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.

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?

PET SESSION 2

Hi everybody,
Today you are going to have some practice for the final exam.
Here are the links to the different sections.

Reading:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading4.html

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading_part5.htm

 

Listening:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part4.htm

 

Vocabulary:

 

http://www.examenglish.com/vocabulary/B1_vocabulary_topics.htm

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.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> O <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 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.

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)

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?