The Last 3 Months in Spain
With the exception of last week, 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.
3. READING COMPREHENSION – PART A
Answer the questions using information from the text.
When did the major events in Ceuta take place?
Approximately how many migrants entered Ceuta?
Why did the arrival create pressure on the city?
What did the Spanish government subsequently do?
Why did the situation become controversial?
What did Morocco deny?
What were Spanish authorities investigating?
When did the total solar eclipse take place?
Which Spanish cities or regions were mentioned in connection with the eclipse?
How much of the Sun was covered in Barcelona?
4. READING COMPREHENSION – PART B
Answer in complete sentences.
Why can a sudden increase in population put pressure on a city's infrastructure?
Why might an event become controversial even when different groups agree that the event itself happened?
Why might extreme weather become increasingly relevant to urban planning?
Why could a major concert have an economic impact beyond the music industry?
Why might an event create opportunities for some people while creating problems for others?
Which events described in the text are likely to have only temporary consequences?
Which could potentially have longer-term consequences?
Which event would be most relevant to someone working in real estate? Explain why.
5. VOCABULARY AND DEFINITION MATCH – PART A
Match the words with their correct definition.
| Word / Expression | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. lack | a. important in history or likely to be remembered |
| 2. significant | b. said that something was not true |
| 3. unprecedented | c. unusually good, extreme or different |
| 4. overcrowded | d. the absence of something |
| 5. historic | e. existing with too many people or things in one place |
| 6. exceptional | f. never having happened or existed before |
| 7. denied | g. important or meaningful |
6. VOCABULARY AND DEFINITION MATCH – PART B
Match the words with their correct definition.
| Word / Expression | Definition |
|---|---|
| 8. controversial | a. trying to discover the facts about something |
| 9. authorities | b. extremely impressive or beautiful |
| 10. investigating | c. the act of moving from one side of a border, road, river or other area to another |
| 11. eclipse | d. to provide a place for someone to live or stay |
| 12. spectacular | e. involving disagreement or strong differences of opinion |
| 13. accommodate | f. official organisations responsible for a particular area |
| 14. crossing | g. an event when one object in space passes in front of another and blocks its light |
7. SYNONYM MATCH – PART A
Match each word with its closest synonym.
| Word / Expression | Synonym |
|---|---|
| 1. significant | a. impressive |
| 2. lack | b. rejected |
| 3. relive | c. experience again |
| 4. accommodate | d. house |
| 5. controversial | e. shortage |
| 6. denied | f. important |
| 7. spectacular | g. disputed |
8. SYNONYM MATCH – PART B
Match each word with its closest synonym.
| Word / Expression | Synonym |
|---|---|
| 8. historic | a. officials |
| 9. overcrowded | b. darkening |
| 10. investigating | c. extraordinary |
| 11. exceptional | d. examining |
| 12. unprecedented | e. memorable |
| 13. authorities | f. never-before-seen |
| 14. eclipse | g. packed |
9. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Word Bank
lack – significant – unprecedented – overcrowded – historic – exceptional – denied – controversial – authorities – investigating – eclipse – spectacular – accommodate – crossing
Complete the sentences.
There was a serious __________ of rainfall during the summer.
The sudden arrival of thousands of people created an __________ situation.
The reception centres quickly became __________.
The local __________ needed to find additional accommodation.
The government needed to __________ thousands of people.
The situation became highly __________ because there were different interpretations of what had happened.
Morocco __________ accusations that it had organised the movement.
Spanish officials began __________ the circumstances surrounding the event.
The solar __________ was visible from large parts of Spain.
The view from Barcelona was particularly __________.
The event was a __________ moment in Spanish history.
The country experienced an __________ summer.
The border __________ involved tens of thousands of people.
The event had a __________ effect on local services.
12. SPEAKING – EXPLAIN THE EVENT
Choose one event.
You have two minutes to explain the event to the rest of the class, who must pretend that they know nothing about it. The topic could be anything that happened in Spain during the last 3 monthh, they can include the eclipse, the wildfires, the World Cup, the immigrants crossing in Ceuta, Oasis preparing a concert in Barcelona .
You must include:
what happened
where it happened
when it happened
why it was significant
what the consequences were
13. REAL ESTATE CONNECTION – EVENTS AND PROPERTY
Not every major event affects real estate directly.
However, consider how these events could affect the property sector.
A. Sudden population increase
Consider:
residential demand
rental prices
temporary accommodation
infrastructure
public services
B. Major sporting event
Consider:
hotels
retail
restaurants
short-term rentals
transport
C. Extreme heat
Consider:
energy costs
air conditioning
building design
insurance
property values
maintenance
D. Major concert
Consider:
hotel occupancy
short-term rental demand
retail footfall
traffic
neighbourhood desirability
Discussion
Which effects are likely to be:
temporary?
medium-term?
long-term?
uncertain?
Explain your reasoning.
14. REAL ESTATE CASE STUDY – SUDDEN DEMAND
You work for a real estate company in Barcelona.
A major international event is announced.
Within a few weeks:
hotel demand increases dramatically
short-term rental enquiries increase
restaurants become busier
transport becomes more crowded
local businesses expect higher revenue
Your company owns:
20 residential apartments
a small hotel
three retail units
an office building
Discuss:
Which properties could benefit most?
Which properties could experience problems?
Which effects are likely to be temporary?
Would you change your pricing strategy?
Would you change your investment strategy?
What information would you want before making a decision?
15. 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?
Consider:
asking the national government for emergency assistance
creating temporary accommodation
transferring people to other areas
requesting international assistance
increasing local services
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?
How could the local population be affected?
16. 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.
What would you do?
Consider:
leaving immediately
waiting for official instructions
contacting emergency services
helping other guests
staying 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...
17. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? – THE WORLD CUP
Spain has just won the World Cup.
You are responsible for organising the official celebration in your city.
You have a limited budget.
Choose only three:
parade
concerts
fireworks
public screening
speeches
street party
official reception
Defend your choices.
Challenge
Your partner has chosen three completely different options.
Try to convince them to change one of their choices.
18. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? – OASIS
You have two Oasis tickets costing €250 each.
Your best friend has loved Oasis since childhood but cannot afford a ticket.
What would you do?
A. Give your friend one ticket.
B. Sell it to your friend cheaply.
C. Sell it for the market price.
D. Keep both tickets.
Explain your decision.
Follow-up
Would your decision change if:
you urgently needed the money?
your friend had helped you financially in the past?
the tickets were worth €500 each?
you knew you could never buy another ticket?
19. REAL ESTATE SCENARIO – CLIMATE RISK
You are advising an investor who wants to buy a residential development in an area increasingly affected by extreme heat.
The property currently generates strong rental income.
However, there are concerns about:
energy costs
air conditioning
water availability
insurance
future regulations
maintenance
changing tenant preferences
The investor says:
“The property is profitable now, so I don't see the problem.”
Respond to the investor.
You should explain:
Why current profitability may not tell the whole story.
What additional information you would request.
What risks could affect the property in five or ten years.
What improvements could make the property more resilient.
What factors should be considered before agreeing on a purchase price.
Useful language
We shouldn't overlook...
A key consideration would be...
The current figures don't necessarily reflect...
We would need to factor in...
There is a potential risk that...
From a long-term perspective...
20. INFORMATION GAP – SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM?
Classify each development as:
SHORT-TERM
LONG-TERM
BOTH
UNCERTAIN
A major football tournament
A new metro line
A heatwave
A new international airport
A major concert
A sudden population increase
A wildfire
A new university
Increased tourism
New environmental regulations
Follow-up
Choose three and explain your classification.
21. MINI ROLE PLAY – CLIENT MEETING
Student A – Investor
You are interested in purchasing several apartments in Barcelona.
You believe tourism and major events will continue to increase demand.
Student B – Real Estate Advisor
You believe the investor needs to investigate the situation more carefully.
Discuss:
demand
tourism
infrastructure
regulation
climate
rental income
long-term risk
Client statement
“Tourism is increasing, so property prices will obviously continue to rise.”
Advisor's challenge
Respond without simply agreeing or disagreeing.
Explain what assumptions the statement contains.
Try to use:
It would be premature to assume that...
That depends largely on...
We would need to establish whether...
One factor that could change the picture is...
22. PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION – SPAIN AND ITS CITIES
Discuss:
What happens when a city's population increases faster than its housing supply?
Can tourism benefit property owners while making life more difficult for residents?
How can major events create opportunities for property owners?
Why can temporary demand be dangerous for investors?
How can investors distinguish between a temporary trend and a structural change?
Could extreme weather eventually influence where people choose to buy property?
Should older buildings be adapted to deal with increasingly hot summers?
What makes a city resilient from a real estate perspective?
23. C1 LANGUAGE UPGRADE
Replace the informal expressions with more sophisticated professional English.
Example
“There are lots of tourists coming.”
→ “The area is experiencing a significant increase in tourist demand.”
“There are too many people living here.”
“The building can't handle all these people.”
“The area is getting hotter.”
“Lots of tourists are coming.”
“This could be a problem for investors.”
“We need to check everything before buying.”
“The government wants the building quickly.”
“The concert could make the area more expensive.”
“The demand might not last.”
“This property could make more money.”
Challenge
Choose three of your answers and imagine you are saying them in a professional investment meeting.
24. PROFESSIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Use these expressions throughout the final discussion.
Assessing a situation
The most significant factor is...
One aspect we shouldn't overlook is...
A key consideration would be...
The situation needs to be viewed in the context of...
Discussing uncertainty
It remains to be seen whether...
It would be premature to assume that...
There is no guarantee that...
Much would depend on...
Discussing consequences
This could potentially lead to...
The immediate consequence would be...
The longer-term implications could include...
This could have a knock-on effect on...
Real estate
The asset could benefit from increased demand.
We need to assess the property's risk exposure.
We should distinguish between temporary and structural demand.
The investment case depends on several assumptions.
Further due diligence would be required.
We need to factor in future operating costs.
25. FINAL CHALLENGE – “WHAT DID YOU MISS?”
Imagine that your friend has been living outside Spain for the last three months.
You have 90 seconds to explain what has happened.
You must include:
Ceuta
the eclipse
the wildfires
Spain winning the World Cup
Oasis returning to Barcelona
Try to use at least five vocabulary words from the lesson.
26. BONUS C1 CHALLENGE
Your friend asks:
“So, what was the biggest story of the summer?”
Give your answer and defend it.
You must:
give a clear argument
provide at least two reasons
mention one consequence
acknowledge another possible viewpoint
use at least three C1 expressions from the lesson
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