My English competence in 2016

Best oral evidence

This oral presentation was the last that I have done. From my point of view I believe that to be the last may be it is the one that has more bugs corrected from the other presentations. I also have to add that I have not only improved in fluency and pronunciation, but it is also more merit due I've done by myself; what I had to say and the visual reinforcement. In addition, I exposed my research work, which I was very helpful when it comes to talk about it because I felt confident and proud of what explained. In this oral presentation you can see the progress I've made on my English. I think it's my best oral presentation for the maturity and because I talk about a very interesting scientific topic which is “stem cells”, where I expose my research work of high school.

Best written evidence

I’ve chosen this written composition as the best because it’s a formal letter, a structure with a high level to follow and there are some formal expressions language that you have to take care when you’re writing a formal letter.

I decided to write it because it’s the hardest type of composition for me and I have to improve this kind of writings. The structure doesn’t follow the other usually structures as you can see in the composition. There is used a formal and mature language without contractures and bad order sentences. You have to aware that you’re writing to someone who is important so the salutation and the end of the composition have to finish with a determinate way.

So it’s the hardest one and following a model I wrote down one respecting all the specific points a formal letter has to have. It will be very useful when I have a job and I have to write one to my boss if I’m not the boss of course. 

My English progress from 4t ESO to 2nd BAT

Compared my first written post in my blog with the last one I can detect some differences as the wealth of vocabulary I has been adding into my compositions and the mature structure which my compositions has got during the years. In 2013 I used to repeat a lot some specific expressions such as “I think…” or “This is because…”. I didn’t respect the structure my compositions had to have depending on the writing I did, I mean, a letter and an essay have different structures which I didn’t use to follow but I reach to do it this last year.

All this stuff means I’ve grown up in my compositions. One point which is very important in writings is grammar, I improved but I’m still making some mistakes some of them are because I don’t pay enough attention while I’m doing them. In conclusion I have to say blog has made possible my improving in compositions even though I don’t like do it.

Related to my oral presentations, they have been my weakest activity during all English learning in high school. I feel very nervous every time I’m standing up in front of the class. I think this feeling is caused by the fear to don’t know what to say or if I’m doing wrong. Well, after that, my oral presentations have improved as writing compositions. My first oral presentation I was extreme nervous, I tend all the time to read what it was written in my helper paper. In this last year the visual support has improved a lot, I used to present with power point behind me but now I have learnt how to do presentations with Prezi, which is better tool than power point. My fluency and pronunciation have improved too. My fluency has got better because I try to speak English by myself or in class with friends. I remember that I used to get stuck very frequently in my firsts oral presentations which it’s not the case recently. I’ve been watching several YouTube videos in English and I’m subscribed in some YouTube channels of English youtubers. By this way, I learn English having fun which is better because you remain easier new words or expressions.

Contrasting my firsts presentations with my lasts, I have to admit that I improved in all the aspects I said before and my last oral presentation which was about my paper research I enjoyed a lot because I was doing something I really like  and I was glad to explain my knowledge to the others. It was a very nice experience and the feeling you have when everybody is listening and watching you with interesting face, it’s awesome and a pleasure.
In addition say that I achieved to use more phrasal verbs and idioms. Connectors and modal verbs have made me able to get more mature my compositions even I should use all this stuff more often.

Summer Job

Summer Job

Last summer I was chosen for a job in Gran Reserva, Empuriabrava. I left the curriculum one month before and I started to work on the 1^st of August. This job which they offered me was about taking care of 4 swimming pools and once a week I had to help the cleaners. My schedule covered 9 hours per day. It started at 8 o’clock morning until half 19h. I took care one swimming pool per day, I mean I changed the swimming pool every day.

At 8 a.m I cleaned swimming pool area even the swimming pool. Then at 10 o’clock I opened the swimming pool and I guarded people who can get into the pool. Those people were who had rented an apartment there, in Gran Reserva.

At 14h I had got 2 hours for have a lunch and then I had to come back to the job guarding the swimming pool until 19h.

While I were doing all this stuff I had to change bins and sweep the floor.

The toughest day was Saturday when I had to work with cleaners. All day I was pushing a trolley full of dirty clothes and it was disgusting. I have to congratulate cleaner girls for do this awful job they are awesome.

It was a really nice experience because I have learnt lot of things about world job which is in very difficulties and sacrifices for the employees. Despite this, I make good friends end it allows me to put in my curriculum that I have job experience for get another job.

The end finally has arrived

After six years studying in INS Castelló d’Empúries finally it’s finished. I feel a little bit upset for leave all behind me, a lot of friends, fantastic teachers, experiences… But all this things are safety saved in my mind. I’ve changed a lot, I don’t remember my 1^st and 2^nd year in high school but I’ve grown up and a part of my increased knowledge I’ve learnt different ways to face and afford hard situations. Studies has consumed me, I’m really fed up about them. I have to say they have helped me to change myself and my friends and new friends have been crucial for me. I lived an amazing and unforgettable stage of my life, but as we know all which begins finally ends. From this point of view is a sad feeling and ending. I have to be conscious that, yes, it’s true this stage is gone, but starts another one which is said is better than the other one and the best of our lifes. That’s what is said… Well, I’ll have to discover by myself I guess. This is another point to consider, I’ll be only with friends, no mummy no daddy. It’s the beginning of an independence life. It sounds wonderful and free but, honestly, I think it will be hard at the very beginning.

Finally say that these two years ago have been really tough but I did it, I’m proud of myself and what I achieved and I hope to follow my way with my personality and happiness, facing hard challenges with humour and positive attitude and taking care of people who loves you, like I’ve learnt during high school stage.  

Human Rights news

The moment one woman stands up to more than 300 Nazis

This news article explains about one black woman who stands up to neo-Nazis parade and refuses to let them pass. This brave woman is deemed a hero in Sweden for “iconic” defiant gesture in front of fascist march, which was permitted by the government. She is called Tess Asplund, she is 42 and stood in the way of the right-wing extremists and silently raised her fist. This article also tells us that the image of her peaceful protest and standing against racism has gone viral around the world.

I think this is a really brave gesture to defend human rights as the right of equality between different cultures even having different skin colour. This woman has made an inflexion point of how the important are human rights and if many of us join together against the violation of them, we could reach a better world without discriminations and murders only for being no like some dumb people want. Nazism has been the author of holocaust killing millions of people who didn’t follow its ideology. 

Race to save the Antarctic base

Race to save the Antarctic base: Research 'caterpillar' will ski to safety to avoid being cast adrift on a piece of ice

This news article explains about Halley VI, a structure built on a floating ice shelf in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Scientifics has realized about ice is cracking round the caterpillar base. The way they are using to avoid lose the base is try to ski it to safety. It also mentions that this summer, tractors will tow modules of the base on the skis to be allowed to safe the base.

In my opinion I think that we have to draw some conclusions about this happening. Global warming is real and it’s going forwards really fast. The growing fissures around the base has appeared due the increase of the temperatures. We have to act against this phenome for safe our planet.

Getting away from routine

I was fed up of the same routine like every weekend; homework, eat and sleep. So two friends and I decided to spend a whole Sunday in Girona. We took the train from Figueras at 10 a.m. and we arrived to Girona half hour later. Therefore we could send more time there. During the morning we visited the historical centre. It is so wonderful because it inspiring an atmosphere of knights and fights with swords and all this stuff. We took some photos on the wall. From there we could enjoy the amazing landscapes which were showing all Girona from beautiful views. At midday we eat hamburgers in König, they were delicious. After, we bought some sweets and walked to Fontajau. There we had an afternoon nap laying down on the green grass. At 8 o’clock we entered in Fontajau because we were going to watch and amazing semi-finals of famine basketball match, there were playing UNI Girona vs Perfumeries. The game was awesome because UNI Girona won at over time and the atmosphere and the crowd were so exciting and euphoric. I will absolutely repeat this experience soon.

Females are most likely to get ill

Women really ARE the weaker sex: Forget man flu - it's females who are most likely to get ill and take to their beds

This article talks about women are most likely to get ill than men. It tells that a research has found women tend to having suffered ailments. This news tell us that women are also more likely to take medicines from medicine cabinet to help them to recover. A study found more women reported headaches in past years than men. In addition this news article mentions that Mintel research deals a blow to the much-reported man flu phenomenon. There are written down some data about women and men sick to compare both sexes and it informs about the routines which has each sex has it too as a variable to compare.

I think this study can be really informative, but it may be a focus of discussion about equality between women and men because of the sentence which says: “Women really are the weaker sex”. It can be understood from many points of views. 

HUMAN RIGHTS

1. What are human rights?

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law , general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

2. When and why were they created? 1945 by United Nations after 2nd World War.

3. How many human rights are there?

There are 30 human rights.

4. Which human right are you going to dig deeper? Make a list of new words you hear, if any. Think of an example where this human right is respected and where it is violated.

Article 19. 

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

The right to freedom of expression is guaranteed by a number of global and regional human rights treaties, as well as under customary international law. Freedom of expression is a universal right, so its meaning is largely the same in every treaty.

1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

3. It may therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others.
(b) For the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals.

Established in 1987, ARTICLE 19 defends freedom of expression and information. Fighting for all hostages of censorship, defend dissenting voices that have been muzzled, and campaign against laws and practices that silence.

Protects the right to speak and right to know in countries emerging from conflict, war and genocide or repression.
To safeguard media pluralism, independence and diversity of views.
The right to know of poorer communities and advocate for the implementation of freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens' participation.
Freedom of expression, including freedom of information, as a fundamental human right that is also central to the protection of other rights. Freedom of expression allows people to demand the right to health, to a clean environment, to memory and to justice.

This right of freedom of expresion is respected in the most publications in newsapapers and in democracies where people has the right to vote and express themselves in the street. But this right is violated in countires where there is a dictatorship or where there is a civil war. There people can't express anything, if they try it probably will be killed or locked up.
https://www.article19.org/pages/en/international-guarantee.html
https://www.article19.org/pages/en/mandate.html
Video

Why I hate school but I love education

EDUCATION IS THE KEY

"Memorize equations, facts and dates,
Write down to the letter,
Half of which I would never remember,
And half of which I would forget straigh after the exam."

A lot of the things we learn at school we find that we don’t even need for the future. Just like learning geometry, syntax, philosophy and stuff like that. I took geometry for a whole year in high school and not once was it needed in college. There is a vast variety of classes that colleges have to help find what you are good at. But I agree with Breaks that we memorize the work that we later just eventually forget after the exam.

The baby born in hell

This news article explains about the terrifying situation that migrants are living in Greece waiting for the opening of the border. An estimated 14,000 refugees from the Syrian conflict are stuck on the Greek border with Macedonia.

In this article we can see images of thousands of desperate migrants who have SET UP lot of tents where to live, it seems a tent city on the Greek border, town of Idomeni.

Also this article mentions that Macedonia president, Gjorge Ivanov, sealed the frontier this week claiming he was being flooded by jihadists. He also said there were 20 million people looking to attempt the journey to Europe from Sudan and Egypt.

This news also explains about a tragic migrant mother who gives birth in the squalor of Idomeni’s tent city and washes the child in a puddle.

This article shocked me because there are MILLIONS OF people trying to survive in subhuman conditions running away of the war in their country and the border is close. I was so astonished about the migrant mother giving birth in THOSE conditions and washing her baby in a puddle. I’m so embarrassed about that and I think Europe HAS to solve it as soon as possible.

   

American game

On Thursday March 10th I lived one of the best experiences of my life. With my basketball team we played a friendly match against an American team from South Carolina. They came to Catalonia for endowing a basketball campus which is near Banyoles. In this campus you spend a week playing with and against American basketball teams both male and female. In addition to improving your game in basketball, you also practice and improve English because you have to live and communicate in the matches with American colleagues.

Despite losing the friendly match against the Americans, I enjoyed the experience. There was a black guy who was very TALL and it was a sight to see him playing. It was also interesting to hear them speak to each other with English giving indications of moves or things like that. It has been an experience that I will never forget and I would like to repeat VERY MUCH. It was awesome.

Book Opinion

Three hats is a humorous play which was written before the civil war. It didn't like the viewers because it used an absurd and childish humor. This humor was too advanced for that time. It is characterized by the criticism and mockery of labels, prejudices and stereotypes of different social classes.

The black humor, ridicule and mockery of the conventions of the bourgeois is the main theme of the work and I think they're cleverly gotten without being offensive. An example would be when Don Sacramento explains to Dionisio that he will have bourgeois life when he marry Sacramento’s daughter. These scenes make you have funny moments and make you to be focused on the story.

In conclusion, Mihura portrays of corny the bourgeois using irony and absurdity to sneer at the attitudes and customs of these, such as breakfast potatoes every early morning at 6 o’clock. In this way wants to criticize the stereotypes of society.

Guided visit

Spending 2 days of vacations in Castelló d'Empúries and Empuriabrava

Once we have arrived at night 22: 00h at the hotel Port Salins Empuriabrava we will spend the first night there. The service of the hotel included dinner. By morning we will have breakfast at 8-9h. A bus will take us to the meeting point at the buses’ parking next to the Rentador in Castelló d’Empúries where the guide will wait us to start some tours into Castello d'Empúries. The cost of the tour will be 5 euros per person, the tour will consist of a visit to Castelló d'Empúries with historical explanation and more detailed and specific visits to the prison, the Ecomuseum-Flour Mill and Basilica Castelló d'Empúries. For lunch we will go at 13:30h approximately to Hostal Casa Clara where there are a variety of dishes typical of Mediterranean gastronomy. At 16h a bus will take us to the wetlands (Aiguamolls), a natural park where you can see different species of animals and plants and enjoy the natural environment and wild. If you want you can return to the hotel at 18:30h by a bike using the greenway which will lead to the Empuriabrava’s beach. There you can leave the bikes in place to let them. We can stroll along the beach and swim if we want because Hotel Port Salins is not so far walking from where we left the bikes. Around 20:30h we will go to the hotel and after we have taken a shower and changed, the dinner will be ready at the restaurant of the hotel. At night, if you want, there are several local clubs to party and go out for drink with friends. Then, when you want, you can return to the hotel to sleep.

The following day the breakfast will be in the hotel restaurant. By morning at 10h we will have prepared aquatic and on land activities. We will rent some Segways to go for a walk for the beach promenade using them. Around 11:15h we will go to a sailing school where you can choose to go kayaking, padelsurf, windsurfing or sailing a boat. About 14h we will have to change our outfit because we will go to a restaurant for lunch called Taggliatella. At 16h a bus will bring us to the area of ​​the airfield where we will enjoy watching the parachute jumps, go karting, playing tennis or paddle, going to a simulator of waves where we will be able to surfing and we can go to the wind tunnel to simulate a parachute jump and have a real feeling of it. All these activities will end at 19:30h approximately. Then the bus will take us to the hotel to change our clothes. You can dine in the hotel or restaurant in Empuriabrava. After dining, at night, we will spend part of the night playing at bowling. For who want, can go the rest of the last night to night-clubs and discos. Then we will be back to the hotel and out in the morning leaving it and ending the stay in Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries.

     

  

Film review

Deadpool

Deadpool is a film which belongs to the series of Marvel. Deadpool is another character that he seems to be a good and heroic hero helping people and finishes off the villains. But he isn’t.

Deadpool is a “hero” name to cover the identity of a man that had his own life. He is diagnosed with terminal cancer. After he goes to be helped by a hidden branch, where he is assured that he would recover from the cancer. Then, heavy and hard events that’s brings his body to its limits, he becomes a man with the ability to regenerate any part of his body, so he is kind of an immortal man. He has a girlfriend who is kidnaped.

Deadpool decide to go to rescue his girlfriend helped with another two heroes. Will he achieve his objective and rescue his girlfriend alive?

I enjoyed a lot this film because it isn’t a typical hero film. In it the character Deadpool uses a teenager vocabulary and he DOES what he thinks it’s RIGHT. During the film he talks directly with the audience and there are many flashbacks that make you to be really hooked on it. I absolutely recommend it.

News item on digital technology

What an attractive idea!

This article tells us about new magnetic chips which could mean future computers. The most astonishing is that they use a millionth of the energy which chips need today.

It also tells us that this new technology has been shown that magnetic chips can operate with the lowest level of energy dissipation possible under laws of physics, it means a huge saving of energy.

It also mentions that for the first time, the “Landauer limit” has been demonstrated experimentally since it was argued in 1961 by an IBM researcher.

However, it will take a long time before the technology will be able to put into practical production.

In addition this news article explains us what is magnetic computing.

So, it tells that the new kind of computing uses tiny magnetic bars, instead of conventional transistors which rely on the movement of electrons to switch between zeros and ones. In conventional computing takes a lot of energy.

Another amazing datum is that each bit is a tiny bar magnet only 90 nanometres long.

This article is really interesting because we have discovered a new technology that will allow us to use the processing part of every machine which uses electronic stuff like chips with the minimum energy possible. It means that we would have lot of energy that we could use for another sectors and for sure the bills will low the pay.

The wars are avoidable

Since the first men who lived on the Earth until today, there have always been wars and fighting among themselves. For example, the prehistoric men fighting to ensure his cave and defend their families. This is repeated until the time in which we live today.

To begin with, humans have an animal instinct that promotes greed and selfishness; dominant characteristics that have corrupted the coexistence among societies. When in the majority of civilizations it seems that you can live in peace and happiness, because of a few who want more power, it triggers an upset in several civilizations. In the event that these have enough strength and grudge accumulated, will face against aggressors and will begin a conflict that may end up in war; and so on.

As I said, the wars will always be present among humans because we have corrupt instincts stronger than the desire to reach a State of peaceful coexistence and fair for everyone.

   

Bionic Fingertip

Bionic Fingertip helps amputee sense touch and textures

This news article explains about how a bionic fingertip helps an amputee sense different textures. This article tells us about a man who lost his left hand, is now able to feel surfaces with his new prosthetic digit. He is called Dennis Aabo Sorensen and he suffered a firework accident nine years ago so he lost his left hand.

Thanks to this technological advance, this bionic finger allows him to feel rough and smooth textures.

It also explains how the bionic finger works, it is made of silicone and in the silicone are electronic sensors. These sensors detect the texture and sends nerve signals, using a computer "algorithm", to the brain.

Mr. Sorensen said the sensation is the same that he felt with his finger before the accident.

I found this as an amazing technologic development because now people who has lost their hands or feeds can feel the same that they could feel before they lost their extremities.

If science carries on with this velocity, might be that we could see disabled people walking again.

Can technology make a better world?

Technology has been able to develop mankind in an exceptional increase during the last 30 years. From Paleolithic period, our ancestors used tools made of sharp stones or arrows made of wood. They used them to make it easier to get food or face predators. So we followed the same way of development making computers, mobile phones, TV… These tools help us in our society to cover the needs we have. Nowadays there are several discussions about: what is technology really providing for the world? Many countries from Africa, Asia and South America are getting exploded to make some people richer than they already are. So, on one hand the modern world takes advantage of the technological advance, and many get rich. However, on the other hand many suffer terrible working conditions with ridiculously low pay.

Adding to that, many people, specifically young people, are getting hooked on these technologies which are addictive and they use all their free time looking at screens and not interacting with friends face to face.

With all this stuff between us, some creepy people use social media to get the life privacy of the others.

The technology advances have caused the corruption of the deepest and darkest feelings of humans: the wars. We have improved the weapons only to defeat other humans in the wars.

Yet, we have recently used the technologies to avoid potential coming wars.

In spite of these negative consequences, technology is making amazing discoveries and we have achieved memorable goals such as landing on the moon or go deeper on the knowledge about the behavior of the universe. Thanks to new technologies, we are able to communicate to each other whenever we want and independent of the distance the two people are separated.

So I can conclude that technologies help a lot the world to improve and move forward, but for every advance we do, there are negative consequences for our society and it makes us ask ourselves if technologies can really help and make the world better.

The Greenhouse

With regard to the serious problem posed by the greenhouse effect that is changing dramatically and ecosystems by altering the atmospheric phenomena on the planet, we should take steps to control it. It is true that it has been warning in all countries of the consequences which can cause this phenomenon. It must be said, however, that the greenhouse effect is just an acceleration and enhancement of a natural effect of the protection of the Earth that helps to maintain the temperature about 15 °C on average.

First of all we should stop using fossil fuels, such as oil and charcoal, and appeal more to the production of renewable energy such as wind, hydraulic, solar, etc.

After I boost the use of electric cars and, in relation to the population, I boost campaigns to reduce pollution and I notify of the risks involved in the continuous emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere such as the CH₄, SO₂, SO₃, NO₂, etc.

Eventually I would establish laws to control emissions of polluting gases of the factories with the aim of achieving a great decrease in emissions, because the industries are the main focus of emissions of gases causing the greenhouse effect.

Finally, it must be said that the planet is in a critical condition and if we do not react in time and do not take appropriate measures to reduce the greenhouse effect, everyone will suffer the consequences for the same.

               

Oral Presentation

Oral Presentation

This oral presentation has helped me a lot to start preparing presentation for myself. It has been a very productive experience as it is about my research work that is a topic that I really like. That's why I've enjoyed a lot and I was pretty relaxed when I did.

Personally I think I should improve the fluency in speaking and pronunciation in certain words.

Apart from this I think the theme about what was the presentation liked and I'm glad to be able to have conveyed some interesting knowledge to other people.

I could have improved a little more the presentation saying more things about the topic but I thought they were not essential and therefore I go to the point.

Nip-Tuck Dialogue

A self-conscious girl exposes to her friends about her interest on undergoing plastic surgery.

Girl: Guys, lately I’ve been thinking about maybe doing something, but I’d like to hear what you have to say about it before trying anything.

Boy 1: Sure

Boy 2: Okay

Girl: Well, I’m sure you have noticed that I’ve developed a bit of self-consciousness about my breast size, so I began to consider the option of getting a boob job done about a week ago. Bigger breasts are always better, right?

Boy 1: Your tits are fine, come on. Also, that is going to be very expensive, isn’t it?

Boy 2: If it is really necessary for you, go get it. But I personally like you just the way you are.

Boy 1: I agree.

Girl: I appreciate your support but I think that it will improve the way I feel about myself, so I’ll probably do it.

Girl 2 enters the conversation.

Girl 2: Hi! What’s up with the long faces?

Girl 1: I’m seriously considering aesthetic surgery.

Girl 2: Well it was about time, wasn’t it? I mean, a nose job will make you way prettier than you are now with that huge nose. I’m glad you realized.

The Desforestation

Deforestation is an activity with economic purposes which exploit the natural resources of whole forests. In recent years, scientific studies have shown that deforestation is becoming a serious problem for the natural balance of our planet, and this could lead to catastrophic consequences for the Earth's ecosystem.

For starters, many animals lose their natural habitats and die because, on one hand, they do not have where to live and, on the other hand, do not have what to feed themselves due to the destruction of the ecosystem. Secondly, the forests would not return to be regenerated because, or there are build industrial estates, or they become desert and infertile. And with regard to the climate of the area, this is completely altered, direct result of clear-cutting of vegetation of the territory.

The most effective solutions would be declared "protected areas", such as the Amazon, and use synthetic materials to produce consumer goods for the population.

In short, deforestation is a danger to the ecosystem of the planet, and there are several methods to stop this serious problem caused by mankind.

Research paper abstract

Key words: stem cells, therapeutic applications, umbilical cord.

Abstract

You MAY have heard once at least about stem cells. This research paper explores what THEY really are, which are their all therapeutic applications, where they are, how to get them, how many kinds of stem cells exist, etc.

After introducing a quite idea of stem cells I focus my practice part on the extraction of stem cells of umbilical cord and the next process that they follow until they are registered in BSTC. OVERALL you will be conscious of the tough process there are backward of the stem cells’ extraction and the controversy there is about this kind of technique which allows lot of opportunities to go forward and develop medicine.