Final Reflection!

Batxillerat stage has almost finished and although it seems impossible to say, its really sad. Sad to finish an important part of my life and sad to leave the friends. Meanwhile, a new project of life will start in a few months and its great knowing how your knowledge has improved. 

If we go back ( 2011) and we see my first your-says or piece of news in my blog we can see a gradual improve on my compositions. 

First of all I have to say that my vocabulary has increased a lot! It benefices my expression, my drafted and it permits to give me a wide range of possibilities. I'm really thankful of that, as reading pieces of news and making its summary and opinion make me learnt  a lot of new vocabulary (specific in some cases). 

Apart from the vocabulary, my fluency of speaking, reading and thinking has grown up a lot. In my oral presentations for example, we can see that in the first one, my eye contact and my fluency of speaking were rather bad and poor contrasting to the final one. On that, I was more calm and confident with myself and it's great, as it will be really important in future. Another point to remark, is that my pronunciation has ameliorate truly and its thankful to reading difficult news and especially to have the opportunity of talking with an english native as the ladies who came during the two courses. (I forget the names).

Finally, I want to expose my first composition and oral presentation and the last ones to see how it has improved:

1. First composition , first presentation

2. Last composition , last presentation

My english competence in 2013!

During approximately 2 scholar years I've writing diferent types of compositions; some of them yoursays, another ones pieces of news, tasks and comments. More than 100 compositions have been wrote by me and only the best ones are linked at the bottom of this one. Doing this blog as an obligated way permitted improve my level of English and thankful to that, now I've got a good one level ! If it wouldn't be obligated, I'm sure I wouldn't write so much as we can see nowadays. 

At first, making this blog seems quite hard and boring and a waste of time but I'm completely disagreement of my first impression. It  makes me improve my English level gradually.

I'm really satisfied of it!

To sum up the work done during this time, here we have the best compositions or the ones I think the better are:

1. Best podcast
2. Best composition

Interview - dialogue

We are situated in a theater presenting the MTV music awards, but before that, I'll interview one of the nominated to know how they feel, ...

I: interviewer //  C: Carly Rae

I- Welcome everybody!! My name is Melissa and I'll be the presentator of this 15th edition of MTV music awards! Are you ready? So..let's go to see how they walk and pose on the red carpet. [...] Here we have the first one!

Good afternoon Carly Rae Japesen, you look incredible!

C- Hello Melissa! hahahah I wear a Chanel dress, well..a spectacular red dress with small diamond earring that make me shine.

I- Wow!! They are amazing! So boys, call her maybe cause she is single nowadays!

C- Ahahahhaha, you know, it's the first time that someone makes this variation. Ahahahah it's a good one.

I- Well Carly, I've got a question for you, that it intrigues me since I saw the video. How could you record "Call me maybe" with those amazing handsome boy? I couldn't do it.

C- I completely agree with your opinion. When I saw him (I refer to the first time), my heart stopped for a few seconds. I was thinking: it's not really, ...Carly wake up! But then, I realized that I wasn't dreaming, it was true. The first recordings were hard but then,  I was adapting. In my opinion it was harder recording the video with the Hollister boys.!

I- Yes..no only one exceptional boy, but twenty of them! A M A Z I N G! Now Carly, it's time to say goodbye. Thanks a lot to give us two minutes of your life and good luck with the prizes. 

C- You're welcome Melissa! See you in another festival. Kisses to everyone. 

A Spanish company launches onto the market mobile covers that prevent 99.99% of radiation

This company has released the cover EM SAFE for mobile phones, made by hand, which reduce emissions of electromagnetic radiation caused by these devices. 

Those covers are made of genuine leather’s materials and 100% wool felt mixed with other art containing 80% nylon and 20% silver. There are two lines to the covers design and its price is around 20 euros each one. 

   The initiative comes on the heels of Mary Passas Varo, a young businesswoman Andalusian, engineering and scientific who after learning the results of the report by the World Health Organization in establishing a significant relationship between the use of mobile devices and increased chances of developing cancer due to radiation by animal testing. 

The electromagnetic fields emitted by the phones have been classified as "possibly carcinogenic" to humans because they relate to a type of brain cancer. This fact is relevant given that there are nearly 5,000 million mobile phones in use today and growing increases among children and adults.

It seems impossible that a mobile phone could emit that high amount  of electromagnetic fields in our lifes, and in my point of view, this initiative is so good for those ones who work frequently with their phones. 

As a personal experience, I have to say that my father uses his phone to talk every hour because of his hard job, so this type of covers can reduce the probability of cancer in a future. If it works, this company will sell a lot and it is the synonim of a good business!

    Meanwhile, my father won't use it although he buy it, as for him it should be rather uncomfortable. 

http://www.antena3.com/

Summer's coming...

Sun, warmth, girls, boys, friends, parties, bikinis, swim, water, ....summer is coming!! In less than a month school will finish and the most important for me: selectivitat exams will have been ended and...my 18 will arrive. It sounds fairly great, isn't it??

Those two weeks will be the final ones so it means that the most important exams in the academical year are arriving. I have to do the final exams and they will be definitives. If I pass, I will have three more weeks free to study hard but if I can't pass I will have to do retakes. So, then I will have two weeks for study selectivitat exams. In case that I failed twice, I would have to do selectivitat exams on September. What a pitty!!

Crossing my fingers and studying hard I will pass at the first.

Once I have done selctivitat I have to go to Mallorca to have fun with some of the collegues from 2nd batxillerat. It will be five fantastic days on the beach!!! There, in Magaluf, I will celebrate my sweets eighteen and I hope it will be really special and different as never before.

To sum up, this summer will be unrepeatable and once-in-a-lifetime!!

Fast food product should contain a health warning like tobacco

Do you really think that fast food products should contain health warnings? Is it necessary and effective? Will it be useful? I don't think it can improve our health as everyone has the freedom to chose what can eat and when do it.

    Firstly, I belive that most of health illneses are not causal by food but they are produced by how and how much we eat. For that reason, everyone has the responsibility of their actions.

   Secondly, it is true that warning people of what products contain (I refer to health warning) is a good idea for make people aware of their risks, but is it the good way? I don't think so, as everyone has the capacity to decide what is good or but for their own health. 

Finally, in my view, each one has to be aware of what he does and be careful because his health is at stake!!

A rubber duck almost 20 meters high covers the main ports of the world

Florentijn Hofman travels around the world with a singular purpose: to drop traditional rubber ducks in major ports.

This week a rubber ducky of 16.5 meters high are passing through Victoria Harbour Hong Kong (China), although this is not their only destination. The Duch artist is devoted to drop in the main ports of the world this unique toy, traditionally designed to float in the tubs.                                                                 “Bring more love and joy to the city and change the perspective of the Hong Kong skyline’s Victoria Harbour as never again will be the same”, said Hofman about the duck.

   In my point of view, bring rubber duckies around the most important ports of the world is a nice way to give out happiness, like said the author. Moreover, it can increase the tourist in those respectives cities, as if this duck was in Barcelona, I will displace to there in order to see it. Shops, restaurants and hotels near the port could have an important economic injection. With this yellow duck idea, art has a new way to transmit and who know, maybe in a few months we will see a zoo floating through the Atlantic ocean.

www.antena3.com/

The Lord of the Rings

The last film I saw was not new, in fact it was The Lord of the Rings. I saw it last weekend with my mum, cause she love it!

It is based on the well-known book, and tells the story of a creature called a hobbit who takes a dangerous magic ring back to the place where it was made, in order to destroy it. There are many characters apart from the hobbit and his friends, including a wizard called Gandalf and a suspicious creature called Gollum. 

   This is a film about friendship and loyalty. However, it is the special effects that make it truly magical. There are vivid battle scenes with fantastic animals and birds, and sets that are so imaginative that you want to believe they are real. But as well as this, the actual locations are beautiful, too. Finally, I would recommend this film to anyone, even those who do not usually enjoy fantasy films (like me). What I would say to them is: "go and try it". Like me, you might find that the film lifts you out of your everyday life into a world you will not want to leave even though you didn't like this type of films.

National Day: SANT JORDI!

Sant Jordi or St. Jorge day, is a national day in Catalonia celebrated on the 23rd of April of every year. It consists of buying a rose for your girlfriend showing your love for her,and  ladies have to gifting a book to their couples 

The story starts in the medieval age, when an enormous and terrorific dragon was eating all the poor people. They were dying and there wasn't more food, so the King decided to take important and royal women and gave them to the dragon. It was the turn of the princess and all the village were frightened. Suddenly, a knight appeared and he could kill the big dragon.

The princess was safe and with the blood of the dragon, a rose appeared on it. The knight took it and he gave it to the princess.

They fell in love quickly, and the town celebrated the triumph with a beautiful wedding between Jorge and the princess. 

This day represents the triumph between a dragon and a princess and on the 23rd of April, all men have to buy a rose for his girlfriend. 

The word "rose" and the red color are the most important for 24 hours.

This is a little summary about what's the meaning of this important day for many catalans.

PD: Have a nice St. Jorge day!! <3

Formal letter

14 Empori Road

Sant Pere Pescador

Spain

17470

The Secretary

Spanish Government

342 Royal Street

Madrid

Dear Mr. Rajoy, 

I am writing to expose some points to improve, in my point of view, the way of guide our country, Spain. 

All of us know the situation that nowadays affect us, and it is so alarming. 

On the one hand, hundred of persons live in the streets without money, houses or food. Thousands, have not a minimum salary, and millions, have not got a job.

On the other hand, tax increase considerately and politicians and people with high position like directors of multinationals keep their salary while their employees are under the minimum wage.

That is why I therefore to reduce the extratosferic salaries of some people, to eliminate the expenses of politicians and a lot of inecesary extras more. 

All in all, it has to reorganize the economical and political system of our country urgently. I hope we can get out of crisis early. 

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely, 

Marina Costa Cañadas

Amsterdam!

On Easter week I went to Amsterdam for five days (from Thursday to Monday) with my family. It was fantastic although the weather, as it snowed every morning!! It was SO cold:(

We arrived on Thursday by two hours of delay. It was really annoying, cause we had to lunch at Amsterdam and as a result, we arrived at 5pm. What a pitty!!

During these days we walked a lot, but not because our hotel was far from the center (cause it was at 200meters from Dam square) but because we wanted to visit everything and the best way to do it, was walking!! 

Moreover, we took two programmed daytrip. In one of this we did a city tour in Amsterdam city and then we went to Ane Frank’s house. It was amazing, spectacular and sad at the same time!

Next day we took the second one, and we went to visit Volendam (small town with a cheese farm and factory), and Marken. Both of them were beautiful and cute.

Next days, we stayed at the city and then, on Monday we took the plane at 12am.

Amsterdam experience finished!!

Syria: Aerial Attacks Strike Civilians

The Syrian Air Force has repeatedly carried out indiscriminate, and in some cases deliberate, air strikes against civilians. These attacks are serious violations of international humanitarian law (the laws of war), and people who commit such violations with criminal intent are responsible for war crimes.

The 80-page report, "Death from the Skies: Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians" is based on visits to 50 sites of government air strikes in opposition-controlled areas in Aleppo, Idlib, and Latakia governorates, and more than 140 interviews with witnesses and victims. The air strikes Human Rights Watch documented killed at least 152 civilians. According to a network of local Syrian activists, air strikes have killed more than 4,300 civilians across Syria since July 2012.

“In village after village, we found a civilian population terrified by their country’s own air force,” said Ole Solvang, a Human Rights Watch emergencies researcher who visited the sites and interviewed many of the victims and witnesses. “These illegal air strikes killed and injured many civilians and sowed a path of destruction, fear, and displacement.” We are lucky to live in a country of the first world  and don’t suffer those types of attacks as it would be extremely difficult and practicly impossible living as good as now. Our civilization has been improved rather different respect to  Syrian, and thanks to that we can live better, but what about these people how live there? They haven't got the fault and even less the fault of being victims of war crimes of their own govern. The mentality of this type of powerful people has to start changing and if people/civils don't start doing something, it could be worst than nowadays. 

People can get the victory if they are together in the same team 

http://www.hrw.org

HUMAN RIGHTS

1. What are human rights?

Human rights are those rights common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Definetely, human rights are those rights that everyone have for being a person.

2. Why were they created?

Human rights were created to preserve the natural rights that everyone have.

3.How many human rights are there?

Nowadays there are thirty articles. 

4.Which human right were you familiar with? Mention an example where this human right is respected and where it is not respected. 

Article 7: "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."
In front the law everyone have the same protection and the same tract, but, what happen in any legal cases in Spain? Has Urdangarin or Infanta Cristina got the same tract as an anonymous person who could do the same? We have to reflect on that and start working on it. 

Thousands of British academics come to Salou to celebrate Easter week

It has become a tradition at this time. Thousands of British “occupy” the Catalan village of Salou to spend Easter week. At the time, 4000 of the 9000 people expected, have reached. However, many residents complain of disturbances, noise and dirt that they cause. Others, like the innkeepers, give the welcome to students with open arms by the economic boost they represent. 

They take advantage of the sun and the good weather that is in the Catalan coast, and not enjoy at home, to enjoy the passing days in Spain. They make sport games on the beach but always with a glass of alcohol in their hands. 

It is called the “Saloufest” for them and this year is the thirteenth edition .

It sounds heavy  as lot of academics take for a week the beaches of Salou to get sloshed and to have fun as when someone is young it seems funny and cool, but for the people from the village, I think that it has to be really annoying and tired. Seeing that your town becomes  dirty and a night life place make you feel worry for your family and your house. What have to think the little ones? And the people arround the world, from the city? 

In my opinion it has to be good and funny but with a limit, always respecting the citizen and the diferents places that they go as the beaches, the hotels, the streets, ....

http://www.antena3.com/

Forget about all for a moment;)

The last sprint!

It's time to decide our own way, to be strong and to study hard. It's time to improve ourself. 

The last term has started and with that, everyone has to exert oneself cause in two months aproximately we will finish second batxillerat and our marks has to be fairly good if we want to get a perfect final marks. 

In my case, I have to improve a lot or if not try to get better marks, as during the course I have been pass with low marks and I want to increase that ones. I had been study always and in my point of view, I did it hard, but my marks weren't which ones that i want, so this term I will put my 100% to get better ones. It won't be easy but I will try and then, I'm sure that I will be content in myself. 

After finish, we have to study really hard for selectivitat exams as in three days, we have to test of all the course. It will be crazy!!!

But first of all, I have to improve my marks or, least try it!! 

Last term: here I go!!!

Clear victory of Real Madrid

Real Madrid team win the two matches with to FCBarcelona. With the alternates and without Cristiano in the side, the whites were able to subdue the Catalans, thanks to goals from Benzema and Ramos. To the other hand, Messi scored the Blaugranas team, but Cristiano, who came off the bench, revolutionized the match. 

Finally, the local team won the match 2-1 in the football league competition. Despite the defeat, Barça team still leading the classification with several more points.

The FCB team is probably the best team of the world nowadays, and these defeat is only a bit obstacle for the players. Moreover, we have to consider that Tito Vilanova has cancer, and in fact, he mustn't train the team now. I supose that all the team are slightly affected on it, as having a cancer is not easy for anyone.

I belive in Barça team and specially in Tito! 

PD: I couldn’t saw the match but thanks to my grandfather, who is a fan of Madrid’s team, I knew the result at the same night. 

A flood stops up to 15 Regent Strett stores trading

A flood in central London has shut one of the city’s busiest shopping streets. Aproximately 15 shops, including Zara, Mango, Burberry, Uniqlo and Austin Reed, had being blocked off by a cordon set up by firefighters, who were attempting to pump water away after the burst on Vigo Street. 

It happened today during midday, and thousand of tourists couldn’t visit the famous street.

This is the most important part of this news that I can explain, as it had happened  a few hours ago and the information is not fairly clear. 

   Apart of having not much information, I want to said that If I had been a tourist visiting the London center now, and I couldn’t visit that, or just shopping on the stores from there,  I would be quite angry and disappointed with the city. 

I went to London a year ago and fortunatly it didn’t happen, so I could visit quitly, the most important streets and famous trading.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Describe a person: Sílvia Costa

Sílvia is my little sister and she is 15 years old. She lives with me and with our parents in Sant Pere Pescador. Moreover we live together with a small dog and with two turtles. 

She doesnt' look like me even though some people say the opposite. 

Sílvia is a tall girl for her age and not really thin. Her eyes are brown but with a bit of green around the pupil. She has a lovely face, as it's round with small nose and full lips. Her hair is curly.

   Nowadays she is studing fourth of ESO at Ies Castelló d'Empúries and next year she will study first of social batxillerat at the same high school. 

She used to play the flute and sing in a choral, but she decided to give up it a year ago. Since 2011 she has been playing volleyball at St. Pere's team, and she is fairly good at it!!

Her passion are the brands and she only wants de best things for herself. She is quite a spoiled girl however, my parents control her shoppings, quite the opposite from me. 

   Finally, I want to say that I admire her, because she is a cheerful person even having problems. She's a bossy girl and a stubborn person. 

I love and I will love her forever, though!!

University life!

Last Friday 22 Febrary, part of the second batxillerat class decided to visit the Girona’s University. As the school didn’t organize the outing we had to go on our own. 

At 8:19am we took the train at Figueres station and we arrived at 9:30am at the University. Each one went to those lectures that had chosen and after, we met at the scientific faculty. Part of us, went to lunch at the center, and at 3:48pm the train left, so we arrived at Figueres at 16:25pm aproximately.

   During the morning I assisted at two conferences: the first one I went to see was agronomist engineering with Eva, and this didn’t attrac me, cause I prefer something more technological or economical. At the second one, I attended at Business Administration, Accounting and Finance and Economics conference. It was more interesting but the only the only drawback was that there are about 150 students in each class, and in my opinion it is a lot. 

Moreover, two weeks ago I went to Barcelona for did an admission test at International University. This is a privat one, but it’s the only one around Catalonia that offer a double degree: Business Administration with an organization's engineering  and at the moment this is my favourite one. In a week I’ll know if I am admited or not, and I think that it will be possible.  

   A new period of life will start and I have to chose the best for myself because it'll be my future.