6/09/2008

COMMON VOCABULARY

SOME COMMON ENGLISH WORDS
AUXILIARIES
can poder (fut. will be able)
could pude, podría
do, does (aux. pres.simple)
did (aux. de pasado simple)
don’t (aux. negativo)
may puedo, puede (prob.)
might (indica probabilidad)
must debo, debe (obligat.)
shall (ofrecimientos; fut.)
should debería
will (indica futuro)
would (indica condicional)

CONJUNCTIONS
although aunque
and y
as mientras, como
because porque
but pero, excepto
if si (condicional)
in order to con el fin de
instead of en vez de
however sin embargo
nor ni
or o
since desde, ya que
so así que
so that para que
than (comparative) que
then entonces, luego
though aunque
whether si (condicional)
while mientras

PRONOUNS
anybody / anyone (+)cualquiera, (-)nadie, (?)alguien
anything (+)cualq. cosa, (?)algo, (-) nada
everything todo
everybody /everyone todos
he él
her (a) ella (complemento)
herself ella (sí) misma
him (a) él (complemento)
himself él (sí) mismo
I yo
it ello (pron. neutro)
itself ello mismo
me mí, me (compl.)
myself yo (mí) mismo
nobody / no one nadie
nothing nada
one uno, el (the blue one)
ourselves nosotros mismos
she ella
them (a) ellos/as (compl.)
themselves ellos mismos
they ellos/as
us (a) nosotros/as (compl.)
we nosotros/as
what que
which cuál, cuáles, lo cual
who quien
whom a quien, quien
whose cuyo, cuya
you tu, te, a ti, para ti
yourself tu mismo
yourselves vosotros mismos
somebody alguien
someone alguien
something algo
somewhere (en) algún sitio

PREPOSITIONS
about acerca de
above por encima de
according to según (dice)
across al otro lado de
after después de
against contra
along a lo largo de
among entre (varias cosas)
around alrededor (de)
at en, a (una hora)
before antes (de)
between entre (dos cosas)
by junto a, por
down abajo
during durante, en
for para, por, durante
from de, desde
into (hacia) dentro
in en, dentro de
near cerca de, cerca
of de
on encima, sobre, puesto
opposite enfrente de
outside fuera
over sobre, más de
through a través de
to a, hacia, para
toward (towards) hacia
till hasta que
under bajo, debajo de
until hasta que (time)
upon en
with con
within dentro (de)
without sin

ADVERBS
abroad en el extranjero
actually en realidad
again de nuevo, otra vez
ago hace... (six years ago)
almost casi
already ya
also también, además
always siempre
away lejos
early temprano
easily fácilmente
even incluso
ever (con have) alguna vez
fast rápido, rápidamente
hardly apenas, casi no
here aquí
how cómo
instead en vez de ello
just recién, justo, sólo
late tarde
lately últimamente
maybe quizás
nearly casi
never nunca
not (con un verbo) no
now ahora
nowadays hoy día
off (contrario de on)
often a menudo
once una vez
only solamente
out fuera
perhaps quizás
probably probablemente
quite bastante, muy
quickly rápidamente
rather mas bien
recently recientemente
slow despacio
so tan
sometimes a veces
soon pronto
then entonces, luego
there allí
thus por tanto
today hoy
tomorrow mañana
tonight esta noche
together juntos
too (final de frase) también
too (+ adj.) demasiado
twice dos veces
usually habitualmente
very muy
well bien
when cuando
where donde
why por qué, por lo que
yes sí
yesterday ayer
yet ya (?), todavía (-)

DETERMINERS
a un, una
all todo, todos
an un, una
another otro
any cualquier, (-) ningún
both ambos
each cada, cada uno
either o, cualquiera de los dos , (-) tampoco
every todos
few pocos
first primer, primero
her su, suyo (de ella)
his su, suyo (de él)
its suyo (neutro)
last último
least el menos
less menos
many muchos
more más
most el más, la mayoría
much mucho
my mi
next siguiente
other otros, otro
our nuestro, nuestros
own propio
same mismo
second segundo
several varios
some algunos
such tan, tal
that ese, esa, aquel
the el, la, los, las
their su (de ellos/as)
these éstos, éstas
this ésto, ésta, éste
those esos/as, aquellos/as
your tu (posesivo)

ADJECTIVES
actual real
afraid asustado
alone solo
appropriate apropiado
available disponible
awful horrible
asleep dormido
back de atrás
big grande
bored aburrido (por algo)
boring aburrido (que aburre)
broken roto, averiado
bright brillante
busy /bizi/ ocupado
chief principal
clean limpio
clear claro, despejado
close cercano, íntimo
closed cerrado
cold frío
cool fresco (temperatura)
correct correcto
deep profundo
different diferente
dry seco
easy fácil
enough /in(f/ suficiente /-s
far lejano, lejos
fast rápido
fed up (with) harto (de)
fine bien, bueno
fit en buena forma física
front de delante
frightened asustado
full lleno
fun divertido
funny gracioso, raro
good -better - the best
bueno - mejor - el mejor
great gran(de), genial
green verde
happy feliz
hard duro, difícil
hard-working trabajador/a
healthy sano, saludable
high alto
hot caliente
human humano
important importante
just justo
kind amable
large grande
late tarde, con retraso
lazy perezoso, vago
little pequeño
long largo(tb. de tiempo)
lost perdido
low bajo (en una escala, o el tono)
main principal
major importante, serio
modern moderno
national nacional
narrow estrecho
new nuevo
no no, ningún (no car)
old viejo
old-fashioned anticuado
poor pobre
possible posible
present presente, actual
proud orgulloso / a
public público
real real
red rojo
rich rico
right derecho, correcto
round redondo
sad triste
safe seguro, sin peligro
scared asustado
scary terrorífico
scientific científico
short corto, bajo (estatura)
sick enfermo
soft blando
slow lento
small pequeño
straight recto
strong fuerte
suitable adecuado
top superior, destacado
true verdadero
warm cálido
weak débil
white blanco
whole entero, íntegro
wide ancho
wild salvaje, silvestre
worried preocupado
wrong equivocado, erróneo
young joven

VERBS
act actuar
add añadir
agree estar de acuerdo
appear aparecer, parecer
am soy, estoy
are eres, somos, sois, son
ask preguntar
ask to /ask for pedir
attack atacar
attempt intentar
avoid evitar
be ser, estar
been sido, estado
being siendo, estando, ser
become llegar a ser/hacerse
begin empezar
believe creer
belong pertenecer
be over acabar
bite morder
bring traer
brought traje, trajiste, trajo, trajeron… built construí, construíste...
burn quemar
call llamar
care for cuidar
carry llevar, cargar con
come venir
check comprobar, revisar
claim afirmar, reivindicar
clean limpiar
climb subir, escalar
complain quejarse
consider considerar
continue continuar
cook cocinar
cost costar
cover cubrir
create crear
cry llorar
cut cortar
demand exigir
develop desarrollar, revelar (fotos)
die morir
do hacer
drop dejar caer
enter entrar
exercise hacer ejercicio
fall caer
fear temer
feed alimentar
feel sentir, palpar
fill llenar
find encontrar
find out averiguar, descubrir
fit encajar, quedar bien
follow seguir
give dar
get obtener, comprar, llegar a, ponerse, hacerse
get back llegar de regreso
get dressed vestirse
get in entrar
get old envejecer
get ready prepararse
get up levantarse
got (pasado de “get”)
go ir
go home ir a casa
go on continuar
go out salir
gone ido
grow crecer, cultivar
grow up hacerse adulto
happen ocurrir, pasar
have tener, (aux) haber
had pasado de have
has tiene
hear oir
heard oí, oído
help ayudar
hold sujetar
held pasado de hold
hurry apresurarse
hurt hacer daño, doler
improve mejorar
increase aumentar
is es, está
join unir, unirse a
keep guardar, mantener
keep on persistir, continuar
kick patear, dar patadas
kill matar
know saber, conocer
laugh /-f / reir
learn aprender
leave dejar, marcharse
let dejar, permitir
lie echarse (I), mentir (R)
like gustarle a uno
listen (to) escuchar
live vivir
look mirar, parecer, verse
look for buscar
look (sth) up buscar en libros
made hice, hecho, fabricado
make hacer
make up inventarse algo
manage arreglárselas
mark marcar
marry casarse con
match unir, combinar
mean querer decir o hacer
miss echar en falta, perder
mix mezclar
move mover(se), mudarse
murder asesinar
need necesitar, hacer falta
notice notar
organize organizar
owe deber, estar en deuda
own tener, ser dueño de
pass pasar, adelantar, aprobar (examen)
pay pagar
phone telefonear
play jugar, tocar música
produce producir
pull tirar de algo
punish castigar
push empujar
put poner
reach alcanzar
read leer
realize darse cuenta
receive recibir
relax relajarse, tranqulizarse
release soltar, editar(discos)
remain permanecer
remember recordar
remove quitar
replace sustituir, reponer
report dar parte, informar
rest descansar
return regresar, volver
reward recompensar
ride subir en (bici, caballo..)
rise alzarse, elevarse
run correr, dirigir algo
say decir
said /sed/ dije, dijiste, dijo
saw / so:/ vi, viste, vio...
search buscar
see ver
seek buscar
seen visto
seem parecer
send enviar
serve servir
set colocar, poner
show mostrar, enseñar
smell oler
smile sonreir
speak hablar
speed ir deprisa
spread extender
stand estar de pie
stand up ponerse de pie
start empezar
start over volver a empezar
state declarar, afirmar
stay quedarse
step pisar
steal robar una cosa
stop parar
store almacenar
suppose suponer
take coger, llevar
take care of cuidar de
taken cogido
talk hablar, conversar
taste saborear, probar
tell decir, contar, mandar
test probar, comprobar
think pensar, creer
touch tocar
try intentar, probar a.
turn girar
turn down bajar el volumen, rechazar
turn on / off encender/ apagar
use usar
wait esperar
wake up despertar
walk caminar
want querer
wash lavar
watch mirar
wish desear
wonder preguntarse
work trabajar
worry preocupar(se)
write escribir

NOUNS
account cuenta
accord acuerdo
age edad
aid auxilios, ayuda
air aire
alarm clock despertador
appearance apariencia
amount cantidad, suma
answer respuesta
arm brazo
army ejército
attack ataque
attempt intento
bank banco
back espalda, parte trasera
bill factura, billete
billion mil millones
bite mordedura
body cuerpo
book libro
boy muchacho, chico
break descanso, oportunidad
brother hermano
building edificio
business negocio, empresa, asunto
call llamada, llamamiento
campaign campaña
car coche
care cuidados
case caso, maleta
cause causa
center / centre centro
century siglo
chance oportunidad, azar
change cambio
character personaje, carácter
chemical producto químico
child niño o niña, hijo/a
children niños, hijos
city ciudad
claim afirmación, reivindicación
color / colour color
collar cuello (ropa), collar
community comunidad
company compañía
complaint queja
concern preocupación
condition condición
corner esquina
country país, campo
course curso
court tribunal, juzgado
crime delito
day dia
development desarrollo
doctor médico
disease enfermedad
door puerta
dress vestido
drop gota
end fin
entrance entrada
evening tarde-noche
exit salida
eye ojo
face cara, rostro
fact hecho, realidad
factory fábrica
family familia
father padre
fear miedo
feet pies (foot pie)
fight pelea, lucha
fire fuego
food comida
force fuerza
friend amigo/a
front parte delantera
fun diversión
game juego
garden jardín, huerta
gate puerta, portón
girl chica
god dios
government gobierno
half (la) mitad
hand mano
head cabeza
health salud
heart corazón
home hogar
hope esperanza
horse caballo
hour hora
house casa
hundred ciento
husband marido
idea idea
illness enfermedad
interest interés, afición
iron hierro, plancha (de ropa)
job trabajo, colocación
kind tipo, clase
lady dama
land tierra, pais
law ley
letter carta, letra
life vida
light luz
line línea, cola (gente)
love amor
man hombre (men hombres)
mark marca, puntuación
matter asunto
meal comida
meaning significado
men hombres
mile milla
mind mente
miracle milagro
mistake error
mixture mezcla
moment momento
money dinero
month mes
morning mañana
mother madre
murder asesinato
murderer asesino
name nombre
news noticias
night noche
noise ruido
note nota
nothing nada
number número
office oficina
pain dolor
pair par
paper papel, periódico
parent padre o madre
party fiesta, grupo, partido
patient paciente
peace paz
pen pluma, bolígrafo
people personas, gente (pl.)
picture imagen, dibujo, foto
piece pieza, pedazo, trozo
place lugar, sitio
plane avión, plano
plant planta
point punto, punta
poison veneno
poisoning envenenamiento
pollution contaminación
power poder, potencia(elec)
pressure presión
price precio
prison prisión, cárcel
prize premio
race carrera, raza
reason razón
report informe
research investigación
científica
reward recompensa
road carretera, calle
room habitación
safety seguridad
sale venta, rebajas
search búsqueda
school escuela
science ciencia
scientist científico
ship barco, nave
shop tienda, taller
sister hermana
side lado, costado
size talla, tamaño
sky cielo
smell olor
speed velocidad
sport deporte
stairs escaleras
step paso
store almacén, tienda
strength fuerza
stuff cosas
surface superficie
taste sabor
thing cosa
top parte de arriba, cima
train tren
trainer entrenador
training entrenamiento
trip viaje
truth verdad
wall pared, muro
war guerra
warning advertencia
way camino, sentido, manera
week semana
welcome bienvenida
wheel rueda
wind viento
window ventana
woman mujer (women /wimin/ mujeres)
wonder maravilla, milagro
word palabra
work trabajo
world mundo
year año
zero cero

12/20/2007

Famous movie scenes: "The Shining" Original Trailer.


"The Shining" was directed by Stanley Kubric in 1980 based on a story by Stephen King. It was not well received by critics then, but now it is considered one of the best horror movies of all time. Tomorrow my students from 2nd year of bachillerato and I have scheduled a screening of "the Shining" as the last activity before Christmas break. After watching this movie I think they may have trouble sleeping, and not exactly because they're expecting Santa Claus! The original trailer above will give you an idea of the kind of horror film this is. Just don't ride your tricycle along the hallways of an empty hotel this Christmas!

12/10/2007

Famous Movie Scenes: The Shower Scene in "Psycho"


"Psycho" is a well-known horror classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960 in glorious black and white. It includes the most famous shower scene in film history, a murder scene showcasing the also famous and haunting music of Bernard Herrmann. The scene is a perfect example of the importance of montage (editing) in film. Almost like a Picasso cubist painting, the camera permits us to compose the scene in our minds by showing a variety of different angles. You can hardly see the murderer's knife touch the victim, but the effect is one of great violence.

11/23/2007

Yeti, Bigfoot, Sasquatch

A Yeti, a Sasquatch, or a Bigfoot are all very similar mythical animals supposedly inhabiting the Himalayas, Canada, or the USA. They look as if they were half ape, half human, or as if they were all human pranksters in a gorilla costume. They live hidden in the forests and are very rarely captured by a camera. This is the most famous Bigfoot movie, filmed in the sixties by a man called Patterson. Look at the way the creature walks. That must have been a very uncomfortable costume!

11/22/2007

Invaders from Mars!


The Most Famous Radio Show in History
On October 30, 1938 a CBS "Halloween special" radio show directed by Orson Welles caused panic in many areas of the USA. The show was a dramatization of The War of the Worlds by British science-fiction author H. G. Wells. The difference was that the show, after an introduction by Orson Welles himself and a musical interlude, was presented as an actual news report. Many listeners tuned in late and missed the introduction, so they believed it was the real news. They believed that Martians were actually invading the USA destroying communication lines and killing people. Later, the same show was broadcast in the same format in other countries, causing similar panic. This "Halloween special" is considered to be the most famous radio show in history, and it made Orson Welles incredibly famous!

You can read the script here: http://members.aol.com/jeff1070/script.html

And you can listen to the original show here:
http://www.archive.org/details/WAROFTHEWORLDS2

11/21/2007

Crazy Math: How to Prove that 2 = 1

How to prove that 2 = 1
1. Suppose that a = b
Multiply by a.
Then:
2. a² = ab
Subtract b². then:
3. a² - b² = ab - b²
But a² - b² is the same as (a + b) (a – b).
and ab - b² is the same as b (a – b)
So:
4. (a + b) (a – b) = b (a – b)
Divide by (a – b)
Then:
5. a + b = b.
But a = b.
Therefore:
a + b = 2b
So:
6. 2b = b
Divide by b.
Then:
7. 2 = 1.
But we know this can't be right. What is wrong with this?

What's Your Phobia?

What is a "phobia"?

A phobia is an irrational fear of something. That "something" may be an object, an animal, a place, a situation, an activity, or certain persons. IF you can't control this fear a psychologist may diagnose you as suffering from an anxiety problem. The list of available phobias is so extensive that you are always likely to find one that fits you. For example, if you can't stand to look at the photo above, you may suffer from "aracnophobia" (fear of spiders). "Technophobia" is the fear of technology, "agoraphobia" is the fear of crowded places from which it is difficult to escape, and "aviophobia" is a fear of flying. Apparently the Spanish pop singer Melendi gave that as an excuse for his aggressive conduct during a flight, but I'm sure the fact that he was drunk didn't help either. The phobia with the longest name is "hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia", or "fear of the number 666". I guess it takes all kinds!