16 junio 2014

DUALBOOKS: Libros bilingües... GRATIS!

DualBooks, libros bilingües, es una colección de grandes obras de la literatura universal en versión bilingüe español/inglés. (click en imagen para ir a web)



En estos “libros duales” el texto viene en una página en español y en la otra en inglés, con párrafos coincidentes para aprender idiomas de una forma divertida y muy cómoda.

Disfruta del inglés, de la literatura y olvídate del diccionario!
DualBooks ofrece tanto la versión papel, en servicio de compra online y entrega a domicilio, como la nueva y sorprendente aplicación móvil.
 

Ya puedes descargarte de forma gratuita la APP DualBooks, libros bilingües para Android (Google) e iOS (Apple). La APP contiene todos los libros editados en formato dual por nuestra editorial e incluye los audiolibros en inglés sincronizados con el texto.

¿A qué estás esperando? Prueba la aplicación YA y comienza a practicar tus reading skills y vocabulario de forma rápida y entretenida con algunos de los clásicos disponibles.

10 junio 2014

The 15 World's Deadliest Animals

What would you say is the most dangerous animal on Earth? Sharks? Snakes? Humans?... Of course the answer depends on how you define dangerous.
I encountered this amazing chart while surfing the net and I was shocked to see the information given. The death toll from mosquito bites is 725,000 in a year, whereas sharks kill an average of 10 people per year.

In my case, sharks have been giving me the creeps since I first saw Spielberg's killing white shark movie, Jaws. But if you’re judging by how many people are killed by an animal every year, then the answer isn’t any of the above. Forget about the shark, the hippopotamus, the snake, the wolf, the lion, the elephant or the crocodile. The right answer is... the mosquito! When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close.

The number of mosquito-caused deaths really is a mind-blowing fact. Other than humans killing humans during periods of war (without relevant wars it remains at about 475,000 casualties per year), the mosquito usually wins. The reason? Mosquitoes carry terrible diseases, including malaria (which kills more than 600,000 people every year) or the dengue fever virus.

It is also interesting to see that, apart from the disgraceful human-killing-human factor on the second place, the snake rises on the third position with around 50,000 deaths. This is something I was expecting rather than the dog being the fourth most killing. The reason? Dogs spread and inflict the deadly disease of rabies, which kills around 25,000 people around the globe. After the dog comes strange insects and bugs such as the tse-tse fly, the assassin beetle or the water snail, all of them spreading human killing diseases as well. After them, two disgusting worm species and finally the big ones, known by everyone (crocodiles, hippos,etc.)

Check out the chart above for further details and... you know, beware the mosquito. It can be deadly!



15 mayo 2014

Adolfo Suárez: Spanish First President of Democracy, by Cristian Moya Orts (2º C ESO)

Adolfo Suárez, the first President of democracy in Spain, was born in Cebreros (Ávila) on 25th of September 1932 and died on 23rd of March 2014 in Madrid, at the age of 81. Although away from public life since 2003 due to dementia and neurological illness, Suárez will always be remembered as one of the greatest architects of the Spanish Transition. However, he went down in history as the first elected president in Spain after 40 years of dictatorship.

Adolfo Suárez graduated in law in the University of Salamanca. After holding various positions within the structures of the Franco regime, Suárez was appointed civil governor of Segovia in 1968. A year later, in 1969, he was appointed Managing director of Spanish Radio Television (TVE), a position he held until 1973.

In April 1975 he was appointed deputy secretary general of “El Movimiento” and on 11th of December 1975 he was part of the first government of Arias Navarro, formed right after the death of Franco, as Minister Secretary General. However, this new conservative government, for many an extension of the recent ruling dictatorship, lacked sufficient support from the people and failed to undertake the reform process that the country needed. As a result, Arias Navarro resigned just after a few months as president (July 1976) and Adolfo Suárez was instructed Cabinet. During the next months, Suárez struggled to establish a democratic regime and organized meetings with the main political parties and leaders. The reform was passed by the General Courts and accepted by the Spanish population (after a referendum), who was willing to move towards democracy. In the end, on 15th of July 1977, the first elections took place in Spain after more than 40 years, since the outbreak of the Civil War (1936).

Suárez won the elections and became the first democratic president. Virtually unknown to most Spaniards, his appointment on July 3rd 1976 as elected president raised controversy and criticism. For conservatives, too young and inexperienced; for the opposition, too linked to the previous regime.

Finally, on January 29th 1981, Adolfo Suárez resigned, nearly five years after being appointed Prime Minister by the King. That same year, the king granted him the title of Duke of Suárez for his role in the transition.


The future remains unwritten, for it is only the People who can write it. 
Adolfo Suárez

08 mayo 2014

Ready, steady... Cambridge Exams 2014!

Mañana día 9 de Mayo comienzan los Exámenes Cambridge 2014, para los cuales hemos presentado a un total de 87 alumnos del centro en nuestro primer año como Preparation Centre. Les deseamos a todos nuestros alumnos candidatos la mejor de las suertes y os dejamos esta tabla a modo de resumen/recordatorio con los datos más básicos referentes a los exámenes. Recordad que las notas saldrán oficialmente el día 7 de Julio accediendo a esta dirección (ir a web) e insertando los códigos personales que os entregamos. Los certificados no estarán disponibles hasta después de verano.

Good luck and do your best!




Cambridge Exam
Date
Time
Candi-dates
Venue
FCE – First Certificate (B2)
9 May
10 am - 11:15 am
9
Colegio La Inmaculada
10 May
9 am - 1 pm
EYL - Starters
16 May
4 pm - 5:55 pm
3
Colegio La Inmaculada
EYL - Movers
16 May
4 pm - 5:55 pm
14
Colegio La Inmaculada
EYL - Flyers
16 May
4:15pm - 6:25pm
15
Colegio La Inmaculada
PET International (B1)
17 May
9:15am - 1:10pm
2
San Juan Bosco - Salesianos
KET for Schools (A2)
24 May
9:15am - 2:10pm
21
Colegio La Inmaculada
PET for Schools (B1)
24 May
9:15pm - 2:50pm
23
Colegio La Inmaculada


Total
87


07 mayo 2014

Film review: "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back", by Ignacio López Huertas (2º C ESO)

Introduction: I watched ‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’ on DVD last week with my uncle and my little cousin. The film, released in 1980, is an amazing science-fiction movie from the famous director George Lucas, starring Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia and my favourite, Harrison Ford, also known as Han Solo. It takes place a long time ago in a remote galaxy.

Plot: the film starts in the frozen planet Hoth where the Rebels, one of whose commanders is Luke Skywalker, have built a secret base to hide themselves from the Empire. The Imperial Fleet have found it and they prepare an attack to destroy the Rebel base. There is an epic battle but, even though the Rebels lose, our three heroes get to escape to Bespin, the gas planet where Leia and Han are taken prisoners by the Empire and Luke has to fight his unknown-to-him father, Darth Vader. During the fight his father maims his hand and Luke falls down an air shaft but, luckily enough his friends are there to rescue him.
 
Verdict: I really enjoyed the film because, on top of the actors being great, the battles and the special effects were even better thanks to the beautiful graphics and scenery. It is truly a great film, a masterpiece. Not to mention the incredible soundtrack composed by John Williams. In fact, the movie won 2 Oscar Awards and, for many, it is considered the best episode in the Star Wars saga.