CHRISTMAS RECIPES

Shortbread

170g butter/mantequilla
85g sugar/azucar
200g plain flour/harina
60g ground rice/arroz en polvo
Oven: 150°C or Gas 2

Blend sugar and butter together with fingers, then slowly add flour and rice until you have a soft ball of dough. Roll into a tin, lined with baking paper (papel horno), and mark into pieces with a knife. Prick (pinchazo?) with a fork and cook for 50minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle (rociar) with sugar and leave to cool.



Mars Bar Traybake

4 Mars Bars
115g butter/mantequilla
120g rice crispie cereal/arroz inflado

Slowly melt the butter and Mars Bars in a pan (don’t burn!), until you have a smooth mixture. Add the cereal and stir until it is covered in chocolate. Press into a tin lined with baking paper and put into fridge until set. Cut into squares.



Jam Tarts

115g butter/mantequilla
230g plain flour/harina
Pinch/pellizco salt
Cold water
Jam/mermelada
Oven: 150°C or Gas 2

Blend flour, salt and butter with fingers until it is like breadcrumbs (migas?). Slowly add a little water until you have a ball of firm dough. Roll out and use a cup to cut 12 circles of pastry. Put these in the tin, and put a teaspoon (cucharadita) of jam in each one (not too much!). Cook for 20 minutes, then leave to cool.


Chocolate Chip Cookies

100g butter/mantequilla
175g self raising flour/harina con levadura
75g sugar/azucar
30ml syrup/sirope
30ml milk/leche
100g chocolate chips/perlitas de chocolate
Oven: 180°C or Gas 4

Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then stir in the syrup, flour, chocolate chips and milk. Put spoonfuls on to a baking tray, not too close together, and cook for 8-10 minutes.


Chocolate Biscuit Cake

100g butter/mantequilla
50g syrup/sirope
25g drinking chocolate/cola cao
50g raisins or cherries/pasas o cerezas rojas
200g crushed digestive biscuits/galletas

Slowly melt butter, syrup, drinking chocolate in a pan (don’t burn!). Remove from heat and stir in crushed biscuits and rasins or cherries. Press in tin and leave to set. Cut into squares.



Chocolate Truffles

50g butter/mantequilla
40g drinking chocolate/cola cao
175g condensed milk/leche condensada
140g crushed digestive biscuits/galletas
50g coconut/noix de coco
Slowly melt butter, drinking chocolate and condensed milk in a pan (don’t burn!), and add the biscuits and coconut. Mix together well and allow to cool a little, then make small balls and roll in more coconut to cover.

by Nicola Brooks (English Teacher)

FROM MELIDE TO DENMARK

A month ago I’ve been in Denmark
for a week with my sister visiting a
friend who is there studying for a year.
We went thinking of Denmark like a
cold country but there were such a
good weather that all my clothes were
very thick and all Danish look at me
strange in all the places that we have
visited: the little mermaid, the black
diamond, the Parlament, the old castles…
because when I wanted to put out
something of my bag there were a scarf
and gloves while I was surrounded by
people in sandals and T-shirts.

In spite of this I’ve spent an amazing
time meeting people for a lot of
countries and I don’t know why but
now, on the one hand, I’m sad because
perhaps all the crazy Italian boys, the
strange one from Singapur, the young
girl from Belgium who is going to get
married in June and she has invited
me …all people who were my best
friends and the only people I know
there during a week, now are very
far and I don’t know if I’m going to
see them but, on the other hand,
I’m very happy and because now
I have a excuse for go to different
countries to visit them, also to New
Zeeland! And I am expecting to go
with them in a trip in summer;
however we do not know the place to go yet!

Finally I only have to say that for
me travelling is the best way to know
yourself, your country and people that
help you with this two things, it has been
a great experience and I don´t need to
think it so much time if someone suggest
me now to go again!

Laura García Torreiro (2º Bac. C)

NATURAL HISTORY

If you are a fan of nature, and you go to London,
you must visit the Natural History Museum. But
if you can't go to London, you can take a virtual
visit here. Be careful with spiders!

SAVING THE WORLD

The world is changing every day, but not always as we would like it to. Take a look at Greenpeace's website, a page in English where you can find up-to-date information about all the injustices which are affecting our planet. And it has wonderful pictures! Click here.

ART ON THE NET

Has anybody told you that you are a bit "baroque"? Or do you know anybody with a "gothic" aspect? Maybe you feel "impressionist" today, and "expressionist" tomorrow. Well, if you want to get deep into all these terms, and much more, visit the ARTCYCLOPEDIA, a massive website on art, from all the times and trends. Find out things about their works, their lives... Just with a simple CLICK HERE. Oh, and of course it is in English!

EUROPE THROUGH COMIC

The English Department of our school are initiating
a European program to know Europe in a better
way through the comic productions of different
countries. It will be a way to find things in common
with our neighbours from Polland, Germany, Roma-
nia, Bulgaria and Italy. There was a meeting of
teachers in Venice (Italy), and there we decided
to form a group to start this program. If everything
goes on, next school year we will discover amazing
things about comic in Europe, and about European
people. Let's hope for the best!

EMINEM

Marshall Bruce Mathers, know as Eminem, was born on 17 th October, 1973, in Kansas City, USA. He is left handed and he wears glasses because he has short-sightedness.
His mother was a drug addict and he was abandoned by his father. Because of that Eminem childhood was not very happy. He and his mother had to wander to meet a house where they could stay.
At school, he was bullied. He even went to hospital and was in a coma when D’ Angelo Bailey gave him a sound beating. He found refuge in rap music with his uncle Ronnie but then, Ronnie’s suicide happened. However, not everything went wrong. When he was about 13 years old he met Kimberly and they fell in love. They had a baby, Hailie Jade, on 25 th December 1995 but this happiness did not last forever. The relationship was quite difficult because they had a lot of arguments. Kim was in trouble because of drugs and was too possessive. They split up several times and got married twice. For one of the separations Kim had a baby with a pusher. Eminem forgave her and he adopted the child whose name was Whitney. At the moment they are not together again and Eminem is the one who looks after the children. As a father, Eminem is excellent and his only fear is to live without Hailie.
He started in music very young but it was not until 1994 when he went to open mic sessions in a local. At first, people booed him because he is a white man singing “black men music”. There, he met five guys and they formed a group, Dirty dozen (They were six members and each one had a nickname ). Soon afterwards a rival gang killed one of the group and he had to be replaced.
Eminem went on with his own career and succeeded. He got it with his strong lyrics about his personal life (The arguments with Kim, his bad relationship with his mother…) making fun of famous people, denouncing the injustices and with a particular pitched voice. He had made six albums: Infinite (1997), The Slim Shady LP(1999), The Marshall Mathers LP(2000), The Eminem show (2002), Encore (2004) and Curtains Call ( a collection of his hits ). In 2003 he also made a film based on his real life: “8 Mile”. Throughout the years he has got several awards including an oscar for the best soundtrack with “lose yourself” from 8 Mile. Nowadays, he has his own record company “Shady records” and he is regarded as one of the most important people in the music industry. In spite of that, there are rumours about his retirement to spend more time with his daughter.

Mónica Cea (2Bac - A)

MOVIE TRAILERS

Did you know that films are

a wonderful way of learning

English? but we are not going

to show you a whole film...no!

Just have a look at some

trailers of the latest films,

by clicking here.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A FILM STAR?

To become famous! At first sight, it seems worthwhile; you will have money, everyone will recognises you on magazines… So, many young people dream of being a film star. However, it can also have some negative aspects…
Firstly, you must take into account that all you do in your job, but also in your private life ,will be exposed to public opinion: you will not be an unknown citizen any longer. Moreover, you would have to travel a lot; well, it’s fantastic, you can visit many different countries or cities, but surely you won’t have enough free time to admire them, and really important people, like your family, won’t be with you. What’s more, you should spend a short time with them. Finally, another argument so as not to become an actor could be that you must play a different character, in a different situation and with different feelings in each filming.
As a result of this, if you are thinking of becoming a performing star, you should be conscious of the many things you would have to give up on the way to fame.

BEATRIZ REY (2nd Bac - A)

A VISIT TO FINLAND

Our highschool has been invited by the Socrates National Agency to travel to Finland, to attend a Conference on Adult Education. One of the teachers from Melide, José Tomás, went there, and took part in the speeches, cultural visits, and so on...

He met teachers from all over Europe: it was nice to have breakfast together with a woman from Turkey, lunch with a Belgian man, and dinner with people from France, the UK or Italy. Of course the language they used was English. And, apart from work, the visit to Helsinki was fantastic. It was like a trip to a very distant place, with a different light, a melancholy atmosphere...and very nice people.

NEW SCHOOL YEAR, NEW EXPERIENCES!!

The new school year has already started, and with it came new ideas, new experiences. For instance, Nicola Brooks, a Scottish teacher, is with us, conducting the conversation classes, the theater group (WHAT'S UP THEATER)... and the famous ENGLISH COFFEE!! You can see on the picture how funny it was to practise English with a native person, and how good it was to have coffee and cake at the same time. We hope it will go on and on (remember, every 15 days).

RUN, RAN, RUN!

Here they are: they first year students (EOI), explaining the irregular verbs with a poster. Don't miss Adolfo sleeping, or Iván reading. And that hand which is always present belongs to Nuria.

The day I got lost in the forest

Last friday I went to the forest to look for flowers. I was veryAfraid because it was a dangerous place.

First, I was going into the forest and I was walking and picking beautiful flowers, but suddenly I fell down and I broke my arm.I began to hear stranges noises from animals and I began to run and I fellonce again and I broke the other arm.I didn't have my mobile phone. Then I sat down next to the tree andI began to shout.One person went out behind the tree and I said: -Can you help me,please? The person agreed and I thanked him. This person was myteacher and when she looked at me, she began to laugh at me and she shouted:

- STUUUUUUUUUUDYYYYYYY !She had one penknife in her hand and I began to run very fast, and she ran, andran, and ran... Suddenly I woke up, and I fell onto the floor of my bedroom. Oh, yes! All night was false. I was very happy! but I began to study a lot.

THE END By LAURA AYUDE (EOI 1)

CARNIVAL

Mainly the lesson was like others. The teacher began to explain the corresponding topics. Everything was apparently normal... But, suddenly, there came a sound from the door. We could not believe what our eyes saw then!! Seventy teachers dressed in kilts appeared with huggies and hairy legs. Manolo was the one who played the pipes. The rest were dancing and jumping -I'll never forget such an astonishing spectacle. The principal was conducting the group, and all the others followed his orders. Then, the Rianxeira started to sound: it was crazy. All the women teachers screamed the "aturuxo". Tomás then said, "Hey, mates, do you think this is serious? What's up with you all?" "Oh, come on, Tomás", Verónica said, "join the party!"
And then a huge banana hit my head and I found out it had all been a dream...or a nightmare!?

Suriña, Elma, Celia, Laura and Verónica (3rd year EOI)

CREATE YOUR OWN FILM IN 5 MINUTES!!

Would you like to have a movie fragment with the words you choose? Now this is possible. Click here and you will see an example and the instructions to do it yourself. You have some scenes and you have to pick up one. Then, write the script, and that's it! Maybe you become famous after this.

TYPES OF FAMILIES

Julia Sevillano(Graphic Designer) and Esther Vidal(cook)are living together.
They have been together for ten years now. Teo and Julia,twins, are Esther's biological
Children. Julia will adopt them when they get Married.
We love each other, we´re happy together,
We grow up together.

José and Lourdes live together. Jana And Elio are Lourdes´children and
Marina is José´s daughter. Vera is their common daughter and the
common link between the children they´ve got from their previous
Couple.
Yes, our house is a mess,but we Are happy.

Have you seen these photographs before? They have been taken from the magazine EL PAIS SEMANAL (Sunday 9th October 2005) Spanish family is changing. Here you´ve got different ways of understanding the so traditional concept of family.
What do you think about it?What advantages and disadvantages do you think it has?

Ramón and Charo got married 47 years ago “till death do us apart”. They had 3 daughters and one son. A traditional family so far, however they have lived a lot of changes in their family.Their eldest daughter got divorced amd married again. Their granddaughter is living with her boyfriend. Some grandchildren are baptized and others aren´t. You can see their crisis coming before they hit you: They are your children, your family

A family is made up of a man and a woman. That's how I see it.

I am a single mother. My family is just my daughter and me!!!!!

Antonio and Elena have got three children. The eldest are biological and the youngest
was adopted in China. It wasn´t necessary to give birth to my daughter to feel like her mother.

María is Spanish and Walla is from Angola. They have been living together since 2001. Iano is their son.
Living with an African man is neither better nor worse.We went through an adaptation phase, just like any other couple.

LOVE, RESPECT, CARE
THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT
CAN DEFINE ALL MODELS OF FAMILIES

If you have any comments about the subject, this is your blog to do it in English.

SMOKING AND YOU

DO YOU SMOKE? CIGARETTES? CIGARS? A PIPE?
HOW MANY DO YOU SMOKE A DAY?
DO YOU SMOKE TO RELAX
DO YOU FEEL NERVOUS IF YOU HAVEN´T HAD A SMOKE FOR A LONG TIME?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO STOP SMOKING?
COULD YOU GIVE IT UP EASILY?


ANTI-SMOKING LAW

The Anti-tobacco Law came into force in Spain on January 1st 2006. The regulation forbis smoking in workplaces . Bars and restaurants over 100 square metres are obliged to provide no-smoking areas. Smaller bars have to decide if they want to allow smoking or not. All of them must show signs to inform customers if they allow lighting up or not.

Surveys show that 77% of people approved the ban on smoking in working places. 94% approved the prohibition in hospitals,schools, sports and cultural venues. Less than 5% expressed opposition to these measures.
WHAT´S YOUR OPINION ABOUT THIS LAW ?

TWO SWEDISH IN CLASS!!

A few weeks ago we received an amazing visit.Two Swedish men, "FROM SWEDEN"came to class and spoke with us, well, they spoke and we listened, but it was really cool. At the beginning, we were a bit scared because we didn't know if we would be able to understand them, but in the end we realized it was quite easy, and we then learned about their culinary costumes! well!
In conclusion, we proved that it isn't so complicated to talk with people from other countries using English! So, guys, begin to speak English!!!
Rocio V. & Elena R.

Christmas is over!!!!

Back to reality again! The first week of school we have already had some exams. This is not fair! We remember those afternoons at home, doing nothing, just watching tv, and sometimes making the great effort to answer the telephone or to surf the web. We want more holidays!

(Elena Rodríguez, Patricia Rouco & Rocío Vázquez)