Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for Secondary education

Balancing Work and Parenting

I have two young children and I work from home. Things have been going very well—perhaps too well! My business (I design and make jewellery) is growing, and I am finding it increasingly difficult to balance time for both my children and my work. I want to spend quality time with my children, but I also want my business to continue growing. My husband works very long hours and cannot help much, except on weekends. What should I do?

A Portrait of My Best Friend: Ann

My best friend is Ann. We first met at school over 20 years ago when we were 11. I remember meeting in the playground while playing football. At first, I thought he seemed very arrogant, and I didn't like him at all. However, he made a joke about what a...

Highly Toxic Product Utterson: A sullen, cold, laconic, and reserved speaker; thin, tall, gloomy, melancholy, loyal, and a good friend. Enfield: Utterson's cousin, well-known to all, friendly, and educated. Lanyon: A gentleman, robust, healthy, handsome, white-haired, with a turbulent and decisive manner. Jekyll: Tall, well-mannered, educated, studious, very noble, and good. Hyde: Small, unsightly, evil, very cold, and impassive. Guest: A worshipper, handwriting expert, and a close friend of Utterson. Poole: Good, brave, loyal, friendly, and a good servant.

Tippex 1 Two men are walking down the streets of London and pass in front of a door. Another man tells a story about it. A man ran over a little girl around the corner. Family members threatened...

The Psychology of Luxury Advertising

At the present time, advertisers are utilizing resources that target consumers more directly. Consumerism persists, even during difficult economic times, because people inherently desire to feel elegant and fashionable. Advertisers recognize this fundamental desire and tailor their campaigns accordingly.

Case Study 1: The Viceroy Luxury Campaign

This advertisement features Viceroy, a luxury brand, utilizing the image of a famous singer to promote its product and ensure visibility. We see a young, well-groomed person, dressed simply but projecting a seductive attitude. The intended target audience consists primarily of young, elegant, and dynamic women.

Visual Elements and Slogan Analysis

The image is composed...

Irregular English Verb Conjugation Table (L-W)

This reference table provides the principal forms for a selection of common irregular verbs, starting from 'L' through 'W'. Use this list to quickly check the Infinitive, Past Simple, Past Participle, and 3rd Person Singular Present forms.

Current Realism

This story is classified as realism, reflecting the harsh conditions of its time. It depicts the exploitation of minors, specifically through the forced prostitution of Eréndira, justified by the grandmother as a means to support the family. The narrative also highlights how those involved in contraband often prospered, a reality that persists in modern society. Furthermore, it exposes the systemic exploitation of children in domestic and public spheres.

Ideology of the Characters

Eréndira

Eréndira is exhausted by her grandmother's demands, which include endless housework, bathing, dressing, and painting. She harbors deep resentment for being forced into prostitution to pay off her grandmother's debts. Despite this, she maintains...

I remember the day I ran away from school for the first time in my life. That day, I felt an urge to escape from the insipid schoolwork. Sunshine gently touched my skin, and I could hear the wind whisper, tempting me with the eagerness for freedom. After persuading my friends to join me, we started our unexpected journey. We felt a little fear for our spontaneity; our hearts pounded with excitement and fear at the same time.

We decided to spend the day at the beautiful lake nearby our school, which looked like a colossal sapphire, vividly reflecting the sunshine. I felt the impulse to jump directly into that lake, but considering the season—autumn—I calmed myself down. But thanks to autumn, we got to see an exquisite collaboration of maple...

Vocabulary: Crime, Actions, and Descriptions

Crime and Legal Terms

Arson:

Incendio provocado

Burglary:

Robo en casa (allanamiento)

Drug Dealing:

Tráfico de drogas

Hacking:

Piratear (informático)

Joyriding:

Robo de vehículo (uso no autorizado)

Murder:

Asesinato

Shoplifting:

Robo en tienda

Speeding:

Exceso de velocidad

Theft:

Robo

Vandalism:

Gamberrismo (vandalismo)

General Vocabulary

Scores:

Notas (puntuaciones)

Head Teacher:

Directora/Director

Knocked:

Llamó (a la puerta)

Cheat:

Copiarse (en un examen)

Hoping:

Esperar

Charged:

Acusar

Guilty:

Culpable

Outlaw:

Bandido

Punishment:

Castigo

Gang:

Banda

Tray:

Bandeja/Carrito

Carrying:

Llevar

Hiding:

Esconderse

Bush:

Matorral/Monte

Killed:

Mató

Reward:

Recompensa

Bullets:

Balas/Disparos

Reached:

Alcanzó

Shining:

Brillaba

Brightly:

Intensamente

Stall:

Puesto

Fundamental Linguistic Concepts

The Word:

• Signifier: The set of sounds and letters of a word that we see and hear.
• Meaning: The idea or concept that the word conveys.
• Referent: The reality (object, person, etc.) to which that word refers.

Grammatical Categories

• Variable Categories: Noun, adjective, determiners, pronouns, and verb.
• Invariable Categories: Adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Lexical and Semantic Relations

• Lexical Family: A set of words that share a common lexeme and, therefore, a relationship of meaning.
• Semantic Field: A set of words that share a meaning which distinguishes them from the rest.
• Polysemy: A word that has two or more interrelated meanings.
• Synonymy: Words that are spelled differently but have the same or

Reflections on Daily Life and Language

Yesterday, I was walking through the city centre when I saw a boy playing football alone. I approached him and asked if he wanted to play with me, but he told me he couldn't because he was waiting for his friends. I have played football every Saturday for two years, but today I am not playing because I am studying for an exam. Tomorrow, I will go to the football field and will probably be training all afternoon. If it rains, we will play inside the sports hall. If it were sunny, I would play better because I like the fresh air.

Have you ever played football with foreigners? Would you come play with us one day?

Perspectives on Autonomy and Justice

Malcolm X believed emancipation required self-sufficiency and...

English Irregular Verbs and Basic Verbs in Basque

This list presents English irregular verbs with their base form, simple past, past participle, and Basque translation, followed by common regular verbs with their Basque equivalents.

Irregular Verbs

be / was, were / been / izan

beat / beat / beaten / jo

become / became / become / bihurtu

begin / began / begun / hasi

bend / bent / bent / tolestu

bet / bet / bet / apustu egin

bite / bit / bitten / kosk egin

bleed / bled / bled / odola jario

blow / blew / blown / putz egin

break / broke / broken / hautsi

bring / brought / brought / ekarri

build / built / built / eraiki

burn / burnt / burnt / erre

buy / bought / bought / erosi

catch / caught / caught / harrapatu

choose / chose / chosen / aukeratu

come / came / come...