Solutions

Actividad 1

Answer

Any of these types of information could be used by someone providing basic information about themselves so in situations such as introductions to other people you need to get ready to listen to relevant language in those areas.

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Actividad 2

Answer

The correct matches are:

Edad

Tengo… años

Nacionalidad

Soy…

Lugar de origen

Nací en…

Nombre

Me llamo…

Profesión

Trabajo de/en…

Lugar de residencia

Vivo en…

Back to - Actividad 2

Feedback

Lugar de origen  ➜  Nací en… (‘Soy de… ’ is another way to express origin)

Nombre  ➜  Me llamo… (‘Mi nombre es…’ is another way to express your name)

Profesión  ➜  Trabajo de/en… (‘Soy …’ is another way to express profession)

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Actividad 3

Answer

Nombre Edad Lugar de origen (país) Lugar de residencia
Manuel Rivero 55 años Santander (en el norte de España)
Paloma Zancajo 50 años Madrid Madrid
Celia Sánchez Ramos 56 años Zaragoza (noroeste de España)
Antonio Feal Dopico 64 años La Coruña (España)
Amalia Schubert Arévalo(s) 29 años Santa Rosa del Aguaray
Andrés Ponga Colina 34 años Santander, (capital de Cantabria Ajo

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Actividad 4

Discussion

These are the names you heard:

  • Steven Spielberg

  • Scarlett Johansson

  • Harry Styles

  • Whitney Houston

  • Buckingham

  • Stonehenge

  • Stratford

  • Hollywood

Notice how the native speaker of Spanish tends to adapt the English pronunciation of ‘h’ and ‘s’ to fit the Spanish sound system. ‘H’ sounds like the Spanish ‘j’. Words beginning with ‘sc’, ‘sl’, ‘sm’, ‘sn’, ‘sp’ and ‘st’ have an ‘e’ added to them.

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Actividad 7

Answer

Español English cognate
Actor Actor
Arte Art
Banco Bank
Concierto Concert
Cultura Culture
Memoria Memory
Problema Problem
Romántico Romantic
Tráfico Traffic
Verbo Verb
Violencia Violence

Back to - Actividad 7



Actividad 8

Answer

Right:

no

family

honesty

justice

liberty

persons

Wrong:

abundance

associated

curiosity

elegance

ideal

magic

Paloma uses the following words:

  • familia – family
  • libertad – liberty
  • justicia – justice
  • personas– persons
  • honestidad – honesty

Even though the word 'persons' is not commonly used in English, an awareness of the cognate can help you pick up on more details in an authentic conversation.

Notice that some words are not spelt exactly the same in Spanish and English, but are quite similar, so we can work out what they might mean.

Back to - Actividad 8



Actividad 9

Part

Answer

Right:

la familia

Wrong:

el dinero

el tiempo libre

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Part

Answer

Right:

la libertad

la justicia

la honestidad

Wrong:

la sinceridad

la solidaridad

el respeto

el amor

la tolerancia

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Actividad 10

Part

Answer

  • no
  • aparento
  • persona
  • paciente
  • paciencia
  • nerviosa
  • habitual
  • deformación
  • profesional

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Comment

Note how Paloma uses the term ‘deformación profesional’ in order to distinguish patience acquired as part of the job from a more innate patience.

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Actividad 14

Answer

Just by looking at the visual clues in the video, you can see that Andrés lives in a village, in the countryside. You will have guessed that he is a farmer looking after his cattle and working in the fields. We see him having lunch with his family. These visual clues can lead us to believe that Andrés is likely to be talking about his family, his work and his animals, and that these are the things that make him happy.

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Actividad 15

Answer

For Andrés it is important in life is to have some tranquillity, peace (tranquilidad), to be happy (felicidad), the support of your family (familia que te apoye) and have a partner. For him, the thing that makes him happy is his family (familia).

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Actividad 16

Answer

Your answer will be individual to you, but here is an example:

Para mí las cosas importantes en la vida son la familia, la salud y la seguridad financiera.

A mí lo que me hace más feliz es estar con mi familia y disfrutar de una comida juntos.

Back to - Actividad 16



Actividad 17

Answer

The correct matches are:

“Mi padre y un tío”

Cabeza

“Cuando les hablas de la money”

Dedos

“Ves, hacerse, sí lo hacemos”

Dedo índice

“Coges la puerta de tu casa”

Manos en puño

“Siendo un poquito manitas”

Palma de las manos

“Compramos la pizza, llegamos a casa, abrimos el microondas”

Brazos

“No lo comparemos con el cocido”

Cabeza y brazos

“Estoy superorgulloso de ser carpintero”

Cara

“Yo tengo una hija y él tiene dos”

Cabeza, dedos y brazos

Back to - Actividad 17

Discussion

Note that cocido is a Spanish stew. Javier is comparing the difference between microwave meals and home-cooked food to explain the difference between pre-fabricated and artisanal furniture.

Back to - Actividad 17



Actividad 18

Part

Answer

You might choose subtitles in your own language for a variety of reasons:

  • To help with understanding unfamiliar accents
  • Because I have hearing problems
  • To make sure I don't miss any information

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Part

Answer

You might choose subtitles in Spanish for these sort of reasons:

  • To understand everything
  • To learn new words
  • To learn new accents
  • To cope with unfamiliar accents

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Actividad 20

Part

Answer

Right:

Verdadero

Wrong:

Falso

Back to - Part

Part

Answer

Right:

Verdadero

Wrong:

Falso

Back to - Part

Part

Answer

Right:

Verdadero

Wrong:

Falso

Back to - Part

Part

Answer

Right:

Falso

Wrong:

Verdadero

Back to - Part

Part

Answer

Right:

Falso

Wrong:

Verdadero

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Actividad 21

Answer

The correct matches are:

First:

La amistad

Second:

Hacer agradable la vida de mi entorno

Third:

Sentirme bien conmigo misma

Fourth:

Poner objetivos a corto plazo y a medio plazo

Fifth:

Ilusionarme con nuevas metas

Sixth:

La automotivación

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Actividad 23

Answer

You may have noted some of these words.

New word or phrase English Spanish definition
de trato fácil easy going persona flexible, agradable, positiva y servicial
entorno environment, context círculo(s) donde se vive o se mueve una persona, por ejemplo el trabajo, el hogar, etc.
buen humor Good humoured Tendencia alegre de una persona
sentirme bien conmigo misma Feeling good about myself (Note that misma is feminine and a male would say: mismo)
a corto plazo Short term Dentro de un periodo breve
Nuevas metas New goals Fin a que se dirigen las acciones o deseos
Falta de miedo Lack of fear Sin angustias o aprensiones

Back to - Actividad 23



Actividad 24

Answer

The correct matches are:

1

Datos personales

2

Trabajo

3

Personalidad

4

Idiomas

5

Cambios en su vida

Back to - Actividad 24



Actividad 25

Answer

In this context, these are the ways in which these words would be interpreted.

    
Particular Peculiar, unusual. Here the word does not mean ‘particular’.
Manía Obsession. This is here a false friend of the word ‘mania’.
Facilidad Ease. The word ‘facility’ is not commonly used with this meaning.
Idiomas Languages. This is a false friend of the word ‘idioms’.

Back to - Actividad 25



Actividad 26

Answer

I retired 4 years ago Me jubilé hace 4 años
I perform the functions Desempeño las funciones como
I fundamentally value affection Fundamentalmente valoro el cariño
…gathered around a table Reunidos en torno a una mesa
I have a gift for languages Tengo facilidad para los idiomas
I am determined to learn Chinese right now Estoy empeñado en aprender chino ahora mismo
To be born again Volver a nacer
For a change! ¡Por variar!

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Actividad 28

Answer

Right:

Emigrating to Spain from Paraguay.

Wrong:

Her experience of living in Ajo.

Travelling to different countries.

Her family holidays.

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Actividad 30

Answer

You may not have heard or understood all the characteristics of Amalia’s personality but by imagining them in advance, you may have been able to anticipate some of the adjectives she uses to describe herself. Amalia uses the following:

  • alegre (happy)

  • simpática (friendly)

  • abierta (extrovert)

  • buena persona (a good person)

  • trabajadora (hard working)

  • divertida (fun)

She also explains that she get angry quite quickly. For this final trait she uses a colloquial expression

  • me enfado con una rapidez que no veas” which means “you wouldn’t believe how quickly I get angry”.

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Actividad 31

Answer

You may have identified these examples in Amalia’s speech. You will see that they are no obstacle for understanding of the information she provides. With practice you will be able to recognise these techniques among the important content of someone’s message.

Technique Examples
Repetition Lo más importante… lo más importante
Correction con mi… conmigo
Addition y
Reformulation

lo básico, lo más importante

cuando voy a mi… a ver a

Omission es lo más… [importante]

Back to - Actividad 31