REMENGLISH

miércoles, 16 de septiembre de 2015

Free AUDIOBOOKS

Pearson English gives you the opportunity to download free audiobooks. It's very easy! ;)

You can enjoy great books and with audiobooks you can improve your speaking and listening skills.

Don't be lazy because with Pearson English Readers you have no excuse! ;) They go from Easystart to Level 6.

http://pearsonenglishreaders.site/

EXPLORADORES DE BIBLIOTECA - Actividad de fomento de la lectura

A través de la página web de Educación de la Junta de Castilla y León se pretende fomentar la lectura con un programa divertidísimo llamado "Exploradores de Biblioteca". Tal y como se cuenta en el manual de dicho programa de lectura, se trata de un "programa de formación de usuarios cuya finalidad principal es dar a conocer la biblioteca escolar a los alumnos de 4 a 7 años y motivarlos, a ellos y en cierto modo a sus padres, a participar en las actividades que se llevan a cabo en este espacio. Está basado en una metodología lúdica, en la que los niños se transforman en pequeños exploradores, que animados por “Arnold”, un ratón aprendiz de bibliotecario, recorren la ruta del buen explorador para aprender a respetar las normas de la biblioteca y potenciar la creatividad a través de la resolución de pruebas de búsqueda, de creación artística y literaria".

Si quieres que tu hijo/-a se adentre en el increíble mundo de la lectura, visita la siguiente página web e infórmate de cómo comenzar esta aventura ;)

http://www.educa.jcyl.es/fomentolectura/es/informacion-especifica/publicaciones/publicaciones-comunidad-castilla-leon/cuadernos-profesor/cuadernos-profesor-4/exploradores-biblioteca

15 words you need to eliminate from your English vocabulary

According to the author Jennie Haskamp, there are 15 words in English you should eliminate from your vocabulary if you want to sound smarter or if you want to write more succinctly:

1. That

It’s superfluous most of the time. Open any document you’ve got drafted on your desktop, and find a sentence with that in it. Read it out loud. Now read it again without that. If the sentence works without it, delete it. Also? Don’t use that when you refer to people. “I have several friends that live in the neighborhood.” No. No, you don’t. You have friends who. Not friends that.

2. Went

I went to school. Or the store, or to church, or to a conference, to Vegas, wherever it is you’re inclined to go. Instead of went, consider drove, skated, walked, ran, flew. There are any number of ways to move from here to there. Pick one. Don’t be lazy and miss the chance to add to your story.

3. Honestly

People use honestly to add emphasis. The problem is, the minute you tell your reader this particular statement is honest, you’ve implied the rest of your words were not. #Awkward

4. Absolutely

Adding this word to most sentences is redundant. Something is either necessary, or it isn’t. Absolutelynecessary doesn’t make it more necessary. If you recommend an essential course to your new employees, it’s essential. Coincidentally, the definition of essential is absolutely necessary. Chicken or egg, eh?

5. Very

Accurate adjectives don’t need qualifiers. If you need to qualify it? Replace it.
Very is intended to magnify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. What it does is makes your statement less specific. If you’re very happy? Be ecstatic. If you’re very sad, perhaps you’re melancholy or depressed. Woebegone, even. Very sad is a lazy way of making your point. Another pitfall of using very as a modifier? It’s subjective. Very cold and very tall mean different things to different people. Be specific. She’s 6'3" and it’s 13 degrees below freezing? These make your story better while also ensuring the reader understands the point you’re making.

6. Really

Unless you’re a Valley Girl, visiting from 1985, there’s no need to use really to modify an adjective. Or a verb. Or an adverb. Pick a different word to make your point. And never repeat really, or very for that matter. That’s really, really bad writing.

If you are visiting from 1985? Please bring the birth certificate for my Cabbage Patch Doll on your next visit. Thanks.

7. Amazing

The word means “causing great surprise or sudden wonder.” It’s synonymous with wonderful, incredible, startling, marvelous, astonishing, astounding, remarkable, miraculous, surprising, mind-blowing, and staggering. You get the point, right? It’s everywhere. It’s in corporate slogans. It dominated the Academy Awards acceptance speeches. It’s all over social media. It’s discussed in pre-game shows and post-game shows.

Newsflash: If everything is amazing, nothing is.

8. Always

Absolutes lock the writer into a position, sound conceited and close-minded, and often open the door to criticism regarding inaccuracies. Always is rarely true. Unless you’re giving written commands or instruction, find another word.

9. Never

See: Always.

10. Literally

Literally means literal. Actually happening as stated. Without exaggeration. More often than not, when the term is used, the writer means figuratively. Whatever is happening is being described metaphorically. No one actually “waits on pins and needles.” How uncomfortable would that be?

11. Just

It’s a filler word and it makes your sentence weaker, not stronger. Unless you’re using it as a synonym for equitable, fair, even-handed, or impartial, don’t use it at all.

12. Maybe

This makes you sound uninformed, unsure of the facts you’re presenting. Regardless of the topic, do the legwork, be sure, write an informed piece. The only thing you communicate when you include these words is uncertainty.

13. Stuff

This word is casual, generic even. It serves as a placeholder for something better. If the details of thestuff aren’t important enough to be included in the piece? Don’t reference it at all. If you tell your reader to take your course because they’ll learn a lot of stuff? They’re likely to tell you to stuff it.

14. Things

See: Stuff.

15. Irregardless

This doesn’t mean what you think it means, Jefe. It means regardless. It is literally (see what I did there?) defined as: regardless. Don’t use it. Save yourself the embarrassment.

Have a look at her article to learn a little bit more about this topic:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/15-words-you-need-to-eliminate-from-your-vocabulary-to-sound-smarter

What English sounded like 500 years ago

If you are one of those who think English has always sounded in the same way, you are wrong. There are clear samples of this change of sound in films, for instance.

In the following video, you'll be able to listen to that sound difference.