Your smile is my drug: June 2013

Final post

That's the last post of the course.... it's also the last homework I will do to first batchieller... what can I say... I'm very happy! After a hard working year I have finish all my work. As a philosopher said years ago, "the world is moved by pleasures", so now we will enjoy the next summer as it was the last.

This year I have improved my english level and these final essays are uncomparable with for example an interview that I made in the first term. I have an extra motivation in english lessons because I imagine myselve in a class in the USA. I will need to understand a lot of cientific names and what the teacher is saying... so I must study hard during next year. Now I'm waiting first exam results every second more nervous, I finish the exam happy but now I think that I will not pass.

Probably I will continue this blog next year and I promise that I will do it more regularly, because this year I have done the blog too much fast.

I hope you will have a good summer and a good relax! See you soon :)

Arià

Documentary

In class we watched an interesting documentary that made a little sumary of the evolution of the earth and the effects that the humans have caused to it. We are more dangerous than any other specie, we have wiped out a lot of other types of animals and we are going to a near autodestruction of the human race. The documentary which is very powerful shows us how much important has been the use of fuel, it has increased the velocity of the climate change and much changes.

Their images were really amazing, taken from all arround the world. I haven't seen this video before I hadn't hear of it too. I think that it should be interesting that it could be seen for everybody because that's an important topic that we must respect. However the fuel will run out nearer than we think so we should develope a new ecologic technology.

Humans have to admit and recognize that we can't do whatever we want without consequences, we also must learn that we aren't alone on the earth and we can't manipulate the nature like our own body, the earth is a place where much animal live on and we must understand that as soon as posible.

Strange moments in the high school

I have thought that it should be interesting that I explain a funny story that happened to me few years ago... I will keep some names in the mystery because I have to study one more year in the center and I don't want to be involved in any problem.

One friend and me were always going to the school library to play a stupid football game, almost every day, we only were there at last five minutes but one day the "library's teacher" (as you probably know is a bit hard with the students), came to us and she started to shout very loud. She asked us what were we doing and we only could answer that we were doing a project for the history teacher about the epic football teams. We had to lie but for a good reason. We stopped going to the library and we were very frightened, during a pair of weeks, of the history teacher. He didn't say nothing so all went perfectly.
I have other funny stories like when I arrived twenty minutes late to the english class, because my friend didn't go to school this day...
And... when I was near to recive an expultion because I forgot to advice a substitute teacher...
I'm so shy so I try to pass undetected in all the classes where I go but always happen such things to me.

Record and upload audio >>

Security is being increased in Brazil's biggest cities after protesters announced they would go ahead with mass demonstrations planned for Thursday.

Security is being increased in Brazil's biggest cities after protesters announced they would go ahead with mass demonstrations planned for Thursday.

Protesters in Sao Paulo said they would take to the streets "to celebrate" the reversal of a public-transport fare increase announced on Wednesday.

The protests, which were originally triggered by the increase, have since grown into a much wider movement.

Demonstrators are angry at corruption and spending on next year's World Cup.

Fenced off

The authorities in the city of Rio de Janeiro have erected barricades around the state legislature building, which was vandalised during protests on Monday.

The state governor's office, Guanabara Palace, has also been secured by a double layer of barricades.

Workers have also fenced off the elevated walkways opposite the mayor's office and at central underground train stations.

Protesters told the BBC's Julia Carneiro in Rio they would not march to the city's Maracana stadium, which will be hosting a Confederations Cup match between Spain and Tahiti at the time

Sincerely I understand perfectly the protesters because it should be very unfair if they live without some privileges and then their governament spend millions of pounds in a sports event. So I think that these demostrations are justified because the most important thing in a society are the persons who live in. However the world cup has been placed in Brasil and nowadays is very difficult to change the place because there are some international rules. Brasilian people have to approach the turism that it will bring to the country, and the governament must spend some money to improve the city and the security in it. This is the most pleased point to improve, security, they have problems of some bands that lives in "chavelas" and there, there isn't any drugs control and of course any gun's control. I think that it's a perfect opportunity to eliminate the corruption, because most countries are focused on Brasil and the their athletes.

The demonstrations maybe will be useful but in my opion they have done them to much late.

bbc

Self evaluation

Arià Canadell: Global warming
Presentation (10%)	Do you use any resources? Are the resources relevant and attractive and focused on the topic? Do they support your presentation? Is the timing 5-7 minutes? The presentation was correct in my opinion because it supported the content of the explanation and it had photos of all the causes-effects we explained.	10
Body language and eye contact (10%)	Are you looking at your audience most of the time? Are you reading occasionally from your notes? Are you doing any gestures / movement to hold the attention of the audience? I'm always trying it but while I'm nervous I can't control my eyes at all. Then I read at last a pair of sentences that I think is very normal.	10
Structure (10%)	Do you organize your ideas in order of importance? Do you use discourse markers to make your ideas more clear? Well, instead of organize the ideas in order of importance we had organized them in causes and effects of the global warming.	10
Content (40%)	Do you introduce interesting, NEW information to your audience? Is your information detailed and clear? Do you give / show examples? Is your information copied from a source or is it original? Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books…? We didn't introduce new information because a week before other group explain the global warming so we repeat much information. We addapted internet's information but we only could make a little summary without a lot informtion, it didn't contain any examples because we couldn't find them....	20
Language (20%)	Is your grammar correct, complex? Is your vocabulary rich and varied? Do you use sentence linkers? Do you use pause fillers? The grammar was easy to understand and to memorize, the sentences were good stuctured but I don't know if I changed some sentences during the presentation to the class.	10
Pronunciation and intonation (10%)	Do you know how to pronounce all your words? Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? Do you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions? I check difficult words in the dicctionary and other ones that I asked to Christian. My pronunciation in the explanation wasn't perfect of course but I try to pronunce all the "complex" words good.	5
65/100

Oral presentation

The right definition of “global warming” is, as you probably know, the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since 19th century and it will rise more and more if we do nothing.

Scientists have spent decades looking for what is causing global warming. They've looked at the natural cycles and events that are known to influence climate. The only way to explain this rise of temperature is including the effect of greenhouse gases emitted by humans. We produce too much carbon dioxide, the vegetation can’t transform all the carbon dioxide so the gases are being kept in the atmosphere. How you can see in the second photo less re-radiated heats escapes into space. So the energy is not escaping well from the earth and we keep temperature. Our greenhouse effect that usually protect us, now are raising energy levels, but it’s our fault.

How you can see in this graphic the temperature is rising very slowly. But this little change supposes big effects. Now Marc will explain some of the most important global warming’s effects on the earth.

All in all we have to say that our presentation was a bit similar to Ana’s and Xantal’s presentation because the topics were very related. Maybe we can say that humans are killing the earth with our pollution, in my opinion now we can do nothing because we are young and is very difficult that a simple person could make sense to a big company that they have to change. But we can give support to a NGO, working for them or giving money to them.

Finally we will show a you little video related with the effects of global warming

Global warming quiz

Firstly I have to say that the quiz was so strange, there were different types of questions: obvious ones (that almost everybody must know), logic questions (that maybe you don't know but after thinking them for a minute you can get the correct answer) and finally some questions that I answered luckily.

I have passed the global warming quiz but I have failed two questions. The third one asked me which planet was the most pollution by the runaway atmosphere gases, the chances were Mars, Earth, Venus and Jupiter. I put the earth because I thought that it was the only planet which have its own atmosphere, but that was wrong, the correct answer was Venus. Then the eleventh question "Hybrid cars get better gas mileage than cars with standard engines" was very confusing in my opinion. The correct answer was "sometimes" but I put always because I didn't know the answer.

Informal dialogue

Gap year

The gap year is a period of time between the high school and the university. It's a good ocasion to get experience in the futures jobs. A lot of people try to do volunteer job because it's a very good chance to improve the CV.

On the one hand gap year students need a little break between two important stages of their lives. So they approach this year to keep positive energy and start the new course as good as posible. Many people who do this type of trips are more sociable and they are more preparate because they have take care of themselves during a year.

On the other hand, students can relax too much during this year and in this case is a lost year. In some places you must pay for the food and the house and not always the family can afford it. Also maybe the students reduce the capacity of studying during this time.

All in all it's a good experience for everybody if you take it as a work year, but if we take it as a holidays year we will have spend a good chance to improve like persons and we will have lost a valuable time.

Opinion essay

We have almost learnt to respect the world.

Nowadays we are emitting gases and waste without taking care of our planet. However, there are more campaigns against the big companies than decades ago.

Firstly, I can't say that we emite toxic products to the sea because I haven't seen it, but I have heard it. That's terrible because we are not only wiping out forests' specis but we are also killing shellfish.

Secondly, wherever you go we can see pollution and desforestation produced be humans. But while some people try to go green other people are earning money and pollute the earth.

Thirdly, instead of being responsible nowadays we will live in a dirty world because yhe rubbish lasts a large period of time on the planet.

All in all we are being more responsible than years ago but we must keep improving if we want to live in a world with animals and vegetation.

Informal dialogue

Jamie (Speaking on the phone.) Yes, yes, great party, wasn't it? (Sound of doorbell.) Listen, Polly, I've got to go. There's someone at the door. Come here this evening? Yeah, why not? I haven't got any plans. OK, see you later. Bye, Polly. Bye. (Sound of doorbell again.) OK.OK. I'm coming! (Opens door.) Oh, hi, Tania. How are things? I wasn't... I wasn't expecting you.

Tania Well, aren't you going to invite me in?

Jamie I... Yes, of course. Come in. (He sits in front of the TV looking worried.)

Tania Jamie, can you turn that thing off?

Jamie Hang on a second, can I just watch this?

Tania No, you can't. Jamie, I need to speak to you. This is important.

Jamie I'm listening, I'm listening.

Tania You aren't. You never listen. (Turns off the TV.)

Jamie Why did you do that?

Tania Jamie, it's over.

Jamie What do you mean? What's over?

Tania I mean you and me. Us. It's over

Jamie Oh, come on, Tania. Let's not start that again.

Tania A friend told me you were out on Friday night. Is that true?

Jamie Someone invited me to a party, OK?

Tania Ok for you, maybe, but you didn't want to ask me, did you?

Jamie I did. It isn't that simple.

Tania Well, my friend was there and she said that things were very simple for you. (Doorbell rings again.)

Jamie Hang on a second, Tania. I'm sure we can sort this out. (Jamie opens the door. Polly is there, smiling.) Polly. How did you...?

Polly I was just around the corner when I called you, so I thought... (Polly sees Tania.) Oh, sorry, I didn't realize....
...................................................................................................................................................................
Jamie (Nervous.) Tania, it's not what it seems! Let me explain, we...

Tania I don't want to hear your stupid explanations, you asshole!

Jamie But, Tania, listen....

Tania You were lying to me the whole time, weren't you?

Polly Maybe I should come again later...

Tania (Shouting.) You shut up!

Jamie Tania, don't talk to her like that! I'm sorry, Polly...

Tania What? Now you're even on her side? Are you fucking kidding me?

Jamie Tania, relax! She only asked me to...

Tania (Crying.) How... how could do this to me with that fucking... slut?

(Sound of footsteps)

Derek Hi Polly! (Derek kisses Polly) Er... What's going on here?

Polly Tania... This is Derek, my boyfriend.

Jamie You see Tania. I came across Polly, on the party and she asked to help her with her homework today...

Tania Oh my god... I'm so sorry...

Police to target drinks drivers with summers enforcements

Police to target drinks drivers with summers enforcements

"As the national summer drink drive campaign launches today, Cheshire Police will be supporting with a series of anti-drink and drug driving initiatives to both raise public awareness and provide locally driven enforcement activity.

The intelligence led operation, which will be driven by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), will focus on drivers aged under 30, but also daytime drinkers who may drive to 'alcohol fuelled' events and take the risk of driving home.

Although drink driving enforcement is an all year around activity for Cheshire Police, road safety messages will be delivered through targeted enforcements involving roadside breath tests and field impairment tests.

ACPO's enforcement campaign will target well-intentioned drivers who do not think they are breaking the law but who may be over the legal limit by the time they get into their cars to drive home. Those found to be over the limit will face prosecution, which can lead to a jail sentence."

This type of campaigns are very necessary to avoid accidents killing innocent persons.

Police from Cheshire do breath tests checking the alchool in blood and also if drugs substancies are taken. This is very good to young people and also adullt ones to avoid accidents. Drivers must be more concious of the danger that represents to drive drunk or whith less reflexes, it can kills an innocent person and themselves too. For this reason if they are caught having drunk they can be brougt to the jail. Here in Spain is a little bit the same but instead of going to jail they have to stop the car waiting for hours untill the alchool levels in blood are normal, and also the driver loses points of his driving licence and can be ran out of circulation for months.

I think these controls are a very good acction from the police to keep ourselves safe. So people who must drive have in perfect conditions to drive a vehicle. In a group of young people going out they can agree that the driver being a different one every time but the most important thing: choosing a non drinking driver to go home.

Impairment: to reduce or weaken in strength, quality. (Reducció de..)

Prosecution: he institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a person. (processament)
Fuelled: any substance burned as a source of heat or power, such as coal or petrol. (alimentat)

Harry potter

The last film I have seen is the last film of Harry potter, it has been published months ago, I'm a fan of their films. I think that they are very imaginative and emotional at the same time. I own all his films. I started watching it when I was just a child. All the characters in the film have changed a lot, like me, so I am always watching guys a bit older than me (we have grown together), for that reason I think it's a good film for our generation, we feel a bit identifiied with them despite of being (maggles). My family is also a fan of them, when we can we put together at the living room and we see it. We have other favorite films, the important thing is that we can relax for one day in the week.

In the last film is when harry's history finishes with the dead of his enemy. It's the best film of his seven ones, because it contains action and we can solve some mysteries that the director gave to us in the other films.

If the make another film I will see it in the cinema as all the others ones but I think that Harry has ran out of the screen.

First exam

Yesterday I did the first certificate exam in Figueres. I go twice a week to private classes with a few friends. One month ago they told to us if we would take the exam, but we thought that it was too much early and we weren't enough prepared, so we decided that we wouldn't take the exam. But when I arrived at home my mother said that she had resgistered me in the exam. I explained her what has happened but it was too late to change our decision. So yesterday I went alone to the exam, I have to say that I was a bit nervous. The first test I had to do was the reading one, it wasn't difficult but in the last part I hadn't time to finish it well so I put some answers without thought them enought. The second test was the writing's one, I had to compose an e-mail and a formal letter. The second term letter's classes were very useful. The third control I had to pass was "use of english". There was a difficult text that you had to complete with some words they gave to you, then the other parts of the control were easy I think. The listening was the last writen part and it was very confusing. My worst test was the speaking one because I put myself very nervous and I couldn't think and speak very well until we had to describe photos, then I could speak without looking the interviewer's face and I got more relax.

They will give my mark on July so I hope that I have get more than a sixty per cent...

Miami

A journey which I always being thinking on is to go to Miami. Since I was a boy I heart good thinks about it. My parents had shown me their honey moon travel. They went to Miami and others cities. But it was their favorite one. They had explained me how wonderful and powerful it was. To walk on the streets in the middle of the huge skyscrapers, the impression they caused, and also the feeling of inferiority walking among them. The typical American movie, with funny people you could directly saw there. They also explain me so many good experiences they had.

I also want to travel there because I want enjoy with their peaceful beaches, a place like Hawaii but not as popular as this one, for example Miami. If I have the oppurtunity I would like to go there without my family. I think it will be very interesting go there with my friends without any control, but I think that it will very difficuld and expensive at the same time.

Achievements of this year

This month of may has been very good for our tennis club. I play "aerodrom's tennis club". This year we arrived to the absolute province final in the category of gold and after a very emoting final we won. We played five individual matches and two doubles against Banyoles' team, after being winners against Lloret and Girona.

We won two individual ones and they three, so we needed two doubles to win. After being playing during all the morning we won one double. I was playing with my coach. We played in the last match, it was decisive. We were winning 6/2 but we lost the second set 4/6 and then we became nervous but thanks our supporters we won the thirst set 6/3 after playing during almost three hours. Our tennis friends jumped to the court congratulating us. It was very emotive. We were very happy because we played in their court so there were more rivals supporters shouting but we could be the province championship. Finally one friend put me into the bath and I finish very wet, but it didn't matter, we had win the final.

This year I have won the single junior provincial too. It was more difficult and important than the team's one but it wasn't as funny as with my tennis friends.

Twin tower

I remember perfectly that day, it was a Sunday I think. I was just five years old and I was in the cinema with my parents. I saw it in the television that it was in front of me, I said it to my parents but the didn't realized me, they just said " jaja, it is a film, it can't be possible". But then they turned their heads and the saw that it wasn't a film, it was happening. I felt very bad for that fact. Then I was too little to think about the damaged New Yorker's life but it caused me a bad feeling see most of the people on the television crying. The news was in it for several weeks, explaining all the facts and effects.

Nowadays I can be conscious how important it was, and how many people died that day doing nothing wrong. My parents had been there only two years ago the towers fallen down. They have explained to me that it was the highest thing they had seen, and, I can remember very well, that they had promised to me that if I was good student they would have brought me to see them

Travelling nowadays

At present is easy and cheap to travell anywhere. Prices have been reduced in last years. The fight between companies have advantatged customers. Fly by low cost is ver practical for us. Now is posible to pay a visit to any european capital for weekends or few days. Years ago there were less travels but they least longer because the flies were more expensive than nowadays. But it was only able for few people because normal people couldn't affort it. Nowadays is very useful to desconect from the rutine and visit some city or relax in hotel.

Rayanair was the first flying company to introduce low cost flights. You could visit London or any other city nearly for the price of a meal. The same opportunity for foreign people, then tourism came to Spain, it was easy to arrive at Barcelona and Girona for few money. This was a great thing to increase benefits for hotels, restaurants and shops.

Now perhaps there are less people travelling because of the crisis, but the people still traveling. Almost to spend free time with the family.

Healthy life

Nowadays people try to get a healthy life, we are more concious about our health and what bad habits can cause. We practice sport regularly for example riding a bike, running or going on foot to the places. Also we eat nonfat meals and we try to avoid fast food restaurants. We try to buy healthier food at the supermarkets too. The education begins when we are very young, at school they explain to us how to eat an how to have a healthy life. Mothers use to prepare sandwiches rather than biscuits or greasy thinks. A study explain that mothers who works, they managed to prepare more healthy meals (breakfast for school) than other ones who doesn't. I think it's very important to practice sport, in my case tennis, because you socialize and you get fit. I also try to eat all the meals trying to change the sort of foot I eat. However the eat and the sport are not all the things that determinates a healthy life because there are smokers that they cause themselves healthy problems and drinkers that they put their life at the limit.

But in the other side now is more difficult to eat vegetables and fruits than thirty or forty years ago baecause all we eat is more manipulated (less natural). The best option are ecological products but at the moment they are too much expensive.

Chinese hakers accessed F-35 designs after breaking into U.S system.

Chinese hakers accessed F-35 designs after breaking into U.S system.

A pre-production model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"Chinese hackers have accessed designs for dozens of advanced U.S. weapons and stolen plans for Australia’s new spy headquarters, according to two separate reports from opposite sides of the globe.

China has dismissed both reports.

The Washington Post reported Monday that cyber-thieves broke into American systems and accessed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the U.S. Navy’s Aegis ballistic missile defence systems, the Patriot missile system and the Black Hawk helicopter.

The Defense Science Board report the Washington Post cited didn’t comment on the extent of the cyber-theft or whether government computer networks had been involved, that cyber-thieves broke into American systems and accessed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the U.S. Navy’s Aegis ballistic missile defence systems, the Patriot missile system and the Black Hawk helicopter.

The Defense Science Board report the Washington Post cited didn’t comment on the extent of the cyber-theft or whether government computer networks had been involved.
China, which is pursuing a comprehensive long-term strategy to modernize its military, is investing in ways to overcome the U.S. military advantage"

National post

Washington post

In my opinion this news is very shoking because nowadays hackers are the most important soldiers in the armies. Informatic world is very powerful and this is a very good example. Probably if the chinese hackers would kill lots of people they could do it. Also they could start a new world war with U.S in the focus. The countries must improve security systems because hackers are improving their power in the XXI century. Informatics have accessed the F-35 and it costs milons of euros, it isn't just a killing toy. Nowadays' weapons have a huge capacity of destruction, and we have to take care of them if we would live in a "peaceful" world.

I thought that was imposible that a group of people in a computer room could access in a hight secret system from the other part of the world as they did. But now I have seen that it is posible and I'm more afraid than before because our weapons don't stop improving, when will it finish?.

Hauk: any of numerous birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, havinga short, hooked beak, broad wings, and curved talons, oftenseen circling or swooping at low altitudes. (Falcó)

Headquarters: a center of operations, as of the police or a business, from which orders are issued; the chief administrative office of an organization. ( Seu d'organització)

Pursuing: to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chase. (Persegir)

Dictionary reference