Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

Common English Collocations

• Do: course, aerobics, business, good, harm, homework, judo, some damage, voluntary work, well, your best
• Get: a girlfriend, a jacket, a job, a tattoo, angry, better, good grades, home, married, points, the bus, to the party
• Go: backpacking, camping, on a date, back, off, on, through, with, without
• Make: a call, a film, a fortune, a list, a meal, an effort, arrangements, decisions, excuses, friends, noise
• Play: chess

Future and Technology Vocabulary

• Alien, artificial intelligence, catastrophe, climate change, colony, crime wave, epidemic, hologram, optimistic, overpopulation, pessimistic, pollution, robot, space station, space travel, virtual world, war

Reflexive Verbs and Phrasal Verbs

• Reflexive: Arm yourself, call yourself,

Personality Traits and Descriptive Adjectives

• Active
• Ambitious
• Cheerful - Alegre
• Confident - Confiado
• Curious
• Determined
• Friendly
• Generous
• Innocent
• Intelligent
• Intolerant
• Mean
• Practical - Práctico
• Sensible
• Sensitive
• Serious
• Shy - Tímido
• Tolerant

Verbs of Communication and Emotion

• Boast - Presumir
• Chat - Hablar
• Complain - Quejarse
• Cry - Llorar
• Hug - Abrazar
• Joke - Bromear
• Laugh - Reírse
• Shout - Gritar
• Smile - Sonreír
• Stare - Mirar fijamente
• Sulk - Enfadarse
• Tease - Vacilar

Television Vocabulary

TV Programmes and Genres

• Advert - Anuncio
• Cartoon
• Documentary
• Drama Series
• Film
• Game Show / Quiz Show / Reality Show
• Sitcom - Serie de comedia
• Sports Programme
• Talent Show

General TV Terms

• Audience - Audiencia
• Broadcast - Emisión
• Camera
• Channel
• Episode
• Participant
• Presenter
• Programme - Programa
• Remote

Gallery Visit: The Botticelli Exhibition

V: Excuse me. I am looking for the Botticelli exhibition.

D: You're in the right place. Come on in!

V: Can you tell me about Botticelli's style?

D: Botticelli is known for his Renaissance style.

V: What are his most important paintings?

D: Botticelli's most important paintings are The Birth of Venus and Primavera.

V: Are these works in the exhibition today?

D: Yes, the works are in Room 3, on the left.

Discussion on Artistic Movements

A1: What do you think of the exhibit so far?

A2: It's okay. The Modernism section was really interesting.

A1: I like the way Modernism brings together nature and the use of curved lines.

A2: Yeah. But I'm not sure about the Surrealism section.

A1: You didn't like it?

A2: Not entirely.... Continue reading "Art Appreciation and Photography Workflow Dialogues" »

What is a Brand?

A brand encompasses everything that represents your company in the minds of consumers. It's the culmination of people's perceptions of your customer service, reputation, advertising, and even your logo. When these elements work harmoniously, your brand thrives. Conversely, even a company with exceptional products can suffer from a damaged brand due to poor customer service.

How Strong Branding Impacts Your Business

1. Branding Improves Recognition

Your logo is a key element of your brand identity. Just think about the instant recognition associated with McDonald's golden arches or the USPS eagle. As the "face" of your company, your logo needs to be memorable and impactful. A professional logo design should be simple enough to remember... Continue reading "The Impact of Strong Branding on Business Success" »

Cooperative Culture: The values, beliefs, and traditions in a company that influence the behavior of its staff. It's important for job seekers to know about an organization's culture before accepting a job.

Cultura cooperativa: Los valores, creencias y tradiciones en una empresa que influyen en el comportamiento de su personal. Es importante que los solicitantes de empleo sepan sobre la cultura de una organización antes de aceptar un puesto de trabajo.

Informal Communication & Actions

Company Attributes

Graphics and Design

Categories of Graphic Software

Bitmapped graphics represent images as bitmaps; they are stored as pixels and become distorted when manipulated. The density of dots per inch determines the image quality.

Vector graphics represent images as mathematical formulae, so they can be changed or scaled without losing quality. They are ideal for high-resolution output.

Types of Graphics Software

• Image manipulation programs: Let you edit your favorite images. For example, you can scan a picture into your PC or transfer a photo from your camera and then add different effects or filters.
• Painting and drawing programs: Also called illustration packages, these offer facilities for freehand drawing with a wide choice of pens, brushes, colors,

Chapter 6: The Press

Public Sphere Theory

• Intimate sphere: Family, friends, etc.
• Private sphere: Voluntary associations.
• Public sphere: External relations.

Four Theories of the Press

• Authoritarian theory: Direct governmental control of media.
• Libertarian theory: Free expression is prioritized, but individual freedom is not guaranteed.
• Social Responsibility Theory: The powerful press must be held accountable to those who do not have access to an equal means of communication.
• Soviet theory: Press institutions are expected to follow governmental theory.

Key Concepts in Journalism

• Yellow Journalism: A sensationalist and exaggerated newspaper style meant to increase sales.
• The Muckrakers: Politically engaged, factual reporters who expose illegal activities.

The Urgency of Intersectionality

In the TED Talk "The Urgency of Intersectionality," law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw explains the origin and importance of intersectionality. She starts with an exercise that demonstrates the low level of awareness surrounding the names of African-American women killed by the police. Moreover, she explains why their stories are unknown and what we can do to raise public awareness.

The Origin of Intersectionality

Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” when she read the case of Emma DeGraffenreid, an African-American woman who sued a car manufacturing plant for not hiring her. DeGraffenreid argued that she faced discrimination based on both her race and gender, as the industrial work was available... Continue reading "The Urgency of Intersectionality: Understanding Overlapping Oppressions" »

Plot: Arranging Story Events

Plot refers to an author’s arrangement of the events that make up a story. Plot does not follow a chronological order; for example, authors may start in the middle and use flashbacks or dialogue to refer to previous events. The author must choose when the story begins, which aspects can be summarized, and when it should end. Time is subjective. The author's aim in writing a story will direct the choices he makes, and therefore analyzing these aspects of plot gives us invaluable insight into the meaning of his work.

Conflict: The Driving Force

Conflict is the driving force behind many plots. It may come from:

• External Conflict

  The main character may be in conflict with external forces like family, society, physical

Semiotics: Signs, Symbols, Icons & Branding

Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation. It encompasses designation, likeness, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication. Essentially, semiotics explores how words and other signs create meaning. In this field, a sign is anything that stands in for something other than itself.

• Signs produce meaning.
• A sign signifies something.
• Meaning is socially produced through signs, symbols, and icons.

Non-Vocal Communications

Signals, signs, and symbols represent a separate form of language.

• Signifier: The physical existence of an object (e.g., the word "tree").
• Signified: The mental concept or idea associated with the object (e.g., the image of a tree in your