Oral presentation

CARNIVAL!
The main topic of my oral presentation is the Carnival. I speak from origins of Carnival, Carnival in the world and the most typical costumes.

What is carnival?
Carnival is a festive which occurs immediately before Lent. The main events are usually during January and February. In my town, Banyoles, the carnival was 21 February .
Carnival typically involves a public celebration , masque and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations.

The origins of Carnival
Some historians say that the carnival is that 5000 years ago in time to Egyptians. But, in other hand, some people also said that the carnival comes from the time of the Roman Splendour, when, in honour of the god Bacchus (god of wine) was celebrating a party that lasted two or three days.

Carnival and Christianity
The Spanish origin of the word carnival comes from "carnelevale", referring to the prohibition of meat consumption in the Christian Lent. Because, during 40 days, for Christian people, it was prohibit eat meat. Currently, the carnival doesn’t follow any religious holiday.

CARNIVAL IN THE WORLD!
The carnival is celebrated almost around the world. Now, I appoint some of the world places where the carnival is an important event.

Carnival in Brazil
First I’d like to talk about the Carnival in Brazil, maybe the most important carnival in the world.
Brazil Carnival is also celebrated 40 days before Lent.
The main celebration takes place in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, where the samba schools and other groups of people dress up and go out into the streets. The Brazil Carnival is famous for his spectacular floats and dancers, singers and drummers parade that through the streets of Rio. Thousand of people meet there every year to enjoy this event.

Carnival in Venice
The Carnival of Venice is the traditional party since XVII century, when the nobility were dress up to mix with the villagers. Since then, the masks are the most important element of the carnival. The carnival of Venice has duration of 10 days.
The costumes are basically composed by:

- Costumes typical of the 1700s.
- White mask and black silk hat.

The Venetian Carnival is very different from the Brazilian carnival. The Venetian Carnival is more classical.

Carnival in Cadiz

The Carnival of Cadiz is the most famous in Spain and is also recognized around the world. The origin of the Carnival of Cadiz comes from the Roman period.

The Carnival of Cadiz is characterized by choral groups, their different actions, their competitions for the best choral group…

Curiosities

The mask of the year
The mask of U.S. President, Barack Obama, is the most sold in the city of Sao Paulo for Carnival 2009. More than 20,000 masks were sold.

Talking About photos

TALKING ABOUT PHOTOS

Gemma. Have you got some photos, Judit?
Emma. Can we have a look?
Judit. If you like, yes.
Gemma. Where did you take them?
Judit. Oh!, this was when we were on FDT in Olot.
Emma. That's a nice one! Who's that on the left?
Judit. It's a boy I met. His name's Marc.
Emma. Oh! He's so beautiful!
Gemma. Where were you going?
Judit. We were going to Feelgook.
Emma and Gemma. Oh yes, lucky you! Have you got any more?
Judit. Yes! Emma... I have to tell you one thing. I've got a photo of you and...
Emma. Really?! Give me this one, please!
Gemma. Can I have a look?
Judit. Yes, of corse.
Gemma. Oh, he's very beautiful!
Emma. Thank you!
Judit. And you Gemma, who did you met?
Gemma. I don't want to tell you.
Judit and Emma. Oh Gemma, Come on! We are friends.
Gemma. Ok, OK... you're so tirying! I met one boy, called Oriol.
Judit and Emma. He's very good looking!
Judit, Emma and Gemma. The life is so wonderful!

MY WORLD

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING RUN-UP, NY

Each year, more than 200 people run up to th 86th floor of the Empire State building. That's 1.576 steps!!! In 2007 the winner did it in 10 min and 8s.

MY WORLD

EDISON'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

On 11 February there is a birthday party in Louisville, USA, for the famous inventor Thomas Edison. He was born in 1847 and had more than 1.000 inventions! His most famous invention was the light bulb, of course.

CRAZY

I'M FIRST!

These brides aren't late for their wedding. They are in a race to climb a wedding cake that is 4.6 meters high. The winner gets 20.000€. The race was organised by Bridezilla, a reality TV series about horrible brides.

CRAZY

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Can you identify the real Father Christmas? No?

Thousands of them are participating in the "GREAT SCOTTISH SANTA RUN". This annual race raises money for sick children to go to Lapland to see Father Christmas, the real, of course.

CRAZY

A SPECIAL FERRARI!

This isn't a normal ferrari race car. This Ferrari is made or 80.000 Legos! It was made to celebrate Lego World, an annual Lego festival in the Netherlands.

MUSIC

BEYONCÉ

Beyonsé's third solo album, I AM ... SASHA FIERCE, is a very personal album. But why did she call it such a funny name? She says: "When I'm on stage Sasha Fierce, my alter ego protects me ..."

MUSIC

THE KILLERS

The American rock group have made third album, Day and Age. They are sure that fans will like their new album."We 've got faith in what we do faith in our fans."

I don't know a lot of information about this music group, but I like some of them success songs .

EXPLAINING A PROBLEM

Preparation:
A letter: explaining a problem

What’s the situation?
My parents are too strict because I have to be at home before 9:30 p.m. at the weekends. I talked to them about it, but they won’t change the rule.
Are you worried or angry? Why?
I’m angry because I think is too early to come back at home at the weekends and I’d like to come back later
What is you ideal solution?
I think my parents should be more permissive with me and they should listen my arguments.
What would be consequences of that?
Maybe they won’t listen to me.
Is there another solution?
No, there isn’t any solution; I’d really like some advice.
Why do you need advice?
I’d like some advice because I want to change this situation.

Writing: Explaining a problem

I’ve had a problem recently. My parents are too strict because I have to be at home before 9:30 p.m. at the weekends. I think that is too early to come back home. I talked to them about it, but they won’t change the rule.

I’m angry because I think is too early to come back at home at the weekends and I’d like to come back later. I think my parents should be more permissive with me and if they allowed me to come back home later, I’d be much happier. But maybe they won’t listen to me.

I’d like some advice because I want to change this situation.

FIRST AND SECOND CONDITIONAL

Grammar
First and second conditional
Write ten sentences:

1. If my parents were more permissive, I wouldn’t discuss with them.
2. If my parents allow me to return home later on Saturday nights, I’ll be happy.
3. My parents will be angry with me if I don't pass my exams.
4. My parents will be really happy with me if I tidy my bedroom every week.
5. If I wasn’t responsible, my parents wouldn’t give me the house keys.
6. If my parents listened to me more, they’d understand my problems.
7. If my parents bought me a motorbike, I’d have more freedom.
8. If my parents were funnier, I wouldn’t get bored when I go with them.
9. My parents would be angry if I arrived late at home.
10. If my parents didn’t ask me everything about my exams, I wouldn’t have to lie.

Invitations and excuses

INVITATIONS AND EXCUSES

Judit: Hey look, Emma. That DJ is playing again this weekend.
Emma: YEAH?! Where’s he playing?
Gemma: At the Warehouse on Saturday.
Emma: Right. I’m definitely going to that. Would we like to go with me?
Judit: We’d love to, but we’re afraid we can’t. Our parents wouldn’t be very happy about it.
Emma: Go on! They wouldn’t mind.
Gemma: No, sorry. We’re supposed to be going out with them that night anyway.
Emma: That’s the shame. Oh, well, do you fancy going out another night?
Judit I Gemma: We’ll think about it, OK?

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Returning a product

Dialogue:

Gemma: Hello, how can I help you?

Judit: Oh, hello. We'd like to return this t-shirts, please.

Gemma: OK. What's the problem whit it?

Emma: Well, they’re too tight, we’d need another height.
Gemma: OK, When did you buy it?
Judit: We bought them yesterday.
Gemma: Have you got the receipt?
Emma: Yes, here you are.
Gemma: OK. Well, I can give you a refund, or do you want to choose another t-shirt?
Judit i Emma: We’ll choose another, thanks.

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History, English and Maths with Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (25 June 1852 - 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect , maximum representative of the modernist architecture. He has many important works, but undoubtedly the most important is the “Sagrada Família”, expiatory temple in construction.

In his works, for example “La Sagrada Família", we can see many things related to the mathematics, for example:

- Columns: The trunks of the columns are geometric and he used polygons for construction them.
- Shapes: In all of his works Gaudí used the geometric shapes: polygons, parabola, helicoidally forms…
- Puzzle: magical Square of the part of the Passion.

- Proportions: the sizes of the “Sagrada Família” are correctly related and studied for mathematical methods.

A formal letter

9 c/Generalitat
Girona
27th November 2008

The Community Fund
16 Suffolk Street
London
SW1Y4NL

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to enquire about lottery funds for a community project in our town.
Banyoles is a small town in “Pla de l’Estany”. There are a lot of natural and interesting places in and around de town, but the library is very old. For that reason, we would like to restore the library.
I wound be grateful if you contribute in this project. If you have any questions about our project, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

Judit Planas

A discussion essay

Writing: A discussion essay

Preparation: The Internet is a better invention than books. Discuss.

1. Is the Internet important, in your opinion? Why?
I think that the Internet is a very important invention because you can access a lot of information in a short time, serves to communicate with the people (e-mail…) and also serves to play computer games.

2. When did it become important?
Internet became important in 1969 when it was invented.

3. What did people do before his was invented?
Before Internet was invented, people went to the library to consult information; the computer games weren't existed and the relationships were more real, no virtual.

4. What can people do with it now?

People can access much information in a short time; they can communicate with people around the world (e-mail, messenger…) and also they can play computer games.

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of books?
I think that books are a very important invention too. Books have advantages too. For example, you can read a book in everywhere, you can touch the book. But, on the other hand, I think that for find information, the Internet is more comfortable.

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet?
I think that the advantages of the Internet are: you can access much information in a short time; you can communicate with people around the world (e-mail…) and also you can play computer games. And the disadvantages: you can’t use it everywhere; you need a computer for to use it …

7. On balance, which is the better invention? Why?
I think that the Internet is the better invention, because it is more comfortable and it has more applications than books.

Writing: The Internet is a better invention than books. Discuss.

The Internet was a very revolutionary invent in 1969, when it was invented. The Internet is a very important invention because you can access a lot of information in a short time. You can communicate with the people around the world (e-mail, messenger…) and is also used to play computer games. Before the Internet was invented, people went to the library to consult information; computer games didn't exist and the relationships were more real, not virtual.

Books, on the other hand, are a very important invention ,too. Books are simpler and you can read it everywhere, you can touch the book. I think that books are more personal object. But the Internet, however, is more useful.

On balance, I think that the Internet is a better invention, because it is more useful and it has more applications.