Final reflection

My English progress from 2012-2014

The first post of Bachillior was the e-mail to the teacher (First post), in there I described myself. About the content of the description just has changed the age of my parents, but a lot of things ,which I couldn't imagine, have changed since then. Nowadays, I consider that I'm more mature than then, I've token an important decision and my mentality is not the same. If I compare my first essay and the last one, the first difference I see is the topic, at the last one I speak about my future but at my first one I explained my past. I have improved my fluency, by then I used to use quite usual expressions. In my last post I use some rhetorical questions and other different resources. I remember I spent a lot of time to make just one composition. Instead of this, now I can write my post in a short time.
My first oral presentation was about tennis. I remember I had a problem and the power point didn't work, it made me get even more nervous and I did an horrible presentation. That's why I repeated it, in the second chance I changed the content and I improve some parts apart from solving my power point's problem. The content was so unspecific but it had a good structure. My fluency and pronunciation were quite bad.
My last presentation was about my research project. The content was extra specific because I used the same presentation as I do in the official evaluation of the project. I also had it structured and studied but I made a big mistake. When I had to show the practical part I didn't remmember some vocabulary. The language and the pronunciation were better than the first presentation. 

My English competence in 2014

Well, my obligation is to say that: I don't know.... It's difficult to say.... I put my best in all my compositions... But I don't hesitate when I say that my best post is "Best post". It can't be the best grammatically speaking, but when I wrote it I felt completely inside the composition. I was thinking and feeling my future. I heard the song one time and another since I finished the essay. I remember it was so late but it didn't matter, I made a quite long post. 

But if I have to choose the best written composition it has to be one of the last ones, for example "composition". But I would never present this post to apply for a job because I express an opinion that can be problematic. 

My best presentation  is the last one. I've explained it above. We have done a lot of presentations so it has help to improve them very much. That presentation was in the second term and the topic was "research project" which it was very worked, so I had thought a lot about the topic. 

This is the end of the road? Or just another step?

Our future when we love sport

In some months I should decide my future. Go to university is one chance I have ever wished. I have always been quite sure that I wanted to become an engineer. But now the moment is coming and I'm a little bit afraid, I will be an engineer? Is what I want? And the answer always is the same: I don't know. The only way to discover it is trying it. I have been playing tennis for many years it would be a shame to give up right now. Spain universities don't offer the possibility to follow both ways, you have to choose. But last year, recommended by a tennis friend, I decided to go to study abroad, where I have the opportunity to keep playing tennis and I can approach my tennis level to achieve a scholarship. It's a big opportunity to have two ways to earn money. Adding to that, I will learn another language, and not any, the current most international recognized one. I have to say that I'm just looking to nice part, once there I will have to earn good marks to keep the academic scholarship, I will have to train really hard and achieve good results, it will take a lot of time and I also want to enjoy the university. So it might be harder to if would study here but I think it's what I must do.

Asiatic industry has sunk Spanish industry

Every day all of us are surrounded by thousands of Chinese, Indian, Taiwnese... stuff. Is very difficult to find national products in all directions: electronic devices, clothes, decoration... Most of the items we need are produced in underdeveloped areas. The low cost of production in those countries have moved most of our industry to import and produce there. It causes unemployment and a hard competition with the local shops. But the issue is the result of our acts. In fact, at least me, I don't have brought my industry to China. It has done it rich and powerful people. But, nowadays, they are even richer than before, while there are many closed shops and the biggest taxes of unemployment. I also have to admit that our fault is to buy always the cheapest item in the shop, forgetting their provenance. Now, my question is: has it been a good bet to look only for low cost products? And the answer is: not, definitely it hasn't been a good decision. But it's just our fault? We could choose? We CAN choose? Or society said consume! and we just consumed? There are a lot of ethic questions to do about this topic. I fear I have a limited knowledge to speak about this topic so I am going to let the questions at the air, to make you reflect.

Cruelty towards bulls

It can seem archaic but nowadays in the 21st century, we are still allowing violence and crimes against animals. For instance, Catalonia's government has prohibited bullfights, but they are still allowed in the rest of Spain. Some people see this "show", specifically "carnage", as an art but, in my opinion, it's anything else than a combination between cruelty and desire to kill. The worst is that people, like you and like me, support this. They enjoy watching who a murder with a sword fights against an defenseless animal. My question is: Why? EVERYBODY knows who is going to win. Do they want to see an exciting "game"? Okay, so give one sword and the same intelligence to the bull. After the bullfighter kills the poor animal, plenty of blood, he cuts his nail and ears. 

I really wish the prohibition of bullfights. It's a shame that Spain is identified with this carnage. These shows are similar to the roman's fights, two thousand years ago....

This song is in Spanish but, from my point of view, it descrives very well my opinion. I must add that I'm not alone thinking we must report bullfights, there is a lot of people who think the same. 

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one"

Cross-dressing wins Eurovision

A bearded Austrian drag act who has been compared to Kim Kardashian, has won Europe's biggest song contest.

Conchita Wurst, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, won the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday.

Wurst won easily, beating the Dutch and the Swedish entrants into second and third place, respectively, in the contest loved — and hated — in equal measure for its kitschy appeal.

Wurst, who was compared to Kardashian last year for copying her look when she appeared at a Vienna ball, said her victory was one for "respect and tolerance".

Conchita Wursts whose name is Tom Newirth won the Eurovision "festival", she represented Austria singing a song of respect and tolerance. She sang with beard and girl voice. This claim of tolerance in her song was reflected on the way she considers and wants for herself. Spain obtained the 10th place. This year the spectacle on the scenery was amazing, each show was fantastic, involving their plays with light effects.

That's fantastic, I didn't see the festival, but if she won is because she deserved it, undoubtedly. Her winning shows once more the open-minded ideology from European people. In my opinion, is fantastic that people support minority groups. In fact, there is an article from The Rights Declaration which says that everybody has the right of the free thought and he/she can't be judged for it. So I haven't anything to add, congratulations to Conchita and good luck. I'm glad of her bravery and people counsciousness. 

Link to the news

Drag
Kitschy

Child soldiers

SIBUT, Central African Republic — Not long ago, Charly had all the money he needed. He had a rebel uniform that commanded fear in his hometown. He had an AK-47, and he wasn't afraid to use it.

He was still a boy, but he felt like a man.

Now he has returned to his old life. He is once again a helpless boy. The thought of it makes him sit rigid with anger, his eyes flashing.

"See the shoes I'm wearing," the teenager snapped, pointing at a pair of dusty blue flip-flops. The soles were so full of holes that he might as well have been barefoot.

With the rebels, he said, it was different: "I had boots, a uniform and a gun in my hand."

With the rebels, he had power.

The conflict tearing the Central African Republic apart has not only turned neighbor against neighbor. It has brought childhood to a halt.

Children have seen their parents hacked to pieces. They have watched as boys and girls just like them were shot or maimed. Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years, taking up arms with the same fighters who upended their lives or killed their relatives.

In Central African Republic, children were recruited as a soldier. This is an interview to a child who retoke his old life, but he isn't happy about it. He has poor resources they told that it was better the soldier life because he had footwear, a uniform and moreover a gun which is synonymous of power. He realize his extremely life conditions makes him yearn the power. When children return to their homes, they often have nightmares and sequels of the war. Moreover many girls get pregnant by the soldiers.

In my opinion, it's difficult to say my position. Of course I don't agree with what is happening. But I will probably describe an ideal world. Is logic there mustn't be any child soldier, even more there mustn't be any soldier nor any war. But there are wars, soldiers and child soldiers. There is a big work remaining in Africa and in some third world countries. There are hunger and extreme life conditions. Here, in Europe, child wishes are a new electronic gadget or some multi-functional stuff, while in Africa they wish footwear and something to eat. Something is not working. And the solution is not on my hands nor in my head, I'm just a teenager. But I'm sure all together we can change this. 

Link of the news

Flashing

Snapped

Halt

First lady condemns abduction of nigerian schoolgirls

WASHINGTON — In a rare venture into foreign policy, Michelle Obama on Saturday condemned the abduction of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by terrorists and said that she and President Obama had been personally touched by what she called an “unconscionable” act.

“In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters,” the first lady said in the weekly radio address that is normally delivered by her husband. “We see their hopes, their dreams — and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now.”

Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist network, has claimed responsibility for abducting 276 girls from a school last month. The taking of the girls and concern about their fate has prompted nations around the world to offer help to the Nigerian government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Obama said last week that he had ordered a team of military intelligence specialists and hostage negotiators to Nigeria to help in the search.

Mrs. Michelle Obama appeared on TV the mother's day, asking for the liberation of more than 200 scholar Nigerian girls kidnapped by a terrorist group "Boko Aaram". The abductor threaten to sell the girls as slaves, they want private them of their education. Mr. Obama said that education is a birthright.

This kind of terrorism shows the power and danger of some armed persons, and awakes the global people's civic sense. We have studied the human rights and this is an example of an extreme violation. This news also reflects the ideology of some radical groups which are against women education and equality. Nowadays, through the technology, we are able to know what is happening very far away from our houses and we have to approach it to report cases like that. I really hope international power or military can save these girls and prevent similar cases.

Link to the news

Abtuction

Fate
Prompted

Marco Rubio says human activity isn't causing climate change

WASHINGTON — Senator Marco Rubio on Sunday said he was ready to be president, becoming the second potential Republican candidate recently to drop big hints about 2016 as he vies for early attention in a crowded field of maybes.

Mr. Rubio of Florida said on ABC’s “This Week” that while he was waiting until the end of the year to consider the decision, he thought he had a “vision” for the nation’s future and a strategy for achieving it, among other qualifications that he said he shared with other potential candidates.

“I do,” he said when asked whether he thought he was ready for the presidency. “I mean, but I think that’s true for multiple other people that would want to run.”

Marco Rubio, a politician of Florida presidential contender for 2016 does not believe human activity is causing the climate change. About two-thirds of American said that they believed there was "solid evidence the Earth is warming" according to a poll by the Pew Research Center. On the other side, democrats are convinced that we are the only guilt of the temperature rise of the planet. 

In my opinion, it's just political. Marco Rubio did this statement in order to gain votes. He was criticizing Obama's program to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, that it costs a lot of money. According to scientists the main cause of the global warming is the human activity. So I believe it might be true, and this politician must concentrate on his area and let the experts speak. Because a public figure like him that can influence a lot of people, can cause a catastrophic effect on the planet.

Link to the news

Drop big hints

Michael Scumacher shows signs of improvement

Michael Schumacher's family are feeling "great happiness" at the way his condition is improving, according to ex-F1 star Jean Alesi.

The seven-time world champion has been in an induced coma in Grenoble hospital since Dec 29 after a skiing accident in the resort of Meribel.

And Alesi, who raced against Schumacher for a decade until his retirement in 2001, told motorsport magazine Speedweek that his former on-track rival does appear to be getting better, albeit a long way from recovering fully.

"During my last visit I noticed something had improved," he explained.

I felt a relief among his family, a great happiness at how things were developing. That is brilliant - even if the road back is still a long one."

It's the second positive piece of news about Schumacher in the last week after his manager, Sabine Kehm, said that the F1 star is showing "moments of consciousness and awakening".

She explained: “Michael is making progress on his way. He shows moments of consciousness and awakening.”

“We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble and we keep remaining confident.”

It comes after current world champion Sebastian Vettel sent his best wishes for his compatriot ahead of last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, saying: "It is very good to hear it's going in the right direction."

F1 German legend Michael Schumacher had a ski accident. He was on holidays enjoying of his second favorite sport when he fell at a low velocity while he was skiing off-piste. Despite of being an expert his shock was critical, he lost the consciousness and he was transferred to the Grenoble hospital. The news affected all around the world. 

Nowadays, the brilliant pilot keeps without counsciousness but, how it says the news, he is improving. 

I'm a fan of F1, so it was very sad when I heard the news. He was very quick driving his car; he had a natural talent in front of the velocity. Who would it say? He didn't have any accident as serious as this one. I'm very happy to hear that he is improving, I hope he will awake shortly. But these kind of problems use to have negative effects on the brain and he probably won't return as good as before. 
Good luck Scumi!

Link to the news

Former

Albeit

Human rights

First of all, we must establish the definition of “human rights” which is “The rights you have simply because you’re human”. There are thirty of them written in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. It was created after the Second World War trying to avoid any similar situation and guarantee everybody’s rights. Since thousands years ago until nowadays, the society has suffered an evolution that has increased human recognitions.

I didn't know the 12th article (No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks). 

violation example

This week Zubizarreta (Barça directive) and Luis Enrique (next Barça's coach) have met in Gava to speak, allegedly, about the coach's contract. They met in Enrique's house and they were recorded for many TV programms. In my opinion, that's an article dumped out and this happens in every caountry and for any kind of famous. The only way to change this is not being much onlookers.

Can money buy everything: The marketisation of society?

1. Up for sale.

2. Civic values/goods that markets do not honour they can't buy.

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In my opinion we can find both cases but in different kinds of person. According to the video we saw, the only limit we find in the society is the civic sense, which is a comfortable feeling. We feel that we are taking part of system that protects us, and we sacrifice some things to keep it. So the key of the problem is to discover the reason that makes the difference.

On one hand, we have the people who don't have civic sense, they fell superior or inferior. For example, some rich people, maybe because they feel upper than the rest, they don't coincide with majorities' opinion. These people believe that they have enough money to buy almost everything and it's maybe true, they can contract personal workers, they can buy and do any sort of thing... In this group we can include people who have been separated from the rest of the society so they are not grateful with the others and their objectives are selfish. In this group, in my opinion, we also can put people without economic resources which feel spiteful against the society.

On the other hand we find, in my opinion, the majority of the population: educated people by the current system. It's the biggest group and they have a community sense, they fit in and participate actively, working and spending.

To resume, we can not find just a uniform ideology nowadays instead of this we have a distinguished two points of view.

Formal letter

C/ Capitan, 19

18958 Sant Llorenç

2nd April, 2014

Mr Obama

White house

Washington DC

Dear sir,

First of all, I would like to say that I admire you so much. You are doing a fantastic job. I am so glad with your economic policy. But I think that build a noisy airport near the residence zone is a big mistake. So I would like to ask for a project's reconsideration.

I appreciate the commercial potential an airport can bring to the town. Adding to that, it can increase foreign visitors. But the town's committee agree that it will bring many health problems and it will be dangerous. We understand the main function of a government is to protect society's lifes while people give their freedom to the commanders. If you keep moving forward with your project, you will not fight for our health and then you will dump out Human Rights ("everybody has their own freedom just for being human").

All in all, I would be grateful if you change the airport location. I'm looking forward to receiving your answer.

Yours sincerelly.

Major of Sant Llorenç.

Interview with a career expert

Good morning everyone. Today, here in "What happens Castelló?", we are going to interview Mary McCarley, the most famous engineer in the world, currently working in the U.S government.

- Hi Mary. First of all, how are you?

- God morning John, I'm fine thank you, just a bit asleep. 

-  Let's start with the interview. You are working as an engineer, aren't you?

- Yes, since 1999.

- I suppose you studied engineering. Where did you get your degree?

- Well, I studied in the local University but then I did the master in France because I wanted to learn the language.

- How many years has it token?

- Hmm... Six years, it seems a lot but when you're there it passes quite fast.

- How did you felt when you got your first job?

- Wow, there was an amazing shock of emotins inside my brain. I was terrified to start a new step of my life and to have responsability for the first time. However, I was excited to take part in the industrial world and have the posibility to learn new techniques. Adding to that, I was going to earn money, so it was a turn to the right for me.

- Jaja, have you been in other companies? If so, how many?

- Yes I have worked in... five different companies but just at four as engineer. 

- Is hard to be engineer?

- No, well... it depends on your interest in front of new technologies.

- Does your job let you free time?

- An engineer schedule is similiar to all the other jobs... But  my current job takes me a lot of time and it's hard to work for the U.S government.

- Do you recommend to be an engineer?

- Hmm... It's not a bed of roses, sincerally. You have to work. But which is an easy career? Everybody must do whatever they want.

- Okay Mary, thank you very much.

- It has been a pleasure.

Tomorrow we have a surprise to our spectators. Don't miss the next program. Byebye from "What happens Castelló?". See you tomorrow.

Are we too dependant on mobile phones?

It's said that young people are the most nomophobic group, and it should be true, but there is a wide range of people which is addicted to electronic devices like mobile phones.

Firstly, mobiles are really useful. In fact, the have been porbably the most important discovery for several years ago. It's very easy to understand, mobile phones are even faster and more functional than computers, furthermore they can call, take and share photos quickly, they have alarm and hundreds of applications... That's why a lot of people use it daily. It's also said that children soak up information like a sponge. For these reasons we "need" it and in some cases, too much.

  

But, in my opinion, every new discovered stuff needs a testing period in order to find out all the challenges it can drive. Nowadays we are in the mobile phone's testing time and, so far, we are using it too much. We must try to control this addiction and be aware of the devices' radiation.

All in all, mobile phones are so interesting and useful but we must watch closely its adiction and its possible problems.

 

A soulmate for me

Actually, I've never though about it. Are you sure that everybody has one soulmate? I don't think so, in my opinion we just create our perfect idea of person according to the person we have fallen in love with. So, to me, my soulmate must have the following attributes:

The most important thing is that she has to be a girl. Then she has to have a cute face with a nice smile, her eyes and hair can be of different colours but I prefer bright ones. She must be tall, fit and slin, in short good looking. 

Some features about her character must be similiar to mine but not all of them. I appreciate morality and honesty very much. Obviously she must be good-tempered and independent (in some cases). So my perfect girl must be a good person.

All in all, I've written a society's model of girl because it's difficult to describe my soulmate. Probably, a girl with the above qualities might not stay with me so I will search another kind of person, but I'm not worried about it. As I said before, everybody finds his/her soulmate in the person who loves.

 

Sporting superstitions

Legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff used to slap his goalkeeper in the stomach before each match. Tennis ace Serena Williams alwaysbounces her ball five times before her first serve. Jennifer Aniston, it is reported, touches the outside of any plane she flies in with her right foot before boarding. From touching wood for good luck, to walking around ladders to avoid bad luck, we all have little routines or superstitions, which make little sense when you stop to think about them. And they are not always done to bring us luck. I wait until just after the kettle has boiled to pour the water for a cup of tea, rather than pouring just before it boils. I do not know why I feel the need to do this, I am sure it cannot make a difference to the drink.

Some athletics have rituals while, before or after they play. This repetitive action or ritual is in our brains, we use to repeat an action which we know before has succeeded. Our brain prefers to repeat an action which is known to have good results rather than look for another new one. If we think about superstition we take notice that they are non-senses, but finally we repeat it to get luck.

In my opinion there isn't any reason to think that superstitions will help me, I think the opposite, if I forget to do something (superstition) I will have a bad sense and I won't feel comfortable. I'm going to explain what happened to me: The day of my TDR oral presentation I took a symbol (a blue glass stone with an eye in the middle) which my aunt gave me as a present after her journey to Greece. The symbol was supposed to bring good luck, but when I was putting it inside my pencil case it fell down and it broke in several pieces. I thought "Oh my God". But I went to my oral presentation quite calm and all ended well.

LINK

Kettle

Ladders

Slap

Ears and noses from test tube

Researchers from Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London have become the first to turn stem cells from body fat in the abdomen of children into living cartilage, through tissue engineering.

This ground-breaking procedure could help young patients who are born with debilitating facial abnormalities, such as 'microtia’, where the outer ear is underdeveloped, or those who require reconstructive surgery after an accident.

Experts believe it could ultimately be utilised in many other types of transplant surgery, to help reduce the risk of the body rejecting a replacement organ.

Currently, when facial features of children with severe birth defects need to be rebuilt, surgeons have to take cartilage from other parts of the body, such as the ribs, which is an invasive and painful procedure.

British scientists have developed a great technique. They have developed a process to grow ears and noses. They take stem cells from the body's fat and in a laboratory through tissue engineering they turn into living cartilage. This technique benefits patients who had any abnormality when they were born or people who has suffered an accident.

In my opinion this is a fantastic development. Most of the patients will improve their lives' quality because we live in a world where the beauty is very important, we saw it last term. The members (noses and frame's ears) are achieved in a combination of natural and artificial materials.

Development is very important in our society and we see a lot of improvements. It's very different these kind of surgery than the other one which only searches  beauty, in these cases is a necessity for these persons. 

LINK
Stem cells
Tissue
Frame

Circulation degradation

Vehicles are ensnared at an intersection in Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi province, where according to wires reports the traffic signal failed. The city is often plagued by serpentine traffic jams, and heavy smog this winter has compounded those problems, reducing visibility for motorists. As BBC News reported, Chinese authorities are facing mounting pressure from citizens to regulate pollution-intensive industries and seek carbon-neutral forms of energy production and transport. (Photo: ChinaFotoPress/Getty)


In Xi'an, China, a traffic signal failed and lots of vehicles were ensnared at an intersection. The big amount of vehicles had produced an intensive air pollution which reduced the visibility for motorbike riders. This smog also is harmful for the health. Chinese authorities want to regulate pollution coming from industries and transport after the pressure done from citizens. 

In my opinion this article shows the big problem which is living China. The high level of toxic gases in the air produces an unbearable way to breath. The Government should take part in this problem but they probably crash against industries, which defend their benefits.

All together have to fight to protect the earth because all of us live in it.

LINK
Ensnared
Unbearable
Serpentine