Sinónimos: ejercicios

Here are some synonyms or near-synonyms of some words. Discover the odd man out in each case:

1.- to despise (despreciar) : to deride, to disdain, to hoard, to look down on, to shun, to scorn, to slight, to spurn

2.- to cry (llorar): to heal, to shed tears, to sob, to sniff, to snivel, to wail, to whine

3.- pale (pálido): emaciated, foul, gaunt, haggard, pallid, sallow

4.- fat (gordo): chubby, lanky, plump, obese, overweight, porky, stout, tubby

5.- magnificent (magnífico): admirable, gorgeous, grand, great, splendid, superb, spectacular, striking, glorious, weird, wonderful

6.- to confuse (confundir): to baffle, to ban, to bewilder, to confound, to disconcert, to mistify, to perplex

7.- horrible (horrible): awful, appalling, dreadful, frightful, soothing

8.- astute (astuto): artful, clever, crafty, cunning, guileful, harassed, shrewd

9.- to tolerate (tolerar, soportar, aguantar):  to bear, to endure, to get away with, to put up with, to suffer

10.- thin (delgado): bony, fleshy, skinny, underweight, scrawny, scraggy, puny, skeletal.

KEY

1.- to hoard (atesorar); 2.- to heal (curar); 3.- foul (asqueroso); 4.- lanky (largirucho); 5.-weird (extraño); 6.- to ban (desterrar); 7.- soothing (tranquilizante); 8.- harassed (acosado,-a); 9. -to get away with (quedar impune, escaparse con algo/alguien); 10.- fleshy (carnoso,-a).

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Léxico: Ajedrez..

No soy muy deportista que digamos, pero hay un deporte que sí es de mi agrado. Se trata del ajedrez, que practico desde que era niño y, sin llegar a ser 'un gran campeón', como el ratón de Susanita, no se me da del todo mal. 
Aquí os dejo un vocabulario básico de los términos usados en este deporte, que puede tener el interés de salirse de otros léxicos más comunes, como animales, partes del cuerpo humano, ropa, fruta, verduras, etc., de sobra conocidos. Además ¿hay algo más apasionante que echar una partida de ajedrez en una fría tarde invernal, al calor del hogar, o al fresquito del porche o la terraza, en una tarde de verano?:

chess - ajedrez
chessboard - tablero de ajedrez
chess players - jugadores de ajedrez, ajedrecistas
white - las blancas
black - las negras
chess game - partida de ajedrez
chess problem - problema de ajedrez
move - movimiento, jugada
(to) check  - (dar) jaque
checkmate  - jaque mate
draw - tablas
stalemate - ahogado
to resign - rendirse
pieces/men - piezas
king - rey
queen - reina
rook/castle - torre
bishop - alfil
knight - caballo
pawn - peón
advanced/passed pawn - peón pasado
doubled pawn - peón doblado
doubled rooks - torres dobladas
to castle - enrocarse
short/long castling - enroque corto/largo
Blitz/Fast chess - partida rápida
to take/capture - comer (una pieza)
opening - apertura
endgame - final
threefold repetition - tres repeticiones (tablas)
perpetual check - jaque continuo (tablas)
insufficient material - material insuficiente (tablas)
takeback - devolución de jugada (en partidas amistosas)
discovered check - jaque a la descubierta
double check  - jaque doble
gambit - apertura clásica
promotion (to convert a pawn into a queen) - hacer dama
touch-move-rule - pieza tocada, pieza movida
to take en passant - comer al paso
to pin - clavar una pieza

MEMORY TEST

Match the letters with the numbers:

a.- rook
b.- knight
c.- draw
d.- stalemate
e.- to castle
f.- bishop
g.- to resign
h.- to take en passant

1.- ahogado
2.- comer al paso
3.- caballo
4.- enrocarse
5.- rendirse
6.- torre
7.- alfil
8.- tablas

KEY

a- 6; b.-3; c.-8; d.-1; e.-4; f.-7; g.-5; h-2

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Celebración Dos Años de mi Blog- 13 (The World Week of Phrasal Verbs 1 y 2)

Celebración Dos Años de mi Blog (Semana Mundial del Verbo Frasal)
http://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2014/11/the-world-week-of-phrasal-verbs-1.html
http://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2014/11/the-world-week-of-phrasal-verbs-2.html

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Celebración Dos Años de mi Blog- 11 (deportes de riesgo)

Celebración Dos Años de mi Blog (deportes de riesgo)
http://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2013/07/learning-vocabulary-extreme-sports.html

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Idioms: hand/mano

Algunos modismos ingleses con 'hand' tienen un equivalente en español, con la palabra 'mano'; en otros, sin embargo, no aparece tal palabra en la traducción; así, por ejemplo, para 'to give/lend sb a hand', tenemos 'echar una mano' en español, pero traducimos 'the situation is well in hand' por 'la situación está bajo control'.
Vamos a tocar hoy algunos modismos con 'hand', en cuyos equivalentes en español no aparece la palabra 'mano' y, a la inversa, es decir algunos modismos españoles con 'mano', con equivalentes en inglés en los que no sale 'hand':

(Si os interesa este tema, os recomiendo mi Diccionario Bilingüe de Modismos) 

Ejercicio 1

Tomando como base las siguientes expresiones inglesas con 'hand':

a.- to be/get out of hand - estar fuera de control
b.- hand in glove with sb - en estrecha colaboración con alguien
c.- to earn/make money hand over fist - ganar dinero a espuertas
d.- to play right into sb's hands - hacerle el juego a alguien
e.- to be an old hand at sth - ser perro viejo en algo
f.- to get/gain/have the upper hand - tener la sartén por el mango

busca los modismos relevantes para completar los siguientes minidiálogos:

1.- "Whose vote do you think will tip the balance in the next elections?" "I think the liberals will ...................
2.- "It was only a joke". "Yes, but what began as a joke has..........."
3.- "Are the police being helped by the army?" "Yes, the police are acting ................trying to find the terrorists."
4.- "Is their new LP a big hit?" "Yes, they're making money ........... with it."

Ejercicio 2

Tomando como base las siguientes expresiones españolas con 'mano':

a.- Estar 'mano sobre man' - to be idle
b.- Dar de mano - to knock off (work)
c.- Echar mano de los ahorros - to dig/dip into your savings
d.- Estar con una mano delante y otra detrás - to be broke
e.- Tener las manos muy largas (para robar) - to be light-fingered
f.- Ser mano de santo - to work wonders

Busca los modismos relevantes para completar los siguientes minidiálogos:

1.- "What time do you stop work?" "I ...................at 5:00 p.m"
2.- "Do you think we'll have to use part of the money we had saved for our holiday, to pay for the electricity bill" "Yes, I'm afraid we'll have ..............."
3.- "Can you lend me the money?" "Sorry, I happen to.............too."
4.- "Why are you sacking him?; isn't he good at his work?" "Yes, he is, but the trouble with him is that he's a bit  ..................."

KEY

Ejercicio 1:

1.- have the upper hand
2.- got out of hand
3.- hand in glove with the army
4.- hand over fist

Ejercicio 2:

1.- knock off
2.- dig/dip into our savings
3.- to be broke
4.- light-fingered

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Idioms: being/getting angry.

Here are some idioms you can use to indicate that someone is angry or getting angry, or sth that makes sb angry:

to hit the roof/ceiling
to drive sb up the wall
to drive sb round the bend/twist
to go off the deep end
to be foaming at the mouth
to have kittens
to cut up rough
to go bananas
to blow a fuse
to jump down sb's throat
sth is like a red rag to a bull
to get/put sb's back up


Complete the following sentences:

1.- My mother .... bananas when I said I was going to leave the job.

2.- He .... a fuse and started shooting at people. 

3.- I went into the boss’s office and asked him for a rise -  it was like a .... rag to a bull.

4.- He hit the .... when he saw his wife kissing another man. 

5.- He’s always so sure of himself – frankly, he puts my back .... 

6.- She nearly .... kittens when she saw her boyfriend dancing with  another girl. 

7.- She’ll .... up rough if you don’t give her what she’s asked for.

8.- The baby’s been crying for two hours - it .... me up the wall.

9.- There’s no reason for you to go off the .... end.

10.- He was .... at the mouth because they had robbed him of his wallet.  


KEY

1.- went; 2.- blew; 3.- red; 4.- roof/ceiling; 5.- up; 6.- had; 7.- cut; 

8.- drives; 9,. deep; 10.- foaming


SOURCE: Diccionario Bilingüe de Modismos, e-book version. 

Amazon (Kindle).http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00Q1HHDLK

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Modismos con 'head'

Aquí os dejo hoy unos cuantos modismos ingleses, con la palabra 'head' y algunos otros, españoles, con la palabra 'cabeza'. La mejor manera de aprenderlos es usándolos en frases y, con este fin, os propongo hacer los ejercicios A y B, pero tranquilos, ¡no os precipitéis, 'hacedlos con cabeza!' (but take it easy, don't rush, use your head!):

A.- Completa las siguientes frases y traduce al español. En todas ellas, hay un modismo con la palabra 'head':

1.- He took it ...... his head to marry her.

2.- I can see Sandra has ...... your head.

3.- That was a wise decision. I knew you had your head ...... on right/straight/the right way.

4.- Success must have ...... to his head.

5.- Frankly, I can't make head or ...... of it.

6.- When they accused him of stealing the money, he just ...... his head in shame and said nothing.

7.- He stands head and ...... above his brothers.

8.- I could do that ...... on my head.

9.- He's not listening to you - he has his head in the ......

10.- He´s got some debts, but he manages to keep his head above ......

CLAVE

1.- into - Se le metió en la cabeza casarse con ella.
2.- turned - Veo que Sandra te ha trastornado la cabeza.
3.- screwed - Fue una sabia decisión. Ya sabía yo que tenías la cabeza bien amueblada.
4.- gone - El éxito debe de habérsele subido a la cabeza.
5.- tail - Francamente, no le encuentro ni pies ni cabeza.
6.- hung - Cuando lo acusaron de robar el dinero, bajó la cabeza avergonzado y no dijo nada.
7.- shoulders - Está muy por encima/es muy superior a sus hermanos.
8.- standing - Yo podría haberlo hecho con los ojos cerrados.
9.- clouds - No te está escuchando - está en babia.
10.- water - Tiene algunas deudas, pero se las arregla para mantenerse a flote.


B.- ¿Cómo dirías las siguientes frases en inglés? En todas hay un modismo con la palabra 'cabeza', en español, pero en inglés sólo en una aparece 'head':

1.- ¿Saliste sin paraguas? ¡Qué poca cabeza!

2.- ¡Qué cabeza la mía! Olvidé que hoy era tu cumpleaños.

3.- No tengo cabeza para las matemáticas.

4.- Yo quería ir a la selva amazónica, pero mi madre me lo quitó de la cabeza.

5.- Tu hermano me ha estado hablando de su safari una hora y media y me ha puesto la cabeza como un bombo.

6.- ¿Cómo puedes divorciarte por tercera vez? ¡Si tu padre levantara la cabeza!

7.- ¿Ha dejado su trabajo? No me cabe en la cabeza.

8.- "¿Cómo sigue tu abuelo?" "No levanta cabeza."

9.- Le ofrecieron droga gratis, pero tuvo la buena cabeza de rechazarla.

10.- El corredor keniata se puso pronto en cabeza.


KEY (suggested answers)

1.- You went out without an umbrella/did you go out without an umbrella?; have you no sense?

2.- What a memory! I forgot today was your birthday.

3.- I have no head for maths.

4.- I wanted to go to the Amazon jungle, but my mother talked me out of it.

5.-  Your brother has been telling me about his safari for an hour and a half, and he's given me a splitting headache.

6.- How can you divorce a third time? That would have your father turning in his grave!

7.- Has he left his job? I find it hard to understand.

8.- "How's your grandfather keeping?" "He's not getting any better."

9.- They offered him/he was offered some free drug/some drug free, but he had the good sense to refuse it.

10.- The Kenyan runner soon went into the lead.

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Refranes españoles y sus equivalentes en inglés

La cosa va hoy de refranes, Es verdad que no se usan con tanta frecuencia como los modismos pero, en palabras de Delfín Carbonell, en la introducción a su espléndido Diccionario de Refranes, castellanos e ingleses (Ediciones del Serbal, 1996), "para dominar una lengua muy bien es necesario manejar su fraseología idiomática y sus refranes, por supuesto. Lo demás es arañar la superficie".
Ya en otras ocasiones http://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/refranes-ejercicios.html, he tocado el tema, pero hoy se trata de plantearos unos cuantos modismos españoles, con el desafío de que encontréis sus equivalentes más próximos en inglés.
Me vais a permitir que dedique este post a la memoria de mi madre, a la que le encantaban los refranes (en español, claro) y que reunió pacientemente más de mil de ellos a lo largo de su vida. Aunque los refranes que hoy os dejo serían todos igual de fáciles para ella, de cara a nuestros alumnos he pensado que no es mala idea dividirlos en tres bloques, según su grado de dificultad:

A.- Facilillos

1.-  Bien está lo que bien acaba.
2.- Amigo en la adversidad es amigo de verdad.
3.- Lo bueno, si breve, dos veces bueno.
4.- Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león.
5.- La caridad bien entendida empieza por uno mismo.
6.- Dios los cría (y ellos se juntan).
7.- A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
8.- No es oro todo lo que reluce.
9.- De perdidos, al río.
10.- No se ganó Zamora en una hora.

B.- Regularcillos

1.- El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta.
2.- Aprendiz de mucho, maestro de nada.
3.- Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer.
4.- Quien mucho corre, atrás se halla.
5.- Quien calla, otorga.
6.- Los dineros del sacristán, cantando vienen y cantando se van.
7.- A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.
8.-  A enemigo que huye, puente de plata.
9.- A buen entendedor, con pocas palabras/media palabra basta.
10.- El que espera, desespera.

C.- Dificilillos

1.- Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma.
2.- Donde no hay harina, todo es mohína.
3.- En todas partes cuecen habas.
4.- Hasta el cuarenta de mayo, no te quites el sayo.
5.- Antes se pilla a un mentiroso que a un cojo.
6.- Muerto el burro, cebada al rabo.
7.- Nadie es profeta en su tierra.
8.- De todo hay en la viña del Señor.
9.- El comer y el rascar, todo es empezar.
10.- Cuando las barbas de tu vecino veas pelar, pon las tuyas a remojar.

KEY (suggested answers)

A.- Facilillos

1.- All's well that ends well.
2.- A friend in need is a friend indeed.
3.- Brevity is the soul of wit.
4.- Better be the head of a mouse than the tail of a lion.
5.-Charity begins at home.
6.- Birds of a feather (flock together).
7.- The early bird catches the worm.
8.- It isn't gold all that glitters/all that glitters is not gold.
9.- In for a penny, in for a pound/you may/might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.
10.- Rome wasn't built in a day.

B.- Regularcillos

1.- No pain, no gain.
2.- Jack of all trades, master of none.
3.- Better the devil you know (than the devil you don't know).
4.- More haste, less speed.
5.- Silence gives consent.
6.- Easy come, easy go.
7.- Put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry.
8.- Good riddance (to bad rubbish).
9.- A word to the wise is enough/a nod is as good as a wink.
10.- A watched pot never boils.

C.- Dificilillos

1.- Talk of the devil (and he's sure to appear).
2.- A light purse makes a heavy heart/when poverty comes in at the doors, love leaps out at the windows.
3.- Dogs bite in every country.
4.- Don't/never cast a clout till May is out.
5.- Lies have short legs.
6.- After death, the doctor/after meat, mustard.
7.- A prophet is without honour in his own land/country/ a prophet is not without honour save in his own country.
8.- It takes all sorts to make a world.
9.- Appetite comes with eating.
10.- There but for the grace of God go I.

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Idioms with heart.

Here are a few idioms with the word 'heart', but 'don't take it to heart' (no os lo toméis a pecho) if you can't remember them all:

Exercise

Who would you address the following remarks to? Match the numbers with the letters:

1.- My heart sinks when I see your house empty.

2.- Your heart is in the right place.

3.- Learn it by heart!

4.- You can open your heart to me.

5.- You're a man after my own heart.

6.- You're breaking my heart!

7.- Don't lose heart!

8.- Don't set your heart on it!


a.- Someone with a secret to share.

b.- A loved one who's leaving you.

c.- A kind person who's trying to do the right thing.

d.- Someone who has been evicted.

e.- Someone who has a rather unrealistic ambition.

f.- Someone who has your same tastes.

g.- Someone who has to give a speech.

h.- Someone who's upset after being criticised.

KEY

1-d; 2- c; 3- g: 4- a; 5- f; 6- b; 7- h; 8- e

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English for Tourism: Hotel Facilities

Here's an exercise to practise English for Tourism.

Exercise: Here are some guests who have different wishes. Which section of the room information sheet should they look at? Write the number of each guest next to the appropriate section.

Hotel Facilities

1.- Elaine Lu would like to have her blouse cleaned.

2.- Ben Krozac wants to know about buses to the airport.

3.- The Nakatas would like breakfast in their room.

4.- Ms Lewis is feeling unwell.

5.- Mr Dixon needs clean shoes for the morning.

6.- Jutta Koch would like a massage and manicure.

7.- Mrs Peterson has to be sure she gets up early tomorrow morning.

8.- Marie Frelimo wants to call her friend in Barcelona.

9.- Tom Mosli would like a soft drink in his room.

10.- Yana Valk wants to know where to leave her car.

11.- Eric and Thomas wonder what they can do this evening.

12.- Edward Chung wants to know the prices for different rooms.


Information

Room service ....

Tariffs ....

Telephone .... 

Entertainment ....

Minibar ....

Shoe-cleaning service ....

Transport ....

Wake-up calls ....

Laundry .... 

Garaging ....

Medical help ....

Hairdressing and Beauty ....


KEY

Room service -3

Tariffs - 12

Telephone - 8

Entertainment - 11

Minibar - 9

Shoe-cleaning service - 5

Transport - 2

Wake-up calls - 7

Laundry - 1

Garaging - 10

Medical help - 4

Hairdressing and Beauty - 6


Source: Test Your Professional English. Hotel and Catering. Alison Pohl. Series Editing: Nick Brieger. Penguin English Guides, 2004.

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Grammar Review: Practical exercises -5 (verb + preposition)

Verbs + preposition

Practical exercise -5 (Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition)

1.- I've learnt ...... bitter experience.
2.- Her family lives ...... her salary.
3.- I marvel ...... your insight.
4.- They named her Greta ...... the famous film star.
5.- They parted ...... friends.
6.- It's difficult to part ...... your loved ones.
7.- He didn't want to part ......his father's bureau.
8.- His father presented her ...... a gold watch.
9.- His wife persuaded him ...... buying a new car.
10.- We all rejoiced ...... success.

KEY

1.- from - to learn from - aprender de, por
2.- on - to live on - vivir de
3.- at - to marvel at - maravillarse (de)
4.- after - to name sb after sb - llamar a alguien por alguien
5.- as - to part as - separarse como
6.- from - to part from - separarse de
7.- with - to part with - desprenderse de
8.- with - to present sb with sth - regalar algo a alguien
9.- into - to persuade sb into doing sth - convencer a alguien para que haga algo
10.- at/over - to rejoice at/over sth - alegrarse de algo

For more verbs + preposition, you can consult my Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed. actualizada- Pearson-Longman, appendix 4, pp. 662-667.

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Léxico: antónimos (ejercicio)

EJERCICIO

Completa las siguientes frases con un antónimohttp://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2014/03/preparing-for-oposiciones-antonyms.html del adjetivo subrayado que empiece con la letra dada:

1.- The baby’s not asleep, it’s a - - - -

2.- The film wasn’t exciting, I found it rather b - - - - -

3.- You shouldn’t be so contemptuous, you should be more r - - - - - - - -

4.- The road is quite narrow, I expected it to be w - - - -

5.- I don’t like long speeches, I prefer them to be b - - - -

6.- The street we live in isn’t peaceful at all, it’s rather n - - - -

7.- The letter wasn’t signed, it was u - - - - - - -

8.- That suit isn’t cheap, it’s a bit e - - - - - - - -

9.- He’s never idle, he’s always b - - -

10.- Your shirt isn’t smooth, it’s quite w - - - - - - -

KEY

1.- awake, 2.- boring; 3.- respectful; 4.- wider; 5.- brief; 6.- noisy; 7.- unsigned; 8.- expensive; 9,. busy; 10.- wrinkled

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Selección de mis posts favoritos - 8: The World Week of Phrasal Verbs

The World Day of this, the World Day of that, the World Week of this, the World Week of that, but no world day or week of phrasal verbs. Well, this week is going to be 'The World Week of Phrasal Verbs' for us, OK?

Phrasal Verbs for Monday

Complete each sentence with a phrasal verb with the same or almost the same meaning as the verb given in brackets. As an additional help,  the initial letter of each phrasal verb is provided:

1.- Last year the company decided to b..... ......  into some new lines [expand]
2.- Capital punishment was d.....  .....   ..... in Britain fifty years ago [abolish]
3.- They l.....   ..... extra trains during the rush hour [provide]
4.- Jim f.....    .....   ..... his brother when they were in their twenties, and they didn't see each other for fifteen years [quarrel with]
5.- The TV program was so boring that I d.....   ..... [fall asleep]
6.- That music will never  c......   ..... [become popular]
7- Nick always relies on his wife to s.....   ..... all the arrangements for their holidays [organise]
8.- Our business went through a bad patch last year, but things seem to be  p.....   ..... now [improve]

Phrasal Verbs for Tuesday

Replace the verb in italics with a phrasal verb with the same meaning:

1.- The plane has just landed. You have an hour before it leaves again
2.- They were despised by almost everybody who knew them
3.- I'm not prepared to tolerate insolence from you
4.- I'm a bit squeamish. I always faint at the sight of blood
5.- A well known company is thinking of establishinga new factory in this town
6.- It was clear from the way they were huddled together in a corner that they were plotting something
7.- Raising a family on a teacher's pay is extremely difficult
8.- If you admit the offence, we shall deal with you leniently

Phrasal Verbs for Wednesday

Complete the sentences with an appropiate compound of to give or to take:

1.- As you can see, the rear of the building ......   ..... the river.
2.- The boy is quite gullible and easy to .....   .....
3.- I want you to .....   ...... everything I say
4.- Have you .....   ..... the money you borrowed from him earlier in the month?
5.- The rotten eggs were .....   ..... a most unpleasant odour
6.- This gentleman is going to .....   .....   ..... me while I'm away
7.- There was a tremendous crash as the roof .....   .....
8.- A man standing on the corner was trying to ....   ..... five-pound notes. but most people thought there was a catch in it

KEY

Monday: 1.- branch out; 2.- done away with; 3.- lay on; 4.- fell out with; 5.- dozed off; 6.- catch on; 7.- sort out; 8.- picking up

Tuesday: 1.- touched down, takes off; 2.- looked down on; 3.- put up with; 4.- pass out; 5.- setting up; 6.- were up to; 7.- Bringing up; 8.- own up to

Wednesday: 1.- gives onto; 2.- take in; 3.- take down; 4.- given back; 5.- giving off; 6.- take over from; 7.- gave way; 8.- give away

Here you have your phrasal verbs for Thursday and Friday, to complete the World Phrasal Verbs Week. On Friday, we bring to a close our 1st World Week of Phrasal Verbs. No phrasal verbs por Saturday or Sunday, as I guess you have better things to do on the weekend.

Phrasal Verbs for Thursday

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate particle:

1.- This computer is sold with the printer thrown .......
2.- I wish you would stop showing me ...... in front of my friends 
3.- The stress of her husband's illness is beginning to tell ...... her
4.- Someone will stand ......    ...... the main actor in that dangerous scene
5.- She set ...... her work with great enthusiasm
6.- Don't let your imagination run .......    ...... you
7.- He's really good at putting his message ......
8.- Stop frittering money ...... on clothes you're never going to wear

Phrasal Verbs for Friday

Complete each sentence with a phrasal verb with the same or almost the same meaning as the verb given in brackets. As an aditional help, the initial letter of each phrasal verb is provided:

1.- We'll w.......   ..... our campaign with a meeting in Madrid [end]
2.- It's rumoured that, because of the recesion, 20% of the workers are to be l.....   ..... next month [dismiss]
3.- As he passed the table he accidentally k.....   ...... a glass of beer [upset]
4.- The papers are all full of the scandal, but in a few days it will all have b.....   ...... [be forgotten]
5.- The government has made a serious mistake but, of course, they're doing what they can to  p...... it ...... [minimise]
6.- He was very ill last year but, thank goodness, he p.....   ..... [recover]
7.- They've r....   ..... a large phone bill [accumulate]
8.- Cholera was s.....   ...... in this country long ago [eradicate]

KEY

Thursday: 1.- in; 2.- up; 3.- on: 4.- in for; 5.- about; 6.- away with; 7.- across; 8.- away

Friday: 1.- wind up; 2.- laid off; 3.- knocked over; 4.- blown over; 5.- play down; 6.- pulled through; 7.- run up; 8.- stamped out

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Selección de mis post favoritos- 6

In view of the success of The Alphabet Game:Animalshttp://sanchezbenedito.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/the-alphabet-game-names-of-animals.html of a few days ago, some teachers have asked me if they could have another one. Well, here it is, this time about professions:

QUESTIONS FOR PLAYER ONE

beginning with a - said by Agatha Christie to make an ideal husband, because “the older you get, the more charming he will find you.”

beginning with b - you’ll feel safer if you can afford to hire one

beginning with c - consult one of them if you have any doubts concerning a medicine

beginning with d - some people hire one if they suspect they’re being cheated by their husband or their wife

beginning with e - anyone of them can explain to us the origin of the present economic crisis, but few of them will be able to find a solution to it

beginning with f - a man or a woman whose task it is to extinguish fires

beginning with g - assists the cameraman in a film studio

beginning with h- a wife of whom it wouldn't be fair to say that she hasn’t got a job, especially if she is a mother too

beginning with i - someone hired to advise famous people, especially politicians, on improved public presentation or impression

beginning with j - someone who decides how criminals should be punished

ending with k - works in an office or a bank

beginning with l - can save people's lives when they're about to drown

beginning with m - someone who plays a musical instrument

beginning with n - looks after sick people in a hospital

beginning with o - someone who is in a position of authority in the army

beginning with p - with so many people taking selfies nowadays, the workload of these professionals is not as heavy as it was in the past

QUESTIONS FOR PLAYER TWO

beginning with a - someone whose job is to keep and check financial accounts

beginning with b - not a full-time profession, but very useful when you need someone to leave your children with for a short time

beginning with c - the main cook in a hotel or restaurant

beginning with d - if you’re ill, you’ll be treated by one of these

beginning with e - someone who is paid to work for an employer

beginning with f - someone who grows crops and keeps animals

beginning with g - in Britain, someone who sells fruit and vegetables

beginning with h - cuts, washes, and arranges people’s hair in particular styles

beginning with i - to do their job well, they must speak a foreign language perfectly

beginning with j - always on the alert for the latest news

ending with k - if he or she is good, you'll lick your fingers when eating their delicious dishes

beginning with l - in the U.S, they usually call them attorneys

beginning with m - will repair your car if it breaks down

beginning with n - looks after children in the home, but not many families can afford one nowadays

beginning with o -  someone who tests your eyes before you buy your glasses

beginning with p - you have to call in one to fix a tap

KEY

Player One: a.- archaelogist; b.- bodyguard; c.-chemist; d.- detective; e.- economist; f.- firefighter; g.- grip; h.- housewife; i,- image consultant; j.- judge; k.- clerk; l.- lifeguard; m.- musician; n.- nurse; o.- officer; p.- photographer

Player Two: a.- accountant; b.- babysitter; c.- chef; d.- doctor; e.- employee; f.- farmer; g.- greengrocer; h.- hairdresser; i.- interpreter; j.- journalist; k.- cook; l.- lawyer; m.- mechanic; n.- nanny; o.- optician; p.- plumber

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Gramática: Nombres frasales

Nombres frasales

De los verbos frasales se derivan a veces nombres, llamados comúnmente nombres frasales (phrasal nouns), de uso muy extendido actualmente, sobre todo en lenguaje periodístico o profesional (fotografía, cine, informática, etc.):

back-up          copia de seguridad (inform.)

blow-up           ampliación (fotografía)

check-up         chequeo (médico)

flyover            paso elevado

go-between     intermediario

lay-by             aparcamiento en carretera

lockout          cierre patronal

mix-up confusión

setback           revés, inconveniente

write-off          siniestro total (seguros); (fig) caso perdido

EXERCISE

Complete the sense with the following phrasal nouns: breakdown; mix-up; walkout; breakthrough; lockout; write-off; setback; pile-up:

1.- Recently a significant ..........was announced in the search for a cure for ebola.

2.- My husband is recovering from a ......caused by too much stress.

3.- The plan has suffered a ............ Our sponsor has withdrawn  his support.

4.- As a result of the .........on the motorway his car was a .........

5.- When the car workers staged a .........in protest at the cutting of their tea-break, the employers retaliated with a ............

6.- There was a .........over the time of the interview which resulted in his losing the job. 

TIP: Appendix 9 in my Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed. can help you to do the exercise (pp. 726-730).

KEY

1.- breakthrough; 2.- breakdown; 3.- setback; 4.- pile-up; write-off; 5.- walk-out/walkout, lockout; 6.- mix-up 

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Food idioms -2

A few weeks ago, you had the opportunity to learn some food idioms, but in case you haven't had your fill yet, here you have some more:

Exercise

Complete the following idioms with one of the following words: 
bacon, butter, butterfingers, cake, cheese, peach, onions, pie, potato, soup:

1.- You should get out more and watch less TV, you're turning into a real couch ........

2.- Except for a bit of ........ fuzz, the baby was born bald.
3.- When it comes to computers, he really knows his ........
4.- No one ever thought she was so naughty; she always looked as if .......... wouldn't melt in her mouth.
5.- My wife has had to bring home the ...... ever since I broke my leg.
6.- He's in the .......... It's the third time this month he's been caught exceeding the speed limit.
7.- The goalkeeper had the ball, but he dropped it. What a ........he is!
8.- Simon wants to have his .......... and eat it too. He won't marry me, but he doesn't want me to date anyone else.
9.- He was a very influential man; he seemed to have a finger in every ........
10. I thought I was just going to interview the secretary, but they let me talk to the big ........ himself.

KEY

1.- potato; 2.- peach; 3.- onions; 4.- butter; 5.- wife; 6.- soup; 7.- butterfingers; 8.- cake; 9.- pie; 10.- cheese.

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Léxico: False friends

FALSE FRIENDS

We say that a word is a ‘false friend’ or a ‘false cognate’ when it has the same or very similar form in two languages, but a different meaning in each. The similarity may cause students to use the word wrongly, giving rise sometimes to awkward misunderstandings: fastidious, for example, does not mean ‘fastidioso’ (annoying, bothersome), but ‘meticuloso’. 
Sometimes an English term is equivalent to a Spanish one, but only in one of its meanings: to assist can mean ‘asistir’, but only in the sense of ‘socorrer, ayudar’; for ‘asistir a un acto’ you must use to attend; café means ‘café’ only in the sense of the place where you can have coffee (the beverage). These terms can be described as partially false friends.


EXERCISE: Answer the following questions:

a.-When someone refers to the actual events, is he referring to events happening now?

b.- If a woman says she’s embarrassed, does it mean she’s expecting a baby?

c.- If your teacher asks you to resume your work, does he want you to summarize it?

d.- If I say that my mother was dismayed at the news, do I mean that she passed out?

e.- If your girlfriend forgot to buy you a birthday present, would you regard it as a deception?

f.- Is a comedian supposed to be gracious?

KEY

a.- no, he’s referring to the events themselves; b.- no, she means she’s confused or disconcerted; c.- no, he wants me to continue with my work; d.- no, you mean that she was upset; e.- no, as a disappointment; f.- no, funny

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Food Idioms

FOOD IDIOMS

Exercise

Complete the following idioms with one of the following words: milk, egg, bread, carrot, salt, biscuit, cherry, potato, peas, jam

           

      1.         After their team lost the match 5-0, the fans were left with..........on their face.

      2.         You really take the ...............for making a fool of yourself with women.

      3.         He was lucky – they let him have another bite at the ...............

      4.         He’s been unemployed for over two years, so it’s his wife who’s the ........... winner now.

      5.         The pay is good and what you have to do couldn’t be simpler - it’s  money   for .........

      6.             The mirror is broken and we can't fix it. There's no need to cry over spilled .................

      7.         He’s a liar- You should take whatever he says with a pinch of ................

      8.         The question of pensions is a hot ............. for both the unions and the government.

      9.         It’s really difficult to tell one from the other – they’re as like as two ...............

      10.        To get the best out of your workforce it’s probably better to use the .......... rather than the stick.

KEY

1-egg; 2-biscuit; 3-cherry, 4-bread; 5-jam; 6-milk; 7-salt, 8-potato, 9-peas; 10-carrot

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Idioms with the word ear

Hay muchos modismos con la palabra ear. Hoy selecciono para vosotros algunos de los más frecuentes, con su traducción en español.  

Ejercicio: Completar los siguientes modismos

1) be .... ears ser todo,-a oídos

2) be .... to one’s ears sonar divinamente

3) be .... on one’s ear verse en la calle (sin trabajo)

4) be (still) .... behind the ears estar (todavía) verde (no tener experiencia)

5) be .... to one’s ears in sth estar hasta el cuello/hasta arriba de (trabajo, deudas, dificultades)

6)  .... sb’s ear (about sth) darle la lata/vara/machacar a alguien (con preguntas/problemas, etc)

7) come .... sb’s ears llegar a los oídos de alguien

8)  fall on .... ears caer en saco roto (consejo)

9) feel one’s ears .... silbarle/pitarle a uno los oídos (porque están hablando de nosotros)

10) go in (at) one ear and .... (at) the other entrar(le) por un oído y salir(le) por el otro (comentario, consejo)

11) grin/smile .... ear to ear sonreir de oreja a oreja

12) have an ear .... (in your head) tener metido en la cabeza un fragmento de canción o pieza musical que no puedes dejar de repetir en el interior de la misma

13)  have a .... ear no tener buen oído, tener mal oído (para la música)

14) .... an/one’s ear to the ground mantenerse atento para estar informado/al tanto

15) have sth coming .... of one’s ears salirle a alguien algo por las orejas (dinero, trabajo)/tener para dar y tomar/tener de sobra

16) .... an ear (to sth/sb) prestar atención (a algo/alguien), escuchar con detenimiento/atención

17) listen with .... an ear escuchar a medias/sin prestar mucha atención

18) .... a pig’s ear of sth salirle a alguien algo muy mal/como un verdadero churro, hacer una chapuza de algo

19) not .... one’s ears no dar crédito uno a sus oídos, no creer uno lo que escucha

20) play (sth) .... ear (a) (mús) tocar de oído. (b) (fig) improvisar (algo)

21) prick .... one’s ears (a) aguzar el oído (escuchar con atención) (una persona). (b) levantar las orejas (un perro)

22) sb’s ears are .... tener (alguien) la antena puesta

23) send sb away with a .... in their ear despachar a alguien con cajas destempladas, echar a alguien con viento fresco

24) .... one’s ears taparse los oídos

25) turn a .... ear (to) hacer oídos sordos (a), hacerse el sordo.

KEY

1.- all; 2.- music; 3.- out;4.- wet; 5.- up; 6.- bend; 7.- to (tamb. reach sb’s ears); 8.- deaf; 9.- burning; 10.- out; 11.- from; 12.- worm (tamb. to have an earworm); 13.- tin; 14.- keep; 15.- out; 16.- lend; 17.- half; 18.- make; 19.- believe; 20.- by; 21.- up (puede decirse tamb. sin up); 22.- flapping; 23.- flea; 24.- stop; 25.- deaf

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