My English competence in 2010/2011.

I think my best oral presentation was about my research project, the last one. It is titled "Video killed the radio star". I think it's the best one because I can see clearly my improvements in pronunciation, fluency and vocabulary. Also it was the one which I wasn't so nervous and my body language was good. Click here to read the text. I couldn't upload the video. I'm sorry!

I don't have a favourite writing. It is difficult to choose the best writing because I think that some of them were good. For example the news about the disaster in Japan or the news about the earthquake in Murica were very good because I've improved a lot my writings since the last two years. But also one of the good writings is about the Eurovision song contest winner of this year, which I enjoyed a lot writing about it.


To finish, I have to say that this blog can help us a lot to learn English. It is true that sometimes some people don't take the advantage of it, and I think it is beacuse sometimes it is very wiry and boring, and also very stressing. But it is the best way to learn because you have to take a lot of your time. But I think that it could have more success when the teachers give us a deadline for each of the writings (tasks AND your-says) during the term, and not a deadline for the end of the term, because everyone (including me) does the writings the last days very quickly and without desire.
And another good way to learn English is travelling abroad. I'm very sad that we don't went to London this year, only because some people didn't want to go. I'm sure that it could have helped us a lot to improve our English and also it could be a good experience.

So, that is my last writing here... I have finished my work, and I say GOODBYE! Good luck for everyone! :)

KIM

My English progress from 2009/2010 - 2010/2011

As you know, we are finishing second of batxillerat and I'm going to do some reflections about my English progress from the last two years. Time passed very fast, and we are arriving at the last part of our school time: the PAU exams!

I think my English has improved a little bit since I arrived at first of batxillerat, because I've learnt some new vocabulary and grammar. I improved the verb tenses, but I still have problems sometimes, for that, I think we should have studied it more at class.
When I compare my first composition, the letter to my teacher, and my last writing, the news about the disaster in Japan or the Earthquake in Murica, I can see some differences. One one hand, I remembered that I spent a lot of time doing the letter, because I didn't know what to write about and it was not easy for me. Also I think the ideas where a little bit "poor" and the vocabulary very easy. On the other hand, I think the news about the earthquake in Muricia or the disaster in Japan where a lot better, because I've used some technical words, the vocabulary was very rich and also the verb tenses have improved a bit. And now, at the end of the two years it is easier for me to develope a writing.

When I compare my oral presentations I also can see some differences, maybe bigger ones than in the writings. My first oral presentation in first of batxillerat was about my winter holidays on a cruiser, and I was very nervous. The body language was very bad because I haven't looked at the audience and also I was trembling a bit. The pronunciation and the structure of the presentation was not bad.
And finally, when I take a look at my last oral presentation which was about my research project, I can see some big improvements. I also was nervous, a thing which it's very difficult for me to overcome, but it was much better. I looked at my audience and my pronunciation was clear, I think everyone could understand me. It was much better than the presentation I did in front of the jury who scored my whole project. I think it was because it was the second time that I exposed it in front of some people, and I wasn't so nervous like the first time.

So, in conclusion, I have seen some personal developement because I've improved my English a bit, my pronunciation and the fluency when I speak is much better. I hope that in future I'll improve it a lot more!

Oral exam: The Joy Luck Club

Can you summarize the book in two minutes?

The novel talks about four women, all chinese immigrants living in San Francisco. All they arrived to California to looking for a better life. Each of them has an adult daughter that were born in America. The four woman decided to create „The Joy Luck Club“ where they meet regulary to play the chinese game mahjong, to eat and to tell their stories and adventures each other.

The relationship of each women with their daughters is full of sadness and they can't understand each other. The book is divided in a lot of chapters, and there are chapters where the womans are talking and some others where the daughters are telling their stories. The mothers remember their childhood in China, and their lifes in California, which were very difficult and sad. The daughters remember growing up with Chinese mothers in San Francisco. Sometimes they felt like they weren't Chinese at all, and didn't know how to deal with the Chinese culture in their homes.

The book ends with that one of the daughters returns to China to find the rest of her family, and there it has become clear the her that her real identity is Chinese and not American.

Is there a mystery sentence or a turning point in the story?

Yes. At the beginning of the book, one of the daughters say: „Over the years, she told me the same story, except for the ending, which grew darker, casting long shadows into her life, and eventually into mine“. I think it's a very important quote, because it shows that the lifes of the mothers weren't good, and that the ones of the daughters wouldn't be better.

When and where does the story take place?

The story takes place in the 1950's in San Francisco, California. The characters of the book are telling how were their lifes in pre-Revolutionary China.

Who are the main characters in the story? What’s their role?

The main characters are the three mothers, because one is already dead when the novel starts, and the four daughters. The three mothers have a good relationship and the daughters too, but mothers between daughters isn't so good.

Choose one character (main or secondary) and describe him/her.

June: She is the daughter of Suyuan Woo and she is 36 years old. She always had a bad relationship with her mother, full of troubles. She was very frustated when her mother died, and she never knew the whole story of her mother's previous life in china. At the beginning of the book she considered herself more American than Chinese, but when she traveled to China to find the rest of her family, she saw that China is a part of her identity.

Can you identify with any character? Why?

I think that I can't identify me with any of the characters of the story, because all the people that appear in it had a very very hard life, with no good memories.

Choose your favourite moment in the story

My favorite moment is when Ying-Ying remembers going to a moon festival as a young girl and finding out that the magic and ceremony is often just an act. She recognized that the „Lady Moon“, an angel who she really believed in, is only an actor.

I don't really like bad moments, when dreams broke or something similar, but these moment was very interesting because it was exciting and surprising.

Which new key words have you learnt to understand the story?

Scar: cicatriu

Chin: barbeta

Ancestor: avantpassat

Sewing: cosir

Sighed: sospirar

Provide an alternative ending.

At the end of the story, June found her half-sisters and their mother. So she felt happy because she had a new family with who she passed very good times.

An alternative ending could be that June went to China to find the rest of her family and she didn't found them. She would be very sad and go back to San Francisco to continue her poor life. She would have the same destiny as her mother: be unhappy with her life.

Would you recommend this book? Why?

Yes. I think it is a very interesting book, because it's not like usual novels with an „normal“ story. The book is structured in different chapters, where all of the main characters tell their stories from the past and with flashbacks. It is very well written. The only thing that is a bit annoying is that the chinese names are very confusing.

My 3 comments.

HELENA'S BLOG:
http://justundiscovered4.blogspot.com/2011/04/last-months-on-high-shcool.html?showComment=1305480301064#c3465977160919652368

ANNA'S BLOG:
http://annaenglishspace-2batx.blogspot.com/2011/04/news-japan-powerful-aftershock-leaves.html

ANTONELA'S BLOG:
http://remembermetonight4.blogspot.com/2011/05/internet-is-killing-tv-age-of.html?showComment=1305480775674#c827089721948443884

NEWS: Disaster of Japan

TASK

On the 11th of March 2011 was an earthquake with magnitude 9.0 in Japan. It destroyed a lot of towns with thousand of houses. Also in Tokyo some houses have collapsed and the damages are very high. The Japanese National Police Agency confirmed more than 15.000 deaths, 5.000 injured and 10.000 missed.
After the earthquake there was a big tsunami which also had damaged big part of the country and also had caused a lot of deaths and destroyed towns. The biggest problem is that the earthquake has left without electricity 4 milion households and 1.5 milion without water. Also the nuclear station Fuckushima was long time without electricity, which is very danger because the radioactivity is breaking out, and when the Japanese goverment can't stop it, it may be that there is a disaster like in Tjernobyl 25 years ago.

In my opinion, I think that we can't change the nature, so it's not our fault that there was an earthquake and a tsunami in Japan. But I think that nuclear power should be switched off because when there is a little accident it could destroy lifes of million of persons. It could have consequences for all the world and also for our children and grandchildren. So, I hope that the world has seen what nuclear power can destroy, and that in future all the nuclear power stations are going to be switched off. With renewable energies our world could also survive.

Limitless

"Limitless" is a film directed by Neil Burger. The main characters are played by Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish.

PLOT:

Eddie is an author and he has the order to write a new book, but he can't because he isn't inspiered. His girlfriend Lindy broke up with him because she is disappointed that he isn't able to write a new story. One day, Eddie run into Vernon, who is a droug dealer and the brother of his ex-wife Melissa. Vernon offers Eddie the new droug NZT48 which has the ability for humans to access 100% of the brain's power. Eddie accepts and he was able to finish his book.
Eddie wants to have more of this droug to have more success in his life, but when he arrives at Vernon's house, the droug dealer is dead. Eddie quickly deduces that Vermon was probably killed by someone who also wants the droug. But he finds the bag with the drougs and take it with him. He becomes very famous because he is very inteligent and rich, and also Lindy wants him back. But he goes in danger, because some other droug dealer are trying to find him...


OPINION:

I liked a lot this film, it is very original and interesting. I like a little bit of science fiction, and in this case it wasn't too much. It was made very real and the director achieved that in some moments I had believed that this droug really exists. Also the actors did a very good work, I love Bradley Cooper!

27 CLUB

The 27 Club is the name of a group of singers who all died when they were 27 years old. All the famous rock singers like Kurt Cubain, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison died at the age of 27. Is it coincidence? Or want all these rock stars die at this age to form part of the group? It is a question that nobody can answer, and a lot of people only think that it is a curse...

Brian Jones: He is the Rolling Stones founder and the guitarist. He died the 3rd of July 1969 when he was 27 years and 125 days old. He is drowned in his swimming pool one week after had left the Rolling Stones.

Jimi Hendrix: He was guitarist, singer and songwriter for "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" and "Band of Gypsys". He died the 18th of September 1970 when he was 27 years and 295 days old. He asphyxiated on vomit after combining sleeping pills with wine.

Janis Joplin: She was the lead vocalist and songwirter for Big Brother and the Holding Company. She died when she was 27 years and 258 days old. Probable the death cause is an overdose of heroin.

Jim Morrison: He was lead singer, songwriter and video director of "The Doors". He died on the 3rd of July 1971 when he was 27 years and 207 days old. The autopsy said he had an heart failure, but it isn't sure.


Kurt Cobain: He was the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of "Nirvana". He died on the 5th April 1994 when he was 27 years and 44 days old. He suicided himelf with a shotgun.


But there are a lot of other famous people that died at the age of 27: Linda Jones, Jesse Belvin, Jacob Miller... it is a very big curiosity, and I think that a lot of another rock singers will die at this age, because it is almost a tradition or a honor to belong to the 27 Club.