I’m going to give my opinion and reflections on my portfolio progress. At first when I started to write and do things on the blog I thought “well, it’s not difficult but it’s a lot of time, but another fact is I think that it’s a good way to improve my English and also with the writing. I can express more things, and I can find other ways to express myself. I can’t see that my English improves a lot, but I can see that my shyness has improved for the better. I think that my problem is confidence in myself, I can speak and do things but it’s missing one more step. But one day, I have the hope that I will get it.
I think that the best activity that I have improved is the oral presentation and the writing but I believe that it’s still missing a lot. The best activity is the podcast because you can pronounce a lot of new words and also when you record the dialogue it’s a lot of fun. Also, I have learned to do letters, opinion essays... the structure and the forms to write. If we have exams it’s better to review the grammar and it’s very useful. I think that we need more days in class to revise the grammar and we need a workbook like other days.
I believe that the activity that isnot useful is Europass but I don’t consider that it’s an activity. Well, I think that doing a piece of news is useful but not useful, I don’t know, but for me, I learn little, new words and nothing else. With the pieces of news I can choose the topic that I have to summarize but only a few pieces of news are interesting. I think that the most interesting magazine that has good topics are 'Think in English', they are easy to understand.
The activity that I enjoy the most, where I don’t need to think, is watching a film- it’s the most entertaining thing that I do and with the subtitles, if you choose a good and easy film you can learn a lot of things. It’s not necessary to watch a film every day, if it’s necessary and I would like to do it again next year.
jueves, 4 de junio de 2009
viernes, 29 de mayo de 2009
Opinion essay
We have almost learnt to respect our world.Do you agree?
In my opinion people don’t know how to respect our world and I don’t think that they have almost learnt to either.
I think that most people haven’t learnt to respect the world people are like they are. I mean that, if you are, for example selfish you‘re selfish all your life and for the time that you live nothing will change. For example if I recycle and I make things for the environment what can gain? Nothing, only my principles . I can be the cleanest in the world and the person that most respects the environment, but if I do it perfect, but I won’t gain anything, everybody needs to do it!
Actually the level of the contamination effect the air pollution and for this reason global warming is worse. In general contamination is caused by cars, electrical appliances on standby and littering and it’s our fault. Consequently the ozone layer is reducing.
In conclusion I believe the majority of people will never learn to respect the environment. We have to face the consequences.
In my opinion people don’t know how to respect our world and I don’t think that they have almost learnt to either.
I think that most people haven’t learnt to respect the world people are like they are. I mean that, if you are, for example selfish you‘re selfish all your life and for the time that you live nothing will change. For example if I recycle and I make things for the environment what can gain? Nothing, only my principles . I can be the cleanest in the world and the person that most respects the environment, but if I do it perfect, but I won’t gain anything, everybody needs to do it!
Actually the level of the contamination effect the air pollution and for this reason global warming is worse. In general contamination is caused by cars, electrical appliances on standby and littering and it’s our fault. Consequently the ozone layer is reducing.
In conclusion I believe the majority of people will never learn to respect the environment. We have to face the consequences.
domingo, 24 de mayo de 2009
Corpse Bride
A few days ago we started watching Corpse Bride, but we didn’t finish the film because we didn’t have time. This is a fantasy film where everything starts when Victor a young man is going to marry Victoria. Victor is a poor man that always has bad days. One day, they meet for rehearsal but Victor always forgets the text. Victor decided to go to the forest and practise with a tree. Victor accidentally puts the ring on the hand of a corpse, Victor practises saying "do you want to marry me?" And then the girl, Emily comes out of the ground and said yes. Victor screams, and runs away but Emily runs after Victor. Then Victor wakes up in strange town where everything is full of dead people. At the same time Victoria is waiting for Victor and when Victor appears, she doesn’t believe anything. Emily discovers that Victor doesn’t love her and she was surprised and angry. Victor finds a way to get back to the real world. We can’t know if Victor decides to stay with Victoria or with Emily.
viernes, 22 de mayo de 2009
Far from the madding crown
Can you summarize the book in two minutes?
The book is a novel- edition 1895, published 1874. Gabriel Oak is a shepherd and he’s 28 years old. He saves money to rent a small farm for some sheep. One day Batsheba Everdence appears in the life of Gabriel and Gabriel falls in love with her. Batsheba is a very proud girl and also says no to answer. She arrives to live with her aunt, the days pass and Gabriel asks her to marry him but she says NO, she values her independence and the other not much. Gabriel accepts the answer and he can’t do it anything.
A few months later, she moves to Weatherbury, a village some miles off. When Gabriel and Batsheba meet again, things are very different. A new men causes Gabriel to be ruined. He wanted a new job and they find a job in the town of Casterbridge. When he arrives, he know that the town is next to Weatherbury, the town of Batsheba. In the town was a big fire and Gabriel helps and controls the situation and everybody was thanks him for it. At the moment Gabriel asked if they need a shepherd. And Batsheba, now a rich woman, accepts Gabriel to work for her.
Batsheba now has another admirer, William Boldwood. She sends a Valentine letter to William in the letter it said : Marry me. Willam didn’t know that it’s a joke, and he was obsessed with her and proposed to marry her. As normal, she said No.
The sheep start to swell up and then she discovers that the only person that can heal. She comes to him to ask for help.
Frank Troy returns to the town and marrys Batsheba but a little later she discovesr that her new husband is a player without interest in farming. Frank was in love with Fanny before. The day of the wedding Fanny goes to the wrong church. Frank was angry with Fanny. Batsheba discovers that William had a child with Fanny. Batsheba and Frank split up. Then Batsheba falls in love with Gabriel and they marry.
Is there a mystery sentence or a turning point in the story?
Yes, one mystery of the novel was when Fanny who was Frank’s lover appeared and they have a child and after the mum and the child die. This is a moment that I didn’t except.
When and where does the story take place?
The story happens in England. In the nineteenth century. I can know because when Fanny dies in the tomb it says the year. And the society was in this way, I said for example the character.
Who are the main characters in the story? What’s their role?
Gabriel is the main character and is a farmer, honest and he marrys Batsheba
Batsheba is a rich woman, she’s proud. She has a farmer and Gabriel works for her.
Fanny is the wife of Frank. During the story they disappear but they have importance. Frank is Batsheba and Fanny’s husband. He’s a bad men. After Batsheba splits up with hm.
William is another lover of Batsheba.
Choose one character ( main or secondary) and describe him/her
Gabriel Oak is a farmer, and he is very honest. He always tries to help. He’s 28 years old. He’s not rich, he’s poor. He falls in love very quickly. He’s a good friend, and for him it’s not important that Batsheba said no for the marriage because he is always there.
Can you identify with any character? Why?
I can’t identify with any character, because they are special and very different to me. For example I can identify with Gabriel because is honest and sincere but nothing else. I can’t identify with Batsheba because she’s very proud and always says No and I always said yes, it’s very difficult that I say No
Choose your favourite moment in the story
My favorite moment in the story is when Gabriel and Batsheba fall in love and when they meet for first time. I don’t know but I consider that is a romantic situation and at the same time complicatde.
Which new key words have you learnt to understand the story
Field,lamb,hut,shepherd,gasped.
Provide an alternative ending
Gabriel meets another woman and fall in love with her, and Batsheba is alone for some years but afterwards she meets a intelligent, beautiful and a rich man and she falsl in love, and they marry.
Would you recommend this book? Why?
Well, I think that it’s a special book, At first I thought that it’s a good book and it’s beautiful to read but later when I had read half of the book, I changed my opinion. It was a little boring and difficult to understand but if you like reading and book of love and old ways to think, then it’s a beautiful book.
The book is a novel- edition 1895, published 1874. Gabriel Oak is a shepherd and he’s 28 years old. He saves money to rent a small farm for some sheep. One day Batsheba Everdence appears in the life of Gabriel and Gabriel falls in love with her. Batsheba is a very proud girl and also says no to answer. She arrives to live with her aunt, the days pass and Gabriel asks her to marry him but she says NO, she values her independence and the other not much. Gabriel accepts the answer and he can’t do it anything.
A few months later, she moves to Weatherbury, a village some miles off. When Gabriel and Batsheba meet again, things are very different. A new men causes Gabriel to be ruined. He wanted a new job and they find a job in the town of Casterbridge. When he arrives, he know that the town is next to Weatherbury, the town of Batsheba. In the town was a big fire and Gabriel helps and controls the situation and everybody was thanks him for it. At the moment Gabriel asked if they need a shepherd. And Batsheba, now a rich woman, accepts Gabriel to work for her.
Batsheba now has another admirer, William Boldwood. She sends a Valentine letter to William in the letter it said : Marry me. Willam didn’t know that it’s a joke, and he was obsessed with her and proposed to marry her. As normal, she said No.
The sheep start to swell up and then she discovers that the only person that can heal. She comes to him to ask for help.
Frank Troy returns to the town and marrys Batsheba but a little later she discovesr that her new husband is a player without interest in farming. Frank was in love with Fanny before. The day of the wedding Fanny goes to the wrong church. Frank was angry with Fanny. Batsheba discovers that William had a child with Fanny. Batsheba and Frank split up. Then Batsheba falls in love with Gabriel and they marry.
Is there a mystery sentence or a turning point in the story?
Yes, one mystery of the novel was when Fanny who was Frank’s lover appeared and they have a child and after the mum and the child die. This is a moment that I didn’t except.
When and where does the story take place?
The story happens in England. In the nineteenth century. I can know because when Fanny dies in the tomb it says the year. And the society was in this way, I said for example the character.
Who are the main characters in the story? What’s their role?
Gabriel is the main character and is a farmer, honest and he marrys Batsheba
Batsheba is a rich woman, she’s proud. She has a farmer and Gabriel works for her.
Fanny is the wife of Frank. During the story they disappear but they have importance. Frank is Batsheba and Fanny’s husband. He’s a bad men. After Batsheba splits up with hm.
William is another lover of Batsheba.
Choose one character ( main or secondary) and describe him/her
Gabriel Oak is a farmer, and he is very honest. He always tries to help. He’s 28 years old. He’s not rich, he’s poor. He falls in love very quickly. He’s a good friend, and for him it’s not important that Batsheba said no for the marriage because he is always there.
Can you identify with any character? Why?
I can’t identify with any character, because they are special and very different to me. For example I can identify with Gabriel because is honest and sincere but nothing else. I can’t identify with Batsheba because she’s very proud and always says No and I always said yes, it’s very difficult that I say No
Choose your favourite moment in the story
My favorite moment in the story is when Gabriel and Batsheba fall in love and when they meet for first time. I don’t know but I consider that is a romantic situation and at the same time complicatde.
Which new key words have you learnt to understand the story
Field,lamb,hut,shepherd,gasped.
Provide an alternative ending
Gabriel meets another woman and fall in love with her, and Batsheba is alone for some years but afterwards she meets a intelligent, beautiful and a rich man and she falsl in love, and they marry.
Would you recommend this book? Why?
Well, I think that it’s a special book, At first I thought that it’s a good book and it’s beautiful to read but later when I had read half of the book, I changed my opinion. It was a little boring and difficult to understand but if you like reading and book of love and old ways to think, then it’s a beautiful book.
jueves, 14 de mayo de 2009
3rd TERM ORAL PRESENTATION: BULLYING
Presentation
Did you use any resources? Yes, like the other oral presentations we’ve used a Power Point presentation with pictures and videos.
Were the resources relevant and attractive? Yes. We think that the presentation was entertaining, and the video whe showed at the end of the presentation was interesting as well.
Body language and eye contact
Did you look at your audience most of the time? We looked at the audience more than other times, but we were still looking at the paper, and also at the screen.
Did you read from your notes? Not all the time.
Did you do any gestures/movement to hold the attention of your audience? I think we did some involuntary gestures.
Structure
Did you organize your ideas in order of importance? Yes, we tried first to introduce the topic and then develop it.
Did you use discourse makers to make your ideas more clear? Not much really.
Content
Did you introduce interesting, new information to your audience? Yes, we think the information was not boring, it was an interesting topic explained in a very simple way.
Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books...? Yes we did. We looked up information in the Internet about the topic.
Was your information more superficial or more detailed and original? There was a bit of everything: we developed the subject very superficially, because it's a very extensive topic, but we also introduced some interesting data.
Language
Did you check your grammar? Yes, we did.
Did you use rich vocabulary looking up the dictionary? We looked up at the dictionary very technical words that we didn’t know how to say them in English .
Did you use sentence linkers? Yes, we use a lot of times “and”, “but”, “so”, “In fact”,...
Did you use fillers? We used less fillers than other times.
Pronunciation & Intonation
Did you know how to pronounce all your words? Not all the words.
Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? No
Did you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? We changed the tone of voice a lot of times, but involuntary.
Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? It has been more fluent than the last time we did it.
Self evaluation
What mark did you get according to you? This oral presentation was better than the previous ones, it has been more fluent and more organized, and the pronunciation has also improved. But we still need to relate and link things. I'd put a mark of 7.
Translation
Well, in this term we've decided to talk about bullying, because we think is a social issue that exists in schools and high schools, and many times we don't realize that it exists.
Bullying is any form of psychological abuse, verbal or physical conduct among schoolchildren. The dominant type of violence is the emotional and it happens often in the classroom and school break time. Bullying is common in children between 12-13 years, and is more common in girls than in boys.
Because of the bullying, the victim generates psychological disorders. Victims live terrified with the idea of going to school. They're nervous, sad and lonely in their daily lives. In some cases, the hardness of the situation can get to suicide. Over 350 million children suffer some form of violence at school.
We can see that there are eight types of bullying:
1-Lock social
2- Harassment
3- Manipulation
4- Constraints
5- Social Exclusion
6- Intimidation
7- Assault
8-Threats
1. Lock social: The aggressor wants to marginalize and isolate socially the victim, so the victim feels weak, helpless and stupid.
2. Harassment: Harassment: The aggressor acts with contempt, disrespect, and without consideration of the dignity of the victims. The signals of this type of bullying are contempt, hate, the nicknames, cruelty...
3. Manipulation: It distorts the social image of the victim. All the things that the victim makes are negative.
4. Constraints: The aggressor obliges the victim to realize actions against himself. With this way the aggressor can control the victim and he can get what he wants.
5. Social exclusion: They don't want the victim to participate. Aggressors treat the victim as if he was invisible, they don’t want him to participate in their games.
6. Intimidation: The aggressor creates fear to the victim. The person feel threatened. The aggressors attack the victim in the hallways and when school finishes.
7. Assault: The aggressor hits the victim.
8. Threats: The aggressor threatened and extorted to the person and his family.
Risk factors
Profile of the aggressor:
- The aggressors not always have a mental illness or a severe personality disorder. The main problem is lack of empathy. Without empathy the aggressor can’t understand what the person suffers, is totally insensitive.
- A 70% of the aggressors blame the victim saying that he had begun the discussion, so they haven’t got remorse of what they do.
- It can also be a bad family environment: abuse, humiliation…
Profile of the victim:
- There are people that can't react
- They’re not sociable and they’re sensitive.
- They don't know how to defend themselves because they have shame, and aggressions are very harmful to them.
The school environment:
In the school where the environment is bad and the teachers don't know how to control conflicts, bullying is more frequent.
The television:
There are TV programs that show violence as a good thing, and children tend to imitate. However, experts are still debating the effects of TV.
Consequences of bullying
On the victims:
- They can suffer physical injury, fear and anxiety.
- In school performance gets worse, because they are not going to school or they have difficulties to concentrate.
- Stress causes suffering stomach pains, headaches, not eating ...
On the aggressor:
- They may have social problems; it is difficult to live with others.
- In adulthood they can have a criminal life.
Conclusion
- The female suicides could be reduced by 10% if the bullying disappears.
- 22% of Spanish children are exposed to suffer bullying.
- Being overweight and having a bad economic situation increases the possibility of suffer bullying.
- Bullying is a common problem in this society, destroys self-esteem and self-confidence.
Did you use any resources? Yes, like the other oral presentations we’ve used a Power Point presentation with pictures and videos.
Were the resources relevant and attractive? Yes. We think that the presentation was entertaining, and the video whe showed at the end of the presentation was interesting as well.
Body language and eye contact
Did you look at your audience most of the time? We looked at the audience more than other times, but we were still looking at the paper, and also at the screen.
Did you read from your notes? Not all the time.
Did you do any gestures/movement to hold the attention of your audience? I think we did some involuntary gestures.
Structure
Did you organize your ideas in order of importance? Yes, we tried first to introduce the topic and then develop it.
Did you use discourse makers to make your ideas more clear? Not much really.
Content
Did you introduce interesting, new information to your audience? Yes, we think the information was not boring, it was an interesting topic explained in a very simple way.
Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books...? Yes we did. We looked up information in the Internet about the topic.
Was your information more superficial or more detailed and original? There was a bit of everything: we developed the subject very superficially, because it's a very extensive topic, but we also introduced some interesting data.
Language
Did you check your grammar? Yes, we did.
Did you use rich vocabulary looking up the dictionary? We looked up at the dictionary very technical words that we didn’t know how to say them in English .
Did you use sentence linkers? Yes, we use a lot of times “and”, “but”, “so”, “In fact”,...
Did you use fillers? We used less fillers than other times.
Pronunciation & Intonation
Did you know how to pronounce all your words? Not all the words.
Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? No
Did you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? We changed the tone of voice a lot of times, but involuntary.
Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? It has been more fluent than the last time we did it.
Self evaluation
What mark did you get according to you? This oral presentation was better than the previous ones, it has been more fluent and more organized, and the pronunciation has also improved. But we still need to relate and link things. I'd put a mark of 7.
Translation
Well, in this term we've decided to talk about bullying, because we think is a social issue that exists in schools and high schools, and many times we don't realize that it exists.
Bullying is any form of psychological abuse, verbal or physical conduct among schoolchildren. The dominant type of violence is the emotional and it happens often in the classroom and school break time. Bullying is common in children between 12-13 years, and is more common in girls than in boys.
Because of the bullying, the victim generates psychological disorders. Victims live terrified with the idea of going to school. They're nervous, sad and lonely in their daily lives. In some cases, the hardness of the situation can get to suicide. Over 350 million children suffer some form of violence at school.
We can see that there are eight types of bullying:
1-Lock social
2- Harassment
3- Manipulation
4- Constraints
5- Social Exclusion
6- Intimidation
7- Assault
8-Threats
1. Lock social: The aggressor wants to marginalize and isolate socially the victim, so the victim feels weak, helpless and stupid.
2. Harassment: Harassment: The aggressor acts with contempt, disrespect, and without consideration of the dignity of the victims. The signals of this type of bullying are contempt, hate, the nicknames, cruelty...
3. Manipulation: It distorts the social image of the victim. All the things that the victim makes are negative.
4. Constraints: The aggressor obliges the victim to realize actions against himself. With this way the aggressor can control the victim and he can get what he wants.
5. Social exclusion: They don't want the victim to participate. Aggressors treat the victim as if he was invisible, they don’t want him to participate in their games.
6. Intimidation: The aggressor creates fear to the victim. The person feel threatened. The aggressors attack the victim in the hallways and when school finishes.
7. Assault: The aggressor hits the victim.
8. Threats: The aggressor threatened and extorted to the person and his family.
Risk factors
Profile of the aggressor:
- The aggressors not always have a mental illness or a severe personality disorder. The main problem is lack of empathy. Without empathy the aggressor can’t understand what the person suffers, is totally insensitive.
- A 70% of the aggressors blame the victim saying that he had begun the discussion, so they haven’t got remorse of what they do.
- It can also be a bad family environment: abuse, humiliation…
Profile of the victim:
- There are people that can't react
- They’re not sociable and they’re sensitive.
- They don't know how to defend themselves because they have shame, and aggressions are very harmful to them.
The school environment:
In the school where the environment is bad and the teachers don't know how to control conflicts, bullying is more frequent.
The television:
There are TV programs that show violence as a good thing, and children tend to imitate. However, experts are still debating the effects of TV.
Consequences of bullying
On the victims:
- They can suffer physical injury, fear and anxiety.
- In school performance gets worse, because they are not going to school or they have difficulties to concentrate.
- Stress causes suffering stomach pains, headaches, not eating ...
On the aggressor:
- They may have social problems; it is difficult to live with others.
- In adulthood they can have a criminal life.
Conclusion
- The female suicides could be reduced by 10% if the bullying disappears.
- 22% of Spanish children are exposed to suffer bullying.
- Being overweight and having a bad economic situation increases the possibility of suffer bullying.
- Bullying is a common problem in this society, destroys self-esteem and self-confidence.
Killer TVs
Think in English n:30
For young children watching TV is dangerous. Apart from the dangers of the programmes it’s also the time. All the programmes are rubbish.
I think that the main problem is that children imitate the same things that they do on TV and use the violence . I believe that the problem is not to turn off the TV and stop watching TV, for example I can watch the most violent programme and I never use violence. Every day the programs have more violence and the children are more aggressive
I think that the main problem is that children imitate the same things that they do on TV and use the violence . I believe that the problem is not to turn off the TV and stop watching TV, for example I can watch the most violent programme and I never use violence. Every day the programs have more violence and the children are more aggressive
Rise: increase
Gooble bar: TV
Trash: rubbish
Gooble bar: TV
Trash: rubbish
domingo, 19 de abril de 2009
Informal letter
Eres del centre n:8
Castelló d’Empúries
17486
20th January 2009Castelló d’Empúries
17486
Hi Sam!
How are you? Thanks for your letter, I really liked it. I’m very glad to hear that you are going to the United States with my summer family.
I would like to explain my trip, my experience. Everything started when my parents told me that I could take a magnific trip to another country. I set off on my trip the first weekend of July, I was very excited because it was my first trip of the year and also was the first time that I caught a plane. When the plane took off I was afraid. When I arrived in the United States of America a strange family was waiting for me. They took me to their house and it was really strange. I broke down crying because I was alone in another country.
At first I was shy and the family spoke but I didn’t answer. I was very well attended by the family and I could see that their appearance was strange but they were fantastic people, they cared and always gave me the best. My parents phoned me often and they could see that I was very happy.
In the morning I was in a private high school where we could speak English, every day, after the I went to have lunch with the family. I found out that they have a lot of money and they always took me to different expensive restaurants of the city. I always visited a lot of places and every day I came across new things.
It was a fantastic trip, I want to repeat it this summer and I hope that we stay together.
Keep in touch!
Love
Laura XXX
Formal Dialogue
-Good morning Mister Ronald Mc Donald, my name is Jackeline. I’ve decided to come here because I’d like to know if there’s any vacant positions in this company.
- Well, let’s talk about it, come in.
- Ok. First of all, can you tell me why you are applying for this job?
- Basically for a very simple reason. I’m about to study at this moment, and I have to face my expenses alone, so I’ve thought about lookingfor a job.
- Therefore, it implies that you’re not always available.
- Well yes, but my intention was to work only weekends. I looked it up on the internet and it said that this option was possible.
- Yes, of course, but, I need to know more about you and you availability, and your experience.
- I have to say that I’ve never worked in a burger place before; I’ve worked in a supermarket and in a clothes shop during the summer holidays.
- Well, as you know, the work done in a burger place doesn’t need many skills or much specialization, but as the person responsible for the company I have to be sure that you’re responsible, mature, practical… you know. First of all, how old are you?
- I’m seventeen but I’m going to be eighteen in August
- Ok. So you’re available only the weekends, but can you work full-time or only during the mornings or afternoons?
- I ‘m ready to work all day if it’s necessary, that's no problem for me.
- Ok. Well, now I would like you to provide some personal information, so please fill out this form.
- Oh! I’m so sorry! I left my passport number behind…
- Uhmm… that’s a problem. Well, I guess you can fill in the rest. At least one contact telephone number.
- Of course.
- Ok, then we'll do the following: If I want to take you on, you'll receive a call, and then you would come back and bring your passport and a photo ID.
- Ok sir. Thank you very much for seeing me. Hope to see you again.
- Well, let’s talk about it, come in.
- Ok. First of all, can you tell me why you are applying for this job?
- Basically for a very simple reason. I’m about to study at this moment, and I have to face my expenses alone, so I’ve thought about lookingfor a job.
- Therefore, it implies that you’re not always available.
- Well yes, but my intention was to work only weekends. I looked it up on the internet and it said that this option was possible.
- Yes, of course, but, I need to know more about you and you availability, and your experience.
- I have to say that I’ve never worked in a burger place before; I’ve worked in a supermarket and in a clothes shop during the summer holidays.
- Well, as you know, the work done in a burger place doesn’t need many skills or much specialization, but as the person responsible for the company I have to be sure that you’re responsible, mature, practical… you know. First of all, how old are you?
- I’m seventeen but I’m going to be eighteen in August
- Ok. So you’re available only the weekends, but can you work full-time or only during the mornings or afternoons?
- I ‘m ready to work all day if it’s necessary, that's no problem for me.
- Ok. Well, now I would like you to provide some personal information, so please fill out this form.
- Oh! I’m so sorry! I left my passport number behind…
- Uhmm… that’s a problem. Well, I guess you can fill in the rest. At least one contact telephone number.
- Of course.
- Ok, then we'll do the following: If I want to take you on, you'll receive a call, and then you would come back and bring your passport and a photo ID.
- Ok sir. Thank you very much for seeing me. Hope to see you again.
miércoles, 15 de abril de 2009
Future perfect simple and continous
Future perfect simple and future continuous
Use
We use the future perfect simple to talk about an activity that will be finished by a specific time in the future.
They‘ll have finished building the bridge by
next January.
We use the future continuous to talk about an activity that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
This time next week I’ll be flying to Rome.
Form
Future perfect simple: we use will + have + past participle.
I’ll have finished my homework in an hour.
Future continuous: we use will + be + the -ing form of the verb.
In an hour, I’ll be getting ready to go out.
Activities
1 Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the future perfect simple or the future continuous.
1 This time next week will be skiing (ski) in the French Alps.
2 Greg is taking a year off to travel. By the end of next year he will has visited (visit) seven countries.
3 ‘What will you be doing this time tomorrow?’
‘I will be taking (take) my English exam.’
4 Don’t come round at six o’clock. I will still have done (still / do) my homework.
If you want to come round at seven, you can.
I will have finished (finish) it by then.
5 Jill has accepted a job abroad. This time next
month she will be working(work) in Paris.
6 Next year, I will have lived (live) in this house for ten years.
2 Complete the text. Use the correct form of the future perfect simple or the future continuous.
What will we be doing (do)
in a hundred years’ time? According to NASA Scientists we will be travelled (travel) in outer space. By the twenty-second century man will have developed (develop) a quick way of getting to the stars, and the
first long-distance spaceships will be leaving (leave) Earth.
However, these spaceships won’t be the first to explore outer space. Other spaceships will have already voyaged (already / voyage) into
the unknown. In fact, the first unmanned ship, Pioneer 10, was launched in 1972. Pioneer 10 will be in space for thousands of years, and in 32,000 years’
time it will pass a star called Ross 248.
By the time Pioneer 10 gets there, man will have already reached (already / reach) Ross 248 and will have colonized (colonize) the planets around it. What will these humans be doing (do) when Pioneer 10 passes by? Will they remember that it was the first spaceship to venture into outer space?
3 Complete the sentences with your own ideas.
1 This time tomorrow I’ll be watching TV
2 By next weekend I’ll have discover a new planet.
3 In six months’ time I’ll be studying
4 By the end of this year I’ll have visited London
5 In three years’ time I’ll be studying a lot.
Use
We use the future perfect simple to talk about an activity that will be finished by a specific time in the future.
They‘ll have finished building the bridge by
next January.
We use the future continuous to talk about an activity that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
This time next week I’ll be flying to Rome.
Form
Future perfect simple: we use will + have + past participle.
I’ll have finished my homework in an hour.
Future continuous: we use will + be + the -ing form of the verb.
In an hour, I’ll be getting ready to go out.
Activities
1 Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the future perfect simple or the future continuous.
1 This time next week will be skiing (ski) in the French Alps.
2 Greg is taking a year off to travel. By the end of next year he will has visited (visit) seven countries.
3 ‘What will you be doing this time tomorrow?’
‘I will be taking (take) my English exam.’
4 Don’t come round at six o’clock. I will still have done (still / do) my homework.
If you want to come round at seven, you can.
I will have finished (finish) it by then.
5 Jill has accepted a job abroad. This time next
month she will be working(work) in Paris.
6 Next year, I will have lived (live) in this house for ten years.
2 Complete the text. Use the correct form of the future perfect simple or the future continuous.
What will we be doing (do)
in a hundred years’ time? According to NASA Scientists we will be travelled (travel) in outer space. By the twenty-second century man will have developed (develop) a quick way of getting to the stars, and the
first long-distance spaceships will be leaving (leave) Earth.
However, these spaceships won’t be the first to explore outer space. Other spaceships will have already voyaged (already / voyage) into
the unknown. In fact, the first unmanned ship, Pioneer 10, was launched in 1972. Pioneer 10 will be in space for thousands of years, and in 32,000 years’
time it will pass a star called Ross 248.
By the time Pioneer 10 gets there, man will have already reached (already / reach) Ross 248 and will have colonized (colonize) the planets around it. What will these humans be doing (do) when Pioneer 10 passes by? Will they remember that it was the first spaceship to venture into outer space?
3 Complete the sentences with your own ideas.
1 This time tomorrow I’ll be watching TV
2 By next weekend I’ll have discover a new planet.
3 In six months’ time I’ll be studying
4 By the end of this year I’ll have visited London
5 In three years’ time I’ll be studying a lot.
martes, 7 de abril de 2009
THE BEATLES - Lucy in the sky with diamonds
Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain
Where rocking horse people eat marshmellow pies,
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.
Newpaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.
Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,
And you're gone.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds,
Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle,
The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain
Where rocking horse people eat marshmellow pies,
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.
Newpaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.
Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,
And you're gone.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds,
Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle,
The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.
sábado, 14 de marzo de 2009
Monster homes
The new houses in the United States are very much bigger. Now they are, for example 2,349 square feet while in the past there were at least twice.
In the south, there are beautiful and Mega houses. People say that now they are out of scale with the neighbourhoods.. in the street can be a fourth of fifth house. The new homes sell for $700,00. The gardens are bigger than other houses ..
Vocabulary:
Uprooted= to pull a tree out of the ground
Trend: fashion
Backlash: Strong negative reaction
In the south, there are beautiful and Mega houses. People say that now they are out of scale with the neighbourhoods.. in the street can be a fourth of fifth house. The new homes sell for $700,00. The gardens are bigger than other houses ..
Vocabulary:
Uprooted= to pull a tree out of the ground
Trend: fashion
Backlash: Strong negative reaction
The science of dancing
Scientists think that good dancing is a sign of genetic perfection in nature.
A magazine found a woman that her subconscious linked dancing and physical symmetry
Dancing is very important for the culture. Because dancing tells much about it. Every culture has their dancing.
Scientists study the symmetry of the wrists, fingers, elbows, ankles and ears.
Not everybody dances well, and my conclusion is that we don’t have perfect genes!
Vocabulary
Wrists: canell
Elbows: colze
Ankles: turmell
A magazine found a woman that her subconscious linked dancing and physical symmetry
Dancing is very important for the culture. Because dancing tells much about it. Every culture has their dancing.
Scientists study the symmetry of the wrists, fingers, elbows, ankles and ears.
Not everybody dances well, and my conclusion is that we don’t have perfect genes!
Vocabulary
Wrists: canell
Elbows: colze
Ankles: turmell
Robot Cars
In the future, city cars will be free to use and easy to drive and park. The architects and engineers created the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. As the Guardian reports, the cars would be free for anyone to use. It’s the same system that the concept
of bicycles in European cities.The power comeing from wheels unites with electric motors, the wheels make parking much easier.
Vocabulary:
Wheel: the rotating round part on a vehicle
Wrap: go around itself
Institute of Technology. As the Guardian reports, the cars would be free for anyone to use. It’s the same system that the concept
of bicycles in European cities.The power comeing from wheels unites with electric motors, the wheels make parking much easier.
Vocabulary:
Wheel: the rotating round part on a vehicle
Wrap: go around itself
domingo, 8 de marzo de 2009
American Pie 4: The wedding
Is the third film of American Pie, the four films are of comedy. Everybody laught when watc
h American Pie, it's impossible that you don't laughtwith parts of the film
Jim wants to propose to Michelle to marry with him. Michelle gets to impression Jim with public sex while the father of Jim phones him and say that he forgot the ring and he came to give it. Michelle was under the table. When Jim get up everybody see Jim with his trousers down. The situation was embarassed . Jim propose to marry Michelle and Michelle say yes!
They begin to organize the wedding.Jim learnt to dance, and he asks Stifler, a friend, if he can teach him to dance.
Jim, Finch, Stifler and Kevin are going to look a designer for the wedding. while they are looking they come to a gay club where Stilfer challenges Bear dancing. Michelle's sister arrives, and Finch and Stifler want to seduce her, Stifler starts to te intellectual.
We can't watch more film, I hope that we can continue another day because, it's a film that you laugh a lot and you can spend the time!
lunes, 2 de marzo de 2009
Oral Presentation
NAME & TOPIC: Laura Peña and Anna Costa
The Bahamas
QUESTIONS
Presentation
Did you use any resources? Yes, we’ve used a Power Point presentation with pictures, videos and music.
Were the resources relevant and attractive? Yes, we think that the photos, videos and music made the presentation relevant and attractive, and so entertaining.
Body language and eye contact
Did you look at your audience most of the time? Not really. We spent too much time looking at the screen instead of the audience.
Did you read from your notes? Not all the time, but there were so much data and it’s impossible to memorize all of them.
Did you do any gestures/movement to hold the attention of your audience? Yes, we used quite gestures, but not expressly for the audience.
Structure
Did you organize your ideas in order of importance? We tried to separate the different topics we were going to talk about.
Did you use discourse makers to make your ideas more clear? Not much really.
Content
Did you introduce interesting, new information to your audience? Yes, we think the information was not so boring, it was interesting and original.
Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books...? Of course, we did. We found information especially in the Internet, because it’s easier.
Was your information more superficial or more detailed and original? We think the information was more superficial, but we also included details of the festivities or food, for example.
Language
Did you check your grammar? Yes, we did.
Did you use rich vocabulary looking up the dictionary? The vocabulary wasn’t quite rich, but we found a lot of words in the dictionary, except the word “escut”, that it’s not in the dictionary.
Did you use sentence linkers? Yes, we use a lot of times “and”, “but”, “so”...
Did you use fillers? We use especially “well”, or “uhm”.
Pronunciation & Intonation
Did you know how to pronounce all your words? Not all the words, but almost all.
Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? No.
Did you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? We changed the tone of voice a lot of times, when we were not sure about what we were saying or when we changed the topics, for example.
Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? Well, we think there were so much breaks and interruptions.
Self evaluation
What mark did you get according to you? Well, in fact we didn’t had enough time to finish the oral presentation, and we became nervous because of it, so we could made it so much better. We wanted to show some videos and music but we couldn’t. Anyway, we could have a better preparation. The personal mark we get according to us could be a 6 more or less.
LITERAL TRANSCRIPTION
Hi,we're Laura and Anna and we're going to talk about Bahamas because we were thinking about an original country and we decided to talk about Bahamas because it's a very interesting place and so beautiful and it's like a dream holidays.
Money: dolar of Bahamas
Flag: blue, yellow and black.
Flower: The national flower is the Yellow elder.
The symbolic bird of the Bahamas is the red flamingo.
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy
Climate: Between tropical and subtropical.
Non-official languages: Creole dialect, Greek and Chinese.
Ethnic groups: African, black, European.
National Sports: The most practiced sports are golf, diving, snorkeling and fishing.
Is an independent state located in the Antilles.It consists of an archipelago of 24 habited islands, 600 inhabited, and over 2,000 rocks and reefs.It’s located in the Atlantic Ocean, at the east of Florida (USA), north of Cuba and west of the Turks and Caicos Islands.The capital is Nassau, which is the most populous city.
Native birds:
- Barn Owl
- Great blue heron
- Green heron
- Turquoise bird
There are a lot of dangerous animals and plants in Bahamas but we’ve been able to put only some of them.
- Black widow: a black spider a red stain in the back, is fatal.
- Centipede
- Cuban tree frog
- Rajiformes and Jellyfish
- Venomous ivy
The traditional music of the Bahamas is the Goombay, which means "rhythm" in Bantu. A drum is used to create it. The first goombay drums were made from discarded barrels and rum casks, but as the decades passed these items came to be in short supply. The most famous band in Bahamas who plays this music is “The Gombay dance band”.
Jumpin'n Jammin carnival: It's between July 25 and August 2. Begins the first Monday in August at four o'clock in the morning. The activities of the carnival finish with the street party that usually lasts from six p.m. to midnight.
Goombay summer festival: It’s a festival that lasts three nights. There is Dancing, competitions, fairs, parades and costumes,...The days are dedicated to participate in beach sports and other entertainment and cultural activities.
Junkanoo: Junkanoo is the famous national festival. Everyone gets dressed and downtown Nassau sounding bells, horns, whistles and the strong rhythm of drums.
In July is the largest fishing tournament in the islands. Also in September there are tournaments of Music and Dance.There are other festivities that are not typical of there like:
- Three Kings
- Christmas day
- New year
- International worker’s day
- International women’s day
- National independence day
Food and drink:
Peas n’ Rice: pork with onions, celery, tomatoes, rice and peas. Is the national dish.
- Seafood: Is an important part of the diet in the Bahamas. The “conch” is a large type of ocean mollusc that has white flesh. The conch is delicious raw, but also fried, in soups and salads and stews.
- The rock lobster of Bahamas: is served grilled, in salads or chopped.
- Fresh fish: Is also an important part of the cuisine, The brunch is a popular boiled fish.
- Peas: pea soup with balls of beef with salt, or pea soup and ham are typical.
- Souse: is a soup with water, onions, celery, peppers and chicken, oxtail or pigs' feet.
- Kalik: it’s the official beer of the Bahamas.
Things for visit
- Acklins: Is a part of the group of islands which are near the lake basin called Marine Acklins. Coronel Hill it's a place for people that likes the tourism and quiet.
- Cat Island: This is one of the central islands of the Bahamas.
- Abaco Island: Is located in the northern islands and the Bahamas including Great Abaco and Little Abaco. There people do sailing and other tourist activities
- Eleuthera: It's one of the main tourist attractions of the Bahamas. It's at 80 km from Nassau.
- Mayaguana Is the farthest of all the islands of the Bahamas, the people practice diving there. -
-West Grand Bahama: It’s special for the construction of exclusive hotels for tourists. The most important urban centers are 8 Mile Rock, Pinder's Point, Holmes Rock and West End.
Power Point
The Bahamas
The Bahamas
QUESTIONS
Presentation
Did you use any resources? Yes, we’ve used a Power Point presentation with pictures, videos and music.
Were the resources relevant and attractive? Yes, we think that the photos, videos and music made the presentation relevant and attractive, and so entertaining.
Body language and eye contact
Did you look at your audience most of the time? Not really. We spent too much time looking at the screen instead of the audience.
Did you read from your notes? Not all the time, but there were so much data and it’s impossible to memorize all of them.
Did you do any gestures/movement to hold the attention of your audience? Yes, we used quite gestures, but not expressly for the audience.
Structure
Did you organize your ideas in order of importance? We tried to separate the different topics we were going to talk about.
Did you use discourse makers to make your ideas more clear? Not much really.
Content
Did you introduce interesting, new information to your audience? Yes, we think the information was not so boring, it was interesting and original.
Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books...? Of course, we did. We found information especially in the Internet, because it’s easier.
Was your information more superficial or more detailed and original? We think the information was more superficial, but we also included details of the festivities or food, for example.
Language
Did you check your grammar? Yes, we did.
Did you use rich vocabulary looking up the dictionary? The vocabulary wasn’t quite rich, but we found a lot of words in the dictionary, except the word “escut”, that it’s not in the dictionary.
Did you use sentence linkers? Yes, we use a lot of times “and”, “but”, “so”...
Did you use fillers? We use especially “well”, or “uhm”.
Pronunciation & Intonation
Did you know how to pronounce all your words? Not all the words, but almost all.
Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? No.
Did you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? We changed the tone of voice a lot of times, when we were not sure about what we were saying or when we changed the topics, for example.
Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? Well, we think there were so much breaks and interruptions.
Self evaluation
What mark did you get according to you? Well, in fact we didn’t had enough time to finish the oral presentation, and we became nervous because of it, so we could made it so much better. We wanted to show some videos and music but we couldn’t. Anyway, we could have a better preparation. The personal mark we get according to us could be a 6 more or less.
LITERAL TRANSCRIPTION
Hi,we're Laura and Anna and we're going to talk about Bahamas because we were thinking about an original country and we decided to talk about Bahamas because it's a very interesting place and so beautiful and it's like a dream holidays.
Money: dolar of Bahamas
Flag: blue, yellow and black.
Flower: The national flower is the Yellow elder.
The symbolic bird of the Bahamas is the red flamingo.
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy
Climate: Between tropical and subtropical.
Non-official languages: Creole dialect, Greek and Chinese.
Ethnic groups: African, black, European.
National Sports: The most practiced sports are golf, diving, snorkeling and fishing.
Is an independent state located in the Antilles.It consists of an archipelago of 24 habited islands, 600 inhabited, and over 2,000 rocks and reefs.It’s located in the Atlantic Ocean, at the east of Florida (USA), north of Cuba and west of the Turks and Caicos Islands.The capital is Nassau, which is the most populous city.
Native birds:
- Barn Owl
- Great blue heron
- Green heron
- Turquoise bird
There are a lot of dangerous animals and plants in Bahamas but we’ve been able to put only some of them.
- Black widow: a black spider a red stain in the back, is fatal.
- Centipede
- Cuban tree frog
- Rajiformes and Jellyfish
- Venomous ivy
The traditional music of the Bahamas is the Goombay, which means "rhythm" in Bantu. A drum is used to create it. The first goombay drums were made from discarded barrels and rum casks, but as the decades passed these items came to be in short supply. The most famous band in Bahamas who plays this music is “The Gombay dance band”.
Jumpin'n Jammin carnival: It's between July 25 and August 2. Begins the first Monday in August at four o'clock in the morning. The activities of the carnival finish with the street party that usually lasts from six p.m. to midnight.
Goombay summer festival: It’s a festival that lasts three nights. There is Dancing, competitions, fairs, parades and costumes,...The days are dedicated to participate in beach sports and other entertainment and cultural activities.
Junkanoo: Junkanoo is the famous national festival. Everyone gets dressed and downtown Nassau sounding bells, horns, whistles and the strong rhythm of drums.
In July is the largest fishing tournament in the islands. Also in September there are tournaments of Music and Dance.There are other festivities that are not typical of there like:
- Three Kings
- Christmas day
- New year
- International worker’s day
- International women’s day
- National independence day
Food and drink:
Peas n’ Rice: pork with onions, celery, tomatoes, rice and peas. Is the national dish.
- Seafood: Is an important part of the diet in the Bahamas. The “conch” is a large type of ocean mollusc that has white flesh. The conch is delicious raw, but also fried, in soups and salads and stews.
- The rock lobster of Bahamas: is served grilled, in salads or chopped.
- Fresh fish: Is also an important part of the cuisine, The brunch is a popular boiled fish.
- Peas: pea soup with balls of beef with salt, or pea soup and ham are typical.
- Souse: is a soup with water, onions, celery, peppers and chicken, oxtail or pigs' feet.
- Kalik: it’s the official beer of the Bahamas.
Things for visit
- Acklins: Is a part of the group of islands which are near the lake basin called Marine Acklins. Coronel Hill it's a place for people that likes the tourism and quiet.
- Cat Island: This is one of the central islands of the Bahamas.
- Abaco Island: Is located in the northern islands and the Bahamas including Great Abaco and Little Abaco. There people do sailing and other tourist activities
- Eleuthera: It's one of the main tourist attractions of the Bahamas. It's at 80 km from Nassau.
- Mayaguana Is the farthest of all the islands of the Bahamas, the people practice diving there. -
-West Grand Bahama: It’s special for the construction of exclusive hotels for tourists. The most important urban centers are 8 Mile Rock, Pinder's Point, Holmes Rock and West End.
Power Point
The Bahamas
viernes, 27 de febrero de 2009
Today I am going to describe my best friend, she's Anna and she lives in Castelló d'Empúries and she's sixteen years old she's older than me. I think that she's difficult to describe because she isn't like everybody. At first time that you meet Anna she's shy and she don't speak with you but when you begin to know Anna she's more sociable and expressive. The character of Anna is special because she can be happy or she can be angry with everybody.I think that she's moody, but if she's angry in a few minutes she's happy with everybody. Often she's pessimistic she always thinks the worst, but partly it's best because if you have a problem that it's evident that it's bad, or if not evident doesn't matter.
She's very honest and she can't lie because is note in the face. She always tells the truth. I like that she's this way. She's very expressive and when I look at Anna and she looks at me we know what we are saying. Anna is part of me, I miss her when she's in holiday for example or similar things.
I believe that Anna is responsible for things but not for everything she's lazy! When she doesn't have anything she can stay all the day in the sofa like me. I stay all day with Anna, we only separate to sleep. We do everything together, study together, laugh together, go to the high school together, go to the party together and more things.
I believe that Anna is responsible for things but not for everything she's lazy! When she doesn't have anything she can stay all the day in the sofa like me. I stay all day with Anna, we only separate to sleep. We do everything together, study together, laugh together, go to the high school together, go to the party together and more things.
We have very good and funs moments with Anna and I wouldn't change the moments with her for anything! I laugh a lot with her and she always tries to help me!
Discussion essay
Being a celebry is a great thing
There are advantages and disadvantages to being a celebrity. On the one hand there are many advantages, nearly everyone who is famous is rich but at the same time that doesn’t mean that they are happy with their lives. They can go to interesting people and meet with other famous people and on the one hand it’s fun and interesting to share experiences.
Like I said before, not every celebrity is happy with life there are many people who end up in a detox center for as a result of drugs or alcohol. One example as everybody knows is Britney Spears and we all know what happened to her!
The filming is funny and when we watch the cuts we laugh and don’t think about the hours that the actors spend in the studio, they work a lot of hours for our satisfaction! And also for the money. However vey often they don’t have work like artists sometimes they can work a lot or sometimes never draw an go hungry. The actors can make film and film for a year or more but afterwards they don’t have work, but they don’t go to the un employment because they are rich! They made a lot of money with their last film and they can spend it on new cars, buy a big house or luxury thing that we can’t do.
Some famous people do not have personal life and hey never see their family and the result is distance and then depression! Let’s not forget the paparazzi! One hand they make the famous more famous but the other hand it’s like a leech! You can’t go alone on the street.
I think I would like to be a celebrity because I would like to buy new things and not worry about anything and live life! Because life is short! And not worry about the crisis! Some a lot and others nothing!
sábado, 21 de febrero de 2009
Minister Maragall wants to change the schools calendar
Minister Maragall wants to change the schools calendar, he wants to advance the start of school one week, I say that If now we start school on 12 of September ,Maragall wants to begin the 6 or 7 of September and a set seven days of vacation in February week. Some parents and unions believe that it's inappropriate but for Maragall it's the best because the change will improve teaching.
I think that it is better that the minister Maragall and the Education change the calendar because we have a lot of days in the summer and after when we begin the second term, it's very long and we don't have holidays and days for parties, but this is only my opinion
I think that it is better that the minister Maragall and the Education change the calendar because we have a lot of days in the summer and after when we begin the second term, it's very long and we don't have holidays and days for parties, but this is only my opinion
Catalonia Today
Valentine's Day, or Love is in the Air
It’s that time of the year when couples show their love for each other by sending cards, flowers and chocolates. But Valentine’s Day is not only about public displays of affection: in recent years it has also become big business. In the UK alone, more than £20 million is spent on flowers, whilst in the United States over $1 billion is forked out on chocolates.
Although Valentine’s Day has become a global industry with more than 80 million roses sold worldwide, the origins of the day are unclear and hidden in the mists of time. Nobody knows exactly who St Valentine was, although some historians suggest he was a Roman martyred in the third century AD by a Roman Emperor. It is said that the first recorded Valentine’s card was sent by the imprisoned Duke of Orleans in 1415. It is believed that he sought solace from his confinement by writing love poems to his wife.
Valentine’s Day, or its equivalent, is now celebrated in many countries around the world. However, the traditions often differ from place to place. In Japan, for example, it is customary for the woman to send chocolates to the man, whilst in Korea April 14th is known as ‘Black Day’ and is when the unfortunate men who received nothing on Valentine’s Day gather to eat noodles and commiserate with each other.
Technological developments have also played their part in keeping Valentine’s Day relevant in the 21st century. Valentine’s e-cards have been all the rage in recent years. However, internet security experts urge web users to be wary as malicious hackers could use e-cards to spread viruses and spyware.Valentine’s cards can also be used for less than romantic purposes. Police in the UK city of Liverpool sent Valentine’s cards to criminals who failed to appear in court or have not paid fines. The cards contained the verse, “Roses are red, violets are blue, you’ve got a warrant, and we’d love to see you.” Who says romance is dead?
Although Valentine’s Day has become a global industry with more than 80 million roses sold worldwide, the origins of the day are unclear and hidden in the mists of time. Nobody knows exactly who St Valentine was, although some historians suggest he was a Roman martyred in the third century AD by a Roman Emperor. It is said that the first recorded Valentine’s card was sent by the imprisoned Duke of Orleans in 1415. It is believed that he sought solace from his confinement by writing love poems to his wife.
Valentine’s Day, or its equivalent, is now celebrated in many countries around the world. However, the traditions often differ from place to place. In Japan, for example, it is customary for the woman to send chocolates to the man, whilst in Korea April 14th is known as ‘Black Day’ and is when the unfortunate men who received nothing on Valentine’s Day gather to eat noodles and commiserate with each other.
Technological developments have also played their part in keeping Valentine’s Day relevant in the 21st century. Valentine’s e-cards have been all the rage in recent years. However, internet security experts urge web users to be wary as malicious hackers could use e-cards to spread viruses and spyware.Valentine’s cards can also be used for less than romantic purposes. Police in the UK city of Liverpool sent Valentine’s cards to criminals who failed to appear in court or have not paid fines. The cards contained the verse, “Roses are red, violets are blue, you’ve got a warrant, and we’d love to see you.” Who says romance is dead?
Vocabulary
public displays of affection
showing your feelings of liking or love for someone in public
forked out
forked out
forced to spend
hidden in the mists of time
too old for anyone to remember/confirm/clarify
martyred
killed because of his beliefs
recorded
recorded
known, documented
imprisoned
imprisoned
put in jail
sought solace
tried to find comfort
confinement
imprisonment
equivalent
here, a special occasion that has the same meaning and purpose
customary
normal, usual
commiserate with
commiserate with
show sympathy for
e-cards
e-cards
short for electronic cards, i.e. virtual cards that are sent via the internet
all the ragevery popular
all the ragevery popular
wary
here, careful
malicious hackers
malicious hackers
people who access other people's computers with bad intentions (e.g. to look for their personal information, like credit card details, or to stop their computers working properly)
viruses
viruses
here, computer programs which can make copies of themselves, preventing the computer from working properly
spyware
spyware
computer programs that reveal the identity of a computer user
warrant
warrant
adocument that gives police specific powers, e.g. the right to search or arrest somebody
Listen to the story:
sábado, 14 de febrero de 2009
Mary Shelly online
Are you interested in Frankenstein? You can read the original book by Mary Shelly online.
http://www.literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/frankenstein/index.html
http://www.literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/frankenstein/index.html
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