12 de diciembre de 2010

L & R in Consonant Clusters

Click the answer button to see the answer.

A ___ is formed by the condensation of water vapor in cold air.
a. cloud
b. crowd
Although he was an odd person, I thought that he was a nice ___.
a. bloke
b. broke
To ___ the mouse, lightly tap the button with your index finger.
a. click
b. crick
The sound of the horse's hooves hitting the pavement was "___".
a. clop
b. crop
She had to ___ the cow with a stick to get it to enter the gate.
a. plod
b. prod
The expedition came to the ___ of disaster before it turned back.
a. blink
b. brink
The farmer is ___ of the fine harvest that he got from his fields.
a. plowed
b. proud
The ___ waited anxiously at the front of the church for his bride.
a. gloom
b. groom
My uncle is an amateur beer maker who enjoys sampling his own ___.
a. blew
b. brew
Fresh flowers were ___ in by jet daily to keep up with the demand.
a. flown
b. frown
When he dropped the mirror it developed a ___ but it did not break.
a. clack
b. crack
Sheep and cattle ___ in fields chewing straw, hay and other plants.
a. glaze
b. graze
Be careful not to walk on the broken ___ because you might get cut.
a. glass
b. grass
Chickens do not ___ because they lack proper feathers on their wings
a. fly
b. fry
Compulsory education in many countries continues to the twelfth ___.
a. glade
b. grade
The ___ room is where the coats are hung at a theatre or auditorium.
a. cloak
b. croak
Use a ___ made of boards or poles to keep a broken limb immobilized.
a. splint
b. sprint
The ___ in the Olympic torch went out several times during the relay.
a. flame
b. frame
The worker poured liquid ___ into the wash basin to whiten the cloth
a. breach
b. bleach
c. breech
The raw edges of cloth will ___ or unravel unless they are stitched.
a. flay
b. fray
Be careful not to walk on the ___ when it is wet because you might slip.
a. glass
b. grass
The ___ of the boat cut through the water like a knife through butter.
a. plow
b. prow
His ___ had his school's coat of arms embroidered on the front pocket.
a. blazer
b. brazier
c. brassiere
d. brasserie
Why do you put ___ on you cheeks when your complexion is already rosy?
a. blush
b. brush
The ___ of the chain could be heard for miles as the anchor was lowered.
a. clank
b. crank
She wore a padded ___ under her sweater to make her breasts look bigger.
a. blazer
b. brazier
c. brassiere
d. brasserie
___ flower pots are attractive and versatile although they break easily.
a. Cray
b. Clay
He wiped the sweat from his ___ so that it would not drip in to his eyes.
a. blow
b. brow
The sudden collapse of the table made its legs ___ out in all directions.
a. splay
b. spray
Some countries still ___ or whip their criminals as punishment for crime.
a. flog
b. frog

26 de noviembre de 2010

The term and 2010 are coming to an end, and to help you study and round off those topics that could be difficult to understand, we offer you a "virtual classroom". This lesson covers the main grammar issues and vocabulary areas that have been analyzed in class.

May you find the virtual class useful and hope you can have a great exam!

Kind regards,

Prof. Michael Scranton & Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

19 de noviembre de 2010

Word Building

Nouns from Verbs

Complete the sentences with a noun form corresponding to the verb given in parentheses.
Click the answer button to see the correct answer.

His ___ to understand the problem surprised me. (fail)
His ___ to do the work irked the boss. (refuse)
They do not have free ___ . (deliver)
The ___ was widely reported on TV. (rob)
Don't do it without any ___ . (prepare)
The manager decided to send in his ___ yesterday. (resign)
Nobody likes to work under ___ . (press)
He considered my ___ unfair. (decide)
Do you know what caused his ___ ? (dismiss)
Their ___ for power lasted a long time. (struggle)
His ___ caused us a lot of trouble. (omit)
When is his ___ with the doctor? (appoint)
It was not our ___ to hurt your feelings. (intend)
The ___ in this room is very old-fashioned. (furnish)
Don't listen to him. He is a ___ . (lie)

Word Building II

Nouns From Adjectives

Complete the sentences with a noun form corresponding to the adjective given in parentheses. Then click the answer button to see the correct answer.

5 de noviembre de 2010

B or V?

B and V Minimal Pair Quiz

Click the answer button to see the answer.

There is a worldwide ___ on ivory trade.
a. ban
b. van
The ___ on the mistletoe plant is white but that of the holly is red.
a. berry
b. very
A ___ is a large tank to contain liquid.
a. bat
b. vat
A "___" is the short way of referring to an animal doctor.
a. bet
b. vet
The judge decided that he could be released on a $200,000 ___.
a. bail
b. veil
The boat sprang a leak so we all had to ___ out the water.
a. bail
b. veil
In Japan a twenty year old is permitted to ___ , smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol.
a. boat
b. vote
This computer is the ___ of my existence! It keeps shutting down.
a. vain
b. vein
c. vane
d. bane
He is so ___ that he things that everyone is talking about him.
a. vain
b. vein
c. vane
d. bane
A tight rope walker needs to have an extremely good sense of ___.
a. valance
b. balance
One of the world's most popular forms of dance is ___.
a. valet
b. ballet
___ is a popular vacation destination.
a. Valley
b. Bali
It is important to ___ you knees when you lift heavy objects.
a. vend
b. bend
It is my solemn ___ to help people in need. I promise!
a. bow
b. vow
Love songs are often written in the form of a ___.
a. ballad
b. valid
Plates and glasses can kept clean in the kitchen ___.
a. covered
b. cupboard
One of the most important of her internal organs is a woman's ___.
a. liver
b. libber
___ Shepherd was famous for her role in the TV series "Moonlighting".
a. Civil
b. Cybill
Park your car next to the ___.
a. curve
b. curb
Taxis are also known as ___.
a. calves
b. cabs

29 de octubre de 2010

Y un poco de repaso de Modal Verbs!

Modals

Sustantivo o Adejtivo?

North or Northern?

13 de octubre de 2010

All miners are saved

One by one the miners who had been trapped underground for more than two months in Chile ascended to the surface, ending their subterranean captivity. The world watched, their nation cheered, their families wept.

Today, we invite you to watch this CNN 10-minute report on the rescued miners.

Enjoy, and celebrate life!

Transcription to the report.

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas

8 de octubre de 2010

So or Such?

So or Such

Click the answer button to see the answer.

They had ___ a bad night that they couldn't sleep.
a. so
b. such
She gave him ___ good advice that he was very grateful to her.
a. so
b. such
I'm having ___ a wonderful time in Belem that I don't want to go home.
a. so
b. such
The day was ___ hot that everybody went to the beach.
a. so
b. such
It was ___ cold weather that nobody could go outside.
a. so
b. such
There are ___ good jobs in Fortaleza that people are looking for jobs in other states.
a. so many
b. so few
c. so little
d. so much
e. such
The hotel has ___ comfortable room that I don't want to go out.
a. so much
b. so a
c. such a
d. such
It was ___ dark that I couldn't see his face.
a. so
b. such
c. such a
d. so a
That restaurant has ___ delicious food that you can't stop eating.
a. so
b.such
They were ___ talented singers that the concert was a hit.
a. so
b. so few
c. so little
d. such
e. such a
He is ___ student that he is going to win a scholarship
a. so
b. so good
c. so good a
d. such
e. such good
We had ___ horrible day that we felt depressed.
a. so
b. so a
c. such
d. such a
The earthquake caused ___ damage that most people lost their homes.
a. so
b. so much
c. so many
d. so few
The novel is ___ exciting that I can't put it down.
a. so
b. so a
c. such
d. such a
We had ___ long and tiring day that we just wanted to go home.
a. so
b. so a
c. such
d. such a
Most TV programs are ___ boring that nobody watches them.
a. so
b. so much
c. so many
d. such
e. such a
She has ___ nice voice that she should try to become a professional singer.
a. so
b. so much
c. so little
d. such
e. such a
The party was ___ organized that everybody had a great time.
a. so well
b. so good
c. such an
d. such
It was ___ fast car that nobody could catch it.
a. so
b. such
c. so a
e. such a
This quiz was ___ easy that I don't need to check my answers.
a. such
b. so
c. such much
d. so much

19 de septiembre de 2010

Helado de Dulce de Leche according to The New York Times

Spring days are coming ahead, and with them the helado de dulce de leche pops back in our lives.

Read what The New York Times thinks of of Argentina's favourite flavours when it comes to ice cream!

Buenos Aires: National Treasure in a Cone

Saludos,
and let's go to your favourite ice cream parlor to grab a cucurucho filled with creamy dulce de leche!
Prof. Mariano Ignacio

17 de septiembre de 2010

Conjunctions I and II

Hola a todos!

una conjunción es una palabra o un conjunto de palabras que enlazan oraciones o sub-oraciones.

Podemos agrupar las conjunciones en COORDINATIVAS y SUBORDINATIVAS, entendiendo por coordinativas aquéllas que unen palabras u oraciones de la misma categoría y subordinativas, las que unen una oración principal y una subordinada.

CONJUNCIONES COORDINATIVAS

and, y /now, ahora bien /but, pero /still, no obstante /yet, sin embargo /only, sólo que / while, mientras / so, así que / so then, por tanto / for, pues / either... or..., o... o... / neither... nor..., ni... ni... / however, no obstante / therefore, por lo tanto / nevertheless, sin embargo

CONJUNCIONES SUBORDINATIVAS

that, que / because of, debido a / since, ya que, puesto que / as, pues, como / so that, a fin de que / lest, para (que) no / if, si / unless, a menos que although, though, aunque / while, en tanto que / until, hasta que / as if, as though, como si / when, cuando / why, por que / in order that, para, a fin de que / whether... or, si... o

Y después de un poco de TEORÍA... manos a la obra!

Conjunctions I

Click the answer buttons to see the answers.

Do you think this is something ___ can be learned?
a. who
b. that
c. X (the conjunction can be omitted)
Don't go out ___ you've finished your work.
a. as
b. while
c. until
Make sure you close all the windows ___ it starts to rain.
a. after
b. before
c. for
I think I know ___ he left the job.
a. why
b. until
c. where
___ I had known how much I would disappoint him, I woudn't have done it.
a. Whether
b. When
c. If
___ you see me, get in the car.
a. As soon as
b. While
c. Whether
My friend John, ___ lives in California, has a car with a New York license.
a. whose
b. who
c. that
It's usually quite simple to cross the border between the USA and Canada ___ these two countries have friendly relations.
a. yet
b. and
c. because
___ a university professor returns from a sabbatical leave, he should be better qualified.
a. Until
b. When
c. Even though
She's ___ a snobbish person ___ nobody likes to be with her.
a. such...that
b. such...as
c. so...that

Y un poco más de ejercitación!!

Conjunctions II

Combine the sentences using the conjunction given in parentheses.
Do not change the order of the sentences. Pay attention to the punctuation.
Click on the answer button to see the correct answer.

They got married. They had to learn to manage their own home. (after)
He went crazy. His wife burnt his breakfast. (when)
You can hear what I'm saying. You keep quiet. (if)
I won't invite my classmates to a party. I know them well. (until)
He arrived home. I had already cleaned the house. (by the time)
The first quiz was easy. This one is extremelly difficult. (whereas)
She's snobbish. People like her. (yet)
We're broke. We can't buy anything. (since)
He failed. He won't give up his ideals. (even though)
He fell asleep. He was watching the film. (while)

10 de septiembre de 2010

Articles: a, an, the or... nothing!

Articles - Click the answer button to see the answer.

Are you shopping for ___ health club to join so you can get in shape?
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Shop wisely! You could end up choosing ___ wrong club and losing more money than pounds.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
You may find out too late that ___ health clubs aren't for you.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
___ San Diego fitness experts recommend thoroughly checking out several health clubs before you join one.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
First, know what you want and need in ___ fitness facility, and don't pay for what you'll never use.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
If you only want exercise classes, ___ exercise studio without weight machines and locker rooms may work for you.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
If you're looking for ___ place to only do bodybuilding, you'll be happy in a basic gym.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
You may be in ___ market for a full-service health club; then, make sure it offers lots of activities.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Look for a place near your house, and check out ___ exercise instructors and personal trainers.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
They should be educated in physical education or certified by ___ organization such as the American Council on exercise.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Certified instructors have at least some knowledge of anatomy, exercise physiology, injury prevention and ___ cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
You should evaluate ___ equipment and make sure fitness machines are modern and in working order.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Try to talk to other members of the club. Find out what they believe are ___ advantages and disadvantages there.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Look in ___ locker room, workout room, and shower--everywhere should be clean.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
___ locker room sanitation is usually a good indication of how clean other areas are.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Finally, before you sign ___ agreement to join, read the contract carefully.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed

27 de agosto de 2010

New Orleans after Katrina...

Dear all,

Five years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, Louisiana, the city's mayor says its recovery, slowed by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, will take at least another five years.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu reported Thursday on the city's progress as it continues to deal with the effects of Katrina and the BP oil spill. Both events, he said, brought the coast "to its knees."

Today, we bring you a report on how the city is recovering. May you find it useful... and challenging!

Exercise to be downloaded (answers included)

Kind regards,

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas

21 de agosto de 2010

CNN Student News

div>Dear people,

CNN Student News is a ten-minute, commercial-free, daily news program for middle and high school students in the US produced by the journalists and educators at CNN. This award-winning show and its companion Web site are available free of charge throughout the school year.

As classes resumed in the US last week, the program is back on the air

On today's show:

* As combat operations come close to an end, what's next for the U.S. forces remaining in Iraq?

* Why are government officials discussing the safety of seafood from the Gulf?

* Should schools adjust their start times to help students get more sleep?

* Explore the answers in this Friday edition of CNN Student News.

* Plus, watch what happens when a group of penguins experience a butterfly effect.

SHOW'S TRANSCRIPTION

May you enjoy the show, and our classes at CUI.

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas

2 de julio de 2010

Total English - Revisión de las Unidades

Hola a todos!

El cuatrimestre ya está finalizando, y queremos que el proceso de exámenes sea un tiempo de evaluación objetivo y a la vez personal. Objetivo, cuando todos ustedes alumnos rinden sus exámenenes en los que se evalúa el progreso y los contenidos adquiridos. Y personal, cuando son ustedes mismos quienes miden y ven su propio progreso. Es por eso que hoy les acercamos un examen unidad por unidad, para que hagan una evaluación personal antes del examen. Pero... es importante que NO los realicen como un ejercicio más, sino como el resultado del estudio previo. Hagan los ejercicios del Workbook, trabajen con el CD-ROM -tiene muy buena ejercitación y explicaciones claras y concisas-. Y recién después, realicen estos "exámenes" de práctica.
Que les resulte de utilidad y que los exámenes finales sean un tiempo de cosechar el trabajo del cuatrimestre.

Unidad 6 -examen y respuestas-
Unidad 7 -examen y respuestas-
Unidad 8 -examen y respuestas-
Unidad 9 -examen y respuestas-
Unidad 10 -examen y respuestas-

Saludos,
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

26 de junio de 2010

Argentinians in London

Hi there!

A bonus track video clip this weekend! CNN visited a London bar where Argentine fans were watching the World Cup match between Argentina and Greece. Peek inside!
Have a look at Argentinians in London as they enjoy a football match as much as we do... but in English!

Cheers!
Mariano

25 de junio de 2010

Travel with Val

Dear all,
travelling for pleasure is one of the most energizing experiences!
This week, summer holidays are starting in the US. And, if any of you is planning a trip to New York City we suggest a formidable and impressive tour to celebrate their Independence.
Here you will find the exercise that we have prepared for you all, and below you will find the video to solve the activities.

Enjoy it and may you have a good weekend!

Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

11 de junio de 2010

A Theatre Programme? That's a Playbill!

Dear all,

Playbill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door. Articles within the Playbills change monthly to reflect new shows and artists performing in plays, musicals or special attractions; this wraparound section is the same for all Playbills across all venues at any given time. Within this wraparound, Playbills contain a cast list, cast photos, cast biographies, song lists and who performs the songs (if a musical), and a list of scenes for the particular show.

In this week's edition of our Blog, we bring you a report by NY1's Roma Torre on how the "programme" gets to the Theatres. The idea is to relax for a while, as you watch the report and practise your listening skills.
In case there are words you do not understand, we provide you with the TRANSCRIPT TO THE CLIP.

Kind regards,
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

29 de mayo de 2010

CNN Student News - Loads of activities to improve your listening comprehension skills!

Dear all,
today we bring you a series of activities for you to improve your listening comprehension skills. It's a 10-minute program aired on CNN on May 24th, 2010. So, the pieces of news you'll be working with are relatively recent.
Hope you find the exercises both interesting and useful!

EXERCISE (answers included)

Kind regards,
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

27 de mayo de 2010

2010: Year of the Bicentennial

2010 is an important year of bicentennial celebrations in the Americas. Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico all commemorate 200 years of independence.

Following is the video message and transcript of Secretary Clinton on "Year of the Bicentennial":

This year, people across our hemisphere will celebrate the “Year of the Bicentennial.” Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico are marking 200 years of independence. All of us across the Americas are joining together to honor our shared history and the values of democracy, diversity, and tolerance that form our common heritage.

In the last year, our hemisphere has been challenged -- from Honduras to Haiti to Chile. And our ability to respond to these crises as a community has been tested. But we have met these challenges together, with faith in our institutions, confidence in our values, and compassion for our friends and neighbors.

We must strive to carry that same spirit of cooperation beyond times of crisis in order to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities facing the people of the Americas. There is so much we can learn from each other and so much we can accomplish together. We can encourage broad-based prosperity, champion democracy and human rights, and ensure that every child born in the Americas has the opportunity to fulfill his or her God-given potential.

This “Year of the Bicentennial” is a time to honor our past while we look to the future -- as we continue on our common journey to create better lives for our citizens and even stronger ties between our nations. On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, congratulations and best wishes.

15 de mayo de 2010

Unique School Faces Familiar Battle

Dear all,
most of the CC3 courses at the Centro de Idiomas must have finished working (or may well be about to do so) Unit 7 (Education.)
To round off the topic of the Module we bring you today a video clip on a school in NYC facing some problems when it has to share its building with another school.

Hope you find the report interesting, and as you can see people in NYC are living similar situations we are familiar with.

Best regards,
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

_____________________

SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO CLIP -not a transcript-

A recent hearing at PS 347 in Chelsea was quieter than many hearings the Department of Education has held on its controversial plans for schools to share space. That's because many in the audience speak with their hands. But the students, parents, and alumni at the only public school in the country where deaf and hearing students learn side by side, say they feel even more passionate about preserving the space in their school building -- space they would lose under a plan to move almost 300 students from the Clinton Middle School into the building.

"We are a very unique school of very high risk students. We cannot be crammed into small classrooms. We have to sit in 'U' shapes where students can see the teachers. Everything is visual with deaf students," said PS 347 teacher Patti Anderegg.

"We need space. We need space to sign," said PS 347 teacher Aviance Pride.

The American Sign Language and English dual language schools serve students from pre-k through 12th grade, and already share the building with a program for students with severe handicaps. Students say they've already lost the space for many programs.

"We had a cooking class we had an art class we had a media class, we had everything. There was nothing needed. Now we don't have an art class. The only extracurricular activity we basically have is a media class," said PS 347 student Kiana Diaz.

"The people who are making this decision, I wonder how many of them send their own kids to schools without science lab, music room and art room," Anderegg said.

Clinton Middle is being forced into the sign language school because it's being squeezed out of the building it has shared for more than three decades with PS 11. Many of the students at P.S. 11 come from outside the neighborhood to attend its gifted and talented program, which many blame for causing the space squeeze for the other schools. They also question whether the DOE is taking the required public hearings seriously.

"Four-hundred boxes arrived at the school, moving boxes, on the day of the public hearing to decide whether it was a valid move or not, they delivered boxes. They came and picked them up, they were a little embarrassed," said Clinton Middle School parent Heather Tarrant.

Parents and teachers say they are worried that if the DOE gets its way, the education and safety of hundreds of special needs students may suffer.

6 de mayo de 2010

CNN - Student News

CNN Student News is a student news program targeted for the classroom that runs at 4:00AM Monday to Friday as part of the cable industry's Cable in the Classroom inititave, as presenter Carl Azuz reports the day's news in a simplified format (stories with graphic imagery or adult themes are usually left out from this newscast). It is not intended for students of English, but for High School students in the USA.

Today, we bring you the program aired on May 3rd, 2010 focusing on these pieces of news:
* Car bomb found in parked SUV
* Gulf Coast Oil Spill
* Mighty Weather conditions
* Arizona Immigration Law

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT HERE

Enjoy the show!!
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

2 de mayo de 2010

The Secret in Their Eyes

Hi everyone!
It goes without saying that most of us in Argentina know what "El secreto de sus ojos" is. Though for most Americans "The Secret in Their Eyes" is just a movie that has come from distant and unknown Argentina. Critics have written strikingly beautiful reviews about Mr. Campanella's movie, and I just want to share with you one of them. Originally published by Los Angeles Times on Friday April 30, 2010. Enjoy this write-up, and also have sneak peek at the Trailer released in the US!

"There's something about a haunting mystery being solved by a haunted mind that's particularly seductive. That's just one of the many pleasures of "The Secret in Their Eyes," whose string of knots challenges and charms in a way that make its win of the foreign-language Oscar this year perfectly understandable.

Argentine writer-director Juan José Campanella has given audiences a beautifully calibrated movie in the most traditional sense of the word — the ideal marriage of topic, talent and tone. It's anchored by the unsolved murder of a young wife that won't let former criminal investigator Ben Espósito (Ricardo Darín) rest easy even after 25 years.

In addition to being one of Argentina's best-known filmmakers, Campanella has earned Emmys here, plus attention for directing episodes of "House," "Law & Order Special Victims Unit" and "30 Rock." He brought all that case-solving and comedy experience to bear in adapting the Eduardo Sacheri novel, interweaving the parallel worlds of the personal and the professional as his central character comes to realize that there is much more in his life to resolve than this single case.

The story begins in Buenos Aires in the '70s with the brutal rape and murder of the 23-year-old wife of Ricardo Morales (Pablo Rago), an ordinary young man with an extraordinary love for his wife and the life they were beginning to build. All these years later, Espósito sets about turning the case into a novel in an effort to answer all that remains unanswered.

As the puzzle of the past unfolds in flashbacks, the present reconnects him with his own lost love, Irene (Soledad Villamil), who was his young boss on the case and is now a respected judge with a family; he is just older and alone. But the spark remains, and Campanella strings a tight wire of crackling dialogue between them packed with all the tension and tease of a couple dancing around the edges of a relationship.

The filmmaker is careful not to overuse their substantial chemistry, sprinkling it through the film like a hot spice as Espósito tries to figure out what clues he overlooked years ago. Another key player in this well-cast ensemble is Espósito's partner Sandoval, a sometimes-brilliant investigator forever sidetracked by his love of booze, played with an amusing blend of ironic pathos by famed Argentine comic Guillermo Francella.

Campanella has been clever in using the blueprint of a cold-case procedural to explore a range of emotional themes from love and obsession to justice and retribution, all cast against a dark time of secret police and political intrigues in his native land. The action is moved along as much by patterns of human behavior as by events, and in doing so the filmmaker has given texture and depth to what could otherwise have become a more conventional thriller.

While Espósito sorts through his second thoughts and reconsiderations of decisions he and others made so long ago, director of photography Félix Monti and the production team work to both connect and separate the eras by keeping much of the focus on the faces and, of course, the eyes. When the camera pulls back to let more in, tension usually comes with it, as when Espósito spots the husband in a train station and learns that he spends his days moving from one station to another, hoping to spot the killer who's never been caught.

Darín is captivating as Espósito, and despite the years etched on the actor's face, he still brings his scenes as a much younger Espósito to life. He is the spine of the film, and it is the strength of the connection he builds with each character in turn — the lost love, the drunken partner, the destroyed husband, the killer — that ultimately makes the film a timepiece of precision and artistry. Like the murder at the heart of this tale, "Secret" is bound to linger in the memory for years."

Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

30 de abril de 2010

¡Empezamos!

Hola a todos!

En esta primera entrega de nuestra práctica permanente on line queremos acercarles un ejercicio para que practiquen elementos del idioma con los que probablemente ya estén familiarizados o conozcan. Y además les queremos dejar un cuento de O. Henry, escritor, periodista y cuentista estadounidense a quien se le considera uno de los maestros del relato breve. Su admirable tratamiento de los finales narrativos sorpresivos popularizó en lengua inglesa la expresión “un final a lo O. Henry”.

El ejercicio incluye las respuestas, en la última hoja. Luego del ejercicio, podrán ver un video corto que resume en 2 minutos y medio el informe que habrán trabajado.
El cuento además de poder leerlo, podrán escucharlo narrado por una periodista estadounidense llamada Barbra Klein.
Sean curiosos, exploren, y anímense a equivocarse. De los errores, aprendemos más que de los libros.

Suerte y a trabajar, entonces!

EJERCICIO (Schools in Haiti are rebuilt) - Descargar en PDF

Short Story - "The Exact Science of Matrimony" by O. Henry - Descargar en PDF

Que tengan una buena semana!
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas

NOTA: Para escuchar el audio deberán tener instalado el Flash Player de Acrobat

24 de abril de 2010

Primer Cuatrimestre 2010

Hola y bienvenidos al Primer Cuatrimestre!

A partir de la última semana de abril volveremos a actualizar quincenalmente los Blogs del Centro Universitario de Idiomas.
Si estás recibiendo este e-mail es porque en algún momento te suscribiste a nuestro correo de actualizaciones.

* Para recibir actualizaciones de tu curso actual deberás suscribirte al BLOG corresponidiente al NIVEL que estés realizando. (aquí el listado de Niveles)
* Al mismo tiempo si quisieras no recibir más actualizaciones de ESTE BLOG, deberás desuscribirte.

Ambas acciones son fáciles de realizar, y deben ser hechas personalmente.

Esperamos contarte entre nuestros alumnos que siguen apostando a continuar capacitándose para hablar y disfrutar de más Inglés.

Muchas gracias!
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Universitario de Idiomas

12 de diciembre de 2010

L & R in Consonant Clusters

8 de diciembre de 2010

Assorted Questions

Another, The Other, The Others, Others

26 de noviembre de 2010

19 de noviembre de 2010

Nouns from Verbs

Nouns From Adjectives

5 de noviembre de 2010

B and V Minimal Pair Quiz

29 de octubre de 2010

Modals

North or Northern?

13 de octubre de 2010

8 de octubre de 2010

So or Such

19 de septiembre de 2010

17 de septiembre de 2010

Hola a todos!

una conjunción es una palabra o un conjunto de palabras que enlazan oraciones o sub-oraciones.

Conjunctions I

Conjunctions II

10 de septiembre de 2010

Articles - Click the answer button to see the answer.

27 de agosto de 2010

21 de agosto de 2010

2 de julio de 2010

26 de junio de 2010

25 de junio de 2010

11 de junio de 2010

29 de mayo de 2010

27 de mayo de 2010

15 de mayo de 2010

6 de mayo de 2010

2 de mayo de 2010

30 de abril de 2010

24 de abril de 2010