FINAL REFLECTION

We did it! 2nd Batxillerat will soon be a part of our past. Even though we're exhausted (and still haven't finished at this exact moment), we can all be proud of ourselves for accomplishing such a great task.

 Back to social life like

When it comes to English, though, we should make a comparison between the level we started with and the level we have now. First of all, let's compare my first post back in 4th ESO, which was the beginning of the "blogs era" in our student life, and my last post in this blog (the blog for batxillerat).

To start, I've noticed that I am able to use a lot more connectors than I could before. You can see: the first, the second, the third... Also, I did really short introductions (or none at all). Though it's not the same kind of post (your say vs. formal letter), you can see the difference in the vocabulary and the gramatical constructions. I realized, too, that I've learned how to organize my ideas better and I'm more able to change them or express them from another perspective.

Trying to figure out how to use connectors

back in 4th ESO.

Let's continue with oral presentations (oh... this is going to be good). This is the very first oral presentation that ended up in a blog in 1st Batxillerat, and this is the last one, in 2nd Batxillerat. When I watch these I realize that there is indeed an improvement in pronunciation. More over, in the last one it seems as if I'm more used to oral presentations (body language and such, even though I still get nervous). On the whole, I prefer the last one.

What about the blog awards? Yes, best post and best oral presentation. For my best post, I'd say Fright Night! because, when I read it, I can imagine myself having a hard time watching a horror movie. I like that this post is quite expressive when it comes to myself, even though I'm basically telling the world how much of a chicken I am.

Moving on, for best oral presentation, I choose the Research Project Oral Presentation. Why? Well, even though my nerves were terrible, I think what makes it special is the fact that I was talking about a topic that I was really into, so I was able to explain myself more openly and not just reading from a paper. The fact that you know how to get the message across the sleepiness and the boredoom during oral presentations is the key for success. The vocabulary was more specific as well, so it was important to use the right words so everyone could understand, thus being more difficult.

Inside a student's mind during an

oral presentation.

As for the future, what is ahead of us? In my case, I'll be taking the First Certificate exam on 11th June and I hope to pass. But that won't be the end, because I intend to get the Advanced Certificate as well, in time, of course. Since last year, most of the movies and TV series that I've watched at home were in English, and also the books I bought but had no time to read. Now I'll continue to use my English and to learn more, using those tools that allow you to increase your knowleadge without you even noticing it. Also, I hope that I could stay abroad for some time, a few months, a year or so (perhaps going back to London? Please???).

If you want to continue learning English

JUST DO IT.

On the whole, I'm happy of all the things that I've learned during high school, and I am really motivated to keep learning English. Hopefully, that will be the case.

And now there's only one task ahead, and that is to have a nice summer holiday!

AN EMAIL TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

To whom it may concern,

I am writing in order to call for a change in favor of freedom of speech which, nowadays, fails to be observed in many places around the world.

If we are supposed to be able to speak our minds, why are so many people (journaliss, writers...) imprisoned, locked up for trying to put out their opinion?

In the majority, if not in all the cases, this injustice happens when brave people call out the government for its bad performance. But this is not how things should be, that is not what I want society to be like. There is a quote that reads: "by cutting out a man's tongue you don't prove that he's wrong, you just prove that you are afraid of what he has to say". And just so you know, I would be interested in what they have to say.

I wish these countries would prove that human rights are guaranteed, I wish they would stop contributing to the misinformation of the whole world by shutting other people up, and I wish I didn't have to write this letter, because that would mean that human rights would always be guaranteed for everyone, and not only with the approval of powerful people.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Jane Parker
221 B, Baker Street.
673 67 42 10
imfromlondon@gmail.com

Education is the key, school is the lock

The other day we watched a video in class. Its title, Education is the key, school is the lock, already gives you a glimpse of what Suli Breaks has to say to the world of education. This video is a critic that wants to open your eyes, telling you that we have a wrong perception of education, and that the system should reconsider what is important for someone to be "educated". here you can see the video:

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Now, there is one specific quote of his that I find interesting.

Redefine how you view education. Understand its true meaning.

I would say that this also sums up the message he wants to transmit. Nowadays we think that education follows the same path for everyone but the truth is that everyone is different. We all have our own needs. Maybe we are more interested in focusing our education on the things that we actually want to dedicate our lives to rather than spending so much time worrying and studying for subjects that we will never put to use. Maybe education can be acquired in different ways, depending on how each person adapts to it. Society wants us all to follow the same system, the same path, but that doesn't work very well for some people. We need to stop thinking that education is a burden that fills our head until it's so full that you don't even know what you want. There are other good ways of education, it doesn't have to be good grades, university then nice career. It just doesn't work like that and I think that Sulli Breaks makes quite a good point in his video.

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Hunt for missing father-of-two who disappeared during a night out on holiday in Turkey

This piece of news was written by Darren Boyle for the Daily Mail online newspaper on the 7th May of 2016.

The news is about the disappearance of Troy Ross, a British 28-year-old father-of-two from Leeds, West Yorkshire. He and his partner, Deanna Willumsen, had flown to Turkey on a holiday for five days. They were staying in the Jiva Beach Resort. On the 28th April, on Saturday, she left the room around 8:30 pm to visit a friend of hers that was also staying at the hotel. When she came back, the room was empty. After checking the CCTV, Troy was seen kicking at the door of the empty room because he had got himself locked out. Later, around 9:30 pm, he was last seen leaving the hotel on his own. 

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After two days, Deanna had to fly back home to take care of their three-months-old son. She still hoped that Troy would be there, thinking that he might have flown back to Leeds sooner than expected in fear of the consequences for breaking the hotel room's door. However, he didn't turn up. Deanna pleads that if he reads the news she only wants to know if he's alright.

Reports say that Troy had left the hotel room without his passport and without his mobile phone. He had taken some cash and her partner's credit cart with him, but authorities haven't found any clue of him using it or of him being attended in any hospital of the area.

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Personally, I think that this is a strange case. First of all, why break the door if he could just go to reception to ask for someone to help him? Then he left with no identification and took money with him. Now that doesn't necessarily have to be suspicious, but i think that there must be more evidences that could be found thanks to the CCTV recordings. Anyways, I hope they find him and that he's well.

VOCABULARY

scaffold: a raised platform for workers and materials.

kick down: to strike with the foot or feet.

lie low: to keep quiet and not be noticed, to avoid being conspicuous.

Monster Canadian fire threatens to DOUBLE in size while more than 80,000 devastated residents are forced to evacuate

This piece of news was written by Associated Press and Clemence Michallon for the Daily Mail online newspaper on the 7th May of 2016.

The news is about the terrible fire that still goes rages on in the area of Fort McMurray, in Alberta, Canada. The fire started on Friday and its still spreading. More than 80,000 evacuees had to flee their homes because of it and more than 249,571 acres of land have been burnt. It is predicted that the fire will double its size and even grow bigger for the next few weeks. Officers inform of a blaze that has already torched 1,600 homes and buildings and that can only be stopped by rain at this time.

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More than 5,500 people were got to safety by the authorities on Friday, while more than 8,000 left Fort McMurray, with a registration of more than 1,200 vehicles past Wandering River. Some of the evacuees left by plane. The smoke is making some of the evacuation services a bit difficult.

Apparently, the size of the fire is because of Fort McMurray is an area of the oil industry, which has been terribly damaged by the fire, with a quarter of Canada's oil out. It is said that this has already started to be prejudicial for the country's economy.

Many evacuees arrived by plane in Edmonton International Airport (more than 45 flights), feeling lucky after what they had seen. Scott Burrel, an evacuee from a scalfolding plant called Fort Hills, told the journalists how some of the evacuated workers offered food and shelter to the families that arrived from the evacuation.

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Chad Morrison, Alberta's manager of wildfire prevention, said that, despite of the firefighters' job, only rain will be able to stop this blaze. The forecast, however, predict a hot weather with wind on Saturday, which is bad, and a 40 percent of probability for rain on Sunday. so it's not very favourable.

Reports inform that more than 25,000 people fled north, while 80,000 fled south, were authorities have said that they can get better support services. The government has ensured a payement for each evacuee to cover basic needs with a cost of $77 million.

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The cause of the fire that started on Tuesday hasn't been discovered yet, but it could be by lightning. Canada has lost a lot of oil sands land and the fire has already burnt a big part of Alberta's territory.

Personally, I think that this is really sad. The destruction of wildlife and of people's homes is always terrible, and fire is one of the things that can damage the most. It's a pity that the fire is so big that they can't stop it if it doesn't rain. It makes me wonder if more help from firefighter services, even if they were from another province, department or from volunteering could help more to extinguish it sooner before it burns a lot more land.

Link to the video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3576805/Canadian-convoy-waits-dawn-hoping-flee-wildfire-zone.html#v-1420596104547382803

VOCABULARY

wildfire: a large fire that spreads rapidly and is hard to put out.
blaze: a bright flame or fire.
ensuing: to follow in order.

China: Detained Activist, Journalist Denied Needed Health Care

This piece of news was published in Human Rights Watch on the 6th May of 2016. 

The news is about the negligence of political prisoners' health in China. Guo Feixiong and Gao Yu's are feared to be sick and with really poor medical conditions. Authorities know about this but still they let them unattended, even when China is a party in the United Nations Convention Against Torture. Sophie Richardson, China's director, informs against the cruelty and the human right's violation that prisoners are suffering in Chinese prisons, reporting that they let them get sick and some of them even die in without appropiate health care.

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Guo Feixiong (whose real name is Yang Maodong) was accused for gathering crowds against social order, as the article reads, because he took part in more than one demonstration standing up for freedom of speech. He is serving a six-year penalty and when his sister Yang Maoping, a doctor herself, went to visit him, he noticed he was sick. Even if both Guo and her sister asked the officers for a medical check for Guo, they refused.

Guo Feixiong

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On the other hand, Gao Yu is a 72-year-old woman who's a journalist and has been imprisoned more than once for leaking risky documents that compromised the government and, specially, the Chinese Communist Party. Gao suffers from many illneses and has had a turbulent medical health that has only been aggravated by the restrictive control of the Chinese authorities, even if she's in medical parole in her house.

Gao Yu

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The news also reports another case, Cao Shunli's, a grass roots activist that died of a coma after telling her lawyer that officers wouldn't grant her medical treatment even when it was possible that she had tuberculosis and liver disease.

Also, monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in prison in 2015 after being there for 13 years with reported bad health conditions and torture.

China has been criticized in the Convention Against Torture because of this matter. Letting prisoners die of medical negligence violates the rule 24 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, so their actions are against human rights.

Personally, I think that it's awful that Chinese authorities send anyone who speaks against them to prison, but what is worse is that they purposely let them die in prison. I find it such a lack of humanity to have signed in favor of the defense of human rights while still allowing a torture like this. It's really disappointing and we shouldn't let this happen, anywhere in the world.

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VOCABULARY

parole: the release of a person from prison before the end of the sentence imposed, with a promise or condition that no more crimes will be commited.

grass roots: the common or ordinary people, as constrasted with the leadership or elite of a political party, social organization, etc.

lymph: a clear, yellowish fluid in the blood that contains special blood cells that fight infection.

Scenography

When going to the cinema or watching a movie at home, we mostly think of how great the story was, or how good was the actors performance. For the past two years, though, I discovered a hidden passion that I didn't knew I had, but that had always been there, and that is scenography and production design in general.

Did you see how great did the place look? Oh, the costumes, how beautiful! Always the same, binge watching the "behind the scenes" part of my DVDs at home. In my opinion, a movie without a good production design behind, specially those who need to show an original setting, can't be a good movie. The atmosphere and the aesthetics of the film have to work well together. That also applies to the period of time that we decide to set the stoy in. For example, you can't make a good film settled in the city of Paris in the 18th century if you don't know 1) how the place was back then, and 2) how society was back then. You can't let those things slip, you have to master them, because they give the film its true essence.

The Panthom of the Opera was great

Without a good setting, there's no way a good story can develop. In fact, there are films whose camera cuts revolve around the will to show things that tell us more about the story than just the plot itself. Details can speak of many things, things that are left unsaid in movies, but that can tell us a parallel story of how that world is. This concept that relates space and time with the story that is being told is called chronotope, and I actually used it a lot when I was doing my research paper about the fantasy worlds in young adult literature (if you notice, I chose this because, in a way, it had to do with scenography).

This one had a really interesting

production design

Now I'll show you some examples of movie sets that I really like and that have a lot of hard work and art behind.

Let's start with Crimson Peak!

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And then we have Anna Karenina! In this film, the majority of the set is a theatre, to represent that the lives of the Russian aristocracy are just like performing on a stage for each other!

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There are many films whose scenography is great and I could talk about them for hours but these are the two that I came up with! 

Personally, I think that scenography is a great art that combines a lot of things, while allowing to narrate different stories all at once. It's beautiful the way that we can craft stories to real life by giving them a space to really expand and show their true essence.

Prisoners Review

Prisoners (2013) is a movie directed by Denis Villeneuve, starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello and Viola Davis. This film is a thriller that follows the investigation of the abduction of two little girls in a small town. Keller Dover is one of the little girls' father, and he will do anything to get her back. This is a great film that left me speechless. It's actually one of my favourite films and the best thriller that I've seen so far of this kind.

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On Thanksgiving, two families meet to celebrate together as usual. Everything is fine until the two little girls go outside to play and they don't come back. When the evidence that they are, indeed, gone kicks in, one of the girls' father, Keller Dover, feels angry and helpless towards the police investigation. Detective Loki, who's in charge of the case, will have to keep an eye on every clue, on every suspect, as the girls' lives is more threatened each minute, if they're still alive. When Keller Dover, however, desperately decides to carry out his own investigation on his daughter's abduction.

Personally, this film really striked me as one of the best thrillers I've seen. Sure there are many great thrillers out there, but I think that what makes this one so special is, particularly, Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal's performance. You can see raw emotion in Jackman's desperation, and condused helplessness in Gyllenhaal's detective Loki. On the other hand, another great performance in this film is Paul Dano's. I think he plays a difficult character, that has to transmit a lot of things with a condensed expression. The setting of the film, a quiet village with a cold weather, where no one sees anything, seems just like the best place for this movie. The feeling of uneasement was heartreding.

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To sum up, I really reccommend this film, if you're into this kind of story. My opinion is that, regardless of your preferences, it will, for sure, not leave you without thoughts on it.

Here's the trailer!

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Money, money, money

Recently I saw a lottery advertisement on the TV. The slogan of the campaign was: "National Lottery. Because our dreams aren't cheap". I found it funny, because it's actually true. Many of us dream of expensive things that we think we'll never have or achieve. But what if we won the lottery today and had enough money to live out our days without a worry? And lottery is about that: we buy a ticket hoping to make those "what ifs" come true. So, with no further introduction, here's what I'd do if I was a millionaire (billionaire would be better, though).

This would be me.

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First of all, I'd help my family and friends to make their lives better. Being able to help the people you love is probably one of the most rewarding things in life. Also, I'd give money to charities, of course, because they need all the help they can get.

After helping others, I'd grant myself a wish and I'd travel all around the world. And when I say all of it, I mean all of it. I'd take my time to experience everything that the world has to offer, without worries and without hurries. Travelling is one of the things that I like the most, if only I could do it more often. The first place I'd go would probably be Prague, because I've always thought that it looks like a really beautiful city. Another place on my list is Thailand.

Beautiful Prague

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Afterwards, I'd do something that I've always had in mind when daydreaming about being a billionaire (yes, billionare, dream big or go home). This dream of mine would be to produce as many films and TV series as possible. But it wouldn't be any film, it would have to be good films and series. I'd have a cinema at home, as well because... why not? Isn't that everyone's goal? So that's it: film and Tv series producer.

To sum up, there are many things that I would do if I had a lot of money, but then again it's unlikely that I ever get the chance to win the lottery. It's all about keep trying, anyways, so let's just not lose our faith just yet, shall we?

And then one day...

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Home / alone

Summer is coming (no, not winter this time, sorry Game of Thrones) and I'm sure that most of us are more than willing to end with the torture that we call exams and selectivitat. Not to annoy anyone, but I'd like to talk about what comes next, after two months of procastrination and sunny beaches with transparent water. As Green Day said, we'll all be asking our parents: "wake me up when september ends". 

But not everything about starting again is bad, right? Independence? Now that is what I'm talking about. The real question here is: are we going to take a step forward and leave to live on our own  or are we going to stay home while we are at university or studying something else? Now that we're becoming adults with 18 years of experience, we can decide on this matter.

First of all, technically, living in an apartment with your friends at your first day let's just say, for example, at university is not "complete independence". The majority of us will still depend on our parents for economic support and, in some cases (not mine, though), one tupper of food or two every once in a while. However, learning to manage housekeeping and taking responsability on your schedules is a part to develop of your new-found freedom. But one thing that some people consider good about leaving home is that you learn more about yourself. That's because you find yourself in situations that you are not familiar with and, if you live with friends, then you learn how to get along better with the person you live with.

When you keep going back home even

when you're not supposed to

On the whole, I think that it's better to live on your own (I mean without your parents, not completely alone). Sure living at home with your parents has a lot of advantages, but fleeing the nest will allow you to experience more of life than if you don't. So when September comes I'll leave home, but knowing how homesick I always get, my parents won't have to worry so much about me disappearing from their lives, because I'm sure that I'll visit every weekend (we'll see, though).

First day alone in an apartment and

your parents decide to visit.

Sherlock Holmes Review

Sherlock Holmes (2009), starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, is a film that was directed by Guy Rithchie. It's an action movie that follows the most famous detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes, and his friend, John Watson, through the investigation of a series of crimes that are commited in the city of London. With hints of humour and an interesting plot, you will see as Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous hero makes a jump to the big screen with a great result.

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Sherlock Holmes has just closed his latest case, with the help of Dr. Watson, his friend and flatmate. Blackwood, the criminal, is now in prison and about to be executed. Even though the fatality of this man's crimes seems over, strange things begin to happen after he apparently comes back from the grave, to start a dangerous game that seems to be mixed with dark magic. Sherlock Holmes will have to use all his skills to get pass the occultism and resolve the case before it's too late. Also, with the sudden appearance of Irene Adler, the woman he loved, the shadow of a new danger will cast over the detective's brilliant mind.

Sherlock (left) and Watson (right)

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Personally, I really enjoyed this film, mainly because I love the way Sherlock Holmes' mind works when it comes to giving an answer to everything from the tiniest details that no one else would notice. His wit combined with Dr. Watson's aim to keep his friend sane and alive is what really lights up this movie. In addition, it keeps you wondering how Blackwood's actions develop, because it all seems like a timed bomb, "impossible to resolve" with all those sectarian symbols. On the other hand, I loved the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. I think it's brilliant and it definetly finishes up the movie for me. Furthermore, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are great in these roles and I don't think that anyone would've done it better in this movie.

How will he solve this riddle?

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I can't think of one thing I didn't like about this movie. It's not a masterpiece, that much I can say, but it really is a great movie that has lots of nice details.

As a conclusion, I can say that I really think that this is a movie anyone can enjoy. If you love action movies and playing a guessing game to resolve a crime with the greatest detective of all time, then watch this film. All I can say is that the second movie was good too so that is a good sign.

Here's the trailer!

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Bukowski

"Some lose all mind and become soul, insane.

Some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual.

Some lose both and become accepted."

- Charles Bukowski -

As much as you may like or dislike this quote, it is bound to be interesting, isn't it? The first time I came across these few words from Charles Bukowski (poet and writer) was when I was reading Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and they striked me a little bit. I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but as I've grown older (now I'm speaking as if I was some 107-year-old woman) I think it has acquired a different meaning for me. The more I think about it, the more realistic these words become to me, or at least that's what I feel when I look around. Now I'll try to explain my view a little bit.

Some lose all mind and become soul, insane.

Let's start from here, shall we? This part makes me think of those who allow themselves to drift away, to dive into a sea of emotions without a worry about what the world may think. There's no rational space for this kind of person, there's only the thrill of their feelings. They will express themselves openly, and it won't matter if they're the happiest they've ever been or they're at their worst. But feeling in such a strong way, with such passion, can be both rewarding and damaging, and that's why, in the end, these souls have no control over their emotions, hanging by a thread. I think this is why Bukowski says that they're insane, because society sees them as someone who can't restrain themselves, who can't control what they do because they're driven by emotions.

Too dramatic?

Some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual.

On the other hand, there are those who shut their hearts out, who forget about emotions and throw themselves into a will of knowing. They are content when they can expand their minds. They tend to rationalize everything, because it's safe and true, because it's how things should be. There's no point in worrying about feelings or emotions, because they're only as important as you want them to be. This, too, can be both rewarding and damaging. It's obvious why Bukowski says that they're intellectual, because they're centered in what will the most efficient ways be, what will the most rational answers be. And for this, society sees them as someone insensitive, someone that is hard to communicate with.

Not bothered by a storm of feelings

Some lose both and become accepted.

Now this is the point where I wanted to get to. It doesn't matter what you are: a soul, an intellectual or something else. Society will always find a way to label you even in your most personal space. Too expressive? Bad thing. Too rational? Bad thing. But if you learn to restrain both your feelings and your thoughts in order to please those around you, then you're good to go. It's like we are kept on a tight leash. But the truth is that in the end it doesn't matter at all. It matters as much as we want it to.

To sum up, I think that society is always judging and we are too prone to care about it. If we lose both our soul and our mind, what else is left of us? We become something else that society is fine with but we should not. And what is that? A bad thing.

When you stop worrying so much