It has been three months since we last had an English class together, and a lot has happened in Spain. There have been dramatic events, sporting celebrations, extreme weather, a spectacular eclipse, a major situation in Ceuta and even the return of one of Britain's most famous rock bands.

One of the most significant events happened in Ceuta at the end of July. On July 30 and 31, more than 70,000 migrants entered the Spanish city from Morocco in a mass crossing. The sudden arrival created an unprecedented situation for the city. Ceuta's existing reception facilities quickly became overcrowded, and the authorities had to find additional places to accommodate people.

The Spanish government subsequently created thousands of additional places for migrants and began moving people away from temporary locations. By September, more than 5,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco, while thousands of others remained in temporary accommodation. The situation also involved a large number of unaccompanied minors, creating additional pressure on local services.

The events in Ceuta also became controversial because there were different explanations for how and why such a large number of people crossed the border at the same time. Morocco denied accusations that its authorities had organised or encouraged the crossings. Meanwhile, Spanish authorities began investigating what had happened, including the organisation of the movement and the response of the authorities.

While the situation in Ceuta was continuing, Spain experienced another extraordinary event in the sky. On August 12, a total solar eclipse crossed Spain. It was the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century. The path of totality crossed parts of Spain from west to east, including areas around León, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia.

Barcelona did not experience totality, but the eclipse was still spectacular. Almost 99.7% of the Sun was covered in Barcelona at approximately 8:29 p.m. The eclipse took place close to sunset, creating unusual conditions for people watching from the city.

There was also another eclipse later that month. On August 28, Spain experienced a partial lunar eclipse, which could be observed in different parts of the country.

The summer also brought serious wildfires. Spain experienced extremely hot and dry conditions, making parts of the country particularly vulnerable to forest fires. The combination of high temperatures, dry vegetation and a lack of rainfall made some fires extremely difficult to control.

The heat itself was also exceptional. According to Spain's meteorological agency AEMET, the summer of 2026 was the hottest summer in Spain's recorded history. Spain experienced an unusually large number of days affected by heatwaves during 2026.

But there was also something much more positive to celebrate. On July 19, Spain won the FIFA World Cup in New York/New Jersey. Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in the 106th minute. It was Spain's second men's World Cup title, following the victory in 2010.

The victory was particularly historic because Spain became the first country to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles.

And finally, there was some big news for music fans. Oasis, the legendary British band led by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, have announced new Barcelona concerts following their reunion.

The band will play two concerts at Barcelona's Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on July 10 and 11, 2027. For Oasis fans, the announcement is particularly important because the band has not performed together in Barcelona since 2009. Their last Barcelona-area concert was at the Pavelló Olímpic in Badalona in February 2009.

The Gallagher brothers eventually separated later in 2009, and Oasis did not perform together again until their reunion tour in 2025. Now, after almost two decades, they are returning to Barcelona. For older fans, the concerts will be a chance to relive the band's Britpop era; for younger fans, it may be their first opportunity to see Oasis perform live.

So, after three months away, there is certainly a lot to talk about: migration, extreme weather, astronomy, football, music and life in Spain.

1. VOCABULARY AND SYNONYM MATCH

Match the words with their correct definition.

Word	Definition
1. lack	a. official organisations responsible for a particular area
2. significant	b. to provide a place for someone to live or stay
3. unprecedented	c. involving disagreement or strong differences of opinion
4. overcrowded	d. never having happened or existed before
5. historic	e. an event in which one object in space passes in front of another and blocks its light
6. exceptional	f. the absence of something
7. controversial	g. important or meaningful
8. denied	h. existing with too many people or things in one place
9. authorities	i. said that something was not true
10. investigating	j. unusually good, extreme or different
11. eclipse	k. extremely impressive or beautiful
12. spectacular	l. trying to discover the facts about something
13. accommodate	m. important in history or likely to be remembered
14. crossing	n. the act of moving from one side of a border, road, river or other area to another

2. VOCABULARY AND SYNONYM MATCH

Match each word with its closest synonym.

Word	Synonym
1. significant	a. rejected
2. lack	b. experience again
3. relive	c. disputed
4. accommodate	d. memorable
5. controversial	e. house
6. denied	f. extraordinary
7. spectacular	g. investigate
8. historic	h. amazing
9. overcrowded	i. absence
10. investigating	j. packed

3. SPAIN'S BIGGEST EVENTS

Choose a few of the following events and share what you know.

Try to explain:

What happened? When and where did it happen? Why was it important? How did people react?

Role	Event
Role A	The Ceuta Migration Situation – July 2026
Role B	The Total Solar Eclipse – August 2026
Role C	Spain Wins the World Cup – July 2026
Role D	The Spanish Wildfires – Summer 2026
Role E	The Extreme Heat – Summer 2026
Role F	The Oasis Reunion and Barcelona Concerts – 2027
Role G	The Partial Lunar Eclipse – August 2026
Role H	The Situation in Ceuta and Unaccompanied Minors

Role Challenge

Choose one event.

You have two minutes to explain why the event was important.

You must give:

One important fact.
One consequence.
One interesting detail.
Your personal opinion.

4. FILL IN THE BLANKS

Word Bank

relive — historic — crossing — exceptional — unprecedented — controversial — accommodate — denied — investigating — spectacular — eclipse — overcrowded

There were so many people arriving in Ceuta that some reception centres became __________.
The sudden arrival of tens of thousands of migrants created an __________ situation.
The Spanish government needed to __________ thousands of people in temporary accommodation.
The situation became highly __________ because different groups disagreed about what had happened.
Morocco __________ accusations that it had organised the mass crossing.
Spanish authorities began __________ the events surrounding the arrival of migrants.
The solar __________ was visible across large parts of Spain.
The eclipse was particularly __________ because it was almost completely visible from Barcelona.
Spain experienced an __________ summer, with exceptionally high temperatures.
Spain's World Cup victory was a __________ moment for Spanish football.
Oasis fans will be able to __________ the band's music when the group returns to Barcelona.
The mass __________ into Ceuta involved tens of thousands of people.

5. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? — CEUTA

You are responsible for a small town that suddenly receives thousands of new arrivals.

The town does not have enough accommodation, food or medical facilities.

What would you do?

A. Ask the national government for emergency assistance.

B. Move people to other parts of the country.

C. Build temporary accommodation.

D. Ask other European countries for help.

E. A combination of these options.

Discuss

→ Which solution would be the fastest?

→ Which would be the most sustainable?

→ What problems could each solution create?

→ Who should be responsible for paying?

6. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? — WILDFIRE

You are staying in a rural hotel in Spain.

A wildfire is approaching the area.

The authorities have not yet ordered an evacuation.

Would you:

leave immediately?
wait for official instructions?
contact emergency services?
help other guests?
stay inside the hotel?

C1 Challenge

Your partner disagrees with you.

You must respond to their argument rather than simply repeating your own opinion.

Useful expressions:

I see your point, but...
The problem with that approach is...
That might work provided that...
My concern would be...
I would be reluctant to...

7. DISCUSSION — THE LAST THREE MONTHS

What is the biggest event you remember from the last three months?
Which event surprised you the most?
Did you watch the solar eclipse?
Where were you when Spain won the World Cup?
Did you celebrate Spain's victory?
Why do you think football is so important to Spanish society?
What problems can a sudden arrival of thousands of people create for a city?
What responsibilities should Spain have towards migrants and refugees?
How could Spanish cities prepare for hotter summers?
Would you travel to another city specifically to see a total solar eclipse?
Why do bands such as Oasis remain popular many years after their original success?
Why do people sometimes become nostalgic about music from their youth?
Would you pay €250 to see Oasis?
Which of these events do you think people will still remember in 20 years?

8. FINAL CHALLENGE — "WHAT DID YOU MISS?"

Imagine that your friend has been living on another planet for the last three months.

You have 90 seconds to explain what has happened in Spain.

You must include:

1. Ceuta

2. The eclipse

3. The wildfires

4. Spain winning the World Cup

5. Oasis returning to Barcelona

Try to use at least five vocabulary words from the lesson.

Bonus Question

Your friend asks:

"So, what was the biggest story of the summer?"

Give your answer and defend it.

9. SUDDEN POPULATION BOOM

A major international company announces that it will open a huge new headquarters in your city.

Within a few months, thousands of employees are expected to move into the area.

→ What could happen to rents and property prices?

→ How could local businesses and infrastructure be affected?

→ Would you invest in property in the area?

10. THE PROPERTY INVESTOR

You are advising an investor who wants to buy a large apartment building.

The building is currently very profitable, but a new metro station is going to open nearby in two years.

→ Would you buy the property now or wait?

→ How could the metro station affect its future value?

→ What other information would you want before making a decision?

11. EXTREME HEAT

Barcelona experiences an exceptionally hot summer.

Office buildings, hotels and apartments are using air conditioning constantly, and electricity bills increase dramatically.

Some older buildings become difficult and expensive to keep cool.

→ How could extreme heat affect property values?

→ Should property owners be required to improve buildings?

→ Would climate risk influence your decision to buy or rent a property?

12. THE MAJOR SPORTING EVENT

Your city is chosen to host a major international sporting event.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to arrive over several weeks.

Hotels increase their prices, short-term rentals become extremely expensive, and restaurants expect record business.

→ Who benefits most from the event?

→ Could local residents be negatively affected?

→ Should the government regulate accommodation prices during major events?

13. THE CEUTA CRISIS

Thousands of migrants suddenly arrive in Ceuta after crossing from Morocco.

The city's existing reception facilities are quickly overwhelmed, and the authorities need to find accommodation and additional resources.

The situation creates pressure on local services and becomes controversial.

→ What should a city do when it suddenly receives far more people than it can accommodate?

→ Who should be responsible for providing food, accommodation and medical care?

→ How could the situation affect the local population?

14. THE ECLIPSE TOURISM BOOM

A total solar eclipse is going to pass directly across parts of Spain.

Large numbers of people want to travel to Spain to watch it. Hotels become fully booked, campsites fill up and some rural areas experience a huge increase in visitors.

→ Would you travel to another part of Spain to see the eclipse?

→ How could a major astronomical event benefit local businesses?

→ What problems could thousands of visitors create?

15. THE WILDFIRE EMERGENCY

You own a hotel in a rural area of Spain during an exceptionally hot summer.

A wildfire is approaching the region. Roads are becoming difficult to use and some neighbouring communities have been evacuated.

→ Would you evacuate the hotel immediately or wait for official instructions?

→ Who should be responsible for protecting tourists?

→ Should hotels in high-risk areas have stricter safety requirements?

16. THE WORLD CHAMPIONS

Spain has just won the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The country celebrates in the streets, football fans organise parties and the World Cup trophy is displayed around Spain.

Imagine that you are responsible for organising an official celebration in your city.

Choose three:

massive street parade
free public screening
concert
fireworks
official reception
football exhibition
temporary museum

→ Which three would you choose?

→ How would you make the celebration safe and accessible?

→ How could the victory benefit the city economically?

17. THE BARCELONA STORM

You are running a company in Barcelona when extremely heavy rain suddenly hits the city.

Roads become flooded, public transport is disrupted and some employees cannot safely travel to work.

You have 30 employees working in your office.

→ Would you tell everyone to go home or continue working?

→ Should companies have emergency plans for extreme weather?

→ Who should be responsible when employees cannot safely travel to work?

18. OASIS ARE COMING BACK

Oasis announce two concerts at Barcelona's Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys for July 2027.

Tickets attract huge demand from Spanish and international fans.

You own a small hotel in Barcelona.

→ Would you increase your prices for the concert dates?

→ How could the concerts affect Barcelona's hotels, restaurants and transport?

→ Should businesses be allowed to charge whatever they want during major events?

19. THE FOOTBALL WORLD CHAMPIONS RETURN

Spain's national team returns to competitive football after winning the World Cup.

The team's first matches after the tournament attract enormous media attention, while fans continue celebrating the team's success.

Imagine that you work for a Spanish football club.

You need to organise an event celebrating Spain's World Cup victory.

→ What would you organise for the fans?

→ How could the club use the event to attract international attention?

→ Could sporting success have an impact on tourism and business?

20. WHEN EXTREME WEATHER CHANGES THE CITY

Spain has experienced extreme heat, major wildfires and intense storms.

Imagine you are a property developer planning a new residential neighbourhood.

You have to decide how to design the buildings for the next 30 years.

You can invest more money in:

better insulation
air conditioning
green spaces
drainage systems
solar panels
water-saving technology
stronger building materials

→ Which three would you prioritise?

→ Should new buildings be designed differently because of extreme weather?

→ Would you be willing to pay more for a climate-resilient home?

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Spain Summer Sept 30 Meridia