I Have a Dream...

El sueño de Martin Luther King, Jr. era que sus cuatro hijos pudiesen vivir un día en una nación que no los juzgara por el color de su piel. Pero ,¿qué más sabes acerca de MLK  ? Practica tu inglés y descubre algo más acerca de este personaje que ya es leyenda.

 Early life

 King was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His father, Martin Luther King, Sr., was pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church and encouraged (animó, alentó ) his son to go into the ministry.(hacerse clérigo ) King entered college when he was only fifteen and received a degree in sociology in 1948. King, realising that the ministry would  be a good platform from which to address social issues (tratar temas sociales) , became a minister that same year.

King went on to study theology, first in Pennsylvania and then in Massachusetts, and received a doctorate from Boston University. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, a music student from Alabama. The couple lived in Montgomery, Alabama, and King became pastor of a local church there in 1954. In Montgomery, King started on the road to becoming the nation’s most prominent leader in the fight for civil rights.

The Civil Rights Movement

 In 1860, there were about 4 million slaves (esclavos) , many of them from Africa, living in the South of the United States. They were working in the region’s agricultural industries. Slavery was abolished in the U.S. following the American Civil War (1861-1865) but discrimination still existed. The slaves were freed (liberados)  but blacks were generally not treated as equals. In some Southern states, laws restricted blacks’ use of public services. For example, blacks sometimes were obligated to sit at the back of a bus and there were many “whites only” restaurants and hotels that did not serve blacks. The blacks did not have the same opportunities as whites when looking for work or housing.(vivienda)  Blacks who challenged (desafiaban)  the social structure of the whites were sometimes treated unfairly by the police or, in some cases, lynched by angry mobs.(turba,grupos de gente) A political solution seemed out of reach as blacks didn’t have the right to vote in many areas.

Don't miss the second part of this post  !  No te pierdas la segunda parte de esta entrada  !

It's Mushroom time!

 El verano ya ha llegado a su fin, y con la nueva estación, vuelven las antiguas tradiciones: recoger setas. Pero como no queremos que te encuentres ninguna seta venenosa, desde Home English  te explicamos las setas "mushrooms" más comunes, para que no te hagas un lío en el bosque.



Markets stock a variety of cultivated mushrooms, but many people prefer wild mushrooms, which are often more flavorful.(sabroso)  Be careful when picking (coger) wild mushrooms--some species are poisonous (venenosas)--and always cook them thoroughly, both to release their flavors and to convert their proteins into a more usable form. You can also pulverize dried mushrooms with a food processor or blender, then use the mushroom powder (seta en polvo) to flavor sauces and stews.

Chanterelle
Prized for a fruity aroma, chanterelles range from yellow, orange, and brown to pale white or black. The funnel-shaped caps have wrinkles instead of gills on the underside, which should be washed quickly but carefully before using.

      
White Mushroom

The most common type, white mushrooms range in size (varían en tamaño) from tiny—called button, which are harvested (recogidos) when young and have the mildest flavor—to jumbo, which can be stuffed (rellenos) and baked. Creamy white to pale tan (blanco pálido), they have a firm texture and a delicate flavor.


Oyster

Velvety (aterciopelado) and trumpet-shaped (con forma de trompeta), oyster mushrooms have delicate brown, gray, or reddish caps on gray-white stems (tallos). They have a peppery flavor that becomes very mild when cooked. Young, small specimens are considered the best.
                        


Shiitake
With meaty tan to dark-brown umbrella-like caps, shiitakes have a distinctively smoky flavor (sabor ahumado) and taste best when cooked. Available fresh or dried, they work well in stir-fries (sofritos) as the flavor doesn’t fade next to ginger (gengibre) and garlic. Although the stems are too tough (duros) to eat and should be removed from the heads before cooking, you can use them to flavor stocks (caldos) and sauces before discarding.

Cremini
Similar to white mushrooms but with a firmer texture and deeper flavor (un sabor más fuerte), creminis are actually immature portobellos. The button-like caps range from pale tan to rich brown. The stems are edible.(comestible)

              

Porcini
Resembles (se parece a) the traditional fairytale toadstool (El típico hongo venenoso de los cuentos de hadas) ; weighing (pesa) from a couple of ounces to a pound each with caps from one to ten inches in diameter; smooth, meaty texture; pungent in flavor (de sabor áspero); pale brown color; very expensive; many general cooking uses. Also available dried.

Let's Put Our Heads Together !

Tres nuevas expresiones idiomáticas con la cabeza y los hombros como protagonistas. 

Look at this expression. Can you guess what it means from the context ? :

“If we put our heads together, I’m sure we can find a solution to the company’s financial problems.”

It means that two or more people should collaborate to think of a way to solve a problem. We also sometimes say two heads are better than one, when we refer to two people who collaborate together: “Ask John from the accounts department to help you with the project. After all, two heads are better than one

When we use the phrasal verbs to head to or head over , we are talking about moving or travelling to a specific place: “If you want to get to the post office, head to the main square and follow the signs for the Carrefour hypermarket.” “I’m just heading over to Jake’s to play cards. Do you want to come?."

 Finally, here is an example with shoulder. When we give someone the cold shoulder, it means that we decide not to give them our attention, either temporarily or permanently: “Ever since they had that argument, Jane has given Mary the cold shoulder.” or " I have been giving my neighbour the cold shoulder  ever since she complained about my dog barking ".

Bohemian Rhapsody

El pasado 5 de septiembre el gran Freddie Mercury hubiera cumplido 67 años, por ello y por que en Home English somos fans de la buena música, te invitamos a demostrar tus dotes artísticas; esta vez, tratando de cantar como él… tarea muy difícil ya que su voz era única y especial. De todas formas, te damos la letra en Inglés y su traducción al castellano, y un link de donde puedes bajártela para jugar, por un día, a ser la mejor voz del mundo!

 

 Bohemian Rhapsody
Is this the real life -

Is this just fantasy
Caught in a landslide

No escape from reality
Open your eyes - look up to the skies and see
I’m just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I’m easy come, easy go,
A little high, little low,
Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me, to me

Mama, just killed a man,
Put a gun against his head,
Pulled my trigger, now he’s dead,
Mama, life had just begun,
But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away-
Mama ooo,
Didn’t mean to make you cry-
If I’m not back again this time tomorrow-
Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters-

Too late, my time has come,
Sends shivers down my spine-
Body’s aching all the time,
Goodbye everybody-I’ve got to go-
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth-
Mama ooo- (any way the wind blows)
I don’t want to die,
I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all-

I see a little silhouette of a man,
Scaramouche, Scaramouche

will you do the fandango-
Thunderbolt and lightning-

very very frightening me-
Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Galileo

Galileo Figaro -magnifico-
But I’m just a poor boy and nobody loves me-
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family-
Spare him his life from this monstrosity-
Easy come easy go - will you let me go-
Bismillah! no - we will not let you go-let him go-
Bismillah! we will not let you go-let him go
Will not let you go-let me go
Will not let you go let me go
No, no, no, no, no, no, no-
Mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go-
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me-

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
So you think you can love me and leave me to die
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here

Nothing really matters, Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me

Any way the wind blows

Rapsodia Bohemia
Es ésta la auténtica vida

O es sólo fantasía

Atrapado en un corrimiento de tierras

Sin salida de la realidad

Abre tus ojos – Mira arriba a los cielos y ve

Sólo soy un pobre chico, no necesito compasión

Porque soy fácil de llevar

Un poco alegre, algo triste

Dondequiera que sople el viento, no significa nada para mí, para mí

Mamá, maté a un hombre

Puse una pistola en su cabeza

Apreté el gatillo, ahora él está muerto

Mamá, la vida no ha hecho más que empezar

Pero ahora me he ido y lo he desperdiciado todo

Mamá , Oooh

No quise hacerte llorar

Si no he vuelto mañana de nuevo

Sigue, sigue adelante, como si nada realmente importara

Demasiado tarde, mi tiempo ha llegado

Envía estremecimientos por mi espina dorsal

El cuerpo me duele a todo momento

Adiós a todos – Me tengo que ir

Os tengo que dejar a todos atrás y afrontar la verdad

Mamá, oooh

No quiero morir

A veces desearía nunca haber nacido

Veo la pequeña silueta de un hombre

Scaramouche, Scaramouche

harás el Fandango

Rayos y relámpagos

Me asustan muy mucho

Galileo, galileo, Galileo Galileo

Galileo figaro-magnifico-
Pero sólo soy un pobre chico y nadie me quiere

Él es un pobre chico que viene de una pobre familia

Perdonémosle la vida por esa monstruosidad

Fácil viene, fácil se va -¿Me dejáis ir?

¡Bismillah! No, no te dejamos ir – Dejale marchar

¡Bismillah! No, te dejamos ir – Dejale marchar

No le dejaremos marcharse – Dejadle

No le dejaremos marcharse – Dejadle

No,no,no,no,no,no,no

Mama mia,mama mia,mama mia déjame marchar

Belcebú tiene un diablo puesto a mi lado para mí, para mí, para mí

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye-
So you think you can love me and leave me to die-
Oh baby-can’t do this to me baby-
Just gotta get out-just gotta get right outta here-

Nothing really matters,
Anyone can see,
Nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me,

Any way the wind blows....

Así que pensáis que me podéis apedrear y escupirme en un ojo

Así que pensáis que me podéis amar y dejame morir

Oh, nena – no puedes hacerme esto nena

Sólo tengo que que salir, tengo que salir de aquí

Nada me importa realmente

Cualquiera lo puede ver

Nada importa realmente, nada me importa realmente

Dondequiera que sople el viento .

A relaxing cup of tea.

Tea is the most popular beverage in the world. We drink more tea than the total consumption of coffee, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks combined. In many countries it is the centre of important social occasions and associated with elaborate rituals. This month we look at different ways in which tea is served in various places of the world, and give you tips that you can use to enjoy some of the many varieties of this delicious drink at home.

 

Chinese Green Tea

The origin of tea is the Yunnan province of China, close to the Burmese border (frontera) (the word ‘tea’ comes from its name in one of the Chinese dialects). One legend about the origin of the drink relates (narra) how 5,000 years ago some leaves fell (cayeron) into Emperor Shennong’s cup of water. He tasted (probó) it, liked the infusion…and the rest is history. Preparing traditional Chinese tea is very simple. Add some water at 80 ºC to a warm pot containing green tea and discard (desecha) immediately. Add some more water and leave for thirty seconds, and then pour (verte) into a cup. If the water is too hot or you wait too long before pouring, the tea will have a bitter (amargo) taste.

    

 Moroccan Mint Tea

 The Moroccan way of drinking tea could not be more different from the Japanese. It is prepared using green tea, but it is boiled (hervido) with copious quantities of sugar and fresh mint. After the tea is ready to serve, it is poured into the cup from a distance in a dramatic gesture. Then the tea is returned to the pot. The tea is drunk after it has been poured three times. All important negotiations are accompanied by a cup of mint tea, from buying a carpet in the souk (zoco) to political discussions.

English Afternoon Tea

The English prefer stronger black tea, which they serve with milk. It is important to boil the water to 100 ºC before pouring it into the pot. Leave it for approximately four minutes before pouring. You need one spoonful (cucharada) of tea per person, plus one for the pot. George Orwell insisted that tea tasted better if you pour the tea into the milk, but others say the opposite, that it is important to pour the milk into the tea. You will have to try both options and decide which one you prefer when you stop at four o’clock for a ‘tea break’.

     

Indian Masala Chai

Indian cuisine uses many herbs and spices,(especias) and it is no surprise that Indian tea often includes them as well.(también) A speciality of the subcontinent is masala chai, literally ‘spiced tea’. This is black tea that is boiled with sugar and a variety of spices in water and milk. Usually there is cardamom and combinations of ginger (gengibre), cinnamon, (canela) nutmeg, (nuez moscada) cloves (clavo) and peppercorns.(pimienta) The preferred combination varies from region to region. The spices are removed before serving to leave a smooth, (suave) sweet, aromatic liquid.

     

Red, White or Fruit

 If you have tried all these teas, what can you drink next? You can begin with a cup of red tea, rooibos, from South Africa, which has a sweet, nutty flavour.(con sabor a frutos secos) Then you can try the delicate white tea from the Fujian province of China. This is infused for longer than green tea to allow the subtle flavours to develop. Or you can try one of the many types of fruit teas that are now very popular, from strawberry to papaya and mango.

So whether it is green, black, red or white, make time for tea and let the flavours carry you away to another world.

Hands and Fingers !

Hoy le toca el turno a algunas expresiones idiomáticas  con las manos y los  dedos como protagonistas. 

Now it’s time to look at the hands…

When I want to help somebody I say: “Let me give you a hand.” To give someone a hand means to help someone. When I want somebody to give me what they have, if I am angry I say: “Hand it over!” as a very direct way of saying, “Give it to me now!” 

As we are still in the midle of a crisis, many people find it difficult to make their salary last until the end of the month. They often only have just enough money to pay their bills and for their food. This is called living hand to mouth (so we actually have two body parts!): “Until Jane gets a full-time job each month she is living hand to mouth and often has to borrow money from her parents to pay the bills.”

If we discover somebody doing something wrong, like stealing some money, and we

actually see them do it, this is to catch somebody red-handed: “Bob walked into the

kitchen and caught his two sons drinking his whisky from the drinks cabinet red-handed.”

Let’s talk about fingers…

When we really hope that something good will happen, we often use the expression, Keep your fingers crossed! Here is a typical context: “Keep your fingers crossed that Jamie passes his driving test tomorrow. He’s already failed it three times!”

If we are clumsy and often drop things that we are carrying, we sometimes say butter fingers:   “Hey, butter fingers! You nearly dropped your cup of coffee all over the clean floor!”

Body Language !

Muchas expresiones idiomáticas o frases hechas utilizan partes del cuerpo humano. Veamos algunas de las más utilizadas en inglés. Empezamos con el corazón...

First we begin with the heart…


The expression to break someone’s heart is often used when we upset someone greatly, often when we terminate a friendship or relationship: “She broke his heart when she left him.” It can also be used when someone dies and we can also use the adjective broken-hearted to describe how the sad person feels: “I was broken-hearted when my grandmother died.”

If we learn something off by heart then we learn something completely: “An actor has to learn all the lines he has to say in the television show off by heart.”

We talk about hand on heart when we make a sincere promise: “Hand on heart, it’s the honest truth. I really do love you.”

To have the heart means to be strong enough to tell somebody some difficult news (or not!): “I didn’t have the heart to tell you yesterday but I saw your girlfriend kissing another man in the pub last night.”

If a person has a heart of gold they are a very kind person: “My sister always helps me when I have a lot of things to do – she has a heart of gold.”

Now it is time to practice ! 

Finish the sentence using one of the body expressions from the post .

1- She is very generous. She has a_______
2-She asked  me to go with her and I didn't _____ to refuse .
3-.My grandchildren were____ when their pet dog ran away. Fortunately, they found him the next day !
4-My father can still recite  the poems  he ______ at school.


Answers:

1-heart of gold  2- have the heart 3-broken-hearted  .4- learned off by heart

Get the Juice on Berries

El verano está llegando a su fin, y con la entrada de la nueva estación, conoceremos en este post los diferentes tipos de frutas del bosque que te puedes encontrar en la campiña inglesa. Seguro que más de una vez te has echo un lío con los diferentes tipos de berries. Conozcamos a continuación, la variedad de estos jugosos frutos, que por cierto son muy tradicionales en los partidos de tennis de Wimbledon, normalmente acompañados con nata.... mmmmmm 

Strawberries

Strawberries are naturally sweet and can be served on their own.(solos/as) A popular summer day out in Britain involves a day in the countryside picking (cogiendo) strawberries. It is difficult to resist the temptation to eat them when you are picking! You can pick as many as you want and then pay for them when you leave. When buying strawberries in the supermarket, look for bright (llamativas) red ones and leave the green top on them until you are ready to eat them.

Going Blackberrying

Everybody loves free (gratis) food, and a large number of people go “blackberrying” in the autumn – looking in the hedgerows (seto vivo) for this dark, black berry. Until recently you could only find them in jam. Now, like most things, they are commercially grown (cultivados) but most people say that the ones collected in the countryside taste (saben) much better.

      

Raspberries

These are quite a delicate berry and when you buy them, make sure (asegúrate) that they are a bright colour and that there is no excess juice in the container. You can also buy them canned (enlatadas) and frozen.(congeladas)

To blow a raspberry: if you are not happy with something, for example your local football team, then you can show this by making a noise (ruido) which has a rude (grosero) sound! There are also some awards (premios) called the Golden Raspberry Awards or “Razzies”. These are the opposite of the Oscar Awards because the worst actors and film directors win them!

       

Blueberries

As their name suggests, blueberries are almost always blue, but they are occasionally black with a slight (ligero) silver colour on their skin.(piel) It is quite difficult to find fresh blueberries, but it is more and more common to find them in fruit juices. They are native to North America but are now being cultivated in other parts of the world, like Australia and South America.

Cranberries

What would Thanksgiving Day (Día de Acción de Gracias) be like without this berry that the Americans love so much? They serve them in a sauce (salsa) to go with the turkey. (pavo) The flavour (sabor) is sweet with a slightly acidic taste. You can buy them in a jar (tarro) or as a juice, and cranberries are especially recommended for the treatment of urinary infections. Cranberry juice added along with grapefruit juice to a measure of vodka makes a delicious refreshing cocktail called a Sea Breeze.