaticales.

VERDE: Aspectos culturales.

NARANJA: Estructuras concatenadas

MORADO: Traducción y sinónimos, antónimos, etc.

Amarillo: Palabras con trampa.

Os dejo una plantilla para que, sobre la marcha, podáis ir completando con sinónimos, antónimos, etc y los significados. Espero que os sea de utilidad. Pinchad aquí para descargarla.  

https://parquesalegres.org/biblioteca/blog/reciclar/

Texto nº 1:

Barry's house

Barry está preocupado con el medioambiente y abajo puedes conocer sus planes para el futuro cercano y sus razones para ser ecologista. Fíjate en las frases subrayadas. 

I'm going green from now on....

When it comes to the environment, being a good global citizen starts at your doorstep. From recycling to using alternative cleaning materials, minor changes at home can add up to real benefits for the planet, not to mention your own health and happiness.

It may be a cliché, but the best way to be Earth-friendly is to cut down on what you consume and recycle whenever you can. The U.S. generates about 208 million tons of municipal solid waste a year, according to the National Institutes of Health. That's more than 4 pounds per person per day. Every little bit helps; recycling just one glass bottle saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Here are 5 easy ways I've planned to green my home in the next few weeks:

1. Greening up my appliances. I am getting rid of that old refrigerator in the garage. It can save me as much as $150 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the fridge being one of the biggest energy hogs. If any of our appliances is more than 10 years old, the EPA suggests replacing them with energy-efficient models that bear their "Energy Star" logo.

2. Saving water. I'm putting an aerator on all household faucets, so that I can cut my annual water consumption by 50%. Behavioral changes also add up quickly: using a broom instead of the garden hose to clean your driveway can save 80 gallons of water and turning the water off when you brush your teeth will save 4.5 gallons each time.

3. Cleaning green: I'm using simple eco-friendly ingredients such as plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax. They also perform effectively and I can save money at the same time.

4. Reducing plastics, reducing global warming:  I'm reducing, re-using and recycling my plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming. Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags, the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming.

5. Saving a tree, using less paper. I'm buying "tree-free" 100% post-consumer recycled paper for everything from greeting cards to toilet paper. Paper with a high post-consumer waste content uses less virgin pulp and keeps more waste paper out of landfills.

Texto nº 2:

VEGGIE PRIDE DAY

The Veggie Pride is an international event that celebrates and promotes vegetarianism and veganism.

It's held annually in Paris since 2001, but later also has been emulated in other cities in the world. It brings together vegetarians and vegans who want to show their pride to refuse to eat animals, and denounce the discrimination which they suffer, both personally and in terms of expressing their ideas.The Veggie Pride aims to encourage vegetarians to affirm their convictions and to bring the society to accept the debate on the legitimacy of the consumption of animals.

The first Italian Veggie Pride was held in Rome on 17 May 2008 and was attended by about 700 people. In 2009, the Veggie Pride was held on May 16 simultaneously in Birmingham, Lyon, Milan and Prague.

https://www.sancristobalsl.com/blog/reciclando-en-familia/

Texto nº 3

Tips: Top Ten Ways to Recycle

 Office Depot has compiled a list of the top 10 ways to recycle at home and in the office.

1. Buy recycled paper and print on both sides. When using paper in the office, print on both sides of the sheet and recycle the paper when you are finished. By recycling one ton of paper, you can save 17 trees, almost 7,000 gallons of water and more than three cubic yards of landfill space.
2. Recycle your outdated technology. According to EPA, Americans throw out two million tons of e-waste each year. Avoid adding to that waste by recycling your old technology. For more information on electronic recycling, visit http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/donate.htm.
3. Make recycling bins readily available. Make sure your home and office are outfitted with recycling bins for paper, plastic and metal. Keep them out in the open and label them appropriately. Sometimes the convenience factor is all that is needed. 
4. Recycle your empty ink and toner cartridges. Almost eight cartridges are thrown out in the United States every second of every day. That's almost 700,000 cartridges per day. 
5. Buy remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. Each remanufactured cartridge keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills and saves about a half gallon of oil. 
6. Recycle old newspapers laying around the office. When finished reading the newspaper, either leave it for someone else to read or recycle it. 
7. Look for the recycled option in all the products you buy. It's not just paper that is recycled. 
8. Buy rechargeable batteries. It takes 1,000 regular batteries to equal the lifespan of one rechargeable battery. When you are discarding your batteries, recycle them. 
9. Purchase rewritable CDs and DVDs so that you can reuse them from project to project. 
10. Reuse your morning coffee cup. Or better yet, buy a mug to avoid the waste caused by throwing away the paper or Styrofoam.

Saludos y nos veremos la semana que viene, Dios mediante.

Reading comprehension: People, culture and traditions. Vocabulary glosary.

Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos.

Comenzamos una serie de ejercicios dedicados a revisar los puntos principales del programa del curso.

Hoy toca: People, culture and traditions.

Nota: Los textos están seleccionados tanto del programa CREA como de otras fuentes, a quienes doy las gracias y cito, pero todos tienen el nivel del curso.

https://www.visitbritain.com/es/es/inglaterra/londres

Texto nº 1:

                        Looking for a job in London.

Paul: Hello Pablo! I didn't know you were here.

Pablo: Oh, I've been here for nearly two months, I arrived here in January.

Paul: The last time I saw you you said nothing about coming to England. What made you change your mind?

Pablo: Well, as you know I've studied ingeneering at university in Spain. When I finished my studies I tried to look for a job but unfortunately I couldn't find anything suitable for me. Then, I decided I needed a gap year and that I needed to improve my English. My sister is working here, so it seemed a good option.

Paul: What have you done so far?

Pablo: I arrived two months ago and I stayed with my sister till I found a flat on my own. I've found a job as a barman at a local pub, I've worked since February. I've met a lot of people at the pub so  I've got many friends. Some of them work there, and  I have travelled a lot with them. I have met English people too, so I have learnt good English. I also attend formal lessons. I've been at a languages school for one month and I've improved a lot. Don't you think so?

* to change one's mind: cambiar de opinión

📝 Reading Comprehension Questions

Question 1

What was Pablo's primary motivation for moving to England?

• A. He wanted to start an Engineering job immediately after finishing university in Spain. (Quería empezar un trabajo de Ingeniería inmediatamente después de terminar la universidad en España.)

• B. He needed a break (a gap year) and wished to improve his English after failing to find a suitable job in Spain. (Necesitaba un descanso (un año sabático) y deseaba mejorar su inglés después de no encontrar un trabajo adecuado en España.)

• C. His sister asked him to move to London to live with her and help her find a job. (Su hermana le pidió que se mudara a Londres para vivir con ella y ayudarla a encontrar trabajo.)

• D. He decided to attend a formal language school in London immediately upon arrival. (Decidió asistir a una escuela de idiomas formal en Londres inmediatamente después de llegar.)

---

Question 2

Which of the following activities has Pablo done since arriving in London?

• A. He found an Engineering job, rented a flat, and traveled with colleagues from his new company. (Encontró un trabajo de Ingeniería, alquiló un piso y viajó con colegas de su nueva empresa.)

• B. He has been working as a barman since January, living with his sister, and has not yet started formal English lessons. (Ha estado trabajando como camarero desde enero, viviendo con su hermana, y aún no ha comenzado las clases formales de inglés.)

• C. He lived with his sister briefly, started working as a barman in February, and has been attending a language school for one month. (Vivió brevemente con su hermana, comenzó a trabajar como camarero en febrero y lleva un mes asistiendo a una escuela de idiomas.)

• D. He rented a flat on his own immediately, started studying at a language school, and has met English people through his classes. (Alquiló un piso por su cuenta inmediatamente, comenzó a estudiar en una escuela de idiomas y ha conocido gente inglesa a través de sus clases.)

Texto nº 2:

                                    A funny anecdote

A suspected hit and run driver told police she hadn´t stopped because she feared her ice cream would melt.  Flora Burkhart was driving home around 6pm on Sunday night when she crashed into the back of a pick-up truck. But instead of stopping at the scene, on state highway 59 in Van Buren, a city in the Ozark Mountain foothills in Arkansas, the 58-year-old continued driving.

Quick thinking victim, Derek Parker,  dialled 911. Before that, he had followed the suspect home.Officers from Van Buren Police Department later confronted Burkhart and asked why she had fled the scene of the accident. According to a police report, she told them: “I left because I did not want my ice cream to melt.” 

The accused also claimed that she “didn’t think there was enough damage to the vehicles to call police. ”In fact, cops estimated that each car sustained $500 worth of damage in the crash. Burkhart was issued a citation for leaving the scene of an accident and driving too closely to Parker’s vehicle.

📝 Reading Comprehension Questions

Question 1

What was the alleged reason Flora Burkhart gave the police for leaving the scene of the accident?

• A. She didn't have her driving license with her. (No tenía su licencia de conducir consigo.)

• B. She believed the victim was following her too closely. (Creía que la víctima la estaba siguiendo demasiado de cerca.)

• C. She was afraid her ice cream would melt. (Tenía miedo de que su helado se derritiera.)

• D. She thought the police were already aware of the crash. (Pensó que la policía ya estaba al tanto del choque.)

---

Question 2

What action did the victim, Derek Parker, take immediately after the crash?

• A. He drove away from the scene and immediately called 911. (Se alejó de la escena e inmediatamente llamó al 911.)

• B. He followed the suspect's vehicle home before calling 911. (Siguió el vehículo del sospechoso hasta su casa antes de llamar al 911.)

• C. He reported the suspect's vehicle to the police department via social media. (Reportó el vehículo del sospechoso al departamento de policía a través de las redes sociales.)

• D. He stopped his pick-up truck and waited for the police to arrive. (Detuvo su camioneta y esperó a que llegara la policía.)

Texto nº 3:

Lee la siguiente biografía sobre el boxeador norteamericano Muhammad Ali, toda una leyenda.

https://www.elespanol.com/deportes/otros-deportes/20200603/sin-muhammad-ali-negro-musulman-racismo-boxeador/494951910_0.html

 

Early life

Muhammad Ali has been the only professional boxer to win the heavy-weight championship three times. He has provided leadership and is an example for African American men and women around the world with his political and religious views. 

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky.  His father was a sign painter who also loved to act, sing, and dance; his mother worked as a cleaning lady when money was tight. Ali began boxing at the age of twelve. His bicycle had been stolen, and he reported the theft to a policeman named Joe Martin, who gave boxing lessons in a local youth center. Martin invited Ali to try boxing and soon saw that he had talent. An African American trainer named Fred Stoner taught Ali the science of boxing. 

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee"

As a teenager Ali won both the national Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and Golden Gloves championships. At the age of eighteen he competed in the 1960 Olympic games held in Rome, Italy, winning the gold medal in the lightheavyweight division.  Ali worked his way through a series of professional victories, using a style that combined speed with great punching power. He was described by one of his handlers as having the ability to "float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee. In February 1964, when he was only twenty-two years old, he fought and defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world.

Religious change

Inspired by Muslim spokesman Malcolm X (1925–1965), Ali began to follow the Black Muslim faith (a group that supports a separate black nation) and announced that he had changed his name to Cassius X. This was at a time when the struggle for civil rights was at a peak and the Muslims had emerged as a controversial (causing disputes) but important force in the African American community. Later the Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad (1897–1975) gave him the name Muhammad Ali.  In his first title defense in May 1965 Ali defeated Sonny Liston with a first-round knockout.  Ali successfully defended his title eight more times.

In April 1967 Ali was drafted into military service during the Vietnam War (1964–75). He claimed that as a minister of the Black Muslim religion he was not obligated to serve. The press criticized him as unpatriotic, and the New York State Athletic Commission and World Boxing Association suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his heavyweight title. Ali was finally sentenced to five years in prison but was released on appeal, and his conviction was thrown out three years later by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Back in the ring

Ali returned to the ring and beat Jerry Quarry in 1970 and he regained his title as the world heavyweight champion in the 1970s. In 1975 Sports Illustrated magazine named Ali its "Sportsman of the Year. Ali successfully defended his title ten more times. At the end of his boxing career he was slowed by a condition related to Parkinson's disease. He retired  in 1981. Since Ali's boxing career ended, he has became involved in social causes and politics. He has campaigned for Jimmy Carter (1924–) and other Democratic political candidates and has been taking  part in the promotion of a variety of political causes addressing poverty and the needs of children. He even tried to win the release of four kidnapped Americans in Lebanon in 1985. As a result, his image changed and he became respected as a statesman. At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, the world and his country honored Ali by choosing him to light the Olympic torch during the opening ceremonies. 

Ali remains in the public eye even as he has been suffering from the effects of Parkinson's disease lately.

📝 Reading Comprehension Questions

Question 1

What was the primary reason Muhammad Ali was suspended from boxing and stripped of his title in 1967?

• A. He lost a title defense fight against Jerry Quarry. (Perdió una pelea de defensa del título contra Jerry Quarry.)

• B. He was sentenced to five years in prison for theft. (Fue sentenciado a cinco años de prisión por robo.)

• C. He refused to be drafted into military service during the Vietnam War, claiming religious exemption. (Se negó a ser reclutado para el servicio militar durante la Guerra de Vietnam, alegando exención religiosa.)

• D. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali, which caused public controversy. (Cambió su nombre a Muhammad Ali, lo que causó controversia pública.)

---

Question 2

What event marked a significant change in Muhammad Ali's public image from a controversial figure to a respected statesman?

• A. Winning the Olympic gold medal in the light-heavyweight division in 1960. (Ganar la medalla de oro olímpica en la división de peso semipesado en 1960.)

• B. His efforts in social causes, politics, and trying to win the release of kidnapped Americans in Lebanon. (Sus esfuerzos en causas sociales, la política y tratar de conseguir la liberación de estadounidenses secuestrados en el Líbano.)

• C. Defeating Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world in 1964. (Derrotar a Sonny Liston por el campeonato mundial de peso pesado en 1964.)

• D. Announcing that he was following the Black Muslim faith. (Anunciar que estaba siguiendo la fe musulmana negra.)

GLOSARIO:

¡Claro! Aquí tienes un glosario de 100 palabras extraídas del texto, con su traducción del inglés al español, numeradas.

📚 Glosario del Texto sobre Muhammad Ali

No.	English Word	Traducción al Español
1	Early	Temprana / Primeros (días)
2	Life	Vida
3	Only	Único / Solamente
4	Professional	Profesional
5	Boxer	Boxeador
6	Win	Ganar
7	Heavyweight	Peso pesado
8	Championship	Campeonato
9	Three	Tres
10	Times	Veces
11	Provided	Proporcionado / Brindado
12	Leadership	Liderazgo
13	Example	Ejemplo
14	African	Africano
15	American	Americano / Estadounidense
16	Men	Hombres
17	Women	Mujeres
18	Around	Alrededor / Por
19	World	Mundo
20	Political	Político
21	Religious	Religioso
22	Views	Puntos de vista / Opiniones
23	Born	Nacido
24	January	Enero
25	Father	Padre
26	Sign painter	Pintor de letreros
27	Loved	Amaba / Le encantaba
28	Act	Actuar
29	Sing	Cantar
30	Dance	Bailar
31	Mother	Madre
32	Worked	Trabajó
33	Cleaning lady	Señora de la limpieza / Limpiadora
34	Money	Dinero
35	Tight	Escaso / Ajustado (dinero)
36	Began	Empezó / Comenzó
37	Boxing	Boxeo
38	Age	Edad
39	Twelve	Doce
40	Bicycle	Bicicleta
41	Stolen	Robada
42	Reported	Reportó / Denunció
43	Theft	Robo
44	Policeman	Policía
45	Gave	Daba / Impartía
46	Lessons	Lecciones / Clases
47	Local	Local
48	Youth center	Centro juvenil
49	Invited	Invitó
50	Try	Intentar / Probar
51	Soon	Pronto
52	Saw	Vio
53	Talent	Talento
54	Trainer	Entrenador
55	Taught	Enseñó
56	Science	Ciencia
57	Float	Flotar
58	Butterfly	Mariposa
59	Sting	Picar (como un insecto)
60	Bee	Abeja
61	Teenager	Adolescente
62	Won	Ganó
63	National	Nacional
64	Championships	Campeonatos
65	Eighteen	Dieciocho
66	Competed	Compitió
67	Olympic games	Juegos Olímpicos
68	Held	Celebrados / Llevados a cabo
69	Gold medal	Medalla de oro
70	Light heavyweight	Peso semipesado
71	Division	División
72	Series	Serie
73	Victories	Victorias
74	Style	Estilo
75	Combined	Combinaba
76	Speed	Velocidad
77	Punching power	Potencia de golpeo
78	Described	Descrito
79	Handlers	Mánagers / Asistentes
80	Ability	Habilidad / Capacidad
81	Defeated	Derrotó
82	Heavyweight	Peso pesado
83	Religious change	Cambio religioso
84	Inspired	Inspirado
85	Spokesman	Portavoz
86	Follow	Seguir
87	Faith	Fe
88	Announced	Anunció
89	Struggle	Lucha
90	Civil rights	Derechos civiles
91	Peak	Cima / Punto álgido
92	Emerged	Surgido / Emergió
93	Controversial	Polémico / Que causa disputas
94	Community	Comunidad
95	Leader	Líder
96	First-round knockout	Nocaut en el primer asalto
97	Defended	Defendió
98	Drafted	Reclutado
99	Military service	Servicio militar
100	War	Guerra

Saludos y nos vemos la próxima semana Dios mediante.

Reading comprehension: Food and Drink. The cities.

Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos.

Comenzamos una serie de ejercicios dedicados a revisar los puntos principales del programa del curso.

Hoy toca: Food and drink. The cities. Traditions

Nota: Los textos están seleccionados tanto del programa CREA como de otras fuentes, a quienes doy las gracias y cito, pero todos tienen el nivel del curso.

mmolpor@

Texto nº 1: 

                                    FOOD AND DRINK

Anna: ¡Oh, I'm starving but I don't know what to order!

Laura: There are some wonderful pasta dishes and there is a starter that I like very much: Caprese salad, it has tomatoes and some cheese. It is delicious!

Anna: Is there any meat or fish?

Laura: No, I'm sorry, this is a vegetarian restaurant. There isn't any meat. But there are lots of different pizzas and some fish.

Anna: Ok, I'd like a Caprese salad and a mushroom pizza.

Laura: Ok, I'd like a Caprese salad and a mushroom pizza. What about the drinks?

Anna: I'd like some water.

Laura: And I'd like some orange juice. We are ready to order...Mr waiter!

Waiter: Good evening ladies. Can I help you?  

Laura: Yes, please. We both want the Caprese salad and a mushroom pizza.

Waiter: Anything to drink?

Anne: I'd like some water and she wants some orange juice, please.

Waiter: OK! Just a minute!

TEXTO Nº 2:

                                        A journey.

Dear Laura, 

I want to thank you for the lovely days I spent with you in your new home. I really had a fantastic time. While I was going by train, I remembered how much we laughed the last day during dinner. Your friends are really funny, and the meal was delicious.

My journey back was long but very funny. On the second stop, a very handsome guy got in the train and he asked me if I could change my seat with him. His was aisle seat and he prefered a window seat. Honestly I don't care travelling in one or another so I accepted. When I stood up to change our seats, my ticket fell down and we didn't find it at first.  We were looking for it for a long while and just when it appeared, the ticket inspector got in. Uff, just in time!  

The boy felt guilty and he insisted on inviting me to have a coffee. I thought it was a great idea so we went to the dining car and we were there to the end or the trip. Guess what? He's from my town, so we are having a coffee this evening. 

I'll keep you updated!

Love,

Anna

mmolpor@

Texto nº 3:

                                A flight to Disneyland.

    

An 11-year-old boy dreaming of a trip to Disneyland boards a plane and flies by mistake to Europe even though he has no ticket or passport.

"We have no doubt that the case of the little stowaway was the product of a childish prank that fooled airport security," Jose Lazo Ricardi, director of the Technical Judicial Police, Venezuela's equivalent of the FBI, said Tuesday. 

Officials say MacGregory Johanvar Ramos, a student at a school for children with learning problems, skipped class two weeks ago to try to fulfill his dream of going to California to visit Disneyland. After taking a half-hour trip on a public bus to Simon Bolivar International Airport, he asked around for flights to the United States. But the boy mistakenly boarded a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam, said Ricardi. MacGregory apparently got past airline and immigration officials by acting as if he were traveling with adult passengers. 

He told police he hid in a bathroom for most of the trip until a flight attendant found him. But he convinced her he was traveling with an aunt. After a seven-hour layover in Amsterdam, MacGregory boarded a Malev Airlines flight to Budapest --apparently helped when airline workers didn't check for tickets until the flight was under way. It wasn't immediately clear how he eluded Dutch immigration and security. 

When the crew discovered he was traveling alone without a passport or ticket, they notified authorities who took him into custody after the plane touched down in Budapest, Ricardi said. 

Saludos y nos vemos la semana próxima Dios mediante.

Reading comprehension: How British spend their free time.

Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos.

Comenzamos una serie de ejercicios dedicados a revisar los puntos principales del programa del curso.

Hoy toca: Free time and hobbies and interests.

Nota: Los textos están seleccionados tanto del programa CREA como de otras fuentes, a quienes doy las gracias y cito, pero todos tienen el nivel del curso.

mmolpor@

Texto nº 1

 Teacher: So Kathy, why are you learning Spanish? 

Kathy: Well, I'm married to Manuel, my husband, and he is Spanish. So now I'm learning because I really want to talk to my husband's family, his parents and so on. They don't speak English so..... 

Teacher: And you don't speak Spanish? 

Kathy: Well, I can only say "hola" and "adiós". 

Teacher: Well Kathy, tell me about your hobbies and interests. 

Kathy: Oh, I like learning languages and I love reading books. Mystery books are my favourites. My husband also enjoys reading, but not books, he reads things on the Internet. I love European cinema but I hate watching American movies, they are too comercial. 

Teacher: And do you practise sports? 

Kathy: Sure, I like swimming very much. Besides, I do judo twice a week. 

Teacher: Don't you like team sports? 

Kathy: No, not much. I don't like playing in teams and I hate football.

Texto nº 2:

                        How British spend their free time?

The weekends are a time for families in Britain. Saturdays are a busy time for shops with many families going shopping.

People enjoy various indoor and outdoor activities in Britain. People in Britain spend about 45% of their free time watching television, 24% of their free time socializing, 22-23% on sport and hobbies, and 10% on other activities. Other popular leisure activities are listening to the radio, listening to pre-recorded music, reading, DIY, gardening, eating out and going to the cinema.

The most common leisure activity in the UK is watching television. The average viewing time is 25 hours per person per week. Almost all households have at least one television set. Many television programmes are about wildlife, animals, holidays, cooking and gardening. 

The second most popular activity in Britain is visiting or entertaining friends or relations. Britons also make lots of visits to the cinema making it the most popular cultural activity in the UK. Eating out is also very popular, with British people spending an average of £5.63 per person per week on food (excluding alcohol) outside the home.

The British are a nation of gardeners. Most people have a garden on their property. Gardening is a popular pastime since Roman times. Many people in Britain are proud of their houses and gardens. They want their houses and gardens to look nice. Every town in Britain has one or more DIY (Do it Yourself) centres and garden centres. These are like supermarkets for the home and garden. These places are very popular with British home-owners at the weekends.

Saturday is traditionally the day for shopping and watching sports. Sports and physical recreation are very popular. Local governments provide cheap sport and leisure facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, parks and golf courses. People go to watch other people play sports like football or take part in sports themselves.

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Texto nº 3: 

                                        The pub.

In pubs people not only consume and buy drinks. Friends meet there, colleagues "talk shop" and business people negotiate deals; people gather to celebrate, play games or seek quiet relaxation. The word pub is the short form for public house. There are over 60,000 pubs in the UK. One of the oldest, the Fighting Cocks, dates back to the eleventh century. 

Pubs often have two bars, one usually is quiet. Gardens are also common and customers sit there in the summer. Pubs are usually busy places, people don't queue, but the bar staff try and serve without problem. The closing times are very strict (pubs close at 11.00) and the publican rings a bell shouting "last orders, please!". Do you know the difference between ale and beer? Ale describe the drink brewed without hops unlike "beer".

Saludos. Nos vemos la semana que viene Dios mediante.