Practise listening

As some of you asked me about some more material in order to improve your listening skills, here you have a couple of videos taken from BBC Learning English.

Both of them have to do with topics regarding tourism, they are short and easy to follow.

The first one deals with Venice and the second one is about floods in Europe, a natural disaster.

Protecting Venice

Floods in Europe

JUST GIVE ME A REASON (BY PINK & NATE RUESS)

Click on the image and practise listening with this song by Pink and Nate Ruess. It is the same song we have been listening to in class.

WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS (by Green Day)

Here you have the video of the song "Wake Me Up When September Ends", by Green Day.



If you want to keep on practising listening skills with this song you can try lyricstraining. Remember you can choose the level of difficulty.

 I hope you learn and have fun!

PROJECT: TOURIST ATTRACTIONS INTERVIEW 2013 - AUDIOS AND VIDEOS

I hope you like watching and listening to some of your classmates carrying out their interviews about tourist attractions in Madrid.

2º Travel Agencies and Events Management
Laura M.:



Dámaris:





Lorena:


2nd Tourist Accommodation Management

Paloma:

 

Laura:

Adele: Set Fire to the Rain

This is the song we listened to last week: Set Fire To The Rain, by Adele. I hope you enjoy listening to it again. Remember singing English songs is an excellent way of learning this language.

Adele set fire to the rain from dgmmm

The Weather

The weather is always a "trending topic";-)

Here you have a very good page about the weather forecast. I have chosen Madrid (Spain) but you can search any other place. You can also see a video with the weather forecast for today on that page in the area you want to: Europe, the USA...

On the other hand, you also have the weather forecast by AEMET on the blog, on the right.

JOB PROFILE: EVENTS MANAGER

If you are interested in becoming an events manager, have a look at this webpage. It explains the main duties and some other requierements that are needed in the UK. Hope you find it useful and interesting! =)

You can also watch the following video in which the Special Events Manager at Portofino Island Resort discusses her typical day at work, the qualifications needed for the job, the best and worst parts of the job, and advice that can be used by students considering this line of work.


Here you have another video: EBE offers corporate event planning and event management services as well as entertainment such as dance bands, DJs (disc jockeys) and ensembles, lighting, video production and more to ensure your Corporate Event, Meeting, Conference, Product Launch or Gala is a success.

PODCASTS: ENGLISH SPEAKING TOURIST DESTINATIONS

These are some of the podcasts you have created. You can listen to them. Can you identify the people who are speaking?
If you want to, you can also download them and listen to them on your smart phone, iphone, tablet, MP4 and so on.
You can also add a comment below.
Congratulations! You've done a very good job! :-)

Tourist Accommodation Management:

San Francisco: Ir a descargar

New York: Ir a descargar

Sydney: Ir a descargar

Dublin: Ir a descargar
 
Travel Agencies and Events Management:
 
Liverpool: Ir a descargar

Dublin: Ir a descargar

London: Ir a descargar
 
Los Angeles: Ir a descargar

JOB PROFILE: TOUR GUIDE

You can have a look at the duties a tourist information assistant has to carry out on this site.

If you want to become a tour guide here you can watch a video in which they tell you about the tourism industry and the opportunities it offers if you are interested in this field and you love travelling, meeting new people, etc. It also shows you the importance of history, geology and some other areas in order to become a good professional.

BOOKING A HOLIDAY

Listen to the following conversation that takes place in a travel agency. The customer wants to travel somewhere hot for a beach holiday in November. Which of these places do they choose -The Gambia, Spain, Tenerife, Lanzarote, La Gomera or France? What is wrong with the places he doesn't choose?
Listen and write down as many details as possible:
Name of hotel
Room
Meal Plan
Dates and times of departure and arrival
Airports
Clients' Names
Telephone number
Booking reference number

(From HARDNG, K. (1998) Going International. English for Tourism. OUP, U. 3, p. 32)

DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS IN A HOTEL

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

• What happens?
• How does the receptionist deal with the problem?
• What would you have done?

WINDSOR HOTEL AND GRAND AMERICA HOTEL PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS

Watch the following videos. Then identify and answer the following questions:

1. Location
2. Facilities
3. Similarities
4. Differences
5. Which video do you prefer? Why?
6. To what kind of people would you recommend these hotels? Why?

 

EMIRATES PALACE IN ABU DHABI

This video will help you when showing guests the facilities our hotel has.

TRACY CHAPMAN - FAST CAR

Sheila recomended us this song.
She hopes you like it.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE - LISTENING

Listen to the following recorded information on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and write down some details you can understand, such as the nickname it receives, when it was built, how long it took to be built, number of people employed, measures, number of railway lines and road lanes, number of vehicles per day, museum opening hours and any other piece of information that can be relevant for the correct understanding.

(From HARDING, K. (1999) Going International, OUP, U. 9, list 2, p. 128)

LISTENINGS - CONFERENCE ROOMS

Listen to the following conversation between the Conference and Banqueting Manager of the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, and the Conference Co-ordinator of the ETOA (European Tour Operators Association). They are discussing the Albemarle Suite.

As you listen, write down the names of the rooms and give as much information as you can regarding size and equipment.

(From HARDING, K. & HENDERSON, P. (2004) High Season, OUP, U. 10, 3 Listening, p. 111)

Now listen to a conference co-ordinator discussing the programme for the Hoteliers' Annual Conference to be held at a hotel in Edinburgh. Write down as much as you can regarding the programme as well as the things which have been changed from the original one.

(From HARDING, K. & HENDERSON, P. (2004) High Season, OUP, U. 10, 7 Listening, p. 117)

FAIR TRADE - RISE AGAINST - PRAYER OF THE REFUGEE & HELP IS ON THE WAY

Warm-up:

• Do you agree with the statement 'we live in a consumer society'? Why?
• Do you spend a lot of money on clothes? What is your favourite brand?
• What do you usually spend your money on? Mobiles? Videogames? Clothes?

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

1. Where does it take place?
2. What kind of peple can you see?
3. Are they young?
4. Where are they from?
5. What products can you see?
6. Do you buy them?
7. Do you usually have a look at the label of the products you buy?
8. Have you ever bought any fair trade products?

Listen and put the song in the right order.



Here you have another videoclip by Rise Against titled 'Help Is On the Way'. Watch it and answer the questions.

• What natural disasters does it show? Do you know any others?
• What do you do when something like this happens?
• Do you belong to any non-governmental organizations (NGO)? What is the name? What do you do?
• Write a brief summary of the story.

PROJECT: TOURIST ATTRACTIONS INTERVIEW 2012 - AUDIOS AND VIDEOS

Here you can see and listen to some of your classmates (Laura, Maribel & Yolanda) when carrying out the interviews about tourist attractions in Madrid. Thanks again for your contribution.



Here there are two interviews carried out by José. This one is with a woman from Barcelona.




And here is the second interview, this time with a woman from Argentina.




And this is Adrián interviewing an American girl in Alcalá de Henares.

VIDEOS - DIALOGUES AT THE HOTEL

Here you have some videos which can help you to improve your oral skills when dealing with guests at a hotel. They are cartoons.

Checking in:




Solving problems:


Checking out:

BOOKING CONFERENCE ROOMS

Have a look at the video below. You will see a man advertising a company specialised in booking venues for different types of hotels.