Stretch your brain!

Today's word challenge: How many irregular past simple verbs can you think of that don't end in the letter "t"?

Yes, this is different from the challenge that's posted on the Facebook page; you can never practice your irregular past simple enough.

Attention Facebook users!

STOP SPANGLISH is now on Facebook! Come on over, visit us, leave a comment or two, and join our online community!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44477&id=174953225867832#!/pages/Stop-Spanglish/174953225867832

Reading practice: Too funny!!

If you think that you're having a bad time with this cold weather, don't worry. It could be a lot worse.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-11908583

At least you're not facing criminal charges!

(Thanks to Gavin Dudney for the story.)

What would you do if your bosses demanded THIS?

From "The Times of India": English is no longer an option for pilots.

http://tinyurl.com/33b6the

The Top Ten Top Ten study habits for language learners

'Nuff said...Thanks, Berni.

The Top Ten Top Ten study habits for language learners

Why virtue doesn't work

A couple of weeks ago, I bought "The Study Skills Handbook" by Stella Cottrell, who works as the Director of Lifelong Learning at the University of Leeds. This book is a real treasure: page after page of valuable brain-training and attitude-adjusting, it gives you tons of information about how to study smarter, not just study more.

One very valuable piece of information is the difference between virtue versus effectiveness (pages 64 and 65). What's the difference?

Virtue: Saying, "I have to study", over and over again (and never doing it).
Effectiveness: "Hey, Patricia... I'm having trouble with using and remembering vocabulary. What can I do to practice the words I really need?"

Virtue: "I need to do every exercise in this book."
Effectiveness: "What are the things I can't do right now? How can I work on improving those things?"

Virtue: "I haven't done any practice this week, so I'm going to work for five hours today."
Effectiveness: "I'm going to do little bits of practice every day, and I'm going to do different things so that I can improve in different areas."

Virtue: "I have to understand everything that the person says in this listening exercise."
Effectiveness: "I don't need to understand everything in order to get the most important ideas in this listening. And if I don't understand it the first time, I'll listen to it again and again until I DO understand it."

Virtue: "If I can't learn to speak English perfectly, I'm not going to try at all."
Effectiveness: "There's no such thing as perfect English. I'm going to try my best."

Is being virtuous getting you what you want?

Why you should never trust online translation programs...

Via Twitter... Thanks to the Grammar Monkeys... This would never get you a passing grade on the First Certificate!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/18/best-description-of-house_n_467219.html

Need extra help with pronunciation? A gem from MIT

Pronunciation is one of those skills that a lot of teachers know that they should do, but they don't. Sometimes it's because they're not sure themselves of how it works; sometimes, pronunciation doesn't fall in neatly with a subject; and, unfortunately, there are teachers who just don't think it's important.

Those of you who have had class with me have probably suffered...er, studied...pronunciation. For those of you who don't have a lot of experience with pronunciation, or who would like to practice on your own, check out Isaiah Woo's Listening, Speaking and Pronunciation class. While MIT hasn't put the complete course online, you'll get a lot from the video exercises (which are also available through YouTube.)

http://tinyurl.com/36c9svk

Past tense practice: Beer made humans civilized

Got this from Andrew Sullivan's blog at TheAtlantic.com. Here's some past tense practice you can work on as you go for your Sunday cañas...

http://tinyurl.com/39be3a3

Enjoy!

Eat, drink, be merry, practice your English...all for a good cause!

Concepta Connors, who works at the Irish Embassy in Madrid, sent this along...oh, go on! Go for it! How many times do you get the chance to drink and practice your English at the same time? Especially if it's for a good cause!

========================================================

The Spanish Irish Business Network and James Joyce Irish Pub are organizing a Pub Quiz in aid of Barretstown on Thursday 18^th November at 8pm in Madrid. It’s a great cause, a good chance to network and promises to be lots of fun! Register your team (max 5) today by emailing: info@jamesjoycemadrid.com A contribution of €10 per person will be collected on the night.

Barretstown is a specially-designed camp that provides Therapeutic Recreation programmes for children with serious illnesses, and their families. It was founded by actor Paul Newman in 1994 and modelled on his renowned Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut, USA. Excellent, unobtrusive medical supervision helps children with cancer and other diseases forget illness, learn to have fun and rebuild their confidence and self-esteem. The programmes take place at a fairytale castle in the beautiful foothills of Ireland's Wicklow Mountains.

Barretstown serves children affected by serious illnesses - primarily cancer and serious blood diseases - from all over Europe and their families. Each summer over 100 Spanish children benefit from camp at Barretstown. All of these children come to Barretstown free of charge. Everything, including accommodation, food, medical assistance and round-trip airfares are provided at no cost to the family. Barretstown is supported by donations and the fundraising efforts of corporate supporters, individuals and community groups. The November Pub Quiz is being held in order to ensure that Spanish children continue to benefit from this life-changing, positive experience.

Donations may be online via the following website: http://www.mycharity.ie/event/pubquiz or bank transfer. To make a bank transfer and request a certificado de donación, please contact:

María Vico Gago
Coordinadora - BARRETSTOWN – ESPAÑA

Email: maria.vico@barretstown.org.es
tel (0034) 91 650 13 29
fax (0034) 91 650 71 27
móvil 607 53 77 55
www.barretstown.org