HOW THINGS USED TO BE jueves 28 de enero de 2010 , 18:33 hs

CÓMO ERAN LAS COSAS EN JACA...hace unos años

ESTER CONRAT. Durante el curso de 4º ESO y luego de nuevo en Bachillerato, se estudia esta fórmula para hablar de costumbres en el pasado o de cómo eran las cosas entonces. Hemos hecho este pequeño texto que ilustra una de las estructuras, tal vez la menos fácil, la del verbo impersonal "había" esto o lo otro... Al final, un pequeño repaso gramatical por si te quedaron dudas, ya sabes, el año que viene, ¿ lo tendrás otra vez en el examen...!Por cierto, ¿Puedes enviar tus propias frases e imágenes a la revista?

Some years ago, there used to be an old ice-skating rink but now, there is a new horror- ice stadium.

In the image, you can see both stadiums, the old ice rink and the new one.

You can compare…there are different points-of-view…

Five years ago, Jaca used to have an old ice- skating rink but now we have a new big ice-skating place.

In the 30´s there used to be a bank, the “Hispano Americano” in the High Street, next to the Town Hall, but now there is a bar on the corner. They have very good “tapas“there!Some years ago, in The High Street there used to be sidewalks with gutters. Now, there aren´t any.

In Jaca, there used to be a cinema but now there isn't one.

Two years ago, there used to be a square with a statue and a stage. Now the statue is somewhere else and there is an underground car-park in Biscós Square.

A few years ago, there used to be a Chikipark on the corner, but there is a Telepizza now.

There didn’t use to be supermarkets but now there are some.

Thanks to Ibón Martínez, Daniel Lacasa, Daniel Ortiz, Paula Pérez, Daniel Nivela, Paula Azorín, Orosia

Belda, Laura Estebán, Lydia Aznar (4º A)

Mira esta fórmula:

1. There used to be: solía haber (mejor traducido como: antes había...)2. Used to indica el pasado (-ed) y que era lo acostumbrado

"I used to go to yoga lessons"3. Después de la parte de used to, viene siempre un infinitivo, esto es, el verbo sin cambios: go, be,

have, play..."We used to play tennis in the afternoons, 5 years ago"

4. En negativa, tengo que introducir el auxiliar para colgarle el NOTWe didn´t

5. Después, todo lo que venga, será necesariamente Infinitivo: "We didn´t use to visit friends..."

• Así es el inglés, una estructura para la afirmación y ciertos elementos fijos para la negación• Después del auxiliar (DON¨T, DOESN¨T, DIDN¨T) sólo el infinitivo

Writing Skills - Describir imágenes jueves 28 de enero de 2010 , 17:51 hs

ESTER CONRAT. Un ejercicio habitual de las clases de inglés, se convierte en una práctica de descubrimiento del mundo del arte si cambiamos las fotos habituales por una selección de cuadros Impresionistas. Al azar, pues hay muchísimos: estos pintores fueron primero rechazados por sus conservadores jueces coetáneos y ahora ya sabemos lo que vale uno de estos peines....A los alumnos y alumnas de Bachillerato, desearles que puedan cotemplarlos en directo, en los museos de Madrid o París, en sus viajes de estudios o particulares...y que al haber hecho este pequeño ejercicio de atención a los detalles y descripción de un tema, puedan reencontrarse, al azar, con algunos de ellos, como con un conocido, -¡qué sorpresa!, esto lo describí para una clase de inglés...- y sonreir. Si te gustó el tema, aquí encontrarás muchos más (estos artistas fueron muy prolíficos)

Iñigo Ena describe el cuadro de Degas, La orquesta de la Opera.

This picture represents an orchestra (probably a romantic orchestra because the musical instruments are from this period) in the close-up forefront and some ballerinas in the background.In the orchestra there are some musicians which are playing different instruments; the most important figure is the musician that´s playing the bassoon. There are more instruments: a contrabass, a cello, a lot of violins, a flute... The arrangement of the orchestra is really strange because usually musicians have a different position in the orchestra.On the other hand, there are some ballerinas on stage. They are wearing pink and blue skirts -called tutus- and they are apparently dancing during the performance of the opera.There is great contrast between the close-up (which is a bit dark) and the background (which has much more light). Johanna Almache describe La cuna de Berthe Morisot.

I can see a woman looking at a little baby. They are indoors. The baby is sleeping, he looks relaxed and the woman is looking at him tenderly. She is sitting on a sofa and the baby is in a comfortable cot. The baby's cot has a veil with pink details and the woman is wearing a wonderful black and blue striped velvet dress.Both the woman and the baby have the same gesture, a hand on the head, as a mirror effect. This makes them look rather connected. Maybe she is his or her mother. I think that this picture is very beautiful. Adriana García describe Mujeres en el jardín de Monet.

It’s spring-time and the weather is nice; there are four people in a park or a garden with a lot of vegetation and some trees are in bloom.

On the left, there are three women: One of them is sitting on the grass. She’s wearing a very beautiful white dress with some small black embroidered decorations. She’s wearing a funny hat, too and a very big yellow scarf around her neck . She has an umbrella to keep the sun off her face and the sun-rays reveal the wonderful details in her dress.She’s got some colourful flowers on her lap, like the woman whose dress is yellow with a downwards line of bright buttons.

The standing woman in the yellow dress is talking to another one whose dress is white with green stripes. She is also wearing a hat with long white ribbons.

In the background, there is a girl, she’s going for a walk in the park, looking at the flowers. She is wearing a white dress with black dots. Her hair is red and her hairdo is a very big knot.

They used to wear those heavy dresses and expensive accessories because it was very fashionable then and I would like to live in that time to wear this type of dresses, they are all wonderful!

In my opinion, all these girls are rich because they look really elegant and refined.Claude Monet´s paintings are beautiful; in my point of view, he was an incredible artist.

Mónica Santed describe Niñas tocando el piano de Renoir

.

Girls Playing PianoRenoir was ( and he still is ) a very important and famous painter.

In this picture, there is a girl sitting on a chair: she is playing the piano. She is wearing a pale blue dress with a dark blue ribbon; her long hair is blonde.There is another girl standing next to her and the piano: she is reading on a music book. She is wearing a light red dress and a pink ribbon in her long wavy chestnut hair.It looks as if the girl sitting on the chair is learning how to play the piano. She looks like young Mozart while he was playing the piano: shelooks interested, concentrated: maybe they are choosing the next melody.There are some flowers on the piano and a sofa in the background.A green and red curtain divides the big room.It might be happening in the hall of a palace. Cristina García describe Después de la inundación de Sisley

Let´s have a look at this picture. Its author was Alfred Sisley and the title is "The Boat in the Flooding".It was made in 1876, in Port-Marly, Paris, when there was a flood because the River Seine had a lot of water after heavy rains.

The picture is a landscape and on the right, there is one small boat with a man and a lot of trees, maybe there was a wood. There is water everywhere on the ground, reflecting the blues in the sky and the yellows on the walls. On the left, there is an enormous house: the walls are white and red-brown, and there are two doors, ten black windows and some towers on the roof. In front of the house, there is a small boat with two men: I think that they are checking the place where they used to live. In the background, there is a wood. The blue sky has got a lot of white rounded clouds. It looks as if the danger has already finished.

I like this picture: the colours are not dark, they´re beautiful blues turning into green and yellow. Echad un vistazo y leed, ¡aunque esté en inglés!

What is my ideal place?

Ok, I think that my ideal place is “The Ibón of Estanés”. It’s a lake, in the mountains.It is in France, near the Spanish border, 4 km away. You must park the car in Sansanet parking.From the parking to Estanés there are about two kilometers. It takes 1 hour 30 minutes to get there.You can go in winter or in summer, as you like it. However, you must always wear good mountain clothes and equipment.In Summer:If you go in summer you can see a lot of animals such as horses, cows, birds, a lot of insects, marmots, etc. You can also see a lot of pretty flowers with many colors. When you arrive to the lake you can swim in it but the water is really cold!In Winter: If you go in winter, you can go with skis or with snowshoes. I prefer to go with skis because when you go down, you can go faster, get less tired and it’s more fun. And when you arrive you can bypass the lake because it is frozen.

The only bad thing is that you can´t see any animals or flowers because there is a lot of snow, the weather is really cold! And you make noise and the animals run away or hide.

Two weeks ago I went with my dad. The weather wasn’t really good but we had a good time.I like this place because it’s very quiet, beautiful and the most important thing, you do sport and is a quiet place to think.

Laura Gómez, 3º ESO

My favourite place by JavierI always go to Jasa with my parents and my brother: my grand-parents and uncles live there. I usually go there three times a month. The last weekend I went, it was cloudy and rainy so I couldn't go out. Jasa and Aragües del Puerto are in the Hidden Valley: it is surrounded by nature: trees, birds, bears...

There, I meet friends, I play basketball with them… I sometimes go to the mountain, I like it!I usually go with my uncle to care take off the cows, but there isn’t a bull called Ferdinand! The cows are brown-mountain race. The cows live, in winter, in a big block with roof and in summer, they eat in very large fields in the mountains.

The highest peak in the valley is Bisaurín, it measures 2670 metres high. This mountain is very dangerous especially, the French face because of the cliffs. At the summit, there is a Christian cross; formerly, there was a book to sign in but someone stole it and a Virgin of the Snows, too!

Bisaurín 2670m.

Environment v people. Trabajamos sobre este tema a la vez que era centro de atención y controversia mundial.

Después de mucho hacer y rehacer, presentamos aquí un muestrario de enfoques y estilos que logra reunir los términos, conceptos, argumentos y estructuras apropiados para este tema y los contenidos del curso.

Como es difícil, lo mostramos aquí para que sea de ayuda o inspiración en próximas ocasiones.

Se puede mejorar y debemos mucho a Ellie, auxiliar de lengua inglesa en el Instituto que generosamente revisó estas composiciones para que sonaran más normal.

Se verá actualizado porque, como dice el gran Forges, “El ambiente siempre está en

medio”

What can we do? By Sara Clau

In the future, we will have to protect our planet because it's the only one we have and if we don't recycle or use renewable energy now, we won't have a beautiful and clean place to live in and neither will our children.

We will have to cut down on using fossil-fuels and start using environmentally friendly means of transport (like bikes) more often. Public transport will have to be free and, as a result, people will use these instead of their own cars. Consequently, exhaust emissions won´t increase.

We have to be careful about greenhouse-gases because they make the Earth hotter and the polar ice-caps melt. Therefore, the sea-level will rise.

Climate change is an important problem, too. In some places desertification makes it impossible for plants to grow so agriculture will face many problems.

But that's not the only one: in some areas it rains so heavily that floods are destroying people's houses.

If we don't want this to happen, we have to start using renewable energy from solar panels and wind-mills. Everybody will have to use energy-saving light bulbs, too.

We have to be aware of how our actions affect ecosystems: all species are important because they are links in the food-chain. However, we are Whaling, killing these huge peaceful animals and spoiling marine ecosystems. And we are also cutting down rainforests, using pesticides that kill insects, birds and other animals...

We should be planting more trees and governments should encourage Sustainable Development, Ecotourism and, by law, preserve the different ecosystems in their countries.

I think my ideas will not only help The Earth but also help us realize how happy we would be without so many things we don't really need.

Three Important Changes in our Lifestyle by Cristina García VisúsThe Environment is something that we need to take care of because, I hope, it will be there forever, so, we must protect it from threats such as Global Warming which can cause floods and droughts, Whaling, oil spills, consumption of Natural Resources… to save our future and our children’s, too.We should protect Ecosystems and meet human needs at the same time.

As individuals, we can use less carrier bags because this plastic is very polluting. So, we can recycle these bags, go shopping with our own bags or maybe Scientists can invent some kind of bag that doesn´t last forever!Cars and motorbikes are good, fast means of transport but they pollute the air with exhaust fumes. However, we can change this, going by bike, bus or walking instead of driving. This is healthier and more fun!

As a country, we can use renewable energy because it produces the same electricity but with an advantage: it doesn´t cause pollution and helps us have a better air quality! And Spain is perfect for solar panels and wind-farms, too.

Finally, I want to say that if we do all of these small actions now, in the future, the world will be a nice place for our children and they will be grateful!Think globally, act locally now!

What will we have to do, in the future, to protect the Environment?

The environment is in danger due to a number of threats such as global warming, which is causing climate change and can cause floods, droughts or the melting of ice caps. Other related problems are the consumption of natural resources and the use of pesticides in agriculture.So, we have to begin to change our life-style if we don't want the planet to become an impossible place to live in. We should start to “think globally and act locally".

For instance, we should become aware of natural resources such as water (there is not an unlimited-quantity of it!). So, first of all, we should have showers instead of baths and we should also turn the tap off when we don't need running water.Secondly, rubbish: what we produce everyday is a big problem. Then, we should separate our waste like food, paper, glass...Finally, everyone should look after the trees and plant more trees because we are always using their wood for paper or pencils. However, Governments are very important because they should promote sustainable development and protect ecosystems.

Therefore, humanity must take measures to protect the Earth such as using solar panels and wind-mills and, which is very important, this Sustainable Retreat new concept.

I think that if we do these little actions, in the future, the planet will be a good place to live. By Johanna Almache

Environmentally Thinking By Íñigo Ena Today, we face serious problems although we sometimes ignore it: Global Warming and Climate-change. Over the past few years, Environmentalists and Scientists hoped that in Copenhagen 2009, the most powerful people in the world would reach an agreement to stop and solve this problem. But they didn´t. So, we have to try and do something to protect the Environment.

We have to find a life-style which respects our planet´s biodiversity and, at the same time, we have to live, find jobs, earn and enjoy our lives... We can recycle and reuse the majority of the things we use: paper, plastic, carrier bags, bottles...it is very easy.

We should also use renewable and clean energy such as the one produced by photovoltaic panels (solar energy) or by wind-power, instead of fossil fuels. Maybe it is more expensive now, but this will help to preserve air-quality, too. Fossil fuels are now cheaper than renewable energies, but in a century they will be very limited because they are disappearing. Besides, they are major pollutants.

Sustainable Development is the formula and Governments should force this type of economy. However, there are also private interests that escape international control. I think that, when we vote, we should elect politicians who are trying to make changes and improvements both for the country and for the planet.

The Environment is being destroyed and we aren´t going to stop until it is irremediable. By Mónica SantedIn order to solve the problems that the World is currently facing, Governments should promote:- better air quality by cutting down on gas emissions and end with the mass extinction of species (ecosystems are spoiled due to pesticides and pollution).- install solar panels (photovoltaic energy in buildings for water and central heating) and use renewable energy from water and wind-farms to produce more energy (for factories and cities).- promote Ecotourism (ecological tourism) which is respectful to animals and the landscape.If Governments don ’t take these measures the consequences are going to be terrible: we have to be aware of this and take care of Natural ecosystems to keep biodiversity which is so essential on Planet Earth.We must take care of rainforests and control both the hunting of animals and the consumption of natural resources (water and fossil fuels such as gas, coal, oil, peat...). The use of pesticides is killing species which are vital food for other species which, in turn, protect other ecosystems... It is a chain of life. Everything is connected to everything.In my opinion,“think globally and act locally ” is important because we are all on the same Planet and we have the same goal.

Life on Earth in the year 2050 By Adriana García Nieto

Within 40 years, our planet will have suffered a big change... These days, we usually go by car or by bus, we don´t recycle, we waste a lot of things... but in the year 2050, all these things will have changed.

Nowadays, not many people usually recycle or sort out the rubbish in their bins. By 2050, everyone will. This way, we can produce less waste in the land-fills.Besides, many things can be reused. We should waste less paper, plastic, water...

Thanks to data (from a study conducted by Greenpeace) people will become aware of the problems and there will be a general change of view. This "new" generation will refuse to use fossil fuels and leaded petrol in their cars or buses. However, the solution is difficult unless people are educated on these topics.We must reduce our carbon foot-print (our personal contribution to pollution) and help the planet. Maybe, this way, the temperature won´t rise so fast! As soon as people are aware and start making small changes, the Environment will be less threatened, the world will be "green". We must do as the slogan says: "Think locally, act globally" .

Our healthy future By Laura Izquierdo

Now, I will talk about our planet because I think that it is going to change a lot: In 2100, our planet and our lives will be very different as technology will have improved, and due to global warming and climate change, people will be more careful.

Most people will recycle and stop throwing rubbish on the ground. Cars will be electric, petrol won't be used any more and there won't be as much pollution as there is now in the cities. As a result, air-quality will be better.

We will take maximum advantage of solar power: we won't have to waste so much money and it will help the Environment. In houses it will become the most common way to get the energy needed for hot water and central heating.

Technology will be the most important thing. Everything will be controlled by machines and computers... There will be robots to prepare food for us, others will clean the house...However, not everyone will be able to have them.Finally, I think the future is going to be much better but for rich people more than for poor people, as usual.

In my opinion, we need to recycle and use less electricity.

We must respect the World.

A FUTURISTIC VISION By Ramón Visús

In the future, we will have to protect the Environment by recycling and using renewable energy sources. Fossil-fuels will have disappeared and clean energies will replace them.

Nobody will drive because of the free trains, trams and electric helicopters that will be available everywhere.

We will have to recycle all materials more than we do now, in order to contaminate less.

New technology will have been developed , factories will pollute less and we will not have to do so much effort not to contaminate.

The world will be cleaner.

Anyway, the less we contaminate now, the better the Environment will be in the future.

Check several essays about Favourite Jobs.

March 16, 2010, 5:42 pm Filed under: Students´Own

The students in 4º ESO wrote about this topic for a writing test and they used vocabulary, grammar, connectors…all the contents of the course.

We publish here: Daniel Ortiz, Paula Perez, Nicolas Palacios, Carmen de la Torre and Lydia Aznar´s essays but there are more…

My favourite jobI like a lot of jobs but I’d like to be either a firefighter or an engineer.Firefighter is a most dangerous and exciting job, but it isn’t as well paid as an engineer. I would prefer being an engineer because it has a good salary and it is an interesting job although you have to study harder than to be a firefighter. I think being an engineer is better than being a firefighter, though.I first knew about engineers when I was little because my own uncle works as a train engineer in Madrid. I like his job because he has to control the trains and he is the boss!I made my decision last year, when I was 14. One day, I saw a very interesting TV programme about this job: you have to control some machines and you have your own office! Although first, you have to study a technical degree, but I think I can do it.An engineer has a really good pay and he usually stays all the day sitting in a comfortable chair in his office. I want to work about forty hours a week but no more. However, if I had to work longer hours, I’d like to have a really high salary.

I don’t know about my future, I hope I can get a good job! Daniel Ortiz 4ºA

MY FAVOURITE JOBMY FAVOURITE JOBMy favourite job is as a Chemist. Recently, I love doing experiments and studying atoms, electrons…Or else, I would like to work in something related to Genetics because I love this matter, too! I wish I could work in a laboratory.

I still don’t know people who work either in Genetics or Chemistry. I only know my Biology and Chemistry teachers. However, I don’t want to be a teacher! It’s too hard!

When we went to Paris last week, we visited a nuclear center where there were a lot of microscopes and machines, huge machines! I really love it!

The only thing that I hate is the scruffy white gown they usually wear. It’s horrible, although may be they feel more comfortable in it!

When I was little, I used to say that I wanted to be a vet, as a lot of children do.

Every child wants to be a firefighter or vet and also detectives.

Although, when I started at High School and later on I began to study Chemistry and Biology, I changed my mind.

I think I have to study five years for this kind of job, but I’m not sure.

I would like to be paid about 1500$ a month. I think it’s the amount of money that a person needs to have a good quality of life.

I want to work about 30 hours a week but I know that not many people can work less than 40 hours a week, nowadays.

I love this sort of work and I wish I can get a job that mixed both Genetics and Chemistry.

It would be the best job in the world! Paula Perez 4º ESO A

Aeronautical engineer

I would like to be an aeronautical engineer.I like this job, I think it is about designing and building air-crafts and ships and similar machines.Maybe this job is more difficult than others such as pilot, sailor, teacher, chef or chemist but I don´t think it is more important: all are equally necessary.I have heard about this job in magazines and in shows on TV.I don’t know anybody doing this job (they may be living in big cities). On the other hand, three people in my family have the same job: they are police men. However, I don’t want to be a police man.I decided I like this job about one year ago, when I started to be interested in architecture and similar technical jobs. So, I guess I have to study Technology and get a degree at University.I must confess I want much money and few working hours! Of course, my family think I’m crazy!Nicolás Palacios, 4º ESO

My favourite job and why.

Now, I am a student, but in the future I want to get a job as a doctor or a scientist because I like Sciences and Chemistry although I am not very good at it.

I don't know anybody with those jobs but I want to be a doctor because you can help cure sick people and this is really nice. Or a Chemist: It sounds fantastic to investigate new things that nobody knows.

I haven't decided yet because it is a very difficult decission and you don't dare make it. Your future depends on it. I think that the careers to become a doctor or a scientist are very difficult and I am annoyed because I don´t know if I will pass the exams required.

When I was a child, I wanted to be a singer but now, I think that it is better to be a doctor, it is more useful and generous. Carmen de la Torre, 4º ESO

A TEACHERI want to be a teacher. I like it because I think that this job is very interesting. I prefer teaching little children because they are more generous.

I know a lot of people with this job. Three persons in my family are teachers. So, since I was little, I have always wanted to be a teacher, work in a school and teach other people. I remember my parents used to talk about their job as teachers: I was six or seven years old when I decided to be a teacher. When I go to school I always think that one day I will be there. I feel very happy when I see the children at school. I love children and I want to work with them. I would like to study this career either in Zaragoza or in Valencia, but I prefer Valencia because the weather is better. Valencia is bigger than Zaragoza and there are many things to visit. Also in Valencia I would like to study Medicine, but I don´t know… because Medicine is a most difficult career! I think that I will have to study very hard to get a degree in Medicine. If I get to be a teacher or a surgeon I will feel very happy. In my opinion, the teachers are important good persons because they give us useful information. As a teacher, I think that I would work forty hours a week, more or less. At High School, in the mornings they work 30 hours a week. However many evenings they have to come to school again.

I want to work with people, not alone. I think being a plumber or a chef is more boring than other possible jobs. I want to be a teacher in Aragón all my life! I think it is useful for our society.

Where the Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak

The night Max _________1(wear) his wolf-suit and _________2(make) mischief of one kind and another, his mother _________3(call) him “Wild-thing” and Max __________4(say)“I´ll eat you up” so he was sent to bed without eating anything...

That very night, in Max´s room, a forest________5(grow) ...and ___________...and _______ until his ceiling hanged with vines and the walls ___________6(become) the world all around.

And an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he ___________7(sail) off, through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are!

And when he _________8(come) to the place where the wild things are, they roared their terrible roars and meshed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws until Max said “Be still!” and tamed them with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once.

And they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all and made him King of All-Wild Things.

“And now,-said Max- let the wild rumpus start!”****

“Now, stop!”, Max said and _________9(send) the wild things off to bed without their supper.

And Max, the King of All-Wild Things, was lonely and ___________10(want) to be where someone loved him best of all.

Then, all around, from far away, across the world, he smelled good things to eat.So, he __________11(give) up being King of Where-the-Wild Things-Are.

But the wild things cried: “Oh, please, don´t go: we´ll eat you up, we love you so!”And Max said: “No!”.

The wild things ___________12(roar) their terrible roars and meshed their terrible teeth and _______13(roll) their terrrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.

Bur Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day and into the night of his very own room where he __________14(find) his supper waiting for him..... and it was still hot!

The End

*

The "Frankestein" composition lunes 19 de abril de 2010 , 23:17 hs

ESTER CONRAT - ¿Viajar ensancha nuestras entendederas?¡UF!¡Menudo título para una composición de Bachillerato!

La presentamos aquí por varias razones:

• es un trabajo colectivo, cada persona escribió su redacción y éstas fueron sus ideas: hay un poco de cada una aquí.

• es un gran muestrario de la gramática, expresiones y vocabulario que hay que usar este trimestre.

• se aprecia la importancia de aprender IDIOMAS, por más que los más jóvenes no puedan creérselo todavía...

Por cierto, es más extensa de lo debido, así que hay un reto final: ¿puedes recortarla, de 288 a 150 palabras - más o menos?Recuerda que la extensión es uno de los requisitos en formato examen.

Gracias a Sara, Cristina, Ramón, María, Iñigo, Adriana, Laura, Johanna...a Mónica también!!!

Best regards,E. Conrat

The "Frankestein" composition

Does travel broaden the mind?When your travel abroad, you meet people and visit new places; besides, you can learn about their beliefs, other customs such as food, music, art..., practice sport, learn a language, and so on... Nowadays, people can travel very often because boats and planes are cheaper and faster than they used to be : this makes it easier for everybody to get to far away countries. There are so many different kinds of travel, though! For instance, you can go on a trip and

visit all the tourist places and museums or just spend your time, hanging around and learning nothing at all! - which is a pity! On the other hand, you can stay longer and try to learn everything about the new culture. In my opinion, we should try to talk and practice different languages because this will, eventually, be very helpful in order to study – go on further education- or get a job, either in a foreign country or in our own. Further more, English is the prevailing language in Internet and in all the electronic devices: it is the official language of Technology. There's another positive possibility: when you talk to people with different beliefs or points of view, when you learn how to discuss and put forward your opinions, in order to reach an agreement or understand others´ views, then, you can get a deeper knowledge of The World and the Human- being. We can help avoid conflict, as well. As a conclusion, I think that if people listened more often, there would be less trouble in The World. 288 words.Now, trim it up. Get a 150-ish-word essay.Avoid repeated words.Convey essential information.

Special Words: Nouns April 28, 2010, 9:58 am Filed under: Students´Own

There are thirteen here and there are not many more in this language…

What are they?

Read this short story, learn and remember…

One day, a woman and three men were walking in the forest: they had stolen things that you wouldn´t imagine: they stole shelves made of wonderful wood, scarves made of silk, some calves from a nearby farm… so, as you can guess they were thieves.

Now, these objects belonged to a dwarf´s wife and the rest of the dwarves were furious so they took their knives in order to cut the leaves in a tree where they wrote a message to the thieves which read:

“If you don´t leave the forest by yourselves, we will force you: your lives are in danger”.

Presently, the thieves left and the wolves followed them and the wives got all their stuff back.

They celebrated it with a dinner: they baked many loaves of bread and made their delicious cucumber sandwiches!

137 words Based on Adriana´s idea

In the Long Run... miércoles 9 de junio de 2010 , 23:53 hs

ESTER CONRAT. La pregunta era sobre el lugar más bonito visto y nos proporciona momentos de lectura, estudio y visiones de la naturaleza.

ORDESA. 145 Words. Íñigo The most beautiful place I have ever visited is the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido. It is a big park in the Aragonese Pyrenees where hundreds of different species live.Biologically, it has an enormous biodiversity: the most popular species is the Beech tree, which is all over the park. It has also very important geological attractions: there are some waterfalls: the most wonderful one is the “Cola de Caballo”, a spectacular natural monument very far from civilization!The best season to visit this Park is Autumn, when the leaves fall and the soil is covered with their wonderful colours. It´s like being in a Romantic picture! All is yellow and brown ...and walk among gigantic trees. I enjoy visiting the park very very much and I recommend going there because it is a fantastic place if you enjoy Nature.

LOCAL BEAUTY125 Words. A.G.N. The Natural Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido is, for me, the most beautiful place that I have ever visited. I was there when I was a child but I remember it very often.

In summer, there is abundant wildlife with its typical flowers and animals, like deer or foxes... It is a beautiful natural wonder with its waterfalls and caves...It´s a pleasant place even though it was recently damaged by heavy rains. The guard said that the park was fine but people with their cameras went there and saw the damage.I think that the Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido is a beautiful place with its wildlife and even its damage! If you have time, you must visit it!

NON-VIRTUAL BEAUTY168Words. Laura Have you ever been to Austria? I have seen lots of beautiful places in photos or the internet, but the most beautiful “in person” view is in Vienna. This place called 'Schönbrunn Palace' is enormous! http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/Someone told me that Habsburg monarchs used to live there and he added that this was one of the most important places in Vienna. For its pain-staking construction, although they are often compared, people say that this Palace is bigger and prettier than Versailles. Here you can admire ancient tapestries, paintings, marble statues ... When I went there, I saw a museum showing some old boats used by this family, and they were fairy-tale-like!But what I liked most was the big and precious garden, with flowers of all kinds: roses, carnations, lilies, daffodils, tulips... and plenty of space to relax our body and minds. I think that everybody could be happy if he or she went to Vienna so if you have never been there, I can recommend it to you.

CROSS THE OCEAN175 Words. Cristina Two years ago, I went to the USA to visit my cousin who is a scientist in Denver, Colorado.During my visit, I went to Yellowstone Natural Park and I loved it! I saw lots of wonderful bears, bison, moose… and many spectacular geysers which were blue, green… and some of them stink! I really loved this trip and I think I will go there again.Last summer, I went again to the USA but this time I saw other Natural Parks such as Brice Canyon or the Anthelope (which is made of red sand). They were fantastic, in fact, I think that if a person goes to the USA, he/she should visit all of them!!The very best thing of American Natural Parks is that they are extremely clean and they are the most peaceful places in the world.Another good thing is that you are learning and at the same time, you are relaxed.Although Parks are wonderful, American cities are not -because they are too big and they all look the same! Virtual Visit: Yellowston in Winter, National Geographic

Finally...a nice piece of news...

Art: the final frontier guardian.co.uk, Monday 1st February 2010

Technologies such as the Hubble space telescope have brought about a visual revolution more significant than any recent work of art – and far more exciting than landing on the Moon.

Art of space … an image from the Hubble telescope

The 1969 Moon Landing was celebrated last year with all the fanfare you would expect for humanity's greatest achievement.

Why is this comment appearing on an art blog? For a very good reason:

Astronomy as we know it began as a visual science, when Galileo Galilei pointed a telescope at The Moon. Galileo recorded his discoveries by drawing them. Engravings based on his drawings illustrate his book The Starry Messenger. So he was an artist as well as a scientist, and anyone who has ever pointed a telescope at the night sky in imitation of him knows that it is an adventure of the eye and mind.

The Hubble space telescope has brought about a visual revolution - more significant than any recent work of art- in transforming the way we see ourselves and The Cosmos.

The Moon missions were based on Newtonian science and confirmed a Newtonian model of The Universe (planets in orbit, trajectories, everything very mechanical). The Hubble has revealed to the eye a cosmos that is far more poetic, mysterious, and fluid.

We have travelled further than we think, and left Neil Armstrong behind.

Anyway, these thoughts were prompted by a visit to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where the stars seem close, thanks to the art and science of looking.