“Spam on rise after brief reprieve”

Some weeks ago McColo, a web hosting company which was responsible for having about 2/3 of the e-mail spam, had been closed. It seemed to be a great blow against spamming, but now it is rising again. The spam senders are finding day after day new ways of sending e-mails without being caught. For example, some of them will go to other countries with weaker laws. Internet security firms are investigating to face the spamming, but loads of computers are affected and infected by this problem and it seems that this Christmas season it will grow. New words learnt:

Alleged - presumpte
Bot - programa informàtic que pot fer diverses accions per ell mateix
Host (to) - allotjar
Recruit (to) - contractar, reclutar
Reprieve - respir
Scourge - fueteig
Shutdown - tancament
SPAM - The origin of this word is Spiced Ham (pernil amb espècies), with a low quality and big spreading, like the spam messages.

Article from BBC News, written by (unknown). Wednesday, 26th of November 2008

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Discussion Essay

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS

It’s an undeniable fact that, in a short period of time, computers have flooded our homes, our schools and our jobs. The arrival of the World Wide Web has been a turning point in the humanity’s history. But computers aren’t perfect and we can find loads of arguments supporting or against them.

On the one hand, computers are one of the symbols of the progress. They have created thousands of new trades and some companies live repairing computers, selling in the internet, advertising or charging money for sharing their information. Furthermore, computers have changed the meaning of the word “communication”, giving the opportunity of talking with people in the other side of the world instantaneously. You can talk with your family or your friends wherever they are, you only need a computer connected to the web. They have also made a new way of teaching and learning, with the biggest amount of information ever seen.

But, on the other hand, there’s the dark side of computers. All of this technology needs a lot of energy and resources, which aren’t obtained in a safe way for the environment. Computers become obsolete in less than five years and there’s no chance to use them again, generating a lot of rubbish. Moreover, most of the information in the internet isn’t true and loads of web pages aren’t reliable. Then, information becomes disinformation and the users must be very careful to recognize it. Another problem is that some persons become addicted to the computers, they are stuck to the screen and they need a treatment to live without their gadget.

In conclusion, there are good points and bad points about computers, but I think that nowadays there are more bad arguments than good ones. In my opinion, the idea of computers is good but, in practice, it isn’t well carried out. Otherwise, most of the problems are possible to solve and I hope that, in the future, computer will be one of the man’s best friends.

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Ameriquest: don't judge too quickly... We won't

This is an exercise that I made for practicing in class. The objective is to fill the spaces with the words: is, are getting, is going to be, killed, hold, enjoyed, look, have got, calling, are asking, feel, hate and forgot.
EXERCISE:
DON’T JUDGE TOO QUICKLY... WE WON’T: AMERIQUEST

1-I don’t _____ your mother.

2-Patient has a fractured fibia. Given him a mild sedative. So he’ll be able to go home tomorrow.
Daddy’________ so excited!
That ______ him.
Paging Doctor Palmer, doctor...

3-All the boys are ______ Crazy Girl!
I hope she sings this tonight.
I know!
We need gum!
I’m on it!
Oh honey! Here_ some money.
What ___ we ___ here?
I’m her...daddy.

4-Hi folks, we hope you _______ your flight today. We're going to be starting our decent...

5-

6-Hello. How much ___ they ______?
Well, that's a lot of money for a deck!
I hate to tell you this but you ____ _____ robbed.
Did you hear me? You _____ ______ robbed.

7-(song) I've been really tryin', baby
Tryin' to ____ back this feelin' for so long
And if you feel like I ____, baby
Then come on, oh, come on

8-______ at the...

9-Excuse me... Oh! What happens! Hi!
Hi! What are you doing?
Eh! ______ your wallet....

10-

ANSWER:

1-I don’t hate your mother.

2-Patient has a fractured fibia. Given him a mild sedative. So he’ll be able to go home tomorrow.
Daddy’s going to be so excited!
That killed him.
Paging Doctor Palmer, doctor...

3-All the boys are calling Crazy Girl!
I hope she sings this tonight.
I know!
We need gum!
I’m on it!
Oh honey! Here’s some money.
What have we got here?
I’m her...daddy.

4-Hi folks, we hope you enjoyed your flight today. We're going to be starting our decent...

5-

6-Hello. How much are they asking?
Well, that's a lot of money for a deck!
I hate to tell you this but you’re getting robbed.
Did you hear me? You’re getting robbed.

7-(song) I've been really tryin', baby
Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long
And if you feel like I feel, baby
Then come on, oh, come on

8-Look at the...

9-Excuse me... Oh! What happens! Hi!
Hi! What are you doing?
Eh! Forgot your wallet....

10-

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Fourth Oral Presentation

This is the video of my first oral presentation of the school year, the 4th in Batxillerat. First of all I’ll comment my presentation and then I’ll put the comment of the other presentations that we have made in class. MY PRESENTATION:

PRESENTATION: I had a powerpoint with the content of my presentation, some examples and images.

BODY LANGUAGE AND EYE CONTACT: I was more relaxed than in the other presentations. I looked to the audience or to the screen, moving my hands (maybe too much)

CONTENT: I think I introduced new information to the audience, because it was new for me when I chose this topic. I looked for information about different types of humor and I tried to choose some examples to make it easy to understand. I didn’t put a video, it could have been good.

LANGUAGE: I checked the grammar in the dictionary I looked for expressions and words related to the world of humour. I used a too much times “humour”, but I think that some synonyms aren’t appropriate to this topic. I put “humor” in the presentation because the dictionary said it was correct, but now I know that “humor” is in American English and “humour” is in British English.

PRONUNCIATION & ENTONATION: I tried to don’t extend the words or say “mmmmm” “aaaaaaa...” to win time, because when I do it I extend them too much and I prefer to stop and think.


COMMENTS OF THE OTHERS’ PRESENTATIONS:

Orals 1rst term 2n...

Hosted by eSnips

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Summary: Pride and Prejudice

The last day we watched in class the film “Pride and prejudice”. The story is very similar than the book that we had read: The main character, Elizabeth Bennet, a prejudiced girl from a medium social class, meets a rich gentleman, Mr. Darcy, who teaches her that to judge people at first sight and without care can drive us until a great mistake. That happens with Elizabeth and Darcy but, at the end, they finish together, married and happy.

Apart from that, there are more love stories in the background, very varied and which involve the Bennet sisters and their family.

As I’ve said, the film is similar to the book, but there are some differences. In Pemberley, when Elizabeth visits the house with her uncles, the servant tells them how good person is Mr. Darcy, but in the film she doesn’t speak. When Lydia elopes with Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth doesn’t tell the news to their uncles and Mr. Darcy at the same time. Finally, if I’m not mistaken, when Lady Catherine de Bourgh visits Elizabeth, they don’t meet in a room and at night but they go for a walk near Bennet’s House. Furthermore, Elizabeth and Mr Darcy meet some times in Lady Catherine’s gardens before he proposes her.

There are also differences between the films (the British version and the American version). On the one hand, the British film finishes when Elizabeth tells her father that she really wants to marry Mr. Darcy and he is astonished because two of her daughters have promised in a very short period of time. On the other hand, the American version continues this scene and finishes in Mr. Darcy’s house, in Pemberley, near the lake, at night. In this scene there’s the final kiss, giving a more typical ending. In my opinion, the first one is better than the second, which is very cheesy.

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Activity about Martin Luther King, Jr. : "I have a dream"

After 1876, blacks lost most of their rights, and they tried to get them with the American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968). African Americans were discriminated and oppressed by whites. They couldn’t vote, they didn’t have part in the justice system, there was racial segregation (Public facilities, government services like education were different depending on the colour of the skin of the persons. Blacks and whites were separated in most of the activities in the daily life. For example, they couldn’t go to the same restaurants.). Sometimes, blacks were exploited because they didn’t have the same job opportunities and they suffered violence by the police and the whites. This situation was different in the North than in the South (it was “better” to live in the south). Georgia, Mississippi or Alabama were the worst places for black people. The Pilgrims were the European settlers who celebrated the Thanksgiving Day, a very important American holiday, with American natives. The spirituals are songs made by African slaves in America. The word “spiritual” comes from “spiritual song” and it’s related with religion. Vocabulary:

Rooted - arrelat
Rise up - aixecar-se, revoltar-se
Creed - credo
Hold - agafar, mantenir
Sweltering - sufocant
Heat - calor, escalfor
Rough - agrest
Crooked - torçat
Straight - dret, recte
Flesh - carn , (In the flesh - en persona)
Despair - desesperació
Hope - esperança



Martin Luther King, Jr. (English / Català)

“I have a Dream”

(Tinc un Somni (una il•lusió))

delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.



And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

(I doncs, encara que ens enfrontem a problemes d’avui i de demà, encara tinc un somni. És un somni profundament arrelat dins el somni americà.)

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

(Tinc la il•lusió que, algun dia, aquesta nació s’aixecarà i viurà el veritable significat del seu credo. “Sostenim aquestes veritats per posar de manifest que tots els homes han estat creats amb les mateixes igualtats”)

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

(Tinc la il•lusió que un dia, sobre les muntanyes vermelles de Georgia, els fills dels antics esclaus i dels propietaris d’aquests esclaus seran capaços de seure junts a la taula de la germanor.)

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

(Tinc la il•lusió que un dia, fins i tot l’estat de Mississippi, un estat sufocant de bullent injustícia, sufocant amb la calor de l’opressió, serà transformat en un oasis de llibertat i justícia.)

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

(Tinc la il•lusió que els meus quatre petits fills algun dia viuran en una nació on no seran jutjats pel color de la seva pell sinó pel contingut de la seva personalitat.

Ara tinc un somni!)

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

( Tinc la il•lusió que un dia, fins arribar a Alabama, amb els seus viciosos racistes, amb el seu governador que té els llavis impregnats de les paraules “interposició” i “anul•lació”, un dia, allà a Alabama, petits nois negres i noies negres podran ajuntar les mans amb petits nois blancs i noies blanques, com a germanes i germans.

Tinc un somni avui!)

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

( Tinc la il•lusió que un dia cada vall podrà ser elevada, i cada cim i muntanya es podrà rebaixar, els indrets agrests es faran plans i els llocs torçats s’aixecaran, “i la glòria del Senyor podrà ser revelada i les persones ho podran veure juntes”.)

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

( Aquesta és la nostra esperança, i aquesta és la fe amb la qual me’n vaig cap al Sud.)

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

( Amb aquesta fe, podrem extreure de la muntanya de la desesperació una pedra d’esperança. Amb aquesta fe, podrem transformar les sorolloses discòrdies de la nostra nació en meravelloses simfonies de germanor. Amb aquesta fe, podrem treballar junts, pregar junts, lluitar junts, que ens empresonin junts, aixecar-nos per la llibertat junts, sabent que un dia serem lliures. )

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

(I aquest serà el dia, aquest serà el dia quan tots els fills de Déu podran cantar amb un nou propòsit.)

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

(El meu país (It is of you) és vostre, dolça terra de llibertat, per vosaltres canto.)

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

(Terra on els meus pares van morir, terra del l’orgull dels peregrins.)

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

(Des de cada racó de la muntanya, deixem que la llibertat soni!)

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

(I si Amèrica serà una gran nació, això haurà de ser cert.)

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

(I doncs, deixem que la llibertat soni des dels prodigiosos cims de New Hampshire.)

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des de les poderoses muntanyes de Nova York.)

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des dels immensos Alleghenies de Pennsylvania.)

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des dels Rockies de Colorado coberts de neu.)

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des de les curvilínies pendents de California.)

But not only that:

(Però no només això:)

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des de la Stone Mountain de Georgia.)

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des de la Lookout Mountain de Tennessee.)

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

(Deixem que la llibertat soni des de cada cim i cada monticle de Mississippi.)

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

(Des de cada indret de muntanya, deixem que la llibertat soni.)

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

(I quan això passi, quan permetem que la llibertat soni, quan deixem que soni des de cada poble i cada llogaret, des de cada estat i cada ciutat, serem capaços de fer anar més de pressa el dia que tots els infants de Déu, homes negres i homes blancs, jueus i no cristians, protestants i catòlics, seran capaços d’ajuntar les mans i cantar les paraules de l’antiga cançó espiritual negra:

Lliures finalment! Lliures finalment!
Gràcies Déu totpoderós, som lliures finalment!)

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Opinion Essay

IS HUMOUR NECESSARY TO SURVIVE?

Humour is present in lots of situations in the daily life. We can find it in the TV programs, in the newspapers or in the people who surround us. This fact raises a question: Do we really need it? In my opinion, humour is one of the most important things in our lives. Maybe it isn’t always necessary, but sometimes it is essential.

On the one hand, it depends on the type of humour. If we talk about silly humour or annoying humour, it’s not necessary. Maybe it makes some people laugh, but perhaps somebody becomes angry or sad, and we could dispense with this humour. There’s also a witty humour. I believe that’s a good humour because it gives a reason to laugh. If it’s harmless and doesn’t want to offend people, it is thousands of times better than cruel humour. If I had to mention some quotations, Albert Einstein’s words "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. ", or Bill Vaughan’s quote "We learn something every day, and lots of times it's that what we learned the day before was wrong." would be good examples of witty humour.

On the other hand, the situation determines the humour. Not all the types of humour can be used all the circumstances. For example, you can tell this joke: " A nursery school pupil told his teacher he’d found a cat, but it was dead. “How do you know that the cat was dead?” she asked her pupil. “Because I pissed in its ear and it didn’t move,” answered the child innocently. “You did WHAT?” the teacher exclaimed in surprise. “You know,” explained the boy, “I leaned over and went ‘Pssst’ and it didn’t move” ". Surely some people will laugh, but maybe, if your little sister’s cat has just died, it isn’t the best moment to tell her this joke. Otherwise, if a person is always in a hospital and a clown visits him and makes him laugh, surely he’ll get better faster.

Finally, the personality of each person is different, some people take life with more humour than others who don’t understand humour or it’s difficult to make them laugh. I think it’s better to talk with somebody who is cheerful than to have a conversation with a very serious person because the joy spreads easily. There’s a quotation from Elbert Hubbard (an American writer) in favor of humour: "Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive". I think that’s a vital truth.

In conclusion, humour is very important and it’s hard to imagine a life without humour, without something very simple which, provided in small doses, can be very important to survive and make life more pleasant.


MISTAKES:

Humor (American English) - Humour (British English)
People who surrounds (plural noun) - People who surround us
will be better - will get better
In one hand - On the one hand

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