C H A L L E N G E Comprehension & Vocab Practice
To those who joined in on my first 'Comprehension & Vocab Challenge' muchas gracias, I hope you enjoyed it. I think we all agree that it was rather massive so this time I think we'll make it a little shorter and you will probably find this text contains more familiar words too. 
The challenge is to read the text and see how much you comprehend, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you understand just from the context.
Next basing your answers on the context supply the meaning of the words in the vocab list. There will be many correct translations but your given words must fit into the context.
I'll be back to give the correct translations so please check your work as this will really help you expand your vocab
Don't be shy even if you only know a few words have a go, if people find the challenge useful I'll keep posting and correcting them so you have the chance to improve each time.
I'm afraid I can't take the credit for the text or the translation as I have found it on the web but if you want to get the most benefit don't research it or use a dictionary just try to work it out!
Ok here goes - today's text is about Madrid and is an excerpt from a tour brochure:
MADRID - PART 1
Madrid es la capital de España y la ciudad más grande del país. Se encuentra en el centro de España al lado del río “Manzanares” y es el corazón político del país, la sede del gobierno y la residencia de la monarquía española. También es el mayor centro financiero de la Península Ibérica, con las oficinas centrales de la mayoría de las grandes empresas españolas.
Madrid es una ciudad moderna y próspera con una infraestructura excepcional, pero también ha sabido conservar el encanto de sus calles y antiguos edificios. Hay mucho que ver y hacer en Madrid, pero algunos de los principales lugares de interés podrían ser el Palacio Real, el Teatro Real, el parque del Buen Retiro, la Biblioteca Nacional y el Museo Arqueológico.
Vocab list:
ciudad
más grande
se encuentra
al lado de
corazón
mayor
mayoría
empresas
españolas
próspera
ha sabido
encanto
edificios
que ver y hacer
lugares de interés
podrían ser
Buen Retiro
Biblioteca
14 Answers
Yay a few more takers this time, great to see people trying even if they don't know all the words, after all this practice should help us expand our vocab so actually it's a bonus if there's a few that we don't know - don't be scared to take a guess either -
kidding guys, just kidding
Vocab list:
ciudad: city
más grande largest, biggest
se encuentra it is found
al lado de next to
corazón heart (middle of)
mayor oldest
mayoría majority
empresas companies
españolas in Spain, or in the Spanish towns?
próspera prosperous
ha sabido have known
encanto love, take care of???
edificios buildings
que ver y hacer to see and to do
lugares de interés interesting places
podrían ser they could be
Buen Retiro good relaxation, or nice retreat??
Biblioteca library
This is really good vocabulary practice - thanks for the exercise!! 
Don't be shy even if you only know a few words have a go,
I hope I did this correctly. Let me know if I'm doing it wrong!
As I remember we are not supposed to use the dictionary, only what our minds remember?
Edits are in bold
ciudad - city, Madrid
más grande - largest city
se encuentra - it is located
al lado de - next to (?) by the
corazón - heart
mayor - oldest major
mayoría - most of
empresas - companies
españolas - female Spanish
próspera - prosperous or thriving
ha sabido - **managed to (preserve) **
encanto - charm
edificios - buildings
que ver y hacer - to see and do
lugares de interés - places of interest
podrían ser -might be
Buen Retiro - a park, "Good ?" Retreat
Biblioteca - the National Library
Thanks again for this exercise!!
Vocab list:
ciudad city
más grande very big
se encuentra we learned
al lado de running through
corazón
mayor mayor, government official
mayoría major
empresas important people, dignitaries
españolas spanish
próspera prosperous
ha sabido on Saturday
encanto I encountered
edificios structures
que ver y hacer what to see and do
lugares de interés places of interest
podrían ser walking
Buen Retiro subway
Biblioteca library
Great idea, I really felt like I got the basics even though I didn't know a lot of the words. Gracias!
ciudad=city
más grande=very big
se encuentra=??
al lado de=??
corazón=heart?
mayor=old
mayoría=major?
empresas=impressive?
españolas=Spainish girls?
próspera=properous
ha sabido=?? (looks like Saturday but wasn't spelled right)
encanto=??
edificios=??
que ver y hacer=??
lugares de interés=areas of interest?
podrían ser=??
Buen Retiro=good for retiring??
Biblioteca=library
Let's see if I paid attention when my teacher taught context clues in school!
Vocab list:
ciudad (city)
más grande (largest)
se encuentra
al lado de
corazón (heart)
mayor (oldest)
mayoría (most)
empresas
españolas (spanish)
próspera (prospering)
ha sabido
encanto (charming or enchanting?)
edificios (buildings)
que ver y hacer (see and do)
lugares de interés
podrían ser
Buen Retiro (good retirement or rest?)
Biblioteca (library)
Well done everyone - here are the answers if you can't wait to see
If you have time to correct your copy and add any corrections that'd be great and will help you remember. I hope it at least exercises your brain and at best helped you learn some new vocab! ¡Sigue así!
ciudad city
más grande largest
se encuentra it is located
al lado de by the
corazón heart
mayor major
mayoría most of
empresas companies
españolas Spanish
próspera thriving
ha sabido (presevar) managed to (preserve) - this was a new one for me - could any Spanish speaker help us with this one?
encanto charm
edificios buildings
que ver y hacer to see and do
lugares de interés key sights (places of interest)
podrían ser might be
Buen Retiro Good Retreat literally
Biblioteca library
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the country’s largest city. It is located in the centre of Spain by the river “Manzanares” and is the political heart of the country, the seat of government and residence of the Spanish monarchy. It is also the major financial centre of the Iberian Peninsula, with the head offices of most of the big Spanish companies. Madrid is a thriving modern city with a fantastic infrastructure, but it has also managed to retain the character and charm of its old streets and buildings. There is much to see and do in Madrid, but some of the key sights might be the Royal Palace, “Teatro Real” (Royal theatre), “Buen Retiro” park, the National Library, and the Archaeological Museum.
ciudad city
más grande biggest
se encuentra it is found
al lado de next to
corazón heart
mayor oldest
mayoría majority
empresas businesses
españolas Spanish
próspera prosperous
ha sabido has known
encanto love
edificios buildings
que ver y hacer to see and do
lugares de interés places of interest
podrían ser can be
Buen Retiro good ??
Biblioteca
ciudad - city
más grande - biggest
se encuentra - is found
al lado de - beside
corazón - heart
mayor - older
mayoría - majority
empresas - businesses
españolas - Spanish people (female)
próspera - Prosper
ha sabido - Has known
encanto - enchantment
edificios - buildings
que ver y hacer - to see and do
lugares de interés - places of interest
podrían ser - they could be
Buen Retiro - Good relaxation ? retirement is literal but hm...
Biblioteca - library
ciudad = city
más grande = largest
se encuentra = It is located
al lado de = alongside
corazón = heart
mayor = oldest
mayoría = Major
empresas =
españolas = spanish (f)
próspera = prosperous
ha sabido = has known
encanto =
edificios = buildings
que ver y hacer = to see and do
lugares de interés = places of interest
podrían ser = they could be
Buen Retiro =
Biblioteca = library
ciudad city
más grande largest
se encuentra it is found/it is located
al lado de beside/by
corazón heart
mayor major
mayoría majority/most of
empresas businesses/companies
españolas Spanish
próspera prosperous/thriving
ha sabido has known/managed to preserve
encanto charm
edificios buildings
que ver y hacer to see and do
lugares de interés places of interest
podrían ser would be/might be
Buen Retiro ???/Good retreat
Biblioteca library
ciudad = city
más grande = the biggest
se encuentra = is (found)
al lado de = next to
corazón = heart
mayor = main
mayoría = city hall
empresas = companies
españolas = spanish
próspera = prosper ??
ha sabido = knew
encanto = ??
edificios = ??
que ver y hacer = to see and to do
lugares de interés = places of interest
podrían ser = could be
Buen Retiro = nice rest?? (it's the name of the park, isn't it?)
Biblioteca = Library
ciudad= city
más grande=largest
se encuentra=situated
al lado de=next to
corazón=heart of
mayor=best/most importnat
mayoría=majority
empresas=companies
españolas=Spanish
próspera=prosperous
ha sabido=managed
encanto=charn
edificios=buildings
que ver y hacer=to see and do
lugares de interés= places of interest
podrían ser= might be
Buen Retiro=is this the proper name of a place?
Biblioteca=library
I didn't look at any answers, honest. Some I knew, some I guessed from the context. We have done quite a bit on cities in my course, it is heavy on culture as well as just the language.
Ok any more takers before I put the answers up?
