Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Speaking. Discussion. CHANGES IN OUR LIVES

 Introducing the Topic

  • Pros and Cons: "The main advantage of X is..." or "An important disadvantage is...". 
  • Benefits and Drawbacks: "There are many benefits to this approach, but also several drawbacks". 
  • Positives and Negatives: "Let's consider the positive and negative aspects of this decision". 
  • Strengths and Weaknesses: "We should examine the strengths and weaknesses before moving forward". 
Presenting Opposing Views
  • "On the one hand..." / "On the other hand..."This classic structure clearly separates two sides of an argument. 
  • "In contrast..."Use this to show how one idea differs from another. 
  • "However..." / "Nevertheless..."Use these conjunctions to introduce a contrasting point. 
Expressing Your Opinion 
  • "In my opinion..." / "I believe..."A straightforward way to state your personal view.
  • "From my point of view..."Offers a different perspective.
  • "I would argue that..."Presents a stronger, more assertive stance.
Expressing Agreement or Disagreement 
  • To Agree: "I agree with you," or "That's a good point".
  • To Disagree Politely: "I see your point, but...", "I understand what you're saying, however...", or "I have a slightly different perspective".
  • To Acknowledge a Counterpoint: "That's true," or "You're right about that".
Concluding the Discussion
  • Summarize: "To sum up, the main points are...". 
  • Compromise: "Let's try to find a middle ground". 
  • Agree to Disagree: "We can't seem to agree, so perhaps we should agree to disagree". 


  • CHANGING APPEARANCE WILL MAKE YOU HAPPIER
  • YOUNG PEOPLE COPE WITH CHANGES BETTER/EASIER
  • DIFFICULTIES IN CHANGING LIFESTYLE
  • KEEPING THE SAME CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
  • SEEKING NEW EXPERIENCES AND TRYING NEW THINGS.


Reading. PAU.

  Written understanding.


How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing professional sports

1          Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming common in sports, in the same way as other technological advances like 3-D motion graphics and high-speed photography. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions in real time is proving valuable across various aspects of sports. From athletes to coaches and fans to referees, AI is enhancing performance, decision-making, and engagement at all levels.

2          In competitive sports, even the smallest differences can determine the outcome of a game. AI is transforming how athletes train, compete, and recover. It analyzes their movements to provide personalized training plans focusing on areas like speed, endurance, and technique. Coaches can use AI to gain insights into player performance and make adjustments to individual and team strategies. AI also reduces injury risk by recommending optimal training and recovery.

3          AI also plays a role in game strategy. By analyzing past performances and studying footage, AI identifies patterns that may not be visible to the human eye. This allows coaches to adjust strategies during the game and provide recommendations for best approaches to beat the opponent. In sports like football and basketball, AI suggests the best plays based on data, improving chances of success.

4          Sports referees and judges are also taking advantage of AI. The technology is allowing referees to make better calls on the field. In gymnastics, for instance, AI assists with scoring by analyzing athletes’ movements in 3D and comparing them to a database. This helps judges make fairer, more consistent decisions while reducing human error. AI also eliminates bias, ensuring scores are based on data rather than emotions.

5          AI enhances fan engagement too, as it analyzes preferences and behavior, offering personalized content such as articles or merchandise suggestions based on a fan’s previous interactions, ensuring they stay engaged with the sport even off the field. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, AI generated automatic highlight reels, focusing on events fans were most interested in. This technology allows better storytelling and engagement.

6          AI chatbots are improving fan interaction with sports teams. They provide instant responses, offering updates on games, ticket sales, and schedules. This creates a more personalized fan experience and simplifies communication with teams.

7          Sports are a major business, and AI is optimizing performance, marketing, and fan engagement. As AI technology continues to evolve, its influence in sports is expected to grow and bring new improvements to the game.

Adapted from Forbes, August 2024


 Question 1 [2 points].

Indicate clearly by writing the words TRUE or FALSE whether the following statements are true or false according to the text and write down the sentence or the part of the text that you consider justifies your answer. The evidence must make sense and be grammatically and lexically coherent.

No points will be given if the evidence is not correct or if the handwriting is not sufficiently clear.

A.   AI helps ensure fairness by using data instead of emotions to decide scores.

B.   AI contributes to injury prevention by suggesting the best training and recovery methods for athletes.

C.   AI’s role in sports is expected to decrease as technology develops.

D.   AI is less significant in sports than other technological advances like 3-D motion graphics and high-speed photography.

Question 2 [2 points].

Choose and answer only TWO of the following questions in your own words according to the text.

A.   What are some ways AI helps improve fan engagement with sports?

B.   How does AI assist coaches in making better decisions regarding game strategy? (Mention at least two examples)

C.   What are some ways AI helps improve athletic performance and training?

Question 3 [1.5 points].

Find in the text a word or phrase that corresponds to the meaning, definition, or opposite of each of the following.

A.   An antonym for “useless” (paragraph 1):

B.   A synonym for “result” (paragraph 2):

C.   A word that means “to defeat somebody in a game or competition” (paragraph 3):

D.   A synonym for “big” (paragraph 7):

Question 4 [1.5 points].

Choose the correct option - A, B, C, or D - for each question. Indicate your choice clearly in your answer sheet, either by writing the letter A, B, C, or D or by copying the letter and the sentence that follows. No points will be given if the handwriting is not sufficiently clear.

      1.    How does AI assist referees in sports?

      A.   It helps them make fairer decisions by reducing mistakes.

      B.   It makes all decisions automatically without human help.

      C.   It helps them improve their skills by training outside of the game.

      D.   It offers biased decisions based on feelings instead of data.

2.    How does AI improve the fan experience in sports?

A.   It allows fans to create their own highlight reels and share them on social media.

B.   It automatically creates personalized social media posts for teams based on fan interactions.

C.   It personalizes content and suggestions based on the fan’s behavior.

D.   It generates live social media polls for fans to vote on team strategies during matches.

3.  How does AI assist athletes in improving their performance?

A.   It designs customized training routines by analyzing their movements.

B.   It replaces human coaches by designing training programs.

C.   It prevents injuries by automatically stopping workouts.

D.   It generates reels that help athletes review their games.


Use of English. Grammar. Reported speech

 Reported Speech

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. (Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell'.) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
  • Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.
But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
  • Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
TenseDirect SpeechReported Speech
present simpleI like ice creamShe said (that) she liked ice cream.
present continuousI am living in LondonShe said (that) she was living in London.
past simpleI bought a carShe said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car.
past continuousI was walking along the streetShe said (that) she had been walking along the street.
present perfectI haven't seen JulieShe said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.
past perfect*I had taken English lessons beforeShe said (that) she had taken English lessons before.
willI'll see you laterShe said (that) she would see me later.
would*I would help, but..”She said (that) she would help but...
canI can speak perfect EnglishShe said (that) she could speak perfect English.
could*I could swim when I was fourShe said (that) she could swim when she was four.
shallI shall come laterShe said (that) she would come later.
should*I should call my motherShe said (that) she should call her mother
might*I might be lateShe said (that) she might be late
mustI must study at the weekendShe said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend
* doesn't change.
Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):
Direct speech: The sky is blue.
  • Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.
Reported Questions
So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?
Direct speech: Where do you live?
In fact, it's not so different from reported statements. The tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a question any more. So we need to change the grammar to a normal positive sentence. A bit confusing? Maybe this example will help:
Direct speech: Where do you live?
  • Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
Do you see how I made it? The direct question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with 'do' or 'does' so I need to take that away. Then I need to change the verb to the past simple.

Direct speech: Where is Julie?
  • Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
The direct question is the present simple of 'be'. We make the question form of the present simple of be by inverting (changing the position of)the subject and verb. So, we need to change them back before putting the verb into the past simple.
Here are some more examples:
Direct QuestionReported Question
Where is the Post Office, please?She asked me where the Post Office was.
What are you doing?She asked me what I was doing.
Who was that fantastic man?She asked me who that fantastic man had been.

So much for 'wh' questions. But, what if you need to report a 'yes / no' question? We don't have any question words to help us. Instead, we use 'if':
  • Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
  • Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.
No problem? Here are a few more examples:
Direct QuestionReported Question
Do you love me?He asked me if I loved him.
Have you ever been to Mexico?She asked me if I had ever been to Mexico.
Are you living here?She asked me if I was living here.
There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:
  • Direct speech: Close the window, please
  • Or: Could you close the window please?
  • Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don't need to report every word when we tell another person about it. We simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive':
  • Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
Here are a few more examples: 
Direct RequestReported Request
Please help me.She asked me to help her.
Please don't smoke.She asked me not to smoke.
Could you bring my book tonight?She asked me to bring her book that night.
Could you pass the milk, please?She asked me to pass the milk.
Would you mind coming early tomorrow?She asked me to come early the next day.
To report a negative request, use 'not':
  • Direct speech: Please don't be late.
  • Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.
Reported Orders
And finally, how about if someone doesn't ask so politely? We can call this an 'order' in English, when someone tells you very directly to do something. For example:
  • Direct speech: Sit down!
In fact, we make this into reported speech in the same way as a request. We just use 'tell' instead of 'ask':
  • Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
Direct OrderReported Order
Go to bed!He told the child to go to bed.
Don't worry!He told her not to worry.
Be on time!He told me to be on time.
Don't smoke!He told us not to smoke.
Time Expressions with Reported Speech
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time expressions too. We don't always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported speech.

For example:
It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today".
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day".

So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said. Here's a table of some possible conversions:
nowthen / at that time
todayyesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterdaythe day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last nightthe night before, Thursday night
last weekthe week before / the previous week
tomorrowtoday / the next day / the following day / Friday




Thank you - Dido

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TO48Cnl66w

She said that her tea had gone cold, she was wondering why
she had got out of bed at all
she said that the morning rain (had) clouded up her window
and she couldn't see at all
She pointed that even if she could, it'd all be grey,
but my picture on her wall
It reminded her that it was not so bad,
it was not so bad (...)

she admitted that she had drunk too much the previous night and she had got bills to pay,
She mentioned that her head just felt in pain
She also told me that she had missed the bus and there would be hell that day,
She accepted that she was late for work again
And even if she was there, they would all imply
that she might not last the day
She commented that then I call her and it was not so bad,
it was not so bad and  (...)
She told me that she pushed the door, she was home at last

and she was soaking through and through
Then I handed her a towel
and all she saw was me
She remarked that even if her house fell down,
she wouldn't have a clue
Because I was near her and (...)

She wanted to thank me
for giving her the best day of her life
Oh just to be with me
was having the best day of her life.

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/5195446/reported-speech FILM QUOTES

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/4607922/reported-speech  SIMPSON´S PRACTICE

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/3880801/reported-speech REPORTING VERBS

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/2140717/reported-speech QUIZ GAME

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/4043341/reported-speech-statements BOXES STATEMENTS

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/52129687/reported-speech

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/29055173/reported-speech-advanced

Monday, 15 September 2025

I know what you did last summer. Speaking warm-up





WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL


2nd Bach. Year 2025-26
La Segunda Lengua Extranjera en la etapa de Bachillerato tiene como objetivo principal la adquisición de la competencia comunicativa en la lengua extranjera, de modo que permita al alumnado comprender, expresarse e interactuar en dicha lengua con eficacia, fluidez y corrección, así como el enriquecimiento y la expansión de su conciencia intercultural.

  1.  Understanading and interpreting texts (oral and written)
  2.  Text production (oral and written)
  3.  Active interaction and co-production (oral and written)
  4.  Language mediation (oral and written)
  5.  Luinguistic repertoire and plurilinguism
  6.  Diversity awareness (linguistic, cultural and artistic). Critical assessment
Criteria for evaluation.
  • Based on the specific competences and the development of the different skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing, Interaction (oral and written) and mediation (oral and written). Homework, tasks, attitude and participation.
Essential/key knowledge:
1 Aiming high   
2 Times change 
3 Gathering information 
4 Work time 
5 Getting on 
6 All in the mind? 
7 Feeling good 
8 This is the modern world 
9 Going places 
10 Home is where heart is
11 Cultural values
12 The world about us