April's Fool Day

Today it's April's Fool so let's know something about it. It's the time for pranks and prankster. Go to this link to know something about this day, specially its history, click here.
But you should know some vocabulary about this day so you could go to this link; click here
I hope there aren't many prankters in my class...

Saint Parick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! This is the national feast in Ireland but it's an important date for many places where the Irish are present, like the States, the UK or Australia. Here you have some information about this feast; click here or here
But if you want to get a general idea about this typical feast, here you are some videos:

• a typical parede in Dublin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuaAGewaXeY
• the parade in New York: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPX7lPWJRyU 

Carnival and Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday, also called Mardi Gras or fat Tuesday is a famous festivity in Carnival time.
It's on the day before Ash Wednesday and it represents the end of the carnivals because the following day is when Lent starts. It will last 40 days.
Here you are some curious videos about carnival in different places:

• Mardi Gras in New Orleans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo5ClQDKnqk
• The Pancake Race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlo3yuhOSlI this is another example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRunuhmmwsg
• The Carnivals in Venice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z766I4d6oK8
• Winter Carnival in Quebec: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNLydguFl8

 Happy Shrove Tuesday! Enjoy the last day of carnivall because tomorrow it's over.
See you in class.

Reading + Halloween

HOW TO PRATISE READING SKILLS
Here you have some links to practise reading. Sometimes the texts are a bit difficult but reading makes you feel more confident about vocabulary, structures and how to write or speak properly. Try some of these:

• http://www.englishclub.com/webguide/Reading/index.htm: a list of links to find readings
• use yahoo.co.uk to read some news
• practice for reading comprehension for PET ( a similar level you'll find in the final exam)
• this Argentinian page has some more practise with levels; click here

HALLOWEEN

Here you have some information (and exercises) about this typical feast in English speaking countries:

• A listening comprehension about Halloween; click here
• A reading comprehension; click here
• the text we read in class; click here
• you can listen or read this Halloween story here

To finish with here you are the video we watched in class about introducing yourself; click here but you have some more practice here but focusing on pronunciation

Easter holidays

In Great Britain the Holy Week is not so important. The feast is in the following week, called Easter. There are some traditions but the most typical one is to hide (esconder) chocolate eggs or bunnies (conejitos) and the children have to find them.
If you want to know something else about these traditions and about Easter in general, go to these web pages:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/easter.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_eastertraditions.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter