Let's play Hurling!

It's fast, it's furious and it's a lot of fun! I'm talking about hurling, a very popular sport in Ireland. Have you ever seen people playing it? Take a look at this a short clip.

Would you like to know more about this exciting sport? So listen to this passage which describes the origins of the game, as well as its basic rules and equipment. Then try two activities to test your comprehension. At the bottom of the page you can find the original script to help you check your answers. There is also a fun crossword puzzle to play online. Have fun!

Song: Clumsy (Fergie)

Our song this time is Fergie's 'Clumsy'. Listen and then try a vocabulary activity to practise 'ways of walking'. There is a list of related verbs to help you, if you want. And if you prefer to watch Fergie's original clip, click here!

Quiz: Elections

Americans will choose a new president this year. Test your vocabulary connected with elections trying this BBC quiz!

Check also:
U.S. elections: how Americans vote

Martin Luther King's dream

It's impossible to talk about any civil rights movement without mentioning his name. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister from Atlanta, Georgia, became one of the most important symbols of the fight to end racial discrimination in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s and became the youngest person ever to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. His words and his ideas are still as alive today as they were 40 years ago, when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

How much do you know about Dr. King's life and work? Read his biography and then try a quiz to see how much you remember. There is also a very good crossword puzzle with words connected with his life and the civil rights movement.

And here is part of his inspiring "I have a dream" speech. After reading and listening, complete these two extracts using the right words (you may also want to keep the listening window open and do it as a dictation!).

To watch the video of Dr. King's speech, click here.

See also:

Song: Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder

Song: Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2

It's April Fool's Day!

A UFO landing in London. The unknown island of San Serriffe. Instant colour TV. These are just some of the most memorable April Fool's Day pranks you can find at the Museum of Hoaxes. And what if we could find spaghetti trees? (watch the video here)

To celebrate April Fool's Day in style, try this wordsearch! You can also answer this quiz published by the Guardian, and learn more about this funny date in this listening passage. If you want to read the script while you listen, click here. Have fun!!!

Happy Easter!

It's Easter time and here are a few activities to have fun and practise your vocabulary!

- an Easter vocabulary game with audio (for beginners);

- an Easter quiz (also for beginners)

- an Easter hangman game

- a listening activity (for pre-intermediate students). Listen to Joel talking about the origins of Easter and choose the correct answer for each part.

Happy Easter!

Vocabulary: describing character

What do you call a person who only thinks about him/herself? What about someone you can rely on? Revise some common adjectives describing character trying this BBC quiz (intermediate) or this multiple-choice activity (advanced level). Then try and match some of those characteristics with the 12 star signs of the zodiac! Do you fit the description?

Words we often confuse

Some English words are easily confused. This may happen because they are homophones (they sound the same but have different spelling and meaning), or maybe because they sound or look like a word in our own language - they are 'false friends'.

Here are different activities to help you revise and practise some of these words. First, a short quiz to match similar words to their meanings. You can then try and select which verb completes each sentence correctly clicking here.

If you are at basic or pre-intermediate level, here's a crossword puzzle using opposite verbs. And for intermediate students, why not try this quiz with easily confused verbs?

Finally, a more advanced BBC quiz in which you have to choose which word best completes each sentence. Careful, their meanings are quite similar! Have fun!

Looking for more practice? Try these links!

Advanced vocabulary game

Upper-intermediate: synonyms

Opposites: different activities

Song: Opposites Attract (Paula Abdul)

Take a nap and improve your memory

Next time your teacher or boss catches you sleeping at your desk, tell him or her that you are following expert's advice and taking a nap to improve your memory! A recent study conducted by scientists in Israel indicates that a quick afternoon sleep can actually do wonders for your long-term memory and help you remember important information more easily.

But different people have different daily rhythms and appear to be more alert at certain times of the day. What about you? When are you at your best? Answer this questionnaire and find out!

Here's a text with sleep-related vocabulary missing. Print and complete it with the words given. You can also try this error-correction activity. Read the sentences and click on the extra word - but be careful, some sentences are correct!

Finally, how about some listening practice? Listen to Ruth and Akane talking about sleeping problems and try the accomopanying activity. You can also read the script clicking here.

Vocabulary: same or different?

This is a vocabulary game to test your knowledge of some fairly advanced words. Look at each pair and decide if they share similar meanings or express opposite ideas. When you get the answer right, the words turn blue; wrong answers show the words in red.

U.S. elections: how Americans vote

Americans are getting ready to elect a new president and this year the race to the White House started earlier than usual, with Democrat and Republican candidates fighting to be nominated to officially represent their political parties in November. The dispute seems to be between senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on one side and John McCain and Mitt Romney on the Republicans' side. On February 5th, at least twenty-two states will take part in “Super-Duper Tuesday” primaries, including some of the biggest states like California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York.

But how do Americans choose their president? Compared to many other countries where people vote directly on the candidate they prefer, the American system seems to be far more complicated. Click here to read about how it works in general, and here to find out more about this year's elections. Then learn some of the most important words related to elections trying a crossword puzzle and a wordsearch. If you need help, you can use this glossary!

Try also:

Quiz: Elections

Colloquial expressions and slang

Like any other language, everyday English is full of colloquial expressions and slang. Coursebooks don't always introduce them to students, but movies and songs can be a great source of this kind of vocabulary. Here is an interesting quiz to try: look at the pictures illustrating different expressions, read the sentences and choose the correct meaning. There are several levels to try!

Creative differences... A Monty Python sketch

What do Leonardo da Vinci, Mel Brooks and Monty Python have in common? Well, they all have come up with their own version of The Last Supper. It's interesting how one same theme can lend itself to some very different interpretations!

Artists, however, occasionally have a hard time trying to explain their creative work to other people! Watch this funny sketch with British group Monty Python about a hypothetical meeting between the Pope and Michelangelo. Why is the Pope angry? What changes did the artist make in the classic scene? If you prefer to watch the video with no subtitles, click here.



Here's a text (good for CAE vocabulary practice) that descibes how some of the most creative ideas can, in fact, be quite simple!

See also
Leonardo da Vinci at 16 billion pixels
What's the big idea?

Cycling safely in Portland, OR

Cycling to work or school is not only good exercise, but also environmentally-friendly and an effective way of arriving faster at your destination. But in big urban centres, it can also be dangerous. Portland (OR), in the United States, is proud of being one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country and it's now taking new measures to improve bikers' safety. Read all about the new plans in this article published in the New York Times.

Take a look at this picture with the names of all the different bike parts in English, then try a quiz to test how much you remember. And if you want some listening practice, check this interview with Terry, in which he talks about his bicycle trips. There are five parts in all, and you can choose if you want to just listen (click on 'flash audio'), try the comprehension questions (click on 'show quiz') or read the script while you listen to the recording (click on 'text-mp3').

Vocabulary: travelling

Ready to enjoy your holidays? It's summer in the southern hemisphere, and here are some activities related to the world of travelling. How about doing some listening practice? Listen to a man talking about his family's travel preferences and match the people to the right places.

Looking for some vocabulary activities? Here's a simple crossword puzzle to revise some of the most common words, and a BBC quiz.

For advanced students, here's a gap-fill activity. Read the text and write te correct word in each box. You can use the 'hint' button for help. It's great practice if you are preparing for the CAE or CPE.

Phrasal verbs: New Year's

Here's a little story about New Year's to practise some important phrasal verbs in English. For each blank, think about the correct particle to complete the verbs. Then click on the box to check your answers.

Vocabulary: Numbers!

The song "12 days of Christmas" mentions two types of numbers: counting (natural) numbers like one, two, three, etc. and ordinal numbers - first, second, third, etc. Here are some activities to revise their use:

- match the ordinal numbers to their names

- answer a quiz with some common words and expressions related to numbers

Try also:

Listening activities: numbers

Where people live

How many words related to types of houses/accommodation can you find in this grid? There are 12 words hidden; they may be found vertically, horizontally or diagonally. To highlight a word, click on the first letter, drag the mouse and click again on the last letter of the word. If it's correct, it will turn green and the word will be crossed from the list. Then match the words you've found to the correct definitions.

And what's your ideal home like? Here's a listening activity for upper-intermediate/advanced students; listen to Mark talking about his ideal home and answer the multiple choice quiz.

It's Christmas time! Vocabulary activities

It's Christmas time! How about trying some vocabulary activities related to this very special date? First, take a look at this great game for basic level students; first, click on 'review' to listen and learn the words (don't forget to turn your speakers on!); then play the game and help decorate the Christmas tree! You can also try and find some common Christmas words in this wordsearch, or complete a crossword puzzle. Finally, here's a BBC quiz for upper-intermediate and advanced students and a series of Christmas riddles and puns at advanced level. Have fun!

See also:
Christmas traditions
Song: Do they know it's Christmas?

Protect the environment: stay married!

Things you can do to help our planet: walk to work or ride your bike; drive hybrid cars; recycle; use energy-efficient resources; stay married. Yes, divorce is bad for the environment, according to a recent study published in an academic journal. The reason is simple: more family break-ups would mean people living in separate houses, and that would mean higher use of resources such as water and electricity. Here is a listening passage with the story. As you listen, complete the text and then check your answers here.