03 March 2012 / by Radmila Gurkova

The rain 'NOT' in Spain

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVmU3iANbgk

''The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain''

Have you heard this expression before?
It is from My Fair Lady, a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.
It is very common for practicing pronunciation, especially of -ei-

 

However did you know that there has now ben no rain in Spain for three months?
This will be the direst period during the winter months since the 1940'sThe Spanish State Meteorological Agency - AEMET said that February would end without more rainfall and they now can confirm it is a drought. This is an 'EXTRAORDINARY DRY CHARACTER'.

In only three months Spain has seen 58 litres of rain per square metre.
It's not rained in Leon for 26 days and Barcelona for 44 days - This must be a record?
Is it a global PHENOMENON or just the usual deforestation?
In the coming months agricultural businesses will suffer putting more strain on economic and financial situation causing more disruption.

... now everyone sing along to the video!

DEBATE



  • What will happen if it doesn't rain in Spain all year long?

  • Is weather always the topic for SMALL TALK?

  • What are the other main points of discussion in Spain?


KEYWORDS




































































Word Image Definition Example Listen
Driest Superlative of dry. A dry climate; the driest season Listen
Drought Severe lack of water, no moisture Very hot countries have DROUGHTS Listen
Phenomenon A fact, circumstance, event Ipads are a relatively new phenomenon. Listen
Deforestation   To cut down the trees in a forest. Deforestation of the Amazon is shortening the life of the planet. Listen
Drink To ingest a liquid I drink coffee in the morning. Listen
Rain When water falls from the sky It was raining all day Listen
Weather   What the temperature and climate is like. The weather was beautiful Listen
Longest Superlative of long Ana's hair is the longest in the class. Listen

 GRAMMAR STRUCTURES 

Click here to learn more about homophones

Click here to find out the difference between plain and plane

30

December 2011
Who.......That......Which
by Radmila Gurkova
Confusing relative pronouns...so let's find out how to use them! WHO refers to people THAT refers to groups or things ...

30

December 2011
Then or Than... Listen to the first 20 seconds of the video
by Radmila Gurkova
Ever get confused with Then and Than? Then...

30

December 2011
Too Much... Structure (Beginner)
by Radmila Gurkova
MUCH or MANY  Countable nouns are nouns that can be easily counted Uncountable nouns are nouns which cannot be counted such as liquid (water, w...

30

December 2011
London 2012: Athlete turns to eBay in search of sponsor
by Radmila Gurkova
An athlete from London is seeking a sponsorship deal for the 2012 Olympics on the auction site eBay... httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTCtDxsijdI James Ellington, 26, is advertising on the site with a reserve of £30,000 (€35,000) from any sponsor willing to assist. He will wear a sponsor’s branded kit in full training to the run-up to ...

30

December 2011
Was vs Were - Which is correct? (Advanced)
by Radmila Gurkova
'Was' or 'were' - which is the correct one to use? I'm sure you ask yourself the same question... Was/were = past tense of TO BE W...

25

December 2011
No more Turkey - I'm "Stuffed"!!!
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV56DJO6pH4 (Watch a different Christmas Carol)   Christmas Day is filled with cheer, laughter, family and food. Too much food in fact and often too much turkey. After traditi...

24

December 2011
Twas the night before Christmas...
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUzIF4eYRkg Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem 'Twas the night before Christmas' also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822. It is now the tradition in many families to read the poem every Christmas Eve. We at Oxbridge would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas Eve. &nbs...

16

December 2011
What - No Santa Claus...?
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-3oCa07kjM "A Chicago news anchor enraged parents when she announced during a segment on children's gift expectations that Santa Claus isn't real. During a conversation with her cohost about how long children should believe in Santa, Robin Robinson, a news anchor at Fox Chicago since 1987, argued that kids s...

16

December 2011
No Santa Claus....? Spare a thought...
by Radmila Gurkova
Spare a thought for somebody... - to think about someone who is in a difficult or unpleasant situation Spare ...

16

December 2011
CAPTCHAs video - Real or Really?
by Radmila Gurkova
Real or Really? Real is an ...