viernes, 29 de noviembre de 2013

THE FUN THEY HAD

READ the short story below and do the activities explained at the end.  Copy the instructions and the text on your blog.
 
The author of the story is the famous American SF-writer Isaac Asimov. He already  anticipated in the 1950s the developments in computer and communications technology. In this story he depicts the world in the year 2157 when each child has his/her own machine teacher.

 
                               THE FUN THEY HAD 
 

Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed May 17, 2157, she wrote, 'Today Tommy found a real book!'
It was a very old book. Margie's grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper.
They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to - on a screen, you know. And then, when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had had when they read it the first time.
'Gee', said Tommy, 'what a waste. When you are through with the book, you must throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must have had a million books on it and it's good for plenty more. I wouldn't throw it away.'
'Same with mine', said Margie. She was eleven and hadn't seen as many textbooks as Tommy had. He was thirteen.
She said, 'Where did you find it?'
'In my house.' He pointed without looking, because he was busy reading. 'In the attic.'
'What's it about?'
'School.'
Margie was scornful. 'School? What's there to write about school? I hate school.'
Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector. ...
She said to Tommy, 'Why would anyone write about school?'
Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. 'Because it's not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they had hundred of years ago.' He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, 'Centuries ago.'
Margie was hurt. 'Well, I don't know what kind of school they had all that time ago.' She read the book over his shoulder for a while, then said, 'Anyway, they had a teacher.'
'Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man.'
'A man? How could a man be a teacher?'
'Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions.'
'A man isn't smart enough.'
'Sure he is. My father knows as much as my teacher.'
'He can't. A man can't know as much as a teacher.'
'He knows almost as much, I betcha.'
Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said, 'I wouldn't want a strange man in my house to teach me.'
Tommy screamed with laughter.
'You don't know much, Margie. The teacher didn't live in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there.'
'And all the kids learnt the same thing?'
'Sure, if they were the same age.'
'But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.'
'Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book.'
'I didn't say I didn't like it,' Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny schools.
They weren't even half finished when Margie's mother called, 'Margie! School!'
Margie lokked up. 'Not yet, Mamma.'
'Now!' said Mrs. Jones. 'And it's probably time for Tommy, too.'
Margie said to Tommy, 'Can I read the book some more with you after school?'
'Maybe,' he said nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the duty old book tucked beneath his arm.
Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
The screen was lit up, and it said: 'Today's arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday's homework in the proper slot.'
Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighborhood came, laughing, and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.
And the teachers were people...
The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: 'When we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4...'
Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking abaout the fun they had.


Assignments:

 1. WRITE a 100 word summary of the story in your own words. You may decide to do it in English or Spanish. Your effort to express yourself in English will always be valued by the teacher.
 The text is about a boy and a girl that take a book that talks about the schools in 2157. The notice the difference between the school nowadays and the school in that year. One of the difference are that in the 2157 year all the students of the same age had to learn the same things and the teacher were not a human! In the end of the storie the child have to leave but they will read the book after school.

2. ANSWER the questions below. The more you say, the better.

a. What did Margie and Tommy find unusual about the old book?
They find strange that the words on paper don't move after being read

b. What is school like in the year 2157 and  how different from today's schools do you think it is?
The school in this year, the classes were in a house and they hasn't a human teacher. Nowadays our teacher is human.
c. Do you think that  the Internet and technology will one day lead to such a school as described in the story?
Yes, I think it will happend.
d. Where or who do you think people learn more from: school, parents, modern media, friends, reading books privately? Give reasons.
I think we learn things wherever we are, but obviously in the school we learn a lot of things and concepts that if we don't go to school we weren't knowing.
e.  What do you think are the most serious shortcomings in Spanish schools/this school and what could be done about it?
I think that there are not any problem in spanish schools.

viernes, 15 de noviembre de 2013

MY ''BARRIO''

I live in an area of Málaga call El Palo. It's a coast neighbourhood. My neighbourhood has changed a lot over these 75 years ago.
In the past there used to be many buildings like a restaurant called ''Estación''. Now there are many more houses and shops.
I think many of the people worked in agiculture and in fishing because the sea is very close to the neighbourhood.
Most of the people used to go to ''Fuenmte de La Olla'', it's was a fountain where many people used to go to take water from because in there wasn't water in houses.
Most of the people traveled by walking because there wasn't any car or much money to take buses or trains. 
I think my neighbourhood has changed a lot, In my opinion it is better now with many buildings and people but in the past it were more relaxing too.

miércoles, 13 de noviembre de 2013

The 10 Essential Rules for Slowing Down and Enjoying Life More

13.11.12


1. Copy the text below on your blog and re-read.
  1. Do less. It’s hard to slow down when you are trying to do a million things. Instead, make the conscious choice to do less. Focus on what’s really important, what really needs to be done, and let go of the rest. Put space between tasks and appointments, so you can move through your days at a more leisurely pace.
  1. Be present. It’s not enough to just slow down — you need to actually be mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment. That means, when you find yourself thinking about something you need to do, or something that’s already happened, or something that might happen … gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Focus on what’s going on right now. On your actions, on your environment, on others around you. This takes practice but is essential.
  1. Disconnect. Don’t always be connected. If you carry around an iPhone or Blackberry or other mobile device, shut it off. Better yet, learn to leave it behind when possible. If you work on a computer most of the day, have times when you disconnect so you can focus on other things.
  1. Focus on people. Too often we spend time with friends and family, or meet with colleagues, and we’re not really there with them. We talk to them but are distracted by devices. We are there, but our minds are on things we need to do. We listen, but we’re really thinking about ourselves and what we want to say.
    .
  1. Appreciate nature. Many of us are shut in our homes and offices and cars and trains most of the time, and rarely do we get the chance to go outside. And often even when people are outside, they’re talking on their cell phones. Instead, take the time to go outside and really observe nature, take a deep breath of fresh air, enjoy the serenity of water and greenery. Exercise outdoors when you can, or find other outdoor activities to enjoy such as nature walks, hiking, swimming, etc.
  1. Eat slower. Instead of cramming food down our throats as quickly as possible — leading to overeating and a lack of enjoyment of our food — learn to eat slowly. Be mindful of each bite. Appreciate the flavors and textures. Eating slowly has the double benefit of making you fuller on less food and making the food taste better. I suggest learning to eat more real food as well, with some great spices (instead of fat and salt and sugar and frying for flavor).
  1. Drive slower. Speedy driving is a pretty prevalent habit in our fast-paced world, but it’s also responsible for a lot of traffic accidents, stress, and wasted fuel. Instead, make it a habit to slow down when you drive. Appreciate your surroundings. Make it a peaceful time to contemplate your life, and the things you’re passing. Driving will be more enjoyable, and much safer. You’ll use less fuel too.
  1. Find pleasure in anything. This is related to being present, but taking it a step farther. Whatever you’re doing, be fully present … and also appreciate every aspect of it, and find the enjoyable aspects.
  1. Single-task. The opposite of multi-tasking. Focus on one thing at a time. When you feel the urge to switch to other tasks, pause, breathe, and pull yourself back.
    10. Breathe. When you find yourself speeding up and stressing out, pause, and take a deep breath. Take a              couple more. Really feel the air coming into your body, and feel the stress going out. By fully focusing on            each breath, you bring yourself back to the present, and slow yourself down. It’s also nice to take a deep            breath or two.


2.  Re-order the rules so that they reflect your preference.

1.Appreciate nature.
2.Find pleasure in anything
3. Breathe
4.Single-task.
5.Eat slower
6.Be present.
7.Do less.
8.Disconnect.
9.Focus on people.
10.Drive slower


3. Choose the three more important in your opinion and add two or three more lines to every one explaining the good consequences of following the rule.

1.Appreciate nature: We have to enjoy the nature because few years next in the future where now is country, it will be posibylity citys or other things very dissimilar tu nature.

2.Do less: We can't do a million things in a day. You must organisate your diary and do do tomorrow what you can do today.

3.Find pleasure in anything: Everything that happend, have a good and a bad face, but you can nonly look for the good thing and you will be better.









jueves, 7 de noviembre de 2013

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
More than a thousand years ago, most of the humans left africa and begin to colonize the world, since then human historie is a historie of migration. Migration is always a strong concept in the world in developement, but normaly it´s seen like a problem. migration is definied like a problem change os residence of a person or a group.
Types of migration: Asylum migration: inhuman treatement, torture of death penalty.
                              Labor migration: For better economic future, but it´s dificult for people of poor countries.
                              Ilegal migration: Usual in people of undeveloped countries.
                              Another case, it´s an migration of especialist 
Migration today:  Wordwide: migrants: 215.8 million
Where they normaly go: USA: 42.8%              Where they normaly come from: Mejico: 11.9%
                                     Russia: 12.3%                                                             India: 11.7%
                                    Germany: 10.8%                                                          Russia: 11.1%
                                    Saudi arabia: 7.3%                                                       China: 8.3%
                                    Canada: 7.2%                                                               Ukranie: 6.6%
                                     UK: 7.0%                                                                    Bangladesh: 5.3%
                                     Spain: 6.9%
                                     France: 6.7%
                                    Australia: 5.5%
                                    India: 5.4%
Often, there is not sucesfule intrigration between races, so diferent etnics liev in separates neighborhoud.
About ilegal migration, between 15,000 trying to reach Europe.
Finaly, migration contibute to the cultural diversity of the destinations countries.

jueves, 31 de octubre de 2013

Halloween Storie


Read and complete as you think best:

Juan has convinced his parents to let him use the house they have in the country to spend a few days with his friends. It`s a long weekend and Juan and his friends drive to the house where they expect to spend their holidays. The day is 2 November, All Souls Day. Juan and his friend decide to do a late Halloween party so they decorate the house properly to help create the rigth atmospher. They also decide to wear their horror party costumes. Needless to say they have also bought some beer and other alcoholic drinks.
It`s late in the evening, it`s getting rather cold and windy. The rain starts coming down. The party is in full swing. Suddenly the lights go off. Alicia, one of Juan`s friends suggests they can do a ouija session in the dark. They all agree with enthusiasm. They set up everything and start doing it.
None of the young people at the party could have ever imagined that what had started as a fun game would turn into a nightmare they would never forget...
I´m sure that you are thinking that something terrifying is going to happend, and you´re sure. The storie end with the half of teenagers that come in the house, because the other half were died. No one knows how they died, the people who survive don't know how they survive, but they know thet they would never forget this situation, and I think they would never repeat the ouija session again.

jueves, 17 de octubre de 2013

COMMENT ABOUT MULTICULTURALISM: GOOD, BAD OR BOTH?

When we talk about multicultulasim, we are talking about different races, religions, foods, color of skin, and many things more together. I think that many races living together are good because we can learn some good things about other cultures, or the others persons of the other culture can learn good things about us. 
One of the good things that we can apreciate of having person from other contries, is that they introduce their costums in our country, for example: when chinese people have a restaurant.