THE CHRISTMAS SONG - NAT KING COLE

1.- Historia

Compuesta por los norteamericanos MEL TORMÉ y ROBERT WELLS, "The Christmas Song", narra el ambiente festivo de la navidad. MEL TORMÉ, grabó este tema en 1946, pero, una década después, la versión de NAT KING COLE, obtuvo un éxito mayor.

Fuente: https://the-music-history.blogspot.com/2009/06/christmas-song.html

2.- Lyrics

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe

Help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh

And every mother's child is gonna spy

To see if reindeers really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase

To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it's been said many times, many ways

Merry Christmas to you

And so I'm offering this simple phrase

To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it's been said many times, many ways

Merry Christmas to you

3.- Vocabulary

- Chestnuts = Castañas

- Roast = Tostar, asar

- Nip = Dañar algo

- Yuletide = Navidad

- Choir = Coro

- Folks = Gente

- Eskimo = Esquimal

- Turkey = Pavo

- Mistletoe = Muérdago

- Bright = Brillante

- Tot = Nene

- Aglow = Resplandeciente (de algo)

- Loaded = Cargado

- Goodies = Golosinas

- Sleigh = Trineo

- Reindeer = Reno

4.- Grammar

a) Present Simple Tense

Ejemplo:

- Everybody knows a turkey ....

b) Present Continuous Tense

Ejemplo:

- I'm offering this simple phrase.

c) Present Perfect Tense

Ejemplo:

- It's been said many times many ways. (It's = It has)

5.- Videoclip

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

El siguiente es un nuevo test con frases incompletas. el ejercicio consiste en colocar la opción correcta de las dos posibles.

NOTA.- Puede solicitar las respuestas mediante un mensaje vía email.

1.- The hotel is there. You ___ miss it.

a) can

b) can't

2.- ___, how do I get to the station?

a) Excuse

b) Excuse me

3.- I ___ to work late last night.

a) have

b) had

4.- The bank is ___ the right in George Street.

a) at

b) on

5.- She ___ to work very hard.

a) hasn't

b) doesn't

6.- My mother is arriving today ___ I'm going to meet her.

a) so

b) because

7.- This is the street ___ I was born.

a) which

b) where

8.- Can you close the car window because it ___ on me.

a) rains

b) is raining

9.- This is a "No Smoking" area. You ___ smoke here.

a) mustn't

b) don't have to

10.- ___ right at the bank into the High Street.

a) Turn

b) Turn to

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS: CHILDHOOD

 

Las preguntas de este nuevo artículo, están dirigidas al tema de la niñez.

1.- Where were you born?

2.- When were you born?

3.- What was your favorite game?

4.- Did you have a lot of friends?

5.- Can you tell us about your best friend?

6.- Were your parents super protective?

7.- Did you play outside?

8.- What kind of food you didn't like?

9.- What was your favorite toy when you were a child?

10.- What were your favorite cartoons and TV shows?

PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS TEST

Dos de los tiempos verbales más básicos se encuentran en este pequeño test.

Se trata de completar el texto con el verbo entre paréntesis en la forma correcta: Presente Simple o Presente Continuo.

Ejemplo:

I (be) am Steve.

I (be) __ a student at a college in London. This year I (study) ___ Economics and Geography. I (like) ___ college very much but I (hate) ___ big cities. I (come) ___ from Scotland and my parents (live) ___ in Oban. At the moment, I (stay) ___ with my sister, Carol, and her husband, Ken, but I (look) for a small flat in London. Carol (work) ___ in a bank and Ken (be) ___ a teacher. Today my parents (fly) ___ down from Scotland to visit us, and I (drive) ___ to the airport to meet them.

NOTA.- Puede solicitar la resolución de este test mediante un comentario o mensaje.

NOVEMBER RAIN - GUNS N ROSES

1.- Historia

El quinteto Guns N' Roses se formó en Los Ángeles, California a mediados de los 80s. Liderado por el cantante y compositor norteamericano, Axl Rose, crearon grandes temas en sólo 6 álbumes, que lograron ubicarse en los primeros lugares de las listas musicales de medio mundo.Esta es una de las canciones más largas y tristes de la banda. Según la historia, está inspirada en el éxito "Funeral For A Friend" del británico Elton John. Mientras que en Billboard logró ubicarse en la tercera posición, en la lista oficial británica alcanzó la cuarta.

Fuente: https://the-music-history.blogspot.com/2024/11/guns-n-roses.html

2.- Lyrics

When I look into your eyes

I can see a love restrained

But darlin' when I hold you

Don't you know I feel the same?

Nothin' lasts forever

And we both know hearts can change

And it's hard to hold a candle

In the cold November rain

We've been through this such a long long time

Just tryin' to kill the pain, ooh yeah

Love is always coming, love is always going

No one's really sure who's lettin' go today

Walking away

If we could take the time to lay it on the line

I could rest my head just knowin' that you were mine

All mine

So if you want to love me then darlin' don't refrain

Or I'll just end up walkin' in the cold November rain

Do you need some time on your own?

Do you need some time all alone?

Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own

Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone

I know it's hard to keep an open heart

When even friends seem out to harm you

But if you could heal a broken heart

Wouldn't time be out to charm you?

Oh, oh, oh

Sometimes I need some time on my own

Sometimes I need some time all alone

Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own

Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone

And when your fears subside

And shadows still remain, oh yeah

I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame

So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way

'Cause nothin' lasts forever, even cold November rain

(Chorus)

Don't ya think that you need somebody?

Don't ya think that you need someone?

Everybody needs somebody

You're not the only one

You're not the only one

(Repeat x3)

3.- Vocabulary

- Restrained = Restrain = Moderado

- Hold = Sostener

- Feel = Sentir

- Lasts = Last = Durar

- Candle = Vela

- Kill = Matar

- Pain = Dolor

- Lay = Poner

- Rest = Posarse

- Refrain = Abstenerse de algo

- Keep = Mantener

- Harm = Herir

- Heal = Curar

- Charm = Encanto; encantar

- Fears = Temores

- Subside = Bajar, calmarse

- Shadow = Sombra

- Remain = Permanecer

- Blame = Culpar; culpa

- Darkness = Oscuridad

4.- Grammar

a) Present Simple

Ejemplo:

- Nothin' lasts forever.

b) Present Perfect

Ejemplo:

- We've been through this such a long time.

c) Present Continuous

Ejemplo:

- Just tryin' to kill the pain.

d) Zero Conditional

Ejemplo:

- If you want to love me, then darling don't refrain.

e) Third Conditional

Ejemplo:

- If we could take the time to lay it on the line, I could rest my head just knowin' that you were mine.

5.- Videoclip

12 MOTHER'S SAYINGS

Este artículo está dedicado a algunas de las frases de madre que (casi) todos hemos oído y recibido.

NOTA.- Las frases están con su equivalente en nuestro idioma y una pequeña explicación gramatical y del vocabulario.

1.- Because I said so. = Porque yo lo digo.

Sabemos que "because" es la palabra respuesta de "why". "So" tiene varios significados como "así", "tan" y "también".

2.- Wait and see. = Espera y verás.

La frase completa sería "Just wait and see". La palabra "just" equivale a "sólo" o "solamente" en este caso.

3.- Ask your dad. = Pregunta a papá.

Una variante es "Go ask your dad" (Ve y pregunta a papá). "Ask" no es sólo "preguntar", también equivale a "solicitar". "Dad" es la forma corta de "father".

4.- No dessert unless you finish your dinner. = No hay postre hasta que termines la comida.

La palabra "dessert" suele ser cambiada por el nombre de algún postre. No confundir con "desert" que equivale a "desierto".

5.- If someone asked you to jump off a cliff, would you? = Si alguien te dice que te lances de un puente, lo harías?

La palabra "cliff" en realidad, equivale a "precipicio". En la frase vemos el uso del Second Conditional.

6.- I've told you a thousand times. = Te lo he dicho mil veces.

En ocasiones, los números en nuestro idioma, varían. Así pueden ser "mil" o "millón". La estructura es del Present Perfect.

7.- You'll take someone's eye out with that. = Le vas a arrancar un ojo a alguien con eso.

Aquí se usa el Phrasal Verb "take out" (arrancar) y el Posesivo 's.

8.- It'll all end in tears. = Luego acabarán llorando.

Asociamos "end" como "fin" o "final", pero también funciona como verbo. "Tears" equivale a "lágrimas". Esta frase y la anterior, llevan como estructura el Future Will.

9.- Don't sit that close to the tv. You'll get square eyes. = No te sientes tan cerca de la tv. Te quedarás ciego.

La definición de "square" es "cuadrado", aunque en otros casos equivale a "plaza" como en Times Square. En la primera frase observamos una estructura de Command (órden). 

10.- Carrots make you see in the dark. = Las zanahorias son buenas para la vista.

La traducción más literal sería: "las zanahorias te hacen ver en la oscuridad". Cuando se habla de un objeto o tema en general, no se usa "the" antes de la palabra.

11.- Do as I say, not as I do. = Haz lo que yo diga, no lo que haga.

La frase traducida sería: "haz como yo digo, no como yo hago". Aquí también vemos que es Command.

12.- Back in my day. = En mis tiempos.

Hay variantes para esta frase, como: "Back in my days" y "Back in the day". La palabra "back" indica el pasado.

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS: READING

En esta nueva lista de preguntas de esta serie, nos centramos en uno de los pasatiempos más comunes: la lectura.

1.- Do you like reading?

2.- What is your favorite book?

3.- What genre of book do you enjoy most?

4.- What was the last book that you read?

5.- Who is your favorite author?

6.- How many books have you read in your life?

7.- How often do you go to the library?

8.- Is there a book that you have read more than once?

9.- Do you often read book before going to bed?

10.- Have you ever lent books to your friends and never got them back?