SELF-EVALUATION ABOUT ORAL PRESENTATION.

Weeks ago, in English class, we had to make some oral presentation about one of the topics which we had worked on in class. I did my oral presentation with a classmate, Isaac Bardes, about aesthetic. So, in this entry, I want to comment how we did our presentation. 

First of all, I want to talk about the aspects that I consider most important because these are which I have to improve. These aspects are: body expression because I’m so shy and I don’t like speak in front of people, that’s why I get nervous and I do it bad, and the I also have to improve the grammar because I do some mistake in the construction of sentences. I think that these are the most important aspects to improve in the next oral presentation.

Apart from these two important things, I also want to comment other aspects like pronunciation, which I will try to improve this holiday watching some series or films in English, or the power point, which I will try to improve doing it with another programme in the next oral presentation.   

ANCIENT BEAUTY RITUALS THAT WORK, AND WHERE TO TRY THEM

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/23/travel/ancient-beauty-rituals/index.html

SUMMARY

This article is about ancient beauty rituals. Most of people think that the best beauty treatment are the work of scientist toiling in laboratories, but indigenous people used nature to achieve a beauty skin and face. The fact that these rituals have been for thousands of years is a nice sign. So, some of these are:  

·         Myanmar - Thanaka Powder. Burmese women used Thanaka powder on the face to brighten the complexion and shield the skin against free radicals, polluted air and harmful UV rays.

·        Tahiti - Monoi Oil. This rituals consists on soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias in coconut oil and creates a beautifully scented oil called Monoi. These people revered the oil as a skin and hair softener.

·         Bagno Vignoni, Italy - Thermal Baths. The ancient center of therapeutic were Roman baths, which was thought to release toxins and impurities and give way to glowing skin, etc. Apart from becoming the place of social gathering.

·        Morocco - Argan Oil. The secret of the exotic beauty of southern Morocco women was applying this golden oil, which is rich antioxidants, rejuvenating Vitamin E and fatty acids that help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and treat scars, acne, eczema and psoriasis.

·         Playa del Carmen, Mexico – Temazcal. That is a combination of Mesoamerican chants, meditation and heated rocks doused with herb-infused water to create an aromatic, healing steam.

·        Napa Valley (Calistoga region), CA - Mud Baths. They created an opportunity for the creation of volcanic mud baths, a flowing relief on weary backs and muscles.

·         India - Turmeric Powder. Indian women used turmeric masks, which make skin soft and radiant. It is also used to purify the skin and treat acne.

·         Costa Rica - Green Tea. They discovered green tea has a lot of benefits to the skin including like improving the complexion, flushing out toxins, healing blemishes and scars and reducing inflammation.

 

MY OPINION.

I chose this news because I found it so interesting. I think that is amazing all the secrets that nature hides. I believe that sometimes we are obsessed with having branded products like creams or lotions but we do not know the benefits that natural products have and we also don't know how use them. So, I think that it is a very useful and entertaining news. I also want to add that I chose this one because in my blog there are a lot of news of tragedies but, this term, I didn't do any summary of good and entertaining news that these are which I like the most.

WORDS I DIDN'T KNOW.

• flowing
• flock
• clay   

SOUTH AFRICAN PASTOR SPRAYS INSECTICIDE ON CONGREGANTS 'TO HEAL THEM'

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/23/africa/south-african-insecticide-prophet/index.html

SUMMARY.

This news is about South African Pastor, Lethebo Rabalago, who has posted photographs on his Facebook page spraying insecticide into the faces of his congregants.

These photographs are circulating on social media and are shocking everyone, not only for the content but it also for the explanation of pastor, who justifies his actions saying that he are spraying their faces with Doom Super Multi Insect Killer to cure various ailments.

Lethebo Rabalago also said in an interview with South African TV channel eNCA that he did it because God tell him. Besides some congregants published comments thanking God for healing them.

Doom manufacturer Tiger Brands said that this practice is extremely concerning because it is unsafe to spray this into people’s faces.

Finally, South Africa's Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said that they are undertaking a study into the commercialization of religion and the abuse of belief systems.

MY OPINION.

First of all, I want to say the reason why I chose this news and that’s because the title of the news also shocking me. The title impressed me but, while I was reading, how Lethebo Rabalago justified his actions and what he said, shocking me even more.

So, after reading this news, I want to comment a little bit the religious fanaticism. I think that it is one of the most dangerous things in the world and, currently, we watch these and we are suffering these in all the terrorist attacks, which most of them are caused by religious fanaticism. I also wanted to suggest a possible remedy but I haven’t found it because it is a psychological problem and who suffer it isn’t aware of his problem. So, we have to reflect and think about it to solve this dangerous problem.

WORDS I DIDN'T KNOW.

• healed
• hung up
• bug

 

DOES HUMOR PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN LIFE?

It is well known that maybe humor can play an important role in our life. In order to help and deal with this issue, many people think that laugh isn’t important, in my view, this fact is so important because a laughter produced by a joke can be the strong medicine for mind and body.

First of all, laughter is good for our health because it relaxes the whole body and even boosts the immune system. So, it’s amazing how this action can improve all these aspects.

Secondly, humor, and obviously, laughter, also help us stay emotionally healthy because they help us keep positive and optimistic. A part from other aspects that also improve our healthy.   

In short, only with a simple action we can keep our mind and our whole body healthy. So, I think that it is a funny and easy habit which we can do to keep us healthy and happier.

OSCAR WILDE’S QUOTE.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”

Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, novelist and poet. He is considered one of the most outstanding playwrights of Victorian London but he is remembered for his witty epigrams. So, in this entry, I want to comment one of his epigrams.

First of all, I want to say that I completely agree with this quote. In my view, there are very few people that really live the life, do what they love and strive to achieve their dreams. I think that the most beautiful thing in life is that when you are older and look back, you can see all the things you have achieved and see that you fulfilled all your dreams and your bucket list.  

With this Oscar Wilde’s quote I want to invite all the people that is part of the group of people that just exist to the other side where people live and enjoy the life. I also want to remind you that live is too short to wasting time, so hurry up and don’t waste any more time spending your life being part of the group of people that just only exist.

WAYS TO MEMORIZE THINGS QUICKER

These weeks all the students will have many exams. I want to investigate a little bit about how to memorize things quicker because we have a lot of work and we need to save time. So, in this entry, I will explain some methods to get better memorizing things. This methods also can help us to improve our marks, so that’s why I invite you to put them into practice.

1.    Preparation. First of all, we have to choose which environment is better for us. This may seem silly but is so important because we have to choose an area with few distractions where we always will go to study. Another one advice is start drinking some tea because, for example, scientific studies confirm that green tea is a natural catalyst for improving memory.  

 

2.    Record what you’re memorizing. It is another good way to get quicker memorizing. This methods consists on record your voice when you are studying. This is most helpful for auditory learners.

 

 

3.    Listen to the recordings continuously. Related to the previous point, it is helpful that while you are doing unrelated things, you listen repeatedly the recordings.

 

4.    Teach it to someone. It is also a helpful way, maybe the most important and helpful because when you explain something you are manipulating and practicing all the things you have learned.

 

5.    Take a break. This method is the most important because all of us need to get away. This is helpful to concentrate better. It also help us to realize what we really know and this help us focus on the sections you don’t know.

 

‘Million Women March’ planned for Donald Trump’s inauguration: ‘Demand our safety and health’

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/million-women-march-planned-donald-trump-inauguration-article-1.2869973

SUMMARY.

This news is about women’s march on Washington on January 21, 2017. This organization consists in a march from Lincoln Memorial to White House where they try to show their disagreement about Donald Trump’s campaign and they also want to demonstrate their disapproval of the bigotry exemplified in the 2016 election.

This organization is also born because of a hot mic recording about being able to "grab (women) by the p---y" because he's "a star" that caught the President Donald Trump. That’s why this organization was also created and this march also want to demand their safety and health in a new United States of America where making sexual assault is an electable and forgivable norm." After this recording, 13 women accused him of sexual assault against them, but his campaign adamantly all this accusations.

MY OPINION:

First of all, I want to say that I chose this news to show another one crazy act committed by Donald Trump. So, with this news as an excuse, I want to talk about U.S.A elections and Donald Trump.

In my view, I can’t believe how American people voted for Donald Trump. I know that Hillary Clinton’s campaign was not the best to govern, but if we compare it with Trump's campaign, Hillary would be the best. In my point of view, Donald Trump has a certain resemblance to Adolf Hitler, for example, the way he speaks and how is he expressed in his speeches or, obviously, in how he think.

After this reflection, I only hope that he can’t do all he want to do and I also hope that he do not be the responsible for the third World War. I also want to comment that all of us, the population, If we want we can change this world because we have a lot of power. This power and capacity to change the world is reflected, for example, in elections. So, after U.S.A elections, we have to reflect on how something like that happened.

WORLD I DIDN’T KNOW.

·         Bragging

·         Bigotry

·         Widespread

E-MAIL TO THE TEACHER

Hello, Lourdes!!

Well, summer is gone and we have to start again a long and hard school year. So, I begin the first week of school a little bit nervous because second of batxillerat seems harder than last year and, for me, last year was so difficult. It also is the last year and it is the most important because is the year where we have to get the best marks considering that these are which define if we can study the degree of our dreams. In my case I don’t know what is this degree and it makes me more nervous because I don’t know which is the mark that I have to take to get into a degree that I like. But if I know something is that I have to make a big effort to give the best of me and get the best marks.

In my view, we have to meet challenges that motivate us throughout the year. Right now, one of my long-term goal is find this degree or job that makes me happy and I also want to find my vocation and fight for what I really like. I have to say that I have mentioned this goals because it have an effect on this year. If I want to study something that I really like, I have to study hard this year because I have to take the best marks to ease the way to this degree or another study. So, the most important goal to overcome this year is take the best marks I can.

I think that I can overcome this goals if I put a lot of effort and attitude on the assignments, exams… So, if I learnt something last year is that I have to organize better and try to keep working every day. I’m also sure that motivation and the support of my family and friends can keep me on track.

To end this letter I want comment an Obama’s quote that he said in his speech that motivate me and I really like. This quote is “anything is an excuse for neglecting your homework”. I’m totally agree with this quote, especially after hear Obama’s personal story or one of these three persons story he explained. I think that if we want something, we have to fight regardless else.

Thanks for your attention.

Marina.

FUNNY JOKE

TRAVEL DIARY.

This year, in my birthday, my family give me the best present in the world: a travel to the Tuscany. That’s why last Friday we flew to Italy. So, in this entry, I want to explain what we did in Italy and which villages and cities we visited, day by day.

First day, 7^th of October, we took a flight from Girona to Pisa. When we arrived, we rented a car because we wanted to visit a lot of villages. So with our car we went to Lucca, a beautiful village, where we rented a cheap house named Il loft di Andrea. Once installed we spend the afternoon visiting Lucca.

The second day, 8^th of October, we woke up early to took a car and visit three villages: Siena, San Gimignano and Volterra. These three was so pretty and I loved their medieval streets and their squares and monuments. In each village we visited the most important cathedrals, monuments and streets because we didn’t have a lot of time. In Volterra was filmed New moon of the Twilight Saga and In San Gimignano we could see an amazing view.

The third day we woke up early again and we went from Lucca to Firenze in our car. When we arrived we visit old town. We also ate typical Italian food which was so delicious. Finally in the afternoon we took a tourist bus and we went to viewpoint to see all Firenze. We also went with tourist bus to visit Fistole, a village next to Firenze. I love all Firenze but I really love la piazza di la signora, il Duomo and il Ponte Vecchio. Then we went to slept in our loft in Lucca.

Last day we woke up early and we packed our bags and cleaned the house because we have to hand over the keys. Then we went to visit Livorno, another beautiful village with an incredible harbor. Finally we went to ate and visited a little bit the village of Pisa and then we visited the Piazza dei Miracoli where we took a photos with landing tower. At night we took a flight to Girona and we arrived at home very late.

I forget to say that in these four days we ate a lot of pasta, lasagna, pizza, gelatto, cappuccino and chocolate. We ate a lot of Italian dishes and I love typical Italian food.

I’m very happy for this present because it has been an incredible experience with my family and I really love travel so I hope that in a future I can travel a lot around the world.

 

 

 

FRANCE NAMES ROW: POLITICIAN HITS BACK OVER CRITICISM OF DAUGHTER'S NAME.

SUMMARY:

This news is about countries which regulate baby names. So, this article explains a case where Rachida Dati, a French politician, was criticized by journalist Eric Zemmour, who suggested that Rachida’s seven-year-old daughter, Zohra, was “less French” because her name didn’t come from an official list of French Chritian names.

That’s why Zemmour appeared on French Television required the return of a law, which was abolished in 1993, restricting the names children are given. Then, the article, named some countries where regulate baby names by this law. So, some of them are: Iceland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

Finally article’s writer explains why Zammour said something like this. He said it because he consider that when somebody by giving Muslim first name, like Zohra’s name, or another name from another origin, then, it are refusing to accept the History of France. Rachida Dati defends herself saying that is normal giving her mother’s name to her daughter and, then, she added that she considers herself “daughter of France”.

 MY OPINION:

In my view I think that the law which regulate baby names are absurdities because everyone is free to choose the name of their children. I also think that this fact don't define the nationality of a children because someone can have family of another country but he may have been born in another city. So I really think that those thoughts are very racist. I don’t believe that in the 21’s century people can give arguments like this.

Finally I also want to say that doesn’t matter which name people choose for their children because everybody is free and we should be able to choose what we want.

WORDS I DIDN’T KNOW:

·         namesis

·         banning

·         partially

TEEN DIES OF OVERDOSE AFTER POSTING ABOUT BEING BULLIED BY ‘FAKE’ FRIENDS

SUMMARY:

This news is about a sixteen-years-old teenager who suffered cyberbullying. Britney Mazzoncini died from an overdose on anti-anxiety medication after years of bulling on the internet.

Weeks before her death she posted on Facebook some comments expressing her anger at bulling. She also left school because she wanted to become a police officer when she turned 17.

Her mother spoken about tragedy and called cyberbullying the “sickness of 21th century”. Throughout this tragedy, her mother has attempted to maintain a normal life for Britany’s brothers and her only one wish is take bulling seriously before have more loses.

Finally the writer says that bulling in virtual realm is more difficult to track or prevent than other type of bulling because of the ease and speed it are.

MY OPINION:

I totally agree with the reflection of Britany’s mother about what is cyberbullying. I can’t believe how people hurts people and how people can live with this fault. So I invite everybody to reflect about this fact because it can happen to all of us. I hope that new technologies investigate about how we can avoid or prevent. I also want to comment one documentary about crimes on the web. In this programme, years ago, one teenager suffered cyberbullying by another girl’s mother and she committed suicide. In these years there was no law for these crimes and the murderer was free. At present, there are some laws that regulate these crimes, so I have hope that this fact will improve.

WORD I DIDN’T KNOW:

·         taunting

·         siblings

·         lasses

TED Talks

A LIFE LESSON FROM A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER.

SUMMARY:

This video is about a man who when he isn't fighting poverty, he is fighting fire. He is Mark Bezos. This man, through an anecdote, want to transmit us a lesson.

In his monologue, Bezos, explains his first fire as a volunteer firefighter. All happened when he was going to know his assignment and another volunteer arrives before him. These volunteer had to go inside and save the homeowner’s dog. Then he asked for his assignment: he had to go inside and get a pair of shoes for a woman. In this moment, he was jealous from his team mate because he had to save a life. Weeks later, department received a letter from the homeowner thanking his work because they saw that they had worked even to bring them a pair of shoes.

This experience helps Bezos to learn that everything has importance. So his message to all of us is that if we have something to give, give it now and don’t wait. Every day offers us an opportunity to affect one.  

MY OPINION:

I want to say that I chose this video because the title called my attention, but I also have to say that at the begging of the video, it seems a different video. It is to say that I didn’t think that this video was a funny monologue tries to transmit an important life lesson.

In my view, I’m totally agree with the life lesson he learnt because all of us can help or affect someone with a small action. Definitely, I learn that there are a lot activities that we can do to affect or help someone and it is too easy, so we have to take advantage of this opportunity.

WORDS I DIDN'T KNOW:

·         Footrace.

·         Payload.

·         Nemesis.

FINAL REFLECTION

Summer is here!!  So, to finish the school year and say goodbye to the blog, in this post, I’ll do a final reflection about all this school year: witch activities show me better English, my opinion about the improving of my English, I'll recommend activities for the next school year …

 First of all, I want to reflect about my level English in this year. If we compared my English level at the beginning of this school year to the end of the third term, I think that I have improved my English a lot this year because at the beginning I couldn’t do the compositions that I’ve done in this third term. I am also sure that I understand English better,  I have much more vocabulary than first term. I also think that I have improve my pronunciation, above everything, in front of people because in the last oral presentations I see as I don’t have such an embarrassment I can express me better.

This improvement is due to a lot of activities that we have done this school year. In my opinion all activities in English can help us to improve the language but I think that some of this activities help us more than others, for example, the oral presentation help me a lot because at the end I don’t have such an embarrassment, the blog also help me a lot because, although some terms was so stressful because we have a lot of work, at the end I see a big improvement in my compositions. I also think that songs, series or films, etc. can help us a lot to improve our vocabulary and our pronunciation.

In my view, this year was very hard because first of batxillerat compared to the last year was so stressful and hard but at the end I can see a very big improvement of my understanding but, above everything, in English. 

SOME THINGS I LIKE

In this entry I will explain some things that I like to do and I also will explain things that I will like do. That is an entry where I explain my hobbies, more or less. So I will do a list:

v  Photography: I love take photo. I think that is so beautiful way to remember lived moments and years later, when I grow up, I will see all those moments.

v  Travel: I say that I love travel many times in the blog but it is something that I find amazing because I think that in a travel we can lean from all.

 

v Painting or crafts: I love do crafts or drawings I think that it is a perfect way to relax and use our creativity. I don’t have time to do this two activities but when I can I find inspiration in my favorite apps: we heart it and pinterest.

v  Be with friends, family and boyfriend: I’m a loving and family person who love do activities with her closest people. But I also like making new friends.

TRAVEL DIARY

Last April 4^th some school went to Germany and Austria for four days. This was an incredible experience and it also was a very stunning experience because we went to visit a lot of Concentration Camps. We could do this travel because a lot of teachers was in an association to remember the holocaust. So in this entry I want to explain all the activities we did.

·         April 4^th: First day, soon we took a plane to enjoy all day. When we arrived to Bratislava we took a comfortable bus, that led us to the cities we visited, and we went to Gusen, a concentration camp made before Mauthausen. In Gusen we saw a crematorium and a museum because it was destroyed by Nazis, but at the beginning it was biggest than Mauthausen. After Gusen, we went to Mauthausen, it was so biggest and all the rooms we saw was so sad and when I was thinking all the terrible episode that a lot of people lived there I felt something indescribable. It was a very tired and shocking day but I know that I lived an experience that we never will live again.

·         April 5^th:  The second day we went to Linz to visited the city and we also visited Salzburg, a beautiful city where Mozart was born.  The most stunning places we visited in the second day was Hartheim, a castle where at the beginning disabled of Austria was killed and then the people of concentration camps was sent to the castle to be killed. When we arrived and saw the castle outwardly it was very pretty so I can’t imagine the terrible things Nazis did there. At night we went to Munich.

 

·         April 6^th: The third day we were in Munich a very beautiful city with an amazing town hall. Then we went to visit Dachau, the first concentration camp made it by Nazis. I talk about this concentration camp in another entry.

·         April 7^th:  The fourth day we went to Fusen, a small city, where we visited the castle made it by King Felip II: Neuschwanstein castle. It looks like in a Disney movie, when we were there I felt like a princess.

 

·         April 8^th: We took a plane very soon, so we didn’t visit any place.

I have to say that it was very stunning and incredible trip, I always say that the best way to learn is travelling around the world, so in this trip I realized that it is true because I have learned many things. I also want to say that the teachers gave us a very incredible experience and I have to say thanks.

5 WAYS TO BE HEALTHY.

Long ago I thought about be healthier and I realized that I want to be healthier because I think that is also a way to be happier, to have more energy and summer comes soon. So I want to research information about it and do an entry on my blog. Some of ways that I found to be healthier are:

ü  Eat real food, not too much, and mostly plants. I think that many people think that to be fit and be healthy should not eat, but this harms our health. To be fit and healthy we have to eat real food and especially vegetables. This is something that costs me but I will try to eat more vegetables.

ü  Sleeping more. When we try to be healthier, sleep is overlooked but we need sleep like eating and drinking water. Now is exam time and some days I don’t sleep well or long but sometimes I’m so nervous or I have a lot of work. I just think that in a month more or less summer comes!

 

ü  Drink a lot of water. I really have a problem with this because I drink little water and the most important to health is drink water. I also read that drink water not only keeps you hydrated, it also keeps your skin looking healthier and it’s good for digestion and gives us more energy. In summary drink water have a lot of profits.

 

ü  Have a social life and do things that you like. It is so important to be healthier but it also is the most important to be happy, which is the most important: our well-being.

 

ü  Do sport. This is so important for a lot of things. Last year I did sport but this year I don't do nothing and I miss a lot do sport. When I finish the classes I want to do a lot of sport like running or ride a bicycle. I also want to try yoga because I found that is an interesting way to relax and do sport.