FINAL REFLECTION ON MY ENGLISH SPACE

FINAL REFLECTION ON MY SPACE

My English progress from 2008 to 2010.

First of all, I’ve visited my last year English space and I’ve seen that visually, it’s easy to see that the most of the posts are shorter than the ones I’ve did this course.

In reference with the last year’s first post, which is called “Introduction of myself” I can say that it’s simpler than the others, and totally different to the ones I’ve posted in my blog this year. It is a simple writing because just seeing its topic we can see that it talks just about me and my life.

In the one hand, there’s no introduction, which is a part that right now I would never forget. Also there aren’t any paragraphs, and now, I know that they are important because of distribute the information. There aren’t connectors and linking words, and that’s why I constantly repeat “I was…, I live, I am…” so, that’s a thing that I’ve improved, and that’s important.

In the other hand, the vocabulary I used is quite different from the one I use this course, so currently, it’s richer and more elaborated. Also, I’ve seen I had some little problems with the verb tenses, and now it’s an aspect that I notice.

In relation to my last post I’ve did this course, which is a piece of news form the disaster on Japan, we can see easily, that just the topic is elaborated, so it’s a piece of news from the currently and it’s more interesting and original than the simple email “Introduction of myself”.

We can see that the vocabulary is richer, and that I’ve tried to use correctly different complex verb tenses, and that’s a fact I think that improves a lot the coherence of a text.

In conclusion, just seeing the title of both writings we can see a difference between them, and also, that this year I’ve improved a lot in relation with the verb tenses, the using of the vocabulary, the inclusion of connectors and the coherence of my writings.

In reference with my two oral presentations I’ve had to compare I haven’t seen many differences there, maybe because I’ve improved just the writings, or maybe is also a difference but I cannot notice it.

Apart from that, in my first oral presentation called “My summer in Portbou” we can see that also, the topic is simpler than the ones I’ve worked on in this course. Maybe it was shorter than the last presentation I’ve did, but I think that the oral level is the same, probably because we have not worked on this aspect this course.

I may have improved in the fact that, right now, when I have to do an oral presentation I don’t get nervous and I feel more tranquil than last year, maybe because know all of my classmates and my teacher, you can have a look also at my last oral presentation, which I did as an extra point because of the improving of my mark, so its topic is “The beatles”.

My English competence in 2010

In this part I have to choose my best writing evidence and also my oral best evidence, so I will start by telling you which is, in my opinion, my best writing and the reasons why.

In order to show my level, I will may choose a free writing post called “Unfaithful, a tv series”. This post talks about a tv series which is maybe the one I like the most right now. It’s a description of this series and especially, of the main characters which appear there; I did it consciously and trying to descript them with good adjectives and elaborated vocabulary for tell their characteristics, so that’s why I think it’s the one I’ve did better.

Also, I divided it in parts, and introduction talking about the series and its history, and then, a description of every single character; so, as I said before, now I give a lot of importance in the division in parts of a writing, because it’s a fact that improves a lot the quality of a text and that makes it easy to understand.

In relation to my best oral presentation, I’ve chose the one which talks about my research project, which is called “The animals in Aesop’s fables”. Maybe I think that that’s better than the others because I think that the research project is a topic which we have worked on a lot of time.

Also, before of doing our oral presentation about the research project in the English subject, we did it as a part of the mark of the original research project, and that’s a fact that has improved our trust in this topic.

I prepared a lot this oral presentation and I tried to make it understandable for everybody who was there, so that’s why I make my power point more visual, which lots of images and pictures of animals.

After seeing my video, I’ve also noticed that I wasn’t nervous and that I spoke correctly and fluent, so that’s important because it showed that I had trust in me and that I was calmed.

Finally, I can conclude that, in general, this year I’ve improved in relation with last course and I think that the English space has helped me to do it, because it’s a way to show all our knowledge in the English subject. I’ve improved my writings and I’ve learnt to use correctly verb tenses, also, currently, I know how to write formal documents, such as a letter.

I’m proud of the work I’ve did in this time, and I recognize that those, are the two years in which I’ve learnt more English. Now, I hope I can use it in my life and show to everybody that learn English isn’t difficult if they are enthusiastic.

NEWS ON JAPAN

Here you can read different news on Japan.

Japan starts shutting down Hamaoka nuclear reactor

Those news tell that the operator of Japa'ns ageing has started the closure of two reactors of the nuclear plant of Hamaoka. Also it has started the installation of different control rods in the number four reactor. So also, last week, Naoto Kan asked for the complet closure of that plant.

Myabe, Japan is now proud of those actions that the government of Japan is doing, but I won't stop to think that those problems have to be solved before the consequences that Japan has had. I'm not happy to see that, because it wants to express that the government is acting rwo months later the disaster.

You may now the similar disaster of Chernovyl, don't you? So after a disaster like that, all the goverments around the world should had improved the control on the different nuclear facilities, so maybe, Japan thought that it could never happen to them, but people only know that these things can happens until they are involved in a bid disaster. Maybe if the japanese government had acted before, they had avoid so much deads.

It's true that now the government is acting because of stop with these kind of problems, but now it's too late to save those people who has lost their families, or who has died there.

HOME, The film.

DUBAI, WHERE THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE

As you know, Dubai is a emirate situated in the united arabian emirates.

Before, Dubai was a poor country, it was an insignificant place without any resources to notice.

We can't talk about Dubai existing until 1833, when the tribu "Bu Flasa" led by the Maktourn family, which settled down next to Dubai Creek, the natural river which is 10 kilometres long.

Right now, Dubai is a developed country where if the tribu "Bu Flasa" came now, they would not recognise it. So it's full of buildings, high flats and the most high skyscrapers of the world. That's why the tittle of this writing is "Dubai, where the impossible becomes possible"; so before it was hardly a tribu and now is one of the most rich countries of the world.

Dubai started to become rich when people found the oil that has made this country one of the most visited of the planet.

Dubai have got the biggest hotel, the biggest fountain, the biggest harbor, the biggest shopping mall, and the only seven-stars hotel of the world. It is called Brj Al Arab and most of the people know Dubai by its hotel. You may konw it also by the highest skyscraper of the world, called Burj Khalifa.

So, in conclusion, Dubai is an emirate which looks like a country of another world, so people can't compare it with anything, because that's impossible, and more if we consider tha

t two thousand years ago, it was just a place created by a nomad tribu. So in Dubai, the impossible has become possible, but I think that it can't happen in anymore places.

DIALOGUE

Ros Halley is a farmer from South Carolina who is proud of his job. He has worked as a farmer all his life because Halley's farm exists since his father created it in 1963.

We are interested in this guy because we have to notice that he's just twenty, so it's difficult to find young people working at this kind of jobs that we can say that are dying out. We have interviewed him:

V- Hi, Mr Halley. How are you?

H- Hi, I'm fine, thank you.

V- Do you consider that yours is a job which is dying out? So, we have made a statistical study and we have seen that there are 56, 2 % farmers less than fifty years before.

H- I think that there's approximately the same number of farmers, but it's true that maybe, we work in different ways and less than before, because, now, there are new technologies and machines that work for us, and help us.

V- So, do you think that there are as many farmers as few years ago, but their job is different?

H- Yes, what I want to say is that, maybe, our job is less considered than before, so, in conlcusion, my job isn't dying out, but, for example, the work of an officer is more important right now than mine.

V- So, you want to say that the farmers work isn't valued, don't you?

H- Not as few years ago, but I can't say that the farming is dying out.

V- Thank you very much Mr Halley!

H- Your welcome!

NEWS

Andy Warhol self-portrait fetches $38.4

Click here to read the original new about Andy Warhol!

Andy Warhol's first self-portrait, a four-panel acrylic silk-screen in blue hues, has fetched $38.4m (£23.5m) at an auction at Christie's in New York.

Only eight Wharhols has been sold, so now, the first self-portrait that Warhol did is for sale on the New York contemporany art sales. Its sale will finish on thursday, at the auction house Philips de Pury.

My comment:

I hope that people didin't think that its price it's too high, so I think that this kind of important work should be so expensive. We are talking about Andy Warhol, one of the most known contemporany artists.

I know some important works of him, such as the Marilyn Monroe portrait or the diferent po

rtrait which are in four diferent colours. They are so known and succesful, so that's why they are really good, and expensive. I think that everybody has seen some Warhol work, because we can see it in lots of places, such as modern bars or friends homes. For exemple, I've got a copy of one of them in my bedroom.

IN conclusion, I think that its price is normally allowing that Andy Warhol is one of the most famous pop art artist.

PIECE OF NEWS

BOB DYLAN'S "LIKE A ROLLING STONE" NAMED BEST SONG

Click here in order to read the original news of de bbc news page.

A little summary:

Bob Dylan's 1965 anthem Like a Rolling Stone has been named the singer-songwriter's greatest hit by a panel of musicians, writers and academics.

A group of kown artists has done a poll, because of celebrate the 70th Bob Dylan's birthday on 24 of may, this year. So they conclude that, in general, "Like a rolling stone" is the best song, not only of Bob Dylan, also of the international pop.

I have to notice, that Dylan did this song for the real music band called The Rolling Stones, probably, one of the most known music bands in the world.

Comment on the news:

First of all, I've chosed this piece of news because as you should now, I really like music, and I consider Bob Dylan as one of the best singers of this world. I've heard lots of times his song called "like a rolling stone" and I've got it also on my mobile phone!

I'm interested in all things related on the music, and secially in those news or articles which talk about known artists who deserve to be the main chacarcters of some articles of newspaper's articles.

In reference to the song that the other artists chose as the best, In my opinion, it isn't, becuase maybe I prefer another one, such as "Knoking on heavens door", which is also one of the most known songs, or "Blowing in the wind".

Finally, I will say that Bob Dylan is one of the best singers we have got, so I hope his music will never disappear even thouth his career stopped.

FORMAL LETTER

C/ El rentador 4
Castelló d'Empúries
14th April 2011

Mr John
Director of the NuclearPower Association
London
UK

Dear Mr Ritch,

I am a young student from the high school IES Castelló d'Empúries. I have lived here since 2000 and luckily there aren't nuclear power stations near to my town. After the events in Japan, I will be worried.

I don't agree that the other countries should be put in danger because of the nuclear power, because I know that it can make people's living conditoins worse.

However, I do understand that we need the power created by nuclear power stations. I'm strongly in favor with the idea of revising all the nuclear power stations to prevent the bad consequences that a non-safe facility can cause. I hope you take action to solve these kinds of problems which are causing health problems amongst human and animals. We do not want another disaster like Japan.

I hope you agree with my letter.

I look forward to what the plans for the nuclear power organitzation will be.


Yours sincerelly,

Helena Sánchez

JAMES BLUNT - Goodbye my lover

LYRICS

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your head.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bare my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.







Comment on the Blunt's song

James Blunt is an English singer who was born in Tidworth, Wiltshire, in 1974. He won two BRIT awards and was nominated three times at Grammy prices. His first album, called “Back to Bedlam” and other singles, such as thehit “You’re beautiful” were the ones which throw him to the fame in 2005. His style is influenced by the pop and the rock music. So, apart from sing, Blunt plays a lot of instruments, like the piano, the guitar and the organ. So I have to notice that he was the first British singer to get the number one in the USA lists, so also, his song “You’re beautiful” got the high position in the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006, so it’s important to notice that the last artist who did it, was Elton John in 1997 with the song “Candle in the Wind”.

The song that I've chosen to work on is one of my favourits of James Blunt, or at least, is the one that transmits me more sensations. I consider it a sad song, and sometimes, in depending on the situation that I listen to it, it makes me feel sad too. But I like this sensation, I like when a song is such as good that makes me understand the feelings that it wants to express.

It talks about a goodbye, so the subject talks about things that he have shared with his love/friend and says goodbye to her. It's a sad song because, he expresses a feeling which is common in our lives, when we have to say goodbye to someone that has been so important for us, so also, Blunt tells to his lover that she has been the one for him.

Finally, I will notice, that I give a lot of importance at the song's lyrics, and that's why I love this one.

If you want more information about this singer, you can visit his official site, which is full of interesting things, such as concert dates, photos and videos! James Blunt official site

UNFAITHFUL, a TV series.

Unfaithful is a TV series which talks, especially, about love, hate, lies, worries, mistakes, friendship and obviously, as its name shows, infidelity. This is a series which is presented by tv3 (Television de Catalunya); it started on the 26^th of March in 2009. At the beginning, first you think it is about being unfaithful to someone, but now, I've discovered that it talks also about being unfaithful to yourself, because the main characters make mistakes that have bad consequences, and these things make their relationships with families and partners worse .

The main characters (Joana, Paula, Lidia, Cruz and Arlet) are five friends who have got a close friendly relation, they know all about the others and they go together to many places, like the swimming pool, which is one of the spaces where we can see them all together talking, especially about their problems, worries and love relationships.

These five girls have got very different experiences and characters, but I have noticed that they've got also a lot of things in common:

Joana has got two children, and that makes her a more responsible woman, but she's a little insecure and she cares about what people say about her. At the beginning of the series, her husband is working in Buenos Aires, and she has noticed that he is in love with another woman, so she breaks her relationship and along the series she starts other relations, such as with Peter, who is a porn star.

Paula is the one who I identify with. She's got a bar, where she works every day, so that's why she knows a lot of interesting people. Paula is a "free soul" she doesn’t care about what people say about her and she sometimes forgets her best friends, who need her. At the end of the series, Paula has become a good writer. I have to notice, that at the start, Paula was married to Marc, but she broke up with him when she knew that Marc had cancer.

Lidia is a psychologist, who had always been so secure of herself, but she has had to overcome her husband's death and she has become a little insecure. Through the series she became a nymphomaniac and she has had some strange relationships.

Cruz is an economist who lives with her ex husband, who has become an homosexual, her fiancé and her daughter. Cruz has got a very patient character, so when she is about to get married with her future husband, she notices that he's being unfaithful to her, but she tries to go on with their relationship; but at the end, she is unfaithful to to him too and she's falling in love with the other man, Esteban.

Arlet is the youngest character. She has got a special character, maybe, I identify also with her because she's young and she sees love in a different way to her friends. She's a teacher and her character shows it, so she's also very patient, but on some occasions she seems to be a little childish. Also she is in a relationship with a boy, but she's, in secret, falling in love with a girl that she has met. At the end of the series, Arlet is pregnant, and her son will have two mothers, Arlet and Dani (Daniela).

MTV PROGRAMMES

MTV, Music Television, is principally a tv channel dedicated to music and american programmes related to it. But there are also other series, programmes and reality shows which are different to the ones that we've got here, and that's why I like this channel. I recognize that most of these show the bad side of people, and that most important to everyone is their physical appearence. But, actually I prefer to watch these kind of american programmes instead of violence.

For example, the ones that I watch more frequently are "Pretty little liars", "My super sweet world class", "Jersey Shore", "Room riders" and "Parental control". The ones I've mentioned at the beginning, "Pretty little liars" and "My super sweet world class" are the ones which I enjoy the most. The first one is a TV series where the main characters are five teen girls who are hiding a secret related to the death of one of their best friends. That's interesting, but their world is a world where the appearences are most important.

The second one is a reality show where teenagers who appear are celebrating their birthday, so their parents and their personal asistences make their parties were the best of the world.

In conclusion, I know that some of these programmes aren't the best for the education, but I'm concient of it and I'm entertained when I watch it; also I think that's much better than the spanish television, which is full of violence, insults and bad attitudes.

Visit the MTV official page!

COCA-COLA

LIFE TASTES GOOD. COCA-COLA

HISTORY

Everybody in the world know what is coca-cola, maybe everybody has tasted it. It’s a drink which has been popular for a lot of years everywhere, so, that’s why I’ve chosen this topic, and also, I thought that it would be interesting to know things about the history of this famous drink.

Mainly I’m going to talk is the history of the coca-cola, and also the different products of this brand. Finally I will tell you some curiosities which have caught my attention.

Currently, coca-cola is a carbonated soft drink; but in 1886 the pharmacist John Pemberton created it in his pharmacy (in Atlanta) in order to reduce headaches and the nausea. This soft drink was created when Pemberton mingled a coca leaf and a cola seed. Then, he started to sell it in his pharmacy as a thirst quencher. Some years later, it became famous and the creator was offered to extend it to around the USA. So he accepted it and he sold the recipe for the soft drink for not much money (2.300$). Afterward, two lawyers bought it and extend coca-cola around the world.

It’s important to notice that it was Frank Robinson who invented the name and who designed its famous logotype.

PRODUCTS

Probably, the products which are most known here are ordinary coca-cola, coca-cola light (which has got less sugar), a kind of coca-cola without caffeine, etc. But around the world there are a lot of different types of coca-cola, like lemon, orange, with vanilla, with blackberry, with cherry, and the last, which is the most sold, coca-cola zero (contains no sugar and hasn’t got any calories). The differences between coca-cola light and coca-cola zero is that the second hasn’t got a kind of sweetener which the other kind has got, but both help to prevent weight gain.

SOME CURIOSITIES

The original recipe is kept in a safe-deposit box, in a bank in Atlanta.

Every second, approximately 8.000 soft drinks of “The coca-cola company” are consumed.

The fist coca-cola museum which was created in the world, was in Catalunya, in Castelldefels.

Some rumors say that the coca-cola bottle has inspired their form in a woman’s body, but other rumors say that the designer of it, confused the coca leaf with the cacao leaf, and made the bottle thinking of this form.

Initially, the Father Christmas was green, but a Coca-cola publicity campaign make him became red!

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