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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mulled Wine Recipe

Mulled wine

This is a lovely warming, comforting drink for the winter.

Ingredients

· Mulled wine spices3 tbsp loose-leaf tea (or six teabags)

· 1 litre of boiling water

· 1 whole orange

· 2-3 cloves

· 1 stick of cinnamon

· 1 bottle of red wine

· sugar or Honey to taste

· lemon slices to serve


Preparation

The most important thing to remember about mulled wine is that it must not boil! It must only simmer gently. Otherwise you lose all the warming effects of the wine and most of the flavour.

The second most important thing is not to use an aluminium pan. Go for stainless steel.

Cut the orange in thick slices and place in the pan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and tea. Add the water and bring it nearly to the boil.

Then, turn the heat down and add the wine. Stir and add the honey or sugar to taste. Just heat it enough for the sugar or honey to dissolve. Pour into a suitable glass or cup and add a slice of lemon.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Synonyms

How many synonyms can you think of for ......Happy ?
Glad
Content
Ecstatic
...................
...................

Expressions for example : "Walking on air" "On cloud 9 "

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Radio Show 21st September 2010


Click the link below to listen to our radio show that was broadcast on Caravaca Radio on Tuesday 21st September 2010. As guests we had Martyn & Denise who run a boutique hotel on the outskirts of Caravaca de la Cruz, called Casa Pedro Barrera.
This is their website: http://www.casapedrobarrera.com/
Hear all about their fantastic hotel and their life in Spain. We also talk about phrasal verbs and other English grammar points during the show.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Good news !!We can do it!!!...Radio show online


For some people we know that 21:15 on a Tuesday evening is't always a suitable time to listen to our radio show. BUT...good news!! We have worked out (we have surprised ourselves!!) how to broadcast these shows online. So no reason to miss a show. Now you can listen to the show whenever you want to . We will be posting the shows each week on this blog for those unable to listen live.

Below is a sample show recorded before the summer holidays, the topic of the show is health.

Hope you enjoy it...please leave any comment below.

Book of the month

Each month we will be reviewing a book to help you learn English. This months book is the "Collins/Cobuild Active English Grammar" This pocket size book is brilliant for reference purposes...you never need to worry about phrasal verbs ever again.

Caravaca Radio


El Centro de Ingles is back on the airways tonight at 21:25 CET on Caravaca Radio. We know that somtimes it is not possible for everyone to listen at that time. We are looking at ways of downloading these programmes and making them available on this blog and on our Face Book page.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Accents and differences in the English language.


In the UK and Ireland people speak with many different accents. Some of them are hard to understand...BUT, this is real English in action. In the USA they speak American English which in many cases can be different to British English....confused?? Watch the links below...I hope they help.

The Phonetic Chart


The English language has 26 letters in its alphabet and most experts believe there are 44 letter sounds. (The experts debate on anywhere between 39 to 45, but most accept 44.) If there were 44 letters in the English alphabet, then reading would really be simple! Each letter would have its own sound. However, since there are 44 sounds and only 26 letters, some letters have to make more than one sound.

The link below is for people interested in learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols. This is a useful skill for students who may want to check the pronunciation of a word in a dictionary. Use the phonetic chart to learn the sounds of English.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Students leave on study trip to the UK


Today, Sunday 25th July 2010, we went to San Javier airport in Murcia to say goodbye to some of our students who we had organised a 2 week study trip to Newcastle for.

There are 4 girls, as you can see in the photo. The 2 younger ones are going to a Summer Camp in a fantastic location in the countryside outside of Newcastle, and the older 2 are going to stay with families and have classes everyday in the city centre academy.

During their stay they will have lots of activities everyday and excursions including visits to Edinburgh, Durham, and York.

I have just spoken to them now that they have arrived and they are very happy with their families and location.

We will be following them on their trip which you can see on this blog.

If you are interested in this type of study trip then please contact us.

Friday, June 25, 2010

www.mabsmurcia.com

Help and Support for Those Affected by Cancer

MABS is a group of people, most of whom have experienced the illness in one form or another. The aim of our Group is to help men and women in Spain affected by cancer. If you need help or can volunteer to drive people to their appointments, translate at doctors / hospitals, organise an event to raise money...., please take a look at the website for how to get involved in this registered charity.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Apple Pie / Tarta de manzana

Ingredients Apple Pie

For the pastry:
* Two cups of flour
* One hundred seventy-five grams of unsalted butter
* Half cup sugar
* Two eggs
* One tablespoon of fresh milk
* Half teaspoon salt

For the filling:
* Nine apples, skin removed and thinly sliced
* ½ cup brown sugar
* A teaspoon of butter
* One teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation for the pastry :
Knead the flour with the butter, sugar, egg and salt until a soft ball.

Stretch with a rolling pin to a thickness of three millimeters, sprinkle a little flour on the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking. Cover a pie dish with the dough. Press the pastry into the sides and base of the dish. Cut around the top of the dish to remove any extra surplus.

Preparation for the apple filling:
In a saucepan, over low heat, cook the apple slices with the sugar, butter and cinnamon, for fifteen minutes, until semi cooked. Remove from the heat and let the apples go cold in bowl. Drain any liquid.

Place apples in the pie dish on top of the pastry. Roll out extra pastry and cut into long strips about 3 cm thick. Put them over the top of the apples.

Brush the top of the pie with fresh milk. Put the dish in the oven at 180 degrees for forty minutes. Remove and serve.


Tarta de manzana
Ingredientes

Para la maza quebrada:
*Dos tazas y media de harina
*Ciento setenta y cinco gramos de mantequilla sin sal
*Media taza de azúcar
*Dos huevos
*Una cucharada de leche fresca
*Media cucharadita de sal

Para el relleno:
*Nueve manzanas Israel sin piel, en láminas finas
*Una taza y media de azúcar rubia
*Una cucharadita de mantequilla
*Una cucharadita de canela en polvo

Preparación

Preparación maza quebrada:
Amase la harina con la mantequilla, el azúcar, un huevo y la sal, hasta obtener una maza suave.

Estírela con un rodillo hasta obtener una lámina de tres milímetros, esparza un poco de harina sobre el rodillo para evitar que la masa se pegue. Cubra con la masa un molde desarmable para tarta de veintidós centímetros de diámetro. Presione bien los lados ya la base. Retire la más excedente y reserve.

Preparación del relleno:
En una sartén, a fuego bajo, cocine las laminas de manzana, con la azúcar, la mantequilla y la canela, durante quince minutos aproximadamente, hasta que estén semicocidas. Retire y deje enfriar en bol. Escurra.

Coloque las manzanas en el molde para tarta. Estire la masa reservada y forme tiras largas de un centímetro de espesor. Acomódelas en forma de rejilla sobre las manzanas.

Bata el huevo restante con la leche fresca y pincele la rejilla. Lleve el molde al horno a ciento ochenta grados durante cuarenta minutos. Retire y sirva.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Radio Show 27 April 2010

You can hear the show broadcast Tuesday 27 April 2010

Listen to the radio show broadcast April 27th 2010.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Recipe from Caravaca Radio programme 13.04.2010

A Recipe = Una Receta

A great, easy recipe for Shepherds Pie.

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1 large onion chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
560g beef mince
400g can tomatoes
290ml beef stock
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme leaves from 1 sprig
2 tbsp tomato purée
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping:
750g potatoes peeled and chopped
75g/2½oz butter
55ml/2fl oz milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Add the minced beef and cook for 3 minutes to brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, purée, beef stock, bay leaf and thyme.
5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season.
6. Make the topping:Put the potatoes in a pan and boil them in water until soft. Drain and mash with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Spoon the meat into an ovenproof dish. Top with the mash and put in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Monday, April 12, 2010

We are on the radio!!


Every Tuesday, starting 13th April, you can hear El Centro de Ingles on Caravaca radio. 21:15 - 22:15 (9:15pm - 10:15pm)
107.4 FM or on the internet http://www.caravacaradio.com/frames.html

The objective of the programme is to give Spanish people, learning English, the chance to hear native English speakers talking about subjects relative to them.

Each week there will be 2 native English speakers and at least one Spanish person speaking English.

Please tell your friends about the show and if you want to take part please contact us.

Interested in history?



We have discovered a great radio station website from Dublin, Ireland.

This site is mainly history, Irish and world history, including the Spanish Civil War.

You can listen and download podcasts. Listen to many different types of speakers ,on this site ,with many different types of accents, mainly Irish.

It's "good craic" as the Irish say.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Words....etmology



Did you know etymology means the study of words? For example did you know that ferrous is derived from the latin ferreus"made of iron", from ferrum "iron".

A Bit of fun! - Does English really sound like this to non-English speakers?


It may come as a surprise to English speakers that the language they speak is pretty complicated phonetically-speaking.

Pat yourself on the back because if you have mastered 44 different phonemes or sounds that you use to construct everything you say in English.

By comparison our friends in Italy only use about half that number.

Click on the link below to see a funny video, it is about how the Italians think English sounds.......


English Spelling Problems?


Post by Tony Higgins 8th April 2010

The English language, from a spelling point of view, can look chaotic, unpredictable and disorganised to a Spanish student. However, a benefit, because of the English language links to Latin, is that some vocabulary is almost identical.

As part of my TEFL studies I am currently reading a book by David Crystal "The English Language - a guided tour of the language" . According to the book,the English spelling system has taken over 1000 years to develop and the complications that we are left with today are a result of major linguistic historical events that have happened over that time. There is also the added factor that British English and American English spell words differently. So it is little wonder even native English speakers (including me)can have problems with spelling never mind EFL students.

Here is a good site provided by my TEFL tutor Terry McClean. Thanks Terry!

Best regards and happy studying

Tony

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Jose Enrique Loves Newcastle....You can too! Learn English in Newcastle


Jose Enrique, Newcastle and Spanish footballer loves Newcastle. Read the article below to find out why. You can find out for yourself why Newcastle is such a great place. El Centro de Ingles can arrange for you to learn English there with an internationally recognised organisation. Contact us for more details.

Jose Enrique is so happy to have stayed at Newcastle United Football Club last summer that he is already contemplating the possibility of spending the rest of his career in Newcastle.

Enrique has developed into an outstanding left-back during his time at Newcastle and is arguably the best full-back playing outside of the Premier League. His performances this season – and at the end of the last – have established the former Spanish Under-21 international as a crowd favourite at St James’ Park (Newcastle's stadium) and the former Villareal prospect has responded by claiming he never wants to leave.

At 24, Enrique, in theory, still has his best years ahead of him, but he has formed a strong bond with the city and its football club during his three years in English football.

“I’m so happy I decided to stay at Newcastle in the summer,” said Enrique.

“I know we are only in the Championship (Segunda), but I love the city and the club. All the foreign players hate the weather here, but it’s not just Newcastle, it’s England. I’m really settled here and I have no desire to go back to Spain. I’m happy at Newcastle, in England and in this team.

“In my three seasons here I know the fans like me and I love that. That is more important for me than anything else, more important than trophies and cups.”

Enrique is not the first foreign import to fall in love with the club and the city it calls home and it is clear Enrique’s words are not empty pledges of loyalty

He added: “I know it will be difficult for us to win something. I would like that very much, but the biggest thing for me is to enjoy playing football and to be happy. I have that at Newcastle and I don’t want to let that go. I could stay here for the rest of my career because of the warmth I feel. It is unbelievable when the fans sing my name, you know you are playing well when that happens.

“I want to play well for the fans and the club. I say thank you all the time. To come over from Spain and to be so liked by the people here. It makes me very proud.

“The fans in England are very different to Spain. The fans love football here. Spain is a good league, but all the Spanish players prefer playing here I think. I want to stay here, I don’t want to go back to Spain.”

Monday, March 15, 2010

Modern Spain...in English (Magazine Article)


Very interesting link, spoken in very clear English. The article talks about Spain in the modern world.

Monocle's photographers, editors and writers travelled the length and breadth of Spain for our national survey. Along the way they sampled its food, culture and transport and scouted out the businesses, brands and services that are leading the country into its new status as a business hub for southwest Europe

Friday, February 12, 2010

in, at, on


in / at / on - prepositions of place

IN

Use 'in' with spaces:

· in a room / in a building

· in a garden / in a park

Use 'in' with bodies of water:

· in the water

· in the sea

· in a river

Use 'in' with lines:

· in a row / in a line

· in a queue

AT

Use 'at' with places:

· at the bus-stop

· at the door

· at the cinema

· at the end of the street

Use 'at' with places on a page:

· at the top of the page

· at the bottom of the page

Use 'at' in groups of people:

· at the back of the class

· at the front of the class

ON

Use 'on' with surfaces:

· on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor

· on the table

Use 'on' with small islands:

· I stayed on Maui.

Use 'on' with directions:

· on the left

· on the right

· straight on

IMPORTANT NOTES

In / at / on the corner

We say 'in the corner of a room', but 'at the corner (or 'on the corner') of a street'

In / at / on the front

· We say 'in the front / in the back' of a car

· We say 'at the front / at the back' of buildings / groups of people

· We say 'on the front / on the back' of a piece of paper

Real English pronunciation

7 Informal Contractions

WANNA know what GONNA means? LEMME show you.

Have you seen words like "gonna" or "wanna" and wondered
what they mean? Perhaps you have looked in a dictionary and
been unable to find them. That's because these words are
"informal contractions" or short forms of other words that
people use when speaking informally. They are not exactly
slang, but they are a little like slang. In fact, if you
look in a good (big) dictionary, you will usually find them.

Here are the 7 most common informal contractions, with
example sentences:

1. GIMME = give me
Gimme your money.
Don't gimme that rubbish.
Can you gimme a hand?

2. GONNA = going to
Nothing's gonna change my love for you.
I'm not gonna tell you.
What are you gonna do?

3a. GOTTA = (have) got a
I've gotta gun.
I gotta gun.
She hasn't gotta penny
Have you gotta car?

3b. GOTTA = (have) got to
I've gotta go now.
I gotta go now.
We haven't gotta do that.
Have they gotta work?

4. INIT = isn't it
That's smart, init?
Init strange?

5. KINDA = kind of
She's kinda cute.
Are you kinda mad at me?

6. LEMME = let me
Lemme go!
He didn't lemme see it.

7a. WANNA = want to
I wanna go home.
I don't wanna go.
Do you wanna watch TV?

7b. WANNA = want a
I wanna coffee.
I don't wanna thing from you.
Do you wanna beer?

Please remember that these are *informal* contractions.
That means that we do not use them in "correct" speech, and
we almost never use them in writing. We use them only when
speaking fast and informally, for example with friends. Also,
the sentences above may be a little artificial because when
we use a contraction like "wanna", we probably also use
other contractions in the same sentence, as follows:

Do you want a beer?
Do you wanna beer?
D'you wanna beer?
D'ya wanna beer?
Ya wanna beer?
Wanna beer?