Wednesday 23 October 2013

VIDEO 2: A JOURNEY YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE

SECOND VIDEO PRESENTATION:
A JOURNEY YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE

Record a for 2 –minute mobile phone video presentation* about a journey you would like to make

Say:
-Where you would like to go,
-Who you would go with,
-What you would do there,
-Why you would like to make this journey.
-Mention anything else you think is important.

°A mobile phone video presentation is a video of you talking directly to the camera.
Please feel free to practice and record as many versions as you see fit in order to complete the task. However, the final video must be in one take (i.e. it must not be edited).
Remember: you musn’t be wearing sunglasses or read when you do the video.

IMPORTANT: The deadline to send me your video by e-mail is: 4th November.

POST 6: A COUNTRY I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT


“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” This quote was written by St. Augustine and I absolutely agree with him on this one. Travelling is one of the things I enjoy the most in life. I’ve been to many places but Guatemala is one of the countries I have always wanted to visit but have never been to.

I’d like to visit Guatemala because I have heard lots of people say that Antigua and Chichicastenango –two of the most important touristic places there- are even more colourful and interesting than some Mexican cities that I have already visited. Antigua is a city which was destroyed by an earthquake centuries ago, but then it was rebuilt and became the most beautiful colonial Guatemalan city, and Chichicastenango is a place that has an important market where you can buy good fruit and vegetables, along with high quality handcraft –which is something I’m very interested in.

If I went there I would like to walk around the places, eat in nice restaurants, talk to the locals, visit the museums and buy some textiles and pottery. However I wouldn’t like to work or live there, because I think that after spending a few months there I would probably get bored -I’m a city person and I would surely miss the things that a big city like Santiago can offer.

As the saying goes: Where there's a will, there's a way, so I'm saving money and one day lady luck will surely knock at my door and help me make another dream come true.

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What about you? Is there a place you have always wanted to visit but haven't had the chance?
Today you’re supposed to write about a country you would like to visit. Make sure you answer these questions when you write your post.
- Which country would you like to go to? Why?
- What do you know about it?
- What would you like to do there?
- Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.

Remember to make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts and to write 220 words.

Wednesday 16 October 2013

POST 5: ANIMALS AND PETS

Some people are animal lovers, others use and abuse animals. Some people can't live without their pet animals, others raise animals to make a living . I like pets, but I don´t like the idea of having animal hair all over my home.
I got my first dog, which I still remember after all these years, when I was around six, and I was very fond of a dog we had when I was a teenager, but, even though I would like to have a dog now, my flat is so small that there´s no room to swing a cat in it, -like they say, let alone a dog!

I absolutely disagree with animal mistreatment. I think animals can only be used for medical research as long as they are not hurt in any way, and it really upsets me to see what some scientists do to some defendless animals. With regard to keeping animals in zoos, I used to think that this was a reprehensible practice, however I’ve changed my mind now that I know that, in some cases, they have been saved from a certain death and would surely die if they were set free.
People who have a dog should be responsible owners and take the necessary precautions so it won’t hurt another animal or person. I’ve been bitten by dogs twice and, -believe me, it wasn’t funny at all! The owners of these dogs should have been more careful and known that pets have to be well taught, the way children are.
According to the Chinese astrology I was born under the year of the dog, and if I had to be born again an animal I would probably choose a dog because they are loyal, friendly, intelligent and fun to be around. Do you know what animal you are according to the Chinese Zodiac?
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Today you have decided to write about animals, so here you have some questions to guide you. You don't have to answer all the questions, just choose one or two from each group to develop your paragraphs.

PARAGRAPH 1
Do you consider yourself an animal lover?
Did you use to have a pet when you were a kid?
Do you have a pet now? If so, tell us about it. If not, would you like to have one?
What animal do you think makes the best pet? Why?
Do you know someone who owns an unusual pet?

PARAGRAPH 2
How do you feel about the use of animals for medical research?
Do you think it is right to keep wild animals in a zoo?
Do you think people should buy and wear fur coats?

PARAGRAPH 3
Have you ever been bitten by a dog? (... or by a snake!!?)
Do you think dogs should be banned or muzzled?
P
ARAGRAPH 4
If you could be an animal, what would you (choose to) be? Why?



KEEP IN MIND:
- Leave a comment on 3 of your classmates’ posts
- The word count for this post is 220 words

Thursday 10 October 2013

POST 4: SUMMARY FROM A CAREER-RELATED ARTICLE


POST 5: SUMMARY FROM A CAREER-REL​ATED ARTICLE FROM THE GUARDIAN OR THE SANTIAGO TIMES (ONLINE NEWSPAPERS)
In order to write today’s post you have to go to either http://www.guardian.co.uk/ or http://www.santiagotimes.cl/ . Once there you have to:
> Select a piece of news connected to your area of studies / future career.
> Write a summary of it.
> Provide the link to your piece of news.
> Leave a comment on 3 of their partners' posts.

Remember:
•Do not rewrite the original piece. Don’t copy and paste.
•Keep your summary short.
•Use your own wording.
•Refer to the central and main ideas of the original piece.
•Read with who, what, when, where, why and how questions in mind.
•Do not put in your opinion of the issue or topic discussed in the original piece.

Make sure to write about 220 words.

Please have a look at my sample post below to get an idea.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Private universities complain of insecurity (By Anna Fazackerley) , The Guardian, Monday 1 October 2012 19.30 BST http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/oct/01/private-higher-education-reforms This article is about the complaints made by private higher education providers, in spite of the fact that they are doing well, and the reaction of their critics. While some in the public sector resent the freedoms given to private providers, these, in turn, acknowledge the fact that they feel they have benefitted from the policies of the new coalition government and are doing good business, but they fear insecurity and claim that if the current system doesn’t change they might be affected. Although public universities have now to restrict to a certain number of applications, private institutions can recruit as many students as they want and these students are now entitled to get public loans. Notwithstanding this, Alain Jenkins, of the the Edge Hotel School, acknowledges that there is less hostility towards private institutions, but says that some new policies are still not friendly. While the number of applications in the whole sector has declined and the participation of for-profit institutions across the sector is still small, the latter have dramatically increased the number of recruits. Regardless this, Prof Terence, Kealey of Buckingham, states that many of his colleagues feel the system is unfair, and Paul Marshall, of Business Schools, points out that private providers fear that expansion is risky because a new Labour government might affect investors. Besides, some people from the private sector are annoyed because, although their institutions succeded an accreditation proccess to have degree-awarding powers, they have to reapply every six years. On the other hand Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, accuses private providers of being shameless because while they are making demands, they are said to be committing several frauds. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Here you have some useful words and expressions to help you write your summary.The article is about… / deals with… / presents… / describes… / explains…In the text / excerpt / story/ article the reader gets to know…/ is confronted with / is told about
The author / Mr X / · says / states / points out that …· claims / believes / thinks that…· describes / explains / makes clear that· uses examples to confirm / prove that· agrees / disagrees with the view / the thesis· contradicts the view…· criticises / analyses / comments on…· tries to express…· suggests that…· compares X to Y· doubts that…· tries to convince the readers that…· concludes that…

Sunday 6 October 2013

VIDEO 1: A PRESENT I RECEIVED

A PRESENT YOU RECEIVED
Record a 2 minute mobile phone video presentation* about a present you received as a child.
Say:
What the present was,
Who gave it to you,
Why they gave it to you,
How you felt when you received it.
Mention anything else you think is important.
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°A mobile phone video presentation is a video of you talking directly to the camera.
Please feel free to practice and record as many versions as you see fit in order to complete the task. However, the final video must be in one take (i.e. it must not be edited).
Remember: you musn’t be wearing sunglasses or read when you do the video.

Wednesday 2 October 2013

POST 3: MY FAVOURITE MOVIE EVER

I have always enjoyed going to the cinema. When I was a child my parents used to take me , together with my two brothers and three sisters (at the time, now they are four!!) to the local cinema, which was a shabby place that showed three movies in a row. But for me this run down cinema was a magical place where I saw excellent movies that I still remember after all these years (Please, don't ask me how many). Fortunately these days you can watch movies at home with great quality images and stop the movie if you want to go to the kitchen for snack, for example.

One of my favourite movies of all times is Brazil, by Terry Gilliam. I remember that Robert de Niro stars in it, but I don't remember the other actors. "Brazil" is based on another amazing film that you may have heard of: Orwell 1984 and it is about a fully technologycal futuristic city where everything is controlled by a central government: people's lives, the economy, the press -and even history!, which they change as they please.
I like this movie because, Unlike Orwell 1984, which is an extremely gloomy movie, Brazil is full of humour and irony, the characters and the situations are really unbelievable.
I strongly reccomend this movie.

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Today you have chosen to write about your favourite movie, so here you have some questions you should answer:

What do you prefer, going to the cinema or watching movies at home?
What is your favourite movie?
Who stars in it?
What is it about?
Why do you like it?
Would you reccomend it?

Remember to leave a comment on 3 of your classmates' posts
The Word Count for this post is 180 words