R u a text expert?

If you live in this world, you most probably have a cell phone, send text-messages and communicate with your friends via MSN. But do you go to extremes like the girl we can see in this British advert?


I hope not. If you don't have a clue about what this girl is saying, you lack information on new technologies and internet lingo. Here there is a very comprehensive article and listening from the BBC on Instant Messaging. Now, that you have all the information you need we can proceed.
If you are a regular user of instant messages, you are aware that you have to be economical with words. For that reason, people have found very creative ways of getting their messages across by combining letters and numbers. You already know how to do this in Spanish, but do you know how to read text messages in English? Here you have a webpage with all the information you need. You can translate from txtmsg lingo to English or the other way about (from English to txtmsg lingo). There is also a very complete list of emoticons, txting words and acronyms.
Let's have a bit of fun with all this. Can you translate these text messages into plain English? Leave us the translation as a comment...

1. C U L8R M8
2. AFAIK
3. W8 4 ME, I’M L8, SOZ
4. KIT
5. HAND
6. TMB
7. C U 2NITE O 2MORO
8. Evtings funny as long as its nt hapNg 2 U.
9. The best wA 2 gt rid of doZe past memries is 2 brng somit nu 2 Rplce it
10. Ive a pen wich S blue, Ive a pal wich S u. flowers wl di,e waters will dry, but r Fship will nvr say gdby

You can also create your own text messages by translating them here from plain English into txtmsg lingo. Give it a try and leave your messages as comments...We will be waiting for them.

And the winners are!!!!!!!!

First of all I would like to thank all the ones who have taken part in our 20 q challenge. The answer is......yes, a computer! Congratulations to all those who have given the right answer. The winners of this challenge are:

• Luciana




• Aylen




• And some "anonymous", who were too shy to post their names. Let's hope that next time they will tell us who they are.

Let's give them a big clap!!!!!

A Challenge for you all: Inventing a gadget!!!!

Do you know what a gadget is? A gadget is a device that is small and often not essential. If you have been studying at Challenge, you have most probably encountered in some of your classes two very famous British characters that have already invented lots of gadgets:Wallace and Gromit!!!! If you have never seen them before, here you've got the trailer of their last movie to get acquainted with them:"Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit". In Pre-Intermediate we have been watching "Wallace and Gromit in a Close Shave" and we have devoted last class to work on gadgets advertisements (real and imaginary) that we have in our text-books. For that reason,we pose a challenge to all of you:

"Invent the funniest and most useful gadget of all times. "

Choose a gadget (serious or humorous) and write an advertisement for it. Don't forget to include a title, the advantages of your gadget, the price and where you can get it.

We will be waiting for your creations...leave them as a comment.

Simpsonized!!!!

If you have ever wondered how you would look like if you lived in Springfield I have got the answer. As I told you before you can go to www.simpsonizeme.com/# and turn yourself into a Simpson character. I have already done it and here you have the result.

Can you guess who these two people are? I can help you: If you go to Challenge, you are most probably going to find them at any time...

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=en_us&code=sprkwigxpkubsyrswkyvjlaqguhgknxv

and....

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=en_us&code=huvmfyuqmifqwyamjxsjmcfoyfvrveba

And finally here you've got our first students' creation. They are from Elementary. Can you guess who they are?

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=es_es&code=zxguoidoumgecmkunjnsptkxsekfaheu#

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=es_es&code=bhcchwkmhybzprpturznzptweyartqrq

And who are these girls?

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=es_es&code=pkbzckagfgohamtrrxtvpwikqwmeerxi

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=en_us&code=nqeberzphvsfuaoltfhvadclhcjszujx

http://simpsonizeme.com/ecard.php?lang=es_es&code=qcvbaqxxubqjkdqafjsjrhkuxdejhddq

remember to send us your creations so that we can post them too. You can invent an imaginary name. I'll be waiting for your creations.

Game of the Week!!!!

And finally here you've got the game of the week. As Mica and Rodri have found the previous game extremely easy here you've got a more difficult game.It's called trapped. You will find the instructions for the game on the website ( you have to scroll down the page). If you get stuck, click on the right corner on the game to go to the walkthrough. There you will find clear instructions on what to do next or go to http://www.armorgames.com/tutorials/trapped-tutorial.html Let us know what you think about it. You can leave us a comment and give us your opinion. In that way we can go on improving.

20Q !!!!

20Q machine,
orginalmente cargado por BigRedBall.

Are you still wondering what this little thing is?.... According to wikipedia "...The game 20Q is a handheld device based on the parlor game twenty questions. The handheld will ask you to think of anything you like and will then try to guess what you're thinking with twenty yes or no questions..."
If you want to learn more about this game here you've got a conversation between a British girl and an American boy that will answer all your questions. You can listen to it on-line or download it to your computer. If you want to give the game a try you can enter the 20 q official website (you are obviously supposed to choose the "Think in American" or "Think in British" game)

And now I pose you a challenge: why don't YOU guess what I'm thinking about at the moment? Let's see who is the first one to guess it. Here are the clues:

1) It is neither a vegetable nor an animal. It is not a mineral either.

2) You sometimes hold it when you use it.

3)You can use it at any time (during the day or night)

4)It is hard.

5) Sometimes when you buy it, it comes in a box.

6) Cats don't chase it.

7) It is not made out of wood.

8)It displays information.

9) It can play music.

10) Sometimes it is used to calculate.

11) It can not fit in an envelope.

12) You need electricity to use it.

13) It is sometimes used for communication.

14) It is not used to record an event

15) It sometimes tells the time

16) It probably involves contact with other humans.

17) It is heavy.

18) It is made up of different parts

Haven't you guessed it yet??? It's very easy. Think carefully and when you have the answer leave us a comment. Next week I will tell you the correct answer and who the winners are. When you guess it you can also prepare a new challenge for us all to go on guessing.

The Simpsons Movie

Simpsons Life-Size Diorama,
orginalmente cargado por omniNate.

We are finally back from holidays. I have got to know from most of you that you have seen "The Simpsons Movie" during the holidays. You've also told me that you liked it a lot. For that reason here you've got some things I have found on the net, so that you can improve your English while you go on having fun with this hilarious family.

First of all, you can enter http://simpsonizeme.com/# and turn yourself into a Simpson character by uploading one of your pictures. When you finish, send your creations to challengeeducation@gmail.com so that we can post them in our blog. It's not necessary to post it with your real name. If you want, you can invent an imaginary name for it.

After that, you can enter the official Simpsons movie site .There you will find some games and if you go to Moe's Bar you will be able to see the trailer of the movie and some clips from the Simpson's episodes.

And finally here you've got an episode to enjoy yourselves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iu5wDGgFmY. Let's find out what Marge does surfing the net. Is it similar to what you generally do? Tell us by leaving a comment.