SESSION 1:
MATTERS OF THE HEART
The heart shape is recognized the world over as a symbol of romantic love and affection, but its historical origins are difficult to pin down. Some believe the iconic pictogram is derived from the shape of ivy leaves, associated with fidelity, while others contend it was modeled after other parts of the human anatomy.
In any case, the heart has become, after the years, a powerful icon used in anatomy, religion, publicity, etc.
It is also present in many idiomatic expressions like " learnt by heart", "have a heart of stone", "a man after my own heart", "steal someone's heart", "to be young at heart". Do you know their meaning?
Listen to the following poem and complete it with heart expressions.
But, how did an organ that pumps blood through our bodies come to have this load of meaning? Watch this video to know more about the origins of the heart symbol:
So, as you can see, there are symbols, like the heart, which have become part of our lives and are all around. Do you know any other symbols that have the same status as the heart?
In this article, you will find 40 prominent symbols of our Society. Choose one and do some research about its origin. Then, write an essay, make a podcast or a video explaining the origins of that symbol. You choose the format.
SESSION 2:
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
There's nothing better for your heart than the Mediterranean diet. Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality. It is characterized by a high intake of olive oil, plant products, fish and seafood; a low intake of dairies, meat and meat products; and a moderate ethanol intake.
But, don't be too boastful about it because, very probably, you don't follow it. In fact, only half of the Spanish population does, according to EL PAIS newspaper. Click here to read more and do the exercises below.
a. True or False:
Spaniards eat twice as much fish as meat.
New foods such as chia and quinoa have emerged in detriment to chickpeas and beans.
The amount of obese children in Spain in not as big as in Non-Mediterranean countries.
b. End-up sentence:
The main reason why Spaniards have swapped fruits and pulses for junk food is .................................................................................................................................
SESSION 3:
MIXED CONDITIONALS
You have already seen the four different major types of Conditional Sentences:
Type 0:
NATURAL LAWS: present-present
"If I heat water, it boils"
Type 1:
REAL: present-future
"If I study hard, I will pass the exam"
Type 2:
HYPOTHETICAL: past simple-conditional simple
"If I were you, I would tell her the truth"
Type 3:
IMPOSSIBLE: past perfect-conditional perfect
"If he had been on time, he would not have lost the job"
But sometimes they behave randomly and mix up tenses...
1. Read the rules and give an example:
2. Download this worksheet to learn more about Mixed Conditionals and do the exercises:
ALTERNATIVES TO IF
Alternatives to if are the conjunctions that can be used in a conditional sentence instead of if. And there are so many! But these are the most widely used.
Please, read carefully...
Unless
We sometimes use unless instead of if... not in the sense of except if, especially if we are talking about present circumstances and conditions. The second sentence you have quoted, Eveline, is a very good example ofunlessused correctly:
The poor man won’t be able to buy a new car unless he wins the lottery. He won’t be able to pay all the tax he owes unless he robs a bank.
Unless is well used here because it highlights an exception to what is generally true. It works very well in the following examples too when the focus is on exceptions to the general rule. Compare the following:
I’ll be back by the weekend, unless there’s a train strike. I’ll be back by the weekend, if the train drivers aren’t on strike. We’ll play tennis on the outdoor courts on Friday, unless it rains in which case we’ll play indoors. We’ll play tennis on the outdoor courts on Friday, if it doesn’t rain. If it does rain, we’ll play indoors.
If we use unless in the above examples, we think it unlikely that there will be a train strike and unlikely that it will rain. Using if…not suggests that there may be a rail strike or that it may rain.
Compare the following and note the contrastive differences in meaning between if and unless:
Don’t phone me if you get into trouble! Don’t phone me unless you get into trouble.
In the first, I am saying that I want nothing more to do with you, that I am disowning you. Don’t phone me under any circumstances. In the second, I am saying that you can phone me if you want to, but only if you get into trouble.
As long as / provided / on condition that / only if
We can use these alternatives to if if we want to emphasize the conditions surrounding the action, i.e. one thing will happen only if another thing happens. We can also use so long as and providing (that) as alternatives to as long as and provided (that).On condition that is formally very explicit.Provided / providing are more formal than as long as / so long as. Compare the following:
We will lend you the money on condition that it is repaid within 12 months. We will lend you the money provided (that) you can repay it within 12 months. I don’t mind talking to the press, but only if my identity is protected. You can have the day off today providing you agree to work a double shift tomorrow. You can borrow my DVD player as long as you return it on Monday.
Whether
In indirect speech, we can useiforwhetherto introduce reported yes/no questions:
Can you feed the cat for me while I’m away? - She wanted to know whether I could feed the cat for her while she was away. Do you have any free time on Sunday? - I’m not sure if I’ll have any free time on Sunday.
When there is a choice oftwo possibilities, particularly in a two-part question with or, we normally usewhether:
Let me know whether you can come or not. I asked him whether he wanted to stay in a hotel or a B&B. Whether (or not) he’ll be fully fit when the new football season kicks off, we don’t yet know.
Compare the following conditional use with whether:
I’ll come with you to the hospital, if you want me to. I’m coming with you to the hospital, whether you want me to or not.
In the first, where your friend is talking, there are a number of possibilities: you can go alone, go with a friend, go with your mother, etc, so if is used. In the second, where your mother is talking, there are only two possibilities: you either want her with you or not, so whether is used.
3.
4. Today we will listen to our assistants talking about what they would be doing if they were not working as language assistants in Spain.
1. Guess what type of conditional sentence they will use to talk about hypothetical situations: ............................................Then, listen to it and check out the use of verbs they do to describe them.
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