LIFE AND DEATH OF...

Clik HERE to watch the video

OVERPOPULATION EXPLAINED

THESE ARE THE REAL HORROR STORIES OF TODAY'S WORLD

5 Horrific Urban Legends That Turned Out to Be True

Full article HERE

CONNECTORS AND NARRATIVES

Full article HERE

QUORA: A FORUM COMMENT ON THE FUTURE OF CITIES

What will cities look like 40 years into the future?

Click HERE to read the whole forum.

INSTRUCTIONS: Write two short comments on the forum (100 words each). One of the comments must reflect your personal views and the other one must reflect the opinion of one of the people listed below. Think of what comments these people might leave on the forum and elaborate an answer according to their profile. Use your best English.

1. An apocalyptic environmentalist
2. A greedy builder
3. A corrupted politician
4. A technological visionary
5. A virtuous campaigner
6. A wealthy philanthropist
7. Greta Thunberg
8. A scholarly & optimistic citizen
9. A renowned expert
10. An apathetic & pessimistic citizen

IELTS SPEAKING: TOWNS AND CITIES

See the full website HERE

RELIGION AND BABIES

POVERTY AND OVERPOPULATION

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A REPORT ON WORLD POPULATION

  A United Nations report on world population trends has provided some interesting food for thought on the future demographics of our planet. The world’s population is currently 6.5 billion and is set to increase and level off to about 9 billion people. The report says population explosions will occur in Africa and Asia, but not in the rest of the world, “Considerable diversity exists in the expected population growth of countries. The

population of many countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, will increase greatly inthe coming decades.”  

  Conversely, population levels in developed countries are expected to fall, because of decreased fertility rates caused by increased contraceptive use. The report also indicates half of the world’s population will be city dwellers by 2007. That is a huge jump from the figure of 30% urbanization in 1993. The five most populated cities today are Tokyo (35 million people), Mexico City (19 million), New York (18.5 million), Bombay (18.3 million) and Sao Paulo (18.3 million). In 1950 only Tokyo and New York had populations of more then 10 million people. By 2050 there will be 22 cities of that size. 

  The report concludes, “the current population picture is one of dynamic population change, reflected in new and diverse patterns of childbearing, mortality, migration, urbanization and ageing. The continuation and consequences of these population trends present opportunities as well as challenges for all societies in the twenty-first century.”

CITY LIFE OUTSIDE THE CITY

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 
1. When did the urbanization process begin? 
2. What triggered this process? 
3. What three factors made people move to the cities? 
4. If people could telework, what impact would that have? 
5. Regarding access to services and goods, what is the current problem with delivery in rural areas? 
6. How can the problem of delivering goods in rural areas be solved? 
7. Regarding energy efficient houses, can living in the country be eco-friendly? 8. According to Julio Gil’s predictions, will cities disappear?

CITIES CAN SAVE THE PLANET

Click HERE

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LONDON

INSPIRATION FOR THE SUMMER!

UPDATED CONTENTS FOR THE FINAL EXAMS IN MAY 2019

Writing:

Two texts.

FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY (250 words) possible topics:

-Fossil fuels

-Longer prison sentences and the death penalty

-Same-sex marriage

-Mass tourism

-The sustainability of economic growth
-Living together before marriage ELIMINATED

STATISTICS REPORT (BAR CHARTS) (150 words) possible topics:

-Women in the Spanish Parliament

-Brexit voters by age

-Police killings in the US by race

-Catalan speakers in Catalonia

-Children poverty in Spain ELIMINATED

-Salaries in the EU ELIMINATED

-Immigration and emigration in Spain ELIMINATED

-Carbon emissions US and China ELIMINATED

Speaking.
Monologue: preparation time 3 minutes. You can take notes. Presentation time: 5-6 minutes. 

-Do you think alternative energies can be a realistic alternative to fossil fuels?

-Do you think the death penalty is wrong in all cases?

-Do you believe same-sex couples should be able to marry and adopt children?

-Is tourism destroying the planet or can it also help conservation?

-Are private schools better that public shools?

-At our levels of consumption, is economic growth sustainable?

         -Is nuclear energy a reasonably green option?
        -Is living together before the wedding essential for a long-lasting                successful marriage? ELIMINATED

Dialogues: preparation time 3 minutes. Presentation time 6-7 minutes. These are the topics:

-DEBATES ON:

-Fossil fuels

-Living together before getting married ELIMINATED

-The death penalty

-Same-sex marriage

-Mass tourism

-The sustainability of economic growth