ONLINE OR IN REAL LIFE.
European Parliament Ambassador School
Monday, 9 November 2026
Monday, 5 October 2026
Housing crisis.
- It is said an average person lives in 11 homes in their lifetime. What is your number?
- If money was not a problem, where would you live and what kind of house would you have?
- Making housing more accessible would help reduce…
- What share of a household budget do you think is spent on average on housing?
- Why has the price of housing risen so dramatically in the last decade?
- What share of a household budget is spent on housing in low-income households?
- In many countries, a large share of young people is still living with their parents. Is Spain one of these countries? Justify your answer
- Is giving homeless people homes more effective and sensible than making them stay in shelters or on the street?
- How much is Airbnb affecting the housing market in cities where rent is on the rise?
- What can be done about rising homelessness in big cities?
- Does it make sense to encourage homeownership through tax policies?
- Should housing policy be more balanced, supporting rental housing and homeownership on a more equal footing?
Vocabulary:
- affordable home
- low-income housing
- budget
- low -income households
- mortgage
- tenants
- landlords
- overburdened with housing costs
- homeowners
- social housing
- to make a down payment
- disposable income
- average price
- to evict /eviction
- homelessness
- rising home prices
- overcrowding and under occupations
- real state bubble
- subsidized
- housing issues
- cohousing
- utility bills
- to downsize
- squatting/squatters
- to rehabilitate /rehab, rehabilitation
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2kej47095no
Tens of thousands of people have protested across Spain calling for greater protections for tenants after the government failed to pass emergency housing legislation.
About 50 marches took place on Saturday in cities including Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. "There is a lot of anger in the streets," a spokesperson for the Valencia Tenants' Union said. Clashes have taken place between some protesters and police in the city. It is calling for a general strike over the housing crisis.

Spanish Prime Minister has called an early election for 29 November after recent defeats on legislation aimed at addressing the country's housing crisis. Speculation about a snap election had been building over the weekend after parliament rejected two decree laws put forward by the minority government to protect tenants in the rental market.
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
U2 50 anniversary- Listening

Or do you feel the _________?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to___________
When it's one need in the night
One love, we get to share it
Leaves you baby if you ___________ for it
Or leave a bad taste in __________?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to ____________
To drag the past out into the light
We're one but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One!
Have you come to raise the _____________?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your _______________
You gave me nothin' now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well we hurt each other then we do it again
Love is a _________, love the higher ____________
You ask me to __________ but then you make me ____________
And I can't be holdin' on to what you got
When all you got is ______________
One life, you got to do what you should
One life, with each other
Sisters, brothers
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
One
Tuesday, 3 March 2026
Listening. Current affairs
Middle East in turmoil after attacks on Iran
2nd March 2026
The Middle East is in turmoil after coordinated attacks by Israel and the USA on Iran on Saturday. Several Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, were bombarded with precision-guided missiles as Washington and Jerusalem attempted once and for all to obliterate Iran's nuclear capabilities. US President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "We're going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground." Trump called for the Iranian people to rise up and for government forces to surrender. He wrote: "This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country." The strikes on Tehran killed Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and key figures in Iran's military.
Iran immediately retaliated by launching missiles and drones on its neighbours, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had struck Israeli and US military targets in the Middle East. It warned: "This operation will continue relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated." There are fears this escalation will create turmoil across the globe. A quarter of the world's oil and a third of its liquefied natural gas travel through the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Iran could close. This would cause sky-high oil prices and inflation worldwide. Experts warn there could be a major refugee crisis if the conflict spirals out of control.
Sources: theconversation.com / aljazeera.com / independent.co.uk
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2603/260302-middle-east-turmoil-a.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cvgjnv2y90wo
1. What were the targets of the missiles fired from Iran according to the sources?
2. How is the conflict impacting global energy and shipping routes?
3. What are the current social and political tensions inside Iran?
4.
How are
neighboring Middle Eastern countries responding to the regional instability?
5.
How are
shipping disruptions affecting global energy prices?
1. What were the targets of the missiles fired from Iran according to the
sources?
The missiles were
aimed at US military bases located on the territory of several Middle
Eastern countries: Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and
Jordan.
2. How is the conflict impacting global energy and shipping routes?
The
conflict is impacting global energy and shipping routes primarily by jeopardising
traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a critical artery for the
movement of global energy supplies.
The specific impacts identified in the sources include:
- Disruption of Marine
Traffic: There have been significant changes to marine
traffic within the strait since the US-Israel war with Iran broke out.
- Economic Fallout:
Experts are examining the potential economic consequences resulting
from these shipping disruptions.
- Regional Instability and Military Activity: The security of these routes is further threatened by military actions, as countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan have reported intercepting missiles fired from Iran. These missiles were reportedly aimed at US military bases located on the territory of these regional nations.
Current social and political tensions inside Iran are characterized by widespread
anti-government protests, a severe crackdown by the regime, and
deepening economic frustration.
·
Massive
Nationwide Protests: Iran has
experienced its largest protests in years, which initially erupted over economic
issues and have since grown into a broader movement against the government.
These demonstrations have seen protesters setting buildings on fire and
chanting anti-government slogans in the capital, Tehran, and across the
country.
·
Government
Crackdown and Violence: The
Iranian government has responded to these protests with "unprecedented
force". Reports indicate a "deadly crackdown" has taken
place, with BBC Verify examining mortuary footage showing scores of bodies.
Additionally, the state has utilized internet shutdowns to suppress
information during these periods of unrest.
·
Political
Opposition to the Authoritarian Regime: There are active calls for the continuation of protests against what is
described as an authoritarian regime. Figures such as Reza Pahlavi, the
son of Iran's last shah, have become prominent voices in this movement.
·
Human
Rights and Legal Tensions: The
regime has faced international condemnation for its judicial actions, including
vowing to execute protesters. Furthermore, the detention of foreign
nationals, such as a British woman and her husband sentenced to 10 years for espionage,
highlights ongoing political friction between Iran and the West.
·
Regional
Military Escalation: Beyond
internal unrest, Iran is involved in significant regional conflict, having fired
missiles at US military bases located in neighboring countries like Qatar,
the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. This military activity coincides with the
broader US-Israel war with Iran, which poses a threat to global energy supplies
through the Strait of Hormuz.
4.
How are
neighboring Middle Eastern countries responding to the regional instability?
Several neighboring
Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait,
Bahrain, and Jordan, have responded to the regional instability by intercepting
missiles fired from Iran. These missiles were reportedly targeted at US
military bases located within the territories of these specific nations.
5.
How are
shipping disruptions affecting global energy prices?
The sources indicate
that shipping disruptions are creating significant concerns for the global
economy because the Strait of Hormuz serves as a key artery for the
movement of global energy supplies.
- Potential
Economic Fallout:
Experts, including BBC Verify, are currently examining the potential
economic fallout resulting from the changes in marine traffic since
the conflict began.
- Threat
to Vital Supply Lines: The
security of these energy routes is being jeopardized by the US-Israel
war with Iran, which has led to a direct threat to the movement of
goods through the strait.
- Regional
Military Escalation: The
risk to energy prices is heightened by military activity in the region,
such as missiles fired from Iran at US military bases in
neighboring countries like Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan
Listening practice: https://engexam.info/ielts-listening-practice-tests/ielts-listening-practice-test-12/3/
Tuesday, 6 January 2026
New Year Resolutions 2026
A Resolution is:
The descriptions suggest three actions.
- Naming what you are going to do or change,
- Decide how you are going to make this change, and
- Developing a mental state of being determined to achieve this goal.
- Look Where You Stand – Made lots of resolutions last Year’s Eve? Access how far you have stood by them? Now it is time to do!
- Accomplish the Incomplete – If you still think that the last year, the resolutions you made and dumped it on the midway, now give it a second chance and make it done!
- Soak up New Skills – Learning something interesting and new is always a value addition and fun too.
- Unleash the Angel in You – Nothing is better than making smile on someone’s face, its feel awesome. Take a stand for peoples who need someone’s support. A little help also matters.
- Contribute for a Cause – Giving support to the society, it is the slightest way to make the world a superior place to live in.
- Get Struck by Cupid – Befall in love, is the world most beautiful thing to happen in your life. If you are charming enough that type, you may ring the wedding bell.
- Go for a Blind Date – For the adventurous soul, a blind date can be fun. However take care to about the risk factors and get adequate precautions.
- Remember the Important Dates – To makes your loved one feel special, always keep remembers the important date like, anniversaries, birthdays, first date etc.
- Be Organized – It will make your life easy, maintain your daily life time and be stress-free. Make first a proper To-Do list.
- Fun With Family – Spend more time with your family, they need your presences also to make it complete Family.
- Waste Not, Want Not – If you have something but you don’t want it, food, extra medicine, etc — give it down to those who need it.Pep up your parents – Do something nice/good for your parents will make you guaranteed
- Give up on a bad habit – older habits take time to pass away and its hard too – some really do like, biting your lips, biting nails, etc.
- Endear a Diary – Letter writing is a boring art. But express your feelings are not. Transfer your heart feelings out in a diary.
- Enrich your vocabulary – Communication is very important in any field of life, improve your vocabulary to master the art of success out.
Tuesday, 16 December 2025
Oral skills. Listening/Speaking
What do you know about Xmas?
List of Christmas Words
Christmas Project
Song: Jingle Bell Rock
Song: All I want for Christmas is you
Song: Christmas is all around
Top Ten Christmas songs
Quizzes, Word Searchers, Puzzels, Crosswords, Printables, etc.
Online Christmas Questionnaire
Christmas Questionnaire (before X-mas)
Christmas Questionnaire (after X-mas)
After Christmas Activity
Short Christmas Questionnaire
Christmas Story Quiz
Christmas Conversation Cards
Christmas Traditions Quiz
Quia - Quiz - Upgrade of Java Quiz: Advent
Christmas In Denmark (ESL Quiz)
ESL Christmas Crossword
Word Search - Christmas
Christmas Scavenger Hunts
ESL Christmas Dinner Crossword
Printable Christmas Puzzle
Christmas Word Puzzle
Fun Things that you can do for Christmas
Christmas activities
Stories & Traditions of Christmas
Religious Celebrations BBC Schools
How did Christmas start? How does the West celebrate Christmas?
Holiday Stories and Traditions
Christmas celebrations around the world
Customs and Traditions in England Woodlands Junior School Kent uk
Christmas In UK (By students at Hugo Meynell School)
e-mail Santa
E. L. Easton - English - Christmas Links
CHRISTMAS SONGS DOING AN EXCELLENT LISTENING PRACTISE??? HERE IT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY WITH LYRICS TRAINING!!! GUESS AND HAVE FUN!!!
BAAMBOOZLE???
IELTS Listening
This is the 3rd section of IELTS Listening test. Listen to the audio and answer the questions. When you finish, click 'check' and proceed to the next section.
Section 3
Questions 21-26
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
21. The subjects in questionnaire are
- tourists in the hotel in this area.
- local residents.
- people who are living in this area.
22. The results of the questionnaire should be
- directly entered into the computer.
- scored by hand.
- submitted directly to Professor Curran.
23. Why should John give a copy of plans to the professor?
- To receive a good grade.
- To get advice.
- To earn high praise.
24. How will the instructions be presented?
- Given by a group representative.
- Given by all members of the group.
- Given by the professor.
25. What does Dani suggest to John when those subjects receive the questionnaire?
- Divide into 2 part to argue.
- Focus on the opinion of the interviewees.
- Take consideration of both sides.
26. Why is this project particularly important to John?
- To earn respect from professors in the department.
- To raise his grade.
- To impress his professor.
Questions 27-30
What is the source of each one below in this survey?
Choose FOUR answers from the box and write the letters A-F next to questions 27-30.
A radio
B council meeting
C the television
D newspaper
E journal
F the Internet
https://ielts-up.com/listening/ielts-listening-sample-11.3.html
Sustainable tourism: https://youtube.com/shorts/UNuugOuuNog?si=s8Ig_Kc7aV9kIph4
Toxic tourism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9axXiBdMsyY
Mass tourism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3TjfZDv4HY&t=26s
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-zone/tackling-overtourism










