comment 7

RUBBISH!!

We live in a world where people don´t care about the trash they throw away. There are rubbish everywhere: in the streets, in the schools, in the sea, in the countryside… but can we do something to change this? I think so.

On the one hand, food waste is a big problem that has grown in lastest years. The reality is that more tan 50% of food waste is produced in our own home and the other half in the rest of the world. Furthermore, all this food that is not eaten is really bad for the environment.

On the other hand,each year our country spends a lot of money growing, transporting and processing tons of food that ends up wasting. However, in many places they have already taken some measures. For example, in some restaurants they want to reduce their footprint making customers contribute with more money when they pay.


To sum up, rubbish is everywhere and we have to be concerned about it. In my opinion a great solution is recycling and avoid the less as posible to throwing away the food we don´t eat.

comment 6

Who taught you the most things? Why the mother tongue?

Nowadays almost everybody can speak at least one language and even there are people who know how to speak a lot of languages. But how have they learned it?

Probably, children learn their languages from the people that are around them. Sometimes from their parents, their grandparents or from the person who takes care of him/her. But the use of sound is a very important part of the communication. They usually learn languages listening to their parents, and then,their brains keep the information to be used when they are able to speak.

There are also some people that have the capacity to learn several languages very fast and other people that have more problems or they learn them more slowly. Some studies show that infants begin their lives with a very flexible brain that allows them acquire any language. But with the time, this ability is decreased and adults find it harder to acquire a new language.

All in all, learning a language is very important to communicate with people from any country and I think that I´m very lucky to be able to hear because it is a very important factor in learning languages.

comment 5

It is said that we are far too many!!

Nowadays, overpopulation is a big problem that affects thousands of people in the world and it is produced when a high population density causes a worsening of the environment. However,overpopulation is different in each country and has several causes.

On the one hand, the world´s population is growing and it is not good that it is doing so fast. It could produce an accelerated depletion of natural resources, and therefore, conflicts between nations. Another consequence of overpopulation is pollution and its effects on climate change.

On the other hand, there are some areas that are really losing population, espeacially in countries like China and Japan where the births are dropping because of the low levels of fertility. But there are many other countries where people have shorter lives because of high levels of child mortality and violence.

To sum up, overpopulation is a big problem that has many effects but I think the soluton is not in our hands to solve it.

comment 4

 LESS AND LESS WATER!!

 Floods are one of the most common dangerous in United States and also in Spain. There are many types of river floods. One of the most Known are the flash floods.

Flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes, without visible signs of rain. Floods are produced in our planet as a result of factors like meteorological phenomena, human buildings, human activities or even because of the climate change.

Recently, the flash floods in south-eastern Spain have killed lots of people and 3,500 have been evacuated from their houses.
In many countries they have already taken precautions. For example, in Alicante where they have built a park designed to store and recycle rainwater.

To sum up, I think we should be careful with our actions and try to spend less water. Our planet could be in danger if we do not do anything!

comment 3

CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT

?

 We live in a world full of lies. We lie to the people around us and even we lie to ourselves. But can we really stop this?

Actually we live among lies, for example, on television. How many times television has advertising shown brands or has it want to sell us products that they actually are lies? We also see this on internet, in online shops that try to sell us clothes for prizes lower than they are in real. But not all lies are through internet or television.

In real life we lie without being really conscious. Sometimes these lies are little and harmless. But the problem is bigger when we lie in important situations and then it hurts us. For example, in a job interview,in the marks we got at the school, in the street or to our friends. The latter can end with many friendships.

Another situation in which we are liars is on social networks. There are many fake profiles of people who pretend to be someone who is not. Or even people that have a different behaviour in social networks than in real life.

All in all, we have to be careful in what we say, what we do or in what we lie about. We should stop telling lies and always try to tell the truth.

Composition 02

A DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

 My friend Katherine is in a lower year than me. She is my best friend since last year. We met in a school exchange and then she came to Spain to the same school as me.

Katherine is slim and she´s medium built, although she is taller then me. Katherine takes after her mum. They both have blond, curly hair and blue eyes. She almost always likes wearing casual clothes to school. She is a flirty girl!

Katherine is different from my other friends. She is very friendly and quite confident. She`s very cheerful and she is smiling all the time. She is very good at telling bad jockes too. Katherine also plays the guitar brilliantly. Last year she played live on my birthday. It was fantastic!

My friend is very important for me. We get on really well and I trust her a lot. She knows she can count on me when she needs it.
All in all, I think Katherine is a great friend. 

Composition 01

A SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE: your interests

 

My name is Lucía, I´m sixteen years old and I was born on 21st november. I have lived in England must of my life because my dad is from there, but eventually I live in Madrid (Spain).

One of my main interests is music. I really like the same as my dad. He loves music and so do I. I like both playing the guitar and going to concerts. My dad is very patient with me. He taught me to play the guitar when I was five years old and since then I´ve loved it. I go to music school almost all days, but I practise every day with my dad.

My other interest, apart from playing the guitar, is going to concerts. The guitar is my passion , but concerts are very different. I usually go on Saturdays with my dad, but when he can´t, I go with my mum. I feel many emotions when I listen to the singer. I really enjoy it! My favorite one is "Ed Sheeran", but I also like many other singers.

Both playing the guitar and going to concerts are very important for me. If they gave me the choice between one of them, I simply could not choose. 

comment 2

AUTUMN ( OR FALL ), THE SEASON OF THE DIFFERENT COLOURS.

Autumn or fall, as the americans say, is one of the four seasons of the year. It starts on 23rd of September and it ends on 21st of December. It´s time to go back to the routine, to the job and start the new proyects after a long time of summer. There are many reasons about why people like autumn:

One the one hand, during this season many parties, traditions and customs are celebrated in many parts of the world. For example, in Spain and Mexico celebrate "the All Saints´ Days" is held to remember all people who have died. In the Unites States they celebrate "Thanksgiving Day", when people thank God for the blessing of the harvest. And they also celebrate "Halloween", a day where people go out and ask for sweets.

On the other hand,fall is a perfect season for a trip or go out with family and friends because of the good and warm temperatures. It is also very common to eat nuts and chestnuts along with a cup of hot tea or watching a film in the sofa eating popcorns.

To sump up, I like autumn because the weather is perfect, however the days are shorter and shorter and this is so depressing for me, so definitely I prefer the summer.

This is my first comment of the new year school!!

"LISTEN TO NATURE"

We try not to give importance to certain things. Nevertheless, nature is important for us, so we must take care.

Nature has lived for thousands and thousands of years. It has been able to survive without us because Mother Nature is wise and can evolve. Nature doesn´t need people, but people need nature. It gives us everything. It provides us food, water,air, materials and even is good for our health.

Humans need the contact with the nature. It gives not only basic elements for a good physical state, but also reduces the stress, improves the capacity of concentration and helps people with health problems.
"Nature is speaking" is a trending topic in social media and many people are using this hastag.

Many times we visit a new place and we say: what a beautiful place! but beauty isn´t everything. We have to think about what nature really offers us. If all of us contributed with a simple gesture like picking up a piece of paper or a plastic bottle, the world would be different.

I think we have to stop this, but we need the help of all. The world will be destroyed if we don´t do anything!

TELLING A STORY

WR18

Hi Elisa,
How are you? I want to tell you something that happened to me last summer.

It was saturday evening. I was alone at home because my parents had gone out to celebrate their anniversary. I had something light for dinner and I went to bed. I slept in a few minutes. I was sleeping when suddenly I heard a strange noise that woke me up. I went to see who it was, but, there wasn´t anybody. Then again I heard another strange noise. I went downstairs, and I could see a man who was carrying a bag with jewels, but I couldn´t see his face because he was wearing a black mask. He was a thief!
Eventually, I called the police and I told them what had happened. If the police hadn´t come on time, the thief would have run away.

It was a horrible story! but how about you? Have you ever experimented a similar story?
Lucía.

ORGANISING AN ACTIVITY.

WR17.

-It´s my mum´s birthday and I´m thinking of organising a party. I need your help!
-Of curse, count on me.
-How can I help you?
-Would you make a music list for me?
-Ok, can I use your computer, please?
-Yes, no problem.
-And what about snacks and drinks?
-That´s a good idea.
-Shall I ask some pizzas and drinks for you?
-Yes please. That would be very kind of you.
-And to finish, would you mind if I invited some friends?
-No, in fact it is a good idea.
-Thank you. I´ll see you in the party.

HE IS HAPPY, SHE IS HAPPY, WE ARE ALL HAPPY

FIFTH QUALITY COMMENT

There are different ways to be happy. Happiness is something subjective and each person has a way of being happy. But, what is the true secret of happiness? Is hapiness linked to longer life?

Happiness is a positive feeling that is in our mind. But, each person has a way to express it. Some are happy with money and others with family and friends. Nevertheless, there are lots of ways to be happy. For example, you can have breakfast at different cafés bars once a month, do an excursion, have time with friends or simply smile when you need.

Being happy improves the quality of your life and can also make it last longer. Moreover, happiness reduces your stress levels, and some scientists say that trying to be happy has direct benefits in health. Nevertheless there are many people who have very good reasons to not be happy due to family problems.

In conclusion, being happy is just a matter of choice and minimal effort. So, the power is on yourself, and you have the opportunity to change that.

ANY BROKEN-DOWN OR WORN-OUT ITEMS?

FOURTH QUALITY COMMENT


Nowadays speaking english can be so important as being able to speak your own mother tongue. English is one of the most spoken languages in the world and most of our schools are bilingual. But, what are the pro´s and con´s of learning two or more languages?

On the one hand, bilingual or multilingual children have the ability to dominate the languages at a very high level. Moreover, they are capable to pass information from one language to another in a easy way. Another advantage is that these children, who learn two or more languages in their childhood, have more oportunities to get a job, especially in other countries.

On the other hand, children that practise a multilingual education take the risk of not reaching a good level in any of the languages. In additon, the children who grow with two or more languages suffer physical problems, pronunciation problems or gramatical problems. Nevertheless, these problems can be difficult to correct, and sometimes therapeutic help is needed.

In conclusion I think learning English and in general other languages is very important because they will help us to find a good job in the future.

SHALL WE EAT? YES, BUT....

Third quality comment

There are so many people nowadays who have allergies to some kinds of food or intolerance. This could be a problem if you want to eat out, so, it´s important to be careful with what we eat.

It´s very common to have allergies in some foods like peanuts, eggs, or cow milk, especially in childhood. Some experts say that food allergy is on the rise, but, there is not a single reason. It could be because our diet has changed in the lastest years, or simply it is due to the lack of vitamin D or the pollution.

Moreover, if you introduce something much earlier into the diet, you will be less likely to become allergic to it. That´s why doctors say that is very important not to delay the introduction of allergenic foods such as peanuts and egg.

Allergic foods are not the main reason of dead in people who suffer from any kind of allergic, but it is really risky.

In my opinion, we should be careful with what we eat and check everything before you order your food.

you´ve got a friend in me

Second quality comment

It´s very important to have a friend that you can trust and tell you how you feel, but, sometimes it is difficult to find a real friend. What is it like to live without any friends? What can we do about?

On the one hand, making friends nowadays could be a problem for some people. Others find this easier. Many people suffer from isolation and depression for that, so, it´s very important to have time with your family and try to go out and do activities that can help you to find yourself and make friends.

On the other hand, there are many ways to solve this problem and communicate with people. Social networks are one option, but personally, I prefer face to face. Also, looking for a trip is a good idea to make friends and talk among you.

Not having friends is not all bad, you learn to trust on yourself. So, in my opinion, I prefer to be alone that in bad company.

To sum up, friends are very important in our lives, but we must choose the correct person and Know who are true friends or just a fake.

SEARCHING FOR A PRODUCT

WR15

-Josh: Excuse me, can you tell me about this tablet?
-Assistant: Of course. What would you like to know?
-Josh: How much memory has it got?
-Assistant: It´s 16 GB, but we also have 32GB and 64 GB.
-Josh: Ok. And what about the use?
-Assistant: It´s very easy to use and it´s really fast.
-Josh: Has it got camera?
-Assistant: Yes. It has a front-facing camera with 7 megapixels.
-Josh: Oh! Only 7 megapixels it´s not much!
-Josh: Can you tell me more about this tablet?
-Assistant: It is made of metal and glass, it is available in black and white colour and in general the sound quality is good, it has 18 hours screen time and Wi-Fi.
-Josh: Mm... that sounds good! Could you show me that one, please?

DIGITAL ADDICTION, A REAL PROBLEM TO SOLVE

First quality comment

Nowadays, technologies have advanced a lot and are part of our everyday lives. Digital adicctions have become one of the most serious problems in our lives.

Most of the times,this problem affects teenagers, but, it can also affect adults. This can hurt your family and create a separation between them. 

There are many hours that we spend in front of a screen, and it cannot only hurt yourself and it´s bad for your mind, but it can also cause family members to lose respect and trust in each other.

If you have a digital problem, try to disconnect for a while and spend more time with your family and friends. And you can also set time limits using a temer if you really need it.

         Click here to read an interesting article : https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-parents-raising-their-kids-tech-free-red-flag-2018-2?IR=T

 :

TREKKING IN YOUR HOMETOWN

A sport that you´ll love!

1. What is trekking?
It´s a sport activity o touristic which consists in walking routes or trails through the mountains or the countryside.
2. What are the benefits of it?
Trekking is not a competition sport, but a healthy lifestyle that anyone from any part of the world can practise. It allows you to connect with the natural environment. Moreover, trekking improves your self-esteem an it makes you more creative.
3. Do I need any special clothes or equipment?
Yes. You need appropriate shoes, comfortable clothes and necessary things like sun glasses, sun cream, water and some of food.
4. Could I hurt my self?
No. There are different levels, from the easy, medium and high. And there are not any dangers in the routes.
5. How do I sign up?
You can ask for information in the tourist office in your town or search in internet the different routes that you can do with your family and friends.

The Science Week at IES Mediterraneo

This is an inphograph that I made with piktochart about the experiments we did in the Science Week.

comment 20

TENNIS AND SWIMMING, THE KEY TO A LONGER AND HEALTHIER LIFE.

 All of us want to live a longer and healthier life. The best way to get it is practising some kind of sport.

Many investigations say if you want to stave of death for as long as possible,you might practise tennis or badminton. These sports have a lot of good both physical and mental benefits. Moreover, they reduce your risk of death at any given age by almost 50%.

However, there are other sports like football or running that do not produce such good effects. But in general, the participation in sport protects you in terms of long-term mortality.

In my opinion, if you don´t do sport, you should try to be interested in any of them. And you should choose a sport that you enjoy and you really want to do.

Yoga

Here there is a leaflet that I made with canva. I hope you like!
Click to ampliate and seen it better.

comment 20

WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE

 Nowadays loneliness and social insolation are very common, especially among older people. Many of these people live alone and they say they sometimes can stay for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.

Loneliness can be very dangerous for health and it can cause depression and other illnesses. Nevertheless, there are different ways for older people to connect with others and feel useful.

They can invite friends for tea, having a chat with a friend or relative over the phone, and if your family or friends live far away, you can use a computer to talk with them. There are so many things you can do!

In my opinion older people are very sensible and we must take care of them. So, we can help them!

comment 19

ALTERNATIVE MEDECINE

Have you ever been stung by a bee? Surely. Many people who have suffered this say that it is a horrible experience. But, do you know bees can funtion like an alternative therapy?

Apitherapy, as the experts call it, is a traditional folk remedy which is used in many other countries. This consists in taking advante of the healing power contained in honeybee venom to alleviate serious illnesses like multiple sclerosis, arthritis and lupus.

Many people who have tried this remedy say that it works. However, not all people think the same.
Proffesional doctors say that this method can be dangerous for allergic persons and can vary from person to person.

In my opinion alternative therapies can very good to fight diseases, but we have to be careful because sometimes they can be dangerous.

Lucía Guirado Ruiz 4ºA.

Dialogue

-I´m going to sign up a cycling race in June.
-Why don´t you come with me? The race is 100 kilometres long. It´s not much.
-Sorry, but I´m hopeless at cycling, really!
-No problem. How about training together?
-We can train at the weekend. Just two hours a day. Go on!
-Ok. So, where do we sign up?
-We have to go to the cycling club. It costs $8 to enter the race.
-Great! Shall we go tomorrow at half past ten?
-Fantastic! I think it would do me good to get some exercise.

Describing a local dish

"Paella"

In Spain we have lots of delicious local food, but one of the most famous dish is the "paella".

It´s a typical dish from Valencia, but you can eat paella in many other places of Spain. The name paella comes from the Valencian, which means friying pan and refers to the container where it is cooked. This traditional dish consists frying the onion with the pepper,tomatoes and meat or seafood. And then, add the rice to do it slowly with the seafood broth.

If you like paella, you will be able to taste the fideuá, with the same ingredients, but substiting the rice for pasta. People who eat paella love it! Nowadays, there are lots of restaurants where you can eat paella. Would you eat it if you had the chance?

Moreover, you will find many types of rice cooked in different ways, like the black rice or a delicious dessert, rice with milk and cinnamon.

comment 18

VEGANISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

It is very important to look after our planet, because it´s the only thing that we have. And if we don´t do anything, we will destroy it. But we have the power to change it. What can we do?

The main problem is our diet. Most people eat meat, fish and other foods from animals. This is not bad, but it can affect the climate change.

To avoid this, we can follow a vegan diet or at least avoid foods from animals. This not only helps the environment and the climate change, but also that people eat more healthily.

Front my point of view, we have to stop pollution and eating unhealthily. And the best way is that all people help to look after our planet.

Comment 17

LAUGHHING OR NOT LAUGHING?. THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Laughter is something natural that we all do. And constantly this makes us feel better. But, not everyone finds it so easy to laugh. What good things has laughing got?

When we laugh, our body relaxes and endorphins are realased into the blood stream. Moreover, it is a good way to remove the stress.

A laugther terapy session may improve the cardiovascular functions and oxygen levels in the blood may be boosted. In addition, many studies show that children laugh about 400 times a day whereas adults laugh only 15.

Front my point of view, laughter is the best therapy that can exist for a person. Not only that, but also it can remove the stress and it is good for our health. If you laugh all the time you will be happier!

comment 15

Where does English come from?

All of us use words taken from other languages every day, especially from the English language.
And also English borrows words from other languages.

However, there are some words that not all English speakers will know. This is because in each part of the world they use a different vocabulary. And each speaker of a language has its own vocabulary. For example, in New Zeland they will use a vocabulary in English of Maori origin, but, English speakers in Scotland may know more words of Scottish Gaelic origin.

I think I use a lot of words from English and from other languages without noticing. And so do most people.

wr09

AN OPINION ESSAY

Nowadays, many students leave school earlier. But, if they go out before 16, they are not at all ready. Can we change this? I think so. We can help them teaching skills at school, like cooking or driving.

Firstly, although there are students that leave school after 16, I think that would be a good idea teaching them to do something too.
At school we can create "special classes", where students would learn how to cook or drive.

In addition, they can learn practical skills which will help them to find a job.
Moreover, there are other options for people who don´t like cooking or driving. They can also take courses on internet or apply for a training course and get work experience.

In conclution, I´m in favour of teaching practical skills to the students, because it is a way to prepare them for the future.

wr08

GIVING ADVICE

-Hi, Marta! I ´m very sad because I have failed my English exam, and I don´t know what I can do.
-Oh! I´m sorry! but you don´t have to be worried. I will give you some advice about how to study.
-Yes, please! I need your help!
-I think you should study every day. It´s the most important thing. You must be concentrated when you are studying and don´t get distracted by other things.
You should try to study in a quieker place. I think a library would be better. If you want, I can help you with your homework or help you to study.
-That´s a good idea, too. Thank you very much for your advice.

comment 14

Screen overuse, possible cause of digital eye strain

Every time more and more people spend a long time in front of a screen. This is bad. Computers are damaging your ayes. You can´t avoid this, but there are ways to combat the damage.

The main problem is the hours and hours that we spend in front of a screen without taking a break. People usually blink around 18 times per minute, which refreshes the eyes naturally. But when we are in front of a screen we blink less and this can make your eyes burn, dry out, turn red or feel itchy. So, experts say that this make your eyes work harder than normal.

In my opinion we should control the time we spend in front of a screen and try to use less the computers and more time with your family and friends or doing other activities like reading or outdoor sports.

Here you have an article to read about the issue: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/07/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-sore-eyes

comment 13

Good handwriting may be the clue to the success!!

Nowadays, computers, tablets, mobile phones and other technologies are very present in our lives, but is the pen still mightier than the keyboard? It dependes on how you see it.

On the one hand, technologies are so fast that handwriting is dissapearing,especially in many work places. Email and texting have replaced snail mail and in many schools they use computers instead of pen and sheet of paper. In addition, experts say that using a keyboard is easier than learning to write.

On the other hand, paper allows you to write anywhere and keep to set margins or not. And it has three dimensions too, so you can cut out, stapled or glued. Nevertheless when you write with pen and a sheet of paper, you can see words crossed out or corrected, things that don´t happen when you write with a keyboard.

In my opinion, keyboard is a excellent tool to work fast and easily and it allows you to rectify, but I think that pen and paper is something that we should not ever forget. Definitely I prefer handwriting because it´s what we use every day, especially at school.

Here there is an article to read about the issue: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/16/cognitive-benefits-handwriting-decline-typing

Comment 12

"No meat on Mondays!!!",claim activists in France.

Every New Year we think about New year´s resolutions, and they are usually related about eating healthily.

In France, many people are adopting a more flexitarian diet. This diet consists in reducing consumption of animals for the sake of health, the welfare of animals or to reduce the impact on the environment. 

Flexitarians eat mostly vegetarian food , but sometimes they eat meat when they feel the necessity. In France "Meat Free Mondays"are also common and during the week they eat more healthily.

In my opinion, it is a good idea because "flexitarianism" is less strict than the vegetarian diet, and you can protect the animals and the environment.

Here there is an article related to the issue: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/adopt-a-more-flexitarian-diet-french-are-urged-5q3j5c5ld

Comment 11

DICKENS AND CHRISTMAS

Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-70) was born in Portsmouth, in England. He was a writer and English novelist, the most recognized of universal literature. His works include descriptions of people and places, both real and imaginary. His works and stories were very popular during his life and he wrote serial novels.

His life was very hard. His family was very poor and his life changed when his father went to prison because he could not pay his bills. After that, Dickens was sent to work in a factory and he only got six shillings a week. He wrote about his terrible moments in his novel David Copperfield. Then he wrote three more novels: Oliver Twist,Nicholas Nickleby and The Old Curiosity Shop, which were very successful. 

My opinion about the novel: in my opinion the novel is entertaining and I think the main message is that you can make mistakes in your life but you have the opportunity to change.

A Christmas Carol

Scrooge is a hard,clever,mean old man that hates Christmas and thinks only in making money. One day, in Christmas eve the ghost of Jacob Marley comes to visit him and says him that three spirits help him to change his life. When Christmas Day finally arrives, Scrooge is a very different man.