In Contact! Episode 5: Health

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Welcome to a new episode of In Contact! Health and the body is the main topic this week. What will we learn this week?

We'll see some useful expressions, mostly based on auxiliary modal verbs, to give recommendations regarding health and habits. A few expressions related to parts of the body and health conditions will be explained, of course followed by a challenge for you to practice. We'll be in contact with the world as we analyse the main differences between orthodox and alternative medicine. In our Top 5, you'll listen to five songs which talk about health conditions (not a pleasant topic, though!), and we'll conclude with a brainy challenge: once more, our students will demonstrate how much they know about the human body!

As you listen to the episode, can you answer the following questions in our comment section? It would be awesome to have your thoughts!

• Do you have healthy habits? Why? Why not?
• Is there any effective, interesting or unusual recipe which you'd recommend for general ailments such as the common cold, the flu or even exhaustion?
• What's your opinion on the different health trends today? For example, are you under any medical treatment? Have you tried any form of alternative medicine, such as acupuncture?

Physical and mental health is a unique treasure we've been given. Let's make sure we look after it!

Have a marvelous day!

 WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? Click here! 

In Contact! Episode 4: Superstitions

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We wish you good luck as you listen to the next episode of In Contact! Maybe you broke a mirror, or came across a black cat. Perhaps you keep with you a rabbit foot or your lucky underwear. Maybe you hate either Tuesday or Friday the 13th, or avoid spilling salt. Today, many people - even young ones, and even professionals such as singers, football players and doctors - strongly believe in superstitions. Even though there are people who are totally skeptical, it's said we're all superstitious one way or another. Do you agree? 

Image taken from http://freethinker.co.uk/images/uploads/2014/09/SUPERSTITION-630x472.jpg

In our episode, you'll learn how to use the real conditional for general or real situations and their consequences. Moreover, you'll listen to a report on different superstitions around the world and in Colombia. Naturally, idiomatic expressions related to luck and opportunities will be explained. You can't miss our Top 5 songs on luck and superstitions.  Last but not least, we'll test how much four of our students at Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores know about superstitions around the world. Can you answer the questions in our new section, the Brainy Challenge?

As you listen to the episode, can you answer the following questions?

• Are you superstitious? What superstitions do you believe in?
• If you're not superstitious, can you explain why?
• What usual omens do you see around you (in your family, classmates, etc.)?

Have your say! Let's discuss omens in the comment section.

Let's take pot luck and not miss this episode!

 WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? Click here! 

Recommeded Website of the Week: Vocabulary.co.il

Learning vocabulary is a serious matter, and it demands hard work and lots of practice. Today we'll share with you an alternative to make this practice fun: Vocabulary.co.il. This site will offer you many different activities to learn and remember new and old words in different categories. All by means of amusing and challenging games!

Image taken from http://www.vocabulary.co.il/images/og_images/VOCAB_COIL_Share2.jpg

Have you ever tried crosswords to improve your spelling? How about playing hangman (or, in this site, HangMouse)? Do you enjoy playing matching games? And would you like to test your vocabulary and knowledge with some quizzes? This website has these and many more options to enrich your vocabulary while having fun, all for free!

Image taken from http://www.michellehenry.fr/wordsearch.jpg

One way to make your vocabulary practice meaningful is by setting a specific time of the week to play these games. Every time you learn a new word, find different ways to record them, review them and, over all, practise and use them! Vocabulary.co.il will be a motivating way for you to learn and remember new words and expressions (which will always help you to communicate your ideas better), but the effectivity of this practice depends on your determination and enthusiams.

To finish, we'd like to share an interesting video we found with useful recommendations to learn and memorise vocabulary: 6 tips to learn and remember new vocabulary daily. You can give this advice a try!

Did you play any game in Vocabulary.co.il? Did you enjoy the website? What's your favourite game from the site? And what new recommendations did you find in the video above? Don't forget to keep in contact and leave your comments!

Recommended Website of The Week: EngVid

Can you imagine having an English class at home with a native speaker teacher? How about having the possibility of repeating, rewinding and going forward a class explanation? EngVid is a website for young adults and adults to learn grammar and vocabulary through practical video lessons (they've also got their YouTube channel).

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You'll see practical and fun video tutorials given by experienced teachers who are also native speakers of English. This is a great advantage since they will offer you authetic examples of everyday language used by everyday people. You can make the most of the video lessons to review grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Also, you'll find useful information and tips if you're preparing for IELTS and TOEFL. There's a lot more to explore, like video lessons for business English, writing, idioms and a lot more!

Are you having difficulties with any grammar topic? Do you want to learn expressions used by native speakers? And do you want to improve your listening skills and your pronunciation? Go to the EngVid website and search any topic you are interested in. These videos are a very good option for elementary, intermediate and advanced learners!

Have you ever watched any of the EngVid tutorials? Who's your favourite EngVid teacher? What's the lesson from this website that you've enjoyed most? Don't forget to leave your comment telling us about your experience!

Recommended Website of the Week: British Council LearnEnglish

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The British Council is a well-known institution worldwide. Not only does it promote the British culture around the world and provide thousands of people with opportunities to study in the United Kingdom, but it also supports the learning of English in many countries. In fact, this organisation, which belongs to the British government, is one on the largest schools of English in the world!

Naturally, they extend their mission to the World Wide Web by means of their portal, LearnEnglish. It has different sections for many types of users: children, teenagers and adults; elementary, intermediate and advanced learners; general English, professional or specific purposes, and preparation for international exams or certificates such as IELTS (International English Language Testing System). What's your category from all the aforementioned ones?

Image taken from https://monitor-cdn5.icef.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/britishcouncil-learnenglish.jpg

The following are a few of the many sections you'll find on the portal. Feel free to explore it all!

• I Wanna Talk About: Listen to different people from around the world talking about things they find interesting: experiences, their families, their hobbies, their country, their favourite bands, etc. If you could talk about something, what would you talk about?
• Stories and Poems: Listen and watch to some art as well as inventive stories on a large number of topics. This section´s full of inspiration!
• Vocabulary Games: Try some of these vocabulary games on topics such as food, animals and household objects, so that you can expand your lexical repertoire.
• Elementary Podcast: This section is perfect if you are beginning to learn English! These are simple conversations in everyday situations.
• Teaching English: Hello! Any teacher there? This mini-portal gives you plenty of ideas and resources to enhance your English classes. 
• Shakespeare: Let's learn English with the father of English,Sir William Shakespeare! In this section, you´ll learn who Shakespeare was, why his work´s been so influential and, one of the best parts of it, which words he invented! You´ll find exercises, too!
• Fun and Games: You´ll see many activities and funny stories which will make your practice of English enjoyable.
• IELTS: If you´re preparing for exams such as TOEFL or IELTS, this section will come to be handy. Lots of tips and samples for you to sharpen your skills!

And there are more sections of interest!

Image taken from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/sites/podcasts/files/styles/400x235/public/le-banner_1.png

If you like practising English on the go, LearnEnglish also has a good number of apps you can set up on Android, iPhone or Windows Mobile. They are all based on their sections on the portal, and are totally user-friendly. More than 15 apps are waiting for you!

Take your time to navigate through the portal and install some of their apps. What's your favourite section? Which app do you recommend? What else do you know about the British Council? Leave your comments below!

In Contact! Episode 3: Technology

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Let's stay tuned in for a new episode of In Contact! This week: technology. Perhaps you're an avid follower of the latest technological trends such as mobile phones, computers, media and the like. However, there are other pieces of technology worth mentioning. Inventions like the pencil, the wheel or objects of daily use like the washing machine and television have shaped our lives. Even items as simple as a paper clip can make a difference!

In our episode, you'll learn how to use the Passive Voice. Also, we'll see some inventions which have been very useful as well as other inventions that people might find reproachable. As always, we'll have four idiomatic expressions related to technology for your everyday conversations, Don't forget the top 5 with songs about technology and, last but not least, we'll listen to our university students sharing their thoughts on those gadgets they can't do without, as well as the most and the least useful inventions ever, and even their own ideas for cool inventions!

As you listen to the episode, can you answer the following questions?

• What’s that gadget or technology you can’t live without and why?
• What’s the most complicated gadget or machine you’ve ever used?
• What’s the most useless invention in your opinion?
• If you could invent something totally new, what would you invent?

Leave your answers in the comments section!

Also, remember you can participate in our discussion about inventions by clicking here!

Having your say's not rocket science!

 WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? Click here! 

Inventions - Good Ideas, Bad Ideas!

"Necessity is the mother of invention," says the proverb. Our third episode of In Contact! is about technology. We'll discuss a few inventions that have changed our world for good as well as some inventions which make you wonder how on Earth they came up with these bizarre ideas! 

Some of the best ideas were the invention of paper, which we still use despite the peak of the digital era, and the induction motor, which has made electricity and energy more accessible. The airplane has also helped travel faster. What to say about the wheel? This simple invention has kept our world 'in motion' for centuries. Last but not least, one invention that revolutionised the world: the Internet. If it weren't because of the Internet, you wouldn't be reading this post right now!

Photo taken from http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Web-Inventor-Says-Internet-Must-Be-Safeguarded-2.jpg

Tim Berners-Lee, father of the World Wide Web (www). 

Conversely, there are other inventions which are either unnecessary as they don't deal with everyday needs, or odd and excentric in the way they tackle those daily needs. Examples of exentricities: the baby cage! It's hard to imagine a parent using one of these today.

Image taken from http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/science/BabyCage2.jpg

The electric toothbrush and the tanning bed are very popular in countries like the United States; however, they end up being absurd inventions which are supposed to make your life easier. Another invention which concluded in total failure was the Smell-o-Vision: smelling your favourite films and series was the premise of this technology. Would you like to smell The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones? No, thanks!

Image taken from http://cf.collectorsweekly.com/uploads/2013/07/smell.jpg

Last but not least, pop-up ads were a very inconvenient invention meant to help promote products and services, but they became a pain in the neck and even dangerous guests on our system. Fortunately, they can be controlled now, unless you're being affected by a nasty virus!

Picture taken from http://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/web-ads-popup.png

Is this scene familiar to you?

Let us know what are, in your opinion, the most and the least useful inventions ever! What are those inventions that are significant for you? What invention can't you do without? Also, what are those inventions which you consider absurd?

Leave your comments below!

Recommended website of the week: TeaTime-Mag

Image taken from http://www.teatime-mag.com/magazines/wp-content/themes/tt/images/teatime100/portada.jpg

TeaTime-Mag is certainly one of the best options for people who want to learn English and, at the same time, learn about the culture of the English-speaking countries.

This magazine offers wonderful journalistic articles with tons of interesting information about general culture, about the use of the English language around the world and about learning tips (get to know some of the articles you can read here). It also provides different options for you to better your English as you enjoy the articles:

Image taken from http://www.teatime-mag.com/images/content/new-home/ES/papel-es.png

Register for free and explore all the links and options that it has for you to perfect your English and explore the world!

Tell us your impression about Teatime-Mag. Did you like it? What article did you explore first, and how was your experience? Don't forget to send us your comment!

In Contact! Episode 2: Travel

Image taken from https://www.uaf.edu/oip/travelalerts/Travel-Alerts-Page-Picture.jpg

Ready to embark on our second episode? :) We'll talk about something that most people really, really enjoy and that has to do with dreams and aspirations: travel. 

In this episode: we'll review two important tenses used to talk about past experiences, which are the simple past and the present perfect; we'll also show you four groovy expressions you can use when talking about travel; you'll be given useful advice to become a smart traveller; we'll enjoy five cool songs which have names of places to visit in their titles; and we'll get closer to our community by learning about their travel experiences, dreams or projects and suggestions.

While listening, there are a few questions for you to think about:

• What places have you visited in our country or around the world? What can you say about your experience?
• What places would you like to visit in the near future?
• What recommendations would you give people to be a smart traveller?
• Do you know any song in English with the name of a city or a country in its name?

Share your answers in the comments below!

We truly hope that after listening to this episode you're bitten by the travel bug and decide to hit the road!

 WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? Click here! 

In Contact! Episode 1: Learning!

Hurray! Welcome to our first episode! It is dedicated to all the people who are studying English or just like practising the language, just like you!

We’ll learn some ways to talk about study and learning. You'll also have three cool expressions about learning people use every day in English. After that, we’ll recommend you some destinations around the world to learn English. We’ll show you our top 5 songs about learning.

We’ll finish our show with your recommendations to study English better.

As you listen, can you answer these questions? Don't forget to leave your comments!

• Why do you think it’s important to learn English?
• Do you have any strategy or technique to study English?
• What is the easiest part of learning English for you, and why?
• What is the hardest part of learning English for you, and why?
• What recommendation would you give to a person who wants to learn English?

Remember, enjoy learning so that you can ace your English classes and pass with flying colours!

 WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? Click here! 

It's time to be In Contact!

Welcome to our new radio program, In Contact!, the radio show for you to keep in touch with your University, with English and with the rest of the world by means of the English language.

Let's meet every Monday on Online Libertadores from 3.00 to 3.30 PM (repetition on Saturday, same time!)! You can also write to us and even participate in our program (WE LOVE YOUR VOICES!).

What will you find in the program? 

• In contact with my Uni: interviews with members of the university (students, teachers, staff members, etc.) who have interesting things to tell us. Everyone has something to share!
• In contact with English: a brief explanation and examples of useful grammar, vocabulary or language use, to excel your English.
• In contact with the world: Culture facts, tips, history and more  interesting information related to the weekly topic. You'll also learn more about all the English speaking countries!
• The Idiom Dose: idiomatic expressions for casual conversation, so that you can speak naturally and confidently.
• The Top 5: five songs or soundtracks related to the topic of the week with old, new and unknown tunes for everyone. You can suggest your favorite songs!
• Smart learning: short clips of tips to learn English better according to your learning styles.
• Keeping in contact! Listen to the Libertadores community as they answer questions connected to the topic of the week. You can also participate!
• The brainy challenge! Are you ready to take the quiz of the week? Test your knowledge in this section!
• Just a minute: speak about the given topic for a minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation.

You can find these and more sections every week. Of course, YOU are the main reason for this program to be, and that's why we'd love your participation and feedback!

So don't forget to be in contact, tune in every Monday/Saturday at 3.00 PM and write to us on Twitter and Facebook!

Have fun with English!