17
Dic
2009
You hear many songs in English every day: on the radio, in the department stores, in the mall, on CDs and DVDs, in the cinema and on TV. You might know a few words but do you know ALL the words to the most famous songs?
Here's one I know you'll recognize, and have probably heard recently. Do you know the name of it? Who's the composer? You can learn the words if you watch this link."
VOCABULARY:
department stores: grandes almacenes
the mall : centro comercial
link: enlace
Wendy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=player_embedded
12
Nov
2009
http://comunidad.uem.es/blogfiles/shakespeare/PosterforGREASE.doc
Alberto Aparicio and Antonio Garcia, who are doing double majors in Sports Science and Physiotherapy, truly are the "best entertainers at the UEM LAB". They put on quite a show yesterday, actually 2 shows. And they got everyone up and moving. This was definitely a kinetic, total physical response activity, and it was in ENGLISH! We handed out song sheets and quickly discussed the vocabulary and grammar or lack of it. We sang and danced and laughed. And we made a lot of noise!
Last spring after attending our complementary class "Mamma Mía", Alberto and Antonio told me that they wanted to do "Grease". They were entertainers in hotels in Mallorca during the summers and they could pull it off easily. Well.....well...sure. Why not? Let's do it. Here's the result. Sorry you missed it. More photos?
Vocabulary:
major: carrera universitario
truly: (really): de verdad
handed out: repartieron
sheets: hojas de papel (sabanas)
lack of: falta de
pull it off: realizarlo, conseguirlo
missed it: lo perdiste
Wendy
21
Sep
2009
George Gershwin's "Summertime"---- Have you heard this song? Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, Scarlett Johnsson and many other recording artists in between have sung it. SUMMERTIME? Doesn't your summer vacation seem like a long time ago?
Sit back, close your eyes and listen to this song for a couple of minutes.
What were YOU doing in the summertime? I'll be attaching more of YOUR pictures in the next few days. Keep sending them in.
Megan says it looks like Paris, but it's really Las Vegas!
Eva,who studies business adminisstration, (ADE) reports that she was in Alicante, her hometown.
Yes, the UEM LAB logo appeared on the beach in Cuba.
Here's Ilene , relaxing in Menorca.
Emilio sent this photo from Tenerife.
03
Jul
2009
This is your big opportunity to see a live production of WEST SIDE STORY in Madrid.
The outdoor theater at Escenario Puerta del Ángel, just off Paseo de Extremadura inside Casa de Campo is a wonderful venue.
My seat was in the B section. I could see the stage, the translation of the songs in lights over the stage, the moon rising center stage and moving off to the right as the show progressed.
The tickets are 20,30,35 and 40 Euros. You can get them on line and don't have to wait in line.
The sound system was good. The singing was good. The dancing was absolutely fabulous!
YOU know the music! YOU know the songs! YOU know the story: Romeo and Julliet a la New York of the 1950's.
***The last shows are July 3rd, 4th and 5th at 9:30 pm.
Go! Go! Go! Don't miss it !
Wendy
www.esmadrid.com/veranosdelavilla
Vocabulary:
a live production: en vivo
on line : via internet
in line: en la cola
don't miss it! : No te lo pierdas!
09
Dic
2008
I hadn't been to the Zarzuela in years and wasn’t too enthusiastic about going when a visiting friend suggested it. Having always agreeably accompanied tourists to flamenco and bull fights and zarzuelas, palaces and castles, parks and museums, parades and processions, often against my better judgment, I was all set to reject the offer. I had digressed to an occasional movie or local theater, an art exhibit or musical. But the Zarzuela….
This performance of " El Rey que Rabió": The King who got angry proved to be a delightful production, a comic Zarzuela full of social commentary and a timeless love story. The story-line hinted at Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper" and Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. The music and choreography were fun; a good first Zarzuela for adults and children alike.
The show first opened on April 21st, 1891:
Music by Ruperto Chapí
Book by Miguel Ramos Carrión y Vital Aza.
Stage play by Luis Olmos
What do the King´s subjects really think of the monarchy? The king is tired of being bowed down to; he wants to be free to wander the streets, to get to know his people. He plans his escape, takes on the identity of a shepherd, and out he goes. And the fun begins.
As I was watching the show I was thinking about meeting Felipe & Letizia at the UEM recently. They chatted with many of us, breaking away from the formal interviews and joining the crowd. Over the last few months I’ve seen them on TV, on many formal occasions, meeting and greeting again and again and again. I’m sure they’d like to just disappear into the crowd, walk among the humble masses incognito: escape for a while. It must be very hard to always be on display, to follow protocol, to follow a script, to perform for the public. They’d enjoy this Zarzuela. And I think you would too.
El Rey que Rabió is at the Teatro de la Zarzuela until January 11, 2009.
(Tickets in the upper balcony are 16 and 20 Euros)
Wendy
http://teatrodelazarzuela.mcu.es/Temporada/ActividadesDetalle.asp?dia=03&mes=12&agno=2008
05
Dic
2008
Have you learned any English-language Christmas carols?
It's pretty difficult not to learn some of them, even if it is just the chorus.
Everywhere you go these days, you hear Christmas carols. Let's see if you've been paying attention in the department stores and supermarkets, boutiques and novelty shops.
Can you finish the chorus to these?
Silent night, ________ ________.
Hark the herald ________ _______.
We three _________ ________ _______ _______.
Oh, Christmas ________, Oh ___________ _________.
Away in _______ _________.
Angels we ______ _______ ____ _______
Joy to _____ _________
And a few more modern tunes:
It's beginning to look ____ _______ ______ _______!
Jingle bell, jingle bell, _________ _________ ________ !
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle _______ _______ _______.
We wish _____ ______ __________ _____________.
I saw Mama ___________ ___________ ________.
I remember as a child in the US that the Christmas music and decorations didn't go up until after Thanksgiving, the 4th Thursday in November and were down by New Years or at the very outside by Epiphany, the 6th of January . If they weren't put away, the bad fairies would get us. We were all back in school on the first week day of January.
There was a shopping frenzy in December, and the big sales started December 26th, not before.
Here in Spain the season starts earlier and earlier each year. When I first came here the decorations went up in Plaza Mayor toward the middle of December and everyone came to buy nativity scenes, decorations and ornaments MADE IN SPAIN. White lights were put up along all the major boulevards and Spanish "villancicos" were heard everywhere. All the buildings were also lit up, and the excitement of the season lasted through at least the 8th of January when children would go back to school. No one knew any of the English language Christmas Carols, and Santa Claus was only a billboard figure selling Kodak cameras as I recall. The 3 Kings brought all the presents and the biggest shopping day of the year was January 5th.
Now the sales start long BEFORE Christmas, especially this year with the big economic crisis. Maybe the prices are just too high to begin with!
As foreign students in Spain we soon learned that the favorite Christmas song was about fish! ---but look how the fish are drinking in the river It DOES have quite a catchy tune, but... Oh, well. Each culture has its favorites. We learned the words to most of the "villancicos" and we'd also sing along to "Adeste Fideles" and "Noche de paz" because we knew the music.
Last year the "Christmas season" in Spain began in November and this year the stores were decorating before Halloween! That certainly didn't happen in the 70's or 80's or 90's. Firstly the end of October was weeks too early to even mention Christmas, and secondly no one knew what Halloween was. Spanish children are now into Halloween; costumes and decorations are easy to find. In one mega-store I saw the Halloween costumes right next to the Christmas decor. And almost everything was imported from China! These 2 holidays just don't mix, and besides black & orange clash with the red & green, silver & gold.
We may be getting more and more international. We may be learning to respect other customs and other cultures, but let´s keep the holidays independent of one another. Each an entity unto itself.
Wendy
Check out the Christmas activities at the UEM LAB
04
Jul
2008
Yes, rock concerts in ENGLISH ! Great way to learn the language.
Last Friday night June 27th was opening night for ROCK in RIO in Arganda del Rey.
We got there just in time for Alanis Morissette and Jack Johnson who both sang in English. Later on, Neil Young. The crowd was up dancing and singing. And just look at those lights and speakers!
Get the words to your favorite songs. Learn them.
Wendy
02
Jun
2008
That's right, it's "finals" time again. Time to be nervous and study like crazy. For some of you... For others..... ???
Of course, YOU are A GOOD STUDENT. You finished up your courses on time following the continuous evaluation plan.
You attended classes on a regular basis. You did your research, gave your power-point presentations and turned in your projects. You don't even have to go to finals because you've already passed everything. Good for you ! Congratuations! It sure feels good to be finished, doesn't it?
Some of you are trying to do too much. You're working and studying and taking care of a family. You're tired all the time and burning the candle at both ends. You finished some courses, have to take finals in others and still have your thesis to turn in. You're all stressed out.
Others are trying to do it all: party and study and work too. You need 30 hour days. You're just about to burn out. You fall asleep at the computer or going over your notes.
And THE OTHERS: You've left everthing till the end of the academic year and now you have to pull all-nighters, every night because you have a final in every subject. You had a great year because you partied a lot,but you just might have to repeat a few of those subjects next year. You're sorry you didn't take your studying a little bit more seriously.
You were warned. You were all advised and warned to pace yourselves, to budget your time. Well, you didn't listen. Now you have to study like crazy. Maybe you're planning to take the recuperation exams in July. Maybe you're still out there having a great time and ignoring your future. That's not a good idea. One of these days you'll get a reality check--your friends will graduate. They'll travel, get good jobs, move on and you'll still be taking those exams and trying to finish up
Well, it's dead week, the week before exams when everyone is supposed to be studying and there are no activities to distract you. That's true on campus, but not elsewhere. How many of you were at the big concert in Getafe this weekend: METÁLICA , RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE,... music and more music. No sleep, and exams this week. Ah, you're young. You can do it all. Or can you? Think about it.
Wendy
28
May
2008
Have you ever thought about what life is like for the astronauts in the International Space Station?
Look at the following words and see how many you can use to describe the YOUTUBE clip. Look up the words you don't know before you start.
Look at: mirar
Look up: Buscar en un libro de referencia o en internet
Verbs:
cycle--exercise--strap on--drink--shave--wash--pass--float--move
sleep--spin--turn--push--slide--hold onto--eat--grab
Nouns:
stationery bike--compartment--drops of water--gravity--razor--instrument panels--tube--food
Now, can you write a few lines about what you saw?
And do you know this song. It's called "The lion sleeps tonight".
Wendy
27
Nov
2007
YOU KNOW the words to these songs
Finish the line of the song.
1. Happy Birthday ________ _______.
2. We all live _____ _____ ________ ____________.
3. Oh, when the saints _________ __________ ______.
4. Oh, Susana, Oh _______ ____ ________ _______ ____.
5. New York, _______ ______.
6. We are the _____________.
7. I feel it in my fingers, I ___ __ __ __ ______.
8. Born in ____ ___.
9. Rain drops keep falling _______ _____ ______.
10. Don’t worry, ________ _________.
11. Jingle bells, ______ _______.
12. We wish you ______ ________ ________.
Últimos comentarios