Saturday 26 June 2010

For "Friends" lovers

Here's a deleted scene from the sitcom Friends. Embedding is not allowed but it's worth following the link. Watch it and answer the questions:
- Why is Rachel so happy?
- What does Joey say to Rachel after she abruptly comes into the bathroom?
- What does Chandler answer to Joey when he asks "Shaving?"?
- What does Phoebe think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwJa7qY3xIM&feature=related


Have you been able to answer them all?

Friday 25 June 2010

TV and health


How much TV do you watch? Read this article taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk and then... go out and do some exercise!
You may click on those highlighted words you find more difficult

Every hour in front of the TV raises risk of heart disease

By Jenny Hope
Last updated at 9:00 AM on 24th June 2010

Watching too much TV can be deadly even for the healthy, claim researchers.

Every hour in front of the box pushes up the risk of dying from heart disease by 7 per cent, according to a study.

Those looking at their favourite progammes for four hours a day - the UK average - face a 28 per cent rise in the risk.

The study from the Medical Research Council says changes in lifestyle could stem the toll from heart disease which causes 193,000 deaths a year and is responsible for a third of the UK's deaths.

For almost a decade, researchers from the MRC Epidemiology Unit studied 13,197 middle-aged, healthy men and women in Norfolk.

In that time 373 of the participants died from heart disease, according to the findings published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology.





Sunday 20 June 2010

What's your job?

What's your job? What do you do for a living? Listen to the video and take down as many jobs as you can.

Friday 18 June 2010

Father and Son



In Argentina, we celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday of June. While trying to find a song on the topic I remembered this wonderful oldie, originally by Cat Stevens. This is a newer version by Boyzone. Can you think of any other song about fathers? If so, please let me know.

In this one, the father gives the son some recommendations for the future. What about your father? What's the best recommendation you remember from him? You can share your ideas here.

Argentina 4- South Korea 1

For all Argentine fans, here's a report from the New York Times. I'm interested in reading your comments. What do you like the most about this team?

Argentina Coach Diego Maradona celebrated with Gonzalo Higuain, who scored three goals in their victory over South Korea.


Maradona Starts the Attack, and Messi Keeps Driving It

By JERÉ LONGMAN

JOHANNESBURG — Nearly a quarter-century later, an old antagonism was renewed Thursday. The two men had been opposing players in a long-ago World Cup. Now they were coaches in suits and shined shoes instead of jerseys and cleats.

If the years had changed the men, they did not change the result. Argentina (2-0) received three goals from forward Gonzalo Higuaín and defeated South Korea, 4-1, all but advancing to the second round on a bright, chilly afternoon with one group match remaining.

Lionel Messi was again exquisite and had a hand — a foot actually — in all four of Argentina’s goals, one of which South Korea put into its own net. With Messi directing set pieces and the flow of play, Argentina played attractive, attacking soccer in a tournament in which defenses have been obstructive and parsimonious.

The same teams had met in the 1986 World Cup, with Argentina winning, 3-1, also in the first round. In that tournament, Diego Maradona was on his way to a championship and an enduring legend, while Huh Jung-moo was assigned to mark him. Maradona later said that Huh had practiced taekwondo more than soccer.

On Thursday the men met again, standing along the sideline as coaches in their suits, one gray, the other blue. Sure, Maradona had said before the match that he would shake Huh’s hand, despite their dusty confrontation.

“He’s a coach,” Maradona said.

But that did not keep Maradona from playing a psychological game in advance of the soccer game.

He said Huh’s team was collectively strong but was bound to lose because Argentina had Messi and South Korea (1-1) did not. Maradona also admonished the referee to protect Messi, the world’s best player.

“If you want to see a show, you have to make sure the stars aren’t treated badly,” he said. “We have come to play football. Anyone who doesn’t want to play football should go home.”

Perhaps he was reflecting on his experience against Huh some 24 years ago. But Huh refused to take the bait. If he had used martial arts in 1986, he said, the referee would have ejected him. Anyway, he added, he would not get rattled by what he called Maradona’s attempt at “psychological warfare.”

“We are playing a football match; this isn’t a war of words,” Huh said. “They are a strong team, but the strongest team doesn’t always win.”

In that long-ago match, South Korea had been intimidated by Argentina, Huh said. This was a different team, led by the captain Park Ji-sung of Manchester United. South Korea had been fleet and relentless in beating Greece, 2-0, in its opener. Kuh admonished his players to enjoy themselves, to play the opponent, not the opponent’s reputation.

Clearly, he was not bullied by Maradona’s pregame remarks. Huh had no intention of playing softly against Messi. After all, Messi was wearing a uniform, not packed in Bubble Wrap.

In the 10th minute, Yeom Ki-hun took down Messi with a rugby tackle and was warned with a yellow card. Another takedown, this one of midfielder Ángel Di María, gave Argentina a free kick in the 17th minute. Messi made South Korea pay this time.

He bent a ball from the left wing and his teammate Martín Demichelis whiffed on a header but shielded South Korea’s Park Chu-young. The ball deflected off Park’s right shin. Surprised, South Korea’s goalkeeper, Jung Sung-ryong, could only stick out his left leg as the ball rolled into his net.

Messi was wrestled to the turf again in the 28th minute. Maradona began gesticulating and yelling at Huh on the sideline, clearly upset. Huh could not understand what Maradona was saying. He waved him off.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for a coach to direct any comments toward the other coach,” Huh said. “I think we were trying to tell each other to calm the players down.”

Still, South Korea kept muscling Argentina. In the 33rd minute, forward Carlos Tévez tried to bull his way through two defenders but went to his knees, his jersey yanked halfway up his chest near the left corner flag.

Messi played the resulting free kick to Maxi Rodríguez, a starter in midfield who replaced Juan Sebastián Verón, who had a mild calf injury. Rodríguez crossed into the penalty area to the substitute defender Nicolás Burdisso, who beautifully flicked the ball behind him to Higuaín. He nodded the ball downward from 7 yards and Argentina took a 2-0 lead.

Seconds before halftime, Park redeemed himself for the own goal. He headed the ball upfield toward Demichelis, who turned lazily, only to have possession stripped from him by South Korean midfielder Lee Chung-yong. Lee raced alone into the penalty area and halved Argentina’s advantage to 2-1.

South Korea missed an inviting chance to tie the score in the 58th minute. Yeom pushed a shot wide with his left foot when his right would have been more dependable on a narrow angle.

In the 76th minute, Messi drove his own rebound off the left goal post. Higuaín tapped it into the net for a 3-1 Argentina lead. Another header by Higuaín four minutes later made it 4-1.

“Korea was never capable of controlling us,” Maradona said. “I think Argentina just played with the ball and did whatever they wanted with it.”

After the final whistle, Maradona shook Huh’s hand, again the victor. He could afford to feel satisfied. Spain lost and Brazil struggled to a win, but Argentina was rolling with victories over Nigeria and South Korea.

“It is for the players to say if I’m a good coach or not,” Maradona said. “But if you have such a sensational team, it’s easy.”


Thursday 17 June 2010

OK


OK, let's talk about it! What about? OK. No, it's not a riddle. Let's talk about the origin of the word "OK". How long do you think people have been using this word? Twenty years, thirty, forty... read about it and find out. You can also listen to the text while you read it.

http://www1.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/words-stories/OK--85357622.html

Saturday 12 June 2010

Argentina's Victory (An International View)



This is what the CNN says about it.


Maradona's Argentina ease to opening victory

(CNN) -- Argentina's star-studded line-up began their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria in their Group B opener in Johannesburg.

A goal from defender Gabriel Heinze after six minutes was all that separated the two teams after an inspired display from Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

He could do little to stop Heinze's powerful header from a Juan Sebastian Veron corner, but Enyeama kept his team alive with a string of acrobatic saves to deny World Player of the Year Lionel Messi.

Diego Maradona was delighted to secure his first victory as a World Cup host, but critical of his strikers for failing to make the game safe.

"When you don't kill things off in front of goal you can pay a heavy price. They almost got a draw -- we missed loads of chances," Maradona told AFP.

Players such as Leo Messi and Higuain knocked in around 60 goals last season between them yet today it was almost as if they couldn't set their sights on goal.

"But the win means we can be calm -- we are in the right track," he added.

Friday 11 June 2010

Can you solve these riddles?

A "riddle" is a type of question which usually has a clever or funny answer, and that you often have to solve as a game.
I challenge you to solve these:

1) What has many keys but can't open any doors?
2) Can a kangaroo jump higher than the Empire State Building?
To find the answer click onto http://www.manythings.org/jokes/9966.html. You can even listen to them.

Thursday 10 June 2010

Mastercard Priceless Elephant


Does this commercial sound familiar? Watch it and do the quiz.

Sunday 6 June 2010

Building art out of Legos



How many of you have played with Legos? Learn about a man who does more than play. Actually, he creates art with them. Listen to this report.You can also read the subtitles.
Share your views. Can you consider this art?

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Shrek Forever After



Who says that animation is for kids? I must admit I'm a fan of the Shrek saga. The characters are hilarious and the plots are so witty that they make children and adults laugh alike (although about different things).
In this film, Shrek realises people are not afraid of him anymore so he decides to regain his status as an Ogre. Watch the trailer and have fun! In Argentina we'll have to wait a bit longer but meanwhile, you can take one of these quizzes to check how much you remember:

http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/20/1293816/take-the-shrek-quiz.html http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz62177720e80.html

You can also visit the official website and play some games.

http://www.shrekinternational.com/intl/uk/

By the way, what's your reason for liking Shrek?