Friday, September 28, 2018

WRITING JOURNALS.


Saturday, September 22, 2018


09/22/18.       8:59 p.m.

TOPIC 1. HOW MY LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES.

           My life has changed a lot since I came to the United States. It´s been already 4 months since I came here and a lot of things have happened since then. I am living with a host family, so I am staying in a house with five more people; the father, the mother and their three little kids.

            These 4 months have been crazy. At first it was hard since I couldn´t be with my family, and I missed them so much. Also I didn´t know not even a single person in this country. But I took those kind of things as challenges. And that changed me in many aspects.

            I got to meet many new people and that made me less shy and more outgoing. Also, not being around my family or any friends made me more independent and I also learned how to solve problems by myself. I definitely have a bigger self-confidence than I used to.

           Another big change is my surrounding. I came from being the youngest one with two brothers in my house to be the oldest "kid" with three others little kids. They were 6, 2 and 1 years old. Also the room that I had to stay in was so different to the one I was in Spain. That was hard to get used to. But with any doubt the most difficult change was the parents. It was weird at first. I was living with them in their house but however I didn´t know them. Obviously I wanted them to like me and also to let them know that I was so thankful with them for hosting me in their house.

           Sometimes I spend time with the kids so the can be more relaxed, I clean the dishes when we finish eating.... These sort of things are making me more responsible.  This experience was really hard at first, but  I am getting used to these big changes. I don´t regret coming here. And I´m learning a lot and I´m also becoming more mature every day.

                                                                                                                               9:23 p.m.



09/29/18.        6:45 p.m.


A SPECIAL SKILL I HAVE.

It´s hard to think of a special skill that I have. I actually can´t think of a physical skill, although those are usually the type of skills people usually talk about. However I think I´m really good at problem solving abilities and I definitely count that as a skill. When there is a problem, people normally stress and panic.

            I used to be like that too. But now I have a better way to face problems. It´s hard to control yourself because you might be under a lot of pressure. The first thing I do is to try to calm down, also I say to myself that everything´s going to be alright and that being nervous is not going to work. Before solving any problem, what I always do is to relax. I try to think that whatever it is, it can´t be such of a big deal.


            Also I think that there is always a solution for everything. I always try to think those kind of things when there is a problem. I´m not saying I can always solve problems. But not being nervous and worried too much definitely helps.
I also think that I´m very creative, and that´s a good thing to solve problems, since I can think of a lot of solutions and then I can pick the best option to solve the problem.

           Also, very important it´s necessary to be as possitive as I can when there is a problem. I´m really good at being calmed under a the pressure of problems. And that´s one thing I love about me. And that´s a skill I have which I think it´s really useful.

                                                                                                                                                  7:02 p.m.






A HOBBY.
           A hobby that I have always had and that I still have is playing videogames. I love it. I have always liked it. I started with this hobby when I was 7 years old. I used to play a lot of games but now I play different kind of games. I usually use my Playstation 4. When I play I always have fun, and I also think it is a good activity to relax and disconect with my surroundings.

           I usually play on weekends or days that I have more time. I think that even though not everybody likes playing videogames, they would love to if they tried. There are plenty of different kind of videogames, people just need to find the kind that the like the most. It is also a good hobby if I ever want to spend time with my friend. I don´t play always by myself, many times I hung out with my friends to play.

            Also, it is not an expensive hobby. Although there are games that are very expensive, on the other hand there are others that are really cheap. I just have to find the best sales and opportunities to spend the least.
I think tis hobby is for all ages, because for example as I said before, I started when I was 7 seven years old, and now that I am 18, I enjoy playing as much or even more as I used to.
         
            It is true that it is not a good hobby to keep in fit such as sports, however there are a lot of times that I have learnt curiosities and history playing videogames. As I said before there are plenty of kind of videogames, even those ones that you can learn while having fun. Of course that I have more hobbies, but I wanted to talk about this one since it has been so many years since I have it. And I reccommend everyone to try it.





LEARNING TO PLAY A SPORT.
           I have always been interesting in tennis. I didn´t know the rules at first, but after watching poeple playing I learnt most of them. However I never tried to play it. Until last year. I wanted to know the rules much better and also I tought that if I liked watching other people playing tenis I might also enjoy playing tennis.

           So I joined classes twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. There were other people around my age that also were interested in playing this sport.I already knew the basic rules, but after going to classes I realized there were many other thing that I had no idea. Obviusly at first I wasn´t really good playing, but I was enjoying a lot. Every day I felt I was improving and I was so happy because of that.

           I´m not sure why I chose tennis, I guess I liked it because it´s a sport which it depends on me if I win or lose. I mean it´s an individual game, I don´t have to play with others. Although I also like playing sports with more people such as basketball. I think tennis is a hard sport, it is required a lot of resistance, speed and perseverance.




AN ACCIDENT.
           The last accident and the only one I think I have ever had or at least I that I can remember was actually a only three moths ago. It was this last summer. I remember that day I was going to hang out with my friends at the mall in the afternoon.

            So my father took me there by car. There were any problems during the ride. However when it all happened, was in the parking lot. That was supposed to be one of the least likely places to have annaccident with a car. That was what I used to think, before having it. My dad was looking for a spot, when suddenly a car that was supposed to wait until my dad passed, kept going, so we got hit from the right side.

            I am glad that it was in the parking lot, since that is a place where cars can not go fast, so the hit was not severe at all. It was a woman who was driving, and she was also with her dad. She got out of the car worried, however she admitted quickly that it was her fault and that she was really sorry. She and her dad seemed really nice. After talking for a little bit the agreed in everything. It was not such a big deal at the end, but at first we were all a little bit worry thinking the way we were going to handle the situation.
           This accident made me think, and maybe because of a parking lot seems more secure than a road and it is much less likely to have an accident, people do not pay as much attention as they should. They should pay as much attention as they do in the road.




BEING ON TIME.
           To be honest, I have to admit that even though in many situations is really important, I am not really good at being on time. The times that I always try to be on time is when I go to classes, since if I´m late I would miss part of the lesson. However there are other many occassions that even though I try I always end up being late.
            For instance, whe I hang out with my friend. Ever time I meet them, I think that this time I will be on time, however I don´t know why there is always something I realize I have to do before leaving. Or also I might get distracted with something and I don´t realize what time it is.

            Also when I go to the cinemas, most of the times, I enter the room when the trailers have already started, and I always have to walk carefully because the room is already dark. It is true that many times I am late, it is usually for 15 minutes or so. It is really weird when I am late for more than 15 minutes. Also, when I have to be on time on important occassions, I always try to get ready much earlier.
          Being on time is a sign of respect, and although there are sometimes that I am a little bit late with my friend or to watch a movie, I would never be late for instance when there s an important meeting, or when I have to go to classes. I think in this kind of occassions to be on time is a sign of respect.

           That is why although I am not really good at it, I always try to be on time, to show respect and also, beacuse if it were me, I know I wouldn´t like to be waiting for someone for a long time. I think that is really annoying.




THE PEOPLE I LIVE WITH.
I am currently living with my family. My father, my mother and my older two brothers. My father works as an office worker, he usually works in the mornings, so since now I have college in the afternoons, I can´t see him a lot. He is the only member in the people I live with that drives. So he is the one who gives us a ride by car when if we need it.

           He is really good at maths, so when I was in high school, and I didn´t understand somethimg, he used to expalin me everthing. My mother is a housewife. She can drive, she got her driving license many years ago, however she doesn´t like driving a lot, and actually she barely needs to use the car.

           I usually talk to her a lot, and she is very good at gibving me advices. As my father, she is also very tall. So I guess I am also very tall because of them. My mother is very talkative and friendly with people and she also likes reading books. She usually reads every day a little bit.

           I also live with my two older borthers. The oldest one is 25 years old. He is currently studying. We talk a lot with each other. I would say I talk to him even more than I do with my other brother. We both like playing videogames, and I really like and enjoy when we play together. My other brothers is 23 years old. He is also studying to become a policeman. He is a very sportive person. I think he is the most outgoing of us three.
           To be honest I get along with all the people I live with. Basically because they are my family and I look like them in many aspects. Also I like that I get to live with my family because I know that they wil always be there to help me. Also we are very close to each other and confident.

            I don´t know when I will move to another house, but it will be hard because I won´t be living with them anymore. I have been living with them since I was born so I am used to seeing them everyday in the house.



9AMERICAN CUSTOMS I LIKE/DISLIKE.
           To be honest the United States is my favourite country. But that doesn´t mean that I like all of its customs. Last year I got to visit this country and there were many things that I liked however there were also others that I wasn´t used to and that I didn´t like.

            I am going to start by saying some the many customs that I like. I like the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving Day and also the way the celebrate it. The eat a lot of food with their families and also say why they are thnakful for and I think it is a beautiful day.

           Also, dressing up for Halloween asking for candies door by door. It is true that nowadays this custom has been going all arounf the world, and currently it is not a custom only in America. But it is better known to be done there. Also I like that when they meet someone, they don´t give two kisses to each other, instead the either do a handshake or just smile.

           I have never liked the custom of kissing someone when you meet that peson so that is why I like this American custom. Also I like that they are usually more polite when they are talking to someone.

            For example students call their teachers by their surnames, saying either Mr. or Ms. I like that because it is a good way to show respect to someone. Although it might not be good to me, I like that tips are almost compulsory for waiters. I think it is fai and if the waiters know that depending on how they work, they will get either more or less money, they will work better and harder.
But also as I said befor, there are some customs that I don´t like.

           For example the schedule that they have to eat. Many people eat only three times a day. Because of this, they eat big meals however it is reccommended to be five meals. That is a custom I don´t like at all.



10. AN IMPORTANT STORY IN THE NEWS.
           An important story in the news that now I can think of is the brexit. I don´t usually wacth the news however this story made me to wacth them more. To be honest I didn´t expect such a thing like this to happen but I guess that many people didn´t expect it either.

            I remember when they first talked about it but I never thought it would get this far. Soon it will be a reality. And to be sincere, I don´t really understand much about politics, but I can´t see the point of doing it anywhere. I don´t understand why there are so many people that don´t want to be part of Europe anymore afer so many years.

           As you can see I disagree about the Brexit. I also don´t understand why thy feel different and they don´t want to stay in Europe anymore. As I said before I´m not really into politics, and there might be good reasons that people have to do the Brexit. But still, I think there was no need to do such a big deal like this. I even think that in they future they would regret, and they will see that they were better before.

           Also it will complicate things for immigrants or even for tourists that are from Europe. European citizens will be required more things if they want to visit the United Kingdom and I think that will also be bad for the money they get from tourism. I think that even though this, got much farther than I expected, there is still time to take it back, and to make british people see that it is not really worth it.

            I have talked from my point of view. Maybe if I were british I would think different. I agree that british people have the right to do this  but I disagree about doing it.



11. THE WORKING STUDENT.
           A working student is a person who studies and also at the same time has a job. I think that a working student needs to be really responsible because it is really hard to be able to do both things. A working student needs to be rally organised and has to know perfectly waht to do and when to do it, if that person really wants to both get good grades and be able to work correctly in the job.

            Actually I have been thinking about this lately: would I be able to be a working student? Because as I said before it´s not easy, and not everybody can do it. To be a working student must be also really tiring, there is barely free time for yourself.

           Sometimes I have even thought about being a working student, however, later I think more, and I feel that I would be really stressed and I wouldn´t be happy because I woulnd´t have any time to do the things that I like. Besides, fortunately, at the moment I don´t need the money to pay for my studies, since I am living with my parents, and I feel very lucky, because they can afoord my studies.

            However not everybody can say this. And I think that most of the working students, need money to pay for their studies and also for other things. And they have no other option that to study and also to work to be able to keep studying. Many students have to rent a house near their colleges, and that costs a lot of money, that is why many students have to work in order to be able to afford the rent house.

           I know a few working students, and I admireall of them, because to be honest, I am not sure if I would be able to do that right now or in a future.


12. A BIG MISTAKE I ONCE MADE.
Actually I have made plenty of mistakes in all my life, and I could mention many of them. But right now I can think of a big mistake that I can talk about right now. It is actually a really funny mistake, and I like telling it to my friends.

            I was 14 years old, so it was 4 years ago. I was in a school trip to France, it was in an exchange so I was going to live with a french family that I didn´t know at all for a week. It was also my first time traveling in a foreign country.

           So after this introduction, I am going to explain that big but also funny mistake that I made. I was with another espanish girl that was from my school and two other girls from France. School had finished, so we got on the school bus, but it was really full, so the spanish girl and I sat down in a place, and the other 2 girls from France had to sit in seats far from where we were. Me and my friend were close to the door of the school bus.

            And after a few minutes the bus stopped in a bus stop. We saw many students getting off, so we supposed that was where we had to go. So I told my friend to get off, and to wait the other two girls outside. After getting off, the doors closed, and the bus left. We were shcocked at first, I was wrong, that wasn´t our stop. But we were really lucky because a few meters far from us the bus stopped because there was a traffic light in red.

           So we started running as fust as we could and we were able to get the bus. We saw the two girls from France telling the bus driver to open us the door. I felt so bad, because it was my fault because it was actually me who said to get off the bus. Luckily it all ended up in a funny story to tell. But next time I know that I always need to wait for other people if I am not sure.




13. USING E-MAIL.
           Nowadays, e-mails are very useful. However I think they are becoming less and less used. A lot of new technologies have been creating lately, such as, Skype, Whatsapp... And because of those new disposibilities, people don´t need to use e-mails to send anything. For example, in my case, I still need a lot the e-mails.

            For instance, when I am going to send a project or whatever to a teachr. The only way is to do it by e-mail. But to be honest, apart from those cases, I do not really need e-mails for anything else. So I guess, that people that are no students do not really need e-mails neither. However sometimes I have wanted to send something either to my friends or my family, however, the archive that I wanted to send them was too big to send to for example with Whatsapp.

            So the best option for that i to send it by e-mail. I think nowadays, e-mails are mostly used either by students, to send projects or questions to send projects and questions; and also elder people, that got used to using e-mails, and now they don´t use new technology facilities to communicate, because they use e-mails instead.

            Also, e-mails are good for business, stores... I have seen in many cases that,for example when insurance brookings send ads, they usually put two ways to be able to cummunicate to them. One, is their phone number, and the other one, is ther e-mail adress.

            In my opinion, I believe, that even though, it might be used less than it used to, e-mails will always be very useful, and there will always be people who need it and use it. I think, nowadays it is very necessary and helpfull.



14. CELL PHONES.
           It is crazy to think how fast and the way cell phones have developed these past years. When our parents were young, cell phones didn´t even exist. However, to be honest, right now, I can´t imagine any teenager without one. They have become a fundamental part in our lives, and we use them every day, almost for everything.

            Especially, these past years, cell phones have been improving a lot, there are some, that can do things, that to be honest, a few years ago, I would never believe a phone, could do. It is true, that cell phones are really necessary and helpfull, for every day. They can help us with multiple things, such as: finding an adress, text someone while you are outside from home, call anybody you want, take pictures and videos, watch videos... Cell phones are good for both entertaining and helping people every day.

            However, since cell phones are getting this good, people can get too adictive to them. And things that create addictions are not good, since they make people depend on something to be able to feel good. I remember, one day, one of my friend´s cell phones broke. They had to fix it, and he couldn´t use his cell-phone for 3 days. He was really mad those days, and felt strssed, because he didn´t know if someone was texting him.

            Also, he used to using his cel-phone for many hours every day, however these three days, he didn´t know what to do in those hours. People need to be careful with this, and they need to limit the time that they use their cell-phones. Cell-phones are a great advancement in our lives, however, if we do not know how to use them, they can become dangerous. I believe people should use cell-phones less time, that way they won´t become addictive.

            And to be honest, it is easy to say it, but I also need to do that with myself. And although I try to use my cell phone the less time I can, it is hard, many times. I hate the feeling of not knowing if someone is texting me, and I think that is the case of most of the teenagers nowadays. That is why, I think we should all reduce the time that we spend with our cell phones every day.


15. TEENAGERS.
           I am eighteen years old and I still consider myself as a teenager. It is said thta when you turn 18, you become an adult and you are not a teenager anymore. However I do not agree with this, I think it depends on the person. So I am going to talk mostly about my experience.

            Teenagers have always been known as being "complicated". The reason for that is because it is a part of the life which many changes are happening. It is like the journey from being kids to become adults. It is like being in the middle of the two things but actually not being any of them. These changes affect teenagers in a very different way depending on the person. Some change their humor, and they become more sensible and get mad easier. Others, change their likes completely.

           Others want to become independent, however they don´t realize that they are still "half-kids". Also, when you are a teenager, normally studies get more complicated. To be honest at least for me, that was the hardest thing. It was big change from school to high school, studies were becoming harder and harder.

             However my interest in studying was becoming smaller and smaller. This was really stressful for me. And I think for the majority teenagers. But although as I said before, that teenegars are considered to be "complicated", there are also good things. Teenagers are more independent than they used to be. Also they are becoming more mature.

           Besides, they are old enough to make some decisions by their own. To be a teenager has its good but also bad parts. I think it depends on every person, some may remember beeing a teenager as a godd memory, however, others as a bad memory.




16. THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED.
           This is an interesting topic, since it depends on the people, they will either say one thing or another. But this will be from my point of view. The way I see it, marriage is for adults, that means for people who know what they want in their futures.

            However this sentence is very relative, because at what age a person knows that? That depends on the person, there are some that would want to marry really young, others bery old, because they want to enjoy their youth without being married. Or even there are many people that never want to get married.

           So basically what I am trying to say with this is that marriage has no age. It all depends on the person. It is a fact that nowadays, we are used to seeing people getting married from 30-40 years. So if when we see someone, for example getting married, and that person is older than 60 years, it will feel strange for us at first.

           However, that shouldn´t matter. Every person should get married whenevr they feel ready or whenever they find their true love at any age without being judged. On the contrary, there are also cases, that teenager between 18-22 years old get married. This used to happen more some years ago.

           However there are still cases. It is true that I´ve said before that marriage should have no age, however I think nobody can be mentally prepared to be engaged at the age of 18, no matter how mature that person is. Although, if I knew someone at that age that wanted to do it, I wouldn´t try to stop that person.

            If they feel like doing it at that moment, they have their rights to do so. They will have time in the future to get divorced and realize of their mistakes. So, that is my conlusion to this topic. I think the right age to get married depends only on you, and you are the one who decides that, not somebody else.


17. A GOOD FRIEND.
           We all have friends, better or worse. And it is easy to describe one, however when it comes to a good friend it can be more complicated to have one. First of all, what does a person need to be a good friend? I am going to answer this question and talk about this topic according to my experiences and from my point of view.

            I have some friends from school and high school, and I usually hang out with them. At the moment, to be honest I love all of my friends and I cond¡sider them all good friends. But each one has their own reasons to be a good friend. SOme of them is because they make me laugh, others because they listen to me, others because they give me advices... So after saying this, it is kind of hard to describe how a good friend should be.

            However there are some things that all of my friends have, although they are different as people, I think they have some fundamental quialities to be good friends. First of all, there has to be trust between you and your friend. You need to feel confident with them, and he/she has to make feel as if you trusted him/her and vicevers.

           Also a good friend needs to be honest, if they lie to oyu, that means that you are not that important for them. And lastly and very important there must also be loyalty. They need to respect you, adn treat you well.

           I am sure there are more qualities that a good friend has, but right now, when I think of my friends, I can say that those three qualities are necessary to become a good friend.



SHOPPING.
           Shopping can involve many things. To go shopping for clothes, food, games.... Also you can go shopping with your friends, by yourself, with your family.... Obviously, I rather to buy some things than others.

            However I have to admit, that I love go shopping for almost everything. I just have fun. Even when I go shopping for food in a supermarket. However, as I said, I enjoy more buying some specific things. I would say that when I go shopping, I prefer to buy either clothes or videogames. I thing those are my two favourite things to buy when I go shopping.

            Nevertheless, I recognize that I like buying food too. I like the feeling of being able to choose what I like, and seeing al the different things that there are to buy. It depends on the situatuon, that I rather either go shopping with my friends, family or by myself.

             For example, when I go shooping for food I prefer going with my family, however when I go for buying clothes I prefer going by myself and when I go shopping for videgames I enjoy it better going with friends.

            However shopping can also become dangerous if you can´t control yourself when it comes to buy things. As I mentioned before, I love shopping, but I always know that I can´t waste the money. It is good caprices ocasionally but that´s it. If you can´t control yourself, that can led to very serious economic problems such as not being able to afford necessay things for every day life.

           So that is why I always try to be cautious and understand that I can´t buy everything that I want. I first try to buy what I really need, and then if there is still some money left, I can decide if I either want to spend it on something that I want or save it.

            It is also a good option to save sometimes instead of spending it. You never know if someday you may need some extra money to buy something that you didn´t think of. It is always good to have at least a few savings.


YOUR LAST DAY IN YOUR COUNTRY.
           Right now I am really nervous while I am writing this. It is 9 p.m. and this is my last night in my country. Tomorrow I will be taking a plane very soon with a destination to the United States. I will be staying there for a year. And although I am excited I have to say that I am also nervous and kind of sad.

            It is a mixture of feelings. I won´t see my family nor friends for a whole year and I know that will be the hardest part because I will miss them a lot. I know it will be hard, but I also know that I will learn and enjoy a lot this year. So today, I didn´t want any kind of goodbyes parties. I knew that was going to make sad.

            So, instead of that, I just decided to enjoy my family and spend the day with them, doing things that we all like. We went to a restaurant to eat all together. After we finished, we ent to watch a movie in a cinema. Then we came back home and played videogames, and also board games.

           After that, we stayed like an hour talking to each other about my trip and ohter things. It was 6 p.m. and I hung out with my friend just to talk for the last time face to face in 1 year. We didn´t prepare anything, we just went walking around the city and we talked for over 2 hours. We also had dinner.

            It was hard to say goodbye to them but I knew that we were going to keep in touch during my staying so that made me fell much better. After I arrived home, I made some calls to some members of my family and also some friends that I couldn´t see that day. I have been taling for an hour with different people. And now that it is 9:14 p.m.

           I am writing this and I am about to go to bed since tomorrow I will have to wake up and I don´t want to be tired. Today was a good day, I did many things that I enjoy doing, and I laughed a lot. However it is also needless to say that it felt a little sad sometimes. But still I am very happy and excited for this adventure that starts tomorrow.



YOUR FIRST DAY IN THE UNITED STATES.
           After more than 8 hours travelling, here I am, finally in the United States. I feel exhausted, because I barely could sleep in the airplane. I have also been nervous all the journey. I couldn´t stop thinking how it was going to be the first time that I was going to see my host family.

            It is 10:14 p.m. right now, and I am laying in me bed. I feel like sleeping for a whole day but before that, I wanted to right my feeling about this day. Although I have been really nervous the whole day, once I saw my host family, I felt much better. I saw them at the airport, they were holding two banners, one of them said "Bienvenida Andrea" and the other one "Welcome Andrea".

           They also had ballons whit the shape of the United States. They were all smiling and happy to see me, that calmed me down a lot. We got into their car, and they started talking to me about where they live and how is it. Once we arrived at their home, they had prepared a big meal.

           They told me that they knew I was going to be too tired to get out the house, so they decided to prepare a lot of food to eat in the house. There was pizza, chips, soda drinks, chicken.... After finishing eating and talking a lot, they told to go to my room because they were sure I needed to rest.

            And to be honest, at that time, a bed was the thing that I wanted the most. So after saying thank you for the welcoming and good night, I went into my new bedroom. I tried to put most of my clothes in the wardrobe and after that I laid down in the bed like never before.

           I had never been more exhausted in my life before, it was the outcome of barely sleep and a whole day feeling nervous. But right now, at this moment, I feel really happy, and excited for what awaites me tomorrow and the whole year that I am going to spend in the United States.



DISCRIMINATION.
           Sadly, nowadays, there is still discrimination. Discrimination is a way of treating someone worse because of their race, age or sex. And that is really unfair. Everyone should be treated the same way.

            For example, one of the most common cases where discrimantion is found is the differences that there are beteween men and women. It is getting much better than it used to be, but can not say yet that women are always treated the same way than men.

            Because some people have prejudices and were taught in a way, they really think women are inferior than men, treating them worse, that is discrimantion. But the same thing happens with the differences between races. It is believed by many that the best race is the white one and that the others ones are inferior. Because of this thought, many people from different races (black, asian...) suffer constant discrimination.

            Luckily, as I said before, it is currently getting much better. More and more people understand that discriminate someone because of eitheir their sex or gender does not make any sense. But also, there will always be the other part, those people who are really colsed-mind, and maybe because they got used to discriminating people, they will not change.

            Because of there are still people like this, we all need to contribute and try to make them see that, that is not correct at all. Discrimantion only makes the world a worse place and full of hate. We can avoid that, but it will take a lot of time.
            However, we can say that we have progressed a lot these past years. I wish every day, more people realize that everybody should be treated the same way, no matter their conditions.


MY FAVOURITE FOOD.
           I love a lot of different kind of food. Actually this past year I have discovered that I like almost any kind of food from others countries (Mexican, Chinese...). I love trying different food that I have never tried before, because I always find something new that I love.

           But I have to say, that my favourite kind of food have always been American food. This does not mean that I always want to eat American food, I always want to try different things. And if I had to pick a favourite food from the American food, I have to say hamburgers with fries. I will never get tired of eating them, I try to eat as few times as possible, because I know they are unhealthy, on the contrary I would eat many more times.

            Obviously, I also have a favourite kind of hamburger since there are so many types. The one that I like the most is a hamburger with beef, cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and moutard. That would be my perfect hamburger, also I love eating fries with them and a soda.

          Also there are many places where you can get a hamburger. And I also have a favourite place to eat a hamburger. Here in Spain, the two most famous chains of food that sell hamburgers are Burger King and McDonalds. Between those thow I have always preferred Burger King.

            However when I went to the United States, I got to know more chains of food that sold hamburgers. One of my favourite ones was Sonic. Nevertheless, now that I am in Spain, I usually choose Burger King.


THE BEST CAR TO OWN.
           First of all, I have to say that I barely have any idea of cars. Since I was kid I always wanted a yellow car. That was the only thing I knew that I wanted from a car. Now that I am older, and I actually even can get a driving license I more or less know the same about cars.

            However I have a better idea of what would be the perfect car for me. So basically, that is what I am going to talk about, the best car for me to own. I love pets, and I know for sure, that when I get older, I will get a dog. This means that for example if someday I want to take it to the country or some place far from home, my dog will need to stay in the car.

           So I found out, that there are cars where there is a place behind, especially for dogs, when they are in cars. Actually, although I have seen many dogs on the backseats with their owners, that is not correct and illegal. So apart from being yello, my ideal car also needs to have a special space for dogs. Another thing that I would require for a car is to be automatic.

           Nowadays, most of them are automatic, but there are still some that are not. Maybe it is because I do not have my driving license yet, but I think I will get really nervous when I drive, so I want a car as easy as possible to drive it. And I am going to say the last thing that I would like from a car.

            I would want it to be small. At least my first car. They are easier to park and to drive, and I think those are two good elements for a first car. And basically that is for now. As I sai, I don´t know much about cars, so at least for now I don´t ask many things from a car.

           For now I would like a yellow car, automatic, small and with space for a dog. I know that when I get older and have the decision to buy a car, this list will get much larger. But for now, those are the elements that need to be in my car in a future not so far way from now.


SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES.
           First of all I don´t smoke. I have never smoken yet. And I am going to talk about what do I think about other people that smoke in public places. I have to admit, I don´t really like when for example I am eating in a restaurant and there is someone next to my table smoking.

            And obviously I would just rather not to be smelling the smoke form others. However I also need to understand their situation. Those people that smoke get addicted to it currently. And once they are addicted, it is really hard to quit smoking. Some people say it is their fault, others that it is not.

            From my point of view, it is half and half. I think that when they started smoking, they never thought that they e¡would end up being addicted. However they also knew that althought they didn´t think that it would happen, there were risks. Nowadays, more and more public places are building special room for smokers and I think that is correct.

            However there are still others public places that still do not have one. In those cases, I alwasy imagine this situation. I imagine that I am a smoker, and I am eating relaxed in a restaurant, however suddenly I need to smoke a cigarette and until I don´t smoke it, I won´t be relaxed.

            In this kind of cases, there are two kind of people, the ones that go outside to smoke and come inside again, and the ones that smoke inside. I think it is perfect for those people that go outside to smoke, and that is really polite. On the contrary, those people who smoke inside, I think at least, before starting smoking, they should see around them if there are any kids or old people.

            I understand them and their situation, that sometimes they need to smoke, but they also need to understand the other people and know that sometimes it is disturbing.



25. A MOVIE STAR OR SINGER I LIKE.
           I am going to talk about a movie star that I really like. I have been watching a lot of movies of him and to be honest I like all of them at the moment. His name is Mark Wahlberg and he is a movie star from Bosto, in the United States.

           He has appeared in many movies. But what I like the most about him is that he can either be in comedy movies or in drama movies. Besides they are two very different genres, from my point of view, he is really good in both. I think he is really funny in comedy movies and also his acting in drama movies is really intense and good.

           Some of the movies that I have enjoyed the most are Ted and Ted 2. These are comdey movies, and they really made me laught a lot. It is really funny the way that Mark Walhberg talks and acts.

           However, as I said before, he is also good acting in more serious movies. For example I like his acting in the last two Transformers movies. I like Transformers, and I have watched the first 3 movies, where he doesn´t appear. Since I like Transfromers, I expected from him to do a good job, and that was what he did, from my point of view.

           He is currently married to a model and they both have 4 kids together. He is 47 years old and he keeps appearing in a lot of movies.



26. A BELIEF YOU HAVE OR USED TO HAVE.
           As it usually happens, when we are kids we are more likely to believe what we are told even though it doesn´t make any sense. In my case, I used to be a good example of that. So I am going to talk about a belief (in this case nonsense belief) I used to have when I was a kid.

           When I was a kid, I believed that toys were real. I know this is a very common belief when you are a kid. But in my case, I took it too far. I really thoguht they were real.

           To make you understand, I am going to give some examples. When I was a kid I had a lot of toys, however there were only some of them that were my favourites. So although I thought all the toys were alive, I just treated "as humans" my favourite toys.

           I made little beds for them. I used small boxes and put cotton inside. I thought they would sleep more comfortable. Also I used to put put next to their mouths. I really thought they were eating. And another good example is that when I was playing with them, and accidentally I dropped one, I felt so bad because I thought I hurt them.

           Obviously this was a belief I used to have. Now I look back and smile because of how innocent I was. I don´t really remember for how long I used to have this belief. But I remember that when I was around 5 I still had it.



27. A STORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD.
           I am going to talk about a story from a childhood that I usually like telling it to my friends or anybody that I know. I was 11 years old So I was in 6th Grade. To be honest I feel really stupid when I think about it but I also laught a lot.

           So this all started one morning when I was at school. I was in math class and the teacher told us to prepare for the following exam. So she told us that we had to do at least 2 exercises from every Unit given in class to revise.

           So for now there is no problem with that. The problem was that I misunderstood EVERYTHING. I don´t know why but I understood that she wanted us to do all of the exercises of all of the Units that she has teached. I was mad but I really thoguht that is what she said.

           So she said this on Thursday. And these exercises were due to Monday. So on Saturday I went to the library with my mom, and we literally spent over 4 hours doing all of the exercises. My mom couldn´t believe I had so much homework, but I was sure at that moment that, that is what the teacher told us.

           So after working for so many hours I finally finished each one of them. I was exhausted but at the same time really proud that I had all of them done. It was hard but at the end I thought it was worthi it and useful for the exam.

           So it was Monday. And the teacher started revising our homework. It was my moment to show her mine, and she didn´t understand whye there were so many exercises. So I told her that I had done all of them. She started laughing and explained that it was 2 exercises every unit. I felt horrible but at the same time, as the teacher said, I was going to be 100% ready for the next math exam.



28. A FAVORITE POSSESSION.
           When I read this topic, at first I wasn´t sure what I was going to talk about. I have thought of many things. And to be honest the first thing that I thought about was my phone. However the I thought longer and decided that my favorite possession is my laptop.

           It is my favourtie possession, because it is the thing that I have been using the most these last months. I didn´t use to use it as much as I do now, however when I started college, I use it every single day.

           It is really useful to have a laptop in my computer, and I think that every student at the university should own one. however I do not only use it to do my projects and homework. I also use to entertain myself.

           For example, I use it to listen to music. Also I always watch videos with my laptop. I also like to read the news, I think it is more comfortable. And well in conclusion, it is my favorite possession because I use for both, to work and for fun.



29. MUSIC THAT IS SPECIAL TO YOU.
           This is actually a hard topic, at least for me. Because I consider myself as that kind of person that likes almost every kind of music. However, obviously I also have favorite types of music. So I guess my favourite type of music is really special to me. So in this case, I am going to talk about pop music.

           To begin with, I have to say that I am always listening to music. Even when I am doing homework or studying. Although it might not be the best kind of music to study, it really makes me feel like studying more.

           Also, this might be the best reason that makes it so special to me. When I am not really happy, I usually start listening to music. And when I listen to pop music, most of the times it makes me feel more happy and energetic. I don´t even know why but it really encourages me sometimes.

           Music is really special. It depends on each person, it might mean more or less, but still I think everybody should listen to music someimes, to either relax, concentrate more to cheer themselves up... I think a little bit of music each day is really good for people.



30. A SPECIAL GIFT I HAVE GIVEN OR RECEIVED.
           I am going to talk about ta special gift I have received. This has been the best present I have ever received at the moment and I will always remember this day. It was in my 9th birthday and they gave me a dog.

           This meant a lot to me. I have always been asking for my dogs to my parents event to my grandparents. However I always got the same answer every time I asked for on, "no". So I started thinking that I would never get one.

           However that wasn´t the case. I rememmber that the previous months before my birthday I barely told my parents to give my a dog as a birthday gift because I already knew the answer. However, I was wrong.

           So it was finally the my birthday. I remember it was Monday and when I got out of school, my mother was waiting for me to take me home. So when I entered, I saw my parents, my brothers and my granparents. They were all smiling and they all said happy birthday to me. There was also a chocolate cake with cookies, which is my favourite one.

           So after eating the cake, it was time to open the presents. I remember some them and I like them. However I didn´t like them as much as the last present. Suddenly, they told me to go to my room which I hadn´t entered yet. So that is what I did, and I saw her, I saw my future dog. I couldn´t stop smiling and I couldn´t believe it. I finally had the dog I had always been asking for.




31. A SPECIAL DAY OR EVENT IN MY LIFE.
           This was on May 12th of this year. However I remember it as it was yesterday. It was a special and unforgettable moment in my life that I will never have again. I am going to talk about my last day of school in the United States.

           That day I woke up kind of sad. Everything felt really strange, that was my last day of high school not only in the United States, but forever. I also had 2 global exams for US History and Algebra and that made me more nervous. But to be honest I was not too worried about the exams, I just wanted to focus on enjoying my last day there.

           So after doing the 2 exams, all the students from the last year met in the playground. We all threw all of the papers that we have been doing the whole year. It was really pretty to see all the papers flying and all the floor covered with white sheets.

           Also, the Chemistry teacher made a little party for me to say good bye and wish me the best in Spain. I didn´t expect that at all and it was a really special moment. I got to talk to all of my classmates and friends and to say good bye.

           And that is the special moment in my life that I always like to remember it and share it with everyone. It was a really special day that not everybody got the chance to live it.




32. MY WORST HABIT.
           To be honest, I have a lot of bad habits. I don´t know if this is my worst habit, but I have been having it for a long time and I hate it. A lot of people have already told me about. My bad habit is that I bite my nails.

           I hate because of two main reasons. One is because my nails are getting shorter every time I bite the and I don´t like that. The other reason is that some people don´t like to watch me biting my nails and I understand that.

           Despite knowing all of these disadvantages, sometimes I still bite my nails. I usually bite them more when I get nervous. I guess it is a way to try to think about other things and kind of calm me down sometimes.

           But I also have to admit that I don´t bite them as much as I used to. And I am glad of that. BIt might not be a horrible habit, but I don´t like it at all and I know that I can get rid of it if I want to.




33. A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.
A frightening experience that right now I can think of is one that happened to me at the beginning of this year. I was at school in the United States. And it was a normal day as always until the alarm sounded.

           I though it was a fire drill because the shcool has to do one once a year. However it was different this time. We couldn´t get out of our classrooms. We also had to be really quiet. Some of the students were saying that it was drill in case someone comes to the school with a gun.

           However I couldn´t be 100% sure about it. It was really frightening that there was a little chance that someone was out there with a gun trying to shoot us. When I got ven more scared was when someone knocked the door of our classroom really loud. Nobody said anything and could hear the person leaving.

           Finally, after 10 minutes, we heard by the speakers a woman saying "all clear" three times. That was the sign that everything was under control. Finally the teacher told us that it was a drill and that he couldn´t tell us so we could act as if it was real.

           To be honest, I thought it wasn´t real. But that 1% that it was real was in my mind and that was a really intense experience.






         

         






















Sunday, September 23, 2018

ACTIVITIES

UNIT 1. PRE-WRITING: GETTING READY TO WRITE.

THE WRITING PROCESS.
Page:2.
1. These words are important for understanding the writing process. Match each word with the correct definition. 

a. step: one thing in a series of things you do.
b. topic: subject; what the piece of writing is about.
c. gather: to find and collect together.
d. organise: to arrange in a clear, logical way.
e. paragraph: a group of related sentences.
f. essay: a short piece of writing, at least three paragraphs long.
g. proofread: to check a piece of writing for errors.
h. edit: to change or correct a piece of writing.


REVIEW.
3. Complete this chart, summarising the steps of the writing process.

Pre- writing.

  • STEP ONE: Choose a topic.
  • STEP TWO: Gather information.
  • STEP THREE: Decide what to include.

Drafting.
  • STEP FOUR: Write the essay.

Reviewing and revising.
  • STEP FIVE: Check evrything in general (revise, structure, content).

Rewriting.
  • STEP SIX:
May need to ... 
  • explain it in a more clear way.
  • add more information/ details.
  • change the way we arranged it.


NARROWING TOPICS:

09/21/18

Travelling: Ways of travelling / Touring agencies / Online booking / Fake advertising.

Tehcnology: Computers / Software / Operative systems / Linux.

Parties: Types / Familiar parties / Anniversaries / Silver weddings.

Femminism: The role of women / The long fight / Strikes / U.S. strikes.

Anime: Types / For kids / Funny / Doraemon.

Great authors: Latin american authors / Latinoamerican boom / Males / Gabriel García Márquez.

Vampires: Creatures / Movies about Vampires / Idealized Vampires / Dracula.

Chinese Food: Types of chinese food / Sweet / Desserts / Fortune cookies.

Fashion: Clothes for women / Styles / Depends on the season of the year / Fashion in winter.

Sports: Outdoor sports / Individual sports / You need a ball / Golf.

Exotic pets: Unusual to own / Cute / Mammals / Monkeys.

Social Justice: Femminism / The role of women / The long fight in history / Strikes for equal payment for women.

Multiculturalism: Culture / Religion / Arabian beliefs / Hijab.

Psychology: It can be helpful / For the health brain / Types of problems that can help us with / Phobias.

Dancing: Types of dances / Romantic dances / Couple dances / Tango.

Reflections and thoughts: Try to figure out things / Investigate / Study / Philosophy.

Short stories: For kids / About animals / It has moral values / The wolf and the grapes.

Novels: Types of novels / Best selling novels / Mystery / The Da Vinci Code.

Cinema: Movies / Types of movies / Sci-fi movies / Avatar.

TV Series: Types of series / Cartoons / Familiar / The Simpsons.

The Victorian Era: Type of art back then / Paintings / Oil paint / God Speed painting.

Cute things: Small animals / Pets / Hairy / Puppies.

Steampunk: Music / Artists / Abney Park / Building Steam song.

Bikes: Types of bikes / Fast bikes / Bikes for bicycle racings / Proffesional bikes riders.

Chess: Type of board game / Need to think / Good players / Chess competitions.

Life on Campus: A good place to learn / Universities / Famous Universities / Harvard.

Adolescence: Teenagers / Mature / Changes in the body / Growth.

Harry Potter: Movies / About a school where magic is taught / Students with magic / Harry Potter character.

Comedy: Types of comedy / Parodies / Series / Family Guy.

Horror: Movies / Scary / Japanese casy movies / The Grudge.

Mystery: Suspense / Mystery books / For teenagers / "Daughter of deep silence".

All kind of music: Genres / Rock / Instruments / Guitar.

50s Music: Kinf of music / Rock n roll / Famous singers / Elvis Presley.

Punk: Music / Bands / Green Day / 21 Guns song.



EXERCISES FROM CLASS ( Brainstorming, Freewriting, Mapping, Clustering, Asking questions...).
Write for 5 minutes non-stop.

BRAINSTORMING. TYPES.

LISTING.
Culture shock.
Different traditions.
You don´t know anybody.
You don´t know any places.
A diferent language is spoken.
Different times to do specific things.
Different ways to do things you´re used to do differently.
Different types of food.


FREEWRITING.
Problems faced in college.
You don´t know where the classes are, so it will be hard to find them at first. You need to get used to the nw ways of teaching. You need to study more otherwise things will accumulate and more complicated. You don´t know the students, so you have to start again meeting new people. The schedule is different and that is complicated to get used to. Many times, students need a transport, because they can´t go walking and they need money and more time to use them. The classrooms are bigger, so you need to get a good spot quickly on the front, to see the blackboard and to listen to the teacher better. There are many students, so it is complicated for the teacher to answer or to pay attention to all of the students.


CLUSTERING
New technologies for communication.

ASKING QUESTIONS.
Short stories.
For who? Little kids, people who don´t like big books...
About what? Stories for kids, animals with moral lessons at the end.
Who are the best writers for short stories? People who know about kids, people with imagination...
Where can you get short stories? Shops, internet, books...
Who can be the protagonists of short stories? Anyone or anything. People, animals, objects...




HOMEWORK EXERCISES BOOK.

09/26/18.

1. Choose three topics from this list. Narrow each of the three down to a paragraph topic. Then compare with a partner.

a. Festivals: Familiar festivals / Christmas festivals / New year´s eve / In New York.
c. My country: Monuments / Cathedrals / In Barcelona / The Sacry Family.
d. Dancing: Types / Couple dances / Romantic dances / Tango.
e. Cars: Types of cars / Big cars / Trucks / Trucks for construction.


2. Work with a partner or smal group. Choose one of these topics. List as many ideas as you can in five minutes.

a. Teenage fashions.
Many styles, urban, casual....
Many teenagers would like it.
For many occassions such as festivals.
Teenagers might talk to me more.
People will think that I´m cooler.
I might not like the style sometimes.

b.Things to do at the beach.
Go for a swimming.
Get a tan.
Hanging.
To read books.
To play volleyball.
To play with the sand.
To take pictures.
To have fun.
Go for a walk by the sea.

c. Driving a motrobike.
Easier to park.
Usually faster than a car.
More dangerous than a car.
Usually cheaper than a car.
Only two seats.
Not good for bad weather.
You need self balancing.
Also need to wear a helmet.


3. Work alone. Choose a topic from exercise 1 on page 5, and list as many ideas as you can in five minutes.

d. My country.
A good place for tourists.
There are beaches.
Mediterranean climate.
Madrid is its capital.
It´s an European country.
There are historical monuments.
The language is spanish.
There are cities and villages.


4. Choose one of the narrowed down topics you thought of for exercise 1 on page 5. Practise freewriting for five minutes. Remember, do not stop, erase, or go back. Just write as much as you can.

b. Friends.

I love hanging out with my friends. I got friends from my old school and high school. Also I´m meeting some from the university. I always laugh a lot when I talk to them, we are always joking. And I always have good times with them. I still have friends that I met when I was 5 years old at school. And I love that, because I have a lot of confidence with them and we all know each other a lot. I can trust them, and if they can they would always try to help me. I think having friends is a thing that everybody should have. That´s why I think to socialize is a good thing, that way I can meet new people, and maybe some of them can become my friends.


5. Choose another narrowed down topic you thought of for exercise 1 on page 5. Make a map in five  minutes. Share your map with a partner. Explain how much the cricles are related to each other.

Familiar festivals.

                                                                                      The Statue of Liberty
                                                                                                     ⇑
                                Cathedrals             Mosques         The United States      The Eiffel Tower
                                         ⇑                         ⇑                         ↖                             ↗
                                Christianity           Muslim               Countries   → France
                                                 ↖              ↗                             
                                                  Religious                  Historical
                                                             ↖                     
                                                            MONUMENTS
                                                                       ↓
                                                     Types according the country
                                                            ↙                             ↘
                                                   Egypt                            British            
                                                       ↙                                       ↘
                                        Pyramids                                     Ancient etc....




6. Look at the list you made in exercise 3 on page, the freewriting you did in exercise 4 on page 7, or the map you made in exercise 5 on page 8. Edit your brainstorming. Show your work to a partner. Explain how you edited your brainstorming.

Excersise 3.
d. My country.
A good place for tourists. Reasons why.
There are beaches.   Where?
Mediterranean climate.
Madrid is its capital.
It´s an European country. More details.
There are historical monuments.
The language is spanish.
There are cities and villages.  All the countries have that.



7. Complete the crossword puzzle.
Each paragraph has only one topic. If the topic is too narrow you will not be able to write enough about it. On the other hand, if the topic is too broad, you will have too many ideas for just one paragraph.
After you choose a topic, you will need to brainstorm some ideas to write about in your paragraph. One way to do this is to make list. Another way of brainstorming is mapping. After you have written down many ideas, you can go back and decide which ones are the most interesting and most relevant to your topic.
Freewriting is a useful way to help you write more easily and naturally. In this kind of writing, you are working on fluency and not accuracy.



8. Look again at the note about brainstorming at the bottom of page 8. Brainstorm a list of pros (good things) and cons (bad things) about each of the three methods of brainstorming.

Lists

  • Pros: Don´t need to write complete sentences. Get more ideas in less time. Fast way.
  • Cons: Too many ideas. Wrong ideas. Not specific enough.


Freewriting

  • Pros: Write ideas easily. More specific. Practice of fluency.
  • Cons: Need to write complete sentence. Might make grammar mistakes. Need to write more.


Mapping

  • Pros: Easily can see the relationship between the ideas. Organize the ideas. Show many ways.
  • Cons: Too many ideas. Not specific. The ideas are not defined at all.



UNIT 2.
THE STRUCTURE OF A PARAGRAPH.
AND
UNIT 3. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PARAGRAPH.

Three parts of a paragraph:

  • Topic Sentence.
  • Supporting sentences.
  • Concluding sentences.

Exercises in class. 
Group 2.                                    Group 3.                                    Group 4.               
Correct answer d.                   Correct answer a.                    Correct answer d.

Paragraph 1: Correct answer is f.
Paragraph 2: Correct answr is c.

Mark the Topic Sentence and underline the controlling idea.

1. Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.
2. The Caribbean island of Trinidad attracts tourists because of the calypso music.
3. Spectacular beaches make Puerto Rico a tourist paradise.
4. Moving away from home can be a stressful experience for people.
5. Many religious rules arose from the health needs of ancient times.
6. A major problem for many students in the high cost of books.
7. Owning a car is a necessity for me.
8. It is an experience luxury to own a car in a large city.


1.1. Exercise.

  1. STEP 1: Read the sentences in each group and decide which is the best topic sentence. 
  2. STEP 2: Dcide what is wrong with the other sentences. They may be too general, or they may be too specific.

Group 1.

  • The history of astronomy is interesting. Too general.
  • Ice age people recorded the appearance of new moons by making scratches in animal's bones. Too specific.
  • For example, Stonehenge in Britain, built 3500 years ago to track the movement of the sun. Incomplete.
  • Ancient people observed and recorded lunar and solar events in different ways. Best Topic Sentence.
Group 2.
  • It is hard to know which foods are safe to eat nowadays.  Best Topic Sentence.

  • In some large ocean fish, there are high levels of mercury. Too specific.
  • Undercooked chicken and hamburger may carry E. coli bacteria. Too specific.
  • Not to mention mad cow disease. Incomplete.
  • Food safety is an important issue. Too general
Group 3.
  • Hybrid automobiles more economical to operate than gasoline-powered cars. Incomplete.
  • The new hybrid automobiles are very popular. Too general.
  • Hybrids cars have good fuel economy because a computer under the hood decides to run the electric motor, the small gasoline engine, or the two together. Too specific.
  • The new hybrids automobiles are popular because of their fuel economy. Best Topic Sentence.


CHOOSE THE TOPIC SENTENCE.
Paragraph 1.
Sometimes people from english sepaking countries use words of another language without noticing.

Paragraph 2.
The differences European and North American universities are remarkable.


THE PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH.
Supporting sentences.

  • Explain and prove the topic sentence. You need to use specific details to be thourough aand conoincing.
  • There are several kinds of specific supporting details: examples, statistics and quotations...

Identify the Topic Sentence, the Controlling Idea and the Supporting Sentences.

  1. Topic Sentence: The first sentence.
  2. Controlling Idea: There are many different kinds.
  3. Supporting Idea: It provides details. It is using enumeration.

  1. Topic Sentence: The first Sentence.
  2. Controlling Idea: To explain in their environment.
  3. Supporting Idea: It is using explanation.

Red-Light Running example.
Example: Sentence nº 5.
Statistics: Sentence nº 3.
Quotation: Sentence nº 7.

UNIT 3. PAGE 17.

Page 17.
2. In the paragraph above, underline the topic sentnece. Below, list the details used to support the topic sentence. Compare your answers with a partner.
a. We hae sate-of-the art exercise equipment.
b. Air conditioned rooms.
c. You can work out alone.
d. Join an aerobics or swimming class. Variety of classes.
e. Our staff nutrition experts.
f. You can relax with a whirlpool.


Page 18.
Explanation.
3. An explanation tells the reader what something means or how something works. In this paragraph, underline the topic sentnce. Then answer the questions.
Topic sentence: 2nd sentence.
a. What is the writer trying to explain? -The saying that his mother told him.
b. Is she successful? Do you understand the explanation? -I do understand the explanation.


Page: 23.
Giving constructive suggestions.
11. For each pair of sentences, chech V the one that you feel would be the most helpful to the writer. Share your answers with a partner, and explain your choices.
a. Can you make this topic sentence stronger?
b. Did you remember a concuding sentence?
c. Please explain more about your holiday. Where did you saty? What did you do during the day?
d. I´m not sure what this part means.
e. I think this sentence should come before the next one.
f. I think these two sentences are really saying the same thing.
g. Your paragraph is about your brother, but this sentence is about your sister. Are you sure it´s relevant?
h. I like your topic sentence because it has a strong main idea. Your example is funny. I wish I could meet your brother!

Page:24.
14. Read these statements. Write T (true) or F (fals). If the statement is false, change it to make it true. Then compare your answers with a partner.
a. Details give more specific information than the topic sentence. True.
b. An explanation tells the reader what something is or how it works. True.
c. A detail is usually a short, personal story. False.
d. The concluding sentence use the same words as the topic sentence. False.
e. The concluding sentence should finish the paragraph with a new idea. False.
f. A peer editor should mark any spelling and grammatical mistakes carefully. False.
g. A per editor should give some positive comments. True.
h. Peer editing helps the writer, not the reader. False.
i. If a peer editor can´t understand something that you wrote, then you know he or she isn´t a very good teacher. False.
j. A peer editor should be able to identify your topic sentence, main idea, and concluding sentence easily. True.




10/04/18.

WRITE A PARAGRAPH EXERCISE ABOUT "THERE ARE CERTAIN CELL PHONE RULES THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW"

PEER EDITING.

Written by: Alba Sánchez Guillamón.

THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES OF CELL PHONE MANNERS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW.

            Today almost everyone use cell phones to talk and although we do not see each other there are manners we should keep in mind. First we should introduce ourselves and watch our lenguage; most of the population answer questions like "who is this?" by saying "It´s me", which could cause confussion. Besides it is polite to warn our conversational partner if we are going to turn on the speaker, because maybe he or she would not like anyone else to hear the conversation. And, for last but not least, the best way to end a talk is to say good bye. Therefore, even if we are far away from our interlocutor, it is better to be well-mannered.

Peer - Editing Worksheet 1.
     
The paragraph is interesting and already familiar to me.
I think it´s interesting when she mentions a good way to end a conversation.
I do understand everything.
There are 5 sentences.
I would have liked more information of good ways of saying hello with the phone.
The best feature of this paragraph is the way the ideas are expressed.


Peer - Editing Worksheet 2.

The paragraph is interesting. It is specially interesting the order she puts the things (well structured).
Today almost everyone use cell phones to talk and although we do not see each other, there are mannes whe should keep in mind. The underlined part is the controlling idea and the rest is the topic sentence.
There are 4 supporting sentences.
There is at least one example for every supporting point.
I would have liked more information about good ways to say good bye apart from just saying good bye.
The concluding sentence of the paragraph is Therefore, even if we are far away from our interlocutor, it is better to be well- mannered.
The best feature ih this paragraph is the way it is structured.


Peer -  Editing Worksheet 5.

The paragraph is interesting. What it is specially interesting to me is the way the writer decided to develop this topic. I developed it in a very different way with different ideas, however I liked it.
I do understand everything.
Today almost everyone use cell phones to talk and although we do not see each other, there are mannes whe should keep in mind. The underlined part is the controlling idea and the rest is the topic sentence.
There are 3 supporting points.
There is at least one example for every supporting point.
I would have liked more information about the examples, to develop them more.
I can find 5 transition signals.
The best feature of this paragraph is the concept that the writer had for this topic.


SELF EDITING.

CERTAINS MANNERS WHEN USING THE CELL PHONE.
              They have had a huge impact in our lives these past years. We use them for almost every occasion. However, there are still certain rules that people need to know when it comes to suing their cell phones. For example, I remember one day, I was hanging out with my friends. We were all with our technology devices, until one of my friends started talking, so I stopped using mine. However, the rest of my friends were still with their phones. Eeven if they weren´t interested, they should have stopped using their mobiles to show respect to the person that was talking. As soon as my friend saw that they seemed more interested with their phones, he stopped talking. They should have known that was unpolite. That is why we need to know certain rules when using our cell phones. That way we can avoid this kind of rude situations.



11-10-2018.

PROOF-READING EXERCISES.

FIND SIX ERRORS IN THE PARAGRAPH SEEN IN CLASS THIS DAY.


  • Jogging → To jog. (inf/ger).
  • Received→ Receive (N-form).
  • Regularly→ Regular (wf).
  • Time→ Times (pl).
  • During→ When (wc).
  • Take care→ of (^).

(b) Examples of the most common types of error in student writing are shown below. In each case underline the error and correct it.

  • Factual: Corruption is a big problem in many countries such as Africa.
(i) Any African country.









  • Word ending: She was young and innocence.
  • (ii) Innocent.
    • Punctuation: However some strains of malaria are resistant.
    (iii) However ,
    • Tense: Since 2005 there were three major earthquakes in the region.
    (iv) There have been.
    • Vocabulary: ... vital to the successfulness of a company operating in China.
    (v) Success.
    • Spelling: pervious experience can sometimes give researchers...
    (vi) Previous.
    • Singular/Plural: one of the largest company in Asia.
    (vii) Companies.
    • Style: ... finally, the essay will conclude with a conclusion.
    (viii) Will end.
    • Missing word: an idea established by David Ricardo in nineteenth century. 
    (ix) The.
    • Word order: a rule of marketing which states that consumers when go out shopping...
    (x) When consumers got out shopping......


    (c) The following extracts each contain one type of error. Match each to one of the examples (i-x) above, and corret the error.
    • Products like Tiger biscuits are well-known to kids.
    Style: Products like Tiger biscuits are well-known to children.
    • Both companies focus on mass marketing to promote its line of products.
    Singular/Plural: Both companies focus on mass marketing to promote their lines of products.
    • Failure to find the right coffee may lead to torment for consumers.
    Vocabulary: Failure to find the right coffee may lead to problems for consumers.
    • ... different researchers have differently effects on the research.
    Word ending: ... different researchers have different effects on the research.
    • After the single European market was established in 1873...
    Factual: After the European single market was established in 1873...
    • ... experienced researchers can most likely come over these problems.
    Word order: ... experienced researchers can most likely overcome these problems. 
    • Firstly because, it provides them with an opportunity of borrowing capital...
     Punctuation: Firstly, because it provides them with an opportunity of borrowing capital...
    • The company selected Hungry for setting up its research centre.
    Spelling: The company selected Hungary for setting up its research centre.
    • These cases demonstrates why specialist from the rest of world are eager to...
    Singular/Plural and Missing word: These cases demonstrate why specialist from the rest of the world are eager to...
    • Since 2003 few companies entered the French market. 
    Tense: Since 2003 few companies have been entereing the French market.


    (d) Underline the errors in the paragraph below and then re-write it.

    Many non-European businesses are aiming to enter single European market as they see an unexploited potential there. There are two reasons for this interest. Firstly, the non-european organisations are keen to do a business in the European markets because it is one of leading investment destination and easiest place to set up and run a business. Secondly, the single European market provide forein investors with an internationally competitive tax environment. Lastly there's lots of rich people  living in the country.

    Many non-European businesses are aiming to enter single European market as they see an unexploited potential there. There are three reasons for this interest. Firstly, the non-european organisations are keen to do businesses in the Eurpean markets because it is one of the leading investment destination and easiest place to set up to run a business. Secondly, the single European market provides foreign inverstors with an internationally competitive tax environment. Lastly there are a lot of rich people living in the country.




    DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING THIS PLACE.






    One of my favourite places to relax while I can see a beautiful landscape is a cliff located in La Manga. This cliff is next to the beach where I usually go. It makes me feel peaceful, because of the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks, calm me down. Sometimes it is really crowded since it is huge, and a lot of people fit in and the can sit. Depending on the hour of the day, different colours can be seen. In the daylight, it is really colourful. However at night, barely any colour can be seen, but also the sounds can be more appreciated. So I definitely reccomend this place to relax and also to enjoy the nature and a beautiful landscape.



    UNIT 4. DESCRIPTIVE AND PROCESS PARAGRAPHS.

    Exercises from the book.

    Page:26
    2. Read this description from a travel brochure. Circle the adjectives.

    Niagara Falls, a popular destination for thousands of visitors each year, is a beautiful place. When you stand at the edge and look down at the 188 feet of white waterfalls, you feel amazed at the power of nature. the tree-lined river that leads into the falls is fast-moving, pouring over the edge of the falls and crashing to the bottom in a loud roar. If you want to experience the falls close up, go for a bpat ride. You´ll come near enough to look up at the roaring streams of water flowing over the edge and feel yhe cool mist that rises as the water hits the rock below. Seeing Niagara Falls is an unforgettable experience!
    3. Read this paragraph that describes someone´s favourite place. Underline the prepositions.

    My favourite place to relax is a small café down the street from where I live. This café is on a small side street and as soon as you see it, you feel like going in. There are three windows on either side of the door, and each window has a small window box with brightly coloured flowers. There is a small wooden door that opens into the café, and as you go in, you can see a dozen small tables all around the room. Even though it isn´t a big place, its size makes it very cosy and comfortable. I always like to sit at a small table in the corner near the front windows. From here, I can look at the artwork on the walls and at the pretty green plants hanging from the ceiling. With a strong cup of coffe and a good book, I feel very happy and relaxed in my favourite café.

    Page:27
    4. Write six sentences to describe the place where you are right now. Try to answer some of the questions under Using adjectives on page 25. Use adjectives and prepositions.
    Right now I am in my bedroom. 

    • It is very large but at the same time, it is also really narrow.
    •  It is usually quite warm, because the sun usually is facing my window.
    •  It is also very coloruful, since the walls are violet and the ceiling is dark blue.
    •  It has a very comfortable bed too. 
    • And from my point of view my room is beautiful and I like it.
    • It is kind of nostalgic sometimes, because it can be seen many pict

    5. With a partner, add at least two other adjectives to the two lists above.
    Describing a character.
    Describing people.
    Here are some common adjectives for describing people:

    Personality.                                           Physical characteristics.

    Happy, satisfied.                                     Big, large, tall.
    Relaxed.                                                  Small, tiny, short.
    Exciting.                                                 Thin.
    Nervous.                                                 Heavy.
    Angry.                                                     Strong.
    Serious.                                                   Weak.
    Sad, depressed.                                       Brown-, black-, blond-, red-haired.
    Outgoing.                                                     Light-, dark-skinned.     
    Funny.                                                            Freckles.
    Smart.                                                            Bold.

    Page:28.
    6. Read this description written by a young woman about her grandmother. Circle the adjectives that describe the grandmother.

    When I was young, I admired my grandmother for her strenght and kindness. Shes was not very big. In fact, she was tiny and very thin, She was strong, though. She lived by herself and still did a lot of the chores around her house. When I was a child, I saw her almost every day, and she and I would talk about everything. She was a very happy person and was always smiling and joking, and she often made me laugh. My grandmother was also very patient, and she would listen to all of my problems. She gave me very good advice whenever I needed it. I didn´t need to be afraid to tell her anything, because she never got annoyed with me. She just listened and tried to help, I also liked to spend time with her because she had interesting stories to tell me about her own childhood and life experiences. When I was young, my grandmother was my best friend.

    Page:29.
    Process paragraphs.
    9. A process paragraph is a description of how to do something. It explains the steps you need to follow to complete an activity. Read this recipe and to do exercises below.

    Mike´sBrown Rice and Vegetables.

    • a. Underline the topic sentence and the concluding sentence of the paragraph.
    TOPIC SENTENCE: Brown rice and vegetables is a simple and delicious meal to make.
    CONCLUDING SENTENCES: Now you are ready to enjoy your delicious brown rice and vegetables!
    • b. List the steps for making brown rice and vegetables in the order you find them.
    1. Cook the rice.
    2. Cut the vegetables into one-inch pieces.
    3. Heat the oil, chilli sauce, and garlic.
    4. Add the vegetables and fry them.
    5. Stir in the cooked rice.
    6. Add salt and pepper.
    • c. How are the steps in the paragraph concerned together? What words do you see that help show the sequence to follow? Underline them.
    The sentences are connected with transition words and connectors. The ones that are used are: First, next, afyer, that, now and finally.

    Page:30.
    11. Choose appropiate transition words to connect the steps inthis paragraph about preparing for a trip.

    Planning a holiday abroad? Here are some suggestions to make your trip successful. FIRST, find out if you need a visa for the country that you want to visit. Make sure you have enough time to apply for it. BEFORE you buy your ticket. AFTER you´ve found out about visas, you should research airfares and timetables. NEXT, look for the best flight for you. Remember, the cheapest flight may stop over in several cities and reduce the amount of time you have to spend at your destination. You might want to fly direct. WHEN you´re researching flights, you can also ask  your travel agent about getting a good deal on a hotel. It´s a good idea to book your flight and hotel early if you´re sure of your destination. If you haven´t already done it, the NEXT step is to learn about places to visit, the weather, the food, and other details about the country. the Internet can be a very useful source of information. FINALLY, on the day of your flight, make sure you go to the airport at least two hours before your flight. Now you are ready to start enjoying your holiday!

    Page:31.
    Ordering sentences.
    12. Order the steps to form a process paragraph. Write 1 nect to the first step, 2 for the second step, and so on.
    • a: 2.
    • b: 4.
    • c: 6.
    • d: 5.
    • e: 3.
    • f: 7.
    • g: 1.



    16/10/2018.

    UNIT 5. OPINION PARAGRAPHS.

    OPINION PARAGRAPH are a mix between opinions and facts.

    Opinions are based on facts.
    We use facts as a support for our opinion.

    Page: 33.

    1. Read this letter to the editor of a newspaper. Answer the questions

    a. What is the main idea of this paragraph? Circle the sentence.
    More people should ride bycicles into town.
    b. What is the writer´s purpose? Why did he write this letter?
    The writer´s purpose is to convince people abou the pollution. He wrote this letter because ke looks forwars to change people´s habits, so they begin using bycicles.
    c. Underline the sentence or parts of sentences that show an opinion.
    More people should ride byciles into town. Citizens who want a cleaner, nicer place to live ought to try this non-polluting form of transport. Car traffic in town is terrible. The city must not allow this problem to get worse.
    d. Why do you think the writer concluded a fact in the paragraph?
    The fact is: Last year, seventy-three percent of all workers drove their own car to work. He wrote to say that it was too much. And that provokes car traffic, pollution.... He´s making a connection with the first sentence and the third one.


    Page: 34.

    2. Do these types of writing use mostly facts, mostly opinions or, an even mixture of both? Write F for fact, O for opinion, or B for both. Explain your choices to a partner.

    a: B. Film a review.
    b: O. Advice column.
    c: F. Police repor for a crime.
    d: F. Travel brochure.
    e: F. News report.
    f: B. Book report for a university literature class.
    g: B. Magazine advertisement.
    h: B. Personal e-mail to a friend.


    3. Can you think of other types of writing that use opinions? Make a list. Then make a list of types of writing that use facts.

    • Use opinions: A personal blog, entries that readers do in different webpages for commenting on topics, a politician speech.
    • Use facts: A scientific report, History report, TV news.



    4. Read these sentences. Write F if the sentence is a fact, and O if the sentence is an opinion.

    a. Airfares have become too expensive: Opinion.
    b. English is an easier language to learn than Arabic: Opinion.
    c. Owls are birds that hunt at night: Fact.
    d. I was born in New York City: Fact.
    e. Exercise is the best way to stay healthy: Opinion.
    f. Internet use has increased every year since its beginning: Fact.
    h. Big cities are dangerous at night: Opinion.
    g. Engineering is the best career choice: Opinion.


    5. Write three fact sentences and three opinion sentences.


    • Three fact sentences.

    Spain is an European country.
    I was born in Murcia.
    China is the biggest country in the world.


    • Three opinion sentences.

    The United States is the best country in the world.
    Vanilla ice cream is better than chcolate ice cream.
    Tall people are better at playing sports.


    WAYS OF EXPRESSING AN OPINION.

    • Direct Statement: That includes something that is relative. "Teachers earn a low wage".
    • Using an introductory element: In my opinion, I think, I believe, I feel that.... are announcing that what comes later is an opinion. Don´t abuse the use. 1 very paragrahp aprox.
    • Using a modal: We are going to show our opinion but without being so explicit. "Teachers should earn more money". More gentle, smarter. It cant be comcined with the previous one. "In my opinion teachers should....." That is not reccommended.


    Page: 35.

    8. Read the paragraph below. Circle the most appropiate modal auxiliary in each sentence.

    a: Should.
    b: Can´t.
    c: Must.
    d: Could.
    e: Should.
    f: Ought to.


    Page: 36.

    Expressing opinions: class survey.
    9. Read these statements that express opinions. Add three of your own.

    1. Smoking shoul be banned in all restaurants and bars: I disagree with this, because they have the right to smoke. There should be rooms only for smokers so the don´t annoy anybody.
    2. University students should not have part-time jobs: I disagree with this, because if they need the money for their studies, part-time jobs can be really helpful.
    3. Teenagers should not leave high school until they finish it: I agree with this, because everybody should have a minimum of knowledge, that would help them fortheir futures.
    4. Students at unversity should have a low wage from the government: I disagree with this, because even though it would be really helpful for students, it would cost too much money for the government.
    5. There should be compulsory P.E. classes at the universities: I agree with this, because after classes, many students don´t have any free time to exercise. But this would make them to keep healthier.



    18/10/2018.

    Page: 37.

    13. Complete this opinion paragraph using because or since, so, or Therefore. Add punctuation where necessary.

    a: so. Because that shows a title conncection.
    b: because or since. 
    c: since or beacuse.
    d: so.
    e: because or since.
    f: Therefore.


    Page: 38.

    14. Use the connectors of cause and effect in brackets to join these ideas. You may change the ordeer of ideas. You may make one sentence or two. Use appropiate punctuation.

    a. The city doesn´t have enough money so we ought to increase council tax.
    b. I´m going to leave my part-job because I don´t have enough time for my homework.
    c. Some plants and trees are dying since this summer has been very dry.
    d. Many students are graduating with nursing degrees thereferore it might be hard for nurses to find jobs in the future.
    e. My friends all recommend that restaurant so I will try it this weekend.


    15. Look again at the opinions that were expressed in exercise 9 on page 36. Complete these sentences in your notebook with your own ideas about these opinions. Use appropiate punctuation.

    a. Because it can be harmful for our health, smoking must be banned in all restaurants and bars.
    b. Universities students should not have part-time jobs since that can affect negatively to their marks.
    c. Many teenagers leve high school befor finishing, so that is making more uncultured people.
    d. Since many students don´t have enough money, they should receive a payment from the government.
    e. There should be compulsory PE classes at the university because that is healthy.
    f. Many people throw trash to the streets. Therefore many streets are dirty and unhealthy.


    OPINION PARAGRAPH EXERCISE HOMEWORK.
    WRITE 2 OPINION PARAGRAPHS FOR THIS TEXT.

                             INTERNET FOR REFUGEES.
    MARK ZUCKERBERG.


    Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to help bring the Internet to UN refugee camps today. He spoke at the United Nations Private Sector Forum. He joined U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and U2 frontman Bono in addressing the crowd. The forum, part of the Global Compact initiative, focuses on the role of the private sector in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Zuckerberg said that Internet connectivity was a human right.

    “Today, I am pleased to announce that Facebook is partnering with the One Campaign, other organisations, leaders and public figures all over the world, to launch a global campaign to support a connectivity declaration. The declaration recognises Internet access as an important enabler of human rights."

    He also said his company would be partnering with the UN to support the millions of refugees escaping war and poverty and gain online connectivity.

    "We'll be working with UNHCR to bring the Internet to refugee camps. Connectivity will help refugees better access support from the aid community and maintain their links to family and loved ones, and Facebook is in a unique position to help maintain this life-line.”
    Read more:   http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/internet-for-refugees-level-3/



    Mr Zuckerberg says that Facebook has nearly achieved a billion users in a single day for the first time last month. He has predicted that the site's reach will continue to grow.


    1. PARAGRAPH FOR THIS/PROS.
    I totally agree with Mark Zuckerberg. People might think at first that giving Internet to the refuggess does not make sense and that they need other vital things. And to be honest, at first it might sound stupid. IBut if you think about it better the way I did, you will understand better. There actually many pros for refugees. Let me mention some: as Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook has nearly achieved a bilion users in a single day; this means that almost everybody has Internet. On the Internet you can basically find anything, opinions from other people, experts... Refugees will feel more integrated being able to share their experiences too. Also Internet can help them more than they think their everyday. If they have any doubt, they can search for it on the Internet and compare many opinions of people. Also I think it  would be a great opportunity for refugges to share their story and lives on the Internet. They might even be able to raise some money or even find someone that offers them a job or a place to stay. As you can see, no, it is not stupid to proved them Internet. It can be useful for them in many ways.


           2. PARAGRAPH AGAINST THIS/CONS.
    I am not going to say that providing Internet to the refugees is going to harm them. It can help them in many ways. But the reality is that there are many other vital things that refugees need instead of the Internet. Some refugees don´t even have a place to saty the night, and I think it is really unfair to waste the money on providing that person Internet, than providing a place to stay. It would be a waste of money, and they need that mone for other more important things. Providing them Internet will cost millions of dollars, and I can´t even imagine how much food they would be able to buy for them, or how many houses they would be able to build for them, or even how many tickets they would be able to buy to take them a safer place. So after saying all of this, I really hope that before doing this, they make sure refugees have other more important things to have a better life and to survive.




    Analysis of a TED Talk.

    We are going to watch a TED talk and answer the following questions:


    1. What´s the topic of the TED talk? What´s the main idea? When does the speaker introduce his idea? How?
    -Educational system. -He says that creativity is as important as any other subejct at schools. However we are not developing that creativity because of educational systems, educational systems don´t take into account creativity. -At the beginnig he refers to the contest. He makes a summary and tries to connect all the ideas the other people have talked in the TED talks. TED talks take many days, and a lot of people talk. -He does it connecting the previous topics talked in other conferences.

    2. What are the means of support used by the speaker to convince us that his opinion is right? Provide examples.
    He support his ideas mentioning the example of a girl who became a dancer, also he talks about William Shakespeare. Each of his ideas he tries to illustrate it with one example.

    3. What´s the speaker´s conclusion? How does he "conclude"?
    Perhaps the modal we have nowadays is no longer effective. We´ll be needing different things later.





    23/10/2018.

    UNIT 6. COMPARISON / CONTRAST PARAGRAPHS.

    Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs text.
    1st Text. (Comparison).
    It is comparison.
    The topic is "my hometown and my college town".
    Words that tell us, that is a comparison paragraph: both, similarly, in the same way, similar, likewise.
    The main supporting points, there are 3: The 1st idea that supports the fact that they are the same "both are small".   2nd idea is that they are located in rural areas. And they are related to farms....
    We state the idea first and then we get the description for each of the elements.
    For expressing what they both have in common, we use a transition word.


    Page: 42.

    3. Complete these sentences with phrases from above.
    a. The architecture of some modern government building is similar to  they type of construction used hundreds of years ago.
    b. In recent years, new technology such as mobile telephones has made life convenient, similarly/likewise , The Internet has made a wise variety of information avaiable to everyone.
    c. Both  the rivers and  the lakes are clear and beautiful.
    d. The capital city is just as modern as the cities in many other countries.


    2nd Text (Contrast).
    The topic is "Arizona and Rhode Island". The controlling idea is that they are different. There are 2 different things, because we are contrasting. There are 3 main ideas(size, population and natural environment), and the 3 of them are different. We get each of the ideas and then we get the details divided with the transition signals wich is a contrast: different in many ways, whereas, another difference, however, but, also differ in, while....These transition signals are good for contrasting.

    Page: 43.
    4. Complete these sentences with phrases from above.
    a. Some tourists enjoy going on organised tours, while/but/though many other tourists travelling on their town.
    b. The two books are very different from each other.
    c. The cost of studying in a college or university in Britain is very high. In contrast/on the other hand/however in many other countries, the cost is much lower.
    d. Changes in technology are ocurring more quickly than in the past.


    Page: 41.
    Comparing and contrasting.
    2. Read Yuko´s e-mail message to her friend and answer the questions.

    • a. What two things does the second paragraph talk about?

    The topic sentence is "My parents want me to live with a hst family in the city, but I want to live in a shared flat in a hall of residence in the campus" It is about living either with a host family or in the residence in the campus.


    • b. Is the second paragraph mostly comparing or mostly contrasting? How do you know?

    It is a contrast paragraph, by using contrast linkers: on the other hand, however, another difference is that....


    Page: 45.
    6. Read the two paragraphs above then answer the questions,
    a. Which paragraph mostly compares and which mostly contrasts?
    The first one mostly contrasts and the second one mostly compares.

    b. Finish filling in the outlines on page 46 for each paragraph.
    Paragraph 1.
    Topic A-reading a book.
    Supporting points:
    1. We use imagination.
    2.  Conversations, descriptions.

    TopicB-  Watching a film.
    Supporting points:
    1. Imagination is not needed. The pictures are shown and details are seen.
    2. Conversations are spoken aloud.
    Paragraph 2.
    First point of comparison-difficult childhood.
    A1: Spent many years in an orphanage.
    B1: Princess Diana-mother left family.
    Second point of comparison- Both married famous men.
    A2: Princess Diana-married Prince Charles, later separated from him.
    B2: Married a famous basseball player and later a famous writer.
    Third point of comparison- Popularity.
    A3: She was called the people´s princess.
    B3: sexy but in a sense of inocence that people liked.
    Fourth point of comparison-had emotional problems.
    A4: Marilyn Monroe- She had a serious depression.
    B4: Princess Diana: She had eating problems and depresion.
    Firft point of comparison- Deaths.
    A5: At age 36 in 1962.
    B5: At age 36 in 1997.


    Page: 46.
    7. Look again at the second paragraph in exercise 2 on page 41. Does it use point-by-point or block organisation? How do you know?
    The first one uses block organisation, because it first talks about supporting points for the first topic. Then compare or contrast those same points to the second point.
    The second one uses point-by-point organisation because it compares or contrasts one point about the two topics, then a second point, then a third point and so on.


    Page: 40.
    1. Brainstorm ideas to compare and contrast. Think of people, places, and things. Then compare your lists with a partner.

    People: Spiderman and Batman / Men and women.
    Places: Spain and Italy / Spain and Japan.
    Things: Laptop and cell phone / Pizza and hamburgers.

    Page: 44.
    Homework. 4 similarities and 4 differences.
    5. Write eight sentences about these two cars. Write about four similarities and four differences.
    Similarities:
    Both cars were made in Germany.
    The first car is for sale and the second car is for sale too.
    Also, both cars are being driven by one dog.
    And the first car is just as nlack as the second one.
    Differences:
    The first car is much bigger than the second one.
    The first car is cheap, however the second one is more expensive.
    The first car is slow while the second one is faster.
    The first car has 4 seats but the second one has only two.



    25/10/2018.

    Example Block Method Paragraph.
    It is a contrast paragraph. Because we can find transition signals such as rather than, as interesting as those...

    Example Point-by-Point Method.
    The thesis is that they are different, and at the end we have the conlcusion. In the middle, in this case we have chose the different features that we want to analyze of this teachers, and we go one by one. From one aspect to another. There are also transition signals such as however...


    Page:48.
    10. Read this paragraph from a school newspaper. List the supporting points. Does the paragraph discuss advantages or disadvantages?
    The paragraph discusses the advantages of studying abroad and in your own country:
    Supporting points:
    living in another country:
    The supporting points are that:

    1. Living in a nother country is:
    • A great way too learn another language.
    • It is also challenging, you develop self-confidence.
    • It is exciting because it is new and different from what you are used to.
           2. Staying in your own country is:
    • Much cheaper.
    • Everything is familiar: same language, way the classes are...
    • Close to family and friends because you already know them.


    Fill the gaps in the following paragraph using language from the table above.
    • Negative aspect
    • Pros and cons.
    • Plus.


    Topic ideas for poems of comparison.

    How does my subject look like a person?
    How does my subject act like a person?

    A kitchen appliance, a toaster.


    Two holes that looks like a mouth
    when it feels hungry, it eats bread
    always in the kitchen looking for what to cook
    it yells when the food is ready to eat.


    Personal poem.
    Shall I compare you to.....? Shakespeare.

    Shall I compare you to a song?
    Sometimes makes me want to dance
    other times makes me feel sad
    but I always end up enjoying it
    and I never regret llistening to you.



    UNIT 7. PROBLEM / SOLUTION PARAGRAPHS.

    Page: 50.
    3. Work with a partner or small group. Discuss why these issues are problems. Then add two more issues and discuss them.
    a. air poullution. Allergies. Health condition. Climate change.
    b. traffic. Overuse of cars. Being late. Stress. Pollution.
    c. overcrowded classrooms. Noisy. Lack of personal space. Diificult to participate.
    d. overpopulation. Lack of resources. Diseases. Lack of space.
    e. internet addiction. Waste time. Not socialize. Sleeping problems.


    Text on page 51.
    1. Read the article from a website on page 51. What is the main idea of the first paragraph? What is the topic sentence?
    The topic sentence is Deforestation is the first sentence. The issue is the the solution, the whole paragraph is about the solution to deforestation. The controlling idea is that one of those solutions is to use less paper. And they do an important job making the earth´s environment suitable for life is the controlling idea. The concluding sentence is the last one "scientists say that if deforestation continues, the world´s climate may change, floods may become more common, and animals will die. The second paragarph is all devoted to the solution


    2. Answer these questions.
    a. How is the first paragraph developed? What are the supporting ideas?
    3 supporting ideas. 1 is to reduce paper use (idea) plus examples. 2 reduce all paper. 3 to recycle. W get a summary. It is developed as a summary.

    e. Is there a concluding sentence in the first paragraph? In the second paragraph?
    The last sentence in both paragraphs.


    Pre-writing: Thinking about problems - an activity -.

    TS: Nowadays unemployment is rising on young people.
    Parents have to pay for themselves they also need money to pay the young adults.
    Due to unemployment, overquialified young people have to look for less paid jobs.
    If this is not changed in the future, young people will care less about studying, since they know that won´t guarantee them a good job. And they will start working very young instead of studying.

    Page:52.
    4. Read the paragraphs on page 51 again. Underline the conditional sentences.
    - If deforestation continues, the world´s climate may change. - If you use less paper, fewer trees will be cut for paper making. - If you follow the three Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle - you can help the world´s forests.

    5. Complete these sentences by circling the correct form of the verb.
    a. If you don´t use a map when you drive, you could get lost.
    b. Students will do badly in their exams if they don´t get enough sleep.
    c. If you want to lose weight, exercise three times a week.
    d. If you fly there, it will be faster than taking the train.
    e. Many arguments can be avoided if you think before you speak.
    f. I will go to that film if I find someone to go with me.

    6. Complete these sentences with your own ideas. Then compare with a partner.
    a. If it rains this weekend, I will stay at home.
    b. If the library isn´t open tomorrow, I will have to study at home.
    c. If petrol prices increase even more, I will start using a bicycle.
    d. If you don´t have a ride home, I´ll call you tonight.
    e. If you get a job, you can make a lot of money.
    f. If you don´t come with me, I won´t go on holiday.



    06/11/2018.

    Page:53.
    10. Work with a group. For each of these topic sentences, brainstorm solutions. Introduce each solution with one of the phrases above. Then link of one more problem together, and give it to another group to discuss.

    a. We must reduce exam stress for secondary school students.
    One thing we can do is to put less exams and more projects instead.
    In order to overcome these problems, we can give more chances to do exams.
    In order to solve these problems, teachers should give speeches to their students in order to calm them and make them feel more secure.


    b. Teenagers spend so much time using their mobile phones that they are no longer skilled at face-to-face interaction.
    One solution is to limit the time people use their mobile phones.
    To meet this need, people should talk instead of using their phones, when they are meeting someone.
    In order to overcome these problems, sellers should warn buyers of the problems of addiction that mobile phones can cause.

    c. In the next five to ten years, experts predict that there won´t be enough doctors and nurses to meet hospitals´needs.
    In order to solve these problems, we need to encourage students to study about healthcare.
    A second thing we can do is to pay more money to the doctors and nurses. That way, more people will be interested in that job.
    To meet this need, people need to be warned about this.

    d. We need to find ways to protect young children from violence on television.
    One solution is to make parents explain to their children the situations.
    One thing we can do is to do strikes in order to make television more cautious about this.
    To meet this need, television should wait until late to show any violence.

    e. We need to produce less polution.
    One answer is to use bicycles instead of cars.
    A second answer is to make public transpot cheaper, and encourage people to use them.
    One thing we can do is to build more bicycles paths.



    Page:54.
    11. With a partner, talk about the solutions that his student brainstormed for her topic. Mark each one strong, OK, or weak.
    Topic sentence: I need more money while I am at university.

    • Borrow money from my friends.  Weak.
    • Sell some of my things.  OK.
    • Ask my parents for money.  Weak.
    • Go busking with my guitar.  Weak.
    • Get a part-time job. Strong.
    • Drop out of university and get a full-time job. Weak.
    • Buy lotery tickets.  Weak.
    • Ride my bike to university instead of using public transport. OK.
    • Buy fewer CDs and new clothes.  Strong.



    PROBLEM PARAGRAPH.

    Topic Sentence: Nowadays unemployment is rising on young people.

    Nowadays unemployment on youth has been increasing really fast lately. This is due to the fact that, most people prefer older workers, since they think they have more experience. Many people don´t even give a chance to young people. This is a problem, because many young people are studying, and a lot of them need money to pay for their studies. However if they can´t get a job, that can lead to two problems. One would be that many teenagers ask the money to their parents, however a lot of parents can´t afford it. The second problem would be that many young people quit studying because they
     don´t have money, and they just look for low-jobs.

    SOLUTION PARAGRAPH.
    In order to overcome this problem, people need to trust more in young people and give them at least a chance to work for them. One thing we can do is to hire more young people, and understand that they need to work and although maybe at first they will need to learn. They should understand that if a young person is very hard-working, it doesn´t matter if he/she is not very experienced at frist. Being hard-working will make him/her develop the skills that are needed for the job.



    Punctuation Rules. Sentences using commas.

    1. A company that wants to be successful must spend a great deal of money to advertise its products. NO COMMAS.
    2. Advertising is essential to the free enterprise systme, yet it can sometimes be very annoying. COORDINATOR.
    3. Every minute of the day and night people are exposed to ads on television, on billboards, in the newspapers, and in magazines. COORDINATOR.
    4. You cannot even avoid advertising in the privacy of your own car or your own home, for advertisers have begun selling their products in those places, too. TAG FUNCTION.
    5. years,    INTRODUCER.




    13/11/2018.

    UNIT 8. THE STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY.

    What is an essay?
    An essay is a Composition.

    Three main parts of an essay:

    • The introduction.
    • The main body.
    • The conclusion.

    Writing a strong thesis statement.
    • The author´s OPINION.
    • Important IDEA.
    • It can be DISCUSSED and EXPLAINED with supporting ideas. Ex: The qualifications for getting into university in Spain are unreasonable. Ex: When studying English, there are several ways to improve your use of the language.
    • A thesis staetements should NOT be a sentence that only gives  a fact about a topic. Ex: In Murcia, the summer months are warmer than the winter months. And?? Why is that interesting?? What do you mean ?? Any opinion?? This could be a topic sentence, but it is not a thesis statement. There is no clear opinion. Take sides.


    Page: 57.
    1. Label the three parts of this essay: introduction, main body, paragraphs, and conclusion.
    Introduction: 1st Paragraph.
    Main body paragraphs: 2nd and 3rd pragraphs.
    Conclusion: 4th paragraph.
    The thesis statement is the last sentence of the first paragraph: "African Americans, too, have both contributed new words to English and changed the meanings of some existing words".
    Topic Sentence: However, English vocabulary has also been influenced by other countries and groups of people.
    They organise it in different blocks of different influences of cutures. They are Chinese, Native American and African.
    It is detail pattern. We get a list. We say something about an issue, and we support it by different details.

    Page:58.
    3. In these introductory paragraphs, underline the thesis statement. Then circle the topic and draw another line under the main idea in each thesis statement. Share your answers with a partner.
    a. The UK can be divided into different regions that each has its own characteristic foods influenced by the cultur of the people who live there.
    b. As a result of human population growth, deforestation and hunting, the nummber of koalas has declined.
    c. No two Taoist gardens are exactly alike, but all Taoist gardens include four essential elements: water, mountains, buildings and bridges.

    Page:59.
    4.Read these thesis statements below. Write V (strong thesis statement), F (fact only--a weak thesis statement), or N (no clear opinion--a weak thesis statement).
    a: F. It´s a fact. And that is very sifficult to discuss.
    b: N. The writer hasn´t taken a side. The opinion isn´t clear. Must include personal point.
    c: F. It´s a fact. You mnay say that it was too late. Or include the reasons why.
    d: V. We have a fact, and the writer taking a side, so we can compare.
    e: N. It´s a fact.
    f: F. 
    g: V.
    h: N.
    i: F.
    j: V.


    15/11/2019.
    Page: 58.
    Write a topic sentence for each main idea for each of these three body paragraph.
    a. 
    Chinese. Chinese food has become popular in Britain.
    Indian. Indian food has been brought to Britain.
    Italian. Italian restaurants can be found easily in Britain.

    b.
    Human population growth. Human population growth has affected to the declined of koalas.
    Deforestation. Deforestation is a big cause for the declined of koalas.
    Hunting. Hunting is contributing to the reducement of koalas.

    c.
    Water. Water is an esential element in Taoist gardens.
    Mountains. Mountains are fundamental in Taoist gardens.
    Buildings. All Taoist gardens include buildings.
    Bridges. Bridges are always present in Taoist gardens.


    Tips for a good thesis statement.
    One way to develop a thesis statement for an essay is to write opinions you have about the topic. Begin, I think that.. and complete the sentences with your opinion. Then remove I think that... and the remaining words make a possible thesis statement.



    Page:61.
    6. For each of these topics, write tro or three opinions you have, starting with I think that.

    a. exercise. 
    I think that exercise is good for keeping phisycal and mental health.
    I think that exercise is a good and healthy leisure activity.
    I think that exercise must be always present in our lives.

    b. university study.
    I think that university study helps to get a job easier.
    I think that university study has been growing lately.
    I think that university study should be cheaper.

    c. the Internet.
    I think that the Internet has been developing into big steps these past few years.
    I think that the Internet makes our lives easier.
    I think that the Internet is one of the best developments ever made.

    d. music.
    I think that music is a great way to cheer someone up.
    I think that music can help people to concentrate better.
    I think that music is a god leisure activity.







    HOMEWORK. WRITE AN ESSAY ABOUT A TOPIC THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED FOLLOWING THE STPES PROVIDED IN THE LINK BELOW.
                                                               
    https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/essay-writing/essay-writing-see-it-in-practice/


                               THE RISE OF UNEMPLOYMENT ON YOUNG PEOPLE

               These past few years unemployment has been rising really fast on young people. People prefer older people that have already worked and also have more experience. This can become a big problem if we do not find a solution. It can lead to bad consequences. For example some of those bad consequences are more unacademic students, inexpert people and economic problems in families.

               Everybody would tell young people to study for the future. We are always being encouraged thinking that with a degree, after so many years of studying, we will get a job for sure. However this is not the case. Actually there are a lot of people that have studied a degree but however they are working on something that has nothing to do with their degrees. Knowing this, more and more people will quit as soon as possible and try to get any job they can find.

               Also, as it was said before in the introduction, one of the main problems why young people do not get hired is because bosses rather people with experience. However it is impossible to get expeience if you never get a job. This can make people forget what they have studied since they are not practicising it.

              Finally, another big consequence of this problem is the economic problems of families. If young people do not get a job, they do not earn any money, that means that they will not be able to afford things that they need. These people still need thir parents to pay for them vital things. This is a real struggle for parents because paying for the costs for a young person is a lot of money that not everybody can afford for the rest of their lives.

               To conclude with, we need to encourage people to hire more young people and to at least give them a chance. Otherwise they will never fullfill their potential. Bosses need to think they were also unexperienced back then and that they have become very far. We all need to grant that opportunity to young people.
             



    20/11/2018.

    UNIT 9.
    OUTLINIG AN ESSAY.

    Page:65.
    Don´t Support Nuclear Energy!
    QUESTIONS.

    1. What will the thesis statement be?
    Nuclear power is not a good energy source for the world.
    2. How many paragraphs there will be here?
    There will be 5 paragraphs.
    3. How many supporting points will the third paragraph have?
    The third paragraph will have 2 supporting points. (letters).
    4. How many details will the fourth paragraph have?
    The fourth paragraph will have 8 details. (numbers).

    Page:66.
    2. Fill in this outline for the essay in Unit 8, exercise 1 on page 57. Then compare with a partner.

    The Changing Vocabulary of English.
    I. Thesis Statement: African Americans have brought new vocabulary to the English as well as they have changed the meaning of some the words that already existed.
    II. Words introduced by African Americans slaves.
            A. OK.
                    1. From an African language.
                    2. Now used all over the world to mean that everything is all right.
            B. Jazz.
                    1. Came from African Americans that were musicians in New Orleans.
                    2. Exact origin unknown.
    III. Changes of the meaning of words.

             A. Cool.
                    1. Original meaning.
                    2. New meanings.
             B. Square.
                    1. Original meaning.
                    2. New meanings.
    IV. Conclusion: Exisiting ethnic groups in the United States as well as new immigrants will certainly continue to bring new words to English and give fresh meanings to existing words.

    Page:67.
    3. Label each statement T for thesis statement, M for main idea, S for supporting point, or C for conclusion.
    Title: The Benefits of Yoga. S.
    a. Develops clear thinking. M.
    b. Physical benefits. S.
    c. Improves concentration. S.
    d. Reduces fear, anger, and worry. S.
    e. Mental benefits. M.
    f. Improves blood circulation. S.
    g. Improves digestion. S.
    h. Helps you feel calm and careful. S.
    i. Develops self-confidence. S.
    j.  Doing yoga regularly can be good for your mind, your body, and your emotions. T.
    k. Makes you strong and flexible. S.
    l. Therefore, to nuild mental, physical, and emotional health, consider doing yoga. S.
    m. Emotional benefits. M.


    Page:68.
    5. With a partner, check the outline on page 69 for organisation, support, and topic development. What should the author add, substract, or change in this outline? Share your ideas with another pair. Did you make the same recommendations?
    I.  
           OK.
    II.  
           Points B and C should be swapped.
           Point E should be deleted (not relevant).
    III.
           III and IV should be swapped.
           Point A might include a second category of people who come to San Francisco to get rich.
           Point B should is not relevant.
           Point C3 is not relevant.
           Point D should be more specific.
           Point F should be deleted.
           Point G could be more specific.
    IV. 
           Point B should discuss expenses for food and clothing. In order to be parallel with the section on         San Francisco today.
    V.
           OK.

    Thesis statement. Develop a complete outline.
    When buying an used car, use these four strategies to get the best price.



    UNIT 10. INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.

    Page:72.
    1. Read the introduction to the essay in Unit 8, exercise 1 on page 57. Complete this diagram.
                                                              General ideas.
    Most Americans would probably say that their language comes from England.
                              Other countries have influenced english as a language.
                              Some words come from other countires.
                                                              Thesis Statement.
                              Somes words have been contributed by the African Americans.

    2. Read and discuss the following introductions with a partner. Mark the strong introductions with a tick (V). Mark the weak introductions with a cross (X). What could the writers do to make the weak introductions strong?


    • Example a. It is weak. It is too short, it should mention more details about the topic (changes in families).
    •   Example b. It is strong.
    • Example c. It is weak. We can´t see a thesis statement. Some of the deatils may be too relevant too.
    • Example d. It is weak because it is too long. Some information is not relevant and could be deleted with no problem.
    • Example e. It is weak. It is too short. Also the sentences are not related to each other.
    Page:73.
    3. Read the three introductions in Unit 8, exercise on page 58 again. What types of information does each introductory paragraph contain?
    • Introduction a uses a personal experience.
    • Introdcution b gives us facts.
    • Introduction c contains facts (an interesting quotation).




    29/11/2018.

    The conclusion...

    • .....summarises the main points of the essay.
    • .....restate the thesis.
    • ......makes a final comment about the essay´s main idea.
    • ......may emphasise an action that you would like the reader to take.

    Page:74.
    5. Look at the essay in Unit 8, exercise 1 on page 57 again. Answer these questions.


    • a. Does the conclusion use any of the four techniques described above? Which ones?
    The conclusion puts the thesis and also mentions a final comment about the main idea.
    • Which sentence in the conclusion restates the thesis (form the introduction)?
    The first sentence, "English owes some of its interesting and colourful vocabulary to African Americans´ restates the thesis statement.

    Page:75.
    6. Match each of these introduction thesis statements with its rewritten version for a conclusion.
    • a: 3.
    • b: 1.
    • c: 5.
    • d: 2.
    • e: 6.
    • f: 4.
    Write a complete introduction and a complete conclusion to this thesis statement.
    Complete Introduction.
    a. There are plenty of places to buy food. However some of them may have more advantages than others. People want to find the best products the cheapest as possible. Actually, it is believed that supermarkets are the best places to buy food because of their convenience and lower prices.
    Complete Conclusion.
    3. We can conclude that supermakets are a good option to buy food. It has many conveniences, however we could highlight the fact that larger supermarkets offer cheap prices and a large selection of products makes them the best place for shoppers.

    Thesis statement for the final sentence.

    Page:78. 7. Read paragraph a in Unit 8, exercise 3 on page 58 again. Choose the best concluding paragraph, below.
    Paragraph a.






    UNIT 11. UNITY AND COHERENCE.

    Page: 78.
    1. Read the ssay on page 79 about Chinese medicine. Then do these tasks.

    a. Underline the thesis statement with two lines.
    The philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine is not the same as the philosophy of modern medicine, but it is useful for curing many health problems.

    b. Underline each topic sentence with one line.
    • First body paragraph: Modern medicine focuses on illness.
    • Second body paragraph: Instead of focusing on a patient´s health problems, Chinese medicine tries to make the patient´s health problems, Chinese medicine tries to make the patient´s whole boy well again.
    c. List the supporting ideas in each main body paragraph on a separate piece of paper.
    • First main body paragraph: For modern medicine, a patient with cough gets medicine to stop it. Also it gives medicine for fever. They try to stop the illnesses as quickly as possible.
    • Second main body paragraph: For Chinese medicine, instead of using medicines to stop illnesses, they give herbs to restore balance (yin and yang), that way the illness will stop naturally.
    The concluding paragraph is that "Chinese medicine definitely works for some health problems".

    d. After you have finished, review the topic sentences and supporting ideas. With a partner, discuss how the topic sentences relate to the thesis statement and how the supporting sentences relate to the topic sentences. Is the essay unified?
    The thesis statement is "The philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine is not the same as the philosophy of modern medicine, but it is useful for curing many health problems". The text is well conected and unified, because the two main body paragraphs talk about ways to end illnesses. One of them is with modern medicine and the other one, with Chinese medicine, but their goal is the same.


    teorico tipo test, preguntas teoricas, 2 puntos, eliminatorio, hay que aprobarlo. cada 4 incorrectas, 1 bien.
    examen practico, escribir un texto. vale 4 puntos.


    11/12/2018.
    Page:83.
    4. Use transitions from the list above, or others that you know to connect these sentences taken from the essay about Chinese medicine on page 79. When you have finished, compare your answers with the essay.
     Instead of focusing on a patient´s health problems, Chinese medicine tries to make the patient´s whole body well again. Specifically , doctors of Chinese medicine believe that inside people, there are two types of energy. The first type of energy, called `yin´, is quiet and passive. The other type of energy, called ´yang´, is active. When there is imbalance - too much yin,for instance - a person becomes unhealthy. A doctor of Chinese medicine doesn´t try to stop a person´s cough by giving a cough medicine. Instead , the doctor gives a mixture of herbs that will restore balance in the patient´s body. Therefore , when the body is in balance, the cough will stop naturally.

    Page:84.
    5. For each of the italicised pronouns in this passage, identify the noun or noun phrase to which it refers. Write your answers on the lines below the text.

    1. it = Barcelona.
    2. It = Barcelona.
    3. its = The Barrio Gótico.
    4. its = Barcelona´s.
    5. they = Catalan speakers in and around Barcelona in Barcelona.
    6. there = In Barcelona.
    7. this = all of the supporting points that have been appearing in the paragraph about Barcelona.
    Page:85.
    6. Read these revised paragraphs from the essay on sing language. Underline examples of transition use, pronoun reference, and repetition of key words. Then compare your answers with a partner.
    • Transition use: First, another, and.
    • Pronoun reference: these signs, he, this time, it.
    • Repetiton of key words: Sign language, developed.

    Page:86.
    7. This paragraph needs more connection. Revise it. Then share your version with other classmates.
    Ho Chi Minh City, which is located on the Mekong River in Vietnam, is a fascinating destination for travellers to Southeast Asia. It was once an important trading centre for the French in Southeast Asia, in fact/ consequently/ as a consequence the influence of the French culture can still be felt. For instance, many people, especially the older generations, learned French in school and still can speak it very well. Another instance is that some cafés serve French-style bread and pastries in its streets. Similarily, expensive hotels and restaurants also serve French food. Many of the buildings in the city are built in French style. Eventually, the Vietnamese and the French fought and left the country. That is why there are museums and monuments documenting the country´s long- and often bloody- history. So if you are looking for a unique city to visit in the Southeast Asia, Ho Chi Minh City is an attractive chocie.


    13/12/2018.

    Page:87.
    11. These pairs of entences need to be joined together to form English proverbs. Choose the best transition word or phrase to connect each pair. Compare your answers with a partner, and then discuss the possible meaning of each proverb.
    a. Don´t count your chickens before.
    b. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
    c. Time flies when you´re having fun.
    d. You can lead a horse to water, but you can´t make it drink.
    e. Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry, cry you cry alone.
    f. You don´t know what water is worht until your well is dry.


    12. Think of one or two proverbs in your language and translate them into English. Share yours with the class. Then choose one of the proverbs and write a paragraph explaining its meaning.

    • Más vale pajaro en mano que ciento volando: Better to have one bird in your hand than a hundred flying. It means that you have to conform with what you have and that it could be worse.
    • La curiosidad mató al gato: The curiosity killed the cat. It means that it is not good to want to know everything, because that might get you in troubles.



    UNIT 12. ESSAYS FOR EXAMINATIONS.

    Page:90.
    2. Underline the most important part of the instruction in these essay questions. Discuss your answers with a partner or group. Talk about what kinds of information you would include in your answer.
    a. Compare and contrast state and private secondary school education in your country.
    b. Think of a story you have read which has also been made into a film. Describe the differences between the two versions.c. Show the rise in popularity of communication by mobile phone has changed the ways in which young people communicate.
    d. Discuss the results of the Norman conquest of Great Britain in 1066. Which do you feel was the most important?
    e. Which environmental problem is the most significant in your community? Explain how your community can solve this problem?
    Page:92.
    5. Write a five-minute outline for each of these topics. Write a thesis statement, two or more main ideas, and a conclusion. When you have finished, compare your outlines in groups or with the whole class.

    a. Some people like to organise their own trips, and others like to travel on a profesionally organised tour. Which do you prefer, and why?

    1. I would rather travel on a profesionally organised tour.
    2. It is more expensie but worth it. It is not as risky as the other option.
    3. The tour will include things that people usually like the most.
    4. If you have any problem, you can call the organisation.
    5. Conclusion: Although it might be more expensive than organising my own trip, travelling on a profesionally organised tour will be worth it because they will know more than you do and besides it is safer and they will always be there if you have any problem.

    b. Your community is considering building a new shopping centre in the centre of town. Do you support or oppose this plan? Give specific reasons in your answer.
    1. I would prefer to have a new shopping centre in the centre of town.
    2. People that live in the surrounding will not need to use a transport to go. (my case).
    3. Many people go to the centre of town, so it will attract a lot of people.
    4. Conclusion: The centre of town is a good place to build a new shopping centre because many people will visit it due to the good location.

    Page:91.
    Sample outline 1: 
    Write a topic sentence for each sentence of this outlining.
    1. I would rather live with my family to save money. Living with your family while you are at university is cheaper than living alone.
    2. No rent. Rent is really expensive nowadays.
    3. Save money on food. Food will not be a problem.
    4. Don´t have to pay bills. You can feel free without fearing the bills at the end of each month.
                      A. Electricity.
                      B. Water.
                      C. Phone.
           5. Conlcusion: If I save on my living expenses, I will have enough money to pay for tuition and books. Doing this will make you save a lot of money that you can use for other things in college, for example to buy materials or to go to academies.


    Page:90.
    4. Tick (V) the introductions that answer the question in exercise 3 above directly. Write cross (X) by the ones that contain unnecessary information or do not directly address the question. Discuss your answers with a partner.

    a. X. Too general and it doesn´t select which is the biggest problem.
    b. V. It is clearly, it answers the questions and it is direct.
    c. X. It is a problem of mistaken the focus. It is not related to the impact of the gold rush today, but in the past. They way the introduction has been written including one example, somehow it makes us hing that it is going to talk about more things. In a introduction it is not a good idea illustrating just by one point.
    d. The problem is that it doesn´t say which effect of the gold rush is more important. It only says too many effects. It is not estated which one has the biggest impact.
    e. This one is right. It is directly because it tells the most important effect.