Monday 9 December 2013

POST 9: 2013, GOOD AND BAD POINTS, So far...

Today you are expected to evaluate the past year, 2013. Have you had a good year?

Write about:
> Good things that have happened in your life.
> Situations that did not go so well.
> Your achievements in 2013.
> Things you did not do (last term) / have not done yet / still have to do this year.
> Important news / event you would like to highlight.
> Any other comments.


 Keep in mind that the wordcount: is 250 and don't forget to write comments on  3 of your classmates' posts.

Monday 2 December 2013

POST 8: FOOD AND EATING HABITS



"We are what we eat" I've heard some people who are concerned with eating habits say this, and I couldn't agree more with that.
Today you have chosen to write about food, so here you have some questions to guide your writing. They are related to three topics, but you don't have to answer them all, just choose the ones that sound more interesting to you. Make sure you write 240 words and write comments on three of your classmates'`posts.

Personal Eating habits / eating habits of Chileans

  • Are you a vegetarian?
  • Do you like to eat at fast food restaurants?
  • Do you read the nutritional information on the foods you buy?
  • Do you think fast food, soda and sweets should be sold in school cafeterias?
  • Have you ever been on a diet? If so, for how long?
  • How much do you eat when you are sad or happy?

Favourites

  • How do you like Chilean food?
  • What foods do you love and what foods do you hate? Why?
  • If you were on death row, what would you request for your last meal?
  • Do you like food from other countries? If yes, which do you like the most?
  • Do you like to try new food and drinks?

Experiences

  • Do you prefer to eat at a restaurant or at home?
  • What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten. Did it taste good or bad?
  • Have you ever eaten something that made you ill?
  • Have you ever found something disgusting in your food?
  • Have you ever left a restaurant without paying ("dined and dashed")?
  • Are there any foods that bring back special memories for you? What are they?

Monday 18 November 2013

VIDEO 3: AN ACTIVITY YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME

Record a for 2-minute mobile phone video presentation about an activity you like to do in your free time.

Say:
·         What the activity is,
·         How often you do it,
·         Where you do it,
·         What the activity involves,
·         Why you enjoy doing this activity.
·         Mention anything else you think is important.

 

POST 7: DREAMS


“I have a dream...” This is something I have heard many times in my life: these were the words that Martin Luther King repeated in his famous speech for racial equality back in 1963,  they were the words that Abba used to sing on every radio station when I was a university student, and they are the words people say when they talk about a recurring dream (“I have a dream that repeats over and over  again...” ).

This week you have chosen to talk about both kind of dreams, those you have when you are sleeping and those that come to your mind when you are awake .

 

Here are some questions to guide you to write your post. You don't have to answeer them all, just choose one or two from each group.
Remember to write comments on three of your classmates' blogs and make sure you write no less than 240 words.
 

1) What are dreams? Are dreams messages sent from our unconscious, predictions of the future, or what?

2) Do you usually remember your dreams? Do you usually dream in black and white or in color? Can you tell us about a recurring dream you have or the nicest dream that you can remember?

3) Do you ever daydream? Do you think you can achieve your dreams or  do you think that having dreams and aspirations is a waste of time?

4) If you had lots of money or political power what would you do with it?  What is your dream for the future?

 

Please read my sample post and make sure to leave a comment on 3 of your classmates’  posts and to write 160 words.

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 Dreams, dreams, dreams…

 “I’m dreaming my life away…” goes a song that I used to listen to when I was a child. To me dreams are mainly representations of my hopes and fears, and also answers to my questions. So I pay a lot of attention to my dreams.

My dreams are usually very colourful and very well defined, sometimes they are  like short stories or films with characters, costumes, and  a plot. I rarely have black and white dreams, -unless my dream is about a silent movie!

I used to daydream a lot when I was younger, I used to spend hours thinking about the things I wanted to have, the places I wanted to visit, and the things I wanted to do. I think daydreaming is not a bad thing, provided that you start planning and begin doing things to make your dreams come true. The formula “dream + action” has proved very useful to me.

If I had millions of dollars I would visit more places and buy beautiful things for me and the people I love, but I would also help some people to refurbish their houses so that they could improve their living conditions and I would run high-quality schools in poverty-striken zones with really committed teachers to help breach the gap between rich and poor people in our country –to begin with.

Monday 11 November 2013

POST 6: HOW GREEN ARE YOU?

My heart must be green. Ever since I was a skinny little kid I have been fond of nature. I must have been six when I was walking in the street and bumped into a heap of a very simple type of creeping plant. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the plant that had been cut off and unmercifully thrown away. So, by way of compensation, I picked up a piece of the plant, took it home and planted it. It didn’t take the little plant very long to grow bigger and thankfully offer me larger and greener leaves. And that was the beginning of my friendship with nature, which later developed into care for all type of living things and care for the planet.
Some years ago I started recycling things like cardboard, aluminum tins and tetra-pack cartons, which is not easy when you live in a small flat and the recycling points are far from your home, but I think it’s been worth the effort.
I must admit that I don’t walk very much and I use public transportation a lot, but that is because my place of work is rather far away from home to walk or ride there. I wish there were more facilities for byke riders in our city, as in The Neatherlands. When that happens I’ll go into a shop a buy a nice bicycle for me to ride everywhere.
I’ve been a suppoorter of Green Peace for some years now. Well, I don’t jump into little boats and go to Antartica to try and stop Japanese whale factory ships, but I donate to Greenpeace on a monthly basis. So, even when I wouldn’t dare personally participate to stop whale slaughter, at least I’m contributing to prevent it happening, aren’t I?

This week´s post is related to looking after the environment. So, we want you to tell us how far down the green road you are, in other words, what shade of green you are: an Eco-Hero, a Tree-Hugger-Hater or a Green-in-Between.
Here you are some questions to help you start off writing your post:

- Where do people learn about enviromentally friendly practices?
- Have you incorported recycling into your habits? Describe
- Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?
- Have you joined or supported any eco-organisations? Why/Why not?
- What else have you done /would you like to do?
- What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint?
- What's missing in our society/Santiago ragarding this issue?

Keep in mind that the number of words is 240 and don't forget to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates posts.

(Tree-hugger: an environmentalist or one who believes trees and all living things should not be cut down or harmed. Someone who works to protect the environment from destruction or pollution)

Tuesday 5 November 2013

SHORT SURVEY


At Plataforma Programa Inglés - http://www.lapetus.uchile.cl/japeto/interior.php?id=105 - we have uploaded a short survey that we want all students to answer. It won't take you more than 5 minutes. Can you help us?

PET SESSION 1


PET (Preliminary English Test) Practice

Session 1 (week 10)

Reading:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading1.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/reading1.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading2.htm

Listening:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part1.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part2.htm

Vocabulary:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_vocab.htm

Monday 28 October 2013

POST 5: BOOKS AND READING

When I was a kid my father used to keep all the newspapers he bought in a room, along with some magazines, books and the notebooks my brothers and I had worked with in the previous years, and also old cards and toys. Everything in this messy little room (huge for a little six / seven year old boy like me) was laid on some improvised shelves my dad had built, and, for some unknown reason, he forbade us to get into it. So being in that room was thrilling and exciting, because we suspected something misterious was hidden in there, lurking somewhere in the books or in the magazines. That way, after stealthily closing the door behind us, we sat on the floor of this room and read most of the stuff that got into our hands and, without noticing it, we became magazine and book worms.

This week you have chosen to write about Literature and Books, so below you will find a sample post and some questions to guide your writing. Please choose one or two questions to write the introduction and about the things you like reading, but answer all the four questions about a book you have read recently.

Introduction: Your reading habits.
-Are you a book worm or do you only read books from time to time?
-Did you read books when you were a child?
-How many books have you read in your life?

Things you like reading.-What sort of books do you enjoy reading? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
-Who is your favorite writer?
-What is your favorite book?
-Who is your favorite character from literature?

Tell us a little about a book you have read recently:
-Did you enjoy it?
-How long did it take to read?
-Briefly, in one or two sentences, what is the story about?
-Who would you reccomend it to?


Make sure you write at least 220 words and leave comments on three of your classmates’ posts.



I want those two books! I answered decidedly when my father, who had taken me to a bric-a-brac street market, asked me what I wanted him to buy me. I was around six years old back then and, since we didn’t have a TV set at home, reading was my favourite thing to do, and I devoured Disney cartoons, fairy tales, short stories and kid’s novels. So, answering Dad’s question was easy. I still wonder were those two books ended up.
Now I enjoy reading short stories and novels. I really like Julio Cortazar’s short stories, so I think I’ll start rereading them one of these days, and I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction novels. I have read a lot of detective stories written in English lately, mainly by Ruth Rendell and P D James, but my favourite writers are some Latin american authors, such as, Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Marquez and Isabel Allende.
I recently read a book called “A Special Relationship”, by Douglas Kennedy. It’s about an American journalist in her late thirties who gets pregnant to a British correspondent she meets in the middle of a war. Everything is a bed of roses at the beginning, but suddenly things change dramatically and her life becomes miserable. It didn’t take me too long to read this novel because the story is very catchy and is surprisingly well written, especially considering the fact that the author of this book is a man, but the main character and first person narrator is a woman; he is able to write as if he were a woman very convincingly. I wouldn’t hesitate to reccomend this book to you.

Monday 21 October 2013

SECOND VIDEO PRESENTATION

Video 2:

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 mustn’t be wearing sunglasses or read when you do the video.

The deadline to send your video is next Tuesday, 29th October.

POST 4: SUMMARY FROM A CAREER.RELATED ARTICLE.


SUMMARY FROM A CAREER-REL​ATED ARTICLE FROM THE GUARDIAN (ONLINE NEWSPAPER)
In order to write today’s post you have to go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/ . 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 your 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 your summary.

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…

Monday 14 October 2013

POST 3: JAPANESE ANIMATION


The world should be divided into two groups: the people who like Walt Disney’s cartoons and those who enjoy Japanese animation. I belong in the former group, (so you can easily tell how old I am, ha, ha). I know very little about Japanese anime but I know it has had a big impact on some younger Chilean people who have become fans of Japanese culture after watching such animations.

I guess my favourite Japanese anime is Marco, which is about an Italian little boy whose mother has left Europe for Argentina to look for a better job. The anime shows all the adventures and misfortune that Marco goes through in search of her mother. The story is based on a book by Miguel de Unamuno, and it’s a very sad one because when Marco finally finds his mother she dies soon afterwards.

I can’t say that japanese anime has influenced me in any way, but Walt Disney surely made a significant impression on me as a child, because it developed my imagination and my interest in reading, but, on the other hand, it filled my mind with much confusion.

What I liked the most about Marco is the soundtrack. Even though the main song is a very sad one, it’s very beautiful and moving. I don’t remember any other Japanese anime song, but I know many songs form Walt Disney’s movies.

One of the first animes I ever saw was Cinderella, by Disney, -you all know what the story is about, and I remember I was really impressed by it, so impressed that a few years ago I bought the DVD because I was craving to see it again.

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This week you have chosen to write about Japanese animation, so here you have some questions to guide you when writing your post.

1) Do you know what anime is? If yes, explain.

2) - If you have watched anime in the past do you have a favourite? Tell us about it.
- What aspects of anime do you like most? or, what makes you watch anime?)


3) Has anime influenced your life in any way? Has anime made you interested in other areas of Japanese culture?


4) -Have you ever bought/listened to any songs from anime soundtracks? If so, which ones?

5) -What was the first anime you ever saw? What was it about? Did you enjoy it?

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Remember to write 180 words and make commentrs on three of your classmates' posts.

Monday 7 October 2013

POST 2: 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 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.

A COUNTRY I'D LIKE TO VISIT
- 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.

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts
- Word Count: 170 words
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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.

Monday 23 September 2013

POST 1: MY IDEAL JOB

Hi everybody!
Have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate from university? Is there any kind of job that you are considering?
Your first blog assignment this term is to write about your ideal job.

Say:
- What your ideal job would be
- What qualities and skills you would need to do this job
- Why you would be good at this job
- How difficult it would be to find this kind of job.

Write 160 words and comments on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs

USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES I’m thinking of working as/in… / I’m considering to work as/in…/ I’m planning to … / I have in mind to… / I’ve decided to… / I’m hoping to… / I’m playing with idea of… __ing / I’d love to…/ I can’t choose between ….. or …../ I’m torn between ….. and ..… / It looks like I’m going to… / I’m not 100% sure, but I might …/ It's a toss-up between ……… and ……….. I’d like to get a job as…/ I’d like to work as …/ I hope to get a job in… /I wouldn’t like to…/
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 - I’m good at … ___ing / I’m good with… (money, numbers,etc)/ I’m great  at…./ I have evperience of ..........ing / I am very confident in… __ing / I can… / I have the ability to ......  /  I know how to ... /  I'm willing to.... /    I'm  puntual/disciplined/polite... /  I have good ..(communication).. skills
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- Some aspects to consider could be: Salary - Benefits - Location – Hours - Co-workers - work atmosphere/environment.