Mar 7, 2012

FRANKENSTEIN

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HOLYDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS

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Mar 6, 2012

TOYS AND GAMES



When I was a child I didn't get any presents at Christmas. In my family the tradition was that children received money from adults. My grandad, who was the richest, gave my sister and me a big silver coin every Christmas Eve which we collected with pleasure.
I received toys on January the 5th at night. The presents were hidden all around the house by the Three Wise Men and I had to look for them. It was really thrilling! Previously I had written a letter asking for the presents I would pretend to obtain. I had to tell them about my behavior all along the year.
I specially remember, when I was six, a green eyed and red-headed doll who could do somersaults. She was obviously named “Volteretas”. Another present I was elated with was a drum. I can clearly remember the moment when I found it on a stair's step. I did played it for hours and end! And finally a toy I have happy memories of is a West Gun. It made a realistic sound when you shot it and even it produced some smoke!
When I was a child I can remember me playing all the time with my sister. We mainly used to role-play: doctors, shop-assistant, actors, teachers, families... This kind of games are creatives and you only need daily devices and common objects to play, no toys at all.
I think games and toys are not essentially different nowadays from those of three decades ago. Maybe the material is different but that's all. (As long as electronic gadgets didn't exist in those days.)
I'm afraid I must disagree with the statement “children play less than they used to”. Under my point of view they play the same time but with different toys and to different games in other places.
I would swear the most popular game nowadays are those children can play with their computers on line on the web.
About playing with adults I wouldn't recommend it. I would suggest to socialize children with their pairs, the same age or not, but specially when role-playing an adult wouldn't be better than a pair.
In conclusion, games and playing are essential for every child to grow-up and become a human being.

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RECOMMENDATION LETTER


To whom it may concern,

I am writing this character reference letter recommendation for my friend Sonja Johnson which I had the pleasure to meet ten years ago at The Annual Tourist Convention. Since then, we have been in contact and have worked closely whenever our companies have decided so.

Because of her experience as a hostess, she is naturally sussed, always acting comfortable dealing with aspects such as contacting people or socializing among different kinds of groups. She possesses an outgoing character feature: she is kindly in manners.

In addition to all this, she has a remarkable historic and cultural background and knowledge. She studied History . She has got her Barcelona University bachelor's degree. Her final thesis was about “Roman culture in Mallorca” for which she received a “cum laude”.

Another aspect I would like to highlight is her hard-working attitude which is combined with an affable way of doing it. These two features makes her fit properly in either a team or enable her to create a new high-spirited one.

I am conscious that her age (almost 56) could be a drawback but, nevertheless, she is extremely youthful and I'm sure she will be more capable and more proactive with tourists than younger candidates.

For these reasons, I am more than confident about Sonja. She is the perfect candidate to occupy the position of a tourist-guide.

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ENGLISH AND ME


To begin with this topic I would like to narrate my first contact with the English language at the age of twelve.

My dear mum enrolled my old sister and me in a small English class with a Navarrian teacher (I mean from Pamplona) married to an English man.

In those days, I am talking about thirty-two years ago, English was considered almost an exotic language, at least in a small village located in the Iberian inland. We were twelve students and I can clearly recall the first words I listened in the strange idiom. They were: “Meet Sandy and Sue”. Believe it or not, it was later on when I discovered the way these enigmatic sounds were written...

At the age of twenty I started to study in order to become an English Primary teacher. I was really motivated with the English subject. Fortunately, in my second year I had an English teacher who taught us didactic and phonetics aspects of English language acquisition ( also rhythm and intonation). She developed on me the hidden teaching vocation. In addition to this I discovered the great pleasure to read English authors in their original. In those days I enjoyed Patricia Highsmith's novels, Roald Dahl's short stories and the overnight success literary work Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

I was able to achieved success finishing the teacher career in six years which is not really a great success considering other students completed it in three years. For me, in those days, that was good enough.

Later on, in 1994, I managed to gain the position of Primary teacher in the Balears competitive exams.

This academic year I have decided to make a pause in my profession. I really needed to slow down for a long period of time, considering I was director of studies in a school during six years. This is the main reason I have decided to continue with my English training and must finally say I am really happy with the classes!

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HIGHLY AMBITION-FLYING HIGH


There's a world of difference between my own expectations and my parent's. Since I was a child I had a strong desire to became a pilot. I wish I could try to achieve this dream harder. I didn't and that's why I now regret... Only my mum helped a little by letting me study languages in case I would need them in the future. She said: “just in case you would get a job as a stewardess”, which is actually my occupation.

I'm sure that right now is high time I deserved to jump at the chance.

First of all, I have a lot of experience in the air navigation field. It runs in my family: my dad was a pilot during the Spanish civil war and, in addition to this, I've been working for the Iberian company for the last twenty years.

In the second place, I will point out my outstanding health. It has been years since I last visited my doctor. I'm in an amazing physical condition.

And last but not least, I would like to emphasize the intellectual and psychic balance everybody assures I possess.

I'm convinced I will become the best senior pilot with the help of your Masterclass teachers who will be delighted to help me to fulfill my high ambition. As the saying goes: “the sky is the limit”.

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MURKY ADS ON PRIME TIME


The purpose of this report is to analyze broadcast advertisements on Spanish public television channels produced by governmental organizations and those promoted for private companies and firms. It also highlights the effect on teenagers and aspects to be amended.

A random survey among one thousand youths aged between 12 to 17 has been applied . The study has revealed that 20% were accidental television viewers, 70% were common telly watchers and 10% were considered as “coach potatoes”. Their average screen time was around 25 hours a week.

The research has based our arguments to assure children deeply internalize advertisements although they are not always fully able to catch the message. Occasionally they are not engaged with the plot, sometimes feel uncomfortable at watching scenes or even don't pay attention to the weirdest contents. Previous studies concluded that spots were quickly forgotten by youngsters and they didn't always care about them . We have find out these researches are not accurate at all.

The strongest point, revealed from our survey, is that youngest participants interviewed were uneasily influenced and better knowledgeable by gloomy spots rather than older ones regardless their screen time.

In the light of the results, the conclusion is that advertisements wield an outsize influence on young viewers. We are able to claim, drawn from the study held, that images, situations and symbols publicity promotes are incredibly sprawling on child's mind. Advertisements could grow up insane and mentally sick people.

It is strongly recommended to take up measures in order to shift contents from Spanish advertisements. We are aware that the market is the target and the clout is under laid but...

"if we don't care about childhood right now, they wouldn't care for us in the future".


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Mar 1, 2012

VIDEO

NEW ZEALAND 2012 from M.M.Ripoll on Vimeo.

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