Final evaluation of 1st Batxillerat

Well, I’ve finished my portfolio and I’ll say my opinion about it:

I think that I have improved my level of English since September 2007. In one side, for example, there is a difference between the first oral presentation and the last one. I feel more comfortable talking in English than at first. On the other side, I’ve learned how to make a formal letter or an opinion essay.
Maybe, the activity which best shows my level of English is the oral presentation.
I think that the most useful activities are the oral presentations and the books. I’ve learnt a lot reading the books.
One of the activities that I didn’t find useful is the writing of a formal letter. It’s useful but I think that it would be more useful to learn how to write a good e-mail because now we prefer to send an e-mail before doing a letter because it’s cheaper, faster and more flexible, but we tend to write like in a mobile phone.
Finally, I think that most of the activities we have done are good for next year.

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Third Oral Presentation

PRESENTATION: We had got a PowerPoint to show our presentation, with photos of rubbish dumps. We also had got a box with different objects made with different materials.
BODY LANGUAGE AND EYE CONTACT: I was more relaxed than in the first presentation but a bit more nervous than in the second one. I looked to the audience or to the screen, changing depending on the content of the information.

CONTENT: We introduced new information to the audience. We looked for information about the problem of the waist, and what can we do with it.

LANGUAGE: We checked the grammar in the dictionary and we looked for expressions and words related to the world of waist (rubbish, trash, etc.). I used a lot “as you can see” or “also”.

PRONUNCIATION & ENTONATION: I didn’t extend the words but I left some spaces between the sentences. Another thing that I think it was better than in the other presentations is that, when I was thinking what I needed to say, I didn’t make sounds like “mmmm...”.

Oral others.doc

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Summary: The Ghost Rider

A motorcycle rider (Johnny Blaze) knows that his father is dying of cancer and he gives his soul to an unknown man who says that he can cure his father. Johnny didn’t believe in those things but, miraculously his father gets over the cancer (but he dies the same day in an accident). Johnny’s soul belongs to that man (Mephistopheles).
After that, Johnny becomes the Ghost Rider at nights. He punishes the villains and he needs to beat Blackheart (Mephistopheles’ son).
Roxanne had been his girlfriend but he abandoned her after lose his soul. Now, they meet again, and she discovers what happens to Johnny.
At the end, Blackheart kidnaps Roxanne and the Ghost Rider travels to San Venganza. Once there, he saves Roxanne and kills Blackheart, but when Mephistopheles comes to give him his soul, he doesn’t accept it. He will continue being the Ghost Rider.

Stunt rider: pilot d’acrobàcies.
Bonehead: estúpid
Greed: avarícia
Carny: carnaval
Sin (to): pecar

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"Florida's hurricane simulator"

A group of scientists and graduate students at the University of Florida is creating the world's most powerful portable hurricane simulator. They want to reproduce hurricanes because every year some hurricanes are affecting the region and they destroy houses and cause a lot of damages. Because of this, loads of families lose their homes.Then, scientists need to investigate new structures, new materials and solutions to the problem of hurricanes.
Harness (to): Aprofitar.
Raindrop: Gota de pluja.
Strap (to): Lligar amb una corretja.
The article is from “BBC News” (7th June 2008) and it’s written by Andy Gallacher.

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Opinion essay: Exams importance

I agree with the idea that too much importance is given to taking exams at school.

In one side, I think that we work a lot of hours at school and the exams are only a small part of the work that we do, but the final marks only show our results in the exams and this isn’t fair.
On the other side, I also believe that, when we do the exams, we tend to be nervous and we can’t do the exercises as much well as we could do them at home without pressure.
In addition, we haven’t got enough time to complete the exams and each person works at his rhythm. Then, if we can’t finish the exam we can’t show what have we learnt.

In conclusion, I think that exams aren’t useful to evaluate our knowledge and we give too much importance to taking exams.
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Opinion essay: The respect to our world

“We have almost learnt to respect our world. Do you agree?”

I disagree with the opinion that we have almost learnt to respect our world. In my opinion, we know that we must respect our planet, but we don’t act accordingly, it’s quite the opposite.

In one side, we generate loads of rubbish every day, we are destroying the forests to satisfy our wishes, the ice in the poles is melting and the animals are dying out, the global warming and the greenhouse effect are increasing, etc.
While these things are happening, most of the people are buying not useful objects, living their dreams without being aware of how important their help can be.
On the other side, I think it’s nice to think about the problems of the world and how to solve them, but only a small part of the population is working on it, recycling, saving the world for the newcomer generations.

In conclusion, we still need to learn how to respect our world, we need to act and we can do it, and that our small help is essential.
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Dialogue by Alejandro Peña, Miriam Falgàs and me.

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TOC-TOC
- Wait a moment! I’m coming!
(He opened the door and three men entered into the house.)
- Where is the money? (Said the smallest one, with a cigar)
- What ... money? Who are you?
- Don’t turn a deaf ear; you know you owe a lot of money to the boss.
- Wait, wait! I’ll return you the money when I’ll finish my business.
- I don’t trust on your words. We have been waiting too much time.
- No, no! This time it’s true!
- Ok, it’s your last chance. But if I don’t have it tomorrow at midnight, I’ll come and kill your daughter.
- No, please! Kill me, but don’t touch my family!
- I’ve warned you. I don’t withdraw my words. Sayonara. You two, beat him up.
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